《An Extra's POV》


 Chapter 1: How It All Began

    <h4>Chapter 1: How It All Began</h4>


    "Greetings, young denizens of Earth. My name is Seraph, and this is the Domain of God."


    These were the words of a stunning Angel, her voice as soothing as honey. The twenty-nine students simply stared, dazed and utterly confused.


    Hovering elegantly in front of the pearly gates, she pped her six wings as she radiated kindness and benevolence toward the confused bunch.


    She knew patience was key when dealing with these ones; considering they had been on a school bus barely seconds ago before getting transported to this mind-boggling ce


    It was a ce brighter than daylight, despite there being no sun in sight. Clouds reced solid ground, and the horizon seemed to stretch on endlessly.


    Other than a magnificent gate that stood behind her, there was nothing in sight for miles.


    After granting the students a few moments of silence, Seraph geared up to speak once again, but was interrupted by a barrage of murmurs from the crowd.


    "W-what''s going on?"


    "Where are we?"


    "Whoa, she''s like an angel or something. What the hell...?"


    "D-did she just say the realm of God? Are we dead?"


    "Thest thing I remember was that a massive truck was about to hit our bus. Please don''t tell me we...!"


    The uproar was no surprise, and Seraph allowed it despite the chaos.


    Could anyone me these teens?


    They had been on their way back from a ss field trip when they were suddenly caught up in this mess.


    "Everyone, please let''s calm down!"


    Amanding, masculine voice suddenly pierced through the chaotic space.


    Instantly, the room fell silent as each student recognized the voice.


    As the noise died down, a boy stepped forward, moving with a grace that seemed incredible for a human.


    "I get it. We are all confused, but please, let''s try to stay calm. Our questions will definitely be answered."


    Amid the collective unease, the students slowly nodded in agreement with the boy''s words. His smile, both rtable and confident, worked like a charm, easing their worries and diffusing the tension hanging in the air.


    With his ssmates calmed, the boy, his blond hair swaying, strode towards the angelic figure observing the scene in silence.


    "Excuse me, Miss Seraph," he began, addressing the angel. "I''m sorry for the chaos. Could you please tell us what''s happening here?"


    Seraph smiled at the young man''s question. Not only was he strikingly handsome, every inch the picture of human perfection, but he was also very polite.


    He seemed to be the only one who possessed the knack to properly address a celestial being like herself.


    "Of course," she replied.


    "Thank you, Miss Seraph," he said, bowing gently.


    "What''s your name?" Seraph asked.


    "Adonis. Adonis Levi."


    Adonis maintained his bow, earning a soft smile from Seraph. She found herself getting quite fond of this human.


    "You can lift your head now, Adonis," she said, and as soon as the words left her lips, heplied.


    "Listen up, everyone," Seraph began, capturing the attention of the nervous twenty-eight students.


    Adonis, though feeling the weight of the moment, narrowed his eyes in determination. He couldn''t afford to lose hisposure. The fate of his ssmates rested on his ability to stay calm.


    "You were all on the brink of death, about to crash into a truck. The impact killed your driver and the teachers in the front. But just before any of you could meet the same fate, you were summoned here."


    The grim reality hit hard, eliciting small squeaks from some of the students. Adonis felt a lump in his throat but forced himself to remainposed. His ssmates needed him to be strong.


    Their minds involuntarily conjured gruesome images of the bus''s only adults reduced to a bloody mess.


    "Don''t worry. You''re not dead. But if you go back, the same fate awaits¡ªdeath for all," Seraph continued, her calm tone belying the unsettling nature of her words. The students swallowed hard, fear gripping them as they listened.


    Despite Seraph''sposed demeanor, her words rattled many. Fear was already settling in among the students.


    "If I may?" Adonis raised his hand, offering a respectful smile.


    "Oh, Adonis, go ahead," Seraph encouraged.


    "I just wanted to ask about the adults. I hope they didn''t suffer, and I also want to express our gratitude for saving us," Adonis said calmly, once again diffusing some tension.


    "They should be resting well. Their souls are at peace. There is no need to thank me," Seraph replied.


    "Haha! Surely you are being mo¡ª


    "Excuse me. I have a question." A sharp feminine voice interrupted Adonis'' response, redirecting everyone''s attention to the speaker.


    "My name is Alicia White. The ss Representative of our ss, and if you don''t mind, I''d like to ask you a few things."


    Alicia announced, her words polite but her tone stern, not even making an effort to hide her suspicion as she fixed her narrowed gaze on Seraph.


    "What do you wish to know?" Seraph asked.


    "Firstly," Alicia began, her voice confident, "why did you save us from certain death? I find it difficult to believe that only we would be spared while our adult guardians were killed. Apologies, but I find the convenience a bit suspicious."


    Alicia''s words were blunt, but there was no denying the validity of her question.


    The moment she asked it, every student found themselves silently echoing her sentiment.


    ''She has a point!''


    "I see... well, allow me to rify," Seraph replied, her demeanor unwaveringly calm.


    "The twenty-nine of you have been chosen for a purpose. A world in distress has summoned you to aid them. Following your briefing, you will be transported there"


    Her wordsnded like a bombshell, evoking varied reactions among the students.


    Some were shocked to their bones.


    Some were merely confused.


    A few were astonishingly trying their hardest to stifle the excitement that was clearly written on their faces.


    "So you didn''t save us. You''re simply transporting us?" Alicia''s voice held a hint of disappointment, her lips forming a small frown.


    "Correct."


    "That doesn''t sound very benevolent."


    "I did mention there''s no need for gratitude toward me."


    Tension surged between Seraph and Alicia, escting rapidly until Adonis intervened.


    "Please, Miss Seraph, can you tell us more about this other world and why we are being summoned there?"


    This questionpletely shifted the focus of the students who were already beginning to panic.


    Everyone suddenly began to get curious about this "world" that was in distress.


    Once again, Adonis had managed to steer the conversation back on track. Seraph''s smile widened slightly as she shifted her gaze and nced at him.


    "The world is named H''Trae, and its denizens are under a major threat from an opponent they can not win against. In their desperation, they resorted to Inter-dimensional Summoning. You twenty-nine were chosen because you would have died regardless, and so no viable resource was pooled from Earth."


    A few struggled to understand what Seraph was saying, but the meaning behind her words couldn''t be any clearer.


    None of the students present couldin about being summoned, since they would have died anyway.


    Regardless of whether they chose to be appreciative, the undeniable truth remained¡ªthey had been granted a second chance at life.


    "What kind of trouble is this world Tria facing??" Once again, Alicia asked, her tone stillced with suspicion.


    It seemed she still held a great amount of dislike or distrust¡ªperhaps even both¡ªtowards Seraph.


    "It is not my ce to say. When you arrive at H''Trae, all you need will be revealed."


    Seraph''s swift and blunt response carried a weight that seemed to ripple through the surroundings.


    It was evident she had reached the limit of her patience, causing an instant hush to fall upon the group.


    "You are all here, in this domain, for one reason and one reason alone." Seraph continued, breaking the silence.


    "I am to prepare you for your journey to H''Trae. It is a world filled with many unknown wonders, but also great danger. To ensure your survival as well as the fulfillment of the role of your summoning, each of you will receive Skills and a ss ."


    While the words she uttered sailed over the heads of a few students, almost everyone in the room knew what "Skills" and "ss" entailed.


    "You will be choosing your Skills based on the Karma you had just before you were brought here," Seraph added.


    "E-excuse me... but did you just say Karma? As in the amount of good deeds we did in our lives?" A voice from the crowd questioned, a hint of disbelief lingering in their tone.


    Though the voice was somewhat low, Seraph was able to hear every word.


    "Not exactly. Every person has a maximum of a hundred Karma from the moment they are born, but the number decreases when you do bad deeds to others or if people see you in a bad light."


    In simple terms, the more likable a person was, the higher their chances of having a near-perfect Karma.


    The opposite was also true.


    "One after the other, you will approach me, and I will show you the list of Skills and sses avable to you based on your Karma. Once a person has chosen a Skill or ss, it can not be chosen by another."


    A smallmotion erupted among the students, and understandably so. It was essentially a ''firste, first served'' scenario.


    "Why don''t we start with the three who bothered to ask questions? Adonis Levi, Alicia White, and... thest one." Seraph announced.


    Adonis was already close to Seraph, while Alicia stood at the forefront of the rest of the students As for thest person that was called, he was clustered among his ssmates.


    "Excuse me. Coming through." the boy grunted as he maneuvered his way out of the crowd of students around him.


    Many eyed him with envy, as being among the first to choose held considerable weight.


    When he finally made it to the front, the angelicdy shot him a quizzical look.


    She seemed to expect another impressive or striking individual but instead found an overall average-looking boy.


    Seraph didn''t linger on the average-looking boy for too long, however.


    "Step forward, you three," shemanded.


    The unexpected trio¡ªa perfectly handsome boy, a strikingly gorgeous girl, and an average nobody¡ªstepped forward and approached Seraph.


    "Adonis, Alicia, and... uh... what is your name again?"


    Seraph''s eyes fixated on the boy in question, drawing the attention of many.


    Even Adonis and Alicia were staring at him.


    This unexpected attention which the boy had never experienced before this, made him take a few seconds topose himself before responding.


    "My name is Rey. Rey Skr."


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading the first chapter of this novel.


    If you enjoyed it and would like to see more, you can add it to your library.


    I''m in a contest and would like to win, so your support is much needed and appreciated.


    Cheers!

 Chapter 2: I Choose You!

    <h4>Chapter 2: I Choose You!</h4>


    Rey Skr.


    A regr 16-year-old boy of average height, average build, and an overall look that blended into the crowd.


    He wasn''t a stranger to his ssmates, but he wasn''t exactly the life of the party either. Grades? Nothing exceptional. Friends? A few acquaintances, but nobody close enough to call a true friend.


    In school, Rey embodied the essence of average. Even his... well, let''s say his ''gear'' down there? Yup, average too. And truth be told, he had pretty much gotten used to that status quo after living his whole life that way.


    However, now that he was standing beside the two giants of his ss, he was beginning to feel a little inferior¡ªperhaps even less than average.


    ''This whole thing is a fluke. I didn''t even raise my voice when I asked that question. How did I end up here?''


    It felt surreal to be one of the first chosen to pick their Skills and sses.


    Having yed quite a few games himself, Rey knew how crucial these choices were in shaping a character''s journey.


    ''Well, it''s not like I was able to be more than average in gaming even with that knowledge,'' Rey thought, knowing that Skills and sses in games always aimed for a bnce, ensuring fairness for all yers.


    But this wasn''t a game; this was real life, where unfairness was asmon as breathing. Rey was a living testament to that fact.


    ''If I can snag a solid ss and a few decent Skills...'' His thoughts drifted into a hopeful realm, a flicker of possibility shining through.


    Perhaps, just maybe, he could break free from the chains of his average existence.


    Suddenly, Seraph''s captivating voice pierced through his thoughts, pulling him back to the incredible reality ying out before him.


    Amongst the boundless clouds, there they stood - Rey and his ssmates - face to face with the stunning Angel, Seraph.


    Her pure white countenance was entuated by intricate golden patterns on her attire, and her wings added a divine allure to her presence.


    Her gleaming golden eyes held an otherworldly beauty, resembling the most precious of gems.


    Rey, like the rest of his ssmates, found himself utterly captivated by just a single nce at Seraph.


    His thoughts raced as Adonis stepped forward, prompting Rey to focus keenly on the unfolding selection process.


    He hoped to gain some advantage by closely observing Adonis''s choices for his ss and Skills. After all, Adonis was the ss''s golden boy - popr, good-looking, athletic, and genuinely kind. He effortlessly connected with everyone, including Rey, in the few conversations they''d shared.


    ''Will I really get a peek at what Adonis picks?'' Rey mused internally, a glimmer of hope flickering within him.


    But his hopes were dashed when, at the very moment Adonis reached for Seraph''s hand, a blinding light enveloped them both.


    In that shower of light, Rey couldn''t make out a thing, realizing that the same shroud of light must have obscured the view of the rest of his ssmates.


    "Damn! Guess it won''t be that easy," Rey muttered in disappointment, understanding that the path ahead wouldn''t be as straightforward as he''d hoped.


    Despite being a little disappointed, Rey was also quite relieved. This way, even his choice would not be revealed to everyone else.


    It would have been awkward if that was the case.


    ~FWUUUUUSSSSSHHHH!~


    Just a few seconds after the blinding light shrouded the two of them, it dissipated.


    "Congrattions on choosing your ss and Skills, Adonis. You may move to my far right since you''ve now chosen."


    ''In just a few seconds? Maybe time moves faster within the dome of light.'' Rey had many questions, but he decided to observe whether it would be the same for Alicia.


    Adonis gracefully moved to Seraph''s far right as instructed, and Alicia walked closer to Seraph for her turn.


    ''She''s as pretty as always,'' Rey mused to himself, a soft smile forming.


    Alicia White was a name known to every guy in their ss, if not the entire school. Regarded as the pinnacle of beauty, her long, lustrous brown hair and a face that seemed carved by the gods captivated anyone who nced her way.


    But now, standing in the presence of Seraph, perceptions might shift.


    Alicia remained stunning, yet against Seraph''s ethereal presence, her beauty seemed to pale inparison. Despite this, she held her own charm.


    ''She earned the spot of our ss Representative through popr vote,'' Rey recalled. ''And she''s been incredible in fulfilling her duties.''


    Rey held a genuine fondness for Alicia, liking her as a person. Her inquisitive nature and persistence while questioning Seraph had earned Rey''s admiration.


    He wasn''t obsessively crushing on her or anything, but he definitely thought very highly of her.


    ''I bet Bill still sees her as a goddess. He''s been crushing on her since middle school,'' Rey mused, spotting his best friend, Billy McGuire, still fawning over Alicia. Some things, it seemed, never changed, and Rey couldn''t help but smile at the familiar sight.


    Just like with Adonis, a beam of light shrouded Alicia, and both she and Seraph were shielded from everyone''s sight.


    Thissted for a few seconds as well.


    ''My theory must be true. Time flows differently within the light field.''


    As the light faded, Rey felt his heart thumping hard against his chest.


    It was his turn now.


    "Next," Seraph announced, her gaze fixed on him.


    Rey''s heartbeat raced the instant he locked eyes with Seraph. It wasn''t his norm to hold prolonged eye contact, but he felt it would be impolite to look away. Luckily, she averted her gaze first, granting him a moment of relief as he approached her.


    ''Whew!''


    With each step nearer, his heart thudded faster in his chest.


    "Give me your hand," her voice, like a melody, reached out to him.


    As Rey extended his hand, he caught a whiff of Seraph''s scent - an intoxicating blend that surpassed the most captivating aromas.


    She seemed to embody an aroma beyond perfection, momentarily leaving Rey dazed.


    "Your hand," her voice broke his trance, and he hastilyplied, feeling awkward for his earlier hesitation.


    "Sorry..." Rey stammered, berating himself internally for his embarrassing slip-up.


    ''I''m so stupid! What was I thinking?!''


    Sneaking a nce at Seraph, he sought her reaction, fearing he''d offended her.


    To his relief, she seemed unbothered, almost indifferent, disying no emotion on her face. It was as if his presence barely registered with her, leaving Rey feeling both embarrassed and relieved at the same time.


    ~VWUUUUSSSHHHH!~


    As the radiant light encased them both, Rey felt his heart race even faster, now that it was just the two of them.


    The closeness intensified the allure of her scent, and her touch felt as soft as a whisper against his skin.


    ''What am I doing...?''


    Rey''s mind raced, aware that he shouldn''t entertain these thoughts¡ªit mighte off as creepy. But he was a guy after all, and he reasoned that anyone in his shoes might think the same way.


    However, before he could rationalize further, a jolt of shock surged through him at Seraph''s unexpected words: "I can hear your thoughts, you know?"


    "E-eh...?!" Rey''s response was instinctive, his gaze meeting the disapproving re of the Angel before him.


    A heavy, ufortable silence hung between them, stretching into unbearable seconds.


    "I-I''m sorry..." Rey finally managed to mutter, the weight of the silence pressing down on him like a heavy burden.


    "Let''s just get this over with," Seraph sighed, her words hitting Rey like a blow. It felt as though he were nothing more than an inconvenience, a throwaway piece.


    ''It''s fine. I deserve it. Besides... I''m used to this.''


    Rey, ustomed to being met with disinterested or disconcerted gazes due to his averageness, found this treatment nothing out of the ordinary.


    "Before I show you the list of sses and Skills, there are a few things you should know."


    Seraph resumed her official tone, as if the previous exchange had never urred¡ªor maybe she simply didn''t care.


    It seemed she had already forgotten everything that just happened.


    "All Skills and sses are given Tiers based on their potency. This ranges from SSS-Tier to F-Tier. Naturally, SSS-Tier is the best, and F-Tier is the worst."


    Rey understood this much. However, just as with everything in life, there had to be a catch.


    "SSS Tier Skills and sses are the most expensive, and F-Tiers are the cheapest. The value is measured by Karma Points."


    Seraph further broke it down for Rey, and it ended up looking something like this when it came to Skills;


    SSS Tier: Primeval


    SS Tier: Divine


    S Tier: Absolute


    A Tier: Grand


    B Tier: Greater


    C Tier: Mid


    D Tier: Lesser


    E Tier: Low


    F Tier: Lowest


    "As for sses, the higher the Tier, the more unique and the more special privilegese with it."


    Rey realized he needed to make the right choices on sses and Skills within his allotted Karma Points from his life on Earth.


    "So... how much Karma do I have?" Rey interrupted, his curiosity getting the better of him.


    "I was getting to that," Seraph responded, her slight frown indicating her displeasure at the interruption.


    Rey instinctively recoiled at her re, immediately apologizing, "S-sorry."


    "Haa... whatever." Seraph''s dismissive response left Rey feeling like she was being unnecessarily sassy.


    Any attraction he might have had toward her began to dissipate rapidly.


    Finally, Seraph revealed, "Your total Karma Points are 57. That''s pretty average, all things considered."


    ''57? But it was a hundred at birth... How?'' Rey''s mind raced with questions.


    ording to Seraph, Karma Points were reduced based on the negative perceptions people held towards a person.


    ''But I''ve been pretty cordial with everyone.''


    Was this yet another unfairness of life? The fact that people could hate a person or hold negative impressions of them for just existing.


    ''Will 57 Karma be enough for decent Skills and a good ss?'' The worry gnawed at Rey, loomingrge in his mind.


    "Now then... I will show you the list." Seraph''s voice cut through his thoughts, summoning a massive translucent board.


    It disyed a lengthy catalog divided into two sections: Skills on the right and sses on the left, neatly categorized by their Tiers.


    Observing the abundance of Skillspared to sses, Rey deduced, ''Skills outnumber sses, probably because we can choose only one ss but multiple Skills.''


    Taking his time to scrutinize the vast System Window before him, Rey noticed Seraph wasn''t hurrying him along.


    His theory about time slowing down within this realm seemed to be spot on. This realization eased his nerves, allowing him to focus on the daunting task ahead.


    ''Now that I''ve reached this point... which one should I choose?''


    Rey mulled over his options, starting from the bottom of the list, well aware of his limited 57 Karma Points.


    ''Okay, F Tier Skills are just 1 or 2 Points. E Tiers won''t exceed 5 Points. D Tiers cap at 10 Points. C Tier stops at 15 Points. B Tier is at 25 Points, and then A Tier jumps to 30 Points. S-Tier is... whoa! I can snag one for 45 Points!'' Rey was surprised at the possibilities within his reach. He realized that even an S-Tier Skill was attainable if he strategized.


    ''But that''d leave me with a lousy ss,'' Rey realized. Conversely, opting for an S-Tier ss would mean weaker Skills, creating a dilemma that begged for bnce.


    ''Bncing both is the smart move for a good build,'' Rey acknowledged, recognizing the need for equilibrium between ss and Skills.


    ''SS ss starts at 60 Points. Out of my league,'' Rey sighed. The most expensive S ss was about 59 Points. He knew chasing after something beyond his reach was futile, but curiositypelled him to explore further anyway.


    ''SSS-ss is 80 Points upward. That''s insane! Some of them even require all your Karma Points. Who would choose them?''


    Rey marveled, eyes scanning the dazzling options before him


    He could see a lot that was really cool and tempting. The power to obliterate anything, that was seriously tempting.


    And invulnerability against any harm? That was hard to resist. Rey mused, maybe that invulnerability was worth everything else; at least he''d be safe, right?


    ''But it costs 85 Points. I can''t afford it...''


    In the end, he settled for the B-Tier selections. Perhaps even a dip into the C-Tier for a broader range.


    Being a one-trick pony wasn''t really what he wanted, but Rey figured having multiple Skills for versatility was the smarter move.


    ''I''m pretty average at everything anyway. It would be nice if I could do a bunch of things instead of just one or two.''


    His gaze drifted downwards, ready to explore, until it snagged on something amid the SSS-Tier Skills.


    ''Hold on... this is...''


    It was a Skill.


    ''T-this is...!''


    The Skill was incredibly expensive. It seemed impractical, as it would demand absolutely everything from anyone who dared to acquire it.


    "I have a question, Seraph," Rey ventured, his gaze locked onto the Skill before him.


    He noticed a faint frown crease on her brow when he summoned her without the usual reverence, skipping any honorifics in his address.


    At this point, Rey couldn''t care less. His focus was solely on the answer he sought.


    "What''s your question?" Seraph responded, barely hiding her irritation.


    At this point, Rey wasn''t concerned about appeasing her.


    In the end, she couldn''t hurt him.


    ''There''s no need to be like Adonis and suck up to her.''


    "This Skill..." Rey gestured toward the SSS-Tier Skill in question.


    "It mentions costing 100% of initial Karma Points. Does that mean it doesn''t matter how many Karma Points I have? Whether it''s one or ny-nine?"


    Among the array of SSS-Tier Skills and sses sharing the same description, Rey''s eyes remained fixed on one for a singr reason, a reason that set his heart pounding fiercely.


    "Hm? What? It says that there? That''s likely a... ah, I understand," Seraph''s tone hinted at an unsettling realization.


    Suspense hung heavy in the air for a fleeting moment.


    However, before Rey could hold his breath in anticipation, Seraph continued, "Indeed. However, since it refers to initial Karma Points, the moment you make a purchase, those points are no longer essible.".


    In that instant, relief and excitement collided within Rey, causing his eyes to widen in sheer revtion. What Seraph said aligned perfectly with his suspicion.


    ''Even someone with an average Karma Point can get an SSS-Tier Skill!'' Rey''s mind raced, his concern about the apanying ss taking a back seat to his burning desire.


    ''As long as I can wield this Skill... that''s all that matters!''


    With a near-manic grin, he pounded the selection with such fervor that his fingers trembled.


    "I choose you!"


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I hope you enjoyed the chapter.


    This is a story about how an average guy, an ordinary boy, gets an ability that changes his life.


    It should be fun.

 Chapter 3: Farewell To The Domain

    <h4>Chapter 3: Farewell To The Domain</h4>


    "Are you really sure?"


    Seraph''s words carried a note of caution, a vibe that made Rey pause.


    Her face mirrored her concern, telling him she didn''t want him to acquire this Skill. But since when did he care about her wishes?


    "Absolutely!" Rey''s certainty surged within him.


    This Skill... this chance... it held the power to transform his life entirely.


    ''I''m just average at everything. But with this... this power... I don''t have to settle for that!'' Thoughts raced in Rey''s mind.


    Whether he ended up with a decent ss was no longer his primary concern; all that mattered was this Skill.


    "Okay, then. Now that you''ve bought the SSS-Tier Skill, [Doppel], you won''t have any Karma left to obtain a ss." Seraph''s confirmation echoed what Rey already knew. He was about to be ssless.


    ''Maybe there''s a hidden advantage to that,'' Rey mused silently.


    "I can still hear your thoughts, you know?" Seraph interjected, catching Rey off guard.


    The moment Seraph''s words interrupted his thoughts, he felt a slight shiver within him.


    Her presence was impossible to ignore.


    "There''s no hidden advantage, and there''s no such thing as being ssless." She added with a sigh.


    "E-eh?" Rey stammered.


    "You''ll be granted the Default ss [Commoner]. The same ss the average denizen of H''Trae has."


    "Oh..."


    Rey''s heart sank at the mere sound of the ss. If everyone had it, it couldn''t promise anything pleasant.


    "Are there any benefits?" Rey''s curiosity drove him to ask.


    "None. You''re just amoner," Seraph replied matter-of-factly.


    "Ah..."


    Disappointment tinged Rey''s voice. What did he expect? Being average never came with perks.


    "Okay then. I get it. Are we finished?" Rey inquired, eager to conclude this disheartening conversation.


    He had gotten his ss and Skill, so by all respects, he was good to go.


    "So impudent..."


    The mutteredment from Seraph reached Rey''s ears, too faint to make out the words.


    "What was that?"


    "We''re done here," Seraph dered, brushing off Rey''s inquiry with a casual wave of her hand.


    The veil of light enveloping them faded, revealing the world around them.


    ''So this is what Adonis and Alicia experienced, huh? I wonder what Skills and sses they chose.'' Rey pondered, his thoughts drifting to hispanions.


    With their poprity and charm, Rey spected they likely possessed at least one S Tier Skill and restedfortably in the A-ss league.


    ''Maybe they even aimed for the SS or SSS Tiers,'' Rey mused. Their karma probably afforded them such options effortlessly.


    ''I don''t know if they chose to give up all their Karma Points for only one Skill or ss, though. If that''s the case, they''ll only have one power. Or maybe... well, who knows?''


    "Next," Seraph''s call jolted Rey from his reverie, prompting him to step away from his position.


    In the midst of it all, he realized his hand was no longer sped with Seraph''s.


    ''Well, chances are I won''t see her again...''


    Rey epted the likelihood, pushing thoughts of Seraph aside and focusing on his new Skill.


    ''There''s so much to do.''


    ********


    After the initial triopleted their selections, Seraph adopted a fair approach, calling out names in alphabetical order to ensure equity.


    This method ensured even a loser like Billy¡ªknown as Bill to his closest friend, Rey¡ªhad an early chance to choose his Skills and sses.


    For a few, despite their popr status within the ss, they found themselves relegated to the back of the line.


    This unexpected shift in the established hierarchy significantly altered the mood among the students, yet there was nothing they could do.


    Not against a literal Angel.


    The process continued until each student had their turn to select.


    Finally, when thest selection was made, Seraph, now positioned to their right, turned towards them.


    A smile graced her face, visibly relieved to be finally done with the students.


    "As Otherworlders, you''ll understand thenguages of H''Trae and possess considerable strength than natives. But remember, wield your powers responsibly," Seraph emphasized, her words resonating with many while others sported mischievous expressions.


    "Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Never forget that. Watch out for one another and this world you''ve been summoned to," she advised, her tone carrying a weight of caution.


    For some, it was now sinking in¡ªthe realization that they were truly departing for another world.


    The elegant gate behind Seraph swung open, her hand gesturing toward it.


    "You may now pass."


    It seemed that not everyone was confident in their ability to survive the trials that awaited them.


    As the students moved forward, a blend of confidence and uncertainty propelled them toward the unknown. Adonis and Alicia took the lead, followed by the rest of the group in their wake.


    "Farewell, young ones. May your purpose be fulfilled," Seraph''s parting words echoed, the final sentiments before they stepped into the gaping gate that seemed to lead to nowhere.


    And then, in a radiant beam of light, one by one, the students vanished from the expanse. With their departure, the domain now stood empty of their presence.


    "Haaa... finally!" Seraph slumped to the ground, her relief palpable as thest of the teenagers departed.


    The gate locked shut behind them, eliciting a wide smile from the Angel, akin to the excitement of an eager child.


    "That was such a hassle! Handling snotty kids isn''t exactly in my job description, yet here I am," she grumbled.


    A lot of the teenagers were pretty much the standard, but a few had managed to surprise her¡ªsome for the better, others for the worse.


    "Why couldn''t they all be like that Adonis kid? Tch... whatever. At least I can finally have my break," Seraph muttered with a hint of frustration.


    Rising slowly from her spot, she brushed off the lingering cloud particles that clung to her robe. Fortunately, the transition of the Summoned Souls had gone smoothly.


    "Still..." Her voice trailed off, her gaze narrowing in contemtion. ''Who would''ve thought there''d be such a glitch in the System? 100% Karma Points? It should''ve been 100 Karma Points.''


    The Skills and sses requiring 100 Karma Points were essentially ornamental, an impossible feat for anyone to achieve.


    ''And yet that kid managed to get his hands on one...'' Rey''s name echoed in Seraph''s thoughts. ''How troublesome...''


    Realizing the glitch, she rectified it before the next person made their selection, but it was already toote for Rey.


    The boy had already slipped through the oversight.


    ''He got away with a Skill no one should have. Him of all people...''


    If it had been Adonis, she would have had no issues.


    ''It is impossible to g or revoke the Skill now that it''s bound to him. Should I be concerned? Nah, no need.''


    With a dismissive shrug, she pushed aside her thoughts. ''An average kid like him... such a powerful Skill is wasted.''


    The teenagers were no longer her concern; she was officially on break. ''Whatever happens next is none of my business!''


    Wearing a deliberately sweet and oblivious smile, Seraph unfurled her wings and soared high above the cloudy tform. Her ascent enveloped everything beneath her in a misty haze.


    "I wonder how they''ll react once they discover what''s in store for them," she chuckled to herself, finding amusement in the situation.


    The thought brought a smile to her face as she ascended further, leaving the students and their fate behind.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Sorry for the long introduction to the book. It''s now time for the real story to begin!


    Buckle down as we delve into the novel together.


    Pleasement and send your power stones. It really goes a long way to help me.


    Cheers!

 Chapter 4: Arrival At H’Trae

    <h4>Chapter 4: Arrival At H¡¯Trae</h4>


    "Otherworlders, we plead for your help to save our world from ruin ."


    These were the first words that hit the ears of the students as they stepped through Seraph''s gate into the unfamiliar realm.


    A mix of voices, abination of tones and pitches, echoed through the air, clearlying from a gathering of people.


    Initially blinded by a brilliant light upon arrival, the twenty-nine students struggled to see their surroundings.


    Gradually, the light dimmed unveiling the scene before them.


    Once they could see, their eyes were greeted by what weed them to the new world.


    "A-ahh..." Most of them mumbled in wonder.


    The students were standing in a massive, luxuriously furnished room.


    "A-ahh..." slipped from the lips of most in awe and amazement.


    The students found themselves in an expansive,vishly decorated chamber.


    Chandeliers resembling dazzling diamonds hung from the ceiling, illuminating walls seemingly painted in gold.


    Their reflections gleamed on the polished marble floors, while intricate murals adorned the walls, lending an extra touch of luxury to the surroundings.


    Describing it as breathtaking would not have been an exaggeration, yet the students managed to maintain theirposure.


    Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that they were being watched by a group of people who stood at a considerable distance from them.


    Among the spectators were several elderly individuals, outnumbered two to one by armored figures.


    Finally, standing at the forefront of the armored battalion was a man d in a prestigious armor seemingly made from tinum.


    He had a bushy beard, with a fierce gaze that reminded the students of their math teacher back on Earth. He had a sheathed de strapped to his waist, and two others criss-crossed in their sheaths behind him.


    The students could feel palpable tension sifting through the air. However, before they could utter a word, the most surprising thing urred.


    "W-we beg of you..."


    In an instant, the entire assembly dropped to their knees, their expressions pleading, their voices trembling in supplication


    "... Please save us!"


    After this disy, silence pervaded the hall for a few seconds. It seemed the students were grappling with how best to respond to these evidently desperate individuals.


    Amid this internal turmoil¡ªsome considering exploiting the clearly desperate denizens, others feelingpassion¡ªa murmur of discussions began to brew among the students.


    Yet, before these murmurs could gain traction, a single voice cut through the emerging chatter.


    "Greetings, denizens of H''Trae! My name is Adonis, and I have been chosen as the Hero of this world by the¡ª"


    "Wait a second, who chose you as the Hero?"


    The interrupting voice came from Alicia, her steps carrying her forward to confront Adonis directly.


    She had an evident scowl on her face, and her bold tone was definitely challenging his authority.


    Yet, undeterred by Alicia''s challenge, Adonis stood his ground.


    Why?


    "My ss is [The Hero], and Seraph specifically told me that I am burdened with glorious purpose. If anyone has a valid objection, please let us hear it."


    In that moment, Adonis swiftly dismissed Alicia''s feeble objection about his position.


    However, she wasn''t done.


    "Show us," she demanded, an unwavering smile gracing her lips. "Prove that you''re the Hero."


    In response, Adonis turned his attention to the kneeling denizens who had remained silent, unable toprehend the conversation since they didn''t speak English.


    Their silence persisted until Adonis, realizing thenguage barrier, presented a solution.


    "There is a way to check out our sses, isn''t there?"


    Since Adonis was referring to the kneeling audience, his words were automatically tranted into thenguage they understood.


    Finally able toprehend, they cautiously responded.


    "Yes, Lord Hero. We possess an ulus which allows for the disy of sses. This is used to prove the identity of individuals in our society and..."


    The one who gave these exnations was one of the old geezers, and his point was that their device allowed the residents of this world to properly confirm if a person was who they imed to be.


    In this world, sses were everything. Amoner had the [Commoner] ss, and a Nobleman had the ss of a Noble.


    The device allowed them to discern which was which.


    "I have an idea. Why doesn''t everyone use it? We could also disy our Skills to better understand each other," Adonis suggested in a confident tone.


    However, the Oculus Device couldn''t check Skills, so Adonis was basically proposing the disclosure of abilities by activating them in front of everyone.


    "Besides we can always check our Status Windows to confirm our abilities. Just saying [Status Window] reveals all our stats," he added, offering a simpler alternative for rity.


    Adonis, with his captivating personality and eloquent speech, effortlessly held the attention of everyone present.


    Yet again, Alicia interjected with her trademark skepticism.


    "That''s a lot of information to take in. How did you manage to figure all this out?" Her doubt lingered in the air.


    "Seraph told me," Adonis revealed.


    Gasps ensued among the students. Seraph had given all of them basic information about their situation, but she had also refrained from telling them everything since they would be told once they arrived here.


    However, it seemed Adonis was the exception.


    "She shared more than just that with me. You guys don''t need to worry. Stick with me, and we''ll be treated well here. We''ll also have the chance to grow stronger. All we need to do is follow their guidance and stick together."


    As he spoke, the guard who had previously departed to retrieve the Oculus Device returned, holding a crystal-like sphere in his hand.


    Carefully cing it on a pillow, he promptly presented it to the stern-faced man among the guards who seemed to be the leader.


    "Here is the device. If you do not mind, I would like to approach you all to confirm your sses per your desire," the guard offered.


    "We don''t mind," Adonis responded immediately, automatically speaking for everyone.


    At this point, he wasn''t even asking for permission any longer.


    He was the de facto leader.


    **********


    ''Looks like things are about to get a bit awkward,'' Rey thought, his nerves escting as the Chief Warrior approached, carrying the Oculus.


    ''If they go through with this, everyone will know my ss,'' Rey panicked inwardly. Personally, he wasn''t too keen on revealing that information.


    Surprisingly, there was no protest as he had anticipated.


    Perhaps the group held an unquestioning respect for Adonis''s decisions, or maybe they were just as curious about each other''s sses.


    Rey personally didn''t care. He already assumed others possessed superior sses, making the reveal unnecessary for him.


    ''Disying our Skills, though... that sounds interesting.'' A faint smile yed on his lips.


    ''Let''s just wait and see.''


    The Oculus was initially brought to Adonis, who confidently ced his hand on the crystal ball, initiating its glow.


    [S ss: Hero] was boldly written above his head in gold print.


    "O-OHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"


    Just as he imed, he possessed the ss of the Hero and this elucidated gasps from the kneeling ones especially.


    "You may all rise. Dignified ones such as yourselves need not sully your robes any longer," Adonis dered.


    In response to the words of Adonis, the old ones rose to their feet. Their eyes sparkled with wonder and respect for their Hero.


    It was clear to everyone at that point that Adonis had be the center of attraction for everyone.


    "Let''s see your ss too, Alicia." The noble Hero turned to the girl beside him.


    "We''re all in this together, aren''t we?"


    Under the intense gaze of her peers and the piercing scrutiny of the H''Traens, coupled with Adonis'' confident smile, Alicia found it difficult to refuse.


    With reluctance, she allowed herself to be scanned as well.


    [A ss: Grand Tamer]


    As Alicia''s hand made contact with the orb, her ss materialized in shimmering silver print.


    "OHHHH!"


    The reaction to her ss reveal didn''t match Adonis''s reception, yet it echoed loudly.


    An A-ss still impressed these onlookers.


    ''Well, it''s not surprising that the two most popr people in our ss got awesome sses.'' Rey mused to himself, sporting a small smile.


    He wondered what the sses of everyone else might look like.


    ''Maybe some people could also have the Commoner ss.''


    Whether this thought was just a fleeting notion or Rey genuinely believed it remained a matter of debate.


    The Oculus made its rounds among the students, unveiling their sses one after the other.


    Most fell within the B or C-Tier range, with a few boasting A-Tier sses.


    Of course, none of them had D-Tier sses or lower.


    ''Damn. I knew this would be the case, but it''s still surprising.'' Rey''s eyes widened in disbelief as his turn approached, a twitch betraying his nerves.


    Even his closest friend, Billy, had an impressive A-Tier ss, [Grand Knight].


    ''Am I the only one stuck with an F-Tier ss?!'' Rey''s thoughts raced with dismay.


    Finally, it was his turn.


    Rey tentatively ced his hand on the Oculus, bracing for what he knew wasing.


    The text that materialized above him wasckluster and dull, its gray color barely emitting any light¡ªthe unmistakable mark of an F-Tier ss.


    [F ss: Commoner]


    As the disy revealed Rey''s F-Tier ss, his ssmates'' gazes shifted, filled with utter surprise.


    He was among the first to choose, yet he ended up with such a shit ss?


    Of course, everyone would be puzzled.


    However, Rey was taken aback by another emotion resonating from his peers: scorn.


    ''Serves him right!''


    ''What a fool! That position was wasted on him.''


    ''If it had been me, I would have chosen better.''


    ''What do you expect from an underachiever?''


    ''Even for someone like him, that''s a new low.''


    Their faces twisted with amusement at his misfortune, offering condescending looks that could drive anyone insane.


    But Rey wasn''t shocked; he had anticipated this.


    ''I guess this is why I had such average Karma back on Earth.''


    Even now that they were in this world, nothing much had changed.


    He remained intensely disliked, even by his own ssmates...


    ...all for simply existing.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I hope you''re enjoying the story. Please if you are, make sure to leave ament to encourage me.


    Power stones are appreciated too.


    Cheers!

 Chapter 5: Skill Exhibition

    <h4>Chapter 5: Skill Exhibition</h4>


    Rey''s embarrassing moment didn''tst too long, thankfully, since he wasn''t thest one to use the Oculus.


    The orb was passed on to the next person, who had a C-Tier ss.


    It wasn''t an amazing ss or anything, butpared to Rey''s Commoner ss, it was far more preferable.


    ''Even the decent folk around here are giving me strange looks. I guess they don''t like underachievers...'' Rey mused to himself, sensing the disapproving nces he was getting.


    To avoid those unsettling stares, Rey remembered Adonis''s advice and decided to give something a shot.


    "Status Window," he murmured under his breath.


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Rey Skr.


    - Race: Human (Otherworlder)


    - ss: Commoner (F-Tier)


    - Level: 1 (0.00% EXP)


    - Life Force: 1


    - Mana Level: 1


    - Combat Ability: 1


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Doppel]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): Nil


    - Alignment: Neutral


    [Additional Information]


    You possess the weakest ss, but the strongest Skill. You can only be described as an ''Overpowered Weakling.''


    [End Of Information]


    ''Yeah, not exactly surprised by this oue,'' Rey chuckled inwardly.


    He wasn''t expecting an overnight transformation into a powerhouse with god-like abilities or monstrous stats. Especially not with amoner ss.


    ''Some sses hand out privileges, giving you a crazy boost in stats right from Level 1. The higher you climb, the more those stats pile up,'' Rey reasoned, drawing from his knowledge of gaming.


    This was why it was incredibly important to have at least a decent ss, even if one wanted an overpowered Skill.


    ''But I just had to get [Doppel]. There''s no way I''m going to regret my choice, even now.'' Rey was resolute about his choice, a sly grin ying on his lips.


    He just had to endure these early moments.


    ''Once they see what I can do, I''m sure they''ll change their minds about me!''


    *********


    Once the Oculus made the rounds, everyone got to see each other''s ss. It became crystal clear who was leading the pack.


    Adonis was the Hero, and he was the only one with an S-Tier ss.


    One could only imagine the amount of Karma he had in stock for him to have acquired such a pricey ss. But that wasn''t the end of the story.


    Adonis was pushing for full disclosure, urging everyone to reveal their Skills. His confidence hinted at a formidable set of his own.


    People couldn''t help but specte whether he possessed an S-Tier Skill to match his ss.


    "You can check your Status Windows for your Skills," Adonis advised his peers. "By tapping on those Skills, you can dig into their specifics."


    "For full transparency, and to ensure that we cooperate with each another by assigning roles based on our skill-sets, let''s be honest with our number of Skills and the abilities they have."


    Adonis turned toward the H''Traens when he was done talking, shing his trademark heroic smile at them.


    "You might want to step back for this demonstration."


    Swiftly reacting to his words, they shuffled several paces away until they were nestled by the entrance to the massive room.


    You should have another artifact besides the Oculus. One that sniffs out lies," he pointed out. "Bring it here."


    Swiftly responding to themand of the Hero, the leader of the guards shifted his gaze and signaled to a guard who stood directly beside him.


    The guard scurried off, returning in a sh with the artifact.


    The swiftness of his movements made it seem like artifacts were just lying around, waiting to be summoned.


    In truth, the H''Traens most likely had these artifacts ready for such asions, well-prepared for any need that might arise.


    The soldier''s quick retrieval suggested familiarity with the storage spots, a concept lost on the neers still getting familiar with the workings of the new world.


    "This is the Truthseeker. It allows us to discern whether a person is telling the truth or lies."


    The Truthseeker was not an orb, but a box with an eye at the forefront. It had several symbols on it, and the markings that decorated it converged at the bulging eyeball.


    "Thank you, Chief Warrior," Adonis acknowledged the bushy-bearded man handling the box with utmost care and respect.


    "Hold it steady. We''ll share our Skills and their effects, and if possible, demonstrate them," Adonis directed.


    The unspoken warning lingered in the air: deception would not go unnoticed.


    Everyone understood the gravity of the situation, realizingpliance was their only choice under these conditions.


    With the terms set, the exhibitionmenced.


    The air buzzed with anticipation as each individual prepared to reveal their abilities and face the scrutiny of the Truthseeker.


    ********


    "A-amazing...!"


    Rey couldn''t contain his genuine astonishment at the incredible abilities unfolding before his eyes.


    Each person showcased astonishing abilities, leaving both the H''Traens and Rey awestruck. Adonis, in particr, drew Rey''s attention.


    ''Adonis has three Skills, and one is SS-Tier? That''s even crazier than I thought!'' Rey''s thoughts raced.


    His other two Skills were S-Tier and A-Tier, an incrediblebination.


    ''Is that even possible? The Karma price alone should make it impossible, right?''


    Rey suspected that there was some preferential treatment given to Adonis by Seraph, but he quickly dismissed the thought.


    ''I might be assuming too much. Maybe those Skills came at a discount or something. It''s hard to say.''


    Still, once again, Adonis had made it clear to everyone that he was superior.


    His power, both in terms of Skills and ss, was unrivaled.


    ''And it''s not just him...'' Rey noted, turning his attention to Alicia


    She had one SS-Tier Skill, one S-Tier Skill, and one B-Tier Skill.


    She was also an absolute beast in her own right.


    ''The others have some seriously decent Skills. This is insane!'' Rey marveled at the impressive array of abilities his peers possessed.


    His best friend from school, Bill, was no exception.


    Bill had awakened one A-Tier and four B-Tier Skills, adding to his already impressive A-Tier ss.


    However, not every student boasted immensely powerful Skills. Some had rather average abilities, ranging from C to even D Tiers, limited by their avable Karma Points.


    "Next up, Rey," the call brought Rey''s attention back, making him slightly jittery as all eyes fell upon him.


    ''This is my moment!'' Rey thought nervously.


    He was determined to prove himself, to shatter the perception that he was an underachiever. His Skill was the strongest among them all, and now was the time to showcase it.


    As Rey stepped forward, whispers surrounded him, hateful and dismissive.


    "I bet he''s got some useless Skill."


    "He''s just wasting our time, honestly."


    "Why''s he smiling? Can''t be anything worthwhile."


    "It''s gotta be a C-Tier at best."


    Those murmurs, as Rey advanced, triggered a stark realization within him. ''They don''t want me to seed,'' he concluded.


    The disdain from his ssmates wasn''t just about looking down on him; it was about maintaining the status quo.


    ''They want to keep me down,'' Rey acknowledged, a new understanding dawning upon him.


    Life, he recognized, often upheld this cycle: the strong stayed strong while ensuring the weak remained in their ce.


    Disrupting this status quo seemed inconceivable to them, regardless of potential or capability.


    As Rey stepped into the spotlight, a sinking feeling reced his initial excitement.


    ''I get it now,'' he sighed inwardly. His smile faltered, fading into the background as a sobering realization settled in.


    ''No point trying,'' he concluded bitterly. In their eyes, he was already pegged as the underachiever of the group.


    At that moment, Rey made a choice. ''If this is what they expect,'' he resolved, a small smile reiming its ce on his lips, ''then so be it.''


    ''I''m okay being an Extra.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Next chapter, we''ll see Rey reveal his Skill...


    ... Or something like that.

 Chapter 6: The Power Of An Extra

    <h4>Chapter 6: The Power Of An Extra</h4>


    All eyes were on Rey.


    As he stood before Adonis and the head guard who held the Truthseeker, an air of tension wrapped around him.


    Faces in the crowd held a mix of curiosity and uncertainty¡ªor theck thereof¡ªeveryone with various expectations.


    And then, breaking the silence...


    "How many Skills do you have, and what are their names?" Adonis asked calmly.


    He had automatically taken the role of proctor, and no one daredin considering how honest he had been with everyone about his powers.


    And how extraordinary those powers were.


    Rey replied firmly, "I have just one Skill, named [Doppel]."


    A murmur swept through his ssmates, hushed gasps and whispers tinged with surprise.


    The sheer surprise arose from the absurdity of someone bearing an F-Tier ss possessing a single Skill.


    The astonishment lingered in the air, palpable among those gathered.


    "Pffft!"


    "N-no way!"


    "This is even worse than I expected."


    Some didn''t even bother hiding their chuckles any longer. Those who thought they had it bad, thanks to only having a few decent Skills, and perhaps an average ss, felt extremely relieved to see someone worse off than them.


    This too was part of life.


    But a sudden voice cut through the mockery.


    "Everyone, please be silent. I will not allow you to speak about one of our ssmates like that!" He proimed firmly, his tonemanding attention


    It instantly caused an absolute lull among the murmurs and snickers.


    The voice was Adonis'', and he had a deep frown of disapproval on his face.


    "Rey is one of us. You are all judging him without even knowing his full capabilities. Even if he is weak or average, he doesn''t deserve to be looked down on. We are all in this together!"


    As Adonis continued, the arrogant and condescending gazes began to fade. The faces of the students fell, regret settling in for those involved in the indirect bullying.


    "Remember what Seraph said. We need to look out for one other. So please... let''s stop this."


    No one said anything, but the sheer silence and the penitent expressions that everyone had already disyed how much Adonis had moved them.


    "Don''t let their words bother you, Rey. Your Skill or ss doesn''t define you; you''re still one of us," Adonis reassured, a tap on Rey''s shoulder apanied by his trademark smile.


    That reassuring, confident but rtable smile that only Adonis could give.


    "Thanks, Adonis. Means a lot," Rey responded with a tired yet grateful smile, acknowledging the support.


    With the wholemotion resolved, it was finally time to resume the interview.


    "What can your Skill do? What Tier is it? Give us a demonstration."


    No one disyed any mockery towards Rey, but the curiosity on their faces could not be hidden.


    Everyone wanted to know!


    "Alright, here goes," Rey announced, drawing in a deep breath.


    He closed his eyes briefly before slowly reopening them, raising his right hand as well.


    ~GLUP~


    Suddenly, Rey''s body morphed into the w of a colossal crab.


    The transformation was vivid,plete with a brown exoskeleton and two formidable, snapping pincers¡ªresembling a crab''s unmistakable features.


    "This Skill lets me shape a part of my body into something I''ve seen before. It''s a B-Tier Skill," Rey exined, his matter-of-fact tone matching the unassuming nature of an average boy.


    "I-I see..." It seemed even Adonis was stunned by this revtion.


    He must have expected Rey to have a super OP Skill as his single Skill, but apparently, B-Tier was the best he could do.


    Adonis nced at the Truthseeker, and apparently, Rey was telling the truth.


    "Can it mimic the special attributes of those you transform into, or...?" Adonis inquired.


    "Just their physical traits. That''s why it''s only B-Tier," Rey replied.


    "I see. It sounds simr to Justin''s Skill..."


    Justin Baker had previously showcased his ability to transform into anything he''d seen before, much like Rey''s power.


    However, unlike Rey, his [Mimic] Skill allowed him to transform his entire body in addition to the partial transformation. That made it a much stronger Skill.


    Still, they could both only mimic the physical attributes and not the special qualities¡ªlike Skills or sses¡ªwhich made them both B-Tier Skills.


    "Alright then. Looks like you''re telling the truth." Adonis maintained his smile and nodded.


    If he was disappointed, then the Hero was doing a good job of hiding it.


    Others, however, struggled to conceal their reactions.


    Expressions of disbelief and faintly amused grins slipped through, though no one dared voice their thoughts.


    "You may return."


    "Thank you." Rey reverted his hand to its original form and stepped down from the stage, resuming his earlier position with folded hands and attentive eyes.


    He needed to observe the next student''s presentation.


    As the next student prepared to showcase her abilities, Rey kept his focus, eager to witness their demonstration.


    Amidst the ongoing exhibition, a hushed whisper reached Rey''s ears from the adjacent side.


    "Hey, I saw your exhibition, and I thought that was a pretty cool ability," the voice whispered.


    Despite the suddenness, Rey remained unfazed, his attention fixed on the showcase.


    "I was wondering if¡ª"


    Before the speaker could finish, Rey interjected, "I''m sorry, but could we talkter? I''m upied right now," without sparing a nce in their direction.


    Rey''s focus remained fixed on the ongoing presentation, his curiosity undiminished by the interruption.


    "Oh, okay," came the subdued response.


    Rey vaguely registered the fading footsteps, assuming the person had left, as he continued to immerse himself in the unfolding exhibition.


    For him, nothing mattered more at that moment than the disy before him.


    "Haaa" Rey let out a heavy sigh.


    ''I was rude, wasn''t I? That wasn''t my intention, but... I can''t afford any distractions right now.''


    Even before Rey''s turn, he''d meticulously observed each of his ssmates'' exhibitions.


    That resolve remained unshaken.


    ''I have to see them all.''


    Why?


    To Rey, the answer was straightforward¡ªit was due to his Skill, [Doppel].


    ''I made everyone believe it''s just a B-Tier Skill when it''s so much more.''


    His sess at deceiving everyone was due to his attentive observation during the disy of Skills. Understanding the intricacies of each Skill he saw was fundamental to his own.


    That was the essence of his unique ability.


    {Skill Details}


    [Doppel]


    Tier: SSS


    Ability: Allows the user to mimic the nature of any ability that exists as long as he has seen it once; down to the appearance and quality of what he mimics.


    Number Of Abilities Obtained: 75


    {Limit Count: 75/100}


    ''I''ve acquired the Skills of over twenty of my ssmates,'' Rey realized, a sense of quiet satisfaction creeping in.


    His strategy had been cunningly simple¡ªhe''d absorbed Justin''s Skill and led others to believe his own ability mirrored it, disclosing the Tier of the Skill he was currently showcasing.


    That way, he wasn''t particrly lying.


    ''At this rate, I''ll have all their Skills,'' Rey contemted, a hint of anticipation coloring his thoughts.


    And the beauty of it all?


    No one would know.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I hope you enjoyed the chapter.


    I know there hasn''t been any action yet, but just be a little more patient.

 Chapter 7: Meeting The Royal Council

    <h4>Chapter 7: Meeting The Royal Council</h4>


    [The Next Day]


    "Good morning, everyone. I hope you all had a good night''s rest."


    The Chief Warrior, Brutus, faced the group of students gathered in their living room, each finding theirfortable spot.


    He was the same man with a bushy beard they had met yesterday. After the students introduced themselves, the geezers followed suit.


    The old ones were the nation''s most aplished Mages, and they had all been involved in the Summoning Magic that brought them to this world.


    Once the introductions were in order, Adonis proposed giving his ssmates time to rest and process the whirlwind of events that had urred, so Brutus and the guards escorted them to their living quarters.


    And, just as expected for the world''s chosen saviors, their residence was nothing short of spectacr.


    Each had a personal room, and they shared a spacious parlor big enough to host a crowd thrice their number without feeling cramped.


    The furniture might have been medieval, but it was the best they could have asked for. The d¨¦cor and vibe exuded a royal essence, making their quarters feel regal in every aspect.


    The twenty-nine Otherworlders found themselves treated like royalty from day one, despite the fact that they were foreigners.


    Of course, the absence of modern amenities like air conditioners or running water made it a little difficult for some to get used to the new environment.


    The students were initially oblivious to these difficulties, but as time went on, they slowly realized the downsides of their new, unfamiliar world.


    Fortunately, they were able to adapt just fine.


    Their needs were met by attentive servants, ensuring they nevercked water or other basic needs. The natural airflow in their rooms and the spacious parlor kept themfortably settled.


    It wasn''t perfect by any means, but considering the world they were currently in, it was the best they could hope for.


    The following day, Brutus paid them a visit.


    "We slept well. Your hospitality is remarkable," Adonis replied on behalf of the group. No one voiced any grievances.


    "I''m d to hear that. I bring news today. If you don''t mind, I would like to proceed." Brutus continued, eager to share important information.


    Adonis took his time to look at his ssmates, and all of them seemed pretty cool about the whole thing.


    He then turned to the Chief Warrior and nodded.


    "Alright. Go ahead."


    "Thank you, Hero," Brutus acknowledged, his stern expression tightening for an unknown reason.


    "The rulers of thend wish to meet you. Since learning of the sessful Summoning, their eagerness to see you has grown. However, out of respect for your need to rest, the meeting was postponed until today," Brutus exined, awaiting their response.


    "Rulers of thend? There isn''t just one?" Alicia''s voice broke the silence.


    Apart from Adonis, it seemed only she would asionally voice out her opinions. The others were content to remain silent.


    "Indeed. Humanity has united under an alliance due to the looming threat we face. We are the United Human Alliance, and our nation is led by the Royal Council," Brutus borated.


    Brutus went on to exin that the Royal Councilprised rulers of the separate human nations that were now unified under one banner.


    "So this Royal Council was responsible for the decision to summon us too?" Alicia asked.


    "Correct," Brutus confirmed, his head respectfully bowed.


    Adonis found the prolonged bowing ufortable.


    "We''d be happy to meet them. Will you lead the way?" Adonis redirected the conversation.


    "Yes! You can count on me." It seemed Brutus had been anxiously waiting for an answer, and upon getting one, his face lit up with joy.


    "Alright, everyone. I guess it''s time to meet the rulers," Adonis addressed hisrades.


    "In these clothes? Shouldn''t we change into something more suitable?" a voice chimed in.


    "Into what? We only have one attire, right?" questioned another.


    "I''m sure Adonis will ask if we can have more options," someone suggested.


    Despite the murmurs exchanged among them, the students stood up, ultimately choosing to follow their leader''s direction.


    "Let''s go!"


    *********


    As Adonis led, trailed by the rest and followed by Brutus, they walked through hallways, then out into an expansive field, finally arriving at the grand Royal Pce.


    The Pce was what you would expect from a medieval fantasy world. It had a towering height, and its structure was vast and sprawling.


    It glistened under the golden sun, and its outer walls gleamed with prestige.


    As for the interior, it was even more impressive.


    Murals lined with gold and precious stones adorned every corner of the hallway, stealing their breath away.


    The chandeliers suspended from the ceiling invited attention, while the mirrored tiles they walked upon, reminiscent of their summoning room, caught their gaze.


    Well-armored guards stood sentinel at each corner. As the Otherworlders followed Brutus, they were greeted with bows and reverent gazes.


    "You''ll need to get used to it. You''re the saviors of this world," Brutus remarked, noticing their unease.


    Of course, not everyone was ufortable.


    Many relished the attention, but the fact that they were going to meet the supreme rulers of humanity made them a little nervous.


    However, any anxiety they had disappeared upon reaching the grand entrance.


    "Greetings, esteemed rulers of humanity. I present to you the Royal Council, the summoned Otherworlders," Brutus announced loudly as he pushed open the shimmering gates leading to the throne room.


    Following his lead, Adonis and his ssmates entered in a line.


    "Wow..." escaped from many mouths, attempts to stifle their gasps failing in the face of the room''s magnificence.


    Forget the Summoning Room, the Living Quarters, the hallways, or the breathtaking design of the Pce exterior. The throne room alone surpassed them all.


    It felt as though they were walking on ground paved with gold.


    The walls glittered like diamonds, and the brilliant lights that emanated from various precious gems around made it seem like paradise.


    A wonderful scent filled the air¡ªan aroma that soothed the senses.


    Guards garbed in special armor stood in strategic positions in the throne-room, and on the elevated precipice within the room were five chairs.


    The ones who sat on this precipice were the rulers of the United Human Alliance¡ªthe Royal Council.


    Four men and a woman adorned in elegant robes and crowned heads sat atop this tform.


    Their presence carried an indescribable weight that words could not describe, an aura that left the onlookers breathless.


    Brutus bowed in the presence of these absolute figures, and when the students confusedly looked at one another, not knowing whether to bow or not, Adonis looked at them and shook his head.


    There was no need to bow.


    "We''re not inferior to them," he reassured his ssmates with a smile.


    Here stood the same Adonis who had found it proper to show respect to a stranger like Seraph. Yet, he didn''t find it necessary to bow before these royal dignitaries.


    Of course, his ssmates followed his lead and kept their heads up despite Brutus'' groveling.


    "You may rise, Brutus. You are wee, Otherworlders." The man at the center spoke, his voice surprisingly calming.


    He appeared to be the youngest among the five, probably in his early thirties, yet he was given the honor of speaking first.


    Brutus immediately rose to his feet and bowed slightly before assuming a formal stance.


    "I don''t see Lucielle. Is she still unwell?" inquired the woman among the seated council members.


    She seemed only slightly older than the one at the center, probably nearing her forties.


    "Yes, your Grace. She''s yet to recover from the toll of the Summoning Magic," Brutus replied with a slight tremor in his voice.


    Lucielle held the esteemed position of Grand Mage within the United Human Alliance. ording to Brutus, she had led the charge in the summoning ritual.


    Being the most powerful and skilled Mage in the United Kingdoms, the toll of the summoning weighed heavily upon her.


    "We wouldn''t have been able to summon you without her help," Brutus emphasized to the students, underscoring Lucielle''s crucial role.


    Even in her absence, Lucielle''s influence reverberated throughout the upper echelons of this world.


    Acknowledging her absence, Adonis expressed his intent to visit her afterward. "I should go see her after this, then," he mentioned.


    "I am sure she would appreciate it immensely," Brutus responded with his usual courtesy, maintaining his respectful demeanor.


    For a moment, silence filled the hall, leaving the students feeling somewhat overlooked throughout the discussion.


    However, that soon changed.


    "Forgive the diversion, esteemed Otherworlders," the man at the center stood, prompting the other four to follow suit.


    "Wee to H''Trae. This is the United Human Alliance, the dominant nation of the Western Continent," The man dered, his voice resonating through the room without losing itsposed tone.


    "I am Conrad Listrio, Grandmaster of the Royal Council," he introduced himself with a brilliant smile directed at the young visitors, gesturing warmly with outstretched hands.


    "It is truly a pleasure to have you in our midst," he expressed sincerely.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading.


    The story''s progression seems a little slow at the start, but all of this is necessary.


    Source: Trust me bro.

 Chapter 8: The Mission

    <h4>Chapter 8: The Mission</h4>


    Grandmaster Conrad Listrio stepped forward, introducing himself and the other members of the Council just as he began addressing the otherworlders.


    He felt a genuine honor being in their presence, enough to prompt him to rise from his seat.


    The remaining four Council Members mirrored his gesture, and as he spoke their names, they respectfully bowed their heads.


    Watching from within the group, Rey couldn''t help but notice the disy of respect.


    A notion crossed his mind, ''It seems they have a lot of respect for us...''


    Yet, in the very next moment, he narrowed his eyes in suspicion, ''Or maybe, they''re at a point where they desperately need our help.''


    The very fact that humanity had banded together under one banner, and had to resort to Summoning beings from another world was already enough proof of that.


    ''Let''s just see where this goes.''


    Rey, just like the rest of his ssmates, listened to Conrad as he began to exin the reason for their summoning.


    Since Seraph never told them the details, they all paid rapt attention.


    "The entire world is facing a terrible threat¡ªthe Dragon Emperor," Conrad announced solemnly.


    In this world they had arrived in, there were many races existing alongside humans. Among those races, Dragons stood out as the most powerful.


    "It all began a decade ago when they suddenly emerged and began to wreak havoc on thends. They easily took over the Northern Continent and made it their haven." Conrad went on, his voice heavy with gloom as he spoke.


    Consequently, the races that once upied the Northern Continent¡ªbeastfolk, lizardmen, and a few other minor races¡ªwere all wiped out.


    "The Northern Continent was the grandest and wealthiest when they began their invasion. Dragons are known to be incredibly possessive and greedy. A prosperousnd is nothing but a target for them."


    To Rey, it seemed odd that in the face of such danger, the humans continued to live in luxury.


    ''If dragons crave riches, why unt them?'' Rey mused silently.


    Despite the luxuries, the fact that the Dragons hadn''te topletely obliterate the ce hinted that perhaps these riches didn''t quite stir the dragons'' desires enough.


    ''But what more could they possibly want if this isn''t enough?'' Rey pondered.


    "We''ve been having Dragon Attacks ever since they took over the Northern Territory, some more devastating than others. It was only after an entire human nation was destroyed by a Dragon attack that the rest of us decided to band together under a banner."


    Ultimately, it boiled down to a ''united we stand, divided we fall'' situation.


    "So what do you need us to do exactly? Face those Dragons in your stead? Ward off the Dragon attacks?" Alicia cut to the chase, her tone demanding rity from Conrad about their intentions.


    The Royal Council could no longer dance around the truth.


    They had toy bare their true motives, revealing what they expected from these young teenagers.


    "We need you to take down the Dragon Emperor and rid this world of dragons entirely. Until that task is aplished, peace will remain an elusive dream," Conrad dered.


    While many had suspected this would be their request, the weight of the words still sent shockwaves through the room, audible gasps mingling with the tension.


    ''So that''s the deal, huh? We''re basically their soldiers,'' Rey concluded within his thoughts.


    He harbored no animosity toward the kingdom.


    If their tale was true, they were truly in terrible danger due to the Dragons. It seemed only logical for them to resort to any means necessary to solve the problem.


    ''In situations like this, sometimes the ends justify the means,'' he reasoned, acknowledging that their selfish actions could be justified by their urgent circumstances.


    Moreover, if they hadn''t been summoned, death would likely have been their fate anyway. What room was there for resentment?


    "Maybe we should discuss among oursel¡ª"


    "We''ll do it," Adonis''s resolute voice abruptly cut across Alicia''s cautious suggestion.


    "What?!" Alicia and others reacted sharply to Adonis''s unteral decision. Not only had he failed to consult anyone else, but he also spoke as if he could read their minds.


    "Hey, Adonis! You can''t just¡ª!" Alicia stormed toward Adonis, her eyes zing with anger.


    Dragons, even in the modern world, were known as incredibly powerful forces. Every student in the room had definitely seen one or two movies with Dragons in them.


    Yet here they were, being asked to confront these formidable beings.


    "Rx, Alicia, everyone... calm down," Adonis interjected in English, directing his soothing words specifically to his peers. His tone carried a reassuring gentleness.


    A small smile began to form on his face, and his enchanting eyes drew everyone in.


    "Just trust me. I''ve said it before¡ªif we stick together and follow their guidance, we will be fine," Adonis assured, though skepticism lingered among many students, evident in their expressions.


    "We are much stronger than the natives of this world. Seraph said it herself."


    There was a reason why the H''Traens had to summon them, in the first ce.


    "Sure, the Dragons sound formidable, but I''m sure we can take them. Besides, if we decide to help them, I''m sure they''ll have no choice but to listen to all our demands and cater to our needs."


    Adonis'' final words made everyone realize the illusion of a choice that they had.


    They were in another world, and they were pretty much dead in their old ones.


    Unless they wanted to wage war against this Human Alliance, which wouldn''t really be helpful for either side, the best way to get what they wanted was to establish diplomatic ties with the nation.


    "We''re essentially their best hope," Adonis asserted. "If we align with them, they''ll have to amodate our every need. Besides, by training and learning, I''m sure we''ll be ready to face the Dragons."


    The moment he finished speaking, there was silence among his audience.


    Adonis, his smile widening, blond hair framing his face, looked at them expectantly. "Well...?" he prompted, seeking their agreement or dissent.


    "Did Seraph tell you all this too?"


    Alicia''s unexpected question lingered in the air, but Adonis remained unfazed. "No," he admitted with a nonchnt shrug, "just a hunch."


    Implicitly, everyone understood the unspoken directive: follow Adonis. With his determination set, the remaining students'' best bet was to hitch a ride on the Adonis Express.


    ''I was on board the Adonis train from the start,'' Rey thought to himself, suppressing a smile.


    Training to be stronger. Fighting Dragons. Saving the world.


    He needed them more than anyone else.


    ''How else will I be able to use all my Skills?''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading, everyone!


    See you in the next chapter!

 Chapter 9: Privilege Of The Strong

    <h4>Chapter 9: Privilege Of The Strong</h4>


    [The Night Before]


    ''So far, I have a total of 85 Skills...''


    Rey sprawledzily across his luxurious bed, his gaze fixated on the luminous Status Window disying a tally of his abilities¡ª85 Skills and counting.


    Despite being an average nobody, he was still able to get a luxurious treatment just for being an Otherworlder.


    He wondered if this would change once the higher-ups found out about his apparent ipetence, but Rey soon shrugged it off as unimportant.


    Rey dismissed the concern with a nonchnt shrug. ''I''ll figure it out somehow. They won''t ditch me from the team, not if Adonis keeps backing me.''


    Adonis, in Rey''s eyes, retained an aura of respect. He was not someone he idolized, but he acknowledged the power behind Adonis''s position and intended to use it as his own shield.


    ''Alicia,'' he thought, ''wasn''t exactly mean or condescending, but she didn''t exactly speak up for me either. She mostly seemed ufortable about the whole thing...''


    Rey harbored no grudge against Alicia, yet he found maintaining a neutral stance with her to be the wisest choice. When it boiled down to it, Adonis remained his strongest ally.


    ''Then there''s someone else who caught me off guard...'' Rey''s thoughts drifted to his supposed best friend, Billy McGuire.


    ''He joined in on their mockery of me. I get why he did it though.'' Billy held an A-Tier ss and boasted five remarkably decent Skills, positioning him at the upper echelons of their ss solely based on his stats.


    ''I guess he''s graduated from being the underdog who sticks by my side...'' Rey let out a wistful smile, a mere flicker of emotion while he maintained his lounging position on the bed.


    ''It hurts a bit.'' His hand instinctively moved to his chest, clutching at it with a tinge of ache.


    He should have seen thising, considering the track record Bill had as a people pleaser who always tried to get on everyone''s good side.


    ''His Karma Points must have skyrocketed from all that effort to win everyone''s favor.'' Rey acknowledged the probable reason behind Billy''s sess.


    In the end, it paid off for him.


    ''And the one person who was his friend was thrown to the side, huh? That''s brutal, man...'' Rey''s hand, having gripped his chest moments ago, now rested at his side as he released a soft sigh.


    "It''s not worth it. Let''s focus on what''s important now." His words sounded rehearsed, almost mechanical, a deliberate attempt to bury his emotions rather than confront them head-on. But time was a luxury he couldn''t afford.


    ''Everyone has amazing sses, which means they have a head-start in this world. I can''t afford to bezy.'' Rey repeated the mantra to himself, determination flickering in his eyes, reigniting his resolve.


    ''I''ve categorized my Skills into two lists: Useful and Obsolete.''


    Rey meticulously examined his Skill inventory, noting the stark contrast between the Useful and Obsolete ones.


    The former boasted high-tier abilities, each excelling in their respective domains, while thetter consisted of watered-down versions.


    For example, Rey possessed a B-Tier Skill called [Greater Battle Aura], but there was an inferior Skill in his collection which was called [Battle Aura], a C-Tier Skill.


    His Skill list was rife with more examples like this.


    However, without an option to merge or advance Skills, the Obsolete ones served no purpose other than cluttering his repository. ''To make room for future Skills, it''s time to shed the dead weight,'' Rey decided.


    With a few taps on his Status Window, Rey initiated the removal process, watching as the tally of his Skills dwindled before his eyes, freeing up space for the more important abilities he would acquire in the future.


    {Limit Count: 49}


    After the purge, only 49 of the initial 85 Skills remained in Rey''s arsenal.


    ''Looks like a lot of people had simr or inferior versions of the top ones of our ss. Can''t me them, though. These Skills are good...''


    Now that he had streamlined his Skillset, Rey focused on the next step: further ssification. "Attack. Defense. Buff. Misceneous." These four categories became the bedrock of his Skill organization.


    ''Pure offense, like [Grand Fire Magic], goes straight into the Attack Category.'' Rey mentally sorted through his Skills, assigning each to its designated domain.


    ''Defensive Skills, such as [Absolute Defense], find their ce in the Defense Category.'' Clear divisions began to take shape in Rey''s mind.


    ''Buff Skills elevate stats or enhance the effects of other Skills¡ª[Greater Battle Aura] and other rted skills fall right here.'' Rey pinpointed the abilities that bolstered his overall prowess.


    ''And then there''s the Misceneous group.'' Rey assigned Skills like [Divine Beast Summon], which defied easy categorization.


    ''Phew, that was quite the task!'' Rey exhaled, a sense of aplishment washing over him as hepleted the meticulous categorization of his Skills.


    After carefully cing all of them in their categories, it looked something like this.


    ~ Attack Category: 27


    ~ Defense Category: 9


    ~ Buff Category: 10


    ~ Misceneous: 3


    ''Well... that''s that.''


    Once Rey was done separating all his Skills, he made sure to look through them once again while smiling broadly to himself.


    ''I can''t wait to start using them!''


    He obviously couldn''t disy his abilities in front of his ssmates, but Rey figured his chance woulde.


    He just had to look out for an opportunity.


    ''Now I''m getting excited about this new world!''


    *******


    [The Present Day]


    After Conrad''s address to the Otherworlders, a unanimous agreement surfaced, hinged on a vital condition¡ªthe United Human Alliance pledged to fulfill any reasonable desire of the students within their power. With the terms settled, the students dispersed to their chambers.


    Already having submitted their requests beforehand, the swift fulfillment of their wishes began unfolding.


    Attendants delivered fresh garments, including clothing and underwear, while any essories they had asked for promptly appeared at their doorstep.


    Naturally, modern gadgets like smartphones were out of reach, but this was as close to perfect as a medieval world could possibly get.


    The students couldn''t imagine the life of amoner in this realm, but nestled in their privileged status, they found little toin about. All it required was fulfilling their assigned duties to continue thisvish lifestyle.


    Yet, amid thisfort, worry remained an alien concept to the students. They possessed a trump card¡ªtheir trust in Adonis.


    As the pir of their support and influence, Adonis''s presence reassured them.


    "Hey, anyone seen Adonis around?" Justin''s voice echoed through the parlor, his brows furrowed in search of their prominent figure amidst the group of students lounging together.


    "Adonis? He and Alicia are off hashing things out with the Chief Warrior, probably sorting our training agenda," Billy chimed in, already a member of the popr squad.


    His dark brown hair and lean physique might''ve seemed out of ce among the ''cool kids,'' yet he seamlessly blended in.


    On the surface, Billy''s appearance might have ted him as an outsider, but there was an unspoken eptance among the group.


    His sudden integration into their ranks puzzled many, but once he showcased his Skills and ss, he ascended to a different rank in their collective esteem.


    He was strong, and that was enough to grant him ess to the sacred haven of the ss'' upper echelon.


    "Ugh, Alicia again? Why is she always trying to cozy up to Adonis?" Jade''s voice held a note of exasperation. Their strained history added fuel to Jade''s annoyance.


    "Seriously! You''d think she''d ease off after their breakup, but nope, she''s relentless," another student chimed in, echoing Jade''s sentiments.


    Before long, the conversation morphed into a session of airing grievances against Alicia. Once you scaled the socialdder in school, it meant either adoration from the masses, ¨¤ Adonis, or disdain, like Alicia.


    The downsides of poprity became ringly evident¡ªwhile Adonis basked in admiration, Alicia found herself squarely in the crosshairs of criticism.


    "She''s pretty. So what? She has terrible behavior."


    "She''s bossy and overbearing too."


    "Who does she think she is?"


    For every fan and supporter Alicia had, there lurked a multitude harboring envy and resentment, disapproving of her personality and eager to belittle her behind her back.


    "That''s enough! You should all stop right there."


    Billy''s voice reverberated through the room, cutting through the venomous chatter that had consumed the air.


    His scowl projected intense disapproval, a stark departure from his usual agreeable demeanor.


    "W-what''s up, Bill? You think she''s an asshole too, right?" The question hung in the air, awaiting a response.


    In the past, Billy would have swallowed his true thoughts, suppressing his feelings for Alicia to align with the popr sentiment in the room.


    He had been a pushover, devoid of individuality, bending over backward to appease those above him.


    But something had shifted¡ªa subtle yet significant change in the dynamics.


    "NO! Don''t talk about Alicia like that!" Billy''s retort was firm, a departure from his formerpliance.


    He was no longer the one at the bottom, and they were no longer the ones at the top.


    Their roles had been reversed.


    "Anyone who talks shit about Alicia... will be on my bad side."


    He was now the one above, and everyone else in the room was beneath him.


    Why?


    "Is that understood?"


    The reason was simple.


    "F-fine... whatever."


    "Looks like someone has a crush on Alicia."


    "Can''t me you, man. She''s very pretty."


    Before long, everyone had changed the topic to favor Alicia and soothe Billy.


    All of this, for one single reason.


    He was stronger than them.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading, everyone!


    Hope you enjoyed the chapter.


    Next chapter should finally contain some action, so be excited.

 Chapter 10: Sign Of Defiance

    <h4>Chapter 10: Sign Of Defiance</h4>


    "Alright, everyone. Let''s gather around!"


    Adonis was standing close to the entrance of the Otherworlders'' residence.


    Beside him was Alicia, but she was mostly silent.


    The students began streaming into the living room, curious about what Adonis had to say.


    Even the ones holed up in their rooms emerged upon hearing his call.


    Before long, everyone had arrived, all seated in their respective chairs or sofas. A few also opted to sit on the quite cool andfortable floor.


    Their eyes filled with anticipation, fixated on Adonis, as they waited patiently for his announcement.


    "Maybe some of you already know this, but Alicia and I thought it was high time to catch up with Brutus to n out our training sessions." Adonis'' announcement elicited a few groans, but nothing too serious.


    "You don''t have to worry. I made it crystal clear to him that we''re not signing up for boot camp." Adonis shed a reassuring grin at his crew. "This won''t be like school, I promise. Not even close."


    A fewughs were heard from the audience at thest statement, as well as sighs of relief.


    In this strange new world, despite the few inconveniences, one thing stood out and made everyone appreciate it even more: there was no school!


    For these lively teenagers, the absence of that stressful environment was a breath of fresh air.


    Many had worried that this training would be a new version of the dreaded ''school.'' But thankfully, Adonis''s words brought a wave of relief.


    His reassurance sparked hope among them.


    "We''ll be expected to put in about six hours a day for training. Sounds pretty generouspared to our old school routine, right?" Adonis nodded, shing a wink as if he were dishing out a grand favor.


    "Six hours?" Someone groaned, and a chorus ofints followed.


    "I just wanna chill here a bit longer!"


    "Do we get any time for ourselves before¡ª"


    "Training starts tomorrow," Adonis dered firmly, setting off an even louder uproar among the students.


    Their attitude had shifted, morphing into a bunch of entitled kids grumbling about intensive training.


    "Guys, people in this world are dying every day," Alicia pointed out, trying to instill a sense of purpose. "Our primary purpose for being here is to save them. Starting training as soon as possible gives us the best shot at fixing this mess."


    Alicia had kept quiet since the meeting started, observing the students'' reactions.


    However, seeing their response, she feltpelled to step in.


    Her light scowl after saying those words shook a few people. However...


    "That''s not our problem, is it? We''re just teenagers trying to live a little. Who can me us?"


    The dissenting voice belonged to none other than Adam Sanchez, the ss jock, who was quite popr.


    He and Adonis shared a lot of qualities, despite Adam''s hair being ck and not blond like Adonis''. They were both handsome, athletic, and pretty popr.


    However, personality-wise, they couldn''t be any different.


    Adam, often known for his selfish and egotistical nature, stood in stark contrast to the selfless and kind Adonis. In this moment, his self-centeredness was on full disy for everyone to witness.


    "Adam, you''ve crossed a line," Adonis responded, a hint of disappointment creasing his brow.


    "Why? Because I spoke up? I''ve been watching silently all this time, but that doesn''t mean I''ll sit here and blindly follow your lead," Adam shot back, his eyes shooting daggers at Adonis.


    Adam''s flippant but incredibly defiant smile was stered on his face as he stared at Adonis as though daring him to try him.


    "Hey, man, I''m just saying... some of us don''t want to save the world or anything." He added with a smirk.


    Being one of the first alphabetically, Adam had the privilege of choosing his ss and Skills earlier than most.


    However, due to his awful personality, his Karma was remarkably lower than average.


    As a result, both his single Skill and ss were B-Tier and C-Tier respectively.


    Needless to say, he didn''t have as much influence as he used to.


    "Speak for yourself, dude."


    "Just be quiet, Adam."


    "Yeah, zip it!"


    "We don''t need you causing unnecessary drama right now."


    "Why didn''t you say all these things earlier."


    The students who wouldn''t have been able to even squeak in his presence back in school began raining condescending words on him.


    The tables had turned on him pretty quickly.


    Yet, in response to the jeers aimed his way, Adam''s smile widened as he defiantly faced the crowd.


    "Whatever! I couldn''t care less about what any of you think!"


    Then, he simply crossed his arms and legs like a child throwing a tantrum. "I''m not joining the training. You can''t make me."


    Adam''s defiance filled the room, sparking silent gasps that rippled through the crowd.


    There was the underlying fear that if someone like Adam could refuse training, then others might follow suit.


    His actions threatened to unravel the unity among the students, creating disruptions that could spiral out of control.


    In this critical moment, Adonis was expected to swiftly address the situation, preventing Adam''s influence from spreading further.


    But...


    "If that''s your decision, so be it. Anyone else not interested in training can opt out as well. And if it gets too tough, and you want to bail, that''s your choice. I won''t force any of you into something you''re not willing to do..."


    Adonis''s unexpected response left everyone astounded.


    But he wasn''t finished yet.


    "However, by opting out, you choose to forfeit the benefits those who train will receive. Not just in terms of strength but other privileges as well."


    "Oh? What kind of privileges?" Adam interrupted, his smile tinged with sarcasm.


    For a brief moment, silence hung heavy in the room, each second stretching the tension, until Adonis finally spoke.


    "Well... this residence is exclusively for thosemitted to saving the world. No one else is allowed in."


    The weight of those words settled over everyone, painting a clear picture of their reality.


    The Nation was desperate¡ªbut only for those dedicated to their cause. If an Otherworldercked interest in the mission, there was no reason to invest in them, especially when they already had the Hero on their side.


    "Fine, then. Make your choice. If exploring and having fun is what you truly want, no one will hold you back. Your adventures can start once you leave the Royal Estate," Adonis dered calmly.


    "Tch... whatever..." Adam''s voice trailed off, his defiance waning as it became evident that Adonis had won. He had lost.


    "Let''s get back on track. Training starts at 7:00 AM, and¡ª"


    But before Adonis could finish, more groans andints filled the room. This time, however, he didn''t tolerate it with a smile.


    "If the timing doesn''t suit you, feel free to opt out. But remember, beingte isn''t an option. If you can''t make it on time, you might as well stay back."


    Adonis'' stern words jolted everyone into the reality of the situation. It wasn''t going to be all fun and games.


    Defiance meant being disregarded by the nation. Only the mostmitted and loyal Otherworlders, like the Hero, would receive support. The rest would be left in the dust.


    "Training will wrap up by 2:00 PM. We will have two thirty-minute breaks within that time, totaling seven hours. But like I said the core training is just six hours," Adonis rified.


    The students realized the challenge ahead, but there was a silver lining.


    "After 2:00 PM, you are free to do as you please¡ªhave fun, rest, shop, whatever. However, since we are new to this world, we are not permitted to leave the Royal Estate. At least, not yet."


    The reason for that was simple.


    Beyond the extremely massive grounds that the Estate covered, and therge walls that separated it from the rest of the Royal Capital, were themoners of this world.


    Some were upper-ss, others were middle-ss, but it didn''t change the fact that life was vastly different beyond the walls.


    "In here, we are protected and catered for. Our training will be supervised by the best of the best, and all our needs will be met. As long as we follow the rules, everything will be perfectly fine," Adonis reassured.


    Despite Adonis saying all of this, and the majority of the students believing him, a few students could see behind the facade of goodwill.


    Granted, they were well taken care of, protected, and sheltered. Everything seemed perfect.


    They were safe andfortable too.


    However...


    ''We''re constantly being watched and controlled. Our perfect life here is being held hostage too.'' He narrowed his gaze, sensing the limitations ced upon them.


    ''While I understand why they''re doing this, protecting one''s assets is important after all, I can''t ignore what it is...''


    The Otherworlders¡ªRey and his ssmates¡ªwere no longer individuals with desires and decisions that could freely be expressed.


    In this world, they existed for a single purpose.


    ... Kill the Dragons and save the world.


    ''Anyone who doesn''tply gets discarded.''


    That realization dawned heavy on Rey''s mind.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Okay, no action in this chapter!


    But the next chapter begins the training!


    I hope you are all excited!

 Chapter 11: Training Orientation

    <h4>Chapter 11: Training Orientation</h4>


    "Hello, everyone! You might not know me, but my name is Lucielle!"


    In front of everyone was a very outspoken young woman who seemed to be in herte twenties.


    She had perfect white hair, and her brilliant red eyes seemed to glow as she spoke. With glossy lips that seemed irresistible and a beauty that felt intoxicating, the young woman continued her introduction.


    "I''m the Grand Mage of the United Human Alliance. Yep, I''m the best! And I''ll be your Co-Tutor for your training!"


    Her bubbly personality was contrasted by the grim expression disyed by Brutus, who stood right beside her.


    "My specialty is in Magic, so I''ll be teaching you mainly about that. Grumpy ol'' Brutus here is the best Warrior around, so he''ll be teaching youbat and other stuff that I can''t teach you."


    Everyone stood in an open field, big enough to be ssified as a football field, so the view of the open sky and the fresh breeze added a warm ambiance to the atmosphere.


    "Sorry you weren''t able to see me sooner! That Summoning Magic really took a lot out of me. Even now, I still feel a little under the weather, you know?" Lucielle beamed at her listeners.


    "Doesn''t seem that way to me. You''re as loud and troublesome as ever..."


    This short but blunt response from Brutus was given in a low grunt.


    "As mean as ever, I see! Don''t mind Brutus, everyone. He might look and talk all tough, but he''s a big softie inside... deep deep down."


    "Tch..."


    Lucielle was currently donning a traditional Mage robe, but hers had several ornaments around them, as well as gems that glimmered under the sun.


    Her earrings, ne, bracelets, and other jewels had magical auras around them.


    As the Grand Mage of the Nation, she had all of these items as a boost to her already immense power.


    "A question, ma''am?" Adonis raised his hand gently, a smile on his face.


    He stood in front of all twenty-nine students, but thus far he had been silent.


    "Oh, what is it, Adonis? Ah, and please don''t call me ma''am. Just call me Lucielle."


    "Alright, Miss Lucielle..."


    "No! Not Miss! Just Lucielle!" The Grand Mage was pouting now, her brows creased down to show immense disapproval.


    Adonis, the prim and proper epitome of politeness gave an awkwardugh as he finally caved in to her demands.


    "A-alright, Lucielle..."


    "Much better!" She beamed with delight. "So what was your question, Adonis?"


    "Since we have our Skills, we already know how to use Magic and Combat abilities. Is there really any need for training?"


    It was surprising that someone like Adonis would be asking such questions. After all, he was the biggest advocate for training.


    However, his knowing smile as he asked the question made the intention behind it clear.


    He wasn''t asking for himself, but so that the ones who were considering training to be useless could get an answer that would satisfy them.


    Since no one was likely to ask, instead choosing to ck off and not take training seriously, he decided to step in.


    "Ahh, good question! It hase to my notice that you guys have Skills without developing your Magic from the ground up and earning the Skills after extensive practice and research. As a result, you already have the power that denizens of this world work decades, if not centuries for."


    In H''Trae, Skills were bestowed upon the diligent. By working in a particr field for a given period, you would be granted a Skill in that area.


    sses functioned simrly, but that had to do with the current position a person upied.


    Amon soldier could be a Knight after diligently harnessing his Skills for a long period. Once this change urred in his ss, he would be able to receive a promotion and get the Knight position.


    Since the Nation had both the Oculus and the Truthseeker, they had no problem discerning such truths.


    A man who owned great properties and had amassed a certain amount of wealth would be recognized to have a ss akin to a noble.


    He could then apply for a Noble title and would then be officially recognized as one.


    That was the nature of this world; operating from the ground up.


    But the Otherworlders were different.


    "Without understanding the fundamentals, or working with the basics, you now have great power. That in itself is powerful, but without training, your power will barely scratch the surface of what you are capable of."


    The expressions of the students were rife with doubt.


    They didn''t get what Lucielle was trying to say, neither did they want to believe her.


    To them, having high Tier sses already qualified them for high Tier positions.


    They had power, after all.


    "For one, you are all Level 1. Normally, as you progress in Levels and Stats, you develop powerful Skills and a strong ss. The higher your Level, the more effective your Skills and ss be. As a result, having a low Level is your first obstacle."


    Lucielle further went on to exin it this way;


    Stats were mostly based on Levels.


    If a person had a Skill that multiplied their Stat with itself, then which would be better?


    1 Stat remaining as 1 Stat


    Or


    2 Stats turning into 4 Stats


    Or


    10 Stats turning into 100 Stats


    In the end, having a higher Level¡ªor higher Stats¡ªwas essential in the proper implementation of a Skill or ss.


    "You have the potential to be the most powerful beings in this world, but right now you haven''t reached that level yet. That is why training is important."


    Understanding. Experience. Control. Growth.


    There were so many other elements that the studentscked which would impede their growth and restrict their potential.


    In order to be the saviors of the world, they had to attain what they werecking and build up on them with their power.


    "I can still see some unconvinced faces. Perhaps a demonstration, then?" Lucielle grinned, almost in a scheming fashion.


    Her glittering red eyes scoured the faces of the students as she sought out the best candidate for her experiment.


    Until finally... she found the perfect specimen.


    "You there! Billy McGuire, right? Step forward!"


    Billy did as he was instructed, stepping away from behind Alicia. He had a stern expression on his face, but he was very tense.


    "You possess the Grand Knight ss, right? You also have five Skills, one A-Tier and four B-Tier." She smiled at him.


    "How did you know?"


    "Your summoning and introduction was recorded, so when I regained consciousness I went over everything."


    That was the reason why she knew their names and what they were all capable of.


    "Well, you are correct." Billy answered with a small smile.


    Having her reinforce just how impressive he was made him happy for some reason.


    "Well, Brutus here has a simr ss as you, but it''s a B-Tier ss known as Chief Knight. He also has five Skills, but three of them are B-Tier, while the rest are C-Tier."


    These were the traits of the strongest warrior in the entire Western Continent.


    Based on what Lucielle just elucidated, Brutus was an inferior version of Billy in every way¡ªboth in Skills and ss.


    By all counts, Billy had to be stronger.


    "Why don''t the both of you duel? If you win, hmm... let''s see... I''ll let you take me out on a date."


    Lucielle''s words struck a chord within every guy who heard her.


    She was an older woman, sure, but she was incredibly attractive. Any guy with even one brain cell would fawn over her.


    Having such a sweet deal presented in front of him, Billy was meant to be jumping in jubtion.


    However, that was far from the case.


    "Hmph! I''ll do the duel, but I''m not interested in asking you out. My eyes are already on another..." His eyes subtly moved in the direction of the only girl his heart beat for.


    Alicia White.


    ''I can impress her with this. If I win, she''ll see just how strong and dependable I am.''


    With those thoughts echoing in his mind, Billy agreed to the arrangement.


    ''He has weaker Skills, and his ss is a lower version of mine. If I spam my Skills, I should be able to end things soon.''


    Billy gave a small, tense smile as he stared at the slightly frowning Brutus.


    Head Warrior or not, he was inferior.


    ''Seraph already told us we''re stronger than the denizens of this world.''


    With that as a source of his confidence, Billy was confident in his victory.


    ''This''ll be a cakewalk.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Next chapter, we finally see the first fight scene in this novel.


    I''ve been itching for this!


    Thanks for reading.

 Chapter 12: Fight Against The Head Warrior [Part 1]

    <h4>Chapter 12: Fight Against The Head Warrior [Part 1]</h4>


    The Head Warrior Brutus stood before Billy McGuire, almost like an indomitable fortress that refused to be shaken.


    His stern gaze hardened even further upon facing Billy''s scrutiny.


    Tension wafted through the air as both of them silently stared at each other, prepared for Lucielle to signal the start of their fight.


    ''The best way to end this is by spamming my powerful attacks!'' Billy thought to himself in a wide grin.


    He tightly gripped his wooden sword, feeling his fingers and palm press on its hard hilt as his thoughts took a straightforward approach.


    ''Skill-wise, he stands no chance!''


    Brutus remained his usual self, expressing the same stern demeanor he normally gave.


    It seemed even when facing a 16-year old, the well-agreed adult did not desire to loosen up even slightly.


    "Ready..." Lucielle''s voice echoed through the vast field.


    Both opponents already had their wooden des in their grasp. All that they were waiting for was the start of the fight.


    "... Set..."


    Billy took one final nce at his Status Window and readied his body.


    ''I''ll start with my most powerful Skill and¡ª!''


    "... Go!"


    Billy''s eyes glowed as he pushed his body forward, using one hand to carefully raise his de while stretching forth his second hand to expel the effects of his Skill.


    "[Gran¡ª]!"


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    Before he could go any further in uttering his Skill, a sharp gust of wind swept past him, and a silhouette appeared behind him.


    It sent an instant chill down his spine, causing him to falter in the rest of his chant.


    "H-huh...?"


    The smooth surface of a wooden de was resting on his shoulder and touching his neck.


    "Do you yield?" The voice of the Head Warrior echoed in Billy''s ears as he struggled with his disbelief.


    ''He''s fast! Too fast!''


    Billy couldn''t even follow him with his eyes! His speed was definitely inhuman.


    ''Calm down, Billy! Of course, he''s fast! He probably used his Skill faster than me, plus he''s physically in better shape than I am!'' He began to give excuses for himself in his mind.


    ''Besides, the reason he closed the distance between us so quickly and is trying to end things very fast is definitely because he''s worried about my Skills.''


    In essence, Brutus didn''t want to give him the chance to activate his Skills.


    ''Hehe! Not like that''s going to stop me!''


    "[Greater Protection Field]!"


    A barrier of energy suddenly began to manifest from Billy''s whole body, expanding until it covered his immediate surroundings.


    The energy barrier pushed every and all threats away from him, including the de of the Head Warrior, who had once again moved so quickly that it seemed like teleportation.


    "Hehehe..." Bully chuckled within himself.


    Right now he was encased in a dome of pure defensive power.


    Nothing could hurt him now.


    ''And now... where was I?''


    "[Grand Fire Magic]!"


    ~VWUUUUUMMMM!!!~


    In a ferocious roar, plumes of mes appeared on Billy''s palm. The flickering embers seemed to increase by the second, and the caster seemed to be enjoying every moment.


    "This is an A-Tier Skill. You don''t have any Skill to defend against it!" Billy yelled in absolute confidence.


    The silence between the two parties was telling.


    While Billy was having his fun, expressing the biggest smile of his life, Brutus remained stoic in his demeanor.


    Nothing about the Chief Warrior had changed in the slightest.


    "Perhaps I should ask if you yield." Billy pushed further, his zing mes now reaching beyond his barrier.


    [Greater Protection Field], as the name provided, served to protect its caster. It did not prevent anything from leaving the barrier.


    That meant Billy could attack non-stop while being untouchable in his haven.


    "Well... have it your way."


    Despite Billy trying to act disappointed by the Head Warrior''s choice, his excitement could not be hidden from everyone.


    ~VWUUUUUUUSSSSHHHHH!!!~


    The burst of mes began to charge towards Brutus, the red and yellow colors mixed in collided with each other as they danced forward.


    Brutus stood his ground, his gaze lighting up as the rush of mes approached him.


    One would expect him to try using his god-like speed to flee, but it seemed he was rooted in ce.


    He took a battle stance and brandished his de by turning it once.


    And then the mes arrived.


    ~VWUUUU¡ª!~


    Right as the mes were about to consume Brutus, he swung his de in one swift motion.


    ~WHISH!~


    The result caused all the students who watched to lower their jaws in absolute shock.


    Their widened eyes could perhaps not believe or exin the sight that had just unfolded before them¡ªeven in a world of Magic and Swords.


    Brutus had not only protected himself with his de, but he parted the entire wave of mes with his de''s swings.


    In just one moment, the raging sea of fire was divided into two, and extinguished not long after.


    "Your proficiency at Magic is poor. Your Mana quality is unrefined, and its quantity is sorelycking."


    Brutus'' words were, as always,posed.


    At this point, Billy''s face was red in embarrassment while his widened eyes tried to let go of the shock that paralyzed him.


    In the depths of his thoughts he began to ask himself.


    ''I-is this guy really that strong...?!''


    So far, Billy had used two Skills of his, yet he hadn''t seen the Head Warrior use any.


    ''He had to have used at least one, right? RIGHT?!''


    As Billy struggled toe up with an exnation for the current scenario he found himself in, Brutus opened his lips to speak.


    "Is that all you have? If you are utilizing nothing else, then I suppose it is my turn to attack."


    Once Billy heard this, his body shook into action as he automatically took a step back.


    His mind tried to analyze the situation and think of the perfect Skill to use next¡ªone that guaranteed his undisputed victory.


    Unfortunately, his dawdling was not appreciated by the Head Warrior.


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    In a sh, Brutus was right in front of Billy. The only thing that separated them was the glowing wall of the [Greater Protection Field].


    ''I-I''m safe! As long as I have that, then¡ª!''


    Brutus, still gripping his wooden de with only one hand, gave a bending horizontal strike.


    As the de neared the barrier, the expectation was simple.


    The wooden sword would shatter.


    However....


    ~FSHUUUUAAA!!!~


    ... The opposite happened!


    Like ss, the barrier broke into tiny pieces the moment the de touched its surface with the force it had umted.


    Once again, the audience was forced to gawk in downright shock.


    The most stunned by this, however, was Billy.


    Hisst line of defense had just been broken through like it was nothing, and the man who did so was now advancing towards him.


    The fear that assailed Billy at that point was so raw... so primal.


    He felt like shrieking and running off, and his bones were rattled to their core as his body felt like crumbling at that very second.


    But... how could he do that?!


    He was being watched by everyone¡ªincluding the girl he loved with everything.


    For her sake especially...


    ''I... I can''t give up now!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Please give yourments after reading. It goes a long way to encourage me.


    See you in the next one.

 Chapter 13: Fight Against The Head Warrior [Part 2]

    <h4>Chapter 13: Fight Against The Head Warrior [Part 2]</h4>


    ''Not yet!''


    Tension was rife in the air, and at that moment, Billy felt his blood rushing throughout his body.


    As Brutus neared him, his sword was already out ofmission since it had been shed upward in an arc to break through the barrier.


    As a result, Brutus'' dominant hand was raised in the air, while his left hand was reaching out for Billy.


    It was a blunt attack, so Billy braced himself with his next Skill.


    He knew he wasn''t fast enough to escape the ws of his opponent, so he focused all his strength on the next best thing.


    ''I''ll take it!''


    "[Greater Warrior''s Mantle]!" He yelled in activation just as the blow was about to reach him.


    ~BOOM!~


    "Guark!" Billy''s mouth was forcefully opened by the saliva and pieces of vomit he had to let out as a result of the blow he received.


    His entire body felt hot, and the pain he received spread through his whole body in an instant.


    It didn''t matter that Billy was currently being shrouded by dense energy thanks to his newly activated Skill.


    The results were still the same.


    As Brutus twisted his fist on Billy''s stomach, the pain intensified, and the shockwaves caused the very earth beneath them to crack.


    Wind rushed all around Brutus, a testament to the amount of force just one of his fists possessed.


    ~WHOOSH!~


    Billy was sent flying backwards and crashing on the ground like a ragdoll.


    His body coiled up as he trembled, trying to recoil from the pain that now seemed to ravage his entire body.


    All it took was a single hit for him to croak and grunt like a wounded animal.


    "Don''t be overly dramatic. That was only a light tap.. Stand up, warrior." Brutus'' voice echoed in the air, adding salt to injury.


    Billy was doing his best not to scream, gritting his teeth as he tightly clutched his stomach.


    ''Ahhh! It hurts! It hurts so much!'' Billy screamed internally.


    ''D-damnit! Even with [Greater Warrior''s Mantle], it still hurts this much?!''


    The Skill he currently had activated boosted all his Stats exponentially, raising them to a heightened position that dwarfed his previous status.


    Billy was stronger, faster, and far more durable than before.


    ''Yet one blow from him made me like this? Damnit!''


    His vision was blurry, but from the ground, he could see the expressions of some of his ssmates.


    Most of them expressed utter shock at what was happening.


    No one could give Billy condescending gazes or looks of mockery because they understood just how strong he was.


    The Skills he had just disyed was beyond the capabilities of some, so no one doubted his capabilities in the slightest.


    For them, it was the very opposite.


    They could not fathom how someone as strong as Billy could be made to be so pathetic.


    Thus far, they had been told they were special.


    They were summoned to another world and granted Exclusive Skills. They were treated like royalty, and the entire world depended on them.


    Because of this, everyone had subconsciously developed a sense of superiority and entitlement.


    However, after watching Billy¡ªone of the strongest in the ss¡ªget destroyed so easily by the Head Warrior who didn''t even seem to be trying, they began to understand their ce better.


    Right there and then, the group of students better appreciated Lucielle''s words to them.


    They all had the potential to be the strongest. But with the way they were now, none of them were strong.


    ... At least, whenpared to the ones considered powerful in this world.


    Billy''s pathetic disy had just proven it.


    ''Shit! I can''t go down like this... like a loser!'' Billy''s thoughts screamed.


    Right now, Alicia was looking at his pitiful self. How could he let that happen?


    ''I wanted her to see me as someone to depend on! Not like this!''


    It hurt him to his core that he was disgraced so thoroughly like this.


    Once again, Billy''s blurry vision took in the expression of the crowd of students.


    Most of them still maintained their shocked expressions. However... there was one among them that was grinning.


    The smile he gave was a condescending gaze that seemed to ooze with "Serves you right."


    ''T-that is... Rey?!''


    Rey was standing inconspicuously among the crowd of students and was seemingly enjoying Billy''s suffering.


    The smile he gave pissed Billy off more than anything.


    ''You... you''re looking down on me?! How can you look down on me?!''


    Billy''s fury began to reach new heights.


    ''You''re a nobody with a less than average ss and an average Skill! I''d like to see you do better!''


    It pissed him off that someone like Rey could look at him with those eyes.


    A weakling like Rey...


    ''I can''t allow this! I won''t allow this!''


    "Raaaahhhhh!!!" Billy rose to his feet in a ferocious roar, ignoring the pains that his body was being ravaged by.


    To him, nothing was more important than evaporating the pathetic image of himself that was on disy.


    "That''s more like it." Head Warrior Brutus said, once again twisting his de as he tightly gripped it.


    ''You shameless old man... going so far against me...'' Billy grunted as he made those thoughts.


    His pain served as fuel to his aggression, and right now he sought something to put it all on.


    ''I''ll pay you back for that!''


    The fiery blue aura of the [Greater Warrior''s Mantle] was already wearing out, but Billy chose to ignore it.


    He had another Skill in mind at this point.


    ''I have already used three Skills, and they''re currently on cooldown.''


    His Mana Level was also pretty low, so this was probably thest Skill he would be able to use in the fight.


    ''I was saving it forst, but...!''


    Right here... right now... Billy had every reason to be desperate about his victory.


    ''I won''t lose!''


    In a loud echo of desperation, Billy let out the name of his next Skill.


    "[Greater Battle Aura]!"


    ~VWUUUUUMMMM!!!~


    The burst of red energy around him caused winds to gather around him, like a small whirlwind forming.


    The ground itself trembled in response to this power.


    "Haaaa..." Billy let out a misty breath.


    The smoke that emanated from his lips and nostrils swiftly dispersed as the red energy that swarmed him burned brightly.


    Right now, he felt no fear... no pain.


    All he had was an endless stream of determination and an immense rush of power to back it up.


    Billy was sure now¡ªsurer than ever¡ªthat he wouldn''t lose.


    "Come, old man..." He gave a devilish grin as he raised his de.


    Billy McGuire pointed it at Brutus, an invitation to his gloriouseback.


    "... I''ll beat you up!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Wooohooo!


    Seems Billy has awakened his hidden power and will now turn the tides of battle.


    Who else is with me? Let''s root for Billy!

 Chapter 14: Fight Against The Head Warrior [Part 3]

    <h4>Chapter 14: Fight Against The Head Warrior [Part 3]</h4>


    [Greater Battle Aura] served only one purpose.


    It increased the overall power of a warrior, unlocking their potential for a brief period.


    The Mana Level and overallbat ability would skyrocket to an unbelievable degree, and the Warrior''s de would know only destruction.


    This aura was hotter than fire, and tougher than metal.


    It was condensed energy that represented the raging mes within a Warrior''s soul.


    And now...


    "I''ll beat you up!"


    ... The aura was swelling around Billy.


    "That is an impressive battle aura for your level." Brutus'' calmment only served to annoy Billy even more.


    The fact that the Head Warrior''s expression had hardly changed despite his incredible improvement in strength irked him to no end.


    ''I''ll show you... all of you... to stop looking down on me!''


    "Raaaahhhhhh!!!"


    Billy raised his de to his side, taking a stance before rushing towards his target.


    ~BOOM!~


    The ground broke apart beneath his legs as he lunged at Brutus.


    The winds parted around Billy, none of them disturbing his coordination thanks to the red energy that fueled him.


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    As soon as he approached Brutus, closing the distance in a sh, his eyes glinted in determination.


    ~SWISH!~


    His de dealt the first strike as he took a step forward, his tempo untampered by the flow around him.


    Brutus expertly evaded the de, shifting a little to the side.


    The resultant force caused wind to flow in the direction of the strike, swirling in immense force.


    "Youck proper for¡ª"


    "Shut up!" Billy shouted.


    He swiftly twisted his body, turning his de in the direction of the Head Warrior.


    Brutus whirled, once again evading the strike, only to end up behind Billy.


    He raised his sword to ce it close to the boy''s neck, but Billy had expected that, so he pushed his body to the side while raising his leg tond a kick.


    Brutus raised his unupied hand and easily blocked the kick.


    Once he noticed his initial strike had been dealt with, Billy ced one hand on the floor and used the resultant bnce to send his second leg charging towards Brutus.


    However, the result was still far from his expectations.


    Brutus evaded the second kick by tilting his head backwards, before flinging Billy''s leg forward.


    "Euk!" Losing his bnce, Billy tumbled forward, but quickly rose to his feet while tightly holding his de.


    His gaze was fixated on the Head Warrior, refusing to let him off his sight for even a second.


    ~FSHUUUUU!~


    Smoke was slowly rising from the hand that the Head Warrior used to block Billy''s strike, and the reason was clear.


    [Greater Battle Aura] had one more use, and that was the zing damage it caused upon contact with its targets.


    Since it was hotter than regr mes, an Aura could instantly consume its targets if they didn''t have enough durability to withstand it.


    "Congrattions. Your Aura was almost able to sting."


    Brutus'' words felt far from congrattions. They rang so hollow that Billy could hardly see that as admonishment.


    ''He''s mocking me again, isn''t he?!''


    Billy was enraged. His fury knew no bounds as he murderously red at Brutus.


    ''That''s it! No holding back!''


    Once more, Billy made a battle stance. He held his de with both hands, intending to put his full weight and power behind his next strike.


    "Your form is severelycking. Your striking power will be halved if you do not¡ª"


    "I TOLD YOU TO SHUT UP!!!"


    ~BOOOOOMMMM!!!~


    Dust and debris burst from Billy''s initial position as heunched his whole body at Brutus.


    His re screamed of unhinged determination, and all of the red energy he had amassed began to converge on his de.


    "DIIIIEEEE!!!"


    Billy''s raised de began to descend the moment he neared Brutus.


    ~WHIIIIISSSSSHHHH!!!~


    The winds parted, and the air around seemed to be igniting in mes as the powerful sword was about tond on its target.


    However...


    ~CLANG!~


    ... The zing de was met with Brutus'' regr wooden de.


    ~FSHIIIIII!~


    More steam emanated from their point of contact, and despite Billy crashing all of his power into the straight vertical sh, the de of his opponent did not budge.


    Brutus was only using one hand to hold up his wooden de, and yet it did not move an inch under the powerful pressure Billy emitted.


    ~FSHIIIIIII~


    "Ah... It seems there is a limit to the amount of aura I can let this weapon take."


    Brutus took in a deep breath as he watched Billy''s maddened expression.


    "I suppose I should use a Skill too..."


    The boy''s eyes widened in shock. What he had just heard defied all logic.


    ''H-he hasn''t used a Skill since we started fighting? No... no way!''


    Billy found it to be an impossible thing to believe. However, before he could properly wrap his head around it, Brutus opened his lips to speak.


    "[Greater Battle Aura]."


    ~VWUUUUUUUUUUUUMMMMMM!!!~


    The amount of pressure that instantly shrouded the entire field the moment those words were uttered was beyond description.


    Every student present shuddered as a wave of red energy began to rise from him.


    What started off as flickering energy soon expanded beyond the feeble disy that Billy was disying.


    "There''s something you should know, young warrior." Brutus'' words reached Billy, who was also shivering at this point.


    His tight grip on his de was loosening, and his feet were shaking violently.


    Without being grounded properly, the force behind his strike weakened exponentially, causing his de to tremble.


    "When two warriors fight a battle of aura, the weaker one is consumed."


    ~WHOOOOSSSHHH!!!~


    Billy''s red mes instantly died out, like a candlelight being blown away by a violent wind.


    All of Billy''s rage and determination sizzled out at that single point, all culminating to the boy''s grand defeat.


    "A-ahhh..."


    Billy fell to his knees, his trembling feet unable to support his weight any longer.


    All the energy and power he had disyed drained from him the moment Brutus'' aura emerged.


    As a warrior, Billy instantly knew... the vast difference in their levels.


    Brutus was not an opponent he could defeat.


    "Do you ept defeat?" Like an imposing monolith, Brutus stood in front of Billy with his sword pointed at him.


    The de had tiny flickers of the red energy from Brutus, and merely looking at them seemed to burn Billy from the inside out.


    The overwhelming force he had been forced to experience, as well as the futility of his own struggle, forced Billy to utter the words he had been too prideful to say.


    At least, until now.


    "... It''s my loss. I-I ept my defeat."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Well, that''s it for the first fight. I hope you enjoyed the chapter.


    Thanks for reading.

 Chapter 15: The Start Of Training

    <h4>Chapter 15: The Start Of Training</h4>


    "There is no need to feel shame."


    The Head Warrior, Brutus, approached the fallen Billy and stretched forth his hand.


    "You did well for your first battle. You possess powerful Skills and the potential to surpass me." For the first time ever, something was tugging at the corners of Brutus'' face.


    It was... a smile!


    Brutus was smiling, and it was a very warm grin.


    "That is why you need training. So, what do you say... Grand Knight? Do you wish to grow strong and defeat me one day?"


    The hand of the Head Warrior remained outstretched as Billy looked at it with widened eyes.


    Following Brutus'' words were a round of apuse. It started with Lucielle, followed by Adonis, and before long... everyone was pping.


    ''For me? They''re pping for me?''


    Billy''s face shifted slightly as his widened eyes bulged even further as he noticed a particr girl pping as she smiled.


    ''Alicia is also pping? She''s even smiling at me!''


    It made him feel immensely happy. The experience just now had humbled him, but this... this had now raised his spirits.


    From a trembling form to a smile, Billy returned his gaze to the Head Knight and nodded.


    "I wish to grow strong!"


    Billy reached out for Brutus'' hand, and the Head Warrior pulled him up with rtive ease.


    Both warriors stared at each other with a measure of respect and honor attributed respectively.


    It was like a new bond had been forged¡ªone between a mentor and his protege.


    "Good. I look forward to your training."


    *******


    ''I see now...''


    Rey smiled as he observed all that happened from beginning to end.


    ''Our Skills are only as effective as our mastery over them, and our Levels. It''s just as Lucielle said.''


    A Level 1 A-Tier Skill user would never be able to defeat a Level 10 B-Tier Skill user.


    ''I think this much is fair. Also, there seems to be some kind of power cap. It''s likely that the B-Tier Skill will stagnate at some point, while the A-Tier one will keep improving.''


    Also, Rey theorized that a Level 1 A-Tier was no doubt going to defeat a B-Tier of the same level.


    ''In the end, it''s just better to have everything.''


    After calcting everything, and observing that their real training was about to begin, Rey decided to give it his all.


    ''I need to be stronger... and fast!''


    In order not to be controlled by his ssmates, the people of this world... as well as the enemy.


    ''This world respects the strong and despises the weak... just like my previous world.''


    As an Extra among all his seemingly overpowered ssmates, Rey could already guess some challenges that woulde his way.


    ''But, well... I have to try.''


    ***********


    [A Week Later]


    "Huff... huff...."


    A lot of steamy breaths escaped the lips of the students who were jogging in circles.


    In the vast training grounds, asrge as a football field, the Beta students were being made to run round it for a hundred times in one go.


    It initially started off as fiveps, and even that was extreme.


    But now... it was a hundred!


    "Huff... huff... haaa... haaa..."


    Many were out of breath already, despite only passing the fiftyp threshold. Others were sweating profusely, but they still had their determined expressions on.


    No one wanted to give up!


    Among the many who struggled to keep up, and were barely hanging on, there was one student whose expression felt a little too forced.


    It was Rey.


    ''This sucks. What am I doing here...?''


    Right now, he was trying his hardest to be as average as he could. That was why he was pretending to be tired, like most people in the Beta group, but in actuality, he was perfectly fine.


    He had to force himself to sweat, and even his steamy breath was him trying hard to increase his body''s temperature.


    Nothing about this training exhausted him in the slightest.


    ''Those Alpha group students are undergoing tougher and moreplex training, yet I''m stuck with this. Damnit!''


    After training concluded on the first day, the students were divided into two groups¡ªAlpha and Beta.


    The Alpha group had all the immensely talented and powerful members there.


    People like Adonis, Alicia, and Billy were the students in the group. There were a total of nine of them¡ªa small numberpared to the twenty-nine students in total.


    ''Of course, I didn''t make the cut. In everyone''s eyes, I''m as average as theye.''


    In fact, he could argue that they thought he was less than average.


    ''The remaining twenty of us were put in the Beta group and are made to improve on our foundations, while the Alpha group has gone ahead to learn more advanced things.''


    Right now, the curriculum of the Beta group involved two major things;


    Physical exercise and Basic Skill application.


    ''We aren''t even learning Magic yet!'' It pained Rey to the depths of his soul, but what could he do?


    He had to remain lowkey.


    ''I overheard some of the A-Tier students talking about training, and apparently they have started learning Magic. How lucky...''


    Some Beta students would get jealous of the Alpha students learning Magic because that meant they would spend more time with the gorgeous Lucielle, but that wasn''t Rey''s reason.


    Sure, Lucielle was immensely attractive in his eyes, but that wasn''t his priority at this point.


    ''It''s the Skills!'' His eyes widened as he intentionally slowed down his pace.


    He didn''t want to outrun everyone else.


    ''Apparently we can naturally awaken more Skills if we practice hard enough and have enough mastery in an aspect.''


    That was what vexed him most about this training. It was meaningless to him.


    ''I have Passive Skills that make my body naturally limate to physical stress very quickly. The first few days were hell, sure, but I''ve pretty much obtained the Stats that make me capable of enduring something of this level.''


    Rey wasn''t sure, since he didn''t know the Stats of the rest of his ssmates, but he was certain he was currently on the level of the average Alpha Group students.


    ''I should be learning what they''re doing.''


    Still, he told himself to exercise patience. Right now, he couldn''t afford to stir the ho''s nest too much.


    ''Status Window.'' His thoughts trailed.


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Rey Skr.


    - Race: Human (Otherworlder)


    - ss: Commoner (F-Tier)


    - Level: 1 (0.00% EXP)


    - Life Force: 5


    - Mana Level: 10


    - Combat Ability: 10


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Doppel]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): Nil


    - Alignment: Neutral


    [Additional Information]


    You possess the weakest ss, but the strongest Skill. You can only be described as an ''Overpowered Weakling.''


    [End Of Information]


    In this world, people needed EXP to increase their Levels. That was the surest way to get Stat Points and develop one''s Stats.


    However, since the students were currently too weak, training was needed to help them gain Stats naturally through practice and pushing ourselves to the limit.


    ''That''s why this is so frustrating. I can''t push myself to the limits here anymore.''


    Thanks to his Passive Skills, he had gained these Stats after a few days of hellish training, and now he was basically stagnating.


    ''I currently have 49 Skills at my disposal. If I can get that ONE Skill... I should be able to do the rest on my own.''


    Rey finally let out his first chuckle since he began the exercise.


    ''I should strike tomorrow!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Hope you enjoyed the chapter.

 Chapter 16: The Library

    <h4>Chapter 16: The Library</h4>


    After training was over, the students had the rest of the day to themselves.


    Of course, the first thing they went and did was freshen up in their respective rooms. Afterwards, they went on whatever activities suited their fancy.


    Some decided to take a walk on the vast grounds of the Royal Estate. Others decided to talk with one another, while a few try-hards were busy asking their instructors questions instead of taking a break.


    However, none of these categories of peoplepared to the next category.


    These students were beyond the level of tryhards, and they actually garnered the respect of those who saw them.


    The category of students who kept training despite the time of training being over.


    The likes of Adonis and Billy fell into this group.


    A few other students had tried it out for some time, but these two were the most consistent. They also put in the longest hours.


    "They''re fucking monsters!"


    "They''re crazy! But I like it."


    "At least we know who''s got our backs in battle."


    "I really want to be Bill''s friend..."


    "Adonis is doing this for all of us. We can''t afford to ck off either!"


    These were the kinds ofments that were spreading among them.


    However, even with this praise given to the super tryhards, there was another category that was only upied by one person.


    "Hey, where''s Alicia? Did she go there again?"


    "Ah... yeah. She''s there again."


    "She hasn''t been hanging out with any of us recently."


    "I wonder what she''s looking for there..."


    "Yeah. Me too. She hardly visited the library back when we were in school."


    That''s right! Alicia White spent most of her time after training in the library.


    Some admired this about her, but many students thought she was trying to avoid everyone else by being a Lone Ranger.


    "I guess you can take someone out of school, but you can''t take school out of someone."


    "Who does she think she is? Being all by herself reading..."


    "Whatever..."


    Of course, none of thesements were made when Billy was around.


    Everyone knew how much he defended Alicia.


    Of course, this only made them more jealous and angry about their ss Rep.


    ... Not that she cared in the slightest.


    *********


    ''Oh? Looks like Alicia is here again today.''


    Rey entered the library and found the prettiest girl in ss with a book in front of her.


    ''Ie here every day, and she''s constantly in here before me. Was she always a bookworm?'' He couldn''t really remember.


    Unlike Billy, he didn''t really pay attention to Alicia.


    It was partly because Bill was already paying her TOO much attention, but also because he didn''t like fixating on things he had no chance with.


    She was way out of his league, so he didn''t bother.


    ''Everyone is talking shit about hertely, even when she''s just minding her business and reading...''


    Rey thought that sucked.


    ''At this point, almost everyone has forgotten I exist. No one even talks to me anymore... except Adonis, of course.''


    Once in a while, Adonis would check up on him and ask how things were going.


    It was a bit awkward for Rey, but he did his best to make conversation.


    ''Anytime we talk, it feels incredibly genuine. It''s almost like I''m special in his eyes...''


    But Rey already knew that was an illusion.


    ''Adonis does the same to everyone. That''s just the kind of guy he is. Other than him, no one else talks to me, I guess.''


    As such, Rey began to consider approaching Alicia¡ªone loner to another.


    ''She doesn''t seem like she''s in the mood for talking, though. Plus, we''re in the library.''


    Besides, just because she was actively choosing to be a loner, it didn''t mean she couldn''t break out of her shell if she wanted to.


    That was the difference between Alicia and Rey.


    ''She''s a loner by choice, and I am a loner because no one cares about me.''


    It was a bitter pill to swallow, but this was the truth.


    ''I should just let things be. Thinking about this any further will be a waste of time.''


    Rey decided to pick the book he couldn''t finish thest time and continue reading it.


    He hade to the library every day¡ªever since he and his ssmates had been given a tour here by the Royal Librarian.


    Most students were not interested in reading, considering how much of what they had to do in school. Plus, it wasn''t necessary for training, so why did they need to bother?


    But Rey was different.


    ''There''s knowledge about this Nation. The conflict between Dragons. The History of this world. The other Races that exist here. The Politics. The environment. The ecosystem... everything!''


    It would be foolish of him not to take advantage of such a window of opportunity to learn as much as he could about the world he was currently upying.


    ''This way, I can at least survive out there if pushes to shove.''


    Rey knew he couldn''t be certain that things were always going be rosy.


    He had to be prepared.


    ''Of course, I don''t spend more than three hours a day here. I hear Alicia spends all her time here. She''s way more into this than I am.''


    A small smile escaped his lips.


    Even though they weren''t speaking with each other, he somehow felt a sense of fulfillment andpanionship at the mere fact that only the two of them upied this space.


    It was like an unspoken bond... or something like that.


    ''What am I thinking? Urgh... let''s get back to reading.''


    Rey sat down and flipped open the pages of his book to continue immersing himself in the things of H''Trae.


    ''The Royal Dungeon... huh?''


    **********


    The next day arrived, and Rey called in sick.


    No one was really surprised since they had noticed how exhausted he was the previous day, and the weird expressions he was making as he ran.


    Besides, quite a few students had also done the same in the course of the week.


    Of course, they would only be granted a day to recover, and anything more than that would be met with immediate action.


    Potions and medicine were not luxuries kept from the Otherworlders, after all.


    In the scenario of the sickness being serious, they would be healed with Magic or Potions.


    The reason those weren''t used immediately was that Potions and Magic Recovery Spells induced on another tended to undo the stress of the body and reset the results of the training the target had been undergoing.


    No pain, no gain.


    If someone used a potion while training, they would be undoing the effects of the training. The same applies to external healing Magic.


    Fortunately, if a person had a self-healing Skill or Magic to that same effect, they could repair themselves while training, improving themselves as they trained even further.


    However, since almost all the students didn''t have this Skill, the best course of action was to let them rest for the day.


    And so Rey was given his due time to recover.


    "Looks like they bought it. I can finally ditch that stupid training and get what I need!" Rey grinned to himself as he stretched his body on his bed.


    "Let''s get that Skill!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading! Yourments are much appreciated.


    Cheers!

 Chapter 17: Magic Class

    <h4>Chapter 17: Magic ss</h4>


    Grand Mage Lucielle was an exceptional genius from the moment she was born.


    Her unbelievable affinity for Magic was undisputed, which was why she was able to be such a revered figure despite being in her twenties.


    None of the old geezers who had studied and practiced Magic for nearly a century couldpare to her.


    She was an absolute monster!


    The reason for such rapid growth on her part was due to being born with a particr Skill.


    [Magic Mastery].


    On H''Trae, people born with Skills were very rare. It mostly had to do with bloodline, or certain outliers that were not expected.


    Even then, it hardly happened.


    Skills were meant to be cultivated and developed over time by a person.


    Everyone earned their Skills.


    ... Everyone but Lucielle.


    The [Magic Mastery] Skill allowed her to be versatile in so many magic fields and utilize multiple attributes.


    With such a head start as a mere child, Lucielle only rose further in the Magic World, evolving her Skill the older and more experienced she became.


    Until finally, her initial C-Tier Skill transformed into an A-Tier one.


    [Grand Magic Mastery].


    With this Skill, and her immense capabilities in Magic, Lucielle was cemented as the strongest Mage in the nation.


    After all, no one among the humans of H''Trae had an A-Tier Skill of such effect.


    She was currently the best.


    *******


    "... And that''s pretty much how using Magic works." Lucielle smiled as she observed the students before her.


    Seated in front of her were the students of the Alpha Group, and they were all paying rapt attention to her lecture.


    Magic, to her, was as natural as breathing.


    She had always been able to use it since she was young thanks to her Skill, so it was very difficult to teach these young ones.


    However, she managed to pass across the information after tying and failing a few times.


    "E-excuse me!" One of the students raised his hand as his voice echoed throughout the luxurious ssroom that they upied.


    "Yes, Justin. What is it?"


    Lucielle maintained her smile, but she was a little skeptical of the question Justin was going to ask her.


    ''I''m pretty sure I exined it well this time.''


    It would be annoying if he decides to take us back.


    ording to what Lucielle knew about Justin, he was a bit of a ssedian.


    He was also the least qualified among the students in the Alpha group, but his useful set of Skills and his Assassin ss made him very useful.


    Combined with all the power the Hero brought to the table, and the other abilities of the rest of the members, Justin''s abilities would prove indispensable as well.


    That was the rationale behind him joining.


    However, despite being given such an opportunity to join the big leagues, Justin was fond of making jokes and disrupting the ss.


    It wasn''t really harmful in any way, but Lucielle found it annoying.


    ''It also slows down the progress of the ss.''


    She knew these were simply teenagers, but she had hoped these Otherworlders would take the situation more seriously.


    Other than Adonis, Alicia, and Billy, everyone else seemed to disy some measure of unseriousness.


    ''Well, I shouldn''t assume too much. Let''s hear what he has to say.''


    "I was wondering if you could give us a demonstration with Magic on your end. You also mentioned the difference between Chants and Chantless Casting, so I would also like to see you show us an example to further burn this topic into our memory." Justin asked very politely and sinctly.


    The entire ss fell into surprised silence.


    ''E-eh? Is this really Justin?''


    Not only was his question intelligent, but he hade about it in a very sinct tone.


    Lucielle was impressed, to say the least.


    "Well, I was eventually going to. But now is as good a time as any to give you a demonstration." She smiled and decided to go along with Justin''s suggestion.


    Her mood had gotten better, even if slightly.


    "To answer both of your requests, I''ll do both right now."


    Lucielle stretched out both her hands, as if she was expecting a hug from someone, a brilliant smile on her beautiful face.


    "[O'' mes of the world. Reveal your brilliance atop the palms of my hand: Fire Brid]."


    ~VWUUSHH!~


    A brilliant surge of mes suddenly appeared. The fire danced and cackled with power as it rested on Lucielle''s palm.


    This was the example of casting Magic while chanting.


    "[Fire Brid]."


    On Lucielle''s other hand, the same effect happened and mes of equal proportions appeared there.


    Both mes had unstable proportions as they danced on her palm, but they seemed equal in power.


    "Lucielle, please why are your mes equal? You told us the advantage of chanting, despite taking longer than chantless, is that the Spell is stronger." This time, it was Adonis who asked the question.


    Everyone else in the ss seemed to have the same question, considering all they had just learned.


    However, the moment Lucielle heard this question, she smiled.


    ~FSHUUUUU~


    Her mes died out as she closed off her palm, causing hissing smoke to radiate through the air.


    "It''s simple. I have another Skill known as [Magic Application]. It aids my casting and damage, so even without casting I can achieve the same results."


    Gasps filled the room. All the students were surprised to hear this.


    Chanting was a basic principle of Magic, so it was shocking that their teacher had a Skill to bypass it.


    "You might not be able to notice it now, but both of my mes were much more powerful than any caster''s would ever be if they used the same Spell. That''s because of my Grand Mage ss."


    Lucielle''s Grand Mage ss made all the Magic at her disposal exponentially more powerful than normal, while utilizing the same amount of Mana.


    As she exined all of these things, all her students had one single thought.


    ''She... she''s amazing!''


    They had already known it before, but this ss solidified that truth and expounded upon it.


    Both Brutus and Lucielle were absolute monsters in the world of H''Trae.


    Fitting to hold the positions they had.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading.


    This might feel like a little sidetrack, but I promise it''s not.

 Chapter 18: New Plan

    <h4>Chapter 18: New n</h4>


    After sses were over for the day, everyone in the Alpha group dispersed from their extravagant ssrooms.


    For the duration of the training, they were taught the fundamentals of Magic and its necessaryponents.


    A lot of theories were exined too, and more importantly, the students were able to practice what they had been taught.


    Everyone was given at least a chance to try casting a Spell while chanting and while not chanting.


    As expected, since it was only their first ss doing something like that, no one was able to seed in the chantless casting.


    A few, however, could do the chanting casting to an extent.


    Adonis, Alicia, and Belle were the highlights of the entire ss since they were able to seed with a basic Fire Spell.


    "Females are said to be more adept to using Magic, while males are more specialized in Martial Arts and overallbat." Lucielle exined with a smile.


    "Of course, there''s no real evidence backing this up and it''s considered a stereotype."


    However, when considering how Lucielle was the Grand Mage and Brutus was the Head Warrior, it was easy to see why the stereotype remained.


    "These basic spells, like [Ignite] are not useful inbat, and are just for letting you properly control your Mana in coordination with your Spells. Once you get the hang of it, you''ll be able to use your Skills a lot better."


    That was the whole point of the training.


    Every individual didn''t need to pursue deep Magic in order to get new Skills¡ªnot while they were yet to master the ones they already had.


    "Your Skills are all amazing and powerful. It''s better to focus on getting ustomed to them, and even evolving them, than trying to get new Skills from scratch." Lucielle had exined.


    Depending on the Skill, it could take years¡ªif not decades¡ªto acquire them.


    Since they had a bunch of powerful Exclusive Skills at their disposal, the most efficient route was learning how to use them.


    These words of hers echoed in the mind of a certain student as he walked away from the crowd.


    He had his hands in his pockets and his auburn hair danced with the wind as he took his steps.


    "Hey, Justin... wanna hang out?"


    "Where are you going? We''re supposed to go have some fun now!"


    "Heyyy!!"


    Justin, the boy who was walking away from everyone else, simply waved his hand and smiled.


    "I''ll catch you guyster. There''s something I have to do myself."


    His friends shrugged upon hearing that. Justin wasn''t the type of guy to ditch fun, and since he was a bbermouth, he would eventually tell them everything he was up to.


    "Fine!"


    "Don''t take too long, though!"


    With those words, they left him to himself as he walked to a corner.


    "Haaa... that was stifling." He murmured to himself, looking to his left and right to confirm if he was all alone.


    After taking a few more steps into the obscure corner behind the hall, he smiled even more.


    "Looks like it''s just me."


    ~GLUPIGLUP!~


    His body slowly began to morph as his face and skin changed tone. His hair became ck, and his eyes took on a dark brown hue.


    He now had a in, average face. Even his tall build was reduced to an average height.


    This person... was no longer Justin.


    "To think I actually pulled it off... hehehe!"


    It was Rey.


    ******


    Rey''s n was simple.


    He would take Justin''s ce by using the [Mimic] Skill he had copied from him.


    Justin was known to be a very yful individual, so nothing much would be expected of him in ss.


    Rey thought it would be the best way to blend in with the rest of the students.


    ''I used the [Sleep] Skill to make sure he slept in, while also using [Sensory Connection] Skill to ensure the both of us share the same experience while he is sleeping.''


    To Justin, it would all be like a dream, but this way he wouldn''t be missing out on any information in the ss.


    ''I imagine he''d be surprised to learn that it all happened for real, but we''ve all had experiences with things we thought were dreams but actually happened.''


    Rey was sure Justin would eventually take it all in stride, considering his personality.


    ''Even if he doesn''t, who will believe him? He''s a well knownedian.''


    With that in mind, Rey smiled.


    He had already canceled the [Sensory Connection] Skill, and the [Sleep] Skill would wear out in about thirty minutes.


    ''To think C-Tier Skills could be this useful!''


    Rey only had a handful of lower-Tier Skills, but the more he familiarized himself with the Skills in his possession, the more he learned to appreciate their use.


    ''And now... there''s a new addition!''


    Rey opened up his Status Window and tapped on his Doppel Skill.


    Once he did this, he was able to see all the Skills he had amassed once again, though they were all in the various categories he had set for them.


    [Skill Categories]


    ~ Attack Category: 27


    ~ Defense Category: 9


    ~ Buff Category: 10


    ~ Misceneous: 3


    [New Skills: Please Select Their Categories]


    ~ A-Tier: Grand Magic Mastery


    ~C-Tier: Magic Application


    [End Of Information]


    "I only expected to get the Grand Magic Mastery Skill from Lucielle, since she is famed for it, but I never expected to have the Magic Application Skill as well."


    Rey was grinning from ear to ear at this point.


    ''With these two Skills, I won''t have to worry about mastery over some problematic Skills, and I should be able to use Chantless Magic.''


    In essence, he wouldn''t run the risk of falling behind the Alpha Group.


    Spending a day in their shoes showed Rey just how much the students of the Beta Group were missing out on.


    ''We are still trying to improve our physical abilities and get a feel for Mana when the others are already moving towards the more advanced stuff.''


    Rey didn''t think it was unfair, though.


    ''The requirements were pretty clear. If a Beta Student had the ability to be an Alpha... they would have already.''


    The whole system was designed for the sake of the students themselves.


    The strong could not be held back, and the weak couldn''t be rushed.


    It created a bnce where everyone thrived.


    ''Everyone but me.''


    Hiding his abilities had proven useful in many instances, especially with privacy.


    He had the opportunity to gather his thoughts without the prying eyes of anyone. He was free from influence and interference¡ªat least, for the most part.


    ''I now have 51 Skills at my disposal. That''s way more than anyone in this Nation has.''


    Rey had been reading up on this world, so he knew what he was talking about.


    ''By having abilities that help in my fundamentals¡ªlike Lucielle''s Skills¡ªI should be able to grow even faster than ever.''


    Everything was flowing smoothly.


    Well... almost everything.


    ''There''s still one major problem I haven''t been able to get past.''


    It was one of the reasons Rey had been going to the library, and he was still unable to fullye up with a working solution.


    Now, more than ever, he was desperate.


    With the current curriculum being insufficient for him, Rey knew it would be a waste to let his wealth of Skills just marinate.


    He had to act¡ªand fast!


    ''I need to find a ce to train.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Pleasement and send your power stones if you enjoy what you''re reading.

 Chapter 19: Awkward Moment

    <h4>Chapter 19: Awkward Moment</h4>


    "Ehhh? For real? I really asked a question in ss today?"


    "Yeah! Don''t you remember?"


    "It feels kind of hazy, to be honest. Almost like a dream..."


    Rey walked past a group of students who were talking very loudly.


    He recognized them to be Justin and his closest friends, and Rey simply acted like he didn''t know them. Likewise, they ignored his presence.


    Either that, or they genuinely didn''t notice him.


    He was justing back from the library, so Rey made for his room where he nned to figure things out in solitude.


    However, before he could reach his room door, he was approached by someone.


    "Hey, Rey."


    Rey was initially startled to hear someone call his name, but after recognizing the voice, he realized he shouldn''t have been surprised.


    Bracing himself before turning back to see who called his name, Rey sighed slightly.


    ''Let''s get this over with quickly...''


    He turned to see the Hero, Adonis, smiling at him with a pleasant smile on his face.


    Behind him were two students whom Rey recognized.


    ''Billy and Belle, huh? I wonder what they''re doing together...''


    Of course, he didn''t change his expression in the slightest and maintained his dull demeanor.


    "A-ah, Adonis. Hello." He responded, raising his hand slightly.


    "I heard you weren''t feeling too well today." Adonis drew closer to Rey, grabbing his hand softly.


    ''What the heck?! This guy¡ª!''


    Rey controlled his expression, but it felt weird having someone caressing his hand.


    "How are you feeling now?"


    "Fine! I''m fine now, thank you!" Right now, Rey just wanted Adonis to let go of his hand.


    Their little conversation was drawing some attention, and he didn''t like it at all.


    "Is that so? That''s a relief, then."


    Once more, Adonis gave a warm smile¡ªenough to warm the heart of anyone.


    However, Rey wasn''t buying it.


    ''He does this for everyone. There''s no need to make it a big deal.''


    After Adonis asked Rey a few more questions, he finally let go of his hand, and thetter was so relieved that he unintentionally leaked out a sigh.


    "Well, I suppose I''ll see youter, Rey." Adonis beamed a smile at him.


    "Yeah... likewise." Rey returned his smile with a slightly ufortable one.


    For a moment, there was silence between them, so Rey decided to take the initiative to leave them to their business.


    It wasn''t like he had all day too.


    "Welp, bye the¡ª!"


    "Wait! Won''t you even speak to your friend, Bill? Weren''t you guys very close back in school?"


    The moment Adonis said that, the pretense Rey had put up for so long nearly shattered. He turned to Adonis with a re, opening his lips to address the matter instantly.


    "You''re mistaken, Adonis. I don''t think we were ever friends."


    Rey shifted his gaze to Billy, and he noticed that the boy was trying to speak to him.


    "Don''t bother. I really don''t care anymore." Rey whispered in a sigh.


    He already knew that the only reason Billy would try to talk to him was due to Adonis'' influence.


    He had an image to maintain to Adonis, and he would do anything to keep it up.


    ''There''s no need to bother with this. It''ll all blow over soon enough.''


    "I''m really not feeling too well. I should get some rest." Rey shuddered slightly, reaching out to the knob of his door.


    "Really? You said you were already fine, though."


    The one who spoke this time was Belle, thest person in the trio.


    She was a blond girl who was known by everyone in ss to be the cutest thing. She was short, but surprisingly had a very busty appearance.


    Many guys in ss had dirty thoughts just looking at her, and Rey was no exception.


    At least, until more important things began to upy his mind.


    ''I didn''t think she was paying attention to our conversation. Damnit!''


    Her inquisitive smile, and the way she tilted her head so cutely, made her seem like a doll.


    But Rey wasn''t going to fall for anything of the sort.


    "It seems I haven''t fully recovered yet." He slowly began to tilt his doorknob.


    ''Hopefully they catch the hint.''


    "We understand. You should get some rest. I guess I''ll see you in training tomorrow?" Adonis responded with his usual jovial smile.


    Rey nearly felt like rolling his eyes.


    ''I knew this was what everything was all about. You just want to make sure I keep attending training.''


    Adonis cared about the ss as a collective and sought to have order. That meant ensuring the individual students were alright.


    To Adonis, Rey was nothing more than a cog in a machine.


    Sure, he was important.


    But so we''re the twenty-eight other students.


    "I''ll make sure of that." Rey gave one more forced smile before finally retreating to his room.


    ''It''s not like we''re going to see each other in training anyway. Not while we''re in different groups.''


    Adonis'' friendliness might have been appreciated by other students, but it had the opposite effect on Rey.


    ''At this point, I just want to be left alone.''


    Was that too much to ask for?


    *********


    Once Rey freshened up andy on his bed, he began to go over his thoughts a bit more clearly.


    ''Out of the Skills I have at my disposal, I haven''t had the opportunity of testing out most of them.''


    This was for two major reasons.


    ''One is the Mana Usage. Most of my Skills require a decent amount of Mana, so I can only use a few sparingly.''


    The only reason he could use Skills at all was due to certain Skills that didn''t require Mana or the Skills that boosted his Mana Level.


    In essence, the Buff Category.


    ''The second reason is currently the most problematic one...''


    And that was simply the fact that most of these Skills were conspicuous.


    ''I need absolute privacy if I am to be able to practice my Skills without restriction.''


    A ce away from Adonis and the rest of his ssmates. A ce far from the prying eyes of their guardians.


    ''My personal space where I can do whatever I want.''


    A ce like that wouldn''te to him very easily, but Rey thought he had found somewhere that came close to fulfilling his needs.


    ''The Royal Dungeon.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I hope you liked the interaction in this chapter.


    See you in the next one!

 Chapter 20: Leaving The Royal Estate

    <h4>Chapter 20: Leaving The Royal Estate</h4>


    The Royal Dungeon.


    It was one of the 9 Great Dungeons, poprly known by many as a property of the United Human Alliance.


    The 9 Great Dungeons were spread out throughout the four Continents, and out of all of them, the Royal Dungeon was the only one remotely close to proper civilization.


    No one in their right mind would build a city so close to a Dungeon, considering the dangers associated with it.


    However, the Royal Dungeon was an exception.


    It was sealed from the outside by a special seal, preventing anything within from escaping.


    The difficulty of the Royal Dungeon was also considered to be one of the lowest.


    The upper floors had weak to no monsters at all, and the lower one got in exploring the Dungeon, the higher the chances of encountering more powerful creatures.


    Since Monsters were the major thing that Dungeons were known for, unenlightened people were likely to write off the Royal Dungeon.


    However, it was good for one more reason.


    The Minerals!


    The Royal Dungeon was very rich in minerals and materials. The Mana Particles that filled the ce coalesced to form Mana Crystals and other precious minerals that the Nation coveted.


    As a result, the Royal Dungeon was a treasure that was well-coveted.


    **********


    ''I''m going to check it out today!'' Rey told himself with clenched fists of determination.


    This was currently his fifteenth day in this world, and he had gotten immensely sick of the training regiment his Beta Group were subjected to.


    Of course, the requirements had already gotten higher, and the training had be more rigorous, but he had never been so bored in all his life.


    ''I''ve been putting it off for too long because of my preparations, but I think I''m finally ready.''


    Rey purposed within himself to check the ce out after ss.


    ''While everyone is returning to their rooms, I''ll go to the Dungeon.''


    "Faster! You can do it! Faster push-ups!" A voice suddenly pierced his ears, and he realized he was still in the second of 100 pushups.


    He could see a bunch of people around him giving out, so Rey also pretended to be exhausted.


    His arms became all wobbly, and he began to make heavy breaths.


    "Huff... huff..."


    He forced sweat to drip from his body as he nearly rolled his eyes and continued his push-ups.


    ''When will this end?''


    *********


    [Hours Later]


    Training was finally done for the day, so the Otherworlders returned to their rooms.


    While everyone did this, Rey activated his [Stealth] Skill and managed to escape any eye that could be looking at him.


    ''I doubt anyone would be paying attention to me, though.''


    Once he broke away from his ssmates, he made his way to the Royal Dungeon.


    ''The Dungeon isn''t in the Pce Estate, but instead at a different site at the other end of the Royal Capital.'' Rey thought as he took his measured steps.


    He could only wonder why they built it so far away from the Pce.


    A few thoughts came to mind.


    ''In the case of an ident or outbreak of monsters, I suppose the Royal Council will be safe.''


    The monsters would first have to traverse so many people before reaching the higher-ups.


    ''Then there''s also the issue of mining and production.''


    He had learned all about the value of Dungeons¡ªthe Royal Dungeon especially¡ªwhen it came to Mineral Resources.


    Mining was a messy job, and such an intensive and rough work wasn''t befitting of the Pce.


    It was like building a factory close to the White House, or something like that.


    ''The Royal Dungeon is in its own vastpound, surrounded by all the facilities used to purify and refine the minerals.''


    That meant it was going to be guarded, of course.


    However, Rey had the best idea on how to infiltrate the ce.


    ''This should be fun!''


    **********


    Leaving the Royal Estate was easier than Rey imagined.


    He had always looked upon the walls with a sense of dread upon first arriving here. He wondered what things would look like beyond the walls, and now he could find out.


    By simply using Justin''s [Mimic] Skill to turn into a bird, and the [Flight] Skill to properly adjust himself to the rigors of flying for the first time, he quickly got the hang of things.


    He couldn''t maintain [Stealth] any longer, but there was no need for him to.


    Now that he was a bird, hardly anyone paid him any mind, and he was able to fly above and beyond the walls.


    Finally, he was free!


    ''This... this is...!'' Bird Rey widened his eyes as he looked at the world beneath him.


    The Royal Capital stretched on for a few miles, and it was surrounded by tall walls.


    The walls didn''t seem as luxurious as that of the Royal Estate, but they were so far, so Rey couldn''t tell very well.


    As for the buildings heid eyes on, they were just as he expected them to be.


    Even if he had never been out before, he had spent time reading surveys and a bunch of other materials that involved descriptions and even sketches of the Royal Capital.


    He even managed to get his hands on a map of the entire city.


    He did this to be able to properly understand the terrain, so he wouldn''t mess up in any aspect of his ns.


    ''Real life is different from sketches or recordings through Magic. It still has some details I missed from the recording.'' Rey thought to himself as he flew.


    The people, for one, were far more than he ounted for.


    ''It''s daytime, so I expected to see a bunch of people. But not to this extent.''


    The Royal Capital was crowded¡ªat least, the ces that Rey could see.


    ''Just how will the rest of the cities be?''


    If the most prestigious city had such an influx of people, Rey didn''t want to begin imagining how the slums would look like.


    Of course, he already knew some data about what to expect.


    ''Humanity wasn''t always united in H''Trae. After the Dragons destroyed some of their territory, and monsters upied other areas, they banded together.''


    As a result, the new Nation had to upy every citizen of the nations under the Alliance''s banner.


    With limited territory and so many denizens of the United Human Alliance, Rey could see a bunch of problems arising.


    ''The nation is currently facing an Economic Crisis.''


    That was one of the reasons they summoned Rey and his ssmates.


    ''If the current situation persists for a few more years, the entire Alliance will copse.''


    He had studied the numbers, and based on the knowledge of his previous world, he knew full well how important a State''s economy was to its continued existence.


    It was difficult to see how a bunch of teenagers from another world could even solve a problem asplicated as this.


    However, Rey knew why they were here.


    ''All of these problems areplex, but they all stem from a single issue.''


    The Dragons!


    ''If we eliminate them, then there will be more resources to exploit.''


    Morend. More Minerals. More power.


    In the end, the destruction of the world''s enemies was necessary for the greater goal of economic stability.


    ''Look at me overthinking. When did I be such a schr?'' Rey mused within himself as he looked ahead.


    ''Looks like I''m almost there.''


    It had taken him a while to get a hang of a bird''s eyesight and coordination, but the [Flight] Skill really helped him out in more ways than one.


    Since this was a medieval world, tall buildings were a rarity¡ªeven in the capital.


    As a result, Rey was able to fly without too many restrictions.


    By flying above all the buildings and charging straight for the Royal Dungeon¡ªwhich existed at the very edge of the city¡ªhe was able to arrive rtively earlier than he expected.


    ''Alright! I''ve crossed the first hurdle.'' He smiled with his beak curled upwards.


    ''Time for the second phase.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    See you in the next one. Sorry for the info dump.

 Chapter 21: The Royal Refinery

    <h4>Chapter 21: The Royal Refinery</h4>


    The surrounding of the Royal Dungeon was left bare.


    No house was constructed close to it, and the nearest building was at least a few hundred meters away.


    Anyone could see the reason why.


    The Royal Dungeon was dangerous for regr people, and while the entire establishment had strong, powerful walls around it, residents of the city still had to keep their distance.


    There was also the fact that refining the Minerals was a loud and inconvenient activity that would bother those living too close to the structures put in ce.


    Due to all of these factors, Rey knew he had to sneak in through very inconspicuous means.


    There was an invisible energy dome that surrounded the entirepound, so he couldn''t use his bird form to dive inside.


    The reason for the barrier wasn''t due to security, else the Royal Estate would have it too.


    Instead, it was to prevent too much noise and air pollution from spreading to the rest of the city.


    Refining Minerals was inevitably going to end up with tons of pollution as a result of the processes involved.


    To prevent the Capital from suffering any adverse effects, the barrier was established.


    It took Mana Crystals to sustain barriers of such Magnitude, and the Crystals had to be changed frequently, so it wasn''t sustainable to constantly use the barrier.


    ''They only use it during production and refining. Afterwards, they turn off the barrier to save energy. If I wait until it''ste, I should be able to enter¡ªno big deal.''


    Unfortunately, Rey didn''t have all the time in the world.


    The sooner he entered, the more time he would have to properly train and practice his Skills.


    As a result, he decided to use the most reasonable option at his disposal.


    ~GLOP!~


    He found a ce to hide with [Stealth] and transformed his body to a new identity.


    Afterward, he walked towards the main gate.


    ''Keep a confident front. You''ve got this!'' Rey told himself as he kept marching forward.


    Once he neared the front gate and the soldiers stationed there saw him, their eyes instantly popped out in surprise.


    "H-Head Warrior!" They all yelled in shock.


    Many of them had star-struck expressions on their faces. Nervousness filled the air, and shock pervaded all their demeanors.


    ''I guess Brutus is like a hero to them.'' Rey felt his confidence strengthened.


    He was currently taking on the form of one of the two strongest people in the entire Alliance, after all.


    "W-what brings you here, sir?"


    "Do you require our assistance for anything?"


    "I love you, sir!"


    So many mixed reactions filled the air as they stared at him intensely.


    Rey felt a bit awkward, considering how he wasn''t used to getting so much attention.


    ''It''s as I suspected. Brutus hardly leaves the Royal Capital, so using this body won''t ce me in aplicated mess.''


    His initial fear was that he could be asked certain things that only Brutus would know, or worse still... Brutus was already inside thepound and he would instantly be identified as an imposter.


    ''I made sure to confirm that Brutus was in the Royal Estate before arriving here, but it seems that was unnecessary.''


    Everyone here was shocked to see him, which meant he hadn''t made an appearance here in a while.


    And more importantly, he wasn''t going to do it anytime soon.


    ''I''ll deal with that when the situationes. For now, I should handle this.''


    "It''s been a while since I came here. I only want to have a look around..."


    Speaking in Brutus'' deep voice felt good to Rey for some reason, but heposed himself.


    "In that case, we better inform¡ª!"


    "... Alone."


    Once he said this, narrowing his brows in a knowing fashion, the skins of the guards jumped instantly.


    "A-ah! Understood!"


    Apparently, that was all he had to say to be granted ess inside.


    "H-here! Please wear these, sir."


    One one hand was a special filter mask, and Rey instantly realized what it was for.


    ''The insides are very stuffy, so this prevents overexposure to the air poisoning.''


    The mask had goggles attached to it, so his eyes were also safe from irritation.


    The second item was a pair of Earplugs.


    ''It won''tpletely cancel the noise, but it blocks off most of the grinding and overbearing sound that pervades this establishment.''


    Rey wore everything in a hurry, and after he was done, they opened the very thick and heavy doors for him to enter.


    He swiftly entered, and they closed the doors instantly.


    ''Ahh... I see what happened now.'' Rey smiled in his Brutus form.


    The gates didn''t use Energy Barriers, so they had to swiftly close the doors before too much of the noise and polluted air seeped out.


    ''I felt something while entering, though, so they must have some filter that prevents most of it from leaking out immediately.''


    In any case, the entire structure was built very effectively, and now that Rey witnessed its interior, he confirmed that was the case.


    So manyrge buildings and silos decorated the vastpound, and workers were walking in multiple directions, working their asses off.


    No one really noticed him, since he was wearing a mask and goggles, and frankly everyone was too busy to pay him much mind.


    ''Second phaseplete. Now for the final stage...''


    It didn''t take Rey too long to spot the entrance to the Royal Dungeon from where he stood.


    A troop of Miners were charging in with their bags behind them and masks on their faces.


    They had uniformed overalls that covered their bodies, so it was difficult to distinguish one from the other.


    ''Alright! Here goes!''


    With a mischievous smile, Rey used [Stealth] and ran to join the ranks of miners, using his [Mimic] Skill to replicate their uniforms.


    He instantly became one of them and went in as easily as they did.


    Before long, he was able to enter the Dungeon''s gaping mouth.


    ''Hehehe! So far, so good!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading.


    Remember to send your power stones andments.


    They all go a long way to help!

 Chapter 22: The Sixth Floor

    <h4>Chapter 22: The Sixth Floor</h4>


    ~Tit~


    ~Tat~


    Footsteps echoed within the massive cave-like structure, with a troop of workers trailing together in a straight line.


    They had their equipment in their grasp, and arge backpack behind them, there they were to ce the minerals they were able to mine.


    ~Tit~


    ~Tat~


    As they proceeded, the workers began to get fewer. That was because some had already left for their stations.


    Every worker had their respective work areas for the day, so as to ensure the distribution ofbor and harvesting of resources was well evened out.


    As for the area of mining, it was restricted to the first to fifth floors of the Dungeon.


    Anything beyond that was considered ''Dangerous Territory'' by the establishment.


    As a result, the resources in the first-fifth floors were already thinning out.


    However, unless they were absolutely certain that they had been exhausted, no one in their right mind would move to a more dangerous zone for profit.


    Besides, the Royal Pce had already issued an announcement that they would soon be sending a team to venture deeper into the Dungeon.


    Once the team paved the way for them, they could finally harvest more Minerals.


    At least, that was the hope.


    ********


    ''Alright. I''ve found the entrance to the 6th Floor.''


    Rey smiled as he noticed a tightly shut gate.


    He was currently using [Stealth], so no one noticed his presence within the room.


    Not only that, but all the workers were already too busy in their designated spots to care about him.


    The entrance was also further away from the designated workce of anyone, so he couldn''t be seen even if he decided to undo [Stealth].


    ''I better keep it on, though...'' He decided.


    The entrance was like a grandiose basement door¡ªwith two gates tightly shut that it felt like they had merged together.


    The gates had a dull golden color, with tiny glitters here and there. Try surmised that it must have once been a very pretty structure, but its luster had been ruined by dirt and grime.


    ''From what I noticed about the first five floors, each floor is quite deep and extensive¡ªlike a cave.''


    The mere fact that such an borate structure could exist without caving in meant it had very strong materials making up its building.


    ''I was able to study the design that architects and Dungeon Experts made on the Royal Dungeon¡ªat least, up to the sixth floor or so.''


    For the survey, they had done an borate search and schematics check on the entire Dungeon, and what they found was surprising.


    Structure-wise, the Royal Dungeon should have caved in already, considering it''s architecture was wed, and it was estimated to have over 50 Floors just based on the topography.


    ''The most likely reason it hasn''t done so yet, other than its powerfulponents... is Magic.''


    The origin of Dungeons was still a mystery, but for the longest time the people of H''Trae believed it formed naturally.


    It was only until recently that they began to realize it couldn''t have formed naturally, else it would have copsed.


    This gave birth to a new leading theory;


    Dungeons were made by people¡ªor at least, some form of intelligent life.


    "I suppose that theory holds up. Ah... I''m getting sidetracked." Rey murmured to himself and looked at the gates.


    From what he was seeing, no one was going to interrupt and disturb him if he trained in the sixth floor or anything below.


    ''At least, not anytime soon.''


    With that in mind, Rey reached out for the gate''s entrance and touched it.


    As the cool surface tingled his fingers, he analyzed its structure.


    ''It''s very thick. The materials are sturdy too. I see why they''re confident that no monster will make it up here.''


    With a smile, Rey undid his [Stealth] and activated yet another Skill.


    ''[Phase]''


    The moment he did that, his hand began to sink into the gate of gold and iron. His body soon followed as he thrust every part of himself inside.


    ''Now then... let''s see what awaits me!''


    He fell downward, now crashing from the ceiling of the Sixth Floor downward.


    "Oof!" Hended with his buttocks, feeling the sting permeate his body in no time.


    ''Ow... ow... that hurts!''


    Rey soon gained his vision and looked upward.


    ''Damn. Looks like I fell from quite the distance.'' He smiled nervously.


    The distance from the ground and ceiling was at least fifteen meters, and he had just fallen from that height without any Active Skills working.


    ''I guess my base Stats are pretty good.''


    That wasn''t to say he didn''t feel sore all over, but the pain soon disappeared once he rose to his feet and stretched his body.


    ''The disadvantage with [Phase] is that I can''t see or even sense anything while I''m currently intangible.''


    ''That makes it highly difficult to use inbat.''


    It was also why he didn''t use it to escape the walls of the Royal Estate.


    If he had done so, he could have been caught the moment he stepped foot outside.


    ''It also takes a considerable amount of Mana, so I had to even undo Stealth to use it.''


    There were other Buff Skills he could use to supplement his Mana, but they were too shy.


    Plus, since he hadn''t used most of the Skills in his arsenal, he decided to hold off on them until he had the chance to fully explore them.


    ''That aside, I''m here now.'' Rey smiled to himself.


    From what he could see in the sixth floor, there were no monsters present.


    It was extremely dark, but thankfully, there were luminous stones that decorated the walls that surrounded him.


    ''It''s wide enough for twenty men to walk side by sidefortably.'' He noticed.


    The ceiling was also far from the ground, which solidified Rey''s perception of the ce being perfect for his purposes.


    ''I''m guessing I''ll encounter monsters if I go any further...''


    He considered just doing his training close to the entrance of the sixth floor, but quickly decided against it.


    ''If the monsters detect my usage of Mana, it''s possible that they could get drawn to me.''


    It would suck if he was interrupted when he was in the middle of training.


    Plus, Rey didn''t feel the mostfortable training so close to the entrance.


    ''I know the workers won''t be able to detect me even if I stay close to the entrance due to how far up the entrance is and how thick the surface is, but still...''


    What if they finally decided to explore the Dungeon while he was still training?


    That meant he would be the first face they would see.


    ''At least if I train further in, I can have some time to escape if I notice they are venturing into the 6th Floor.''


    With those thoughts in his head, Rey pped his hands together.


    "Welp! That settles it!"


    He took measured steps forward and began to advance into the Floor.


    "Might as well get rid of all encumbrances."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading, everyone!


    Hope you enjoyed the read!

 Chapter 23: First Encounter With Monsters

    <h4>Chapter 23: First Encounter With Monsters</h4>


    "SKRRRRR...!"


    "KRRRIIIII!!!"


    Rey was stopped dead in his tracks as he encountered two middle-sized critters almost as soon as he began his journey.


    These beasts resembled wild jackals, but they were walking on two feet.


    ''Bipedal, huh? And from those features... they''re kobolds, aren''t they?''


    The Kobolds were as tall as an average child¡ªabout a meter tall.


    They had no weapons, but their sharp ws and drooling and gaping mouths showed they had more than enough tools to be predators.


    Their grimy skins were covered in scales, and they stared hungrily at Rey with their bloodshot eyes.


    "I didn''t think I would run into any opposition so soon. But I guess here we are."


    "GRRRRRRRRR....!!!"


    Rey could see that they were cautious of him¡ªperhaps due to instinct.


    However, they also seemed to ignore that sensible part of themselves.


    ''Too hungry perhaps?'' He mused.


    Either way, even if they were to leave him alone, he never intended to let them go.


    "You guys are nuisances to me. In order to enjoy my training in peace, I better get rid of all of you."


    Rey thought of it like a renovation.


    "This could also serve as some form of training for me."


    ~WHOOOSHH!~


    The two Kobolds lunged at Rey with gaping jaws and outstretched hands.


    They were clearly aiming to rip him to shreds in one fell swoop, and their merciless gazes did not betray their motive.


    "Fire Spell: me Wall"


    ~VWUUUUMM!~


    In an instant, mes roared in front of Rey, shielding him from the imminent onught.


    "KIYAAAAA!!!"


    The screams of the Kobolds echoed in Rey''s ears as he smelled something roasting.


    ''I guess they weren''t fast enough to stop advancing.''


    Considering they were in midair when he activated the Spell, Rey realized it would have been difficult even if they were fast enough.


    "Their durability isn''t too high as well since the fire instantly killed them." He mumbled.


    He currently had the [Grand Fire Magic] Skill, which was an A-Tier Skill.


    As a result, his mes were quite powerful.


    ''My [Magic Application] Skill and [Grand Magic Mastery] also allows me to be able to properly use Magic despite no training, and without chanting it fully.''


    In essence, all he had to do was learn the right Spells and practice their effects.


    ''And I''m good to go!''


    It felt like he was cheating at this point, but Rey knew that wasn''t the case.


    He still had one major problem that served as a limiter to him.


    ''My Mana Level... it''s quite low.''


    Just that single Spell of his had cost him almost half of his base Mana.


    ''I only have 7 Mana Points left out of my current 12 total.''


    Using A-Tier Skills cost more Mana, even if they were used in a limited fashion.


    ''Well, to be fair, I was using multiple Skills at the same time.''


    Rey didn''t allow himself to be distracted by this, though.


    Once the me Wall fell and dissipated, he was able to see what was left of the Kobolds¡ªashes and two glistening stones.


    "Ah, a Monster Core." Rey smiled as he looked at the red crystal-like objects.


    "[Inventory]."


    Arge screen appeared in front of him instantly, with many boxes disyed on the screen.


    A few of the boxes had things within them¡ªlike the face mask and ear plugs.


    "Let''s add these two." He smiled.


    Rey had been tempted to take some of the luminous stones and Mana Stones he was seeing, but he decided against it.


    This was a National Treasure, and doing something like that would be equal to stealing.


    ''At least, for these Kobolds... I killed them.''


    They were his prey.


    ''My conscience won''t allow me to steal from a Nation that is already struggling.''


    With those thoughts consuming his thoughts, Rey decided to keep moving forward.


    ''Let''s see how far my base Mana can take me without any Buffs.''


    He stepped over the dissipating ashes of the Kobolds and advanced deeper into the Dungeon''s embrace.


    It got dark at a point, so Rey decided to use a Spell he learned from the Grand Mage herself.


    "Fire Brid."


    Instantly, a me ball appeared atop his palm. It wasn''t asrge or as powerful as Lucielle''s own, but it was enough to shine light on his surroundings.


    "GRRRRRRRR..."


    "KRRRRIIIIII...."


    "KUUUURRRRR..."


    Rey soon began to hear more grumbles and rumbles around him.


    ''Well, I guess it''s time for another round.''


    With his heightened senses, he was able to sense the swift movements of the monsters that had somehow managed to surround him.


    While the Brid was enough to light his immediate surroundings, the monsters were smart enough to lurk in the shadows.


    Rey presumed they were waiting for him to let down his guard so they could strike.


    ''That''s not gonna happen, though.'' He let out a sure grin.


    "I''ve pretty much figured out their number and positions."


    The mes on his palm cast a shadow on his face and caused an ember glow to radiate from his eyes.


    He was feeling very excited for some reason.


    "Why don''t we try this..."


    Raising his hand slightly, he cast his next Spell.


    "Fire Magic: me Arrows."


    His Skills worked in conjunction with the Spell to generate his desired amount of arrows.


    ~WHOOOSH!!~


    All five arrows found their targets in one swift motion, searing through the air and piercing the flesh of their prey.


    "KUAAARRERHHHHHH!!!"


    Disgusting sounds of beasts wailing filled the air, as well as a sizzling sound from the me''s impact upon flesh.


    The smell of burning meat filled the air and tickled Rey''s nose, but he remained calm.


    After all...


    "KURAAAAA!!!"


    ... He wasn''t sure their wounds were fatal.


    Three creatures lunged at him, not concerned about being seen in the light any longer.


    "I heard that wounded animals are the most dangerous..." Rey smiled as he watched them rush towards him.


    Their desperate and pained expressions fueled theirunch towards him.


    They seemed to personify primal rage, but even that did not move Rey in the slightest.


    Right here... right now... he was in absolute control.


    ~WHOOSH!~


    He threw his Brid¡ªthe flickering mes on his palm¡ªtowards one of the creatures, killing it instantly.


    The remaining two were suddenly stopped midair by the crushing grip of Rey''s hands.


    "You guys don''t seem dangerous to me."


    Warm blood dripped on his skin as he pressed his fingers on the throat of the struggling creatures.


    They seemed so fragile as they squirmed under his grip.


    ~SQUISH!~


    In no time at all, he eliminated the two, causing them to fall to the ground.


    "I should burn them up. They''ll be a bother if they''re left to rot."


    While this was a fantasy world that had sses and Skills, as well as a System, it wasn''t a game.


    It was real life.


    If a creature died, they would begin to dpose. Rey didn''t want to imagine the kind of smell these things would give off if they were left alone.


    ~WHOOSH!~


    Rey properly burned the corpses of the creatures and took their Monster Core.


    Once he was done with the process, he found himself looking ahead.


    "More are waiting for me, huh...?"


    Despite that realization, nothing like fear tugged at his heart.


    Instead, it was excitement.


    "Let''s do this."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Rey is really something, huh?


    Please send your power stones andments to support the book.

 Chapter 24: The Boss Kobold

    <h4>Chapter 24: The Boss Kobold</h4>


    "Fire Brid."


    ~VWUM!~


    "me Wall."


    ~FWUUSH!~


    "FIame Arrows."


    ~WHOOSH!!~


    Rey advanced as he utilized the only three Fire Spells he could properly use.


    The other Spells rted to Fire Magic either drained too much Mana or would not be very optimal to use in an underground structure.


    ''And this isn''t really so bad.'' Rey told himself as he traversed the cavernous space.


    As he trampled atop the burned bodies of his victims, Rey felt something curious tugging at his heart.


    ''Why am I not really moved? Isn''t it odd?''


    From what he had read or learned about situations like this, most first-timers ended up being very scared or nervous when confronted with monsters.


    That was why Dungeon exploration was usually done in teams.


    Experienced individuals would often lead the team in order to prevent an absolute breakdown or chaos among their ranks.


    ''Yet here I am,pletely alone, yet I''m not losing my shit...''


    Rey didn''t even have a passive Skill that told him he had to be calm or anything, and it wasn''t like he hadn''t been jumpscared a few times since he began this adventure.


    But, for the majority of the time spent here, he genuinely didn''t feel nervous or scared.


    ''Is it because I read up so much about them that seeing the real thing didn''t bother me anymore?''


    That couldn''t be the case, considering how many schrs often froze up when confronted with the real-life manifestations of the things they studied.


    Rey explored various exnations, but after everything he settled on one.


    "I don''t know." He sighed.


    All he knew was that he was enjoying himself, and it felt good to do so.


    After Rey walked further for a while longer, he finally encountered an area with a lot more Mana Crystals than the previous areas.


    The stones gleaned so brightly that it made Rey''s Brid obsolete.


    "There''s lots of energy here. I guess that means I''m close to the Boss." He grinned.


    Every Dungeon floor operated practically the same way.


    For every one that existed, there had to be a Boss upying it.


    The first to fifth Floor had been conquered, and the Bosses were gone. However, considering everything else hadn''t been fully explored, it was only natural to think the Boss here was still alive.


    ''The Boss is the strongest in a Floor. So far, I''ve been encountering nothing but Kobolds¡ªsome stronger than others.''


    The closer one got to the Boss Room, the more powerful the monsters that one would encounter tended to be.


    It was pretty much thew of the Dungeon.


    "Let''s keep advancing..."


    Rey kept his guard up, ensuring he had proper attention ced in his surroundings.


    ''Using [Stealth] would be useless because Kobolds rely more on their sense of smell, and the Skill only affects visuals.''


    It would only be a waste of Mana.


    As he neared his target, he noticed the Mana Crystals around him had gotten even more.


    Not only were they bigger than before, but they could be found practically littering around.


    ''Well, these are the nearly transparent Mana Crystals. They have the lowest quality.''


    Of course, having so many of them in one spot made them extremely valuable.


    Rey knew he would make a small fortune if he took them all for himself.


    However... once again, he reminded himself why he wasn''t doing any of that.


    ''Let''s just focus on the task ahead.''


    "KUUURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR..."


    Rey heard a grumble.


    It was so loud, and merely the sound of it caused his skin to rattle.


    The ground he stood on began to tremble slightly, and Rey found saliva forming at the end of his throat.


    ''Okay. Maybe this is a little worrying.''


    Bosses usually had special space dedicated to them¡ªBoss Rooms, as one would call it.


    However, not all of them operated like this.


    Some liked to stay in the open, with the rest of the mobs.


    ... That was the case with this one.


    Rey''s eyes widened as he noticed the hulking figure in front of him.


    ''Why didn''t I detect it earlier? Does it have the Stealth Skill too?''


    The Kobold Boss was muchrger than the other small fries that Rey had encountered. It was at least twice as tall as Rey, with fur so ck that it seemed like he was coated in the night.


    His bloodshot eyes were focused on Rey, and they gleaned with primal purpose.


    Rey felt like prey the more he looked into its eyes.


    The Boss was currently seated, but once Rey stopped moving, he began to stand to his feet.


    Its lean waist and crooked legs made its bipedal form seem more nimble than usual, and its sharp ws were at least six inches long.


    "Looks like I gotta be careful with this one..." Rey mumbled as he gulped down the saliva that had formed in his throat.


    "GUUUURRRRRR..."


    Once the Boss hadpletely risen to his feet, he lifted his leg to initiate an approach.


    ''Okay! Once he moves, I''ll¡ª!''


    ~WHOOSH!~


    Right before Rey''s eyes, it seemed like the Boss Monster vanished.


    It felt more like a blur, because the next thing that happened was the Kobold Boss was right in front of Rey, with his hand raised for a sh.


    ''C-crap!''


    All of it happened too fast for his eyes to properly register, and now his body was till trying to process everything to properly react.


    "[A-Absolute Defense]!" Rey yelled out.


    In that instant, a very powerful beam of transparent light covered his immediate surroundings.


    As a result...


    ~WHOOOOSSSHHH!!!~


    ... He was able to properly protect himself from the first strike of the Boss.


    ''What in the world was that?!'' Rey thought to himself as he red at the Kobold Boss.


    The horrid creature was already raising its hand for another volley of attacks.


    ''I should use a surefire Skill to quickly end thi...ss...?!''


    As Rey stretched out his hand tounch a powerful Skill, he suddenly realized something.


    His energy was gone!


    ''I-I''m out of Mana?!'' His thoughts echoed in apprehension.


    But how?!


    The answer reflected around him, shimmering as it was about to vanish due to his currentck of energy.


    ''Damn! It''s the [Absolute Defense]!''


    Thus far, Rey had only been using ''me Wall'' as his defensive maneuver, so he had no idea how draining the [Absolute Defense] Skill could be.


    ''Crap!''


    As the transparent field of defense slowly vanished, and the Kobold Boss descended his sharpened ws, Rey''s thoughts entered a state of disarray.


    ''A-ahh...!''


    It was at this point that he realized the answer to the earlier question; the reason why he was so calm despite being in a Dungeon for the first time.


    ''I... I was certain of my victory.''


    Why?


    ''I was strong.''


    He killed all those monsters with rtive ease and confirmed just how powerful he was.


    Afterward, he took it all in stride. To him, it felt like nothing more than kicking evil dogs who were mere chiwawas.


    They didn''t pose a real threat to him.


    ... Until now.


    ''A-am I going to die?!'' Rey asked himself.


    His thoughts were in shambles for a moment, and he felt like so many things were happening within his at once.


    ''Is this... the end?!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

 Chapter 25: Fight Or Flight

    <h4>Chapter 25: Fight Or Flight</h4>


    Fight or Flight.


    Those are the two responses that humans could give in a precarious situation.


    Once you''re rushing with adrenaline, your body automatically wishes to protect itself, so it gives you those two choices.


    Fight... to survive and ovee the threat.


    Or


    Flight... to escape and live to fight another day.


    However, there was one other response the body could give to an overwhelming stimulus of danger.


    ... Paralyzing stillness!


    The body being unable to move despite the overpowering danger that was currently in front of you.


    That was the kind of position that Rey was in.


    His body refused to listen to him as he watched the Kobold Boss raise his hand and bring it down.


    ~SWOOOSHH!~


    The sharp ws gleamed as they sliced through the air, ready to make contact with Rey''s flesh and dice his skin.


    At that point, despite being unable to move, Rey desperately sought out answers within himself.


    ''I don''t want to die! I don''t want to die!''


    With this, his brain went into overdrive, barely giving him enough time to think before his body would be turned to mincemeat.


    As the w neared him¡ªa mere inch from his face¡ª a switch clicked.


    "[Greater Warrior''s Mantle]!"


    ~CLANG!~


    The w of the Boss was sent flying back as a result of the resistance it got from its target.


    "G-GURR..?!" Recoiling from the failed attack, the Boss Monster red at Rey in confusion.


    That strike just now was supposed to have ended it all.


    Yet... yet...


    "GUUUURRRRR!!!"


    ... Why was its prey still alive?!


    ~WHOOOOM!~


    Rey swiftly dashed forward, his body now gleaming with blue energy as sparks of lightning-like energy coated his body.


    As heunched his body, a blur trailed after him, and he could feel the rush of wind on his face.


    He was moving really fast, and he enjoyed every moment of it!


    ~WHOOSH!~


    He was able to close his distance with the stumbling Boss, clenching his fist as he sent it towards the raging beast.


    The result was inevitable.


    ~BOOOM!!~


    The Kobold Boss was sent flying backwards, despite being twice asrge as Rey.


    It crashed upon the wall, shattering the Mana Crystals that were growing there.


    "G-Gurrr...?!"


    The Boss let out whimpers of confusion, but Rey was hardly focusing on that now.


    He stared at his hands, watching as lightning danced on his skin and the blue energy coiled around his body.


    It was a strange sensation.


    ''I feel much more powerful than before. That was really a close one.''


    Rey smiled to himself in relief.


    ''How could I have forgotten about my Buff Category?''


    Some Buff Skills didn''t require Mana, since they were useful for improving one''s Mana and other Stats for a limited period.


    Instead, they had duration and cooldown periods, and the cooldown periods only got shorter the more adept one was at using the Skills, or how long the Skill was utilized.


    ''[Greater Warrior''s Mantle] focuses more on defense and mobility. Since it''s a B-Tier Skill, the Kobold Boss couldn''t prate the energy armor around me.''


    If it wasn''t for that, he would be dead.


    ''I better end this quickly. I don''t know when the Duration ends.''


    The Kobold Boss was already getting up from its slumped state, with the Mana Crystals around it crumbling as it rose.


    He made a low growl, difficult for Rey to decipher.


    Inasmuch as the massive creature showed rage towards Rey, there was an element of fear... of caution.


    It didn''t see Rey as just prey anymore, but as a threat.


    A threat that had to be eliminated!


    "ROOOOAAARRRRR!!!"


    The sudden roar of the Kobold Boss shook the space they upied, causing the ground to rattle and even the ceiling to tremble.


    The Boss'' eyes began to glow crimson, and a red aura stuck to its body.


    ''It''s also Buffing itself! This is bad!''


    Right now, Rey had the advantage because he was buffed up. If the Boss did the same, who was to say the scales wouldn''t he tilted?


    ''I have to hurry!''


    The best way to really do that was to utilize yet another Buff.


    "[Greater Mana Boost]."


    With this Skill, his Mana Level shot up like crazy, and he felt himself overflowing with power.


    The blue energy around his body radically increased, and so did the numerous sparks of lightning.


    He was now ready.


    ''I didn''t want to use this, but I have to be sure the Boss dies after my attack.''


    That meant he couldn''t be considerate or pull his punches.


    "Fire Magic: me Explosion!" Stretching out both of his hands, Rey called out the name of his Spell.


    At this point, the berserk Kobold Boss was smacking the ground, causing a quake around it.


    It drooled endlessly as it snorted, both gazes fixated on Rey.


    ~BOOM!~


    The ground around it shattered as it rushed towards Rey, both ws now having a blood-red glow about them.


    Its hands were outstretched, and they had one purpose alone¡ªdicing the opponent into a million pieces.


    As for Rey, something was already forming in front of his stretched out hands.


    It seemed like a swirling mass of mes, and it kept rotating at a swift rate.


    ~WHOOOSSSHH!!~


    The more it rotated, the more powerful it became, growing hotter and hotter while amplifying its mass.


    The Kobold Boss grew nearer, and Rey realized he wouldn''t be able toplete the process before he was attacked.


    ''Ah... screw it!''


    The swirling bundle of mes was still forming, but Rey didn''t want to take his chances.


    ''I''ve had enough of this.'' He aimed his outstretched hands towards the fast approaching beast.


    He just wanted it to end.


    ''Go!''


    ~WHUUUUUUMMMMM!!!~


    The fierce hum of the rotating mes as they shot towards the target caused the air around it to tremble.


    In a blur much faster than the Kobold Boss could muster, the burst of mesnded on the designated target, causing it to roar in pain.


    However, this was only the start.


    ''Erupt!'' Rey thought with a wide grin.


    And with that, the swirling mes finally expanded and revealed its true nature.


    ~BOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!~


    The Kobold Boss was immersed in the mes, covered from head to toe as it screamed¡ªprobably begging for mercy.


    It was toote for that, though, and the caster of the Spell was not very forgiving.


    Rey simply watched as his enemy roasted, having a smile of approval on his face as he witnessed the process from beginning to end.


    The eruption rose in both height and width, forcing Rey to take multiple steps back not to be caught in it.


    The mes rose to the ceiling, licking it with their scorching disy.


    Until finally... it died down.


    "Haaaaaa..." Rey smiled, copsing to the ground while huffing his biggest sigh of relief yet.


    "Sixth Floor Subjugation...plete."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading.


    If you enjoyed the chapter, please support with yourments and power stones.


    Cheers!

 Chapter 26: Return To The Estate

    <h4>Chapter 26: Return To The Estate</h4>


    "I guess I''m still getting the hang of learning my Skills and stuff..."


    As Rey mumbled those words to himself, he set his eyes on the few things that had dropped from the Boss Monster.


    The crimson core was muchrger than the ones Rey had collected thus far, and that wasn''t the only the thing he saw.


    There were a few gleaming things on the ground, and he approached them slowly.


    ''It''s not just the Monster Core this time, huh? I guess that''s what you''d expect from a higher-quality monster.''


    Sharpened ws littered the floor, like a trophy left behind after the Kobold Boss'' demise.


    ''Since this is like a game, I guess these can be referred to as Drops.''


    Rey added them to his inventory and sighed in relief when he was done with everything.


    ''Looks like all went well...'' He smiled.


    He was now all alone in the Sixth Floor, and from the looks of it, only a few hours had passed since he began this entire escapade.


    ''Now that I think about it, that Boss Monster disyed a Skill at the end of our fight. I should have used Doppel on it.''


    However, almost as soon as he had this thought, Rey realized he wasn''t really missing out on anything.


    ''It was most likely an inferior Skillpared to the ones I have.''


    When he remembered how the monster acted berserk after activating the Skill, Rey was even more convinced that it was not what he wanted.


    ''I think I should be fine with what I have for now.'' Rey thought to himself.


    ''Right now, I should do my best to master the Skills at my disposal.''


    If he did well in it, he could even go to the Seventh Floor or further below to test his abilities.


    ''Yeah. That works. I should focus on that for now.''


    Rey could feel his heart race and his body tremble in anticipation.


    He hadn''t ever been this excited about anything else in his life. The idea of having so many Skills, and finally being able to explore them all by himself...


    ... They gave him so much satisfaction.


    ''I should probably start tomorrow, though. Right now, I need to head back.''


    It took almost an hour¡ªeven with his uninterrupted flight¡ªto travel from the Royal Estate¡ªto the Sixth Floor.


    If he used the same metric on his journey back, he would have to leave at least two hours for his travels back and forth.


    ''Feels like a waste, but there''s no other choice. It''s a shame that I don''t have a long-range teleportation Skill.''


    That would have made all of this much easier.


    Once Rey decided on exactly what he wanted to do, he proceeded to leave the Sixth Floor.


    ''I''ll be back tomorrow!''


    *******


    Using his [Flight] Skill to reach the ceiling, and his [Phase] to make it past the locked gate that separated the Floors, Rey was able to leave the Sixth Floor.


    He was unable to disguise as a worker in the mines due to the regtions involving their work¡ªsince no miner was to leave their designated work area until their shift was over.


    As a result, he simply chose to use [Stealth] while traversing the Floors.


    Light wasn''t an avablemodity there, so the chances of him being caught were zero.


    Plus, the miners were regr folk, so it was most unlikely that they would have any Skills that could detect him.


    Right as he was about to leave the Dungeon, he once again donned his disguise as Head Warrior Brutus, wearing his mask and ear plugs.


    "Haaa..."


    After he left the Dungeon, the first thing he did was raise his head and look to the sky.


    The evening sun was almost done setting, and it was at least 7:00 PM.


    ''It''s pretty dark. I guess I spent more time than I realized.''


    Relying on his internal clock too much was too detrimental. If he ended up wasting more time than he nned, the chances of being caught increased exponentially.


    ''I should bring a clock next time. My Inventory still has some space.''


    Once he made that decision, he approached the gate, and the guards who guarded the interior stopped him for credentials.


    "Head Warrior Brutus. Checked in approximately four hours ago. This is an unofficial visit, and I''d like to keep it that way."


    The guards were all stunned¡ªsome even went as far as gawking¡ªas they stood in the presence of the Head Warrior.


    They instantly opened the gates for him, and he was able to exit.


    ''Now herees the tricky part.''


    Once he proceeded out of the gate, the guards who were guarding it from the outside waved and greeted him with the respect that the Head Warrior deserved.


    Their gazes were fixated on him, and he was sure they would all keep looking at him while he exited.


    ''I''m in a hurry right now. I can''t afford to walk back. But I can''t turn into a bird in front of them, now can I?''


    After deliberating for a while, Rey came up with the perfect solution.


    ''[Projection].''


    It was a Skill that allowed the user to cast illusions on the target of choice.


    The target would only see what the user wanted then to.


    ''I don''t know the level of these guards, but this is pretty much my only... hold on...''


    Rey''s thoughts paused at that very moment.


    Something wasn''t right.


    ''How could I have forgotten!'' His eyes widened as his body became stopped in motion.


    ''My Level... I never saw it increase.''


    Usually, in games, panels like [You Have Leveled Up] would appear once a person reached a certain threshold.


    But none of that appeared to Rey even once.


    ''I''ll check it once I have reached my room. Right now, I have to hurry.''


    Try quickly activated his [Projection] Skill, and based on the direction of his target''s eyes, it seemed to work.


    He used an illusion to show him walking in a different direction, while his real self became invisible to them.


    And all the guards bought it.


    ''C-Tier Skills certainly have their uses!'' He grinned, activating his [Mimic] Skill at that very moment.


    Once he turned into a bird, Rey activated [Flight] and [Greater Warrior''s Mantle] to improve his speed while he traversed the air.


    ~WHOOOOSSSHH!!!~


    Without looking back, or being distracted by anything else around him, Rey departed for the Royal Estate.


    The darkened sky above him, and the many clouds that drifted in the night sky were his onlypany as he drifted by himself.


    ''Can''t screw this up!'' His bird eyes furrowed as he increased his speed.


    ~WHOOOOSH!~


    *******


    Rey arrived at the Royal Estate''s walls in no time, and swiftly using [Stealth] while approaching it, he was able to gracefullynd in one of the trimmed bushes closest to the walls.


    ~GLOP~


    He slowly returned to his original form, d to see that the cover of the night was able to mask his presence very well.


    He could see some guards patrolling the Royal Estate, but they weren''t going to give him any trouble since he was one of the ''Otherworlders,''


    ''I did it! I''m home free!''


    Rey had been worried for a second, but everything ended up going ording to n.


    "Hehehe... hehe¡ª!"


    "What are you doing there?" A sudden voice shattered his thoughts, and a presence approached him.


    The voice was feminine, and so was the silhouette that now stood right beside the bush that he was hiding behind.


    Her cold gaze greeted him as her brown hair swayed with the wind.


    It was Alicia White.


    ''What the hell is she even doing out here at this time?!'' Reg thought to himself, but unfortunately he was unable to ask her that.


    Instead, he felt the pressure of her gaze while contemting what to say.


    "I... um..."


    As Rey stuttered, Alicia narrowed her gaze on him, causing all his words to be trapped somewhere behind his throat.


    ''Crap! This is bad!''


    Of all the people that could spot him, it had to be Alicia White¡ªthe most skeptical among all his ssmates.


    ''What should I do?!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Well, isn''t this hrious?


    What do you think Rey should do?


    Also, remember he is a socially awkward person and he isn''t very good with attention.


    This isn''t him being a simp.

 Chapter 27: A Girl’s Walk

    <h4>Chapter 27: A Girl¡¯s Walk</h4>


    [Moments Earlier]


    "I should start heading out now..."


    Alicia closed up the book she was reading and looked around her.


    As expected, she was the only one left in the Royal Library. It didn''te as a shock to her, considering that this had been the case for her for as long as they arrived in this world.


    She sighed as she rose to her feet, returning the book to its rightful location.


    As she did so, her eyes darted to a particr spot¡ªthe ce where a particr student usually upied when he came to the library.


    ''He''s the only one whoes here consistently. I didn''t see him today, though. I wonder what happened...''


    Alicia slowly stifled her worry, shaking her head a little as she made her way out of the library.


    As much as she didn''t want to admit it, she had noticed his absence today.


    ... The exact same way she noticed his presence every other day.


    ''It feels like we''re sort of simr. And when we''re in the library, we have this unspoken bond between us...''


    Alicia quickly caught herself making these silly thoughts and nearly pped her hand on her face.


    ''What the heck am I thinking about? That sounds creepy!''


    As library buddies, she was just wondering where he was.


    However, she wasn''t going to be getting her answers.


    ''I can only guess. Maybe... he got tired of the library...''


    Somehow, the very thought of that didn''t sit well with her. She wasn''t sad or anything, but she wasn''t happy about it either.


    Honestly, she just didn''t know what to feel about it.


    ''I should take a stroll...'' Alicia thought to herself once she got out of the library building.


    She took in the fresh night breeze, allowing it to tickle her nostrils as her hair danced with the wind.


    There were a lot of things to dislike about this world, but the freshness of the air and the allure of its surroundings were one of its good points.


    ''It''s too bad they''re trivialpared to the negative.'' Alicia''s thoughts trailed as she moved her legs and began walking.


    Now was a good time for her to reflect on all the things that had been going on thus far.


    She knew full well that she had been alienated from the main groups, and she could see why.


    ''I was so wrapped up in finding more information about this world, for the sake of the ss, that I was soon tagged a bookworm.''


    The repressed jealousy and dislike that so many of her ssmates had were now surfacing, and she could see them for the hypocrites that they were.


    ''I''m not surprised, though. I already knew ever since my Skill selection with Seraph.''


    That was when she found out her Karma Points were a mere 57.


    ''How was that even possible?'' She had thought to herself.


    She was the most popr girl in her ss, and she had so many people who fawned around her.


    But in the end, it was all fake.


    ''A lot of them must have really despised me. That''s why I have such low Karma.''


    It was only by some miracle that she was able to get her SS-Tier Skill, which granted her a free A-Tier ss and an additional free S-Tier Skill.


    ording to Seraph, certain Skills and sses, if chosen, caused a chain reaction that either caused a discount for others to be selected, or gave freebies.


    In essence, she had been extremely lucky in her selection.


    If not, she would be stranded with only a few low-tier Skills and a subpar ss¡ªsort of like Rey.


    ''I wonder what kind of Karma he had for him to be able to only avoid such a poor ss and Skill.''


    His Skill wasn''t too bad, but it wasn''t particrly worth anything among their ssmates since someone had a Skill just like his¡ªbut better.


    His ss was the absolute worst, which meant his Stats were in shambles at this point.


    ''I thought he would want to reinforce his weakness with knowledge so he could have an edge in this new world...''


    Frankly, she liked that.


    She admired his consistency. Despite not spending as much time as her in the library, he showed up every day.


    It was like their daily ritual.


    ''But it looks like... that won''t be the case anymore.''


    Alicia stared up at the moon and smiled, feeling its faint glow of moonlight bathe her.


    A few guards were stationed about, but they minded their business and none of them disturbed her.


    As such, she was able to freely enjoy her walk without any kind of interference.


    "It''s funny, isn''t it? Even now, I keep trying to find out new information for my ssmates, and they despise me more."


    She had wanted to suggest the idea of the library to them from the very second day, but none of them would have responded positively.


    Merely hearing about training soured their mood greatly, so she couldn''t push it any further.


    No one wanted this world to resemble school at all, so they didn''t want to study.


    That meant she had to do all of this herself.


    Alicia didn''t particrly mind, but she had been ostracized because of her time in the library, and now she was faced with a reality she couldn''t escape.


    "I have no friends. All of them are just... haaa..."


    They were constantly gossiping about her past rtionship with Adonis, despite it already being ages since that happened.


    ''We only dated for like a week, and it became such a big deal...''


    They constantly badmouthed her and cast gazes on her that told her she wasn''t wee with them.


    It was crazy! Despite being beautiful, intelligent, and powerful... she was being rejected by everyone around her.


    ''There is this one guy that talks to me. He looks at me creepily, though. I just... can''t stand it.''


    Alicia didn''t quite know his name, but she knew he often hung around Adonis and Belle.


    They were the most popr kids now, considering they were both powerful and socially likable.


    Despite her being just as strong as them¡ªperhaps with the exception of Adonis¡ªshe didn''t have such recognition.


    ''I''ve given up on that at this point...'' Alicia sighed as she closed her eyes.


    She just had to focus on her own personal goals and her most important reason for visiting the library every single day.


    ''Maybe I can find a way to return home. I... I want to leave this world already.''


    Bracing herself with both of her hands, a bittersweet smile formed on her face.


    It felt like she was remembering a fond memory.


    "Maybe I could ask Rey if we could study it together. Returning ho¡ª"


    ~FSHHH~


    The ruffling of a bush close to Alicia caught her attention instantly, so she approached it quietly.


    She didn''t even realize how close to the walls she had gotten.


    Once she arrived there, a gasp nearly escaped her lips.


    ''W-what?! Isn''t that Rey?''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    What did you think about the chapter?


    Did you like it?

 Chapter 28: There’s Something About Rey

    <h4>Chapter 28: There¡¯s Something About Rey</h4>


    ''Isn''t that Rey?!''


    The boy in question was hiding behind the bushes, chuckling slightly to himself.


    So many questions ran through Alicia''s mind as she spotted him. She felt paralyzed, unable to move for some reason.


    Perhaps it was because she had just been thinking of him aloud right before seeing him, or maybe it was due to some other reasons.


    She felt downright embarrassed.


    ''D-did he hear any of the things I said?''


    She would hope not! Especially the part where she admitted to not having any friends.


    Alicia didn''t know why exactly she felt it mattered whether Rey perceived her a certain way or not, but she just didn''t want it to be the case.


    And it was in the heat of this moment that she blurted out her thoughts.


    "What are you doing here?"


    By the time she heard herself, it was toote.


    Her voice traveled faster than she could ever imagine, and Rey was now looking in her direction as a result of that.


    ''What the hell?! Why did I have to say it out loud?''


    Rey''s eyes met hers, and while she was slightly flustered by the whole thing, she did her best to maintain a calm demeanor.


    She couldn''t show any weakness.


    "I... um..." As so many thoughts went on in her mind, Rey responded.


    He actually replied her!


    ''I think this is the first time we''re speaking to each other.''


    It wasn''t a big deal or anything, but Alicia just felt like this wasn''t the right time.


    She could sense hesitation in his tone, and it was clear he didn''t want to speak to her.


    Whatever business he had going on in the bushes seemed to be more important than talking to her.


    Somehow, she found the forthrightness of his expression a little refreshing.


    So far, her ssmates acted hypocritically in front of her, despite being jealous backstabbers in reality.


    The few who sucked up to her made her feel more ufortable than not.


    ''He''s not saying anything more. Should I just walk away...?''


    It didn''t seem like he was being creepy or anything, and based on his reaction to her, he was so immersed in his activity that he didn''t notice hering.


    Alicia''s curiosity began to increase, little by little.


    She wanted to know.


    ''Could it be...?'' Her gaze shifted to the ces he would have most likely been looking at if he didn''t notice her.


    She noticed guards on patrol, and a bunch of them stationary in a single spot, and a theory began to spring up from all those observations.


    ''Is he monitoring the guards? Why? Does he want to escape the Royal Estate?''


    She didn''t know much about Rey, but she had never thought someone would be so bold.


    ''I also have ns on investigating how to leave this ce without detection, but I want to learn and grow strong enough to be guaranteed sess.''


    Right now, despite Rey having the guts to do something so extreme, Alicia felt it wasn''t time for him to risk so much.


    "You should be more careful. Be patient and study more..."


    She didn''t know when she blurted out those words


    "A-ahhh..."


    His voice and expression to her words confirmed her suspicion.


    He was indeed trying to find a way out.


    ''It''s good to see that I''m not the only one skeptical of this whole arrangement.''


    Somehow, it felt like almost all her ssmates were in bed with Adonis and the United Human Alliance.


    They did as they were told, no questions asked.


    But Alicia didn''t want to live like this. She wanted to live on her own terms.


    ''And I''m not the only one, it seems.'' A small smile escaped her lips as she stared at Rey.


    ''If only he was a little stronger...''


    After standing awkwardly for too long, and Rey squatting behind the bushes, Alicia decided it was best to end the conversation.


    "We should head back now. It''s gettingte..."


    Rey slowly stood up in response to her words, uttering a very low "Yeah."


    Before she realized what was happening, the two of them were walking side by side, all the way to their living quarters.


    She didn''t even know how it happened, and the two of them didn''t even say a word to each other throughout their time together.


    They just awkwardly strode along.


    Alicia made to open the door to the quarters when she heard a voice that startled her slightly.


    "I''ll keep what you said in mind."


    It felt so firm that she was surprised Rey could muster such words. More and more, she was beginning to see his bold side.


    "Please do. And also..." She turned and gave him a smile.


    "... I didn''t see you in the library today."


    Alicia didn''t know what exactly she expected him to say in response to what she had just said, but she kept staring at him.


    It seemed he was ufortable again, but he struggled to speak.


    "Yeah... I... will be changing my schedule." He muttered.


    "I''ll read at night."


    Rey''s hand went forward to the doorknob, which was already being held by Alicia, and for a moment both of their hands touched.


    "A-ah, my apologies!"


    "Sorry!"


    The two of them recoiled, apologizing almost at the same instant.


    The awkward atmosphere around them refused to disappear no matter what.


    "I-I guess I''ll see you when I see you, then!"


    Alicia swiftly twisted the knob and rushed in, leaving Rey standing at the entrance.


    It was probably for the best that way, since she didn''t want any unnecessary attention to fall on Rey just for hanging out with her.


    She rushed to her room, ignoring the few nces she got from her ssmates in the living room.


    Once she arrived in her room, she instantly shut the door and locked it.


    "Haaa..."


    It felt like she had been holding her breath for an eternity once she finally exhaled and crumbled on her bed.


    ''Was he always like this...? Or am I the one who has changed?''


    Alicia wasn''t sure anymore.


    However, if there was one thing she knew for certain, it was that she had now developed an interest in Rey... and perhaps it was the same for him.


    ''Maybe not. Argh... why did I have to mention the whole library thing?!''


    It felt like she had ruined their silent consensus.


    "W-well whatever. He said he will being in the night, huh...?"


    Alicia sighed as she closed her eyes.


    "I guess I''ll have to be spending more time in the library."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Did you all see thising? Who knows?


    Let''s see the world from Rey''s angle once more!

 Chapter 29: A Pathetic Intrusion

    <h4>Chapter 29: A Pathetic Intrusion</h4>


    Rey just stood in front of the door, dumbfounded.


    ''What in the world just happened?''


    For some reason, he get his heart skip a beat just now, and when he and Alicia touched hands, there was a sensation he hadn''t felt before.


    ''This... is crazy.''


    As Rey stared at his hand, he remembered what he said to him back when he was hiding in the bushes.


    ''She said I should be patient and study more...'' Rey narrowed his gaze as his thoughts went into overdrive.


    ''Does that mean she knows of my intention?''


    It was all so confusing to him.


    ''It seems like even if she does, she doesn''t mind. I mean, now that I think about it... why was she so close to the walls?''


    Rey''s imagination began to get the best of him, and he imagined a situation where Alicia was also trying to escape the castle walls.


    If that was the case, they wererades in this together.


    Then, there was one more thing.


    ''She noticed my absence in the library...'' Rey felt a small smile curling on his face.


    He didn''t know why, but the moment she mentioned his absence, his heart had skipped a beat¡ªmaybe two.


    ''I guess it sort of feels good not being invisible all the time.''


    As Rey''s smile widened even further, he reached out for the doorknob.


    Then...


    "Hey, Rey."


    A deep, imposing voice echoed right behind him. It sounded so familiar, yet something about it felt threatening.


    "Wha¡ª?"


    ~THUD!~


    Before Rey could respond, he was pushed against the wall by the overwhelming force of the one behind him.


    He couldn''t see the person responsible, thanks to $his face being pressed upon the concrete, but at this point Rey could already guess.


    "What were you talking to her about? What exactly are you up to, Rey?!"


    The one with the ragged, imposing voice was Billy, and based on his tone alone, it was obvious that he was pissed off.


    "What the hell are you¡ª?!"


    "Don''t y dumb with me, Rey? You and Alicia! I saw you walk with her and talk to her. What were you two talking about? Did you make her ufortable? Tell me now!"


    Rey felt a surge of irritation the more he heard Billy''s words.


    He felt like smashing his head against concrete and spitting on his battered body.


    However, that would only bring about trouble.


    "What the hell are you doing? You''re going this far because of that?" Rey responded angrily instead.


    It felt annoying that he had to take such a diplomatic position, especially after burning a bunch of monsters to crisps, but Rey endured the humiliation.


    Nothing good coulde out of standing out now.


    ''Just like Alicia said. I should be patient...''


    "Just answer my¡ª!"


    "I wonder what Adonis would think if he saw you like this. The great Billy, righteous Grand Knight, is no more than a bully."


    The moment he said this, Rey felt Billy''s grip on him loosen slightly.


    It was clear the boy was now hesitant, contemting on whether or not his actions would have some dire consequences.


    ''Should I go a little further...?'' Rey smiled within himself as he opened his lips while leaking out slight groans.


    "I also... urgh... wonder what Alicia would think... if she saw you like this. If I tell her... what you did to me here, then..."


    This was thest straw for Billy.


    He swiftly let Rey go, taking a few steps back. It finally allowed thetter to stretch his stiff body and rub his itchy face.


    ''This bastard. He really resorted to bullying and only backed away because I threatened him with a girl...''


    Rey already knew his friend was an asshole, since he abandoned him, but he never thought he would be this far gone.


    ''I don''t really know Alicia, and I don''t see us talking too often in the future, but I genuinely don''t wish for her to end up with this pathetic excuse for a person.''


    He gazed upon Billy''s frowning face with impudence, almost as if daring him to do anything.


    "You... why are you doing this, huh? You clearly know how I feel about her!"


    At this point, Billy was getting jacked. Physically, he was bing a beast thanks to all the training he was undergoing.


    However, Rey could only see him as a big baby¡ªespecially when he asked his question.


    This guy wasn''t just pathetic, he was lower than that.


    ''I''m d we''re not friends anymore.''


    "I have no idea what you''re talking about." Rey responded with a sigh, his daring gaze still on Billy.


    He had to assert that he didn''t fear Billy this early on, or else he would keep getting harassed by him.


    With that in mind, Rey stood his ground.


    "Tch! What is this? Is it revenge because I''m no longer friends with you or anything like that? You brought it upon yourself."


    Rey just listened to Billy bbing, his eyes as empty as they would be if he was staring at a brick wall.


    At some point, all Rey heard was rambling upon ramblings.


    "Tch! Whatever... just stay out of my way!" With that, Billy pushed Rey aside and opened the door, entering the living room.


    His fuming face soon melted into a warm smile once the students within greeted him, and he proceeded to exchange pleasantries with them.


    ''This guy...'' Rey sighed within himself.


    More than anything, he just wanted to ignore Billy and move on with his life.


    ''But this is the second time you''ve crossed me now. I''ll have to ensure there isn''t a third.''


    To do that, Rey knew he had to do the one thing that would really get to his former best friend.


    ''I guess I''ll see Alicia in the library tomorrow.''


    *********


    Just as was natural in school, where groups and cliques would begin to form over time, the same applies to training.


    A hierarchy was soon built¡ªboth in the Beta and Alpha Group¡ªand the rest of the students followed this pattern.


    Of course, there were outliers, but for the most part, the students listened to and respected those they deemed to be superior to them.


    As a result, Adonis, Billy, and Alicia became the sort of faces of the Alpha ss, and as for the Beta Squad, there were three major cliques.


    One belonged to Trisha¡ªthe presumably strongest person among all the Beta students.


    She was a tomboy with a fierce personality, but her bluntness made her verypelling as a leader, and so she had most of the students under her group.


    The second clique mostly consisted of disgruntled individuals, and they were led by the most disgruntled of all¡ªAdam.


    "Tch... this sucks."


    Adam and his group would often hang out together during breaks and even after sses.


    Their day consisted mostly ofining of how the change in the status quo sucked.


    They were previously the top dogs of their ss¡ªbullies and jesters¡ªand now, they were nothing but a ragtag group of six who felt sorry for themselves.


    Adam was the most disgruntled of all.


    "I used to hold as much influence as Adonis, you know? Now look at me! This Karma system sucks!"


    This was Adam''s mantra, and he had already said this countless times.


    "YEAH!"


    "ABSOLUTELY!"


    "IT SUCKS!"


    His group of "Yes" men supported his words, further driving him into his inner rage and frustrations.


    Right now, this was all he could do.


    However...


    "My chance wille soon!" Adam grinned widely, his eyes narrowing in malevolent delight.


    The members of his clique chuckled with him as he resolved to bide his time until he was ready to rise once more.


    "None of them will see iting!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I hope you''re really enjoying the story.


    Thanks to everyone supporting me with their Power Stones and Comments.


    It means a lot to me!

 Chapter 30: Progressive Growth

    <h4>Chapter 30: Progressive Growth</h4>


    "Brutus. Lucielle. Give your report."


    Within the throne-room, standing in front of the Royal Council, the two most powerful members of the United Human Alliance knelt as they spoke.


    Of course, they took turns.


    "The Otherworlders are advancing faster than expected." Brutus spoke first.


    "Their growth rate is monstrous¡ªand this applies for both Groups."


    A month passed since the Otherworlders arrived in H''Trae.


    Their schedules continued as usual, with their curriculum only getting progressively more difficult as they continued their training and sses.


    The Alpha Students, after learning the basics of Spells and Chanting, were already moving on to the advanced stages.


    As for the Beta Students, they had already begun to learn Chanting, and while a few had some difficulty with it, some had already gotten the hang of it.


    Since their foundations were rock solid, they were able to learn much faster and easier than normal.


    Other than Magic, they were also training their bodies in Martial Arts. Those with Skills that had to do with Combat Application were the fastest learners, and they excelled greatly at Martial Arts.


    However, those with low affinity towards it had to struggle with the swords, daggers, spears, or whatever weapons they were utilizing.


    Needless to say, even after a month of arrival, the students still had a lot to learn.


    "Given about two months, we should be ready to proceed to the next phase of the n." Lucielle added, with Brutus nodding to her proposed estimate.


    They both agreed that their students were not prepared for the rigors of the conflict that existed outside thefort of their safe haven.


    However... the clock was ticking.


    "There''s no time left." Conrad Listrio, Grandmaster of the Royal Council spoke up.


    He looked concerned, and rightfully so.


    Their Nation was on the verge of copse, and they needed help desperately.


    "The timetable has been moved up. Make sure they''re ready in a month."


    This absurd request surprised both Lucielle and Brutus, and while they would have liked to protest, the expressions of the Royal Council made it clear that they couldn''t budge on the decision.


    "It pains me to do this, but... we have no other choice." Grandmaster Conrad sighed.


    "Please... I know I''m asking for a lot, but please make it possible."


    Once they heard their Grandmaster make such a request, using a humble tone and a strained face, Brutus and Lucielle knew they could not refuse.


    "Understood!" They jointly responded.


    "Thank you."


    The Royal Council took turns thanking Brutus and Lucielle for their work.


    However, despite the words of gratitude that filled the room, no one present was oblivious of the reality of their current predicament.


    Time was running out, and sooner orter... the world''s saviors would have to step into the spotlight.


    For now, though, the students were to remain learners.


    ... Well, almost all of them.


    ********


    "Alright. So, let''s see..."


    Rey was standing right in front of the entrance to the Seventh Floor, his eyes fixated on the seals that were heavily put in ce.


    "... I think I''m all set."


    For nearly two weeks, he had beening to this ce and training.


    Even though he had exterminated the horde of monsters here on his very first day, he decided to remain on the sixth floor for a while.


    There was a lot he hadn''t quite understood about his Skills, so he purposed to learn more about them.


    And now, after all this time, he finally felt he was ready.


    "Status Window." He mumbled to himself.


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Rey Skr.


    - Race: Human (Otherworlder)


    - ss: Commoner (F-Tier)


    - Level: 9 (2.01% EXP)


    - Life Force: 15


    - Mana Level: 25


    - Combat Ability: 30


    - Stat Points: 27


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Doppel]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): Nil


    - Alignment: Neutral


    [Additional Information]


    You possess the weakest ss, but the strongest Skill. You can only be described as an ''Overpowered Weakling.''


    [End Of Information]


    "Hehehe..." Rey smiled as he looked at his Stats.


    It wasn''t bad at all¡ªnot in the slightest.


    He thought back to the moment when he was worried about not being able to Level Up since he didn''t get the [You Have Leveled Up] notification, but apparently, that wasn''t how it worked.


    Rey had indeed Leveled Up¡ªeight times even¡ªafterpleting the Sixth Floor.


    He just didn''t get any notification.


    The reason he didn''t feel stronger after his Level-Up was because his Stat Points weren''t automatically distributed among his Stats, but instead kept as they were.


    Rey got 3 Stat Points for every Level-Up, and he had to manually attribute Stat Points to whatever Stat he wanted to improve.


    ''So far, I''ve avoided adding Points to any of my Stats since I want them to grow more naturally...''


    There were two major ways to improve Stats.


    One was through rigorous training, and the other was by Leveling Up.


    The first method got increasingly more difficult the higher one''s Stat Points became.


    As such, if a person''s Combat Ability Stat was 1, it would take rtively easier methods to make it turn into 2.


    However, if it was 10, a lot of training would be required to bump into 11.


    Thanks to this mechanism, Rey tried his best to naturally grow his Stats before adding his Stat Points to the mix.


    ''But... it seems I''ve reached my limit. They''re not increasing anymore.''


    That meant he had to attribute his Stat Points now.


    ''Alright. I have a total of 27. I''ll pour 7 into my Life Force, and the rest should go into Mana.''


    Once Rey finished allocating the Stats on his Status Window, he smiled and confidently examined everything.


    He remembered the time when everything was in single digits, and he felt a strong sense of satisfaction that he had made it this far.


    ''Adonis and the others are still in Level 1, but I bet they have Stats that are simr to mine.''


    sses greatly influenced growth rates, so he wouldn''t be surprised if their Stats were in two digits.


    ''They should also be able to Level Up faster than me, and I''m sure they''ll get more than 3 Stat Points per Level Up.''


    Such was the benefit of a solid ss.


    Topensate for that, he had powerful Skills. However, he had to study over time on how to best utilize them, while also being considerate about his Mana usage.


    ''Fortunately, I''ve found the perfect hack.'' Rey smiled to himself.


    He had tried variousbinations in his time here, and by using Buff Skills, he could raise his Mana Level to the triple digits, albeit temporarily.


    "With that in mind, and knowing the difficulty of the Sixth Floor, I think I''m ready for the Seventh." Rey muttered in confidence.


    As he stared down the locked gate of the Dungeon Floor, his lips began to curl up.


    Before he realized it, he was grinning widely.


    "Let''s begin!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    For those who aren''tmenting or supporting, please do.


    It encourages me greatly.

 Chapter 31: The Seventh Floor

    <h4>Chapter 31: The Seventh Floor</h4>


    Rey descended from the top of the ceiling with grace.


    His feet slowly neared the ground as he controlled his descent through the [Flight] Skill, ensuring he did not repeat the same mistake asst time.


    As soon as hended, he activated [Danger Sense] and [Combat Application]¡ªboth of whom were C-Tier Skills.


    Thanks to their average Tier, they did not consume much Mana, so he was operating on budget.


    ''Let''s see just how many Skills I can use in this round.'' Rey smiled as he maintained the [Flight] Skill.


    His feet did not touch the ground, and he slowly advanced through the Seventh Floor like a floating specter.


    His eyes were glowing brilliantly while his muscle-toned body was shrouded by the surrounding darkness.


    This didn''tst very long, though.


    "[Perception]. [Farsight]."


    Neither of these two Skills were specifically for Night Vision, but they had their uses


    [Perception] improved all his sensory abilities, while [Farsight] allowed him a long and wide range of vision.


    Thetter Skill was very limited due to the current darkness, but Rey was not worried at all.


    ''I can see a little, and that''s all that matters.''


    He had to consider situations where he couldn''t fight in very bright areas.


    This could serve as training for such scenarios.


    ''This is strange, though. Why is this ce dark? Shouldn''t there be Mana Crystals here..?''


    As he proceeded, looking around him as he observed the walls and ceiling, these thoughts crossed his mind.


    If there were Mana Crystals, he would have even sensed them at this point.


    "Hm."


    Rey decided to closely approach the walls, and that was when his senses picked them up¡ªthe minerals here that reced the Mana Stones.


    "These are...!" His eyes widened slightly as he ced his hand on one of the pointy rocks that covered the wall''s surface.


    "Orichalcum... I see now."


    Orichalcum were high-quality minerals that were known to be incredibly Mana Resistant, so they were very useful for defense.


    These minerals were usually harvested to make weapons that could be used to directly counter incredibly powerful Magic Users or those who had Skills that produced Mana-Based attacks.


    It had the opposite effect of Mythril, which actually enabled more Mana Flow and sometimes amplified the quality.


    ''I learned all of this in the library. The rest of them don''t know what they''re missing out on...''


    The moment Rey thought about the library, he remembered a face that made him smile a little.


    ''Ah, what are you doing, Rey? Now isn''t the time to get distracted.''


    He had work to do, and that was all that mattered.


    ''If the Monsters here use these Minerals, it''s possible that a lot of my Skills won''t be as effective.''


    Skills ran on Mana, but there were certain Skills that utilized Mana externally.


    Those were the kind Rey was referring to.


    ''I have one saving grace, though. These are raw Orichalcum ores...''


    Usually, minerals were processed in the Refinery in order to bring out their full potential.


    Using Orichalcum as it was meant the users had to put up with a lot of its impurities, which meant its Mana Dampening qualities were limited.


    Rey liked that.


    So far, he had yet to encounter any monsters. That meant they did not build their civilization close to the entrance.


    Perhaps they were simply not expecting an intruder, or they were powerful enough to fend them off.


    Either way, Rey kept advancing, keeping note of his surroundings while all his senses were heightened.


    "Let''s see what they... hmm...? What''s this?"


    Rey''s [Danger Sense] began to tingle, and the direction that seemed to radiate the most danger seemed to be up ahead.


    Right now he was walking in what seemed like a long passageway, but there appeared to be a clearing just about a hundred meters from his position.


    It probably led to arge expanse, considering the proposed topography of the Floor.


    ''I see. So that''s where they all are.'' Rey grinned.


    It seemed the Monsters he was about to fight had more sense than he initially expected.


    Rey''s grin grew even broader as he floated forward, expecting a treat.


    "GRAAAA!!"


    "GRUUU!!"


    Two dark green creatures suddenly jumped out of nowhere and rushed at him.


    ''An ambush, huh?'' Rey thought as he watched them upy both his left and right nk.


    They had sharpened weapons carved from the Orichalcum, both in the form of long spears for better reach.


    Their dark slimy skin and their muscr build made Rey recognize them very easily.


    ''Hobgoblins...''


    He had read that the Second Floor was popted by Goblins before they were subjugated, so it made sense for their evolved versions to be down here.


    Hobgoblins were naturally bigger, stronger, and smarter than regr Goblins. They also had areas of specializations¡ªlike humans had sses¡ªand from the looks of the two who approached him, both seemed to be warriors.


    ''Orichalcum armor too...? Impressive.''


    It was pretty rudimentary and downright primitive, but Rey could not deny that they were far more innovative than the monsters from above.


    Their eyes had evolved to the darkness, and their fluid motion made it clear they were aiming for his vitals.


    These were trained Hobs, and if they were using Orichalcum weapons, it was possible for them to pierce his defense.


    ... Well, depending on the defense.


    "[Force]." Rey whispered under his breath.


    ~VWOOOOOMMM!!!~


    Both Hobgoblins were forcibly stopped midair, and before they could say anything, their bodies were sent flying backwards.


    It was an almighty push that they could not resist.


    ~BOOM!~


    They crashed upon the stone walls that they sprang out from,pletely stunned by the damage they had just received from an invisible force.


    "Ahh... did I kill them?" Rey muttered to himself as he watched blood drip from their unconscious bodies.


    ''No. They''re not dead. They''re quite resilient. I guess the armor paid off, after all.''


    However, they were already weakened by the hit they received.


    Rey decided it was probably best to finish them off with his next move.


    "[Heat Vision]."


    Instantly, his eyes began to glow red and a beam of hot light appeared from within it.


    ~VWUUUSHH!~


    As he floated in the air, he sent the straight line of hot energy towards the helpless Hobgoblins, finishing them off in a sh.


    ''Haha! I always wanted to try this at least once!''


    The person he got the [Heat Vision] Skill from also had [Icy Breath], [Flight], [Super Strength] and [Super Speed] as Skills.


    It felt like the guy was going for a certain kind of build, but Rey didn''t judge at all.


    ''It''s pretty cool.''


    Once he identified that the Goblins were dead, he burned them up using [Fire Ball] and took their Monster Core.


    ''I doubt I''d gain much experience from them. I guess I''ll have to kill a bunch of them to gain a chance at Leveling Up...''


    There was a good thing about Goblins, though. Hob or not, these creatures moved as arge group.


    Their reproduction rate was also insane.


    ''Finding their hive means there''s lots of them waiting for me here...''


    And that meant tons of EXP!


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Honestly, yourments and power stones encourage me to keep going.


    For those who aren''t sending those my way, please do so!


    It really goes a long way!

 Chapter 32: The Hob Slaughter [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 32: The Hob ughter [Pt 1]</h4>


    "Huu..."


    Rey could sense a bunch more Hobgoblins hiding close to the entrance of the clearing, waiting for him in ambush.


    They expertly used the darkness to cloak themselves, and from what Rey could tell, these Hobs were very crafty.


    ''Something tells me they weren''t always the apex predator here.''


    It was very possible that they had managed to be the top of the food chain by conquering the Dungeon themselves.


    That would make a lot of sense, considering how adept they were.


    ''Some are hiding on the ceiling, waiting to get to a drop on me, while others are underground.''


    They were all prepared for him.


    ''It''s too bad, though...'' Rey sighed as his eyes began to glow red once again.


    ''... They aren''t prepared enough.''


    ~FSHUUUU!~


    Beams of light traveled to the ceiling, instantly killing the Hobgoblins that were stationed there.


    As the burning light seared through their flesh, they were decapitated by Rey''s urate aiming.


    He drew lines on their bodies using his heat vision, especially on their necks, so that their heads began rolling down long before the Hobs even realized it.


    ~THUD!~


    Heads began to fall from the ceilings, and not long after, their bodies followed.


    ''You guys think you''re smart. Sending those two to serve as decoys in order to test my strength and also grant me the illusion that I have bested your guards... in the case that they failed to eliminate me...''


    Perhaps that would work on anyone who hadn''t read ahead, or who wasn''t strong enough to ovee their strategy.


    But their ns didn''t work on him because he had both qualities.


    He was too strong for them to properly poke at the depths of his power, and he was already well versed in Hobgoblin tactics.


    At least, the simple ones like these.


    ''You never attack in small numbers, that''s for sure..." Rey could already notice fidgeting among the hidden Hobs.


    It almost felt like they were in the middle of deciding whether to break out of their disguise and attack him, or whether to remain hidden and hope they weren''t caught.


    ''Their Chief probably instructed them to do this...''


    The Goblin culture was very hierarchical. The monsters followed their leader, no matter what.


    The Chief''s words were absolute.


    ''They probably don''t want to defy the orders they were given, but they''re also considering the current situation.''


    Their survival instincts were probably screaming at them to take action before it was toote and they were killed off like mere cattle.


    This created a dilemma for them, causing the Hobs to falter in their orders.


    ''How miserable. Allow me to choose for you.'' Rey grinned as his eyes glowed brighter than ever.


    ~FWISH!~


    His beams of light cut through the air as they traveled to the targets, slicing through their bodies like hot knife through butter.


    "K-KRIIIII!!!"


    "G-GRUUUKKK!"


    "KRAAAA!"


    The Hobs began jumping out of their hiding positions, running away from Rey''s intimidating presence.


    After encountering such an apex predator, they could already see how superior he was.


    The distance between his power and theirs was so abysmally huge that they had no choice but to defy the culture ingrained in them and simply follow their instincts.


    I''m essence, they chose Flight!


    "Where do you think you''re going?" Rey whispered, stretching one of his hands forward.


    "[Force]."


    His Skill¡ªForce¡ªallowed him to do two major things.


    Push and Pull.


    Just earlier he had used the ''Push'' quality.


    But now...


    ~VWUUUUM!~


    The fleeing Hobgoblins found themselves being drawn towards the yer of their brethren.


    "K-K-KRIIIII?!"


    Perplexed expressions and whimpering sounds radiated from the dozen or so survivors.


    Like sniveling rats, they prayed for mercy that they knew would be denied them.


    This was the Dungeon¡ªa ce where survival of the fittest had never been truer.


    Since they were weaker, it was only inevitable that they would die.


    "K-KRUUU¡ª!"


    ~FWIIISHH!~


    ... Even if they didn''t want to.


    As thest of the Hobgoblins fell, their blood littering the ground at this point, Rey closed his eyes and heaved a sigh.


    ''I guess using [Heat Vision] for too long burns my eyes. It stings a little...'' His thoughts trailed.


    Most Skills had drawbacks, duration periods, cooldown times, or some kind of requirement necessary to utilize them.


    Sometimes, these requirements were simply an ample sum of Mana, but other times, it could be moreplicated.


    ''I guess I should hold off using this Skill for now...'' Rey smiled as he advanced forward.


    "Ah, I forgot to take their Cores!"


    Doing this for dozens of Hobgoblins was tedious, but Rey did so anyway.


    These were his rewards, and he wasn''t going to let them go to waste even though he had no current use for them at the moment.


    Since his [Subspace] had a limited amount of slots, Rey had brought sacs just for this moment. He would put all the Monster Cores into the sac, and put the sac into a slot.


    That way, more space was preserved.


    ''I''ll probably just sell the Monster Cores in bulk when I can. For now, though, I can just stockpile them and think of it as insurance.''


    With that thought on his mind, Rey picked thest Monster Core, deposited it in his sac, and proceeded to the opening that was now only about a dozen meters from him.


    ''I can only imagine how many Cores I''ll have to pick up once this is all over...'' Rey sighed to himself.


    He wished he had some kind of mechanism that allowed him to automatically farm the Cores, but no such means existed in his arsenal.


    He wasn''t omnipotent or anything.


    He just had a limited set of Skills, with limited sets of abilities.


    "Well, I''ve made it this far... might as wellplete the job." Rey grinned and floated forward.


    "I hope they make it entertaining for me."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    We''ll get to see more of Rey''s Skills, which I think is what makes his fights so fun to read.


    Looking forward to it!

 Chapter 33: The Hob Slaughter [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 33: The Hob ughter [Pt 2]</h4>


    "Urgh!"


    A putrid odor wafted past Rey''s nose as he reached the entrance of the Hobgoblin''s base.


    The clearing was right before him, and he already felt sick to his stomach.


    ''Goblins aren''t particrly known for their hygiene, but this is on another level...'' Rey crinkled his nose and narrowed his gaze.


    His heightened perception made it difficult for him to ignore the stench, so he just had to endure it.


    ''Whatever! Let''s just get this over with.''


    Rey walked right past the entrance and soon found himself in a clearing.


    The hallway had been plentyrge enough, butpared to the massive auditorium he now stood in, it might have as well been a tightenedpartment.


    The expanse wasrge enough to contain thousands upon thousands of adult humans, with tons more room to spare.


    And upying this space were a horde of Hobgoblins waiting for him.


    About three hundred of them.


    ''It''s not surprising, considering how massive this ce is...''


    Rey thought that, but his eyes still widened at the sight of so many monsters in a single location.


    Hobgoblins were a cooperative race, but this number was considerablyrge for a civilization.


    ''External factors such as disease, predators, and other things ensure that Goblin poptions naturally dwindle.''


    Adding that to their short lifespan, and they gave a perfect brew of why there weren''t too many Goblins in the world.


    ''These ones don''t have predators any longer, so that greatly improves their numbers...''


    The question, however, was what happened to the previous apex predators of this Floor?


    Rey only had to look around for a brief instant to know the answer.


    ''Ahh...'' His eyes twitched a little.


    He could see dog-like creatures¡ªall of them in cages and pens¡ªlocated in multiple corners of the massive clearing.


    They had wild looks in their eyes, and it was clear they were monsters, but something about them seemed... domesticated.


    ''So the Hobgoblins conquered the NightWolves and turned them into their livestock...''


    It was quite an efficient system, and Rey couldn''t help but be impressed.


    Most unintelligent monsters would just go around killing their enemies if they got the chance to, but the Hobgoblins were different.


    ''If I had to guess, they learned how to use the Orichalcum here, and theyunched a counterattack on the NightWolves using their tricky strategy...''


    Apex Predators hardly ever needed to use dirty tricks to win. They were naturally stronger than their prey, so it was a given that they would emerge victorious.


    As such, the NightWolves were probably extremely surprised by the resistance that the Hobgoblins put up.


    The Orichalcum was a very durable mineral, and it must have helped protect the Hobs from whatever Skills the NightWolves were dependent on.


    ''Fastforward a few months... maybe years... and this became the natural conclusion.'' Rey smiled at the slimy green creatures before him.


    Instead of utterly eliminating the NightWolves, the Hobgoblins kept them alive.


    ''They must have realized they could use them as an endless source of food. This way, the Hobs won''t need to starve or feed off of dirt or one another to survive.''


    From the way Rey saw it, these monsters were currently thriving.


    Unfortunately, they were yet to do anything about their hygiene.


    The feces of both Hobgoblins and NightWolves were dumped in a corner and left to rot.


    It was disgusting, and seeing it caused Rey to gag. The Hobgoblins seemed to be enjoying themselves regardless, though.


    Perhaps their nose had even adapted to like the smell.


    ''I almost feel bad for ruining your paradise, but I''m sure you''ve had a good run already.'' Rey raised one of his hands.


    He could see the hundreds of Hobgoblins draw their Orichalcum weapons and look at him with fierce resolve.


    Their murderous gaze touched him slightly, but he wasn''t letting up because of that.


    ''Why are they holding off on attacking me? Well, if I had to guess...''


    Rey lifted his face and looked beyond the three hundred Hobgoblins before him.


    Sitting on a throne carved from pure Orichalcum was a Hobgoblin that was coated in Nightwolf fur. He had a crown that seemed like a mixture of Orichalcum and Nightwolf bones.


    He also had a ne thatbined the fangs and ws of NightWolves.


    This important-looking Hobgoblin was fatter than the rest, and he was much bigger.


    Rey determined that this was because he had ess to more food than the rest, hence making him much stronger than the rest.


    ''He''s their Chief, and right now, he''s sneering at me.''


    The Hobgoblin Chief raised the scepter in his hand¡ªa stick made from Orichalcum, with a NightWolf Monster Core sitting on top of it.


    ''They can harvest Monster Cores too? Impressive!''


    Considering the current numbers of the NightWolves, Rey could tell that the Hobgoblins would have had the chance of harvesting a lot of Monster Cores.


    Depending on how long they had domesticated the NightWolves, Rey could imagine the Hobs possessing thousands of Cores.


    ''If I can have them, it''ll be epic as hell!''


    Rey began to grow more motivated with each passing second.


    It seemed the Hobgoblin chief noticed his smile, because the next thing he did was to grunt loudly.


    "GRIIIIK!"


    All of the Hobs straightened up and tightly gripped their weapons the moment they heard this.


    It seemed the Chief was telling them something.


    "SKRIIK GUUUUJ KAUDI KRIK!"


    The Hobgoblins had depraved expressions on their faces, and their mouths began to water soon after.


    ''Did he just tell me that they''ll feast on my body?''


    Thanks to being an Otherworlder, he could somewhat understand the general idea of what the Hobgoblins meant.


    It wasn''t like their words could be tranted word for word with English, but Rey got the message regardless.


    These things were savages, and their bloodlust was the real deal.


    Any mistake he made here could cost him his life.


    "SKRIIIII!!!"


    The moment the Chief yelled this, pointing his staff at Rey, all the armed Hobgoblins roared and raised their weapons.


    "SKUUUUUIUURRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!"


    Rey could feel the air tremble, so he prepared himself for the inevitable.


    ''Here theye!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    This is just an appetizer.


    The feast ising!

 Chapter 34: The Hob Slaughter [Pt 3]

    <h4>Chapter 34: The Hob ughter [Pt 3]</h4>


    ~RUMBLE!!~


    The horde of Hobgoblins rushed to Rey in full assault.


    Saliva rushed from their open mouths as they roared and chanted in words that Rey could not fullyprehend.


    ording to his knowledge, regr Hobgoblins didn''t have any particr Skills.


    Perhaps special variants of Goblins¡ªlike Goblin Mages and Goblin Champions¡ªdid, but not the foot soldiers.


    Hobgoblins were simply stronger, more durable, and more agile versions of Goblins.


    They were much smarter too.


    "I shouldn''t take any chances..." Rey whispered to himself as he raised on of his eyes up in the air.


    "... [re]."


    ~SHWIIIIIIIIINNNGGGGG!!!~


    The instant he said that, a bright ball of light emerged from his palm and shot up to the ceiling.


    Right before it touched the stony walls above, however, the ball exploded into a brilliant disy of pure light.


    "KRRRIIIIIIIAAAAAAKKKKKK!!!"


    In this Floor, where darkness was the natural state of affairs for everyone, a mere glimpse of illumination was sure to stun the residents.


    However, Rey didn''t settle for a simple flicker of light, or a small disy of luminescence.


    Instead, he sent forth a re that filled the world with such brightness that it seared through the extremely sensitive eyes of the Hobgoblins.


    The result? Absolute blindness!


    "KRIAAAKKKKK!!!"


    As Rey heard their howls and screams of pain, he undid the [Blindness] Skill he had inflicted on himself.


    Thanks to that, he wasn''t affected by the sudden re.


    "Looks like you''re all in agony." Rey found himself chuckling for some reason.


    Looking at the creatures that desired to eat him now stumbling in the darkness felt amusing to him.


    ~ZTTTZZZ~


    He slightly arched his hand, and a sudden burst of lightning appeared on it.


    "Let me ease your pain."


    Rey applied the [Greater Warrior''s Mantle] to buff himself, while also increasing the intensity of the lightning formed by his [Greater Lightning Magic] Skill.


    As his body grew in strength and speed, he readied his legs for an epic sprint.


    ''Let''s go!''


    ~WHOOSH!~


    Rey swiftly moved, almost as if he was the wind itself.


    The lightning on his hand caused the very air to vibrate, and the feeling as he sped towards the confused crowd was electrifying.


    Before a single Hob could recognize what had happened, Rey dealt the first strike to them.


    ~KRIIIZZZ!~


    Lightning burned through their skin as he sliced off the heads of the Goblins before him.


    Their weapons did them no good since they didn''t know where to direct them to.


    Seeing in the dark was one of their major advantages, and now it was gone.


    Without their sight, they could only poke at random areas, unable to properly sense their enemy.


    Unfortunately for them, since they were huddled in a group, their careless strikes ended up doing more harm than good.


    "GUAARK!"


    "KRIII?!"


    "KUAAGH!"


    The Hobgoblins screamed in pain as they began harming one another in a desperate attempt to kill the human invader.


    As squishing sounds reverberated across the vast space, and blood flowed from the bodies of the Hobgoblins, Rey kept up his own assault.


    Cutting through the horde proved easier than he expected


    Sure, the Hobgoblins had Orichalcum armor, but it didn''t protect their necks from being sliced through.


    They could not resist.


    They could only helplessly await their demise!


    ~FWOOOSSH!~


    Once Rey got to the center of the Hobgoblin crowd, thanks to his deft maneuver and superior speed, he jumped to the air, gaining the perfect view from above the Hobs.


    ~BZZTTTZZZ!~


    At this point, both of his palms were cackling with lightning, and he was grinning like a maniac.


    The horrid smell of feces had now been reced with burning flesh and sizzling blood.


    Rey seemed to prefer this aroma.


    "Lightning Rain!" As Rey cast the Spell, he directed his hands downwards.


    ~FWOOOOSHH!~


    shes of electricity burst from his fingertips, causing them to dance around the powerless Hobs.


    ~ZZZTTZ!~


    Lightning pierced through the heads and necks of the Hobs.


    ~KRRIAACK!~


    Intense electricity, and the heat generated from it, eventually caused the Orichalcum armor the Hobgoblins proudly donned to overheat and explode.


    ~TZZZTT!~


    More shes of lightning descended from above, randomly targeting the Hobgoblins and striking them down where they stood.


    "Hahaha! Hahaha!" Reyughed in amusement.


    "KRRIIAAAKK!!" The voice of the Hobgoblin Chief suddenly echoed.


    His tone was aggressive, but it had a tinge of desperation etched within.


    The Chief pointed upward, roaring and groaning in pure fury.


    ''Ah! Seems he noticed I''m right above them.'' Rey''s eyes widened slightly.


    In response to their Chief''smands, the Hobgoblins raised their des and spears and did the only reasonable thing they could do in such a situation.


    They threw their weapons into the air, hoping they would at least be able to hit the being that reduced their numbers to such an absurd degree.


    ~WHOOSH!~


    des sliced through the air, and while most were off by a wide margin, a few flew towards Rey himself.


    However...


    "[Phase]"


    He easily passed through the attacks that were directed at him.


    ''Mana-infused attacks or refined Orichalcum would have affected the [Phase] Skill, but this is nowhere near that level.''


    Once the first volley of their attack wasplete, Rey resumed his ughter.


    ~BZZZZZZZZZTTTZZZ!!!~


    "Die! Die! Dieeee!!!"


    Rey realized he sounded like a maniac, and the honest truth was that he didn''t know why.


    Was this a result of the pent-up stress he had been holding on for a very long time?


    For a month now, he had been hiding his true nature and abilities from his ssmates.


    He felt so suffocated that it was sickening.


    It was only in here¡ªat moments like this¡ªthat he felt truly free.


    Perhaps that had driven him to the edge of insanity.


    Or maybe... he had always been this crazy.


    Either way, Rey could not deny the honest truth.


    ''I... I''m having so much fun!''


    And he didn''t want it to end.


    ... Not yet.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    At this point, I feel bad for the Hobgoblins.


    It''s all good, though.

 Chapter 35: A Hobgoblin’s Final Moments

    <h4>Chapter 35: A Hobgoblin¡¯s Final Moments</h4>


    "G-GERUK!"


    In Hobgoblin tongue, that meant "Monster!"


    This was the only word that came to the mind of the Hobgoblin Chief as he heard the deaths of his people.


    Dozens of Hobgoblins being yed in a single moment, and the voice of their annihtor echoing in depravedughter as he inflicted an unjust punishment.


    Just what... what did he and his people do to deserve this?!


    For the seven months that he had been the Chief of the Hobgoblins, they had encountered nothing but peace and prosperity.


    Within a month or two, he would finally be able to rest and join his ancestors in the earth.


    Yet, this had to happen in his lifetime? In this own tenure of rulership?


    Why?!


    The fables of the Hobgoblin society told of a time when they were the prey of the NightWolves, but thanks to the leadership of the great KoKuKa, the Hob Chief at the time, they were able to turn the tables around.


    It took several generations of Hobgoblin Chiefs, but they were finally able to conquer thisnd of darkness for themselves.


    These events happened so long ago that only stories existed of them.


    The Hobgoblins now only knew peace and prosperity, and the only reason they hadn''t lost their touch ofbat was due to the contests that were frequently held¡ªonce every month.


    If it hadn''t been for that, the Hobgoblins would have all grown fat andzy.


    The Hobgoblin Chief was initially grateful that they didn''t abandon their culture.


    He thought their training would finally be put to good use against the invader.


    But now... now he thought differently.


    Not only was their training rendered useless in this entity''s presence, but his powers were something that no Hobgoblin could ever hope to attain.


    Not even the great KoKuKa!


    If this was how things were going to be, then wouldn''t it have been better to have enjoyed themselves to the fullest?


    They should have all gotten fat andzy.


    At the very least, that would mean they got to enjoy the little time they had left until their inevitable annihtion!


    "G-Guh...?!"


    The Hobgoblin Chief noticed that the echoes and screams had ceased.


    That meant thest of the warriors had fallen.


    It was all over.


    Since he could not see, he could only wait for his turn toe.


    He trembled as he sat on his throne, his palms sweaty as he struggled to maintain his grip on his scepter.


    He had no idea why he stubbornly clung to his position when everything was going to disappear soon.


    The little ones and women were locked in the other room. Since they could not participate in war, they had to be sheltered from all of it.


    Hobgoblins did not particrly discriminate when it came to warfare, but there were pragmatic reasons why children and women could not be allowed to fight.


    Children were too weak and unintelligent to be of any use. Instead, they would be liabilities.


    They hadn''t been trained in weaponry, and their muscles were yet to develop, so they could not properly wield any weapon.


    As for the women, Hobgoblins constantly bred, so they were constantly pregnant.


    All the women in the tribe had children in their wombs. Once they gave birth, they would be impregnated once again.


    For the future of the tribe, that was the custom.


    As a result, the three hundred more Hobgoblins in the room were the future of their people.


    Unfortunately, they were doomed to die.


    Not at the hands of the annihtor¡ªhe would never find them¡ªbut due to starvation or some other unfortunate means.


    Unless a group of adult Hobgoblins rolled the stone that blocked the entrance/exit from outside, all of them would be trapped inside.


    He was the only adult left, and he doubted he could push the stone boulder himself.


    In the end, the children and women only had one option.


    To feed on one another as their ancestors did in the past, while breeding constantly to stay alive.


    The Hobgoblin Chief found this to be terribly barbaric.


    They had already evolved past that, so it was a descent of shame for his people to indulge in such an abomination.


    However... he would still prefer for them to do that than to die out.


    The Hobgoblin Chief thought about his own children, and his five mates.


    He personally wanted them to live... live no matter the cost.


    ~SQUELCH!~


    He felt his flesh rip open and his blood gush out along with his entrails.


    It didn''t even take a second before he was on the brink of death.


    That single second of agony felt like hell for him, but thankfully it didn''tst for too long.


    "G-gureekkidaaa..."


    Those were thest words the Hobgoblin Chief uttered before breathing hisst in a pool of his own blood and guts.


    In Hobgoblin tongue, it meant, "The end hase."


    And he couldn''t have been more correct.


    ********


    "Looks like they''re all dead." Rey muttered as he looked around to see the corpses of over three hundred Hobgoblins.


    "Haa... this is awful."


    A sigh of sadness and pain escaped his lips as he witnessed the horror he had wrought.


    However, Rey didn''t feel bad because he had just massacred an entire tribe of Hobgoblins.


    He did so for apletely different reason.


    "I''ll have to pick up all those Monster Cores..."


    It was really tedious to do, and he didn''t want to have to engage in such mundane, time wasting activities.


    As his human brain tried to figure out a way out of this problem, he suddenly had an idea.


    "Hold on! I could just use THEM!"


    Who were the ''THEM'' that Rey referred to?


    Well, they were none other than the group of women and children that were trapped behind the stone boulder right behind the Hobgoblin Chief''s throne.


    Rey had already detected them during the course of his fight with the Hobgoblin horde, and he could easily roll over the stone to gain ess to them.


    In the end, it appeared that the problem solved itself.


    "They can help me pick up the Cores!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    I don''t even know what to say.


    I''m sorry for all the info dump and tangents I went on in this chapter.


    I just like writing this way, since it helps me flesh out the story a lot more.


    It feels better knowing that the Hobgoblins being killed aren''t just mindless drones but sentient creatures with families and emotions.


    How does it feel to know that your Mc, Rey, just murked all of them?


    Right now, we can only pray for the women and children...

 Chapter 36 Rounding Up The Rest

    36 Rounding Up The Rest


    "G-Guruika¡­ Gurik K-Kanika¡­"


    Once all the women and children Hobgoblins saw the corpses of their men, they bowed and pleaded with the annihtor to spare their lives.


    They already knew they could not win.


    As they trembled in fear, the one who had caused such destruction gazed upon them with benevolence.


    ''Of course, I''m not going to kill them!'' Rey thought to himself.


    If he did that, how was he any different from a mindless monster?


    ''Even Hobgoblins have enough sense to spare their enemies and domesticate them. How can I disy any lesser level of intelligence?''


    Right now, Rey already had a training spot in the Sixth Floor.


    He only descended to the Seventh for some EXP, and also to test out his Skills.


    ''And I think I''ve been able to make sufficient progress for now.''


    Killing off the rest of the Hobgoblins would be a waste.


    ''Instead, I should leave them here so they can just repopte and produce more adults for me to killter on.''


    Hobgoblin Adults gave more EXP, so the only ones worth killing at all were the women.


    But women were necessary for producing more Hobgoblins, so eliminating them would be foolish on his part.


    ''Hobgoblins have a very fast birth rate, and they also grow pretty quickly.''


    Within a month, he would be able to see tons more adult Hobgoblins.


    ''The only reason there aren''t any more Hobs present is because a lot of these kids die pretty early thanks to disease, and even the most healthy Hobgoblin adult doesn''t live past a year.''


    Rey couldn''t do anything about thetter, since it was simply the biology of Goblins. They had an extremely short lifespan.


    However, he knew precisely where to start from when it came to the disease aspect.


    ''For one¡­ good hygiene.''


    He looked at the pile of feces and cringed once more.


    ''I''ll have to burn all of that and teach them how to do the same.''


    All they had to do was gather the feces to a secluded area and burn them.


    Perhaps also teaching them how to burn their meat before eating it would also help.


    ''Striking Orichalcum together generates fire. They can use that to cook or roast their meat¡­''


    The more Rey thought about the problems facing the Hobgoblins, the more he developed solutions for them.


    Of course, this wasn''t due to his kind hearted nature or anything.


    He just wanted more returns for his investment.


    ''At the end of the month, I should have at least three times more than the initially expected Hobgoblin Adults.''


    Small changes like these aided a lot when it came to these things.


    Rey could see a few Hobgoblin children peeking at him as he considered a bunch of factors.


    He had to admit, they were pretty cute things.


    But he was able to recognize that even lion cubs had the same qualities, but would end up bing apex predators that tore through their prey without mercy.


    ''If I was weaker than them, these cute ones would be feasting on my flesh by now.''


    Such was thew of the jungle¡ªsurvival of the fittest.


    He didn''t particrly think it was right, but he also had no way to say it was wrong.


    This was just how things were.


    ''I was brought to this world. I might as well survive in it¡­''


    That was his current philosophy.


    Rey pped his hands, causing all the groveling Hobgoblins to jump in fright.


    They all gave him desperate stares, but fortunately for them, Rey only made this sound to get their attention.


    He pointed at the corpses of the dead Hobgoblins and then used [Force] to attract a Hobgoblin that was closer to him.


    The Hobgoblin corpse easily swept through the air andnded in his grasp.


    Many of the onlookers gasped in shock.


    They had never seen such an ability disyed before, and while many of them had fear embedded in their eyes, most also had expressions of admiration within their innocent gaze.


    As children, Hobgoblins grew to respect their parents and other adults due to the strength they disyed.


    Right now, they didn''t have parents to show them power, and what they were currently seeing far surpassed the meager strength they had previously experienced.


    As a result, many of the children quickly respected Rey more than they did their parents.


    It was a puzzling sight, really.


    ''I guess they really don''t understand what death really means since they''re kids.'' Rey thought as he noticed these minute details.


    He could imagine human babies making the same mistake¡ªthough in different circumstances.


    ''Let''s just show them what they need to do.''


    Rey knew the women would catch on quicker, so he made sure he focused on the adult Goblins when making his presentation.


    He dug his unupied hand into the corpse that he tightly held, causing stale blood to spurt out instantly.


    Once he did so, he removed his hand and brought out a glowing red stone from within it.


    A Monster Core.


    Rey dropped the Core on the ground, and alongside it many sacs.


    He pointed at the other corpses and used signnguage to tell the Hobs what he wanted while pointing at the sacs.


    ''They should understand what I mean.''


    What he wanted was simple.


    The Hobgoblins should do the harvesting for him and put all the Monster Cores into the sacs he had provided.


    It was pretty simple.


    One of the female Goblins swiftly moved and reached out to the corpse of a random Hobgoblin beside her.


    She took hold of one of the weapons that was lying on the ground and used it to stab the chest of the dead Hob.


    ~SQUELCH!~


    ~SQUISH!~


    ~QUELCH!~


    She did this multiple times, until finally the maimed flesh was torn into multiple pieces.


    She then dug her hand inside the body and brought forth the Monster Core that Rey desired.


    The moment Rey saw this, he smiled broadly, nodding vehemently.


    He then pointed at the sac, and the Hobgoblin woman proceeded to open the sac and dropped it inside.


    ''Oho! They''re pretty sharp!''


    Rey had expected them to simply drop it on the sac¡ªat least, on their first try¡ªbut the Hobgoblindy exceeded his expectations.


    ''Let''s hope they''re all this sharp.''


    Rey nodded once again, smiling as he approached the Hobgoblin woman.


    He could see her trembling¡ªthe exact reaction that the other Hobs had for every movement he made.


    He ignored their fear and simply patted the head of the Hobgoblin woman who perfectly followed his instructions.


    Her bald head was the same as any Hobgoblin, and to be honest¡­ she resembled the males to a fault.


    The only difference between the females and males was the bulb on the stomachs of the former.


    Rey couldn''t even imagine how the two sexes would look beside each other if the women weren''t pregnant. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ''Maybe that''s a hidden reason why the Goblins ensure their females constantly remain pregnant. That way they can tell which is which.''


    Rey knew this was a terrible time for a joke, but he couldn''t help chuckling a little as he thought of such a scenario.


    ''Okay, that''s enough fun for now.''


    He pointed at the rest of the Corpses, and the rest of the Hobgoblins sprang into action.


    The kids were, of course, more sluggish than their adult counterparts, but they moved regardless.


    ''See? They''re so obedient and efficient!'' Rey smiled as he thought to himself.


    He would never have gotten this far if he had just killed all of them.


    ''Now then¡­ on to the other matter!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Okay¡­ I think maybe I''m going a bit too dark here.


    Please caution me, readers.


    Is it too much?


    New Character Illustrations!!!

 Chapter 37 Finding Treasure

    37 Finding Treasure


    "Now then¡­"


    Rey walked away from the Hobgoblin bunch and left them to their duties while he explored something else he had noticed in the process of fighting the Hobs and freeing the rest.


    It was an opening that led somewhere else.


    ''I''m curious¡­''


    One of the reasons for that was because the ce was open. That meant it had to be avable to the general popce.


    Other than that, it was also glowing a little, so that meant it had to be special.


    ''Let''s check it out!'' Rey smiled as he approached the entrance.


    He had to bend a little since it wasn''t originally designed to fit a human. However, all things considered, the experience wasn''t too ufortable.


    The closer Rey approached the end of the hallway, he could sense what awaited him was.


    ''Don''t tell me¡­ no way!''


    His eyes widened, but he quickly squinted them thanks to the light that radiated from the end.


    Finally, Rey reached the end of the hallway and emerged into another massive clearing.


    "Hehe¡­ hehehehe¡­"


    Rey slowly opened his eyes, ensuring he limated well to the light as he took in the ambiance that greeted him.


    "Hahahahahaha¡­"


    As his eyes now flickered open, he graced his sight with piles of Monster Cores.


    "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"


    Hisughter echoed throughout the great clearing, and his eyes could not stop shedding tears as he watched the immense stockpile of Monster Cores.


    It was insane!


    ''There''s at least hundreds of thousands of them here!''


    They were in so many piles, and it was crazy just how abundant they were.


    ''I expected them to have kept a lot of NightWolf Monster Cores, but not to this extent!''


    This was¡­ this was unbelievable!


    Monster Cores didn''t expire, so they couldst for years upon years.


    Rey could only imagine how Hobgoblin civilizations hade and gone to be able to produce something of such magnitude.


    ''What do they even use these things for? I have to know!'' Rey beamed.


    ''I should call one of them over to exin this to me!''


    *******


    "I-I see¡­"


    Rey''s tone teetered between disappointment and an underlying expectation.


    ''I should have known¡­'' His thoughts trailed as he watched the Hobgoblin he called interact with the Monster Cores.


    ''Hobgoblins are smart. But not that smart.''


    The Hobgoblin in front of him was lying down on the Monster Cores and closing her eyes, pretending to be sleeping.


    ''This ce is their resting spot. That''s what she''s telling me.''


    Apparently, it got crazy cold in the night, and Hobgoblins derived a lot of warmth from the Monster Cores.


    As a result, this entire clearing made for a veryfortable bedroom.


    They were warm by sleeping among the piles of Monster Cores, and since they had to close their eyes when sleeping, the Goblins weren''t bothered by the light.


    Before approaching the room, they would put on blindfolds and enter.


    Once morning arrived, they would leave the room before taking off their blindfolds.


    The more Rey learned, the more he nodded his head, but also shook his head in disappointment.


    ''If only these guys knew how to refine, or even directly absorb the energy that is stored within those Cores¡­ they could have be much stronger than they are now!''


    It was a shame that they didn''t think of doing any of that. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ''Well, I think it''s only a matter of time. If they were under some kind of major threat, they would have figured it out eventually.''


    Necessity was the mother of invention, after all.


    ''Thanks to their considerablyfortable lifestyle, they never really thought of the Cores as anything else.''


    This was all pretty amusing for Rey, but it also caused him to reflect.


    ''Right now, I have a lot of power. If I let myself becent, I could be like these guys¡­''


    Once someone got to the top of the food chain, they ended up losing sight of what made them rise to that position in the first ce.


    ''I can''t let that happen to me!''


    He had to keep improving¡ªgrinding¡ªall so he wouldn''t eventually be stomped down by some supreme power that he could not resist.


    18:14


    Thest thing he wanted was to be like the very Hobgoblins he had conquered.


    "Alright, you can go back now!"


    Rey tapped the Hob and saw her fidget slightly.


    Apparently, she wasn''t pretending to be asleep at all.


    She was actually sleeping!


    ''What the fu¡ª!''


    *********


    "Alright. I should be leaving now."


    The Hobgoblins had sessfully packaged all the Monster Cores for him, and he had taken as many Monster Cores from their depository as he could carry.


    ''It''ll take me at least a few weeks to clear out all those Cores.''


    By that time, he could show the Hobs how to use fire, so they would no longer need the Monster Cores for warmth.


    ''I could make a fortune with all these Monster Cores!'' He could feel himself salivate internally.


    However, he had to control himself.


    Everything woulde to him in due time. He just had to be patient.


    Before Rey left, he made sure to burn the feces for the Hobgoblins,pleting the first step in his restructuring n.


    ''It''ll take some time for me to fully breed them, but so far so good.''


    Since it was already getting prettyte, however, Rey decided to leave things the way they were.


    "I''ll be back tomorrow. Take care until then¡­" Rey waved his hand at the Hobgoblin group.


    Surprisingly, they waved back at him.


    ''Ah¡­ these guys¡­''


    They were all his prey, so it felt a bit ufortable for them to treat him this way.


    He chose to ignore them and floated off.


    ''If this was some anime or manga, perhaps I could be their friend and even develop their society for the greater good.''


    However, this was real life.


    Monsters were Monsters.


    And he was an Otherworlder, brought to this world for one reason alone.


    ''To kill Monsters and grow strong enough to challenge the ultimate Monsters.''


    The Dragons!


    Rey knew he could not allow himself to grow soft at this point.


    He had to keep growing stronger.


    ''That''s the only way to guarantee my own survival.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Well¡­ this was an interesting event.


    Thanks for reading!


    Remember to shower me with Power Stones and Comments.


    I''m getting pretty fired up!

 Chapter 38 Library Buddies

    Chapter 38 Library Buddies


    Alicia White flipped the pages of the book she was reading, silently consuming the information within it.


    As her eyes teetered across each letter¡ªevery word¡ªshe could see all the information she desired to understand. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Still, for some unknown reason, she could not grasp it.


    ''Looks like my mind is wandering again¡­'' Alicia thought to herself.


    After reading for hours without end, it seemed she had finally arrived at her saturation point for the day.


    ''It''s around 7 PM already. Maybe I should take a break¡­''


    As she sighed and closed the book that she read, a small sigh echoed from her lips.


    She nced around and noticed that no one was present in the library but her.


    Times like these felt lonely, but also somewhatforting.


    There were no eyes to re at her, or no mouths to bash her.


    ''It''s not so bad¡­''


    The moment she had this thought, the doors to the library creaked open, and someone entered.


    The moment she heard this, Alicia swiftly carried her book and shoved it in her face, as if she had been reading this entire time.


    ''He''s here!'' Her thoughts echoed as she tried her best not to peek behind the pages of her book.


    Pretending to be so immersed in reading, she kept her eyes locked on the texts therein.


    "Um¡­ hi, Alicia."


    The moment she heard the very familiar, but awkward voice, Alicia straightened up and slowly looked up from her book.


    As expected, she found Rey standing right next to her.


    "O-oh, hi Re¡ª"


    "What are you reading?" He suddenly drew nearer as his face closed in on hers.


    ''Did he just take a shower? He smells nice¡­'' Her thoughts echoed as she tried her best not to look directly at him.


    ''Let''s just pretend I''m reading, and¡ª"


    "Your book is upside down, Alicia. Are you sure you''re okay?"


    "¡­Eh?"


    At this point, she had no point but to look at Rey, and then turned to see that her book was indeed upside down.


    She had been in such a hurry to act like she was serious that she didn''t realize such a simple blunder.


    ''How embarrassing!'' Her thoughts echoed, mortified by the experience.


    But what more could she do at this point? How could she salvage this situation?


    "I-I know. I was trying to see if I could understand it upside down. There''s a chance that a hidden message could be located underneath¡­"


    It was a flimsy excuse that she came up with under the spot, but Alicia really hoped it helped her save face.


    "Ohhh¡­ I see. I have heard of some kinds of writings that reading them normally and upside down bring out different meanings."


    Alicia didn''t know if Rey was just trying to make her feel better about her mistake, or if he genuinely thought she was being serious.


    But, since the ball was already rolling, she stuck to it.


    "Precisely! You get it!"


    There was no other choice but this. Rey was smiling, and so was she.


    It seemed like they both understood her blunder but chose to keep it under wraps.


    Well¡­ it was better this way.


    "Got any rmendations for me today?" Rey backed away slowly, his voice still the constant in their conversation.


    "Yeah, sure. Got any idea of what you would like to read? Or should I just choose randomly?"


    After the both of them had spoken about two weeks ago, Alicia and Rey''s Library Rtionship had somewhat gotten a bit stronger.


    They now spoke to each other, and more often than not Rey would ask for rmendations.


    It was a little awkward initially, but Rey seemed to be getting more and more assertive as the days went by.


    Alicia had no idea where he was getting his confidence from, but the ''Rey'' that she knew when they first arrived in this world was vastly different from the one beside her.


    His personality had changed. From being a dreary, sad-looking person, he was now more like a mysterious persona who intentionally refused to associate with anyone around him.


    The only person he consistently spoke to was Alicia, and she preferred it that way.


    ''His physique has also taken a huge boost. I don''t know what training they''re doing in the Beta Group, but it''s definitely working.''


    Rey usually wore baggy clothes, so it wasn''t very easy to see his muscle tone and well-defined biceps¡ªamong other major improvements¡ªbut Alicia was very observant.


    She could pick things up over time, and right now, she could tell he was very jacked underneath his current oversized hoodie.


    ''I wonder why he''s like this, though¡­''


    She thought guys like him would try vying for a position among the popr kids, seeing how he had improved greatly sinceing to this new world.


    Sure, his abilities weren''t too impressive, but his current physique was impressive in her opinion.


    ''He''s also not terrible looking. He''s definitely above average¡­''


    More importantly, he was pretty chill to be around.


    So why was he not talking to anyone else? Why did he onlye to the library and speak to her?


    ''Maybe I''m just overthinking things. I''m always cooped up here, so maybe he actually had friends I don''t know about¡­''


    The moment Alicia had this thought, she sighed and nodded.


    "Hey, Alicia¡­ did you hear anything I said?"


    Rey''s voice woke her from her torrents of thoughts, and she instantly felt a wave of shock flow through her as a result.


    She sharply turned in his direction, and her face nearly touched his thanks to him being very close to her.


    ''A-ahh¡­!''


    His gaze was intent as he stared straight into her eyes, and she could feel a strange weight ced on her mind.


    "W-what did you say?" She quickly looked away.


    It felt like her heart was racing for a second there, but now it was perfectly fine.


    "I was asking if you''ve read any books on Goblins¡ªspecifically Hobgoblins. I''ve only read about them in the General Monster Encyclopedia."


    "O-ohh¡­ that''s quite a specific topic." Alicia muttered, rubbing her chin slightly.


    Thankfully, she had the ability to switch from embarrassed to serious if the situation called for it.


    "Y-yeah! I need it for¡­ reasons¡­"


    Once again, Rey was being mysterious. Alicia didn''t know whether to like his current personality or find it a little discouraging for her.


    She wanted to know more about his ns, and what he was hiding, but she didn''t know how to phrase it without seeming like a busybody.


    ''If I''m too forward, he might think of me like a prude¡­''


    That was the way most of her ssmates viewed her, despite most of her actions being geared towards the greater good of everyone.


    ''I¡­ I don''t want him to dislike me too¡­''


    As a result, Alicia decided not to speak on the matter despite her fervent curiosity.


    "A book on Goblins and Hobs, huh¡­?" She mumbled, slowly rising from her seat.


    A smile formed on her face as she stared at Rey with an official, yet friendly, demeanor.


    "I think I have just the thing for you."


    *


    *


    *

 Chapter 39 Calculating Prospects

    Chapter 39 Calcting Prospects


    ''Damn, she''s good!''


    Rey flipped open the book on Goblins; one that had an entire chapter dedicated to the Hobgoblins.


    Alicia had given him exactly what he was looking for.


    ''I should have started talking to her from day one. She''s very useful¡­'' Rey smiled as he went over the book.


    The girl known as Alicia White was someone he never thought he would really speak to.


    They had actually attended the same Middle School¡ªsame as Billy¡ªbut Rey didn''t think she would remember that detail.


    They were mostly strangers, even in High School.


    It was only fairly recently that they started speaking, and from what he could see, she was a very nice person.


    ''Why are so many rumors flying aroundtely? She''s clearly not that kind of person.''


    Of course, Rey had no intention of actively defending Alicia the way Billy would.


    The both of them had an understanding, and their rtionship did not extend beyond the four walls of the library.


    If he went out of his way for her, she might not even appreciate it.


    ''Now that I think of it, I don''t even know anything about her¡­''


    She did smell nice, though.


    That was one thing Rey knew for a fact! And the fact that she was extremely intelligent was a plus.


    ''Honestly, I can see myself falling for her if I''m not careful¡­''


    Fortunately, Rey didn''t n on that happening.


    Right now, he only had one mission.


    ''I need to grind!''


    Such things like love were only allowed for the strong.


    It served as a distraction to the current Rey, who still felt inadequate in many areas.


    ''Besides¡­ looking at Alicia, she''s obviously of a different spec.''


    She had dated Adonis in the past, and after that, she even went ahead to date other seniors¡ªat least, ording to what he heard.


    Rey didn''t know how urate that information was, but he could still draw his conclusions that girls like Alicia didn''t fall for boys like him.


    ''I''m average in looks. I''m not very good socially, and I''m considered weak by everyone¡­''


    What was there to like about him?


    ''I''m just going to save myself the embarrassment and forget all about it.''


    He didn''t stand a chance at all, and he was also too busy with getting stronger.


    These two factors made romance¡ªespecially with Alicia¡ªnot too viable.


    Rather than focusing on such futile things, Rey submerged his thoughts into the book in his hand.


    "Hmm¡­ interesting¡­"


    As he studied more about the morphology of Hobgoblins, as well as their immense adaptive capabilities, indomitability, and highpatibility with Monster Cores, Rey felt a smile forming on his face.


    ''I was right. If those guys had consumed the Monster Core, they would have be much more advanced than they are now¡­''


    Rey began to wonder if he should seal off their Sleeping Area as soon as possible.


    That way, there wouldn''t be a chance of them eating of the forbidden fruit.


    ''Or¡­ should I let them consume the Monster Core and see just what they be?''


    Rey was genuinely curious, because from what he was reading here, the length of Hobgoblin evolution was currently non-conclusive.


    Studies were currently being made on them, but due to the Dragon Situation and Economic Crisis, so much research had been suspended or shut down.


    ''Manpower¡ªboth physical and intellectual¡ªhas been diverted to address the Dragon Incursion.''


    That was why there weren''t any proper Clear Squads that actively challenged the Royal Dungeon and opened up more Floors.


    The Nation could not risk any casualties, and most soldiers had been posted to various ces to guard them.


    The Head Warrior and Grand Mage remained the onlypetent forces left in the capital.


    The Old Geezers that they encountered at the beginning had gone to their respective towers, preparing for invasions, or warding off their enemies.


    Everyone was fighting in the front lines, waiting for the turn of their saviors toe.


    ''Even the Royal Estate has very few guards, and their shifts are for long hours.''


    Rey could already recognize every single guard in the Estate, and they weren''t more than fifty.


    It was that bad.


    ''It says here that Hobgoblins have a very strong tendency to deify the strong, which is why their culture is built around the absolutemand of the chief.''


    Rey smiled, having experienced this whole thing y out himself.


    At least, with this piece of information, it was clear that the Hobgoblins wouldn''t betray him or disobey his orders.


    ''It honestly feels like such a waste to kill them. I could do more research on them¡­''


    They were the only Monsters he had met that could intelligently rte with him.


    Plus, the conditions for research were mostly present.


    ''I''m currently on Level 15. I still want to raise my Level some more, but I''m not in a hurry to do that¡­''


    Besides, didn''t he still have about a month before the next batch of Hobs would be ready for harvesting?


    ''I can conduct sufficient research on them during that period¡­''


    That was the most optimal solution he could find.


    ''It''s unfortunate that I didn''t receive any Skills from them, though.''


    Perhaps the NightWolves would have some Skills, but if the Hobgoblins could take them down¡ªOrichalcum or not¡ªthen they couldn''t possibly be that strong.


    ''I shouldn''t raise my hopes up, but it''s still worth checking out.''


    Right now, he needed to amass as much strength as he could. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ''I got 18 new Stat Points from my fight with the Goblins. I know what I''m investing all of them in.''


    There was only one reasonable choice¡ªMANA!


    ''Status Window.'' Rey thought to himself.


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Rey Skr.


    - Race: Human (Otherworlder)


    - ss: Commoner (F-Tier)


    - Level: 15 (11.98% EXP)


    - Life Force: 22


    - Mana Level: 63


    - Combat Ability: 30


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Doppel]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): Nil


    - Alignment: Neutral


    [Additional Information]


    You possess the weakest ss, but the strongest Skill. You can only be described as an ''Overpowered Weakling.''


    [End Of Information]


    ''Alright! This looks neat enough.''


    If he could reach keep grinding, it was possible to finally push his Mana into the triple digits


    ''If I can achieve that, then the other aspects of my Stats won''t be an issue.''


    Rey felt good as he was learning and also getting stronger.


    ''I can''t wait for tomorrow!''


    *


    *


    *

 Chapter 40 The Temporary Instructor

    Chapter 40 The Temporary Instructor


    "Good morning, everyone! Sir Brutus won''t be around, so I''ll be the one directing your Martial Arts ss today."


    The shock written on everyone''s face as they stared at the person speaking was priceless.


    No one could have expected this oue, so they could only gawk in surprise.


    "Adonis is busy with the Alpha Group, so I guess you''ll have to settle for me."


    The one who said this, with a bright smile on his clear face, was none other than Billy McGuire.


    Apparently, both Head Warrior Brutus and Grand Mage Lucielle would be away for the next few days, and there was no one left to teach the students, so they had to teach each other.


    When it was first announced, everyone had thought training would be suspended for the duration of their teachers'' absence.


    How wrong they were¡­


    "This is a joke, right? Why do you have to teach us? You''re practically our ssmate!"


    As expected, Adam red upon rage.


    It seemed like he had been waiting for a moment like this where his anger would be justified.


    Several other students agreed with Adam, but the majority were silent.


    "I also do not approve of this. It feels a bit condescending¡­" This time, Trisha''s voice took dominance over the entire space.


    Her ebony skin glimmered under the hot sun, and her long, braided hair trailed behind her as she made her presence known.


    She was undoubtedly the strongest student in the Beta ss, and the fact that Adam didn''t say anything once she stepped forward proved how much influence she held.


    "Can''t we just train by ourselves? If we get the instructions, we can follow through. We don''t need you ''Alpha'' studentsing to tell us what to do."


    Her fierce frown caused Billy to raise his hands a little, trying to be diplomatic about his approach to the whole thing.


    "Hey¡­ I wasn''t the one responsible for this arrangement, okay? The directive came from our tutors themselves."


    This obviously meant one thing¡ªthat the Alpha students had advanced so far that they could serve as temporary tutors.


    The very thought of this made a lot of Beta students grit their teeth in suppressed envy.


    "You didn''t hear this from me, but there''s going to be a Joint Sessioning up soon. I think it''s advantageous to take advantage of this opportunity and see what we ''Alpha'' Students can do."


    Billy''s smile was calm, but there was something oddly condescending in his tone.


    Trisha noticed it instantly and frowned a little. However, despite her distaste for Billy, she could not deny the advantages his presence implied.


    By letting Billy teach, they could study how much the Alpha Students had advanced, and the gap that currently existed between them.


    If he was right about the Joint Session, then the Beta ss couldn''t afford to ck off and be left behind.


    Sure, they weren''t as powerful as the Alpha Students, but they had been working extremely hard for a month now.


    "Tch! Fine¡­" Trisha muttered, turning her back on Billy as she returned to the rest of the group.


    "Teach us, then."


    "H-hey! I didn''t agree to this!" Adam''s voice suddenly surged forth in resistance.


    He had a desperate expression, as if he was trying to both obtain attention and flex his own minuscule influence within the Beta Group.


    Even though it was smaller than Trisha''s by a wide margin, he still had his own squad. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Who are you to give permission on behalf of the entire¡ª!"


    "Shut up, Adam." Trisha snapped, ring at him with apparent bloodlust.


    The moment she did so, Adam stopped pping his lips and grew stiff. Her intense gaze on him was more than enough to overpower his ambitious stance.


    "W-whatever¡­" He muttered as he looked away.


    Of course, he would never admit defeat. However, to everyone present, they already knew¡­


    Adam was the loser.


    "Thanks for quelling the rebellion, Trisha. It''s much appreciated." Billy''s words grew bolder as his smile widened.


    He seemed to be enjoying every moment of this.


    "I didn''t do it for you." Trisha responded, her arms folded.


    As her pitch-ck hair danced behind her, she narrowed her eyes on Billy.


    "Let''s just begin."


    Her objective was simple; learn as much from the Alpha Student and improve drastically based on what was studied.


    Trisha would do anything to grow stronger¡ªeven if it meant learning under someone like Billy.


    ''I just have to be patient and observant¡­'' As her thoughts trailed, an internal smile appeared.


    ''Let''s see how strong you are!''


    *********


    [Several Moments Later]


    As the group of studentsy sprawling on the floor, Trisha''s widened eyes were fixed on the grinning opponent before her.


    Her vision blurred, but she tightly held her two daggers regardless of how nauseated she felt.


    With her muscles aching, and sweat constantly dripped from her ebony skin, she had no choice but to revise her earlier thoughts on Billy¡ªno, the Alpha ss as a whole.


    ''I was wrong¡­''


    As her thoughts trailed, she made a few heavy sighs while maintaining proper form.


    ''He¡­ he''s strong! Stronger than I expected!''


    It wasn''t just due to his powerful Skills, but the way he expertly used them.


    His base strength and speed was iparably superior to hers, and it seemed like he could read all her moves too easily.


    ''How¡­? How did he advance so much? It''s only been a month!''


    Trisha''s parents were expert Martial Artists back on Earth¡ªand her father was even a Pro.


    She had joined many clubs that focused on Martial Arts and Sports¡ªboth within and outside school¡ªback on Earth, growing stronger ever since she was a little girl.


    That was why she was able to easily adapt to this world.


    It wasn''t just talent, but dedication and constant hard work.


    Yet¡­ yet¡­ YET¡­!!!


    The skinny Billy that had nobat experience just some weeks prior now had enough skill and ability to utterly overwhelm her.


    How was that even fair?


    ''Damnit¡­''


    Trisha gazed at all the students that were already on the ground.


    She was thest one standing.


    ''Damnit¡­''


    Holding tightly to her dagger, Trisha inhaled deeply and dulled her exhaustion.


    ''¡­ I can''t lose now!''


    Tightly gritting her teeth, she raised both daggers and readied her body for action.


    ''I won''t lose!''


    *


    *


    *

 Chapter 41 Rey’s Analysis

    Chapter 41 Rey¡¯s Analysis


    ''Oof! This is looking bad¡­''


    As Rey was on the ground, eating dust just like the rest of his friends, he actively observed the current battle unfolding before him.


    Of course, he did so inconspicuously, since most of the people that Billy had defeated were either unconscious or too tired to watch anything.


    ''I made sure to get eliminated among the first batch of students. He practically one-shot me¡­'' Rey smiled, almost as if he was proud of that achievement.


    He hadn''t spoken to Billy since that night when he walked back their living quarters with Alicia, but Rey constantly caught him throwing bad stares his way.


    ''I don''t get his deal. If he wants to talk to Alicia, he can just go and meet her in the library. I''m sure they''d bond well there¡­''


    Of course, Rey didn''t like the idea of Billy sullying the sanctuary that was the Library, but it was always an option for thetter.


    ''Billy looks pretty well-toned now. He''s also in great shape. Plus, he''s strong and popr¡­.'' Rey could easily notice all these things because of the body-hugging outfit Billy was fond of wearing.


    It was in direct contrast to the baggy stuff Rey constantly put on.


    ''I''m sure he has more of a chance with Alicia than I ever could. He should just give it a go or something¡­''


    Once again, Rey didn''t like the idea of Billy hanging around Alicia too much.


    It wasn''t because he felt jealous or anything, but because he knew the kind of person the guy was.


    ''He was able to easily abandon me¡ªhis friend from middle school¡ªas soon as he got the chance to.''


    Billy was obviously a grifter, and Rey thought he was unreliable.


    He certainly wasn''t the kind of person Alicia needed in her life at this point¡ªespecially with the rumors going around and her increased istion.


    ''I wonder what he''s doing about the rumors, though¡­''


    All of Billy''s problems could easily be solved if he just went to the Library and developed an interest in the things that Alicia also had an affinity for.


    ''I mean, she practically talks to a nobody like me. I''m sure if it''s Billy, she''d be able to rte more¡­''


    But Rey knew Billy would never do that.


    Even back on Earth, the boy dreaded books and was constantly failing.


    ''I don''t im to be very smart or anything, but at least I was average.''


    Billy wasn''t the ''smart'' kind of Nerd. He was the kind who obsessed over novels and games.


    ''Well, that''s enough of that.''


    Rey sighed as he watched Billy deliver the final blow to Trisha, who crumbled to her knees.


    Despite the ebony''s prowess, she just wasn''t a match for Billy''s superiorbat.


    ''I see. So this is the level of an Alpha ss elite¡­'' Rey thought to himself.


    There was only one problem, though.


    ''This isn''t impressive at all.''


    Billy was one of the strongest among the Alpha ss students, but from what Rey was seeing¡­ his overall ability wasn''t particrly exceptional.


    ''I don''t know. Could it be that he was going easy on all of us?''


    Despite thinking this, Rey could clearly see Billy breathing heavily and also leaking out some beads of sweat.


    ''It doesn''t seem like he had it too easy, though.''


    Perhaps it could be argued that Billy was only acting like this to make the Beta Students feel better.


    However, Billy wasn''t that kind of person at all.


    "You all did excellently well. I haven''t been pushed like this in a while¡­" Even Billy admitted it as he heaved a little.


    "Especially you, Trisha. You were exceptional."


    Despite hearing this, Trisha didn''t seem pleased in the slightest.


    In fact, she had an immensely disappointing expression.


    It felt like she was beating herself up for losing.


    ''If Billy is trying to make us feel better, he''s doing a poor job.'' Rey sighed.


    This convinced him even further that Billy wasn''t pretending to be exhausted.


    He genuinely was.


    ''And that''s what makes this whole thing surprising. I didn''t expect him to get tired so easily. Especially after his mundane performance.''


    Rey thought Billy''s moves were too shy and didn''t properly focus on efficiency.


    ''Maybe it''s because we''ve only been sparring, and no one here has any proper battle experience.''


    In an actual fight with monsters, shy and stylish moves weren''t what determined a fight at all.


    Techniques had to be fluid, but also impactful. Rather than focusing on style, it was more effective to cut off all extraneous material and fixate on the goal itself.


    If one wanted to kill an enemy, would they focus on slicing through parts of the body, or would they simply dismember their targets and then decapitate them once they could no longer offer any kind of resistance?


    ''I guess it''s because the Alpha ss Students have started seriously learning Martial Arts¡­''


    The Beta ss was still in the basics, and from what Rey could see, most of what they were learning wouldn''t be useful in a real fight.


    It was the same way most of what students learned in school wouldn''t be applicable in the real world after they graduated or sought a specific degree.


    ''That''s why this is a waste of time¡­''


    Rey honestly wished he could just skip Training altogether and focus on his business in the Dungeon, but he couldn''t do that.


    At least, not yet.


    ''There''s no helping it. I should just be patient.''


    Right now, most of the students were beginning to stir, so Rey also did the same.


    They sluggishly rose to their feet at Billy''s instructions, and he joined them in their obedience.


    ''If this is the level of the elite Alpha Students, maybe I''m a lot stronger than I think.'' n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    However, the moment Rey thought about Adonis, and the fact that someone like him was considered qualified enough to tutor the entire Alpha ss, he changed his mind instantly.


    ''I shouldn''t use Billy as a metric!''


    Until he was certain that he was as strong as¡ªif not stronger than¡ªthe Hero, Rey couldn''t be satisfied.


    ''Gotta keep grinding!''

 Chapter 42 Return To The Hobgoblins

    42 Return To The Hobgoblins


    ''Hehe! Finally, I''m back!''


    Rey had a wide grin on his face as he began to walk down the wide passageway of the seventh floor.


    He had been looking forward to this moment for a while now, and there were a lot of things he couldn''t start doing.


    ''I made sure to properly understand every single detail about Hobs that I read. While the research on them was iplete, he practically knew all there was to know at this point.''


    As per the n, he would ensure their civilization flourished by teaching them a bunch of things and ensuring that they evolved a lot in the process.


    ''I should also experiment with the effects of various Monster Cores on them.''


    Rey was genuinely curious about what would happen, and he was itching to find out.


    "SKRRIAAAK."


    "GURRIAKKA."


    "HUKAKAYA."


    The sounds of Hobgoblins danced in his ears as he entered the clearing.


    Once again, he was greeted with a putrid odor. It wasn''t as bad as the previous time, but it still smelled disgusting.


    "Well¡­ I''m back." Rey muttered as he watched the Hobs recognize his presence.


    The instant they saw him, all of them¡ªwomen and children¡ªrushed to his presence.


    They all kneeled and bowed their heads in subservience, speaking words in Goblinnguage that properly passed across a message of submission.


    ''Guess we''re back to this¡­''


    Rey didn''t particrly dislike it, but he also wasn''t the biggest enjoyer of being worshiped.


    As long as they did what he wanted, he didn''t mind either way.


    "Well, let''s begin, shall we?"


    *******


    It took all day for Rey to properly teach the Hobgoblins about hygiene.


    ''I honestly thought it would be likest time¡­'' Rey thought to himself as he watched the Hobgoblins.


    Unfortunately for him, teaching them about the important aspects of development wasn''t nearly as easy as instructing them to harvest Monster Cores.


    These green things were indeed smart, for monsters, but not by arge extent.


    Rey realized he had to recognize that.


    ''Well, at least we made some progress today.'' Heforted himself with that thought.


    Not only were they able to properly set up the waste system, but Rey also taught them all about fire and its uses.


    They could use it to cook, for warmth, and also to burn away all their wastes.


    When Rey asked them what they drank for water, the Goblins showed them a pool of muddled water that probably had as much infection as the feces problem he had gotten rid of.


    Water fell from crevices in the ceiling at particr intervals, and when it did, they let it gather in a ditch they dug themselves.


    Unfortunately, this meant that the water would mix with the dirt, leaving it in an unsanitary state.


    Also, since the water wasn''t running, it improved the chances of disease festering.


    ''Monsters are living things too. While these ones have evolved to tolerate sickness in an unhygienic environment, it isn''t absolute.''


    Ny percent of Hobgoblins died before reaching adulthood, and even among those who did, only seven percent made it to old age.


    It was that bad.


    ''If I solve all these problems, just how well will they prosper?!''


    Rey was genuinely curious about that.


    In order to solve the water problem, he instructed them to makerge pots from the Orichalcum that was abundant among them.


    This would allow them to cook and also harvest water into clean vessels.


    ''I don''t knowplicated stuff about homemade equipment and health practices. Maybe I''ll have to learn about that too¡­''


    Rey wondered how he was going to ask Alicia for a book rmendation on those topics.


    Wouldn''t it be too absurd?


    ''Sometimes I wonder how much she knows about what I do¡­''


    Rey often pondered on the reason why Alicia never asked him any questions regarding how he spent his time and what he was up to.


    After being caught sneaking around the Royal Estate, Rey had thought he would be constantly policed by her, but that wasn''t the case at all.


    ''Does she know, and she''s hiding it? Or is she really oblivious?''


    The Alicia he knew was constantly curious and suspicious of what she didn''t understand.


    That alone made Rey suspect the former.


    ''I can''t be too sure, though. I just have to remain lowkey¡­''


    If she didn''t say anything, he wouldn''t as well.


    The Hobgoblins weren''t done constructing the pots he had instructed them to. He knew it would take a lot of trial and error, but they were bound to get the hang of it eventually.


    It was gettingte, though, and Rey knew he had to leave pretty soon.


    Before going, he had to do two things.


    The first and most important was to drain as many Monster Cores as he could from the Hobgoblins'' depository.


    As for thetter, it was already staring him in the face. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ''I guess I should do this first¡­'' Rey smiled widely as he stared at the ''thing'' that had now be his opponent.


    It was a NightWolf.


    The dark fur of the beast danced with the stale air within the arena that the Hobgoblins had made for him, and it''s ckened eyes reeked of starvation.


    NightWolves were usually fed the feces of the Hobgoblins, and asionally, some grounded Orichalcum mixed with dirt.


    The Hobs thought of this as the perfect revenge against the very beasts that tortured them for Eons in Goblin-Time.


    ''That''s a pretty nasty meal if you ask me¡­''


    As a result of their terrible diet, NightWolves were extremely weak.


    Compared to the healthy-looking Hobgoblins, their bodies were pretty disproportional.


    The NightWolf that currently faced Rey had a bloated stomach, but it''s limbs were extremely bony.


    Its fangs had been clipped off, most likely by itself.


    ''I noticed they asionally eat their nails so their bellies stay full¡­''


    It sucked to be the NightWolves, and their very existence reminded Rey that the Hobgoblins were just as cruel as he was.


    No¡­ perhaps they were even worse.


    ''Monsters will always be monsters.''


    "GRRRRRRR¡­"


    As the NightWolf growled, Rey prepared himself for whatever attack that woulde.


    ''I''m not expecting much, but I''d like to see what it can do!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Sorry for the lore-dump, but I enjoy writing it.


    If it gets too much, let me know.

 Chapter 43 Rey Vs The NightWolf

    43 Rey Vs The NightWolf


    ~WHOOSH!~


    The NightWolf lunged at Rey with primal ferocity, opening its jaws wide as it desired to rip him to pieces.


    ''It''s faster than I expected¡­''


    Of course, its speed was nowhere close to Rey''s, as he easily evaded the beast.


    Despite the NightWolf''s bony legs and malnutritioned body, it was just as fast as an average Hobgoblin adult.


    ''I can only imagine how fast it would be if it was in perfect condition.''


    Of course, there was no way to find out about that now.


    Perhaps he could discover more about the NightWolves if he tried, but Rey genuinely had no real interest in them.


    He just wanted to know their Skills.


    ''I have limited time. In between training myself and experimenting with the Hobs, I don''t think I can handle anothermitment.''


    Besides, the NightWolves were the major source of nutrition for the Hobgoblins. There was no way he could just use them as he pleased.


    ¡­ Not unless he had some way to substitute them for something else.


    ''I''m currently broke, and I don''t have ess to arge quantity of food.''


    Since he wanted the Hobs to grow healthy and strong, forgoing the NightWolves was a necessary sacrifice.


    ''Even this single NightWolf has enough nutrients to feed dozens of Hobs. I have to leave it in good condition after I kill it.''


    "GRRRAAAAHHHH!"


    The NightWolf charged towards Rey once again, it''s eyes now glowing purple for some reason.


    ''Could it be¡­ a Skill?!''


    ~BZZTZZZ!~


    Crackles of lightning shed around the NightWolf as it rushed towards Rey.


    With its body coated in purple currents, its speed drastically increased, and charred marks appeared around the very ground it trod.


    ''I see! So that''s its Skill¡­''


    Rey wasn''t particrly disappointed since he didn''t have a lot of high hopes for the NightWolf, to begin with.


    ''My [Greater Lightning Magic] Skill can do the same, and a lot more too¡­''


    16:06


    Still, Rey wasn''t done with his research.


    ''Let''s see how much damage it can deal.''


    Rey nted his foot on the ground and waited for the blow toe.


    ''This is the first time I''m intentionally taking a hit from a monster¡­''


    He wasn''t particrly frightened since he had Skills that coulde to his aid if he was ever injured.


    However, it still felt weird.


    All of Rey''s instincts told him to kill before got killed, or harm before he got harmed.


    Anytime he was in such a zone, he went on a frenzy.


    But this time, he was still.


    ''I genuinely want to know!''


    The NightWolf closed the distance between it and Rey within a mere second, its w raised to deliver vindictive justice.


    ~SWISH!~


    The w shed through Rey''s baggy shirt, and his eyes instantly widened the moment it happened.


    ''N-no¡­! How could I have been so careless!''


    Rey instantly regretted his decision to stand still. It had backfired in the most unexpected way!


    And no, it wasn''t because he was hurt in any way.


    Not even a scratch was on his body


    The reason for his current distress was something far more serious.


    It was¡­


    ''My favorite shirt! Goddamn it!''


    Rey honestly felt like crying.


    He hadn''t been paying attention to what happened to his outfits too much since his defenses always ensured he would never get touched.


    He had worn this current shirt because he felt great today, and now it was in tatters.


    ''You¡­ it''s all YOUR fault!'' Rey red at the NightWolf.


    The Monster instantly felt the bloodlust that radiated from its supposed prey.


    It could feel every hair on its skin stand, and all of its instincts told it to run¡ªflee as fast as it could.


    The resounding crackles of electricity danced around the NightWolf as it turned tail and deserted the fight.


    "Hey! Where are you going?!" Rey yelled, but the NightWolf did not listen.


    It was too busy following its internal directive. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Oi¡­" Rey''s voice suddenly took a dangerous turn.


    ~ZZZTTZZ!~


    "¡­ I asked you a question."


    Purple shes of lightning began to dance around Rey''s body as he activated the same Skill that the NightWolf just disyed.


    A C-Tier Skill called [Lightning Coat].


    It wasn''t a particrly weak Skill, though its base damage output was quite low.


    What made the Skill considerably useful was its ''Buff'' attribute.


    It increased the user''s speed and strength¡ªthough not by an extremely crazy amount.


    Just a 25 percent increase.


    For a weakling like the NightWolf, that number wasn''t a lot.


    However, for someone like Rey¡­ it was overpowered.


    ~WHOOOSH!!~


    Rey instantly swept through the gap between himself and the fleeing creature.


    In a sh, he was right in front of the pathetic thing.


    "Where the fuck do you think you''re going?"


    Rey grabbed the NightWolf by the throat, heading the creature whimpering instantly.


    He could feel the blood and bones that stuck to the beast''s trembling body. Its fur was hard and rough, but none of that conceded Rey.


    Even with the crackles of electricity from the NightWolf, Rey was unbothered.


    His own burst of purple electricity seemed to do the one damaging the NightWolf.


    "Now I see why the Hobgoblins were able to defeat you guys¡­" Rey whispered.


    The NightWolves were by far superior to the Hobs, but they were also straightforward creatures.


    ''Their attacks are predictable and usually center around my lower abdomen to my leg area.


    For the Hobs, that was around their chest.


    ''It''s no wonder their armor mostly covers their chest.''


    Speaking of the Hobgoblin armor; it was made of Orichalcum, which was a nonconducting mineral.


    ''Add that to the Mana-dulling effect it has¡­ the NightWolves didn''t stand a chance.''


    It was quite an amazing thing¡ªhow strong predators like these could lose simply because of the innovation of a weaker species.


    ''I wonder if the same can be applied for the Dragons¡­''


    When it came to power versus adaptability, which would emerge superior? From what he was seeing, thetter seemed to be the case.


    Rey couldn''t say for sure, though.


    After all¡­ he still hadn''t met a Dragon.


    At least, not yet.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    What are your thoughts about the proposition?


    Would you rather have power or innovation?

 Chapter 44 A Sparring Dummy

    44 A Sparring Dummy


    The next day arrived in the blink of an eye, and once again, Billy was the one responsible for training.


    Rey didn''t really mind it; as long as Billy didn''t pay any special attention to him and simply performed his duties as their tutor. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Unfortunately for Rey, he was in for a rude awakening.


    "Rey Skr, step forward."


    Rey didn''t like it when people used his full name¡ªespecially when it was being said in a public ce like this.


    ''Reminds me of a teacher calling me out in ss¡­''


    Why couldn''t he just be left alone?


    Still, if he refused to step out, he would be drawing more attention to himself.


    As a result of this logic, he obeyed.


    "Today we''re going to be reviewing the Martial Arts techniques you have been learning and providing counters for them."


    Rey felt butterflies in his stomach as he felt the gaze of everyone on him.


    He still wasn''t veryfortable about any of this.


    "After the sparring session yesterday, and the rest of it being a theoretical discussion, I havee to the conclusion that you''re allcking in a lot of areas."


    At this point, no one bothered to argue with him.


    Not Trisha¡­ not Adam¡­ and certainly not Rey.


    They all knew their ce as inferior students, and Billy seemed to be enjoying himself for that very reason.


    "I''ll be using Rey here as my training dummy for today. Or, maybe a sparring partner would be the most appropriate word to use."


    ''The hell¡­?!'' Rey''s thoughts echoed as he noticed Billy''s sly grin.


    ''What''s he on about now?''


    "Everyone present will grab a partner. You''ll be engaged in sparring with them. As for me¡­ I''ll use this one."


    Billy mmed his hand on Rey''s back, knowing he would tumble and fall.


    In response to the p, Rey did as expected.


    "U-urgh!"


    Deciding to move with the flow of the p, he copsed to the ground like a helpless student.


    ''I see what''s going on now¡­''


    After their ss yesterday, Rey had thought Billy had stopped his petty fixations on him, but apparently he was wrong.


    ''It makes no sense to make me his sparring partner. We''re twenty in the Beta Group. We can evenly split the ss and everyone will have sparring buddies.''


    However, if they used Billy''s model, then one of the Beta Students would be without a partner.


    That made no sense!


    "Trisha, it''ll be unfair for you to have a partner right now, so maybe just observe."


    It seemed Billy quickly noticed the problem that his arrangement posed, so he swiftly tried to manage it.


    Rey instantly called bullshit on it, though.


    ''So Trisha is too strong for a sparring buddy and you''re not? Why can''t you choose Trisha as your sparring buddy? Wouldn''t that be perfect?''


    The stronger a person was, the better they would be in being Billy''s sparring partner or training dummy.


    ''What he wants isn''t the best sparring partner, but the one he can freely beat up.''


    Rey could tell already¡­ that Billy was nning to utterly humiliate him.


    ''This is the third time, Billy. I let it go the first two times, but now¡­?''


    As Rey rose to his feet, he hid his re under an innocent facade.


    ''I''ll make you regret this.''


    ******


    Just as agreed, the ss was split into groups of two.


    There were nine groups, and Trisha remained the one without a partner.


    The n was to watch Billy and Rey''s fight sequence, and then try to imitate¡ªor replicate¡ªthe process in their own turn.


    Rey would be the one initiating the Martial Arts Technique, while Billy would use its direct counter.


    The purpose of this lesson was to let the students know the diverse use of Martial Arts as well as the strengths and weaknesses of each technique.


    Every student thought it was a good lesson to be learning.


    All except one.


    ''This is dumb. Monsters don''t use Martial Arts, and all of this seems unnecessary¡­''


    The only reason Martial Arts was being learned in the first ce was to improve the abilities the students gained after activating their Skills.


    As such, if one had a Buff Skill, they would be able to use Martial Arts as the perfect conduit to get the most out of that Skill.


    The same applied for any other Skill; like shapeshifting or flying.


    The way to incorporate the existing Skills of the students to theirbat¡­ that was its true essence.


    ''Everyone already had considerably better Skills than most denizens of this world. Instead of learning Martial Arts and it''s weaknesses, it''s better to adopt whatever Martial Arts technique we learn into our Skills and develop our own style.''


    In essence, Rey didn''t subscribe to learning fixed techniques, but to appropriate them into his own preferred method ofbat.


    ''But¡­ this is what we get instead.''


    Rey stopped himself from sighing since he was being watched by everyone.


    As he stood in front of the smirking Billy, he took the Martial Arts form that they were supposed to start with.


    ''He''ll counter me in the most brutal way possible¡ªhumiliating me in the process.''


    Rey could already see it y out, and he didn''t like it at all.


    ''The very reason I decided to hide my powers is to avoid attention being drawn to me, and yet¡­''


    He wasn''t about to be treated like shit just for trying to fit in with everyone.


    ''We''ve been told not to use any Skills since this is a purely technical match.''


    That was enough to put a smile on Rey''s face.


    ''Let''s see how it goes.''


    "Alright, Rey. Why don''t you begi¡ª?"


    ~WHOOSH!~


    Rey perfectly imitated the footwork of the Martial Arts technique that they were taught, swiftly closing the gap between himself and Billy.


    "H-huh?!"


    It seemed Billy was more than stunned to see Rey close the distance so quickly.


    They were already mere inches from each other, and Billy was yet to move a single muscle.


    ''As long as no Skills are involved, I should be able to get away with this¡­''


    ~WHUUUM!~


    Rey sent a blow flying to Billy''s stomach, trying his best to hide the wide grin that was forming on his face.


    ''Why don''t I show off a little?''


    *


    *


    *

 Chapter 45 A Spar With Billy

    45 A Spar With Billy


    "Keuk!"


    Billy winced the moment he felt somethingnd on his stomach.


    The fist carried so much force that he could already feel a heavy wind pressure before it even touched him.


    Fortunately, he had been fast enough to take a step backward, so that mitigated the blow by a considerable degree.


    ''A-ahh¡­!''


    Billy did his best not to clutch his stomach despite the burning sensation that now swirled on it.


    It stung him, to say the least, but he endured the pain.


    He also tried to hide his downright shock, but Billy failed woefully at that.


    His bloodshot eyes were glued to Rey, who had resumed his standby stance¡ªalmost as if prepared to deliver another volley.


    ''D-did Rey justnd a hit¡­ on me?''


    Sure, Billy was already aware that he wasn''t using any Skills, but his Stats were meant to be superior.


    How was Rey able to do something like that?!


    ''Calm down, Billy. He just got lucky. Yes¡­ I was distracted and he had a lucky score.''


    After chalking it down to a fluke, Billy found himself regainingposure.


    There was no way Rey could beat him in a thousand years.


    ''I''m a lot stronger now! I''m among the Top 5 in Alpha ss!''


    "Let''s try that once again. I wasn''t paying enough attention." Billy quickly spoke.


    He had been unable to show everyone watching the proper counter to give to the Martial Arts that Rey disyed.


    He never thought he would make a blunder, but Billy quickly took it in stride.


    ''Next time¡­ it won''t happen again!''


    "Begin!"


    As soon as Billy said this, Rey used the same footworks asst time, but he drastically changed the rhythm.


    As such, instead of arriving at Billy in six steps, he did so in eight.


    ''He''s too¡­ slow!''


    Billy had already begun his counter the moment he saw Rey approach him, already ensuring Rey wouldn''t be too fast and catch him off guard again.


    Unfortunately, by acting too early, Billy''s counter failed woefully.


    And¡­ the moment it failed¡­


    ~WHOOOSSH!~


    ¡­ Rey closed in with a powerful fist.


    ~CRUNCH!~


    This time, Rey''s heavy blownded right on Billy''s face, causing him to stumble backwards.


    The cracking sound he heard was most likely the sound of his nose breaking.


    ''E-eh? Again? How¡­?''


    How was this happening?!


    Billy gritted his teeth now, a heated re traveling to Rey, who¡ªfor the purpose of the training¡ªhad gone back to his earlier position and returned to his standby stance.


    It pissed Billy off to an absurd degree to see Rey appear so calm.


    "Twice in a row, huh? Interesting¡­" Billy touched the bridge of his nose and readjusted the cartge that had gotten shifted.


    Even though he managed to smile, he was burning with rage within.


    "Let''s try this again."


    Billy, at this point, didn''t care if he was going to badly damage Rey in this next round.


    ''I nned on inflicting light punishment on him throughout the course of this training, but now¡­ I''ve changed my mind.''


    It was better to break him as early as possible.


    ''Come, Rey! I''ll show you the difference in our abilities!''


    The third try for Rey was the very opposite of the second.


    Rather than utilizing six steps to draw closer to the target, Reypleted the process in four.


    His swift movement allowed him to get near Billy faster, eliminating two of the tedious steps by improving his momentum.


    Sure, it woulde at the sacrifice of some stamina, but the speed made the improvisation worth it.


    ''Hehehe! I can see what you''re doing, Rey!'' Billy grinned internally.


    Whether or not Rey was speeding towards him, it didn''t matter.


    He was going to counter perfectly!


    Billy began to push his body forward for a counter.


    ''I''ll match your speed! You can''t escape me!''


    As his body arched forward, and he made to grab Rey, who was now within distance, Rey made the final two steps and rerouted his blow.


    Billy did not realize when Rey had moved to his right nk,pletely evading the grapple that would have served as a perfect counter.


    The result was inevitable.


    ~WHAM!~


    Rey''s blow hit Billy right in the cheek, causing Billy to stumble and finally fall to the ground.


    Everyone''s gasp came like a chorus, and their surprised stared greeted the surprising victor.


    Several of them mouthed words like:


    "H-how?!"


    "What the hell?!"


    "Rey actually won?!"


    It was amazing¡ªno, downright inspiring¡ªto see someone from the Beta ss defeat an Alpha Student.


    And to think it was the most average of all of them¡ªRey Skr.


    "WHAT DID YOU DO?!" The voice came from the ground.


    Billy was rising from his feet, having a furious expression.


    He red at Rey with a passion, not even bothering to hide his emotions any longer.


    "That wasn''t the Martial Arts Technique you were supposed to use. What the hell did you do?!"


    Billy''s words sounded like the sayings of a sore loser, but no one could say that.


    They only waited patiently for how Rey would respond.


    "But I used the Martial Arts Technique. Six Steps and a Thrust."


    No one could deny that was what he did.


    However¡­


    "B-but you¡ª!"


    "I dyed for a brief moment and gave a feint¡ªwhich is allowed in Martial Arts."


    The veins on Billy''s face increased slightly.


    "What of the second round? You used eight steps before the thrust!"


    For a moment, there was silence.


    Billy was being petty about the moves, and everyone knew that, but he wasn''t wrong.


    Rey hadn''t been faithful to the technique he was meant to use.


    "I made a mistake in my footwork and ended up with eight instead of six. But, you never corrected me or said I was in the wrong back then."


    As Rey said this, everyone''s eyes widened instantly.


    "I don''t know why you''re mentioning it now¡­ Bill."


    Rey''s condescending words wereced properly with a respectful tone. It clearly made a mockery of Billy and his pride, but no one wasining.


    Something about the weak beating the strong¡ªeven if it was merely on the grounds of technicality¡ªmade them feel good.


    Sure, they knew that if Billy was to use his Skills, he would destroy Rey. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    However, the apparent nobody had found a way to grow stronger without relying on his Skills.


    And whether Rey knew that or not, his action managed to inspire a lot of his fellows.


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Was that satisfying for you? Do you still want more? Let''s hear your thoughts below!

 Chapter 46 A Discourse With Trisha

    46 A Discourse With Trisha


    "We''re going on a short break. I''ll be right back!"


    The way Billy stormed out of the training grounds made it clear that he wasn''t in a great mood.


    Everyone could see that the nobody called Rey had managed to get under his skin; even though it was just by employing certain unexpected tactics to his form.


    The gazes they now directed towards him was one of silent admiration and pride.


    While they weren''t the ones who won¡­ it sure felt good!


    ********


    ''So many eyes are on me¡­''


    Rey was currentlyying on the grassy ins, his eyes tightly shut as he enjoyed the fresh air and nice weather.


    He didn''t particrly like the attention that was being bestowed on him, but he also recognized it as inevitable.


    ''This is what I get for standing out¡­''


    Rey was certain that if he had lost to Billy, he would also attract a ton of attention¡ªthough not for positive reasons.


    He would be pitied, and recognized as weak prey.


    ''I don''t want that. Just because I refuse to stand out, it doesn''t mean I want to be shit on.''


    As Rey had these thoughts, he began to hear hushed murmurs and ramblings of surprise from his ssmates.


    At the same time, he could hear soft footsteps approach him.


    "Hey, Rey. Wanna talk for a minute?"


    Rey recognized the voice and slowly opened his eyes to see the girl who had it.


    ''Trisha¡­ huh¡­?''


    Her arms were currently on her hips as she looked down on himying down.


    ''From this angle¡­ I can see quite a lot.'' Rey thought to himself, not sure if his cheeks were red or not.


    Trisha was extremely fit.


    She had an extremely well-toned body, and her muscles were perfectly in tune with her slender body.


    Despite this, she had arge pair of boobs, and her ass wasn''tcking either.


    Out of everything, though, Trisha''s thighs were the main attraction.


    They seemed so sulent and were usually moist that even Rey couldn''t help staring at them from time to time.


    The only thing he told himself, which made him feel like less of a degenerate, was that literally everyone was doing it.


    He had caught several boys and even girls gawking at Trisha''s tanned thighs.


    ''And now they''re in sight¡­''


    Rey gulped down the saliva that had formed in his throat as he enjoyed the sight for as long as he would be allowed to.


    "Oi! Are you listening to me at all?"


    "H-huh?" Rey snapped out of his daydream and retraced his gaze to Trisha''s face.


    She had a small frown on her face, and that instantly made Rey shiver a bit.


    ''She caught me staring, didn''t she?''


    "U-um¡­ what were you saying?" Rey managed to croak out, hoping that would make her ignore his transgressions.


    Trisha was the most influential person in Beta ss. If she decided to persecute him, then he would be in for a rough ride.


    "Urgh! I knew you weren''t paying attention."


    Before Rey could say a word in his defense, Trisha squatted, bringing her face closer to his.


    Of course, that meant the temptation to stare at her legs had increased exponentially.


    The fact that Trisha was fond of wearing tank tops and extremely skimpy shorts didn''t help his case.


    ''Control yourself, Rey! Please have some decency!''


    Fortunately, he was able to do just that.


    "I was asking about how you were able to apply those changes to the Martial Arts you used." Trisha asked, her face still as serious as when she first appeared.


    However, something about her inquisitive eyes made her seem less scary than normal.


    "They aren''t really changes, but¡ª"


    "I know. Variations of the same moves, right? But that made you think of tweaking the fixed technique. We were never told that it was a malleable technique, and our instructor was also very strict about getting it right."


    Rey knew she didn''t directly say it, but Trisha was also poking at his silly excuse for using those eight steps instead of six.


    ''She knows it wasn''t by ident¡­''


    Rey found himself smiling as he stared at her face and thought of all she said.


    He didn''t know why, but he liked her straightforward personality.


    She was fierce, and her blunt nature reminded him of a certain girl that he constantly met in the library.


    ''Well, Alicia is different, but¡­''


    Rey quickly shook his head and dissolved the thoughts he was having. He knew full well where they would lead him to if he continued.


    "I just think Martial Arts should be dynamic. Especially in this world."


    "But specific forms exist for a reason. By connecting the steps and following due course, it''s more efficient and¡ª!"


    "This isn''t Earth." Rey answered, sharply interrupting Trisha before she could say any more."


    "W-what¡­?"


    "We''re in a world of Magic and Skills. This isn''t our old world anymore." He reiterated.


    "What''s that supposed to mean?"


    "It means you need to stop thinking like you''re going to be fighting in tournaments or street brawls. We''re going to be facing monsters¡­ dragons¡­"


    As Rey was saying these things, he could see Trisha''s eyes widen.


    ''It seems she''s getting it.'' His smile grew broader.


    "So¡­ what do you suggest we¡­ no I do? I¡­ I want to get stronger. Much stronger."


    As Trisha said this, she cast her gaze on her hand. It seemed she was distracted by a certain line of thought.


    Perhaps it was a fleeting memory.


    "Stop thinking like a Martial Artist. You have Skills now. Powers that are more effective than merely swinging your de. You should be trying to incorporate everything you learn and know into those Skills, not the other way around."


    ording to Rey, one''s Skills were the foundation upon which to build every other ability obtained.


    Martial Arts had to be learned and mastered to suit the Skills one had, and not the Skill being used to properly utilize Martial Arts.


    "In the end, we are not like the people of this world. We already have these powerful abilities at our disposal. Every growth we make should be with that in mind." n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    As Rey finished speaking, he found Trisha smiling at him.


    This was perhaps the first time he had seen her smiling up close.


    It was¡­ beautiful!


    "You''re a lot smarter than I thought, Rey Skr."


    Rey didn''t like being called by his full name. However, he didn''t feel any aversion when he heard Trisha say it.


    Her firm tone pronounced his name perfectly.


    "If I want to survive in this world¡­ I have no other choice." Rey responded.


    Trisha rose to her feet, keeping her gaze on Rey.


    "I''ll be watching you very closely from now on."


    The moment he heard that, Rey gulped.


    ''Did I say too much?'' He asked himself.


    "I''d rather you don''t. It would be a waste of time¡­"


    "I don''t think it will."


    "There''s nothing spectacr about me. I''m actually being serious right now."


    As he said this, Trisha''s smile grew broader.


    "You liar¡­"


    She refused to borate on her words and just left.


    ''What in the world¡­?''


    Rey could not properly ce what kind of conversation he just had, and what that meant for him.


    It seemed his decision to humiliate Billy had backfired on him.


    ''I now have a target on my back.''


    *


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    [A/N


    This Novel has been contracted, which means you can now send your Golden Tickets and Gifts.


    It would really help me out if you support with these methods as well.


    Thank you all!


    Also¡­ seems we have a new Waifu.

 Chapter 47 Grim Discovery

    47 Grim Discovery


    "I wonder what she meant by that¡­"


    Rey was busy inspecting the pots that the Hobgoblins had made while rubbing his chin and remembering what Trisha said to him.


    Herst words would not leave his mind.


    "Liar? Me? I mean, sure¡­ I lied to her, but¡­"


    Once Billy returned, he made Trisha his new sparring partner, and Rey was allowed to sit the rest out.


    Trisha''s rounds with Billy ended in thetter''s victory, but it wasn''t by an easy margin.


    And, despite Trisha losing, she didn''t appear sad or disappointed in the slightest.


    Rey could see the sharp contrast between the face she made when Billy first defeated her and the one she made in the recent spar.


    ''I guess she''s learning more¡­'' Rey felt happy for her, but also threatened.


    ''I had to take extra care beforeing here today, all because of what she said.''


    Though Rey doubted that Trisha would abandon her training just to be his full-time stalker, he still had his concerns.


    ''No one can know my secret!'' He told himself.


    "G-GURRRIKA¡­?"


    Rey''s thoughts were brought back to reality thanks to the voice of the Hobgoblin who was showing him the most recent batch of pots.


    ''Ahh! Right¡­ the pots!''


    Rey took his time to observe the dark utensil, mumbling to himself as he did so.


    "It looks nice. But¡­ it would be better if it had handles and a cover." N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Then, there was also the fact that they had to test it under heat and see how well it functioned.


    ''I had to take into ount heat conductivity and its durability.''


    That meant ensuring the Orichalcum lining was thin enough to ensure enough heat to permeate the pot and boil whatever was needed to boil.


    If it was too thin, though, it could cause it to crack and leak over time.


    ''The pots used to fetch water don''t require much work. The problem is that the models they made are too heavy.''


    Too much Orichalcum had been merged together and sculpted to form a massive bassier to hold in water.


    ''Well, I guess there''s no real need to move it. Wateres from a fixed location, and they can just fetch their water from it with smaller bowls.''


    Problem solved!


    As for the pot being showcased to him, Rey decided to give his verdict.


    He nodded and smiled, tapping the bald head of the Hobgoblin before him.


    "KIKIKIKRII¡­"


    It seemed the creature was giggling, and Rey could see a smile forming on its face.


    ''Praise from someone they recognize as a higher being gives the Hobgoblins joy.'' He had learned all about this from the book Alicia rmended.


    He honestly couldn''t thank her enough.


    ''While they try to make more pots to resemble the approved model, I should go and take my daily batch of Monster Cores.''


    Despite consistently taking the Cores for days now, the heaps didn''t seem to reduce in the slightest.


    Rey put as many Cores into the sacs as he could carry, filling them to the brim.


    ''I still have no idea how to sell these, but it still feels good having so many of them.''


    Once Rey finished his daily routine, he observed the Hobgoblins some more, and then returned to the Sixth Floor for some training.


    He now had 52 Skills, and his Stats had improved since thest time he properly trained.


    ''Might as well spend the rest of my time getting ustomed to the new Skill and some nicebinations.''


    Now that he had more Mana than before, he could afford to do so.


    *******


    Once Rey was done with his business in the Royal Dungeon, he returned to the Royal Estate.


    Since the Head Warrior Brutus was not present for a few days, and Rey knew it was very likely that those within the Refinery would know if this, he changed his disguise.


    Or rather, he didn''t even bother with it.


    He simply used his [Projection] Skill to show them an illusion of whatever would distract them while he opened the gates by himself.


    Of course, they would all think the doors were still closed, but in reality, he could sneak in and out whenever he wanted.


    Upon arriving in the Royal Estate, he easily located his living quarters and went in.


    As always, he would retreat into his room and have a nice bath before going to the library.


    ''Ahh¡­ alright, then. Let''s get this day over with!''


    *********


    ''Haa! I''m so beat!''


    Rey walked into his dark room with a smile on his face despite how he was feeling.


    ''Alicia left the library earlier than me today. Finally!''


    Despite how long she would have spent in the library before his arrival, she always managed to oust him there.


    It was crazy!


    But this time, he managed to win.


    ''I mean,pared to how many times she has won, it doesn''t really matter, but¡­''


    It made him happy beyond description.


    ''I wonder if I''m the only one who considers it a contest.''


    To Rey, their silent rivalry felt like a mutual understanding.


    He didn''t want to say anything that would ruin the entire thing, but he also couldn''t help but wonder if it was all in his head.


    ''Well, whatever! What matters is that I won!''


    Now that he was back within his room, Rey began his everyday ritual.


    ''[Greater Protection Field]. [Safe Haven]. [Projection].''


    The moment Rey thought this, his entire room was covered in two barriers, and an illusion made it seem as if he was already sleeping inside.


    ''In case anyonees in at this time, they won''t be able to detect anything out of the ordinary.''


    That way, he wouldn''t be able to get caught for what he was about to do.


    "Let''s bring out the spoils of war. Hehehe!"


    Rey began to empty his Subspace, letting out all the sacs of treasure he had gotten from the Hobgoblins.


    He also went to his secret stash spot to dump his Monster Core for the day.


    That was when Rey realized a grim truth.


    "Hold on¡­ something isn''t right here¡­"


    Rey gazed upon his sacs which he had numbered ordingly, and found them to be in disarray.


    Not only that, but one was missing.


    "Haaa¡­"


    That could only mean one thing.


    "¡­ Someone stole from me."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading.


    Looks like Rey is in some hot water now.


    Or maybe the thief is!

 Chapter 48 Catching The Perpetrator

    48 Catching The Perpetrator


    ''How could this have happened?!''


    Rey sat in his bed in deep contemtion. Beads of sweat formed in his face as his brow furrowed in confusion.


    ''Who could have done it?''


    To ensure the privacy of their saviors, their doors were enchanted with special Magic that none of them had been taught yet.


    They were also given personal keys to their rooms, while being assured that none other possessed keys that could open their respective doors.


    None but the Head Knight and Grand Mage.


    Those two possessed a masterkey that could unlock anyone''s room, and this was meant to be for their safety.


    ''Brutus and Lucielle aren''t around. Could they have dropped the masterkey with someone who ended uping in?''


    That was definitely a possibility, but Rey found it very unlikely.


    Why would the Royal Family do something so untrustworthy at this juncture? And why would they target his room?


    ''Could this be Billy? I did embarrass him earlier today.''


    It was also possible that his new stalker, Trisha, was the one who was snooping around his room.


    ''But is that likely? I don''t think so!''


    They both didn''t have ess to his room, and the masterkey couldn''t have fallen into their hands.


    ''Then who¡­?! Who could it be?!''


    The more Rey racked his brain to find out, the more frustrated he became. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ''I have to find out¡­ and fast!''


    He hadn''t been interacting with his ssmates properly, so he wasn''t sure who could be responsible.


    ''T-then¡­ maybe¡­ Alicia¡­?!''


    He found it strange that she left the library earlier than he did. It was very unlike her.


    ''But is that even possible? Why would Alicia¡­? No¡­ I can''t rule her outpletely!''


    Rey knew he was panicking, and for good reason.


    ''It''s not just because I''ll lose resources or anything like that. There''s the fact that my secret could be exposed if thises out.''


    There was no way the thief didn''t notice just howrge his stash was.


    ''The fact that they could take only one means they were either in a hurry, or that was the limit of what they could carry.''


    Each sac that contained Monster Cores was heavy, so someone with low physical Stats would be a suspect.


    ''I have to properly investigate. Or¡­''


    Rey thought more deeply about the situation, his heart still racing despite his best attempts to remain calm.


    ''If they saw how many Monster Cores I have, it''s only true that they''ll try to steal more from me.''


    Someone that could be so bold and shameless to do something like this would definitely not stop at one.


    ''And if it''s the Royals that are behind this, then I''m sure I''ll be hearing from them soon.''


    Either way, if push came to shove, he would stuff as many Monster Cores into his Subspace and make a break for it.


    ''If I go to the Royal Dungeon, they won''t be able to follow me down there¡ªespecially with Brutus and Lucielle absent.''


    However, if it got to that point, Rey knew he would have to move his ns forward.


    ''I''d have to grow stronger at an absurd rate. That means all my efforts with the Hobs will be wasted.''


    He would have to descend to lower floors and Level Up as much as possible, instead of just taking it slow.


    ''I don''t think I like that oue. Let''s just hope it''s the former¡­''


    As Rey sighed, he copsed on his bed and mumbled words to himself.


    "Everything needs to be put on hold for this. I need to catch the thief."


    ************


    [Three Days Later]


    An invisible silhouette slowly crept into Rey''s room.


    It was shrouded in what seemed like an invisible wall which rendered it invisible.


    Despite this effect, every step it took caused a certain kind of distortion in the air. As such, any observant person could notice this intruder if they paid enough attention.


    ''I saw him leave for the Library already. Good. Now is my chance to score!'' The thief thought, licking their lips in excitement.


    Their short frame was only visible to themselves, and they hurried to the closet where the several sacs of the goods were.


    With this many Monster Cores, he could finally leave the Royal Estate and have an easy life in some countryside.


    Once the closet was opened up, the thief discarded all the clothes and fluff that hid away the face and found the goodies in in sight.


    ''I''m going to be set for life!''


    That was when they felt a hand on their shoulder, and a de close to their throat.


    ''H-huh¡­?''


    "Don''t move. Make any sudden movement, and I''ll slit your throat."


    The moment the thief heard and felt these things, their bodies got the jitters.


    The tone that whispered those words wasced with bloodlust.


    He couldn''t look at the face of the one who was speaking, but it couldn''t have been his target.


    ''He already went to the library. Plus¡­ this doesn''t sound like him!''


    However, the thief was wrong.


    Standing right behind them was Rey, his eyes glowing brightly as he tightly held his de.


    "Don''t get any funny thoughts." The whisper emerged once again, causing the thief to gulp.


    ''What should I do? What should I do? I¡­ I can''t be caught now!''


    Desperation tugged at their heart, and so the only solution presented itself.


    They had to use one of their Skills.


    ''[Phase]!''


    ~WHOOSH!~


    In the blink of an eye, the thief slipped through the man who threatened them.


    Their body was still shrouded by a cloud of invisibility, so they swiftly made for an escape.


    However¡­


    "[False Pain]¡­"


    ¡­ The moment they took a single step away from the eerie shadow, the thief was met with unimaginable pain.


    "ARRGHHHHHH!!!"


    They screamed in sheer agony, clutching their body very tightly while copsing on the ground.


    "There are several ways to deal with the [Phase] Skill." The voice emerged with a cold tone.


    As the shadow stood on top of the groaning and screaming thief, the man looked down with an uncaring gaze.


    "Who would have thought, though. You got into this ce through the walls¡­"


    The room walls weren''t enchanted, so the thief had used their [Phase] Skill to intrude Rey''s room.


    "You must have thought I was easy prey. I guess now you''re regretting your actions."


    The voice was correct.


    Right now, the thief was experiencing excruciating pain.


    It felt like their chest was on fire, while several creatures were wing at their body at the same time.


    It hurt too much!


    "You''re using some kind of enchanted jewelry to stay invisible. None of us Students have ess to enchanted objects beyond their use in ss. Where did you get it? Did you steal it as well?"


    Despite being asked these questions, the thief did not respond.


    They could not!


    "Undo your invisibility, and I''ll stop the pain."


    The thief had no choice but to do as they were told. They instantly turned off the enchantment in the ne around their neck.


    As soon as that happened, Reyunched his hand towards the thief and grabbed their throat.


    "So it was you¡­" Rey raised the small figure of the perpetrator up, his eyes meeting the helpless boy''s absent gaze.


    "Noah Sherlock."


    *


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    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks!


    I''m sure you were expecting another waifu, but no!


    It''s a dude!

 Chapter 49 Path To Profit

    Chapter 49 Path To Profit


    ''Sooner orter¡­ the thief will show up again!''


    That was Rey''s ideology after realizing his property had been stolen.


    For the duration of the three days after this discovery, he gave several windows of opportunity, but the thief did not take the bait.


    This meant his opponent wasn''t merely a reckless individual, but someone smart enough to recognize how to exercise caution.


    Still, Rey wouldn''t give up.


    By pretending to go to the Library, but then using [Stealth] and [Mimic] to return to his room, he could intercept the thief.


    ''Looks like it worked¡­'' Rey smiled while looking at the pained expression of Noah.


    He had used [False Pain] to disable his target since he had the [Phase] Skill.


    ''[False Pain] just replicates the feeling of pain, so as long as I don''t physically harm him, it''s fine.''


    Now that Noah has be docile, Rey thought it was the perfect time to stop the Skill.


    Once he canceled the Skill, an expression of relief coursed through Noah''s face.


    However, before he could even rx, Rey tightened his grip on his throat.


    "Like I said before¡­ don''t get any funny ideas."


    ~BZZTZZ!~


    Rey''s eyes glowed, and shes of purple electricity danced around him.


    [Phase] could be interrupted by a surge of Mana, and since Rey was confident in his superior speed, he could instantly electrify Noah before thetter could make his move.


    It seemed Noah also recognized this.


    "I¡­ I understand¡­!"


    Since Noah understood his ce pretty quickly, Rey grinned and loosened his grip on the boy.


    He eventually let him down andpletely removed his hand from his throat.


    "I''m much faster than you. I can also force you to experience all that pain again. So, don''t even think of running away."


    While Rey doubted that Noah would even dream of defying him again, he felt it was important to stress on that point.


    Defiance would be rewarded with pain.


    "Why me?" As Rey said this he proceeded to sit on his bed.


    "W-wha¡­?"


    Noah was still shivering as he crumbled on the ground. He was probably too shaken to give a coherent answer.


    However, Rey''s intimidating gaze told him that he wasn''t very patient.


    He wanted answers¡­ and fast!


    "I¡­ I thought you''d be a good ce to start from. I wanted money, and I didn''t know where to start from¡­ so I thought¡­ I''d start from you¡­"


    "Why?" Rey asked, narrowing his gaze.


    "W-well¡­ I mean¡­"


    Rey already knew why. It was because he seemed average.


    He wasn''t very important, so if some of his belongings were missing, no one would really care.


    He was just an Extra.


    "Because I''m average, right? I understand."


    Noah had a sour expression on his face, mixed in with the fear that threatened to consume him.


    Any second now, and Rey thought Noah would cry.


    "I-I promise¡­ I''ve never stolen anything else before. Please believe me¡­" Noah whispered.


    In response to that, Rey scoffed slightly.


    "That enchanted jewel shouldn''t be in your possession. None of us have been granted anything like that yet¡­ which means you stole it."


    "N-no! I actually bought it!"


    "You? You bought it? Let me guess¡­ with the money you got from my Monster Cores."


    "Eeeek!"


    Noah''s easily scared nature made him the perfect interrogation subject.


    However, the more Rey thought of his answers, the more something seemed to surface.


    "You said you bought that enchanted ne. You also didn''t deny it when I said you sold my Monster Core¡­"


    Rey''s eyes widened the instant everything clicked in his head.


    "That means you''ve also gone outside. You''ve gone into town!"


    Noah''s guilty expression gave all of it away instantly.


    ''I was right! He actually left the Royal Estate''s walls?!''


    Rey could see how that was possible, considering Noah''s [Phase] Skill.


    It was a viable way to escape the Royal Estate, and by using his other Skill [Projection] well, no one would be able to detect anything.


    ''When did he start? How long has he been doing this? What does he know?!''


    Rey found himself more curious than ever as he stared at Noah.


    The anger he felt regarding his stolen Monster Cores soon became secondary. Instead, something else reced that emotion.


    ''If he is able to buy and sell outside, and he came back here to get more Monster Cores, that means he already has a viable channel.''


    Rey could feel it rising deep inside him¡ªhis insatiable greed!


    ''That means I can finally make money from my Monster Cores!''


    He could finally turn all his hard work into profit.


    "Hey, Noah¡­" Reg began, his tone still as stern as always.


    "Eeep!"


    Noah''s submissive squeak pleased Rey. That meant he could control the boy.


    ''If I make good use of him, I should be able to turn this immense misfortune into a benefit.''


    Noah already knew that Rey was strong. The fact that he saw so many Monster Cores in his closet made that clear already. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    That was why Rey didn''t bother hiding his Skills from Noah when capturing him.


    And now, Rey was privy to more of his secrets.


    ''We''re both hiding things from everyone else. If I capitalize on the current hierarchy, I''m at an advantage here¡­''


    All he really had to do was throw Noah a bone, and the boy would probably do what he wanted.


    "¡­ I''m thinking we can help each other out." Rey''s smile broadened as he rose from his bed.


    Noah was still trembling in fear, but Rey had already lost most of his intimidating presence.


    "Be my seller. If you do a satisfactory job, I can grant you amission for every sale."


    "E-eh¡­?"


    It seemed Noah was confused about what Rey was proposing, so Rey drew even closer and squatted close to him.


    "It''s a simple arrangement. I supply you with the Monster Cores, and you help me sell them."


    After that, they would split the profit.


    Everyone ended up winning, and they could both get what they wanted.


    Rey ced his hand on Noah''s shoulder and smiled sweetly.


    "What do you say, buddy?"


    *


    *


    *

 Chapter 50 Costs and Benefits

    Chapter 50 Costs and Benefits


    Noah Sherlock had a very small frame for a High School Student.


    With a cute face and an unimposing expression always disyed, he was always known to be a harmless yet fragile ssmate.


    As a result, he wasn''t particrly bothered in ss.


    However, he was also a smartass who was recognized as a teachers'' pet, so not too many people really liked him.


    Since Noah was a smart student who always aced everything he set his heart to, he made a lot of people appear bad inparison.


    All of this culminated into a somewhat average Karma Points for him.


    When his turn came to choose his Skills and ss, he could only afford three Skills.


    Shadow Magic (B-Tier)


    Phase (C-Tier)


    Projection (C-Tier)


    His ss on the other hand was pretty average as well. He got the [Thief] ss, which dealt in stealth and agility.


    It was quite hrious how he ended up following the path of his ss to the letter.


    Noah was able to leave the Royal Estate thanks to this particr ability set that he obtained, so he didn''t particrly dislike his Skills and ss.


    Not only did the [Thief] ss automatically improve the effects of any Stealth-Based Skill by 50%, but it also had an innate ability of camouge if one was still for long enough.


    It perfectly suited his needs.


    With [Projection], he could make people see illusions. Wirh [Phase], he could pass through matter¡ªso long as there was no interference.


    And, while he hadn''t properly learned how to use his [Shadow Magic] Skill, he could turn his shadow tangible and loosely control it to do his bidding.


    All in all, these abilities were incredibly useful when Noah ventured into the outside world to learn more about the world he had been summoned into.


    There was a secret he had kept close to his chest¡ªone that no one else knew.


    He was a coward!


    ''I don''t want to fight any Dragons! I just want a normal life!''


    Unfortunately for him, he had no means or independent resources in this new world.


    He was dependent on the Royal Council and the wealth of the United Human Alliance to survive.


    That had to change!


    And so, by coating himself in his Shadow, this increasing his height and appearing more intimidating, he ventured into the town and observed themerce.


    He was able to ask questions, and the people readily answered him thanks to his intimidating presence.


    The information he could obtain was limited, since one needed money before they could learn the more intricate details of this world.


    As a result of his need for money, he began to sell some of his personal items.


    This allowed him to have his own disposable ie, and it helped him learn more information.


    But it wasn''t enough.


    Noah needed more money.


    As a result, he cast his gaze on his ssmates and their possessions.


    That was when he decided on his first target¡ªRey Skr.


    **********


    ''Well, that was a mistake.''


    Noah sighed as he looked at Rey who was making his offer.


    "What do you say, buddy?" Rey was smiling at him, but Noah could not tell what was going on in the boy''s head.


    ''Is this really all he wants?''


    Noah disliked confrontations to a fault, and he was also genuinely afraid of a lot of people.


    The only reason he had made it this far was because his fear of Dragons were far more than that of others.


    He didn''t even want to imagine facing one.


    "C-can I think about it?"


    "No." Rey said with a narrowed gaze, causing Noah to shrink in fear.


    "I''m already being very generous as it is. You know I could just read your mind and know everything you know, before disposing of you, right?"


    "E-eh?!"


    "I could also wipe away your memories so you don''t remember this exchange. Why else do you think I''m showing you so much of my hidden power?"


    Noah found himself gulping hard.


    ''H-how did he get so much power, though? Just how many Skills does he have? Does he have a Hidden ss as well?''


    He had so many questions, and most of all¡­ he was frightened.


    ''For the sake of my survival, I have no reason to refuse.''


    And so, with his head hung in defeat, Noah gave his revised answer.


    "I¡­ I ept."


    ********


    After Noah epted, Rey sat him down and made him exin more about the details of his expeditions into town and what he had learned.


    This included the economic state of the capital, the transportation factors and distribution to the other cities, towns, and viges within the Nation.


    The prices of certain goods were also discussed thoroughly.


    ''Now I see why he went to the town and asked these things rather than sticking to the library.''


    These sorts of things didn''t exist in the Royal Library, and even if they did, they weren''t in as much detail as Noah had found out.


    Apparently, Noah also frequented the library. However, since he was a night owl, he usually read veryte in the night until morning.


    That was probably why no one noticed him going.


    "The Monster Cores sell for 2 Gold Pieces each¡ªthough that''s only because they''re Grade 6 Cores. Lower Grade Cores sell for less."


    Monster Cores were divided into 9 Grades, based on their worth. The lowest Grade was 9, and the highest was 1.


    Grade 6 Cores belonged to C-Tier Monsters, so they were considerably priced well.


    Since there had been a low influx of such quality of Monster Cores in the capital, their value was bound to increase.


    "Two Gold Coins, huh¡­?"


    One of the first things Rey did in the library was to study the currency and economics of this newnd he found himself in.


    In this world, they transacted using coins.


    There were Bronze, Silver, Gold, and tinum Coins.


    One Bronze Coin was enough to buy a low-budget meal. Two or three would get you something nice, and five was bound to leave you with a full belly.


    At least, for the regr folks.


    As a result, an average man spent about Ten Bronze Coins to survive a day.


    This was, of course, not ounting for amodation and other simrly important factors.


    100 Bronze Coins tranted into a Silver Coin, which was pretty much the average weekly wage of a working adult in this world.


    100 Silver Coins tranted into 1 Gold Coin.


    With a Gold Coin, you could get a good house for a year. Rarer didmoners get to use Gold Coins, so it was reserved for merchants and high-ss individuals in society.


    As for the tinum Coins¡­ they were only used by the richest of Merchants and Nobles, or Royals. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    100 Gold Coins tranted to 1 tinum Coin, and with just one of it¡­ one could build a house, buy goodnd, and deal with top-end business.


    A single tinum Coin could make an average man set for life.


    "Two Gold Coins seems like a lot."


    "Seems? It is a lot!" Noah responded to Rey in disbelief.


    "You sold an entire sac of my Monster Cores, right? They''re about a few hundred in a sac. That trantes to about 600 Gold Coins."


    "Y-yeah. A total of 680 actually."


    That was 6 tinum Coins and 80 Gold.


    "And how much did you get that enchanted ne?" Rey asked with narrowed eyes.


    "About¡­ 180 Gold Coins¡­"


    That meant he had 5 tinum Coins left.


    "I don''t know if you studied the process of making Enchanted Items, but they usually utilize Monster Cores."


    "Y-yeah. I heard that." Noah answered.


    The fact that he heard it, and was stuttering about it, told Rey that he didn''tpletely understand the process.


    "For example¡­ your Enchanted Ne will primarily use the Monster Core of a Monster who relies on Invisibility. The Core will be converted to the essence of the Ne, while being powered by a Mana Crystal to activate its effect."


    Of course, other minerals like Adamantite¡ªwhich had great Mana conductivity¡ªwould be used as well.


    "The point I''m making here is that Monster Cores are very essential in making Enchanted Items. As a result, it doesn''t make any sense that the Monster Core of a C-Tier Monster will only be valued at 2 Gold Coins despite its scarcity in the Capital."


    When considering the transportation cost necessary to bring C-Tier Cores from the other regions which had them, and the other conditions ofmerce¡ªsuch as time and certainty¡ªit was clear that whoever had a direct source of Grade 6 Monster Core straight from the Capital, was encountering a sweet deal.


    Such a merchant could either resell for a much higher price, or make his other products for a cheaper rate.


    No matter how one sliced it, they would be in an immense advantage.


    "That''s why the Cores should have been more expensive¡­"


    "W-what are you saying exactly?" Noah asked Rey, his brows raised in genuine curiosity.


    Rey smiled at him, a small sigh escaping his lips.


    "You''ve been scammed."

 Chapter 51 In The Marketplace

    Chapter 51 In The Marketce


    The next day arrived very quickly, and the training of the Beta Students was not supervised by Billy this time around.


    Instead¡­


    "Hello, everyone! I''ll be in charge of your Magic Training today!"


    ¡­ Be from the Alpha ss was the one responsible for their training.


    Just the same way it was with Billy, there was a bit of pushback, considering how very timid and weak Be looked.


    She was always known to be a nice girl.


    However, once the training began and she disyed her Magic prowess, all the Beta Students found themselves crumbling under the pressure.


    Once again, an Alpha Student had made it clear that their level was far higher than even the highest standard of the Beta Students.


    It was so absurd that it defied exnation.


    If anyone was told that these students arrived in this world at the same time, they wouldn''t be able to believe it.


    The gap in power was just that huge.


    Thankfully, the Beta Students didn''t have to experience this despair for too long. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Once it was over, everyone was dismissed. They were able to return to the fun activities that had mostly lost their luster.


    There were a few students who refused to leave, but continued training even after training.


    Trisha was one of them.


    Adam and a few others too were doing the same, but none of them had the intensity and devotion that the ebony girl had.


    In any case, as they stayed behind for continuous training, the rest of the crowd left for their rooms to shower or have fun.


    Among this crowd was a student who could be considered an average extra.


    He blended very well with the crowd, and he too seemed to be on his way to his room.


    ¡­ But was he?


    **********


    "Alright. I''m here now."


    "Eeep!"


    Rey''s voice startled Noah, who had erected an illusion around himself with the [Projection] Skill.


    He had currently disguised himself as one of the many bush clusters in the Royal Estate, situated close to the walls.


    "Why do you look so shocked?"


    Any random person who saw Rey would think he was talking to a bush, but it was actually Noah.


    "Y-you can detect me, even with [Projection]?"


    Noah''s n was to wait for Rey, and when he arrived, he would reveal himself.


    It hadn''t gotten to that final part, yet he was already spotted.


    How¡­?


    "That Skill doesn''t work on people with Levels or Stats that are much higher than yours." Rey replied with a smile.


    Pretty much anyone with over 10 Levels higher than the caster would be able to spot them.


    In essence, he was just that much stronger than Noah was.


    That''s all there was to it.


    "In any case, I apologize for beingte. There''s this girl in our ss I was trying to avoid¡­"


    "You mean Trisha?"


    Noah was in the Beta ss, just like Rey, and he had noticed the two''s odd dynamic ever since Rey defeated Billy.


    Contrary to what his innocent-looking face would tell you, Noah was extremely observant.


    That was probably why he was giving Rey some sort of knowing smile.


    "Y-yeah¡­"


    Rey rubbed his forehead a little before shrugging and sighing at the same time.


    "In any case, now that we''re here¡­ we might as well start going."


    Rey set up his own [Projection], but excluded Noah from its effects.


    As a result, he made it appear as if he wasn''t there despite standing out in the open.


    "How do you n on doing this?" Noah asked with a curious gaze.


    He had an Invisibility Ne that was useful for moments like this. He could also use [Phase], so he could pass through the walls.


    As for Rey¡­ he didn''t have any of those Skills.


    "Let''s just go."


    Noah watched Rey walk towards the Estate wall, and then pass through it like it was merely an illusion.


    "E-eh?!"


    Not only was he stunned out of his mind, but Noah rushed to the wall and touched it to confirm that it was real.


    ''It''s solid! That only means¡­ he has the [Phase] Skill too?!''


    Noah found saliva clogging up his throat, so he swiftly gulped it down.


    ''Just how many Skills¡­?''


    The short boy decided this wasn''t the time to think about something like that¡ªespecially since he didn''t have a way to answer for sure.


    He could only follow Rey''s lead.


    ~WHUSH~


    He also passed through the wall, leaving the Estate for a far more troublesome ce.


    The Market!


    ************


    ''Noah seems like a sharp guy, but sometimes I forget he''s only a teenager¡­''


    As Rey walked down the town''s street, he could sense the awkwardness in the air around Noah.


    Sure, the boy was currently wrapped in his shadow, and was using [Projection] to make himself appear much taller than he was, but to Rey, he just looked ridiculous.


    ''I guess that''s why they were able to take advantage of him so easily¡­''


    For Rey, this was a confirmation of his decision to study this world very thoroughly before deciding to interact with its denizens.


    Noah had jumped the gun, and as a result, he had ended up being scammed.


    ''I''ll have to make sure the same thing doesn''t happen again¡­''


    That was why he was here, to begin with.


    Rey was also currently donning what he considered to be a more fitting disguisepared to Noah''s appearance.


    He used [Mimic] to shapeshift into an adult, while donning a ck mask he had designed in the Hobgoblin cave.


    It was made from Orichalcum, and it fit his face perfectly. He had done this little side project to pass time, so he hadn''t expected it to y such an important role now.


    His cloak was raven ck, obtained by sewing a dark robe he got from the Royal Estate together with the fur of the NightWolf he killed.


    He had learned a lot ofmonce and handwork techniques from studying, so it wasn''t very hard to do these things.


    "Is that veryfortable?" Noah asked, ncing a little at Rey.


    His face was currently obscured with his mask, so it was pretty much impossible to tell what kind of expression he was making.


    ''Not really¡­'' Rey''s thoughts trailed in response to the question.


    The NightWolf''s fur was very bristly, and they also didn''t smell nice now that he was a little sweaty.


    "It''s better than shrouding myself in a shadow, at the very least."


    Once Noah heard this, he instantly regretted asking his question.


    "Touch¨¦¡­" He whispered.


    After walking together for a short while, Rey couldn''t take it anymore.


    He nced at Noah, who was nowpletely silent, and gave a short sigh.


    "We should probably head to a store for a change of clothes first."


    Noah nodded immediately.


    The marketce was awfully crowded, but Rey easily spotted a store where clothes were being sold.


    It was in a building, and it seemed like a high-end shop.


    ''We need to look very presentable for the people we''re going to meet¡­''


    Since he didn''t notice any other shop around, and also observed that only rich-looking individuals came in or out, he gathered that his suspicions were true.


    As a result, he chose the ce.


    "Let''s go."


    *


    *


    *

 Chapter 52 The Black Market

    Chapter 52 The ck Market


    The store didn''t hold a candle to its counterpart on Earth.


    Perhaps that was why Rey was initially skeptical about it holding quality items.


    It looked primitive, and while the design was fantastic, it didn''t have that mboyant ambiance that his homeworld''s stores and malls had.


    ''I never went to high-end ces on Earth, but even the ces I went to are much better than this ce.''


    He couldn''t me the people here, though.


    It was even unfair topare them to Earth, to begin with.


    ''I''m sure ces like the White House look much better than the Royal Pce. So, it only stands to reason that the marketce would be inferior to Earth''s.''


    Both Rey and Noah were greeted by an attendant, who took them around and answered whatever questions they had.


    Fortunately, they weren''t asked to remove their masks or anything.


    ''They must be used to having anonymous customers¡­''


    "I have tinum Coins, so show me the good stuff." Rey blurted out as he found thedy showing him themon things in the store.


    He wanted something better.


    "A-ah! Right away sir!"


    Rey and Noah were taken upstairs¡­ to the true VIP Section of the Store.


    In this ce, all items began with 1 tinum Coin. Not only was it much better designed than the ground floor, but the items all appeared better packaged¡ªalbeit they were fewer.


    "Take a look around and get yourself a good-looking hooded cloak." Rey told Noah.


    "Nothing more than 2 tinum Coins." n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    For Rey, he nned on restricting himself to the same budget.


    ¡­ That was until he actually began shopping.


    *******


    ''Damnit! I wish I had more money!''


    He had seen so many luxuries in the short moment of shopping that he felt downright broke despite having what many would consider a lot of money


    In the end, he selected a fur-coat for 1 tinum Coin. It was specially enchanted to regte the wearer''s temperature¡ªwhether cold or hot¡ªso he could stop worrying about sweating.


    He also got a nice-looking pair of shirt, trousers, and boots for 1 tinum Coin.


    They came as a set, so he found that useful.


    Finally, he got himself a ring worth one tinum coin.


    He was initially hesitant to get it, but after considering how luxurious it looked, and its special effect of possessing a Storage Unit, he decided to get it.


    ''Apparently, all rich people have something like this.''


    Since he had to look the part, he got it.


    Once Rey got to the checkout desk, Noah was already waiting for him.


    Per his instructions, Noah had gotten a raven-ck hooded robe which had an enchantment imbued to make him appear bigger and more intimidating than usual.


    It cost 2 tinum Coins for some reason, but Rey considered it to be a good investment.


    ''If we add its effects to Noah''s [Projection], it could be very useful.''


    It was possible that the person they were meeting could see through Noah''s usual disguise. But with this, they wouldn''t be so easy.


    "Alright. Looks like we''re all set."


    Once they paid, Rey and Noah left the store and went their way.


    "Come again next time!" They heard the voice of their attendant as they exited.


    ''Oh, I''m definitelying back!''


    There were a couple of things Rey liked there, but they were far above his budget.


    Once he saved up enough, there would be nothing stopping him from returning.


    ******


    "And you''re sure this is the ce?"


    Rey and Noah were standing in front of a dark alleyway, crawling with shadows.


    "Yeah."


    Rey squinted his eyes in disbelief.


    What kind of respectable business ce would be situated in such a horrid area?


    Unless¡­


    "Hold on¡­ is it the ck market? You didn''t tell me you sold it to the ck market!"


    "I¡­ I didn''t?"


    Rey furrowed his brow in stifled fury as he listened to Noah''s poor excuse for a response.


    When Noah divulged everything about his adventures in the town and marketce, he had conveniently left out the part where it was the ck market.


    "I mean¡­ what respectable establishment would collect so many Monster Cores from a stranger without asking questions or verifying their identity?"


    The moment Noah said this, Rey''s anger sizzled out.


    ''Haaa¡­ he''s right! I should have thought of that¡­''


    It was just like selling a bunch of very dangerous technology to a regr licensed store on Earth. Unless they could verify your identity, or you were also licensed to trade in such goods, no official store would ept such a transaction.


    That was why the ck Market existed.


    "No questions. No refunds. No guarantee."


    That was why they were able to scam Noah so well. If one was inexperienced in the way of the ck Market, they would suffer great loss.


    ''Even I am not sure I know what I''m doing well¡­''


    Still, Rey narrowed his eyes and hardened his heart.


    His skull-like mask was scary enough, and he was also garbed in a pretty expensive outfit.


    He looked like an important person that shouldn''t be trifled with, and the same applied to Noah.


    "We''re set. Let''s just get this over with."


    The duo left for the alleyway¡ªone that led to a whole new world ofmerce.


    Neither fully understood what was waiting for them.


    ********


    As one would expect from the ck Market, it was a rowdy mess.


    It also existed underground, almost like a much worse version of the marketce above.


    So many shady kiosks and stores hidden in the dark called for attention.


    From mere stalls to massive establishments; all of thempeted for attention as they sold the most illegal and obscure things.


    ck Market buyers and sellers did not have the protection or limitation of thew, so this was a ce where anything went.


    However, since order was necessary here, both sides had to be civil with one another¡ªas long as neither gave a reason for the opposite to be the case.


    This was known as the Unspoken Rule of the ck Market.


    And who regted this rule?


    Their true identity was unknown by most ck Market sellers and buyers, but they were a group of six individuals who were said to be the rulers of the ck Market underworld.


    The Obsidian Council.


    Thanks to them, the ck Market was a decent ce of business, though still outside the purview of thew.


    A jungle for business.


    And now, both Rey and Noah had be one of the animals within it.


    *


    *


    *

 Chapter 53 Bargaining Power [Pt 1]

    Chapter 53 Bargaining Power [Pt 1]


    "This is the ce."


    Rey and Noah stood in front of a massive building¡ªone of the biggest in the area.


    Of course, it wasn''t more than three storeys, but it was very wide.


    It was clear that a lot of activities went on in this building, and it wasn''t for the faint of heart.


    "You actually did business here?!"


    Rey was shocked that someone as timid as Noah had the gall to try out such an intimidating structure.


    "W-well, I was approached by an affiliate who brought me here."


    "A-ahh¡­ that''s true."


    ording to Noah''s story, he was initially just looking for a ce to sell the Monster Cores when he was approached by a guy who told him he''d help him sell the goods.


    The guy was the one who took him to this establishment and helped him through all the processes.


    ''That''s most likely the one who was involved in the scam¡­''


    Thepany must have dealt directly with the so-called Affiliate, who in turn dealt with Noah.


    He probably pretended to be the seller and got to bargain with the real buyers. As a result, he was able to gain a lot of profit while rying a smaller price to the gullible Noah.


    ''That''s how those sorts of people make their money.''


    "Shouldn''t we be looking for the guy, then?" Noah asked Rey.


    "Nah! There''s no need. People like that are very slippery¡­"


    Besides, it was a waste of time.


    There was no realw in this ce except the Unspoken Rules. As long as the seller and buyer came to a consensus about the price of an item and it was sold, that was the end of the matter.


    Pursuing anything outside that would only be arbitrary.


    "Now that we know exactly what we''re dealing with, we can make a more informed decision."


    The fact that no ''Affiliate'' had approached them yet proved his point.


    ''We look dangerous and capable, so they won''t even dare.''


    Noah must have seemed like prey to the guy who duped him due to how uncertain and out-of-ce he was back then.


    "Well, the past is in the past. Let''s go."


    Rey took the first step, and Noah slowly trailed behind him.


    They entered the store, and once again, were made to gawk at its grandiosity.


    "Why are you gawking? You''ve been here before, haven''t you?"


    "W-well¡­ not really¡­"


    Once again, Rey was told something that Noah conveniently left out when he was exining himself.


    "What?! You waited outside and let the Affiliate do the entire thing for you?!"


    "H-he looked reliable! I was also very intimidated by the structure! In hindsight, I can see how bad it was, but back then¡­!"


    Noah did his best to justify his actions, but all Rey saw were excuses.


    Pathetic excuses.


    ''My guy really got yed¡­''


    In any case, the main store was veryrge, and several products were sold¡ªall Magically Enchanted.


    ''Noah must have gotten his Invisible Ne from this ce¡­''


    Rey didn''t even want to ask Noah if he had asked the ''Affiliate'' to get it for him because he could already tell that was the case.


    ''That guy probably lied about the price as well.''


    Once again, Rey whispered "The past is in the past." to himself as he walked on.


    He quickly reached the counter, while ncing all across the room to study it thoroughly.


    There were tons of cashiers, so no one really needed to wait in a line.


    Once he got there, Rey ced one hand on the counter while bending slightly to improve his intimidating posture.


    "I''m here to¡­ sell some products." He said in a straightforward fashion.


    His voice was deep, and his eyes glowed behind the ck Orichalcum mask.


    "I see. Please proceed to the far end of the counter and speak to the person there."


    The woman behind the counter said with such a dull monotone that Rey was convinced his intimidation did not work at all.


    ''Oof! This is a little embarrassing¡­''


    Workers in this store had seen all kinds of faces¡ªsome bad, some ugly, some far worse¡ªover the course of business, so they probably weren''t intimidated by Rey''s mild efforts.


    Besides, the Unspoken Rule existed, so it probably wasn''t the wisest thing to stir up conflict in such a high-key establishment like this.


    Rey could see his blunder instantly and awkwardly left the counter to proceed ording to the instructions he received.


    "I want to sell some items. It''s very lucrative, so I''d like to discuss with a higher-up if possible¡ª"


    "Please state the type of sale. Wholesale or Retail." Rey was interrupted by the man behind the counter.


    He had sses on, and he was busy writing some things down¡ªmost likely the details of Rey''s request.


    "Wholesale." Rey finally added.


    "Please note that Wholesale begins with over a thousand pieces. There''s Bulk Retail if that''s what you are¡ª"


    "I know what Wholesale means. Don''t insult my intelligence any further." Rey snapped, his eyes glowing behind his mask.


    "I-I apologize."


    Rey understood that the man was just following procedure, but he had been looking for a way to assert dominance all day.


    Right then seemed like a perfect opportunity to do so, and it actually worked.


    ''Whew! Looks like I''m not the one at the short end of the stick.''


    "What kind of items are you selling? Raw materials or finished products?"


    "Raw materials."


    "Could you specify the¡ª"


    "Monster Cores."


    "Could you name the Gra¡ª"


    "Like I said earlier, I''d like to speak to a higher-up."


    Once Rey said this, he folded his arm. This showed he wasn''t willing to proceed with further questions.


    "This is just due procedure. Please answer the questions you are asked." N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ''Nah! I don''t think so¡­''


    In sale, there was something called bargaining power.


    The one with the higher bargaining power got to call the shots and determine the price.


    The sale usually benefited them the most.


    ''If I simply proceed with these questions like this, it''s clear I''ll lose the small bargaining power that I have.''


    In order to be relevant, Rey had to properly exert his importance.


    ''I don''t want to get duped too.''


    *


    *


    *

 Chapter 54 Bargaining Power [Pt 2]

    Chapter 54 Bargaining Power [Pt 2]


    Rey took in a deep breath.


    He had actually never been in a proper sale before, but that didn''t stop him from trying his best here.


    There were a bunch of things he hadn''t done before, and he managed to scale through them on the first try.


    ''Fighting monsters is a good example¡­''


    Right now, he was treading on a fine line.


    ''I have to be careful.''


    "The Grade is considerably high, and since this is a wholesale, you should know that I have over a thousand pieces." Rey finally spoke.


    His voice was clear, and his tone was confident.


    "I am well aware, but¡ª"


    "I am also well aware¡­ of your procedures. However, I have mine. And that entails speaking to a higher-up when ites to business of this scale."


    Rey could already see anxiety creep in on the face of the man in sses.


    He just had to keep pushing.


    "We''re talking goods worth hundreds, if not thousands of tinum Coins. Do you really think you are sufficient to handle such a trade? Will you take full responsibility?"


    "S-sir, I''m just doing my job¡­" The man protested weakly.


    ''I know, man. I know.''


    In all honesty, Rey felt a little bad for what he was doing. But so what?


    He was sure that they would do the same to him if he showed even the slightest hint of weakness.


    These people were the monsters of the business world.


    He had to destroy them before they did the same to him. Else, he would be devoured before realizing it.


    "I''m only stating facts. I can''tpel you to bypass these procedures for me. You are well within your rights to refuse¡­"


    Rey could see the hesitance in the man''s face.


    ''Of course, he won''t! He can''t afford to drive me away and allow me to fall in the hands of apetitor.''


    Rey drew a little closer to the man and whispered words that only the two of them could possibly hear.


    "Thousands of tinum Coins¡­ can you handle such a loss? You''ll take responsibility for all this, right?"


    With a wide smile on his face, Rey observed the trembling form of the man.


    ''Gotcha!''


    Apany of this magnitude had to have arrangements for customers who were exceptions.


    Outliers would not be subjected to the standard procedure that everyone went through.


    Rey recognized this and desperately desired to be among the exceptions.


    That was because they had the bargaining power.


    "I-I understand¡­"


    "Good."


    Rey retreated his face and returned to his earlier position and waited for the decision of the man behind the counter.


    "Please give me a moment."


    The man scribbled a few more things on the piece of paper and finally raised it from the desk.


    "I shall call someone to properly attend to you while informing them of the information you have given."


    "Good."


    Rey would be lying if he said his heart wasn''t racing.


    ''I''m not going to get in trouble, right?''


    He had heard a lot of unsavory things about ck Markets¡ªincluding how tons of death happened there.


    Without the reach of mainstreamws, he and Noah ran at a risk, especially if he crossed someone with authority in this underworld.


    ''I''ve never fatally harmed a human, talkless of killing them.''


    Rey wasn''t sure he could.


    Still¡­ he maintained his stoic face.


    ''I had to do this. I had to go this far.''


    The man behind the counter tore the paper he was writing in, and it soon dissipated in the air.


    ''An Enchanted Item, huh?''


    The information written within was most likely going to be ryed to whoever was going to attend to Rey.


    "Please go upstairs. You may enter the first room to your right. Someone wille and attend to you."


    Once Rey heard this, he smiled.


    "Good."


    He and Noah proceeded to do as they were told, leaving the dazed man heaving in relief.


    ''And that''s how you do business!''


    ******


    The room where Rey and Noah were directed to was finely furnished.


    It was painted white, with tons of colorful murals decorating the walls.


    A small chandelier hung from the ceiling, andfortable sofas were waiting for them.


    The sofas were ced in a ''U'' fashion, and a very sturdy desk stood in between two pointed sides of the ''U''


    "You''ll have to stand." Rey told Noah, plopping to the chair.


    "E-ehhh?"


    They had both been standing and walking for a while, so Noah was very tired.


    Rey must have known that.


    "That''s your punishment for stealing my Cores and getting scammed while trying to sell it."


    All things considered, Rey was being extremely lenient with his punishment.


    If Noah had anymon sense, he would just swallow anyints he had and take it in stride.


    That was precisely what he did.


    "This ce looks nice. It''s designed to make the customersfortable, but also to intimidate them."


    The designs that filled the room told of this establishment''s incredible wealth. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Anyone who wasn''t worth their salt would feel very ufortable and intimidated if they stayed here for too long.


    ''This won''t work on me, though¡­''


    Rey thought about his stash of Monster Cores in the Hobgoblin hideout, and a smile instantly coursed through his face.


    With so much potential money in his grasp, there was no way he would allow these people to frighten him.


    ''Hehehe¡­ hehe¡­''


    Not very long after they arrived in the room and made themselvesfortable, the door slowly opened and a man appeared from behind it.


    He had very smooth brown hair, and he donned a formal outfit, with his waistcoatplementing the formality he represented.


    He was outfitted with a few Enchanted Items, and everything he wore had to cost tinum Coins.


    Frankly speaking, Rey could tell why the man at the counter was skeptical of his entire arrangement despite Rey being outfitted in clothes that cost tinum Coins.


    There were levels to these things, and right now, Rey was at the bottom of the food chain.


    ''Well¡­ not for long!''


    *


    *


    *

 Chapter 55 The Broker

    <h4>Chapter 55 The Broker </h4>


    Aldred Winsley was a broker for the Karinc Group¡ªone of the leadingmercial establishments in the Capital''s ck Market.


    As a sharp and handsome man in his early thirties, he had supervised and personally handled a lot of deals that went down in Karinc''s businesses.


    As a result, he had a good feel for sales and contracts, as well as how to gain the most benefit for his employers.


    That was precisely why he was surprised when he stepped into the reception to meet the seller he was informed of.


    ''Who are these people¡­?''


    From what he could see, they were not very impressive.


    The one who was supposed to be the guard had a veryckluster posture¡ªas if he was exhausted after a long walk.


    His poor stance was unfitting for a guard. If an enemy struck surprisingly, he wouldn''t be able to protect his employer properly.


    But even his employer was just as unimpressive.


    ''He''s dressed pretty cheaply. His sitting posture is also very crude¡­''


    As Aldred Winsley approached the two, he kept up his cautious gaze.


    ''From what I can see, they''re not special at all. But¡­'' He narrowed his eyes as he took his seat.


    ''¡­ Sometimes, what is on the surface could be deceiving.''


    Aldred was curious.


    ''Are they frauds, or are they the real deal? Let''s find out.''


    "Greetings, customers. Or should I call you sellers? My name is Aldred Winsley, but you can call me Aldred." He said with a broad smile


    As a professional, he had to be polite to the ones he addressed.


    "Call us whatever you like, Mr. Winsley."


    Upon hearing that, Aldred shook a little on his seat.


    ''This guy¡­'' He tried his best not to stare hard at the man who sat opposite him, but it was difficult not to do so.


    Not only had he refused to be ced under a stereotype such as ''customer'' or ''seller'', but he had also refused Aldred''s attempt at friendliness.


    ''He''s choosing to remain formal. He also disregards my suggestions while maintaining his ideals¡­''


    These weren''t the signs of a fraud.


    ''But I can''t be certain. Not yet!'' Aldred smiled internally.


    The biggest and most important telling as to the validity of a person''s true nature was their worth.


    A person could fake their demeanors and personality, but they could never fake the value they possessed.


    "So, dear seller¡­ what do you have to offer?"


    Straight to the point¡ªas business in the ck Marker should be¡ªAldred asked his question.


    ''Let''s see. This is wholesale, so it should be at least a thousand pieces of Monster Core. From the quality of Spatial Ring he has, I shouldn''t expect anything more than two thousand.''


    Spatial Rings were used by the rich to carry money or property.


    As one would expect, they were separated into many categories.


    The one Rey had in hand was one of the cheaper ones; with the carry limit being very small.


    It was still considerably expensive, considering how highly valued Spatial Magic was.


    ''If they only brought this much, then it''s not that big of a deal.''


    At least, number wise.


    ''That means I should look forward to the quality.''


    Anything in the realm of Grade 6 or higher was preferred, but he couldn''t imagine these cheapskates having such quality of Monster Core.


    Not only were Grade 6, Grade 5, and higher Grades very rare, but those who had ess to them only did so in Retail.


    The maximum was bulk retail.


    "Well, you look worthy of my time. I suppose I''ll show you¡­" As the seller spoke to Aldred, he wasn''t at all intimidated.


    ''Hmph! Big words! I won''t be convinced until I see the goods.''


    Based on his expert analysis obtained from his many years of experience in this business, he could already tell that these people couldn''t be worth his time.


    He was only humoring them by staying.


    ~WHUSH!~


    In a sh, several sacs began to drop on the table.


    ''E-eh¡­?''


    Aldred had been staring at the masked seller''s ring all this time, but never once did it glow.


    That meant he wasn''t bringing these sacs from the ring.


    If not from then¡­ then where?!


    However, before he could think about that, the numerous sacs that were still being brought forth began to spill on the floor in their dozens.


    So many sacs¡­ more than he could have expected, filled his line of sight.


    ''C-could he be¡­?''


    Aldred knew that a Spatial Ring had to be exposed and pointed at its target location before it could release its contents.


    The fact that no such thing was happening here only pointed at one thing.


    ''He can use Spatial Magic?!''


    If that was the case, then judging him based on the value of his ring was the most unwise thing he could have done.


    "All done."


    At this point, more sacs had stoppeding. Their appearances had dazed Aldred so much that he didn''t notice when the whole thing was over.


    "A-ahh¡­ I see."


    From what he could count alone, there were over forty full sacs in front of him.


    The kind that could contain at least three-hundred Monster Cores¡ªof course, ounting for size and value.


    ''Let''s not get too carried away here¡­''


    Aldred was still not sure of the Grade of Monster Core he was being presented with.


    ''Could be a Grade 9¡­ or maybe 8?''


    Aldred had heard that this seller specifically said the Grade was considerably high, so maybe it was a Grade 7.


    ''That''s the most generous I can be in my analysis!''


    Grade 6 Monster Core and upwards were very rare; especially in the Capital.


    In the Adventurer City, they weren''t as rare, but the Adventurers hardly sold the Cores since they were used to better their equipment or improve their power.


    In the other ces where Monster Cores of such Grades could be found, the Royal Council had already set their sights there.


    Due to the current conflict with the Dragons and the fire state of the Nation, resources like those were poured into the National Defense and Offensive Measures.


    Hardly any were left circting in the market.


    As such, it was easy to see why Aldred was so quick to dismiss the possibility of it being such Grades.


    "What are you waiting for? Open the sacs." The seller''s voice calmly woke Aldred from his dazed state.


    He could feel something itching the back of his throat.


    "Open. The. Sacs."


    Tension filled the air as he heard the repeated words reverberate in the air.


    The seller seemed so confident that it scared Aldred.


    A thought crossed his mind.


    ''What if¡­ just what if¡­?!''


    No! That couldn''t be!


    Fueled by his desire to reject the impossible, Aldred finally mustered the courage to open one of the sacs.


    "A-hhh! No way!" He had no idea when his thoughts escaped his lips.


    He swiftly proceeded to open more sacs and had the same reaction.


    Right now, the gleaming Monster Cores were reflecting on Aldred''s clearly dumbfounded face, and he only had one thought.


    ''G-Grade 6?!''


    *


    *


    *

 Chapter 56 The Deal Made [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 56 The Deal Made [Pt 1] </h4>


    ''H-how¡­?!''


    How possible was this? He had to be dreaming!


    Aldred went to open even more sacs, and he was greeted with the same result every time.


    His eyes had been trained from a very young age to detect the quality and quantity of items just from a nce.


    As a result, he could urately guess the Grade of Monster Cores without even using an appraising tool.


    ''They''re authentic too!''


    Aldred could spot fake products a mile away, but this¡­ this was genuine!


    He could even feel the Mana that pulsated within each Core.


    ''How does he have so many? This is just too¡ª!''


    "There''s more where that came from." As soon as the words of the man echoed in Aldred''s ears, his eyes bulged.


    ''WHAT?!"


    "Here are fifty sacs of Grade 6 Monster Cores. You can confirm their authenticity for yourselves. Each sac contains a little over 300 pieces¡­"


    The more the seller spoke, the more unreal it all sounded.


    "That''s over 16,000 pieces you have there. Feel free to count."


    ''Ridiculous!'' Aldred would have had such thoughts if he wasn''t currently staring at the proof.


    ''Who is this man?! He defies everything I''ve been taught¡­ everything I''ve learned!''


    Aldred felt as though all of his experience as an expert were nothing in the presence of the man before him.


    ''Did he do all of this intentionally? Is he messing with me? Did he¡­?!''


    Aldred did not know for sure.


    All he knew was that he had been wrong.


    ''He has value! More value than all of our present customers!''


    On an individual level, this seller was far superior to their best client.


    ''He says he has even more? What kind of¡­? No, I should stop now!''


    Aldred tried to recover from his shock and focus on the matter at hand.


    He had to think about what was best for the business.


    ''It would be a major loss for us if he goes elsewhere with this much. Even if he sells to us, there''s no guarantee he''ll bring the next batch here¡­''


    That had to be fixed!


    ''We need to have this man on our side. If we can have a monopoly on his goods, then¡­!''


    Scarcity determines value.


    If the market was flooded with these Grade 6 Monster Cores, it would be catastrophic!


    ''That''s what makes this guy so dangerous. He''s also a Spatial Magic User, which means he''s a big deal.''


    Aldred felt like a fool! He had fallen for the trap of judging a book by its cover.


    If he had made a blunder early on, thepany would have lost so much money.


    And it wouldn''t just stop there.


    ''For him to have so many Grade 6 Monster Cores, he must be a man of many means. He could be a powerful Adventurer for all I know.''


    If that was the case, it would mean this guy had enough power to hunt down over 16,000 C-Tier Monsters.


    The fact that he had ess to more meant his limits were currently unknown.


    ''He''s a Spatial Magic user, so transporting so many Monster Cores isn''t a problem for him. In essence, if we can forge deep connections with this man¡­''


    They could finally take their products to the next level!


    ''This is a bigger deal than the batch of Grade 6 Cores we got a few days earlier.''


    That one felt like a miracle¡ªso much so that they even gave the customer an Invisibility Ne for free.


    But this¡­ this was just superb!


    "H-how much¡­" Aldred found it hard to properly mouth the words, but he did so anyway.


    "How much do you want?"


    He gave a serious look at the masked customer and was prepared to hear an absurd price.


    However¡­


    "How much can you offer?"


    ¡­ He was surprised by the reasonableness of the counteroffer.


    ''This is a good chance to forge good connections with him! If we grant him a good price, and he sells to us, we can draw him in and be his sole buyer.''


    The Karinc Group dealt with the production and distribution of Enchanted Items and Luxury Products.


    They had been running out of stock with the former¡ªespecially when it came to the high-end products¡ªthanks to the scarcity of such high-quality Monster Cores.


    With 16,000 of Grade 6 Monster Cores, not only would they be able to get back on track, but they could finally expand their business to the other ces where theirpetitors had a monopoly.


    This was a goldmine.


    Aldred knew he couldn''t let it go.


    "H-how about¡­ Six Gold Coins per piece?"


    "What?"


    "S-seven! I meant seven!"


    He could instantly tell the dissatisfaction from the seller, so he quickly adjusted the price.


    It was clear that he had all the bargaining power.


    ''With the authority I have, seven is the highest I can offer him. I doubt there''s any other ce that will cough up such an amount up front, but I can''t take that chance¡­''


    Even thest purchase of Grade 6 Monster Cores was priced at 4 Gold Coins.


    This was honestly the best he could do.


    "I see¡­" As the seller spoke, Aldred hoped his nervousness wasn''t being disyed on his face.


    He gulped down another round of saliva and awaited his answer.


    "You want to be my sole buyer, don''t you?"


    "That''s right! The Karinc Group would like to establish a long-standing connection with you, sir." Aldred spoke excitedly.


    He was so d that the masked seller understood.


    "We have a lot of benefits for those we are in this kind of rtionship with. Not only do you have massive discounts on any product you want to get¡ªas high as 60 percent¡ªbut you also have first priority on the products we use your Monster Core to make."


    Aldred went on and on about the benefits that he felt like a shady salesman.


    But he didn''t care!


    He had to get this person on their side at all costs!


    "I understand. Fair enough. I don''t mind establishing such a rtionship with you."


    Aldred couldn''t properly express how relieved he was to hear that.


    He did his utmost best to hide his excitement.


    ''Yes! YES YES YES YES!!!''


    "I just have one small favor to ask. Aside from the benefits, of course¡­"


    The moment he heard that, Aldred felt a tight feeling clutching his chest.


    ''What favor? Will we be able to deliver¡­?!''


    He gulped before proceeding to ask.


    "O-of course! What favor would that be?"


    "Hmm. A subordinate of mine came to sell a few Monster Cores a few days ago. Grade 6, naturally. It was just a sac¡­"


    Aldred''s eyes bulged the moment he realized what was going on.


    ''He was the one responsible for that too? Why? Could it be¡­?!''


    Had he sent that one sac their way in order to test the waters? Just how many other establishments did he do this for?


    "Apparently, it was sold to your establishment for 2 Gold Coins per piece."


    ''WHAT?!'' Aldred could not believe it.


    He was certain they bought those Monster Cores for 4 Gold Coins per piece.


    "S-sir, I think¡ª!"


    The seller raised his hand to indicate he was not done talking.


    "Let me finish."


    Aldred gulped and nodded at his words.


    ''What is he about to say?!'' Beads of sweat appeared on his face.


    He could only brace himself for what wasing.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I love writing chapters like this! The exaggerated tension just makes me smile.


    I hope you smiled at least once while reading¡­

 Chapter 57 The Deal Made [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 57 The Deal Made [Pt 2] </h4>


    "My subordinate was approached by an ''Affiliate'' of yours who ran the transaction while he waited outside."


    The moment Aldred heard this, he was stunned.


    ''An Affiliate? Did his subordinate fall prey to one of those-artists?''


    There was no way this esteemed man did not know who this ''Affiliate'' he spoke of was, yet he still referred to him as that.


    Why?


    ''It''s not our establishment''s fault that his subordinate didn''t exercise due caution in his trade. Nothing in the Unspoken Rules covers such a thing as that.''


    In essence, it was his loss.


    However, Aldred could not even dare to think¡ªtalkless of speak¡ªsuch a thing.


    "I-I see¡­" Was all he could say.


    "It came as a surprise to me. I thought your establishment perhaps was unaware of the transaction, so I decided to forgive you and personally came to give you a second chance."


    In essence, he was pushing the responsibility and me for the scammer on them, while also seeming like a benevolent person.


    ''This man is too shrewd!'' Aldred respected and feared him even more for that.


    "Thank you for your patience with us. The matter was not known to us, so we''ll investigate it."


    "Hmm. That is good to hear."


    Aldred already knew he was going out of his way. That was why the man called this a ''Favor.''


    Normally, the Karinc Group would ignore such a thing, as it was just a part of business. But now¡­ now things were different.


    "I will personally see to it that all parties involved in this transaction are properly investigated¡­ including this ''Affiliate'' of ours."


    There was no need for too many details. The two parties already had an understanding.


    ''And since I''m already going out of my way, I might as well throw in a bonus.''


    "Of course, we''ll alsopensate you for the loss you encountered due to the disservice done to you. It''ll be at the previous cost price of 4 Gold Coins, so I hope that is fine by you."


    Aldred hoped this was enough to satisfy the masked man.


    Fortunately, he was right.


    "It is. Thank you very much."


    "Haha! What are you saying? This much is only natural for someone who''s getting into such a rtionship with us."


    "Hmm. Indeed.


    "Hahaha!"


    "Hahahaha!"


    Both menughed together, their voices echoing to the furthest recesses of the room.


    It was already clear at that point that they had a deal.


    ********


    ''Whew! Looks like the deal is sealed!''


    Rey exhaled heavily as he and Noah stepped out of the Karinc Group''s building.


    He had no idea things would go so well, and he was overjoyed by just how good the bargain was. However, he was also very exhausted.


    ''The tension¡­ it was a lot!''


    Breaking character even once would have cost him something, so Rey had constantly remained in his very draining persona.


    ''Still¡­ to think we got such a sweet deal.''


    Rey could not pinpoint how exactly he had been able to score so many good points with the man known as Aldred Winsley.


    ''Could it be because I initially addressed him with respect?'' Rey remembered how he chose to call him Mr. Winsley rather than the casual ''Aldred.''


    ''He might have taken offense if I addressed him too casually¡­''


    As the conversation went on, and Rey got more of a footing, he had be more confident.


    In the end, he even got more benefits than he could have imagined.


    ''I signed an exclusive contract with them, which means I already have a reliable ce to sell my Monster Cores.''


    That certainty put Rey''s heart at ease.


    ''The total number of Monster Cores ended up being 16,590. With the total price of 7 Gold Coins per piece, that''s 116,130 Gold Coins.''


    In essence¡­ 1,161.3 tinum Coins.


    ''I''m fucking rich!'' Rey could not believe just how stinkingly rich he had be in such a short period.


    It was too absurd.


    ''I initially had a goal of 4 Gold Coins and approximated the amount of Monster Cores to 16,000.''


    That was a total of 640 tinum Coins.


    ''Not only did I get nearly twice that amount, but I got sweet deals as well.''


    Discounts on Enchanted and Luxury Products, as well as First Priority.


    He could also make Custom Orders, which was an exclusive privilege given only to clients who belonged in the upper echelon of the Group''s priority list.


    Rey felt like a god!


    ''This trip was totally worth it! Hehehe!''


    He was so d he didn''t leave everything to Noah. The boy would have fumbled everything!


    ''At this point, I don''t even care about those few tinum Coins I lost to that scammer.''


    Not only did he get them back, but he got so much more.


    It was too unbelievable!


    ''Hehehe! Hehehehehehe!! Hahahahahaahaha!!!''


    "U-um¡­ what now?"


    Noah''s voice woke Rey from his deep thoughts. Of course, the only deep thing about those thoughts was how deep his pockets had be.


    He was filthy rich!


    "What now? Well, first of all we go back to my ce and discuss how we''ll be arranging things going forward."


    Rey already had a good idea of what he wanted to do, but he just didn''t feelfortable discussing it out in the opening.


    ''I would have thought you''d get that, Noah. Tsk tsk¡­''


    His current n was simple.


    ''I''ll have Noah deliver the sacs of Monster Cores using a Spatial Ring. We''ll only deliver one sac a day, considering how the value will reduce if we oversaturate the market.''


    It wasn''t like Rey was desperate for money, and he wasn''t in a hurry to make any more than he already had.


    Besides, if he wanted to, he could always increase the rate.


    ''Right now, I hold all the cards. I should dispense it slowly¡­''


    Rey doubted the Karinc Group would keep buying Grade 6 Monster Cores from him forever.


    It wasn''t that he doubted their wealth.


    No, not at all.


    In fact, he was sure they would be able to make immense profits from every sac they bought from him.


    The problem was greed.


    ''Eventually, they''ll try to bypass me and get the Cores from their source.''


    That was always the way business went.


    ''That''s why I should be as loosely involved with this as possible.''


    At least, until he found a more sustainable alternative, Rey had to maintain this rtionship he already had.


    ''This is the ck Market. I can''t forget that.''


    The reason these people existed was because they weren''t satisfied with trade under the governance of thews of thend.


    They didn''t like being regted, or taxed, or restricted.


    This was all driven by greed.


    ''Soon that greed will make them turn on me. That''s why I have to be prepared¡­''


    To make sure Noah remainedpliant to him, he would need to constantly give him his share of the money.


    That was not a problem.


    ''But even that should also have its expiration date.''


    Rey knew the one person he could rely on was himself.


    ''That''s why no one can know my secret.''


    No one could know the source of his wealth, and the depth of his strength.


    He would leave them to specte.


    ''That should dy whatever ns they have¡­''


    For now, there were more important things to focus on.


    ''I have to get stronger.''


    *


    *


    *

 Chapter 58 An Obsidian Councilor

    <h4>Chapter 58 An Obsidian Councilor </h4>


    Within a finely furnished office located in an unknown ce, a man stood close to the windows, ignoring the fine chair and exquisite desk behind him.


    The blond hair on his head was a lot longer than a man''s, but a tad bit shorter than a woman''s. He had a few wrinkles covering his face, disying his age, and a short beard that was finely trimmed.


    His outfit was also reminiscent of the room¡ªgrandiose and expensive-looking.


    He was watching the events of the marketce¡ªthe ck Market¡ªand a smile was on his face.


    As one of the six members of the Obsidian Council, it pleased him to see themunity thriving.


    As he smiled and sipped his wine, his moment of reminiscing was cut short by a knock on the door.


    The man''s green eyes darted to the door, and his curled up lips slowly fell.


    "Come in."


    The door slowly opened, and a man dressed in an expensive waistcoat, as well as an overall formal entire walked in.


    He looked young¡ªperhaps in his early thirties¡ªbut the experienced look in his eyes did not belong to a youth.


    He was Aldred Winsley, one of the many Brokers of the Karinc Group.


    "Lord nc, I have reports for you."


    nc was his code name in the Obsidian Council. Each of the six had their pseudonyms, yet his managed to be the opposite color to what their entire group was named after.


    "It''s fine, boy. There''s no need to call me that here. Just address me normally¡­"


    Sure, the man who entered was younger than this Lord nc, but it wasn''t enough to be called a boy.


    Still, he nodded in understanding.


    As this man slowly turned to Aldred, he could see him deactivate his Identity Concealment Item.


    Soon, Aldred''s appearance transformed into a younger version of nc.


    "I understand¡­ father."


    The Aldred from before was now reced by a boy who was barely twenty.


    "Hehe¡­ that''s much better."


    nc chuckled as he sat on his veryfortable chair and offered Aldred the same courtesy.


    Aldred took it without a moment''s hesitation and sat opposite his father.


    "So¡­ talk to me. Tell me what all this fuss is about."


    nc was a man of many means. Even before Aldred hade, he had a faint inclination of what was going on in hispany.


    However, just how much did he know¡­?!


    "Alright father. The thing is¡­"


    ***********


    "G-good heavens!"


    nc''s face contorted in downright shock as he listened to his son finalize his story.


    "That''s absurd!" He yelled.


    "Right? I thought so too. But it was all real¡ªeverything I told you."


    It seemed like a made up story¡­ that someone of such caliber would just walk into their ce of business like it was nothing.


    ''What kind of man is this masked seller?''


    "Did he drop a name? Anything to identify him as?" nc asked, desperately hoping he could use some of his connections to dig up something.


    The look on Aldred''s face told him, however, that it wouldn''t be worthwhile.


    "He just told us to call him Yer. Even among the aplished Adventurers, none bear that name."


    nc squinted his eyes and pulled at his beards a little.


    His son wasn''t wrong.


    ''Adventurers either use their real name or have shy titles and pseudonyms. This seems like thetter, but¡­"


    If Yer was an extremely strong or aplished Adventurer, surely they would have heard of him by now.


    "What a mysterious fellow¡­" nc whispered. "You did good by bringing him to our side, boy."


    There was just one more thing.


    It was a matter of utmost pertinence that nc had to personally ask.


    ''This''ll determine how we consider our future with him¡­''


    "You used your [Eye Of God], right? What was the Type of Skill he had?"


    [Eye Of God] was an Enchanted Item of the 4th Grade. It could detect a person''s Stats to a limited degree, but not without the other party finding out.


    The only thing it could do very subtly was reading how strong overall an individual was by measuring their Skill.


    "What was the Tier?"


    In response to this question, Aldred Winsley had a conflicted expression.


    It wasn''t that he didn''t understand the question, but rather he couldn''t decide on how to answer it.


    As he gulped, he decided to throw aside his indecision and just be as straightforward as possible.


    "It¡­ it didn''t work, I think."


    "It didn''t work? That''s a Grade 4 Item. It has to work!" nc responded with a deep frown.


    Grade 4 was the highest Grade anyone could obtain on the market right now.


    Whether it was raw materials or finished products, it existed at the epitome of the current chain.


    Why would such a sophisticated item be broken?


    "I-I know! But¡­ after our meeting, I tried to see what it picked up, but it was only telling me ~Error!~"


    This had never happened in the course of doing business. Aldred didn''t know what it meant, so he just chalked it down to a malfunction.


    nc, on the other hand, had a different expression.


    "D-did you just say¡­ ~Error!~?"


    The look of horror on the older man''s face scared Aldred a little, but he did his best to nod regardless.


    ''I''ve never seen Father this shaken before¡­''


    As he had this thought, nc rose from his seat as if it suddenly had a thousand needles on it.


    He just wasn''tfortable any longer.


    "The [Eye Of God] can detect Skills from the F-Tier up to the A-


    Tier¡­" He began, his breathing seeming a little uneven.


    Even Aldred was growing increasingly restless just listening to his father.


    "If the Item showed error, it means it had encountered something above its ability to analyze."


    In essence¡­


    "N-no way!"


    "Indeed¡­" A grim frown tugged at nc''s lips as he stared hard at his son.


    "The S-Tier. Realm of Heroes and Gods."


    Only the strongest of entities¡ªlike the Dragons¡ªhad such power.


    Even their most powerful Mage only had an A-Tier Skill at most.


    "Boy, I''ll tell you this for free¡­"


    Aldred had never seen his father this shaken before. Full caution, mixed with a grimness so deep that it defied exnation, shrouded his face.


    It seemed even one of the Obsidian Councilors could show fear.


    "Never¡­ ever cross that man."


    Aldred instantly nodded at his father''s wise words.


    "He could destroy us all."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    A nice grasp into the criminal underworld before we resume our grind!

 Chapter 59 Descent To The Next Floor

    <h4>Chapter 59 Descent To The Next Floor </h4>


    "Oh?"


    Rey was currently looking at the new and improved Hobgoblin civilization he had helped kickstart, and a look of pride was radiating through his face.


    "It''s been like four days since Ist came here. You guys are doing well for yourselves."


    For the first time, the ce didn''t smell¡ªat least, not too much¡ªwhen he entered the clearing.


    And even now that he was standing among the kneeling Hobs, he could notice a lot of changes.


    ''Everywhere is so clean. They''ve made the pots as per instruction, and they''re properly taking care of their waste.''


    Everything was in perfect order.


    ''A few more things¡ªlike good clothing and variety of food¡ªwould be nice, but it''s not a necessity for them to be useful to me.''


    As a result, Rey decided to leave that thought at the back burner.


    Right now, he had bigger fish to fry.


    ''Right now, this is the safest ce for me and my property¡­''


    He had initially thought it was a good move to take Monster Cores from the Hobs and hide them in his room, but now he could see how foolish that line of reasoning was.


    ''There''s no better ce to keep them than this ce.''


    If he hadn''t caught the perpetrator, or if the malefactor had been someone else, he would have been in a lot more hot water.


    Rey recognized that very well.


    ''From now on, I''ll be hiding my stuff here¡­''


    Of course, it wouldn''t be a temporary measure.


    ''Once I get enough Spatial Rings¡ªapart from the one I gave Noah for business¡ªI''ll store them in there and keep them with me at all times.''


    Since his [Subspace] had limited slots¡ªfifty in total¡ªand there was a limited size of objects he could ce in a slot, Rey found the perfect way to cheat the system.


    ''I''ll put as many Cores inside a Spatial Ring. I''ll put as many Spatial Rings in a sac¡­ and they''ll only upy one [Subspace] Slot.''


    That meant he had to invest at least hundreds of tinum Coins for the sake of getting all the Monster Cores.


    However, for the sweet deal of finally being able to harvest all the heaps of Cores that greeted his sight every day, it was a good deal.


    ''For now, I''ll just hide my stuff here.''


    It would take a few days topletely clear all the Monster Cores in his room, but he was certainly going to do so.


    ''Now¡­ on to the event for today¡­''


    His attention wasn''t on the Hobgoblins.


    Though he was still concerned about them, the primary reason foring to the Dungeon today didn''t involve them at all.


    ''Right now, I need to get a lot stronger. I don''t feel veryfortable stagnating for too long¡­''


    Unfortunately he couldn''t kill the Hobs at such an early stage since they would give him very little EXP, thus defeating the point of helping them in the first ce.


    Fortunately, there was another way.


    ''I just have to descend to the next floor!'' Rey''s eyes beamed with delight as he spotted the entrance precisely where the Hobgoblin Chief used to sit.


    He dismissed the kneeling Hobs and used [Flight] to swiftly approach the throne.


    The raggedy structure was firmly ced at an elevated position, and right under it was the entrance to the Eighth Floor.


    ''I guess they didn''t know how to open it up, but recognized it was of importance, so they built their throne around it¡­''


    Rey rubbed his chin as he became a little stuck in a decision he had to make.


    ''Should I go in now, or¡­?''


    He took a quick nce at the Hobgoblins, and while they were on and about in their activities, they were also looking at him.


    ''That settles it. I''m heading in!''


    There was pretty much nothing more he could do for the Hobs. He just had to plunder their reserve of Monster Cores while waiting for his investment to bear fruit.


    What called for his attention now was the next challenge.


    And he was ready to answer.


    ''Let''s go!''


    ***********


    If darkness was what would urately describe the natural habitat of the Hobgoblins, the Eight floor was the direct opposite.


    "G-guh!"


    Rey instantly shrouded his eyes and fell to his knees as he took in the unwanted stimulus for the first time.


    His eyes had gotten so used to the dark that he needed time to limate to this new environment.


    ''I guess this is how it felt for them when I used [re]¡­''


    Rey knew it had to be a lot worse since the Hobs had practically lived in darkness for most of their lives.


    It hurt still.


    Fortunately, it didn''t take him very long before the pain and temporary blindness faded away.


    ''Tch. Well¡­ it looks like my Resistance Skills are working.''


    Rey rose to his feet and was finally able to see normally.


    ''Ahh¡­!''


    His eyes were greeted by luminous tones¡ªlike the ones in the Sixth Floor¡ªexcept these ones were much bigger and they glowed brighter.


    They were also all over the ce, so the intensity of their clustered energy caused brightness to pervade the entire space.


    ''It''s interesting how every Dungeon Floor has a different terrain, and none really bleed into one another¡­''


    This was another strong argument made by schrs that there had to be some kind of artificial hand in the Dungeon''s formation.


    In nature, things tended to smudge together if one observed close enough.


    Layers of the soil might appear distinct, but if one looked close enough, they had points of convergence where they merged together in a somewhatpatible or ipatible way¡ªas the case may be.


    But Dungeons weren''t like that.


    They had designated zones for designated functions¡ªwith each Floor being like apletely different world of its own.


    From a realm of darkness, Rey was instantly transported to and of light.


    ''I hope there''s no floor of poison gas or a world ofva here¡­'' Rey told himself as he activated [Flight] and glided through the air.


    With the Mana he currently had, he could afford to leave the Skill on for as long as he wanted.


    Only when he wasn''t using multiple other Skills, though.


    It was one of the things Rey felt proud of.


    ''Well, enough about that¡­'' Rey kept a decent eye out for everything around him.


    [Danger Sense], [Perception], and [Farsight] were all activated at the same time as he advanced further.


    There was no room for error.


    "¡­ Where are the monsters?"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Time for a new hunt, fes.


    Remember to send your Comments, Power Stones, and Golden Tickets.


    Y''all are the best!

 Chapter 60 The Eighth Floor [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 60 The Eighth Floor [Pt 1] </h4>


    "GRRRRR!!!"


    As a feral beast growled and barked at Rey, he couldn''t help but leak out a small smirk.


    ''Well, that didn''t take very long¡­'' He found his thoughts trailing.


    The beast in front of him looked like a monkey¡ªno, more like a chimp¡ªbut it had a few key differences that made it stand out.


    For one, it had white hair all over its body. Secondly, its pale gray skin and bright blue eyes were definitely not primate-like.


    Finally, while it was asrge as a regr human, thanks to it squatting in a quadrupedal fashion, it appeared shorter than Rey.


    ''I guess thest one is pretty much in line with monkeys, huh?''


    The beast before him had very sharp jaws, as if belonging to a carnivore, and its bright blue eyes exuded nothing but sheer hatred.


    Despite all of these, though, Rey found himself calmly assessing the situation.


    ''I''ve never seen or heard of this kind of creature before. Is it only native to this Floor?''


    Rey could see why, though.


    ''Bright blue eyes to adapt to the brightness of this ce, and pale white skin most likely because of theck of necessity to get a tan¡­''


    The area was very cold too, so the excessive hair was a necessity.


    ''Then there''s their teeth. If I consider what this monster was doing before I ran into it, then it makes sense.''


    The Monkey Monster¡ªas Rey decided to tag it¡ªwas nibbling on smaller chunks of the Mana Crystals around.


    ''So it''s sharp teeth are that way because of how it has to grate through the hard rock and pierce it. I bet they''re absurdly strong too!''


    Rey shivered at the thought of being caught in the jaws of such a feral creature.


    ''Even though it looks like a monkey, it doesn''t seem to have the kind of intelligence I''d expect from Primates. Well, I can''t be too early to judge¡­''


    This one could have been an outlier, or a savage variant of the rest of the species.


    ''It looks strong, though. If that''s the case, there''s no need to be bothered about any other quality that doesn''t have to do with my safety or its viability as my EXP juice."


    With that thought in mind, Rey pointed its finger at the growling creature.


    The Monkey Monster noticed this slight change in Rey''s posture and instantly rushed towards him.


    Its wide jaws tore open, and it was clear what its intentions were.


    Unfortunately for it¡­ Rey was faster.


    "[Force]"


    ~WHUUSH!~


    As expected, the Monkey Monster was instantly knocked back by Rey''s attack.


    It couldn''t even offer much resistance.


    "Get up. Come on¡­" Rey approached the spawning beast.


    He knew the kind of power he put behind that push, so he knew it wasn''t dead yet.


    "The reason I''ve not killed you yet is because I want to see your Skills. Soe on¡­"


    There was no way a Monster who was living off chewing literal Mana Crystals wouldn''t have Skills.


    To prepare himself for what toe, Rey activated his [Safe Haven] Skill.


    "Now let''s see¡ª"


    ~WHOOOOSH!~


    The Monster growled as it shot from its position and lunged at Rey.


    "Haha! That''s more like it!" Rey grinned excitedly as he watched it rush towards him.


    He could feel his heart racing as the beast neared. It''s speed and power had increased exponentially, but that wasn''t all Rey wanted to see.


    ''Show me your Skill!''


    ~SHWUUUU!~


    Suddenly, the barrier that surrounded Rey began to break down¡ªalmost as if it was melting.


    ''E-eh¡­?''


    Rey''s eyes slightly flinched as the approaching beast''s white fur glowed brightly and it tore through his defensive measure.


    Despite seeing it with his own eyes, his [Danger Sense] also alerted him of the imminent danger that was closing in on him.


    ''It broke down my barrier? T-then!''


    Rey swiftly used his [Greater Lightning Magic] Skill to generate a Lightning Arrow and send it towards his opponent.


    That was when the most shocking thing urred.


    ~BZZZTTTTZZZ!~


    As soon as the Lightning neared the Monkey Monster, a barrier formed around it, shielding it instantly.


    ''Isn''t that¡­!''


    Yes, it was [Safe Haven]!


    Rey''s mind quickly calcted the implications of what that meant despite the jaws of the creature already being too close forfort.


    One more second and it would rip his head right off his body.


    ''It broke down and absorbed my Skill?!''


    Before the Monster could finish its job, though, Rey sent it flying with [Force] again.


    It was the only Skill he could rely on since he knew it was effective.


    ~WHOOSH!~


    Once again, the Monkey Monster bounced back, but not with as much intensity as the first round.


    ''[Safe Haven]''s effects are protecting it, huh? This is unexpected¡­''


    Rey could feel his heart beat faster now, but this time it wasn''t due to excitement.


    It was caution.


    ''I can''t afford to take this one lightly¡­''


    An opponent that could eat through his Skill and use said Skill for itself was nothing short of formidable.


    ''To think there''s an entire Floor crawling with things like these¡­''


    The most worrying thing about this entire arrangement was hisck of information.


    ''What kind of Skills can it break down? How long can it maintain the Skill it uses? What are the limitations?''


    These were the questions that swirled through Rey''s mind.


    ''The fact that [Force] affects it means it probably doesn''t do well with invisible attacks or Skills that use naturalws like gravity to attack¡­''


    And Rey had already figured out the Monster''s glowing skin was somewhat rted to its ability.


    ''The light is slowly dimming, so I''m guessing there''s a time limit. Could there also be a cooldown period?''


    While Rey had been hoping for the disy of a really cool Skill, he never expected an oue of this proportion.


    ''I''m also curious about whether it can break down and use multiple Skills at the same time¡­''


    Try doubted that was the case, but he had to know for sure.


    "Guess there''s only one way to find out¡­" Rey''s eyes began to glow crimson.


    "Let''s try something else."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    What do you think of the Monster? Remember to share your thoughts in thements!


    Also, character art should soon be avable.


    You''ll have to join the Discord Server for that, though¡­

 Chapter 61 The Eighth Floor [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 61 The Eighth Floor [Pt 2] </h4>


    ''[Heat Vision]!''


    Rey''s glowing eyes instantly release a beam of crimson energy.


    It sliced through the air in a vibrant him, swiftly moving towards its target in a straight line.


    "GRRAAA!!" The Monkey Monster''s [Safe Haven] activated once more, but thanks to the creature''s paling glow, the barrier began to blink.


    As a result of this instability, the ray of light was able to prate its defenses to a limited degree.


    The result?


    "GRAAOO!"


    The right arm of the Monkey Monster was badly bruised by the power of the st.


    It took a few steps back in recoil, tightly gripping its wounded region.


    At this point, its glow ceased.


    "Interesting. So it onlysts for thirty seconds. The effects begin to dwindle in the 20 second mark, and once it reaches 25 seconds, the ability gets unstable."


    After the time limit, the Skillpletely vanished.


    "That''s quite something. I''m curious, though. Does this apply to all Skills, or does it depend on the Skill absorbed?"


    [Safe Haven] was a B-Tier Skill, so if itsted for thirty seconds, would a C-Tier Skillst for longer?


    What of A-Tier? Would the duration be shorter?


    Rey was curious to find out.


    "What an interesting Monster¡­" He murmured.


    Compared to the others he had found, this was by far the most dangerous.


    ''And there''s also the fact that the creature is durable. Even though the effects were mitigated by [Safe Haven], that heat vision should havepletely sliced off its hand.''


    If it was other Monsters, that would have been the oue.


    ''Its speed and durability are superior to the others, and the Skill it has is superb.''


    Rey wondered just what kind of Monsters would be awaiting him in the lower Floors if the one on the Eighth Floor was already this strong.


    ''I wonder how the others would fare if they faced this thing¡­''


    Basic Martial Arts or shy techniques wouldn''t be enough to make it out of here alive.


    To survive in the Dungeon, one needed two things.


    "One is power¡­" Rey grinned, taking a step forward as he focused his gaze on the growling beast.


    And the other was just as important.


    "¡­ Adaptability."


    Rey stretched out his hand to the Monkey Monster, and it could not resist the ''Pull'' effect of [Force].


    Like a helpless ragdoll, it approached Rey with sheer speed.


    "[Greater Corrosion]." He whispered the moment the Monkey Monster fell into his grasp.


    Instantly, the body of the beast melted before Rey''s very eyes.


    As if it was disintegrating, its flesh turned into ash. The bones soon followed, all of them crumbling to dust as they fell from his hand.


    Once he was done eliminating the creature, he dusted his hand and opened his lips.


    "Status Window."


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Rey Skr.


    - Race: Human (Otherworlder)


    - ss: Commoner (F-Tier)


    - Level: 15 (98.21% EXP)


    - Life Force: 22


    - Mana Level: 63


    - Combat Ability: 30


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Doppel]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): Nil


    - Alignment: Neutral


    [Additional Information]


    You possess the weakest ss, but the strongest Skill. You can only be described as an ''Overpowered Weakling.''


    [End Of Information]


    As expected, he was still in the same Level, though the EXP had increasedpared to its previous state.


    ''A little more, and I''ll Level Up.''


    The higher one''s Level, the more difficult it was to advance further.


    The kind of Monsters he would have to fight to grow even more had to be iparably stronger than his previous foes.


    Such a system ensured Rey could never ck off or feel too powerful since he had to constantly challenge himself to see any real progress.


    He liked it this way.


    "Now let''s take a good look at the new Skill."


    [Skill Categories]


    ~ Attack Category: 26


    ~ Defense Category: 9


    ~ Buff Category: 10


    ~ Misceneous: 7


    [New Skills: Please Select Their Categories]


    ~ C-Tier: Breakdown


    ~C-Tier: Copy


    [End Of Information]


    "I see¡­ so it was using two Skills the whole time¡­"


    Rey had always thought the Monkey Monster''s abilities were too broken for a single Skill, but after considering his own [Doppel], he quickly realized he shouldn''t judge.


    However, now that the truth hade to light, he felt a little at ease.


    ''Both of them are definitely going into the Attack Category.''


    Rey remembered how he had restructured his Skill Categories after more thorough revision.


    Once he had trained with them to an extent, familiarizing himself with their limitations and practicability, he had changed his mind on some Skills.


    In the end, a few Skills had to change Categories.


    ''I''m very sure about these two, though.'' Rey thought, referring to the two C-Tiers before his eyes.


    Once he was done setting everything up, he closed the System Window and heaved in satisfaction.


    "And with that, I have 54 Skills. Not bad."


    Rey wasn''t satisfied, though.


    ''I won''t be able to fully test out the new Skills on the monsters here since they''re all going to be using them as well.''


    The best way to properly utilize them would be to square off with a different monster and see how the Skills held up.


    ''For now, though, let''s just advance¡­''


    Satisfied with his current disposition, Rey advanced forward.


    ''Ah¡­ fuck! I went and corroded the Monster Core too!''


    The moment he realized this, he almost pulled his hair out. How could he have forgotten something so important?!


    "My moneyyyyy!"


    **********


    "[Counter]."


    The moment a Monkey Monster tried to get a jump on him from behind, Rey''s finger flicked back, touching the face of the beast.


    ~SQUELCH!~


    In an instant wave of repulsion, the beast''s head exploded..


    Its guts spilled over as blood spurted out of its gaping neck. The headless body of the Monster stumbled for a second before falling to its death.


    The [Counter] Skill was very useful, albeit technical.


    It required precision.


    ''I have to touch the part of the opponent that is about to hit me, and the damage I would have received is reflected to the opponent.''


    This only worked on physical attacks, which was why it remained a C-Tier Skill.


    ''The fact that its head ripped apart just goes to show how sharp those jaws are.'' Rey smirked as the fallen monster''s core.


    However, not long after he did this, a frown tugged at his lips.


    The reason was simple.


    "Once again, it''s a bother to harvest the Monster Core¡­"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Please share your thoughts (bothpliments and criticisms) in thements.


    I''d like to know what you feel.


    If you like this book, this is a good chance to give a review too.

 Chapter 62 The Eighth Floor [Pt 3]

    <h4>Chapter 62 The Eighth Floor [Pt 3] </h4>


    "So¡­ I was thinking¡­"


    Rey was currently surrounded by Monkey Monsters, yet the way he was conversing felt like he was pitching an idea to humans like himself.


    An excuse he gave himself was that he was simply doing this out of boredom, but Rey failed to consider the possibility that maybe¡­ just maybe he was going insane.


    "¡­ Instead of picking up your Cores after killing you, couldn''t I just bring a few Hobgoblins with me to do the job?"


    "GRRRRRRRRRR!!!"


    In response to their loud growls, Rey swiftly raised his hands, as if trying to pacify them and further argue his point.


    "Now hold on¡­ hear me out! They''ll just be a few. Maybe even one who''s very intelligent and quick on their feet."


    The rationale behind this was simple.


    While Rey was busy exterminating these creatures, the Hobgoblin would be busy harvesting the Cores.


    A win-win!


    ¡­ Well, except for the Monsters being in.


    "ROOOOAAAARRRRR!!!"


    The group of Monkey Monsters¡ªabout five of them¡ªleaped from their respective positions at the same time, all of them desiring to get a taste of his flesh.


    Rey couldn''t help but sigh.


    "[Blindness]."


    The moment he said this, darkness shrouded the bright eyes of the Monkey Monsters.


    With their sight¡ªthe primary sensory organ they had¡ªgone, they couldn''t clearly urately locate him.


    However, since they already had a decent idea of his position, they did not falter.


    Hesitation was not allowed in the Dungeon, and as apex predators, these beasts were fine examples of the primalws.


    Unfortunately for them, Rey wasn''t quite finished.


    "[False Pain]."


    The moment he snapped his fingers, every single one of them copsed on the ground, groaning in sheer agony.


    "G-GURAAAAAHHHHH!!!"


    "UROOAAAGHHHHH!!"


    "K-KURGHHHH!!"


    Their screams of the phantom pain they were experiencing was further amplified by the horrors of darkness that overwhelmed them.


    These beings were not used to being in pain, or not seeing.


    The hesitation they had avoided for so long soon spiked to confusion.


    ¡­ And then despair.


    "Guess you didn''t like my pitch. Oh well¡­" Rey''s disconcerted voice was thest thing they heard.


    And then, their lives came to an end.


    *******


    Smoke was still emanating from Rey''s fingers as he looked at the deceased creature.


    Once again, he could already dread harvesting the Cores.


    "I personally don''t think it''s a bad n¡­" He mumbled, thinking about his pitch.


    The major problem when it came to this n was that there was a possibility he couldn''t protect the Hobgoblin as well as he could defend himself.


    In essence, his Monster Core harvester could die on him.


    ''The Dungeon is an unpredictable ce, so I can''t guarantee anything.''


    Taking care of himself was a given, but what about others?


    "Since Hobgoblins are pretty much expendable, I don''t see why I should be too concerned about their well-being, though¡­"


    When Rey said words like this, they made him seem like a monster. However, he had long outgrown those sorts of concerns.


    "If I use the females, they should be smarter than the young ones."


    The problem was that all the females were pregnant, which meant they would be slow.


    ''The males are too young and stupid¡­'' Rey sighed.


    No matter how he looked at it, either option would slow him down while he was trying to advance in the Dungeon''s deeper floors.


    In the end, there was only one method Rey could think of that would be most viable.


    ''Once I''m done with a Floor, I''ll assign the Hobs to fetch the Monster Cores.''


    He could supervise them the first few times to ensure they got it right and didn''t leave any single Core alone, but afterward, he didn''t see a problem in letting them do the work while he advanced to a deeper floor.


    ''That works¡­''


    Rey smiled, d to finally have that topic behind him.


    Right now, he was almost done with the Monkey Monsters, and there was a lot he had learned about them.


    ''Skills that affect them directly and do not use a tangible wave of Mana are the most useful¡­''


    He had initially thought he would have trouble dispatching them¡ªespecially if they came to him in groups.


    However, they were easier than he expected.


    ''The more I know, the easier they be to fight¡­''


    Skills like [Blindness] and [False Pain] came in handy in times like this.


    ''Once they''re incapacitated, they won''t have enough focus to activate their Skills, so I can just finish them off with whatever.''


    It was that easy!


    ''Of course, it might take some people a bit of time to get the trick behind it¡­''


    In fact, the only reason Rey could do something like this was due to his wide array of Skills.


    If it was some other person, they wouldn''t be so lucky.


    ''Diversity and versatility is the best weapon I have.''


    And in the Dungeon¡ªa ce where monsters with varying abilities and qualities existed¡ªRey''s weapon was the ultimate kind.


    ''I just need to keep building my arsenal¡­''


    As Rey had these thoughts, he neared the massive entrance that was the Boss Room.


    ''What a nice setup¡­'' He found himself leaking a smirk.


    Naturally, a bunch of Monkey Monsters were guarding the entrance and instantly reacted to his presence.


    "GRRRRRIIII¡ª!"


    Before they could even leak out another growl, Rey finished them off.


    As their dead bodies plopped to the ground, Rey decided to leave them be.


    ''The Hobs will handle the rest¡­''


    Instead, he kept his gaze forward.


    The gaping entrance to the Boss Room was just a formation of rocks that seemed to naturally construct a doorway.


    It was open, and Rey took the liberty of inviting himself in.


    Once he entered the inner sanctum of the Monkey Monsters, he found himself assailed by even brighter light than before.


    The Mana Crystals in this ce glowed iparably more than the ones he found on his way here.


    Not only that, but they were literally everywhere.


    The walls were made of the stuff, and the ceiling had spikes of Mana Crystals covering every corner.


    It felt like a Mana Crystal Chamber at this point.


    "Ohhh!" Rey''s mouth opened slightly as his eyes caught the most imposing figure he had ever encountered throughout his stay in this new world.


    More imposing than the Kobold Boss.


    Far more threatening than the Hobgoblin Chief and the NightWolves.


    ¡­ Immensely more intimidating than the Monkey Monsters.


    This entity was seated on a throne made from Mana Crystals.


    The throne didn''t seem veryfortable, but it was massive and grandiose¡ªradiating so much light that an average person would have to look away so as not to go blind.


    Rey was staring right at it though, feeling his heartbeat increase drastically.


    The Boss was at least seven meters tall. That was about five times taller than Rey.


    It red heavily at its prey, its breathing echoing throughout the room like the brewing sound of Thunder.


    "So you''re the Boss, huh?" Rey felt his lips widening to their limits as he grinned.


    Rather than trembling in fear, as he had done before, he could feel his anxiety mix in with profound curiosity.


    ¡­ And excitement.


    "Perfect!"

 Chapter 63 The Boss Monkey Monster [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 63 The Boss Monkey Monster [Pt 1] </h4>


    Boss Monsters usually exist as two kinds.


    The first Kind is the ''Commander'' type, who is usually surrounded by tons of minions and has a lot of influence over them.


    It would be difficult facing this Boss Monster because not only would the challenger have to defeat it, they also have to focus their efforts on the mobs that naturally assist their leader.


    As a result, Parties are necessary for fights like this¡ªwhether in a game, or in a world of Magic and Fantasy.


    However¡­


    ¡­ There exists the second type of Boss.


    The Solo Boss!


    In a way, this one can end up being even more troublesome than the first.


    At least, the first Boss is guaranteed to be defeated with proper teamwork and well-coordinated actions.


    Since it''s a ''Commander'' type, it''s usually weak individually¡ªthough exceptions to this exist.


    A Solo Boss, however, is an ''Assault'' type.


    Its power far surpass anything a ''Commander'' can dream of wielding, and one could also refer to this type as a Tyrant.


    Only one thing matters when ites to subjugating this kind of Boss.


    ¡­ Power!


    Teamwork and coordination can work for a while, but without sufficient power, it''s all pointless.


    It just so happened that Rey found the Boss of the Eighth Floor to be the second type.


    An unstoppable Tyrant!


    ********


    The seven-meter-tall monstrosity rose from its giant throne as it fixed its gaze on Rey.


    Its immensely muscr form slouched thanks to its quadrupedal nature, but that did not at all diminish its presence.


    It had unbelievably huge arms. And while its legs were much smaller, they looked thick with muscles¡ªlike the stump of a robust tree.


    Misty breath escaped its lips as it stared at Rey. Its three eyes all had different colors¡ªblue, red, and purple.


    Thetter was on its forehead.


    "Easy, big guy¡­" As the creature''s growl began to rise to a climax, Rey''s voice interrupted it.


    "Enough flexing already."


    The Monster''s re tightened, and veins appeared all over its ugly ape-like face.


    "I''m ready when you a¡ª!"


    Before Rey couldplete his sentence, the beast closed its distance with Rey and sent one of its robust hands forward.


    ~WHOOSH!~


    Only the sound of parting wind could be heard, followed by a loud crashing sound from the end of the room.


    ~BOOOOM!~


    Huge chunks of Mana Crystals fell to the ground, causing the ground to rumble.


    This only happened because of the person who had crashed on the wall.


    "Oh wow¡­" Rey''s slightly disheveled hair danced all over his face as he used a slight ~huff~ to send a strand of stray hair flying away.


    "¡­ That hurt."


    What happened just now was simple.


    The Boss Monster hit Rey, and he ended up being uncontrobly thrust to the wall.


    Using defenses would have been detrimental, so Rey refused to go down that route.


    As a result, he had to suffer the full brunt of the Boss Monster''s strike.


    "Guess I underestimated y¡ª"


    Once again, the Boss Monster became a blur and swiftly closed the distance between itself and Rey.


    It felt like teleportation at this point.


    ~WHUUM!~


    It sent its fist flying, but Rey was able to sessfully dodge the first crash by jumping away from the wall.


    The result of that evasion, was the creature''s now hitting whatever remained of the wall.


    The result¡­?


    ~BOOOOOOOOMMM!~


    As the loud noise erupted throughout the room, Rey activated [Flight] and tried to glide through the air, but was promptly stopped by resistance on one of his legs.


    "Oh fuck¡­!"


    The Boss had managed to grab a hold of Rey''s leg right as he leaped away from harm''s way.


    Rey feared what woulde next.


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    The creature jumped from its height and flung Rey to the ground.


    The boy felt like a helpless ragdoll as his body iled through the air before inevitably crashing on the ground.


    "Not giving me a chance to¡ª"


    Once more, the monster descended on Rey from above¡ªit''s sped handsnding fervently on Rey''s exposed stomach.


    "G-GURGHH!" Both blood and saliva leaked out of Rey''s open mouth as his eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.


    However, this was only the beginning.


    ~BOOOM!~


    ~WHAM!~


    ~BOOOOOM!~


    As tremors echoed in the magnificent expanse, everything began to crack.


    The ceiling shook, the earth shattered apart, and shockwaves sent dents spreading throughout the far walls.


    This level of destruction was unbelievable.


    "GRUUUUUUUU¡­"


    Once the Boss Monster had gotten its fill of primal violence and senseless rage, it took a good look at Rey''s battered body.


    "U-urrrgh¡­"


    The human was lying there¡­ pathetic and weakened.


    He was too broken to do anything else.


    "HUHUHUHU¡­" The Boss Monster chuckled as it raised Rey up, dragging him from his head.


    It licked its ape-like lips, revealing a toothy grin.


    A terrible odor wafted through its discolored but incredibly sharp teeth.


    Saliva drilled down as it intently observed its prey.


    This was its moment of triumph¡ªthe final act of their brief, but enjoyable dance.


    ~CRUNCH!~


    As the Boss Monster devoured its prey, it felt nothing.


    No resistance. No flesh. No bone.


    ¡­ No blood.


    "¡­?!"


    A confused expression greeted its face as it nced at what was supposed to remain of the prey''s body being held in its grasp.


    It found nothing.


    At this point, confusion greeted all its senses as it furiously nced around in sheer disillusionments


    Its primitive brain could not properlyprehend what had just happened, but it knew one thing for sure.


    It had been yed!


    "Took you long enough to notice."


    The voice of its prey suddenly echoed in the air, forcing the giant creature to turn in the direction it came from.


    Standing there,pletely unharmed, was Rey.


    "Looks like [Projection] works well on you. I thought you''d be able to see through it, but apparently not¡­"


    The monster did not understand what this ''Projection'' meant. However, it could understand that its prey was still alive.


    And that pissed it off.


    "GROOOOAAAAHHHHHH!!!"


    As its roars reverberated through the air, Rey''s smile seemed to increase.


    "Is it due to your body''sck of proper sensitivity that you were unable to properly feel theck of impact when you were striking?"


    In exchange for their thick skin which granted them impressive durability, these creatures had very desensitized nerves on their flesh surface.


    That was what Rey referred to.


    "I guess the impact from the surfaces, and the wind pressure also helped a lot, so it felt like you were actually hitting something."


    All the while, it had been fighting a nonexistent enemy.


    "The only real strike younded was the first."


    After that, Rey had promptly activated [Projection] and watched everything that came next from the sidelines.


    "I have to say¡­ It was quite entertaining."


    It felt a little odd seeing himself beat up like that, but Rey considered it to be a warning.


    A warning for what would happen if he were ever to get careless in a fight.


    "ROOOOOOOAAAARRRRRR!!!" More incoherent roars emanated from the beast, but Rey couldn''t be less bothered.


    "Did you really think I wouldn''t take precautions when fighting someone of your caliber? Thanks to your exhibition, though, I have a fair grasp of your strength."


    Rey''s voice oozed with genuine gratitude, but this only served to enrage the Boss Monster more.


    "I suppose it''s my turn now."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Did you all think that was Rey for a second?

 Chapter 64 The Boss Monkey Monster [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 64 The Boss Monkey Monster [Pt 2] </h4>


    ~BOOOOOOMMM!!!~


    The very ground shattered into massive chunks as the Boss Monkey Monster¡ªBMM for short¡ªcharged from its position and lunged at Rey.


    Fury filled all three of its eyes, and its salivating mouth was wide open as it thrust a punch forward.


    ~WHOOOOOMM!~


    The air vibrated as the wind parted to make way for the massive blow that rapidly approached Rey.


    For anyone, this would be the end.


    But Rey was not anyone.


    "[Grand Armament]"


    In an instant, all of Rey''s body emitted what could only be described as hot steam, and an orange-like substance covered his skin.


    This ''armament'' especially shrouded his hand as heunched it towards the fist of his opponent.


    ~BOOOOM!~


    A resounding explosion echoed across the room, and the walls around it cracked.


    The earth that Rey stood on also broke into pieces, and based on the sh between the two¡­ one would expect that the smaller one would have to recoil thanks to the shock.


    Rather surprisingly, the opposite was the case.


    ~SQUELCH!~


    BMM''s massive hand waspletely crushed by the effects of the A-Tier Skill. Itpletely tore off, turning into nothing but minded flesh and spraying blood.


    "So even you can''t copy an A-Tier Skill, huh? I figured¡­" Rey smiled.


    [Grand Armament] was the only Buff Skill he had among his list of A-Tier abilities.


    It basically coated the body in a flexible exoskeleton that improved the offensive and defensive prowess of the user.


    The user would be invulnerable to weaker attacks, and the resistance they had towards both Magic and Physical attacks skyrocketed.


    Sure, speed and perception wasn''t really affected by [Grand Armament], but the power boost alone was enough topensate for all of that.


    With just one hit, Rey had easily torn apart the massive arms of his opponent.


    "Don''t look so surprised." Rey''s voice interrupted the stunned creature before him.


    "We''re just getting started."


    Rey''s body moved much faster than BMM could see, so the only thing it noticed was a blur that reached for its bulging chest.


    ~BOOOOOM!~


    BMM''s body started towards its throne, shattering the entire thing in a sh.


    The blow that Reynded on him was enough to send him flying without any form of resistance.


    BMM was now the one who had be a ragdoll.


    "G-GURGHHH¡­?!"


    It could not understand. How could someone so puny wield so much strength?


    As BMM struggled to understand, Rey was already right behind it.


    "You good, buddy?"


    BMM, of course, did not understand thenguage that Rey spoke. But it instinctively knew that he was being looked down on.


    It hated that more than anything.


    "Hey¡­ I asked a questio¡ª" As Rey took one more step and leaned closer to BMM, the beast had a clever idea.


    ~WHOOM!~


    It swiftly coiled its body and sent its face flying towards Rey''s face.


    Its goal was simple¡ªcrush Rey with its most powerful asset¡ªits powerful teeth.


    However¡­


    "Urgh¡­ your breath stinks." Rey''s voice echoed from within BMM''s mouth.


    "?!!"


    Despite trying its hardest to crush Rey with its enormous teeth, BMM felt an odd sensation¡ªresistance unlike anything else he had ever encountered in the past.


    There was nothing this Boss Monster couldn''t crush with its powerful jaws and sharp teeth.


    Yet¡­ what was this?!


    Rey''s skin was much tougher than BMM''s incredible teeth that it actually began to hurt it to exert pressure on the boy''s head.


    "G-GU¡ª!"


    Before BMM could utter another sentence, it felt heat rise inside its mouth.


    It began to get so hot that it couldn''t help but squirm as it tried to remove its mouth from Rey''s face.


    Unfortunately for BMM, it was just a second toote.


    ~WHOOSH!~


    Two hot rays of light passed through the back of its throat and seared out of its neck.


    If one looked through the two massive holes that formed in its burning skin, they would see two crimson red eyes glowing inside the creature''s mouth.


    "ROAAAAHHHH!!!"


    BMM shrieked in pain as it stepped away from Rey.


    It''s throat was burning, and it was experiencing so much pain¡ª


    too much pain.


    "You can''t break down Skills if they''re activated inside your bodies, can you? Or maybe you can and you just didn''t use it¡­"


    Rey''s voice waspletely ignored by the Boss Monster.


    It was in such extreme pain that it was now waving its only remaining hand aimlessly through air, hoping that it would somehow get rid of Rey.


    If only that would be enough¡­


    ~WHOOSH!~


    Rey shot a single thrust, aiming for the very things the monster before him had the most pride in


    Its indestructible teeth!


    Well¡­ they shattered upon impact with Rey''s armament-


    coated fist.


    Like sharp spikes breaking apart and flying in multiple ces at once, the broken teeth all went their way¡ªa lot of them skewering the flesh of their previous owner.


    "G-GURGHHH¡­"


    At this point, BMM was already choking on its overflowing blood. It staggered back, helplessly unable to do anything but cast a fearful gaze on its supposed prey.


    "Hehehe¡­ hehehehe¡­ hahaha¡­!!"


    The fiend before it wasughing as it struggled to do the one thing every living creature innately desired.


    ¡­ To live!


    BMM desperately wanted to live, and if it could, it would plead for its dear life in whatevernguage Rey understood.


    "G-GURRR¡ª!"


    As it raised its hand in surrender, Rey''s hand became a blur, and it flew straight towards the chest of the beast.


    ~SQUELCH!~


    The smell of gore wafted through the air as Rey''s fist was lodged deep within BMM''s chest.


    Enough to crush its heart, and also to harvest its core.


    "Two birds¡­ one stone."


    BMM knew at that moment that its life hade to an end.


    Despite its brief, desperate, and shameful attempt to live, he had been rewarded with evidence that showed the futility of its actions.


    As Rey''s hand slopped out of its chest, dragging its Monster Core with it, BMM felt its consciousness fading.


    This was the end.


    "Sweet! It''s bigger than the rest! I can definitely sell it for¡­"


    Those were thest words BMM heard before it finally drifted to the world that Monsters go to when they die.


    Thend of nothingness.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Hope you enjoyed the chapter.

 Chapter 65 Planning Ahead

    <h4>Chapter 65 nning Ahead </h4>


    "Level 19, huh¡­?"


    Rey had Leveled Up four times in the course of this brief event, and while it didn''t seem like much, he still found himself smiling at the fact.


    "I''ve gotten stronger."


    His goal for the day had been achieved, and that was enough to satisfy him.


    ''If I can clear one Floor per day, and focus the rest of my time on other things, I''d say that''s decent progress¡­''


    Rey would have normally preferred doing two¡ªif not three¡ªDungeons in a day, but that came at its own risk.


    For one, the terrain of Dungeons made exploring a single floor very hectic. Doing so could range from an hour or two to almost four.


    And all of this was without ounting for the fact that he would need to stop to fight Monsters and harvest Cores¡ªthough he had found a way to circumvent thest problem.


    Of course, Rey could easily find a way to speed up his journey though [Flight] and other Skills in the Buff Category, but that came with its own caveat.


    ''Going fast increases the risk of falling into traps or being careless.''


    When moving fast, there were a lot of things one tended to overlook.


    If this was any other ce, then Rey could have easily shrugged off this underlying risk, but Dungeon Floors were very dangerous and unpredictable ces.


    He could also encounter Monsters that gave hard counters to his existing Skill-Set.


    ''I also can''t afford to burn through too much of my MP¡­''


    In a ce where Rey wasn''t certain what woulde next, his Skills were his only lifeline.


    Which meant MP was his precious fuel.


    ''I have tons of Buffs and my base MP is rapidly increasing, but it''s still not quite there yet¡­''


    Most Buff Skills had Duration and Cooldown Periods, so if he ended up exhausting all of them, he would be screwed.


    He also had a Mana Recovery Skill, but that was a passive one, and it restored the Mana over time.


    In conclusion, while Rey desired to explore more Floors in a day, he simply couldn''t afford to¡ªat least, safety wise.


    There was just no way to rush through it.


    ''Training ends by 2:00 PM. I budget 1 hour for my journey here every day, which means I arrive at 3:00 PM¡­''


    Rey often trained for about five hours, which meant he left around 8:00 PM.


    Another hour to travel back, and that meant he would arrive home at 9:00 PM.


    He would take a quick shower and reach the Library at about 9:30 PM.


    After studying for a few hours¡ªusually two, but sometimes three¡ªhe would leave around the 12:00 AM mark.


    It used to be a lot different before, but this was his current schedule.


    ''And training the next morning starts by 7:00 AM¡­ damn!''


    Rey had never been much of a hard worker, so it was even surprising to him that he was following such a tight schedule.


    Perhaps that was why he tried to have as much fun while killing Monsters and growing stronger.


    ''I really wish I didn''t have to go for training¡­''


    Rey knew that sounded a lot like a child whining about not wanting to go to school, but he couldn''t help it.


    Training was useless to him, at this point.


    He was already way ahead of the ss thanks to reading in the library. As for the practical aspect of training, he felt more productive in the Dungeon than among his fellows.


    ''Anyhow. I don''t think this arrangement willst forever¡­''


    Rey and his ssmates were summoned for a reason, so it only stood to reason that they would soon be made to fulfill their purpose.


    ''I don''t know when that will be, but considering the Nation''s desperation, it shouldn''t be too long.''


    Rey approximated it to take about one more month.


    ''The fact that Lucielle and Brutus had to leave abruptly shows how grim the situation is.''


    He had a feeling that he and his ssmates would be pushed to the extreme when those two returned.


    And not long after, they would be made to finally explore the Dungeon and grind their levels.


    ''They''re going to find that I''ve already defeated the Monsters for them, though¡­'' Reyughed sheepishly to himself.


    ''What should I do?''


    He was beginning to feel a little guilty about the whole thing.


    ''The weaker Monsters would have served as perfect cannon fodders for them to increase their Levels, and now they can''t have that.''


    In this world, there was only one way to increase Levels.


    That was by gaining EXP.


    Depending on the ss, EXP could be gained in multiple ways. For example, a Schr could gain tons of EXP from studying, just as a Warrior could gain EXP from fighting a lot.


    However, EXP umted very slowly in a long process over time.


    That was why there was a much easier way to go about it.


    Killing and Gaining EXP.


    It was a universal principle in this world that one could gain EXP by extinguishing the life of another living entity.


    Since it was immoral to take human lives, or the lives of beings with sufficient intelligence to be deemed sentient, the perfect alternative was Monsters.


    Monsters were resources useful for quick growth, and Rey was a living testament to that fact.


    ''If they want to Level Up, they''ll have to go to the Lower Floors, and I don''t know how easy that''ll be for them¡­''


    Rey surmised that the Royal Council had to have other areas they could use for killing Monsters aside from the Royal Dungeon, so he didn''t think it would be too much of a hassle for them.


    ''In any case, I''ll just feign ignorance like always.''


    Rey prepared himself to depart from the Floor and call the Hobgoblins to clean up the mess he had made and harvest the Monster Cores.


    ''I should probably burn the corpses, but I''ll do it tomorrow¡­''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Happy new year, everyone!!!


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 66 Meeting The Unexpected

    <h4>Chapter 66 Meeting The Unexpected </h4>


    Once Rey left the Eighth Floor and returned to the Hobgoblin Clearing, he was once again weed by their subservient bows.


    Rey was already so used to this that he merely waved his hand and they respectfully dispersed to fulfill their respective roles.


    He called forpetent-looking Hobgoblins¡ªtwelve in number¡ªand decided that they would be the team responsible for his Monster Core Harvesting.


    Spending the rest of his limited time bringing them down to the Eighth Floor and exining how they were to trail straight down and harvest all the Monster Cores that were left there, Rey could see that the Hobs understood him.


    ''Is it just me, or have they grown more intelligent?''


    He shrugged it off as nothing, deciding to remain as skeptical as possible.


    ''I''lle back tomorrow to see how they fare. Hopefully they get this on their first try.''


    That would remove a lot of hassle from his future endeavors.


    ''I would have told them to burn the corpses, but I don''t want them to start a fire down there¡­''


    It was better to give them one instruction at a time.


    To ensure the Hobs could make it down and back up, Rey provided them with a rope long enough for such.


    They would use the rope to descend and ascend¡ªa task pretty simple for Hobs.


    He knew it would be harder to climb back up due to the load of Monster Cores on their backs, but Rey didn''t think it would be an issue.


    "I should get going now¡­" Rey caressed BMM''s Monster Core as he shoved it into his [Subspace], right beside his rack of tinum Coins.


    There were some items he just had to fit into his [Subspace], and not just leave them in the Hobgoblin Hideout.


    ''About forty-five sacs of Monster Core should remain with me in [Sunspace]¡­''


    And then his Spatial Ring was also locked in there along with more stashes of Monster Core, his tinum Coins, and finally¡­ BMM''s Monster Core.


    ''That leaves only three free spaces in [Subspace]''s Slots, but that''s no big deal.


    He already had the Royal Dungeon''s staple mask and goggles on, so Rey proceeded to make his exit.


    ''Need to get a lot stronger tomorrow!''


    ********


    Rey arrived in the Royal Estate and found somemotion in thepound.


    He didn''t know what was happening, but it seemed there were a lot more than usual taking patrols in the Estate.


    ''I should probably avoid them¡­''


    Rey utilized [Stealth] with an array of other Skills to blend in with his environment and escape their gaze.


    As a matter of course, he was sessful with it.


    ''Ahh¡­ I really need a shower. I hope everything is fine, though.''


    Rey had a bad feeling clogging his heart, and despite his best efforts to calm himself, the feeling wouldn''t go away.


    ''Must be the leftover tension from earlier¡­'' He huffed, remembering how BMM made him feel during their encounter.


    ''To think I''ll be fighting stronger Monsters than that tomorrow.''


    He couldn''t describe how he felt about it. It was a mix of fear and anxious excitement.


    Rey wanted to do it right there and then, but he also recognized that tons of preparations had to be made before jumping right in.


    Thisplicated thought process upied his mind while his heart raced for some weird reason.


    He found a few more guards on his way to the Otherworlders'' Living Quarters, which struck him as strange.


    ''There are usually no guards stationed this close to us¡­''


    Not only did the Nation believe they could take care of themselves, but having guards watch over them that way would make a lot of his ssmates ufortable , so they desisted from it.


    ''There''s also the fact that they can''t afford to waste all that manpower¡­''


    Rey felt like this was perhaps the most influential reason for their decision.


    ''So why are there guards here now? Did I miss something?''


    Curiosity, but also nervousness, rugged at his chest as he approached the door.


    Fortunately, it wasn''t guarded.


    ''Maybe I''ll just ask Trisha what''s up.'' As Rey opened the door, he had a slight inclination that perhaps he shouldn''t.


    He couldn''t quite ce it.


    It wasn''t [Danger Sense], since that only alerted him when some kind of harm was approaching.


    This feeling felt intuitive¡ªalmost instinctive.


    Despite that, Rey ignored it.


    ''I really need to freshen up and go to the Library¡­''


    As a result, he twisted the knob and ventured into the living room.


    What his eyes saw, however, stopped him dead in his tracks as soon as he entered.


    ''W-what''s going on¡­?''


    Right now, all of his ssmates were in the Living Room.


    Yes¡­ ALL OF THEM!


    Guards were also there¡ªabout ten of them, all of them looking like elite soldiers.


    ''What is the meaning of this?''


    Head Warrior Brutus and Grand Mage Lucielle were also around, and they were initially facing the ssmates¡ªwhich meant their backs were turned to Rey.


    However, the moment he stepped in, everyone turned to look at him.


    His ssmates raised their heads and stared at him. The guards stopped everything they were doing and stared at him, and the two strongest in the Nation slowly turned to look at him.


    Literally all eyes were on Rey.


    "Look who finally decided to join us." Lucielle was the first to break the silence with her sweet voice.


    Despite sounding yful per usual, there was a strange sense of seriousness about her vibe.


    "Rey Skr, you are¡ª"


    "Wait!" Adonis swiftly stopped Brutus from saying what he was about to utter.


    He quickly rose from where he sat among the rest of his ssmates and approached the unmoving Rey.


    "Rey¡­ something serious hase up."


    As usual, Adonis had a very calm and respectful tone. His smile was rxed, but his gaze felt purposeful.


    He was being serious right now.


    ''What happened? What''s going on?'' Rey''s thoughts echoed as he watched Adonis near him.


    And more importantly¡­


    ''Why is everyone looking at me like that?!''


    "Rey, could you tell us where you''ve been all day?" At this point, Adonis ced his hand on Rey''s shoulder.


    He could feel a slight pressure emanating from his hand.


    Rey wasn''t sure if Adonis was doing it intentionally or not, but it felt immensely threatening.


    "Please, Rey¡­ tell us everything."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Once again, happy new year!


    Remember to check the Discord Server for the Character Arts.


    Also¡­

 Chapter 67 Suspect [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 67 Suspect [Pt 1] </h4>


    ''What is this¡­?!''


    Rey felt like he was in a lion''s den, a prey to the predators that all stared at him with suspicious eyes.


    He could feel the back of his throat itch as he mulled over Adonis'' question, and more importantly¡­ how to answer it.


    "Well, there was training. Obviously¡­"


    "After that." Adonis'' voice was curt, straight to the point.


    He didn''t even give Rey a chance to buy time and think up an excuse.


    ''I thought we could spend our time however we wished. No one ever bothers to ask, so I never thought of an excuse!''


    Besides, wasn''t it private how he decided to spend his time? Surely, Adonis knew about this


    So why? There had to be a reason why he was being pressured!


    ''I should juste up with a believable excuse and¡ª!'' Before Rey could finalize his decision about lying, he found something on the hand of the Grand Mage, Lucielle herself.


    The Truthseeker!


    ''They''d go this far? I can''t even lie about it?!''


    Rey could feel beads of sweat forming on his face as his eyes sauntered back and forth.


    He couldn''t properly look at Adonis, considering how his gaze made him feel very ufortable.


    The pressure on Rey''s shoulder intensified as he nervously took a step back.


    ''H-huh?!'' He noticed strange movements behind him.


    Once he realized what was happening, his eyes nearly bulged. He tried his best to hide the fact that he knew, but it was very difficult to do so.


    ''Guards are waiting outside the door? They''re a lot¡­''


    His mind struggled toprehend why they would be doing all of this, and why it seemed like he was the object of suspicion.


    At this point, Rey felt absolutely surrounded.


    "Just tell the truth, Rey. That''s all we''re asking¡­"


    Rey could tell from the look on Brutus'' face, as well as the rest of the guards, that if it were up to them this conversation would be going in another direction.


    Even Lucielle was frowning deeply.


    Rey had never seen her like that before.


    "I¡­ I¡­ well, actually I¡­"


    His gaze shifted to Noah, who was currently looking away with a nervous expression.


    His gaze rested on Trisha, who was intently looking at him¡ªas if searching for the truth herself.


    At the very least, it didn''t seem like she harbored a deep suspicion towards him. It just appeared like she was genuinely confused.


    Finally¡­ Rey shifted his gaze to Alicia.


    He initially feared doing so, as he feared what he would meet. He didn''t want her to look at him the way everyone else was, but he had to know.


    How was she looking at him?


    ''Ahh¡­''


    Her gaze was filled with worry, almost as if she would cry at any moment.


    Rey could see her eyes glisten as she stared at him. He had never had anyone look at him that way before.


    Unfortunately for him, he wasn''t afforded the luxury of dwelling on those thoughts.


    "He''s not responding! He''s clearly guilty!" Billy suddenly yelled, his face contorted in anger.


    Rey couldn''t have known this, but Billy had noticed the shared gaze of the two, and right now he was boiling in rage.


    His dear Alicia looking at scum like Rey in such a way¡­ it was uneptable to him!


    "That''s enough, Billy! Don''t be so hasty to judge one of our ssmates!" Adonis yelled with a deep frown.


    The moment Adonis said this, Billy backed down, instantly apologizing with a somber expression.


    No one said anything, but they were really with Billy on this one.


    Still, because of Adonis, no one murmured.


    They simply waited for the suspect to confess.


    Thankfully¡­ they didn''t have to wait for much longer.


    "What exactly am I guilty of? Can I know that at least?"


    Rey''s voice was calm and low. It was almost as if he waspletely numb to the tense atmosphere.


    That wasn''t the case at all, but right now¡­ he was just tired.


    He cast his gaze to the floor as he asked.


    "Do you really not want to say where you''ve been?" As Adonis asked this, Rey didn''t budge an inch.


    "Just tell me¡­ what happened."


    For a while, there was silence, but Adonis finally delivered.


    "Something was found in your room, Rey. In your closet¡­"


    The moment Adonis said this, Rey felt his heart jump.


    ''T-they found the rest of my Monster Core stash?!''


    Sweat began to gather on his face, and his body trembled slightly.


    ''What? How? How did they¡­ why did they enter my room in the first ce?!''


    "I received a tip from someone that you''ve been acting suspicioustely, so I personally conducted the search." Brutus'' voice pierced the air at this point.


    "Of course, I involved the Hero Adonis in the matter."


    It felt like hisst words were to make it seem like he followed due process, but Rey didn''t care at all for any of that.


    Only one thing stuck out the most out of what Brutus stated.


    ''Someone tipped him?!'' Rey''s eyes instantly darted towards Noah.


    ''Noah, you SNAKE!''


    Rey had always known that his rtionship with Noah was a temporary one. He expected it to end at a particr point, but this was too soon.


    Noah betraying him like this wasn''t within his calctions.


    Rey''s eyes faltered the moment he red at Noah and found him slowly shaking his head in distress.


    ''What is he trying to say? That he isn''t the one who did the tipping?!''


    Now that he thought about it, it was too impractical for Noah to betray him now.


    That was precisely why Rey never considered it to be a possibility.


    ''He has a lot to gain by being with me. Plus, I also know his secrets.''


    Even if Noah was greedy, it would take him some time to craft a n that would end up with him going scot free.


    ''We just started business! There''s no way he''d want to mess that up this early.''


    Once he thought things through, Rey could tell that Noah wasn''t the ripper.


    He couldn''t have been!


    ''T-then who could it be¡­?!'' Rey''s eyes darted across all his twenty-eight ssmates besides Adonis.


    It was pretty clear it wasn''t the Hero.


    ''Trisha? No¡­ I don''t think so. Billy? He had a motive, so it''s most likely him!''


    Once nce at Alicia told Rey that it couldn''t be her.


    Who else, then?!


    ''I''m a nobody! An Extra! No one cares about me enough to do this!''


    It made no sense to Rey.


    Fortunately for him, as he was racking his brain trying to figure out who could have orchestrated his downfall, someone rose from among his ssmates.


    "It was me, Rey. I did it."


    "H-huh¡­?" Were the first words that came out of Rey''s lips, albeit in a whisper.


    The one speaking was none other than Adam Sanchez.


    ''What the hell? We don''t even know each other¡­''


    Adam was the furthest thing from a suspect that Rey would think of. They both didn''t have anything that tied them together apart from Training.


    Even throughout their training as Beta ss students, they hadn''t said as much as a word to each other.


    So what was this all about?


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I''m guessing you didn''t see thating.

 Chapter 68 Suspect [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 68 Suspect [Pt 2] </h4>


    "Ever since we started training, Rey has always been suspicious."


    As Adam stated this, Rey''s body twitched slightly.


    ''Me?! Suspicious? How?!''


    As far as he knew, he had done his best to blend in with everyone and act as average as possible.


    ''What''s with this bullshit?!''


    "He would often mumble to himself and act weirdly. I noticed all of these things from a distance."


    The moment Adam said this, Rey ceased his pointless thoughts.


    He was guilty as charged.


    ''But I''m barely audible! And someone like Adam wouldn''t have noticed!''


    Besides, was it really that strange to talk to oneself in training? Especially if you were alone with no friends?


    It was sad, sure, but not strange.


    ''But, with how Adam is framing it, and how the current situation is, that will be taken to mean I''m very suspicious.''


    Rey already knew how things went at times like this.


    He just decided to listen.


    "One day as I was taking a stroll, I found him leaving the Royal Estate. I wanted to say something, but I ignored it, thinking maybe I was being delusional."


    Leaving the Royal Estate was a serious matter, but the way Adam framed it suited his entire persona well, so no one was really surprised that he treated it flippantly.


    "I noticed him doing it a few more times, so I got curious. He would often carry things with him anytime he came back, so it piqued my curiosity."


    Rey narrowed his eyes as he stared at Adam.


    ''Something isn''t right here¡­''


    What Adam was describing was too vague to be realistic, and the anytime he became specific, Rey was sure that wasn''t how the events went.


    ''I never carry anything with me when I''ming back, and it''s pretty dark when I do so.''


    Also, Adam never specified how Rey left the Royal Estate since that was a very pertinent matter.


    ''I shapeshift into a bird once the coast is clear. If he wanted to expose me, he would have mentioned that.'' Rey''s gaze narrowed.


    Why wasn''t Adam exposing him for having multiple abilities like [Stealth], and the power to transform his entire body?


    It almost felt like¡­ Adam was making it up.


    ''So what exactly is going on here?''


    Adam went on, talking vaguely about how he followed Rey and saw how he would often sneak around as he entered his room.


    Rey felt it was all stupid the more he listened.


    ''It''s like he''s reading from a dumb script. What the hell is he saying?''


    Rey had never been stupid enough to be so careless and obvious in his activities.


    He always did everything with precision and caution.


    ''But I still got caught. Seems I wasn''t careful enough.'' Rey sighed as he heard Adam conclude his story.


    He thought he would have more answers once the tipper confessed, but now Rey was more confused than ever.


    "Anything to say for yourself?"


    Rey leaked out a brief sigh and looked at Brutus, who asked the question.


    "What did you find in my closet?"


    His question surprised everyone in the room. No one expected him to still be acting this way despite all that was just revealed.


    "Rey, just stop this. ying dumb won''t help you out now." Adonis said in a sigh.


    His expression depicted genuine concern, but Rey couldn''t care less about that.


    ''Of course, I know it''s toote to y dumb! But I have to know¡­''


    Rey repeated his question with a straight face, refusing to budge.


    "A giant sack of Monster Cores. We counted at least a hundred pieces of C-Tier Monster Cores."


    The more Rey listened, the more ridiculous the whole thing sounded.


    However, at this point he was slowly realizing the truth.


    ''Someone else is involved.''


    It was most likely not Adam, but the one who put him up to this.


    ''I''ve been set up.''


    "Do you have any more to say for yourself? Are you ready to confess now?"


    Rey couldn''t help but chuckle to himself once he heard the question.


    ''What''s there to confess? The current circumstances and testimony is different from reality.''


    The Truthseeker wasn''t activating for Adam, so Rey surmised that it could probably target one person at a time, or Adam had a special Item that helped him bypass the effects of the Item.


    ''It''s probably thetter, since his initial testimony would have been fact-checked by the Truthseeker before someone like Brutus took action.''


    This conclusion led to another fact.


    ''If Adam had an item that bypasses the Truthseeker, then that means the one who set me up has also been outside.''


    Rey couldn''t begin to guess their motives. He hadn''t made any enemies thus far, and the only one who actively disliked him was Billy.


    But Billy couldn''t be the mastermind.


    ''He''s not smart enough¡­'' Rey thought to himself, though he considered the more practical reasons.


    ''Billy is a piece of shit, but he''s no rule breaker. He''d never go outside if it was against the rules.''


    Since the malefactor had ess to Enchanted Items, it couldn''t be Billy.


    ''Besides, knowing how petty he is, he wouldn''t need to hide behind a front like Adam to frame me.''


    Billy would personally take the credit for something like this, and he would do so with a smile on his face.


    Heck, even now Billy was probably grinning at him for his current predicament.


    Rey shot a brief nce at his former best friend to see what fade he was making, and it was precisely as he predicted.


    Billy looked deeply satisfied.


    ''Prick¡­'' Unfortunately for Rey, he had more serious matters to think about.


    ''What should I do now?''


    There were two options the way he saw it.


    ''One is to just escape. I have enough money and Monster Cores to live a fairly decent life and start over.''


    He could go to a different city and don a disguise.


    ''That would be perfect, right?''


    The Adventurer City was the first ce that came to Rey''s mind when he thought of where he would go.


    ''I''ll just start afresh and grow stronger there¡­''


    However, before he could fully settle on that thought, he had to properly consider his decision.


    ''Is that really what I want to do right now?''


    He wasn''t even sure he could escape Adonis and the two strongest in the Nation right now, even if he wanted to.


    ''I don''t think I can take on all three of them¡ªeven if it''s just to escape.''


    If he tried and failed, that would be demonstrable evidence that he was guilty.


    ''I would also need to show my Skills in order to escape.''


    Failing would literally tear down everything he had painstakingly built over the past couple of weeks he had been here.


    ''Even in the unlikely chance that I seed, would I really want this now?''


    The life of a fugitive¡ªconstantly on the run.


    ''The culprit behind this would win. Not only that, but they''ll get to keep all those Monster Cores I painstakingly stockpiled.''


    Rey couldn''t have that.


    ''And what of all my stockpile in the Hobgoblin Territory? Will I have to abandon all that stash of Monster Cores?''


    After considering all of these factors, Rey already knew the inevitable conclusion.


    ''I can''t run away.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    What do you think Rey should do?

 Chapter 69 Captive

    <h4>Chapter 69 Captive </h4>


    "Rey Skr, you are under arrest for viting the security code of the Royal Estate set up by the Royal Council of the United Human Alliance."


    As Brutus dered all of this, he ced his hand on his sword, preparing to unsheathe it if the situation demanded for it.


    Lucielle sighed and shook her head, as if she thought the entire thing was unnecessary.


    Guards slowly approached Rey, their expressions connoting caution.


    ''I guess they''re alreadybeling me as a criminal now¡­'' Rey sighed internally.


    He couldn''t have predicted that thest hours of today would take such a sharp turn at the start of the day.


    "Don''t worry, Rey. I''ll do everything within my power to ensure you get a fair trial." As Adonis said this, he tapped Rey''s shoulder.


    "You''ll be fine. I won''t let anything happen to you."


    Hearing thoseforting words from Adonis felt strangely pleasant to his ears.


    Rey never really had a strong opinion on him except the fact that he went out of his way to look out for his fellow ssmates.


    However, right now¡­ Rey couldn''t help but feel deep respect for Adonis.


    "Please do not resist." Brutus'' voice overshadowed the calm vibe that Adonis already established.


    Adonis stepped aside and allowed the soldiers to do their jobs, all the while looking empathetically at Rey as he was restrained with Adamantite Cuffs.


    Adamantite was the strongest mineral in this world, so it only made sense that it would be used to restrain an Otherworlder.


    Even if the Otherworlder was a weakling like Rey.


    "Take him away."


    Rey was led out of the room, with the guards all leaving behind him.


    Rey stole a final nce behind him and saw multifaceted reactions from different people.


    Some were confused.


    Some were happy.


    Some were unbothered.


    And one¡­ was sad.


    ''Whoever set me up¡­ whoever you are¡­ prepare yourself¡­''


    Rey gritted his teeth as he walked among the many guards that surrounded him.


    ''¡­ I''ll make you regret this!''


    ********


    [The Next Day]


    "So¡­ how bad is it?"


    Rey was currently inside a room much smaller than his previous one.


    It wasn''t extravagantly furnished¡ªhaving only a bed at the corner of the room, and a chair and desk to the side. The door to the bathroom stood at the opposite corner of his bed, and it contained only the most basic of necessities.


    There were no windows in this room, and the walls were painted a dull gray.


    When Rey first arrived here, he felt relieved that he wasn''t being thrown into an actual cell.


    If that were to be the case, he might have reconsidered escaping.


    Right now, he was on his bed, and seated opposite him, on the only in the room, was Adonis.


    He had a few guards behind him, but they made sure to keep a considerable distance due to Adonis direct specifications.


    ''He''d go that far to make mefortable, huh?'' Rey couldn''t help but leak a smirk as he waited for the answer to his question.


    "I still can''t believe they put you here. This ce is too dirty and¡ª" Adonis appeared genuinely upset as he looked around the room.


    "It''s fine¡­" Rey''s voice trailed.


    Honestly, the ce wasn''t too bad once he got used to it.


    ''I still miss my old ce, but it''s not like I spent an awful amount of time there¡­''


    The only majorint he had was that Surveince Magic was being used on him 24/7, so he couldn''t really do anything apart from look at his Status Window and think.


    "No, Rey! It''s unbefitting for a savior of this world! I can''t in good conscience allow this to happen to one of my ssmates. I''m going to make aint to¡ª!"


    "It''s fine, Adonis! Really!"


    Rey was beginning to feel worn out by Adonis'' overwhelming concern.


    The situation could be a lot worse, so this wasn''t particrly a big deal.


    "More importantly, how bad is it? The whole situation."


    It was already night¡ªwhich meant it had been about twenty-


    four hours since his confinement.


    A lot could have happened within that period, so Rey was hoping that Adonis would fill him in on everything.


    "Well¡­ your trial is tomorrow. That''s the first thing I should get out of the way."


    Rey was going to stand before the Royal Council and plead his case in order to prove his innocence.


    If he was sessful, he would be let go and evenpensated for the actions that had been taken against him.


    ''Unfortunately, I don''t see that happening.''


    Not only was the avable evidence overwhelmingly against his favor, but he was also unable to properly twist the truth or lie due to the Truthseeker.


    Nowyer would be able to defend him at this rate, irrespective of how good they were.


    ''There aren''t evenwyers here. I have to defend myself.''


    Rey already knew of his fate in the trial, but he was more curious about other things.


    "We''ve resumed training as per usual. This time, we''re undergoing Joint Training."


    It was just as Billy said.


    Alpha ss and Beta ss were going to be training together for a while.


    But to what end?


    "In one week¡­ we''ll be challenging The Royal Dungeon, Rey."


    Rey''s eyes popped open.


    Things were progressing a lot faster than he expected.


    ''Did my arrest have anything to do with it? Or are things really that dire in the front lines?'' He pondered.


    Brutus did look a lot grumpier than usual, and Lucielle seemed very much on edge.


    Rey had initially thought it was because of him, but what if the situation had gotten a lot worse?


    ''If that''s the case, they have every right to get mad at me for leaving the Royal Estate and hoarding C-Tier Monster Cores.''


    Rey couldn''t me them. However, he couldn''t me himself either.


    "I''ll try to get you out of this ce before that timees." Adonis interrupted Rey''s thoughts with his usual encouraging words, and Rey couldn''t help but smile at his optimistic attitude.


    "Just hang in there, Rey! I''ll save you!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Thanks to everyone who has beenmenting consistently. You''re the reason I''ve been able to continue writing.


    What do you all think about what is happening?

 Chapter 70 The Trial [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 70 The Trial [Pt 1] </h4>


    Rey felt an itch at the back of his throat.


    His stomach rumbled as a few beads of sweat fell from his face.


    He had been preparing himself for this moment, but now that it had finally arrived, he couldn''t help the nervousness that assailed him.


    Right now, he was kneeling before the five members of the Royal Council.


    Conrad Listrio, as always, sat at the center of the group. His yellow blond hair was long, and it trailed down his shoulders as he calmly stared at the one to be tried.


    The woman beside him had a slightly feline smile as she gazed upon Rey.


    It almost felt like she was a cougar who desired to devour his flesh.


    The other three members of the Royal Council wore neutral expressions. They didn''t seem particrly happy or sad.


    ¡­ Just stern.


    ''Oof! Tough crowd¡­'' Rey nced around him and noticed the number of cold-faced guards that currently looked at him.


    The pressure was overwhelming.


    Rey could see his ssmates seated on one end of the room¡ªalmost as if they were members of the jury.


    Brutus and Lucielle stood right beneath the elevated tforms that the Royal Council upied.


    It was all so strange, but Rey took it all in as calmly as he could.


    ''I never thought I would get into this sort of trouble so I didn''t bother to learn a lot about the judicial system of this world¡­''


    Still, he knew they wouldn''t be too hard on him about formality since he was an Otherworlder.


    ''I also know the punishment won''t be too harsh. Not only will Adonis object, but I still have thebel of an Otherworlder.''


    As long as those two factors existed, he was at least certain of his safety.


    "Let the trial begin." Conrad spoke up, and the murmurs instantly stopped.


    Absolute decorum pervaded the Royal Court, and everyone stood still.


    ''Here goes¡­''


    *******


    The first thing that happened was the reading out of all Rey''s potential crimes.


    The fact that he had disobeyed the direct order of the Royal Council stood at the very top of the list.


    It was followed by trespass and unpermitted loitering within and outside the Royal Estate.


    Conspiracy, Non-Compliance, among other things were also mentioned.


    "Potential act of stealing the Monster Cores." Was also added to the list.


    Rey wasn''t surprised when he heard that, even though he could see Adonis and a few others gasp.


    ''I mean, think about it. What legitimate way could I have obtained that many Monster Core?''


    Sure, he was powerful enough to get even more than the amount he was being used of, but none of these people knew that.


    To them, he was none other than ''Rey The Extra.''


    ''Honestly, I would have preferred to maintain that than whatever this is¡­''


    Once he was read all the list of potential offenses, he was asked how he pleaded to each of them, and he responded with the only valid option.


    "Not guilty."


    This was how he was pleading, so he was not exactly making a im. Therefore, the Truthseeker was useless in that regard.


    However, once that was concluded, the real heavy hitters began.


    First, all the evidence and testimonies were presented to the Royal Court.


    It was essentially a retelling of everything Rey already knew, with a few extra details.


    Nothing too surprising, though.


    The sack full of Monster Cores was also brought out, and the contents were properly ounted for.


    ''A total of one hundred and fifteen, huh? Interesting¡­''


    Rey knew there had to be a lot more Monster Cores, which meant that whoever set him up was currently sitting on thousands of tinum Coins.


    ''They probably thought that this meager amount of Magic Cores wouldn''t mean anything.''


    Rey sighed internally.


    ''I really can''t wait till I figure out who this bastard is¡­''


    Stuff like;


    "We found his signature on the Monster Cores."


    And


    "He has no alibi."


    Were constantly mentioned.


    The opposition had built up a strong case against him, but Rey already knew all of this would happen.


    Once they were done with their side, it was finally Rey''s turn to defend himself.


    "It''s not true."


    Those were the first words he uttered. The Truthseeker did not disy any lies in his words.


    "I believe I''m being set up by someone. A lot of what I''m hearing sounds strange and absurd. I would never do a lot of these things."


    ''Not without precautions. I''m not that stupid!'' Rey''s thoughts echoed.


    Once again, the Truthseeker justified him.


    "So are you saying the evidence and testimonies are all worthless?" Lord Conrad asked with a calm tone.


    "I am just as confused as you are. You can imagine my surprise when I was used of all this."


    Rey had found a good way to skirt around the issue so far, but he knew this wasn''t enough.


    The worst was yet toe.


    "So are you saying you didn''t have that sack of Monster Cores in your possession?"


    The moment Rey heard this, he froze.


    He couldn''t lie that he didn''t have the sack since he indeed did.


    "Answer the question, Rey Skr."


    Once again, he wasn''t being given a chance to defend himself.


    Saying the truth didn''t need lots of time for considerations and calctions, so if he took too long to answer, he would appear suspicious.


    "A sack full of one hundred and fifteen Monster Cores? That sounds absurd! There''s no way I would have something like that in my room."


    Once again, the Truthseeker verified he was telling the truth.


    ''All my sacks had at least three hundred Monster Cores in them. I''m not lying¡­ technically speaking.''


    Rey could feel his heart slow down in relief, but the next question caused it to spike up yet again.


    "What about leaving the Royal Estate? Do you admit to not doing that as well?"


    The one who asked this question was the only female member of the council¡ªLady Vida Origa.


    She looked about thirty, with a mature face that anyone would describe as pretty.


    Her major appeal, however, was her curvaceous body. Her overflowing chest was a sight to drool over, and her thin waist, wide hips, and heavy buttocks could not go unnoticed too.


    Since she was fond of dressing in body-hugging attires, there wasn''t anyone in the Nation who didn''t know of her amazing figure.


    ''Goddamn!'' Rey himself had thought when he saw her take her seat right before the trial began.


    From what he could gather from her two ring fingers, she was yet to be married.


    Rey couldn''t believe it¡ªno one in the entire United Human Alliance could.


    At least, not unless they knew her personally.


    ''Urgh! Now isn''t the time to get distracted, Rey!''


    Pulling himself from staring where he wasn''t supposed to, Rey thought hard about how to tackle her question.


    "I¡­ erm¡­"


    "Come on, boy. It''s a simple question." Lady Vida smiled as she pushed her face forward while narrowing her gaze on him.


    It seemed she was enjoying every moment of this, especially the way Rey squirmed under her intimidating stare.


    ''I can''t think of a way to really answer this. At least not in time¡­''


    This was already beginning to look like a checkmate.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading.


    Looks like we have Milf in the building.


    ¡­ Or maybe not.

 Chapter 71 The Trial [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 71 The Trial [Pt 2] </h4>


    ''What should I say?''


    Rey racked his brain to think of a way to circumvent the issue and avoid lying, without also saying the truth.


    "How do you suppose I did that? My Skill is to temporarily transform my body and¡ª!" He tried to do just that.


    However, before he could get very far, Lady Vida silenced him with her next words.


    "Just answer the question. Did you leave the Royal Estate or not? If you indeed left the Estate, where did you go?"


    These were extremely precise questions that required direct answers for him.


    ''She''s trapped me!'' Rey greeted his teeth as he watched her chuckle slightly.


    It seemed she truly took pleasure in seeing him like this.


    ''I really don''t like how she''s looking down on me. That condescending gaze¡­ it irks me!''


    The more he hesitated, the more suspicious he looked. Rey knew that much already.


    ''I''ve already denied an ample number of allegations, and sessfully at that.''


    If he made a blunder now, it would reduce the reliability of his words, practically ruining all his efforts until now.


    Left with nowhere else to go, Rey finally gave up and used hisst ditch option.


    "I¡­ I refuse to answer that."


    Gasps escaped from the lips of the audience as they heard his response.


    "Oho?" Lady Vida seemed to be even more excited once she heard that. "Are you sure that''s how you want to respond?"


    "Yes. I''m sure."


    As the entire room heard this, the Lady was greeted by Rey''s defiant stare. Anyone with such high standing would feel understandably dissatisfied with that.


    But not Lady Vida.


    Rey''s defiance only caused her smile to widen even more.


    If one looked closer, they would be able to see the pink shades that subtly appeared on her cheeks.


    "What about this next question? What do you spend your spare time doing?"


    "Preparing to save the world." Rey answered with a stubborn smile.


    "Ohh? That''s so brave of you. Mind telling us the details?"


    "No."


    More back and forth urred between Rey and the Lady, and it soon became just them engaged in what couldn''t be ssified as a Trial anymore.


    The two were smiling, and their words contained an odd mix of hostility and pleasure.


    Anyone could see that they had both departed from the confines of the trial.


    "A-ahem! That''s enough of that¡­" Conrad Listrio cleared his throat and made sure his voice was extraordinarily loud.


    This was enough to snap Rey and Lady Vida back to the reality that everyone lived in.


    "Aha! Oh my¡­ it seems I got a little carried away. My apologies."


    Despite Lady Vida saying this with a smile, she seemed to be a tad bit dissatisfied that she was interrupted by Conrad.


    The remaining members of the Council had nervous looks and took their gaze away from Vida Origa, while Conrad coughed awkwardly.


    He could clearly sense the hostile gaze she was directing towards him.


    "In any case, it seems you are not properly cooperating with the trail, Rey Skr. If you do not properly answer our questions, we can''t fully determine the truth and prove your innocence." Conrad sessfully brought the topic of the Trial back on track.


    "But you can''t prove my guilt as well."


    The moment Rey said this, Conrad narrowed his gaze.


    "I beg the contrary. We have a testimony from your ssmate. Since the Truthseeker confirmed he was telling the truth from him, that means you''re still guilty of some things."


    In essence, Rey wasn''t out of the woods yet.


    One would expect such a person to be panicking, but Rey was currently smiling.


    Almost as if he had expected this oue.


    "Oh really? Then maybe you should ask him for details as to how I was able to leave the Royal Estate. You all know my Skill and its abilities, and you know I was telling the truth about that."


    Once Rey said this, he averted his gaze to Adam Sanchez, who was already showing signs of nervousness.


    "How would someone like me be able to get past so many guards? Why not ask the man himself what he saw?"


    Everyone looked at Adam, who was now buried under an overwhelming amount of attention that he never nned for.


    ''Thankfully they still don''t doubt the nature of my Skill. That Truthseeker stuff must be really reliable.''


    If he had been questioned on the specifics of his Skill, Rey knew his entire case would fall apart.


    Fortunately for him, his gamble paid off.


    "Adam Sanchez, please rise on your feet."


    The boy obeyed.


    "Tell all of us the details of how Rey escaped the Royal Estate and¡­ evaded the detection of the guards."


    It seemed like Conrad was already recognizing how ridiculous the entire thing sounded while confronting Adam.


    His conflicted expression was enough to give it away.


    "I¡­ erm¡­ well¡­"


    Adam could see the Truthseeker, so he had to be very careful about his words.


    ''You can''t lie, can you? You don''t have the Enchanted Item with you, so it''s impossible to fabricate another story against me.''


    Rey was enjoying the moment with utmost satisfaction.


    ''Since this is the Royal Court, they search everyone who is about to enter, and there are Magic Detectors that would spot an Enchanted Item on someone.''


    This was done in order to guarantee the safety of the members of the Royal Council and ensure a fair trial.


    ''And that works in my favor!''


    "I-I''d rather not say anything!" Adam yelled out before plopping back to his seat.


    That act was the final nail on the coffin.


    "I have answered your questions regarding the Sack of Monster Cores, as well as my confusion about this whole thing. I don''t im to know all the answers here, but I know this one thing¡­"


    Everyone looked at Rey as he dered his position with utmost confidence.


    "I am innocent!"


    As his voice echoed in the Royal Court, Rey''s thoughts also reverberated within him.


    ''With this, even if they can''tpletely verify everything and reach a definite conclusion, it''s clear that I''m not guilty.''


    That was all that mattered to Rey.


    ''Hehehe¡­ hehehe¡­ hehehehe!''


    This¡­ all of this¡­ had been his goal from the start!


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Sorry the trial is taking so long, but I really enjoy writing backs and forths like this.


    Hope you enjoyed the chapter.

 Chapter 72 The Verdict

    <h4>Chapter 72 The Verdict </h4>


    Rey already knew he couldn''t win¡ªat least, not absolutely.


    He had a pile of evidence against him, and the truth was even a lot more implicating than what he was being tried for.


    As a result, he settled for a stalemate.


    ''The only thing I didn''t expect was the entire thing with Lady Vida. She really came at me strongly¡­''


    Fortunately, it didn''tpletely derail his ns.


    ''In the end, no one can prove I did anything, and there''s no proof I''m guilty.''


    That was good enough for Rey.


    ******


    "After reviewing all of the evidence presented here, and considering the testimonies given, as well as the defenses of the used¡­ we have arrived at our judgment."


    The Royal Council, after leaving the Royal Court for about twenty minutes, finally returned with their verdict.


    ''They were gone for quite a while¡­'' Rey thought to himself as he looked at all their faces.


    Per the judicial system practiced here, there had to be a majority vote among the five Royal Council members for a judgment to be valid.


    ''I guess it takes time for them to reach a reasonable arrangement, even if it''s not a consensus¡­''


    Out of the five, Rey only needed three people to take his side. He could already rule out the Lady Vida, so he was left so the only four other options


    Taking his time to study their faces, he considered his chances.


    ''Lord Conrad seems like a reasonable person. He should be able to see sense in this¡­''


    He didn''t know too well about the other members of the council other than the fact that they were boomers.


    As a result, Rey could only cross his fingers and wait for his judgment.


    "Rey Skr will be ced under house arrest and constant surveince while an active investigation is conducted on the matter."


    The moment Rey heard this, his heart sank.


    "This is to determine the truth of what happened, and also to ensure no injustice is meted out."


    The good news was that Rey could return to his old room, and could also enjoy all the benefits of being an Otherworlder.


    The bad news was¡­ he couldn''t do much else.


    "Per his responsibilities, he will attend Training every morning, but after that is over, he will return to his room and spend the rest of his time there."


    Rey felt a little sting in his heart as he heard that.


    ''My responsibilities? These guys¡­!''


    He began to grit his teeth, but did his best not to let his inner frustrations out.


    It wouldn''t be advantageous to show hostility at this rate.


    ''It''s not a terrible judgment by any means. It only makes sense that I''ll still be suspected no matter what¡­''


    The problem was the constant surveince and his restricted movements.


    How was he going to deal with his current prospects?


    ''This isn''t good¡­''


    As Rey sighed, Conrad Listrio concluded the verdict in his calm but authoritative tone.


    "Rey Skr¡­ do you have any objections?" He asked.


    Rey felt like rolling his eyes.


    ''I don''t know how long this investigation will take. It could take forever, and I''ll be trapped without recourse in that period.''


    Not only would he be unable to Level Up, but everything he had built up thus far could crumble in his absence.


    ''Damnit¡­ damnit¡­''


    Still, he maintained a calm facade and smiled gently.


    "None."


    ''I just have to bide my time. If this bes unbearable, I''ll just leave.''


    "I have an objection!" Adonis jumped to his feet as his voice echoed within the vast Royal Court.


    Rey''s eyes nearly popped wide open as he shifted his attention to the rising Hero.


    Everyone in the room had no choice but to do so.


    "What is the matter, Hero?" Conrad asked with a calm facade, though his tone depicted a slight hint of worry.


    "I do not approve of this constant surveince business! Why are you treating Rey like a prisoner¡­ or some sort of dangerous entity?"


    As Adonis'' deration pierced the air, murmurs began to spread within the court.


    "It is a matter of necessity, Hero. You have to under¡ª"


    "No, I do not understand. Rey is one of us. He was summoned, just like us, to save your world. You can''t treat him like this when you don''t have a single shred of conclusive evidence against him."


    Every supposed proof had either been debunked by Rey''s truthful words, or were rendered useless by Adam''s hesitance.


    Before inflicting punishment on Rey, they had to have sufficient reason to do so.


    And right now¡­ they just didn''t.


    The members of the Royal Council all looked at one another, exchanging nods.


    Once it seemed they had made an unanimous decision, Conrad spoke once again.


    "Fine, Hero. We will not ce him under sufficient surveince. The House Arrest judgment still stands, though."


    For a moment, no side spoke.


    "Do understand that this is for the safety of the entire Nation, and also for you all."


    Unless Rey had been provenpletely innocent, he couldn''t be allowed unsupervised freedom.


    "I understand. Is that fine with you, Rey?"


    As Adonis asked this, turning towards the absolutely stunned Rey, thetter was speechless for a few seconds.


    Finally, he snapped out of his shock and spoke.


    "N-no¡­ I man, Yes! Yes, that''s fine!"


    Rey could never have expected Adonis standing up for him in such a way, but he did so.


    ''I thought Alicia would say something¡­ and she was about to.''


    He had spotted Alicia trying to stand up from the corner of his eyes, but Billy had stopped her from doing so.


    He ced his hand on her shoulder and tried to calm her agitation.


    Somehow, seeing all of that y out irked Rey.


    ''Thankfully, Adonis came through.''


    It wasn''t much, but this arrangement was still much better than what the Council initially decided.


    ''I can still continue my arrangement with Noah, so we can continue to make money. I can probably just train my Stats¡ª


    especially my Mana¡ªand see if I can naturally increase it.


    Of course, he would have to make sure he wasn''t being watched. He would also use his Skill to ensure no one could spot him doing anything funny if they barged in.


    ''It''s not like the Royal Dungeon, but I should be able to get some things done.''


    He didn''t know when he would be fully released, but knowing Adonis and how he had proved himself so many times already, Rey knew he was in the right hands.


    ''Hopefully it''s before the whole Dungeon Exploration that''s happening soon¡­''


    Rey thought about his treasures, as well as the Hobgoblins he had been harvesting for a while now.


    ''I''ve been taking care of them all this time. No one is having them except me!''


    It sounded selfish, but Rey didn''t care. He had done whatever it took to be stronger, and he wasn''t about to let others reap the fruits of hisbor.


    In due time, he would swipe his prize.


    ''I just have to be productive in the meantime.''


    *


    *


    *

 Chapter 73 Meeting In The Dark [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 73 Meeting In The Dark [Pt 1] </h4>


    After the Trial, everyone went their way and Rey had to return to his room.


    He was allowed to roam the central Living Room, but since he preferred not to, he decided to simply remain inside.


    No one could me him.


    Night soon fell, and as everyone was sleeping, a certain student couldn''t sleep.


    "Damnit¡­"


    His eyes were wide open as he stared at the ceiling. Before long, he sat upright and pped his hand over his face.


    "I screwed up big time¡­" He murmured in the dark.


    It was difficult to tell what kind of face this student was making, but it appeared to be a grimace.


    ''I never expected to be asked to make another testimony. It wasn''t part of the n¡­''


    Yes, this was Adam Sanchez, and he was still going over the earlier events of the day.


    ¡­ How he had been humiliated in front of everyone.


    "I really fucked up!"


    "Ahh¡­ don''t me yourself too much." A voice suddenly echoed at the far corner of the room.


    "Eep!"


    Like a little child, Adam shrieked while jumping from his position.


    The figure that greeted his eyes was in the form of a silhouette. They appeared to be in a hooded robe, covered from top to bottom.


    No feature of theirs could be seen, but they were undoubtedly a person.


    "You have to stop doing that! You startled me¡­"


    Adam soon forgot his initial fear¡ªor shock, as he called it in his mind¡ªand gave a re to the intruder who had seeminglye out of nowhere.


    "Haha! I apologize. That wasn''t very nice¡­"


    The shadowy person stepped forward, and based on their slightly deep tone, they were clearly a guy.


    "You don''t need to beat yourself too hard, though. Who would have foreseen this oue?"


    Adam chuckled once he heard this from the silhouette before him.


    "Who said I was ming myself? You''re the one who came up with the n, so isn''t it your fault for not nning this far ahead?"


    As Adam stared hard at the shadow, he had a wide grin on his face. His grimace was gone, and his sense of superiority returned.


    "I suppose you''re right. That''s a fair conclusion¡­" The shadow raised his hands in defeat.


    "But let''s focus less on the past, and more on the future, shall we?"


    The person they had framed, Rey Skr, had gotten less punishment than they would have liked, but the goal was still achieved.


    "There''s enough unrest now to move on to the next stage¡­"


    Adam''s grin was growing wider since he already knew what that meant.


    "It''ll soon be time for me to take over the ss."


    Once order broke down, and he consistently offered the perfect solution, his influence would grow. He only had to y both sides¡ªthe Nation, and his fellow students.


    It was a fine n.


    "Thank you for the Sack of Monster Cores, by the way. I wouldn''t have gone along with your n if I didn''t know you were so capable." Adam retorted with a snort.


    He had been given a down payment of over 200 Monster Cores, which had a very highmercial value.


    Once he sold it, he would have tons of money. Compared to his broke ssmates, he had some insurance and financial freedom.


    ''Hehehe¡­ hehe¡­'' Adam chuckled within himself as he drowned in his own ecstatic wealth.


    "It was nothing." The Shadow responded, sounding almost as amused as Adam.


    "Where did you get so many Monster Cores, though? You''re a fellow student, so you couldn''t have gone out to get it."


    Adam Sanchez didn''t think any student would be foolish or skilled enough to escape the walls.


    He had thought about it, but after seeing the security around, he decided against it. Instead, he was biding his time well for his chance.


    ''Sorry for using you for something you didn''t do, Rey. But¡­ a guy''s gotta do what a guy''s gotta do!''


    Of course, Adam didn''t feel the slightest bit sorry.


    "I stole it." The silhouette interrupted his thoughts with a simple answer.


    "Oh wow. You''ve got some gall stealing from the very people who are feeding us. But I can''t say I dislike that. Hehehe¡­"


    Adam didn''t care much for the Royal Council or the entire United Human Alliance.


    He simply wanted the power and influence he once had¡ªand then, to enjoy this world and all it had to offer.


    ''I don''t see any Dragons around here. And I''m sure these people have a shelter or something¡­''


    All he had to do was gather enough people and food and he could probably establish a new nation somewhere.


    ''I wouldn''t even mind signing a peace treaty with the Dragons¡­''


    If he could gain control of his ssmates¡ªpowerful Otherworlders that they were¡ªhe was sure he would have enough to bargain with.


    ''I don''t want to think about it, but it''s even possible I switch sides to the Dragon Race if they have a convincing deal¡­''


    For now, though, Adam decided not to think too far ahead.


    There was still the present to worry about.


    "There is still one more issue we need to resolve before moving on to the second phase."


    "Oh? What''s that?"


    "Eliminating the one true threat to our n. Who do you think that is?"


    Adam narrowed his eyes a little, thinking as hard as he could on the question. Only one face came to mind after his few seconds of thought.


    "Adonis¡­ right?"


    "Correct! You really are brilliant, aren''t you?"


    "Hehe! There''s no need to state the obvious."


    Adam always knew he was smart. He just got low grades in school because he simply didn''t want to put in the effort.


    School¡­ Training¡­ all of those things were a drag to him, so he didn''t really bother.


    If he did, Adam was sure he would end up excelling more than the rest of his peers.


    ''I''m a genius, after all.''


    It felt good that his partner could recognize that.


    "In any case, we should move quickly." The voice from the darkness echoed in Adam''s wars, causing his grin to stretch even further.


    "It''s time to eliminate Adonis once and for all."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]

 Chapter 74 Meeting In The Dark [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 74 Meeting In The Dark [Pt 2] </h4>


    Adonis was strong.


    He was extremely intelligent, handsome, charismatic, and most of all¡­ he was kind.


    He had the qualities of a good leader, and he was easily the perfect leader of the Otherworlders.


    "Not for long, though. Hehehe¡­" Adam chuckled as he imagined punching out Adonis'' perfect white teeth.


    The silhouette before him nodded.


    "Killing him won''t be easy, but I have just the thing for it."


    "H-hold on¡­ killing? We''re killing him?"


    Adam was shocked to hear all of this. When he heard the word "eliminate", he simply thought they would remove him from the position of leader.


    ¡­ Sort of like a social sabotage or something of that nature.


    "Oh? Are you scared?" As soon as he heard the voice, Adam stiffened.


    He could sense some measure of condescension, and he didn''t like it one bit.


    "No! Of course not. I just thought you meant it the same way ''destroying someone'' could mean ruining their reputation."


    He wasn''t a softie or anything!


    ''I''ll do anything for my goals. As long as it is necessary¡­''


    "Is killing Adonis really necessary, though" Adam asked with a raised brow.


    "Yes, it is. And killing him now, while he still has a low Level, is the best time."


    Adam already knew it would be difficult topete with Adonis with the way things currently stood.


    Adonis was perfection itself, while he had fallen from Grace in a lot of ways.


    ''I guess I have no other choice, huh?''


    "Once you kill him, you''ll be able to get his EXP, but I have a special Item that can allow you to convert the EXP into specific forms of power."


    As Adam heard this, his ears perked up.


    "S-specific forms of power¡­?"


    "Yes. Like ss or Skills."


    "You mean¡­"


    "Yes. You can obtain Adonis'' Hero ss, or even get his Skills."


    Adam''s eyes widened as soon as he heard this. He didn''t realize it when his teeth were already being disyed as a sign of excitement.


    "Now do you see why he has to die?"


    "I do indeed! He''ll be a stepping stone for my rise to power!"


    Adam started to chuckle, and then began tough so hard that his throat hurt and he coughed.


    "Sorry. Take it easy¡­" The silhouette kindly retorted, to which Adam smiled.


    "Thanks, man."


    The rtionship between the two of them was purely driven by self-interest, but the more Adam conversed with this anonymous stranger, the more he felt like they truly understood each other.


    "Why are you doing all of this, though? Helping me and all¡­" He muttered.


    "I already told you. I wish to go outside. If you be the leader, you''ll be able to guarantee my freedom. That''s the deal, right?"


    Adam nodded slowly, but he was still a bit puzzled by the stranger''s goals.


    ''Just for that? I guess he isn''t really ambitious¡­''


    They had been in contact for about a week now, and everything seemed to flow exactly as the shadow said.


    He was clearly smart.


    ''But I guess I''m still the one with the most cards. He needs me¡­''


    Adam felt good just from that conclusion.


    "Here. Take this."


    A ckish mist appeared in mid-air, as if it was made from thick smoke¡ªthe very same material that shrouded the hooded figure.


    From within this mist, a dagger appeared.


    "Ah¡­ this is the Item?"


    "Yep. Use it to kill Adonis and focus on the aspect of what you want from him."


    Adam was already licking his lips as he heard this.


    "You can only pick between his ss and one of his Skills¡­"


    Adam felt a little disappointed by that. If he could get at least one Skill along with Adam''s ss, that would have been much better.


    However, this still wasn''t a bad deal.


    "Which do you think I should go far? ss or Skill?"


    "Hmm¡­ it''s up to you, really."


    Adonis had an SS-Tier Skill, but he had an S-Tier ss.


    In terms of rank, the Skill was much better. However, a solid ss would mean Adam''s overall build would take a huge jump.


    Besides, he didn''t really have enough Mana to handle an SS-Tier Skill.


    "I think I''ll go for the ss. ''Hero'' doesn''t sound too bad, does it?"


    "Right? That''s a good choice¡­"


    Adam chuckled some more. He really was brilliant if he put his mind to it.


    "So, with this Ite¡­ hold on¡­"


    The moment he thought about the silhouette''s goals, and cross-referenced it with the n at hand, something seemed off.


    "Where did you get this item?"


    None of the students were allowed to hold Enchanted Items outside ss. The only way he could have gotten an item as potent as this was either by going outside, or¡­


    "I stole it."


    "Ahh¡­ I figured." Adam smiled.


    That was his guess as well.


    "Seems like you recognize the n. You''ll strike the night before our expedition to the Royal Dungeon."


    "Any particr reason why that time is the best?" Adam responded with a question.


    "Adonis has been training hard all week, so he''s been pretty stressed out. I''m sure he''ll want to have a good rest before the hectic next day."


    When Adam heard this, he nodded in agreement.


    "Alright then. You can leave the rest to me." He grinned while speaking.


    "I''ll use my Skills to get close and finish the job."


    "I''m counting on you."


    Both men exchanged understanding nces, and the silhouette began to make his exit.


    ck clouds of mysterious energy swirled around him as he began to vanish.


    "Wait. Onest question¡­"


    The vanishing paused, almost as if it was stuck in frame.


    "What is it?"


    The voice of the silhouette sounded the same, though something about how he was suspended made it clear that Adam was bothering him.


    But what did the future leader care about such trivialities?


    "Why Rey? He''s a nobody, right? Wouldn''t using someone with a higher profile benefit the n more?"


    "¡­"


    For a moment, the shadow said nothing.


    However, this silence onlysted for a while as a brief giggle escaped the lips under the mask of darkness.


    "Well, he ignored me."


    "I-Ignored you¡­?" Adam felt surprised to hear that as a reason. "What do you mean?"


    "Upon our arrival here, at the Skill Exhibition¡­ he disyed his Skill and I told him it was impressive. I tried to talk more to him, but he brushed me aside and ignored me¡­"


    Adam couldn''t quite understand what he was hearing.


    "T-that''s all¡­?"


    "Do I need some other reason?"


    ''Well¡­ yeah.'' Adam wanted to say, but he decided against it.


    "I guess he must have hurt your feelings, huh? Didn''t peg you to be a softie¡­"


    Adam felt secretly happy, though. If this person was emotional, then that meant he could be manipted.


    "I suppose you could say so. I''m a huge softie¡­"


    "Hey! I''m not judging." Adam shrugged, a big smirk on his roguish face.


    "¡­"


    No one said anything for a while, and the mood began to grow heavy.


    Before it could devolve even more, though, the silhouette''s voice emerged.


    "So can I leave now?"


    "O-oh! Sure!" Adam felt joy within himself that his partner needed his permission before leaving.


    It reinforced his feeling of importance, and he couldn''t help but imagine how everyone else would treat him once he got the power he craved.


    "Alright then. Bye¡­"


    ~WHUUSH!~


    The shadow vanished into oblivion, leaving Adam all alone in his room.


    "What a guy¡­ or maybe he''s actually a girl¡­?"


    Adam could only picture a girl being so petty, so he decided to justbel the mysterious stranger with the stereotype.


    ''Once I kill Adonis, I''ll make her reveal her face to me. Hopefully, she''s a cutie¡­''


    If she was, they could eventually deepen their rtionship.


    At that point, no girl would be able to resist him.


    He could have Alicia, Belle, even Trisha


    Whoever and whatever he desired!


    ''After all, who doesn''t want to get with the Hero?''


    *


    *


    *

 Chapter 75 Business As Usual

    <h4>Chapter 75 Business As Usual </h4>


    [6 Days Later]


    "So, how did today''s transaction go?"


    As Rey sat on his bed, he gazed at Noah¡ªhis trusty agent¡ªand the Spatial Ring that sat on his outstretched hand.


    They were currently in Rey''s room, and business was the topic of discourse.


    "It went the same as usual. They sold at the usual rate. It doesn''t seem like the value has gone down at all¡­"


    As Noah borated on the details of the day''s trade, Rey took the Spatial Ring and poured out its content.


    ''Looks like all the cash is here¡­'' His thoughts trailed as he opened the sack of coins and counted the tinum pieces.


    Every day, for the past six days, Noah had been selling Monster Cores to the ck Market and bringing Rey the revenue.


    He didn''t take anything out of the pieces and waited tor Rey to give him his share per the agreement.


    ''350 Monster Cores equal 2,450 Gold Coins, which is 24.5 tinum Coins. It''s all here¡­''


    24 tinum Coins and 50 Gold Coins sat at Rey''s feet, and he was practically unbothered about it.


    Perhaps this was because he had other things on his mind.


    "As agreed upon, you''ll be taking 10 percent from it."


    That was practically 2.45 tinum Coins.


    Rey took out 22 tinum Coins and ced it in another pouch that he got from his Subspace.


    He threw the pouch of 2 tinum and 50 Coins to Noah, who caught it with rtive ease.


    "Thanks, boss!"


    Rey smiled and gave a light shrug.


    ''So far, it doesn''t seem like Noah has any intention to betray me. Since he can earn a stable source of ie like this just by being my errand boy, it''s not a bad deal¡­''


    Rey realized that he didn''t know everything, and that it was possible for Noah to be lying about the actual price of the Monster Cores.


    For all he knew, they could have increased in value and Noah wouldn''t say anything.


    ''But that''s also fine. I won''t press on a matter that I''m not certain about.''


    He doubted that was the case, though.


    ''I should find a way to get myself a Truthseeker, though. Or maybe some kind of Skill that lets me read minds and discern the truth.''


    They felt like some of his skepticism and overthinking might vanish if he had such an ability.


    "Tomorrow is the day, huh? When we finally head for the Royal Dungeon¡­" Noah broke through Rey''s thoughts with hisments.


    "Yup!"


    "Tell me¡­ how is it? Is it really as dangerous as we''ve been told?"


    Rey had told Noah that he had gotten the Monster Cores from the Royal Dungeon, but he never specified anything or gave details.


    It was to reduce Noah''s increasing curiosity, but Rey was careful not to overdo it.


    But now¡­


    "It''s not going to be very dangerous. We have Brutus and Lucielle as chaperones. We''ll be fine¡­"


    Even though Rey said this, he had a darkened expression on his face.


    It was a look or worry.


    Rey knew the strongest in the kingdom wouldn''t have a problem with any of the creatures he had fought so far.


    That wasn''t the reason behind his anxiety.


    It was something else¡­


    ''The investigation is yet to be concluded, and while I''ll be heading for the Dungeon alongside everyone else, I''m sure tons of eyes will be on me.''


    How was he going to kill all his Hobs and gather as many Monster Cores as he could?


    ''I know it''s impossible to have everything, and the Nation could probably benefit from harvesting that amount of Cores, but¡­ I want my share!''


    Rather than relieved by the thought of a struggling nation finally abundant resources for itself, the opposite was the case.


    Rey was more worried about the United Human Alliance getting their hands on the heaps of Monster Cores in the Hobgoblin Den.


    ''If they harvest them in suchrge amounts, it''ll cause an influx of Grade 6 Monster Cores in the market¡­''


    That would render his business obsolete.


    ''Scarcity gives value to anymodity. I won''t be surprised if the value drops to 1 Gold Coin per piece.


    That would be a big loss for him.


    ''Argh! This is so frustrating! I should have gotten out of this hellhole by now! What is Adonis doing?''


    Rey knew it was unfair to me Adonis for all this.


    The guy was currently under a lot of pressure from both his ssmates and the Nation to perform wlessly in the expedition tomorrow.


    Rey heard he had been training non-stop for weeks now.


    ''I should cut him some ck¡­''


    Right now, Rey had no n. He could only wait until tomorrow and y things by ear.


    "Well, you should probably be on your way." Rey sighed, making a slight wave that was reminiscent of a ''shoo, shoo'' sign.


    Noah didn''t take any offense, though. In fact, he had the exact opposite reaction.


    A knowing grin spread across his face as he stared at Rey.


    "I guess you don''t want Alicia to catch me hanging around here again¡­"


    "Shut up, Noah!" Rey snapped, but not in an angry fashion.


    He too was smiling.


    For the six days that Rey was on house arrest, he couldn''t go to the Library, so Alicia often came over with tons of books for the both of them to read.


    ¡­ In his room!


    Yes, Alicia White had turned Rey''s room into their new reading spot. They would spend hours every day silently turning pages and feeding their brains with information while enjoying each other''spany.


    They rarely spoke, though it was unavoidable at times.


    ''She''s probably doing this to make me feel better¡­'' Rey smiled to himself as he remembered the first time she showed up in front of his room door with a pile of books.


    Rey didn''t even know they could borrow books from the Library, so he was shocked to see her with so many of them.


    After he helped her with the books, and she entered his room for the first time, she exined herself.


    Apparently, she indeed felt bad for him.


    "I-I just thought you might miss the books, so I decided to bring some over for you!"


    She was actually going to leave after dropping them off. However, Rey changed all of that when he thoughtlessly spouted a suggestion.


    "Would you like to stay and read with me?"


    Till date, he didn''t know what came over him at that moment.


    What could have prompted him to ask such an absurd question? It was so evident that she would refuse¡ªany girl would!


    But, strangely enough, Alicia didn''t.


    "Fine. I guess it beats staying alone in the library¡­"


    And that was how their time together began.


    It was a weird¡ªno, incredibly strange¡ªarrangement, but it worked perfectly well.


    Rey enjoyed himself, and he was able to read a lot more than he normally would.


    Perhaps that was because Alicia was with him.


    "Do you guys really finish all those books in one day?" Noah''s voice interrupted Rey''s thoughts.


    Thetter smiled as he crashed on his bed.


    "That''s how it works, buddy."


    A person was only allowed to borrow ten books per day. As a result, Alicia brought ten books every day to Rey''s room for them to consume.


    They always finished ten of them in a single day.


    Once Rey was done with a book that Alicia hadn''t read, they would swap. It was a crazy process that was filled with more immersion in books than actual conversation.


    It was only after both were done reading that she would leave.


    ¡­ And return the next day.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 76 Alone With Alicia [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 76 Alone With Alicia [Pt 1] </h4>


    After Noah left, Rey made sure his room looked as presentable as it possibly could for his guest.


    The first time Alicia came with those books, Rey had been caught off guard.


    His room hadn''t been in any major mess, but it wasn''t in the best shape either.


    Rey remembered he had a pair of his underwear on his bed, and till this day he prayed Alicia didn''t notice what it was.


    ''I managed to cover it with my bedsheets, but I think she already saw it¡­''


    Rey knew he would die of embarrassment if he dwelled on it, so he convinced himself that Alicia didn''t know what a guy''s underwear was supposed to look like.


    It wasn''t very believable, but telling it to himself repeatedly seemed to do the trick.


    "Alright¡­ I think we''re all set!" Rey beamed in satisfaction.


    His bed was wellid, and everything was in perfect order.


    You would think he was about to getid or something.


    ''No dirty thought, Rey! This is, as always, a reading session!''


    Rey didn''t particrly mind that Alicia and him never really spoke in the time that they spent together, but recently he was getting increasingly curious.


    ''I want to know more about her¡­''


    But he also didn''t want to ruin the vibe that they already had.


    ''I don''t want her to think I''m trying to hit on her or anything¡­''


    Rey already knew he couldn''tpare himself to the caliber of guys that Alicia had dated in the past.


    Sure, he had toned up a bit more, and he was in much better shape than before.


    But still¡­


    ''Even though I can better understand why Billy is so into her¡­ I already gave up on that a long time ago.''


    Right now, Rey was content with just being Alicia''s friend.


    But friends knew a lot about each other, didn''t they?


    ''Maybe I''ll ask her some stuff about herself today¡­''


    Just regr stuff, to break the ice.


    Rey knew he wasn''t the best at conversations, but he had recently gotten a lot of chances to practice hismunication skills.


    He often spoke to the Monsters, though not many cared to listen to him¡ªnot that they could even if they wanted to.


    He also actively discussed with Noah, though that was mostly about business.


    ''In any case, I think I should be able to hold a worthwhile conversation¡­''


    He just had to give it a try.


    "J-just in case, I should prepare a list of¡ª!"


    Right as Rey decided this out loud, he heard a knock on his door.


    "Gahh!"


    There was no longer any time to think or prepare questions for Alicia.


    ''She''s here!''


    ********


    Over an hour had passed since Alicia arrived, yet neither had spoken since their first greeting.


    The pile of books were scattered on Rey''s bed as both of them had what they were reading in hand.


    Like the nerds that they were, neither interrupted the other with meaningless things like words or unwarranted stares.


    They only focused on the literature in front of them.


    ''Fuck! Why aren''t you saying anything, Rey?!''


    Rey was suffering in silence as he couldn''t concentrate on what he was reading.


    He was trying his best, but he just wasn''t able to get into the zone.


    It had been minutes since he turned a page of his book, showing precisely his current condition.


    ''This is about four in the evening. I already had lunch before this, and she probably has already¡­ so what''s the issue?''


    Why couldn''t he concentrate?


    After training ended by 2:00 PM, Rey always went back to his room while Alicia probably went to get lunch.


    Noah went straight for the ck Market and he made sure to be back within an hour.


    They would talk for a little bit before Noah left, and not long after that¡­ Alicia would arrive.


    It only happened once, Alicia arriving when Noah was still around, and it was awkward for everyone.


    After that day, Noah made sure to arrive earlier, and Alicia came a few minutester than usual.


    It was like an unspoken arrangement.


    ''I-In any case, I better say something!'' Rey could no longer ignore the reason he wasn''t feeling like reading.


    What he wanted to do right now was talk to Alicia.


    Nothing more¡­ nothing less.


    ''But I can''t! She''s probably focusing on her book as well!''


    Rey''s mind automatically forgot the fact that he hadn''t heard her flip a single page in minutes as well.


    He probably thought she was doing it silently.


    ''She might hate me¡­ it might ruin the moment¡­ if I interrupt¡­''


    These thoughts shackled Rey for thirty more minutes, but after that he couldn''t take it anymore.


    If he didn''t say anything, Rey felt like he might die.


    "H-hey¡­" For the first time in nearly two hours, Rey turned to look at his study partner.


    To his surprise, she was staring at him too!


    ''H-holy¡­!''


    It was so startling that Rey nearly jumped out of his skin and ascended into the realm above.


    Her gaze was subtle, but it was undeniably there.


    Before he realized it, they were both staring at each other, with his words wafting through the air.


    "Hey¡­" She finally answered back.


    Rey felt his heart racing tremendously.


    He felt like it would burst at any moment, and it caused his brain to enter overdrive.


    ''What should I say next?! What should I do?!''


    Killing monsters and fighting opponents seemed far easier than what he was confronted with.


    After taking a few seconds, which felt like hours, to think about his response, Rey finally swallowed his saliva and spoke.


    "I¡­ noticed you weren''t turning your pages anymore. You okay?"


    ''ARE YOU STUPID, REY?!'' He asked himself as he felt the impact of his cringe.


    ''Why are you asking her that?! You were also not turning any pages, idiot!''


    Besides, why would he begin a conversation like that? It felt like he was using her for being unserious or something.


    ''Please don''t hate me! I don''t know why I asked that!'' Rey cried internally as he nearly clutched his chest to rip out his pounding heart.


    "Yeah? Well, I also noticed you weren''t turning your pages anymore."


    Upon hearing those words. Rey swallowed another round of saliva.


    "Why is that?"


    As Rey stared at her, he noticed she was smiling calmly.


    ''She isn''t nervous? She also doesn''t look upset. Maybe¡­ maybe she also wants to talk?''


    That thought was enough to calm Rey down a little, enough for him to form coherent words as an answer.


    "Well¡­ I was just deep in thought¡­"


    "What were you thinking about?" Alicia didn''t even let him breathe before asking a follow-up question.


    Rey felt like he was being assailed at this point.


    ''I asked the first question, you know? Why am I the one being interrogated?''


    He couldn''t say that, though.


    Alicia''s bright gem-like eyes were staring at him, and he had to give an answer quickly.


    A lot of things filled his mind, but only one thing kept surfacing despite the torrents of images ovepping within him.


    In the end, Rey could only blurt it out.


    "You."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Rey got that virgin-boy Rizz! What do y''all think?

 Chapter 77 Alone With Alicia [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 77 Alone With Alicia [Pt 2] </h4>


    "You."


    The moment Alicia heard this, her eyes widened in shock.


    ''W-what is he saying?!''


    Alicia was expecting a lot of things, but not this!


    Not yet!


    ''He was thinking about me? That''s why he hasn''t been focusing on reading?!''


    Even though Alicia didn''t say anything, she had been ncing at Rey at intervals to see if he was indeed focused on reading.


    Or if, like her, he couldn''t concentrate.


    At first, he was turning the pages, so she assumed he was paying attention.


    She didn''t want to disturb him with a conversation, or something that would disrupt his focus.


    The sole reason she was here, with him, was so they could enjoy the unspoken camaraderie they shared in books.


    If she sullied that with pointless conversations just to selfishly while away time, it would be unfair.


    Just because she wasn''t into the books today, that didn''t mean Rey wouldn''t be.


    However, her thought processes soon changed when Rey stopped flipping his book pages.


    ''Hm? What''s going on?!'' She had thought.


    Within herself, she had a faint hope that he too wasn''t very invested in what he was reading.


    She knew it was a terrible thing to wish for, but she had had no choice in the matters of her emotions.


    As time passed, she hoped he wouldn''t flip the page and regain his momentum.


    She hoped he would talk to her instead.


    She hoped¡­


    However, nothing happened.


    ''Should I just talk to him and start the conversation?'' Alicia finally thought to herself.


    It wouldn''t be a big deal to do so.


    But, she didn''t want Rey to misunderstand her intentions.


    ''A guy and a girl in a room together¡­ if I start a conversation now, he might think I''m interested in him or something.''


    It wasn''t like she wasn''t interested in him, but Alicia didn''t want him thinking she was.


    It was a weird state to be in, but as a girl, she knew this was perfectly normal.


    ''I don''t want him to get the wrong idea, though¡­''


    Due to her experience with guys, Alicia had been in a lot of her conversations that took a drastic turn at moments like this.


    Things usually went south when a guy thought she was interested in them and to make all the wrong moves.


    ''I don''t want him leaning forward and puckering his lips or anything¡­''


    That just felt¡­ wrong.


    Alicia was by no means a prude, and she had lots of experiences kissing and being kissed.


    That wasn''t the issue at all.


    ''The issue is when a guy considers a girl''s feelings towards them as a license to just go for the kill and score!''


    Perhaps some girls were into that sort of thing, but Alicia knew how much it turned her off.


    A lot of guys had tried to do stuff like that, and itedes up ruining the chemistry they had going on.


    It was also why she didn''t like guys like Billy who seemed so fixated on her.


    Frankly speaking, it was a little scary.


    ''I don''t want to see you in another light, Rey¡­''


    That was why she was trying her best not to show that she liked him.


    But then he had to say he was thinking about her¡­


    ''What if he tries to kiss me or something?''


    They were the only ones in the room, and the mood was a little awkward, but it wasn''t particrly bad.


    ''I don''t think I''m ready for that.''


    Other than Alicia''s fear that the kiss wouldn''t be good, it could end uppletely shattering the atmosphere they had built.


    She wanted something more intimate in words.


    Less action, perhaps?


    "I-I mean, I was thinking about you¡­ and how you seem to have changed a lot since we arrived here."


    Alicia felt relief settle in her heart, but curiosity also arose.


    "I''ve changed? How¡­?"


    "I-I mean, you used to be so assertive and outspoken. That''s why you became our ss Rep¡­"


    Alicia remembered those normal days.


    They seemed so far away now.


    "Even with Seraph, and when we came here¡­ you were actively involved in stuff¡­"


    Rey went on to exin the ''change'' he noticed.


    "Now you don''t really involve yourself in ss politics and other issues. You''re just alone and you hardly talk¡­"


    She didn''t have friends that she hung around with, and her presence in the group had faded away¡ªalmost to the point of obscurity.


    The only thing Alicia had going for her right now was her power.


    Even her beauty didn''t seem to be everyone''s main priority¡ªnot with Lucielle being the new center of attention for everyone.


    "Ahh¡­ I see¡­" Alicia couldn''t help but smile.


    This was the first time anyone was talking to her about this. Strangely enough, she didn''t mind.


    "I guess I just got tired of trying to fit in. Trying to help everyone and sticking my neck out for them¡­"


    It sounded bitchy and selfish, but Alicia didn''t feel like Rey was going to judge her for it.


    She felt like she could just speak her mind to him.


    "I just want to study for my benefit. I want to learn more about this world, and about my abilities. I want to focus on my capabilities, and one day¡­ hopefully find a way to go back home."


    Rey''s eyes popped open almost as soon as she said this.


    "You want to go back?!"


    Alicia nodded slowly.


    "Yeah. I mean¡­ I have my family, and a bunch of stuff to do back on Earth. I miss my cat, and there are a lot of books I want to catch up on¡­"


    As she said these things, she could see flickers of hesitation in Rey''s eyes.


    "I also¡­ sort of miss having my smartphone. Don''t you¡­?"


    "Not really¡­"


    Rey''s response surprised her, and she didn''t even try to hide it.


    Alicia thought that, of all people, Rey would also want to return home.


    Sure, he was an average person back on Earth, but that was much better than this ce.


    He was surrounded by ssmates who had ridiculous abilities, and he was stuck with very weak ones.


    It made her slightly curious about his Karma Points and how he ended up with such a terrible skill-set.


    ''Now that I think about it, a lot of people must hate him back on Earth since his Karma Point must have been extremely low. I can''t me him for not wanting to return¡­''


    "Most of the best things that have happened to me happened here¡­" Rey finally spoke up.


    For some reason, most of the nervousness on his face had vanished.


    "Getting a special ability, exploring a different world¡­ meeting you¡­"


    Alicia felt her heart skip a little once she heard that, but she maintained her smile.


    "¡­ I don''t think I want to go back."


    As Rey said this, he closed his eyes and gave a genuinely wide smile.


    "I want to remain here!"


    ''No way¡­'' Alicia''s thoughts trailed.


    Even with the entire Trial and ostracization that Rey was experiencing, he still preferred this world?


    ''I can''t believe it!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    The more I write these two, the more I root for their ship.


    However, as the author, I must remain unbiased.

 Chapter 78 Getting Closer

    <h4>Chapter 78 Getting Closer </h4>


    ''Why would I ever want to go back to Earth?!''


    Rey had this thought as he stared at Alicia''s surprised expression.


    ''I''m rich here, I have a broken Skill, and I actually have things I want to achieve!''


    He had tons of good prospects in H''Trae than he ever had on Earth, where he was a mere nobody.


    Of course, Rey didn''t expect Alicia to understand his perspective. After all, he was still a weak Extra to her.


    However, this world had changed Rey more than anyone¡ªincluding him¡ªcould have imagined.


    For the first time in his life he had a goal, and he was motivated enough to chase after it.


    He wanted to fight Dragons, save the Nation, and explore this new world he was in.


    The mysteries and intrigue in this world far exceeded the mundane and stale stuff that waited for him back on Earth.


    ''I was average. I was broke. I was just the same as a regr student drifting through school¡­''


    He rejected that past.


    ''It''s understandable that she wants to return, though.''


    Rey smiled at Alicia and shrugged slightly.


    "Different strokes for different folks, I guess."


    In response to his words, Alicia slowly lost her dazed reaction and returned his smile.


    "I guess."


    They both stared at each other for a few seconds before Rey quickly sprung a topic.


    "Tell me more about your life back on Earth! I''m actually curious."


    Rey didn''t know if he was overstepping his bounds or not, but he somehow felt like he wasn''t.


    After Alicia shared her motivation and desire to return home, he sort of felt like a gap between them had been bridged.


    He felt less awkward asking questions and things didn''t feel as intimidating as before.


    "You sure you want to know?"


    "Of course!"


    "Alright! What part?"


    "W-what?"


    "You have to be specific!" Alicia began to giggle. "What part do you want to know?"


    Rey found yet another dosage of saliva slowly forming in his throat.


    He was being offered a nk check here. Alicia was telling him to ask her anything, and from her expression, it didn''t seem like she had any reservations answering his question.


    "Y-your p-pussycat. Can you tell me more about it¡­?"


    Rey felt like an idiot for going for such a question, but it felt like he was about to say something else when those exact words came out.


    He could only hope Alicia didn''tbel him as weird for it.


    Thankfully, she didn''t.


    "Ahh! That''s a great start. But first, I have to ask, Rey¡­ do you like cats?"


    "Of course! I love cats!"


    This was a lie.


    Rey didn''t particrly hate cats, but he didn''t like them either. He was in the gray area when it came to them.


    But, after looking Alicia in the eyes when she asked the question, he couldn''t give such ackluster answer.


    ''I have seen some kitten videos online, and since I pressed the love button on the posts, that technically means I love them.''


    He wasn''t lying at all! In fact, this was one of the truest things that hade out of his lips since he came out of his mother''s womb.


    Once Rey was able to brainwash himself with this delusion, all so he wouldn''t feel guilty about lying to Alicia, he found his heart simmering down.


    It was all cope, but Rey indulged in it.


    "Really, Rey? That''s great! Which kind of cats do you like best?"


    "U-um¡­"


    He should have known that this would be the next question that woulde out of a cat-lover''s mouth.


    It wasn''t even like Alicia was trying to figure out if he was lying or not.


    She was just genuinely excited about the topic.


    ''Should I just fess up?''


    The illusion of Rey''s cope had now been shattered, and he was ready to give up.


    Fortunately, he was rescued by Alicia herself.


    "You can''t decide, right? Well, it''s the same for me. That''s why I have a ton of them at home!"


    Rey could already see the excitement in Alicia''s eyes get more and more intense.


    He started wondering if it was indeed the right choice to begin this journey with her.


    Would he really be able to keep up?


    ''Her ss is Grand Tamer, right? I can see why¡­''


    "H-how many cats do you have?" Rey was scared to ask this, but he gulped down all of his nervousness and took the bold step.


    He had to keep this conversation going, no matter what!


    "A-ahh¡­ well, if I only count the ones in my parents'' house, they''re only ten."


    "E-eh¡­?"


    "But I have more than thirty-seven with my grandparents."


    ''What the hell¡­?''


    Rey felt like he was entering waters that were too deep for him.


    He had to pull out before it was toote!


    Little did he know¡­ he had passed the point of no return.


    "Cats really reproduce a lot, you know?"


    It would never end.


    "And kittens are so cute too. Want me to tell you all their names?"


    Never¡­


    "I actually have all their pictures in my wallet. I carry it with me all the time, so I can just show you."


    ¡­ Ever.


    "I''m so happy I finally have someone to talk to about this!"


    "Yup! Me too¡­"


    And so, Rey had to sit and listen to Alicia White¡ªthe prettiest girl in his ss¡ªgush over cats for three hours straight.


    At least he was able to learn a thing or two.


    *******


    It was already veryte in the night, and Alicia was still heavily invested in her conversation with Rey.


    They had long left the topic of cats and went on to talk about other interesting aspects of their life.


    "Ohh? You only dated Adonis for a month? Howw? Why?!"


    Rey''s face disyed shock, which told Alicia that he probably respected Adonis a great deal.


    Alicia also used to feel the same.


    But¡­


    "It always felt like he was hiding something. Some big dark secret he couldn''t tell anyone¡­"


    Even though they were dating, it didn''t really feel like it.


    At least, to her.


    "He also has this saviorplex. Always feels like he has to help everyone and shower everyone with attention¡­"


    "Is that a bad thing, though?" Rey asked, cocking his head to the side.


    "W-well, it''s just that I felt weird that he was showering girls so much attention despite having me as his girlfriend."


    However, it wasn''t a mere case of jealousy.


    "It felt like I was just one of the many girls he showered attention. Do you understand? Adonis makes you feel special, but the truth is¡­ he does that to everyone."


    Rey couldn''t deny that since he had also experienced the same thing.


    That was what made Adonis so likable.


    He was literally perfect.


    "I also heard you dated a lot more seniors after hi¡ª"


    "Urgh, please! Not that rumor again."


    Rey''s eyes widened in shock the moment he heard that.


    Alicia was also surprised that Rey had such an impression of her all along.


    "I barely had time for myself with school, socializing, and my cats¡­"


    The cats came into the picture again.


    Rey braced himself for impact. If he wasn''t careful, Alicia would go on another three-hour tangent about cats.


    Fortunately, she didn''t.


    *


    *


    *

 Chapter 79 Unexpected Revelation

    <h4>Chapter 79 Unexpected Revtion </h4>


    "I was only ever interested in one, but after finding out he was a jerk, I cut all ties with him."


    Alicia went on to theorize that it was perhaps due to the senior''s bruised ego that he went on to spread rumors about her.


    Thankfully, Alicia''s reputation was strong enough for people to simply interpret it as her simply dating a lot of seniors.


    Nothing more, nothing less.


    "Oh, wow. I never expected it to be like that¡­" Rey''s voice trailed as he looked at Alicia, who was simply shrugging casually.


    "A lot of things aren''t as they appear. If we listen to everyone''s opinions and don''t take time to form our own, we''ll just end up drowning in misinformation."


    Rey felt like those were wise words that Alicia just said, but he didn''t know how to phrase it without sounding cringe.


    "That sounds like a smart thing to say." He finally settled on the most neutral way to put it.


    "I know, right?"


    Alicia went on to il her long hair as she used her hand to push it backward.


    She did this as she chuckled jokingly, trying to act like a wise diva.


    "Pfft!"


    "Hahahaha!"


    Before the two of them realized it, they were bothughing.


    "Nice one¡­ haha!"


    "Thank you, good sir." Alicia made a mock bow, and that only served to crack Rey up even more.


    This girl was seriously funny.


    ''Damn! I never would have thought Alicia would have this side to her!''


    Rey thanked his lucky stars that he actually decided to start the conversation.


    ''So this is what I''ve been missing out on!''


    As they bothughed even more, Alicia suddenly raised a topic that he wasn''t expecting.


    "Have you ever dated anyone, Rey? Or do you have someone you like?"


    The moment Rey heard this, his heart nearly stopped.


    A simple "No" would have sufficed, but for some reason, he couldn''t mouth the words.


    It felt like his lips were stuck in ce.


    "I¡­ well I¡­"


    Alicia''s inviting smile told him it was okay to say his mind, but Rey didn''t know if it was a good idea.


    ''I can''t back out now, though. Alicia answered all my questions and she was free with me.''


    It would be very uncool if he wasn''t the same.


    ''B-but how am I supposed to say it?!''


    How was he supposed to tell the girl right next to him that he was developing feelings for her?


    ''You just have to! She''s not some monster or anything, Rey! She''s an actual person, like you!''


    As Rey told himself this, he remembered howfortable he felt when talking to actual Monsters.


    That thought alone gave him courage.


    Enough to open his lips and finally utter the words he had kept buried in his heart all night.


    "W-well, the thing is¡­ I like y¡ª"


    ~BOOOOOOOOMMMM!!!~


    A sudden explosion caused Rey''s room, and everything within it, to tremble.


    Rey and Alicia felt themselves jump slightly as the bed rocked upward for a split second.


    "W-what was that?!" Alicia was the first to speak, while Rey struggled to understand what had just happened.


    ''An explosion of this scale¡­ it must havee from inside the living quarters.''


    Was it a fight? Some idental use of a Skill? As Rey ran through many simtions in his head, he cast his gaze on Alicia''s worried face to make sure she was fine.


    Thankfully, she was.


    ''What the hell is going on, though?''


    Before Rey could mentally answer this question, a sharp knock interrupted his thought process.


    "W-who''s that?"


    The loud banging startled Rey, but he didn''t let most of his apprehension show.


    His [Danger Sense] was somewhat on the fritz as it went on and off.


    "It''s Billy. Something''s happened in Adonis'' room, and I was told to make sure everyone was safe."


    ''Adonis'' room? Safe? What happened?!''


    Rey knew the explosion had just sounded, yet Billy was already rushing to his door.


    There was no way it was merely to make sure Rey was safe¡ª


    especially given the enmity they had.


    ''He''s here for Alicia. That means he already knew she was here. How long has he been standing in front of my room?''


    Rey didn''t even have the chance to consider such creepy behavior as he and Alicia jumped from the bed and rushed to the door.


    ''I''m more curious about what happened in Adonis'' room.''


    He nced at Alicia and the look on her face confirmed that she also felt the same.


    ''Maybe¡­ she still has feelings for him¡­''


    Rey shrugged off the thought as he opened the door, meeting Billy''s imposing frame waiting for them at the entrance.


    "Out of my way." Rey shoved him aside, and just like a ragdoll, Billy found himself tossed to the ground.


    His shocked face and his copsing form was visible to no one, as even the rest of the students were all gathered around Adonis'' room, or were on their way there.


    The loud explosion had woken everyone up, and with the room door opened¡ªwith smoke emanating from it¡ªit was hard not to get drawn to Adonis'' haven.


    Rey and Alicia also found themselves among the crowd of students who rushed to the room''s entrance.


    However, the moment they did so, they found the boy himself stepped out of the thick smoke and unfurling energy.


    ''A-Adonis¡­?'' Rey found himself thinking as he observed the particrly hardened expression the Hero wore on his face.


    Even as he held a de that could only be described as indescribably gorgeous and powerful.


    Golden lightning and energy shrouded his body, and he had the appearance of a deity.


    However, despite this impressive disy, none of the students were focused on any of Adonis'' extremely captivating features.


    Their eyes were locked onto the ''thing'' that Adonis held in his left hand.


    ¡­ The severed head of one of their ssmates.


    ''Isn''t that¡­ Adam?'' Rey found himself as stunned as he was confused.


    Why was Adonis holding the head of Adam on his hand, yet he was looking as unfazed as anyone possibly could be.


    "M-my god¡­!"


    Alicia hid her face in Rey''s chest, hiding herself from the grotesque sight of a corpse.


    It was probably her first time seeing anything that gory, so Rey didn''t withhold his hand from embracing her.


    Even though he could feel the murderous gaze of his former best friend on him, Reypletely ignored it.


    It was disgusting to see that Billy was more concerned with the fact that Alicia was hugging him than the fact that she was trembling in pure fear.


    ''I''m sorry, Alicia. That you have to see something like this¡­''


    Rey shielded her from the horrid sight before him, but he could not stop his own expression of sheer surprise.


    ¡­ Of pure horror.


    ''Why would he¡ªwhy would Adonis do this?''


    Well, the answer existed in the events that urred not too long before the explosion sounded.


    Not that anyone but the now deceased Adam could ever know the hidden truth.


    Right now, along with the numerous questions that were being asked by everyone who watched Adonis, one seemed to echo the loudest.


    ¡­ Why would their Hero kill arade?!


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    A surprising twist, don''t you think? Well¡­ all shall be revealed in due time.

 Chapter 80 Hero Assasination

    <h4>Chapter 80 Hero Assasination </h4>


    [Moments Earlier]


    "It''s about time¡­"


    Adam Sanchaz rose up from his bed with a resolute expression on his face.


    As his eyes stared into the distance, his face directly confronting the door that stood meters away, he had a vacant facade.


    His lips trembled slightly as he hid the special dagger in his pocket.


    ''It''s prettyte now. It''s the perfect moment to strike¡­''


    To prepare for this moment, he had been granted another Enchanted Item by his partner¡ªa Stealth Ne.


    Using that, along with his sole B-Tier Skill, Adam figured he could get the job done.


    ''No matter how strong he is¡­ Adonis will be vulnerable in his sleep!''


    The floor seemed to creak as Adam took steps forward. It could have been his imagination, but he felt like it took longer than usual to get to the door.


    Once he did, however, he gently ced his hand on the knob.


    "Haaa¡­" He took a deep breath and rxed himself.


    Right now, he didn''t need to have any useless thoughts. His goal was simple, and the stage was set for him to perfectly execute it.


    ''Just think about tomorrow¡­ and the day after that!''


    The image of himself being the new leader, impressing everyone with his abilities in the Royal Dungeon, as well as being promoted to Alpha ss, filled his thoughts.


    Soon, Adam was able to forget the final vestiges of fear that wed at his heart.


    "Let''s begin."


    He activated his Stealth Ne and instantly became invisible.


    Enchanted Items came in various grades, depending on their effects. This one was among the top of the highest grade Items, so its potency surpassed regr Stealth Nes.


    Unless someone used a special Skill, it was practically impossible to tell where he was.


    He twisted the doorknob and went outside.


    It was dark.


    The living room had no one upying it at such an hour, so Adam could understand why there was no light to greet him.


    To his relief, no one was in the living room¡ªexcept one person.


    ''Billy?! What the hell is he doing there¡­?'' Adam nearly had a heart attack once he noticed the boy''s slightly slouching silhouette.


    Billy was currently standing in front of Rey Skr''s room, his fists clenched tightly.


    He had a scary expression on his face, one that caused Adam to shiver a little.


    ''He looks pretty upset. But he''s also distracted, so I don''t have to deal with him.''


    Billy''s intense gaze didn''t even blink. He simply kept staring hard at Rey''s front door, so Adam was convinced that he wasn''t a threat.


    ''I wonder what business he had with Rey, though¡­''


    He quickly shrugged aside the thought and approached the door of his target.


    ''Here we are!'' Adam grinned with satisfaction, as if traveling from his own room to Adonis'' front door was some sort of achievement.


    Anyhow, since he hade this far, Adam proceeded with the second stage of his n.


    Infiltration!


    Everyone''s rooms were made exclusive for them, and they were also pretty study, so they couldn''t be broken down.


    Even if they could, Adam wasn''t stupid enough to alert Adonis¡ªand potentially his other sleeping ssmates¡ªby making such a racket.


    At times like this, he wished he had Justin''s Skill or [Assassin] ss. He could execute tasks like this much better.


    Unfortunately, Adam wasn''t blessed with such luck.


    His [Brawler] Skill was unsuited for covert operations, which was why he needed an Enchanted Item to even make it this far.


    However, he wasn''t particrly stranded.


    He already nned an alternative to the solution, using the only Skill at his disposal.


    ''[Force]!''


    As a B-Tier Skill, this ability had two special functions.


    Push and Pull.


    ''Now then¡­ Locke and Key, baby!''


    The type of mineral used to construct doors like this made them resistant to Mana, but thankfully for Adam, he wasn''t directly applying Mana to the door.


    He was simply influencing the force around the door.


    And so, he pulled it towards him.


    ~CREEAAAK~


    The sound it made was much louder than he expected. It caused Adam to look behind him, hoping Billy did not hear anything.


    Fortunately for him, the guy was still angrily staring at Rey''s door.


    ''Whew!''


    Adam kept applying his Skill, a bit gently this time. He had practiced [Force] for so long, to the point that he was extremely familiar with it.


    Since it was his only Skill, this was a given.


    ''Well¡­ once I get the Hero ss, I''m sure that won''t be a problem any longer!''


    Adam could feel his Mana drain very quickly, but thankfully he was able to open the door enough for him to squeeze himself through the small opening that had formed.


    Adam swiftly took his chance and slipped through, gently undoing the effects of his Skill as he entered enemy territory.


    "Huff¡­ huff¡­"


    It was a lot more difficult than he expected, but Adam just seeded in the second phase of his n.


    His lips curled up to form a smile as he took in one more deep breath and approached his target''s bed.


    Adam took his time looking at Adonis'' room while he advanced.


    ''It''s a lot more normal than I expected. Pretty much the same as mine¡­''


    He had heard that Adonis was offered a separate¡ªmore luxurious space¡ªto live in, but the kind and humble Hero declined.


    He wanted to be as close to his ssmates as possible, so he chose to remain here.


    ''Whatever! Once I''m Hero and I''m offered the chance, I''ll take it!''


    For Adam, it was important to disy hierarchy.


    Leaders at the top, followers at the bottom¡ªthat was how order was established in any society.


    ''I shouldn''t get careless now that I''vee this far¡­'' Adam tiptoed as he neared Adonis'' bed.


    He knew it was unnecessary since the Stealth Skill already erased his presence, but Adam kept doing it anyway.


    ¡­ Until finally, he stood right beside Adonis.


    ''There you are, Hero!''


    The room was dark, so seeing was a little difficult, but it was clear that Adonis was fast asleep.


    It was just as his partner said.


    The perfect time to strike Adonis down was now! Adam knew he wouldn''t ever get such an easy chance, so he readily pulled out his dagger from his pocket.


    He couldn''t help the snake-like grin on his distorted face.


    ''This will be too easy!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Seems next chapter will be thest chapter of this Arc.


    Oops¡­

 Chapter 81 Adonis’ Hidden Truth

    <h4>Chapter 81 Adonis¡¯ Hidden Truth </h4>


    ''This will be too easy!''


    Adam''s eyes bulged as he raised his de above his head.


    He had never stabbed someone, but he had seen enough violent movies to know how it was done.


    He just had to thrust the dagger into Adonis'' chest, and apparently, the de would do the rest of the work.


    Adam could feel saliva form in his mouth.


    Whether this was due to him salivating, or merely a sign of nervousness, it was impossible to tell.


    One thing was certain, though¡­


    ''I have to do this!''


    Adam had already made up his mind.


    His eyes gave off a murderous re to represent this, and he strengthened his muscles as he prepared for the thrust.


    ''It''s nothing personal, Adonis¡­'' He mouthed, though his wide grin told a different story.


    ''¡­ I just gotta do it!''


    ~WHOOOOSH!~


    The de sliced through the dark space around it as it descended toplete its task.


    As it fell, Adam''s eyes widened even further, as if waiting for the first sight of blood and guts gushing out of his target.


    Much to his inescapable shock¡­ that was not meant to happen.


    ~CLANG!~


    The dagger was met with a golden field that surrounded Adonis'' sleeping body, instantly causing the de to shatter apart upon impact.


    "W-what?!" Adam immediately forgot the need to remain silent as he witnessed the impossible.


    The dagger''s pieces instantly disintegrated into golden light,pletely overwhelmed by the power of the field that was struck.


    Before Adam couldpletely recover from the shock, however, he suddenly felt something grab on his throat.


    The blurry movement of Adonis'' hand had been too fast for his distracted eyes to register, so he didn''t notice it until it was toote.


    ¡­ Until Adonis'' grip waspletely pressed around his throat.


    "So you finally showed yourself¡­ ss traitor."


    As the odd, but familiar voice echoed in Adam''s ears, he saw Adonis open his eyes.


    Golden light radiated from them as he sat upright, almost as if he was being pulled by an invisible force that was too much toprehend.


    ''H-he''s awake?! What?!''


    Not only that, but it sounded as though Adonis was expecting him.


    "You arrived a bit earlier than I expected. But, after the entire trial with Rey, I figured you would act pretty soon¡­"


    Adam could not understand what Adonis was talking about.


    "I suppose the future has slightly deviated off course."


    Future? Deviated? What in the world was Adonis talking about?!


    "A-gurgh¡­!" As Adam tried to speak, his throat was further crushed by Adonis'' single-handed choke.


    "Things weren''t meant to happen like this, but I can''tin at this point. The whole goal was to change the future¡­ so I should expect slight changes to the original timeline."


    Upon hearing these words, Adam felt like he could figure out what Adonis was trying to imply.


    Unfortunately, his brain wasn''t getting enough oxygen for him to properly think straight.


    Adam felt his heart race uncontrobly.


    ''I¡­ I don''t want to die! I don''t want to die!'' His thoughts screamed out.


    The Adonis he knew would never hurt him, but something about the new vibe that came off of this new Adonis told Adam that he wouldn''t hesitate to take his life.


    The very thought frightened him.


    "I know you probably want me to spare you right now, despite you just attempting to kill me. If it was me back then, I would have surely done so."


    Adam felt his heart increase its pace as he heard this.


    "I was so naive back then¡­" He whispered.


    Adam saw some measure of hesitation in Adonis'' eyes, and for a moment, he thought he actually had a chance.


    His brain was so busy trying to survive that it didn''t fully process Adonis'' words.


    It just desperately clung to any sign of his survival.


    "But I can''t allow you to live. If I do, you''ll exploit another opportunity and betray everyone."


    Adam had certainly thought of that many times.


    "Just likest time, you''ll join ''their'' side. That would only result in more suffering and needless sacrifices."


    Adonis closed his eyes for a second before opening them once again.


    This time, the golden radiance in his eyes glowed much brighter than ever.


    "I can''t allow that¡ªnot aftering back to save everyone." He whispered.


    "To make sure this world survives¡­ I have to eliminate you right here and now."


    Once Adam saw the resolute expression on Adonis'' face, he instantly knew his fate was sealed.


    ''W-wait! Don''t kill me!'' He tried to yell out, but only muffled screams escaped his lips.


    ''It''s not my fault! I was put up to this! My partner¡ªthat son of a bitch was the one who wanted this! Not me! I never wanted this! You should kill him instead!''


    Adam desperately wanted to live, but he could not.


    So long as Adonis willed it, it was so.


    "[Divine Sword Summon]."


    A golden ray of light filled the room, and a de of magnificent beauty and power manifested in Adonis'' previously unupied hand.


    Its presence was unrivaled¡ªits purity unmatched.


    This was the Divine Sword; a weapon fit only for a Hero like Adonis.


    "Forgive me, Adam. For the little time that we spent together¡­"


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    "¡­ You were my precious ssmate."


    Blood sttered all around the room as Adam''s bodypletely disintegrated, leaving his head floating in the air.


    Adonis still tightly gripped it, not letting it go for a second despite how coldly he stared at it.


    "And so it ends¡­" He whispered.


    All along, Adonis knew there was a mastermind in their ss who was pulling the strings.


    Why?


    Because this was exactly what happened thest time.


    ''There are slight alterations, but for the most part things are proceeding as they should.''


    Adonis knew all that would happen after this¡ªor at least, most of it.


    That was how he was able to tell that Rey was innocent.


    How he knew everything he knew¡ªincluding how to address Seraph, and their importance to the denizens of this world.


    ¡­ How he knew he had to be Hero.


    ''Everyone should still be asleep¡­'' Adonis'' thoughts trailed as he traced his gaze away from Adam''s pathetic head.


    The fluid motion of the Divine Sword had barely made any sound, so Adonis was convinced his attack hadn''t caused any ruckus outside.


    "I can''t have that." He whispered.


    It was better to cause a big ruckus and exin what had happened in a more exaggerated way so as to show everyone the intensity of the situation.


    That way, he wouldn''t bebeled as a cold-blooded killer.


    ''I really didn''t mean for this to happen¡­''


    Adonis had tried his best to keep his ssmates together¡ªto put them in check.


    He tried his best to check up on all of them, making sure they all felt safe and protected.


    More than anything, he had hoped none of the tragedies of the past would reveal itself again.


    Unfortunately, it wasn''t enough.


    "It can''t be helped. More ising, so I must prepare."


    As he said this, the Divine Sword glowed.


    Adonis was about to release a mighty st that would gather enough attention.


    He didn''t mean to lie, or deceive his ssmates.


    However¡ª!


    ''For the sake of the world¡­''


    ~BOOOOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!~


    As his door was blown away by the st, and several blocks of debris scattered around, Adonis maintained his expression of resolve.


    ''¡­ This must be done!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    End of Arc 1: The Summoned Otherworlders Arc!


    I hope we can all get a better glimpse into Adonis'' character and understand everything he does better.

 Chapter 82 After The Incident

    <h4>Chapter 82 After The Incident </h4>


    Silence.


    That was what came first.


    Ufortable, overwhelming silence that sank into the depths of the minds of everyone who was witnessing what the fallen ones saw.


    Then, once silence was all worn out¡­ the next thing that came was horror.


    Within the darkness of the Royal Dungeon, the fallen heroes could only helplessly watch as an overwhelming shadow stood before them.


    The silhouette of a massive monstrosity that radiated nothing but sheer malevolence.


    This would be the first time they were encountering such a thing.


    And from the looks of it¡­ it was fated to be theirst.


    *******


    [Several Days Earlier]


    A few days had passed since the entire incident with Adonis.


    Everyone was initially horrified and perplexed by what they saw, but after Adonis copsed before them¡ªbarely breathing as he exined the situation¡ªthey could all understand better.


    It seemed one of their own¡ªAdam Sanchez¡ªhad plotted to kill Adonis.


    His Skill responded in automatic self-defense and killed Adam before even the Hero could tell what was happening.


    As Adonis described what had happened, it felt like he was sleep-walking.


    The sensation felt unreal.


    Of course, none of these exnations that were given took away the weight of a ssmate''s death.


    It was still a tragedy.


    However, learning that Adam was going to kill Adonis, and that Adonis wasn''t in control of his actions, was enough to change the reactions of everyone.


    The look of horror they gave Adonis soon faded, and the ufortably image of their beheaded ssmate eventually took on a different vor.


    "He deserved it, didn''t he?"


    "What was he after? Why would he attack Adonis?"


    "Maybe he was working for the enemy¡­"


    These were the words that now went around the lips and ears of the ssmates.


    Before long, Adam was seen as no more than a scapegoat, and Adonis was praised as the martyr.


    And now¡­ three dayster¡­ so much had changed.


    ********


    "So, what now, Rey?"


    Noah and Rey sat in thetter''s room. There was only one reason why these two would meet like this.


    It was to discuss business.


    "We''ve not been able to sell Monster Cores for three days now. Ever since A¡­ that incident."


    Among the students, there were still a few who found it difficult to properly articte what happened that night.


    Noah Sherlock was one of them.


    "Since Adam was killed by Adonis? Say it as it is, Noah."


    This sharp response came from none other than Rey.


    He had a calm expression on his face, almost as if none of this fazed him in the slightest.


    His dull ck eyes seemed to be staring at something invisible far away as he casually addressed the very incident that shook their entire group.


    "D-don''t say it like that, Rey! Someone died, you know?" Noah snapped, a bead of sweat trickling down his cheek as he uttered those words without realizing it.


    His eyes widened the moment he realized what he had done. Rey''s sharp gaze now rested on him, instantly prompting him to take a few steps back.


    "S-sorry¡­ for raising my voice¡­" He whispered.


    "It''s fine. I understand what you''re saying, Noah, but we can''t allow ourselves to be bogged down by something like this¡­"


    From Rey''s perspective, Adam had been nothing more than a stranger to him.


    He was also a stranger to Noah.


    There was no need to let his demise affect the relevant areas of their lives.


    "It''s unfortunate that his death has affected business in some ways¡­"


    The entire Royal Estate was in lockdown, and they had even activated the Grand Barrier¡ªa protective dome of energy that encased the entire Estate in hard light.


    It was a more powerful and sophisticated version of what was used for the Royal Dungeon Site.


    The students were monitored 24/7, and they were meant to be ounted for at all times.


    Thanks to that, Rey and Noah could not continue business as usual.


    A few students protested that this was ridiculous, but Grandmaster Conrad and the rest of the Council personally pleaded for everyone''s understanding.


    "It''s just for a few days¡­" They had promised.


    The reason for their sudden and extreme reactions to the event wasn''t too difficult to see.


    An Otherworlder was dead.


    Otherworlders were the Nation''s only chance at facing the Dragons, and they had just lost one valuable asset.


    That realization was enough to make them waste valuable resources to keep their barrier up and running while breaching the liberty of the very champions they had previously sucked up to.


    Desperation was a dangerous thing¡ªespecially when met with a sense of danger.


    The United Human Alliance didn''t want to lose any more of the remaining twenty-eight, so they were trying their best to do damage control.


    They were also going to be extremely thorough to make sure nothing like this ever repeated itself.


    "It''s a mess, isn''t it? All of this is just¡­ haaa¡­ but I can''tin too much." Rey''s monotone broke the tense silence that existed between him and Noah.


    "After all, thanks to this incident, I''m finally free from my charges."


    With Adam dead and confirmed to be a malefactor, it only went to prove that Rey had been falsely used all along.


    Once Adonis provided testimony about the presence of an enchanted dagger with Adam, and also the proof of the Stealth Ne that he wore, it was clear that Adam had broken the rules.


    The possibility of him obtaining an enchanted item to bypass the Truthseeker was also brought to light.


    After searching Adam''s room, they found the very device that he had used to get away with lying.


    They even found money hidden there.


    All of these elements went to show that Adam had been pulling the strings and lying about a lot of things, all so he could reach Adonis.


    Rey had only been one of his victims.


    "Now that I''m no longer under house arrest, I can move more freely. Unfortunately, that freedom is useless for now."


    As long as the barrier was still in ce, Rey and his ssmates were stuck in the Royal Estate.


    However, Rey didn''t appear upset about this in the slightest.


    "They can only maintain all this for so long¡­" He told Noah, his expression that showed how confident he was in his grand scheme.


    "Sooner orter¡­ they''ll let us out."


    Rey''s smile began to creep wider as he closed his lips.


    ''And that''s when I''ll have my chance!''


    *


    *


    *

 Chapter 83 Torn Between Choices

    <h4>Chapter 83 Torn Between Choices </h4>


    [The Next Day]


    "Good morning, Esteemed Otherworlders. It''s really good to see you all in good health."


    Right now, Rey and his ssmates were standing in the open fields of their training ground.


    All twenty-eight of them were facing Grandmaster Conrad, who had Brutus and Lucielle to his right and left respectively.


    Conrad had a calm smile on his face as his long hair danced with the wind.


    As usual, he was adorned in expensive jewelry and pristine clothing. There was no one who would doubt that this man was royalty.


    "I am grateful for you being amodating and understanding. You''ve been subjected to a lot of restrictions, and I am deeply honored that you chose to be patient with us."


    Truthfully, if it hadn''t been for Adonis calming the students down, there would have been a lot more resistance to the actions of the Royal Council.


    After Adam''s demise, it was clear that something had changed in the power bnce.


    The desperation of the United Human Alliance began to show, while the students grew a lot more uneasy about their ce in the Estate.


    This ultimately led to a shift in the status quo.


    Right now, it was clear that the United Human Alliance had more to lose from letting the students go, and they had to be a lot more active in their management of their champions.


    That was why Conrad¡ªGrandmaster that he was¡ªwas standing out in the open to address the Otherworlders.


    "All of that changes today. We will cease the barriers, and we will even allow you to explore outside the Royal Estate as you please."


    As Conrad said all this, the annoyed countenance of a lot of students began to change.


    Smiles and little chuckles began to reveal themselves among the dreary ones.


    It felt like a miracle.


    As the students murmured among one another in excitement, one of them was also grinning like an idiot, though his thoughts were far from what he showed.


    ''What a farce¡­''


    Rey was the one who had this thought, and for good reason.


    ''He''s making it sound like he''s doing us a favor when, in fact, he has no other option.''


    Rey''s ssmates¡ªthat is, the Esteemed Otherworlders¡ªwere nearing the limits of what they could take from the Royal Council.


    With their power weakening, it was clear that they had to make somepromises.


    ''Speaking ofpromises, I''m sure they''ve run out of Mana Crystals to power the Grand Barrier, or they''re pretty low on their supply. That''s why they''re stopping the barrier.''


    Yet, the way Conrad made it sound, one would think it was a voluntary decision.


    ''I can see through you guys. It''s almost sad how desperate these people are once you peel a singleyer off¡­''


    Underneath all that finesse was a Nation that desperately needed saving.


    ''And I''m sure Adonis recognizes that too. That''s why he''s still on their side despite how crafty they think they''re being.''


    In the end, these people required help.


    ''It''s not just Conrad and the people here that will suffer if the Dragons aren''t stopped. Millions of people, if not more, will perish.''


    For that reason alone, Rey felt his conscience was geared towards helping out more than it was directed towards his selfish interests.


    ''I''ve pretty much gotten all I can get from these people right now¡­''


    Rey had used [Doppel] on the strongest people here and obtained their useful Skills, and he now had ess to the abilities of all his ssmates as well.


    He had learned enough about this world that he was fairly confident he could survive in this world with the current knowledge at his disposal.


    Logically speaking, they had nothing else to offer.


    ''Maybe if I take ount for future events, then maybe I can benefit a thing or two¡­''


    However,pared to the abstract future benefits he still wasn''t certain about, there were concrete prospects he could pursue now.


    ''I could get my own ce and operate on my schedule¡­''


    That meant he could live his life without the prying eyes and sniveling noses of hisrades weighing down on him.


    More importantly, though, he would finally have more time on his hands.


    ''Training has be pretty useless to me at this point¡­ and honestly, I could better spend my time grinding in the Dungeon.'' Rey found himself thinking.


    If he spent more time fighting Monsters, he was guaranteed to get more results.


    And this wasn''t even a necessarily selfish decision.


    ''The stronger I am, the more useful I can be to this world.''


    In essence, it was for their own good.


    ''But¡­ not yet.''


    There were two major reasons why Rey was yet to cut off ties with the Royal Estate and his ssmates.


    The first and most obvious reason to him was his desire to identify the true malefactor of the recent incidents that had ensued.


    ''My trial, Adam''s death, and now this¡­?''


    It all felt too unnatural and coordinated that Rey couldn''t shake off the feeling that someone was behind all of this.


    ''The one that framed me isn''t Adam. It couldn''t have been him. There''s a good chance that they manipted Adam and made him take the fall so they could cover their tracks.''


    How convenient was it that they were able to nab Adam for everything and solve the mystery of the malefactor so easily?


    Something was fishy, and Rey couldn''t get it out of his head.


    ''I can''t just leave everyone with the malefactor among them.''


    Rey didn''t really care much for his ssmates, but that didn''t mean he wasfortable with them being yed by an unknown enemy.


    Besides, he had managed to form some sort of rtionship with a few people during the time he spent in this world.


    Noah, Adonis, Trisha¡­ and then¡­ Alicia.


    Which brought him to the second, more sentimental reason, why he was hesitant to leave.


    ''I don''t¡­ feelfortable leaving her behind.''


    Even though Rey knew that Alicia was unaware of his true abilities, and that she wanted to return home if she could, he couldn''t help but feel an irrational attachment to her.


    ''I just¡­'' He found himself ncing in her direction, and much to his dismay, she was also looking at him.


    She gave him a smile, and he found himself breaking into one as well.


    ''I''m happy she''s feeling much better after witnessing that gory¡­ hold on, what am I thinking?''


    He found himself giving his biggest internal sigh.


    Rey knew he was being stupid.


    ''You''re not her type of guy, Rey. It''s best to focus on improving yourself and maybe¡­ maybe you cane back once you''re good enough!''


    Even though he had told himself this many times, Rey couldn''t still bring himself to numb his feelings.


    That''s right!


    Rey was in love.


    ¡­ Or at least, he felt like was.


    ''Our connection is real! I can feel it! If we weren''t interrupted that night, then maybe¡­''


    Those immensely emotional thoughts were stopped by Rey''s more negative line of reasoning.


    ''You would have embarrassed yourself by admitting your feelings, Rey. The best thing you can do now is focus on the grind!''


    Right now, he was at war with himself.


    Perhaps that was why he didn''t pay attention to any other thing Conrad said until three words reverberated in his ears.


    "¡­ Royal Dungeon Expedition!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    What do you think Rey should do, fes?

 Chapter 84 A Bit Of Motivation

    <h4>Chapter 84 A Bit Of Motivation </h4>


    The Royal Dungeon Expedition!


    It was supposed to happen four days ago, but after Adam''s sudden death, the entire thing was canceled.


    Everything went on lockdown, and no one in the Royal Council, or the entire Alliance as a whole, mentioned it after that.


    ¡­ Until now.


    "After giving it much thought, we have decided to proceed with the Royal Dungeon Expedition n." Grandmaster Conrad''s voice echoed in the air.


    His words caused Rey to jerk back to reality, thetter''s eyes blinking numerous times.


    "Truthfully speaking, we need you all to advance in both power and experience, and training won''t be enough."


    Conrad took a short moment to exhale before continuing.


    "That is why the Royal Dungeon Expedition is our best bet. There''s no better ce to gain experience than in a Dungeon."


    Dungeons were crawling with Monsters who had a diverse set of abilities.


    A lot of Floors¡ªespecially the topmost ones¡ªhad one set of Monsters per Floor, but the deeper one went, the more there tended to be a variety of Monsters upying a single Floor.


    Of course, it went without saying that the deeper Floors were far more challenging.


    "I can see the look of apprehension on your faces, but you don''t need to fret too much. Lucielle and Brutus will be apanying, so you''ll all be safe."


    Those words were enough to assuage the concerns of many students, but they weren''tpletely bought over.


    After all, after seeing one of the die, everyone was reminded of their own mortality.


    ¡­ As well as the words Adam had said when he was still alive.


    "I don''t want to do this anymore." Someone finally snapped, and a voice echoed out to prove it.


    Conrad paused as he nced in the direction of this random student.


    It must have taken a lot of bravery to utter those words.


    However, the moment he did so¡­ the brewing storm exploded.


    "M-me too!"


    "I think I''ll just call it quits and fend off on my own."


    "I don''t care if you kick me out. I think it beats dying in some dangerous ce."


    "C-can''t we just go back home¡­?"


    Voices like this began to escape the lips of the audience, and before anyone knew what, the entire group had descended into chaos.


    More than half of the students wanted to call it quits, and it didn''t seem like the numbers were going to reduce anytime soon.


    In fact, more students trickled in to join their ranks.


    ''This is bad¡­'' Rey thought to himself as he observed the divide.


    ''Thanks to the words of that single guy, everyone has started spiraling out of control.''


    It had escted to the point where it wasn''t even easy to pinpoint who started all of the drama, to begin with.


    At this rate¡­ nearly all the students were going to leave the Royal Estate before the day ran out.


    "May I have your attention, please?" A voice suddenly radiated out.


    It had so much presence that the loudmotion instantly came to a halt.


    Everyone who was raising their voice, or arguing, or merely shouting ceased their outcry¡ªall because of one young man.


    "I can understand your plight. I know your fears, and I can feel your worries¡­"


    The boy who spoke wasn''t a stranger to them.


    He had been with them through thick and thin, and ever since they arrived in this world he had represented all of them fairly.


    He fought for their rights, he encouraged them when they were down¡­ he was there with them through it all.


    Every single student felt the boy''s words ring true within them¡ªas if he was speaking to only them as individuals and not the group.


    His name was Adonis Levi¡ªHero and leader of the Otherworlders.


    "This world needs help. I won''t force you to care about the countless families and numerous children that require protection in this city alone, talkless of the many others that exist beyond."


    Adonis'' tone was not pretentious or hypocritical.


    He spoke from his heart, and people listened.


    "We all have our desires and goals. It''s rather unfortunate that those desires were cut short during that ident back home¡­"


    Adonis returned the memories of everyone to the incident that started it all.


    "We were meant to die back then. All of us."


    The faces of the students began to fall. Their pompous and entitled facade cracked under the weight of his words.


    "We were saved by the summoning of these desperate people. Our desires and dreams were preserved by the denizens of this reality¡­ people who also have their own dreams and ambitions."


    Adonis'' golden eyes glimmered as he formed a slight frown.


    "The Dragons don''t care about those dreams¡ªnot ours, and certainly not theirs. They will trample everything underfoot and destroy everything in their path."


    The reality of the enemy that they inevitably had to face began to manifest.


    Adonis painted it too vividly.


    "And once they are done desecrating all that can be desecrated, and they snuff out thest dream and hopes of the people of this world¡­ who do you think they will turn to next?"


    His gaze was serious¡ªcalm, undeterred, but serious.


    "You are not safe. I am not safe. None of us are safe¡­ not until those monsters are gone."


    Then, the only question that was left to ask was how.


    How could they stop these horrid creatures? How could they preserve their dreams and be safe?


    Well, the answersy before them.


    "We need the Dungeon. We will be able to Level Up and gain actual experience from it." Adonis stretched out both of his hands, as if expecting a hug.


    The despairing expressions of the students were already beginning to fade away.


    Even the selfish ones who only cared about their safety could not deny the allure of gaining more strength to protect themselves.


    "That is why I implore all of you, my friends¡­ let us not abandon this opportunity."


    As Adonis gave a brilliant smile, filled with confidence and I shaking resolve, thest of the resistance was quelled.


    The dissatisfied sound of a clicked tongue silently echoed, but it was drowned by the overwhelming voice of Adonis.


    " So PLEASE! Please, don''t give up now! Don''t give in after you''ve endured all this time!"


    Memories of the training they underwent to get stronger shed in the minds of the students.


    How could they throw all of that away now?


    "Stand with me! With us! We can''t do this without you¡­ and honestly¡­."


    Adonis slowly dropped his two hands and slowly shook his head.


    "¡­ You can''t do this without us."


    The rest was history after that.


    Cheers and roars of excitement arose from the students.


    It was as if everyone found their source of motivation and forgot the fear that coursed through their hearts.


    They could only think about Adonis and his words.


    "WILL YOU STAND WITH ME?!


    The answer was obvious.


    "WE WILL STAND WITH YOU!" Everyone cheered.


    Rey was among the majority and went along with their excitement as if he was swept up in the moment.


    He smiled and roared with so much energy that you would think he meant every ounce of it.


    But, that wasn''t really the case.


    ''Good job, Adonis. You''ve managed to keep everyone together again.''


    He truly was impressed by Adonis. It almost felt like they weren''t even the same age at all.


    However, despite all of this, a dark thought crept within Rey''s mind.


    ''This solution is only temporary, though¡­''


    Unease among the students was bound to keep growing until it became unstoppable.


    ''At that stage, not even the best of pep talks¡ªeven from someone like Adonis¡ªwould be able to do the trick.'' Rey thought in worry.


    And, just as he feared, that moment wasing soon.


    ¡­ It was only a matter of time.


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please share your thoughts.

 Chapter 85 Plan For The Excursion

    <h4>Chapter 85 n For The Excursion </h4>


    Grandmaster Conrad was stunned.


    Never before had he been outdone in negotiations of any kind.


    When the Dragons struck all those years ago, he was the one who banded the nations together through sheer negotiations by exploiting their overarchingmon interests.


    He always knew what people wanted, and how to give it to them without being at a disadvantage himself.


    However, most of this was only possible due to a somewhat even ying field¡ªor him possessing the advantage.


    In the case of the Otherworlders, the script was mostly flipped.


    They had the control.


    ''¡­ And it seems they''re realizing it now.''


    It somehow pissed Conrad off that they had spent so many resources on these Otherworlders, yet they were so quick to abandon him and his people.


    So much money, so many resources¡­


    Even their two strongest were assigned to training them, rather than going to the war front and assisting the nation.


    Then, there were expenses they were yet to incur that would go into benefiting the Otherworlders and their growth.


    After they had done so much, and were willing to do even more, it felt very heartbreaking that most of these individuals would abandon them in a heartbeat.


    It just¡­ it wasn''t fair.


    ''But who would have thought the Hero would turn the situation around?''


    Conrad was relieved they had Adonis on their side. He was the strongest of the bunch, and as someone with the Hero ss, he was the perfect fit to take down their ultimate enemy.


    ''We just need to strengthen him enough to defeat the Dragon Emperor¡­''


    Right now, however, Conrad had to give out another olive branch so the Otherworlders had another incentive to trust the United Human Alliance.


    "We n on letting you all explore the town freely today. No guards or entourage. Just all of you having unrestricted fun."


    Conrad could hear surprised gasps from his audience, and he smiled softly.


    ''They''ve been feeling the weight of our security measures a lot. This way, they''ll see that we trust them.''


    Besides, with Adonis in the group, they wouldn''t be able to run away or cause any kind ofmotion.


    ''And if any of them were to do that, then that would mean they were never going to fight the Dragons for us.''


    It was better to know who to spend their resources on, and who would abandon them at the first sight of the Dragons.


    "Lucielle and Brutus here will go and scout the Royal Dungeon and prepare it for your training tomorrow. In that effect, you should all gather among yourselves and decide how your excursion should go."


    Once Conrad made this statement, he knew his job was done.


    The students looked satisfied, and while the problem of cooperation wasn''tpletely solved, he knew a first step had been taken.


    "I shall now be taking my leave¡­"


    The students waved him off and Conrad smiled while leaving with his two executives


    ''The Dungeon can be a very difficult ce to explore. By having Lucielle and Brutus check the ce out, we can ensure the overall safety of our biggest assets.''


    Right now, only the first five floors of the Royal Dungeon were being explored and exploited.


    In the far past, long before Conrad''s time, he had heard the lower parts were also explored by Knights and Adventurers.


    But that time had long passed.


    ''Now that we have the Otherworlders, we can make up for ourck of manpower and finally focus our efforts on conquering more Floors.''


    The Otherworlders would grow stronger in the process, and more resources would finally be avable for the Alliance to use.


    ''Our stockpiles are running out, and the materials being refined now are both of lesser quality and quantity than before¡­''


    If they wanted a fighting chance, they had to focus their efforts on the Royal Dungeon.


    It wasn''t like there weren''t other Dungeons, but¡­ the situation behind those wereplicated.


    The ones in the Adventurer City were where a lot of their higher-grade materials came from, but since the Adventurers were usually more interested in growing stronger and hunting more Monsters, they poured a lot of valuable resources into their equipment and fortifications.


    If not for the tax that the Royal Council had imposed on them, they wouldn''t be getting as much benefits from the city as they were.


    Some Adventurers were even circumventing the Tax policy, but Conrad''s hands were too full to deal with that at the moment.


    ''Right now, we just need to focus our efforts on these ones¡­''


    Conrad stole one final nce at the Otherworlders as he further distanced himself from them.


    ''They''re the only ones who can do it!''


    **********


    Once Conrad and the two Strongest of the Alliance, Adonis got the attention of everyone and addressed the students in his usual way.


    He was confident, articte, and he managed to rte with everyone on a seemingly personal level.


    A lot of people were engaged in what he was saying concerning the excursion they would be having in the city.


    There were a bunch of things they all needed to get ready for the journey¡ªlike bags, and some money in case they had to get something.


    Since the Otherworlders had no money, Adonis told them they would have to get some from the Treasury.


    Normally, that would be absurd, but once they exined things to the Royal Treasurer, and told them of what the Grandmaster instructed, he would have no choice but to hear them out.


    "We even have a Royal permit. That way, even if we''re lost or stuck somewhere in town, we can always use it to find our way back to the Estate." Adonis had also added.


    Needless to say, it would take another hour or so before the students could leave the Royal Estate.


    This didn''t seem like a big deal for a lot of students, but one in particr seemed fidgety.


    People might have looked at him and thought he was simply excited to explore the town, but they would be dead wrong.


    The reason for this student''s anxietyy elsewhere.


    ''Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!'' Rey''s thoughts echoed as he tried to control his widening eyes.


    ''The Dungeon! My Monster Cores!''


    The expedition was tomorrow, so he had initially thought there was time to gather his stuff and capitalize on his wealth before it was toote..


    However, he never expected one thing.


    ''Brutus and Lucielle are going down there? They''ll ruin everything!'' His thoughts echoed in despair.


    If they found his treasure, he would be toast.


    ''I can''t allow that. If the Royal Council finds out so many Monster Cores exist, my business ns will be ruined.''


    It seemed a tad selfish, but Rey couldn''t allow his only current flow of benefits to be disrupted.


    ''Once we get to town, I''ll have to split from everyone.''


    That was the only move he could think of right now.


    ''Split and rush to the Dungeon.''


    Brutus and Lucielle were going to be there, but if he could y his cards right and avoid them, he could evade them and get what he wanted.


    ''It''s a bit early, but I''ll have to finish those Hobgoblins too¡­''


    He was sure that they would have recovered the Monster Cores in the Eighth floor by now.


    ''I just have to do it fast.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    What do you think? Will Rey be able to make it in time?


    I wonder¡­

 Chapter 86 The Excurison

    <h4>Chapter 86 The Excurison </h4>


    "Alright, guys! Seems we''re all set!"


    Excitement could be seen on Adonis'' face as he prepared to lead the students out of the Castle gates.


    It felt like an odd thing, seeing Adonis so giddy. It was clearly his first time leaving, but it seemed to some perceptive eyes that he already knew what to look forward to in town.


    "Since we''re all dressed casually, they won''t recognize us as special. The Council hasn''t also made the Otherworlder Summon public yet."


    The Mages, and everyone else, who were involved in it took an Oath of silence, so no one spoke of it outside the Royal Estate.


    Even the guards situated within the Estate couldn''t open their lips to anyone about it.


    "If you ever get into trouble, just sh the Royal Badge. You all have them with you, right? So it should be fine¡­"


    Once Adonis was done making these rifications, and all seemed to be in order, everyone was pretty restless to leave.


    "Alright then. Let''s go!"


    The students ventured out, the Hero at the forefront, with Billy and the Alpha students closer to the front than the back, and a certain student trailing almost behind the entire group.


    That student was Rey.


    **********


    ''Okay. I''ve already told Noah the gist of matters. He''s to conclude business for the day in the ck Market while I go to the Royal Dungeon.''


    Rey wanted to make as many sales as possible. Since they could leave for town freely now, he knew more opportunities woulde.


    He just didn''t like to leave a day unproductive.


    ''I have over a thousand tinum Coins at my disposal right now¡­''


    That was more than enough money for anyone.


    But for Rey, it still wasn''t enough.


    He wanted more!


    ¡­ Way more.


    His gaze was met with Noah''s, and they both nodded subtly at each other.


    ''I just need to find the perfect opening.''


    Rey knew it wouldn''t be easy. He might have to get into more trouble, and he could even be under suspicion for his actions, but right now he was desperate.


    ''I have no choice! As long as there''s no conclusive evidence, I can always squirm out of it.''


    Plus, the entire United Human Alliance was in quite a delicate position with the Otherworlders already.


    Since Rey knew they were in desperate need for all the help they could get, Rey doubted they would make a big fuss about his whereabouts if he was able to rendezvous with the rest of the group as soon as possible.


    ''We''re supposed to spend a total of three hours exploring the outside. That''s more than enough time to go ande back.''


    He just had to be extra careful about when to leave and when to return.


    ''That''s the mostplicated part right now¡­''


    Rey bit his lip as he prayed he would be able to escape without notice.


    ''Adonis will be the biggest obstacle¡­'' His thoughts trailed in frustration.


    ''I just hope he won''t make things too hard for me.''


    ********


    "Let me make it easy for you guys! We''ll split up here, so you are all free to explore the town as long as we all meet up at this exact location two hours from now."


    Rey felt like his jaws would copse the moment he heard Adonis say this.


    ''W-what?!''


    It was most unexpected.


    ''I-I mean, this whole arrangement works well for me, but¡­''


    It was the perfect, ideal situation for Rey''s n to ditch, but he couldn''t help but think the decision was strange.


    ''Why in the world would he do this?!''


    Rey knew the reason Conrad didn''t bother with the guards was because Adonis would be present to keep an eye on everyone.


    If he just allowed everyone to go off on their own, it betrayed his purpose of being there in the first ce.


    ¡­ Right?!


    ''This is definitely strange. There''s no way Adonis doesn''t know all of this. Maybe there''s more to it than meets the eye¡­''


    A bunch of thoughts swirled around in Rey''s head as he struggled to decide the best exnation for the current situation.


    ''Maybe he ns on watching all of us from a distance. Or maybe¡­ could he have somewhere he wants to go privately?''


    Rey dismissed the second thought because he knew this was the first time Adonis would be in town.


    This wasn''t due to blind trust or anything, but the guy had an alibi.


    He was always seen training, and when he wasn''t doing that, he was hanging out with everyone.


    Adonis didn''t really have much time to himself, except when he slept.


    ''Maybe he snuck out at night one time or something¡­?''


    However, Rey found that equally difficult to believe.


    ''A high-profile guy like Adonis sneaking out? Eh¡­ seems unlikely.''


    Not only did Adonis not have an stealth-based Skills, but his status as Hero¡ªand the stickler for the rules¡ªmade it very doubtful that he would resort to such in the dead of night.


    ''Plus, it doesn''t fit his personality. I''m sure if he asks the higher-


    ups, he''ll be convincing enough that they''ll let him go out.''


    Rey didn''t think Adonis would need to sneak out to leave town, and since this was the first official time he was here, there really wasn''t a ce that Adonis would particrly want to go to alone.


    As such, Rey dismissed his second line of reasoning.


    ''That means it''s maybe the first? But even that seems dubious.''


    Why would Adonis want to watch everyone from the shadows, like a creep, when he could just watch them normally?


    Was it even a good n to do so, considering the fact that Adonis had no stealth-based Skills.


    ''It just seems like some unnecessary trouble¡­''


    At this point, Rey had to consider the simpler third option that he had initially ignored due to his intense skepticism.


    ''Maybe he just wants everyone to have unrestricted fun, and he trusts everyone will stick to the rules?''


    It seemed a bit too naive, but Adonis seemed like the guy who would hold such ideals.


    ''Besides, he just gave that badass speech. I''m sure most of the students wouldn''t want to disappoint him or something¡­''


    It made sense that his ssmates, even with their respective agendas, would simply follow Adonis'' instructions.


    ''A few might bete, but I doubt anyone would actively ignore the time-limit.''


    ''I''m sure the Royal Badge has some sort of tracking function, so as long as we have it on us, they can track us.''


    Tracking Magic consumed a lot of Mana, though, especially if it was used consistently, so Rey was sure they would only utilize this Magic in dire situations.


    ''Maybe after the two hours and some students are still absent¡­''


    For now, though, Adonis seemed to have already thought things through.


    ''It just so happens to be convenient for me! Nice one, Adonis!'' Rey tried to hide his wide grin under the mask of his palm.


    ''You really are my Hero!''


    ********


    ''Looks like everyone has left¡­''


    As Adonis looked around him, smiling to see his ssmates were having fun in town, he nodded slowly to himself.


    ''Now that I''m here, and all alone, I can finally get that Special Item¡­''


    It had been a while, but Adonis knew exactly where he had to go to obtain what he desired.


    ¡­. The ck Market!


    *


    *


    *

 Chapter 87 A Little Incident In Town

    <h4>Chapter 87 A Little Incident In Town </h4>


    "W-where is he¡­?"


    Alicia mumbled to herself as she looked around the town square, having the image of one person in mind.


    ¡ªRey!


    ''I thought he would want to hang out together¡­''


    This would be the first time they were going to explore the town together, so she thought he would want to do it with her.


    They would check out the marketce and even have tons of fun in this world¡­ like on a date.


    But he was nowhere to be found now.


    ''I guess I was the only one who was looking forward to this¡­''


    As Alicia tried her best to dismiss her heavy thoughts, she felt a shadow cast over her from behind


    Someone was approaching her, and for a moment she suspected it would be Rey.


    ''Maybe he quickly went to get something and came back for me.''


    It was sort of rude, and she would have to give him an earful for it, but Alicia was relieved.


    That meant they could finally hang out.


    However, the moment she turned back and looked at the person who approached her, she could see it wasn''t the boy she was hoping for.


    She recognized the face, but that didn''t mean she was happy to see it.


    ''It''s him!'' Alicia tried to hide her disappointment that it wasn''t Rey, but she wasn''t a great actress.


    "H-hey¡­ Billy. I thought you already went off with your friends."


    Alicia hoped he would take the hint that he could just go and hang out with the many friends he already had.


    She just didn''t feelfortable under his gaze.


    "Well¡­ I¡­ just thought maybe we could hang out together? You know, since it''s our first time in town and all."


    Alicia wanted to leak out a tear.


    Why were the words that she wanted Rey to say being spoken to her by Billy?


    It was a tragedy beyondpare.


    "Erm, I was hoping to explore on my own. You know how I am¡­ haha¡­"


    Alicia didn''t want to be rude to Billy, but she felt like she had given him enough hints to back off.


    "I just want to be alone." She smiled, trying very hard to break the tension.


    However¡­


    "¡­ Because Rey isn''t here, right?" Billy''s whisper suddenly greeted her ears.


    "What was that?"


    "Rey isn''t even here! He went off on his own. He clearly doesn''t care about you¡­ not like I do!"


    Alicia was stunned that Billy would make such an outright confession after he had been so subtle and indirect in the past.


    Especially now that they were in the middle of the town square.


    "Billy, lower your voice and¡ª"


    "You think I don''t have eyes? I see you with him all the time. How can you be going to his room so frequently? Even spending so long there up tillte at night?!"


    Alicia knew what Billy was referring to, and it proved her point that he had been indeed stalking her.


    In retrospect , Alicia realized she had spent way too much time in Rey''s room that night.


    They had both lost track of time due to the fun conversations they were having.


    Would she change that if she could?


    Alicia''s answer was no! It was clearly because they were having fun that they had taken so much time without either of them realizing it.


    ''And it''s not like we did anything¡­''


    But those thoughts aside, Billy was really getting on her nerves.


    "I told you to lower your¡ª"


    "Do you know what people are saying? Do you know how hard I try to fight the rumors and help you out, even in secret? Yet you spend time with that loser that abandons you the slightest chance he gets."


    Right now, Billy was whining and shouting like a bratty child. Alicia couldn''t help but crease her brows in disgust as she looked at him.


    He kept bbering on and on about what he had done for her, how hard he was working¡­ and how unfair she was being to him.


    It got to a point where Alicia couldn''t take his pathetic disy any longer.


    ''This idiot. There are eyes on us¡­ and he won''t stop talking.''


    It was at this point that Alicia reached the limits of her patience and


    It was for that very reason that she finally spewed out her undiluted thoughts.


    "Would you shut up already? You''re the most insensitive asshole I''ve ever spoken to. Why don''t you just leave me alone?"


    The moment she said this, Billy paused in downright shock.


    It suddenly felt like she was the bad guy.


    Alocia didn''t care, though. She was done being polite to this guy.


    ''The reason I was subtle and indirect to him was because he was also subtle. I didn''t want to be too forward, and I considered his feelings, which is why I didn''t outrightly reject him¡­''


    But now that Billy had revealed himself as the creep that he was, Alicia had no reason to keep the farce going.


    "I don''t like you, Billy. And if you keep pestering me, I''ll have to personally defend myself. You wouldn''t want a fight between the two of us, would you?" Alicia threatened, deepening her re.


    At that moment, Billy shuddered.


    Everyone knew that Alicia was much stronger and skilled than Billy.


    Her Skills were much better than his, though their sses were in the same Tier. If they were ever to fight, it would be an embarrassingly easy win for Alicia.


    "Exactly. So back off. If you keep pestering me, I might have to tell Adonis and the higher-ups too."


    The look on Billy''s face as she said this made it clear he was nervous.


    Of course, someone like him wouldn''t want to lose all the goodwill he had been getting thus far.


    Alicia found it to be even more pathetic.


    ''Unlike you, Rey doesn''t care about any of that¡­''


    And yes, he did abandon her in this town to wander on her own, but at least he didn''t embarrass her out in the open and bombard her with so many terrible words that Billy used.


    Last but not least¡­ Alicia actually liked Rey.


    ¡­ Not this guy in front of her.


    "Just leave me alone and don''t bother me again, okay? Don''t follow me."


    Alicia walked away, leaving Billy standing like a lifeless statue.


    She didn''t feel particrly good about her actions, but it had to be said.


    ''Look what you''ve caused, Rey. Because you left, this guy went and reared his big head.'' Alicia found herself smiling.


    She wasn''t particrly mad at Rey, just a tad disappointed.


    ''I wonder what he''s up to¡­''


    ********


    "I¡­ I¡­ I just¡­"


    Billy was mumbling to himself as he stood at the town square.


    He remembered how his friends had wanted him toe hang out with them but he chose toe for Alicia instead.


    He recollected how happy he was that Rey wasn''t present, and Alicia appeared lonely.


    He thought¡­ he actually thought she would be happy to have him aspany.


    Well¡­ he was wrong.


    Not only did Alicia thoroughly reject him, but she did so in the most humiliating way possible.


    Billy was heartbroken to the core, and his hollow facade was enough evidence for it.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Man¡­ I honestly feel bad for the gigachad, Billy.


    After everything he''s done¡­ tsk tsk¡­ Alicia really is ungrateful.

 Chapter 88 A Dark Proposal

    <h4>Chapter 88 A Dark Proposal </h4>


    "Oi¡­"


    Billy thought he heard a sound behind him, but the sound of his heart shattering was loud enough to drown all external noise.


    "Hey, big man!"


    Billy jerked forward as a hand pped his back and a friendly smile greeted him.


    He found a stranger looking at him with a casual expression.


    The stranger had a ck eyepatch on one eye, with long ck hair flowing down his shoulders.


    He had strands of beards protruding from his chin, and he was outfitted in a high-quality ck robe.


    Billy had initially wanted to smack the man for hitting him so suddenly, but he chose not to after contemting a little.


    ''I wouldn''t want to identally kill him¡­'' His thoughts trailed.


    The man had a stupid grin on his face which made Billy angrier. He didn''t realize when he was frowning at the total stranger.


    "What do you want?" He asked in mild annoyance.


    If this guy was here tofort him, then Billy could already see himself clenching gist and getting ready for what woulde next.


    "Hey¡­ hey man, rx! I saw everything that happened, and you know what¡­?"


    Billy was ready to throw his punch the moment he heard anything unnecessary.


    It was bad enough that Alicia had disgraced him in public, but now he was about to be pitied by an absolute stranger like this?


    It was uneptable.


    "¡­ I think thatdy is just confused."


    ''H-huh?'' Billy''s brows shot up in surprise.


    He had expected many words from the man, but nothing like what he just heard.


    "Confused¡­?"


    "Yes, my guy! Girls are like that when they''re that age! My daughters were also the same way."


    Billy found his brows raised even further. He was still confused, but more than that, he found himself resonating with the stranger.


    "What she needs is something to prompt her certainty. If you''re up for it, I have just the thing."


    Billy felt his heart racing as he stared at the grinning eyepatch man.


    Something about the whole thing felt sketchy, but he couldn''t resist the allure.


    Especially if it meant Alicia would be his.


    "What do you have in mind?"


    "Let''s not discuss here. It''s a very important matter to talk about, so why don''t wee to my office?"


    Billy felt a bit skeptical about following a stranger anywhere, but since he was all alone and he had to spend the next two hours with something, he decided that he might as well hear the man out.


    ''If it''s a waste of time, I can just leave.''


    And if the stranger ended up being some shady individual, he could just easily defeat him.


    ''I''m among the strongest in this world, after all¡­''


    After training for this long, Billy was confident in his strength.


    No random stranger could get the jump on him.


    "I can see your skeptical look, young man. But don''t worry! Once I''m done, you''ll see it''s an offer you can''t resist!"


    Billy squinted his eyes as his heart raced in further curiosity.


    "Alright. Take me to your office."


    ********


    Billy''s eyes were wide open as he looked at the man opposite him.


    He had just heard the unbelievable, and he was still recoiling in shock as he sat on a veryfortable sofa in the vast room.


    First and foremost, this stranger''s name was Evals Redart, and his office was quite a fanciful ce.


    It was well-decorated and very spacious. There was a chair and desk close to the very vast window, and a pair of couches opposite each other, with an exquisite table at the center.


    The ambiance of the room was lovely, thanks to the lights that radiated within it, and the chandelier that hung in the ceiling was pretty fancy as well.


    ''It''s nothingpared to the Royal Estate, but this ce looks really nice.''


    Billy had known he was a man of means when he saw his clothes, but he didn''t think it was to this extent.


    Despite the surprising disy of wealth, however, what stunned Billy most was the man''s proposal.


    "T-that is a little¡­"


    "Yeah. hical ¡­ right?" The man''s smile widened as Billy nodded.


    "Well, it''s up to you, big man. If you want some things in life, you have to get your hands dirty. You feel me?"


    Billy clenched his fist as he contemted all that the man had just said.


    He had never tried something like that in his life.


    "It won''t work. You wouldn''t even be able to restrain her."


    "That''s where youe in. Just give her this¡­" Evals Redart ced a potion on the table that separated the two of them.


    As he pushed the bottle towards Billy, the pinkish-red liquid inside sloshed around


    "¡­ And she''ll be susceptible to the n. She won''t resist in the slightest."


    "Alicia would never trust me enough to drink that!" Billy protested.


    "Then ce it inside her food or drink or something."


    "W-well¡­ that is¡­"


    Billy knew Alicia was confused about what she wanted, but he also knew that she currently didn''t want to have anything to do with him.


    There was no way he would have ess to her now.


    "Okay, okay. I see. How about this¡­"


    The generous Evals brought out something else. It was a special ring, with numerous writings carved on its ck-iron surface.


    It had a gleaming red gem affixed at the top, and something about the ring radiated something¡­ forbidden.


    "Use this Enchanted Item."


    "I told you she won''t ept anything for¡ª"


    "No, you won''t give her. You will wear it. It''ll allow you to alter your appearance."


    This was the ''Ring Of Deceit''. It allowed the user to take on the form of the one whom their target trusted most.


    "All you need to do is ce the ring''s gem on¡­ Alicia''s skin, and you''ll be able to turn into the person she trusts most around her."


    Once that was done, Billy could then coax her into drinking the red potion.


    It was the perfect n!


    "I¡­ I see¡­"


    Billy gulped down saliva as he considered the n, as well as the choices that stood before him.


    ''If I do this¡­ am I really guaranteed to win her love and affection?''


    Sure, the n was a cliche winner! If he pulled it off well, he would be able to get under Alicia''s good graces.


    Billy just wondered if there was something safer.


    ¡­ Something easier.


    "W-what about something¡­ like a Love Potion. Don''t you have that?"


    Billy had a Gold Coin in his pocket. If something like that existed, he wouldn''t hesitate to buy it.


    ''If it''s more expensive, I''ll find a way to gather the money somehow!''


    He could even sh his Royal Badge to show he was trustworthy.


    Right now, Billy was just desperate.


    "Worthwhile things nevere easy, my man. Love Potions are only temporary. If you want something with a more permanent effect, this is your best shot."


    As he heard those words, Billy felt like he was confronted with a choice.


    ''I¡­ I don''t want to lose Alicia. I don''t want to lose to Rey¡­''


    He clenched his teeth as he looked at the red potion and gleaming ring.


    They beckoned to him.


    "So¡­ what will it be, lover boy?"


    "I¡­ I¡­" Billy stuttered as he considered all his options.


    Right here and now, he had to make his choice.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    What choice do you think he''ll make?

 Chapter 89 Rey’s Shocking Discovery

    <h4>Chapter 89 Rey¡¯s Shocking Discovery </h4>


    It didn''t take Rey very long to reach the doorstep of the Royal Dungeon''spound.


    He could see the tall buildings of the refineries and processing centers.


    He imagined that most of these buildings had been rendered useless due to an absence of enough raw materials to process, but he didn''t allow that to distract him.


    ''The Nation''s impoverished state will soon improve once we start exploring the Dungeon.''


    Right now, he just had to make sure he got a slice of the wealth before it was taken from him.


    ''It''s been about two hours since Brutus and Lucielle left the Royal Estate toe here. I better hurry¡­''


    Rey already knew that it was impossible for them to clear such arge supply of Monster Core within such a limited time, so there was no need to panic too much.


    However, he couldn''t help the bad feeling he was getting.


    It felt like if he didn''t hurry, he would lose everything he had worked for.


    ''Alright, then¡­''


    As he slowly descended from his elevated height, he decided to go with the ssic [Projection] trick with the guards.


    They were all stationary and observant, butpared to his current state, they could pretty much have been sitting ducks.


    The only ones he had to be worried about were Lucielle and Brutus, and those two were probably still in the Dungeon at this point.


    ''I''ll make this quick!'' Rey licked his lips and concentrated his energy.


    ''[Projec¡ª]''


    Before he couldplete the activation of his Skill, the doors began to open from within, and two figures abruptly came out.


    ''W-what?!''


    The duo was none other than Lucielle and Brutus, and they had disturbed expressions on their faces.


    ''They''re done already?!'' He was genuinely surprised, and for good reason.


    ''Once they noticed the Sixth Level had been subjugated, they would have gone to the seventh and met the Hobgoblins.''


    He doubted they wouldn''t be surprised about the Hobgoblin civilization. They were sure to explore more, and it was inevitable that they would find the stash of Monster Cores.


    That was how Rey had expected the whole thing to turn out.


    ''I can''t believe they''re done with all that already. I knew they''d be fast, but not this fast.''


    Rey wondered if he had underestimated the capabilities of the Head Warrior and Grand Mage.


    However, almost as soon as he thought that, a question shed in his mind.


    ''Something is off, though. Why do they look so disturbed?!''


    The looks on both their faces were awful¡ªalmost as if they were too distraught for words.


    ''I mean, shouldn''t it be the opposite? They should be rejoicing that they found so much treasure.''


    The Sixth Floor had been cleared by him, but the minerals there were still going to be incredibly useful to the Nation.


    ¡­ Especially the Magic Crystals.


    ''Then there''s the Orichalcum on the Sixth Floor, and the Monster Cores.''


    Rey didn''t know if they had made it to the Seventh Floor, but if they did, they would have seen even more goodies.


    ¡­ All for free!


    ''I mean, sure, they''d be disappointed that we won''t be able to train with the fodder of those Floors, but I''m sure they''d be more overjoyed about what they found.''


    Besides, since Lucielle and Brutus were so capable, Rey didn''t have any doubts that they could lead him and his ssmates to the lower Floors without much trouble.


    Yet¡­ what was with this look?!


    ''Something is definitely wrong.''


    As Brutus and Lucielle slowly departed from the gates, Rey decided to abandon his initial n and instead follow the two.


    That was when he heard it¡­


    "This is serious. I can''t believe all those Floors were conquered¡­"


    Rey realized they probably figured out someone did it. However, since evidence didn''t point towards him, he knew he was safe.


    "It looks like the makings of a powerful Monster. Nothing else exins it¡­"


    Rey smiled to himself as Lucielle sang his praises.


    Of course, not the monster part. He was by no means a monster of any kind.


    Rey was simply happy that he was recognized as someone powerful by the Nation''s Strongest.


    "Hobgoblins and Darkwolves are certainly not the strongest, but the way they were brutally ughtered can only be the work of a very merciless beast."


    ''¡­ Eh?''


    It was at this point that Rey realized that something was amiss in their discussion.


    ''What Hobgoblins? What NightWolves?''


    Rey was currently a bird, and his senses were all heightened thanks to a Skill, so he was sure they hadn''t detected him and he heard them clearly.


    ''What did they just say?''


    "And even the strange ape-like creatures. Their mutted corpses were just. The burn scars and w marks¡­"


    "Their Monster Cores and teeth were removed too. It''s clearly an intelligent monster¡­"


    Rey knew he was responsible for sending the Hobs to harvest the Monster Cores of the Monkey Monsters, but he didn''t resort to burns or ws when defeating them, and he certainly knew the Hobgoblins wouldn''t do that either.


    ''And the teeth? I didn''t take those as well.''


    Now that Rey thought about it, the teeth of those monsters had to be valuable due to how tough they were, but he hadn''t recognized that when he subjugated them.


    ''The Hobgoblins won''t do anything I didn''t instruct them to¡­''


    And even on the off chance that they were the ones responsible for that, who was the one that killed them then?


    The more Rey thought about what he was hearing, the more absurd it sounded.


    "¡­ And to think the Floors were barren. We couldn''t even find a single resource for use."


    Rey''s eyes bulged the moment he heard Lucielle say the unthinkable.


    ''No¡­ no way¡­!''


    Not only did they not find the Magic Crystals on the Sixth and Eighth Floor, but they also didn''t see any Orichalcum in the Seventh Floor.


    These were the resources that Rey intentionally didn''t plunder so as to enrich the United Human Alliance¡­ and now they were gone?!


    That wasn''t the worst part, though.


    ''If they were able to explore up to the Eighth Floor, that means they had to have seen the ce where all those Monster Cores were kept¡­''


    The fact that he had mentioned finding nothing meant only one thing to Rey.


    ''Everything¡­ it''s all gone¡­?!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Looks like things aren''t just going the way of our MC.


    Who¡­ or what do you think is responsible?

 Chapter 90 Back To The Black Market

    <h4>Chapter 90 Back To The ck Market </h4>


    ''What the fuck?!''


    Rey felt his heart thumping as he heard the muffled conversation between Lucielle and Brutus.


    He didn''t want to believe what they were saying.m, but Rey knew how foolish and irrational that would be.


    ''They''re talking amongst themselves, so they''re most likely telling the truth.''


    Rey felt like he had to check for himself, but he felt a wave of hesitation hit him.


    ''There''s a lot going on here that I don''t understand. I¡­ I don''t know anymore¡­''


    As he stared at the Royal Dungeon entrance, he felt a sigh escape his beaks.


    ''What the hell? All that effort¡­ for nothing?''


    He felt shitty, to say the least.


    ''It could be an intelligent monster that did this, but why do I find this hard to believe¡­?''


    To Rey, this felt like the work of a person.


    And there was no one else that crossed his kind but the mastermind that set him up a few days ago.


    ''Who else would be behind this? They clearly know of my escapades, so it wouldn''t be surprising that they know of the Royal Dungeon¡­''


    But if that was the case, it meant the malefactor knew Rey''s full capabilities¡ªor there was a high chance that they did.


    That possibility was unsettling.


    ''They know who I am and what I can do, but I don''t know who they are¡­''


    It was frightening!


    Rey had never felt this powerless since he arrived in this world, and it didn''t matter the Skills he had at his disposal at this point.


    He was still very vulnerable.


    ''I might have to leave the Royal Estate. I don''t know if it''s safe¡­''


    But once he had this thought, Rey thought about everyone and everything he would be leaving behind.


    They weren''t much, but they mattered to him.


    ''No! I can''t risk it!''


    However, they didn''t matter as much as his safety.


    ''I can''t deal with this guy right now. I have to grow stronger and smarter.'' Rey had been pushed to a corner, and he could feel his thoughts in shambles.


    ''If it''s him that took all those Monster Cores and resources, then there''s a chance he also knows about my deal with the Karinc Group.''


    It was possible that this malefactor would one-up him by making a deal with the Company, rendering his own agreement with them obsolete.


    ''They have more to gain by following the mastermind, whoever they are¡­''


    Rey would have bitten his lips if he had any. He could feel frustration within him rise to an unexpected degree.


    ''This¡­ this is¡­ unpleasant!''


    However, despite all of these thoughts and worries, Rey considered the possibility that he could be wrong.


    Perhaps it wasn''t the mastermind. Maybe it was some other party.


    Maybe it was even a monster!


    ''Either way, I don''t think the Royal Dungeon is where I should be right now¡­''


    Rey had to prepare for the worst-case scenario.


    ''With so many Monster Cores gone, there''s a high chance that the market will be saturated by a lot of them!''


    Rey still had a considerable amount with him, so he knew it would be wise to get rid of them as soon as possible.


    ¡­. Before they lost their value.


    And so, as he watched Lucielle and Brutus prepare fly in the air¡ªthanks to the former''s Wind Magic¡ªRey pped his wings and went his way.


    ''I better hurry!''


    *********


    The ck Market was the same as usual¡ªsketchy ces, and legitimate areas that seemed as mainstream as a market could get.


    Rey was currently donning his disguise, and he had taken the form of a more mature individual so as to hide his identity.


    His Orichalcum Mask was going to distort the prying gazes of detection Magic, but he knew that high-level ones could probably get past its effects.


    Thus, the need to have a different face under his mask.


    Other than that, though, Rey had to look imposing, so he adored this persona to suit those purposes.


    His skull mask, his dark cloak, and the aura of danger he exuded, made the lowlives avoid him, and the strong recognize him.


    ''Noah should be just about done with business. I might even bump into him¡­''


    As Rey was having this thought, he noticed a masked individual walk past him.


    ''H-huh¡­?''


    This masked person had golden hair, and the air he exuded was of dignity¡ªnot befitting a ce like the ck market.


    Rey couldn''t keep his eyes away from the young man who kept walking without paying him any kind.


    Somehow¡­ he felt familiar.


    ''Why does that guy remind me of Adonis? Na¡­ it can''t be him.''


    Someone like Adonis wouldn''t be caught dead in the ck Market.


    The matter was on Rey''s mind for a few seconds, but once his eyes spotted the building that was his destination, it was soon forgotten.


    Instead, the thought of business quickly overwhelmed him.


    ''I have to get these Monster Cores sold no matter what! Even if they''re at a discount.''


    An overwhelming amount of Monster Cores were about to flood the market.


    Rey knew that if he didn''t make haste, his entire business ns would crumble before his very eyes.


    ''It''s a bit early, but¡­ I have no other choice.''


    ********


    Rey was weed gracefully into the Karinc building.


    He was shown the path upstairs and even escorted by an esteemed individual like the VIP that he was.


    "Your subordinate is still discussing with Sir Aldred Winsley. Would you like to join them?" He had been asked.


    Rey was surprised that Noah hadn''t left the building yet, but with what was on his mind, he considered it to be a trivial issue.


    "Yes, I would." He had responded.


    He was then taken to the front of the room that Noah and Aldred upied.


    It seemed a more fanciful ce than the one he remembered using.


    ''I guess they want to treat us better as Exclusive Sellers¡­''


    Rey managed to crack a smile as he opened the knob and entered the room.


    ''Let''s just hope I can maintain that status.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Sorry the chapter is a little shorter than usual.


    I appreciate the support andments, everyone!


    The Golden Tickets and Gifts too! They all go a long way


    Y''all are the best!

 Chapter 91 Surprise From Aldred

    <h4>Chapter 91 Surprise From Aldred </h4>


    "Sir! It''s such a pleasant surprise to see you!"


    Rey was almost instantly greeted by a very excited Aldred Winsley.


    The man was grinning sheepishly at him, almost the way a fan would react when meeting their favorite celebrity for the first time.


    ''He''s literally gushing¡­'' Was Rey''s impression as he nodded slightly, entering the room.


    "I was just asking your subordinate here when next we can see you."


    Rey nced at Noah and noticed him giving an ufortable smile.


    ''Were they pressuring him to convince me toe? Is that why he took so long?''


    It was just a guess, so Rey dismissed it.


    "In any case, it really is good to have you here. We have a lot to discuss."


    Rey sat on the sofa, and Noah went and stood behind him almost instantly.


    ''Good. He knows how to keep appearances without me needing to tell him¡­'' Rey''s thoughts trailed on relief.


    Noah seemed to be able to handle himself in business now, but sometimes he was still an indecisive klutz.


    Like just now, when he allowed his time to be dyed because of Aldred Winsley.


    His difort was hidden behind a smile, but Rey just ignored it. These sorts of things were best experienced for one to learn from it.


    ''But this is going better than I thought. It seems like they haven''t caught wind of the iing saturation.''


    Rey was relieved, to say the least.


    This meant he had a shot here¡ªto sell and be done away with what would soon be useless rocks given enough time.


    "Before we get straight into business, I believe there is someone you should meet."


    After Aldred said this with a smile, he raised his hand and spoke to a bracelet on his wrist.


    "Bring him in." His voice echoed.


    ''Who? I wonder what this is all about.''


    Ret didn''t need to wonder too long, because a knock promptly echoed and the door soon opened before he was done making guesses.


    Then¡­


    "We have brought him, sir."


    Rey''s eyes darted at the door and he saw two hefty-looking men standing behind someone who looked absolutely miserable.


    The man in front of them was tied up. And he had rags for clothes. Bruises covered his face, and he had an expression that showed he was desperately begging for mercy.


    He couldn''t speak, though, as his mouth was covered in a very thick gag.


    His eyes, however, said all that needed to be said.


    ''What the hell?! Who is that guy?'' Rey wondered in shock.


    He caught Noah fidgeting from the side of his eye, which meant that perhaps it was someone he recognized.


    ''C-could it be¡­?!'' Rey''s eyes widened under the mask as the two men dragged the miserable man into the room.


    "We managed to track down and capture the man who imed to be our Affiliate. A lowlife like this, using our name to scam one of your esteemed subordinates¡­ that strikes me as unjust."


    Rey found himself nodding despite the state of shock he was in.


    "And so, we decided to punish him for his acts. Of course, he regrets his actions and would like to say a few things to you."


    Aldred then proceeded to look at one of the hefty men and nodded while saying "Untie him."


    The constraints that bound the man were removed, and the gag was also done away with.


    Once this was done, Rey was greeted with the desperate prostration of the badly wounded man.


    "I¡­ I am shawry¡­ Sho Shawrry¡­ Sharry for my a-ackshuns. Won''t¡­ won''t do it again. P-pleashe¡­ hab mershheyy¡­"


    It seemed like the man''s teeth had been broken, and his swollen lips got in the way of his words.


    ''This is brutal¡­'' Rey watched as the man repeatedly apologized for his actions and hit his head on the ground while begging to be forgiven.


    ''I feel bad for him. I even got my money back, so there''s no need to be this extreme.''


    However, this was the ck Market. He couldn''t say something like this here¡ªto these criminals and brutes.


    "Hm. You didn''t have to go out of your way¡­" Rey responded, turning to Aldred.


    "Hah! Nonsense! This is the least we could do for your continued business with us."


    Aldred was smiling the same way any bootlicker would.


    ''I''ve spent enough time with Billy in the past to know what asskissing looks like.''


    Aldred Winsley wanted something from Rey, which was why he and his group went ahead and did this.


    ''Do I really strike them as someone who would enjoy this? Goddamn!''


    Rey was both impressed and worried about this.


    ''At least, now I know that this persona works well in the ck Market.''


    His ck skull mask was crudely made, so he was thinking of getting something new, but with this entire thing, he knew he had to keep it somewhere¡­ just in case,


    "Well, it''s fine. It seems he has learned his lesson, so he''s free to go. We have more important things to consider anyway."


    Aldred seemed very satisfied with this answer, so he turned to the hefty men and nodded.


    "T-THANK YOUU! Thank you so muuussshhhh!"


    As he was dragged off, the pitiful man thanked Rey with his broken teeth exposed and his bulging eyes nearly popping out of his sockets.


    ''Now I feel like a criminal overlord or something, how did things end up this way¡­?'' He nearly sighed to himself.


    Still, he Rey himself for the conversation about to go down.


    "Alright. What do you want?" He went straight to the point.


    It was better if he took the initiative and had the lead in this conversation.


    "Oho! It seems you figured it out, Sir."


    "You wouldn''t have done something as unnecessary as that without an intention. So, I ask you again¡­ what do you want?"


    Rey felt it was a bit insensitive, if not downright rude, to refer to what they did to that man in such a light manner.


    But he already knew how the game had to be yed.


    He wasn''t about to ck off.


    "Indeed. The thing is¡­ Sir¡­ we are in need of those Monster Cores you provide." Aldred began with an honest position.


    He had a gentle smile, one so genuine you wouldn''t believe he ordered that a man should be beaten so badly.


    He leaned closer to Rey and had that look of excitement still radiating all over his face.


    "I see. How many exactly?" Rey answered, his tone calm and unchanging.


    However, something entirely different was going on within his thoughts.


    ''YES! Perfect! The worst-case scenario has been avoided!''


    He had to hide his excitement very well, and he felt like his mask really helped with that.


    ''I just hope they need as much as I have. It would be suspicious if I try to sell them more than what they are asking for.''


    That would ruin the value of his goods, per thew of demand and supply.


    ''But right now I''m desperate. I don''t mind selling it at a slightly lower price if¡ª!''


    "As much as you have!" Aldred''s loud voice interrupted Rey''s intense thoughts.


    It was so surprising that he was taken aback by the broker''s words.


    "Hm¡­?"


    As if Rey didn''t hear it the first time, Aldred repeated his words with far more fervor.


    "We are willing to buy everything you have!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Some good news at least.


    I wonder what they need so many Monster Cores for, though¡­

 Chapter 92 The Cores To Sell

    <h4>Chapter 92 The Cores To Sell </h4>


    ''How will this go¡­?''


    Aldred tightened his fingers that were wrapped around one another as he made a resolute stare at the man before him.


    Despite his confident demeanor, he was quite nervous.


    ''He hasn''t shown up to sell to us in a few days, so the expansion n has beenpromised because of him¡­''


    There was a chance that the man before then had broken the Exclusive contract and sold to another party, but Aldred didn''t want to think that.


    He just didn''t seem like that kind of guy.


    But, even if he did break their agreement, what was he supposed to do?


    ''He had an S-Tier Skill. Father warned me not to make him our enemy no matter what¡­''


    That meant he couldn''t even be penalized for breaking the contract.


    All that the Group could do was try to renegotiate and strengthen their bond.


    ''We''ve given him no reason to doubt our sincerity. And while it isn''t much, by disciplining that lowlife, I hoped we could show just how useful andmitted we are to him.''


    The man''s unimpressed tone told Aldred that this move wasn''t as effective as he had hoped, but he couldn''t give up.


    ''For the expansion to other markets¡­ we need a bulk of goods.''


    If possible; the same amount as what he broughtst time.


    No¡ªeven double.


    It actually didn''t matter the amount he could provide. The more Monster Cores he had, the bigger their profit would be.


    Aldred just hoped their esteemed seller would cooperate with them.


    ''In all my years, I''ve never been pushed to this point¡­''


    Aldred learned everything he knew from his father, and he had spent his entire life in the Karinc Group.


    He knew the inner workings of business and he had long mastered the art of negotiation.


    Bargaining Power, Equivalent Exchange, Demand and Supply, and various other concepts of business had been ingrained in his brain since he was little.


    The only reason he was currently operating under his monika of Alfred Winsley¡ªa mere broker¡ªwas simply a final test his father concocted to see if he was ready for therger business world.


    Aldred knew he couldn''t afford to fail here.


    "Are you sure¡­ you can handle what I possess?" The moment he was asked this question, Aldred froze in ce.


    He instantly realized the error he had made.


    ''What did I just say? How could I have been so stupid!''


    By saying they would buy all the Monster Cores in their seller''s possession, he had implied that the Karinc Group could afford all of it.


    For an individual with an S-Tier Skill, one who had long exceeded the limits of humanity, that would be nothing short of an insult.


    Aldred knew he had to correct himself.


    "I-I apologize. What I meant was that we''d buy as much as you''re willing to sell. We only hope you can sell as much as possible."


    It was impossible to decipher the seller''s reaction to this since he wore a mask, so Aldred could only hope it was effective while gulping.


    "I see. Very well, then¡­"


    Aldred beamed a smile as he noticed the man straighten his posture.


    ''Thank goodness!'' He sighed in relief.


    ''Looks like we''ve almost got ourselves a deal.''


    ********


    ''This¡­ this is crazy!''


    Rey couldn''t believe his luck.


    He had expected to be the one desperate to sell his stuff, but it seemed like he possessed all the bargaining power.


    ''It will be foolish of me to keep hoarding my stock now.''


    It was clear that the Karinc Group was in need of Monster Cores of good quality. It was inevitable that word of this got out, so it would only be a matter of time before the influx of Monster Cores woulde their way.


    From what Rey could tell, these people had a lot of influence.


    The fact that they were able to find a random scammer just to please him, and their readiness to buy so many Monster Cores proved they were very powerful.


    ''I can''t miss out on this opportunity now.''


    If he hesitated, there was a chance he would suffer a loss unlike any other.


    ''Since I''ve been given the opportunity, I''ll sell everything I have!''


    Rey opened his [Inventory], bringing out a couple of sacks from each box inside.


    [A/N: [Subspace] has been changed to [Inventory]. It was originally thetter, but I think it became the former at a point in the story, but now I''m switching back to [Inventory]. Sorry for the confusion]


    Of course, they were full to the brim with Monster Cores.


    However¡­


    ''One of these sacks is different.''


    Rey smiled as he opened the small sack¡ªmore like a pouch, really¡ªin front of Aldred, and within it were Spatial Rings.


    ''Thankfully, I was able to get a good amount of Spatial Rings and implemented a prototype of my grand n before everything went awry.''


    It was regrettable that he could carry out his full n to drain the Hobs of their stash of Monster Cores, but he at least got somewhere with it.


    And now¡­ Rey was about to profit from that sliver of quick thinking.


    "Within each of these rings are three sacks of Monster Cores." Rey began.


    "There are fifty rings in this pouch."


    That was a total of 150 sacks of Monster Cores.


    Adding that to the forty-five other sacks that were on disy, it was a total of 195 sacks.


    "This is what I am willing to sell to you, Mr. Winsley¡­"


    Rey could see the man before him salivate as his eyes nearly popped out of his eyes.


    The broker certainly wasn''t expecting such an absurd influx of Monster Cores from Rey.


    "The question is¡­ can you afford it?"


    As Rey''s voice echoed in the room, he studied Aldred''s overwhelmed expression.


    ''He seems surprised, but not to the point of being unable to pay¡­''


    Rey couldn''t be certain, so he kept his fingers crossed and waited for an answer.


    Fortunately for him¡­ luck was on his side.


    "YES! WE WILL BUY EVERYTHING!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    What an absurd amount of money!


    Goddamn!


    This is nearly four times what Rey sold thest time.


    He''s gonna have over 5,000 tinum Coins!


    I want to be rich tooooo!

 Chapter 93 The VIP Section

    <h4>Chapter 93 The VIP Section </h4>


    The deal was sealed after that.


    Aldred Winsley used an Enchanted Item to calcte just how many Monster Cores existed in each sack, and by multiplying them with the agreed-upon price, they arrived at the selling price.


    A whooping 4,650 tinum Coin!


    ''I still can''t believe this¡­''


    Rey was trying his best to remainposed after hearing such an absurd number, but his heart remained unsteady.


    Adding that to his bnce of 1,051 tinum Coins, he now possessed 5,701 tinum Coins in total.


    ''I never thought I''d get this much in a single go¡­ talkless of now!''


    Rey felt like a scammer, but he didn''t feel the slightest bit bad.


    Why would he?


    This was the ck Market for a reason.


    ''Once the influx of Monster Cores arrive, these guys will be at a loss. I should probably avoiding here for the time being¡­''


    Rey smiled internally, realizing he had made enough money for now.


    Training was what came next, so distractions like this were unnecessary.


    "As always, it is a pleasure doing business with you." Aldred''s voice woke him from his deep thoughts.


    The deal had beenpleted, but they were both still in the lounge.


    Staff hade to take away the Monster Cores, and also give him his money. At this point, Rey felt like he was overstaying his wee.


    ''I should be leaving now¡­''


    He rose to his feet in a slow, dignified manner. Aldred''s gaze was on him the entire time.


    "Likewise. I''m leaving now." He said in a monotone.


    At this point, Aldred jumped to his feet¡ªalmost as if he hadn''t expected their dear seller to leave so soon.


    "Please, why not stay a bit longer? I would like us to discuss further on¡ª"


    "There are other ces I must be¡­"


    Rey didn''t want to be among the few who would bete for Adonis'' stipted time.


    He was already in enough hot water as it was.


    ''It''ll be bad for my Extra Image if I keep having attention drawn to me¡­''


    As a result, he decided to leave as early as he could.


    Besides, it would really suck if the influx of Monster Cores happened while he was still in this building.


    For his own safety, he had to scram.


    "O-okay, I understand! But before you leave, why not take a look at our newest products? You''re our esteemed seller, so it would be our greatest pleasure to show you some of what we have to offer."


    Rey could already tell that they were baiting him to be a customer of theirs.


    That way, the rtionship could go both ways.


    ''Well¡­ there''s no harm in seeing what they have, I guess.''


    Frankly speaking, Rey was looking for good equipment.


    He often heard how Enchanted Items were lifesavers for Adventurers, and that even a weakling could be unbelievably strong with the right Items.


    ''Right now, even with my many Skills, I have limitations¡­''


    Having Enchanted Items toplement his current abilities and make up for his weaknesses would serve him best.


    "Fine. Let me see."


    Aldred seemed extremely pleased to hear that Rey was interested, and he didn''t hesitate to show his satisfaction.


    At this point, Rey felt like the man he had first been introduced to, and the new Aldred he was seeing were too different people.


    ''I guess this is what being around stronger and richer people does to you¡­''


    It reminded him a little of Billy.


    ''I can at least respect Aldred for his actions. He''s doing it for the sake of profit. Business works like this¡­''


    As for Billy, his own motives were simply useless.


    ''In any case, I''m happy I got to cut away from that guy pretty early.''


    Rey could only imagine if Billy was still his friend, and how he would have been limited in a host of ways as a result.


    ''I would have probably told him of my Skill, and my desire to go out¡­ and even this whole ck Market thing¡ªthat is even if I make it this far¡­''


    The problem with being friends with certain people is that they tend to rub off on you.


    ''Billy would most likely disapprove of my behavior and would try to force me into training with him and the big leagues.''


    Rey could see his life being so much more different just from that single variable.


    ''I''m not sure which I would like best, to be honest. But like this, I have more freedom¡­''


    He was richer too.


    ***********


    Aldred led the masked fellow to their shopping area¡ªthe ce reserved for only the most esteemed of customers.


    Even in a High-End Store like this, there was no way to escape discrimination in some way.


    Certain products simply weren''t meant for all eyes to see.


    They were special¡ªmeant only for the cream of the crop.


    The masked seller was brought to the ce where those products were kept.


    "Wee to our VIP Area. All items here were made with the highest-grade of materials avable." There was pride in Aldred''s tone as he spoke.


    No Monster Core less than Grade 7 was used to make any of the Items here, and only the most refined of minerals and Mana Crystals were utilized in the manufacturing process.


    Not only that, but the goods were one of a kind¡ªunless they came in a set.


    Still, you would never see more than one person carrying an Item within this ce.


    A truly luxurious ce.


    "Due to your continuous rtionship with us, we would like to give you a gift." Aldred began, breaking the silence in the room.


    This was the true reason he had brought the masked man to their establishment.


    "You may take any one Item of your liking. No, make that two¡­ since your guard there might fancy something too."


    Aldred could see their seller''s subordinate squirm a little. He couldn''t help but feel proud of himself for employing that strategy.


    ''He often sends this man to do business with us. If we can get him wholly on our side, I''m sure that would work to our benefit.''


    "I see. Then I shall take a look around." The deep tone of the masked man curtly interrupted Aldred''s thoughts, causing him to straighten up instantly.


    "Y-yes! Please do!"


    And so, the seller advanced to the rows of Enchanted Items, with Aldred standing still and looking at him from his position.


    ''Hopefully, with this¡­ we can have his goodwill.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    It seems Rey underestimates how much these people value him.


    Though¡­ they influx might ruin it.

 Chapter 94 Getting Freebies

    <h4>Chapter 94 Getting Freebies </h4>


    ''Holy fuck! These items are all crazy!''


    Rey had been to a ce that was somewhat of a luxury store, so he had seen the Items they had there.


    That was where he had been able to get all those Spatial Rings and the current attire he was donning.


    He had also checked out a few more items through Noah after the sales that he had done for him.


    However,pared to those¡­ the Items he was seeing here were on another level.


    They made those other items seem like garbage.


    ''And what the hell are these prices?!''


    In the VIP section of the previous store, the cheapest Item there cost a tinum Coin.


    However, here, the cheapest cost five.


    ''I can buy decentnd for that much, can''t I?''


    It seemed like, in this world, buying power was more expensive than buying property.


    When Rey thought of it, it all made sense.


    Of what use was getting a property you wouldn''t be able to properly protect? The owner ofnd could be maimed and robbed¡ªstripped of everything they possessed.


    But the ones with power? How could they be victims of such cruelty?


    No¡­ they were the ones who would maim and rob.


    They were the ones who would strip others of all they possessed.


    In essence, having power was far more beneficial than possessing mundane things like property.


    ''With enough power, you can even defy established governments and carve your own path¡­''


    With the threat of Dragons looming, this only made the need for power skyrocket.


    Rey understood all of this, so after his initial shock, he calmed himself down.


    Besides¡­


    ''The effects look nice. They''re worth it.''


    Every Item had a price tag on it, and a que underneath that showed the abilities they had.


    As a result, Rey could tell what an Enchanted Item could do from a single nce.


    ''This one can actually increase Magic Spells by 100 percent. That''s insane.''


    It literally meant double the firepower.


    ''Unfortunately, it only works for Spells in the average to low Tiers, so it''s useless to me¡­''


    Besides, Rey had Buff Skills that could do even better, so while he was impressed, he wasn''t willing to purchase it.


    ''I can see how a weakling could get twice as powerful just from that Item, though.'' He smirked.


    Rey averted his gaze to Noah, who was just standing still the whole time. He had forgotten about him since he was so invested in the items.


    "You heard Mr. Winsley. Get over here and choose an Item for yourself."


    Noah''s next reaction proved that the boy had been waiting for Rey to say the words.


    He jumped from his position and excitedly rushed to the rows of shelves that pristinely disyed their merchandise.


    ''All these items are great and all. It''s hard to pick one¡­''


    Rey''s began to wonder if he should just get one gift, try it out, and thene back to buy a set of them using his Discount Privilege.


    ''Or should I just get the whole set of stuff I wanna buy now?''


    Knowing that there was a high chance that he might burn his bridges with the Karinc Group, wasn''t it best to milk as much from this entire rtionship as possible?


    ''But¡­ what if I don''t end up burning my bridges?''


    What if the oversaturation never happened?


    Right now, it was just a theory in Rey''s head, so there was a chance that he could be wrong about it.


    If that was the case¡­


    ''Getting all the items I want now will make me seem too eager. As if I haven''t seen these kinds of things before¡­''


    It would ruin his image.


    ''Besides, since Aldred Winsley wants to give me a gift, if I take a lot of Items, he might feel obligated to give me everything for free¡­''


    Rey didn''t particrly mind that, but he knew it wasn''t good for business.


    ''I can''t let them think I''m taking advantage of them. We just both have to feel like we''re mutually benefiting¡­''


    There was a thin line between interest and greed.


    Rey didn''t want to be the first one to disy thetter, though he knew it was inevitable that the Karinc Group would show it.


    ''That won''t happen anytime soon, though. I should try to be as careful as possible here¡­''


    As a result, Rey decided to pick just one item.


    As he made his decision, his eyes spotted a sparkling ring on the shelf adjacent to where he stood.


    ''Hmmm?''


    *********


    "Ahh¡­ so these are the items you''ve chosen!"


    In Noah''s hand was a de¡ªbarely three inches long. It looked like a real sword, though¡ªstyled like a Japanese Katana.


    It had three effects.


    One was the ability to grow in size within a single second, turning into a life-size de.


    The second was the ability to turn invisible. In essence, this de could switch between visibility and the opposite, even in its full-length.


    That was an extremely useful ability for a weapon to have.


    Lastly, it always returned to the user after a set period¡ªor the user could always reach for it, and like a ma, it would be pulled towards them.


    ''Such a cool weapon!'' Rey eyed the de with envy.


    He wondered why he never saw this Item when exploring.


    ''Well¡­ there are other Items and Weapons with simr abilities, so it''s all good.''


    Rey considered getting one for himself, but when he thought of it, he didn''t really see the need to.


    He had Skills that could replicate every effect that Noah''s de could do.


    ''But¡­ well¡­ Noah''s de doesn''t cost Mana to use its functions.''


    Even its invisibility didn''t cost a single strand of Noah''s energy.


    ''Well, it has Mana Crystals embedded within it, so it most definitely uses its own Mana Supply.''


    That, of course, meant that it couldn''t stay invisible forever. There would be a duration period and cooldown state.


    ''The Mana in it should recover over time, so it''s not a one-time-


    consumable. That''s good¡­''


    Noah had gone to choose a great Item. Rey felt proud of him¡ª


    almost like a big brother would when their younger one told them they finally got a girlfriend.


    Rey nodded behind his mask in support.


    ''The young shall grow¡­''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    What Item do you think Rey got?


    Hope you''re not too disappointed when you find out


    Haha¡­

 Chapter 95 A Gift For Another

    <h4>Chapter 95 A Gift For Another </h4>


    "Sir Seller¡­ are you sure this is the Item you desire? There are better Items we have to offer, and I''m not sure this suits you¡­ style."


    As Aldred said this, Rey took one more look at the Item that was resting on his palm.


    The Enchanted Item that Rey got was a ring. It had a pure white surface, with an amber crystal affixed at the top.


    The amber gleam it had reminded him of Alicia, which was when he remembered a big blunder he made.


    ''I totally forgot about her!''


    They had both exchanged nces and smiles numerous times that morning, so perhaps she was expecting them to hang out.


    ''My mind was so swamped that I didn''t even remember her!'' Rey had thought in a panic.


    That was when he decided to make the most irrational¡ªbut emotionally satisfying choice.


    "It''s not¡­ for me." Rey answered Aldred with a fleeting tone.


    He could already see Noah grinning from behind his hooded disguise, and he felt like punching his teeth out.


    ''So what if I got it for Alicia? It''s normal for friends to get each other stuff¡­''


    The ring was extremely beautiful. The craftsmanship on its white surface felt surreal, and the gem looked very pretty.


    ''Like her eyes¡­''


    Many would fault him for making such a foolish choice, but he simply felt it was the right thing to do.


    ''I can juste back to get my items. But, I feel this would really suit her.''


    The ''White Amber'', as the Ring was called, had two major functions.


    The first, and major ability, that it had was the [Automatic Healing] that it had imbued to itself.


    As long as the Item was on, the wielder would constantly get healed if they sustained any damage.


    Of course, this effect could be turned off, but it was a safe bet against surprise attacks and helpless situations.


    ''Alicia has a Healing Skill, but it consumes a lot of Mana. With the White Amber, she should be a lot safer.''


    Then, there was the second function.


    ''Can boost the physical abilities of its user for a limited time, and can only be used once a day¡­''


    It had the perfect effect for Alicia, who was a Tamer, and had weaker physical statspared to her other qualities.


    Rey had given this a lot more thought than simply its aesthetic.


    "I-I see. It was my mistake to overlook the possibility of you having a significant other. Well, I absolutely understand." Aldred smiled in a knowing manner.


    The kind of expression guys gave their fellow guys when it came to girls.


    For a moment there, Rey felt like the two of them had be Bros.


    "It''s not¡­ like that." Rey rified, once again feeling Noah''s smile pierce him from behind.


    Something told him the boy was stifling a chuckle.


    "I totally understand. She''s very lucky to have someone like you who considers her safety."


    Rey couldn''t disagree with Aldred on that.


    "By the way, Sir Seller¡­ even with our solid business rtionship, it hurts me that I have to address you in such a way."


    Once Aldred said this, Rey''s lips began to part.


    ''So that was his goal all along. To get close enough to me so I can tell him my name.''


    "You initially introduced yourself as Yer, but I have to assume that it is a code name."


    "That is correct."


    "Then¡­ I would like to know what to address you as."


    This approach made Rey''s grin widen even more.


    Of course, he wasn''t stupid enough to give Aldred his real name¡ªthough he doubted Aldred would know of his identity from just that.


    Even if they were to meetter in the future, and someone called him ''Rey'' in front of Aldred, he doubted the man would pay him a second nce once he saw how mundane he looked.


    Aldred already had an image of Rey in his mind.


    There was no way¡­ no way in hell that he would ever suspect that he was actually the Masked Seller if they met in real life.


    ''Still¡­ I don''t feelfortable sharing my real name.''


    "Call me Ralyks." Rey spat out, generating the quickest name he could.


    It was just his surname backwards.


    "Ahh¡­ Sir Ralyks. Understood¡­"


    "Hm."


    For a second, both stared at each other in silence.


    Then¡ª


    "Well, I will personally package both Items for you, Sir Ralyks. It won''t take long at all."


    Rey and Noah nodded silently and waited to get the items they didn''t have to pay for.


    ''I hope she likes it¡­''


    *********


    Rey and Noah walked down the street of the open-air market together, seeing chatters among buyers and sellers.


    The ambiance of the public marketce seemed to mostly consist of noise and the constant smell of spices.


    Rey could see people haggling for their goods, and he observed somemotion in other areas.


    ''They''d never try something like this in a luxury store¡­'' He found himself thinking.


    After receiving the VIP treatment a couple of times, he couldn''t see himself haggling like this.


    ''And then¡­ there''s the unpleasant side of this ce¡­''


    Rey could see beggars all around the marketce.


    Kids, adults¡ªpoverty did not discriminate here.


    It reminded him of his own world.


    ''I guess even fantasy worlds have stuff like this too¡­''


    It was heartbreaking to see the dirty beggars, with their desperate eyes and scrawny bodies, seek our scraps.


    They made sure to stay in the shadows, considering the Capital''s policies on vagrants and beggars.


    ''Life is harsh wherever you go.'' Rey sighed, deciding to ignore them.


    He indeed had enough money to make all of them set for life, but Rey knew he would never dispense a single Coin for these strangers.


    It was a bit funny, though tragic¡­


    All these people needed to survive in a day were a couple of Bronze Coins.


    A single Bronze Coin could fill the belly of a beggar.


    ''Yet I just got Items worth millions of those in a single hour¡­''


    "So, how exactly are you going to give her? Have you thought of it yet?"


    Noah''s voice interrupted Rey''s thoughts, causing him to look at the boy in puzzlement.


    He knew Noah had also noticed the beggars, but the fact that he chose to bring up this topic showed that he had noticed Rey''s difort with the whole thing.


    ''He''s trying to change topics for my sake? How cute¡­'' Rey couldn''t help but grin.


    "I don''t understand what you mean. I''ll just give it to her¡­ normally." I responded with a slight shrug.


    "And how will you exin where you saw the ring? It looks very expensive, you know? Too expensive for the Gold Coin we were given."


    Noah made a valid point, but it wasn''t like Rey hadn''t thought of that.


    "I don''t need to oveplicate it." Rey smiled as he told Noah of his grand n.


    He nned on lying that he won it in a game where he had to stake some money. In essence¡­ gambling.


    "And I''ll tell her that I got it practically for free,pared to its value."


    People would assume that he meant that exchanging a single Gold Coin for something like this was what he meant, not knowing he meant it literally.


    "I''ll also tell her not to tell anyone it''s from me. But, even if she does, and I am ced before a Truthseeker, all I have to do is be honest."


    Noah raised his brow as Rey said this.


    "I''ll tell them that I won it in a game and got it practically for free."


    Noah didn''t seem to understand how Rey could equate what had just happened to the lie he had concocted.


    However, in response to his skepticism, Rey only broadened his smile.


    "In the end, isn''t business just another game?"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I ended up spending more time than I expected on this tangent.


    We''ll soon be getting back to the main story, so don''t worry!

 Chapter 96 The Rendezvous

    <h4>Chapter 96 The Rendezvous </h4>


    Profit and Loss


    Buying and Selling.


    Stakes and Rewards.


    Business was simply aplicated game where the yers were the buyers and sellers.


    In the end, both sides wanted to win, and it was often the case that only one party became ultimately victorious.


    The seller would desire to sell at the highest price possible, while the buyer desired to get the product or service at the cheapest rate avable.


    In the end, the one with the lesser bargaining power or skill ended up losing andpromising their positions.


    That was how Rey saw it.


    "It''s not technically a lie¡­" He smiled at Noah, who didn''t wholly understand his thought process.


    "Don''t worry. I doubt it''ll get to that level."


    The United Human Alliance was in a precarious state. Rey doubted they would have the luxury of worrying about where Rey got a single Enchanted Item.


    ''I even asked Aldred, and unless the item is appraised, there''s no way of telling what it really does¡­''


    Why would the United Human Alliance go to all the trouble of yanking off and appraising the property of one of their strongest assets?


    It was never going to happen.


    ''It''s a relief we''re able to use Enchanted Items now, though.''


    Rey wondered what his ssmates had gotten with their Gold Coin.


    ''I doubt they''d spend it wisely¡­''


    *********


    ''Ahh¡­ I was right!''


    As Rey joined the gathering students at the agreed-upon rendezvous point, he could see the junks they were proudly holding in their hands.


    From the words he could make out from all their chattering, he realized that those were the things they got with their Gold Coins.


    ''Bunch of idiots¡­'' Rey wanted to p his face and say, but he controlled himself.


    It wasn''t their fault that they weren''t financially literate in this new world.


    ''Oh wait¡­ it is!''


    Rey was certain that if his ssmates had taken their time to study the economics of H''Trae, or at least that of the United Human Alliance Capital, they would not have made such poor financial decisions.


    ''They don''t understand the value of a Gold Coin. Look at how they''re all treating it as if it''s a Silver Coin.''


    Rey could imagine the grinning faces of merchants who had taken advantage of his ssmates.


    He was very sure they had just popped up in stalls and asked "Hey, what can I get with this Gold Coin?"


    As a result, they got ripped off.


    And the worst part?


    "I can''t believe things are so cheap here!"


    "I got so much just from a single Coin!"


    "I ate till my belly was full!"


    "I got a lot of dresses!"


    ¡­ All the students were so impressed with what they had gotten that they felt it was too much.


    ''You can get your belly full with less than a silver coin, idiot!'' Rey wanted to yell out, but he maintained his manners.


    Sure, high-end restaurants were way more expensive than regr kinds. But, from what he was hearing his ssmates say, they didn''t go to such ces.


    At some point, he grew exasperated with hearing their adventures that he shut his ears off from their noise and focused on his thoughts.


    ''I wonder what Adonis bought¡­''


    The blond boy at the center of the group didn''t seem to have anything in particr, so it got Rey curious.


    ''He really resembles that stranger I saw back then, though.''


    Rey tried to picture Adonis with a mask, and it fit perfectly.


    He had heard stories of people who had met someone who looked exactly like them¡ªor who resembled them to a fault, so it wasn''t all too strange to him.


    ''I guess doppelg?ngers and lookalikes exist in this world too¡­''


    "Hey, Rey!" A feminine voice startled Rey, causing to nearly jump in surprise.


    He had been so focused on Adonis, blocking everything out, that he didn''t sense the one who was right behind him.


    "A-ah¡­" He nced behind him and saw Trisha standing there.


    "¡­ You startled me, Trisha." He rubbed his head as heughed nervously.


    ''What does she want with me?''


    Trisha''s confident smile, and her very seductive body already put Rey on edge.


    He fought to maintain a bnce between his teenage hormones and his rational mind.


    ''She''s wearing a tank top and very tight jeans today¡­'' His eyes did their best not to be too noticeable.


    He had often wondered why Trisha liked wearing stuff like this, but after hearing her talk to one of her new friends about it, he finally got his answer.


    ''It''s apparently easier for her to move in, since to her it feels like she''s naked. Hmmm¡­''


    To Rey that wasn''t any better!


    Sure, training for her was pleasant since she had no extraneous material hindering her movements and fluidity, but Rey considered the greater implications.


    ''That means¡­ she currently feels like she''s naked right now¡­''


    Every time she walked or trained¡­ in her mind she was¡­


    ''Ahh¡­ stop thinking about that, Rey!''


    "Oh? What''s that poking out in your trousers, Rey?" The moment Rey heard Trisha say this, he panicked and ced both hands around his crotch.


    To his surprise, though, he was prettyid.


    "Haha! I was just messing with you!"


    Red hues stained his face as he looked at the tomboyish girl. He had never been so humiliated in all his life.


    He remembered how Aldred treated him with so much respect, and imagined what the same man would say if he saw him now.


    It was not a pretty picture.


    ''She probably saw me ogling her. But was I really¡­?'' Rey didn''t know anymore.


    He only knew how pathetic he felt.


    "Anywayyy¡­ what do you think?" Trisha shed out a de seemingly out of nowhere.


    It was a longsword, and there was a sort of ck glow about it as it gleamed in the sunlight.


    She tightly gripped the hilt and her proud expression said plenty about the de she currently wielded.


    ''Oh?''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I know things are a little slow paced, but¡­ character interactions and development reasons.


    Haha!

 Chapter 97 Trisha’s Blade

    <h4>Chapter 97 Trisha¡¯s de </h4>


    "Hey! Don''t just sh your sword like that!"


    "Be careful when unsheathing!"


    "Come on¡­!"


    Trisha hurriedly turned and apologized to the passersby whoined about her sudden unsheathing.


    As she did so, Rey noticed a thin wooden casing that hung behind her. It was ced so vertically that no one would notice it if she stood before them.


    ''A-ah! The hilt was behind her, huh?''


    "It looks great, right?" Rey''s attention returned to the de as Trisha presented it to him.


    ''Hmm¡­'' Rey''s eyes thoroughly observed the de, and a pleasantly surprised expression took over his face a moment after.


    ''This¡­ this looks really nice!''


    "May I¡­?" He asked, cing his hands forward to collect the de.


    "S-sure. Just be careful."


    Rey nearly yanked the de from the surprised Trisha, closely looking at the entire sword¡ªfrom the hilt, to the edges, and everything else about it.


    ''It''s not the best I''ve seen, and it doesn''t have any Enchantment, but¡­ the workmanship is really good!''


    Rey wasn''t an expert in swords at all, but after checking out a ton of weapons¡ªfrom the ones that the Hobgoblins wielded, to the more sophisticated kind ¡­ up to the most expensive ones in the capital¡ªhe had developed an eye for these things.


    His developed taste told him that the de in front of him was of high quality.


    ~WHOOSH!~


    ~SWOOSH!~


    He pped his hand slightly and swung the de a few times, immersed in the weapon.


    Once he realized how he was obsessing over the sword, Rey cleared his throat and handed it back to the stunned Trisha.


    "A-ahem¡­ This is a good sword."


    "R-right?! I can''t believe I got it with just one Gold." Trisha beamed as she stuttered.


    When others talked about this, Rey had gotten mad. But the same couldn''t be applied to Trisha.


    ''This sword is probably worth more than 1 Gold. If it was Enchanted, it would enter the realm of tinum Coins¡­''


    Rey wondered how Trisha was able to get the sword.


    "Where did you buy it from?"


    "Just a smithy in one corner before the road. I saw it on disy and thought I just had to get it."


    "Ahh¡­ and how much was the initial cost?" Rey asked with even more intrigue.


    "Three Gold Coins."


    ''Sounds about right¡­'' Rey nodded internally.


    "And? You haggled so hard he brought it down to one?"


    Trisha shook her head the moment Rey asked the question.


    "I didn''t have the heart to haggle. The guy who was selling it made the sword himself, and both of us knew the value it had¡­"


    ''Well, I should have expected that.'' Rey nearly leaked out chuckle


    Trisha was a martial artist to the core. The kind that believed in chivalry, honor, and all that junk.


    Frankly, Rey didn''t care for any of it, but he still respected Trisha''s continuous dedication to her ideal.


    "So how were you able to get it for 1 Gold?"


    "Well¡­ I was going to go around and ask my friends to lend me their money, and I''d payter. I told him I was definitely going toe back for the de, but¡­" a warm smile radiated her face at this point.


    "¡­ He decided to sell it to me for the money I had on hand."


    As Trisha finished her story, she sheathed the de.


    "I see¡­" Rey could only mutter.


    ''The guy must have sensed the true Martial Artist spirit that Trisha exudes, and decided to sell it to her at a great discount.''


    Rey chuckled internally as he looked at the ebony before him.


    ''I guess it sometimes pays to have that kind of mindset.''


    It was also possible that the guy knew that Trisha had the prospects of being a powerful warrior and would feel indebted to him for this act of benevolence, so she would patronize him in the future and even introduce others to his shop.


    ''It IS the ce she bought her first sword. Martial Artists and Warriors dig that kind of stuff.''


    Trisha could eventually lead a lot of customers his way through word of mouth, and the more her influence would grow, the more he was bound to have more people patronize him.


    ''In essence, it''s a business strategy.''


    Rey didn''t know precisely what it was, since he hadn''t been there himself, but he thought he was probably just overthinking it.


    ''There''s nothing strange about a cksmith giving out their prized creation to a Warrior they feel deserves it.''


    This was the irrational part of business that Rey knew existed.


    ''It really is a good sword¡­'' At this point, Rey didn''t hide his smile.


    As Trisha kept bragging about her sword and the other adventures she had in the town, Rey could see the excitement on her face.


    ¡­ In her eyes.


    ''Seems like she really had fun. The more I listen, the less apprehensive I be of her.''


    Rey began to see Trisha in a different light.


    She wasn''t just some girl-boss who sought after strength and nothing else. She also wasn''t so stern that she couldn''t be lighthearted¡ªthough Rey considered her attempt at humor to be a little too extreme.


    He still felt a tingle under his pants once in a while.


    Overall, though, Trisha was ultimately a girl.


    A really nice girl.


    ''Still¡­ I have to wonder¡­''


    Rey nced around him and saw that most of their ssmates were already present. A lot of Trisha''s friends were around as well.


    ''¡­ Why is she talking to me about all this stuff?''


    At this point, Rey''s eyes caught Alicia, who seemed to be walking away for some reason.


    ''When did she arrive?'' He thought, realizing he never saw her until just now.


    ''She looks a bit upset¡­'' Alicia didn''t nce in his direction even once.


    ''I guess she''s mad that I ditched her.''


    Rey knew he had to apologize properlyter, and perhaps give her the gift he held deep in his [Inventory].


    For now, though, he had to continue his conversation with Trisha.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Looks like we have a Waifu War brewing.


    Pick a side, take a stance!

 Chapter 98 The Library Incident [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 98 The Library Incident [Pt 1] </h4>


    Much to everyone''s relief, no one waste to the rendezvous spot.


    Thest couple of people to arrive only did so three minutes before time was up, so there were no issues at all.


    The students had shown just how responsible they could be in their adventures.


    "I see this as a frequent thing."


    "I saw a lot of things I want to check out tomorrow."


    "Adonis, you better tell them how much we cooperated."


    The students all had refreshed, excited expressions on their faces.


    Truly, letting everyone go off on their own was the best choice Adonis could have made.


    And it paid off tremendously.


    The students returned to the Royal Estate without issues, and as they were gracefully greeted by the Royal Guards, they submitted their ''Pass'' to Adonis, who was going to make sure they ended up where they were supposed to.


    The students didn''t doubt him, and they were also assured that they would be able to frequently leave anytime they wanted.


    They just had to have a Royal Badge and a Pass to do so.


    Every student got to keep their Badge, but their Pass was to be submitted once they got back to the Castle.


    The rationale behind thetter being mandated was simply the Council''s way of indirectly monitoring the Otherworlders that they summoned.


    By granting Passes, they could know the total number of students who went out, and the time at which they did so.


    This was necessary for order, and since the regtion wasn''t really infringing on the livery of the students, no oneined.


    Once the students arrived in their Living Quarters, they all went to shower.


    All¡­ without exception.


    It was a fun day, but walking around for hours inevitably caused sweat to form all over the body.


    After showering, a lot of the students chose remained in their rooms or the living room, discussing how they spent their time in length.


    Only a few chose to go outside.


    Billy, for one, went to train.


    Trisha went to try out her new sword.


    Alicia went to the library, and not long after, Rey also trailed along.


    Justin and one or two boys went out to test out the ''toys'' they bought from their adventures outside.


    And Adonis went to report the entire day to the higher-ups, not just as a matter of protocol, but also to assure them that everyone was well-behaved, and that future excursions weren''t going to be an issue.


    The Otherworlders weren''t wild beasts that had to be tamed.


    They were reasonable people.


    Sure, as teenagers, they wanted to have fun. However, they also had good hearts and wanted to help.


    Adonis hoped to present that image to the Royal Council.


    And, as always, he would seed.


    *********


    Night had fallen already, and hours had psed since the excursion was concluded.


    Most students were already in their rooms, enjoying the much-needed sleep they required before the next day''s expedition.


    However, out of the few who remained outside¡­ two were awkwardly seated in the library.


    Alicia White, with a book shoved in her face, and Rey Skr¡­ who also had a book shoved in his face.


    Both of them were yet to say a word to each other since they returned from the excursion.


    No, that wasn''t quite right.


    Rey had tried, on many asions, to initiate a conversation. However, he was only met with Alicia''s cold response.


    Since he was something of an introvert, it didn''t take long for him to stop trying and retract into his shell.


    The result was the current air of awkwardness that didn''t want to leave the library.


    It was a wonder how both of them were able to read despite the obvious tension that pervaded the room.


    The truth was that they weren''t reading!


    Both of them were distracted by the presence of the other¡ªto the point where they could simply not focus on any other thing.


    And then¡­


    "Are you mad at me?"


    ¡­ Rey''s loud voice echoed across the library.


    It had a trembling tone to it, almost as if he was afraid to ask.


    Afraid that she would say "Yes."


    "What makes you think that?" After moments of silence, Alicia''s voice filled the room.


    The hearts of both students were racing.


    They could no longer even see the letters that were strewn over the pages of their books.


    "Because¡­ I ditched you today?" Rey responded, his tone clearly depicting how he was treading carefully into uncharted territory.


    "And?"


    "A-and¡­?


    At this point, Rey''s face twisted into something akin to confusion.


    "What else makes you think that?"


    He hadn''t thought beyond those actions of his. What else could he have done?


    "Not apologizing sooner¡­?" He finally let out the only thing he could think of.


    "And?"


    Beads of sweat began to form on Rey''s face at this point.


    What else was there?!


    His heart racing and his brain was panicking Neurons fired within his skull as he pleaded with his mind to tell him the answer to the puzzling question.


    No Skill in his arsenal could answer this question, so Rey felt stuck.


    He didn''t give up though.


    ¡­ He couldn''t!


    ''Think¡­ think¡­ think¡­!''


    Then, as if his life was shing before his eyes, Rey had an epiphany.


    A small smile formed on his face as he figured out the answer.


    "It''s Trisha, isn''t it?" His voice echoed out.


    "W-what? What are you talking about?"


    "You saw me with Trisha and got mad, didn''t you?"


    "What? That''s not what happened!"


    At this point, Alicia turned to Rey and she had flushes of red all over her face.


    Rey had never seen her look like that before.


    It was cute beyondpare.


    "Come on! Don''t lie! Your face says it all!" Rey doubled down on his words, slowlying out of his shell.


    The fear and anxiety from early now vanished, reced by a newfound confidence whose origin was unknown.


    "S-so what if I was mad? You ditched me and went out with Trisha instead!"


    The moment Alicia said this, Rey realized what the entire issue was.


    ''She''s misunderstanding everything!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    And so the tension begins!


    Man, I just like how these two rte. That doesn''t mean I support their ship.


    But you gotta admit that they have a nice bond.

 Chapter 99 The Library Incident [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 99 The Library Incident [Pt 2] </h4>


    Two students stood in their respective chairs and respective desks within the expansive Library.


    One would expect this haven of silence to remain that way, especially since only two people upied it.


    However¡­


    "N-no! You misunderstood¡ª!"


    "Since when did you two start¡­ ahh, never mind. You''re both in Beta ss, so I should have already known."


    "Hey, rx¡­"


    "I thought you were a loner and all, but I didn''t know you had such friends. Noah¡­ Trisha."


    "No, Alicia, I¡ª!"


    "So you were such adies man and I had no idea. What a¡ª"


    "ALICIA!"


    Rey''s voice was so loud in Alicia''s ears that it startled her to another degree.


    The book she held flew out of her hands, falling to the floor¡­ right beside Rey''s feet.


    Rey was right in front of her now, causing her heart to race to an extreme degree.


    Alicia had never heard him shout that loud before.


    Even his current expression¡­ how he creased his brows and stood so imposingly in front of her¡­ she had never seen this side of him before.


    "Alicia¡­" Rey''s voice grew softer.


    How he had managed to close his distance from where he sat before was a mystery to her, but all she knew was that he was close.


    ¡­ Too close.


    "I''m sorry I ditched you like that. I went with Noah to get something, and I didn''t want things to be awkward for you since we already had an earlier arrangement."


    Rey wasn''t particrly lying, but he conveniently left out the part where he forgot about her entirely.


    "So it wasn''t awkward for Trisha to tag along? I guess it''s fine for you three since you''re in the Be¡ª"


    "Trisha didn''te with us."


    "E-eh¡­?"


    "It was just Noah and me."


    "A-ah¡­?"


    "I only saw Trisha once we met at the rendezvous spot. She was showing me her sword, since I have an¡­ interest in it. That''s all."


    "You¡­ like swords?" Alicia''s soft and curious tone told Rey that she was no longer upset.


    Still, he knew he wasn''t out of the woods yet.


    "I do. Not to an extreme level, but¡­ I think they''re cool." Rey was now awkwardly scratching his face with a finger.


    A tinge of red appeared on his cheeks.


    "Pfft! I see. Sorry for misunderstanding¡­" Alicia burst out into a small chuckle.


    That was enough for Rey to heave a sigh of relief.


    *********


    "Argh! I can''t believe I misunderstood. I feel like an idiot¡­"


    "N-no, I can understand why you thought that." Rey smiled with understanding.


    The both of them sat beside each other now, and after calming down and sharing their side of the story, the truth became clear.


    "No. No. I should have confirmed it with you. It''s just¡­ arghh.. never mind!"


    Alicia''s embarrassed face made Rey want to burst out into a loud chuckle, but he suppressed it.


    He hardly ever saw her uposed, and even when she chose to be casual with him, there was still this air of elegance¡ªunparalleled pristine¡ªaround her.


    She had most of the control in their conversations.


    ¡­ Especially when it came to her cats.


    But now¡­ she was a total wreck.


    And Rey liked this side of her more than he expected.


    ''Am I a bad person for feeling this way?'' He wondered to himself.


    Alicia took sessive sighs to calm herself¡ªdeeply inhaling and exhaling periodically, while also gently cing her hand on chest.


    Before long, she was fine.


    "A-ah¡­ I actually got you something."


    Rey swiftly activated his [Inventory] behind him and yanked out the pristine box that contained his gift.


    "Y-you did¡­?"


    "Yeah!" Rey popped out the box and dropped it on the desk that they both shared.


    "Whoa! T-this is¡­!"


    Alicia''s surprised expression when she saw the box alone pleased Rey.


    He instantly felt like everything was worth it.


    Rey pushed the box closer to her, so the pure white thing slid across the desk and reached her.


    "Open it." He said.


    Alicia stared at him for a moment with her stunned expression, and then proceeded to do as she was told.


    "T-THIS IS¡­!"


    She eximed in both shock and immense joy.


    Throughout her stay in this word, she had never seen anything like the ring that gleaned before her.


    "You like it?"


    As Rey''s question came in a whisper, she turned to smile at him.


    "I love it!"


    "It''s called the White Amber. I won it in a game¡­ for you."


    Pink hues instantly appeared on Alicia''s cheeks as she heard those words.


    "R-really¡­?" She murmured, carrying the pure white ring and observing it thoroughly.


    "The gem it has¡­ reminded me of your eyes." Rey went on to say.


    "Oh, stop exaggerating. My eyes don''t look as great as this."


    Despite Alicia''s attempt to shrug off Rey''sment, he moved even closer and continued


    "No. They look even better."


    "S-stop it! You''re embarrassing me¡­"


    "Nothing embarrassing in stating the truth."


    Alicia''s cheeks grew even redder as she tried to look away from the boy beside her.


    "Rey, stop. Please¡­"


    "Stop telling the truth? My goodness¡­ you want me to lie?" Rey gasped yfully.


    "You know what I meant."


    "No, I don''t! You tell me!"


    "You¡­" A small pout formed on Alicia''s face, causing Rey to burst outughing.


    "Hahaha!!"


    Alicia heard himugh and could not control her own reaction to it.


    "Hahahaha¡­!!!"


    Before the two of them realized it, they had burst out intoughter, forever changing the ambiance of the Library.


    ********


    Alicia wore the ring in front of Rey, flexing her ring finger in front of him.


    "How does it look on me?" She beamed, her beautyplimenting the gem on her fingers.


    Or was it the other way around?


    "It looks amazing on you."


    "A! Thank you¡­" She grinned and stylishly curved her hair around.


    Rey and Alicia instantly burst outughing, absolutely oblivious of the watching gaze of someone who stood right outside the library.


    This bulky silhouette had glowing blue eyes that seemed to show hints of green envy.


    His deep re screamed with rage, and his clenched fists tightened so hard that his fingers dug into his palm.


    "Rey¡­ you¡­ it''s all your fault."


    As the young man growled, the grating sound of his teeth made an unpleasant noise around him.


    He didn''t care, though.


    He was too focused on the sounds the two were making within the Library.


    "You''re the one confusing Alicia¡­"


    As his eyes sharply glowed even more, portions of his face were revealed.


    It was Billy McGuire.


    He was deep in thought, remembering the offer he had received earlier that day¡­ and how he had refused it.


    "I don''t think I''ll ept your proposal." He had told Evals Redart.


    "I don''t need such an borate scheme to make Alicia fall for me. It''s only a matter of time¡­"


    Those words came to haunt him now.


    Billy hade here to apologize to her¡ªto tell her he was sorry for how he raised his voice earlier in the day.


    He had hoped that doing that would calm her down, and they could begin building a solid rtionship from there on out.


    He didn''t mind if they started out as friends, since he already knew the destination of their rtionship.


    But how¡­ how could he have expected this oue?!


    "It''s all your fault, Rey¡­" Billy growled, hatepletely consuming his soul.


    "Everything that happens next¡­ is all your fault!"


    *


    *


    *

 Chapter 100 Introduction To Practical Training

    <h4>Chapter 100 Introduction To Practical Training </h4>


    The next day came in no time, and the students who had been preparing their minds to go on the Dungeon Expedition were greeted with the most shocking news.


    "The Dungeon Expedition has been put on an indefinite hiatus."


    As Grandmaster Conrad said this, surprise overtook the expressions of all the students.


    Once again, he was apanied by both Brutus and Lucielle, and his attire was regal.


    However, the forlorn expression he had was new.


    No one had ever seen him this serious¡­ or anxious before.


    The same face was given by both Lucielle and Brutus.


    It was a grave, disappointed face.


    In contrast to this, however, the twenty-eight students had multifarious expressions on their faces.


    Some were relieved that the Expedition was canceled¡ªeither due to the fear of going there, or the prospects of spending the day exploring the town.


    Others¡ªmostly the boys, and a few girls like Trisha¡ªappeared disappointed to hear the news.


    They were most likely looking forward to fighting real Monsters, so it was a major bummer to hear what Conrad was saying.


    ''Adonis doesn''t look surprised. He must have already known¡­''


    Rey had this thought as he stole a nce at the stoic Hero.


    The rest of his ssmates were buzzing with shock, so he joined them in it. However, Rey wasn''t the slightest bit surprised.


    Thest ounces of his shock had been exhausted the previous day. This news was already expected, especially when he thought about it rationally.


    ''They suspect that a very dangerous monster is on the loose within the Dungeon, so it''s currently not very safe for us.''


    The reason why Brutus and Lucielle went to check out the Royal Dungeon the previous day was to make sure there would be no surprises waiting for the students.


    And now, there was.


    ''I''m sure those two are strong, and they are capable of protecting us within the earlier Floors¡­''


    But, Rey was also certain that they doubted their ability to look out for every single variable and prepare against surprise attacks.


    Dungeons werergely unpredictable, which was why scouting was essential.


    Right now, neither the Grand Mage nor Head Warrior could exin what had caused so much carnage within the Royal Dungeon.


    Unless they figured it out, or at least determined that the Dungeon wasrgely safe, then it was no ce they would allow their biggest prospects into.


    "There have been someplications in the Dungeon, which make it unsafe and unfit for training. Brutus and an elite few will have to thoroughly investigate the Floors to ensure your safety." The Grandmaster exined further.


    Rey smiled as he noticed how Conrad skirted around the details, choosing to be vague on purpose.


    ''He probably doesn''t want to scare us. I can understand why¡­''


    If the students truly knew how terrifying monsters could be, and the current unknown threat that was supposedly lurking within the Dungeon, most of them would be discouraged from ever wanting to participate .


    ¡­ Even after everything was finally resolved.


    ''I personally don''t think a Monster did this. It''s probably the mastermind who''s pulling the strings here¡­''


    The actions that were involved here¡ªlike looting and harvesting¡ªcould only be done by something very intelligent.


    It was simply more reasonable to believe that a human did it than some unknown monster.


    ''By this goes to show that the malefactor is powerful and very resourceful. They have more resources than me at this point too, so I have to be extra wary.''


    Rey could almost guarantee that Brutus and his team wouldn''t be able to find a single clue about the monster, so they were probably going to explore the Dungeon very soon.


    ''I just need to gain an edge by killing SOME and not ALL the Monsters in my free time, so I can Level Up faster. There''s also THAT issue¡­''


    Rey could feel his lips curling up when he heard something else that he should have expected.


    "In the meantime, Lucielle and a select few others will be giving you a practical course." As Conrad said this, Lucielle managed to force her signature smile and waved at everyone.


    "I''ll¡­ erm¡­ let her exin."


    Conrad appeared to take a step back, and Lucielle bowed slightly before moving forward with her staple cheerful look.


    "Okay, everyone¡­ this is what we''re going to do!"


    **********


    The alternative to Dungeon Exploration wasn''t a particrly terrible idea.


    It involved Lucielle and the few Summoners of the United Human Alliance.


    This practical session would take ce in a massive stadium that resembled a diator ring¡ªstill situated within the Royal Estate.


    It was more thanrge enough to contain thousands of people, but for the purposes of the exercise, only twenty-eight students and about twelve instructors¡ªa total of forty individuals¡ªupied the expanse.


    And what exactly would they be doing here?


    Well, it was both simple andplex.


    "As I exined before, all of the instructors here are capable of using Summoning Magic. So, we''re going to be summing Monsters for you to fight."


    It was that simple.


    Unlike Tamers, Summoners couldn''t control the mind of whatever they summoned, hence the beasts had no allegiance to them.


    They also weren''t limited to the summoning of living things, but for the purposes of their Otherworlders, that was essential.


    "Fighting Monsters will give you a better understanding of how to fight against creatures who aren''t humanoid. Killing them also gives you EXP, though to a limited degree¡­"


    Summoned Monsters possessed less EXP due to the nature of their Summoning. They were also considerably weaker than the real thing, so it was only a natural conclusion that the EXP they gave wouldn''t be as lucrative.


    Still¡­ since they were still Monsters, they could serve their purposes well.


    ¡­. To be cannon fodder for the Otherworlders who desired to grow.


    "This will rece your Dungeon Expedition in the meantime, so try your best, okay?"


    As Lucielle shed her smile, a lot of students reacted with wide grins.


    Rey was among them, though his reason for doing so vastly differed from theirs.


    ''I know I shouldn''t be excited since this is just a yground version of the real thing¡­''


    And yet, his smile didn''t stop growing.


    That was all because of one thing.


    ''I can''t wait to test out my new ss!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading.


    Yes! You saw that right.


    You''ve all been asking if Rey gets a new ss, so now you can clearly see that he does.


    And right on time too.


    WOOHOOOO! A hundred chapters, baby!


    Don''t ask me if I did this intentionally; dragging out the reveal so it would match the hundredth chapter.


    All I can say is that I''m really grateful to all of you who have made it this far.


    And I hope you continue to enjoy the story.


    Cheers!

 Chapter 101 New Class

    <h4>Chapter 101 New ss </h4>


    It all happened the previous day.


    The moment Rey left the Karinc Group''s building with Noah, he got a congrattory message from the System.


    [Congrattions! You Have Advanced To A New ss]


    ''E-eh?!'' Rey was initially startled by the whole thing, but since he was wearing a mask, no one could see the stupefied expression he made.


    He was honestly very grateful for that.


    ''What is this, though¡­?''


    Only the user of a System could see or interact with their respective System Messages. As such, despite being out in the open like this, only Rey could see the notification before him.


    [Congrattions! Your ss ''Enigma'' has been advanced to ''Elite Enigma'' due to the wealth and strength you possess]


    ''A ss called Enigma?''


    It was the first that Rey had heard of it, but since he was in the middle of the street¡ªright within the ck Market¡ªRey thought it would be better to let the matter go for the moment.


    ''I''ll check it out once I return to my room¡­''


    And so he did.


    Once he got back to his room, Rey opened his Status Window, and just as the System promised¡­ his ss had changed!


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Rey Skr.


    - Race: Human (Otherworlder)


    - ss: Elite Enigma (B-Tier)


    - Level: 19 (99.19% EXP)


    - Life Force: 22 (+10)


    - Mana Level: 65 (+10)


    - Combat Ability: 30 (+10)


    - Stat Points: 10


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Doppel]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): Nil


    - Alignment: Neutral


    [Additional Information]


    You are a mystery to the world. While the underworld trembles in your presence, those on the surface do not understand your true strength


    [End Of Information]


    ''W-Whoa! This can''t be real!''


    That was Rey''s exact reaction when he looked through his Status Window.


    ''10 Stat Points added to each of my Stats? I''d have to Level Up ten times to get that number of Stat Points!''


    That meant, despite him being a Level 19, he was as strong as a Level 29 Commoner!


    ''Or could it be that I''m using my Commoner Stat as a metric? This might be what''s normal for the others with better Stats¡­''


    The [Commoner] ss was F-Tier. It had no benefits, and was simply a sort of default Stat.


    As such, he got the minimum Stat Points after Leveling Up, and he had no perks attached to his abilities.


    It was sort of like earning minimum wage¡ªno benefits, and just enough to survive.


    ''So this is what a B-Tier ss can do, huh? I wonder if the extra stats will keep rising the more I level up¡­''


    Rey was excited for sure.


    However, he wasn''t done exploring the changes that had urred to his Status Window.


    He specifically tapped the name [Elite Enigma], so he could get more information about the ss.


    ¡­ He wasn''t disappointed.


    [ss Information]


    - Name: Elite Enigma


    - Tier: B-Tier


    - Cause: You have be a mystery¡ªa man of many faces who actively lives dual lives. You belong to both darkness and light, and you are perceived too differently by the denizens of the world.


    Are you weak? Are you strong? There doesn''t seem to be a consensus on that.


    [ss Privileges]


    ~ 10+ Base Stats addition for all your major Stat Areas


    ~ 1+ subsequent Stat Point for every Level Up


    ~ Natural Mask Effect can be activated (You can keep a poker face or make your reactions appear exactly as you intend, regardless of circumstances)


    ~ Naturally suppresses the effects of any ''Appraisal'' cast on you. (If the Appraisal is weaker than this Effect, you can influence its results)


    [End Of Information]


    ''Four different privileges? That''s insane!''


    Rey was beginning to get curious about the privileges that those with better sses possessed.


    ''If a B-Tier has four privileges, then an A-Tier should have¡­ five privileges?''


    C-Tier would have three.


    D-Tier would have two.


    E-Tier would have one.


    And then, F-Tier naturally had none.


    Rey thought about Adonis and his Hero ss, estimating that he would have at least six privileges.


    ''That''s insane. I honestly still can''t wrap my head around this¡­''


    The advantage of having a solid ss was slowly consuming Rey.


    He hadn''t yet asked anyone about details of their ss, because he didn''t want to feel like he was missing out.


    Having a better ss was mostly out of his control, so he didn''t want topound the issue or be distracted by such things.


    However, with his new discovery, Rey felt something rise up within him.


    ''I need to get a higher ss! Somehow¡­''


    sses were influenced by a person''s state of affairs, but it seemed like one had to reach a certain threshold for it to reflect.


    Rey didn''t know what the threshold was, so he couldn''t make a rough estimate of what he had to achieve to advance.


    This wasn''t the same as Leveling Up at all.


    ''And there''s also the fact that I don''t really know what else I can do that''ll trigger my path to advancing to a higher ss.''


    The best thing Rey could think of was simply to keep doing what he was doing.


    He had to double down on his actions.


    ''Keep my other life a secret. Operate in mysteries, ensuring the perceptions of those around me grow stronger¡­''


    The prizing views of both sides would probably influence how his ss would be perceived from this point onward.


    Rey also guessed that the more people knew him for either being very strong or very weak, the more his ss would advance.


    "That seems fair. Yeah¡­ I should focus on that!"


    Once he settled on that, Rey stole onest nce at his [ss Details].


    "These are really good effects, though¡­" He mumbled.


    He could affect Appraisals by either nullifying them or even altering their results.


    That woulde in handy.


    ''I''m only Level 19, so I probably shouldn''t expect to be invincible against all Appraisals¡­''


    If someone like Lucielle personally cast a Spell of that nature, Rey had to consider the possibility that he was toast.


    ''I wonder about that Oculus thing, though. Would it be able to detect my new ss?''


    Rey knew the most likely answer was "Yes."


    If the Oculus could detect people like Adonis, who had [The Hero]¡ªan S-Tier ss¡ªwhy wouldn''t it be able to detect his own meager B-Tier ss?


    That item was definitely stronger than his ability to resist Appraisals.


    ''I don''t imagine that we won''t encounter the Oculus again¡­''


    If Rey had to guess, he would say that there woulde a time where students were brought before the Oculus again to see if they had advanced a ss.


    ''It will be¡­ problematic¡­ if my new ss is found out.''


    That would clearly show everyone that he was hiding something. Plus, if it was revealed to be a B-Tier ss, then he would no longer be perceived as a weak Extra.


    What would then happen to his ss?


    ''Will I lose my ss? That would be bad¡­''


    He hadn''t done any research about sses, but from what he read about the natural order of society, it was indeed possible for people to lose sses.


    Fallen Nobles who once had respectable sses ended up losing them, taking on weaker sses instead.


    The same happened to merchants who went bankrupt, or warriors who lost their abilities to fight.


    sses reflected a person''s current state, so Rey surmised that if that were to change for him¡­ he would probably lose what he just got.


    "I can''t allow that!" He said to himself resolutely.


    He found nothing wrong with the current state of things, and he wasn''t willing to change the status quo.


    ''I just have to get stronger! Strong enough to resist the Oculus when the moment arrives.''


    Once he had that thought engraved in mind, Rey finally took his shower and went to the library to meet Alicia, eventually apologizing and giving her the gift he got from Karinc


    The rest of night went smoothly after all that.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]

 Chapter 102 The First Batch

    <h4>Chapter 102 The First Batch </h4>


    The students¡ªor rather, Otherworlders¡ªunderstood what was expected of them.


    As they all stood in the diator ring, different thoughts were going on in the respective minds of each one.


    What kinds of monsters would they fight? Would they be strong? Would it be dangerous?


    Naturally, some were scared. However, most of them were pretty excited about what they were about to experience.


    They were confident that none of their instructors would let anything bad happen to them.


    Their lives weren''t at risk at all.


    Among the excited ones was Rey. He was excited for two major reasons.


    One¡­ he naturally wanted to see how his ss would give him extra Stats after Leveling Up.


    ''I''m very close, so I should be able to reach Level 20 today¡­''


    Then, there was the second reason.


    ''I want to see how everyone does in this practical exercise¡­''


    They had never fought monsters during training, so this would be a new experience for most of the people gathered in the massive inner field.


    ''How will they fare? How will they use their abilities? I want to see¡­''


    To be honest, Rey was only very curious about a select group of people.


    The first was undoubtedly Adonis, but Alicia was a close second.


    There was also Billy, and the rising star of the Alpha ss¡ªBelle.


    Rey was also curious about Trisha''s abilities, and he wanted to see if she had improved since hest saw her fight.


    ''I''m also curious about how she uses that sword¡­'' He smiled as he saw the thing hanging properly on her waist.


    ''This should be fun.''


    **********


    "GUUURRRR¡­"


    Rey''s excitement slowly began to drop when he first saw the caliber of monsters that were being summoned by the eleven Summoners and Lucielle.


    Magic Circles of varying colors and sizes had appeared on the ground, a considerable distance from the students, as they waited for the promised time.


    This wasn''t the first time they would be engaging in joint training, but it was never anything like this.


    The massive ring was enough for the students to spread out and do their own thing, but what happened was that a lot of students found themselves in groups.


    Clusters of students littered the stage as a result.


    ''Even I have¡­'' Rey had thought as he nced at both his left and right.


    "Are you scared, Rey?"


    "Let''s try our best, Rey!"


    Tricia and Alicia¡ªtwo of the prettiest and strongest girls around¡ªwere beside him.


    ''This isn''t what I wanted! You people are disturbing me!''


    Of course, Rey could not say what was on his mind, so he instead decided to just smile with absolute determination.


    "Yeah¡­ I''m a bit scared but¡­ let''s do our best!"


    Like Magic, his facial reaction conformed to the meaning of the words he uttered, allowing him to make the most genuine expression anyone could make.


    Anxiety¡­ mixed with resolve.


    Of course, this didn''tst very long. Once the Magic Circles began to spit out the first batch of monsters, tension was high in the room.


    Even Rey felt it!


    However, once the summoning was done, and Rey found himself staring at DemiWolves, weaker versions of NightWolves, he nearly lost interest.


    Demi-Wolves were much smaller and skinnier than NightWolves.


    They had simr ck fur, but they didn''t have any special ability going for them. Their strongest¡ªor practically only weapons¡ªwere their sharp ws and fangs.


    These were E-Tier Monsters. On the same Level as mob monsters like Goblins and the likes.


    ''At least they''re stronger than Slimes, right?'' Rey smiled wryly.


    It would have made his heart sink if they were made to fight slimes after all the training and preparations they had gone through for such a day.


    "These are DemiWolves. They''re wild monsters that are usually found in desert regions, where there is scarce food and water."


    If their extremely lean stature didn''t give this away, then their hungry eyes definitely sold the story to the listening students.


    They paid attention as Lucielle exined further.


    "Their ws and fangs are especially useful for tearing apart flesh and crushing bones. As you can see, they''re very desperate creatures.


    As if waiting for their cue, the DemiWolves began to snarl and bark.


    Their growls frightened a lot of students, but most of them still maintained a facade of excitement.


    For the first time since they came here, they would be allowed to kill something!


    Some students wanted that stimtion.


    "Once the light of the Magic Circle stops glowing, the barrier holding the monsters back will be broken, and they will rush towards you¡­"


    Lucielle''s smile widened as soon as she said this.


    "Show no mercy."


    ~VWUUSH!~


    Following her words, the Magic Circles faded away, soon vanishing as if they were never there to begin with.


    The result?


    "ROOOOAARRR!"


    "GURRRAAAAHHHH!"


    "KURRRRRRR¡­!!"


    The wild beasts instantly left their positions and began to rush towards the students.


    Many students had already started activating their Skills or utilizing whatever Magic Spells they learned. Others took Martial Arts, rooting their bodies in ce as they waited for the DemiWolves toe.


    A few seemed to find themselves paralyzed, unable to do anything but watch in horror as wild beasts rushed towards them.


    However, before any of the wolves could reach any of these groups of people¡­


    ~WHOOOOOSHH!~


    ¡­ A sh of light suddenly shot through the ring, causing a strong wind to blow all across the area.


    The brightness of it was blinding, as golden fragments radiated from the direction of the unparalleled illumination that manifested before them.


    And then¡ª


    ~SWOOOSH!~


    A single sh was heard by everyone who dared to listen. Their squinted eyes saw only one person shing as he stood right in front of the horde of DemiWolves.


    His single swing caused a rumble to engulf the area¡ªalmost as if a thunderstorm had begun to brew.


    As the air unfurled around him, and space itself seemed to undte¡­ his golden power washed through the enemies.


    Resulting only in the inevitable.


    ~BOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!~


    The shock that radiated from Adonis'' strike sent debris and chunks of Monster meat skittering across the entire ring.


    Blood and gore danced around him, though not a single one dared reach his perfect form.


    And so, as everyone watched on in downright shock¡ªseeing as Adonis single-handedly killed all the summoned monsters¡ªhe looked back at them and smiled calmly.


    "Don''t worry too much. These are weak monsters¡­"


    The students trembled, all in sheer awe.


    Their Hero had taken the lead and showed them how it was done.


    No fancy Martial Arts orplicated Magic Spells.


    ¡­ Just pure, unparalleled strength.


    Smoke began to rise around Adonis, revealing the carcasses of the DemiWolves around him, as well as the gleaming stones that were already being disyed from within and without their torn bodies¡ªMonster Cores.


    "Next round, please." Adonis told the shocked summoners, who began to work on the next Summon.


    As they did so, Adonis turned and smiled at his peers.


    It was a kind and heroic one, devoid of any malice.


    "There''s no need to hesitate. Just use all you''ve learned and kill them."


    It felt strange hearing those words being uttered from the lips of their dear Hero, but everyone listened attentively.


    Inspiration hade.


    "We can win."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    How strong do you think Adonis really is?


    Do you think Rey stands a chance?

 Chapter 103 Free For All

    <h4>Chapter 103 Free For All </h4>


    After Adonis'' disy, no one showed fear.


    They couldn''t, even if they wanted to. The overwhelming power that the Hero disyed was enough to inspire many.


    It spurred even the most fragile of them forward as they desired to also sh through the enemies.


    "We''re not gonna let you have all that EXP, Adonis!"


    "Haha! Here Ie as well!"


    "Save some of that EXP for us! Only God knows what Level you''re in now!"


    "Hehehe! I can''t wait!"


    As words like these rushed from the lips of his ssmates, Rey felt a smile tugged at his lips as he watched Adonis step back from the new summoned monsters.


    ''He''s going to give everyone a chance to Level Up now. How considerate of him¡­''


    The only reason Adonis had sprung up during the first round, snagging all the kills, was for the good of the entire ss.


    He must have thought that by doing something so radical, he would spur the rest to let go of the strands of hesitation that held them back.


    Everyone would be willing to fight!


    ''And it worked! Looks like we''re all motivated now¡­''


    He noticed how Trisha was grinning while brandishing her de.


    Even Alicia seemed to leak out a small smile as she prepared her Magic.


    ''It''s weird to see everyone so excited about killing¡­''


    Rey knew it was probably hypocritical for him to think this, considering how much pleasure he also derived from ughtering Monsters.


    But, the thing is¡­ he had always seen himself as different.


    ''I thought I was just crazy and weird, but it seems that''s not the case at all.''


    As Rey observed the sadistic expressions of the teenagers around him, he became privy to a dark truth.


    ''Everyone wants to kill so badly¡­''


    Whether it was to relieve their stress, or to test out their abilities without any need to hold back¡­ they were raring to go.


    Rey made a wide grin underneath his mask.


    ''So, all of this is normal, then? Merciless ughter of our enemies¡­''


    He, just like everyone else around him, was normal.


    However, once he had this thought, another contrasting one surfaced in his mind.


    It was a darker proposal that he had no choice but to consider.


    ''¡­ Could it be that we''re all just crazy?''


    **********


    ~BOOOOOOM!~


    Rey could see Billy''s Fire Magic engulfing a bunch of DemiWolves that dared to near him.


    The rest were met with his merciless de that butchered their flesh and sttered their blood.


    ~SWISH!~


    He could see how Trisha expertly wielded her de andbined it with her Martial Arts prowess to plow down her foe.


    The unparalleled skill with the sword that she had was unrivaled. Rey could not see anyone around him replicate it.


    As her perfectly toned muscles bulged with each movement, her sword struck even faster, until it far exceeded the limits of the natural eye.


    She was simply cutting through DemiWolves as though they were mere pieces of meat tossed in the air.


    Then, there was Alicia.


    ~SHIIIIIIIII~


    Ice pervaded everything around her, turning all of her enemies into nothing but statues.


    The air around her grew so cold that even Rey shivered slightly as he ran away from her immediate location.


    It felt like the perfect chance to escape, so he didn''t waste it.


    In-between Trisha''s hack and sh, and the insane effectiveness of Alicia''s Ice Magic, Rey was yet to find a single DemiWolf to defeat.


    If he continued staying around them, there was a good chance he would never get to Level Up.


    Rey didn''t want that.


    ~WHOOSH!~


    Amidst themotion, a DireWolf suddenly lunged at him from nowhere.


    At least, that was how it seemed like to everyone.


    However, in actuality, Rey had activated his [Force] Skill to pull the DemiWolf in his direction.


    ''This way, it''ll seem more believable!'' Rey grinned internally, watching the beast near him from above.


    "REY!" He could hear a few voices shout his name, and it sounded like they were worried for him.


    ''Please don''t ruin this for me!'' He begged internally as the creature now jumped on his body.


    ''I just want to Level Up!''


    Rey fell to the ground, pretending to have been toppled down by the weight of the extremely lean creature.


    He could sense iing footsteps, but thankfully they were toote.


    ~SQUELCH!~


    His ded hand exited the back of the DemiWolf right as it was about to bite off Rey''s face.


    Blood and innards gushed out, causing the beast to groan a little before turning cold from death.


    Rey shoved the monster aside, grunting as if he was affected by its practically weightless body.


    ''Urgh¡­ I''m covered in blood¡­'' Rey made a gag face as he rose to his feet, his official first prey drowning in its pool of blood and gore.


    "Rey, are you okay?"


    "That was dangerous! But you¡­ actually won? Badass!"


    Alicia''s worried face was sharplyplimented by a shove from Trisha.


    It seemed both girls were quite worried for him.


    ''My image as a weakling remains. That''s good!'' Was the only thing on his mind as all this was happening.


    He could see a couple of eyes on him, but he ignored them.


    ''They''re probably surprised that I managed to kill a DemiWolf on my own, even though I made it seem like an ident¡­''


    Rey stared at his ded appendage and in a single ~GLUP~, he turned it back to his normal hand.


    ''I can just use the Skill that everyone thinks I have and kill Monsters by drawing my prey next to me.''


    It was a perfect strategy.


    "Do you need any help? I''m already in Level 3." Alicia asked with a smirk.


    "Really? Me too!" Trisha responded with a big grin.


    "Really¡­? What''s your EXP percentage? I''m almost going to be in Level 4¡­"


    "Ahh, well, I''m on the low end."


    Rey noticed Alicia shing a triumphant smile, as if she had just won some kind of game. He wanted to think it was just his imagination, but he knew what he saw.


    "I guess I''ll just have to work hard so I don''t get left behind." Trisha raised her fist in a fierce, but good-willedpetitive spirit.


    "Sure. You can try." Alicia only responded with a nod.


    Rey decided it was much better for his mental health, and also for his goals, to steer away from the two women.


    "I think I''m fine on my own. Let me not get in your way¡­" Rey''s voice trailed as he took gradual steps back.


    "Are you sure?"


    "I don''t really mind, but you do you."


    Rey nodded vehemently as he ran off, waving at them while shouting "Good luck!"


    As he ran off and spotted the next prey, he went over what had just urred.


    ''I don''t want to guess wrong, but for a moment there it felt like they werepeting¡­''


    Rey never knew Trisha and Alicia had some kind of rivalry.


    Perhaps it was something that just started.


    ''If that''s the case, then¡­ am I the cause?'' He wondered to himself, finally spotting a DemiWolf in the distance.


    Rey smiled, chuckling lightly to himself as he shook his head.


    ''Na! That can''t be¡­''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading.


    Seems we''re getting a prelude to the waifu wars.


    I like Trisha here, though.


    She''s chill¡­

 Chapter 104 Leveling Up

    <h4>Chapter 104 Leveling Up </h4>


    ''Yayyy! I finally reached Level 20!''


    Rey was so happy to have finally crossed the threshold for Leveling Up.


    Despite him being so close to the required EXP for his next Level Up, it still took him quite a few tries for him to finally cross over.


    ''I guess DemiWolves really are that weak¡­''


    It could have been that, or the fact that they were Summoned Monsters.


    Either way, since Rey considered his goal achieved, he decided to return to the two girls who also seemed to be done dispatching their batch.


    ''Looks like everyone is also rounding up. I can''t remember what round this is now, since I wasn''t paying that much attention, but¡­''


    It was impressive how all the students had limated to this new style of fighting.


    Most still stuck to the formal style of fighting¡ªespecially when it came to Martial Arts¡ªbut Rey was pleased to see Trisha and a few others utilize unique styles to fight.


    The styles they used were ripped from various Martial Art Techniques and blended together to create unique styles ofbat that best allowed their abilities to shine.


    For example, Trisha had [Greater Lightning Magic], [Danger Sense], and [Counter], and her ss was [Swordsman], so she relied more on her strengths and warded off enemies in close range, rather than relying on the closing-in techniques that they were taught in Martial Arts.


    She also performed a lot of movements that required being in a small circle. As a result of confining her actions to a particr range, they were more powerful and she could deal with several opponents as they got closer to her.


    ''That''s probably why she was able to Level Up as quickly as Alicia¡­''


    The only time she left her position was to find a cluster of DemiWolves that she could kill.


    It was wless¡ªwell, almost.


    ''At some point, the monsters began avoiding her, which meant she would have to pick them off one after the other.


    That was highly inefficient, so it was only inevitable that she would lose the Level Up race.


    "I''m currently at Level 6. What about you, Trisha?" Alicia asked with a bright smile.


    "Level 5¡­ but my EXP count shows I''ll soon reach Level 6!"


    "Wow! What a coincidence. Mine also shows I''ll soon reach Level 7!"


    As Rey approached thedies and heard this, he decided it was probably best not to get any closer to them.


    ''But this is weird. They''re Leveling Up much faster than expected.''


    It had only been about an hour, yet they were growing at such an absurd pace.


    ''I remember what it took me to get this strong. What''s going on¡­?''


    Was it due to their ss? Was their ss helping them Level Up faster or something?


    ''I''m so jealous¡­'' Rey nearly shed tears.


    He began to wonder what Level Adonis was in. He was so curious, but he knew he couldn''t just walk up to the Hero and ask.


    As he thought this, he saw someone approach Adonis, who was just finishing up a DemiWolf that was closest to his position.


    Adonis hadn''t killed a lot of Monsters since his first act, but that didn''t mean he would stab a few creatures who drew too close to him.


    Just because he was giving everyone a chance, that didn''t mean he wouldn''t eliminate any danger to his well-being


    That was the rationale behind it.


    Rey found it hard to consider the DemiWolves to be a major threat to Adonis, but he shrugged it all off.


    Adonis was already doing a lot for the group by staying out of most of the Farming, so no one would me him if he picked off a few Monsters at intervals.


    Back to the matter at hand, Rey noticed the blond girl with a cute face and a short physique approach Adonis and got curious.


    The girl''s name was Belle, and her very friendly personality as well as charming face, won the goodwill of many people.


    She wasn''t very popr back on Earth, but she was liked by a lot of people due to her cute nature and friendly demeanor.


    Rey hadn''t spoken to her personally, but he heard Billy say multiple times that if his heart didn''t belong to Alicia, he would have picked Belle as his second choice.


    That was how cute she was.


    Thanks to her petite physique, she also had quite an appealing body. She appeared slender, but her natural endowments made her body seem much more attractive than it would normally be.


    She had an especiallyrge rack on her chest despite her small stature, and her ass wasn''tcking as well.


    Rey wasn''t interested in Belle''s body, though¡ªat least, not too much.


    He was mostly interested in the conversation she was having with Adonis.


    "¡­ Level 6, huh? That''s impressive. Well done, Belle."


    "Teehee!"


    Rey assumed that Belle had just told Adonis about her current Level, making him impressed.


    ''Same Level as Alicia, huh? Not bad¡­''


    Since Belle was among the strongest in the Alpha ss¡ªonly surpassed by Adonis and Alicia¡ªthat made sense.


    ''I heard she has the [Great Mage] ss. That''s B-Tier¡­''


    Belle was also the most talented when it came to Magic¡ªwith Adonis, of course being an exception to this.


    As the Hero, it seemed Adonis was just perfect at everything.


    Magic, Martial Arts¡­ you name it.


    He was simply the best.


    But Belle was close second to him in Magic, with Aliciagging behind her.


    In Martial Arts, it was Adonis, then Billy, and then Alicia.


    As a result of this, one could say that while Alicia lost to Billy in Martial Arts and Belle in Magic, she was still the best of both worlds.


    That was what made her second rank in Alpha ss.


    Belle was only slightly better than Billy, which made her third.


    Billy was fourth.


    "What about you, Adonis? What is your Level?" As Rey heard this, his ears perked up.


    Curiosity drowned his senses that he could not think of anything else other than the conversation that was about to unfold.


    ''Tell her, Adonis! Say it!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    What Level do you think Adonis is in?


    I personally vote for Level 100!

 Chapter 105 Clear Disparity

    <h4>Chapter 105 Clear Disparity </h4>


    Rey found it strange that Belle had just asked the question so casually, but after considering the fact that she freely told him hers, it had to mean they were close.


    Since he didn''t know the nature of their rtionship, he decided to take his mind off it and just listen like the busybody that he was.


    As he stood still there, a sudden voice came.


    "Hey, Rey¡­ do you have a moment?"


    Rey heard something like a whisper behind him, but now wasn''t the time.


    "You really did well with those¡ª"


    "Not now! Hold on¡­" Rey didn''t even bother looking behind him as he kept his gaze on the two.


    "O-okay¡­"


    He felt a little bad for what he did, but this was a crucial moment for him.


    Once he heard what he wanted, he would apologize and hear the person out.


    Since he didn''t recognize the voice, it was probably a random student.


    "¡­ Ah, I''m in Level 9 now."


    ''WHAAAAAT?!'' Rey couldn''t believe his ears.


    "Almost Level 10 too¡­"


    ''HOW IS THIS EVEN FAIR?!'' He wanted to scream this out, but he controlled his expression.


    If it wasn''t for the effect of his ss, Rey was certain he would scream in downright shock.


    ''I knew life was unfair, but not to this degree!''


    How could Adonis have Leveled Up nine times in just a single day?


    It made no sense to Rey!


    ''I worked my ass off in the Dungeon, and he just became half my Level in a single day? Is there no such thing as justice anymore?''


    And it wasn''t like Adonis had fought some overpowered monsters or something.


    These were summoned E-Tier Monsters!


    They weren''t supposed to give him any considerable amount of EXP!


    ''So why¡­?! WHYYYYYY?!''


    There was only one answer to his question, and Rey knew it already.


    ''His Hero ss! It has to be!''


    It was an S-Tier ss, so of course it had to have numerous privileges that would be considered broken by Rey''s standards.


    Of course, Rey knew he couldn''tin since he had quite the broken Skill himself, but this felt a little too unfair for him.


    ''I had to sacrifice all my other prospects just to get that Skill¡­''


    To obtain [Doppel], he left behind the sses and Skills he could have obtained.


    This was all he had¡­


    ''But Adonis had like three OP Skills and he also has that OP ss. Isn''t that too broken?''


    Rey had tried over and over again to calcte how it was possible for Adonis to have so many overpowered abilities, but he still didn''t get it.


    ''Even with 100 Karma, that shouldn''t be possible.''


    As far he knew, Karma was over 100. Was it possible that Adonis had a Karma that was over that limit?


    ''No way. The rules were clearly stated¡­''


    It wasn''t like Adonis had two lifetimes worth of Karma, so how the hell did he get so many broken Skills?


    ''I still can''t wrap my head around it. I guess it was just preferential treatment from Seraph, or maybe a discount¡­''


    If that was the case, then there was nothing he could do


    "It''s also possible that he got the ''First Comer'' privilege, so there''s that¡­" Rey whispered to himself.


    It was while mumbling that he remembered the voice he heard from behind him.


    "Ah, sorry about that. I was distracted by¡ª" He halted his speech and looked behind him, not seeing anyone there.


    It seemed the person had walked off since Rey didn''t respond to him on time.


    ''Now I feel awful¡­''


    However, Rey wasn''t allowed to dwell on his feelings on the matter for too long.


    "Otherworlders, we are going to end today''s session here."


    As Rey heard the voice from above the stage, his face twisted to form a look of surprise


    ''What? Already?!''


    Lucielle''s announcement seemed to elicit some pleasant groans and sighs of relief among the students, but Rey was genuinely puzzled.


    ''Isn''t this too early?''


    The average time he spent in a Dungeon was four to five hours, all so he could grind and increase his Level.


    He thought this practical session was meant to simte that experience, or at least put a lot more pressure on the students.


    But, he was wrong.


    ''It''s just been a little over an hour and we''re quitting now? Why¡­?''


    Rey only had to look at the faces of his instructors to understand why.


    ''They''re exhausted. I see now¡­ so that''s how it is¡­''


    Summoner was a very rare ss to have, and while it was indeed very powerful, it wasn''t invincible.


    Summoning Magic cost a lot of Mana, which meant those who used it tended to run out of energy faster than regr Mages.


    Rey noticed a lot of potion vials around them and realized that they had been doing their best to recover their Mana while training the students.


    Unfortunately, they had reached burnout.


    ''Summoning Magic can only be used a certain amount of times a day. If used too much, it affects thews of the world in a detrimental manner and that can be harmful to both the user and his environment¡­''


    Rey had learned that in the Library, since Alicia rmended it to him.


    It was a book that had to do with Tamers and Summoners, which was why she had picked it up to read.


    Once she was done, she wouldn''t stop gushing over it, so she rmended it to him.


    ''It seems like they can only do this a limited number of times, and they get very exhausted after they reach their limits¡­''


    All so they could help the Otherworlders with their grind.


    ''I can see why the Nation wanted to use the Dungeons and not this safer, more controlled way to Level Up.''


    Other than the fact that Summoned Monsters were weaker, there were also a few other considerations to put in mind.


    ''For one, the numbers aren''t exactly satisfactory. Summoners can only summon so many at a time¡­''


    Then there was the ring issue of Mana Usage.


    ''Those potions must cost a lot. If they have to be using so many per day, then it''ll cost the United Human Alliance a good deal of resources.''


    The Summoners also had limits, so after a little over an hour, they had to clock out.


    ''That means we can''t experience true battle with this method. Our ability to Level Up is also very limited.''


    With all of these ced into consideration, Rey could see why this had to be a temporary measure.


    It wasn''t sustainable at all.


    "You all did exceptionally well today. I am certain you were all able to Level Up at least once or twice, thus growing stronger."


    Rey already knew where this was all going, so he braced himself.


    Lucielle brought out a Truthseeker as she descended to the stage. Her long white hair and crimson eyes made her appear ethereal in her descent.


    "Please state how many times you Leveled Up so we can measure your growth."


    The moment Rey heard this, he almost made the heaviest sigh of relief imaginable.


    ''Haaaa! That was a close one!''


    If he had been asked what Level he was, he would be in hot water.


    Fortunately, the question was framed in such a way that he could escape scrutiny.


    ''I''ll just tell them the truth.'' Rey smiled as it soon approached his turn to speak.


    Once it did, he opened his lips and uttered the words.


    "I only Leveled Up once."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    What do you all think of the current development?


    At this rate, it seems like Rey might never catch up to Adonis


    Haha!

 Chapter 106 Meeting Belle

    <h4>Chapter 106 Meeting Belle </h4>


    The training session ended and every student went their own way.


    Rey found himself walking with Alicia, while Trisha had gone off to talk to her friends.


    ''¡­ Thankfully.'' He nearly sighed in relief.


    As they walked to their Living Quarters, a voice called out for both of them.


    "Rey, Alicia! Good one out there today!"


    Rey recognized the voice, but he still turned back to look at the face of the one who made it.


    It was none other than Adonis.


    Beside him was Belle, who was waving gently as she gave her cute smile.


    "I''m proud of you guys." He seemed to genuinely mean what he said, but Rey couldn''t help but feel heat rising in his chest.


    ''You leveled up nine times in just an hour, you bastard! Don''t give me that!''


    He honestly felt like punching Adonis, but he kept himself under control.


    ''What kind of past life did this guy have to be so¡ª?''


    "I''m currently heading to training, so I thought maybe Belle here could go with you guys to our quarters."


    The moment Adonis said this, Rey felt his envy dissipate.


    ''What am I thinking? Adonis trains hardcore every day. He works hard, and he''s always been the most diligent out of everyone here.''


    He wasn''t merely ''lucky.''


    Sure, he had the best ss among everyone else, but wasn''t that simply because he was such a responsible person back on Earth?


    If he wasn''t, how would he have gotten such a high Karma? Even when they first met Seraph, he had ensured to calm everyone down.


    He wasn''t just some entitled lucky guy.


    ''While I was being average, he was doing his best in school¡­''


    Sure, Adonis seemed like the kind of perfect guy that anyone would want to be.


    But, Rey was sure it had taken some measure of effort¡ªno, probably tons of it¡ªfor him to end up this way.


    ''I still feel bitter, but there''s no helping it. Life isn''t fair, so there''s no point dwelling on it.''


    Rather than being so fixated on Adonis, he just had to try his best as well.


    ''I''ll grow strong in my own way.''


    "Sure. I don''t mind." Alicia responded to Adonis'' question, causing Rey''s mind to return back to the conversation at hand.


    "Haha! Thanks, Alicia. Hope you don''t mind too much, Rey?"


    As he felt the weight of Adonis'' gaze on him, Rey felt ufortable.


    Adonis'' expression ofpassion and innocence was too much for him, especially since he had just recently thought negatively of him.


    "S-sure. I don''t mind." Rey managed to leak out.


    The smile on their Hero''s face widened as he closed his eyes with glee.


    "Thanks guys! Once again¡­ good work!"


    He waved them goodbye and jogged off, almost as if he was in a hurry to train.


    ''Damn. Does that guy ever rest¡­?'' Rey found himself thinking as he stared at Adonis'' broad back.


    He didn''t have time to dwell on the thought, though, as a pping sound shook him out of his thoughts once more.


    "Alright! Shall we get going?" Belle''s cute voice echoed in the air, causing Rey to unconsciously make a smile.


    ''Gahh! She''s got me!''


    It was said that any man who heard Belle''s cute voice had no choice but to smile.


    This was a special kind of Skill that Belle always had, even when they were on Earth.


    And now, it seemed like a part of her.


    ''She also has the A-Tier Skill [Grand Charm], so there''s that¡­''


    It was never confirmed that Belle used that on those around her, though, so Rey didn''t think he was under the effect.


    ''Besides, she''s just always been like this¡­'' His thoughts trailed.


    "Sorry about all of this. I never really feelfortable walking by myself, so Adonis didn''t want to let me walk back alone. Thankfully, he saw you and ced me in your care."


    Rey and Alicia shrugged, emphasizing that it wasn''t a big deal at all.


    "It''s cool."


    "Yeah¡­"


    "Thanks, guys!"


    As Belle shed her signature smile, Rey felt his cold, dark heart melt a little.


    He noticed Alicia''s stare on him, so he quickly wiped off whatever grin he had on his face.


    ''Let''s just go¡­''


    Thankfully, before he realized it, all three of them were walking to their Living Quarters.


    ******


    Belle was engaged in a conversation with Alicia, as if they were friends, and Rey was kept to the sidelines.


    He didn''t mind, though.


    ''It''ll be too awkward for me. I don''t think I have anything to say.''


    Unfortunately for Rey, he was forcefully thrust into the conversation by the same cute voice that seemed to hide such innocence and wonder.


    "Why are you so weak, Rey?"


    ''¡­ Eh?''


    Rey''s thoughts came to a grinding halt as he heard those words.


    He could have never imagined that a girl like her could be so blunt¡ªso open about something like this.


    He cast his gaze on her, and a bright smile was on her face. She seemed like nothing more than a cute Angel.


    Of course, not on Seraph''s level, but still¡­


    ''Maybe I didn''t hear her correctly.''


    "I asked why you''re so weak, Rey." Belle repeated her question, almost as if he didn''t hear it the first time.


    "W-well¡­ I¡­ I don''t really know how to answer that, so¡­"


    He looked at Alicia, hoping he could get her assistance. However, the moment he did so, he noticed something strange,


    Alicia''s eyes were glowing pink, and she was smiling strangely.


    Rey instantly knew what it was.


    ''[Grand Charm]¡­?''


    Alicia was currently under the effects of Belle''s Skill, so she was an invalid in the conversation.


    ''How long..? How long has she been absent during the walk?''


    Rey stopped moving his legs, prompting Belle and Alicia to stop moving as well.


    "What do you think you''re doing?" Rey asked with a slight frown.


    He was asking that question out of anger, caution, and just downright confusion.


    The Belle he knew wasn''t like this.


    Back on Earth, she had been the sweetest person¡ªat least, based on what everyone was saying.


    Even when they arrived here, nothing changed.


    So¡­ what was the issue exactly?


    "Hmm? I''m not sure I understand your question. I should be asking you why you stopped walking."


    Rey felt his heart thump as he saw her empty smile.


    What used to strike him as cute and angelic now seemed hollow.


    It felt repulsive.


    "Let''s continue walking, Re¡ª"


    "No." Rey took a step back, his re increasing as he red at her.


    ''I thought she was more interested in Alicia due to how they were talking so well, but¡­ could her target have been me from the start?''


    Rey didn''t consider himself a narcissist, so he never ced too much importance on himself.


    However, this sudden twist was what he couldn''t understand.


    What other exnation was there?


    "Why do you have to be so stubborn? For a weakling, you sure are impudent¡­"


    Rey''s heart raced as he stared into Belle''s eyes. They were glowing bright pink.


    "All you have to do is listen to what I say and be a good boy¡­ okay?"


    Her grin widened as she uttered those words.


    The air was still as Belle watched Rey turn stiff as a doll. No longer did he step back or disy any animosity.


    Instead, his eyes began to glow pink and a creepy smile began to form on his face.


    Finally, he opened his lips and spoke.


    "¡­ Okay."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Did y''all see that twisting?


    Please say NO! Haha!


    Thank you all for your support, as always. You readers are really the best any Author could ask for.

 Chapter 107 The Charmer

    <h4>Chapter 107 The Charmer </h4>


    Belle was a sociopath.


    Ever since she was young, she always knew what was right and wrong, but she just never cared much for it.


    What she truly wanted was what was right for her.


    Still, she put on a mask that let everyone see the perfect person she knew how to be.


    She made tons of friends, and she had very few enemies. The few that she had¡ªthose who were able to see past her facade¡ªwere dealt with promptly.


    Of course, she had never killed anyone¡­ but there was more than one way to ruin a person.


    Belle''s experience in High School was simr.


    However, despite her prim and proper behavior and her obvious appeal, she couldn''t get past two social walls that stood far taller than her.


    Alicia and Adonis.


    These two were the most popr in their ss, as well as two of the most popr students in school.


    It annoyed her.


    It irked Belle to her core that she couldn''t triumph over them.


    She could not beat Alicia in looks, and Adonis had a more authentic personality than she.


    The standard grew even higher when they started dating, and ultimately broke up.


    Everyone was talking about them!


    No one¡­ had her time any longer.


    Of course she wasn''t hated, but she simply didn''t have the attention that she used to get.


    But then, she was going to have her revenge.


    Before she could properly carry out her n on Earth, they were transported to this ce.


    And so, she chose toplete it all here.


    ¡­ One step at a time.


    **********


    "Haha! Now that wasn''t so hard, was it?" Belle grinned as she looked at Rey.


    He was looking very simr to Alicia, as well as all her other ssmates


    "Everyone is now under my control. Except Adonis, of course. I can''t take that risk yet¡­"


    Since Adonis had the Hero ss and had a much higher Level than she, Belle wasn''t confident in her ability to charm him.


    Her A-Tier Skill [Grand Charm] allowed her topletely obtain the allegiance of any target of hers as long as they heard her voice or looked into her eyes¡ªboth as well¡ªwhen she activated the Skill.


    Using this Skill, she had managed to gain the allegiance of literally everyone in both Alpha and Beta ss.


    Of course, she did so at intervals since using the Skill drained practically all of her Mana.


    ''But now that I''ve Leveled Up, I can use it twice and still have a bit of Mana left.''


    Both Rey and Alicia had been charmed with barely any time serving as an interval.


    ''Leveling Up really has its perks¡­'' Belle''s smile grew wider.


    "With everyone on my side now, I can finally ruin you two¡­"


    She had intentionally gotten close to Adonis to figure out an opening, but so far there seemed to be nothing.


    After seeing what happened to Adam, she knew she had to be extra careful.


    Why in the world did Adam go to Adonis'' room to kill him? Belle still wasn''t sure.


    That wasn''t her order.


    Her Skill had a permanent mark on a person, as long as she maintained proximity with them every once in a while.


    Since they all slept close to one another, shared the same living room, and now trained with each other, that meant she could control any of her ssmates anytime she wanted.


    Of course, they wouldn''t always have their wide grin and glowing eyes.


    "I''ll use these pawns to frame Alicia and Adonis and make them scapegoats. Or, should I just make Alicia fight Adonis, leading to the both of them getting severely injured? Ahh¡­ no, that won''t work."


    The problem with that n was that it would potentially take one or both of the strongest members of their ss off the board.


    Belle wasn''t stupid. She knew how much this world needed Alicia and Adonis to save it.


    ''They both have SS-Tier Skills. They''re our best chance at stopping the Dragons¡­''


    Belle still wasn''t sure whether or not she wanted to remain in this world, but since she was living in it, she had to help out.


    It wasn''t out of any selfless inclination, but simply a selfish desire to survive.


    Nothing more¡­ nothing less.


    "Now, then¡­ all three of us should walk together. We''ll draw too much attention if we''re just standing still like this."


    In response to this, Rey and Alicia moved beside her and they walked together


    "Also remove those stupid grins from your faces. Act natural."


    The pink glows in their eyes dimmed out, and their expressions became fairly normal.


    Rey''s natural expression was perfect, but there still seemed to be something artificial about Alicia''s expression.


    It didn''t matter, though.


    Everyone was under hermand, anyway.


    "I guess I''ll just have to wait for us to defeat the Dragons before I can properly deal with them. They''re too powerful to bepromised now." Belle mumbled with slight frustration.


    "Be grateful, Alicia. You and Adonis won''t have what''sing to you. Why not thank me?"


    "Thank¡­ you."


    "I didn''t mean that literally, idiot. Honestly¡­ these things¡­"


    As Belle sighed and shook her head, she took her eyes off Alicia and cast her gaze to Rey.


    "Why couldn''t they be as weak as you? I would have used them like the ragdolls they are¡­"


    Rey''s expression remained the same since he was nothing but her puppet.


    "Weaklings like you aren''t so bad, though." Her smile widened as she poked Rey a few times on his cheek.


    It seemed she found it cute, so she did a few times and giggled like a child.


    "You make for the best toys."


    Belle kept enjoying herself as she and her two dolls entered their Living Quarters and parted ways in their respective rooms.


    Of course, they weren''t going to forget what just happened to them, and they would simply remember what Belle wanted them to.


    That was just how much influence she had on them.


    *********


    "What the fuck..?!"


    Rey copsed on his bed as he stared at his ceiling in horror.


    His face expressed profound confusion as he contemted on the events that had just transpired.


    ¡­ All that he witnessed.


    "What the hell was that just now?"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    It seems Rey was able to fight Belle''s ability.


    Anyone wanna guess how?

 Chapter 108 Determination To Grow

    <h4>Chapter 108 Determination To Grow </h4>


    Rey was still reeling from shock after everything he had just experienced.


    He touched his face and remembered how the crazy girl known as Belle kept poking him andughing about it.


    "She''s crazy¡­" Rey muttered with wide open eyes.


    ''If I wasn''t careful¡­ I would havepletely fallen under her spell. That''s too dangerous!''


    Back then, when she was moving closer to him, his [Danger Sense] Skill kept sending rms to his head.


    Rey was so d he listened.


    He used [Blindness] to shut off his eyes and [Grand Sound Magic] to ensure his ears wouldn''t hear a single thing that Belle said.


    Since he knew the conditions for activating [Grand Charm], a Skill he already had, it wasn''t too difficult to avoid it.


    It wasn''t until his [Danger Sense] died down that he deactivated his [Blindness] and allowed her words to be audible again.


    He used the [Mimic] Skill to replicate Alicia''s glowing eyes and his ss privilege let him fake the part of being under Belle''s control.


    If that hadn''t been the case, he probably wouldn''t have gotten away with it.


    ''It seems my Level isn''t high enough to resist that Skill. It''s too dangerous¡­''


    Rey had the Skill, and he knew how it operated. He had also tested it out on monsters, but since every enemy he faced was considerably weaker than him, he never felt like it was too powerful.


    But now he understood.


    "It''s in A-Tier for a reason¡­" He whispered.


    "Still¡­ to think that was her goal all along¡­"


    Since he was in his right senses throughout the entire ordeal, Rey heard everything Belle mumbled to herself.


    ¡­. Everything!


    ''So she''s after Alicia and Adonis, huh? That''s insane. What did they ever do to her?''


    Rey knew it wasn''t any of his business, but he found such a radical switch in personality to be very perplexing for him.


    ''I guess I''m not the only one keeping secrets¡­''


    Thankfully, from what he heard, she didn''t n on enacting her evil scheme anytime soon.


    That meant they were both safe¡­ for now.


    "I should probably just pretend like I''m under her influence for the time being."


    There was nothing to gain from making Belle his enemy.


    From what he heard, she literally had the entire ss wrapped around her little finger.


    Belle also had more credibility and importance to the United Human Alliance and their Royal Council than he did.


    If he tried to stir something, she could end up letting it backfire on him.


    ''And I doubt the Council will pick me over her.''


    Rey knew he could probably try to work from the shadows to stop her, but he found all of that to be unnecessary.


    This wasn''t even his fight.


    Rey was also pretty certain that this wasn''t the mastermind he was searching for , since it didn''t fit the profile.


    Belle''s ability would have let her just make Rey admit to his crimes, or even incriminate himself.


    There would have been no need for such a convoluted mess. Besides, she already made it clear who her targets were.


    She didn''t really need him to achieve it.


    ''Besides¡­ there''s still time. I can''t afford to be worrying about her schemes now.''


    As long as the world still needed the Otherworlders, she wasn''t going to harm Adonis and Alicia in any real sense.


    ''Right now I should focus on Leveling Up and getting stronger.''


    Even now, as Rey sat on his bed, he couldn''t help but think about Adonis and what he was up to in training.


    The thought alone motivated Rey to get up and prepare for the only ce he knew he could get stronger¡ªThe Royal Dungeon.


    "Wait for me, Adonis! I''ll be sure to catch up to you!"


    ************


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    As Adonis swung his de, sweat sprayed from his body, staining the wooden floor of his private training room.


    Several broken desy by the side, and right now he was wielding yet another.


    ~SWISH!~


    His muscles contracted as he neatly made arcs with his sword. As the air was sliced by his concentrated de, the force exerted made it crack.


    His muscr body took a few more steps, dancing as he made swings with different styles while applying varying forms of footwork.


    And then¡­


    ~CRACK!~


    ¡­ Hid de shattered once again.


    "Haaaa¡­ haaa¡­"


    Adonis leaked out heavy breaths as he tossed aside the broken de that he wielded.


    His eyes darted to a corner in the room where there were still a couple more des left.


    "I guess¡­ I''ll have to get more soon¡­"


    More heavy breaths escaped his lips as he walked to the corner and got another de.


    The calluses on his palm became overshadowed as he grasped the hilt of his next sword.


    He walked to another side of the massive training room where the shards of broken des were yet to stain the ground.


    "Haaaaa¡­"


    Adonis took a deep breath and closed his eyes, ready to begin yet another set.


    "Not enough¡­" He whispered to himself.


    Memories of his past shes in his head, but he shoved them aside.


    All of those horrors did not exist anymore.


    The threat that they would return caused his heart to ache, but that only made Adonis grip his de even harder.


    Resolve pervaded the entirety of his demeanor as he perfected his stance.


    ''I won''t let anyone else get hurt¡­''


    He tookfort in the happy memories he had in this second chance he had.


    He was able toe out of his shell more, have new friends, find new people¡­ have a lot more fun.


    But also¡­ he had been able to get stronger!


    As a Level 10 Hero, Adonis was as strong as a Level 100 Commoner.


    Still¡­


    "¡­ It''s not enough!" He yelled out.


    There was no way he could afford to getcent now.


    The monsters he had to face were a lot more powerful thanmoners. If he wanted to reach their level, he had to grow a lot stronger.


    ''Brutus should be back from the Dungeon very soon. Probably in a few days¡­''


    Once he returned, they would get back on track and the events were going to y out exactly the way they were supposed to.


    ''I got the Item I wanted. I''ll use it to open a fissure in space and draw in stronger monsters so I can Level Up faster.''


    If possible, others would also be able to get much stronger with the experience.


    Adonis knew it would be scary for them. He was sorry about that.


    However, it had to be done.


    ''I need to be at least Level 50 before I can confidently say I can take down a Dragon.''


    Adonis feared for his ssmates who didn''t know what despair awaited them with the Dragons that were still nothing more than looming threats at present.


    People like Rey came to his mind, and Adonis couldn''t help but make a sad smile.


    ''One day¡­ maybe he''ll be strong. But, he doesn''t have to be.''


    That was why HE was here!


    To make sure Rey, and his other ssmates, wouldn''t suffer the way they did thest time.


    "I''ll change everything..." Adonis muttered to himself, once again swinging his de and sending sweat sshing all around him.


    "¡­ And I''ll save everyone!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    This is¡­ oof¡­ quite a lot, isn''t it?


    What do you think? I want to hear your thoughts!

 Chapter 109 Return To The Royal Dungeon

    <h4>Chapter 109 Return To The Royal Dungeon </h4>


    Training continued as usual the following day.


    Each day, there would be a separate training session that only took up a few hours in the morning. Afterwards, the students would take a long break and go to the Grand Stage for their battle with Monsters.


    That was the new arrangement for the effective growth of every student.


    The training was for them to limate to their new Levels, which meant more advanced or prolonged use of their abilities.


    And, the practical session was meant for the students to grind Levels.


    Once they were done with everything, it would be around 1:00 PM, and so the students were free to spend the day as they wished.


    Some spent it in the Town, exploring more in the market, or just taking strolls around.


    Others chose to remain in their rooms or enjoy the grandeur of the Royal Capital.


    Some spent it training and trying to better themselves.


    There was one that spent her time in the Library.


    However, out of all the twenty-eight students, one existed who didn''t fit into any of these boxes.


    He indeed left for town, but he didn''t do so to hang around.


    No¡­ his goal was different.


    "Hehehe¡­ hehehehe¡­ hahahahaha!!!"


    A young man in a dark cloak and ck mask that resembled a skull was standing at the entrance of a cave-like construction.


    There was no one present, so the area was deserted.


    "I''m finally back here¡­" His voice hummed as he gave a slight smirk underneath his mask.


    Thanks to the suspicion that a dangerous monster was lurking around in the Royal Dungeon, the Royal Council ceased all mining activities within the Dungeon.


    With Mining temporarily halted, processing and refining soon followed.


    Before long, the once bustling Royal Dungeon grounds had be deserted¡ªalmost in an eerie manner.


    ''Looks like they also got rid of that barrier that surrounded the Refinery¡­''


    Considering the fact that there was no work ongoing, it would be a waste to consistently use Mana Crystals.


    No poisonous gas or loud noise was currently being leaked.


    Everywhere was just dead silent and clear.


    Since Rey had never seen the ce like this before, it initially appeared strange.


    He was used to it now, though.


    ''Well¡­ let''s venture in¡­''


    Rey ventured into the darkness, his perception already dialed up to eleven. All his senses were heightened, and he was already prepared for any form of defense should the need call for it.


    It was already the second day of training, and while he hade here the previous day, it was mostly for investigation purposes.


    He didn''t actually descend past the Eighth Floor.


    ''It''s just as Lucielle and Brutus said. The Hobs and DarkWolves are no more¡­''


    Rey never saw their bodies, so he assumed that they were probably burned up by Lucielle''s Magic.


    ''The same applies to the Monkey Monsters.''


    As a result of that, he wasn''t able to investigate any further to confirm everything that Lucielle and Brutus had said.


    Still, Rey saw enough to convince him of the truth.


    All the minerals and resources that should have been present on the Floors had been stripped away.


    ¡­ Everything!


    ''I shouldn''t get too riled up. Brutus and his team will handle that. I should just focus on grinding Levels.''


    The biggest concern Rey had when returning here was that he''d encounter Brutus. However, after donning his dark mask and concealing his identity, he felt a little more anonymous.


    His senses were also perked up so he would be able to detect any approaching individual¡ªor individuals as the case may be.


    With these preparations already made, Rey doubted he would be caught off-guard.


    ''If I sense Brutus close to me, I''ll just hide or something.'' That was his line of reasoning.


    Rey was also concerned about what his actions would cause if they found more dead Monsters that he had killed, but after thinking on it for too long, he could only offer one solution.


    ''I''ll burn their corpses. That should hide the evidence, I suppose¡­''


    He considered taking away the minerals, since the Royal Council already suspected the creature they were looking for to be that kind of monster, but Rey just couldn''t do it with a clean conscience.


    Besides, he considered his current wealth enough at the moment.


    There was no need to get too greedy.


    At least, when it came to money.


    ''Maybe I''ll encounter the one truly responsible if I stay here long enough¡­''


    That said, killing Monsters and Leveling Up was his top priority.


    Curfew was 8:00 PM, so he could legitimately walk through the front gates of the Royal Estate without a need to sneak out.


    It took less than an hour to get here, and less to return, which meant he had the usual five hours for training.


    ''I better make it count!''


    And so, as Rey ventured deeper into the depths of the Dungeon, aiming for the 9th Floor, he only thought of how to get stronger.


    ''This should be my new arrangement¡­''


    ***********


    The Ninth Floor was by far the strangest one out of everything Rey had ever seen before in that it was freezing cold.


    ''Oof¡­'' Rey felt a tinge of jitters visiting his body, but that didn''tst long since his [Full Resistance] came into y.


    The Ninth Floor felt like and of eternal blizzards, and it was covered in Ice Fragments that stuck out walls like jagged des.


    The icicles hanging from the ceiling appeared to be more akin to long white spears than icicles, considering their length.


    As they stood imposingly above Rey, he felt like they could fall on him at any moment.


    As a result, ended up being a lot more vignt than he would normally be.


    ''I wonder if I''ll find any Monsters here¡­''


    There was a good chance that Brutus and his team had killed all the Monsters here in their quest for the dangerous Monsterwho had invaded the upper Floors.


    ''But from what I saw, there doesn''t seem to be any ce that a Monster could have used toe to the Upper Floors¡­''


    Maybe they had a [Phase] Skill, or something to that effect, but Rey honestly felt like that was ''reaching.''


    Monsters preferred operating in their natural habitat, and other than the nomadic types, they would never leave their domains.


    All Dungeon Monsters were evolutionarily predisposed to remain in their territory.


    ''Why would a Lower Floor Monstere to a Floor near the surface¡­?''


    Still, the Royal Council had to take precautions, and they couldn''t see any other alternative that best exined the situation.


    ''I just hope this investigation doesn''t end up affecting my Leveling¡­''


    Somehow, Rey doubted that would be the case.


    ''The entire goal of the investigation is to make the Floor safe enough for us toe in and Level Up. I don''t think Brutus would kill Monsters meant for our purposes¡­''


    He couldn''t be sure until he saw for himself, though.


    "GRUUUUUU!!"


    As if reading his mind, a beastnded from the ceiling with a loud growl.


    It had furry white skin, simr to the White Monkey Monsters, but this monster resembled an albino BigFoot more than anything else.


    It had a savage expression on its face, which Rey considered to mean one thing.


    "Wanna fight?"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Honestly, it''s been too long since we''vee here!


    I''ve missed the Dungeon.

 Chapter 110 The Ninth Floor [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 110 The Ninth Floor [Pt 1] </h4>


    ''Ah¡­ I see. So that''s how it is¡­''


    Rey smiled as he stared at his opponent.


    Even though his eyes were on the BigFoot-like creature, his senses had spread to the ceiling where it fell from.


    ''More of them are crawling above¡­''


    Rey couldn''t see them even if they tried. There was a reason he hadn''t detected any until this onended to confront him.


    ''A Camouge Skill, maybe? Interesting¡­''


    These creatures knew how to blend in well with their environment, so unless one really paid attention, it would be impossible to detect them.


    ''Even now, I can only properly sense their movements thanks to the sound they make and the slight distortions in space.


    He couldn''t properly see them.


    ''I already have [Stealth], which is more like turning me invisible. But I guess this isn''t too bad¡­''


    Once Rey raised his head and observed enough of the Skill, he reckoned that would be more than enough for it to be registered by [Doppel].


    He sighed a little and turned his attention back to the BigFoot in front of him and gave a small smile to it.


    The Monster appeared a little stunned, and Rey knew why.


    "You guys were probably nning on getting the drop on me, right? You would act as the decoy while they would descend and make short work of me while I focused all my attention on you¡­"


    "G-GRUUUU¡­?!"


    From the flustered reaction of the Monster, Rey couldn''t tell if it could actually understand him or if it was just upset to see him so calm.


    Either way, it didn''t really matter to him.


    Not at this point.


    "Sorry. As much as I''d like to y with you, I''m in a bit of a hurry now. There''s someone I want to catch up to, so¡­" He raised his hand upward.


    "¡­ I can''t afford to mess around."


    There was no need to dawdle any longer while Adonis was advancing like a madman every day.


    "[Greater Explosion]"


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!~


    A burst of bright crimson energy erupted from Rey''s hand, sending a st so destructive that the pressure alonepletely shattered the numerous icicles in the ceiling, before the heat melted everything into oblivion.


    The camouged beasts were not saved from this.


    "GRUUUUAAAAAAHHH!!"


    Their horrified screams filled the air as the mes of explosion burned them alive.


    Fortunately, their suffering didn''tst long.


    Within a few seconds, they were already dead.


    "G-Guuuu¡­!!"


    Rey already noticed the fright on the face of the BigFoot in front of him.


    No longer did the creature have its fierce predatory expression, or any semnce of violence whatsoever.


    It was simply frightened.


    ~WHOOSH~


    In a gust of wind that the Monster didn''t seeing, Rey appeared before it with a wide smile on his face.


    "Die." Rey touched the Monster''s chest.


    A swift use of [Transmute] caused the creature to expand like a balloon, instantly bursting the next second.


    Its blood and innards sttered across the room, staining the pure white and blue sparkles that filled the room.


    As Its Monster Core appeared, a rain of dozens of Monster Cores descended from above.


    ''Ahh¡­ this again.''


    Rey currently didn''t have much use for Monster Cores, but he considered it a waste for him to not harvest them or have them just lying around.


    ''At least, with Skills like [Explosion], I can just destroy their bodies and get the Cores straight away.''


    There was no need for anything more.


    ''Their Skins of parts of their body could probably be used for Items. I might make a lot of money selling them too¡­''


    But Rey knew this wasn''t the time to be distracted by money.


    Not only were the Monsters toorge for him to fit into his sacks and throw into Subspace, but it was going to get in his way of dispatching the Monsters if he had to worry about their quality when killing them.


    He didn''t need that kind of hassle.


    ''Let''s just focus on Leveling Up and taking the Monster Cores as my reward.''


    There was no need for anything more.


    ********


    As Rey advanced through the Icyir of the BigFoot Monsters, he knew he had to be extra careful.


    His senses were extremely sharp, and he could detect slight changes in the environment, even if he couldn''t see the cause, but that didn''t mean his detection abilities were perfect.


    If they were, they would be in the SSS-Tier.


    ''There could be variants that possess other abilities that I''m not certain of. I can''t be too careful.''


    He would have activated [Safe Haven] to keep his defenses consistently up, but he didn''t have the Mana to waste on that.


    ''Even though I''m Level 22 now, and I''ve been pouring all my Stat Points into Mana, it''s still not enough¡­''


    Rey doubted he could use any S-Tier Skill for more than a minute before fully draining himself of Mana.


    He could probably activate SS-Tier Skill, but maintaining it for a few seconds would be tricky.


    ''Welp¡­ I guess I really need to get those items as soon as possible!''


    Rey shrugged off his current thoughts and focused on the situation at hand.


    He could already detect slight changes in his environment.


    ''These monsters, based on their physique, and the fact that they''re in a Lower Floor, are probably stronger than the Monkey Monsters¡­''


    They also probably had resistance to a lot of attacks¡ªperhaps physical and magical.


    However, due to their Floor''s climate, Rey was certain that they had to have a vulnerability to fire-based attacks.


    As a result, he used abilities with that attribute in order to get a guaranteed hit.


    "[Grand Fire Magic]"


    Once activated, Rey summoned a massive wave of mes andunched it in multiple directions.


    Like a flood of untold power, it rushed through the ice-based room, melting everything in its way.


    "GRUAAAAAAHHH!!!"


    "UGHAAAAHHHH!!!"


    "GURRROOOOAAHHH!!"


    Rey heard multiple screams, but he simply kept moving forward.


    The most efficient way to clear a Floor was to simply not be distracted by the enemies one encountered.


    "I''ll kill them as quickly as I can and reach the Boss."


    Using his [Perception] and [Farsight] allowed him to detect the fallen Monster Cores, so he swiftly proceeded to pick them up and advance forward.


    ''This is a drag¡­''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    How do you think Rey willbat his ''Monster Core'' problem? Any theories?

 Chapter 111 The Ninth Floor [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 111 The Ninth Floor [Pt 2] </h4>


    The rest of the Floor exploration was a breeze for Rey.


    He realized that when he was really trying, C-Tier Monsters really weren''t a threat to him.


    He wasn''t even giving them a chance to attack him before rendering counters and destroying them where they stood.


    ¡­ Or where they hid.


    A few were actually able to renders attacks in the form of [Ice Breath], but Rey was easily able to counter with his [Grand Fire Magic] or [Greater Explosion].


    He also considered it a waste since he already had an [Icy Breath] Skill.


    They both functioned the same, and were in the same Tier, so there was really no need keeping the Skill he got from the monster.


    By the time he arrived at what was supposed to be the Boss Room¡­ he was already Level 25.


    *******


    "Status Window." Rey mumbled.


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Rey Skr.


    - Race: Human (Otherworlder)


    - ss: Elite Enigma (B-Tier)


    - Level: 25 (99.19% EXP)


    - Life Force: 22 (+16)


    - Mana Level: 84 (+16)


    - Combat Ability: 30 (+16)


    - Stat Points: 9


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Doppel]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): Nil


    - Alignment: Neutral


    [Additional Information]


    You are a mystery to the world. While the underworld trembles in your presence, those on the surface do not understand your true strength


    [End Of Information]


    "Looks like I killed quite a number of them. Or maybe they were a lot stronger than they seemed¡­"


    Either way, for Rey, he felt a sense of aplishment from watching his Stats blossom.


    ''My total Mana Level is 100. Finally¡­ I''m in the Triple Digits.''


    With buffs aiding him, he could get a considerable stack of Mana on his side.


    ''Now then¡­ back to business¡­'' Rey''s eyes darted to the gate that stood imposingly before him.


    It was the Boss Room.


    The gate had designs of ciers imprinted on it¡ªsomething surreal, but also imposing.


    Blue and whiteplimented each other on the hardened surface that stood erect, but for Rey it was just another obstacle that needed to be destroyed.


    ~BOOOM!~


    A single punch from clenched fist was enough to send the entire thing flying off.


    "Let''s make preparations¡­" He mumbled, ensuring his Buffs were still activated.


    Skills could be divided into two major types¡ªActive and Passive.


    Passive Skills could be turned on and off, but by leaving them on, their effects were constant throughout the user''s life without a need for ''activation.''


    However, Active Skills had to be activated anytime a user wanted to utilize them.


    ''[Magic Application], [Combat Application], [Full Resistance], to mention a few others, are all Passive Skills that are currently on.''


    The others that had to be activated every time he needed them were stuff like [Flight], [Armament], etc.


    ''I don''t know how powerful the Boss is, but I don''t want to overestimate it and use up my Buffs too early¡­''


    Since Rey had rushed through the Ninth Floor, he was yet to even spend three hours here.


    ''If I hurry, I could challenge one more Floor.'' His thoughts trailed.


    "Well, let''s go."


    He stepped into the freezing cold room¡ªmuch colder than the outer area had been.


    Rey could certainly feel the frosty effect of his new environment, but it didn''t take too long for his [Full Resistance] Skill to limate him to the cold.


    "Let''s see what we have here¡­"


    The Boss Monster in this room had no throne or regal elegance attached to it.


    It was simply an extremely robust BigFoot who had a giant halberd that seemed to be the very personification of ice.


    This Boss wasn''t as tall as the Boss Monkey Monster, but it seemed much more muscr than thetter.


    It also had a weapon, which made it far more dangerous.


    It stood before Rey, more like a warrior than a king.


    ''It must have some decentbat experience. I can''t underestimate it.'' Rey thought to himself as he red at the beast.


    Looking around him, he noticed the Boss Room was extremely spacious¡ªdesigned to resemble an arena of sorts.


    Rey could see a decent amount of mobs standing behind the icy barrier that surrounded the stage where he and the Boss stood.


    There were at least a hundred of them¡ªeach with what resembled icy spears.


    ''They''re not joining the fight? Why are they just standing there?'' Rey wondered to himself.


    His question was soon answered.


    ~THUMP!~


    ~THUMP!~


    ~THUMP!~


    The BigFoots began to hit their spears on the frosty ground, all of them following the same symphony.


    The ttering sounds of their weapon''s loser end hitting the ground made a deep sound that echoed throughout the room.


    Growls of the creatures filled the air, almost as if they were cheering for their Boss¡ªchampion of the Floor.


    ''Ahh¡­ I see.'' Rey thought to himself as he looked around him.


    The BigFoots had the arenapletely surrounded, yet they would not take advantage of their numbers and positions to attack.


    They just kept humming and pounding their weapon on the ground like a savage tribe.


    ''So this is like a match to them?''


    The Boss Monster raised his halberd at this point, his silent growls growing louder by the second.


    He pointed it at Rey, and then hit the bottom of the ground, as if trying to pass a message across.


    ''So they''re intelligent too. I should have figured¡­''


    However,pared to the Hobgoblins, these Monsters were unimpressive.


    The Hobs would have used their numbers and strength toe up with better strategies than what these idiots were doing.


    How could they just watch as he faced their leader?


    ''This works fine for me, though¡­''


    Rey didn''t intend to waste any time dispatching all of them at all.


    ''Since I''ve advanced this far, why don''t I use an S-Tier Skill¡­?''


    The particr Skill he had in mind to use belonged to a girl he just recently had an encounter with.


    ¡­ Belle.


    She was among the only three in the ss who possessed an S-Tier Skill¡ªoutside Rey of course.


    And, out of all of them, she was the only one who had an attack Skill in the S-Tier.


    Adonis had [Absolute Defense].


    Alicia had [Absolute Healing].


    As for Belle, well¡­


    The Boss took its stance, ready to charge at Rey and initiate its first attack.


    The growls of the surrounding monsters grew louder.


    Tension filled the air.


    And Rey¡­ all he did was move his lips and casually raise a hand forward.


    "¡­ [Absolute Wind Magic]"


    That was all it took.


    One second, the Boss and its followers were excited for the bloodshed they were about to see.


    The next¡­ they were rendered into chunks of white meat.


    The sharp gust of wind that blew all across the room cut through everything around.


    The giant halberd halberd into chunks of ice, and the robust Boss became blocks of dead flesh.


    Its blood sprayed everywhere at the same moment that all the cheering BigFoots also found themselves dead.


    None of them even realized it on time.


    They were dead before they knew what was happening.


    "And with that¡­" Rey looked around to see the gleaming Monster Cores around.


    "¡­ It''s a wrap."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading.


    I guess Rey really is a monster if he tries.


    I appreciate the support of all my readers. Thank you so much for your Coins, Gifts, Comments, Power Stones, Golden Tickets, etc.


    If possible, I''d like you to review this Novel so other readers can see if it''s worth their time or not.

 Chapter 112 Early Arrival

    <h4>Chapter 112 Early Arrival </h4>


    "Huu¡­"


    Once Rey was done collecting all the Monster Cores, he heaved a heavy sigh.


    As misty breaths escaped his lips and nostrils, he could clearly see the gateway to the next Floor.


    The doorway existed at the furthest end of the ring¡ªalmost as if it was being guarded by the Boss Rey had just defeated.


    That was his next destination.


    "I Leveled Up three times just now¡­" Rey mumbled, realizing just how much EXP he must have received from the Boss and his minions.


    With every Level Up, it got increasingly difficult to do so again.


    Considering the fact that Rey had Leveled Up a total of five times before reaching the Boss Room by killing hundreds upon hundreds of BigFoot Monsters, it was surprising that he was able to Level Up three times just from a hundred others and a Boss.


    ''The BigFoot Monsters here were holding weapons, so they''re probably stronger than the ones I faced outside¡­'' Was Rey''s line of reasoning.


    The Boss had to also be quite strong.


    With those thoughts in mind, Rey was happy he didn''t dawdle at all.


    ''I still have about two hours left. I can still challenge the next Floor, right?''


    Rey knew he was pushing it, but he liked his current streak.


    He didn''t want to ruin the momentum.


    ''If I can reach Level 30¡ªno, Level 35¡ªtoday¡­ I''ll be satisfied!''


    He stared at the ck gate that led to the next Floor. It wasn''t covered in frost or anything, which surprised Rey.


    That had to mean that the gate had special properties, or¡­ the Floor that it led to was extremely hot.


    Rey braced himself more for the second possibility.


    "I''ll have to speedrun this one¡­" He whispered, more white clouds of cold air escaping his lungs.


    Time wasn''t on his side.


    *******


    Alicia silently read her book in the library, flipping through the pages with a small smile on her face.


    She wasn''t smiling due to what she was reading, but because of something else.


    ¡­ Someone else.


    ''In a few more hours, Rey wille here.'' She didn''t want to explicitly admit to herself why she was happy about this prospect.


    But she was.


    Alica was almost done with the current book in her hands¡ªa literature text regarding themon practices of the people of H''Trae which had now been ouwed.


    She had read this particr book before, but that was so long ago¡ªback when she just started frequenting the Library.


    A lot had happened since then, and so she wanted to revisit the literature and see if she could have a new, more informed, grasp on what she had read before.


    So far, she had encountered a bunch of mundane things¡ªlike the ouwing of eating certain foods out in the opening.


    This was done to ensure proper sanitation of the streets and to prevent dirtying the roads.


    However, this rule only applied to high-brow areas like the Capital. ces such as the Adventurer City were exempt from this regtion.


    A couple of financial limitations and transactional oversights were also mentioned in the book.


    These concepts might have been tooplicated for Alicia to grasp in the past, but she understood a lot more now.


    In a way, she found this whole thing funny.


    Why was she learning so much about a world that she intended on leaving very soon?


    ''Maybe when I get back, I should write a novel about all of this¡­'' As she chuckled, a dark thought suddenly appeared in her mind.


    ''Rey doesn''t want to go back¡­ haa¡­''


    That thought was enough to cause her bright smile to diminish.


    Before she could dwell on it too much, though, she quickly brought her attention back to the book.


    While there were a lot of mundane, inconsequential regtions recently ced on previously epted practices, there were still a few that were big deals.


    One of them was very.


    ''It''s hard to believe that the Kingdoms used to practice very up till even a decade back¡­''


    The catalyst for stopping the ve trade was the rising conflict beteeen the Humans and other Races, as well as the most important one yet.


    ¡­ The rise of the Dragons!


    ''Once the Dragons invaded, and the Human Kingdoms began to band together, a lot of reforms were made¡­''


    One of them was the abolition of the ve trade.


    ording to the book, there were still some who engaged in the ve trade¡ªboth buying and selling.


    However, they were considered among the highest kinds of criminals in the United Human Alliance.


    They usually operated in secret¡ªdeep in the inner recesses of the ck Market.


    ''This is just awful¡­ selling humans as amodity¡­''


    It seemed no matter the world, the stain of very remained in their history.


    Thankfully, it wasn''t legal anymore.


    ''If it was, I''d have some issues with this ce.'' As Alicia had these thoughts, she noticed someone enter the Library.


    It was a familiar presence she could spot from a mile away, and seeing him made her smile return almost instantly.


    ''R-Rey?!''


    Yes, the boy she had been thinking of for so long now entered the Library and instantly spotted her.


    ''What''s he doing here so early?''


    Rey usually came to the Library in the night. She still didn''t know what he did in his spare time, and while she had been meaning to ask him about it, Alicia didn''t think it was the right time.


    "Hi." Rey said with a smile as he approached her.


    ''Hmm. Strange¡­''


    Whenever Rey got close to her, she usually had one single thought¡ª


    ''He smells nice!''


    However, this time was different.


    It wasn''t like he smelled or anything¡ªat least, Alicia didn''t want to think he did¡ªbut he just didn''t have the same ambiance.


    "Hi." She responded with a smile regardless.


    "Want to hang out? I was thinking we should go to the Town together."


    Alicia raised her brow in even more surprise.


    Usually, Rey would want to hang out with her in the library. He was often very interested in reading as much as he could, and he even sought her consultation on some books to read.


    Alicia had even been thinking of introducing him to the current book she was reading once she was done.


    So, this was strange¡­


    "I-I have a surprise for you. Haha¡­"


    Once Alicia heard that, she couldn''t help but smile to herself.


    "Another surprise, huh?"


    "H-huh? I mean, yeah! Haha!"


    Alicia couldn''t help but giggle at Rey''s awkwardness


    She thought he had already gotten over his nervousness around her, and she still remembered how incredibly confident he had been the other day.


    The timid version of Rey had his charms, but she liked it better when he became more assertive


    It showed he wasfortable around her.


    "Alright then." Alicia closed her book and rose to her feet.


    "Wouldn''t want to keep the surprise waiting!"


    "Yeah! I know, right?"


    Rey''s fidgety attitude made her feel like this ''surprise'' of his was a big deal, which was why she abandoned her book.


    She was a bit curious to see what he had in store for her.


    ''Could it be¡­ a confession¡­?!''


    Alicia didn''t think she was ready for something like that yet.


    She liked her current vibe with Rey and didn''t want him to ruin it.


    ''I shouldn''t assume. Let''s just see where this goes¡­''


    With that in mind, Alicia left her book on the library table.


    ''I''ll continue reading it when I get back.''


    That was what she thought.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I wonder why Rey came back early. He''s meant to be grinding hard, isn''t he?


    What do you think?

 Chapter 113 The Juice Shop

    <h4>Chapter 113 The Juice Shop </h4>


    They went past the town square, towards the marketce.


    Throughout the journey, Rey kept bringing up random topics, and Alicia didn''t quite understand why.


    For example; things like her dreams, her thoughts on certain guys in their ss.


    The breaking point for Alicia was when he asked about what she thought about Billy.


    She actually considered him to be an imposter at some point¡ªmaybe Justin disguised as Rey.


    But on their way out of the Royal Estate, they saw Justin hanging out with his friends.


    It couldn''t have been him.


    Stil, Alicia wasn''t sure this was really Rey.


    To exercise caution, she asked him questions that only Rey would know¡ªquestions involving things they discussed in the Library or in his room.


    "How many cats do I have in my grandparents'' house again?" Was a good example.


    And every time¡­ EVERY SINGLE TIME¡­


    "Over thirty-seven, right?"


    ¡­ Rey knew the answers to her queries.


    It had to be him!


    ''So why is he being so weird?'' She wondered to herself.


    Perhaps this whole surprise thing had him all worked up. That was Alicia''s excuse for him.


    The two of them eventually went to a shop that sold "The best Fruit Juice around!" ording to Rey.


    She didn''t know he had been exploring much of the city, especially since he never told her about it.


    ''I would have liked to know¡­ or evene¡­'' Alicia''s thoughts trailed.


    But she quickly shrugged it off.


    The Shop was more like a restaurant, with tables and chairs set in multiple ces.


    For a ce meant to be the best, it was scanty at best. A few men were seated in certain corners here and there, but there weren''t more than seven of them.


    They all had big jugs of juice in front of them, but the liquid contents were almost full to the brim, showing that they had barely been touched.


    ''Is Rey really sure about this ce?'' Alicia wondered to herself as she scanned her surroundings.


    She saw a few men taking sips, but they were hardly making pleasant expressions.


    Instead, their hardened faces seemed distracted.


    Some even stared at her a few times.


    "U-um, Rey¡­ I don''t really feelfortable here¡­" She whispered into his ears.


    She just had a bad vibe about the ce and worried for the safety of both of them.


    However, he just casually shrugged it off.


    "Don''t worry. It''s always like this. There''s really nothing to be ufortable about."


    The way he waved off her concern felt unlike Rey.


    ¡­ Almost too insensitive.


    But Alicia decided to trust his words. They hade all this way for the surprise anyway, so she decided to get it over with.


    Although she didn''t think she was in much of a mood for anything.


    They got a table pretty easily, and once they sat, someone came to attend to them.


    "What would you like to have?" The woman who asked this had a in face and a somewhat shabby appearance.


    She held a piece of paper in one hand and what appeared to be a pen in the other.


    Once Alicia focused on her hand, though, she noticed her hands trembling.


    "Hey, are you okay? Your hands are trembling." Her voice echoed concern as she asked the waitress.


    Thedy in question expressed shock. She probably wasn''t expecting Alicia to notice, talkless of asking.


    As a result, she was too stunned to speak.


    "Oh, she''s fine, Alicia. Let''s just make our order and¡ª"


    "I wasn''t asking you, Rey." She quickly shot him a distasteful look.


    This was the very first time she had felt this way towards him. It almost felt like repulsion¡ªthe kind she felt for certain kinds of guys.


    She didn''t think Rey was such a person.


    ''Could I have been wrong? Is he finally showing his true colors after all this time?'' She asked herself.


    No¡­ no, she didn''t want to believe that.


    "I¡­ I just have a cold, that''s all. Nothing too serious."


    The waitress'' voice woke Alicia from her thoughts, prompting her to return her gaze to the nervous-looking woman.


    ''Maybe she''s shy, or it''s her first week working here¡­''


    Alicia was still concerned, but she didn''t want to cause more of a scene since most of the few men in the shop were already looking in her direction.


    "Alright then. Get well soon."


    "T-thank you¡­"


    Alicia smiled sweetly, but that expression quickly died down as she turned to Rey who was smiling intently at her.


    She might have felt some measure of bashfulness if she saw this a few hours ago, but now she felt a little annoyed.


    "Why don''t you pick something for me? You know this ce best." Alicia sighed, taking her gaze away from him to look around once again.


    "O-okay! Then you should try their strawberry shake! It''s the best!"


    "Really¡­?"


    "Yep! I just tried it out yesterday, and it was fantastic¡­"


    ''Yesterday, huh¡­?'' Alicia''s thoughts trailed as she reigned her gaze to Rey


    "You seem pretty excited about this ce and what you got yesterday, yet you didn''t mention it to me at all when we spokest night¡­"


    "A-ah, well¡­ I¡­ I was eventually going to¡­ really¡­"


    Alicia could see from Rey''s expression that he was lying.


    ''Why? Is it because of the surprise?''


    Either way, she didn''t like it one bit. She never expected him to lie to her, even under these circumstances.


    ''That''s why he''s the one I trusted most among everyone here¡­''


    He was someone she could be honest with, and she thought he saw her as the same.


    But now, Alicia didn''t know anymore.


    "H-here you are. Two strawberry shakes."


    As the waitress brought a tray that held two medium cups of the same liquid, Alicia felt it was too fast.


    ''Don''t they take longer to make these things¡­?'' She pondered.


    She gave Rey his own strawberry shake, to which he didn''t respond to with any smile or words of courtesy.


    He just kept looking at her like a creep.


    ''I really don''t like this¡­''


    Alicia had the mind to leave the ce and return to the library to finish her book, but she decided to simply wait for the surprise.


    Perhaps this was simply a manifestation of the vestiges of feelings that she still had for the boy before her.


    The waitress proceeded to give Alicia her cup when, all of a sudden¡ª


    "A-ah¡ª!"


    The waitress slipped, causing the cup to nearly topple over and ssh its contents all over Alicia''s casual outfit.


    Before it could do so, though¡­


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    ¡­ Rey swooped in like the wind and caught the cup , shifting Alocia''s chair so not even a drop of the sttered juice reached her.


    The waitress, unfortunately, wasn''t saved.


    "A-ahh¡­ I deeply apologize. I''m sorry¡­ so so sorry¡­" She nearly sobbed as she remained on the ground.


    Alicia thought she looked pitiful, and her powerless state struck a chord within her.


    "N-no, it''s fi¡ª"


    "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU''RE DOING?!" Rey''s voice suddenly echoed, exuding sheer rage.


    Alicia had never seen him this way.


    "YOU NEARLY SPILLED THE CUP! YOU NEARLY STAINED ALICIA! ARE YOU RETARDED?!"


    Hearing those words proceed out of his lips, Alicia found her heart in a deep state of shock


    And then, the thought surfaced in her mind again.


    ''I-Is that really¡­ Rey?''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I''m sure a bunch of you must have figured it out by now, so I will not pretend anymore.


    Hope you enjoyed the chapter.

 Chapter 114 The Big Reveal

    <h4>Chapter 114 The Big Reveal </h4>


    ''I-Is that really Rey¡­?''


    Alicia''s stunned expression as she stared at the aggressive scowl on Rey''s face was downright obvious.


    She couldn''t hide it anymore.


    "GET UP! DON''T TRY TO PLAY THE VICTIM ANYMO¡ª!"


    "That''s enough!" Alicia yelled out, a re now imprinted deep into her face.


    "A-ah, Alicia, don''t mind me. I''m just telling this¡ª"


    "Save it. I don''t want to hear anything from you¡­" Alicia raised her hand and walked past Rey,pletely ignoring hisme excuse for a reason.


    She walked towards the waitress and knelt beside her, holding two of her trembling hands.


    "It''s fine, don''t worry. I''m not mad at you."


    Thedy seemed immensely surprised by Alicia''s kindness, and even Rey appeared stunned from behind her.


    Alicia no longer had any business with him, though.


    "Please stand up."


    She helped the waitress up, and after they both rose to their feet, she nodded and smiled even more broadly.


    "You made a mistake. It happens. Maybe take the rest of the day off."


    Since thisdy wasn''t feeling too well, and she was probably inexperienced in her job, it was best to rest.


    "A-ah. No, I c-couldn''t¡­"


    Alicia instantly understood why.


    ''How could I have been so stupid? She''s probably working like this because she has no choice in the matter.''


    Life wasn''t all rainbow and sunshine for everyone in the city¡ªeven in a ce like the Capital.


    A lot of people were struggling, and since thews ouwed begging, many couldn''t turn to that for survival.


    "I understand¡­" Alicia smiled as she grabbed the woman''s two hands and slipped something inside.


    It was a Gold Coin¡ªthe one she didn''t get to spend during the first Excursion.


    She drew closer to the waitress, practically embracing her, and whispered words into her ears.


    "Use this to take care of yourself and your family well. You can quit this job and start something you really want to do."


    A Gold Coin was powerful in this world. Alicia knew full well the value it had, and she knew the waitress¡ªa native of this world¡ªunderstood as well.


    Alicia could feel thedy tremble, and she thought she saw tears as well.


    "Just go. Okay? Don''t make a fuss about it."


    Thedy nodded and Alicia took a few steps back before nodding at her with a look of support.


    ''Whatever venture you want to start¡­ I wish you good luck!''


    Alici watched as thedy went away, entering the same staff-only ce where she got their juice from.


    Perhaps she was going to tender her resignation and leave for a better life.


    That was her hope for her, at least.


    ''Now¡­ where was I?'' Alicia turned back and saw Rey standing behind her, his expression sullen.


    ''It seems he already recognizes what he did was wrong.''


    In all honesty, Alicia felt like leaving the shop that very instant. She wasn''t even interested in whatever surprise he had to show her.


    She merely wanted to get out of this dreary ce, and out of his sights.


    But¡­


    ''The least I can do is drink the juice that she brought for me.''


    Alicia didn''t know if it was thedy who prepared it. She probably wasn''t, considering the fact that she was sick and clumsy.


    ''But, since she was my waiter, I should respect her service by at least trying out the drink.''


    "Sit." She told Rey, and she took her seat.


    He obeyed and went to where his hair was, pushing it closer to the table. Alicia adjusted her disced chair as well.


    "Just so you know, I''m not staying for you. Once I''m done with this drink, I''m out of here¡­" She took the cup.


    She expected him to argue or render some stupid excuse that would disgust her more.


    Somewhere deep within Alicia, she actually hoped he would give her a reason that would convince her.


    ¡­ That would make her see him the way she used to.


    But Alicia doubted that would ever happen.


    There was really no reason for anyone¡ªespecially someone like Rey¡ªto be an asshole to a powerless woman.


    Especially since he understood what it meant to be weak and looked down on.


    ''What are you going to say now? Let''s hear it?'' She nearly rolled her eyes as she took a sip of the juice.


    It was sweet. Too sweet.


    "I understand." Rey''s echoed in her ears, his words surprising to hear.


    He wasn''t whining or trying to make excuses. It seemed he truly recognized what he did was wrong.


    ''At least you can see that¡­'' Alicia strangely felt a tinge of relief after hearing his sullen voice.


    It seemed he wasn''t beyond redemption, after all. Perhaps he needed time to reflect some more.


    ''But this¡­ isn''t this false advertising?'' Alicia shot Rey a look of disgust as she traced her sight to the cup in her hand.


    The red liquid in her cup slushed around as she red heavily at it.


    ''This stuff is hardly a decent fruit juice, talkless of the best.''


    Alicia had tasted smoothies and juices back on Earth, and they also existed in this new world.


    The Otherworlders were treated to the best kinds of meals, so it didn''te as a surprise that she got to drink some every once in a while.


    In her opinion, the stuff back on Earth tasted better.


    Still, it wasn''t like the fruit juice in H''Trae tasted bad or anything.


    ''But this is just¡­ bad.''


    Alicia didn''t think it was fair topare a local juice shop to the stuff she had the privilege to drink in the Royal Pce.


    However, even by normal standards, what she was drinking didn''t feel like a good drink.


    It was nowhere near the best.


    She struggled to down a few more gulps out of respect for the waitress, but after that, she was done.


    Any more, and she would feel sick.


    "I think I''m do¡­ne¡­" As Alicia jumped to her feet, a sudden wave of nausea hit her.


    She felt something hot rising within her stomach, and everything around her suddenly started to get blurry.


    "W-wha¡­?" Her eyes spotted Rey, who was still seated in his chair.


    "R-Rey¡­ what is¡­ what''s happening to¡­ m-mee¡­?"


    As she fell her body copse, a pair of strong arms grabbed her.


    They felt strong and rough¡ªnot the kind that Rey would have.


    "It didn''t have to be this way¡­"


    The voice that whispered into her ears felt oddly familiar, but because of the faint echo that rang in her ears, she could quite ce it.


    All Alicia knew was that she hated the sound.


    "¡­ But this is all for the best."


    After she heard all that, she fell unconscious,pletely disconnected from reality.


    ¡­ And the dark reality that awaited.


    **********


    "Haaa¡­"


    A teenage boy traded his fingers through his dark dark brown hair as he held his beloved with a single hand.


    His muscr physique made it obvious that he was a strong warrior, but his obsessive blue eyes were tainted¡ªunbefitting of a noble knight.


    As he hungrily eyed the unconscious girl in his arm, the same way a starving predator would its prey, he smiled widely.


    "You''re finally going to be mine¡­ Alicia."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading.


    [Please be patient and keep going¡­]


    Billy has issues, but it looks like he''s Leveling Up in his own way.

 Chapter 115 Billy’s Grand Plan

    <h4>Chapter 115 Billy¡¯s Grand n </h4>


    After the events of that fateful night¡ªthe night that he witnessed Alicia''s betrayal¡ªBilly only had one thought.


    ¡­ To make Alicia his no matter what?


    He threw away his noble code and whatever vestiges of pride that were left within him.


    The self control that held him back snapped, and now that he was unhinged, he could see the light.


    Billy knew what had to be done.


    He reached out to Evals Redart, and they both reached an agreement.


    He would lure Alicia to the agreed-upon location, and that was where the deed would take ce.


    The only reason he was sessful was due to the effects of the ring he had in his right finger¡ªThe Ring of Deceit.


    All he had to do was touch Alicia with it once, and he would be able to turn into whoever she trusted most.


    Earlier that day, he took the first step and brushed past her, using the ring to touch her skin.


    She noticed it instantly and shot him a disgusted look, but Billy knew it was only because she was confused.


    She misunderstood his intentions.


    ''This is all for your own good. For the good of both of us¡­'' Was what he thought of anytime he remembered her reaction to him.


    She was simply confused¡ªtoo confused to see that he was the perfect guy for her.


    But soon¡­ that would all change.


    The entire shop was upied by his allies¡ªsubordinates of Evals Redart. Their purpose was to act as mere enjoyers of the shop and also to act if anything went wrong.


    The shop owner had already been ''settled'' ording to Evals, so Billy figured he already had the guy''s permission to use his ce of business.


    With everything going well¡ªall ording to n¡ªBilly didn''t expect his ns to nearly be ruined by an ipetent waitress.


    He would have hit her if Alicia wasn''t present. However, since she was around, Billy thought he would just let her go by saying a few words.


    Apparently, that was too much for Alicia.


    He still remembered the look of disgust that she shot at him. It tore him inside.


    However, if he had any constion, it was this;


    ''She thinks I''m Rey, so it''s Rey she looked at like that. There''s no way she''d look at me that way once this is all over!''


    Billy was secretly happy about how everything went down. Why?


    "Once I''m done rescuing her, she''ll despise Rey so much and she''ll love only me."


    Yes¡­


    "We''ll be a power couple!


    ¡­ That was the n.


    Evals Redart had proposed a kidnapping scheme; where Alicia would be the damsel in distress, and he would be her Hero.


    ''I''ll have to let her endure a bit of torture, though. Nothing to severe¡­''


    Once she reached the brink of despair and desperately needed someone, that was when he would appear.


    Billy was going to save her from her horrible kidnappers and be her savior!


    ''¡­ And no one can say ''NO'' to their savior.'' He grinned.


    She would love him as a man, and she would see his mighty power as he got rid of her torturers.


    "Hehehe¡­ hehehe¡­" Heughed silently, raising Alicia so she could sit on the table that she so abruptly stood from.


    "Hate Rey. Love me. That''s all I¡ª"


    "Looks like it''s done. I was worried there for a second."


    "Me too¡­ whew!"


    "Nice work, Sir Billy."


    Billy was approached by the men who had yed their part well as the extras in the shop.


    Thanks to them, Alicia didn''t really suspect anything.


    "It was nothing¡­" Billy grinned, noticing that each man was still holding their jug of juice.


    "Let''s celebrate!" One yelled out, jugging down the liquid contents of his massive cup.


    "YEAH!" Everyone followed and did the same.


    Billy felt it was all weird, but he figured this was how the locals behaved.


    "Yeah!" He also raised his cup of juice and drank of its contents.


    It tasted like in juice¡ªnot too bad and not too good.


    ''Alicia''s juice had to be sweetened so she couldn''t notice the bitter taste of the sedative they gave her.''


    However, his juice wasn''t so great either.


    ''Well, I guess that whole lie about this ce being the best will also be pinned on Rey.''


    Billy chuckled more to himself as he saw the ring that gleaned on Alicia''s finger.


    A wave of envy rushed into him as he felt hot within his stomach.


    He felt his head pounding and he took it as a sign of rage.


    "That ring¡­ you don''t need it!" Billy staggered as he rushed to where he ced Alicia.


    He yanked off the ring and threw it on the floor, almost as if it was nothing but a mere pebble.


    Billy didn''t know how much the ring was worth, but since it came from Rey, he knew it couldn''t have been worth very much.


    "I''ll buy you a better one! I''ll¡­ give y-you a¡­ proper¡­ ri..ng¡­?"


    Billy felt nauseated, and everything around him began to turn blurry.


    His heart pounded heavily within his chest as he watched the men around close in on him.


    They seemed to have smiles wrapped around their faces¡ª


    facades that seemed to be masks of malevolence.


    "Y-you¡­" He slowly began to realize what was happening.


    "¡­ W-what do you guys¡­ think you''re¡­ doing¡­?"


    His warrior body was trying its hardest to resist the effects of whatever they fed him, but it was toote for him.


    He couldn''t even feel his body any longer.


    "Hehehe! What an idiot!" He heard one man say.


    "Look at the stupid expression on his face!" Another said in a loud cackle.


    ''Y-you can''t talk to me like that!'' Billy wanted to tell, but his lips felt sluggish.


    "A gullible buffoon! He has no idea that he and hisdy are gonna be sold off."


    "Hahaha! He doomed himself and the poor girl. All so he could y the hero!"


    "Looks like the Boss was right. He''s nothing but a naive sucker!"


    As Billy felt his eyes forcefully close, feelings of betrayal and fear tugged at his racing heart.


    ''B-but¡­ we had a deal¡­'' His thoughts trailed pathetically.


    ''¡­ I even gave them¡­ a Gold Coin¡­ for their¡­ services¡­''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Looks like Billy''s mastern didn''t work.


    That sucks for real.


    Let me hear your thoughts in thements. Haha!


    And yeah¡­ Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 116 Den Of Criminals

    <h4>Chapter 116 Den Of Criminals </h4>


    "Haha! Is it all done?"


    A burly man, robust with a bulging stomach appeared from the inner recesses of the ''staff-only'' room.


    He had blood stains on his hand, and each finger had rings on them. His fat-ridden body moved slowly as he cleaned his bloodied hands with a rag and flung it to the side once he was done.


    "Oh, Leader? Did you kill that woman already?" One of the men who had secured both Alicia and Billy said with a somewhat disappointed face.


    "What do you think?" The fat man answered with a twisted grin.


    His hands were meant to be clean now, but stains of red still appeared in some areas.


    "I-I see¡­ I shouldn''t have even asked."


    In all honesty, this man¡ªas well as the rest of his sixrades¡ªwanted to have his way with her.


    He had been looking forward to enjoying the waitress for some time now.


    ''When we killed her Boss and took over this shop, I expected my time toe soon¡­''


    He felt frustrated that his Leader had done away with her already.


    "She intentionally tripped, that woman. I was watching everything that happened with my Skill." The robust man said with a smirk.


    "I had to¡­ punish her."


    The sadistic gleam in his eyes told the men that watched him that it wasn''t a quick experience for the poordy.


    She must have suffered intensely.


    "Her corpse is still there, if you want to have a go. I tried to keep her in as good a shape as possible."


    As the robust man said this, he brought a coin out of his sleeve and tossed it in the air, before picking it up from the air and cing it in his pouch.


    "At least I got a reward for my troubles¡­" He chuckled silently.


    The men who watched him didn''t move. They remained in their positions despite already having the permission to fulfill their carnal desires.


    "What''s the matter? Is it because she''s a corpse now? It''s not like you''ve not done it that way before." He chuckled.


    He wasn''t wrong.


    This man, Gus, knew how sick and demented his men were.


    They would shove their meat into anything female that had a hole¡ªdead or alive.


    So what was stopping them this time?


    "Hahahaha! It''s fine."


    "I''m good, thank you."


    "Me too!"


    The reason for these reactions towards Gus was simple.


    The men understood that the woman they lusted after was not the one they were going to meet behind the ''staff-only'' door.


    Her body would have been smashed to a pulp by Gus'' massive arms, her teeth would have been knocked out by his bronze rings.


    Her body would have been thoroughly mutted¡ªtorn apart in its entirety.


    That was how messed up Leader Gus was.


    "Hahahaha! Is that so? Then I suppose we better forget all about this and focus on the task at hand."


    All the men nodded.


    Their two prisoners¡ªpotentially ves¡ªwere right in their grasp.


    Based on their expensive-looking attires¡ªdespite how casual they seemed¡ªthey were quite rich.


    The fact that thedy even gave a total stranger a Gold Coin attested to the fact.


    These men could have simply kidnapped them and waited for ransom from their families.


    However, that wasn''t their intention at all.


    "Just as the Boss instructed, we''ll take them to the warehouse."


    Their Boss¡ªEvals Redart¡ªwas a ve Trader, and a prominent one at that.


    He ran thergest ve Trade business in the Southern Parts of the United Human Alliance, and men like Gus and his minions were only a fraction of the people he had under hismand.


    This ''warehouse'' that they were taking these two to was one of the many ces they held ves.


    Only one of its kind existed in a city, so the Capital''s warehouse was especially important¡ªas well asrge.


    "The ''Special'' ce, right? We remember."


    ves had varying values ced on them.


    Some ves¡ªlike random beggars that were kidnapped in the streets¡ªweremonmodities that weren''t worth much.


    Women were priced higher than men when it came to regr folks, since the pleasure that was associated with a female ve seemed to outweigh thebor that a male could provide.


    Those who had special abilities¡ªSkills or a useful ss¡ªwere valued even higher.


    They were taken to the ''Special'' area of the Warehouse, where only the best ofmodities were kept.


    "Seems you already know what to do. I''m off to take a shit. When Ie back, we''ll get going."


    Everyone in the room knew what Gus was truly going to do in the restroom, but no one said anything.


    They just watched him leave.


    One of the men spotted a gleaming white ring on the floor while his Leader''s back was turned against him.


    The same man that desired the waitress the most.


    He recognized the ring as the one that thedy called Alicia had worn when she entered the shop.


    The same one that Billy had flung away in rage.


    ''Hehehehehe¡­!''


    It seemed luck hadn''t fully abandoned this man yet, considering how valuable the ring seemed to be.


    While no one was looking, he yanked it from the ground and licked his lips in greed.


    "I won''t be long, don''t worry!" Gus'' echoing voice caused him to tremble as he dipped the ring into his pocket.


    No one could know what he had just done, else they''d eye him for a prize he rightfully earned.


    ''I''m sure it''s worth at least a couple Gold Coins. Maybe¡­ just maybe¡­ a tinum Coin?!''


    Men like thismon criminal had never been privileged to hold a tinum Coin in his hand before.


    He could only daydream about it.


    But now¡­ now he had a chance to earn it!


    ''Once I sell it, I''ll buy my freedom from Sir Redart and return to my hometown!''


    Once he brought tons of money to his people, they were bound to wee him as a hero and not the rogue that everyone knew him to be.


    Eventually, he could settle down and have his own family.


    That sort of life didn''t sound so bad.


    ¡­ Even to amon criminal.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    This was a pretty dark chapter, I know.


    Apologies if it made anyone ufortable¡­

 Chapter 117 Strange Observation

    <h4>Chapter 117 Strange Observation </h4>


    "Haaa¡­ haaa¡­"


    A young, dark-haired man stood at the center of what appeared to be a corpse-party.


    He had a dark mask on his face, and his eyes glowed bright crimson, even as his hair fell and covered his face.


    In this hellish world, one filled with unimaginable heat, steam, and ming geysers, the young man leaked out a musty sigh and chuckled.


    "Hehehe¡­ hahaha¡­ hahahahahaha!!!"


    Gleaning Monster Cores appeared around him, and the destroyed bodies of what appeared to be crimson-looking monkeys¡ªa striking variant of the Monkey Monsters and BigFoot Monsters


    These ones had very dark dirt and crimson bodies. Their bodies were a mess now, all of their innards strewn around and cooked by the intense heat in the area.


    "Looks like I made it in time!" The cackling boy smirked as he looked ahead to see a crawling figure.


    The Boss Monster¡ªa massive Crimson Bigfoot¡ªwas trying to crawl away after three of its four total limbs had been severed.


    Right now, it only saw one option¡­ RUN!


    Unfortunately for the beast, not even that was a viable option.


    "[Force]."


    The Boss Monster suddenly lost control over its battered body, feeling itself get pulled back despite all attempts to advance.


    It screamed at the top of its lungs for help, but¡­


    ~FWUUSH!~


    ¡­ There was no one to listen.


    "G-gurrruk!"


    It was the strongest in that Floor, and now it was the only one remaining.


    ~SQUELCH!~


    A hand dug through its chest, causing hot blood to flow out like a faucet.


    The monster could feel as its Core was grabbed and forcefully yanked out.


    This was the end.


    "G-gurrrr¡­k¡­."


    It couldn''tplete whatever pitiful words of plea it had to offer before itpletely lost its life.


    All its life, this creature never thought it would die this way. It had always assumed that it would live long enough to challenge the Ice Dwellers who dwelled a Floor above them.


    But now¡­ that was toote.


    Or perhaps it was a dream not worth having, to begin with.


    The light in the Boss Monster''s eyes went out as it plopped to the ground, sshing heated blood all around.


    Alive, it was the most powerful of its people, but in death it was nothing but a mere chunk of meat among many others.


    "Alright, then! Once I pick up these Cores, I should be done."


    He was impressed with himself for what he had achieved thus far.


    If there was one problem, though¡ª


    "Level 33, huh? It''s not bad, but I wanted Level 35 at least."


    Rey shrugged it off and smiled brightly.


    ''I achieved a great deal today. If I continue at this pace, I should be able to grow considerably more powerful.''


    And in the end, that was what mattered most.


    **********


    Night met the world of H''Trae, and the Royal Estate was no exception to this.


    As crept throughout the Castle Walls, Light Crystals that were affixed on the pirs that stood in several locations began to glow.


    This source of illumination, very simr to street lights, ensured that no one felt too wrapped around in darkness even on an evening stroll.


    Despite this special feature, hardly anyone could be seen in the Estate''s vastpound at such ate hour.


    The only ones that walked about were the guards on patrol, as well as one particr student¡ªRey.


    He had barely made it for curfew, and after tending his ''Pass'' at the Gate before entering, he jogged inside the Castle''s embrace.


    "Home sweet home¡­" Rey mumbled, realizing just how much he had gotten used to this ce.


    It wasn''t just him, though.


    Everyone in their ss had already gotten ustomed to this world in their own way.


    Rey almost considered it scary at this point.


    Still, he took his mind off the topic, instead focusing on what his ns were for the rest of the day.


    ''First a good ol'' shower¡­ and then the Library!''


    He could already fed a smile forming on his face as he strolled past a few guards while thinking about hanging out with his friend.


    ''I better hurry, then!''


    **********


    Rey felt a smile tugging on his face as he approached the Library.


    After a long hard day, this was always the ce that gave him sce.


    Not just because of the books¡ªthough he enjoyed feasting on them, especially these days.


    No, it was due to someone else.


    "Alicia¡­?"


    Rey''s surprised echo filled the Library as he looked around the Library and didn''t find anyone present.


    He went to Alicia''s favorite spot, and all he found was a closed book on the table.


    ''Strange¡­''


    Alicia never left a book lying around, so it surprised Rey to see something like this on her table.


    ''First time for everything, I guess. Maybe she went for a short stroll¡­?''


    There was also the possibility that she went to the restroom, though Rey didn''t want to imagine that scenario for some reason.


    "I guess I''ll just see what she was reading while I wait for her."


    Rey sat on the chair that was right beside Alicia''s and opened the book to start reading.


    ********


    ''Okay, something is definitely off¡­'' Rey thought to himself.


    Even after waiting for an hour¡ªno, it was probably even more than that¡ªAlicia had still not showed up.


    It felt concerning, but Rey didn''t want to overthink.


    Perhaps Alicia simply forgot her book here and went back to her room to rx.


    Yes¡­ that was probably it.


    ''But why does that feel unlikely? I should probably just hang around here for a while longer¡­''


    Rey felt so distracted by her absence in the Library that he couldn''t focus on the book.


    He just skimmed through the pages and read a few things in each page before flipping it.


    And just like that, another hour passed.


    "Okay¡­ maybe I should go to¡ª"


    "Hey, Rey! Are you there?" A voice suddenly echoed at the entrance of the Library as someone walked in.


    ''Isn''t that¡­ Adonis¡­?!''


    Rey''s eyes nearly popped open for a moment, but he quickly shrugged off his surprise and stood from his position.


    Just as he thought, he met Adonis approaching his table in the Library.


    "Something hase up, Rey. You''ll have toe with me to the Living Quarters."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 118 A Walk With Adonis

    <h4>Chapter 118 A Walk With Adonis </h4>


    ''S-something came up¡­?!''


    As Rey stared into Adonis'' eyes, he could tell that something was terribly amiss.


    An expression of concern swept through his face and it felt like anxiety was welling up within him.


    Before Rey realized it, his heart began to race.


    "Am I in trouble again?" He asked, a bead of sweat formed on the side of his face.


    "A-ah! No! No! This is something else. You''ll understand once youe with me. Everyone is waiting¡­"


    Adonis had never lied to Rey before¡ªat least not to his knowledge. There was no reason to think he was doing so now, though Rey knew he couldn''t be too sure.


    After a few seconds of silent considerations, Rey decided there was no other option than to go with Adonis and see what was going on.


    ''I''ve not done anything wrong or suspicioustely, right? Or could it be another scheme by the mastermind ofst time¡­?''


    Rey shrugged off hisplicated thoughts and left his position, carrying the book he was reading in his hand without realizing it.


    "Don''t you need to return that?"


    "A-ah! True¡­"


    Rey didn''t know which section to ce it, so he simply put the book on the closest shelf and skittered off to catch up to Adonis, who was already waiting for him at the Library door


    "Alright! Let''s go!"


    *********


    At first, Rey was on his guard.


    He kept ncing around him as inconspicuously as he could to see if there were some hidden guards waiting in ambush for him somewhere.


    He couldn''t see any, though.


    ''Why would the guards need to ambush me, though? Why would Adonis even lie about anything?''


    If he was in trouble, guards would have just stormed into the Library with Adonis, who would probably just exin the situation to him.


    There would be no need for borate lies.


    ''That means something else came up! Could it be rted to Alicia?''


    Rey was about to ask Adonis about what he knew about the current situation when the Hero''s voice echoed in the air.


    "You''ve been working out a lot, haven''t you?"


    "E-eh¡­?"


    The question surprised Rey, but he was able to maintain a respectable reaction thanks to his ss Effect.


    "I''ve noticed it. It''s well hidden underneath your baggy clothing, but I know you''ve really bulked up and toned up your body."


    Adonis turned to Rey and smiled like any good guy would.


    "That''s good."


    "Um¡­ thanks?" Rey could only manage to say,pletely forgetting what it was that he wanted to ask Adonis.


    "I would like to make a wolf guess and say that the reason for your everyday disappearances is linked to your current growth."


    Rey didn''t understand what Adonis was driving at, but he wasn''t wrong.


    Thanks to hunting down Monsters and Leveling Up, he was bing more and more physically fit.


    ¡­ More than most guys in his ss too.


    ''Just how much does he know?'' Rey wondered, but chose to smile a little.


    "You''re not wrong. I work out a lot, but in secret."


    Hunting Monsters and grinding Levels was a kind of workout for Rey, so he didn''t think he was necessarily lying about it.


    "Haha! I figured! Well, keep it up, Rey." Adonis made a slight chuckle and nodded.


    He ced his hand on Rey''s shoulder and even gave him a thumbs up.


    Rey personally felt it was unnecessary to go so far, but heughed a little and nodded along.


    "A lot of people underestimate you because of your ss and Skill, but I don''t necessarily think having power is everything. Do you agree?"


    Adonis'' statement sounded like a pretentious thing to say¡ªan equivalent to a rich man saying stuff like "Money isn''t everything."


    If any other powerful guy had said this to Rey, he would have frowned in annoyance.


    However, he recognized that Adonis said this from a good ce.


    And he wasn''t exactly wrong.


    ''Even among Monsters, like the Goblins, it is the ability to learn, adapt, and grow¡­ that''s what matters most.''


    "Yeah. I agree." Rey ended up smiling genuinely as he replied to Adonis.


    Even the people of the United Human Alliance proved Adonis'' words to be true when they chose to summon Otherworlders in response to the overwhelming threat of the Dragons.


    If the people of this Nation were to survive, it wasn''t due to their strength, but the ability to change with the times ande up with a solution to their problem.


    Of course, all of this was meaningless without some measure of power, but Rey agreed that having power simply wasn''t enough.


    One needed to be resourceful with it.


    "The will to improve yourself¡­ it''s admirable. You workout every day, and then you go to the Library to study at night. I don''t know if there''s anyone here who matches your level of discipline."


    As Rey heard this, he felt like Adonis was buttering him too much.


    ''He sounds so genuine, bute on!''


    "What about you? You train a lot too, right, Adonis? You''re definitely more hardworking than I am."


    As Adonis heard this, he scratched his head andughed a little awkwardly.


    It felt like he was a little shy about the whole thing.


    "N-no¡­ that''s not it. It''s not the same for me¡­"


    Adonis did not borate any further, but Rey could see a distant look in his eyes.


    He must have had his reasons for training so hard, but Rey couldn''t tell what it was.


    He could only respect it.


    "I understand. We all have things that haunt us, right? For me¡­ I just want to stop being weak and be strong." For the first time, Rey took the initiative in the conversation.


    Adonis appeared a little surprised by this.


    "I''m sure you have a simr reason, right Adonis?"


    ''What the hell am I saying?!'' Rey screamed internally as hepleted his question.


    Adonis was always the one who started conversations with him, and every time he did so, Rey always ensured he remained passive through most of it.


    This was the very first time Rey was so assertive towards their Hero.


    ''Look at how he''s staring at me? Now I feel like an idiot!''


    He had gone to say something cheesy about himself, but how did he expect Adonis to rte to that?


    Rey was still struggling to recoil from what he had said when he heard Adonis'' footsteps suddenly stop.


    Two handsnded on Rey''s shoulders, and he found himself stopping as well.


    "Rey¡­"


    Adonis'' voice sounded sullen. It had hints of sadness within, but Rey could clearly see Adonis smiling at him.


    "¡­ Thank you, man."


    Rey hadn''t ever felt this awkward in his entire life, but he allowed the moment to happen.


    ''I don''t think this is necessary, though. Why is he thanking me for what I said?''


    The look on Adonis'' face proved he wasn''t joking, and his bright eyes had never been so honest.


    Thankfully, this didn''tst for too long.


    "A-ah, I apologize for being so forward. Everyone is waiting, so we better hurry."


    "N-no, it''s fine¡­"


    Both the Hero and the Extra looked away from each other, expressing something like an awkward tension that one would normally find among teenage lovers.


    It was difficult to exin, or even describe what was going on between these two guys.


    Despite Adonis saying they should hurry, neither took a step forward.


    At least, not immediately.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I know what you all are thinking, but no.


    There''s no romantic tension between the two of them. It''s just an awkward thing.


    ''Bromance'' maybe, but that''s even reaching too far.

 Chapter 119 Bad News

    <h4>Chapter 119 Bad News </h4>


    Rey and Adonis didn''t speak another word to each other until they got to the Living Quarters.


    Once they opened the door, everyone was already waiting for them in the living room¡ªjust as Adonis had said.


    However, it wasn''t just the students.


    Conrad and all the four other members of the Royal Council were present.


    Lucielle was also around.


    ''What''s with their expression? They don''t look so good¡­'' That wasn''t all that Rey noticed as he walked in, though.


    He looked hard at the crowd of students before him, counting only twenty-four instead of twenty-six, minusing him and Adonis.


    He didn''t see Billy in the crowd, which surprised him since he was always a stickler for the rules


    However, much more concerning for Rey was the other person who seemed to be absent.


    ''Alicia isn''t here¡­?!''


    The fact that he didn''t see her in the Library also meant one thing¡ªsomething happened to her.


    ''What''s going on? Is she fine?''


    As he looked at the downcast expressions of the Royal Council Members, as well as Lucielle, he could tell that his hopes were probably going to be dashed.


    A dark feeling washed over him as he took his seat and waited for the official words of the ones in charge.


    ''Please¡­ let it not be bad¡­''


    **********


    Conrad swallowed his saliva as he stepped forward.


    As the Grandmaster, it was his duty to address the Otherworlders on behalf of the council.


    Normally, such a role came with more prestige than burdens. He even enjoyed the attention and felt important in taking charge.


    But now, things were different.


    The words he was about to utter weighed heavily in his heart as he pried his lips open to speak


    "This is a very worrying night. I have two pieces of bad news to give you."


    As Conrad sighed, he studied the faces of his audience.


    Most of them had defensive expressions, while a few others appeared genuinely worried.


    ''I need to handle this matter delicately. I would have preferred being more diplomatic, but the Hero demands we be honest with the Otherworlders¡­''


    Adonis was the Alliance''s biggest supporter. They couldn''t afford to get him on their bad side.


    "Tonight, two of your fellows¡ªAlicia and Billy¡ªmissed curfew. As such, we tried to track them down using the Royal Badges we gave you, but encountered a problem¡­"


    Conrad gulped as he struggled to finish his words.


    "¡­ The Badges have been destroyed. As such, we can''t track them down."


    Royal Badges were by no means delicate. However, they weren''t particrly the strongest thing to exist.


    ''They''re not something to break on ident. It would require deliberate effort to do so¡­''


    "And so, we are confronted with two options¡­" Conrad continued, despite seeing the shocked and downright concerned expressions of the Otherworlders.


    "One is that they both decided to defect from the Alliance, cutting all ties with the Royal Estate, and¡ª"


    The moment Conrad said this, an uproar arose from the crowd of students.


    "What?!"


    "Billy would never do that!"


    "Do you know how hard he trains?!"


    "Maybe Alicia did, but not Billy!"


    "No¡­ even Alicia wouldn''t!"


    "Why not? She''s strong enough to survive on her own, right? She has no connections here too¡­"


    "Yeah, she''s always been a selfish one, hasn''t she?"


    "Anyway! That can''t be the case!"


    Conrad ignored the statements made about Alicia, but he too agreed with the words of the students.


    Of all the people most likely to leave the Royal Estate for good, Alicia and Billy seemed like thest who would consider it.


    Adonis had also said the same thing when this was brought to his notice.


    That meant the second option was most likely the case.


    "Something bad must have happened to them. In essence, they''re in danger." Conrad explicitly announced the second option.


    The students found themselves exchanging puzzled nces.


    There wasn''t an uproar like thest time, but doubtful faces filled the room.


    Conrad understood why.


    ''They''re both powerful Otherworlders¡ªone of the best among the group. There aren''t many who could face them and win.''


    Given a couple more months, Conrad was even sure they could surpass the Alliance''s most powerful Warriors and Mage respectively.


    "It could be the case of a kidnapping, or some other trouble that we are unaware of, but what we do know now is that they''re missing."


    "Can you track theirst location or something?" A voice emerged from the crowd.


    It came from a dark-haired boy in the crowd.


    Conrad shook his head and sighed, turning to Lucielle to exin.


    "The Royal Badge doesn''t work that way. It serves as a Conduit for Tracking Magic. As such, it only reveals the current location of whoever wields it when the Magic is cast."


    Once the Grand Mage was done exining, the room fell into loud murmurs.


    Students had varying theories about what was going on and what could possibly have happened.


    "If you all have any idea about where they were going, or the ns they had, then please speak up." Adonis'' voice cut through the murmurs instantly.


    His face oozed the most concern, and while he appeared worried, nothing about that diminished his regal handsomeness.


    "I saw the both of them walk past the gate together. It seemed like they were going somewhere."


    Justin raised his hand and spoke as forthrightly as he could.


    He and his friends had been hanging out when they saw them. Even though he called out to Billy, it seemed the boy was too distracted by Alici to see him.


    "I see¡­" Adonis murmured, his hand on his chin. "Notice anything else?"


    "Not really. I know they were dressed casually and smiling together. I found it weird, cus I have never seen those two together before¡­"


    Justin''s words elicited more reactions from the students in the room.


    One student in particr¡ªRey¡ªtried his best to hide his supreme shock.


    "Thanks for the details, Justin. It''s very much appreciated."


    Based on the information Justin provided, it was very likely that the two went on a date, or to a casual location.


    That ruled out some areas they would have searched.


    "Anything else¡­?"


    A hand was slowly raised in the air, and Adonis sharply turned his attention to the one who raised it.


    "Yes, Rey?"


    Rey rose to his feet with a conflicted expression staining his face.


    He appeared very confused, but also certain about something.


    ¡­ The fact that Alicia would never be caught dead with Billy.


    "Alicia and Billy had a falling out the other day when we went for that Excursion. I think it''s strange that they''d be together."


    "Hey! I know what I saw, okay?" Justin raised his voice, slightly offended by Rey''s insinuations.


    "I''m not invalidating that. I''m just saying¡­"


    "And how do you know all of this? Because you''re close to Alicia? Is that it?" Another voice echoed among the crowd.


    Suddenly, bursts ofughter began to echo among the students.


    It onlysted for a second at most, though.


    "That''s enough, guys! Two of our ssmates are missing, and they could very well be in danger, yet you all areughing?!"


    Adonis'' annoyed face seemed to bring the much needed sanity into the room.


    "Thank you for your contribution, Rey. That will also be considered."


    Rey returned to his seat, and a somber mood filled the room. It was at this point that the situation truly dawned on them.


    Billy and Alicia were missing!


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Brace yourself for the second round of bad news!

 Chapter 120 A Hero’s Disposition

    <h4>Chapter 120 A Hero¡¯s Disposition </h4>


    Once a few moments of silence was achieved, Adonis turned to Grandmaster Conrad and nodded.


    It was time for the second grave announcement to be made.


    "The Head Warrior Brutus has yet to return from his expedition."


    This announcement didn''t seem like much to the students, and to be honest, it wasn''t supposed to be.


    "We gave him and his men three days toplete their investigation, and it''s only been two days. Normally, there would be no cause for concern, but a recent development has urred."


    The faces of the twisted slowly began to twist in worry. They could detect, from Conrad''s tone and expression alone, that the matter was grave.


    "His Royal Badge was also destroyed, but more than that¡­ his Life Force is barely detectable."


    Lucielle slowly nodded solemnly as Conrad said this, her brows creasing to form wrinkles of worry on her usually clear face.


    As the Grand Mage of the Alliance, Lucielle had a lot of Spells at her disposal.


    One was a Spell to detect a person''s life force.


    Of course, there were conditions to be met for this to work, such as Lucielle''s proximity and extensive knowledge on the person in question.


    As such, while she could not detect the Life Force of the two Otherworlders who were missing, she could detect Brutus'' own.


    ¡­ And it was waning.


    "He''s dying. Or, at least, he''s in a very weakened state."


    Upon hearing this, the students were appalled.


    They had been assured that the Dungeon, despite being safe, wasn''t a fatal choice. They were also told that Brutus and Lucielle would protect them.


    Yet¡­


    "I was able to track his location, thankfully. He''s at the very bottom of the Dungeon¡ªthe Last Floor."


    Everyone''s eyes popped wide open.


    The Royal Dungeon was rumored to have about 99 Floors.


    How was it possible that the Head Warrior had reached the bottom Floor in such a short period?


    "It''s not something that is possible by natural means. That means something is definitely wrong¡ªperhaps the Savage Monster he was investigating." Lucielle muttered as she rubbed her chin.


    "S-savage Monster?!"


    "You didn''t tell us about this!"


    "What Monster? If it''s strong enough to put Brutus in that state, then¡­"


    Lucielle instantly realized the mistake she made by airing out her thoughts.


    Unfortunately, it was toote.


    The Otherworlders began to whine andin, their voices echoed around the room like joint cries of entitled children.


    Yes, they were scared. However, more than anything¡­ they were angry.


    Angry at the Alliance for trying to make them descend into the Dungeons despite how dangerous it was.


    They yelled about how their current training method was better, and how the Alliance was going to unnecessarily make them risk their lives.


    None of the students¡ªor at least, most of them¡ªunderstand the rationale behind the Alliance''s decisions.


    They only saw the danger associated with the Dungeon and began to spread their words of distrust.


    And with that came chaos.


    "This is¡­ getting a little upsetting."


    ~VWUUUUUUMMMM!~


    A sudden pressure filled the room, causing everyone to be silent.


    Adonis stepped forward, his golden eyes flickering as he frowned deeply.


    "Right now, our two ssmates are in trouble. The man who taught us how to fight, and went to ensure our safety is also missing¡­ and all you can think to do isin?"


    Adonis had never used such a harsh tone before, so it shocked a lot of people who heard him.


    "Do you all realize what you sound like right now?" His words had no filter.


    "¡­ Selfish scum."


    No one uttered a word ofint or disagreement.


    Instead, surprise and fear consumed the faces of the students who watched.


    Right now, it felt like Adonis had finally snapped.


    "I don''t even care anymore. The students who aren''t interested in helping out, or being at all useful should just leave."


    Shock filled the faces of everyone in the room¡ªeven the members of the Royal Council.


    "H-Hero, maybe that''s a little too¡ª"


    "Harsh? Inconsiderate? Unwise? No¡­ I don''t think so." Adonis sighed, exhaling deeply.


    His annoyed reaction remained, but the intimidating pressure he exuded began to dissipate


    "What this world needs are saviors¡ªsoldiers who are willing to see the bigger picture and fight for the greater good."


    Adonis wasn''t wrong. The threat of the Dragons increased with each growing day.


    The Alliance desperately needed capable warriors.


    "But what I see before me are still immature children who think this is all a game and desire to be pampered."


    They were only teenagers, so their previous disys of immaturity were very much understandable.


    But the situation was different now.


    This wasn''t a time to murmur, gossip, orin. It was a moment that required decisive action.


    Yet¡­ the very saviors of this world were not interested in any of that.


    "What is the point of wasting time and resources on you if you won''t do anything butin at crucial moments like this?"


    Adonis said it as it was.


    "The Alliance doesn''t need Otherworlders who simply want to grow strong so they don''t get devoured by the dangers of the world. What they need are heroes who will brave the danger and save the world from peril."


    It was a tough task, one that shouldn''t be thrust on mere teenagers.


    But for the people of H''Trae, 16 Years was the Legal Age for humans.


    That was why the Summoning Spell had been so specific to summon high-schoolers who were that age.


    The younger someone was, the more malleable they were to training, and the higher their growth potential would be.


    That was why the Alliance needed their saviors to be as young as possible, but also adults.


    Hence, 16-year-old teenagers.


    What they didn''t count on, however, was the kind of Otherworlders they ended up with.


    Selfish, entitled, problematic, and self-preserving young kings who would rather ditch the world in times of trouble than save it.


    "By dawn tomorrow, a team will be selected to descend to the depths of the Dungeon to rescue Head Warrior Brutus."


    Gasps echoed out as Adonis said this.


    "I don''t expect any of you to tag along, but I am going. If I can not save just one person, or a group of people, from peril¡­ how do I expect to save everyone?"


    Right now, they were still unsure of the location of Alicia and Billy, which meant that the most urgent matter was Brutus'' case.


    ¡­ Especially since he was in danger of dying.


    And so, while a thorough investigation would begin that very night concerning the two Otherworlders that were missing, radical action had to be taken in the Dungeon.


    "Lucielle and I will lead the rescue team to save Brutus and his men." Adonis dered, his gaze cold and his tone oozing resolve.


    "You all can choose to remain here, or enjoy your stay in the town for all I care. No, you could even leave the Estate if that''s what you really want."


    These were heavy words, but Adonis no longer held anything back.


    All his diplomacy was gone.


    "I will remain here, and I will do my best to save this world from the Dragons!" He roared.


    Everyone was silent.


    Everything was still.


    All eyes were on Adonis as he walked out the door.


    "¡­ And I don''t care if I have to do it alone."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    What an intense chapter, right?


    How do you see Adonis and his reaction towards everything?


    Was he right? Or did he go too far?

 Chapter 121 The First Clue

    <h4>Chapter 121 The First Clue </h4>


    ''Looks like you finally went and did it, Adonis¡­''


    Rey''s thoughts flowed as he watched Adonis storm out of the room.


    Even though he expressed shock just like everyone else, Rey was actually smiling within.


    ''Don''t me yourself too much. This was inevitable.''


    There was no way all of the twenty-eight students would be equally useful to the cause.


    Most of them were going to abandon the Alliance at one point or another.


    Rey thought he was probably being too pessimistic, but he knew enough about his ssmates to tell that they weren''t the selfless, altruistic type.


    They were merely teenagers who wanted to have fun, enjoy life, and live carefreely.


    The only reason they stuck around for this long was due to the perks of developing their powers and learning how to survive.


    Once they could no longer gain anything from the Royal Estate, they were bound to leave.


    ''It''s unfair, but that''s just how it is¡­''


    Only a few were going to remain, and while not all of them had the purest of intentions, Rey felt like their motivations were enough.


    ''Even if I leave the Royal Estate, it''ll be so I can focus on getting stronger. I don''t think I''ll ever abandon the people here¡­''


    After all, Rey already knew within himself that he didn''t want to go back to Earth.


    If this was the world he wanted to live in, then he had to help defeat the Dragon Emperor and keep everyone safe.


    To do that, though, he needed power.


    ''Then, there are a few others that I think won''t leave¡­''


    Trisha was definitely in the list, considering her personality and how much she valued growth and strength


    She was definitely going to challenge the Dragons¡ªbut not necessarily because of the people of this world.


    Belle was also on the list.


    ''She''s crazy, but she''s not stupid. She recognizes that her powers will be very useful in stopping the Dragons, and she definitely desires to stop them so she can deal with Adonis and Alicia.''


    As much as Rey disliked Billy, he knew the guy also wouldn''t abandon this world.


    His desire to be epted by people and seen as a chivalrous individual would drive him straight into the fire.


    ''Plus, he has something to prove to Alicia¡­''


    Then, of course, there was Adonis.


    Rey already knew his personality, and based on what Alicia told him about their dear Hero, he already knew Adonis would never abandon H''Trae.


    Hearing him proudly say it out loud now only cemented his already solidified belief.


    ''I''m not sure about the others. Alicia will definitely try to help, since she''s a kind person, and she can see the bigger picture, but apart from her¡­ I don''t know about the others.''


    Noah was a coward, so he would probably back out and hope that someone else defeated the Dragons for him.


    Most of the students were like that too.


    They were probably thinking Adonis would lead the way and do most of the heavy lifting while they only watched from behind.


    ''The thing is¡­ I don''t think Adonis minds doing the heavy lifting. I think he just wantsrades who have his back.''


    But most of these students were not those kinds ofrades.


    ''I''m sorry, Adonis. I genuinely don''t know what''s going on in your mind, but¡­''


    Rey nced around him and saw most of the students looking conflicted by all they had just heard.


    ''¡­ These people aren''t the saviors this world needs.''


    ********


    Rey returned to his room after the meeting was called off.


    Grandmaster Conrad assured the students that they would update them on the recent happenings, and he also made a pathetic attempt to make everyone feel better.


    He probably thought doing so would discourage the students from leaving, but Rey saw it as pointless.


    Everyone already knew what was at stake thiste in the game.


    If the so-called saviors were still being uncooperative, then¡­


    ''It''s better to nip it in the bud early. The useless ones should leave so the serious ones can remain.''


    That was his simple line of reasoning.


    However, the moment he entered his room and copsed on his bed, his thoughts swiftly changed to the initial issue.


    ''Alicia''s missing¡­ and she wasst spotted with Billy.''


    To Rey, this entire line of logic didn''t make sense.


    After they made up in the Library, on the night after the Excursion, Alicia had told him all about what Billy did to her.


    The entire incident in the Town Square was known to him, and he could clearly see the disgust on Alicia''s face as she described it.


    There was no way she would want to associate with Billy after that.


    Rey had heard a few people whisper stuff in the lines of "Maybe they''re secretly dating¡­"


    However, he didn''t believe it for even a second!


    Sure, Rey was doubtful that he had a chance with Alicia, and he knew Billy seemed to be a man with better prospects than him.


    But¡­!


    ''I know Alicia would never go for that snake! He''s a creep, and nothing about their interaction strikes me as anything more than a one-sided obsession.''


    Rey didn''t doubt Alicia for even a moment.


    ''Billy must have done something to her. Maybe he charmed her or something¡­''


    It was possible that he had even eloped with her after cing her under his Spell.


    ''I wouldn''t doubt it if he was that unhinged now!''


    Just thinking about Billy and the possibility of what he could have done to Alicia ced Rey in a different state of rage.


    ''I need to join this investigation.''


    It was possible that he could make considerably more progress if he had ess to the resources of the Alliance''s investigation, but Rey had a different thing in mind.


    ''I can''t trust the process. If I want to find her, I''ll have to do it on my own.''


    There was one thing that kept popping into Rey''s mind when he thought about Alicia.


    ''The White Ember!''


    All he had to do was find the ring, and he''d be able to know where she was.


    With his first clue in mind, Rey already knew where he had to go.


    ''Looks like I''ll be returning sooner than I expected¡­''


    This time, however, this wasn''t about business.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I know the title of this Arc is about the Dungeon and all, yet we haven''t even spent much time there.


    Sucks, but we''ll get to that.. I promise.


    In the meantime, I hope you''re not too bored.

 Chapter 122 A Dark Place

    <h4>Chapter 122 A Dark ce </h4>


    "U-uhh¡­"


    Alicia groaned as she slowly opened her eyes.


    The expanse around her was dark, and she struggled to see since her vision was still blurry. Apanied with the surrounding darkness, her sight was a mess.


    She felt her entire body ache as her head pounded. Everything around and about her hurt, so it was painful just raising her eyelids


    "You''re¡­ awake¡­ huh?" A familiar voice sounded right next to her.


    She recognized it instantly, though she couldn''t properly see the face of who spoke.


    "B-Billy¡­?" As the whisper escaped her lips, she felt like her throat was on fire.


    She felt too ufortable to do anything without it hurting.


    ''What happened? Why am I here? Where is this ce? Why is Billy¡ª?''


    Before Alicia couldplete her set of thoughts, chunks of her most recent memories began to sh in her mind.


    She remembered how Rey approached her in the library, and how they went to a shady shop.


    And then¡­


    ''N-no way!'' Alicia''s eyes popped wide open as she winced in pain.


    ''I was kidnapped? Set up by Re¡­ no, that definitely wasn''t Rey!''


    Now that she was in this state, considering everything with the benefit of hindsight, she was a hundred percent sure that the person she met wasn''t the guy she knew and liked.


    It was someone else. Perhaps even¡­


    "I''m sorry, Alicia. I¡­ I really am¡­" Billy''s voice echoed in the area just as she was about to think of him as the culprit.


    ''So it was YOU!'' Her thoughts nearly echoed out through her lips.


    She felt rage rise up from within her, but it was quickly suspended thanks to the pain and difort that swelled throughout her body.


    "I just¡­ wanted you to love me. To see me the way I see you¡­ I¡­"


    Alicia didn''t know how Billy was able to talk so much when she could hardly leak out a few words without such stinging pain.


    ''It must be due to his Stats and ss.''


    Alicia was jealous. If she could speak even nearly as much as he could, she would tell him to shut up.


    ''He tricked me and actually allowed both of us to be kidnapped! What in the world?!''


    As much as she was curious about why and how it happened, Alicia didn''t think she wanted to hear it from him.


    The forgotten disgust she had was welling up, especially now that she remembered how he treated the waitress in the shop.


    ''Now that I think of it, everything makes sense now!''


    Alicia always knew Rey wouldn''t do the things Billy was doing, yet she couldn''t disprove his identity.


    Now that she was sure, it all connected.


    ''I can''t believe he would do something so creepy¡­''


    "F-forgive me¡­ please¡­" She heard Billy murmur and groan, however Alicia didn''t care much for what he was saying.


    ''I''ve been kidnapped. I need to find a way out!''


    That was the only thing on her mind.


    ''Status Window!''


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Alicia White


    - Race: Human (Otherworlder)


    - ss: Grand Tamer (A-Tier)


    - Level: 9 (34.90% EXP)


    - Life Force: 1/10 [Critical]


    - Mana Level: 30 (+100) [Locked]


    - Combat Ability: 23 [Locked]


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Divine Beast Summon]. [Absolute Healing]. [Greater Ice Magic]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): Nil


    - Alignment: Lawful Good


    [Additional Information]


    A pet-lover who desires to return home, but can not afford to see others in a state of distress. Your Skills and ss are in perfect synergy with you.


    Warning: You are currently under a Status Condition that renders you incapable of much of anything


    [End Of Information]


    "W-what is this¡­?"


    Alicia could not believe her eyes. Her Mana and Combat abilities were locked, which meant she couldn''t utilize them even if she mustered the strength to.


    She had never experienced anything like this before, so it took a while to wrap her head around it.


    "You¡­ you''ve checked your Status, haven''t you? I checked too¡­" Billy''s voice echoed to remind her of the obvious.


    "We can''t escape¡­"


    ''Would you shut up?! Who put us into this mess in the first ce?!'' Alicia wanted to yell, but she knew she couldn''t.


    Yelling was unproductive anyway, so she decided not to suffer for it.


    "Are we¡­ the only ones here¡­?" Alicia finally spoke.


    It hurt her to do so¡ªboth physically and mentally¡ªbut she had to gather more information.


    Since he had been awake for longer, surely he''d know.


    "No. There are a few others¡­ but they were taken out¡­ to eat."


    Billy wasn''t called out, and she was unconscious, so did that mean he decided not to leave her all by herself?


    Alicia knew it was something that Billy could do, but that didn''t mean she suddenly felt grateful.


    If it hadn''t been for him, she would have been reading her book in peace.


    "What''s¡­ going to happen to us?"


    "¡­"


    Seconds after Alicia croaked out this question, there was no response from Billy.


    Only his heavy breathing could be heard.


    "Answer me." Alicia hardened her tone, causing her to wince in more pain.


    A few more seconds passed before Billy''s trembling voice revealed the truth.


    "S-very¡­"


    As Alicia heard this, her eyes widened.


    ''very?! We''re going to be sold?!'' Her heart raced, causing her body to feel much weaker than before.


    "It''ll be better if you don''t get¡­ too worked up." Billy murmured.


    "It''ll hurt more¡­ if you struggle."


    Alicia felt more and more upset as she heard him speak, but Billy wasn''t wrong.


    Right now, she was in tremendous pain thanks to her current disorientation.


    ''I can''t escape in my current state, and if I don''t do anything, we''ll be sold to very.''


    That was her current predicament.


    ''Is there a way out of this?''


    There was none that Alicia knew of. It made her increasingly frustrated, but she kept her emotions in check.


    She had to take her time to analyze it.


    ''H-hold on! That''s it¡­ TIME!'' She still had no idea what the time was, and how much longer it would take before they would get sold.


    Naturally, she did the only thing she could do to find out.


    "How long¡­ do we have until we''re sold¡­?"


    If they had like a week before being sold, there was a chance that the Royal Estate''s search party would find them first.


    The ck Market was somehow involved in this, so she knew the Royal Council would crack down on their activities to find her and Billy.


    ''We still have a chance of our powers returning too. I don''t know how long this [Locked] effectsts for, but it can''t be forever, right?''


    They just had to be vignt and bide their time until the perfect opportunity arrived.


    "Tomorrow."


    "¡­ E-eh?"


    As Alicia heard this, her thoughts instantly froze.


    "W-what did you just say¡­?"


    Deep down, Alicia hoped she didn''t clearly hear what Billy had just whispered.


    Much to her horrors, however, her hopes were dashed.


    "I heard¡­ we are gonna be sold¡­ tomorrow¡­"


    Her body trembled at the news.


    "I-I''m sorry¡­ Alicia¡­ I really am¡­"


    At this point, Alicia was too deep in deep fear to even hear Billy.


    She was too scared to think.


    The only person she could think of at this point was Rey.


    "H-help me¡­" As Alicia struggled to feel the White Amber on her finger, she couldn''t.


    This discovery broke her heart even more, and tears fell from her eyes.


    "P-please help me¡­ anyone¡­ Rey¡­"


    Even though her prayers fell on deaf ears, Alicia wouldn''t stop mumbling to herself.


    ¡­ Until she finally fell unconscious once again.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Will it be toote? Will Rey be able to save Alicia and will Adonis be able to save Brutus?


    Who knows¡­

 Chapter 123 Adonis’ Worries

    <h4>Chapter 123 Adonis¡¯ Worries </h4>


    "This isn''t how it''s supposed to go¡­"


    Adonis mumbled to himself as he stared at the night sky.


    He didn''t remember every single detail of the past, but he knew about this incident.


    ''The kidnapping of Billy and Alicia¡­ it''s supposed to happen way further in the future!''


    Sure, a lot of things had been altered now, but he never expected such a drastic change to the original timeline.


    ''They''ll nearly be sold at the ve Auction a few days after being captured, but thankfully the investigation was done before the process wasplete.''


    As a result, the Royal Knights rushed in and apprehended a lot of criminals in the ck Market and very World.


    Unfortunately, this huge victory came with a great loss.


    ''Alicia''s mental state became unstable and she became insane. Billy was fine, but he was too concerned with Alicia''s health that he didn''t focus on training any longer¡­''


    Eventually, Alicia''s mental health deteriorated to the point that she eventuallymitted suicide and died.


    As for Billy, he joined her in the afterlife not long after.


    Adonis didn''t know the details of their rtionship back then, or how they were captured in the first ce, but he suspected that they were lovers.


    ¡­ Or something of the sort.


    ''Billy still seems very fond of Alicia, but it didn''t seem like she felt the same. I thought, for sure, they wouldn''t ever go on that date of theirs that led to the incident.''


    And even if they did, it wouldn''t be anytime soon.


    ''So why¡­?!''


    Adonis felt anxious¡ªthe most anxious he had ever been since his regression.


    If he didn''t act fast, the same tragedy that urredst time would happen again.


    ''Likest time, it''ll probably take a few days for the investigation to bring forth fruit. I just hope we can find them earlier this time.''


    Adonis didn''t know where the Auction Center was, and even if he did, the location was said to constantly change for each Auction.


    With the kidnapping happening much earlier than anticipated, there was a good chance that it wouldn''t be the same location asst time.


    It bothered Adonis to the core that he felt useless at such a crucial moment.


    He gritted his teeth and sank his fingers deep into his palm.


    ''Things can''t start falling apart now! We''ve hardly even begun!''


    Somehow, it felt like things were even worse now.


    Sure, everyone was growing stronger at a much faster pace, but problems were arising here and there that didn''t happen in the original timeline.


    ''¡­ And I honestly don''t know what to do.''


    The most he could do for Alicia and Billy was pray that they were found earlier thanst time.


    And if Alicia''s madness repeated itself this time, he could solve it using his extensive knowledge of H''Trae.


    As long as they weren''t dead¡­ Adonis was confident that his tworades would be fine.


    ''The same can''t be said about Brutus, though.''


    Adonis'' face darkened the moment he thought about the Head Warrior''s current situation.


    ''This is yet another change I wasn''t expecting¡­''


    In his past life, there was an investigation carried out by Brutus and Lucielle, but it wasn''t anything too serious.


    The students were soon able to begin exploring Dungeons and killing Monsters.


    ''But the timeline has changed. Apparently there''s a strong monster that surfaced¡­ one that didn''t do so in the past.''


    Adonis tried to think about the possibilities, and he had a few ideas.


    ''Right now, I should be stronger than them.''


    And so, he was fairly confident that Brutus and his team would be able to subdue the monster and return.


    However¡­


    ''¡­ This had to happen.''


    Adonis was puzzled to his core about so many things.


    ''Where did all the Mana Crystals and Monster Cores go? Our Seventh Floor Dungeon Exploration remains memorable to me because of that stash we found.''


    It was a huge victory for the United Human Alliance, and it helped them greatly in their preparation for the imminent war.


    But now¡­ all those resources were gone.


    But why?!


    ''There''s a possibility that there is another ss traitor. I can''t rule it outpletely.''


    Adonis felt his heart ache, and he felt his head hurting. There were a lot of possibilities to think about, and it was a little too overwhelming for the Hero.


    ''And the fact that none of them are helping matters is the worst part of all this.''


    Adonis never expected his ssmates to suffer the way they did in the past.


    In fact, the whole reason he was training so hard was to save everyone.


    But¡­ he couldn''t do it alone.


    ''I need help. Tons of it. But none of them are being very helpful.''


    Adonis thought he could be the glue that held everyone together¡ªespecially after seeing what happened thest time¡ª


    but after being so patient with them and seeing the way things were going, he had to face the truth.


    Most of them were useless.


    ''I''d have better luck with a select few than such a crowd.''


    That was why he had to save people like Brutus.


    ''He''s a knight that''s loyal to humanity, and in the near future, he''ll be even stronger than he is now.''


    Brutus was an indispensable asset to the salvation of the world


    ¡ªsomething he couldn''t say about most of his ssmates.


    "I have to save him. I have to save all of them."


    Preparations were already being made to explore the depths of the Dungeon, and with the Magic Item that existed in the Royal Treasury, it was possible to directly teleport to the depths of the Dungeon.


    ''It''s a one-use Item, though, so we''ll have to climb back up once we rescue Brutus.''


    Adonis wasn''t sure he was currently strong enough to face all the Monsters of the Lowest Floors, but he didn''t have to.


    ''If it''s just escaping, I''m confident about that¡­''


    Besides, he still had the Item he got in the ck Market. He would have to alter his initial n for it; but it couldn''t be helped.


    ''If I use it to open a rupture in space to a Top Floor, we can use that to escape.''


    Even if it was the 30th Floor or something, Adonis was confident that it would be more than enough for the rescue to proceed smoothly.


    Adonis leaked out a heavy breath and closed his eyes.


    ''I''ll have Lucielle with me, at least. It''ll be a close one, but we should be able to win.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    A lot of things are now beginning to converge. I wonder how it will all go down.

 Chapter 124 The Departure

    <h4>Chapter 124 The Departure </h4>


    The next day arrived much faster than anyone anticipated.


    As the early morning sun was beginning to peek out in the sky, about fifty Knights and Mages stood before Adonis and Lucielle.


    They were also graced by the presence of the members of the Royal Council.


    This was the Rescue Unit that would be going to the depths of the Royal Dungeon to save their dyingrade.


    Thankfully, Brutus wasn''t dead yet.


    However, he was dying. If they didn''t hurry, his life could be forfeit.


    "¡­ And that''s the end of the briefing. Any questions?" Lucielle asked the fifty who stood before her and the Hero.


    However, none of the stern-faced ones had any questions.


    "May I ask one?" A loud, feminine voice came from behind the two leaders.


    Adonis and Lucielle swiftly turned back to see a bunch of teenagers standing resolute.


    The one who asked the question was Trisha, and the people with her were all Otherworlders.


    Belle, Justin, rk, and Eric.


    "Can we join your group?" Trisha smiled, her arms folded.


    "Y-you guys¡­"


    Adonis'' eyes were widened in shock. He was pleasantly surprised, to say the least.


    He didn''t expect anyone to show up.


    ''And this lineup¡­ it''s great!'' His thoughts beamed.


    Belle was known as the best Mage in Alpha ss.


    Justin, despite being very yful, had the [Assassin] ss¡ªa B-Tier ss that exceeded the C-Tier [Thief] ss.


    He had very useful Skills too.


    Like his popr [Mimic] Skill, and also stuff like [Stealth], [Sleep], [Voice Mimic], and [Perception].


    One might think he didn''t have any attack Skills, but he actually did. His [Marite Skill] was B-Tier, and mixing it with the rest of his other Skill, Justin was pretty unique in his build.


    rk was also a member of the Alpha ss, and his Skills made him seem more like a superhero than a warrior.


    He had [Flight], [Super Strength], [Super Speed], [Icy Breath], [Heat Vision], etc.


    His [Pdin] ss also made him pretty sturdy¡ªthe perfect tank.


    Then there was Eric; the one with the most diverse sets of Magic-based Skills among all of them.


    Even though he had the C-Tier ss of Mage, his Skills ranged from A-Tier abilities like [Grand Sound Magic], to B-Tiers like [Greater Corrosion], [Greater Explosion], and even a couple C-Tier stuff like [Blindness] and [False Pain].


    He was a true Mage¡ªa jack of all trades, though master of none.


    If he had a better ss, there was a chance he could give Belle a run for her money.


    It seemed like all the members of Alpha ss¡ªwith the exception of the two kidnapped ones¡ªwere present.


    ''And then, there''s her¡­'' Adonis looked at the girl who stood at their center, and probably the one who banded them together.


    Trisha¡ªThe strongest Beta Student.


    She had the [Swordsman] ss, but extreme Skill to make her stand out even to the Alpha Students.


    ''I think her Skills are [Greater Lightning Magic], [Combat Application], and [Danger Sense]¡­''


    Herbination of those three Skills, in addition to her experience, made her very formidable.


    ''And they''re all here to join us?'' Adonis was overjoyed, and a sudden wave of relief washed over him.


    ''It seems I was wrong about some of them¡­'' As he had this thought, the image of a certain boy shed in his mind.


    Rey.


    ''I guess he wasn''t up to it. I can''t me him, though. He probably felt he wasn''t strong eno¡ª''


    Before Adonis couldplete his thoughts, his eyes caught the very boy he was thinking about among a group of casually dressed men.


    He recognized the men as soldiers in disguise. Since they were searching for the ck Market¡ªspecifically where Alicia and Billy were being kept there¡ªthey had to blend in.


    It was far more efficient than brandishing weapons and announcing themselves as soldiers of the Alliance.


    ''What is Rey doing with them, though?'' Adonis thought to himself.


    "Come on, Adonis. You won''t give us an answer? That''s harsh, man!"


    Justin''s voice woke Adonis from his dazed state, causing him to look right in front of him again.


    "S-sure! We''d be really happy to have you join us!" He swiftly smiled.


    "Lucielle, please excuse me for a moment. You can use this opportunity to quickly brief them."


    "Alright."


    As soon as he heard this, Adonis jogged to where the disguised soldiers stood.


    It was clear that they would be departing to town very soon.


    It didn''t take him very long to reach their position, and thankfully Rey had already caught him running from a distance.


    "Hey, Rey! What are you doing here?" He asked, expressing genuine surprise.


    "I''m going to be joining the Investigation. I''ll do my best to find clues with them."


    Upon hearing those words, Adonis smiled slightly.


    ''He must have thought he was too weak to go to the Dungeon, so he decided to help out in another way¡­''


    He felt nothing but respect for Rey.


    ''Even though you''re weak, you do what you can¡­''


    If that wasn''t the definition of a true Hero, what was?


    "Alright! I wish you good luck!" Adonis noded and widened his smile.


    "Thanks! You too!"


    They both chucked despite the fact that they were meant to be under a lot of pressure.


    "I''ll need it¡­ thanks, Rey."


    Rey nodded and returned the look of genuine camaraderie.


    For a second, they both stood still¡­ not saying a single word to each other.


    That was when Adonis remembered that time was running out.


    He turned to see Lucielle already done with the briefing, so heughed awkwardly.


    "I should probably get going now¡­"


    "Yeah, you should."


    The next thing Adonis did seemed to surprise Rey.


    Stretching out a fist towards the boy before him, Adonis smiled and whispered.


    "Please find them¡­"


    Rey nodded and knocked his own fist on Adonis'', creating their first ever fist numb.


    "Don''t lose." Rey responded.


    They both weren''t smiling any longer. Only expressions of resolve oozed from them.


    As the Mages, Knights¡ªdisguised or not¡ªand Otherworlders watched the two from their respective positions, the silence was deafening.


    Until Adonis broke it.


    "I won''t."


    They both parted ways after that¡ªwith Rey leaving the Castle Walls with his team, and Adonis returning to the group.


    Neither of them could have guessed the horrors that were about to unfold.


    The tragedy that woulde.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    The time has finallye for the Incident to begin unfolding.

 Chapter 125 Finding The Lost Item [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 125 Finding The Lost Item [Pt 1] </h4>


    Aldred Winsley sat on his desk early in the day, just like every other day.


    Business in the Karinc Group''s Central Building didn''t really pick up untilte evening/night, but a few customers preferreding when there were fewer eyes on them.


    As a result, diligent workers like Aldred had to make themselves avable.


    Aldred behind on his luxurious desk, taking care of some paperwork while waiting to be called for any ''special case.''


    His hair was stylish, as always, and his formal attire was neat and properly¡ªto the utmost limit.


    Even though he was all alone in the room, with no one watching him whatsoever, he went about his business with as much finesse and dedication as possible.


    He was just about to pick up another file when he finally got the call.


    It was from his Enchanted Bracelet.


    ~Out Esteemed Guest is here for you, sir. He says he wants to meet with you and it''s urgent!~


    The moment Aldred heard this, he jumped to his feet that very instant.


    There was only one person that he told the other workers to call ''esteemed guest'' when calling him about them.


    ''It''s Sir Ralyks!"


    Aldred had a mixed expression of both surprise and relief.


    He was d to see that their best seller hadn''t abandoned them, and he had evene sooner than expected.


    However, that didn''t stop Aldred''s surprise at the entire situation. After all¡­


    ''He only arrives in the afternoon. What''s this new arrangement?''


    Besides, after their first meeting, it was obvious that Aldred was always going to attend to him or his subordinate no matter what.


    ''So why did he bother asking to see me; and he says it''s important as well?''


    He began to get goosebumps, but he knew he couldn''t afford to be crippled by the uncertain future ahead of him.


    ''I can''t dawdle for too long, else he''ll think I''m disrespecting him!''


    Sir Ralyks was not only the best seller to their Karinc Group, he was also someone with a Skill in the realm of Absolutes¡ªThe S-Tier.


    If he didn''t want their organization to perish, all possible respect had to be attributed to this man¡ªwhoever he was.


    "Tell him I''m on my way. I''ll be with him shortly." As Aldred rushed out of his office, he uttered these words to the one who called him.


    She responded affirmatively, and Aldred found himself outside his office already.


    All that was left was to locate the most pristine Bargain Room and speak to Ralyks.


    ''I hope all is well¡­''


    ************


    ''T-this is¡­''


    Aldred Winsley was now seated right opposite Karinc''s top seller and most esteemed guest, but he didn''t feel toofortable.


    He fought very hard to keep his body from trembling, and he was sure that all the color had drained from his face.


    ¡­ Why?


    Well, the answer sat right in front of him, in the form of Ralyks.


    ''¡­ This pressure is¡­ something else!''


    Just by sitting and remaining quiet, Aldred could send an incorporeal pressure pressing against him.


    It was a power he could not define or exin.


    Was it a Skill? Or¡­ was it just pure, unbridled bloodlust?


    Aldred didn''t know.


    However, he did know that he wasn''t the cause.


    ''Ever since I entered this room, I felt the pressure already. I do not believe I''ve done anything to insult or disrespect him.''


    Even if he did, Aldred felt like the man before him wasn''t the type to take offense at such things so easily.


    The strong didn''t need to keep quiet about their dissatisfactions.


    They were often vocal about it.


    ''So what is up with this situation? Why is he being like this¡­?''


    As Aldred gulped down his saliva, taking one of the sses of water that sat on a tray¡ªright atop the center table that demarcated then both¡ªhe noticed something.


    Ralyks began to move subtly, raising his head slowly so he could look him in the eye.


    Aldred braced himself for whatever was toe next.


    However¡ª


    "Sorry toe here so early in the morning. However, I need something from yourpany."


    ¡ªRalyks'' words were surprisingly calm and polite.


    It was almost like he was being very carefully gentle with his words.


    Honestly, Aldred was so relieved.


    "W-what are you talking about, Sir Ralyks? You cane here at any time and always be wee!"


    Aldred knew that even if he was busy with another customer or seller¡­ the moment Sir Ralyks was in the building, he would leave his earlier engagement to someone capable and attend to him.


    He was Karinc''s golden goose¡ªand they didn''t n on letting him go anytime soon.


    "What do you need? We will try our best to procure it for you!"


    As he asked this, Aldred wondered if both Ralyks and his subordinate enjoyed the gifts they were given.


    He wanted to ask, but decided it wasn''t the best time.


    Business came first.


    "My ring¡­ the White Ember, it''s missing."


    The moment Aldred heard this, his eyes twitched slightly.


    "The person who was wearing it is also missing. I''d like to find them both¡­ I hope you understand what I''m driving at?"


    Aldred nodded slowly, his expression darkening slightly.


    ''Someone took his Beloved and also had the audacity to take the ring from him¡­?!''


    He couldn''t believe someone like Ralyks was clumsy and reckless.


    He was probably not present when the incident happened.


    ''Yet he came here for a solution. So he already knows¡­'' Aldred made a nervous smile


    This man really was too much.


    "I understand perfectly well, sir. Pleasee with me."


    They both rose up and Aldred took him upstairs.


    ¡­ To the Second Floor.


    Compared to the first and second floor, no one but specific staff were meant to even take a step into the Floor.


    However, for every rule¡­ there is an exception.


    And that exception was the man with him.


    ''Since he came to the Karinc, he must already know of the special power in our grasp.''


    There was no use hiding it from him at this point.


    ''¡­ Our Enchanted Item Tracker!''


    The Karinc Group''s Central Building was a three-story building.


    Its Ground Floor was used formerce. Its First Floor was used for brokerage and special transactions¡ªas well as the storage of regr Items.


    As for the Second Floor¡­ It was used for three major purposes.


    One was to store the best of products. The second was adding the finishing touches for these products.


    And as for thest reason, ity behind the door that Aldred was about to open.


    The Manufacturing stations existed in the bulkier half of the building that served as an extension to the back.


    Since the building had a lot of space¡ªespecially behind it, it wasn''t surprising that manufacturing urred there.


    That ce was also off-limits to those without ess, butpared to that, this ce was the real deal.


    The Holy of Holies.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I appreciate the constant support I receive from you all.


    Just wanted you to know that, everyone!

 Chapter 126 Finding The Lost Item [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 126 Finding The Lost Item [Pt 2] </h4>


    The Karinc Group''s Central Building was a three-story building.


    Its Ground Floor was used formerce. Its First Floor was used for brokerage and special transactions¡ªas well as the storage of regr Items.


    As for the Second Floor¡­ It was used for three major purposes.


    One was to store the best of products. The second was adding the finishing touches for these products.


    And as for thest reason, ity behind the door that Aldred was about to open.


    The Manufacturing stations existed in the bulkier half of the building that served as an extension to the back.


    Since the building had a lot of space¡ªespecially behind it, it sssnt surprising that manufacturing urred there.


    That ce was also off-limits to those without ess, butpared to that, this ce was the real deal.


    The Holy of Holies.


    ''I haven''t taken permission from father to do this, but¡­''


    Aldred knew what his father would say in this situation


    Right now, there was no room for hesitation.


    "Right this way, Sir Ralyks."


    Despite what he would have normally done, Aldred allowed the man to enter first, before finally proceeding behind him.


    As the door creaked and closed behind them, yet another tension filled the air.


    Though, no one could tell where it came from.


    *******


    The room that the two men entered waspletely dark, save for one source of light that glowed even in such deep darkness.


    Both of the men walked to the source of light, as if attracted to it for some reason.


    "This is the Enchanted Tracker. It''s imbued with the best kind of Tracking Magic."


    Aldred knew this thing was incredibly powerful¡ªwith a failure rate of 0 percent.


    Tracking Magic was very difficult to use, and it required a lot of Mana to pull off.


    Naturally, the first criteria also applied to this gleaming orb. However, the initial problem¡ªthe difficulty of Tracking Magic¡ªhadpletely been solved.


    "All we have to do now is track your beloved''s ring."


    "She''s not my¡­ never mind." Aldred could hear mumbles from the man in the mask, but he couldn''t quite pick it up.


    Rather than straining his ears, he gave up on it.


    "So¡­ you use this Item to track down the merchandise you sell, huh?"


    A somewhat dangerous tone suddenly echoed in the air.


    Aldred nearly jumped as he watched Raklys take a few steps forward to closely observe the Orb.


    "I-It''s not like we ever do it without permission. That''ll be a vition of our contract." He quickly protested.


    "Do you really care about all that when ites to business within the ck Market¡­?"


    Aldred was very helpless in the presence of Ralyks'' usation.


    The Group had a lot of protocols, and one of them was the non-use of Tracking Magic on the Enchanted Items that they sold.


    The only exception was by special request, and even then, none of the customers were brought up here.


    They were like only remain in their lounges on the First Floor until the job wasplete.


    However, Aldred seemed Ralyks to be a reasonable man.


    ¡­ A dangerous one too.


    "If we were to use Tracking Magic, the item that is being tracked will react to the influx of energy resonating with it. In essence, it would be a reaction you noticed."


    A keen user of their Enchanted Item would find it suspicious that the thing was glowing for no reason.


    It wouldn''t take very long for them to figure out that it was tracking the Item.


    And once they did, their eyes would unanimously turn to the one who sold them the Item.


    "It would be a terrible business move to keep track of all Items, even if they were fine with invading privacy."


    Aldred didn''t think he had to exin all of these to Raklys, since he knew the man had a very strong sense of business.


    Still, he did anyway.


    "I understand. Alright then¡­ find my White Amber."


    Wherever the ring was, the user existed there was well. Aldred knew this logic already.


    "Alright then. Let us begin¡­"


    Aldred pulled out a piece of paper, seemingly out of nowhere.


    This piece was a receipt of purchase¡ªone that was kept for purposes like this


    Even though the two items were a gift, Aldred still had to keep it for the sake of record-keeping and transaction management.


    "Here I go, Sir."


    Aldred ced the receipt on the glowing orb, and all of a sudden¡­ the bright sphere began to grow brighter.


    It seemed as bright as the sun at some point, filling the entire room with white light.


    ~VWUUUM~


    The orb pulsated, creating warbling sounds as the energy that swelled within it began to ooze out.


    A small vortex of wind formed around it, causing the room to tremble a bit.


    The two men remained in their positions, though. This was merely a process, and then both of them were guaranteed of their safety.


    And then, after a few more seconds of making noise, the sphere finally died down.


    ~BZZTZZ!~


    A small glitchy sound echoed within the room, and an overhead panel suddenly appeared above the orb.


    [Registered Item Located]


    [Enchanted Item (Grade 6): White Amber has been located. Coordinates will be disyed below.]


    [Tap For More]


    There was initial silence in the room, but Aldred proceeded to tap the panel, and it fully disyed the map of the ck Market.


    Several buildingsy in sight¡ªalmost like a one would see in a map disyed on a mobile app.


    The Karinc Group gave off a ''blue'' glow, which was meant to signify the start-point of the journey.


    And then, in some obscure area within the same ck Market Area¡­ there was a ''red'' dot.


    That meant only one thing.


    "Your Enchanted Item is over here, Sir Ralyks." Aldred said with a relieved smile.


    The masked man said nothing.


    Aldred could sense something in the atmosphere that brought about unease, so he decided the best thing to do was to keep talking.


    "It doesn''t seem to be moving, so we can safely guess the wielder is stationary¡ªat least, for now."


    There was still no word from the dark-cloaked one.


    Aldred had no choice but to ask the question that now burned in his mind.


    "What would you like to do now¡­ Sir Ralyks?"


    The question drifted in the air for a moment, until finally, the one in question finally broke the silence with his deep andmanding voice.


    "What else? I''ll find whoever dared to steal from me¡­ and make them pay for it."


    Aldred felt a chill go up his spine as soon as he heard those words.


    It felt like some sort of lid had been opened on the repressed rage of the masked one.


    ''Whoever dared to do something like this¡­ they have my pity.'' Aldred smiled wryly to himself.


    Normally, his task would end here.


    He had shown their dear seller the location of his item, and also confirmed it to be stationary.


    However, Aldred had another idea in mind.


    "If you do not mind, Sir Ralyks, I''d like toe with you."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Looks like the ring has been found.


    But is that the same as finding Alicia? I wonder¡­

 Chapter 127 The Arrangement

    <h4>Chapter 127 The Arrangement </h4>


    Rey''s heart was racing as he stared at the coordinates.


    His fists were tightly clenched, and he felt his eyes growing bloodshot.


    ''Why would Alicia be in the ck Market?!'' He instantly knew that she couldn''t have been there on her own free will.


    She was clearly in some kind of trouble.


    ''Is it because of Billy? I''m sure it''s him!''


    Remembering the face of his former best friend was enough to make him grit his teeth.


    He was fully annoyed.


    Despite Rey''s annoyance, though, he felt a wave of relief hit him.


    ''At least I found her. Ditching the rest anding here on my own really was the right move.''


    Rey was able to leave the watch of the Investigation Squad ande here on his own after they all split up looking for clues.


    Thanks to that, he managed to slip into the ck Market space.


    ''I simply guessed that I could use theirwork or information channels to find Alicia.''


    Rey had also considered them using Tracking Magic on their Items, but he didn''t think it would be this detailed.


    He also didn''t like the implications that it brought to the table.


    ''If they can always track any Item I buy from them, then am I really safe from their prying eyes?''


    However, after Aldred exined the process to him¡ªrevealing the implications of doing something of the sort¡ªRey recognized that they probably wouldn''t want to do something like that.


    And even if they did¡­ he would know.


    ''I better hurry, though. Since we''ve located the Item, it would have alerted the one who has it.''


    In Rey''s mind, that person was Alicia.


    ''If she''s surrounded by the enemy, they might see the glow and recognize it as Tracking Magic.''


    That meant he had to get to her before she got moved from her position.


    ''It''ll be difficult to memorize all these routes in such a short period of time, but I have no choice.''


    He was in a hurry.


    Even though he was unfamiliar with a lot of ces within the ck Market, and the target location was quite far from where he currently stood, Rey knew he still had to find a way somehow.


    ¡­ And fast!


    As he was contemting these things and getting ready to depart, he was met with the most unexpected suggestion.


    "If you do not mind, Sir Ralyks, I''d like toe with you."


    Rey''s surprise was well hidden under his ck mask and the poker face underneath.


    ''What? He''s a broker, isn''t he? Why would he want to leave his ce of work for me?''


    Had Aldred sensed his unease and decided to help? Was there something else at y here?


    In the end, Rey had no choice but to directly ask the person involved.


    "Why?"


    Then, the answer came forth in a calm, calcted manner.


    "There is a possibility that your target might start moving after you leave this ce. To keep track of their movements in real-time, it''s best I apany you."


    Aldred exined that he had a syncing device that connected to the Tracking Device in the room.


    They could use that to get an urate read on the map and detect even the slightest movements of their target.


    "What do you say?"


    It was an honestly good reason. However, for the currently skeptical Rey¡­ it wasn''t enough.


    "Why would you go this far for me? I might be a prized seller, but surely you aren''t mandated to go as far as leaving your area of business for my sake."


    As soon as Rey said this, he noticed a slight change in Aldred''s expression.


    From his small, humble smile¡­ emanated a crooked look. He had a very menacing demeanor that one wouldn''t find in a businessperson.


    ¡­ It was the kind of face you''d expect from a thug.


    "Someone dared to steal a product from the Karinc Group. Not many are foolish enough to do something so stupid¡­"


    As Rey heard this, he watched Aldred''s twisted smile grow even wider.


    "I''d like to see who did this with my own eyes, as well as watch them be punished as much as they deserve. Of course, I''d like to ask you to leave some for us once you''re satisfied.


    Rey knew how merciless the Karinc Group could be.


    He wasn''t sure if bringing an agent of theirs on this mission was the right thing to do.


    However, when he weighed the pros against the cons¡­


    ''He can see the real-time location of the ring, and he knows the ck Market much better than I do.''


    ¡­ Rey already knew he had no other option.


    "Fine. You cane along with me."


    "Thank you, Sir Ralyks." As Aldred bowed slightly, Rey felt a slight difort in the pit of his stomach.


    He still wasn''tpletely used to being called by his moniker.


    ''I''ll have to grow ustomed to it, though.''


    As Rey stole one more nce at the beeping red dot on the map, he narrowed his gaze.


    Impatience swelled within him, and his body was prepared to dart out that very instant.


    "You''re the only oneing with me, right?" He asked Aldred.


    "I would have liked to take a small group in order to disy some of our power, but I recognize that it might inconvenience you quite a bit."


    Rey nodded slightly. Knowing the Karinc Group¡ªthe little that he did¡ªthis ''small group'' could end up being a squad of a hundred men or even more.


    ''Mobilizing such a force would take time, and I''m in a hurry.''


    "So, how about this, Sir Ralyks? I''ll only take one person with me. That''ll make just three of us on this expedition."


    Rey only needed to think about it for a second before nodding in agreement.


    "Perfect!" Aldred pped his two hands together as he beamed brightly.


    It was almost as if he never disyed any malevolent grin before now.


    Rey made a quick note to be wary around Aldred¡ªwarier than he was before¡ªand the entire Karinc Group.


    For now, though, something else was at the forefront of his mind.


    ''¡­ Alicia!''


    "Very well then." Aldred made for the door as he said with purposeful excitement.


    "Let us depart!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    What do you think will happen next? Any thoughts?

 Chapter 128 Hideout Of Lowlives [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 128 Hideout Of Lowlives [Pt 1] </h4>


    "Sir Ralyks, please meet Yuri. She''s a very capable fighter, even among the ranks of the Karincbat force."


    Standing beside Aldred, who directed his hand towards her as a means of introduction, was a smiley-faced woman.


    Her pink hair was cut short, barely reaching her neck area, and her bright green eyes gleamed like emeralds.


    She had clear skin, and her bright smile made it impossible to tell that she was a warrior.


    Instead of wearing armor, she wore a casual outfit¡ªan oversized shirt and baggy trousers that resembled a skirt unless one really took a closer look.


    Her overall demeanor was positive, so Rey was initially taken aback once the introduction was made.


    "Hiya¡­ I mean, greetings, sir! My name is Yuri, ah¡­ I''ve already been introduced. A-anyway, I''m quite capable, so rely on me when you desire!"


    The youngdy raised both her hands as if trying to flex her muscles, but nothing except her baggy shirt was shown.


    ''What''s this? She seems like a klutz¡­''


    This girl¡ªYuri¡ªappeared to be twenty at most, and her personality told Rey that she wasn''t the best person to trust when it came to serious matters like this.


    However, based on his experience, he knew it would be stupid of him to judge books by their covers.


    ''I hide my true self under a mask of mediocrity. Also, Lucielle is pretty yful¡­ yet she''s strong.''


    Associating people based on how they talked or behaved was a rookie mistake that Rey knew he couldn''t be found guilty of.


    "I''ll do my b-e¡­ o!"


    Yuri slipped and fell to the ground the moment she tried to take a step forward.


    It seemed her baggy trousers were too much for her, so she identally stepped on the edge.


    ''Ahh¡­ she''s making it really hard for me not to judge her, though.''


    Yuri had a very cute face¡ªone that didn''t resemble the kind of fighter he expected the Karinc Group to be so proud of.


    Rey knew that Aldred was seeking every chance to impress him, so this girl had to be undoubtedly strong, but¡­


    ''She truly doesn''t look like she belongs in the ck Market.''


    Still, Rey pushed aside those distracting thoughts and focused on the mission.


    "Let''s leave straight away." As he spoke, Yuri was rising to her feet and Aldred was maintaining his straight smile.


    It seemed he was pretending like nothing had just happened in his presence.


    ''Does that mean stuff like this happens often with her? She''s a natural klutz? The hell¡­?''


    Still, Rey didn''t allow any of that get in the way of his thoughts or reasoning.


    It wasn''t like he needed her or anything.


    ''I''ll handle anyone who gets in my way. These two are just here as essories.''


    In the end, all he wanted was Alicia.


    Everyone else involved could be the Karinc Group''s scapegoats for all he cared.


    They were currently still within the immediate area of the Karinc Building, so Rey turned to Aldred and asked the only important question.


    "Has the target moved?"


    "No. They''re still in the building." Aldred responded after tapping on one of the many rings that decorated his fingers.


    The thing disyed a mini System Window that everyone around him could see.


    Rey nodded and turned in the direction they were meant to depart to.


    The rest followed suit, both with smiles on their faces.


    "Perfect! Let''s go!"


    ************


    Gary narrowed his gaze on the deck of cards that he tightly held in his hands.


    He kept the cards very close to his bare chest, alternating between looking at the game he was dealt and the pile of cards on the table.


    He was seated on a very old-looking chair, and it squeaked with every movement he made.


    The table didn''t look like it was in a better condition, too, and the surrounding chairs had also seen better days.


    Surrounding the table¡ªand the pile of cards¡ªwere other men like him.


    All of them were bare-chested, dressed only in their dirty boxer shorts. This very casual look was only allowed since this was their hideout, and they were on their day off.


    Afterpleting such an important task the previous day, they were all enjoying their break very well.


    This enjoyment involved ying cards in a worn-down building, with the smell of mold and sweat wafting through the air.


    "Hmmm¡­" Gary licked his lips as he looked at his cards.


    None of them seemed to be any good.


    He felt heat rising on his crotch, and it was swiftly followed by vibrations.


    ''Hm¡­?'' He wondered why he was having this kind of reaction in a situation like this.


    Was it because he was nervous¡ªor scared that he would lose the meager sum that he bet in the game?


    Gary didn''t know why, but this wasn''t the first time this was happening since he started this game.


    It had happened a few times already.


    ''Is it the ring? Is it reacting to my body or something?''


    Gary wasn''t sure.


    But¡­ he was certain of one thing.


    ''I can''t afford to draw anyone''s attention to my crotch.''


    Why? Why would he even think that anyone would want to look at his dirty boxer shorts and pay attention to his glowingher-region.


    Perhaps it had something to do with the really expensive-


    looking ring that he luckily picked on the ground.


    He still hadn''t gotten the chance to sell it, so he kept it close to him at all times.


    If any of hisrades saw it, it would be game over for him.


    Since it was a hot day, and they didn''t have proper venttion in their building¡ªexcept in the Leader''s Room¡ªthe men were usually bare-chested, wearing only boxer shorts


    And so, the only way to keep such a thing close to him was to hide it in his boxer shorts.


    Gary had wrapped the ring in a very small pouch, and tied the container around his waist like a bead.


    In order not to let hisrades find his greatest treasure, he had gone this far!


    ''Once I have time to myself, I''ll make sure to sell it and get my money''s worth!''


    Gary had a few connections that could link him up with some of the local shops that dealt with this sort of stuff.


    Even a few of the rich kind that traded the good stuff


    ¡­ Enchanted Items and Luxury Goods.


    "Hey! Stop dying, Gary! You''re wasting our time!"


    He was woken by the words of hisrades, causing him to fumble the stack he held in his hands.


    They identally spilled on the table, revealing the entirety of his hand to the six other men who sat with him.


    For a moment, there was silence in the room.


    Then¡­


    "Hahahahahaha!!"


    "Look what lil ol'' Gary''s got!"


    "Are you serious right now? Pfft!"


    "You should have just called it quits instead of wasting our time!"


    Gary was the youngest member in the group¡ªboth in age and experience.


    He just recently joined the group, and due to hisnky appearance, he was often picked on by his seniors.


    Even now, they wouldn''t let him catch a break.


    However, rather than feel sad about it like always, Gary''s internal self made a broad grin.


    ''Hehehe! Look at these fools! They don''t realize it yet, but I''m going to be sooo rich!''


    He was going to pay the Boss what he owed, and then leave their ranks to live a better life in his vige.


    A man with a single Gold Coin was praised in his vige.


    Gary couldn''t imagine what would happen if he went home with stacks of them.


    He would live like a king¡ªunlike these miserable idiots.


    ''¡­ It''s only a matter of time.''


    Gary called it quits at that point and told everyone that he was off to go take a piss.


    "I win, baby!" He heard a voice say as he left their group and went out back to pee in a corner.


    The outside world wasn''t much different from the worn-down ce Gary came out of. There were a bunch of upleted buildings and deste areas where only the lowest of scums could dwell.


    The people here were criminals¡ªnot merely illegal merchants and customers.


    They were the savages that couldn''t be contained by the surface world.


    As Gary pulled down his boxer shorts to begin his release in a secluded corner, he didn''t even bother to look around him.


    No one cared about these sorts of things in the ck Market Slums.


    This was truly where darkness shone.


    As Gary let out his liquid content from his average-sized ''equipment'', he could sniff the smell of ammonia that wafted through the air.


    Some of it was his, but a majority of the smell had been there long before he came to relieve himself.


    To distract himself from the nauseating smell, Gary grabbed the pouch that contained his grand prize and looked inside it.


    The ring within was shining so bright that it nearly blinded him. It warbled with such intensity, and the vibration shook his palm slightly.


    ''What''s¡­ what''s happening this time?''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Our dear Gary has no idea what''sing.

 Chapter 129 Hideout Of Lowlives [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 129 Hideout Of Lowlives [Pt 2] </h4>


    [Privilege Readers might be confused, because you''ve all read this chapter as an extension of the previous chapter.


    Sorry for the mixup, but I identally skipped a chapter in the earlier chapters, so by the time I was done adding it and editing it, things ended up like this. So please, go read the chapter called ''The Departure'' right before ''Finding The Lost Item'' so you can get the chapter that you missed.


    I''m sorry for the mixup!]


    "AHHHHHHHH!"


    He suddenly began to hear noisesing from within the hideout.


    ''Hm¡­?''


    More noises greeted his ears, though they were very muffled since Gary was outside.


    "Are they fighting again?" He grumbled. "Those idiots¡­ they''ll wake up the Leader!"


    Gary quickly finished his activity, inserting his stick inside his boxer shorts, ignoring the remnant liquid that dropped down his dirty underwear.


    This wasn''t the first time he had rushed the progress anyway, so he wasn''t too concerned.


    He closed the pouch and tied it back around his Wesson, covering everything with his boxer shorts.


    Right as he was done, he heard another scream echo within the ce.


    It was a blood-curdling one¡ªnot resembling one borne out of a fight amongrades.


    Gary felt his heart skip a beat, but this fear was swiftly overruled by the fear of what their Leader would do to everyone if he was woken up by their screaming.


    Even if Gary wasn''t among, he knew the Leader''s punishment was one he could not escape.


    Spurred by this, he rushed inside the building, neatly ripping the door from its hinges, as he yelled¡ªlike the idiot that he was¡ªat his noisemakingrades.


    "You guys, STOP! You''ll WAKE the LEADER!"


    As Gary rushed in, shutting his eyes to make this deration, he realized something.


    ¡­ There was no noise¡ªat least, not anymore.


    ''E-eh¡­?''


    Instead, a certain smell caused him to slowly open his eyes as it overwhelmed his senses with a familiar sensation.


    ''W-what is¡­ this¡­?''


    Blood and gore greeted his sight, as he noticed the severed parts of hisrades on the ground.


    Warm blood flowed to the bottom of Gary''s feet, as if weing him to join in the puddle.


    "N-no¡­"


    Gary could spot tons of internal organs¡ªintestines, brain matter, and a bunch of other things¡ªscattered all around the area.


    He saw eyeballs outside their sockets, severed heads that rolled around, and chunks of human meat dipped in the stew that was their own blood.


    It was all¡­ so disgusting!


    Repulsive!


    "Bluerghh!" Before Gary realized it, he copsed to his knees and vomited.


    The sour stench of his undigested contents, mixed in with the gross smell of the blood around him,bined to form something new.


    ¡­ Something worse.


    Gary felt like vomiting once again, but he was stopped by a voice.


    "Do that again, and you''ll suffer even more before dying."


    The moment Gary heard this, he automatically swallowed his second round.


    Even though he was still very nauseated and downright disgusted by the sight of his earlier vomit sinking into the blood before him, he instinctively knew that he couldn''t throw-up.


    Doing so would mean certain doom.


    ''W-why¡­?''


    Gary slowly raised his head as he spotted three figures before him.


    One was a man who appeared like a gentleman¡ªthe kind of handsome noble that any pauper like him would want to punch in the face.


    Then, there was a youngdy who had an unsheathed de brandished in her hand.


    She looked so cute that it seemed like she would never hurt a fly, but the murderous gleam in her eyes as she looked at him, and the blood sttered on her pretty face told him she wasn''t as innocent as she seemed.


    In fact, the one that sliced off hisrades into these disgusting bits and pieces was most likely her.


    "Hey, you¡­" The same deep voice from just earlier echoed in the still room.


    This was thest person¡ªthe man shrouded in a dark cloak whose back was rested on the walls as he stood in a corner.


    He had a ck mask on, so his face was concealed in mystery.


    His eyes glowed crimson, though, and it was the kind that told Gary that instant death awaited him if he made even the slightest blunder.


    Gary had no idea what these incredibly powerful people wanted from him and hisrades, but he knew they meant business.


    If he didn''t act quickly, he would have to join his now-deadpanions in the deep pits of the underworld.


    "¡­ Where is she?"


    The moment he heard a question from the man of darkness, Gary''s body perked up as he remained kneeling.


    His desperate, but confused face greeted the obsidian mask with helplessness.


    "I¡­ I don''t understand¡­"


    "Don''t make me ask again¡­" The man''s crimson eyes shone brighter as he stared at Gary.


    "The girl with the ring. Where is she¡­?"


    The moment Gary heard this, his eyes widened in utter fear and downright shock.


    ''T-the ring? What ring? The one with me?!''


    Was that why these three were here? Because of how valuable the ring was? They probably came to retrieve it due to its high value.


    Gary felt a mix of guilt and pride.


    ''I-I knew it was valuable! It''s definitely in the tinum Rank! I¡­ I didn''t know they woulde to kill all of us for it!''


    Right there and then, Gary thought of the most brilliant n.


    ''I-I''ll just give it back to them! Yes¡­ that should solve everything!"


    He swiftly squirmed in his pathetic state, digging his hand into his boxer shorts to bring out the pouch.


    ~VWUSH!~


    It appeared like a shing ray of light, and it was much faster than Gary could process.


    At least, not until it was toote.


    "GAHHHHH!!" His screams echoed in the air as he could no longer feel his hand.


    The thing was now on the bloodied floor, separate from the rest of his body.


    "G-guarhhhh!"


    Sweat formed on Gary''s face as he saw smoke rise from his severed hand, and he could feel immense heat seared into his gaping arm.


    It was at this moment that Gary recollected what happened:


    A beam of crimson light hade from the eyes of the masked one, swiftly burning off the connection that held his arm and hand together.


    Thanks to the immense heat, Gary wasn''t bleeding. However, he had lost an entire hand


    ¡­ Forever!


    "Uarrghhhhhhh!!!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Once again, I''m sorry for the mixup.


    As for non priv readers, I suppose this doesn''t really affect you.


    Thanks for reading

 Chapter 130 The Taste Of Despair

    <h4>Chapter 130 The Taste Of Despair </h4>


    Gary''s eyes were seeing red.


    His vision was clouded by a blurry, nauseating sight of danger and death.


    He had killed his fair share of people, and this was by no means the first time he had encountered gore¡ªor pain.


    But, nothing he had ever experiencedpared to this moment.


    Seeing his ownrades¡ªthe one he was ying games with just moments earlier¡ªnow nothing more than lifeless chunks of meat, caused his stomach to churn and his throat to burn.


    If not for the searing pain in his arm, and the certainty of death that weighed heavily on him, Gary was certain that he would have vomited once again.


    "G-guahhh¡­ ahhh¡­ arghhh¡­" As tears and drool slipped down his face, mucus flowed from his nose and he shivered.


    He looked like a pathetic sniveling rat that could only tremble in the face of pure danger.


    "Ahh¡­ I suppose I was being a bit impatient. For a moment there, I thought you were reaching for a weapon."


    The way the masked one spoke so casually, despite Gary just losing an arm, made a flickering me of rage burn within the pathetic man.


    However¡­


    "It seems you know nothing. You should be eliminated as well."


    ¡­ That rage soon vanished the moment execution drew near.


    "I-I know where she is! Please! Please don''t kill me!"


    As Gary begged desperately, he could see the red glow of the masked one''s eyes dim a little.


    The other two present in the room weren''t making any moves either.


    It seemed the one shrouded in darkness was their real leader¡ªthe Boss of the group.


    "I-I wasn''t reaching out for a weapon. I wanted to show you something¡­"


    "Show me something? Inside your boxer shorts¡­?"


    "A-ahh¡­" Gary felt like he was beingbeled a pervert by the group.


    Even the state of the girl told him she was thinking something along the lines of ''What a pathetic lech!''


    But that wasn''t it at all!


    ''I wanted to surrender and give you the ring. But now¡­ now it seems there''s another way.''


    These people were after the girl, and not the ring. He had made a miscalction on his part.


    ''I was confused then, but now¡­ yes¡­ now I know what to do!''


    It was possible to show them the girl and he would keep the ring.


    Sure, he had lost his right hand, but he still had his left one.


    Besides, now that he was certain of the value of the ring, Gary was sure he could get his hand fixed with Magic and still have tons of change to spare.


    ''I just need to find a way around thi¡ª''


    "This is pointless. Use the tracker again, Aldred."


    "Understood."


    Before Gary could say a single word in order to initiate the deal, he felt a vibrating sensation in his crotch, and a warm feeling rose from the pouch.


    It felt hot underneath his soiled boxers, and it wasn''t just due to the remnants of pee that stained it.


    It was¡­


    "H-hold on¡­ the tracker is detecting the ring¡­ on him!"


    "Something is glowing under his boxer shorts."


    "¡­."


    As the distinguished gentleman looked at some sort of screen in front of him, looking shocked, the pink-haired girl pointed at his soiled boxers, and the dark masked man said nothing, Gary felt something building up.


    It was¡­ sheet bloodlust!


    ~VWUUUUU!!~


    The entire area was shrouded in such pressure that Gary felt he would die just from sensing the killing intent.


    He felt like passing out a thousand times over, but he wasn''t allowed to.


    The joint bloodlust from all three who watched him made his heart nearly give out, and Gary was teetering between the edge of life and death


    Then¡ª


    "You imbecile! You actually kept our luxury item close to your wretched dick?!"


    No one could have expected the gentleman to utter such crude words, but he did.


    "Shall I dispose of this fool, Master Aldred?"


    The pink-haired cutie was already brandishing her de, ready to turn Gary into a kebab.


    Gary felt his body shake violently, he knew he was screwed just from the enraged faces they were making.


    "No. Hold on¡­ we can''t act on our own." The man who had earlier been addressed as Aldred looked in the direction of the silent masked man.


    "We''re not the owner of the Item, so it''s not in our ce to mete out judgment."


    It was clear that Aldred was immensely furious, but he deferred to the masked one.


    ¡ªAnother proof of who was in charge here.


    "How would you like to handle this matter, Sir Ralyks?"


    As the question echoed in the air, the man resting on the wall finally left his position.


    "Haaa¡­"


    A heavy exhtion, almost akin to a frustrated sigh, escaped his lips¡ªinvisible due to the mask he wore.


    The one called Sir Ralyks took one step forward, and then two¡­ on and on.


    With each step, Gary felt like he had already reached the end of his life, yet he found himself still maintaining his mortal coil.


    "Why ask me?" His question sounded strange, nearly sarcastic.


    "That ring doesn''t belong to me either¡­"


    Despite speaking in such a cool tone, his crimson eyes had never been brighter.


    "¡­ But, I think I''ll take it from here."


    The two¡ªpink-hair and Aldred¡ªnodded politely and took a few steps back.


    Now, only Ralyks stood at the forefront.


    "Don''t expect a quick death." His crimson eyes focused heavily on Gary as he gulped fervently.


    This¡­ this really was the end!


    ''I-I''m sorry! I won''t do it again! I promise¡­ I promise I''ll be better!''


    Unfortunately, his trembling lips were too impotent to let out the words that echoed loudly in his mind.


    The end was here¡­


    "Hold it right there!"


    ¡­ Or so one would think.


    ~BOOOOOM!~


    A sudden explosion shattered the wooden ground that separated the bringer of death and the helpless Gary.


    Shards of blood-stained wood flew in many directions, with splinters and even a fewrge chunks charging towards Ralyks.


    However, none touched him by some miracle.


    "A-ahh¡­?!" Thanks to themotion, Gary, who could finally move his body, turned his head back and saw the one who intervened.


    His bulging eyes had never been so happy to see the man in his entire life.


    ''L-Leader Gus!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    We''re reaching the climax of this confrontation. Let''s not forget the Dungeon.


    We''ll get to that in a bit¡­ I think.


    Hopefully, you''re not too bored.

 Chapter 131 Leader Gus

    <h4>Chapter 131 Leader Gus </h4>


    ''He¡­ He''s hereee!!!''


    Gary was overjoyed beyondpare.


    He didn''t think he had ever been this happy from the day he was born until now.


    ''H-he must have woken up due to all the noise¡­''


    Once he concluded that, Gary convinced himself that the reason he had been screaming and shouting like a pathetic little rat was so he could get the Leader''s attention.


    Yes¡­ this was all a part of the n!


    ''N-now that Leader Gus is here, I''m saved!'' Gary thought to himself with glee.


    "Looks like you''re the only one who survived. Of all my capable men, it had to be you¡­"


    Gary felt his body rise from the pool of blood. It was being lifted by the Leader, who tightly grabbed his head with one hand,


    Leader Gus was an extremely robust man¡ªmany could call him very fat.


    However, he wasn''t particrly obese. No, he imed that the reason for his huge size and round potbelly was due to the strong muscles he gathered there.


    The fact that he could effortlessly raise a grown man like Gary as if it was nothing proved his assertion.


    Leader Gus was extremely strong!


    "S-sorry, Leader. Haha¡­ I''ll try my best¡­"


    Gary felt his body draw closer to the huge face of his leader as the man grinned at him with some sort of evil gleam in his eyes.


    "Oh, I''m sure you will. But first¡­" Gus'' unupied hand was stretched out, as if expecting something.


    Gary felt confused.


    He stared at the raised eyebrow of his Leader, but even then it took a while before he finally understood what Gus meant.


    "A-ahh¡­ the ring!"


    His only viable hand trembled as he struggled to remove the pouch from his crotch and present it to the overweight man.


    Gary wasn''t particrly keen on parting with such a treasure, but he was more interested in living.


    Besides, perhaps he could get a cut from the whole thing if the Leader sold the ring.


    ''We just have to get through these guys first¡­'' As Gary thought this, while dropping the pouch on his Leader''s outstretched hand, he felt something squeeze his head tightly.


    "U-um¡­ Leader, y-you''re squeezing a little too¡ª"


    ~SQUELCH!~


    Before Gary could let out his wordspletely, his entire head burst into pieces.


    Pink chunks of brain matter sttered around the area as blood sshed from his headless body.


    His lifeless form fell to the ground in a heavy thud, and his naked body awkwardlyy in the pool of both blood and vomit.


    Before Gary could have even imagined it, he was already long dead.


    **********


    "Huhu¡­ what a useless guy¡­" Gus grinned with a a big ol'' smile on his face.


    His bby neck and fluffy-looking cheeks danced as he made a chuckle.


    He gently caressed the pouch in his grasp, not even minding that it had previously upied his subordinate''s Nether region.


    "I heard everything, you know? I''ve been awake for some time now, so I know¡­"


    Gus dangled the pouch, which was now upside down, forcing out the gleaming treasure inside.


    And then, the ringnded on his fatty palm.


    While he did all this, his audience¡ªThe pink-haired warrior, Aldred, and the leader Ralyks¡ªmerely watched in silence.


    The initial two were standing a distance from thetter, since he had already said to leave it to him.


    However, that was for dealing with Gary.


    With Gus present, the situation had changed drastically.


    "Oho! This looks like an amazing find! The craftsmanship¡­ the Magic Energy¡­ this is¡­ I''ve never seen anything like it before!"


    As Gus gleamed in delight, his overweight body danced in joy.


    He was thick from head to toe, so other than his bby cheeks and slightly malleable neck, the rest of his body was dense.


    As a result, even though he jumped in excitement, his body didn''t particrly jumble up and about.


    "Where did thise from? Where did you guys get it? These sorts of exceptional stuff usuallye with their distinct brand, right?"


    Gus wasn''t answered by the ones who watched in silence.


    Instead, they left the discovery to him.


    As someone who had stolen a lot of things in his life¡ªand even had the chance to experience a few luxury items¡ªGus knew exactly what and where to check in order to find what he was looking for.


    It didn''t take him a few seconds to do so.


    And then¡ª


    "E-ehh¡­ the K-Karinc¡­ Group¡­?"


    All the excitement on his face drained away at that very moment,


    It was like he instantly knew how screwed he was.


    Instead, sweat fell from his face as he looked at the ring a second time to confirm the hidden logo details that only experts would be able to find.


    He wasn''t wrong.


    It was made by the Karinc Group!


    "H-hold on¡­ this can''t be¡­!"


    The Karinc Group never sold their items to other stores, which meant the only way to get their products was to walk through the doors of any of their buildings.


    They were also capable of sniffing out any trade in the ck Market¡ªand even the surface world¡ªthat involved their goods.


    They held a strict monopoly on certain types of items¡ª


    especially in the capital.


    And, it was rumored that they were deeply affiliated with the Obsidian Council.


    Anyone who messed with them was as good as dead


    Those who stole from them met miserable ends.


    The few who challenged them were inevitably destroyed.


    The Karinc Group was an incredible force to be reckoned with, and just recently¡­ they had started expanding their power.


    At their current pace, it was safe to say they could be the most powerful of the Companies within the ck Market and perhaps even the mainstream.


    Gus knew most of these things from hearsay, but as someone who had been in the game this long, he knew there were certain things that were as immutable as death itself.


    One of those things was the hierarchy.


    "I-I deeply apologize!" Gus swiftly fell to his knees, not caring that blood and gore sshed on his body in the process.


    Right now, he was more concerned about sparing his life than anything else.


    Even though it was his foolish subordinate thatmitted such an idiotic act, he knew he would be the one to pay for it.


    Such was thew of this world of darkness.


    "P-please spare me! I''ll do anything!" He pleaded, more sweat dripping down his body.


    He could feel his heart racing as an ufortably tense air of silence hung above him.


    He felt like a de might descend from above and end his life.


    He also knew he couldn''t do anything if that happened.


    Gus could only pray he would be spared.


    "I told that man¡­ that he wouldn''t die a quick death."


    As Gus heard the voice of the dark one known as Ralyks, he felt a chill permeate his entire body.


    "Yet you killed him so easily¡­"


    Gus instantly knew he was screwed.


    ''I messed up! I screwed up! I''m so dead!'' His bulging eyes showed his thoughts very clearly.


    "¡­ So how do you n on taking responsibility?"


    The moment Gus heard this, he knew he had been extended a lifeline.


    This was the only chance he could get if he wanted to live.


    He had to take it!


    "T-the girl you''re searching for! I know where she is!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Guess it wasn''t the climactic fight you were all looking forward to.

 Chapter 132 A World Of Darkness [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 132 A World Of Darkness [Pt 1] </h4>


    ''I feel sick¡­''


    As Rey looked at the man before him, and at the space he found himself in, he honestly felt disgusted beyond words.


    Killing monsters had already be a part of his normal life, but there was no way to get used to this;


    Blood.


    Gore.


    Death.


    The death of humans.


    ''Haaa¡­ calm down, Rey.''


    Right now, he was ying the character of Ralyks¡ªthe dark and gritty man of the shadows.


    He couldn''t afford to blow his cover here.


    ''But this is too awful¡­''


    Rey had read and watched a lot of violent stories. He was a big fan of things like this, and anytime he read them, he found them fun and engaging.


    The same feeling came to mind when he ughtered monsters without consequence.


    But now¡­ now that he was faced with actual mutted corpses, Rey couldn''t help but feel the urge to throw up.


    The overwhelming smell in the air, and the sight of so many sliced-up bodies along with their internal organs, were more than enough to put anyone off.


    ''To think that girl did all this¡­''


    Yuri was the one who horribly mutted all of these bodies at hismand.


    The surprise on his face when he saw how she summoned a de out of nowhere and so easily ended human lives was indescribable.


    It was puzzling how someone who appeared as sweet as her could switch up so easily and rid so many of their lives¡ªin horrible ways for that matter.


    Yuri had certainly made sure each of the men suffered greatly before they died.


    It was horrible! Both for the men and for Rey, who watched everything.


    He had chosen to stay in a corner and observe since he didn''t want to draw close to the site of carnage, but he knew he couldn''t stay away forever.


    Ralyks could not appear weak.


    That was why, when he approached Gary to deal a devastating strike, he was very slow.


    Hesitation filled his steps, though he wasn''t sure if anyone besides him noticed.


    The more he saw the face of the man he was about to kill, the more he felt his heart racing and disgust churning in his stomach.


    ''I''ve never killed any human before. I don''t¡­ I don''t think I want to.''


    His n was to torture him a bit and make Yuri finish him off, just to make himself seem like a brutal man.


    Rey wasn''t brutal at all¡ªat least, not to humans.


    He was just a 16-year-old boy who now realized that he was in over his head.


    Frankly speaking, he was scared.


    ''I shouldn''t have forgotten¡­ just because I was able to establish myself with a big ce like Karinc¡­ I should not have forgotten what kind of ce this is.''


    This was the criminal underbelly.


    Murderers, rapists, and a bunch of other kinds of despicable scum dwelled here.


    How could he have thought of hacking and shing his way through, just as he did in Dungeons.


    He wasn''t fighting monsters this time.


    These were monsters who wore the skins of human beings.


    ''And them¡­'' Rey nced at Yuri and Aldred.


    They appeared perfectly calm despite all of the carnage that filled their line of sight.


    There was a chance that they were just pretending to be unbothered by it, but something told Ray that they genuinely didn''t care.


    They were probably used to stuff like this already.


    ''¡­ They''re monsters too.''


    He could see that now¡ªfar clearer than ever before.


    ''None of the people here are my allies. None of them can be trusted.''


    Sure, the Karinc Group was on his side now, but only because of profit.


    That was all their rtionship extended to.


    If the mastermind, or some other third party made a better deal with them, and made him a target, they were definitely going to bite.


    He already knew that before, but now that he was here¡­ it all solidified in his head.


    "Euk¡­ p-please¡­"


    Whimpers from the kneeling man before him brought Rey back to reality.


    He overcame his disgust and did his best to concentrate. He reminded himself of the reason why he was here in the first ce.


    ''Alicia! And he knows where she is!''


    Rey had already recognized the blunder he made by assuming the ring would be with Alicia.


    He didn''t know how it got off her, but he knew how to get the answers.


    "The girl¡­ was she wearing the ring when youst saw her?" Rey asked.


    "N-not when Ist saw her. I¡­ I¡­ when she first came with the boy, she was wearing it, but¡­"


    "Boy? Billy?"


    "Y-yes! Yes¡­ Billy!"


    Rey''s brows crinkled slightly as he confirmed that Alicia truly was with Billy.


    What were they doing together?


    "I saw everything using my Skill¡­ but¡­ I got distracted by that other woman¡­ and I didn''t see the rest." The man kept on bbering.


    "The next time I saw her¡­ she had no ring¡­"


    There were a bunch of thoughts that swirled around Rey''s thoughts as he listened to the bits and pieces that he could decipher from the pathetic Gus.


    ''He was there when it all happened, then? I guess I''ll find out everything from him.''


    However, before he could extract any further information, Rey knew he had to take some precautions.


    "Both of you, go outside. I want to have a private talk with him."


    The moment Rey said this, Aldred and Yuri nodded, though thetter nced at Aldred to see his reaction.


    It showed Rey that she was first of all loyal and subservient to the Broker before him.


    ''I suppose that should have been expected¡­''


    They were both members of the Karinc Group, after all.


    Rey watched as they left the room, their footsteps ringing hollow the further the distance they created.


    Soon, Rey was sure that they weren''t nearby¡ªrtively speaking.


    ''[Grand Sound Magic].'' Rey activated a Skill, ensuring that none of the sound that would subsequently emanate from either him or Gus would be heard outside the room.


    He also ensured to activate [Perception] and his other sensory Skills to make sure they weren''t somehow spying on him.


    After taking all necessary precautions and making sure the area was clear, Rey finally heaved a sigh of relief.


    "Now, then¡­ Gus." Rey had heard his name when thenky idiot shouted it in relief.


    If only the fool could see the future. He would have known not to have been relieved in the slightest.


    "Raise your head."


    In response to Rey¡ªno, Ralyks'' voice¡ªGus raised his head with trembling and fervor.


    "Tell me everything you know."


    *********


    Yuri and Aldred stood a considerable distance from the worn-


    down base of the men they had just annihted, awkwardly waiting for Ralyks.


    They both knew better than to spy on him or try to listen in for any info.


    The Karinc Group feared and respected Ralyks far too much for two of their members to do something so unwise.


    For a long while, there was silence among the two.


    Until¡ª


    "Why do you think he didn''t kill anyone?"


    ¡ªYuri asked a question.


    In response to it, Aldred gave a small smile


    It was like he understood everything perfectly.


    "Why would he need to?" As he spoke, he watched the despairing Gus and regal Ralyks proceed out of the shack.


    "Just as I do not need to kill my enemies when you are by my side, he also probably sees it that way."


    Despite saying words like this, Aldred Winsley did not frown or feel bad.


    Instead, his respect for the man called Ralyks deepened.


    "We are his tools for destructions. Why would he need to act?"


    That was all there was to it.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I hope you enjoyed the chapter! I know there hasn''t been a lot of action recently, but¡­ this story really took a dark turn, didn''t it?


    Stick around for more.

 Chapter 133 A World Of Darkness [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 133 A World Of Darkness [Pt 2] </h4>


    As Rey stepped out of the abandoned shack with Gus, he kept his entire body under control.


    He could tell that he was trembling within, but thankfully no one could notice it.


    Ah, and this time it wasn''t due to fear, or some other fickle emotion like that.


    ''Billy, you¡­!''


    There was only one feeling that currently swiped within Rey at this point¡ªenough to make him grit his teeth and widen his eyes with emotion.


    ¡­ Pure, unbridled rage.


    ''You did all this!'' He fought not to clench his fist, or hit anything in sight.


    But his overflowing anger needed a conduit.


    He needed one so badly.


    s! They were out in the open, within the slums of the ck Market,


    Rey knew he couldn''t act very brashly now, especially with Aldred and Yuri watching him so intently since he appeared from a distance.


    ''I don''t know if they''re suspicious of me for not killing anyone, but¡­''


    For now, they probably weren''t going to make a move against him.


    Rey just knew he had to keep his guard up.


    ''Right now, I better save up all I''m feeling for when we arrive at the location¡­''


    He pictured Alicia in trouble, and the foolish Billy being right beside her.


    ''The idiot let himself be captured as well¡­ he''s just¡ª!''


    "So, what now, Sir Ralyks?"


    Rey was interrupted by Aldred''s words, causing him to snap out of the realm of thoughts.


    He had already made it to the presence of his two Karinc helpers, and with Gus right next to him, the next thing on the list was what the next step would be.


    "We''re heading to the ve Trading Storage Facility¡ªthe one where they keep some of their merchandise."


    Rey wanted to tell Aldred and Yuri that they could leave the rest to him, since he didn''t want them to have any knowledge of Alicia.


    If they knew of Alicia''s identity, they could either deduce his, or use her as leverage on him.


    ''I don''t want her to be a weak link¡­''


    However, Rey found it difficult to send them off.


    Excluding the fact that the two didn''t seem like they were interested in leaving yet, Rey still needed them for dirty work.


    He still hadn''t killed a human and he wasn''t intending to.


    ''I have to keep my hands as clean as possible, just in case a case with the TruthSeekeres up again and I''m asked something along those lines¡­''


    This was Rey''s excuse, but the true reason he didn''t want to take a life was far simpler.


    He really couldn''t do it.


    Rey was by no means a hardened killer, and the very thought of ending human life and living with those consequences made him nearly retch.


    Killing Monsters in Dungeons felt like a game. In video games, no matter how realistic, you could always kill anyone and go scot free.


    There would be no guilt associated with it, and most people ended up having fun with it.


    That was how Rey had always felt with the monsters.


    But people.. those were different.


    ''I¡­ I just¡­''


    "I''m guessing this one here will be leading us to the ce?"


    Rey nodded gently, his facade of stoicism working perfectly beneath his obsidian mask.


    "Perfect! Shall we get going, then?"


    "Yeah¡­"


    The four left the hideout, leaving the bloodied interior just the way it was.


    The reason behind that could only be guessed.


    *********


    ''I feel¡­ really weak¡­''


    Alicia had thought that a night''s rest would make her feel better, but she was dead wrong.


    She had never felt so terrible in her life.


    ''My body won''t even move¡­''


    It felt like she was paralyzed, unable to move even the tiniest parts of her body.


    Her heartbeat also slowed down despite how scared she was. This darkness that surrounded her¡­ it felt all-consuming.


    No one spoke, so the entire expanse was filled with dread.


    Even Billy, whose words¡ªdespite how annoying they were¡ª


    kept herpany, was nowhere to be heard.


    He was probably just sitting down helplessly in a corner, unable to do anything of note.


    From what Alicia could gather, this was a box-like room, with quite a decent amount of space within.


    When she first woke up within it, she only saw Billy. However, by the time she regained consciousness and looked around her, Alicia could notice a few presences.


    There were two other individuals in the room with them.


    Alicia couldn''t properly see their faces, but based on the shapes of their bodies that she could make out their identities.


    One was a girl, appearing slightly shorter than her. They were probably the same age.


    The other looked like a boy, and he seemed much younger than anyone else in the room.


    That was all she could manage to detect in the room.


    ''Just how long has passed? I have no idea¡­''


    Alicia was growing desperate by the minute¡ªspecifically because of what Billy told her.


    They were getting sold today!


    ''Please¡­ someone out there¡­ please help!''


    ********


    Gus led Rey and his two entourages to the ce within one of the most secluded areas within themunity of darkness.


    A ce he called the Warehouse.


    This ce was a massive structure that covered quite a wide area ofnd. It had arge fence surrounding if, along with guards who were either fixed in their positions, or took patrols.


    All of this grandiose disy showed just how important the building behind the walls was.


    The Workshop¡ª


    It was a ce where his Boss kept his merchandise¡ªin essence, those who would be sold as ves.


    Rey could only feel disgust when he thought of the concept. He wondered if men like Gus and his Boss ought to even be alive.


    As rage seared within him, he heard the disgusting voice of Gus.


    "We drop them off at the entrance. We''re not allowed to go any further in."


    There were two entrances to the building.


    One was at the far back, where the ''Special'' products were stored, but the front gate led to the normal ce where ves were kept.


    ording to Gus, he and his goons went to the far back since both Alicia and Billy were confirmed to be Skill-Holders and had a ss.


    In H''Trae, it was rare for young ones like them to possess impressive ss and multiple Skills.


    Even a single Skill and an E or D-Tier ss would make you special as a young product.


    As a result, they were going to fetch a lot of money.


    "T-this is all I know¡­ I swear!" Gus pleaded, once again kneeling and prostrating to ''Sir Ralyks.''


    Rey was too distracted to take Gus very seriously.


    His thoughtsy on the building, and the fact that Alicia and Billy would be somewhere inside.


    ''Isn''t this too conspicuous, though?''


    From the little he knew, even within the criminal underworld, ve Trade was kept on the downlow.


    ''With such a massive structure and several guards, it''s bound to draw attention.''


    However, when Rey thought about it, that also meant it was secure.


    ''Hmm¡­''


    He and his two momentary allies were watching from an elevated tform in the distance, so they could hardly see any detail within the building.


    In the end, Rey did the only thing he could.


    "What do you think about all this, Aldred?"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    We''re getting warmer and warmer.

 Chapter 134 The Warehouse

    <h4>Chapter 134 The Warehouse </h4>


    "What do you think about all this, Aldred?"


    As Rey''s question echoed in the air, Aldred gave a knowing smile¡ªas if he already expected the question.


    "It''s probably a ruse. The real Warehouse should be underground."


    Rey made a slight grimace underneath his mask.


    ''Just as I suspected¡­''


    Even with this discovery, it didn''t change what they had to do.


    ''We still have to invade. I''m sure the entrance to the underground path is somewhere inside.''


    Rey almost felt like he was invading the domain of a mafia group, or some sort of cartel. He hadn''t done it before, but it seemed like this was how it often felt like.


    "This establishment is run by Evals Redart, the biggest guy in business in the South." Aldred went on, his tone still containing the same kind of amusement from earlier.


    "I don''t imagine that we''d meet him here, but if we do, then the Karinc Group would like to stay out of it."


    Rey sighed and gave a light shrug.


    "I wasn''t nning on the two of you venturing inside with me, to begin with."


    He had been contemting what route to take when it came to these two, but with Aldred giving him caveats to his cooperation, now seemed like a good time to end things.


    "I''ll go inside alone. I''m sure the Karinc Group would like to maintain a close rtionship with someone like Evals Redart."


    Rey knew it was just how business functioned in the underworld. It was the same way they desired a good rtionship with him.


    "We are grateful for your understanding. Though, if we were to pick between you and Redart, our Group would go with you."


    Rey shrugged off those words, taking them with as much levity as possible,


    ''Trying to butter me up, huh? Is this also what he''ll also tell Redart?''


    No matter what Aldred said, Rey knew he couldn''t wholeheartedly believe and trust him.


    "In any case, I''m heading in. You can leave now." Rey took a few steps forward, his gaze focused on the building that stood a distance from him.


    "And what of the fatso?"


    Rey turned back a little, watching Aldred make a sadistic smile and Yuri supporting him with her own innocent smile as well.


    Gus kept banging his head on the ground, profusely apologizing¡ªeven as blood gushed out.


    At this point, Rey''s gaze when he saw these things was sheer lethargy.


    He just didn''t care anymore.


    "He''s all yours." Rey waved away the pleading Gus, causing him to mutter an "E-eh¡­?"


    Before he could double down on his begging and make an appeal, though, Yuri knocked him unconscious with the hilt of her de.


    Once again, Rey noticed how it appeared seemingly out of nowhere.


    Once Gus fell to the ground in a heavy thud, Rey returned his focus on the building and didn''t bother looking back a second time.


    "We look forward to your victory. Come patronize us again when you''re done."


    "It''s been a pleasure, Sir Ralyks!"


    Rey simply ignored their words of farewell and leaked out a heavy sigh


    ''They''re all crazy people.''


    *************


    The Warehouse was a two-storey building which covered at least an acre ofnd.


    It was surrounded by a tall and sturdy fence that prevented anyone from seeing anything that happened inside.


    Unless someone flew overhead the entire ce, there was no way to see anything beyond the grimy walls that imposingly stood tall.


    Both the main building and the surrounding fence were covered with ck paint, and they seemed like old structures that would copse at any moment.


    Rey wondered if having one''s building like this contributed something to the ve-owner Aesthetic, but once again found his thoughts to be a useless tangent.


    ''Let''s focus on the matter at hand.''


    He activated the [Stealth], [Projection], got ready to use [Phase], and even added the [Camouge] Skill he just learned from the Bigfoots¡­ just in case.


    With his preparationsplete, he walked straight past the armored guards despite their vignt demeanors.


    None of them even noticed him nearing them, walking past them, or passing through the fence to reach the other side.


    It was a smooth infiltration that didn''t even take any effort.


    "Looks like I''m in, huh¡­?" Rey mumbled under his breath as he took a good look around him.


    Thepound was crawling with even more security personnel.


    So many guards¡ªa lot with des, though a few had staffs in hand.


    ''This is enough for a small army. I guess the ve Trade business is no joke¡­''


    It was also possible that this was a special day, hence the need for so many security personnel in the same area.


    Despite their numbers, though, Rey easily walked past all of them.


    It wasn''t even a challenge.


    ''I could have ended all their lives, but¡­ I guess I don''t need to.''


    If he had chosen the direct approach, things could have gotten messier then he desired,


    At least, this way was more efficient,


    ''Though I feel bad for the other ves that are here, or that will be brought in eventually, my only goal here is Alicia¡­ and also Billy.''


    He couldn''t allow any further distractions.


    Rey followed Gus'' words and took the second entrance that led to the Special Center of the holding facility.


    The result?


    ''¡­ Empty, huh? figured.''


    After getting past the entrance and easily breezing through the guards, Rey was finally greeted by an empty room.


    ''I''ll assume the general area is also like this.''


    All of them were distractions¡ªtangents to throw him off the scent.


    But Rey could already see through it all.


    He also knew his way forward.


    ''This ce surely has a manager that is not Evals Redart.'' His lips began to broaden ever so slightly.


    ''I should pay him a visit.''


    With a dark gleam in his eyes, and a very deep resolution in his heart, Rey continued his advance.


    ''Wait for me, Alicia! I''ming!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I appreciate your support immensely. Apologies that this part is going so slow.


    Keep pushing!

 Chapter 135 Warehouse Manager

    <h4>Chapter 135 Warehouse Manager </h4>


    Sylvia loved money.


    As she sat on her chair, piles of Coins were arranged to form towers before her.


    There were quite a few Bronze Coin Towers, a couple made up of Silver Coins, and finally¡­


    ¡­ A Golden Coin Tower!


    She was grinning like a baby as she yed with the tower of coins before her.


    Sylvia had a dark ebony skin, with ck hair and pure ck eyes.


    They say the eyes are the windows to the soul, but Sylvia''s dark irises showed nothing, prompting many to call her soulless.


    She didn''t mind, though. Of what she was a Soul if one didn''t have the money needed to enjoy it?


    That was her philosophy.


    "Looks like no one is invading today as well. What a bummer¡­" Sylvia sighed, cing a hand on her cheek as she poured a little.


    Her office was within the Warehouse Building, and it was considerablyrge. Since she was the Manager, it was only a given.


    Several panels, simr to System Panels, were floating in the air before her, thus upying her line of sight.


    "Nothing out of the ordinary¡­"


    The only thing Sylvia could expect to happen today was the transportation of their merchandise to the Auction.


    ''I wish I could go. I bet it''s far more eventful than this dreary ce¡­''


    Despite her office being muchrger than most other managers in her position¡ªand the fact that she literally did nothing but sit in her office¡ªSylvia couldn''t help butin.


    As her ugly face, caked in makeup, formed a twisted smile, her tongue licked her especiallyrge lips.


    "Lord Evals Redart will also be there. It''s a shame he hardly visits this ce. I miss him¡­"


    Sylvia was very fond of Evals¡ªone could say to an obsessive level. She often had thoughts like amon whore, and dressed as one too.


    Unfortunately, she wasn''t blessed with the looks necessary toplete the equation.


    Sylvia was very ugly, and her bodycked the right proportions that made a woman incredibly attractive to men.


    That was why, despite slowly reaching her expiration date, she was yet to settle down.


    No man¡ªnot in the underworld or the surface¡ªeven paid her any heed.


    Those who did would eventually leave her after one or two months.


    That was the reason why she loved money so much.


    "You''ll never leave me, will you?" She spoke to her adorable stack of coins.


    "My lovely things. Huhuhu¡ª!"


    Before Sylvia could croak out anotherugh, she suddenly felt something wrapping around her neck from behind.


    ''H-huh¡­?!''


    It all happened instantly, and the tight grip took her by surprise, threatening to snap her neck if she took one careless move.


    ''W-what''s happening¡­?''


    "You will answer my questions and cooperate with me if you want to leave, I''ll give you a few seconds to speak. If you take longer, or lie to me, I''ll be killing you instantly."


    The moment Sylvia heard this, a chill went down her spine.


    The voice that echoed was so deep and threatening that it nearly gave her a heart attack. Her body froze, unable to move even the slightest inch.


    Sylvia knew right there and then¡­ she was on death''s door.


    "Y-yes, I understand."


    Self-preservation was the natural instinct of any living being. No one wants to die.


    "Good. You''re the manager of this establishment, correct!"


    Sylvia gulped and thought the question through.


    ''If I answer honestly, he might kill me because he is looking for the manager¡­''


    On the other end, I''d she dyed in her response, he would also dispose of her.


    Now stuck between a rock and a hard ce, she felt the back of her neck being squeezed tighter.


    Any more, and she would break.


    "I-I am!" Sylvia finally spoke out, fearing what would happen if the guy found out she lied in the case that she did.


    ''There''s no guarantee that he''ll kill now because I''m the manager, right? Compared to staying silent and lying, I''m cooperating!''


    In Sylvia''s mind, she prayed she wouldn''t get killed.


    ''I-I don''t want to die¡­''


    There were still tons of money to be made, and she still hadn''t settled down yet.


    She couldn''t die now.


    "I want you to take me to the ves."


    The moment Sylvia heard this, only a single croak came out of her lips.


    "E-eh¡­?"


    As the Manager of this Warehouse, she knew the underground passage that led to the real ve Center.


    But why would she reveal such details?


    "D-doing that is¡­ it''s the same as sentencing me to death¡­" Sylvia whispered.


    She didn''t know who was asking the questions, and despite her incredible senses, she couldn''t even detect anyone in the room.


    It was almost as if she was talking to a ghost.


    "I-If Lord Evals Redart finds out I led you there¡­ then my life is over. I''ll suffer and die in the worst way imaginable."


    Sylvia didn''t think her words would elicit some kind of empathy from the man behind her, and she wasn''t honestly counting on that.


    However, it was just a bad choice to reveal the passageway to someone when she would be killed brutally for it.


    ''At least, for this one¡­ I''m not sure what he''ll do to me¡­''


    She was well aware of the power of her Boss, and he was just as brutal as he was intelligent.


    There was no escaping him.


    "I don''t have time for this¡­" She heard the deep voice suddenly say.


    A hand instantly sat atop her head, as if someone was grabbing tightly.


    And then¡ª


    ~FSHUUUUU!~


    "ARGGHHHHHH!!!"


    Heat seared through her head as the hand that held her burned through her hair and began to dig into her flesh.


    Smoke rushed from her burning skin as simmering sounds echoed within the room.


    "STOOOOPP! I''LL TAAALLLK! I''ll¡­ I''ll talk¡­"


    The heat ceased, though the remnant heat that was ingrained in her head and mind remained.


    Smoke rose from the top of Sylvia''s head as she felt strands of her hair falling down.


    The man behind her had just shown her a taste of what he could do.


    Sylvia already knew there was more in store for her if she refused him any longer.


    "I''ll¡­ talk¡­"


    There was no way to resist any longer.


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    We''re finally getting to the ves in the next chapter.

 Chapter 136 The Underground Passage

    <h4>Chapter 136 The Underground Passage </h4>


    ''Finally¡­''


    Rey heaved a sigh as he deactivated [Heat Touch]. It was a Skill he recently acquired in the 10th Floor, along with another pretty intense one.


    Since the Manager was ready to talk, he removed his hand from her head, though he still had his other one wrapped around her neck.


    If she tried anything funny, he was going to use Lightning to teach her a lesson.


    ''I thought it would take very long, but thankfully she''s very cooperative.''


    "Stand." Rey told Sylvia, and she instantly obeyed.


    "Lead me there."


    "W-wha¡ª?!"


    "I said¡­ lead me there." The moment he emphasized this, tightening his grip around her, she no longer rendered anyint.


    "Let''s go."


    ***********


    The path to the Underground Area was, without being a surprise, on the Ground Floor.


    It existed in a room disguised as a mere storage room where old furniture and cleaning tools could be found lying around.


    However, right on the ground, there existed a clearing that could be opened up¡ªas one would a kid in a jar.


    ''Impressive¡­'' Rey thought to himself as he saw Sylvia open the entrance while he watched a short distance away.


    ''I wouldn''t have guessed you could remove the flooring like that.''


    He was still invisible, perfectly blended with his environment too, so Sylvia could not see him at all.


    And so, after she was done, she looked around the room and spoke¡ªnot knowing who to address and where he stood.


    "H-here it is!"


    "And are there other secret entrances or openings I should know of?" Rey asked.


    It would suck if he found traps or a confusing passageway, or some kind of dead end that could only be solved by someone on the know.


    "N-no! To the left is the Special Center, and to the right is the General Center."


    Rey looked at the scared woman''s face and didn''t think she was lying.


    ''She looks hideous.'' Thanks to most of her hair falling out thanks to his Skill, and her naturally ugly face, Rey found her disgusting.


    The makeup on her face was already melting off, and her massive lips add her appear more like a clown than anything else.


    "S-so, I can go¡­ right?" Sylvia slowly rose to her feet, her eyes pleading for mercy.


    ''If I let her go, she''ll basically expose my identity and n.''


    However, he couldn''t just kill her.


    As a result, Rey went for the safest alternative.


    ''[Sleep].''


    In an instant, Sylvia copsed to the ground in a heavy thud.


    Her head shed with the hard floor, causing a loud echo to reverberate in the room.


    ''A-ahh... that''ll hurt.'' Rey winced slightly.


    "I-Is everything fine, Lady Sylvia?" A guard yelled from outside


    ''Tch! Annoying¡­''


    Reg activated his [Voice Mimic] Skill and yelled out in Sylvia''s voice.


    "Yeah, I''m fine! Now focus on your job!"


    "Y-yes ma''am!"


    Rey sighed and felt relieved that it worked out so well.


    ''Now then¡­'' He drew closer to the considerablyrge opening in the ground.


    ''Let''s go get Alicia!''


    Rey plunged into the depths of darkness and was met with blindness.


    His feet hit the ground sooner than he thought, revealing how the underground area wasn''t as far down expected,


    Still, thanks to the perpetual darkness surrounding him, he couldn''t properly see.


    ''I can''t believe I still don''t have a [Night Vision] Skill¡­''


    All of this was no problem for Rey, though since he simply used [re] to brighten up the ce nearly instantly.


    As one would expect from an underground passageway, it was surrounded by dirt.


    The paths were already carved out, albeit crudely. Pirs connected the ground and ceiling together, and perhaps the most notable of all was how the paths were designed.


    ''It''s a straight line, and then this is the exit¡­''


    ording to what Sylvia told him, he would find the Special Center if he went left.


    ''So left it is!'' Rey was curious about how regr ves were, and he even thought of helping them, but his first priority was Alicia.


    If he had more time, or an opportunity that could bring it into fruition, then he would.


    ''But not now. I have no idea if I''m running out of time or not!''


    Once Rey had this thought, activated [Super Speed] and [Flight].


    Then, within a second¡ª


    ~WHOOOOSSZHHH!!!~


    ¡ªRey had flown off in search of Alicia.


    *********


    "Well, well, well. Isn''t this an interesting development?"


    Outside the Warehouse, maintaining their safe distance from the structure, were Aldred and Yuri.


    Instead of returning, since their work was done, Aldred decided he wanted to stick around and see how everything would end.


    Behind both of them was Gus, who was naked and tied up ropes all over his body.


    The robes seemed enchanted, since they glowed, paralyzing the massive man very easily.


    As for Aldred, he was smiling widely as he narrowed his gaze on the entrance of the massive structure.


    A man was walking towards it, having an entourage of two well-dressed individuals¡ªone man and one woman.


    One of them had a Warrior''s armor on, while the other¡ªthe woman¡ªwas dressed as a Mage.


    The man who led them, however, had apletely different look.


    He had long dark hair, with an eyepatch covering one of his eyes. His attire was regal, clearly disying his status.


    He had a sly grin on his face as he neared the guards who stood around the entrance.


    All of the guards instantly bowed their heads, weing him and the two behind with profound respect.


    "Looks like Sir Ralyks will be having a bit of an interruption on his ns."


    After all, the man who just entered the building was none other than the owner himself.


    The ve Trade Kingpin of the Southern Territories¡ªEvals Redart.


    "Are we really not going to assist him?" Yuri asked her superior in a calm tone.


    "There''s no need to."


    Aldred''s voice contained nothing but certainty, with a sparkling hint of amusement in his eyes.


    "It''s about time to see what our mysterious seller can do."


    There was no doubt in Aldred''s mind, though.


    ''Sir Ralyks will win.''


    It was only a matter of ''how''.


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading.

 Chapter 137 Saving The Captives

    <h4>Chapter 137 Saving The Captives </h4>


    "This¡­ is it."


    Right in front of Rey was a door. It was so poorly made that it seemed crooked at best.


    Any sufficient pressure applied to it would be enough to break the door into bits.


    ''They put ves behind this? Are they not worried they''ll try to escape?''


    Rey surmised that the captors were probably confident that the captives would be unable to escape, so he shrugged the thought from his mind.


    ''Alicia and Billy are both strong. The people here must have a way to restrain them.''


    That told Rey that he couldn''t becent.


    He activated [Safe Haven], just in case, and proceeded to open the door.


    ~CREAK~


    The door easily opened without Rey exerting much of an effort, and it revealed a room shrouded in darkness to him.


    ''What''s this smell¡­?'' A sickly sweet smell filled the air, making Rey nearly nauseated.


    Thankfully, his [Full Resistance] kicked in. Still, he felt like it would be safer to leave as quickly as possible.


    ''This is probably a sedative that keeps them this way.''


    Rey used his re to lighten up the ce, seeing four people inside.


    His eyes instantly darted to the one that mattered most to him.


    ''Alicia!''


    The dirty ground stained her unkempt brown hair, and her casual outfit had the form of rags. Her pure skin was marred with dirt, and her eyes were tightly shut.


    She was unconscious, and her body seemed frail as shey in a corner.


    She honestly seemed like a fresh corpse.


    Rey''s eyes widened as he rushed to her side with unimaginable speed.


    As he touched her body, he realized she felt cold¡ªtoo cold!


    ''A-ah!'' He ced his ears close to her chest, not minding the softness that greeted him as he did so.


    ''She''s still alive!'' His thoughts echoed within.


    Rey swiftly brought out the White Amber and slipped it into its rightful ce.


    The moment he did this, a bright light suddenly enveloped Alicia.


    ~FSHUUUUU!~


    The light warmly radiated all across her body, causing her pale skin to receive color as her breathing returned to normal.


    Slowly, she was regaining her strength.


    ''Looks like the ring''s effects work perfectly fine¡­'' Rey made a slight smile under his imposing mask.


    However¡ª


    "U-urghh¡­"


    ¡ªA single voice made all his joy sink right under.


    ''This guy¡­!''


    Rey turned to his side, a small distance off, and noticed Billy slowly stirring into consciousness.


    If looks could kill, then Rey''s re at Billy should have destroyed him a million times over. His eyes glowed bright crimson as he looked at the muscr boy who was covered in filth.


    ''No, Rey¡­ he''s not worth it.'' He calmed himself.


    There was no need to go so far when all of this would be revealed to the Royal Council.


    ''[Sleep].'' He used the Skill on Billy, causing the boy to sink back into slumber.


    Rey also noticed that Alicia was regaining consciousness, so he did the same to her.


    ''They can''t know who I am. Or that I came to save them¡­''


    As the one known as Ralyks, he wasn''t one known to walk the path of light.


    Unless¡­!


    ''Ahh! A brilliant idea just came to mind.'' Rey''s eyes widened as he made a wide grin.


    ''That could work!''


    ********


    Once Rey secured Alicia''s safety, and confirmed that Billy''s condition¡ªalbeit not stable¡ªwould not lead to his death, he decided to leave the room.


    ''There are two others here, but I don''t think they''re any of my concern.''


    The most he could do was report to the soldiers and have the Alliance take it from there.


    ''I''m not abandoning them. They''ll still be saved¡­''


    It was just that Alicia and¡ªunfortunately enough¡ªBilly had more priority.


    Using [Absolute Wind Magic], he raised the two in the air and decided to take them out using this measure.


    Before he did this, however, he covered their entire bodies with long cloaks and hid their faces in masks¡ªitems that he took from his [Inventory].


    ''I guess I should be happy about having spares¡­'' Rey made a wry smile.


    ''At least, this way, their identities would remain hidden even if I am seen with them. I''ll activate [Projection] as well, but there''s a chance that won''t work.''


    All the preparations wereplete, so Rey made his way to the exit.


    That was when he heard a voice.


    "R-Rey¡­"


    ''H-huh?!'' Rey paused right in his tracks as soon as his name echoed in the air.


    It came as a soft whisper¡ªbarely audible¡ªbut he heard it clearly.


    ''Who¡­ said that¡­?'' His gaze slowly traveled to his side, where someone was lying on the ground.


    His eyes widened as he noticed her hand gripping the edge of his cloak¡ªalbeit weakly.


    She looked like a teenager¡ªperhaps the same age as Alicia. Her short ck hair and glowing blue eyes told him she was using some kind of Skill.


    "H-help me¡­ R-Rey¡­ S-Skr¡­"


    Rey recoiled in confusion as he stared at her barely moving face.


    Other than her lips and her shaky hand, which now crumbled back to the ground, the girl was paralyzed.


    ''She''s definitely using a Skill. What is it?!''


    Since Rey had just seen her eyes glow, and she had said his name, he could confirm that he ''technically'' saw her using an ability.


    "Status Window." He murmured under his breath.


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Rey Skr.


    - Race: Human (Otherworlder)


    - ss: Elite Enigma (B-Tier)


    - Level: 33 (14.93% EXP)


    - Life Force: 22 (+32)


    - Mana Level: 84 (+32)


    - Combat Ability: 30 (+32)


    - Stat Points: 57


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Doppel]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): Nil


    - Alignment: Neutral


    [Additional Information]


    You are a mystery to the world. While the underworld trembles in your presence, those on the surface do not understand your true strength


    [End Of Information]


    Rey tapped on his [Doppel] Skill to see what kind of ability he had just encountered.


    [Skill Categories]


    ~ Attack Category: 29


    ~ Defense Category: 11


    ~ Buff Category: 10


    ~ Misceneous: 7


    [New Skills: Please Select Their Categories]


    ~ S-Tier: Absolute Appraisal


    [Total Skills: 58]


    ''What the hell?!'' Rey''s eyes nearly popped out of his head the moment he saw the Skill before him.


    ''She appraised me!''


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Now this is what we''re talking about! A new Skill and a new¡­ well, someone.

 Chapter 138 Absolute Appraisal

    <h4>Chapter 138 Absolute Appraisal </h4>


    [Skill Details]


    [Absolute Appraisal]


    Tier: S


    Ability: Allows the user to see the Status Windows of the targets with perfect uracy. Exception only urs when faced with Tiers higher than the Tier of this Skill.


    [End Of Information]


    Rey could feel his jaw dropping as he looked at the panel before him.


    ''The hell? So she checked my Status Window and got my name?''


    The girl kept staring at him with her doll-like face, her glowing blue eyes begging him to help.


    ''She seems to be in an even worse state than Alicia. That means she''s been here for longer.''


    Rather than just relying on the little information he had, Rey decided to use the Skill she used on him and see the truth for himself.


    ''It''s an S-Tier Skill, so it''s bound to consume some Mana. Still¡­''


    Rey was dying of curiosity.


    He had to know!


    ''[Absolute Appraisal].''


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Esme


    - Race: Half-Elf (Human and Elf)


    - ss: Commoner (F-Tier)


    - Level: 1 (91.34% EXP)


    - Life Force: 2/100 [Critical]


    - Mana Level: 50/200 [Partially Locked]


    - Combat Ability: 3 [Locked]


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Absolute Appraisal]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Grand Magic Mastery]. [Grand Magic Application]. [Greater Mana Recovery]


    - Alignment: Neutral Good


    [Additional Information]


    A genius due to her superior Elf bloodline, but has been limited by her human genes and her unfortunate circumstances. She is currently poisoned and desperately needs help.


    ¡­ Help her.


    [End Of Information]


    ''W-what? Help her¡­?''


    This was the first time Rey had seen the System tell him to do something.


    It was usually a passive kind of interface. It didn''t tell him anything about Quests, neither did it interact with him in any meaningful way.


    It didn''t even alert him anytime he Leveled Up.


    ''But now, it''s¡­ hold on, is this like a Quest?'' Before Rey could follow that train of thought any further, he backtracked and reread the Status Window.


    That was when he fully grasped what he read.


    ''H-hold on¡­ what the hell are these Stats?!''


    They were unbelievable, to say the least.


    At just Level 1, and with the ss of a Commoner, this girl had Stats that exceeded his when he was Level 20 or so.


    ''Is it because of her Race. A Half-Elf, huh¡­?''Rey looked at her ears, yet he didn''t notice it peeking up.


    ''No pointy ears. How is she a Half-Elf, then?'' He couldn''t deny what he read, though, and it wasn''t like the System would lie about stuff like this.


    ''This is also an S-Tier Skill, and it perfectly shows the Status Information of my targets. It shouldn''t have errors¡­''


    Now that he thought of it, the fact that this girl could use such a High-Tier Skill despite her current state showed that she had to be the real deal.


    ''She even has Lucielle''s [Grand Magic Mastery] Skill and an even better version of her [Magic Application].


    It was all so unreal.


    ''This is crazy.'' Rey found himself sighing as he pped his hand on his face.


    ''She knows my identity, she is such a monster, and the System is telling me to help her¡­''


    Rey sighed deeply at this point.


    All the factors of the situation told him that he had no choice but to act.


    ''And it wouldn''t be fair if I left thest one here¡­''


    Rey wondered if thest kid also had some sort of special ability that made him a monster as well, so he used his [Absolute Appraisal] on him as well.


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Jake Landon


    - Race: Human


    - ss: Junior Caster (E-Tier)


    - Level: 3 (1.44% EXP)


    - Life Force: 1/3 [Critical]


    - Mana Level: 5/15 [Locked]


    - Combat Ability: 5 [Locked]


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Fast Learner]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Wind Magic Mastery]. [Fast Casting].


    - Alignment: Neutral


    [Additional Information]


    A human genius who, despite his young age, shows a lot of promise. He''s going to be a talented Mage in the future. He is poisoned.


    [End Of Information]


    ''I see. By regr standards, he''s a genius¡­''


    But for Rey, he didn''t seem all that special at the moment. Lucielle was more of a genius when she was born, and when she was his age, she had far surpassed his current state.


    ''And while Lucielle is recognized as the greatest Mage in the entire Alliance, her skills pale inparison to the Otherworlders she helped summon.''


    As such, Rey''s interest in the boy diminished.


    Besides, the System didn''t even tell him to save the boy.


    ''But¡­ well, I can''t just abandon him now that I''m here.'' It wasn''t Otherworlders she helped summon.''


    As such, Rey''s interest in the boy diminished.


    like he would be going out of his way to add the kid to the total number of people he was saving.


    Once Rey decided on that, he used his [Absolute Wind Magic] to carry both the Half-Elf Girl and the Junior Caster.


    Once they were all safely floating in the air, he decided to leave the bleak dark room.


    But not after casting [Sleep] on Esme.


    "Don''t worry, kid. I''ll save you."


    *********


    Rey initially didn''t want to bother going to the right in order to rescue the other ves.


    However, after a rethink, he decided to tweak his ns in order to amodate them.


    ''I guess it''ll sound better that way¡­''


    With that in mind, he went to the other room and found a simr situation.


    The door was barely a door, and there was a sickly sweet smell permeating the air.


    What he didn''t expect, however, were the number of potential ves that were ced in the room.


    ''They''re close to a hundred, aren''t they?''


    Women. Men. Children¡ªthe whole bunch of them.


    ''How am I supposed to handle such a number¡­?'' Rey wondered within himself.


    He obviously knew the answer to that question already.


    ''[Absolute Wind Magic]''


    As an S-Tier Skill, the limits of [Absolute Wind Magic] was yet to be seen.


    Rey decided to use it partly because he wanted to see for himself just how far he could go.


    Unsurprisingly, he was able to carry just about everyone with his Wind.


    They all floated above ground, drawing close to him, or to whatever direction he desired.


    ''It''s a good thing I learned how to properly use this Skill.''


    A Magic Skill was the trickiest to use since it required certain Spells to bring out its full potential and achieve varying results.


    The Spell Rey was using was one called ''Levitate'', and it was activated on all a hundred plus people who were under his influence.


    Once he confirmed yet again that he was in control, Rey sighed and turned his attention to the exit.


    "Let''s leave this hellhole, shall we?"


    *


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    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    This changes a lot of things, doesn''t it? And it raises a lot of possibilities as to the direction of the story moving forward.


    Can''t wait!

 Chapter 139 Meeting Evals Redart

    <h4>Chapter 139 Meeting Evals Redart </h4>


    ''Interesting¡­''


    As Rey proceeded to leave the underground space, he used his Absolute Appraisal two more times.


    Once on Alicia, and the other time on Billy.


    As a result, he was able to check out their Status Windows and gauge their abilities.


    ''They''re strong. Their sses really help them out too¡­''


    Still, since their Levels were quite low, their current abilities were nowhere close to his.


    He was just much stronger.


    ''Alicia, as expected, is Lawful Good. But, I can''t understand Billy''s Alignment. How is he Good?''


    Billy''s Alignment showed ''Chaotic Good'', but Rey found the ''Chaotic'' irrelevant since he didn''t think the jerk was any good.


    ''Haaa¡­ this idiot started this whole mess¡­''


    Rey was just happy to know that it was all going to be over pretty soon.


    ''It''s almost evening already. A lot of time has passed since I started the day, but I''m happy it''s done.''


    Rey wondered about Adonis and his own mission, wondering if it was a sess.


    ''From what I overheard, they should be out of there before nightfall.''


    The goal was to instantly teleport to the bottom level of the Dungeon and quickly escape to an upper Floor¡ªsomewhere around the 30s.


    If they were able to achieve that, then, all they had to do was rush past the Monsters and return home.


    Worst case scenario would be Adonis blowing open the Floor Ceiling so they could gain a shortcut to escape as fast as possible.


    ''In any case, they should be done by the time I return to the Estate¡­''


    Rey smiled in relief, finally happy that everything was going to be pretty much resolved.


    ~VWUUSH!~


    Using [Flight], he hovered to the ceiling and exited the open space that served as the entrance/exit of the underground passageway.


    He intended on bringing the ves up once he confirmed the coast was clear.


    But¡ª


    ''Hmm¡­?''


    ¡ªHe quickly discovered that there was trouble.


    The first thing that greeted his sight was the mutted body of the woman who led him here¡ªSylvia.


    Her internal organs¡ªintestines, liver, lungs, etc.¡ªwere bare open for all to see.


    Her naked corpse was lying in her own puddle of blood, and her indescribably bruised body made it evident that she was put through much suffering before she died.


    Her corpse hung on the wall as a wee for Rey''s sight as he ascended upward.


    ''Urgh¡­ why does everyone here like doing this?'' He thought to himself, feeling disgusted once again.


    This ce was a savage wastnd, and the denizens within it were too much for Rey''s tastes.


    Even if one wanted to kill humans, couldn''t they just do it and be done with it?


    ''I don''t even enjoy torturing monsters or anything. There has to be a limit¡­''


    These people knew no limits, though, and that was why he constantly felt disgusted by them.


    "Are you the one who did this?" Rey sighed, not bothering to look behind him as he could already sense three individuals there already.


    With the hanging statue greeting his sight, though, he decided it was better to face his adversaries.


    "I was waiting for you. Had to do something in the meantime¡­"


    As Rey''s eyes finally captured the three, his focus fell on the man in the center.


    He was currently seated on a stool that was previously among the pile of old furniture within the room.


    The man had a ck eyepatch on one eye, with long ck hair flowing down his shoulders.


    He had strands of beards protruding from his chin, and he was outfitted in a high-quality ck cloak, with a formal suit underneath.


    In all regards, he looked like a top-tier shady individual, but his yful smile made it seem like he was just putting on a costume.


    "What do you think? Pretty artsy, right? I took human sculpting as a hobby a few years ago when I got bored with in old murder."


    As the man said this, he gestured to the two individuals who stood beside him.


    The male among them was outfitted in an borate Warrior''s armor, while the woman had a dark cloak on.


    They both seemed to be powerful individuals with years of experience in the job.


    They stepped forward the moment their Boss gestured to them.


    "My name is Evals Redart. Heard that name before?"


    Rey shrugged the moment he heard this. "Once or twice."


    There was a dangerous pressure building up in the room, but both of the main yers maintained their positions.


    Rey was still floating in the air while Evals kept staring at him while being seated.


    "Haha! I see, I see. Makes sense¡­" Evals chuckled, before covering his face with a palm.


    "If you did something like this, it must mean you don''t know me too well."


    As his menacing tone went forth, his two subordinates took battle stances.


    Rey stared at them, tempted to use [Absolute Appraisal], but decided not to.


    ''It drains too much Mana. I''ll just go a little hard on them while taking proper caution¡­''


    As Rey thought this, he ensured his defense [Safe Haven] was still activated.


    Once this was confirmed, he began to deliberate on the next move to make.


    ''Maybe I should go with¡ª''


    Before he could conclude his line of thought, though, a swift blur made its way towards him.


    It belonged to the male warrior.


    He had closed the distance within a second while the female Mage was already casting a Spell.


    ''Chanting, eh? I guess she doesn''t have the [Magic Application] Skill. Must be rarer than I thought.''


    [Magic Application] ensured that a Spell maintained its natural power even without the use of Chants.


    Lucielle had it. Esme had it. Rey had it as well.


    ''I guess it doesn''t matter to her since, even though Chanting takes time, she has a partner who does the attacking first.''


    Theirbined effort made it hardly a disadvantage that she had to chant.


    Besides, from the looks of it, she would be done at any moment.


    And so, as the Warrior''s sword neared Rey, and the Mage nearedpletion of her Spell¡­ the boy''s mind went into overdrive.


    ''I guess I can''t ck off.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Appreciate that you''vee this far!


    Hopefully we have an epic fight scene in the next chapter.

 Chapter 140 Azul And Fey

    <h4>Chapter 140 Azul And Fey </h4>


    The first wave of attack came like lightning.


    Azul, the warrior mercenary that Evals Redart often employed at his side, was incredibly strong.


    However, his true abilityy in his speed.


    And so¡­


    ~WHOOSH!~


    ¡­ He had closed the distance between himself and his target before thetter could even notice.


    He pulled out a sword from its scabbard, and the thing glowed blue, revealing the Mana that was locked within.


    Azul''s sword was enchanted¡ªand that pretty much applied to the rest of his armor.


    He had enhanced strength, durability, focus, resistance, and most important of all¡­ speed!


    ~ZZTZZ!~


    His de cackled with electricity as his entire armor began sparking with the entire thing.


    Using his [Lightning Field] Skill early on, in order to stun the enemy, was not necessary, since he was simply meant to distract and lure the enemy in while his partner¡ªFey¡ªdid the rest.


    However, Azul found such aplicated maneuver to be a chore.


    Especially considering their enemy.


    "Haaa!" His de descended in a perfect vertical sh, sending ripples of shock¡ªliteral shock¡ªflying all around.


    It took a few seconds for the dust to die down, and for Azul to realize what just went down.


    ''W-what?!''


    He didn''t hit his target?!


    "[Transmute]." He suddenly heard behind him.


    ~VWUUUUSHH!~


    A wave of energy went through his armor, causing the entire thing to break apart that very instant.


    "A-ahhh!"


    Azul found himself naked, save for his underwear. His onlyyer of clothing had been broken down, leaving him powerless and defenseless.


    ''H-how fast¡­ is he¡­?!''


    Azul didn''t have time to dwell on such thoughts, though. He could feel the enemy''s hand drawing closer to his bare back.


    His bulging eyes turned bloodshot in shock¡­ and fear.


    Azul was impulsive, yes, but he wasn''t stupid.


    Based on his experience with the armor, he knew what would happen if the same power was sent coursing through his flesh.


    Due to many years of training and practice, Azul had tempered his body to its limits.


    His muscles were rock-solid, and he took pride in his immense durability¡ªas well as his superior speed¡ªthat made him invincible as a warrior.


    But¡­


    ''If he could so easily get rid of that rough armor, what the hell is my body inparison?!''


    The fear of death assailed Azul, forcing the extremely prideful man to yell out the words he didn''t want to.


    "F-FEYYYY!!"


    Like a baby, he cried out the name of his ally.


    And then, a bolt of electricity surged forth from her location¡ªalmost as if she was waiting for him to scream her name.


    ~BZZZTTTTZZZ!~


    Compared to Azul''s [Lightning Field], the burst of lightning this time was unreal.


    It charged in a straight, horizontal line, with its power ripping through the very air that filled the air.


    Everything vibrated as it lunged at the man who stood behind Azul.


    However¡­


    "Arghhhhhhhhhh!!!"


    Azul felt a sharp bolt of lightning course through him, sending him to a whole new realm of pain.


    He screamed as his entire body tingled with the overflowing currents that the Spell sent to his body.


    He could feel his blood boiling and his bones jittering. His eyeballs danced in their sockets as his iling lips wouldn''t stop moving.


    And then, after a few seconds of this agony, Azul copsed to the ground.


    "Urghh¡­"


    Fortunately, since the Lightning Spell was meant to make the target unconscious, Azul wasn''t dead.


    His world just faded into ck as frustration coursed through him.


    Fey was younger than him in both age and experience in the organization, yet her talent and incredible skill made her stand on the same level as him.


    Many even imed that she was stronger than Azul, just because she was the one always ending up finishing off all their adversaries.


    ''She''s not! It''s because I take the vanguard and deal the first couple of strikes to the enemy so that she can finish them off!''


    Their teamwork was a surefire way to win, but Azul had grown sick of it.


    Unfortunately, he was now paying the price.


    ''Boss¡­ I''m so sorry¡­''


    Right until he lost consciousness, he didn''t know where his opponent was¡­ or what he would do next.


    He simply closed his eyes and lost himself to the darkness.


    *******


    Fey''s eyes were wide open on shock as her Spell missed its mark.


    No, that wasn''t it.


    Her Spell had gone straight for the target, but it ended up passing through it¡­ almost as if he was an afterimage.


    ''What in the world is happening?!'' As she thought this, she took a step back.


    She had always had a weak constitution, so frontline battle was never her thing.


    That was why, despite not liking the man, she had to rely on Azul to deal the first strike and distract the enemy before she took her time and overwhelmed them with her Magic.


    ''Why¡­ why didn''t that idiot follow the n?!''


    If he had, they wouldn''t be in this situation right now! It was all his fault.


    Fey quickly proceeded to use another Spell, this time something quick that could guarantee her protection.


    Her affinity was in Wind and Lightning Magic,bined with her Quick-Casting Skill, made her a formidable Mage.


    She wasn''t talented or anything. She just dedicated herself to the craft of Magic.


    ¡­ All of herself.


    And the reward for that was her immense skill and power in Magic.


    "Wind Barrier!" After chanting rapidly, Fey was able to quickly generate a defensive dome around her while preparing to use a new attack.


    However¡ª


    ~WHOOSH!~


    Fey suddenly felt herself being pulled forward.


    ''E-eh¡­?''


    She had no idea why. Only a nk space existed in front of her, yet she could feel an irresistible attraction to it.


    ''N-no! No stop!''


    Her body uncontrobly left her barrier, and she was thrust out into the open by something she could not understand.


    ''No!''


    Fey began moving her lips, chanting another Spell. Right as she got in the middle of it, though.


    "Keuk!"


    A sharp sensation spread to her throat as she felt something strong grabbing her neck.


    Her chanting abruptly ended, and she found herself being thrust to the ground beneath her.


    ''No¡­ no stop!''


    ~BOOOOM!~


    Fey''s frail body powerlessly crashed to her ground, sending sensations of shock and pain spreading across it.


    "Gurgh!"


    She passed out almost instantly, her blurry vision seeing a silhouette that stood above her.


    It was the masked man!


    ''No¡­ no please don''t kill me¡­!''


    She couldn''t move her body, though.


    Fey could only plead with her thoughts as she lost all feeling within her body and sank into an abyss.


    ¡­ Not knowing what woulde next.


    ******


    ''This guy¡­''


    Evals Redart watched the whole battle on his seat from beginning to end.


    He saw how the masked man had supposedly vanished, moving up and about, to deceive his enemies while striking their blind spots.


    A broad smile coursed through his face.


    ''I''ve figured out your trick.'' Evals slowly rose to his feet as he stared at the now apparent being before him


    ''He''s using an Illusionary Skill.''


    Unfortunately for this masked fellow, such things weren''t going to work on someone like Evals.


    ''I see everything!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I have added five characters to the Character List on the app, so please check them out and vote for them so that Webnovel can allow me to post the Characrer Arts on the app.


    Also, thanks the Gifts and Power Stones and Comments!

 Chapter 141 The Main Event [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 141 The Main Event [Pt 1] </h4>


    "I suppose it''s time for the main event."


    Evals grinned as he threw aside his coat, letting itnd in some odd corner in the room.


    He took off his suit as well, leaving him with only a waistcoat and his brilliant white shirt, along with his incredibly knitted tie.


    His ck trousers and shiny shoes gave him an air of elegance, and as his long ck hair danced on his shoulders, his lips widened in even more amusement.


    "Get ready, masked one. None of your tricks will work on me."


    Even though Evals Redarts wasn''t a particrly skilled Mage or Warrior, he had his own way of fighting.


    And that was with his Exclusive Skill¡ªa Skill he was born with since birth.


    ''[Item Equip]!''


    Using this A-Tier Skill, one that only he possessed, he could equip any Item in his possession.


    Magic Items usually had requirements for use, and while many Items sold in the mainstream markets or even the general stores within the ck Market, we''re mostly for anyone, there existed certain Items that were exclusive to certain groups or individuals.


    For example, the [Eye Of Truth] that was embedded in his left eye, covered by an eyepatch.


    It had the ability to see through all illusions and ruses, but only those who had a Magic Skill could use it.


    He didn''t have a single Magic Skill, yet he was able to utilize it perfectly¡ªto its full capabilities too.


    Then, what about the rest of the Items he was currently armed with?


    From top to bottom, everything he wore was a Magic Item.


    His earrings, his eyepatch, his tie, his shirt, his waistcoat, his trousers, his shoes¡­ heck, even his underwear!


    He also had rings on his fingers¡ªfive in total. A bracelet also sat on his right hand, and he had a ne wrapped around his neck.


    In essence, he was armed to the teeth!


    "Hahaha! You really took my entourage for a ride, didn''t you? You defeated them within a minute¡­"


    Evals had never seen anyone do that to those two so quickly.


    Sure, if it was the Grand Mage of the Kingdom, or the Head Warrior, he would agree that they were more than strong and fast enough.


    But this guy was a nobody.


    How was he able to keep up with Azul''s speed, or get past Fey''s Magic?


    ''So far, I''ve noticed a couple Skills that he has¡­''


    Evals could see that the masked man had some sort of transmutation ability, an illusion Skill, a sort of attraction Skill, and a Skill that augmented his physical ability,


    ''He can also fly, so that makes it five Skills. What a monster¡­''


    Evals knew that having five Skills was already too much for a normal human to have.


    Peak individuals, like the strongest in the United Human Alliance, had five Skills.


    ''And yet he has those two. Is he on the same level as them¡­?''


    Evals knew he was stretching things too far, but he couldn''t help but imagine.


    ''If that''s the case, then¡­''


    "Hey, I have an offer. Why don''t you join me and serve as my subordinate?"


    Evals smiled as he said this, exuding nothing but sheer confidence.


    Having someone strong¡ªespecially as strong as this masked man¡ªas a subordinate was expensive.


    That was because they were highly valued in a business that required a show of power, and being constantly on the dominant side.


    Not many, no matter how daring they were, would even try to hire someone with five Skills.


    However, Evals was different.


    ''No matter what price he calls, I''m willing to pay him.''


    The ve Trade business was booming, even if it was hidden under the dark.


    He had a lot of connections, and his prospects were as high as ever. It didn''t matter what kind of price was called, he was ready to pay.


    "Why are you silent? Contemting my offer? Trying to think of a price? Don''t worry! Take your ti¡ª!"


    "That eye behind your eyepatch¡­ is that how you are able to select high-quality ves for yourself? The Eye Of Truth, huh¡­?"


    The moment Evals heard this, he recoiled in shock.


    ''H-how does he know about it?!''


    His Eyepatch Of Hiddenness ensured no one could see through its surface or detect the powerful object in his eyes.


    It also ensured his overall Mana Level remained hidden, causing him to appear like an ordinary guy.


    He often used this tactic to fool his targets and cause them to power their guard.


    It was how he tricked Billy too.


    ''Yet he saw through all that?!''


    "You look surprised. That means you don''t know about [Absolute Appraisal]. Hmm¡­ does that mean you don''t know the details of the Skills that those you capture possess?"


    ''H-how is he deciphering all of these things? Did he just say [Absolute Appraisal]?''


    Evals had never heard of that Skill or Item before, so he was confused.


    ''Is that how he knows all of what he''s saying?''


    "I see now. You can only tell how strong someone is, or maybe their potential. You can also see through any ruse or hidden things with the Eye. A useful ability, but¡­ I guess it''s not too urate or specific."


    The way the masked man analyzed Evals and his Item felt degrading.


    It got on the ve Trader''s nerves.


    "Oi! It seems you''re forgetting who you''re talking to. Just ept the offer and things don''t have to get out of hand."


    "¡­"


    For the next few seconds, there was silence.


    Evals Redart watched as the masked man said nothing. He just stood there, almost like a statue.


    Then¡ª


    "Kukuku¡­ kekekekeke¡­ kuhahahahahaha!!!"


    ¡ªA burst ofughter echoed from him.


    His face was utterly covered by his mask, but theughter was enough to disy the emotions of the man.


    It wasn''t aughter of joy or relief.


    No¡­ Evals had madeughs like this one before, so he understood what it meant.


    This was aughter of amusement.


    ''He''s amused? What''s so funny?''


    "Do you think I care about who you are? If I did, do you think I would havee here to take away all your ves?"


    In response to this, Evals chuckled and pped his forehead nearly dramatically.


    "I suppose you''re right. It was stupid to think of sparing your life."


    There are types of men that exist¡ªthe reasonable and unreasonable kind.


    "It is said that anyone can be bought; you just need to know the price. But this only applies to the reasonable men¡­"


    Evals straightened himself as he prepared forbat.


    "The unreasonable ones, like yourself, are nothing but beasts that need to be put in its ce and ughtered."


    Evals no longer considered it to be a waste to get rid of the man before him, even despite his strength.


    ''It would be more disadvantageous for me if I took him in¡­''


    No one would want a bloodthirsty monster guarding them, no matter how powerful the thing was.


    Instead, strong monsters were hunted down.


    Life in H''Trae was as simple as that.


    "It''s time for you to die now." Evals pulled up his sleeve and adjusted his tie.


    It was toote for any other oue now, but¡­


    "I''ll make you wish you had epted my offer."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Let''s see what our dear ve Trader can do.

 Chapter 142 The Main Event [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 142 The Main Event [Pt 2] </h4>


    There was a truth that no one but Evals knew.


    His two most powerful subordinates¡ªFey and Azul¡ªwere incredibly powerful and experienced.


    However,pared to him¡­ they were nothing.


    Evals had always made it a personal principle of his to be stronger than his subordinates¡ªby all means necessary!


    The only reason behind his entourage was to give him an air of authority, and also so he didn''t always have to deal with the violence himself.


    That was why, even though the two of them were so easily defeated by the masked man, he didn''t so much as flinch.


    He could see everything, and he knew from what he saw¡­ that he was stronger!


    ''And now, it''s time to put this fool in his ce.''


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    Evals swiftly teleported right in front of the masked entity, certain that he would surprise him by utilizing such Magic.


    ''Hahaha! Fazed yet?!''


    Spatial Magic was very rare. Not too many people could use it, and even Evals had never encountered anyone who could utilize such incrediblyplex and powerful Magic.


    The reason he could was simply because of one of his Rings¡ªan Item he could equip because of his Exclusive Skill.


    ''Now then¡­!'' Another ring of his shone brightly, and Evals'' hand turned purplish-ck.


    He lunged his hand towards the masked figure, knowing that he was still recoiling from his sudden appearance.


    ''My shirt and trousers give me enhanced physical abilities, and my shoes give me additional speed.


    With all these items influencing his abilities, he was even stronger and faster than the Warrior Azul.


    And now, with his hand currently influenced by the ''Ring Of Corruption'', he would be able to poison his masked enemy with a quick-acting poison that would paralyze him.


    ''And after that¡­!'' Evals Redart grinned like a wild beast.


    ''¡­ You''ll be mine!''


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    An invisible wall suddenly stopped Evals from advancing further.


    ''W-what?!''


    As if that wasn''t enough, this invisible barrier seemed to be pushing Evals away¡ªlike a push that he could not resist despite how he tried to advance forward.


    "Nngh!"


    In the end, he found himself thrust away by the attack he could not see, forced a couple of meters back.


    ¡­ Right to where he started from.


    ''What did he just do? Is this also part of that PULL ability that he has?''


    As Azul struggled to understand what just happened, he heard a voice that sent jitters down his spine.


    "Do you have any other Skill to show me? Just using those few won''t cut it."


    The masked man''s voice felt deep and dark; immensely threatening, even for Evals Redart.


    ''This guy¡­!''


    He was pissed off now.


    ''I wanted to paralyze him and take my time torturing him, but I guess it''s going to be better to just end this as fast as I can.''


    Evals prepared to teleport once again¡ªthis time, right behind his foe.


    He also prepared his ne¡ªwhich would generate a protective field around him. With it, he could resist whatever push and pull effect his enemy would throw at him.


    He also activated the ability in his bracelet, allowing himself to be shrouded in dense Mana.


    His three other rings gleamed as they granted him Lightning, Wind, and Fire affinities.


    With these, as well as all the enhancements he had received earlier, Evals Redarts felt invincible.


    He was at his peak right now, and no one could stop him.


    ''Let''s see how he handles thebined might of all my Items!''


    As he grinned widely, preparing to teleport and then throw the most powerful blow that would st his foe into smithereens, he heard ament that caused his body to tremble slightly.


    "You finally showed me everything. I guess I should end this now."


    ~WHOOSH!~


    In a sh, before Evals Redart could even process a fraction of what was said, the enemy appeared right in front of him.


    "H-huh?!"


    It was the same short-range Teleportation that he had just used.


    How¡­ how did his adversary use it?!


    ''C-could it be¡ª?!'' Evals'' bloodshot eyes widened as he stared at the masked figure of death.


    ''¡­ Has he always had that Skill?''


    If that was the case, then Evals had been miscalcting all this time.


    This man before him didn''t just have five Skills. He had six!


    ''No. If I count that Appraisal thing he said before, and how he knows so many things about me, then¡­''


    It was probably seven¡ªperhaps even more.


    Evals didn''t have a wealth of imagination to possiblyprehend just how vast his opponent''s skillset was.


    He only knew one thing.


    "W-wai¡ª!"


    He was screwed.


    ~BOOOOOOM!~


    A surge of energy blew off all the defenses and Mana Armor that Evals had activated.


    In that instant, his defenses were left bare.


    "Someone like you¡­ who would do this to innocent ones¡­ you don''t deserve to live."


    As Evals heard this, he felt some kind of liquid dripping down his pants.


    His legs felt hot as they trembled as he gazed upon the crimson eyes of the masked man.


    "P-please s-spare my¡ª!"


    ~BOOOM!~


    A sudden punchnded on his stomach, causing the waistcoat bd shirt he wore to rip to shreds.


    Just like that,yers of his defenses were torn apart.


    Evals had gotten most of his Items¡ªboth for his subordinate and for himself¡ªfrom the Karinc Group, so he was certain of their quality.


    For this single man to do this to such high-value products, it just went to show how immense his power was.


    This masked fellow wasn''t a man! Evals was certain of it now, and all of his consciousness screamed it out as he opened his trembling lips.


    "Y-you''re a MONSTER!"


    ~BOOOOOM!~


    Yet another punchnded, but this time on Evals Redart''s face.


    The impact caused his brain to vibrate within his skull as his body was sent flying to the wall within the room.


    He just the wall and it cracked, nearly shattering apart.


    "Guark!" Evals puked blood out of his mouth as he felt his body growing hot with pain,


    He copsed to the ground, barely able to stand as he coughed out more red fluids from his disfigured mouth.


    Some of his teeth fell out, and his pummeled fade appeared pathetic as he struggled to breathe.


    His vision was growing blurry, and he felt like passing out. However, Evals knew that if he did such a thing, it would be game over.


    And so, now that he ass out of cards, he did the only reasonable thing that the leader of an elite and powerful organization would do.


    "GUARDS! EVERYONE! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FORRR?!


    His thunderous voice echoed within the room, though to someone listening, it sounded like the desperate ramblings of a scared man.


    "ARE YOU ALL DEAF?! ARE YOU NOT LISTENING?! COME IN HERE AND PROTECT ME! DESTROY THIS MAAAN!"


    No one came to his aid, though.


    The desperate man''s face contorted in surprise and confusion.


    Why wasn''t anyone answering? There was no way they couldn''t have heard all the noise andmotion, and his plea for help.


    So why¡­?


    "W-WHY AREN''T YOU¡ª?!"


    "They can''t hear you, Evals Redart." The masked man said this, and then took a step forward.


    "None of them can."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading, everyone!


    What do you think Rey did to everyone? Also, do you think he''ll kill Evals?


    Also¡­


    I have added five characters to the Character List on the app, so please check them out and vote for them so that Webnovel can allow me to post the Characrer Arts on the app.

 Chapter 143 Leaving The Warehouse

    <h4>Chapter 143 Leaving The Warehouse </h4>


    "N-none of them¡­ can¡­?"


    It didn''t take a genius to understand what those words meant.


    Even for Evals, who was currently wallowing in confusion and pain, the words made it painfully clear what the masked man did.


    "Y-you killed them¡­!!" His eyes nearly popped out of their suckers as his smushed face trembled in terror.


    He feared he would be next.


    "What? No! I just prevented all the sound we made from escaping. They can''t hear anything¡­ literally."


    The way the masked man spoke about it felt like he was joking.


    Evals didn''t know what to believe anymore.


    "You deserve death, but that would be a waste. You''ll be way more useful alive." The masked man continued as he advanced further.


    Evals Redart didn''t let the distance fool him, though. He knew the man could just appear in front of him anytime he wished.


    In essence, the ve trader was trapped.


    "You run a wholework of trade in the very Business. I''m sure you''re well-connected to the other ve-traders in the United Human Alliance."


    The masked man wasn''t wrong.


    Evals knew the other two who ran an equally sessful empire as him.


    None of them were friends, and in most instances, they werepetitors.


    However, they shared a mutual banner¡ªthe illegal trade of living humans as if they were nothing but livestock.


    "All of that information will be useful to the Royal Council. I''m sure they''ll use it to prevent more tragedies like this from happening ."


    The moment Evals heard this, his eyes widened more than ever before,


    "Y-you¡­ you report to the Royal Council?! Is that why you''re here?! To stop me on their behalf? Y-you¡­ you are¡ª!"


    "[Sleep]." The moment the masked man said this, Evals felt a wave of drownings hit him.


    However, the feeling didn''tst long thanks to the Resistance his Enchanted Earrings provided him with.


    "Oh? You resisted that, huh? I guess we''ll have to do this the old fashioned way."


    The masked man vanished from his position and appeared behind Evals before thetter could evenplete his words.


    ''The Royal Council? Those corrupt bastards?'' Evals'' thoughts echoed as he gritted his teeth in sheer frustration.


    He remembered how many times his two otherpetitors bragged about how they were being backed by four members of the Royal Council.


    Despite him not going down that route and building his empire from scratch, he still had to pay his dues to the Royal Council.


    Every member of the ck Market had to do so!


    This information was only privy to those at the top¡ªlike the Obsidian Council¡ªbut even the helm of the ck Market answered to the four anonymous members of the Royal Council.


    THEY were the ones who ruled the underworld.


    ''The only reason the ve Trade has been able to flourish this far is because of them!''


    And now, he was being taken to that very same Royal Council?


    "Y-you bastard! They''re¡ª!"


    Before Evals could say anything more, he felt a hard impact on his head.


    Everything went ck, and the sensation instantly sent him to the same ce as his two subordinates.


    ¡­ The realm of the unconscious.


    ********


    "I guess that settles it." Rey murmured as he looked at the unconscious body of Evals Redart.


    It was a rtively easy and quick fight for Rey, but he still couldn''t forget the experience.


    Why?


    "Looks like I got a bunch of new Skills thanks to him."


    Rey was grinning widely as he stared at Evals.


    ''The teleportation one is particrly useful. Eye Of Truth is nice, but I already have [Absolute Appraisal], so what''s the point?''


    There were a bunch of other Skills too, and Rey found himself recoiling in glee.


    ''I guess this fight wasn''t for nothing, after all.''


    He had used [Absolute Appraisal] on Redart, which was how he got to know of his [Item Equip] Skill, and the current Items he had equipped.


    Rey had waited for him to disy all the abilities so he could use [Doppel] on them.


    Thankfully, the ve Trader didn''t disappoint.


    Since he was done with Evals, it was time for him to finish the job once and for all.


    ''And, to make sure this entire ce is out of the reach of people like Aldred, I better destroy everything¡­''


    Rey took one final nce at the two other unconscious people in the room, and then Sylvia''s hanging corpse.


    He knew within himself that the people he had shown mercy to were absolute monsters.


    ''How different are they from the Hobgoblins who keep DarkWolves as livestock?''


    Despite thinking this, Rey couldn''t see humans as monsters to kill. He felt immensely frustrated by it, but in a way¡­ he was relieved.


    ''I''m not too far gone.''


    After interacting so much with the ck Market and the criminal underworld of H''Trae, Rey had been questioning his own morality.


    The way he constantly acted for his benefit, and how he constantly kept secrets and involved himself in illegal activities¡­


    It was wrong.


    He knew that fully well, yet he indulged in the act repeatedly.


    However, on this very day he finally understood the difference between himself and the true denizens of this dark world.


    He didn''tpare to them in the slightest.


    There were lines he didn''t¡ªcouldn''t¡ªcross, and there were acts he would never indulge in.


    And that brought Rey relief.


    ''At least, I know I''m not a monster too¡­''


    And he never wanted to be.


    *********


    "[ck Hole]"


    Rey sent out a small spatial orb of darkness towards thepound that stood before him.


    What happened next did note as a surprise to him.


    ~VWUUUUUUMMM!!~


    The darkness expanded, swallowing everything in its path in order to feed its endless hunger


    In no time, it grewrge enough to consume the entire Warehouse building, eating away thepound as well as the surroundingnd.


    It dug itself into the earth and consumed even the underground passage until there was nothing left.


    After it was done eating everything, still expecting more, Rey canceled the Skill.


    ''It''ll keep eating away my Mana and keep expanding if I don''t stop it¡­'' His thoughts trailed.


    The purpose of the [ck Hole] was done, though.


    Everything about the Warehouse was now gone¡ªgranted as an offering to the void.


    ''Looks like I''m done here.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    What do you think about Rey''s moral code?


    Do you think he has to change? Or that he will change in the future?

 Chapter 144 Reuniting With Aldred

    <h4>Chapter 144 Reuniting With Aldred </h4>


    [Skill Categories]


    ~ Attack Category: 30


    ~ Defense Category: 13


    ~ Buff Category: 12


    ~ Misceneous: 12


    [New Skills: Please Select Their Categories]


    ~None~


    [Total Skills: 67]


    "Looks like I have 67 Skills now¡­" Rey mumbled to himself as he looked at the System Window in front of him.


    While waiting for the ck Hole toplete its task, Rey had gone ahead to ce his new Skills in their respective categories and even removed the unnecessary ones that he identally used [Doppel] to copy.


    Things like [Lightning Field] or [Lightning Magic] and [Wind Magic] were unnecessary to him.


    He had better Skills, or even simr Skills that performed the same functions.


    There was no need to have them take up space in his arsenal.


    ''Also¡­''


    Rey looked around him and found all the ves he rescued, as well as all the people he captured, floating in the air¡ªall surrounded by winds.


    ''¡­ This stuff really drains my Mana.''


    Using [ck Hole] and [Absolute Wind Magic] simultaneously, while also using [Absolute Appraisal[ a few times had drained his Mana.


    Sure, he had a Mana Recovery Skill, but it was a B-Tier Skill, and the rate at which it restored his Mana wasn''t fast enough to keep up with the effects of his [Absolute Wind Magic] alone.


    ''Did I bite off more than I can chew? I don''t think I''d be able to get to my destination like this¡­''


    Rey nned on taking all the criminals and victims to the doorstep of the Royal Estate. But, it was a considerable journey there, and his current reserves weren''t looking so good.


    ''I overdid it, didn''t I?'' As he sighed to himself, he noticed two presences nearing him.


    ''Oh? Those are¡ª!''


    In a sh, both Aldred and Yuri appeared before Rey with wide smiles on their faces.


    "Wee back, Sir Ralyks!"


    "Wee back, Sir!"


    As the two said these words, practically at the same time, Rey raised an eyebrow in surprise.


    "I thought you guys left already. You decided to stick around?"


    "Well¡­ something like that." Aldred made a slightugh as he itched his hair a little.


    Rey narrowed his eyes as he stared at the two.


    ''Were they spying on me? I guess they really wanted to see my power.''


    At the very least, the fact that he had nearly two hundred people floating in the air, and he just destroyed the entire Warehouse with a ck hole had to be enough spectacle for them.


    ''Hopefully it''s enough to convince them not to mess with me.'' Rey sighed to himself.


    "Where''s the other guy? I thought you wanted to torture him or something¡­"


    "I already have. I did it all while you were inside, and now he''s nothing but mincemeat." Aldred''s calm smile as he just talked about brutally murdering someone unnerved Rey.


    Once again, he felt disgust well up from his depths.


    Fortunately, after all he had experienced for the day, he had developed something of a resistance to these things.


    "That''s fine then." He managed to speak without retching.


    Aldred seemed to beam as he said this.


    "But Sir Ralyks, I noticed you don''t kill. Is there any particr reason why? You even took all those prisoners."


    The one who spoke was Yuri, and she asked the question in the most excitedly innocent manner possible.


    It almost made Rey forget what kind of a cold-blooded killer she was.


    Fortunately, her charms could not erase his memory.


    "I have my uses for them. The ves too."


    "Ohh! So you''re taking them for yourself!" Yuri beamed with a brighter smile.


    ''I never said that!'' Rey wanted to scream, but he assumed it was probably best to leave the details to her imagination.


    "I know it''s no problem for you, but wouldn''t it be a tad bit inconvenient to carry all of them like this?"


    The moment Aldred said this, Rey felt a tingle down his spine.


    It really was inconvenient for him!


    More than a tad bit!


    "En. What do you suggest?" Rey maintained his cool facade and asked.


    "We could help you transport them to whatever location you desire. You can trust us with the merchandise."


    Rey nearly recoiled when he heard this, but he kept his cool.


    So far, the Karinc group had been very helpful to him, and he didn''t think they would be ipetent in their duties either.


    He was just slightly surprised by their willingness¡ªor Aldred''s in particr¡ªto help.


    "I''m sure you''ve had some business with the Evals Redart. He''s a customer, isn''t he?" Rey narrowed his eyes as he asked.


    "Yes. Or should I say he was?"


    "I''m sure you also purchased some merchandise from him as well."


    "That is correct. Most of our factory workerse from the delivery he makes for us."


    The fact that Aldred could so shamelessly spout words like these to Rey told him that the man thought of him as a fellow denizen of the criminal world.


    He didn''t really know how to feel about that.


    ''At the very least, they don''t think of me as a softie. That''s good¡­''


    Despite all this, Rey was already considering leaving this illegal kind of life alone once he returned to the surface and the entire issue blew over.


    ''I can''t keep this up¡­'' He nearly sighed.


    "Why are you helping me, then? I just eliminated someone you did good business with."


    In response to his question, Aldred merely smiled and shrugged.


    "It is what it is. I always make sure to side with the stronger side. You were simply stronger and took him down. So, I choose to side with you."


    ''I see¡­'' Rey had already figured this much out.


    As long as the Karinc Group considered him useful and mutually beneficial¡ªmore so than the other side¡ªthey would support him.


    He knew he wouldn''t have to rely on them for too long, but Rey couldn''t help but feel a drive within him.


    Something told him to act now.


    ''This seems to be the perfect time anyway. I might as well utilize the opportunity¡­''


    "I understand." Rey spoke. "I''ll leave their delivery to you, then."


    Rey caused most of the people he carried to descend, their bodies slowly touching the ground.


    Only three remained in the air.


    Alicia. Billy. Esme.


    "I''ll personally take care of these ones." Rey answered the unspoken question that was written on Aldred''s face.


    "Noted. By the way, if I may ask¡­"


    Aldred nced in the direction of the girl that floated closest to Rey.


    "¡­ Were you able to find the girl you were looking for?"


    "Yes. As you can see¡­" Rey raised his hand towards the girl who was covered in tatters.


    Her pitch ck hair hid a portion of her face, and her dirty body marred her beauty. However, locked in her finger was the White Amber ring.


    "I-I see. That makes me d, then." Aldred looked up and saw two others floating in the air.


    They were shrouded in cloaks and a mask, causing most of their bodies to be hidden. They also floated on a higher level in the air.


    "People I have a special interest in. I''ll be seeing to them personally."


    "Understood. Forgive me for asking so many questions."


    "As long as you know."


    Once Rey concluded this section of the conversation , he made a small smile and exhaled deeply.


    ''Aldred, you sly bastard. It''s a good thing I took my precautions.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    What do you think just happened? Let me hear your thoughts in thements!

 Chapter 145 Making Arrangements

    <h4>Chapter 145 Making Arrangements </h4>


    ''It''s a good thing I took precautions earlier¡­''


    Rey sent his gaze to the unconscious Esme, focusing on the ring that graced her finger.


    ''I''m sorry, Alicia. But this is to keep you safe¡­''


    It was better for Aldred to suspect Esme as being close to him and not Alicia. That way, he could protect her and hide her identity.


    ''By using the ring, he''ll believe she''s the one I went through all this trouble for.''


    However, despite all the factors, Aldred was apparently still not convinced.


    At least, that was what Rey observed.


    ''Why else would he be concerned about Billy and Alicia that are above? He probably thinks I''m lying¡­''


    Thankfully, Aldred didn''t have any proof that it was the case.


    ''Still, I better be careful.'' Rey thought to himself.


    At the very least, heforted himself with the fact that all of this would be over soon enough.


    He just had toplete his activities here for the day.


    ''It''s gettingte already. I better wrap things up.''


    "Where do you intend on transporting these ves to, by the way?"


    Once he heard the question, Rey already had the answer to give.


    "The Royal Estate."


    Once Rey said this, Aldred and Yuri expressed instant shock.


    "Drop them in front of the gates. Once the guards see them, they''ll know what to do from there."


    Their eyes widened even more¡ªespecially Aldred''s.


    He seemed truly shocked.


    ''I know they''ll be surprised, but it''s simple. I''ll make it seem like I have connections in the Royal Estate. This will boost my rep a bit.''


    ording to Rey''s n, the guards were his connections. He would pretend as if they were his agents, and that they would help him preserve the ''merchandise'' in a secure location.


    ''I don''t have any other foothold in town. And if they''re transporting so many people, it''s bound to draw attention. This is the best arrangement.''


    Besides, his initial n was to leave the ves to the Royal Estate so they could handle them.


    ''This way I solve all my problems without being directly involved.''


    That was his rationale.


    "I-I see! So it''s like that! I never imagined you also¡­ ah¡­ I shouldn''t have expected any less¡­"


    Rey didn''t know what Aldred was thinking in his head, but he knew he wouldn''t have to put up with the acts that came with his current image for much longer.


    As such, he gave them vague and half-assed words to imply that the guards were on his payroll¡­ or something like that.


    Aldred and Yuri nodded attentively, spouting words like¡ª


    "We understand perfectly."


    And


    "Everything will be done as you wish."


    Rey found their behavior to be a little overenthusiastic, but at this point he was too tired and drained to venture into it any further.


    ''If they fail on their end, I''ll juste for them with the force of the Royal Council.''


    Reg doubted that they would turn against him, though.


    "I have some business in your Store, by the way. I would like to purchase a considerable amount of Items." Rey swiftly changed the subject.


    This caused Aldred''s smile to widen even more, almost as if it would rip open his face.


    The man must have been d that his gift from the previous day had convinced Rey¡ªor rather Ralyks¡ªto patronize Karinc.


    But that wasn''t the case at all.


    ''I don''t n oning back here for a very long time! It''s best I take as much as I can now¡­''


    That was all there was to his desire to purchase.


    Since he also had a discount, he figured Karinc was the best ce to do business.


    "Let us leave." Rey began to walk away, leaving an awestruck Aldred behind him.


    "G-give me a moment to call our agents to pick up the goods!"


    Aldred gestured to Yuri so she would escort Rey by herself, and the cutie rushed to Rey''s side in what seemed like a sh.


    "Alright. I''ll start heading there first. Don''t keep me waiting."


    As Rey said this, Aldred bowed deeply.


    Rey saw this and smiled underneath his mask. He nced at the youngdy by his side and gulped slightly.


    He was ready to set up his defenses at any moment.


    ''Let''s just get this over with.''


    ********


    "Sir Ralyks¡­ you truly are far more amazing than I gave you credit for."


    As Aldred stood and watched the man walking with his escort in the distance, he felt his heart race.


    ''I never expected him to know about the Royal Council''s corruption, talkless of being involved in it¡­''


    The way Ralyks spoke about the Royal Pce, it was clear that he was in on their involvement in the ve Trade.


    ''Now that he has brought down Evals Redart, does he n on taking over his business?''


    Aldred wasn''t so sure. He couldn''t see beyond his limits, and he knew the man known as Ralyks was far ahead in terms of everything.


    ''It was risky, but I tried using the [Eye Of God] on the woman he came to save.''


    Her Skill¡­ was also impossible to read!


    That meant it was definitely in the Absolute level¡ªthe S-Tier.


    ''So they are both monsters, huh? They perfectly suit each other¡­'' Aldred found saliva gathering in his throat and swallowed it.


    He had no idea how Evals managed to capture such a monster, but Aldred knew it couldn''t have been by mere luck or coincidence.


    ''I wouldn''t be surprised if Sir Ralyks orchestrated these events just so he could be justified in taking over Evals Redart''s trade.''


    Aldred, however, couldn''tpletelymit to that idea.


    After all, someone as powerful as Ralyks did not need any justification to do anything.


    His strength was enough justification.


    ''The other two were out of my range, so I couldn''t see their Skills. Did he intentionally ce them out of my range? Does that mean he knows about my [Eye Of God]?!''


    Knowing the kind of man he was, Aldred wasn''t too surprised at the thought.


    ''Did he want me to see just how strong he and his partner are? What a solid move, sir!''


    Aldred knew he could not let his guard down for even a second when confronting a man such as Ralyks.


    Not after seeing everything he could do.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading.


    It seems the misunderstandings continue to blossom.


    Haha¡­

 Chapter 146 Mass Purchase

    <h4>Chapter 146 Mass Purchase </h4>


    ''Master Aldred was right! This man is strong!''


    As Yuri walked beside the masked one, known as Ralyks, she couldn''t help but slightly tremble in his presence.


    She intentionally made sure she was a few inches behind him, just so he didn''t misconstrue her walking by his side as disrespectful.


    As an escort and guard, being beside a client was the best position to take.


    Still, she just didn''t feelfortable walking beside him.


    ''That [ck Hole] attack was devastating. I''ve never seen anything like it before!''


    Yuri remembered how Aldred was also gawking at the sight, showing just how phenomenal it was.


    ''That single casual attack destroyednd that spread for over an acre. Just how much more power does he possess?''


    Yuri could initially not understand why Ralyks snuck into the Warehouse when he could have just wiped his enemies if he was so strong.


    She still didn''t understand, but now¡­ it didn''t matter.


    ''Someone on that level¡­ I can''t possibly hope to understand how he thinks.''


    He was more amazing than any man she had ever seen.


    ''¡­ Even Master Aldred.''


    ********


    ''Why is she looking at me like that?''


    Rey felt ufortable as he felt the intense gaze of the girl who was walking beside him.


    He had noticed it when Yuri took a few steps back, and that made him even more anxious.


    ''Is she nning something? I thought I already showed her and Aldred that I am a force to be reckoned with. Did I not do enough?''


    Rey''s thoughts were in shambles, but he made sure to maintain his guard.


    ''Now that I''m only carrying these three, the drain on my Mana has reduced tremendously.''


    His Mana Recovery Skill was even slowly increasing his Mana. Still, it hadn''t reached the point where he couldfortably use his Skills.


    ''Stat-wise, I''m not sure who''s stronger¡­''


    He couldn''t afford to use [Absolute Appraisal] since his Mana Level was so low.


    ''I guess, if pushes to shove, I''ll just escape with Alicia. I should be able to do that much at least¡­''


    As he thought of this, he remembered the System''s instruction to save Esme, and he also remembered how important Billy was to the grand scheme of things.


    ''He''s an asshole, but he''s still an Otherworlder.''


    Once Rey settled on these thoughts, he realized that he couldn''t really afford to leave anyone behind.


    As a result, he could only sigh and hope the worst didn''t happen.


    ''This will soon be over anyway.''


    *********


    Aldred soon caught up to Rey and Yuri, confirming that the workers of the Karinc Group had already begun the transportation.


    Once Rey asked about the means of payment, Aldred shrugged it off as unnecessary.


    "It''s still within the Capital anyway. There''s no need for someone like you to bother with that."


    Rey wondered if this was yet another way Aldred was using to make him feel indebted to the Karinc Group, but he didn''t really care.


    He wasn''t one to say no to a freebie.


    Besides, since he intended to let go of the ck Market lifestyle soon, he knew that the man''s efforts were in vain.


    The trio walked in silence until they reached the Karinc Group''s main building.


    Rey was greeted with the same respect as always, and they didn''t waste any time before reaching the room that he was looking forward to.


    ¡ªThe VIP Section of the Karinc Store.


    ***********


    "I''ll have this. And this. This too."


    Rey stood as he instructed the gentleman who was helping him pick whatever item he selected, cing them in his cart.


    He had chosen ten items thus far, and he didn''t n on stopping.


    ''There''s no need to hold back now¡­'' Rey''s thoughts trailed as he kept choosing.


    ''I probably won''t have this chance again, so it''s best to make the best of it now.''


    He had a discount with the Karinc Group, and he had their goodwill as well.


    ''I also have thousands of tinum coins, so money isn''t the problem.''


    Now was the time¡ªmore than ever before¡ªto get as many goods as he wanted.


    ''Considering the fact that I''ll be kissing this life goodbye, I might as well enjoy the most of it.''


    Of course, Rey knew he couldn''t spend all his money here,


    He didn''t even think it was possible for him to do so. However, he also knew that holding on to his money without properly using it was stupid.


    ''I realized it when I fought Evals, and even before then¡­''


    Having Enchanted Items was necessary for his growth.


    ''Right now, I''m very strong. But that''s only because of my Skills.''


    Skills heavily depended on Stats to function, and while his Stats weren''t particrly low, they weren''t on the high side either.


    At least, ording to Rey.


    ''Most of my Skills require Mana, but I''m too limited in that aspect to freely utilize them.''


    Then, there were the Buff Skills, which added or multiplied the current Stats he had.


    If he had higher Stats, Rey was sure the effects would stack.


    ''Even Skills like [Combat Application], [Super Strength], etc. can only do as much as my ''Combat Ability'' Stat allows them to.''


    In conclusion, he had to get Items to improve his ability.


    ''And that includes good weapons too¡­''


    After seeing Noah''s weapon, Trisha''s de, and heck¡­ even Yuri''s sword, he knew he had to get his own.


    ''Let''s not talk about Adonis'' Divine Sword¡­''


    Rey knew he had the same Skill that could allow him to have the same weapon, but he also knew how careless it would be to use it.


    ''The Divine Sword can only be wielded by the Hero. If I use it, it might raise a lot of eyebrows¡­''


    Rey wasn''t even sure he could use it since he hadn''t utilized the Skill before.


    It was too powerful¡ªhence, it drained too much Mana.


    As he picked more items, Rey fell into another line of thought.


    ''I wonder how we were all able to use our Exclusive Skills so easily when we were first summoned.''


    Everyone was in Level 1, and their Stats were pretty bad when they were first summoned. They shouldn''t have been capable of utilizing their Skills¡ªespecially the stronger ones.


    ''And yet everyone did. How¡­?''


    Rey''s [Doppel] Skill didn''t cost Mana to use, so he was safe. In fact, his was more like a Passive Skill.


    But he knew that others actively required Mana¡ªmore Mana than they would have had back then¡ªto use their Skills.


    ''Alicia summoned something back then, but when we were doing practical training, she said she doesn''t have enough Mana to use her [Divine Beast Summon] Skill¡­''


    It made no sense, so there clearly had to be a discrepancy somewhere.


    ''Does it have something to do with the fact that we were justing from that Domain of God or something?''


    Perhaps they were overflowing with Mana or something when they first arrived.


    ''Or did we have like a one-time free use on each of our Skills? Maybe that''s it¡­''


    Either way, Rey recognized that without such a convenient mechanism, he wouldn''t have been able to get all of his ssmates'' Skills so easily.


    ''Well, that''s all in the past.'' Rey smiled as he pointed at yet another Enchanted Item he desired.


    ''It''s about time I focused on the future.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 147 Concluded Business

    <h4>Chapter 147 Concluded Business </h4>


    "That will be all."


    As Rey¡ªor one could say Ralyks¡ªstood before the counter, once again taking in the fanciness that surrounded him,


    Of course, Aldred was right next to him, so he couldn''t properly enjoy the pristine ambiance of the store.


    ''At least Yuri isn''t here¡­''


    The very disturbing girl had gone back to her ''post'', and so she wasn''t going to be a bother to him anymore.


    ''Now then¡­ how much have I spent so far?"


    Rey stood as all his goods were calcted before his very eyes.


    He bought about fifty Enchanted Items, and then hundreds of potions, so he imagined his total expenditure to be in the hundreds¡ªif not thousands¡ªof tinum Coins.


    However, what he heard next shocked him.


    "Two hundred and ny-five tinum Coins in total¡­?"


    He was downright surprised once the total price was mentioned to him.


    ''Is this the power of a discount?'' Rey wondered to himself as he stared at the smilingdy behind the counter.


    He unconsciously nced at Aldred, and his smiling expression didn''t change in the slightest.


    It was almost as if this was the most natural conclusion that could be arrived at.


    ''Well¡­ I mean, if this is how it is, then¡­ who am I to say no?''


    Rey epted the discounted Items with a smile on his face, paying with ease.


    He utilized his [Inventory] for the transaction and also for storing all the Items he got.


    All of them couldn''t simply fit into one box in the storage space he had, so he had to divide them up in different sacks so as to maximize space.


    In the end, everything took about five slots of his [Inventory].


    "Thank you for your patronage, Sir!" Thedy behind the counter smiled as she bowed her head.


    "It''s nothing."


    Rey walked away from the pristine room, stealing one final nce at it as he recognized the fact that he might never see it again,


    "Huu¡­" Right now, he was exhausted in almost every degree.


    There was only one thing he wanted at this point.


    ''Time to go home.''


    *******


    A hundred Mana Recovery Potions.


    A hundred Healing Potions


    Fifty-one Enchanted Items.


    Rey had purchased a total of two hundred and fifty-one Items from the Karinc VIP Store, yet it hardly made a dent in his total savings.


    ''This is insane¡­ right?''


    As Rey walked back to the surface, his surroundings filled with the chattering of the locals, he couldn''t help but have these thoughts.


    The sun was setting in the distance, and he could spot a bunch of people closing shop already.


    He could also see some shops opening up for what was considered the ''Night Market.''


    The evening breeze felt refreshing; far more so than the stifling air of the ck Market. Rather than the smell of blood, gore and disgusting urine, Rey took in the scent of spices and local food.


    He felt hungry, but he restrained himself from overindulging.


    After all, he knew he was in trouble.


    ''I missed the designated rendezvous time. It''s possible that they''re worried about me¡­''


    He had the Royal Badge, so they could most likely track him.


    However, everypetent Mage who could use such Magic had gone on the mission with Adonis,


    It was prettyte, so they should have returned, but they were bound to be very tired.


    ''I better return to the Royal Capital as soon as possible.''


    He nced around and noticed that no one was looking in his direction.


    That was because of one reason and one reason alone.


    He was currently using [Stealth] and [Camouge].


    No one could possibly see him.


    But, Rey wasn''t alone, was he? He had three people he was currently responsible for.


    Billy, Alicia, and Esme. These three were currently being held by Rey on both sides.


    Since Billy weighed the most, and he was a guy, Rey carried him on his left side. Esme and Alicia were on his right.


    Since they were all touching him so closely, and weren''t a part of anyrger extension, his [Stealth] and [Camouge] Skills extended to them.


    If that wasn''t the case, everyone would just see three people floating, not knowing how that came to be.


    Rey nced at the gleaming white ring that shone on Alicia''s fingers and smiled.


    He had returned it to her the moment they left the ck Market.


    One would think that, with so much baggage that Rey carried, he would be bumping into so many people.


    However, he had also thought of that and came up with a pretty simple solution.


    [Flight].


    Rey was currently flying above the popce while activating his other Skills to make sure he¡ªas well as his baggage ¡ª


    couldn''t be detected.


    ''It''s possible that someone with a detection ability could notice us, but right now I''m too tired.'' Rey thought as he gazed below him.


    Hundreds of people went about their business, and it seemed like no one really gave a crap to look upward, talkless of detecting him.


    With all these thoughtsbined, Rey decided not to bother about the people and simply focus on getting home.


    And that was exactly what he did!


    ''Now then¡­ let me set my n into motion!"


    *********


    The Investigation squad were already returning to the Royal Estate after a very long, yet unproductive day.


    They had done their best, but nothing fruitful came of it.


    They weren''t able to find traces of Alica and Billy, and they were nowhere close to getting close to the ck Market, talkless of the ve Trade hub.


    They had achieved nothing!


    As they took heavy steps, their feet trampling on the pristine tiles that decorated the entry to the Royal Estate''s Gates, they noticed amotion.


    "H-huh¡­?"


    "What''s that?"


    "A-are those¡­?!"


    Right before their eyes, a small distance from the group, was a dark cloaked gentleman who was backing them.


    He was surrounded by guards, but not in a particrly hostile fashion. It was simply because of the two individuals thaty at his feet.


    The very Otherworlders they had been searching for all day¡ª


    Alicia and Billy!


    *


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    [A/N]

 Chapter 148 The Adventurer Ralyks

    <h4>Chapter 148 The Adventurer Ralyks </h4>


    "W-who¡­?"


    "H-how¡­?"


    "T-this is¡­!"


    A mixture of confusion and relief could be seen on the faces of every guard as they looked at the two unconscious teenagers on the floor.


    Their disheveled hair and unkempt attires didn''t remove an iota from their identity.


    These were the Otherworlders!


    The Head Guard, who was just in as much shock and awe as his subordinates knew he had to pull himself together.


    Their actions were not befitting of the guards of the esteemed Royal Estate!


    "I-If I may ask, Sir¡­" The Head Guard shifted his gaze from the two saviors of the world, and ced it on the dark-cloaked man who brought them.


    He was dressed like the night itself¡ªwith a pitch-ck hooded cloak, an obsidian mask that had a skull-like design, and his inner attires also echoing nothing but darkness.


    He seemed like a shady man, but what kind of shady individual would do something like this?


    "¡­ Please, who are you?"


    As the Head Guard said this, he gulped.


    He was a great fighter, and he had been trained by the Head Warrior Brutus himself, but even he wasn''t too confident about fighting the man before him.


    Something about his vibe exuded strength, and an aura of darkness seemed to shroud his mysterious persona.


    The Head Knight felt it was just his imagination, but he could also smell the stench of blood on him.


    This had to be a testament of his power.


    Still, despite the sheer tension that the masked man caused around him, his deep voice was calm and soothing.


    "My name is Ralyks. I am an Adventurer, and I just happened to be in the Capital."


    His words were simple, but they were so vague that no one present knew what to make of them.


    Fortunately, he borated.


    "A certain boy requested my assistance for this mission. He told me all he had was a single Gold Coin, and that if I wanted more, I shouldplete the mission ande to the Royal Estate for a bigger reward."


    As the man called Ralyks said this, more men approached him from behind.


    They belonged to the Undercover Investigation Unit that had gone out since early in the morning.


    Their weary faces seemed to be breaking into relief, but they weren''t out of the woods just yet.


    "T-this boy¡­. What was his name?"


    The leader of the Investigation Unit asked as he moved closer, only to stop the moment he felt the intimidating pressure of the mysterious Ralyks.


    "I believe he called himself¡­ Rey."


    The moment Ralyks said this, the members of the Investigation Unit broke into a look of relief, but the leader still appeared concerned.


    "When was thest time you saw him? He was meant to rendezvous with us, but he never showed up."


    In response to this, Ralyks shrugged slightly¡ªalmost as if he couldn''t care less.


    "I ced a tracker on him, just in case I needed to find him, and from what I can see¡­ he''s not in any trouble."


    It was only at this moment that the leader sighed in relief.


    "He''s probably still searching for these two. He told me he''d continue working on his end, so we''d cover more ground."


    The members of the Investigation Unit all leaked out smiles, thinking about their adorable Extra saying something like that.


    "Quite an energetic one, wouldn''t you say?" Ralyks said, almost in a chuckle.


    Both the guards and the members of the investigation unit all nodded, some chuckling in agreement with his words.


    "Could we perhaps settle the details indoors? It feels a bit clumsy having this sort ofmotion outside the gates of the Royal Estate." The Head Guard asked, a bead of sweat dripping down his forehead.


    He had a friendly smile on, even though he was going for a firm facade.


    "I-Indeed! We''d need to discuss at greater length on the matter. I''m certain the members of the Royal Council would like to meet with you and reward you for your effor¡ª!"


    Before the Head of the Investigation Unitpleted his words, Ralyks raised his hand to interrupt.


    "I do not care for all of that. I have already received my reward from the boy."


    Surprise filled the faces of everyone present. They couldn''t believe what they were hearing.


    An Adventurer¡­ rejecting money?!


    It was unprecedented!


    "Y-you mean¡­?"


    "Indeed. That Gold Coin was enough for the job."


    The military men present all exchanged nces with each other.


    They considered the possibility that the Adventurer didn''t know the importance of the people he had just saved. That was most likely why he wasn''t being adamant about a reward.


    It was the only exnation that made sense in their heads,


    "I do agree that we should go inside, though." As Ralyks said this, he took a step forward.


    The other Guards, who had surrounded him, found themselves stepping back.


    It felt instinctive¡ªpurely natural.


    "U-understood!" The Head Guard gestures for a couple of guards to pick up the two unconscious Otherworlders and take them inside.


    Once they did so, moving as quickly as they could, everyone else could advance.


    As they moved¡ªRalyks, the Investigation Unit, and a portion of the Royal Guards¡ªa question wafted in the air.


    "Did you get my earlier present? The ve Trader and his ''merchandise''?"


    The moment Ralyks asked this question, everyone froze up.


    "T-that was you?!"


    A slight chuckle escaped Ralyks'' unseen lips as he shrugged it "T-that was you?!"


    A slight chuckle escaped Ralyks'' unseen lips as he shrugged it all off as if that achievement was nothing.


    The guards had counted a little over a hundred victims of the ve Trade, and a hundred or so perpetrators¡ªwith the Kingpin being present as well.


    For so long, the Royal Council had been trying to quell the embers of ve Trade that remained pervasive throughout the United Human Alliance, to no avail.


    However, with the capture of Evals Redart¡ªone of the three prominent figures in the trade¡ªsuch a despicable industry had been crippled.


    Hundreds, if not thousands of lives would be spared thanks to this man''s capture.


    And all of it was all thanks to Ralyks.


    ''He doesn''t even see it as a big deal. Just who is this man? I''ve never heard of an Adventurer like him before!''


    The Head Guard found himself thinking as he swallowed yet another round of saliva.


    "How are they? The victims and the criminals?"


    Normally, matters like this were kept confidential.


    No outsider could know the inner processes of the Royal Estate, or how matters were being handled within its walls.


    But this time¡­ things were different.


    The Head Guard felt as though not telling Ralyks would be somewhat wrong.


    He didn''t know why, but it felt almost natural to say the truth to this man.


    "The victims are being treated. We''ll make sure they get good nutrition and medical treatment. Once they''re stable, we''ll ask them some questions and try our best to return them to their homes."


    Every guard or soldier present knew this was their responsibility


    ¡ªthe least they could do¡ªconsidering the fact that they were too ipetent to prevent the capture of these victims in the first ce.


    "I see. And what of the criminals?" Ralyks said in his consistently calm manner.


    "They''ll be interrogated¡ªespecially their leader¡ªto extract relevant information about their other business chains and the entire industry as a whole."


    Ralyks nodded slowly.


    It appeared that he was pleased.


    Strangely enough, everyone present was happy to see that,


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Looks like Ralyks is now ying the ''good adventurer'' card. I wonder where this leads¡­

 Chapter 149 The Royal Council Acts

    <h4>Chapter 149 The Royal Council Acts </h4>


    As the sun dipped in the horizon, the Royal Estate was filled with what could only be described as a mixed reaction.


    The Royal Council, which had been deliberating on several affairs all day, was first of all interrupted by the news of ves and the responsible ve traders mysteriously appearing in their front gate.


    The reason they could recognize them as ves was simply due to the tags that each person had on.


    Those who didn''t have tags were recognized as the lowlives of the underworld due to their Enchanted Items, or markings on their bodies that earlier investigations had deciphered to belong to a criminal mastermind known as Evals Redart.


    What was most surprising was that this very Evals Redart was also among the unconscious ones that were presented at the Royal Estate''s gate.


    No one knew who brought them, or how they ended up there in the first ce.


    One moment, the entire passage was empty, and the next, it was filled with bodies.


    The Royal Council was immediately alerted about this development by the Head Guard, considering how big a step towards progress this all was.


    However, the mixed reactions that were given wasa¡ªto put it very mildly¡ªvery unexpected.


    Grandmaster Conrad and Lady Vida seemed immensely satisfied by the news, but the other three had somewhat cautious or even worried expressions.


    Of course, no one suspected them of any malevolent intentions or thoughts, so their reactions were simply chalked down to intense surprise.


    And so, while bright smiles decorated a few faces, dreary looks were stered on the faces of others.


    The Royal Council meeting didn''t end yet, though. There were a bunch of issues to be addressed, after all.


    They merely gave instructions to the guards and continued.


    However, the second wave of news caused them to adjourn their gathering.


    ¡­ And it was none other than the report of the return of the lost Otherworlders, along with the man who found them.


    *********


    "Ralyks¡­?" Conrad''s brows twisted the moment he thought of the name once again.


    He knew of the prominent Adventurers in the Adventurer City, but he had never heard of that name before.


    ''Is he perhaps a new face? But from what I just heard¡­ he doesn''t seem like an amateur.''


    The very fact that he was the one responsible for capturing Evals Redart, and busting up the Capital''s branch of ve Trade, made him a force to be reckoned with.


    Conrad felt it was absurd that he hadn''t heard of the name before.


    After all, the Royal Council meeting they were having prior to the interruption was centered around the most viable Adventurers.


    Currently, he and one other member of the Royal Council were on their way to the guest quarters to see this mysterious benefactor of theirs.


    Vida and the other two went off to see the Otherworlders who were currently receiving medical support.


    The soldiers told them that their condition wasn''t too dire¡ªespecially Alicia''s¡ªbut they still had to see for themselves.


    As a result, the Royal Council had to be split into groups.


    Conrad and the man beside him¡ªKnox¡ªhad contrasting expressions on their faces.


    While the former had a relieved, but curious facade, Knox appeared more tense and worried than anything else.


    "Are you alright, Knox? Ever since the first news, you''ve been a bit off."


    "A-ah, really? Maybe. I''m not too sure myself." Knox, an older fellow with spectacles on his face and long white beards smiled.


    Whenever he made expressions like this, he appeared like a wiry old man, but Conrad knew he was capable.


    After all, other than Vida, Knox was the one he trusted most among the Royal Council members.


    They had been close since before the United Human Alliance was formed.


    In a way, this old man was like an uncle to Conrad, considering how close his father was to Knox.


    ''Maybe he''s just stressed out. We''ve been having our meeting since morning, and it has gotten prettyte already¡­''


    Knox wasn''t getting any younger, so being active for so long must have taken a toll on his body.


    Conrad felt for the old man, but this time their meeting couldn''t be helped.


    After all, it was one of utmost pertinence.


    ''We''ll probably have to continue itter tonight or early tomorrow.''


    That was how important it was.


    ''But first, we have to meet this Ralyks fellow. If he is indeed an Adventurer, then maybe¡­ just maybe¡­!''


    As Conrad had these thoughts, he couldn''t see the dark expression that yed on Knox''s face.


    It wasn''t one of tiredness or weariness.


    Instead, it was an expression of downright hostility.


    ''This man called Ralyks¡­ how much does he know about us?!''


    The ve Trade was rendered illegal by the Royal Council, but Knox and two of hisrades had decided to support it from the shadows.


    It brought them a considerable amount of revenue, and it was far more lucrative than most of the businesses one could get into in the entire Alliance.


    However, with the capture of Evals Redart, one of their most best pawns within the ve Trade industry, and the crippling of one sector of the market, Knox knew the loss that he and his colleagues would suffer.


    Even with all of these negatives, nonepared to what Knox and the others feared most.


    ''The interrogation will probably begin tomorrow. We can''t allow it to happen!''


    Most perpetrators of the ve Trade didn''t know too much, but Evals Redart knew too much.


    ''He has to be eliminated!''


    Those were the thoughts on Knox''s mind as he and Conrad swiftly proceeded to the Guest House.


    As darkness crept into the sky, and the world was deprived of sunlight, the old man''s crooked face made a deep frown.


    The luxurious building stood a couple more meters from them, and some of the guards that served as their entourage had gone ahead to prepare the way for Knox and Conrad.


    The former''s eyes gleamed with even more apprehension as he bit his lip.


    ''It''s possible that this Ralyks will also be a problematic one.''


    If that was the case, Knox knew that he and his colleagues had to nip him in the bud¡ªand fast.


    The old man had resolved within himself a long time ago¡­


    ''No matter the cost¡­ I must seed!''


    And even now, nothing had changed.


    Nothing at all.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Who do you think are the perpetrators within the Royal Council?

 Chapter 150 Meeting With Ralyks [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 150 Meeting With Ralyks [Pt 1] </h4>


    ''Alright¡­''


    Grandmaster Conrad felt tense as he stood before the ck mahogany door before him.


    Despite thete evening breeze, he could feel a bead of sweat, or two, forming on his forehead.


    Still, he calmed himself and took a good look at the building.


    The Guest House wasn''t veryrge. It was a two-story building that was a bit wider than normal in order to amodate as many rooms as possible.


    The ground floor consisted of a living room, a reception area, a kitchen, and all manner of facilities that could help guests settle in.


    There was also a mini-pub in one of the building extensions.


    The top floor, however, consisted only of the bedrooms.


    Since their guest, Ralyks, had onlye for visiting purposes, Conrad already knew where he would be.


    ¡ªThe Reception Area.


    As the Grandmaster ced his hand on the knob, after refusing a guard to do it for him, he took a deep breath.


    The pure white color of the building was dulled by the encroaching darkness, but lights generated from luminous stones made sure to banish most of it.


    Conrad was also certain that the interior of the building was just as illuminated as the outside¡ªif not more.


    ''¡­ I''m ready!''


    Grandmaster Conrad twisted the knob and opened the door steadily.


    He was greeted by the inner beauty of the building.


    Despite being very small,pared to the pce and the Otherworlders'' living quarters¡ªamong other structures¡ªwithin the Royal Estate, it made up for it with its charm.


    The chandeliers on the ceiling glowed brilliantly, and the pure white allure of the building''s walls and floorsplemented the entire atmosphere.


    It felt serene and pure.


    "Right this way, Sir." The Head Guard interrupted Conrad''s train of thought as he led him to the Reception Area.


    That was where their visitor was.


    Conrad strengthened his resolve and hardened his gaze as he followed behind the lively man in front of him.


    He stole a gaze at Knox, and it seemed the old man was pretty tense as well.


    However,pared to Conrad, who kept most of his apprehension hidden under a mask of charismatic confidence, the old man''s disturbed expression was easy to see through.


    ''I wonder why he hasn''t picked a sessor yet.''


    Conrad thought it was obvious that Knox wasn''t as¡­ able¡­ as he used to be.


    Rather than stressing himself with the burden of responsibility, it was better to choose one of his many children to take his ce.


    Conrad knew of one or two who would be perfect for the job.


    ''All he has to do is present one to us, and we''ll review the sessor before giving our verdict.''


    Knowing Knox''s standing in the Royal Council, if he chose a capable person, everyone would give a positive vote.


    ''Maybe I''ll bring it up again. But first, I have to deal with this issue¡­''


    The Reception Area was right around the corner, and the Head Guard was already standing in front of the door that led to it.


    Conrad took this as a prompt to quicken his pace, but out of regard for the old man, he maintained his steady steps.


    ''I wonder what kind of man this Ralyks is¡­'' Conrad regretted not asking for details from the Head Guard¡ªor anyone who had seen him.


    He was running in blind.


    A few momentster, Conrad found himself standing before the pure white entrance to the Reception Area.


    It wasn''t a veryrge room, but it was more than enough to fit in a group of ten¡ªperhaps twenty¡ªwho desired to have a discussion.


    Considering the fact that only Conrad, Knox, and the Head Guard were going to be the ones inside¡ªalong with Ralyks, of course¡ªthat meant there was more than enough space.


    The Head Guard opened the door for them this time, prompting Conrad, Knox, and finally the Head Guard to proceed inside.


    The interior of the Reception Area was just as beautiful as every other part of the Guest House.


    It had a small chandelier on the ceiling, with pure white visuals that upied the senses.


    Thefy sofas were purely white, and the center table that separated the two sides of the ''U'' shaped Sofas was also pure white.


    Everything in the room was this color¡­ except one!


    ''A-ahh¡­!''


    Conrad nearly jumped as he saw the dark stain on the purity of the room.


    It came in the form of a seated man.


    His entire body was wrapped in darkness, and his crimson eyes glowed underneath his skull-like mask.


    The man was seatedfortably, resting his back on a couch while folding his hands.


    He didn''t even move an inch when Conrad entered.


    Normally, when someone of the Grandmaster''s standing appeared before someone, they would stand and greet.


    Some even went as far as bowing.


    However, this figure remained in his post as if Conrad didn''t even exist.


    Other than the movements of his glowing eyes, it would be impossible to tell if he even saw them enter or not.


    "Greetings, Adventurer. Thank you for gracing us with your presence this lovely evening."


    It was around 7:30 PM already, so it was pretty much drawing closer to night.


    Still, Conrad stuck to his formalities.


    He and Knox sat on the sofa while the Head Guard remained standing. Both of his hands were behind him, and his rock-solid posture was a given for a guard.


    "Greetings, Grandmaster. Councilman."


    The fact that Ralyks addressed them by their titles made it clear that he knew who they were, and the positions they held in the entire Nation.


    So why did he remain so impudent?


    The answer was simple¡ªclear for anyone in the room to see.


    This man known as Ralyks was strong.


    "Haha! You can just call me Conrad. My friend here is Knox." Conrad gave a light, friendly chuckle as he tried his best smile.


    "I''d rather not. Now, then, shall we get to the serious matters?"


    As Ralyks said this¡ªrefusing a gesture of casualness¡ªthe air in the room quickly transformed.


    The influence of his presence grew even stronger as he leaned forward and sat upright.


    His crimson eyes were fixated on Conrad, and it seemed like they were pulling him into them.


    However, before the Grandmaster could even process what was going on, his thoughts were interrupted by an imposing question.


    "What do you want?"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading.


    Where do you see the story going? I wonder¡­

 Chapter 151 Meeting With Ralyks [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 151 Meeting With Ralyks [Pt 2] </h4>


    "W-what do we want¡­?"


    Conrad found himself stuttering for a moment due to the suddenness of the question, but he quickly corrected himself.


    He never expected this man to be so straightforward.


    Even for an Adventurer¡ªone whose name wasn''t even well-known¡ªhe was being quite bold.


    "I believe I already told your guard over there the details of my actions. I also informed him that I do not need any reward." Ralyks said very calmly.


    His voice wasn''t imposing, but it wasn''t respectful either.


    He was just terribly blunt¡ªsaying things without a filter, or regard for who he said them to.


    Conrad didn''t realize when he started to respect him.


    "The reason you two, esteemed members of the Royal Council, would want to meet with me is because you want something." He emphasized his point and drew closer.


    "So what do you want?"


    Conrad felt pressure unlike anything else he had ever experienced until now.


    He indeed wanted something, but the fact that Ralyks had taken the initiative meant he no longer had the advantageous ground.


    It was taking him longer to articte his intentions and present them in a way that suited the current context better.


    "First of all, we''d like to thank you for your help. For finding those two for us¡­"


    "As I exined to the guard, I was only doing a job. I was paid by a kid who happened to be desperate. I would normally not have epted it, but since I could sense his sincerity, I decided to take the job."


    The way Ralyks said it made everything seem likemon sense.


    He¡ªa very capable Adventurer¡ªjust happened to be around to help a desperate boy.


    However, no one could fault him.


    In cases like this, a Truthseeker would be most useful, but Conrad didn''t dare bring such a thing before a guest whom they owed so much to.


    ''He doesn''t even have any reason to lie. He clearly seeks no reward with us, else he would have tried a different approach.''


    This was especially why Conrad was so on edge.


    ''I find this too unbelievable. Does such a good-natured person really exist? Surely, he must want something!''


    But, judging from how Ralyks spoke, it was certain that the script had been flipped.


    It wasn''t he who desired something¡­ but the Royal Council.


    In essence, they needed him.


    ''Well, he''s not wrong.''


    At this point, Conrad gave up trying to cut corners and simply decided to get to the point.


    "Haaa¡­ I understand." He made a heavy sigh.


    Judging by the personality of the man before him, being as honest and open with his intentions was the best thing he could do in the current situation.


    Once that settled in Conrad''s mind, he decided to follow the path and see where it would lead him.


    "How would you like another job, Sir Ralyks?"


    The moment Conrad said this, his facepletely changed from the fake smile he constantly had on.


    For the first time in a while, his mask fell before a stranger, revealing his concern and desperation.


    The Grandmaster knew that, just like the boy who hired him¡ªRey most likely¡ªhe had to be sincere.


    "A job? What kind?" The dark-cloaked Adventurer asked with a deep monotone.


    Nothing about his voice indicated that he had a special interest in the job being offered, but his crimson eyes glowed a tiny bit brighter.


    At least, that was what Conrad thought.


    "It''s in the Royal Dungeon. It''s a rescue mission."


    "Hm?"


    Conrad could sense something akin to surprise in Ralyks'' tone, and he could understand why.


    The Royal Dungeon was off-limits to Adventurers, so only those working for the Royal Council got ess to it.


    Since it was a national treasure, and contributed arge share to the Alliance''s economy, it wasn''t a ce for private mercenaries.


    ¡­ Until now.


    ''We''re desperate. Brutus'' team hasn''t been rescued, and even the Rescue Team that went in hasn''t returned!''


    Lucielle was supposed to send some kind of message to the Royal Council once they were done with the Rescue and were on their way out.


    However, so far there was nothing.


    ''It''s been over 12 hours since they ventured in, yet we''ve not heard a word.''


    It was more than enough to drive the Royal Council to the very brink of desperation.


    The strongest in the Alliance¡ªtheir Grand Mage and Head Warrior¡ªwere unounted for.


    However, that wasn''t all.


    The Otherworlders¡ªthe Hero and the most capable of them all


    ¡ªalso shared the same fate.


    The only good news they had was the return of Alicia and Billy, but those two wouldn''t be enough for the task ahead.


    Without the Hero, and the other immensely talented and powerful forces that were currently trapped in the Royal Dungeon, the United Human Alliance was as good as screwed.


    The entire Royal Council meeting, which spanned for hours, was all about finding a solution to the issue.


    In the end, the only viable option was to hire Adventurers.


    By hiring only the most capable, and sending them into the Royal Dungeon, there was a chance to save the ones trapped within.


    However, there were a lot of disadvantages and dangers associated with this n.


    The most ring issue was the simple fact that Adventurers could not be trusted when it came to National Matters.


    It was possible they would only take on the Quest for personal gain and quit half-way once things got too difficult.


    They could also steal resources from the Royal Dungeon and bail on the real mission.


    The Adventurers could also kill the Monsters meant for the Otherworlders to grow, thus removing tons of EXP from the board.


    A bunch of other factors made this n''s efficacy doubtful.


    Then, among the myriads of disadvantages, there was the very obvious problem ofpetence.


    Even if they risked it all and put their trust in the most capable and honorable Adventurers¡­


    ¡­ Could they reach the 99th Floor on time?!


    Was it possible for the Adventurers to rescue the Hero and the other valuable assets to the Alliance before it was toote?


    That question remained unanswered.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    This chapter was shorter than usual, and I apologize for that.


    ¡­ I have no excuse.

 Chapter 152 Meeting With Ralyks [Pt 3]

    <h4>Chapter 152 Meeting With Ralyks [Pt 3] </h4>


    ''Right now, we needpetent and trustworthy Adventurers who can be guaranteed toplete this mission.''


    Conrad''s eyes met Ralyks'' crimson irises as he had this thought.


    ''He seems like a good fit to add to that equation.''


    If they had him on their side¡ªa powerful man who could be moved by sincerity¡ªthen there was hope to get even more Adventurers on board.


    ''Billy and Alicia won''t recover on time, but if they do¡­ then maybe we could enlist their help too.''


    Conrad considered hisst lines of thought and wondered if it was indeed the smartest choice.


    What if the mission failed again?


    Was it not better to conserve the Otherworlders they had left, rather than send them to their obvious doom?


    Thinking logically about the current situation, wasn''t it an impossible task they were about to give the Adventurers?


    ''If Lucielle, Brutus, Hero Adonis, and the other Otherworlders from Alpha ss could not make it¡­ can we really say any other group has a chance?''


    The answer was an obvious "NO!"


    Despite this, Conrad didn''t know why he was still clinging to a hope that maybe he was wrong.


    Maybe there was a sliver of a chance that the problem would be solved.


    After all, if it wasn''t¡­ then the end of humanity was certain!


    "Tell me more about this job." Ralyks'' voice woke Conrad from his troubling thoughts.


    His eyes darted around, registering the pure white atmosphere, before eventually settling his gaze on the man of darkness.


    "Well, the thing is¡ª"


    "Tell me everything." Conrad felt some kind of chill in his body the moment he heard that.


    He knew he wasn''t obligated to tell this Adventurer the details of National Affairs. He couldn''t divulge some secrets to him.


    However, Conrad didn''t know when he began to open his lips and exin their desperate predicament.


    ¡­ And how badly they needed someone to help.


    *********


    "I see."


    Despite Ralyks¡ªno, Rey¡ªsaying this so calmly, his thoughts were a jumbled mess


    ''What the hell? They haven''t returned yet?!''


    Rey was currently in his tough-guy disguise, but he was truly freaking out on the inside.


    ''They haven''t even sent a message confirming the rescue? What could be going on down there?''


    He was confused, to say the least.


    Yes, the Royal Dungeon had incredibly powerful monsters inside its walls.


    But Rey knew full well that they weren''t going to be too much trouble for Adonis and his squad.


    ''Thest Floors of a Dungeon usually contain A-Tier Monsters, right?'' Rey learned all of this in the Royal Library.


    Mankind had conquered quite a few Dungeons in the past, and never before had the monsters within them exceeded A-Tier.


    ''Sure, the difficulty of the Monster¡ªespecially the Boss¡ªdepends on their Skill-sets and the kinds of abilities they have. Terrain ys a huge factor too, but still¡­ they never exceed that limit.''


    From what Rey had observed in the Royal Dungeon, it pretty much followed the expected patterns of a Dungeon, so he couldn''t chalk it up as an Irregr.


    That was why he had so much confidence in Adonis and his team.


    An A-Tier Boss might have been too difficult for Brutus to face alone, but if Lucielle, Adonis, and all his Alpha ss ssmates ganged up on the thing, there was no way they weren''t going to win.


    So¡­ how was this possible?


    ''Something must have gone wrong somewhere. It''s definitely serious!''


    Rey thought about Adonis, and how he had assured him he wasn''t going to lose.


    ''He seemed a bit tense, but I''m sure he also knew what he was going to do.''


    The only reason this could have happened was an unprecedented variable.


    Something no one knew about.


    ''Could this be the mastermind''s work? I can''t let them get away with this again!''


    Rey felt impatient as he sat before Conrad and Knox, as well as the Head Guard.


    He wanted to rush out of the room and venture into the Royal Dungeon as quickly as he could.


    However, he controlled his emotions.


    ''As expected, Conrad didn''t reveal their identities as Otherworlders, but he told me everything else.''


    Right now, all Ralyks knew was that the Alliance''s most powerful force was inside the Royal Dungeon and needed saving.


    A simply transparent position to have.


    ''So how should I respond?''


    Rey''s original n was to build a reputation within the Royal Estate and leech on them instead of the ck Market.


    If he could establish a proper connection with them, then it would be perfect.


    However, all of that had to be put on hold due to the current situation.


    ''If everyone relevant to the Alliance is in danger because of what''s going on in the Royal Dungeon, then there''s really no time.''


    Brutus'' life was already in danger before Lucielle and Adonis decided to venture in to save him.


    If this incident wasn''t resolved as fast as possible, then everyone within the Dungeon could just as well lose their lives.


    ''I have to hurry!''


    "I understand the situation. So, you''d like to hire me to go in and rescue them, right?" He spoke in his usual Ralyks tone.


    Rey could see Conrad and everyone else express slight hesitation as he said this.


    ''What? Did I say something wrong?''


    "We were thinking of hiring you alongside the top Adventurers in the Adventurer City to¡ª"


    "There''s no need." Rey sharply interrupted them, his tone much firmer than normal.


    ''There''s no time for that!''


    Rey had studied the map of the United Human Alliance to a considerable extent, so he knew how vast the entire Nation was.


    ''They upy a little less than two-third of the Western Continent, and while the rest of the one-third is the battlefield right now, there''s still a lot of unexplorednds there.''


    Out of all the cities and towns that existed under their banner, the Adventurer City wasn''t very close to the Royal Capital at all.


    In fact, it was considerably closer to the current battlefield.


    ''It will take too much time trying to contact the Adventurers. Even if they do seed in that, there''s no guarantee that the Adventurers would agree. Even if the Adventurers agree, it''ll take too long for them to arrive here¡­''


    And this was only scratching the surface of Rey''s worries.


    ''I doubt the Adventurers would be able to do anything about whatever is holding Adonis and everyone else in the Dungeon.''


    Adventurers were incredibly powerful, but if they were that strong, then there would be no need to summon Otherworlders to begin with.


    The Alliance faced a precarious situation with the Dragons, and the presence of Adventurers didn''t change that fact.


    ''We can''t wait that long for Adventurers, especially when they won''t be much good.''


    That was Rey''s current position, and he knew Conrad should have thought as much.


    ''He probably doesn''t see any other alternative at the moment.''


    Rey found himself smiling a little.


    "I will ept your job. But I don''t need any Adventurer toe with me. I''m fine by myself." He dered.


    "W-WHAT?!"


    The instant he said this, Rey could see shocked expressions radiate all over the faces of the men in the room.


    He expected this. Still¡­


    ''This is the best option!''


    "I do not require any reward. I only seek this challenge that seems to lurk in the dark." He rose to his feet, not giving Conrad or the other two any chance to process his words.


    "B-but, Sir Ralyks¡ª!"


    "What''s the problem? I don''t see an issue with this arrangement¡­"


    As Rey said this, he could see the shocked, dazed, and downright confused expressions on the faces of those who watched him.


    He couldn''t help but smile even more.


    ''They''d never look at me this way if I was Rey and not Ralyks¡­''


    In a way, he found that amusing.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    It seems we''re finally getting into the meat of the Arc.


    What do you think is the problem in the Dungeon?

 Chapter 153 Going Solo

    <h4>Chapter 153 Going Solo </h4>


    Conrad was stunned¡ªno, beyond stunned.


    He had never seen such a man in his entire life. This Adventurer had just said the bravest or the dumbest thing ever uttered in the world.


    Conrad hoped it was the former, and not thetter.


    ''He wishes¡­ to challenge the Dungeon alone?''


    It was so absurd that the Grandmaster couldn''t blurt it out.


    "You can go ahead with your original n of calling on Adventurers if you like. I won''t stop you from making backup ns too."


    As Ralyks said this, he began to move towards the entrance/exit of the reception.


    "But I''ll tell you now¡­ it is all going to be pointless."


    Conrad didn''t know the kind of expression the man before him was making, but something told him it was a broad smile.


    One that oozed nothing short of confidence.


    "I''ll be going in alone. And I''m going to rescue your people."


    There was no uncertainty in his words. It was as if he could already see the future.


    Conrad found his heart racing as he listened¡ªas if he was a child listening to a fairy-tale, hoping desperately that it was all true.


    He truly wanted to believe!


    "H-how long¡­ do you think¡­ it''ll¡­ take¡­?" Before Conrad realized it, he stood to his feet and blurted out a question.


    Knox and the Head Guard quickly nced at him in shock, giving him faces that made it seem like he was insane,


    Conrad knew he was behaving crazy, though.


    Asking a question like that meant he was entertaining the possibility of such a thing being possible.


    He¡ªGrandmaster of the Royal Council¡ªwas granting credence to the illogical ramblings of a total stranger.


    Conrad didn''t care, though.


    He only stared at the one called Ralyks and waited for his answer.


    "It shouldn''t take long. Before dawn tomorrow¡­ you will see your subordinates."


    With trembling lips and blinking eyes, Conrad took in the impossible promise and burned it into his mind.


    "Alright. We''ll be waiting for you."


    Ralyks nodded and took his leave, refusing to say any more.


    As soon as he left the room, Conrad copsed back on the sofa and heaved a heavy sigh.


    He didn''t realize how much pressure had filled the room until Ralyks left.


    His racing heart kept pounding in his chest, and his body wouldn''t stop trembling.


    "Conrad, surely you aren''t taking that man''s words seriously! There''s no way he can do that!"


    Even the Head Guard¡ªwho didn''t say anything due to the inescapable chains of hierarchy¡ªagreed with Knox''s words,


    Normally, Conrad would have done so.


    In fact, if any of his colleagues had done what he did, he would have chastised them and sought out a more rational solution.


    But they were currently out of those.


    There was no way out; no logical way to turn the situation around.


    "Right now, the fate of the entire Nation is in that man''s hands¡­" Conrad whispered as he closed his tired eyes.


    He felt tired, yet a wave of relief hit him.


    Somehow¡ªdespite not knowing why¡ªhe felt like everything would work out somehow.


    He knew the two men who shared the same room with him didn''t agree, but he hoped that when dawn arrived, they would see it with their own eyes¡ª


    "We can only put our trust in Ralyks."


    ¡ªThe unknown power of the man shrouded in darkness.


    *********


    Rey inhaled deeply as he left the Royal Estate and ascended into the air.


    ''Looks like I have my work cut out for me¡­'' His thoughts trailed as he became a blur.


    He glided through the sky, his gaze fixed on the path ahead.


    Free to roam the sky as he pleased, he increased his pace, causing the pressure of the wind to cause his dark hair to dance.


    Despite all this, Rey remained unaffected.


    He nced beside him to see the young girl who was in a bubble beside him.


    She was still unconscious, but she still floated beside Rey as he advanced with his remarkable speed.


    The only reason she could do so was due to the bubble of air that surrounded her.


    ''Wind Magic can be pretty useful.''


    Rey returned his gaze forward and spotted the Royal Dungeon just up ahead thanks to [Farsight].


    Esme¡ªthe Half Elf girl beside him¡ªwas currently being protected by his Magic, and she had been beside him throughout his stay in the Royal Estate.


    Since he used [Projection] to make it appear as if she wasn''t there, no one had suspected him the slightest bit.


    Everyone who remained in the Royal Estate was weaker than Rey, and he already knew that much.


    The stronger ones went with Adonis, or were currently fighting at the forefront of the battlefield.


    The stronger ones went with Adonis, or were currently fighting at the forefront of the battlefield.


    Even if he was found out, he could easily tell them that Esme was someone rted to him, and they wouldn''t give him any further issues.


    After all, he was the hero who saved tons of potential ves from captivity and toppled down a very empire all by himself.


    He also didn''t ask for anypensation, and was considered by all who met him to be strong.


    Who would dare challenge his unverifiable words?


    No one!


    ''I would have liked to clean her up a little, but there''s no time for that yet.''


    Rey had already used [Absolute Appraisal] on her right before they started flying, and he could see that she wasn''t in any critical condition.


    Back then he temporarily ced the ring in her fingers to fool Aldred, she had healed up considerably.


    Her life was in no danger at all.


    ''Since I can''t just drop her off anywhere, I just have to take her with me.''


    Esme could wake up at any time, and since she knew his identity, Rey figured it was better to keep her close to him.


    18:24


    ''Now that I''m looking at her from this angle, she looks kind of prett¡ªwhat are you thinking about, Rey? Now isn''t the time!''


    Rey shook his head and decided to increase his pace and focus on the task at hand.


    His ssmates, the only hope of the world, were in danger.


    ''I have to help them!''


    Rey still had no idea what the problem was, but he only had one thought as he began his descent.


    ''Hang in there. I''m on my way!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Now we''re transitioning to Adonis andpany''s side of things.


    I hope you''ve enjoyed the story so far.


    The true Royal Dungeon Incident starts now!

 Chapter 154 The Royal Dungeon Incident [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 154 The Royal Dungeon Incident [Pt 1] </h4>


    [Earlier That Day]


    "It seems we''re all ready."


    As the sun slowly rose in the horizon, Adonis'' blond hair swayed with every instance his lips moved.


    His handsome face greeted everyone who stood before him, and even the equally beautiful Grand Mage who was beside him gave him all her attention.


    Right now, all fifty of the Knights and Mages that the United Human Alliance could offer stood before him.


    Also standing in front of them were the five Otherworlders who volunteered for this dangerous expedition.


    The determined expressions on their faces made Adonis smile a little.


    He had said all that needed to be said, and they were already briefed by Lucielle, so there was no longer any need to keep the mission waiting.


    "We depart now!"


    ~VWUUUSHH!~


    A wormhole was opened right behind Adonis the moment he made this deration.


    It shone with multiple colors, and it came from a cube-like item that Lucielle held in her unupied left hand.


    Her right hand had a staff on, and she was currently outfitted in a pure white and red military outfit befitting of a Grand Mage.


    She had a cap on¡ªthe kind a sailor or a royal emissary would have¡ªand gold buttons and linings decorated her red and white attire.


    Her crimson eyes glimmered brightly as the box in her grasp began to vanish once the portal it created stabilized.


    This Enchanted Item was called ''The Gateway'' and it was a one-time use Item.


    It could open the doorway to anywhere that they could pinpoint, as long as it was an actual location.


    Since Lucielle already detected Brutus in the lowest Floor¡ªthe 99th Floor¡ªof the Dungeon, this Item had just created a portal that led to that very ce.


    It wasn''t a one-sided portal, though, so they had to hurry if they wanted to gain the upper hand.


    "Let''s go!"


    In response to Adonis'' orders, the men and women began marching closer to the portal.


    As the Hero, Adonis bravely stepped into the portal first, and the rest trailed after him.


    Lucielle was thest to enter, and as soon as she did, the portal copsed.


    One of the conditions of use when it came to ''The Gateway'' was once its user entered the portal it made, the spatial rift would close, so no one was surprised by this.


    In fact, if this was the only condition, then a random person could have been the one to activate it, allowing everyone to venture in and out without any need to ascend the Floors to escape.


    Unfortunately, that couldn''t be done.


    For one, ''The Gateway'' was an incredibly powerful device that could only be used by a powerful Mage who had a high level of Magic Mastery.


    In essence, Lucielle.


    Yet another problem with this device was the duration of the spatial rift.


    Even if Lucielle decided to stay behind, letting Adonis and the rest venture in to save their ally, the rift would close after two to three minutes.


    Spatial Magic consumed a lot of Mana, and it couldn''t possibly be maintained for too long.


    If they bet on the chance that Adonis and the rest could save their allies within that time, it was possible that the portal would close before this happened, leaving Lucielle outside.


    Needless to say, that would be tragic.


    Even though Adonis had the most power and the greatest potential of all, Lucielle was currently the most skilled and experienced member of the entire team, so having her absent in the mission would be a huge detriment.


    They needed Lucielle''s versatile skill-set. She was perhaps the most important factor in the entire mission.


    ¡­ Except Adonis, of course.


    Once the group had all entered the Dungeon, the portal closed up, leaving mere sparks of remnant Mana floating in the air.


    But even those onlysted a second before vanishing entirely, leaving the group of fifty-seven stranded in a world unlike any other.


    "W-whoa¡­!"


    A few gasps echoed in the air as the people looked around them to get a grasp of their surroundings.


    None of the Otherworlders had been to an actual Dungeon before, so the looks of awe and wonder mostly came from them.


    However, even among the Knights and Mages, the expressions of inevitable surprise filled their eyes.


    None of them had ever ventured this deep into a Dungeon before, so it was only natural.


    After all, there was no way anyone could remain unimpressed by the expanse that weed them.


    The 99th Floor of the Royal Dungeon was¡ªin simple words¡ªlike a world of crystals.


    The entire area was covered in shimmering minerals of the finest quality, and in huge proportions.


    They glowed like the most precious of stones, and no luminous stone or chandelier couldpare to their beautiful radiance.


    The very ground was made up of the stuff, and throughout the walls and extremely high and pointed ceilings¡­ everything was filled with the purest kinds of Mana Crystals.


    Even Lucielle was distracted for a moment as she took in the sight before her.


    This ce was a gold mine of resources!


    With this quality and quantity of Mana Crystals, the Alliance would never run out of Magic Energy for a very long time.


    They could make more Enchanted Items and fuel more of their Magic Weapons.


    Potions and Alchemical concoctions would finally be mass-


    produced.


    They could even somewhat tilt the current tides of battle in their favor.


    The possibilities were endless!


    "Let''s focus on the task at hand." As Adonis spoke, the "ooohs" and "aahhhs" ceased.


    His serious tone made everyone remember the weight of responsibility that rested on their shoulders.


    However, almost as soon as Adonis said this, even he became distracted by something.


    "T-that¡ª?!"


    A couple hundred meters from where he and everyone else stood¡­ there stood countless piles of crimson stones.


    These weren''t mere stones, though.


    "The Monster Cores¡­" Adonis whispered, his eyes widening in sheer disbelief.


    He could recognize those piles anywhere.


    ''H-how are they¡­ here?''


    Before Adonis could conclude his line of thought, though, a voice echoed in the massive expanse.


    "B-Brutus! There he is!"


    Yet another distance from them¡ªmuch further than the piles of Monster Cores¡ªthere was an almost naked man.


    He had bruises all over his body, and he shamefully hung in the air, levitating through some sort of Magic effect.


    His bushy beards and disheveled hair danced thanks to the current of Magic that raised his body. Dried blood painted his bare skin, and his bulging muscles appeared helpless under the restraints of Magic.


    He appeared unconscious¡ªperhaps even dead.


    Lucielle''s eyes brimmed with hope as she saw him, and everyone instantly knew what they had to do.


    "To the target!"


    Adonis and everyone rushed to their target destination, though they all had it at the back of their mind to be on guard.


    That was the n.


    But¡­


    "Oh? This is a surprise."


    ¡­ Even they could not expect what came next.


    "I didn''t expect you''de this early."


    Appearing behind them, in a swirling pool of bluish-purple distortions in space, was a colossal entity.


    It had a thick, scaly body that glowed under the illumination of the world that surrounded it; three twisted horns on its massive head.


    Wings spread behind it as its tail swept about, creating an irresistible gust of wind.


    Its brimming purple eyes stared closely at the group of fifty-


    seven, and it gave a twisted grin.


    No one needed an exnation as to what this being was.


    They all knew instantly.


    "N-no way¡­!"


    "H-how can¡­?"


    "T-this is¡­"


    What kind of Monster had been waiting for them all along.


    ¡­ A Dragon!


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading.


    Finally! We get to see a Dragon finally!


    Did you all expect this?

 Chapter 155 The Royal Dungeon Incident [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 155 The Royal Dungeon Incident [Pt 2] </h4>


    Terror.


    That was the only word that could properly encapste the overwhelming emotions that flowed through everyone who stood and watched.


    ¡­ Who saw the emergence of a being that transcended their understanding.


    No one could move¡ªnot even Adonis.


    They all just looked in fear and trepidation, perhaps hoping they would not be struck down where they stood.


    This massive being¡ªover fifteen meters in overall height¡ªwas clearly beyond their means.


    It was invincible.


    "Ahh¡­ I suppose this form is too much for you. Then¡ª"


    ~VWUSH!~


    In a sh of purplish-blue energy, the Dragon''s colossal form slowly began to shrink.


    Its beastly form began to grow humanoid, until it finally condensed into an entity that could pass for a human¡ªsave for a few features.


    It still had three horns protruding from its head, and its long hair shone with a bluish-ck allure.


    It had split pupils, like that of a beast, but its eyes were mostly human-like, glowing purple.


    Its sharp teeth were hidden behind humanoid lips, and while it had a skin that vastly resembled a human''s, scales appeared in multiple areas¡ªlike a portion of its face, neck, and hands.


    It had wings behind it, and a tail still dancing back and forth, despite wearing what resembled an elegant blue suit made from the best of materials.


    Even in this form, a twisted grin remained on his face, and so its onlookers could not be at ease.


    This¡­ this BEING was one of absolute destruction.


    No one stood a chance.


    "You''re not going to say anything? Even after making it this far? How boring¡­"


    The Dragon, now in the form of a pristine adult male, began to walk towards the group.


    Its formal shoes cked hard on the ground, causing an echo to permeate the world around.


    "You finally caught me. You''ve figured it out. That should be a cause for celebration, no?"


    More steps were taken.


    The fifty-seven could not move back.


    There was an instinctive drive that told them that any sudden movement¡ªeven the slightest hint of defiance¡ªwould lead to their inevitable deaths.


    They could only swallow the saliva and wait¡­ perhaps hope for some sort of intervention from the stronger ones.


    ¡­ From Adonis and Lucielle.


    "I can''t say I me you, though. This is why we Dragons can never take your kind seriously." The thing chuckled.


    "You''re all too pathetic. It''s hrious."


    This Dragon had a look of disregard for the prey set before it.


    They were nothing before his eyes.


    A human''s pride could only take so much after being assailed with such demeaning words, and being treated worse than an insect.


    And so¡ª


    "W-we''re not afraid of you!"


    ¡ªSomeone finally spoke up.


    No one knew who it was.


    Perhaps it was merely one of the many soldiers, or an Otherworlder¡­ whoever it was didn''t matter.


    The important thing was that the single voice caused others to get a hold of their courage and light up the mes of resolve in their hearts.


    "Y-yeah!"


    "Humanity will never give up!"


    "You vile beast! You''ll be¡ª!"


    ~SPLOOSH!~


    In a single instance, as if crushed by an invisible force from above, all fifty soldiers and mages were turned into smush.


    Their bodies were ttened, causing blood and their internal organs to stter out, like jelly out of a crushed donut.


    The oozing liquid painted the surroundings red, even straining the attires of those who stood beside them.


    All of this¡­ in just a moment.


    "I don''t believe I gave weaklings the permission to speak."


    The Dragon''s arrogant tone echoed as he approached once again.


    Despite only a few of them speaking, he had chosen to punish a whole fifty men and women. Their lives were as insignificant to him as dust was to a man.


    He simply shrugged them off.


    "I spared the rest of you because you''re not so weak. At the very least, I can sense it within you¡­ most of you¡­" The Dragon''s purple eyes flickered.


    "You have very good potential. You should be worth devouring."


    Unlike humans, who got their EXP from directly killing their enemies, the anatomy of Dragons demanded differently.


    They had to feast on their prey.


    By doing so, they got portions of their strength.


    "Hehe¡­" The Dragon kicked his lips with its long, beast-like tongue as he gazed upon their fearful faces in amusement.


    There was no mercy orpassion to be found in its eyes.


    Just certain death.


    However, even in the darkest moments¡­ when despair threatens to swallow one whole¡­ there was still a chance for something beautiful to emerge.


    ¡­ Hope!


    "Lucielle¡­ go get Brutus quickly." Adonis whispered.


    "W-what?"


    The Grand Mage was stunned by the Hero''s words, and her reaction made it clear that she wasn''t expecting him to be capable of uttering words.


    Not after what they had all just seen.


    "Get Brutus and return to back me up." Adonis continued.


    His body was trembling; anyone could see that he was unnerved by the Dragon''s presence.


    Still¡­


    "The rest of you should stay put. Make any unnecessary movements and you might fall into danger."


    ¡­ Adonis kept speaking.


    Was it due to his conviction that the Dragon wouldn''t turn him into paste due to its desire to feed on him?


    Perhaps.


    Or maybe¡­ just maybe¡­ Adonis was confident that he would be able to resist the overwhelming force that just killed fifty of hispanions.


    Either way, he didn''t seem to be backing down.


    "Did you hear me, Lucielle?"


    For a moment, there was silence.


    Adonis kept his gaze on the smirking thing before them, while Lucielle gazed at him with shock.


    Here was a boy who had just been summoned to this world, and yet he was far moreposed than she was.


    She felt ashamed.


    After only a few seconds, though, the Grand Mage had to pull herself together.


    "Understood!" Her crimson eyes glowed as she nodded.


    She bit her lip and numbed her fear with pain.


    "Thank you." Adonis nodded, still not removing his gaze from the advancing creature.


    "Everyone, please¡­ stick together. And remember¡­ don''t move!"


    At this point, the Dragon could no longer contain its amusement.


    "Hahahahaha!" It cackled, watching as Adonis fished out orders and looked so serious.


    It was akin to an adult being confronted by a toddler who sought out a fight.


    There was simply no chance.


    "Seems like you n on fighting me alone, human." Purplish energy began to manifest around its body.


    The very air vibrated as a result of this revtion.


    "I do."


    Suddenly, Adonis took a step forward.


    The loud cking of his shoes caused the Dragon''s echoing approach to cease.


    It was now the blond-haired boy who took steps forward.


    His body was still trembling, but he did not cease in his advance.


    "Right here and now¡­ I will defeat you."


    Suddenly, golden glimmers of light began to manifest around Adonis. Sparkles radiated within his eyes, hair, and all over the rest of his body.


    The tremblings began to get stronger.


    Many might misunderstand and think Adonis was scared¡ªjust like everyone else.


    But they''d be wrong.


    Yes, he was indeed frightened by the sudden appearance of this impossible creature of untold horrors.


    However, that wasn''t the cause of his bodily tremors.


    No¡­ those only existed for one reason.


    RAGE!


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Do you think they''ll be able to win against the Dragon?


    Let''s hear your thoughts!

 Chapter 156 The Royal Dungeon Incident [Pt 3]

    <h4>Chapter 156 The Royal Dungeon Incident [Pt 3] </h4>


    ''This is bad¡­ really bad!''


    As Adonis stood before the Dragon before him, these were the initial thoughts in his mind.


    ''I never expected a Dragon! Not even in the worst-case scenario!''


    The 99th Floor had be a Dragon''s Nest.


    The fact that there were no Monsters, and the Boss was pretty much nonexistent in this Floor, meant that this Dragon had gotten rid of all of them.


    This ce was now his domain.


    ''Everyone is frightened. Even Lucielle!''


    Adonis couldn''t me her.


    ''Despite how strong she is, she''s still very young. Besides, I''m sure she''s never experienced a Dragon as powerful as this before¡­''


    A three-horned Dragon!


    ''The battlefield should be filled with one and some two-horned Dragons.''


    Those were the weaker kinds¡ªfoot soldiers and mature ones.


    The three-horned Dragons and above were the real deal.


    None of them could be messed with very easily, as they had the role of Commanders.


    ''I can''t believe my first encounter with a Dragon in this timeline is a Dragon Commander.'' Adonis gritted his teeth as he narrowed his eyes.


    ''This is really bad!''


    Right now, however, he could not afford to hesitate or dwell on any other distracting thought.


    His opponent was right in front of him, and his allies were right behind.


    The same allies he swore he''d protect!


    ''Fifty are already dead. It''s tragic, but¡­ I can''t let it weigh too heavily on my mind.''


    Not right now!


    What everyone needed from Adonis right now was action.


    And he had to deliver.


    ~VWUUUUSSSHH!~


    Bright golden energies danced around him as he red deeply at the foe he had to face.


    ''I''m only Level 30 now. I''m not very confident I can defeat this thing¡­''


    Adonis knew he had to be Level 50, at the very least, to confidently assert his victory against a creature of such caliber.


    At this point, he couldn''t boast of such power.


    ''Even though I had Lucielle and the others summon Monsters for me to personally kill so I could Level Up for this mission¡­''


    It still wasn''t enough!


    Despite that, Adonis knew he couldn''t give up.


    ''I have to try!''


    ~BOOOOOM!~


    More power rushed through him as he called upon his Skills.


    [Grand Light Magic]


    [Divine Sword Summon]


    [Absolute Defense]


    Adonis was instantly coated in what seemed to be a golden armor of sorts.


    His new form radiated majesty, but also pure power.


    In his hand was a sword whose beauty was beyond description, shining brightly as he brandished it.


    An aura¡ªa field of unparalleled energy¡ªremained around him to protect him from the adversary, and shimmers of light kept swirling around him.


    Adonis, at this point, looked every bit of an Angel as Seraph did.


    Of course, hecked the wings and celestial beauty she possessed.


    But something about him looked holy.


    Sacred.


    Powerful!


    "T-that is¡­! You are¡­ what are you?"


    *******


    For the first time since its arrival, the face of the Dragon showed something other than condescension and disdain.


    It showed fear¡ªalbeit subtle.


    "This power¡­ where did you get it from?!"


    It was clear what the Dragon Commander was referring to as he stared at Adonis.


    "How is a human wielding able to use powers in the Absolute¡­ no¡­ Divine Tier?!"


    Everyone knew that the limit of a human in H''Trae was the A-Tier.


    That was why, even the strongest in the entire United Human Alliance, had a single A-Tier Skill.


    It was extremely rare¡ªthe very pinnacle of power.


    This phenomenon wasn''t only restricted to humans alone, though.


    Most beings in this world had simr limits.


    The only exceptions were the Dragons!


    Dragons were known as the strongest beings in H''Trae for the very reason that they could bypass such limits and reach even the Absolute Tier¡ªS¡ªand beyond.


    So why¡­


    "¡­ Why is a mere human disying such power?!"


    The Dragon appeared confused, and it genuinely was.


    Even for three-horned ones such as itself, S-Tier Skills were very rare.


    It only had one, which was the bare minimum for a Dragon of its caliber.


    ''To think my foe would have an S-Tier Skill and even an SS-Tier one¡­!''


    It was unbelievable, to say the least.


    Initially, it had desired to take its sweet time devouring its prey, but now¡­ now it knew better.


    ''I''ll have to kill this one fast!''


    "Lucielle, NOW!" Adonis roared as he took his own step forward.


    The Grand Mage took action and darted towards the prisoner¡ª


    Head Warrior Brutus¡ªwhile Adonis charged forth to the Dragon.


    The entire area shook as these simultaneous actions were taken, and the Dragon watched all of this with a deep frown on its face.


    ''Tch! I''ll deal with that womanter. For now, I should focus on this human!''


    Dragons had the natural ability to see how strong a person''s Skill was.


    They had a deep bond to Mana, and thews of the world they lived in.


    They were the closest to nature¡ªthe strongest beings to exist in this world.


    They were the very pinnacle.


    Seeing Adonis charge towards it, the Dragon only had one thought.


    ''I must destroy him!''


    ********


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    Adonis flowed, easily traversing the distance that existed between him and the enemy he had to defeat.


    It didn''t matter that the power he wielded now was subpar,pared to its full potential.


    It didn''t matter that it wasn''t going tost forever, and currently knew nothing about his enemy.


    It didn''t even matter that he was already feeling the strain on him.


    What mattered was one thing.


    ''Right here, right now¡­ I MUST KILL IT!''


    ~BOOOOOMMM!!~


    The area reverberated, trembling as Adonis finally swung his de for the first time after reaching the very front of the Dragon.


    The Divine Sword bypassed all defenses, so it could not be blocked against.


    If the Dragon Commander attempted to raise a defense, it would all be over.


    Adonis made sure to move his muscles as hard as he could, aiming for the head as he swung his shiny de.


    He desperately prayed to make contact.


    Unfortunately¡­


    ~WHUSH!~


    ¡­ His prayers were declined.


    ''A-ahh!''


    Adonis couldn''t see the Dragon Commander in front of him any longer.


    Instead, an overwhelming wave of bloodlust rushed to him from behind.


    It was at this moment that Adonis knew¡­


    ''H-he teleported behind me!''


    ¡­ About how impossible his opponent would be.


    ~BOOOOOOM!!!~


    A st of destruction radiated all around the area where Adonis and the Dragon stood, causing everything around them


    ¡ªthe unstable ground especially¡ªto shatter apart.


    Both opponents found themselves sliding across the debris, creating distance between themselves once again.


    "Haaa¡­" A heavy breath proceeded from Adonis'' lips.


    He recognized how close he hade to dying a few seconds before.


    ''If I didn''t use Light Magic to send my body into overdrive and recoil right behind him¡­ his attack would have connected.''


    Thankfully, he was able tond in the direction closest to his friends.


    ''I can''t let that thing get close to them!''


    Dragons were very twisted creatures. His friends could be used as hostages, or even killed in the most brutal way to break his fighting spirit.


    ''I can''t allow that!''


    A massive cloud of smoke existed between them, but Adonis clenched his de tightly and focused on sensing even the slightest change in his environment.


    His enemy was one who could teleport.


    ''I can''t be too careless!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 157 The Royal Dungeon Incident [Pt 4]

    <h4>Chapter 157 The Royal Dungeon Incident [Pt 4] </h4>


    "Haha¡­" A voice echoed in the area behind the pile of smoke.


    In a powerful gust of wind¡ªmost likely caused by the Dragon''s whipped tail¡ªthe smoke cleared.


    The humanoid silhouette of the Dragon emerged, and its twisted smile returned to its pale and handsome face.


    "¡­ Not bad, human."


    He had an amused expression, and his cool gaze greeted Adonis'' intense one.


    All of the unease it disyed earlier seemed to havepletely vanished¡ªas if they never existed, to begin with.


    "Your Skills are the real deal. But, it seems your Level is the issue." As the Dragon said this, a bigger smile crept up on his face.


    Adonis could feel more tension wrapping around him.


    "It seems I was worried for nothing, human. I don''t know how you got so much power, or how you''re able to use it so well, but¡­"


    He stretched out both hands, as if weing an embrace.


    "¡­ You''re still very weak!"


    Adonis bit his lip the moment these words were uttered.


    His opponent wasn''t wrong.


    ''As expected, even though my Stats are heightened, they still don''tpare to a Dragon Commander¡­''


    Even his Skills weren''t operating at optimal potential.


    ''My Divine Sword has 6 Forms, but right now I can only use its base state¡­''


    And what of his [Absolute Defense]?


    Well, the Skill of the Dragon felt like a hard counter to Adonis'' defenses.


    ''To conserve Mana, I concentrated my defenses in predictable areas, but with this teleportation of his, I''d have to rethink my strategy.''


    Just to be on the safer side, Adonis knew he''d have to buff up his defenses and ensure they circted all around him.


    He couldn''t afford to be hit at this point.


    ''Lucielle isn''t done yet. What''s taking her so long? Could it be¡­?!''


    Adonis instantly realized what was dying the Grand Mage once he thought of it for a moment.


    ''She''s undoing the Magic that is holding Brutus captive, no doubt.''


    Even as a powerful Mage, she didn''t hold a candle to Dragons who had more abundant Mana and better Magic abilities.


    ''I can''t rely on her anytime soon.'' He heaved a sigh and took his stance once again.


    ''I have to do this on my own!''


    "Haha! That''s the spirit, human! Come!"


    ~WHOOOOSH!~


    The ground shattered as the very air around Adonis trembled as he took off.


    Cackles of golden energy danced around him as he used both hands to draw his de and send an energy wave flying towards the Dragon Commander.


    ~WHUSH!~


    The being vanished, but Adonis already predicted that.


    ''[Light Field]!''


    Spreading his Mana around him using Light Magic, Adonis detected a distortion in space very quickly and realized where his enemy was going to appear from.


    He proceeded to add a [Light Cloak] and [Light Boost] to his body, making him much faster than normal.


    With the power granted to him by the Divine Sword coursing through his veins, and his current usage of Light Magic, Adonis reached a new realm of speed and strength.


    Yes, this wasn''t sustainable.


    It was taking a toll on his body at a heavy rate.


    However¡­!


    ''If I don''t go all out, I can''t win!''


    ~VWOOSH!~


    Once the Dragon Commander appeared where he was supposed to, Adonis was already there, his de swung heavily in its direction.


    It was inescapably close distance, one where Adonis was guaranteed to hit his target.


    ''DI¡ª!''


    Before Adonis'' de reached the Dragon Commander, he felt a burning sensation in his stomach, and his eyes bulged in response to the feeling.


    "Puack!" Adonis spat out blood as a sharp kick imnted itself on him.


    His momentum was put to a grinding halt, and an expression of both shock and confusion¡ªmixed, of course, with pain¡ª


    radiated from his face.


    ''H-how did he¡­ get past my defenses?!''


    Adonis had chosen these particr Skill-sets to go with his build because he was confident in both the offensive and defensive capabilities of his Skills.


    He was convinced that, even with low stats, having Skills such as this would give himbined advantages in battle.


    However¡­


    "My [Absolute Space Magic] allows me to bypass defenses and reach for my target wherever they are."


    As the Dragon Commander said this, Adonis could see how his feet hade through a portal right before it hit him.


    The [Absolute Defense] Skill created a safe haven around Adonis that wasrgely imprable.


    Adonis could make the domerger to amodate more people, but he couldn''t make it smaller.


    That was the problem.


    "As long as there''s space existing between you and your barrier, then I''m always going to be able to attack you."


    Adonis groaned yet again as another blow was sent to his stomach, this time creating enough pressure to push him away.


    "Keuk!"


    As he fell and recoiled from the pain that assailed him, he stared hatefully at the Dragon Commander.


    The being was just grinning at the pathetic human before him.


    "My Skill is a hard counter to yours, human. You can''t properly defend against me, and I can always evade your sure-hit attacks."


    In essence, this wasn''t just about Stats any longer.


    The Dragon Commander was Adonis'' natural enemy¡ªan inevitable winner in their fight.


    "Do you understand now?"


    In response to the words said by the Dragon Commander, Adonis only rose to his feet and wiped off the blood that stained his lip.


    Remnants of his crimson liquid had dropped to the ground, already mixed with his swea, but Adonis ignored all of that.


    He simply brandished his de one more time.


    His eyes disyed unwavering determination, and while pain circted around his entire body¡ªcausing him to tremble¡ªhe did not have any expression of fear.


    No.


    He had never appeared more resolute.


    His moist lips uttered words in a whisper as he prepared himself with a battle stance.


    "¡­ One more."


    The Dragon Commander appeared perplexed by all this, but he would soon understand¡­


    ¡­ Just how scary a Hero could be when protecting the ones he loved!


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading.


    Looks like Adonis is a bastard who won''t give up!


    My kind of guy!

 Chapter 158 The Royal Dungeon Incident [Pt 5]

    <h4>Chapter 158 The Royal Dungeon Incident [Pt 5] </h4>


    A Dragon was never meant to show up in the Royal Dungeon.


    And even if it did, Adonis and his ssmates never encountered one throughout the time they explored the Royal Dungeon.


    Granted, they never reached the lowest Floor of the Dungeon¡ªthanks to something that came up¡ªbut they never caught a whiff of this enemy.


    Brutus was never captured by a Dragon.


    A Dragon never stole the piles of Monster Cores that the HobGoblins hoarded.


    A Dragon never did any of those things!


    ''The future has changed. I should know that by now¡­''


    As Adonis looked at his foe, he took in deep breaths in preparation for what he was about to do.


    ''There''s nothing I can do about the ripple effects. But, if a threat arises that threatens my friends¡­ I have to do something!''


    He gritted his teeth, tasting the remainder of his own blood in his mouth.


    ''Status Window.''


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Adonis Levi.


    - Race: Human (Otherworlder) (Regressor)


    - ss: The Hero (S-Tier)


    - Level: 30 (10.73% EXP)


    - Life Force: 100/300 (+150)


    - Mana Level: 50/360 (+130)


    - Combat Ability: 300 (+150)


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Divine Sword Summon]. [Absolute Defense]. [Grand Light Magic]. [&$@?3$$!0n]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Combat Application]. [Magic Application]. [Mana Recovery]. [Full Sense]


    - Alignment: Lawful Good


    [Additional Information]


    Your desire to save this world has transcended the very bounds of time itself, and now you are once again on the journey to protect those you love.


    Good luck!


    [End Of Information]


    As Adonis looked through all this, he realized the only chance he had was to rely on his Hero Privileges¡ªat least, one of them.


    [ss Information]


    - Name: The Hero


    - Tier: S-Tier


    - Cause: You have chosen to be a true savior of the world; protector of the weak, and punisher of evil.


    As such, you must never fall in battle!


    [ss Privileges]


    ~ Gives Base Stats addition based on 50% of your current Stat


    ~ +30 Stat Point for every Level Up, instead of the usual +3


    ~ Full immunity against all natural ailments, and a perfect body at all times.


    ~ Natural resistance to all Negative Status Conditions, Appraisal, and any kind of Interference


    ~ Quick Growth: Natural Talent and Ability to Level Up faster and learn any and all kinds of abilities, given enough time.


    ~Limit Transcension: Innate ability to surpass your limits (once a day) at the cost of a permanent decrease in some Stat Points.


    [End Of Information]


    "Haaa¡­"


    Adonis already knew what he had to do.


    He was done hesitating or even resisting. Right now, this was the only chance he had.


    He didn''t know how many Stat Points he would lose, but he understood that if he could end things quickly, then it wouldn''t be too much.


    It felt like a fair bargain at this point.


    ''As long as I can defeat the enemy that lies in front of me¡­ that''s all that matters!''


    With that resolve, he took his stance and brandished his de.


    ''Activate [Limit Transcension]!''


    ~BOOOOOOOOM!~


    An instant surge of energy caused the very air to vibrate.


    Everything around Adonis was crumbling, as if being broken down into multiple smaller particles.


    The Mana Crystals that filled the ground began to dissipate and surround the Hero.


    This ability, [Limit Transcension], allowed the user to get temporarily stronger by absorbing the Mana around them.


    This would be converted into Stat Points which would phenomenally improve the user in every aspect of his Stats¡ª


    also increasing the effectiveness of his Skills.


    And so, it was only natural for Mana Crystals topletely be absorbed by the one who stood in their presence.


    ¡­ The Hero whomanded it!


    "Let''s try this again." Adonis whispered, opening his glowing golden eyes.


    His hair was currently dancing in the air as an aura of pure golden light covered his body.


    Vein-like energy markings appeared on his body as more power rushed into him.


    ''Let''s go!''


    ~WHOOOOOM!~


    Space itself distorted as the Hero made his first move, rushing towards his target in a blur of light.


    "W-wha¡ª?!"


    Before the Dragon Commander could even react, Adonis was already in front of him.


    His de was swung, carrying with it an overwhelming power that could not be exined with mere words.


    Fortunately for the Commander, his Spatial Magic activated right on time.


    ~WHUSH!~


    He was able to vanish by a hair''s breadth, appearing a considerable distance away from Adonis.


    However, the moment he reappeared, he noticed a golden figure right beside him.


    It was Adonis!


    ~SWOOOOSH!~


    The de was swung with even more ferocity, and this time, the Dragon felt it nearly reach his neck before teleporting once again.


    ~WHUSH!~


    As soon as he teleported away, Adonis'' eyes darted all around him, and he instantly spotted the next distortion in space.


    His legs carried him to the location in no time, and he raised his de for a powerful vertical strike.


    Thus, once the Dragon Commander manifested, he was greeted with a strike he couldn''t avoid.


    ~WHUUUUMMMM!!!~


    He could only move back as fast as he could, but even then¡­ the attack was bound to hit him.


    And so¡ª


    ~SWOOSH!~


    ¡ªHe sent his tail to attack Adonis right as he was about to deliver the blow.


    That way, just likest time, he would disrupt the momentum.


    However, there was one thing this Dragon Commander failed to recognize¡­


    ~BOOOOM!~


    A bright golden ray of light blew open the sharp tail that would have skewered the approaching Hero, causing the Dragon to writhe in pain.


    This gave Adonis the perfect chance to deal his attack.


    ~WHOOSH!~


    The de approached, distorting the fabric of space itself as it neared its victim.


    "N-no¡­!"


    The Dragon Commander could see deathe its way.


    If he didn''t do something, he was going to die.


    He would be killed by this human!


    Adonis'' face at that point was not one of victory or rage, but a lull that just seemed to state the brute fact of the situation.


    Righteous judgment hade!


    It was time for the beast of terror to experience it himself.


    ~SQUELCH!~


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Sorry for the fight taking so long.


    I''ll probably end it all in the next chapter. Probably¡­

 Chapter 159 The Royal Dungeon Incident [Pt 6]

    <h4>Chapter 159 The Royal Dungeon Incident [Pt 6] </h4>


    ''Am I¡­ am I seriously going to die here¡­?!''


    A Dragon''s instinct was one of the most powerful things to ever exist in the world of H''Trae.


    They could sense just how powerful a person or Skill was. Even the energy in the air was not immune to their notice thanks to this gift.


    They were immensely perceptive being.


    That was precisely why The Dragon Commander''s face was warped in terror.


    He knew deep down¡­ that if the de connected to his heart, or sliced off his head¡­ he was as good as dead!


    He didn''t want that!


    Even as a proud Dragon, a chunk of his tail had been blown off already, and he was still recoiling from the pain.


    Dragons were considered very invincible.


    They hardly had the opportunity to feel something like pain.


    His mind was yet topletely process the sensation, and his body hadn''t yet limated to its sting.


    Adding that to the innate fear of death, caused by the approaching de¡­


    "Keuk!"


    ¡­ The Dragon Commander was at his wits'' end.


    And so, he did the only reasonable thing he could.


    ~VWUUSH!~


    He activated his [Absolute Spatial Magic], prepared to teleport a far distance from the Hero.


    Unfortunately, he wouldn''t be fast enough to escape.


    He knew that already.


    He could use his Spatial Magic to redirect the sword that neared him, but even that was rendered impossible thanks to the warped space around the de.


    As a result¡­


    "Tch!"


    ¡­ The Dragon Commander raised one of his hands and reached for the Divine Sword.


    He knew blocking was useless, as the de would simply slice through all obstacles like butter.


    However, by letting his arm be sliced off first, it would give him enough time to escape.


    Also, it was merely reflex action from a Dragon that didn''t want to die.


    ~SQUELCH!~


    His arm was easily severed off, and the de now neared his head.


    Fortunately for him¡­


    ~WHUSH!~


    ¡­ He finally vanished away from harm''s way.


    Just barely with his life intact.


    *******


    ''Damnit! I missed!'' Adonis felt his sword crack apart that it fell on.


    Everything around him shook, but he ignored all of it.


    He had missed the mark on his enemy. Or rather, the Dragon was able to escape faster than he couldpletely kill it.


    ''I wanted to end it with that move¡­ damnit!''


    Adonis could already feel the strain on his body as he breathed heavily.


    His body was tense.


    His bones rattled.


    He could already feel pain slowly visiting him.


    ''I can''t keep this up for much longer.''


    Inasmuch as his entire body had been strengthened by the [Limit Transcendence] ability, he was still using more power than he could keep up with.


    "Y-youu¡­!!"


    Adonis could hear a loud bark from the new direction that his adversary appeared to.


    He slowly titled his head as he looked at the enraged beast who still donned human flesh.


    Adonis was grateful that he hadn''t changed back.


    "You injured me? You¡­ a human! You actually managed to wound ME?!"


    Disbelief mixed with pure rage formed on his face as his bloodshot eyes focused on Adonis.


    "How dare YOU!" He roared in sheer fury.


    The entire room responded to his anger by trembling; with Mana Crystals even descending from the ceiling and breaking apart as a result of the cry.


    "You''ll regret that¡­"


    As the Dragon Commander spoke, his severed hand began to heal up.


    Even the tail that had been partially blown up by Adonis'' Light Magic was already healing.


    Within a few seconds, he would be good as new.


    ''I can''t allow that!''


    As Adonis thought this, he coated himself in light and rushed to the Dragon Commander.


    "Y-you just don''t know when to stop, do you?!" As he said this, he stretched his remaining hand towards Adonis, causing a heavy gust of wind to shoot in the air.


    It felt like a powerful pressure that would send anyone flying back in an instant.


    However, Adonis'' [Absolute Defense] easily blocked off all the effects of his attack.


    He closed the distance in a literal sh¡ªno, maybe even a bit faster.


    "Keuk!"


    As Adonis prepared his de once again, the Dragon Commander chose to flee.


    Unfortunately for it, this time its horns paid the price.


    ~SWOOSH!~


    Two of them were sliced off before he could teleport away, his screams echoing in the room as he vanished quickly.


    However, Adonis was still not done!


    He detected the distorted space as fast as he could, realizing it was high up in the air.


    ''[Light Streak]!''


    With that single Spell echoing in his thoughts, his body ascended high up, a bit higher than the distortion.


    Then¡ª


    "W-what?!" As soon as the Dragon appeared and noticed him, Adonis was already descending with a powerful sh.


    "No¡­!"


    A slight tilt forward caused the Dragon''s life to be spared by a slight margin.


    He was able to keep his head.


    His wings, however¡­ those two suffered for his carelessness.


    "Guaarghh!" The Dragon screamed as he fell from his height, swiftly teleporting away.


    Saliva poured out of his mouth as he groaned in desperation.


    His eyes sauntered back and forth as he noticed Adonis approaching him yet again, the ferocity of his attacks seemingly unstoppable.


    "Damnit! Damnit! Damn you!!"


    A glow appeared within the Dragon''s mouth, revealing the power that was about to surge forth.


    ''[Absolute Defense] will take care of that. Right now, I should focus on killing him!'' Adonis thought as he increased his pace.


    There was no way he would miss this opportunity to execute his prey.


    With all these thoughts on his mind, however, Adonis failed to recognize one minute detail.


    The Dragon Commander''s gaze¡­ was not on him.


    It was on his friends!


    ~BOOOOOOOM!~


    The Dragon''s Breath was coated in deep purple, and it caused the very space around it to bend and twist.


    In an instant after it was fired, the intense burst of energy reached the cluster of five students who had been still the entire time.


    "NO!!!"


    Even as Adonis screamed, his distraction causing him to halt his attack and lose the resolute glow he once had,


    His legs changed direction as he moved towards his friends,


    But he knew, deep within himself, that he would never be able to reach them in time.


    Their fates were sealed.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Looks like I didn''t end things as quickly as I said I would.


    I hope you enjoyed the chapter, though.

 Chapter 160 The Royal Dungeon Incident [Pt 7]

    <h4>Chapter 160 The Royal Dungeon Incident [Pt 7] </h4>


    ~BOOOOMMM!!!~


    The purple beam of destruction swallowed the students whole,pletely shrouding them from sight.


    It was toote for Adonis, whose hand simply stretched out as he rushed over, to stop the inevitable oue of the st.


    Death was certain.


    "Hahaha!"


    A loudugh echoed from right behind Adonis, as the Dragon''s disgusting voice echoed in his ears.


    At that moment, he realized he messed up.


    By allowing himself to be distracted by his friends, he turned away from the Dragon, who was already sending another attack at him.


    ~SQUELCH!~


    Adonis felt his entire stomach tear open as a st from the Dragon''s Spatial energy ripped a hole through it.


    "Puack!" Blood spurted from his lips as he copsed on her ground, a small puddle of crimson forming underneath him.


    As Adonis copsed, his vision blurred and he felt the power he had amassed dissipate.


    The pain he had been ignoring crashed into him with full impact, and he felt sheer, paralyzing agony.


    His entire stomach had been torn open, and every part of his body ached considerably.


    There was no worse state to currently be in.


    "A-ahh¡­ haaaa¡­"


    As his paralyzed form remained on the cold, hard ground, a shadow appeared above him.


    It belonged to none other than the Dragon¡ªits arm and tail already healed up.


    "You¡­ I never thought a human could ever push me this far."


    His horns were restored nearly instantly.


    "A worthless worm like you actuallynded a few blows¡­"


    His wings spread out as they too were now fully healed.


    "¡­ That is unforgivable!" Stretching out his hand as he red at Adonis, a purple glow began appearing on his palm.


    He was preparing tounch an attack¡ªone that would bypass Adonis'' defense and kill him for good.


    "As a reward for your impudence, I will grant you a quick death. Be grateful."


    The purple light shone brighter, and just as it was time to strike¡­


    "Wind Pull!"


    A loud feminine voice echoed in the vast space.


    ~BOOOOOMMM!~


    The st was fired, causing the ground to shatter apart upon impact.


    However, Adonis was nowhere to be found.


    "Tch! What now¡­?!" The Dragon Commander groaned in frustration as he clenched his fist and gritted his teeth.


    As he raised his face to look in the direction of the voice, two bright red beams of light sizzled on his skin.


    ''What''s this?''


    Before he could recover from his confusion, a sharp gust of wind caused him to be pushed back slightly, causing his bnce to grow unstable.


    As he tried to recover, he felt countless strings cover his body and pull him towards the ground.


    ''W-what''s going on¡­?!''


    He could also feel a lot of reactions in his body¡ªsigns that he was resisting a bunch of low-Tier attacks from an invisible enemy.


    However, before he could say anything, a massive explosion, mixed with high-pitch noises disrupted his thoughts and senses.


    ~BOOOOOOMM!!~


    He could feel his body descend to the ground, crashing with unstoppable fervor.


    The ray of light didn''t stop, and the pressure of the wind from atop him forced him to remain on the ground.


    As he struggled to rise, a st of lightning descended from above andpletely shrouded his body.


    ~ZTTTZZZZZ!!!~


    Cackles remained on his skin as smoke rose from all over his clothes and scorched body.


    Still, as he tried to stand, a heavy weight caused by the wind forced him to remain on the ground.


    ''The hell is this?! What''s going on?!''


    The Dragon couldn''t take anymore, so he vanished from his position.


    ~WHOOSH!~


    His wings pped very loudly as he appeared above the influence of the shackles that held him down and the annoying barrage of attacks that kept annoying him without end.


    Once he recovered from his confusion¡ªnow perfectlyposed¡ªhe looked in the only direction where the attacks wereing from.


    That was when he saw them¡­


    "How are you still alive?"


    ¡­ The five that he thought were already dead.


    They were currently shrouded by a Magic Barrier¡ªone that had runic symbols on the surface of its invisibleyers.


    The Dragon Commander didn''t need to ask his question again, though.


    His eyes darted to the only one that could have done it.


    ''That woman¡­!''


    His eyes shifted to a certain youngdy who had flowing white hair and crimson eyes.


    She was currently attending to Adonis, chugging a potion down the boy''s throat which healed his injuries at a quick rate.


    ''Hold on. If she''s there, then¡ª!''


    The Dragon''s eyes widened as he saw that the human prisoner he had kept as bait for them was no longer in his previous position.


    He was currentlyid on the ground right next to the stubborn five teenagers who were preparing to shoot a volley of attacks at him.


    ''How was she able to free him so easily? Is she that skilled too?''


    His gaze narrowed as he red at the trembling little ones that still dared to defy him


    ''These annoying humans¡­''


    The Dragon Commander never expected that he would be pushed this far.


    In all of his rtively long life, he had never seen humans like these before.


    He didn''t think anyone had.


    ''I hate to admit it, but they''re a threat.'' He remembered the ongoing ''war'' that the Dragons had started with the other Kingdoms.


    It was nothing more than a farce for their entertainment.


    The Dragons dumped the weaklings to the battlefield and forced them to be more powerful or simply die.


    Their race had no use for weaklings.


    For the humans and the other races, this was a serious war¡ª


    one with everything on the line.


    But the Dragons honestly couldn''t care less.


    They already had the Northern Continent as their territory, and it was more thanrge enough to house them.


    Everything else was either due to a conscious effort to raise strong members of their society, or to enjoy watching the weaklings suffer.


    But now¡­ now this Dragon Commander thought slightly differently.


    ''If there are humans like this in this world, then we should be taking things a little more seriously.''


    It was a stain on the pride of Dragons to go all-out on weaklings. He knew that fully well.


    That was why he didn''t transform to his Dragon Form despite how hard he was pushed.


    As a prideful Dragon, he probably wouldn''t be able to live with the shame associated with the act.


    ''But now, I recognize their strength.''


    If not for his obvious advantage in the fight and his higher Level, he would not havested a single second against the human who fought him.


    The Dragon Commander had to silently admit it.


    ''They''re strong.''


    But what of it? Compared to the upper echelons of the Draconic Empire, these ones were nothing.


    He was a mere Dragon Commander.


    There still existed Dragon Generals, who reported directly to the Dragon Lords.


    And, the being who stood at the precipice of the Dragon Lords was the invincible one.


    The Dragon Emperor.


    Compared to those powerful entities, he was just another weakling.


    ''Maybe I shouldn''t overestimate them too much.''


    Sure, they had pushed him this far, but it wasn''t like they were winning.


    No. It was inconceivable to think they would win.


    "I think I''ve had enough of this. There''s no need to devour you all any longer."


    He was getting tired already.


    "I''ll just kill all of you and get this over with."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I have added five characters to the Character List on the app, so please check them out and vote for them so that Webnovel can allow me to post the Characrer Arts on the app.


    Also¡­


    It''s crazy just how strong the Dragons are, right?


    Haha!!!

 Chapter 161 The Royal Dungeon Incident [Pt 8]

    <h4>Chapter 161 The Royal Dungeon Incident [Pt 8] </h4>


    "My goodness¡­ Adonis."


    Grand Mage Lucielle was currently staring at the boy thaty at her feet as she poured the liquid of the Recovery Potion into his barely open mouth.


    She was lost for words as she looked at her student.


    ''I never knew he was this strong.''


    Lucielle had been training everyone alongside Brutus, and she knew just how talented everyone was.


    She already knew Adonis was not like the others, and that he was far stronger.


    She also knew he trained in private.


    But¡­ even she could never expect him to have already advanced this far.


    ''Inbat alone, he has already exceeded Brutus.''


    The mere fact that he fought a Dragon Commander and managed to injure something like that several times proved it.


    Even she wasn''t confident of making such an aplishment.


    ''If not for being distracted, he wouldn''t have gotten injured.'' Her thoughts flowed


    She silently wished Adonis had just focused on the enemy, since she ended up saving the Otherworlders.


    If he had done that, he wouldn''t have gotten injured, and perhaps they could have even won.


    However, Lucielle realized how unfair that thought was.


    There was no way Adonis could have known that Lucielle would swoop in when she did. Besides, he had simply acted on reflex.


    That was admirable, if nothing else.


    ''He just wanted to protect his friends¡­'' She smiled sadly as she saw him slowly open his eyes.


    Right now, Lucielle was using both Healing Magic and a Recovery Potion to restore Adonis'' state.


    From what she was able to see from the fight, he was their best hope in winning against such a monstrosity.


    "T-thank you¡­ Lucielle¡­" He whispered, slowly smiling at her.


    "W-what are you even saying? I should be the one thanking you!"


    Sure, she was the one who saved him from being destroyed by the Dragon Commander, and right now she was nursing him to full health.


    But that didn''t hold a candle to what Adonis had been doing thus far.


    "N-no. Don''t thank me. It was¡­ all pointless¡­" Adonis groaned as he spoke.


    His injuries had closed, but a lot of work had to be done with his internal organs.


    "What are you¡ª?"


    "He''s healed already. All that effort¡­ all the damage¡­ and he''s healed already¡­"


    As Adonis'' voice trailed, Lucielle looked at the floating Dragon Commander in the sky.


    He looked as good as new.


    "It''s so unfair, isn''t it? We try so hard, and yet¡­" Adonis looked and sounded like he was about to break down and cry.


    It wasn''t like Lucielle didn''t understand the boy''s sentiment.


    Even on the battlefield, the unfair advantage of the Dragons made war a living hell.


    Dragons possessed incredible physical abilities and heightened Magical prowess.


    They could also heal from injuries, as long as the damage inflicted wasn''t fatal. Of course, the speed of the regeneration depended on the type of Dragon in question.


    Other than these cheat-like advantages, they were also capable of far more in terms of Skills and overall Stats.


    It was no joke.


    They truly were the supreme race in H''Trae.


    "I thought I could end it very quickly¡­ but it seems I was too slow. Too indecisive. Too weak." As Adonis said this, he slowly sat up.


    "No. Don''t say that, Adonis. You did your best!"


    The other students were currently throwing the best Skills and Magic attacks at the enemy, but none of them were even reaching him thanks to the spatial barrier he ced around himself.


    Other than Adonis, no one had even managed to seriously hurt him.


    "My best, huh? It wasn''t enough to protect all those Mages and Knights that died for nothing."


    Lucielle''s face fell a little as she remembered the deaths that the Dragon Commander caused when he first arrived.


    He must have somehow shifted space andpressed it on the frightened people who were still too stunned at the sight of a Dragon.


    Some of them were even her prot¨¦g¨¦s.


    Yet, their deaths were so meaningless that it was an insult to the lives they had lived and the many years they dedicated to Magic.


    "Do you think¡­ we''re going to make it out of here alive?" Lucielle finally blurted out.


    She could no longer hold the burning question that echoed in her soul.


    She knew she was the oldest of the surviving bunch, so naturally all responsibility had to fall on her.


    She was also meant to be the mature pir of the group; leading them to victory thanks to her experience.


    But right now, she was confused.


    She had told the students to keep the Dragon upied while she healed Adonis, but their attacks weren''t doing anything.


    Her Magic Barrier around them would wear out pretty soon, and it wasn''t like the Dragon Commander couldn''t simply bypass it.


    Everything about this situation seemed hopeless¡ªa despairing cage that would force them to keep fighting until they died.


    Lucielle saw no hope of survival or victory.


    She hoped that maybe¡­ just maybe¡­ Adonis was seeing something that she couldn''t.


    "I¡­ I don''t know."


    Adonis'' response did not meet her expectations.


    "A-ahh¡­" Lucielle knew her face fell the moment he said those words.


    "My Stats are about half what they were before. Even if I used my [Limit Transcendence], I would only be half as strong as I was before¡­"


    It was despairing for Lucielle to even hear him utter those words.


    ''So this really is the end¡­?'' She could feel her thoughts flowing.


    "BUT, that doesn''t mean I''ll give up!"


    As Adonis said this, he jumped to his feet, groaning a little as he stood.


    "A-ah! I''m not done healing you, Adonis!" Lucielle yelled, stretching her hand towards him.


    In response to this, Adonis grabbed her by the outstretched hand and pulled her up.


    Before the Grand Mage realized it, she was on her two feet.


    "Conserve your Mana, Lucielle. You''ll need as much as you can in the uing fight."


    Adonis'' distant smile slowly faded as he turned to the Dragon Commander who seemed to be waiting for them from his high estate.


    "You and I are going to fight that thing. I''ll need all the help I can get."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Looks like we''re going to have a tag-team battle!


    Adonis and Lucielle vs Dragon Commander. Don''t worry¡­ he has a name.


    I hope you''re not too bored of the fight.

 Chapter 162 The Royal Dungeon Incident [Pt 9]

    <h4>Chapter 162 The Royal Dungeon Incident [Pt 9] </h4>


    Adonis stretched out his hand, and his Divine Sword appeared out of nowhere.


    As always, it glowed with indescribable majesty.


    "Do you understand, Lucielle? It''s you and me."


    As Adonis said this, Lucielle felt her heart race. She realized just how dangerous the situation was, and how incredibly inadequate she was.


    Yet, once he told her he needed her¡­ she had no choice but to step forward and agree.


    "Understood! Do you have a n?"


    A small smile formed on Adonis'' face, and he gave her a very proud¡ªalmost mncholic look.


    It felt different from the kind of gaze a student would give their teacher, or the kind that allies would share with each other.


    This felt far more intimate.


    "Thank you. And yes, I do have a n¡­" Adonis took in a deep breath and heaved out a musty sigh.


    "The n is the same as always. To escape. The Item with me should allow us to travel to a higher Floor." As Adonis said this, he revealed a small cube that was hidden in his pocket.


    It looked very simr to the ''The Gateway'', but far smaller, with more intricate designs around it.


    ''He still hasn''t revealed where he got that Item¡­'' Lucielle''s thoughts trailed.


    However, as soon as it came, she dismissed the entire thing from her mind.


    ''There''s no need to know that now. Besides, even if he says nothing, that doesn''t remove the fact that it''s all for our benefit.''


    Adonis had already made it abundantly clear that he desired to help the world and save it from the tyranny of the Dragons.


    Everything he did¡ªwhether it was what they understood or not¡ªwas to that effect.


    He had Lucielle''s full trust.


    "We only have one chance to activate it, so we have to be very decisive and create the perfect window."


    Adonis'' n was simple.


    He and Lucielle would fight the Dragon Commander, getting all of its attention.


    Once they had it distracted enough, they''d activate the portal to a higher Level and ensure their friends made it to a higher Level.


    "The tricky part is whates next." Adonis sighed.


    Even after their friends escaped, they would have to leave too.


    They couldn''t do so if the Dragon Commander wasn''t upied in some way.


    "We have to find a way to incapacitate him, or do something to that effect." Adonis said.


    From what Lucielle could understand about the n, though, she could see another alternative.


    "One of us could stay behind." She said, her crimson eyes narrowing as she made the bold statement.


    Based on Adonis'' unsurprised reaction, it was clear that the thought had also urred to him.


    "I''ll stay behind, Adonis. You should escape with the¡ª"


    "No! Don''t you say another word!" His voice sounded aggressive, almostmanding.


    Lucielle could see Adonis'' face, and it was filled with a lot of pain.


    "I won''t leave you here! I''m never leaving you!" He growled.


    Lucielle felt something in her heart move, but she wasn''t quite sure what it was.


    She held her chest a little as her heart raced faster than it had ever done before.


    "We''re all getting out! I''ll make sure of it!"


    As she heard Adonis say this, Lucielle found herself smiling despite the precarious situation they were all in.


    "Thank you, Adonis."


    The Hero only nodded to these words, but Lucielle knew they had reached an understanding.


    To leave this dreary ce together!


    All of them!


    "Looks like you''re finally ready to fight. Unfortunately for you all, I''ve grown pretty tired of this."


    As the Dragon Commander said this, he stretched out his hand.


    Purple shes of energy appeared above his palm, and before long¡ª


    ~VWUUUUUUMMM!~


    ¡ªA massive purple orb ofpressed space was swirling there.


    The Dragon Commander gazed down with its unfeeling eyes and had a cold look nted on his face.


    It was a look of certainty.


    "You''ve all entertained me for long enough, but it''s about time for you to disappear. ALL OF YOU."


    The swirling purple orb had enough power to achieve that.


    Adonis and Lucielle knew that very well.


    However¡­


    "On my mark, Lucielle!"


    "Understood!"


    ¡­ They weren''t going to give up that easily.


    "Die!"


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    Adonis and Lucielle sped from their individual positions, with cackles of energy shing all around their bodies.


    Lucielle was surrounded by wind and lightning as she took off into the air, while Adonis flew right ahead with his golden cloak of power.


    He brandished his Divine Sword and called out a name that had never been uttered until now.


    "[AVALON]!"


    In an instant, a forceful push of golden energy, mixed with several other multicoloredyers of light flowed and filled the area.


    The dark purple thing that descended from the Dragon Commander was met with this force of a multitude of lights.


    The result was inevitable.


    Light triumphed.


    ~BOOOOOOMMM!!~


    The orb appeared to have imploded on itself, and just as Adonis recoiled from the st, pushed back by the sheer pressure, Lucielle had already caught up to him and grabbed him by his hand.


    Twisting in the air, she swung him upward, flying ahead herself.


    "[Lightning Convent]!" She yelled, creating several shes of lightning in the area.


    Adonis smiled as he glided in the air, already recognizing her n.


    He went straight for his foe, who easily vanished from his position the moment he got too close.


    However, the moment he teleported, a sh of lightning appeared in the distorted space, striking him down the instant he reappeared.


    "W-what?!"


    The damage didn''t seem to be very much, but the sudden electric current that coursed throughout the Dragon Commander''s body was enough to stun him.


    ¡­ And that gave Adonis enough time to close their distance.


    As he used Light Magic to draw nearer, Lucielle used Wind Magic to propel his target towards him.


    With theirbined efforts, Adonis was able to get a sh across.


    Unfortunately for him, he was a tad too slow.


    ~WHUSH!~


    The Dragon Commander appeared right behind Lucielle this time, his grin widening as he reached out to kill her first.


    However, a surge of powerful lighting coursed through her body the moment he made contact, sending him into another state of shock.


    Her enchanted outfit wasn''t for nothing, after all.


    "[Windfall]!" She yelled, causing the air to grow remarkably heavy where the Dragon Commander floated.


    Even his powerful wings were no longer able to keep up, so he was forced to descend.


    He once again teleported upon seeing Adonis quickly approach him; this time making his way to the five teenagers who seemed to be out of Mana already.


    Since the first two were too bothersome, he decided to just destroy the five easiest targets first.


    Hemanded space to close in on them and crush them the same way he did to the fools who defied him the first time.


    In a single ~St!~ they would be dead.


    However¡­


    "Hm? What''s this?!"


    One of the students seemed to be pushing away the pressure of space itself as his muscles bulged.


    ''The same guy whounched the crimson st towards me. Does he have some sort of resistance to ''crush damage?''


    It didn''t make sense to resist space itself¡ªeven if it was rendered hard to crush people.


    Another student¡ªa female¡ªwas also using Wind Magic to somehow lessen the pressure by pushing currents upward.


    Theirbined efforts saved their lives, and the lives of the three others who seemed powerless in the situation.


    ''The hell¡­?!''


    Unfortunately for the Dragon Commander, he didn''t have time to ponder on what was happening right before his eyes, as the two who were fighting him descended from the air and approached him from multiple directions.


    ''Tch! Annoying!''


    They rushed towards him with their bodies sparkling with energy.


    The female Mage sent a torrent of mes his way, but he easily disrupted it with a swing of his tail.


    At the same time, the Hero tried to sh him with the Divine Sword that he wielded.


    He made to teleport again, but the female Mage used Wind Magic to push him closer to the approaching Hero, thus making him have less time to retreat.


    As he retaliated by shooting a st from his mouth, he was stopped by the [Absolute Defense] of his adversary.


    He tried to open a portal and attack him from beyond the barrier.


    However, he identally slid on the ground thanks to it bing all slippery and muddy¡ªthe result of the Mage''s Magic.


    ''Annoying! They''re both annoying!''


    This process continued for quite a long time¡ªwith Lucielle and Adonis constantly interrupting and interfering with his attacks.


    Somehow, it seemed he had gotten predictable while they remained dynamic.


    As a Dragon¡­ it was apromising state to be in.


    However, for the humans, this was the perfect time to enact their time.


    "Now, Lucielle!"


    ~VWUUUUSSHH!!~


    It was finally time to escape!


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    What did you think about the fight? I really wanted to see a scene where the Grand Mage pulled her own weight.


    Hope you liked it!

 Chapter 163 The Royal Dungeon Incident [Pt 10]

    <h4>Chapter 163 The Royal Dungeon Incident [Pt 10] </h4>


    "Pure Blindness!"


    That was the Spell that Lucielle cast specifically on the Dragon Commander, causing him to stumble back while attempting to teleport.


    Adonis took this chance to sh him partially on his stomach before he was finally able to disappear.


    At the same time, the portal generated from Adonis'' cube opened wide for the students to pass through¡ªof course, carrying Brutus along with them.


    The moment they all saw the multicoloredyer of space open up before them, they all rushed towards it.


    Since it was directly in front of them, it wasn''t a difficult thing to do.


    All they had to do was run in¡­ and they would be free.


    However¡ª


    ~BZZZTTTZZZZ!~


    ¡ªIt was not as easy as that.


    "Kyaaaaaa!!!"


    The students were sent hurtling back the moment they tried to get into the portal.


    The pressure alone was enough to send them flying over fifty meters from the buzzing portal.


    The once-multicolored opening in space was now a different color¡ªpurple¡ªand it had an unknown buzz about it.


    It almost felt like an electrifying glitch.


    "Hahahaha!"


    The wild cackle that came from above made it clear to everyone who the perpetrator was.


    The Dragon Commander, now floating in majesty above the confused and scared bunch, seemed to be in pure glee despite the sh mark that was embedded in his stomach.


    It was no bother for him though, as the wound would soon close.


    "You fools! You really thought you could escape using a wormhole through space?" His voice was tinged in amusement.


    Heughed with genuine fervor, as if he could not believe the stupidity of the humans beneath his sight.


    "My main thing is manipting space! How did you even think you could get away using something that''s my specialty?!"


    It didn''t matter whether he was distracted or not; the Dragon Commander could always sense a warp in space since that was connected to his S-Tier [Absolute Spatial Magic].


    He could also control the warps in space from his area of influence¡ªwhich meant he could cause the event-horizon to be too unstable for anyone to pass through.


    "Closing it is a different matter entirely, since it''s a two-way portal, and the other end is outside my range, but I could just prevent any of you from going in!"


    As the Dragon said all of these things, the message was clear to everyone who heard.


    There was no way to escape him!


    "Pathetic! You''re all so pathetic!"


    He could see the despair written on their faces, and he reveled in it.


    When was thest time he got the chance to mess with humans like this? It had been so long that the Dragon Commander soon forgot the humiliation he suffered not too long ago.


    Instead, he drowned in his superiority.


    "You fools remind me of that other Knight and his followers. I ended up killing the rest very quickly, but I brought him here¡ªto this Floor¡ªbecause I wanted to see what he could do."


    The wide grin of the Dragon widened to the extreme as he spoke.


    "He tried his best¡ªfighting a pointless battle he could never win."


    The only reason Brutus was spared was because he was the only source of entertainment for the Dragon.


    His work was pretty tedious and boring, so having a human performer constantly struggle gave him enough satisfaction and motivation to do his job.


    There was nothing more satisfying than watching weaklings try to act strong.


    It was just too amusing!


    "What do you want exactly? Just let us go!" One of the five students yelled out, tears in her eyes.


    Her eyes glowed pink, and he could feel his vision slowly get blurry.


    But that soon passed in a second.


    "Did you, a mere human, try to use Mind Control on me?" The Dragon Commander asked her.


    The girl''s audacity didn''t amuse him.


    Instead, it felt insulting¡ªtoo insulting for him to withstand.


    "I''ll be killing you first." He growled.


    The moment he said this, the girl squeaked and fell to the ground. Her knees gave out, and she trembled endlessly.


    Tears streamed down her eyes as she shivered in downright fear.


    Her final card had been rendered ineffective.


    She was doomed.


    "Don''t cry, Belle." A voice suddenly echoed in the depths of her despondency.


    It came from none other than the Hero¡ªAdonis.


    He had his glorious sword in hand, and his hair danced with the flowing wind.


    "I''ll make sure to get you¡ªno, all of us¡ªout of here."


    As he said this, another round ofughter echoed from the Dragon Commander.


    "And how exactly do you n to do that? You''re trapped! You''re weakening! Even though you brought some supplies of potions, they''ll soon run out!"


    He simply stated facts, spitting it in their faces.


    "As for me, I''m perfectly fine!"


    Spatial Magic took up a lot of Mana¡ªeven for Dragons.


    However, since Dragons naturally had a way to recover Mana, it didn''t really matter how long he could go on for.


    The Dragon Commander could just alternate between simple andplex Spells depending on the Level of his Mana at the moment.


    Either way, a single strike from him was lethal.


    None of his enemies could withstand it.


    To prove that to them, the Dragon Commander stretched out both of his hands and used the very first attack he ever did.


    ¡ªSpatial Copse.


    ~VWUUUUUMMM!!~


    This time, however, the force was far more than before.


    All the teenagers before him fell to their knees, feeling their bodies press on the ground as their bones grated with one another.


    The only reason they weren''t yet smush was thanks to the Hero''s ability to distort space with his sword, but even that was not enough.


    Sooner orter, they would be nothing but stters of paste.


    All of them¡ªwithout exception¡ªstruggled on the ground under his power.


    The Dragon Commander knew it within himself that the end had arrived.


    And a Dragon''s intuition was never wrong.


    Then¡ª


    ~SHUU~


    A figure suddenly appeared out of the purple portal, shattering the unstableyer of energy that corrupted it.


    "H-huh¡­?!"


    The Dragon Commander was confused as he looked away from his adversaries and stared at the one who had just arrived.


    He was coated in a hooded cloak, dressed like an agent of the night.


    Red fur decorated his mostly ck attire, and he had an obsidian mask on that hid his face¡ªsave his eyes.


    What appeared like horns poked out of the hoodie that covered his masked face, and his inner attire was a buttoned ck shirt and ck trousers, girded by a dark brown belt.


    Everything about him appeared strange and mysterious, and the air around him seemed to radiate sheer, unquestionable power.


    "Hey¡­" The figure finally spoke, revealing his deep voice.


    The air seemed to tremble as he spoke.


    Even the seemingly invincible Dragon Commander found his body shaking a little as he heard the sound.


    Something about this existence bothered him¡ªalmost as if he shouldn''t exist.


    All the Dragon''s intuition told him that the man beneath was dangerous.


    Then, the next words of the man arrived, forever altering the current tides.


    "¡­ Are you the enemy?"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Sorry for the long wait, but our Extra is finally back!


    I''m so excited right now!

 Chapter 164 Rey’s Descent [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 164 Rey¡¯s Descent [Pt 1] </h4>


    [Moments Earlier]


    "Damn¡­ I didn''t think this through."


    As Rey ughtered thest of his enemies on the 31st Floor, he heaved a heavy sigh.


    It was ava-like area, with me geysers all over the area, and hot magma flowing like rivers all over the area.


    His enemies were me Smanders¡ªone of the most powerful C-Tier Monsters to exist.


    Of course, he easily defeated them, so they weren''t the issue.


    The Boss'' corpse currently sat at his feet, so it wasn''t also a challenge for him.


    Even the incredibly hot environment wasn''t the issue for Rey¡ªnot the one that mattered at the moment.


    "I can''t believe I''ll have to keep going down these Floors until I reach the bottom."


    The lower Rey descended, the wider the Dungeon Floor seemed to get.


    Even though he wasn''t really holding back, and was easily decimating all his enemies, he estimated that it would take him hours before he reached the Lowest Floor.


    ''Can it wait that long? I''m not sure¡­''


    Rey felt stuck, but he had to keep moving forward.


    "Haa¡­" He sighed, the heavy breath leaking out of his new mask.


    In fact, it wasn''t just his mask that was new.


    Everything about his attire had now changed into something different¡ªsomething better.


    His Orichalcum mask was reced with something softer, but far more durable than the former.


    That ensured he was morefortable with his mask, while ensuring his wasn''tpromised.


    Since his new mask was also enchanted, that meant he was enjoying all the benefits of a special mask without the disadvantages.


    This was just the start, though.


    His entire outfit¡ªfrom his cloak, to his belt, to his boots, to both of his gloves, to the ten rings that decorated his fingers, and the three nes hidden under his ck shirt, and the bracelets under his sleeve, and the headband hidden under his mask¡­


    He currently had 35 Items equipped¡ªall gotten from the Karinc Group.


    ''It''s a shame they don''t have any Item that gives long-distance teleportation.'' Rey sighed as he looked to his side.


    The Half-Elf girl he kept in her bubble was still unconscious, which made him relieved.


    He didn''t want to start dealing with her when his hands were already full.


    By using both Sound and Wind Magic to ensure she wasfortable, and no noise reached her in the slightest, Rey believed she could just as well sleep through the entire ordeal.


    "Welp! On to the next floor!"


    With merely a casual stomp, Rey easily destroyed the entrance to the next Dungeon Floor.


    The whole thing shattered apart, allowing Rey to descend to the next Floor.


    "Haaa¡­ much better." He muttered, feeling d to see a nice change in his surroundings.


    Several aged trees andrge boulders greeted his sight, revealing how this space was going to be particrly filled with enemies that had shared properties.


    It looked beautiful, though¡ªthe Dungeon Floor.


    "It''s a shame¡­"


    Unfortunately for this entire area, it was soon going to be ruined by Rey and his hurried attempt to advance as fast as possible


    "[ck Hole]." He muttered, releasing a dark sphere into the surrounding area.


    One would think he was done, but he was just getting started.


    "[ck Hole]."


    "[ck Hole]."


    "[ck Hole]."


    More ck orbs swept through the area and began to consume everything in Rey''s path.


    Both enemies andndmarks were destroyed¡ªall without mercy.


    ''I don''t sense any valuable resources that can be used by the Alliance here, so they can all just die.''


    This also meant the Monster Cores would be wasted as well, but beggars couldn''t be choosers.


    He was in a hurry, after all.


    "Let''s proceed!"


    *********


    Within minutes, Rey was already in the 33rd Floor, a wry smile ying on his lips as he was met with several enemies who looked like Orcs.


    They had gray skin, though, so he didn''t quite know what they were.


    With a sleight of his hand, he used [Absolute Wind Magic] to turn them into mincemeat and proceeded without much issues.


    Monster Cores fell to the ground, and he didn''t even bother with them.


    He was flying at a fast pace, simply killing the orca as he was advancing faster than they could even detect.


    Then¡ªwithin minutes¡ªhe reached the Boss Room.


    "GRUUU¡ª!"


    ~WHOOOOSH!~


    The giant Orc who stood at least 10 meters tall, was shredded into pieces and died on the spot.


    There was no ceremony or small talk.


    It was just instant subjugation¡ªin and simple.


    Once again, Rey ignored the massive Monster Core that fell with the rest of the Boss'' entrails.


    He simply went to the next Floor''s entrance and was about to advance.


    Then¡ª


    ~VWUUSH!~


    A sudden spark of spatial energy appeared behind Rey, causing him to look in its direction in an instant.


    That was when he saw it¡ªthe swirling distortion in space.


    It radiated multicolored ambiance, and Rey found it impossible to look away from the thing.


    In a single sh of [Quick Teleport], he was right in front of the portal.


    ''The hell¡­?''


    Rey knew he shouldn''t just trust things he saw on random, so he didn''t.


    Instead, he relied on his S-Tier Skill [Absolute Appraisal].


    [Gateway Portal]


    [Connects the 99th Floor to the 33rd Floor]


    [Current Status: One-Way Portal]


    "For real?!" Rey didn''t realize when he shouted his thoughts.


    He covered his masked mouth, soon realizing there was no one around to even hear him.


    He felt stupid at that point, but quickly recovered.


    "So this will take me to the 99th Floor. That''s nice!"


    Rey remembered the Rescue n involving something about a Portal. But it didn''t make sense for it to be a one-way portal that was open on his end.


    Besides, why weren''t Adonis and his people rushing out at this period.


    It told Rey that something was definitely wrong.


    ''The n must have gone awry somehow.''


    Since [Danger Sense] wasn''t telling him the thing was dangerous, Rey considered entering.


    ''Might as well hurry too, since the portal might close at any time.''


    Before that, though, Rey knew he had to exercise caution.


    Beyond this portal was an enemy that Adonis, Lucielle, Brutus, and the rest couldn''t beat.


    If they could, they would have already been on their way.


    ''I considered the possibility that they could be stuck on each of the Floors, which is why I made sure to pass through all of them and not rely on shortcuts.''


    But so far, Rey had seen no one.


    The fact that this Portal had opened here¡ªand it was connected to the 99th Floor¡ªmeant it was supposed to be their escape hatch.


    If that was the case, then he needed all the help he could get.


    "Status Window." Rey whispered.


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Rey Skr.


    - Race: Human (Otherworlder)


    - ss: Elite Enigma (B-Tier)


    - Level: 69 (78.54% EXP)


    - Life Force: 22 (+68) [+300]


    - Mana Level: 149 (+68) [+500]


    - Combat Ability: 130 (+68) [+500]


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Doppel]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): Nil


    - Alignment: Neutral


    [Additional Information]


    You are a mystery to the world. While the underworld trembles in your presence, those on the surface do not understand your true strength


    Are you strong? Are you weak? No one knows.


    [End Of Information]


    *


    *


    *


    [Skill Categories]


    ~ Attack Category: 30


    ~ Defense Category: 13


    ~ Buff Category: 12


    ~ Misceneous: 12


    [New Skills: Please Select Their Categories]


    ~ B-Tier: Gateway Portal


    [Total Skills: 68]


    "I see¡­" Rey smiled as he took steps forward.


    "Let''s go inside."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Are you all surprised by Rey''s Stats? Be honest here!


    Just so you know, the [+] Stats are from his equipped Items.

 Chapter 165 Rey’s Descent [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 165 Rey¡¯s Descent [Pt 2] </h4>


    ~BZZTZZ!~


    As Rey entered, trying to reach the other side, he felt some kind of interference in the spatial rupture.


    ''What''s going on?''


    It felt like, while the entrance was easy to pass through, the exit gave him issues.


    He couldn''te out.


    ''Is this an ability being used?''


    The distortions of space made everything around Rey to be extremely warped, so he decided to take a step back and return to the 33rd Floor.


    Once he did, he felt a wave of relief wash over him, though his surprise was palpable.


    ''Status Window: List of Doppel Skills.''


    As soon as Rey said this, huz System Window popped in front of him, and he was able to see what the problem was.


    "S-Tier Skill¡­ Absolute Spatial Magic?"


    It didn''t take too long for him to figure the rest out.


    ''The enemy is someone who can use Spatial Energy?!''


    It all made sense now! All the pieces began toe to Rey as he thought about the circumstances behind the entire Royal Dungeon incident.


    ''Brutus'' appearance in the 99th Floor, the fact that the escape portal isn''t working as it should¡­''


    As Rey thought of this, he reconsidered the possibility that a Monster could have actually ughtered the Hobgoblins and taken their treasure.


    ''It''s possible to teleport throughout the Dungeon with such a Skill. But¡­''


    His brows narrowed as he logically examined the situation.


    ''Why would an S-Tier Monster be here? Could it be an evolved being? A mutant?''


    As Rey thought of this, he felt a surge of slight fear envelop him.


    ''The most powerful monsters I''ve faced are C-Tier. They''re easy to deal with, but I can''t be sure about S-Tier ones.''


    In all honesty, Rey wasn''t confident in his victory at all.


    ''Thankfully, I got this Skill before I ventured in. At least, I''m not running inpletely blind.''


    He was relieved by that, at the very least.


    ''I also have a bunch of S-Tier Skills of my own now. I think I should be fine¡­''


    Rey closed his eyes, took a deep breath and sighed.


    This was the moment of truth; and he was about to face a being that was most likely going to be the most powerful foe he had ever fought.


    How did he feel about it?


    "Hehe¡­ hehehehe¡­ heee¡­"


    Slowly, his lips curled up and he made a maniacal grin underneath his mask.


    Chuckles graduated into cackles ofughter, and it echoed throughout the space surrounding him.


    "This is exciting!"


    He could feel his heart racing and his blood boiling, and while it was impossible to tell if it was due to excitement or fear, Rey dismissed thetter.


    What he felt now was nothing short of excitement.


    ''I''ve never had to go all-out on a Monster before! But now¡­!'' He found himself grinning the widest he had ever done.


    Both of his arms spread out, and he raised his head to the ceiling whileughing.


    ''¡­ Now, I''m going to do just that!''


    Plus, if he defeated such a powerful monster, he could gain tons of EXP and Level Up!


    He could also improve his alter-ego''s image.


    This was the best-case scenario, was it not?


    "It is!"


    Moreughter echoed throughout the room until he found out that he was being a weirdo.


    ''I should probably stop now¡­''


    And so, with his stifledughter, Rey chose to step into the wormhole before him.


    The Half-Elf in her bubble was right behind him as he did so, and Rey wondered if he should take her with him or not.


    ''It''s going to be too dangerous. But, if I don''t stay close to her, my Magic will stop working.''


    He had purchased defensive Magic Items, but he wasn''t quite sure that they would be enough to help in this instance.


    In the end, Rey made the decision.


    ''I''ll leave her behind.''


    He dropped her on the ground and ced a ne around her neck.


    The moment he did so, a barrier¡ªshaped like a semi-sphere¡ª


    surrounded her.


    It glowed with yellowish-white energy, and when Rey knocked on it, it was pretty tough.


    ''I''ve defeated all the Monsters on this Floor, so I don''t think she''ll be in any real danger.''


    Taking her down with him would only cause problems for both of them.


    ''Just keep sleeping till I return. Hopefully, this doesn''t take too long¡­''


    As Rey had this thought, he made a heavy sigh and left her alone.


    In front of him was the portal, and within seconds, he was venturing into it again.


    ~VWUUSH!~


    As the multicolored distortion of space swallowed him up, he could feel the resistance at the other end again.


    However, he pulled out the S-Tier Ability he just learned.


    ''[Absolute Spatial Magic].''


    And that was enough¡­


    ~FSHUUU~


    ¡­ To grant him entry into the world beyond.


    *********


    The atmosphere was very tense.


    Lights generated from the Mana Crystals all around illuminated the incrediblyrge expanse, creating an air of beauty.


    However, this beauty was tainted by the dried blood and mashed corpses that remained sttered on the ground surface.


    Traces of severe destruction could also be seen all around him.


    A small distance from the observer were eight individuals¡ªthe ones he sought. One was unconscious, while the other seven were struggling under an invisible pressure.


    It looked like it would crush them at any moment.


    An ugly cackle ofughter filled the room, but it wasn''t his


    No¡­ it belonged to an entity that was above.


    The entity stoppedughing all of a sudden and red at him with its purple eyes.


    ''T-that is¡­?!''


    This was a humanoid being with long bluish ck hair that flowed down his shoulders to his back.


    He had horns¡ªthree of them¡ªand wings that pped high in the air. He also had a powerful-looking tail, with traces of scales in important areas of his body.


    All in all, this wasn''t the monster he was looking for.


    But¡­ he also wasn''t a man.


    It prompted the masked one¡ªwhether he could be called Rey, or Ralyks¡ªto open his lips and speak.


    "Hey¡­"


    His voice was audacious, but he didn''t really care at that point.


    He just wanted to know one thing.


    "¡­ Are you the enemy?"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading, fes!


    Are you ready for the confrontation? How difficult do you think this will be for Rey?

 Chapter 166 Ralyks Arrives

    <h4>Chapter 166 Ralyks Arrives </h4>


    The stale air in the 99th Floor slowly moved as the warring parties both gazed upon the stranger that had interrupted their battle.


    ¡­ Or rather, the execution.


    The man in question was coated in darkness and crimson.


    He looked strong, and his imposing build made it clear that he was no ordinary man.


    As both the humans and Dragon saw him, they only had one thought.


    "Who is he?!"


    As if listening to their internal questions, the man of darkness stepped forward and gave a slight sigh.


    "My name is Ralyks. I am an Adventurer, and I was tasked with rescuing you people."


    The one called Ralyks was currently looking in the direction of Adonis and hisrades.


    The weight of the space above them had lessened, but it was heavy nheless.


    They couldn''t let up for even a moment, but their eyes beamed the moment they heard of a rescue.


    However, they soon dimmed once they remembered the true nature of their adversary.


    Not even an Adventurer stood a chance.


    "You can''t¡ª!"


    "Before you say anything, though¡­" Ralyks interrupted Adonis and stretched his hand towards the space above them,


    "¡­ Let''s get rid of that, shall we?"


    In a single pulse of energy, Ralyks easily caused the crushing space above them to rx.


    The seven gasped in relief and awe as the unbearable burden on their bodies were removed so easily.


    They turned to thank him, but he was no longer in his previous position.


    "I''m here."


    Their gazesnded right in front of them, and there he stood,


    The Adventurer Ralyks!


    Whether it was teleportation or not, he had gotten right next to them without anyone even realizing it.


    His speed and strength were something else.


    "S-Sir Ralyks¡­ about what you said¡­"


    "We''ll talkter." His words interrupted Adonis, and the speaker didn''t even bother looking back.


    His gaze was on the silent Dragon Commander.


    "Right now the enemy is in sight."


    The moment Ralyks said this, Adonis'' eyes widened, his face slowly conforming into that of realization.


    "Y-you''re right!"


    He struggled to stand, but Adonis did so anyway. Lucielle also rose to her feet, staggering as she tried to find her bnce.


    "L-let us fight by your side." Adonis said, taking a step forward.


    "Hmm?"


    Ralyks took a small nce back, his crimson eye barely looking at the two who resolutely wanted to keep up the fight.


    "Y-yeah! We can surely help!" Lucielle''s voice echoed next.


    Both of them were ready to protect their friends and defeat the beast that hovered above them.


    ¡­ No matter the cost!


    "Sir Ralyks, you''re strong! I can tell! If webine our might, then surely we''d be able to defeat that Dragon Commander!"


    "Dragon¡­ Commander¡­ huh?"


    That word was enough to strike fear into many, but the way Ralyks spoke of the title felt a little too¡­ irreverent.


    It almost seemed like he didn''t care.


    "Let us help and¡ª!"


    "No. There''s no need." Ralyks raised his hand and stopped the duo from approaching him any further.


    Tension spread about the area as his cloak danced behind him.


    "B-but¡ª!"


    "The both of you are exhausted. You''ve also nearly depleted your Mana. Am I wrong?"


    The hesitation on their faces the moment Ralyks said this made it clear that he was spot-on.


    They were both in very bad shape.


    "S-still¡­!"


    They couldn''t just sit still.


    This was a foe that the Hero himself could not defeat on his own. He couldn''t even do it with the assistance of the strongest Mage in the United Human Alliance.


    Even the Head Warrior was defeated very easily.


    The only way they stood a chance was if they all worked together to take it down.


    At least, that was what they thought.


    "There''s no need to involve you two¡ªor any of the others. You''ve done well to hold out until this very moment."


    The words of Ralyks did not pose arrogance or conceit, but there was an otherworldly confidence that was being disyed.


    "You opened the gateway that led me here. You survived up until this point¡­"


    At this point, he fully turned towards them, his crimson eyes as bright as the stars in the night sky.


    "You did well. Stand proud, you two."


    Somehow, hearing the words of an absolute stranger¡ª


    shrouded in mystery¡ªmade the two extremely flustered.


    They went weak in their knees, and before they realized it, they copsed to the ground.


    Their exhaustion was now clear for all to see.


    However, rather than scoff at them for being weak, the man called Ralyks seemed to imply the opposite.


    While he didn''t tell it to their face, it was clear what he implied by his words.


    "You are strong!"


    And that was enough for the two.


    They watched him from their low estate¡ªwith expressions of worry mixed in with hope.


    "Y-you''re confident you don''t need any help? What if you¡ª"


    "Nah, I''d win."


    That was all that needed to be said.


    At this point, Adonis remembered the words of someone¡ªarade he held in high regard.


    The words he was told by that person


    "Don''t lose..."


    He couldn''t see what was under Ralyks'' mask, but Adonis somehow felt the man was smiling underneath.


    No more words proceeded from his lips, and he simply stepped forward, leaving Adonis and his friends behind.


    Somehow, they all felt they were safe.


    After all¡­ Ralyks was here.


    *********


    ''I''m not sure this will work, but¡­''


    Rey''s gaze narrowed as he stared at the floating being before him.


    ''[Absolute Appraisal].''


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Jer''ard


    - Race: Dragon (Dark Species)


    - ss: Commander (C-Tier)


    - Level: 50 (91.34% EXP)


    - Life Force: 500/900


    - Mana Level: 300/1,200


    - Combat Ability: 450


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): Nil


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Absolute Spatial Magic]. [Greater Mana Recovery]. [Greater Regeneration]. [w Attack]. [Dragon Breath:Dark]. [Draconic Flight]. [Draconic Resistance]. [Draconic Power].


    - Alignment: Neutral Evil


    [Additional Information]


    A Dragon Commander who is one of many tasked with mining and delivering mineral resources to his Lord. He''s pretty average for a Dragon Commander, but a powerful enemy regardless.


    He is currently in humanoid form, so he is not at full power.


    [End Of Information]


    ''Ahh¡­ I see.''


    Rey found himself smiling wryly.


    As the enemy''s Stats and abilities manifested right in front of his eyes, he could feel the entire worlding to a grinding halt.


    ''So this is how it''s going to be¡­''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Character Arts are on the app now, so please check them out and VOTE for your favorite characters.


    Also¡­


    Do you still think Rey has a chance against his enemy? I don''t think his Stats are that high.

 Chapter 167 Dragons Will Be Dragons

    <h4>Chapter 167 Dragons Will Be Dragons </h4>


    "It seems you are indeed the enemy¡­"


    As Rey spoke, he brought out a sword seemingly out of thin air.


    The de was obsidian ck, with several runes written on its t surface. The runes glowed as he poured energy through its hilt.


    This was one of the items he bought, and until now it was hidden in his [Inventory].


    "¡­ Filthy Dragon." Rey pointed his de at his opponent, a wide grin on his face.


    No one could see his smile, though.


    The only thing evident to everyone was the grim mask of darkness that shrouded his face.


    ''I''ve seen your Stats and Skills. You''re incredibly strong¡ªstronger than anything I''ve ever faced. However¡­''


    Rey felt relieved. Like a heavy weight had been lifted from his chest.


    ''¡­ I can win!''


    "What¡­ are you?" The voice of the Dragon Commander¡ªJer''ard¡ªrang in the air.


    Rey took caution as he stared at him, though he gave no response.


    "Your presence¡­ your power¡­ it''s difficult to assess."


    Rey wondered what the Dragon Commander was seeing from his heights.


    "I can clearly tell that you''re weaker than me, but there''s something else. What¡­ who are you? Hmm¡­"


    ''Such calmness in front of a stranger.'' Rey smiled to himself.


    This one was really confident.


    He had read a lot about Dragons, especially their natural abilities such as their intuition, but not much was known about three-horned Dragons.


    Dragon Commanders were rarely seen¡ªeven in the battlefield¡ªso it was difficult to extract enough information about them.


    ''And it seems this one is an average example of a Dragon Commander. His Stats alone are wild.''


    No human could ever hope toe close to a Dragon in power.


    The fact that both Adonis and Lucielle couldn''t beat it with theirbined power didn''te as a surprise to Rey at this point.


    No one in the entire United Human Alliance stood a chance against this thing.


    No one but him.


    ''It has Spatial Magic¡ªone of the rarest kinds of Magic¡ªand a bunch of other great Skills. That''s good¡­''


    For Rey, he was simply grateful that his enemy was so strong, and he possessed such a variety of abilities.


    ''EXP and Skills. I''ll be having both soon!''


    Of course, he knew he couldn''t be careless. Not in front of a beast such as this.


    Dragons were known to be merciless.


    They looked down on other beings of H''Trae as inferior creatures.


    ''I''m even surprised he hasn''t killed everyone already¡­''


    Rey could see blood stains as remnants of mangled flesh in the distance, so he knew that the Dragon Commander had gotten rid of the other members of the Rescue Team.


    The fact that he could only see Brutus also meant that his entire team had been wiped out.


    Rey felt his heart tighten, but he didn''t take it to heart.


    It wasn''t like he knew those people very well, and he had seen worse earlier in the day.


    ''Monsters will be Monsters. Dragons will be Dragons.''


    That was his philosophy.


    He could talk to Monsters and even joke around with them. However, when it came to Dragons¡ªor at least, this one¡ªRey didn''t want to utter a word.


    ''The most intelligent Monsters are still somewhat primal. Their instinct is to kill and destroy¡­''


    But Dragons were different.


    Dragons were a very intelligent race¡ªrumored to be even more advanced than every other Nation in H''Trae.


    They were also very strong.


    ''Yet they choose to wage a meaningless war. They choose to engage in pointless violence and drown the world in despair.''


    Rey had initially considered the possibility that Dragons could have a good reason behind their actions.


    Perhaps theycked resources, or theirnds were overpopted and they needed to expand their territory.


    That wouldn''t make their actions right, but he could at least see the reasoning.


    There was even the possibility that the humans¡ªor some other race¡ªstruck first, and this was simply the retribution that followed.


    But¡­ that wasn''t the case at all.


    ''If any of those scenarios were true, humanity would have been wiped out already.''


    The Dragons were too strong! They could easily take over the battlefield with half a dozen Dragon Commanders¡ªat least from the Stats that Rey was seeing before him.


    A Dragon stronger than a Commander would absolutely wreck everything.


    But¡­ none of them were invading.


    Why?!


    ''It almost feels like some kind of twisted game. They''re just crushing humans like ants, without even putting in the effort.''


    There really wasn''t any need for a long-drawn conflict between humans and Dragons.


    ''Yet here we are.'' Rey sighed internally.


    The humans banded together to form the Alliance, taking steps to improve and grow in order to fight the Dragons and triumph.


    Rey was sure the other Nations of H''Trae were making simr moves.


    But¡­


    ''It''s all useless.''


    Rey was an advocate for innovation and adaptation, but he also knew the ugly truth¡ªand it was staring him in the eye right now.


    ''Against true power, there''s nothing they can do.''


    How long would it take for the humans to amass the kind of power needed to stop the Dragons? A few hundred years? A couple thousand?


    It was going to take a remarkably long time.


    Comparing that to the level of damage that the Dragons were already wrecking, it was easy to see thetter would emerge victorious before the humans could even raise a finger against them.


    ''They''re not being stupid orcent. They are already certain of their victory.'' Rey smiled to himself, almost feeling the futility of it all.


    These predators were merely enjoying the thrill of the hunt.


    It reminded Rey of his little experiment with the Hobgoblins¡ª


    how he bred them for the purpose of growing stronger for his sake.


    The Hobs were never going to be stronger than him.


    He made sure of that.


    However, he wanted to make sure they were ''strong enough'' for his purposes.


    ''That''s what all of this is.''


    In a way, he could understand what they were doing.


    However, there was one major difference between his experiment with the Hobgoblins and the current situation with the Dragons.


    ¡ªThe difference that made thetter uneptable.


    ''I don''t like being on the Hobgoblin side of the story.''


    To Rey, being the predator was fine¡­ as long as he was the one doing the hunting.


    He had to be the predator.


    His side had to be the one with the power and control.


    ''It''s unfortunate that I was summoned into this side of the narrative. But, now that I''m here, there''s only one thing to do.''


    Rey felt his blood rising as he prepared forbat.


    ''I just need to flip the script!''


    The Dragons had surely enjoyed a long while being the most powerful beings to exist.


    There was nothing wrong in changing that now.


    ''I''m sure no Dragon Commander has been killed by a human¡ªat least, not in a very long time.''


    No book he read had shown even the slightest hint of humans defeating the three-horned.


    And that made him excited beyond words.


    ''Let''s change history! Right here and now!''


    Once Rey''s mind was made up, he decided to simply go all-out against his enemy.


    ''I''m going to use them all!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Sorry for dragging out the story like this. I just get caught up on these things.


    The fight begins in the next chapter, I promise!

 Chapter 168 Going All Out

    <h4>Chapter 168 Going All Out </h4>


    "Huu¡­"


    Without wasting time, Rey decided to take the initiative and activate his Skills.


    No holding back.


    ''[Absolute Defense]. [Grand Armament]. [Holy Shield]. [Greater Warrior''s Mantle]. [Greater Protection Field]. [Greater Battle Aura]. [Safe Haven]. [Perception]. [Super Speed]. [Farsight]. [Danger Sense]. [Super Strength]. [Breakdown]. [Lightning Coat]. [Burning Aura]. [Mana Cloak]. [Energy Shield]. [Quick Feet]. [Eye Of Truth]. [Flight].''


    Rey kept Skills like [Absolute Healing] on standby, in case he needed it.


    His Passive Skills; [Grand Magic Mastery], [Grand Magic Application], [Item Equip], [Greater Full Resistance], [Quick Casting], [Hiddenness], [Greater Energy Recovery], and [Combat Application] were already active.


    However, Rey wasn''t done.


    He was prepared to use the rest of his Skills at any time.


    Of course, some were going to be useless; like [Corruption Poison], [Camouge], [Copy], [Projection], [False Pain], [Blindness], [re], etc.


    However, Rey still had very impressive abilities in his arsenal.


    [Absolute Wind Magic]. [Absolute Spatial Magic]. [Grand Light Magic]. [Grand Sound Magic]. [Grand Fire Magic]. [Greater Ice Magic]. [Greater Weapon Summon]. [ck Hole]. [Greater Lightning Magic]. [Transmute]. [Greater Explosion Magic]. [Greater Corrosion]. [Force]. [Shadow Magic]. [Gateway Portal]. [Quick Teleport]¡­ and so on.


    If it came down to it, he would have to use [Divine Beast Summon] and [Divine Holy Sword].


    Rey wanted to avoid that, though. He didn''t want to use such Skills in front of Adonis.


    ''There''d be no getting around that.''


    It was better if everyone believed his limits existed in the S-Tier and nothing beyond.


    ''It''s not like I''m entirely out of options¡­''


    He had a total of 69 Skills now.


    Rey found it a bit hrious since that was his current Level as well.


    ''A perfect way to fight!''


    With all these abilities wholly or partially activated, along with the powers hidden within his several Magic Items, Rey felt like he was good to go.


    ''Nowe, Jer''ard! Show me some of that Dragon powe¡ª!''


    Before Rey finished his line of thought, he heard a blood curdling scream from above him.


    "KYAAAAAAAAA!!! W-W-W-WHAT KIND OF MONSTER ARE YOU?!"


    The scream came from the Dragon Commander who now looked in horror.


    More shrieks proceeded from his lips as he pointed at Rey, trembling to his very core.


    His eyes were wide open, with beads of sweat dripping down his face.


    All the confidence and pride he once held was nowhere to be seen.


    "Y-YOU¡­ YOU''RE NOT HUMAN! YOU CAN''T BE HUMAN"


    More screams, as if the Dragon was venturing into the very end of insanity, burst out from Jer''ard''s wide open mouth.


    Saliva poured out as he shouted, screamed, squeaked. and trembled before a power he now considered to be beyond human.


    ¡­ To be beyond monstrous!


    "H-HOW DO YOU HAVE SO MUCH POWER?! THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE!"


    Tears were welling up in the Dragon''s eyes as he stared at Rey.


    "TELL MEEEEEEEE!!!"


    More saliva sttered out as he asked¡ªno, begged¡ªRey to reveal the answer to him.


    Even the ones who stood behind him also gawked at the disy of power and the sharp spoke of power that he was currently exhibiting.


    Everything around him was literally fritzing and breaking apart.


    He was too strong.


    "Hmm¡­" Rey slightly opened his lips as he looked at the terrified, desperate face of his adversary.


    Snot and tears decorated his once haughty face.


    "¡­ There''s no need to tell a dead man anything."


    Rey''s crimson gaze flickered with the dangerous words he uttered, pointing his glowing de at the creature hovering in the air.


    "I have nothing to give you but death."


    Rey currently didn''t have the time to check his Status Window, so he probably didn''t really understand how powerful he currently was.


    He knew he had be very strong, yes, but since this was the first time he was using so many Skills at once¡ªwhile having reserves yet to be utilized, an array of Enchanted Items that were waiting to be exploited, and overflowing Mana that waited consumption¡ªhe couldn''t fully grasp it.


    The unbelievable power hidden within him.


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Rey Skr.


    - Race: Human (Otherworlder)


    - ss: Elite Enigma (B-Tier)


    - Level: 69 (78.54% EXP)


    - Life Force: 2,200 (+68) [+300]


    - Mana Level: 14,900 (+68) [+500]


    - Combat Ability: 13,000 (+68) [+500]


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Doppel]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Fusion/Fission]


    - Alignment: Neutral


    [Additional Information]


    You are a mystery to the world. While the underworld trembles in your presence, those on the surface do not understand your true strength


    Are you strong? Are you weak? No one knows.


    But you are strong!


    [End Of Information]


    *********


    Jer''ard wasn''t a very strong Dragon.


    He knew that within himself.


    There were far more powerful Dragons that existed in the Empire, and he knew he was just about average.


    His Combat Ability was quite low, and his Mana was just a bit better than others.


    The only reason he was regarded as somewhat special andpetent was his S-Tier Skill [Absolute Spatial Magic].


    Spatial Magic and Skills weren''t that rare among Dragons, but it was very rare for Dragons to have it at such a high Tier.


    Especially a Dragon Commander.


    Jer''ard was regarded as special only because of that power¡­ a power he was only lucky to have thanks to his superior bloodline.


    If it wasn''t for his father, then maybe¡­


    Still, he made this power his own.


    He utilized it well, and he was able to climb to the ranks of Commander¡ªthough that was where he teaued.


    For some reason, he could not rely on his superior bloodline to advance him beyond his current three-horned state.


    It seemed it was only Spatial Magic he could obtain from his father''s genes.


    Still, though, as long as he could live under the illusion of his strength, Jer''ard was fine.


    He was still strong when it came to normal standards.


    And so, anytime he massacred inferior creatures¡ªlike those Hobgoblins who dared to harvest Monster Cores, or the DarkWolves they bred, or the humans who tried to defy him¡ªhe was able to momentarily forget his own weakness.


    He was able to feel good.


    However, at this very moment, the illusion was shattered.


    "U-UUUU¡­"


    Now that he was standing before a truly powerful entity, Jer''ard knew he was a fraud.


    Deep down, he had always known¡­


    "UWAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!"


    ¡­ He was weak!


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Okay¡­ sorry about that.


    Seems there wasn''t a fight this chapter, so I guess I misled you guys.


    I hope you enjoyed the chapter, though.

 Chapter 169 Ralyks Vs Jer’ard [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 169 Ralyks Vs Jer¡¯ard [Pt 1] </h4>


    "UWAAAAHHHHHHH!!!"


    As the Jer''ard, Dragon Commander of the Empire, screamed at the very top of his lungs, the atmosphere changed instantly.


    His humanoid form was covered in bluish purple energy as he swiftly transformed¡ªno, reverted¡ªto his original state.


    ~VWUUUUUSSHHH!~


    The form of a Dragon!


    His scaly body was colossal, and it disyed nothing short of monstrous majesty.


    However, the expression on the Dragon''s face showed nothing like that.


    It was a look of absolute terror!


    "UWOOOAAAHHHHHH!!!"


    Dark purple energy gathered in his mouth as it sent the incredible st of energy straight towards the one who called himself Ralyks.


    ~BOOOOOOOOMMMM!!!~


    The entire area trembled as the st neared him,pletely obliterating everything around.


    Magic Crystals turned to dust, and the environment shook violently as it weed the destructive darkness that was Jer''ard''s Dragon Breath.


    It was invincible¡­ or so it was supposed to be.


    ~VWUUSH!~


    In an instant, the st of dark energy hit a wall that stopped it dead in its tracks.


    It was an absolute barrier that had not even a single dent despite taking on the whole wrath of the Dragon.


    ''H-he has that pesky defense too?! In that case¡­!''


    Jer''ard decided to simply use the same trick he utilized on the one who fought him before.


    He would simply transport the st straight in front of his enemy, bypassing his defense altogether.


    ~BOOOOOOOM!~


    The second volley of destruction arrived.


    However¡­


    ''W-what is this?!''


    His Spatial Magic wasn''t working!


    The portal he was trying to connect to the very face of his opponent was not working!


    Jer''ard had been using Spatial Magic all his life, and he had never encountered this problem before.


    Sure, he made sure never to seriously use his Magic against a more powerful Spatial Magic user, but other than that¡­


    ¡­ His attacks always hit!


    So what was the problem?!


    ''N-no way¡­!'' It only took Jer''ard a few seconds to figure it all out.


    ''It''s the space¡­ the space around him is too warped! It''s too saturated with power that my own power gets broken down and overwhelmed before it can fully manifest!''


    It was just like with Adonis'' Divine Sword, but¡­


    ''¡­ Isn''t this stronger?!''


    Jer''ard was panicking now.


    He had no way to attack this guy as long as his barrier was active, and he couldn''t bypass the barrier thanks to the overwhelming power he wielded.


    What could he do?!


    ''Aha!'' His eyes went to the weakened ones that Ralyks came to protect.


    Surely, if he attacked them, or even took a few as hostages, then it was possible to turn the tides of battle in his favor.


    ''Humans are such sentimental beings, after all!''


    He remembered how Adonis became distracted and received a fatal hit simply because he was too concerned with the humans.


    This was precisely that scenario on repeat.


    No¡­ this was on a muchrger scale!


    Jer''ard was much stronger in this form, and his opponent was incredibly more powerful.


    But, with this n in motion, victory was assured!


    ~VWUUSH!~


    He opened a portal and aimed to yank one of the vulnerable humans from the group.


    He went for the shivering, scared blonde.


    She seemed to be the weakest target, and Jer''ard remembered telling her that she would be the first one he would kill.


    He swiftly took action, dipping his hand in the portal, expecting to grab her and bring her to him.


    However¡­


    ~SWISH!~


    ¡­ That was not at all what happened.


    "GUARRRGHHHH!"


    The moment his hand proceeded out of the portal, it was cleanly sliced off by an invisible de.


    Everything that entered the portal was gone, leaving Jer''ard with only a part of his hand¡ªas well as incredible pain.


    He held his hand with his other one, flying back in recoil.


    His massive body seemed so small under the weight of the incredible pain and fear that assailed him.


    "H-how¡­?"


    Was it perhaps a Skill that Ralyks had? Did he also possess some kind of spatial attack?


    What ability could have done something like that so quickly?


    "W-what power¡­ did you use?"


    Of course, he wasn''t expecting Ralyks to answer him. He just pondered so deeply that his thoughts ended up being leaked out.


    "What the hell are you talking about?"


    As Ralyks'' deep, fear-inducing voice surged forth, he slightly swung his de, causing stters of dragon blood to stain the ground.


    Jer''ard''s eyes widened as he recognized the purple fluid to be his own.


    ''H-how did my blood stain his de¡­?''


    The answer was shortly revealed by the Dark Adventurer himself.


    "I simply went and sliced your arm off."


    That was all there was all there was to the act.


    The moment Jer''ard opened the portal and went after the girl, Ralyks simply proceeded to the location, cut the Dragon''s hand, and returned to his position.


    It wasn''t too difficult.


    ¡­ Not for Ralyks!


    "Y-YOU¡ª!!!"


    Jer''ard know his arm would soon grow back, and it was already undergoing regeneration, but the fear he still felt was indescribable.


    It was so instinctive¡ªas if he was looking at a being who stood at a higher precipice than him.


    But how was that possible?


    Dragons were the strongest beings in H''Trae!


    It felt strange¡ªno, downright unnatural¡ªthat a human-looking fellow should make him feel this way.


    Jer''ard could not ept it.


    "I REFUSE TO ACCEPT IT!"


    With a mighty roar, he mustered all of his power and raised its mouth in the air.


    ~VWUUUUUUMMMM!!~


    Something began to form above it.


    Something dangerous.


    The air cackled with power and the Mana Crystals that hung around began to react to the power being disyed in the air.


    Everything was rattling, and the entire 99th Floor shook just from the pressure.


    But one man remained calm despite it all.


    "This isn''t good." He said.


    Jer''ard heard that small whisper and presumed it to mean the man had been pushed to a corner.


    ''Hahahaha! With this, I''ll destroy everything! Let''s see if you can protect yourself and your friends with that power!''


    The entire 99th Floor was going to be leveled by him.


    It was going to be a waste, since he still had mining left to do, but Jer''ard didn''t mind.


    If he could exterminate this being¡ªthis threat to the hierarchy of the world¡ªthen it was worth it.


    The Dragons were the strongest.


    That COULD NOT change!


    "I can''t allow you to keep this up. The Alliance needs those resources, after all."


    The moment Ralyks said this, he stretched out one hand¡ªthe one that didn''t possess a de.


    "Let''s try this, shall we?" He sounded amused¡­ like he was smiling.


    Jer''ard did not¡ªcould notprehend him.


    He only knew one thing.


    The current concentration of dark spatial energy that had formed a massive sphere of unparalleled destruction could not be stopped.


    It wouldplete its task and eviscerate everything in its path.


    ''DIEEEEEEEEE!!!''


    The Dragon Commander aimed it at his adversary, knowing that even if he blocked it, the impact would destroy everything.


    It was already toote!


    This¡­ this was really the end.


    "[Absolute Spatial Magic||ck Hole]"


    Suddenly, in an unprecedented gust of energy, the impossible was birthed.


    A spatial phenomenon that defied expectations.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I really hope you enjoyed the chapter!


    It''s really satisfying to see the Dragon get so worked up, especially after howposed he was at the start.

 Chapter 170 Ralyks Vs Jer’ard [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 170 Ralyks Vs Jer¡¯ard [Pt 2] </h4>


    Spatial Magic was incredibly rare, and also difficult to master.


    Due to its rarity, not too many Spells rted to it existed. Even among said Spells, not too many were high-level.


    The Skill: ck Hole, fell under the territory of Spatial Magic.


    However, since it consumed a lot of Mana, and it was an uncontroble force that would only stop if the Mana of its caster ran out, it was ced at B-Tier.


    [Singrity Point] was the A-Tier version of the Skill, but it was also very difficult to use.


    With the S-Tier [Absolute Spatial Magic] Skill, it was possible to make ck Holes.


    However, they were just as unstable and impractical as the lower-tier Skills.


    There were simply more efficient ways to use Spatial Magic¡ªeven for destruction¡ªother than ck Hole.


    But¡­


    An exception could be said to exist.


    An unstable ck Hole with the immense control of Absolute Spatial Magic, mixed in with the effects of Grand Magic Mastery and Grand Magic Application.


    That could birth something new.


    An-all consuming void that could be perfectly manipted to achieve the desired effects, while also effectively managing the Mana supply and absorption rate.


    A perfect ck Hole.


    But¡­ it was already very rare to have a Spatial Magic Skill.


    Adding two A-Tier Magic Skills that were equally as rare made it very unlikely for such an ability to exist.


    No one could possibly have all of them.


    No one¡­ except Rey!


    ********


    ''I figured using [ck Hole] wouldn''t cut it since it''s just a B-Tier Skill, so I tried using the new Spatial Magic Skill as well¡­''


    Unfortunately for Rey, he had no expertise in Spatial Magic.


    He didn''t even know any Spells.


    However, with a Magic Skill, you could use it freely without a Spell. It was just much easier and better to have Spells that could achieve specific results more efficiently.


    Rey had never tried this before, but he decided to use both Skills at the same time.


    [ck Hole] and [Absolute Spatial Magic].


    And they worked!


    Rey didn''t know if it was the effect of the [Grand Magic Mastery] Skill that he got from Lucielle, or the [Grand Magic Application] Skill that he got from the Half-Elf he saved.


    Either way, it was working perfectly.


    The dark void that manifested before his hand was deep and hollow.


    Everything around it was swallowed, and Rey directed it towards only one thing.


    The dark spatial orb that descended and threatened to wipe everything out.


    That was the target.


    ~VWUUUUUM!~


    The void ascended, humming with intensity, as it shed with the deep purple ball of energy.


    It was nopetition at all.


    In mere seconds, the spatial orb was consumed by the darkness that Rey created,pletely vanishing from existence.


    And once that was done, Rey closed his palm to form a fist.


    The result was expected.


    ~FUUUUUU!~


    The ck Hole imploded, consuming itself until it turned into nothingness.


    Once it was done, there was nothing but sparkles of ckness and purple radiating about.


    ''That was a close one.'' Rey sighed in relief as he looked at the clearly shocked face of the Dragon.


    It was difficult to fully decipher the expression of a Dragon, since it was arge beast with scales all over, but there was no way anyone could miss this.


    It was obvious.


    The devastated reaction of the Dragon was too raw for anyone to ignore.


    ''I guess I just have to end this now.''


    The only reason Rey was dragging the battle out was because he wanted Jer''ard to use the remainder of his Skills.


    So far, Rey was sure he had seen [Greater Mana Recovery], [Greater Regeneration], [Draconic Breath:Dark], and [Draconic Flight].


    He had also disyed his [Absolute Spatial Magic], but Rey already had it so there was no point.


    ''I''m not sure if he has used [Draconic Power] and [Draconic Resistance] yet, but he definitely hasn''t used his [w Attack] yet.''


    Rey presumed it was a Low-Tier Skill, so the guy probably didn''t see any use in utilizing it.


    There was also some distance between them, so maybe the Skill also had some ''range'' issues.


    ''It might not be that great, so I shouldn''t get too greedy.''


    Rey also felt like it was about time to wrap things up, considering the people he came to rescue needed help, and he also promised to save them before dawn.


    ''As much as I''d like to drag things out, it''s best to just end things quickly.''


    "Alright then¡­" As Rey brandished his de, he shot the Dragon a terrifying re.


    Much to his surprise, the creature was preparing another powerful ''Breath'' attack.


    Of course, Rey knew it was useless against him, but he was confused as to why it was acting so illogically.


    ''I guess Dragons aren''t as smart as I thought.''


    Rey decided to humor the beast by giving it one more chance to attack.


    He could use a variety of Skills to defend, deflect, and then counter.


    Thus, Rey clenched his de tight and prepared to strike.


    "¡­ Time to end this fi¡ª"


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOMMM!!~


    ''H-huh¡­?'' Rey felt his eyes widen in shock as he noticed where the Dragon pointed the st at.


    It wasn''t towards him, or the people he came to save.


    It was upwards; towards the ceiling!


    And then¡ªbefore Rey could even say a word¡ªthe massive thing sprang into the giant hole it created and sped away.


    ''Hold on¡­ is he trying to escape?!''


    It took Rey about a second to process, but he quickly realized that it had to be the case.


    ''He must already be out of Mana, and he''s probably realized he can''t beat me.''


    The fact that the creature flew off, instead of teleporting, showed just how desperate he was.


    ''He doesn''t have enough juice, eh? I see how it is¡­''


    Rey felt a small smile curling up in his face.


    He knew he had to hurry, though.


    ''But first¡­'' He turned at Adonis and the rest of the rescue team.


    His gaze fell on Brutus too.


    "You guys, here." Rey used his [Gateway Portal] to open a doorway which led to the Royal Estate.


    It was so easy¡ªso casual¡ªthat it stunned those who saw it in action.


    "You should all leave with this. I''m going to chase after the Dragon, okay?"


    "¡­"


    For a moment, there was pure silence.


    No one could even utter a single word in response to Rey''s instructions.


    To them, what they had just witnessed, had to have been the act of a god.


    A being that defied the Dragons and every shred ofmon sense imaginable.


    The Adventurer, Ralyks, was a legend.


    "Haaa¡­ these guys¡­" Rey sighed, already feeling his patience wear thin.


    He used his Absolute Wind Magic to carry all of them into the portal he made.


    Before they could even react, he closed the thing and sighed to himself.


    "Haa! Then there''s also the Half-Elf."


    Rey sighed, easily making a portal in front of him in order to return to the 33rd Floor where she was still sleeping.


    ''This entire ce might soon be a battlefield. I can''t leave her here¡­''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Do you think Rey is currently too broken? I''d like to hear your thoughts.

 Chapter 171 The Chase

    <h4>Chapter 171 The Chase </h4>


    "Hmm¡­"


    As Rey looked at the unconscious body of the Half-Elf before him, he thought of the most secure ce he could imagine for her.


    No matter how hard he thought, only one ce came to mind.


    ''Haaa¡­ why do I keep going back to them?''


    He opened up a portal that led to the meeting room where he usually met with Aldred.


    ording to what he was told, the room was reserved exclusively for him and the deals he brought.


    ''That means she''ll be safe there. Aldred has seen her fact too, so he probably already knows not to harm her if he suddenly finds her there.''


    Once he carried the girl into the portal using Absolute Wind Magic, Rey felt a rumbling sound beneath him.


    A hole was created several hundred meters from where he stood, and like a blur, the body of the dragon flew into it.


    In essence, Rey had even gotten to a top floor before it could.


    The boy chuckled, already feeling his body shiver with excitement.


    There was always something surreal about pursuing something¡ªlike ying tag¡ªthat made the human heart race in anticipation.


    That was what Rey was currently feeling.


    ''Well then¡­ let''s begin the chase!''


    *********


    "Haa¡­ haaaaaa¡­ haaaa!!!"


    Jer''ard was wheezing heavily as he made his way out of the Royal Dungeon.


    Floor by Floor, he ascended by shooting Dragon Breaths into the ceiling and creating massive holes in them.


    In the situation where he neared a ceiling and his breath wasn''t fast enough, he would crash into it and create holes with his own body.


    It hurt him, sure, but nothing currently mattered to Jer''ard than getting away.


    ¡­ Away from the monster he just encountered.


    ''Even Monsters are weaker than Dragons! That man¡­ that entity¡­ he is not a Monster!''


    He was far worse.


    Jer''ard knew it was pointless to try to understand such a being,


    He regretted even trying to fight him.


    He should have just escaped from the start! He should have just teleported and run away.


    Why did he try to fight? Why did he try to reject his ce?


    Why did he try to be strong?!


    ''I just¡­ I just want to run! I don''t want anything else!''


    He would leave the humans and return to the Empire.


    He would report the current state of affairs here and leave things to the Dragon Generals¡ªno, perhaps even the Dragon Lords.


    Such matters weren''t meant for him¡ªa mere miner.


    ''Did I lose him?'' He looked below. ''I lost him, right?''


    The moment Jer''ard couldn''t see the man known as Ralyks, he was happy.


    Overjoyed, even!


    He was safe. He wasn''t going to die, after all.


    Then¡ª


    ~WHUSH!~


    He suddenly felt a disturbance in the space around him. He turned to his side for a glimpse, but he was moving too fast to clearly see.


    ''W-was that¡ª?!''


    Jer''ard felt like he saw a blur that resembled Ralyks, but he quickly dismissed it from his mind.


    There was no way Ralyks had already caught up to him.


    There was absolutely no wa¡ª!


    ~SQUELCH!~


    A powerful de suddenly pierced Jer''ard in the back, causing him to screech as he noticed a figure floating right below him.


    IT WAS RALYKS!


    "ARGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"


    Jer''ard was screaming more about the sudden appearance of his predator than the wound he had just suffered.


    ''H-how..?! Already?! No way!''


    He already knew that Ralyks was much faster than him.


    How else would he have been able to slice off his hand back then without him even realizing it?


    But, he had not sensed his approach until now!


    There was no way he just vanished from the 99th Floor and appeared right behind him¡­ right?!


    ¡­ RIGHT?!


    ~WHUUSSH!~


    Several more des appeared from all around Ralyks and they fired towards him.


    The pressure behind them was devastating¡ªas if they were being pushed by an unstoppable wind.


    Each de, seemingly appearing out of nowhere, was sharp and powerful.


    They also had Mana oozing out of them as the winds surrounding them gave them an additional impact.


    Like arrows, they flew and pierced even more parts of his body.


    Jer''ard tried his best to evade the next volley, but despite his best efforts at aerodynamics, it was all useless.


    Directly support the authors on WebNovel!


    The des followed and pierced him.


    ''I-is he controlling them remotely? Why won''t theye off?!''


    best efforts at aerodynamics, it was all useless.


    The des followed and pierced him.


    The des sank deeper into his flesh, preventing him from properly healing.


    It was torture!


    ''Why is he still behind me? He should have caught up by now!''


    Of course, Jer''ard didn''t want his enemy to catch up to him, but it only made sense that it would happen.


    Ralyks was the faster one, after all.


    ''U-unless¡­!''


    Could it be that in the air, thanks to his [Draconic Flight], he was currently faster in the air?


    Since his air travel speed was superior, could he actually outfly the enemy?


    ''I-if that''s the case, then maybe I have a chance to escape!''


    The truth was that Jer''ard had been worried for the longest time that even if he escaped the Royal Dungeon, he wouldn''t be able to escape Ralyks due to the man''s sheer speed.


    He thought he would try to just run and evade until he recovered enough Mana to use his [Absolute Spatial Magic] and utilize long-distance teleportation.


    But even he questioned the viability of such.


    He was desperate, not stupid.


    Even if he could make it out of the Royal Dungeon, there was no guarantee that he would live long enough for his Mana to be sufficient enough for long-distance teleportation.


    He was currently at rock bottom, and the little Mana that was being restored, thanks to his Skill, was poured into his ''Breath'' attack so he could escape faster and without much damage.


    There was no way he would be able to evade the enemy without relying on Mana to do it.


    But now that he knew he was faster in the air, there was a chance for him to get out of this alive.


    He would just keep his distance from the enemy and escape.


    ''I won''t be dying here!'' Jer''ard decided within himself.


    ''I have to live!''


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    What do you think of the chase? I personally feel like Jer''ard might just escape.


    Just saying¡­

 Chapter 172 Humanity’s First Victory

    <h4>Chapter 172 Humanity¡¯s First Victory </h4>


    ~BOOOOOOOMMMM!!!~


    The final ceiling shattered apart as the mighty Dragon Commander came forth.


    Its glorious form emerged as the sun rose in the darkened sky.


    It was breaking dawn, and quite a few people were already outside their houses¡ªeither preparing to leave for work, or just taking strolls.


    Of course, patrol officers were also present throughout the city, so it was still quite lovely despite being so early in the morning.


    So imagine the shock on the faces of the people who had woken up thinking this was just another morning.


    Another safe day in the Capital.


    ¡­ Only to see the personification of death and destruction emerge from the depths of the Dungeon, into the sky above.


    All eyes widened in shock¡­ and then horror.


    "IT''S A DRAGOOOOOOOONNNN!!!"


    Terror filled those cries as people scampered for safety.


    No one waited to check what kind of Dragon it was, or if it was so deadly that they had to cease all activities to flee.


    To themon man, the distinction between a one-horned Dragon and a three-horned Dragon was nonexistent.


    To them, all Dragons meant the same thing.


    DEATH!


    The glorious dragon pped its wings and looked around, its body shaking as if it was in a hurry.


    Those who could see the beast from where they hid thought that the creature was in a hurry to burn everything to the ground.


    Nothing could stop it.


    No one could stand against it.


    This was the very personification of inevitability.


    They could only watch and wait for the time of chaos to arrive.


    However, before they could even wait for just a second¡­


    ~BOOOOOMM!!~


    ¡­ They noticed that the Dragon was being attacked.


    A brightness illuminated the sky, causing all to see the glory of a certain entity¡ªhuman in form¡ªstanding against the colossal Dragon in the sky.


    The world held its breath as they watched in tension.


    "N-no way¡­"


    "I-is that¡­?!"


    "W-who¡­ who could that be?!"


    No one knew! They could only tremble as they watched in awe and trepidation.


    If the Dragon won, then their lives were all forfeit.


    If the man won, then there remained only uncertainty¡ªwhether he too was an agent of chaos or prosperity was yet to be confirmed.


    They could only pray to the God that had long abandoned them.


    ¡­ Pray for salvation.


    *********


    ''Oh wow! How is it dawn already?''


    Rey knew he spent quite some time in the Dungeon, but he never expected time to have passed so quickly.


    ''I know I didn''t take too long to reach the 99th Floor thanks to that portal. Plus, I didn''t spend too long in the Floor itself.''


    That meant something was odd somewhere.


    ''Does time flow differently in the Dungeon? Maybe it''s more pronounced in the Lower Floors?''


    Rey didn''t know the answer to that, so he simply decided to shove it at the back of his mind and focused on the huffing Dragon before him.


    Jer''ard was currently at his limits; Rey could already tell from the way he looked.


    He could have finished him off in the Dungeon, but there was a reason he let the beast rise to the sky¡ªopen for the world to see.


    There were two, actually.


    One was simple¡ªfame.


    ''If I achieve a lot as Ralyks, and I remain the weak guy Rey, there''s a chance that my ss will advance.''


    It was a selfish reason, sure, but he wanted to put Ralyks at the forefront of the world¡ªa spectacle of strength that would sharply contrast with his own Extra image.


    If he pulled it off well, he could get two very pr lives.


    Then, the second reason was a bit more selfless.


    ''I want the world¡ªor, at least, the humans of this world¡ª to see a human defeating a Dragon.''


    He wanted to disy the impossible as possible before their very eyes.


    To burn it deep into their heads that they were not the Hobgoblins being bred for their inevitable destruction.


    Humans were the ones who would triumph.


    ''And this is the first step.''


    Rey brandished his de as he stared at the Dragon before him.


    There was nowhere he could run to.


    If he tried to escape, Rey would use Wind Magic to ensure his flight waspromised.


    "We have to give the people a good show, don''t you think?" He smirked, preparing to attack.


    "A-are you messing with me, right now?''


    As he heard Jer''ard say this, Rey smiled even more and nodded.


    "Something like that."


    ~WHOOSH!~


    He closed the distance in a sh, using abination of [Quick Teleport] and his sheer speed.


    Within moments, he was already in front of Jer''ard.


    "U-uwaahh!!"


    Jer''ard moved both hands in reflex, protecting his face from Rey''s attacks, giving thetter the perfect chance for him to cut them off.


    ~SWISH!~


    In one swift motion, both hands were severed from the Dragon''s body.


    Before the huge things could descend and cause some damage to the popce below, Rey used his [Grand Fire Magic] to burn them both.


    Within moments, the intense mes shriveled the meat and bones, leaving barely anything left by the time the thing crashed.


    "K-Keuk!" Purple blood spurted out of the Dragon''s body as he red at Rey with fear.


    Jer''ard already knew he wasn''t going to be spared, not after all he and his people had done.


    The only thing left for him to do was run.


    ~VWUUM!~


    He tried to forcefully squeeze out thest bits of Mana within to teleport the furthest distance he could from Rey, surprising thetter.


    Rey swiftly made to stop him, but they both teleported to the same location at that point.


    It was none other than the Royal Estate itself.


    ~BOOOM!~


    The two crashed into a building¡ªor more like the Dragon crashed into the building, with Rey on top of him.


    Debris fell all around, especially on the ground, as the colossal thing struggled to rise and get away from Rey.


    Before it could, though, both of his legs were sliced off, and so were his wings.


    "GUARRRGHHHH!!!"


    His arms were barely even regenerating at this point, and now all viable mediums of movement had been removed as well.


    Jer''ard was at his most vulnerable.


    He squeezed out the little Mana he had recovered for a [w Attack]¡ªa C-Tier Skill¡ªas his final act of desperation¡ªbut [Absolute Defense] easily blocked all of it.


    "U-URGHH¡­!" Nothing Jer''ard was capable of was going to work here.


    He already knew that, yet he couldn''t help struggling.


    He''s just desperately wanted to live.


    "Now do you understand what it means to be weak? Ah¡­ my apologies, I imagine you already knew something like that to a measure back in your country."


    Jer''ard''s eyes widened in shock.


    ''H-how¡­?!'' How did this human know of all this?!


    "It''s typical bully behavior. If you feel inadequate, then pick on someone else and make them feel worse."


    Rey pierced the monster with his de, causing more groans of pain to echo out.


    "Maybe I also engage in the same thing. Just as you did to others, I''m also doing to you."


    As Rey''s unfeeling tone echoed in the ears of the Dragon Commander, thetter uttered words he never thought he would say.


    Not to a human.


    "M-mercy¡­"


    Rey could only smile under his mask as he looked at the already-dead creature in front of him.


    "Sorry, buddy. I need that EXP."


    ~SQUELCH!~


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I hope you enjoyed the entire confrontation and fight.


    I know it took a lot of chapters, but here we are!

 Chapter 173 The Royal Conspiracy

    <h4>Chapter 173 The Royal Conspiracy </h4>


    [Moments Earlier]


    Within the Royal Estate, in one of its many beautiful buildings, there existed a particrly lustrous one.


    It had very amazing architecture, and the colors shimmered with pure white and gold, even if it was being shrouded by the darkness right before breaking dawn.


    It was veryrge¡ªlike a mansion¡ªand it''s immediate surroundings were made to be gardens.


    This was home to one of the members of the Royal Council.


    Lord Knox.


    As his garden brimmed with life, despite the darkness, he was currently at the topmost floor of his home, along with three other people.


    These were his aplices¡ªthe two other members of the Royal Council that ran the underworld with him.


    They were all seated in a round chair within the meeting room, eating and discussing the future of their business.


    The only one who stood and paced around was Knox himself.


    After all, he knew the kind of dire situation they were in.


    "Right now, we''re running out of time."


    As Knox said this, his long beards twitched as his aged fades began to have more wrinkles.


    His gaze swept through the room, looking at how well-furnished his surroundings were, and how much more he wanted to decorate even further.


    But the Alliance was meant to be broke, so he couldn''t just go around splurging cash.


    Those things would have to wait.


    His small eyes rested on the other two men in the room. They also shared worried expressions, but it didn''t seem like they were taking things as seriously as he was.


    ''They''ve captured Evals Redarts. If he talks, we''ll be disrupted by those two¡­''


    By ''those two'', Knox meant Conrad and Vida.


    They were both eyesores that stood against what he stood for.


    ''Recently, they''ve amassed too much power and recognition. It makes me, and the rest of us, seemingly irrelevant.''


    From the summoning of Otherworlders, to the rtionship made with them, and other issues of varying scale¡ªConrad and Vida always took the initiative.


    It infuriated Knox without end.


    That was why he had to nip things in the bud as quickly as possible. He recognized that.


    The problem was that it wasn''t yet time.


    They had to very meticulous about their nning, else a lot of things would fall apart even if they seeded in their task.


    Unfortunately for them, Evals Redart just had to get caught.


    ''If he spills our secrets, things will get quite problematic¡­''


    Knox sighed and looked at the very luxurious and spacious ceiling above him.


    Beyond it was the sky, and the ceiling itself took on a color of purity¡ªwith its chandeliers glimmering brightly.


    If he and hisrades were caught, he would have to kiss this ce goodbye, and they would also be the same.


    He couldn''t allow that.


    "We''vee this far already "


    ''After relinquishing my position as king, just so I could be a part of a council¡­ I''ve lost a lot of my power, authority, and wealth.''


    Most of it went to thends that were now part of the Alliance''sbined territories.


    He always spent a lot of time deliberating policies, thanks to four other individuals who shared his position and rank.


    In the end, the position of the Royal Council was nothing more than a useless badge.


    He couldn''t really do anything on his own.


    Knox missed it¡ªthe old times when he was a King and he was treated as one.


    ''The only reason I agreed to this whole thing was due to the desperation of the time¡­''


    Dragons had just recently wiped out the entire North Continent, and even took down a Kingdom in the West.


    Everyone was scared,


    That was when Conrad approached everyone and decided to make humanity a converged unit under the same banner.


    ''Now that I think of, Conrad and Vida were the first two to join the Alliance¡­''


    It all made sense why they seemed to be the true rulers of the Royal Court.


    ''I only joined because I knew his father, and Conrad''s n seemed like a fair one.''


    But it was hell for Knox¡ªand for the remaining seared with him.


    "We need topletely eradicate that ve trader!"


    "I think we can all agree on that. The problem right now is how to go about it."


    "Conrad has that manpletely under his watch. There''s no way to sneak in and go about this."


    As Knox heard his allies talk, he nodded in acknowledgment.


    They weren''t wrong.


    ''To get to the prisoner, we have to get Conrad first.'' As Knox thought this, his eyes shed with a murderous glean.


    ''Is it finally time¡­?''


    "My Lords!" A man bathed in on their meeting, his face and entire body drenched in sweat.


    He wore light armor, but the scar on his forehead, his hardened eyes, and overall muscr physique told anyone who saw him that he was capable.


    Still, no matter how capable he was, he couldn''t just barge into this building.


    "Who gave you permission to¡ª!"


    "There''s been a sighting of a Dragon here in the Royal Capital!"


    The moment this man said this, all the angry faces froze.


    For a moment, they didn''t know how to make sense of all they had just heard.


    "D-do not be so preposterous!"


    "Dragons aren''t anywhere close to the Capital."


    "Quit messing around!"


    Despiteshing out like this, the terrified look on the announcer''s face convinced them even more that he was telling the truth.


    A man like that would gain nothing from lying.


    "W-where is it¡­?" Knox asked, his voice nearly inaudible.


    He could feel his heart racing and his body shivering thanks to the news.


    ''Maybe¡­ this is the right time. If we operate now, when attention will shift from the Evals to the Dragon, it would be the golden opportunity.''


    Knox smiled for the first time since the meeting, quickly telling the guard to stay on standby.


    "Myrades. This is it!"


    As Knox said this, he approached the table where the other two sat.


    This was the moment he¡ªno, all of them¡ªhad been waiting for.


    "Myrades, it''s finally time to strategize."


    The orchestration of their loose end''s demise, Conrad''s dethronement, and what to do about Vida.


    There was a lot to do in such little time.


    "Right now, we have been presented with an opportunity. We need to hurry."


    He was met with some very hesitant and conflicted faces.


    "R-right now¡­?"


    "B-but the Dragon¡­!"


    Knox gritted his teeth the moment he heard all theee excuses given by his supposedrades.


    "You think I don''t know all that?!"


    Sure, a Dragon was attacking, but that didn''t mean appropriate measures wouldn''t be taken soon.


    If they didn''t have the resolve to do what they needed to, they would be screwed even if they survived the Dragon attack.


    "Do not forget why we decided to invest in the underworld and amass our wealth through illegal channels."


    It was because they were all hungry for power, and they would do anything possible to attain it.


    "Dragon or no Dragon, we must continue our task with¡ª!"


    ~BOOOOOOOOOMMMM!!!~


    Before Knox couldplete his thoughts, a crashing sound loudly echoed in the room, and the entire ce shook violently before the next shocking thing urred.


    A massive scaly form broke through the ceiling above all of the four¡ªthe Councilors and the guard¡ªcrushing all of them before they could even take a single step.


    They had artifacts, but even before those could be activated, they were already dead men.


    It all happened in a sh, and their demise was at the hands of the very enemy that Knox had dismissed.


    ''A-ahhh¡­'' In hisst few seconds, the old man had a fleeting thought.


    ''¡­ What the hell just happened?''


    He didn''t know, right until he breathed hisst and his mangled form grew cold.


    Death imed him and his allies.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I''m sure some of you actually thought this entire Royal Council conspiracy would be like another Arc or something.


    Well, bummer to you!

 Chapter 174 Aftermath [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 174 Aftermath [Pt 1] </h4>


    ''Ahhh¡­''


    Rey felt a sudden power rush through him.


    It felt like a vast amount of energy was seeping into his body at the same time, and he took his time to breathe everything in.


    He wanted to experience everything without interruptions.


    Even though he was currently being watched by the denizens of the Royal Estate.


    Rey could already notice the shocked faces of a few students who were in thepound when he slew the beast.


    They were all staring at him with disbelief.


    He ignored them, though, focusing only on the Systen Window that shed before him.


    [Congrattions! Your ss ''Elite Enigma'' has been advanced to ''Anomaly'' due to the impossible feat you have aplished, and its ipatibility with the other image this world has of you]


    ''Ahh! Looks like I was right!'' Rey beamed with a bright smile.


    All that energy that he felt earlier were most likely the EXP entering his body.


    Now, more than ever, he desired to know his current Status Information.


    ''Status Win¡ª''


    "S-Sir! Sir Ralyks!"


    A loud voice interrupted Rey, causing him to look down to see the tired and equally relieved face of the Grandmaster of the Royal Council.


    "Ahh¡­ Grandmaster. You''re here already."


    Rey brushed his Status Window aside, saving the whole surprise forter.


    He returned his de to [Inventory], utilizing [Flighf] to descend from his heights.


    In no time at all, he was right on the Estate''s grassy fields, a few meters from Conrad and the few guards who apanied him.


    He was wheezing, practically out of breath, but he still approached Rey.


    "S-sir Ralyks¡­ is that really a¡ª?"


    "A Dragon? Yes. A Dragon Commander." As Rey said those words, he stumbled backwards a little.


    A wave of dizziness suddenly assailed him, and he could feel pain springing all over his body.


    He didn''t need anyone to tell him what was going on.


    ''Recoil, huh? Looks like I''ve reached my limits.''


    Rey had been wondering when the whole thing woulde, but it was finally affecting him.


    All his Buff Skills were vanishing, and he probably wouldn''t be able to use them again for a whole day.


    After all, the longer the duration time, the longer the cooldown period¡ªat least, that was the case when it came to these Skills.


    "A-are you alright, Sir Ralyks?" Conrad asked, practically wheezing.


    ''You should be more concerned about yourself, dude. Why are you in such bad shape?''


    Rey didn''t know why all the members of the Royal Council weren''t very strong.


    This clearly seemed like the kind of world where the strong ruled and crushed the weak.


    Yet, people like Conrad employed the assistance of more powerful men so that he could survive and rule everyone.


    It seemed antithetical, but Rey simply epted things the way they were.


    ''It''ll take some time, but I''m sure people will soon think through all this and do away with their monarchy.''


    Though, right now, none of those were Rey''s concerns.


    He looked around him and saw scattered debris all around him, but thankfully the damage was kept to a minimum.


    No one had been affected by the idental teleportation.


    ''A-ah, except¡­!'' Rey turned to the devastated mansion that must have once stood majestic.


    "Who upied that house?"


    As he looked at the conflicted expression of Conrad, Rey could already guess it was someone very important.


    "It''s Councilor Knox'' home. You know¡­ the man that I came to visit you with."


    "Ahh¡­ that man."


    Rey remembered the wiry old man. He had a very ufortable air around him, but he hadn''t bothered back then due to other important issues.


    "I-In any case, this is truly amazing! The fact that you took down a Dragon Commander¡­ it''s simply amazing!"


    Rey shrugged, trying to look for an excuse to ditch the ce as soon as possible.


    "It was nothing. Did you see the people I sent here earlier, by the way?"


    As Rey asked this, Conrad''s body twitched as his face brightened even more.


    "YES! We saw them! They''re currently undergoing treatment and recovering splendidly."


    "I see. That''s a relief."


    Rey smiled a little, remembering the faces of his brave ssmates that had chosen to venture so deep into the Dungeon.


    The fact that they were fine brought relief to him. Though¡­


    ''¡­ I wonder how many will remain once all of thises crashing down.''


    The implications of the Royal Dungeon Incident had many facets, and merely looking at Conrad''s disturbed face, it was clear that the man must have thought of some of them.


    ''For one, we now understand just how terrifying the Dragons can be. Those who will break will do so now.''


    Even Rey couldn''t estimate how many people would leave, but this was definitely bound to cause a great imbnce in the order of things.


    "By the way, I ended up sealing the entrance of the Labyrinth due to the holes the Dragon made when it was trying to escape. It''s possible many monsters would be creeping out of their Floors, creating a whole mess."


    Not knowing if an upper Floor had a Lower Floor Monster made the Royal Dungeons too dangerous to even draw closer to.


    But, like always, I could see a benefit in this entire situation for myself.


    "There are a lot of treasures that could greatly benefit the Alliance within the Dungeon, so I''d advise you to take only the most elite of your forces and subjugate the Monsters as soon as you can."


    By saying that, Rey meant one thing¡ªthe Otherworlders.


    At least, the ones who would remain behind after the thinning out.


    ''Right now they need to grind for Levels more than anything.''


    If they didn''t, the next Dragon that they encountered could be theirst.


    ''Mine too.''


    "U-understood! Can I count on you when that timees, then? Maybe hire you to protect them while they Level Up?"


    "As long as I can also do the same, then I don''t mind."


    The moment Rey¡ªor rather, Ralyks¡ªsaid this, Conrad shot him a slightly puzzled look.


    "Y-you''ve not¡­ reached your Level Cap?"


    His eyes trailed to the dead Dragon that hung on the devastated mansion, and he looked back at the Dark Adventurer.


    It was impossible for a normal person to defeat a Dragon Commander¡ªespecially alone¡ªso Conrad had assumed he had a special ss and was at his max Level.


    However, Rey could only shrug and tell the truth.


    "No. Not even close."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Do you have any guesses on how the story will proceed from here? Let''s hear your thoughts.

 Chapter 175 Aftermath [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 175 Aftermath [Pt 2] </h4>


    ''This man¡­ he''s strong!''


    As Conrad looked at the Adventurer known as Ralyks, he couldn''t help but wonder why he had never heard of this man before.


    His strength was too overwhelming.


    ''I can''t believe he actually defeated a Dragon Commander all by himself. There doesn''t even seem to be a scratch on him!''


    Conrad already began to suspect that this man wasn''t human.


    As someone who was a leader of the humans, he knew fully well what their limits were.


    Ralyks had long exceeded it.


    But¡­ did that really matter at all to Conrad?


    NO!


    ''I don''t care if he''s an Elf or a Demon or whatever. What matters is if he''s on our side.''


    And that was what he intended to ensure.


    "Sir Ralyks, perhaps we could meet at a much grander ce and discuss the details of this Royal Dungeon Raid that you are suggesting."


    Conrad needed more time to sort through his thoughts, and he also knew better than to disturb a man after he just yed a Dragon.


    The best thing to do was allow breathing space between each other, while ensuring they could maintain contact.


    ''The Otherworlders are still in their budding stages, so while they will inevitably reach¡ªor maybe even surpass Sir Ralyks'' strength¡ªthey''re still not there yet.''


    That meant, pending the time of their growth, humanity had to find a champion to rely on.


    Conrad really hoped it would be this Dark Adventurer.


    "We shall see about that. Perhaps we should meet in a week''s time. You should have sorted through all of the issues at that point."


    Conrad controlled his expression, but he was slightly taken aback that Ralyks had figured out the rationale behind him postponing their discourse on the Royal Dungeon.


    ''I already suspected this from our first encounter, but this man isn''t just strong. He''s smart too.''


    He was an invaluable asset that humanity could not afford to lose!


    "Y-yes! One week is perfect!"


    "Great. Then, I shall take my leave."


    ~VWUSH~


    A portal suddenly appeared right in front of Ralyks, causing Conrad and his few guards to take a few steps back in shock.


    The few Otherworlders, who were watching from their distance, also looked at the masked entity with sheer wonder and intense intimidation.


    "W-what about the Dragon you yed? The carcass could sell for a lot. We are willing to buy it off of your¡ª!"


    "I already told you I didn''t requirepensation for this request." Ralyks interrupted the Grandmaster, his body already dipping into the portal.


    "The Dragon carcass is yours. Do with it as you please."


    Conrad could not believe what he was hearing.


    ''W-what in the world¡­?!''


    A Dragon''s corpse was the most expensive thing that existed in this world.


    The Core within one had so much purity and concentrated Mana.


    It also naturally recoveredrge amounts of Mana in a very short period of time.


    ''A Dragon''s Core serves as both a high-quality Monster Core and a Mana Crystal of the same quality.''


    Depending on the Dragon, the quality also exponentially increased.


    If Conrad had to guess, this Dragon''s Mana Core belonged to Grade 3, and that was extremely rare.


    ''He just gave that away like it was nothing. H-how¡­?''


    As Conrad took onest look at the corpse, he could also see a lot of parts of the Dragon that had been kept intact.


    ''He sliced off the Dragon''s arms and legs, so we can still use those. Then there''s the main body¡­''


    All the body parts of a Dragon were useful.


    Conrad could only imagine all the possibilities that could ensue from the Alliance utilizing it.


    "Thank you, Sir Ralyks¡­"


    He knew the Adventurer most likely thought about the dire state of the entire Nation, but it was hard to believe that a single man could be sopassionate.


    He freed the ves, rescued Billy and Alicia, saved everyone from the Dungeon, protected the Capital from a Dragon, and now even gave them the corpse.


    This man was beyond legendary.


    He was ethereally magnificent¡ªlike the seconding of a god.


    "¡­ Please don''t abandon us now."


    ********


    ''F-fuck¡­!''


    Ray copsed on the ground within a very spacious area¡ªthe 99th Floor to be exact.


    He felt too dizzy to even move a muscle.


    ''I¡­ I''m losing a grip.''


    He forcefully began to close as hey on the cold floor, powerless to stop what was about to happen.


    ''I¡­ damnit¡­''


    The reason he had left in such a hurry, and the reason he was in a hurry to dismiss the Dragon Corpse, was simply because he was about to copse.


    He couldn''t afford to do so in the presence of Conrad and the other onlookers in the Royal Estate.


    As Ralyks, he had a reputation to uphold.


    He couldn''t afford to show weakness.


    ''¡­ I didn''t expect¡­ this much of a toll¡­''


    Since this was the first time he had used so many Skills at once, this was a new experience for him.


    In exchange for explosive power, his body felt like shit afterwards.


    ''D-did I ensure to¡­ sell for the right price. The Dragon¡­?''


    Rey didn''t realize this yet, but he never sold anything to the Royal Estate.


    Since everything was such a blur, he wasn''t in his right mind when he ended up blurting out words that he thought were cool and within character.


    Unfortunately, they contrasted with his true nature.


    Rey knew just how valuable Dragon Corpses were. He wasn''t just going to give the Royal Council without a proper price tag attached.


    Unfortunately for him, he did exactly that.


    His mind was too far gone to process all of that, so all the self reflection would have to wait until he woke up.


    ''I just hope¡­ no one attacks¡­ while I''m like this¡­''


    As his mind finally plunged into the darkness of unconsciousness, onest thought echoed in his head.


    ''The Half-Elf¡­''


    Rey remembered how he never got her back despite meaning to.


    He could only hope she was safe.


    "¡­."


    And then, everything went nk.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Hope you enjoyed the chapter!


    A lot of stuff is gonna go down further down the story, especially the 3rd Arc.


    Hope you''re excited!

 Chapter 176 Aftermath [Pt 3]

    <h4>Chapter 176 Aftermath [Pt 3] </h4>


    "H-hold on¡­ WHAT DID I JUST DOOOOO?!"


    It took an entire day, and a couple more hours, but Rey finally woke up.


    His entire body felt lighter than ever, and his mind was clear.


    It was while he was enjoying this newfound sensation that he realized hisst conversation with Conrad, including the blunder he made.


    "FOR FREEEEEEE?! WAS I INSANE?!"


    His loud voice echoed in the vast 99th Floor, which appeared as devoid of life as one could imagine.


    Rey reckoned there had to have been creatures here before the Dragon showed up, but they were nowhere to be found.


    No surprise there.


    He was also able to notice the stink being generated by the leftover corpses of humans that Jer''ard killed, so he used Fire Magic to burn them all to cinders.


    Rey was still fuming mad, but it didn''t take him very long to figure out its futility.


    ''They''ll probably invest the important bits to Adonis and the Alpha ss people¡ªthe ones who will choose to remain, that is.''


    It was very unlikely that he would get a decent cut out of everything.


    He was considered pretty weak and useless, after all.


    ''Well, let''s take our minds off of that. I probably wouldn''t have made much money from them, even if I sold it anyway.''


    The ck Market had to be the most profitable enterprise when it came to business.


    He could probably sell for double¡ªif not triple¡ªof what the Royal Council would be willing to pay.


    ''I would have eventually sold it to the Royal Council, though.''


    A treasure as important as that belonged in the hands of those who would use it to help humanity, not just their selfish interests.


    ''I''m all for being selfish, but there are limits.''


    Right now, he could do nothing but consider the whole thing as an investment to a good cause.


    Looking around him, Rey could also see tons of Mana Crystals, and even piles of the Monster Cores that the Hobgoblins had stacked up.


    However, Rey knew he couldn''t touch those anymore.


    ''Adonis and pretty much everyone already noticed it. I could probably take a couple of them without anyone noticing , but¡­''


    At this point, Rey just felt like it wasn''t worth it.


    He nced around and once again admired the beauty of the 99th Floor.


    ''Hmm¡­?''


    Something kept bugging him.


    It felt like he was forgetting something very important, and he struggled very hard to think.


    Then¡­ it finally came to him.


    "My Status Window!"


    The instant he shouted this out loud, a System Panel appeared right in front of him.


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Rey Skr.


    - Race: Human (Otherworlder)


    - ss: Anomaly (A-Tier)


    - Level: 99 (78.54% EXP)


    - Life Force: 22 (+158) [+300]


    - Mana Level: 149 (+158) [+500]


    - Combat Ability: 130 (+158) [+500]


    - Stat Points: 90


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Doppel]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Fusion/Fission]. [Merger]


    - Alignment: Neutral Good


    [Additional Information]


    You are an irregrity to the world. Achieving the unbelievable, shaking the bnce of reality¡­ you seek to overturn what is and isn''t.


    Will you seed? Or will your failure be miserable?


    [End Of Information]


    *


    *


    *


    [Skill Categories]


    ~ Attack Category: 30


    ~ Defense Category: 13


    ~ Buff Category: 12


    ~ Misceneous: 12


    [New Skills: Please Select Their Categories]


    ~ B-Tier: Gateway Portal


    ~ S-Tier: Absolute Spatial Magic


    ~ B-Tier: Greater Mana Recovery


    ~ B-Tier: Greater Regeneration


    ~C-Tier: w Attack


    ~A-Tier: Dragon Breath:Dark


    ~A-Tier: Draconic Flight


    ~A-Tier: Draconic Resistance


    ~A-Tier: Draconic Power


    [Total Skills: 76]


    "Wow. This is quite a lot¡­"


    Rey could see that his Level had shot up to Level 99, which was pretty amazing¡ªall things considered.


    He didn''t know what Level the strongest in the Alliance were, but he now knew that he had to find out.


    ''I need to properlypare my Stats with theirs¡ªespecially with Adonis.''


    Rey felt like if he used his full power, he was stronger than Adonis, but he wasn''t very sure about his Base Form.


    ''I guess we just have to wait and see¡­''


    His Level wasn''t the only thing that caught his eye, though.


    "My ss has changed to A-Tier. Anomaly, huh? Interesting¡­"


    He noticed his Bonus Stats had taken a spike up, and Rey found that interesting.


    ''I keep track of my growth, so even if I''m Level 90, my Bonus Stats shouldn''t be that high. Unless¡­!''


    Rey''s smile widened as soon as he figured it out.


    His new ss came with more special perks.


    ''Nice! I''ll check thatter, but for now¡­''


    Rey had to focus on another thing that caught his attention.


    The two Non-Exclusive Skills he now had.


    He didn''t ignore the fact that his Alignment had changed from Neutral to Neutral Good, but he didn''t find that relevant at the moment.


    What mattered most was his power-set, and the two new Skills were a part of that.


    "Skill information." He mumbled.


    [Skill Details]


    [Fusion/Fission]


    Tier: S


    Ability: Allows the user to perfectly blend Skills with each other, creating a synergy that covers for weaknesses andplements the strength of selected Skills.


    In essence, the ability to fully utilize multiple Skills as one or more, with more efficiency and intensity.


    Type: Passive


    [.]


    [Merger]


    Tier: S


    Ability: Allows the user to merge two or more Skills, permanently fusing them together to create one new Skill.


    Note that the new Skill will take on more qualities from the superior Skill out of the ones being merged.


    Type: Active


    [End Of Information]


    Rey rubbed his chin as he looked at the information before him.


    ''I see. I probably awakened the first Skill when fighting Jer''ard. That''s why I was able to do the ck Hole thing so well.''


    However, this second Skill was news to him.


    The [Fusion/Fission] Skill was going to be very useful to him for sure, but Rey couldn''t see a more useful ability than the [Merger] one.


    ''I''m limited by the amount of Skills I can have, but with this one¡­ I don''t have to simply delete or waste away Skills I collect.''


    He could just merge them with another Skill to produce a much stronger ability.


    ''It''s perfect!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Sorry for the chapter length. Will try making the next one longer.


    Also, what do you think of his new set of Skills?

 Chapter 177 Aftermath [Pt 4]

    <h4>Chapter 177 Aftermath [Pt 4] </h4>


    "Sha! Looks like I got them all."


    Rey could see that he got pretty much all the Dragon Commander''s Skills, and that definitely brought a smile to his face.


    His dark hair was crumpled on the shiny floor as he looked at the System Window in front of him, swiping up and down like a child who had just found a new toy.


    He couldn''t hide his excitement no matter how hard he tried to.


    "Seems I''ve gotten much stronger than I expected." He grinned within himself.


    Of course, he knew he couldn''t get toocent, but Rey was honestly very proud of himself.


    ''I''vee so far already¡­''


    With that thought in mind, Rey decided to look at the one thing about his Stats that had changed so much.


    "ss details."


    [ss Information]


    - Name: Anomaly


    - Tier: A-Tier


    - Cause: You have defied the norm of this world and have sessfully tilted the bnce. What wille out of this new change?


    Hope¡­ or Horror?


    [ss Privileges]


    ~ 10+ Base Stats addition for all your major Stat Areas


    ~ 3+ Subsequent Stat Point for every Level Up


    ~ Natural Enemy Effect can be activated (When facing someone much stronger than you, your Bonus Stat Points will double)


    ~ Naturally suppresses the effects of any ''Appraisal'' cast on you. (If the Appraisal is weaker than this Effect, you can influence its results)


    ~ Near-Death Effect can be activated (As long as you don''t die immediately, you can recover from a fatal attack¡ªcan only be used once a day)


    [End Of Information]


    "A-ahh!"


    Rey found what he was looking at to be insanely awesome.


    The first one hadn''t changed from hisst ss, and the second was an upgrade that he already suspected after looking at his Stats.


    ''The fourth also hasn''t changed¡­''


    However, the third and fifth were real game changers for him.


    ''So I won''t die by a fatal blow as long as it''s not instant, huh? And I''ll recover? That''s great.''


    This was literally going to be his life saver.


    ''Then, there''s the fact that I can increase my Stats if I''m facing a stronger opponent.''


    Rey smiled to himself with satisfaction.


    ''This ss really suits me!''


    He knew sses like Grand Knight and Grand Tamer were also in the A-Tier, but he doubted that they would provide stuff like this to him.


    ''That said, I''m definitely missing out on some of their own cool perks.''


    Rey had noints here, though.


    ''I''ll miss the Natural Mask effect, but since I usually use an actual mask as Ralyks, there''s really no need to have it.''


    "There''s a lot to explore with my Stats and Skills, and I should try to avoid procrastination, so let''s do it now.''


    As such, Rey sat upright and decided to explore his Status Window, Skills, and all his current abilities, a little more.


    By the time he was done, his System Window looked quite different from before.


    ********


    "I should probably take a look around."


    Once Rey was done setting things up for himself, his attention returned to his surroundings.


    This vast space, filled with nothing but Mana Crystals, shattered earth, and piles of Monster Cores, couldn''t be all there was to the 99th Floor.


    At least, that was what Rey thought.


    ''I''m sure Adonis and the others didn''t get a chance to explore. If I find something special, then I''m keeping it!''


    Rey felt like he had contributed enough to society to warrant a little selfishness on his part.


    Besides, finders keepers.


    ''With all of these resources, chances are that the Alliance won''t need much else for a while.''


    Besides, investing in himself was indirectly tied to the entire United Human Alliance.


    No¡­ even the whole world!


    With these thoughts wrapped around Rey''s head, convincing him that he was doing all these things for a righteous cause, he decided to begin his search.


    "Please let there be treasure! Pretty please!"


    ********


    Rey searched high and wide for stuff, but all he could see were empty rooms.


    They looked like storage areas, so it must have belonged to the Dragon.


    ''From what I saw in his Stats, he mines and delivers mineral resources. He must have been using this ce as his storage area.'' Rey thought to himself.


    Now that he thought of it, with the Spatial Magic of Jer''ard, doing such things would be remarkably easy.


    ''I wonder why he chose toe to a Top Floor, though. From what I can see, he has yet to exhaust the proceeds of the lower ones.''


    And everyone knew which one had better materials.


    ''Could it be because of me? Did my entire ruckus pique his interest?''


    If that was the case, then Rey found himself grateful for the entire Trial scenario.


    Thanks to the House Arrest that he suffered, he was prevented from heading into the Royal Dungeon.


    ''I would have lost for sure if we met back then¡­''


    Thanks to the House Arrest that he suffered, he was prevented from heading into the Royal Dungeon.


    He found it a bit silly now that he thought about it¡ªall the paranoid thoughts he had concerning the mastermind.


    ''I even thought they were the ones who stole the Monster Cores, but I guess this makes a lot more sense.''


    The market wasn''t saturated with Monster Cores because there were none to begin with.


    ''It was the work of a third party this whole time.''


    Still, Rey didn''t know whether to be relieved or not.


    On the positive side, the mastermind he was searching for was not as formidable as he gave him credit for.


    He probably didn''t even know all of Rey''s capabilities; though thetter knew he couldn''t be too sure about all that,


    However, the negative side still gued Rey''s mind.


    ''If this guy is a miner, and he mines to his Lord, then¡­''


    If there was no inflow of resources, it was only a matter of time before the Dragons struck.


    ''I''ll have to be on my guard for that moment.''


    In any case, with the mystery of the Royal Dungeon being solved, and Rey''s expectation of the threat of the Dragons on his mind, there was only one final thing he had to solve.


    ''The issue of the mastermind.''


    As Rey had this thought, he stopped in front of a huge door made out of Dungeon stone.


    ''This is thest ce.'' His thoughts trailed.


    He could already sense something powerful within, so he didn''t waste any time before shifting the door open and seeing whaty beyond.


    The moment he did, Rey found himself grinning gleefully.


    Within the white room, encased in pure Mana Crystals, was a massive pile of Monster Cores.


    Of course, this pile was not as bountiful as the ones the Hobgoblins kept in store, but they were plentiful regardless.


    The Monster Cores looked muchrger than the red ones Rey was used to, and these ones had a frosty white appearance.


    Rey could also perceive the energy they emitted, and it was iparable to the Grade 6 Cores that the Hobgiblins had.


    ''Could they be Grade 5? No¡­ maybe even Grade 4?''


    Rey could see a particrly gleaming one that stood at the precipice of the pile.


    It looked much bigger than the rest.


    ''That''s the Boss'' Core, huh? It''s just a guess, but these are probably the Monster Cores of the beasts in the 99th Floor.''


    And if that was indeed the case, then Rey knew he had hit a jackpot.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Our boy is about to be a rich man again!

 Chapter 178 Aftermath [Pt 5]

    <h4>Chapter 178 Aftermath [Pt 5] </h4>


    "Hup! And that''s thest one!"


    Rey grinned at the many sacks thaty in front of him, his cheerful expression unable to change.


    ''I can pack them all up in a total of forty-seven sacks. Not bad¡­''


    Since the pile wasn''t preposterously massive, as seen with the Hobgoblins, Rey could fit everything into [Inventory].


    He still had his Spatial Rings, so he stored the other Items that upied his slots in [Inventory], thus giving him enough space to store everything.


    Once the process wasplete, Rey stood all alone within the grand 99th Floor hall.


    ''Now that this is all done, I don''t think there''s anything left for me to do here.''


    The rest of what greeted his sight would go to the Royal Council.


    ''They have the Dragon Corpse and now these too? If they take my advice and weunch a full-on raid, they''ll be able to rake in even more profit.''


    The more Rey thought about it, the more he realized just how rich the Alliance was going to be because of him.


    ''Well, it''s fine. I probably shouldn''t get too greedy¡­'' He smiled, remembering a few faces of the beggars he saw on the street during the Excursion.


    If some of these resources could be used for their sake¡ªto better their lives¡ªthen he had noints


    In the end, wasn''t he also a human being?


    "Alright! Time to head¡­ b-ba¡­ck¡­"


    Right there and then, Rey realized something that hadpletely skipped his mind since he woke up in this ce a couple hours ago.


    ''The Half-Elf!''


    Other than that, he also remembered something of equal pertinence.


    ''They''ll be looking for me!''


    How could he have forgotten that he was one of the Otherworlders who hade to this world for the sake of saving it?


    He was a valuable asset to the entire United Human Alliance!


    He had a few ssmates who cared about him too.


    ''And I just bailed on them for this long? I don''t even know how long I was out, or how long I spent here!''


    He could only estimate, but he also had a theory that time operated much faster here than outside.


    What if he had already spent days down here?!


    ''Ahhh! They''ll all be worried. Especially after that Dragon attack too!''


    Rey knew he had to hurry.


    ''I should probably go to the Royal Estate first. The Half-Elf can wait.''


    He didn''t even remember her name anymore.


    ''I''m sure they''ll take care of her well for me. If not, well¡­ let''s not think of that for now!''


    With those thoughts flowing in his mind, Rey put away his Enchanted Items and did away with his disguise.


    Fortunately, he still had empty Spatial Rings to help him contain all his Items.


    Once he returned to his normal state, he opened a portal and ventured inside.


    ''Let''s hope I don''t get into too much trouble!''


    ***********


    When Rey arrived at the Royal Estate''s front gate, he was weed pretty cordially by the guards.


    He returned his Pass to them, and they didn''t even ask him any questions.


    ''The sun is high up in the sky, so it should be around noon.''


    Rey realized he needed to get another watch, not even remembering what happened to his previous one.


    The weather was considerably warm, and while it was midday, everywhere was ominously quiet.


    He passed by the guards and ventured through the gate.


    Not too long after he did so, he could already see a cluster of students.


    All twenty-seven of them.


    ''A-ah! Looks like everyone is up, huh?''


    Billy and Alicia were among the group, though there was a clouded expression on the former''s face, and a somewhat anxious one on thetter.


    He smiled a little as he noticed Alicia''s gaze darting around, almost as if she was looking for him.


    She was also wearing the ring he gave her.


    ''Hehe!'' He moved even closer.


    Conrad and Vida stood before the students, alongside Brutus and Lucielle¡ªboth looking good as new.


    Rey wasn''t sure whether it was thanks to Alicia''s [Absolute Healing Magic] Skill, or some other means, but he was happy to see everyone well.


    He could also see Trisha, Belle, Justin, and the other Rescue Team members.


    A few looked shaken up, but most of them seemed to have pulled themselves together.


    Then, there was Adonis.


    He had the mostplicated expression of all. Something about his gaze seemed distracted, and he seemed to be intensely brooding on a lot of things.


    ''I guess he still hasn''t gotten over what happened down there.'' Rey sighed and decided to look away.


    Noah was also there, though an expression akin to guilt seemed to be on his face. Rey wondered what the issue was with him now, so he decided he would ask himter.


    ''I hope it''s all good, though.''


    Rey was ready for a mouthful, so he just decided to take everything in stride and not worry about too much.


    He finally closed the distance and thought it was the perfect time to announce his presence.


    "H-hello, everyone! Sorry I''mte. You won''t believe what happe¡ª"


    "REY!" The first voice that greeted him was, of course, Alicia''s.


    She rushed towards him, leaving the rest of the cluster of students behind her.


    Her brown hair swayed and her amber eyes shone, reflecting the golden rays of the sun as she swiftly closed the distance.


    "Where were you? We were worried sick!"


    As she hugged him, Rey felt a sweet scent wash over him.


    Beforeing, he had used his [Water Magic] Skill to freshen up. It was a mere C-Tier Skill, but it had its uses.


    "Haha¡­ I can exin. But maybeter¡­" He rubbed his head awkwardly.


    "A-ah! Yeah, sorry!"


    As Alicia chuckled sheepishly, quickly separating herself from him, Rey simply responded with a stupid grin.


    Everyone was now staring at him, including the two members of the Royal Council.


    Rey thought he saw Lady Vida grin a certain wicked smile, but that was probably his imagination.


    ''This is so awkward!''


    Fortunately, Conrad''s voice saved the day right when Rey felt the burden weigh heavily on him.


    "It''s good to have you back, Rey. And just in time too."


    ''Just in time¡­? Time for what?'' Were the first things that popped up in his head.


    ''Also, isn''t he being too calm about all this?''


    He didn''t have time to process these thoughts, though, as the Grandmaster spoke yet again.


    "Why don''t you join everyone while we make the announcements?"


    Rey was puzzled.


    ''What announcements? Why are they being made outside?''


    Rey had a few thoughts in mind, but he dismissed them until they could be proven to be concrete.


    "O-okay¡­"


    He and Alicia walked towards the line, side by side, and while he focused on her charming smile, he could notpletely ignore some of the stares he received.


    For one, Billy''s.


    He wasn''t looking at him with a jealous or rage-filled face. His expression connoted nothing short of defeat.


    A kind of sorrow a guilty man had.


    Noah, Trisha, Belle, and Adonis also had peculiar expressions to give him.


    Most were positive¡ªthings like relief mixed with brief hints of hesitation.


    ''Looks like I''m not in trouble this time.'' Rey sighed in relief.


    If it wasn''t him though, the question remained¡­


    ¡­ Who was?


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I don''t know if you can tell, but the Second Arc is going to end very soon.


    What do you think is about to happen, though.

 Chapter 179 The Grandmaster’s Announcement

    <h4>Chapter 179 The Grandmaster¡¯s Announcement </h4>


    "There is a lot to discuss with you all. I can hardly find where to start from¡­"


    As Conrad started his speech, his eyes appeared sullen. It seemed like he was both sad and determined to see everything through to the end.


    He just had difficulty articting his unfiltered thoughts.


    "Let''s start with the Royal Dungeon. It''s been two days since the incident, so all of you must already know what went down from your friends and ssmates."


    Adonis had already given everyone a brief summary, but it was inevitable that the ones who participated would share the news.


    Most of the students involved didn''t want to talk about it, but as long as students like Justin existed, the news would eventually circte.


    "A good number of you were nearly killed by the Dragon within it. While it was apletely unprecedented and unforeseeable situation, we will take full responsibility."


    By "We", Conrad meant the Royal Council¡ªor the United Human Alliance as a whole.


    Conrad went on to talk about how Dungeons operated and how Dragons had never been so close to the Capital before, hence making it more dangerous than ever.


    Stuff like that


    By the time he was done with the Dungeon Incident, ufortable faces could already be seen.


    "Then, there was the issue of Alicia and Billy going missing. The two parties involved have decided that the details remain confidential, and I''d like to respect that."


    In essence, no details about what happened would be told to the students.


    Those in the Royal Council, extending to Lucielle and Brutus, already knew everything.


    They also nned on punishing Billy for his actions.


    However, since Alicia specifically told them not to broadcast what happened to everyone else, they had to listen to her request.


    "We interrogated the parties involved too, and we found shocking news. Apparently, three of us five in the Royal Council were involved in criminal activities which have been tied to the incident with your two ssmates."


    Lord Knox and the two others were involved in dealings within the ck Market, ve Trade, and other illegal activities.


    The Otherworlders were shocked to find out all these things, and they didn''t even bother hiding it.


    The ones they trusted with their welfare had actually done so many atrocities under their noses. How could they even trust them anymore?


    ''I considered hiding all of these, but frankly¡­ it doesn''t matter anymore.''


    Conrad already knew the ugly truth.


    He couldn''t appeal to most of the Otherworlders here. They all wanted to leave¡ªespecially after seeing a Dragon up close.


    He couldn''t change the minds of the people whose minds were already made up.


    Especially when only more dangery ahead.


    ''The Hero was right. This world needs true warriors.''


    Conrad was done pandering to these people before him. He had seen how a true Hero acted, and frankly¡­ not too many of them could be found among these ones.


    "The three are already dead, though. The Dragon thatnded on the mansion of Lord Knox killed them, probably when they were in the act of conniving against our dear Nation."


    Knox had told him he was going to be in his sleeping quarters, since he was tired, and everyone else had also said the same.


    That was why he wasn''t too worried about where the Dragonnded since the sleeping quarters of his dear friend wasn''t near the crash point.


    So it came as a surprise to see their carcassses¡ªsquashed and muddled up¡ªin the conference area of his manor.


    After thoroughly investigating Evals Redart, the truth was finally revealed.


    Right now, only he and Vida remained the only members of the Royal Council.


    At least, until they could fully verify and thoroughly investigate new candidates for the position.


    "That being said¡­ let us move on to the next topic."


    ********


    ''W-what the¡­?!''


    Rey could not believe his ears.


    The more he heard, the more surprised he became about the developments of things in this world.


    ''I can understand why Alicia wouldn''t want things publicized since she wants the group to still function collectively.''


    If Billy was made a public scapegoat, used by Alicia, it could cause some conflict and major division in the ss.


    That wasn''t something they could afford right now.


    ''I can also understand the whole Royal Dungeon stuff. It''s a bit unfair that they have to take the me, but I understand how that works.''


    However, what Rey couldn''t understand was the whole ''Corrupt Royal Council Members'' thing.


    ''They were evil all along? I had no idea!''


    Once or twice, Rey had always wondered how the ck Market was able to thrive so well despite being so close to the center of power, but now he knew why.


    It was precisely because they were close to the center of power that they were so sessful.


    All those ves he freed¡­ all the justice he enacted¡­ the root of the problems were¡ªironically enough¡ªthe ones he trusted to clean up the mess.


    ''I also can''t believe I identally caused their deaths.''


    Rey realized it was somehow a blessing in disguise, but he still couldn''t get over the fact that his carelessness had caused people to die.


    ''I''ll just have to be very careful next time. Damn¡­''


    However, even though Rey was stupefied by most of these revtions, there was one that made absolutely no sense to him.


    ''Why are you telling us, Conrad? Don''t you know anything about politics?!''


    Rey could see that Conrad was tired, and he perhaps simply wanted topletely do away with diplomacy, but he didn''t think this was how to do it.


    ''Be more like Adonis. Say the harsh truth, but do so in a morepelling way.''


    Right now, Conrad just made himself a punching bag instead of taking the high road.


    ''Maybe that''s what he wants, though. Either way, it''s toote now.'' Rey nearly sighed.


    He already knew what wasing.


    ''Most of us are going to leave today. Maybe even right now.''


    Rey was convinced of it already. Why else would they be having such a meeting outside?


    He nced at Noah, who also looked at him with a slightly guilty expression.


    ''Ah! I see. He wants to leave, huh?''


    Noah was always a softie, so Rey already knew that something like this was inevitable.


    Perhaps he just didn''t expect it to happen this soon.


    ''The Royal Dungeon Incident sped things up a bit, but in a way¡­ that''s a good thing.''


    It would have been more of a waste if they had spent so much effort and resources training everyone, only for a few to be useful.


    Even food and other important facilities were being wasted on most of these students.


    ''Getting rid of them is the best option.''


    As if reading Rey''s mind, Conrad''s deep tone took over as he calmly broke the murmurs and whispers.


    "On to the final topic of utmost pertinence¡­ the future of you all as Otherworlders."


    Silence took over instantly.


    "We summoned you all here with the intent that you would save us from the Dragons, since we can not do it on our own."


    Conrad went on and on to remind them of the reason for their presence in H''Trae¡ªwhy they didn''t die in that Truck ident.


    "However, after spending all this time together, I believe it would be foolish of me to keep clinging to the hope that some of you might change your minds on whether or not you will sacrifice yourselves for the sake of humanity."


    Most of the students here would definitely not.


    "Therefore, today¡ªthis very hour¡ªyou will be presented with a choice. To stay here and fight alongside us, or leave and carve your own path." Conrad''s round altered a bit, but he maintained his resolute stance.


    It was finally time for the inevitable separation among the students.


    "The choice is yours."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Who do you think will be staying behind?

 Chapter 180 Desertion From Comrades

    <h4>Chapter 180 Desertion From Comrades </h4>


    There was deafening silence all around.


    The students all looked at one another, each nce depicting multifaceted emotions.


    Some students already had resolute expressions on their faces, while others seemed unsure about what choice to make.


    Either way, it seemed that most people were waiting for who to step forward and leave first, hence the hesitation,


    "The doors are open for those of you who wish to leave. Naturally, we wish you good fortune, but that is where our support ends."


    Right now, the United Human Alliance had a bunch of its own problems to deal with. They couldn''t afford to exert more energy on soldiers who did not wish to fight for them.


    "Also, in case some of you are yet to make up your mind, there will be an Expedition for those who choose to remain behind. It will bepulsory, and it will also be dangerous."


    The moment Conrad said this, the students who had been so hesitant to make their move soon began to blurt out their true intentions.


    "T-then¡­ I''ll be leaving!" A random guy said, stepping forward from the bunch.


    Before he had room to breathe, many other students blurred out the same thing.


    Boys and girls stood out from the rest of their ssmates¡ªtheir numbers being an absurd chunk of the entire ss.


    Out of the twenty-eight, neen students were leaving.


    Only Rey, Adonis, Belle, Billy, Trisha, rk, Justin, Eric, and Alicia remained in ce.


    Everyone else seemed to have already made up their minds about what they would do.


    They all wanted to leave.


    ********


    ''Even you too, huh, Noah¡­?'' Rey smiled a little sadly as he looked at a crumpled white envelope in his hand.


    It most likely contained a letter, and Noah had quickly given him while stepping forward.


    ''I wonder what kind of message he wrote there for me.''


    Rey already knew he wouldn''t be able to work with Noah forever. In fact, their separation was inevitable.


    ''Right now, I don''t really need him in my ck Market dealings. Plus, I already decided not to have anything more to do with them.''


    In essence, there really wasn''t anything holding them together.


    Still¡­ Rey couldn''t help but feel a stinging sensation in his chest; one that he couldn''t properly exin.


    ''Why¡­?''


    Why did he feel so sad, and slightly frustrated, to see that Noah was leaving just like that?


    Perhaps it was due to the sole reason that Noah had slowly be his friend over the course of their time together.


    Sure, the rtionship was a bit unbnced, but Noah was privy to the aspects of Rey''s life that he would never show anyone else.


    He knew his secrets, and they both shared a bond that couldn''t be replicated anywhere else¡ªeven though it was mostly tied with money.


    ''Haa¡­ I hope he''s fine, though.'' Rey found himself leaking a sad smile,


    He could only hope the boy had toughened up from all his experiences and would make better choices in the future.


    ''He should have a considerable amount. I''m sure he could retire and live a good life somewhere remote.''


    With his ss and Skills, there was no doubt that he would be a formidable force for any native of this world that tried to disturb him.


    Of course, if Noah encountered a Dragon then that would be ''Game Over!''


    ''I''m sure he thought of all these, though¡­'' Rey shrugged and decided simply to let the matter in his head go.


    He ced the envelope in his pocket and sighed deeply.


    Once all the neen students were gathered, they were asked whether or not they had any personal properties they would like to take along with them.


    Of course, items given to them by the Royal Estate were excluded from this, so they didn''t have much of a choice.


    The Council was even benevolent enough that it didn''t tell the students to strip and return the current attires they donned.


    Considering the way the neen abandoned the very people that saved them from death, fed and trained them for about two months¡­ who would me the Council for making such a move?


    After waiting for a few minutes, specifically for those who had one or two items they left in their rooms to fetch them and return, all the deserters were ready to leave.


    Sad faces greeted them as they were told to leave the gates without any ceremony attached.


    In the past, the students would have acted like entitled brats and asked for at least some measure ofpensation.


    However, they were no longer the one with the power.


    They no longer had any cards to y.


    ''I''m surprised, though¡­'' As Rey watched the neen students leave, he looked to his side and spotted the eight that chose to remain, like him.


    ''¡­ I expected more people to have left.''


    It was ironic how none of the Alpha ss students bailed on the United Human Alliance; especially considering the fact that they were the ones that experienced the most danger in the most recent events.


    ''Alicia and Billy were nearly sold as ves, and Adonis'' squad almost died at the hands of a Dragon.''


    Yet, all of them remained standing.


    ''I guess they''re the kind of saviors this ce needs¡­'' Rey''s thoughts trailed.


    Though he had this general line of reasoning, he couldn''t help but look at a few people with suspicion.


    ''I''ll have to keep my eye on Billy. Now that he''s been exposed, there''s no telling how unstable he''ll be.''


    The only reason Billy hadn''t been abandoned by the Royal Council or Rey was due to his strength.


    It was just logical to keep him on board if he chose to stay.


    ''Besides, he could be a loose cannon¡ªa danger to the denizens of this world¡ªif we just let him roam free without consequence.''


    Then, there was one other person Rey was concerned about.


    ''I''m more surprised you stayed, Belle. Aren''t most of your puppets leaving the Estate? Wouldn''t it be safer to follow them?''


    He looked at the ssy facade that Belle disyed, feeling a lump in his throat.


    ''Is her desire to destroy Adonis and Alicia strong enough that she would just choose to remain here despite the dangers?''


    Or did she simply have other intentions? It was difficult to tell.


    ''The important thing is that the strongest cards chose to stay. Sure, we''ve lost quite some capable people and their unique Skills, but we managed to retain the best ones.''


    It was a given that people like Trisha and rk would remain, given their personalities.


    He didn''t know Eric very well, but he was very close with Justin, who was very adventurous and yful.


    Even after barely surviving the Dungeon, he recovered the earliest out of everyone.


    He was just that kind of guy.


    Then, of course Billy wouldn''t leave Alicia, and Alicia''s goals aligned with helping the people of H''Trae.


    As for Adonis, Rey still didn''t know what really drove him to help the people here, but he knew the boy truly wanted to help.


    There was no way he''d abandon them now.


    ''As for the others¡­''


    Rey''s eyes glowed brightly as he looked at the neen who were leaving.


    His [Absolute Appraisal] was activated as he glossed through their Status Windows.


    ''They''re all pretty weak, so this is the best move.''


    To properly raise the best crop, one had to whittle down the weeds.


    The deserters wouldn''t have done much in the long run anyway, aside from costing the Council more resources to maintain.


    As Rey was having these thoughts, he suddenly saw something among the cluster of students.


    ''W-what¡ª?!''


    His eyes widened¡ªnearly bulging out of their sockets¡ªas he noticed the details on the panel that was exposed before him.


    ''T-that''s him?! The mastermind!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Looks like we finally get a reveal of the guy that has been messing with Rey and everyone else.

 Chapter 181 The Mastermind

    <h4>Chapter 181 The Mastermind </h4>


    ''N-no way¡­!''


    Rey''s eyes were bloodshot as he looked at the back of a certain boy among the bunch of students who walked towards the gate.


    His Status Window was bare for him to see, and it made Rey shiver to his core.


    What he saw¡­ defied all his expectations.


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Adrien Chase.


    - Race: Human (Otherworlder)


    - ss: Necromancer (A-Tier)


    - Level: 12 (78.54% EXP)


    - Life Force: 10 (+50)


    - Mana Level: 20 (+30)


    - Combat Ability: 5 [+45]


    - Stat Points: 55


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Skill Creation]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Inventory]. [Necromancy]. [Darkness]. [Grand Defense]. [Greater Spatial Magic]. [Greater Weapon Summon]. [Healing]. [Armament]. [Full Resistance]. [Full Boost]


    [See More]


    - Alignment: Chaotic Neutral


    [Additional Information]


    A true mastermind. One who lurks in the shadows and causes others to do his bidding whileughing underneath his mask.


    His goals remain a mystery too¡­


    [End Of Information]


    Rey felt a bitter feeling rise up within his stomach as he looked at even more of the Skills that the boy had.


    He counted neen!


    ''T-this¡­ this kind of guy existed in our ss?!''


    He always knew the malefactor behind the incidents in ss was formidable and smart, but not to this extent.


    ''His Stats and Levels are low, but his potential and his Skills¡­''


    Even his ss was worrying.


    But there was one thing that truly shocked him the most¡ªdown to his innermost cote.


    ''[Skill Creation]¡­ I saw that Skill back then¡­''


    Sweat covered Rey''s face as he remembered the Skill-selection period.


    There was no way he could forget something like that.


    After all¡­


    ''¡­ That Skill costs 100 Karma Points!''


    In essence, it was an SSS-Tier Skill; on the same level as his own.


    Rey remembered thinking it was impossible for anyone to get such a Skill, since that would mean they would have to be perfect.


    He wasn''t even sure Adonis could get something like that; and the boy was as perfect as they came.


    However, his eyes weren''t deceiving him here.


    ''I can see it clearly! He has an SSS-Tier Skill!''


    How was that even possible?!


    As Rey was having this thought, he saw that the boy he was intensely staring at stopped dead in his tracks.


    ''W-wha¡ª?!''


    Adrien Chase¡ªas his name was called¡ªslowly turned back.


    His gaze felt distracted, but he looked behind him and Rey felt like his gaze was piercing him directly.


    ''H-he noticed my Appraisal?'' Rey''s thoughts were a jumbled mess as he felt saliva forming within his throat.


    Right as he was having this near mental breakdown, he was met with a smile.


    Adrien, the true mastermind, was smiling.


    ''Is he smiling¡­ at me?''


    Before Rey could even say or think anything more, his mind went nk.


    He didn''t know what to do or how to react.


    The smartest thing to do now would be to chase him down and capture him, but Rey wasn''t even sure he could win.


    Not unless he new the Tiers of each Skill he possessed, and more information on his capabilities.


    Just as Rey could mimic Skills, this one could create them.


    They were at a stalemate in that department.


    ''I have superior Stats, but something about him feels dangerous.''


    Rey felt like if he made a single move now, it would be over for him.


    ''I''ll expose myself, no doubt. All my ns and actions up until now would be useless.''


    There was no way he wouldn''t be recognized as Ralyks.


    ''Speaking of Ralyks¡­ does he know I''m him?!''


    Rey didn''t know how much this guy knew, but he knew how far he was willing to go.


    There was no doubt in his mind that this malefactor was the one who caused Adam''s death; and now he was just going to walk away.


    He was leaving the Estate''s gates scot free¡ªno rpense for his actions whatsoever.


    To what end? Why did he sow so much conflict in the first ce?


    ''How was he even able to hide such a Skill?!''


    Rey realised how foolish thatst line of thought was. After all, he too had been able to hide his own Skill.


    ''I believe his previous ss was Mage, and his two Skills were [Inventory] and [Water Magic].''


    Other than that, Rey didn''t know anything about him.


    He wouldn''t have even remembered his name if he didn''t see his Status Window.


    ''I also don''t remember anyone bearing that name in ss. Now that I think of it¡­ I don''t know him at all.''


    Adrien Chase wasn''t someone he ever noticed.


    He had never had a single conversation with him, and he never spotted him during training.


    It was almost as if he didn''t exist at all.


    ''And someone like him is finally free from the Royal Council. Is this what he wanted all along? Freedom?!''


    But that didn''t make any sense!


    If Adrien wanted to leave, he could have just done so without resorting to all of this.


    He could have left and defied the rules long ago.


    ''Maybe he didn''t want to draw attention to himself while doing it. He wanted others to go with him in a seemingly natural way.''


    He might have orchestrated¡ªor at least sped up¡ªthe instability among the students, causing the inevitable to arrive much faster than normal


    The result? He was able to leave with the crowd while remaining hidden from sight.


    No one would suspect a thing!


    ''T-this is¡­ it''s too unfair!''


    Rey clenched his fist and bit his lip as he looked at the back of the very boy he had been searching for all this time,


    Now that he finally saw him¡­ there was nothing he could do.


    ''He''s so close¡­''


    Practically a couple meters away from Rey''s reach.


    ''¡­ But he feels so far away.''


    Rey thought of a bunch of Skills in his arsenal that he could use, but they would either be too shy or ineffective.


    And so, Rey¡ªthe highly revered Underworld Dealer, Dragon yer, and Anomaly¡ªcould only watch, suspended in a single position.


    ¡­ Completely rendered powerless by a weaker foe.


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I know none of you expected this, since it''s a new character and all.


    But what do you think? Did the mastermind live up to the buildup?

 Chapter 182 A Silver Lining

    <h4>Chapter 182 A Silver Lining </h4>


    "Now that they have left, it''s time to begin the main announcement."


    Conrad''s voice boomed in the ears of the remaining nine students who remained in the open field.


    Rey and his eight other ssmates looked attentively at the man before them; waiting for what he desired to say.


    Even though it seemed like he was paying rapt attention, Rey''s thoughts had still not left the boy called Adrien Chase.


    shes of the same scene¡ªwhere he turned back and smiled at him¡ªkept appearing in his head.


    Frustration dug deep into his chest, but he could do nothing but remain in his position.


    He could do nothing at all.


    "¡­ Having an Expedition into the Royal Dungeon very soon."


    The words from Conrad woke him from his reverie.


    ''A-ah...!''


    "I know most of you are anxious and worried. I don''t me you, considering what happened thest time." As Conrad said this, he appeared a little ufortable.


    Valuable Knights and Mages had died, so it wasn''t an easy thing for the United Human Alliance to suggest returning to the Dungeon.


    However, it had to be done.


    "The Ecosystem has been changed, and the Monsters inside are running rampant. If we don''t take care of it soon, it could lead to a catastrophe."


    Rey knew exactly what he was talking about, as he had read about it in more than one or two books since he began learning of this new world.


    ''Monster Evolution!''


    When Monsters of a certain kind consumed other Monsters in other kinds¡ªspecifically their Monster Cores¡ªthey grew unnaturally stronger and developed special characteristics.


    The level of change, and it''s overall quality, depended onpatibility.


    ''I was considering checking out how far the Hobgoblins could go, but my ns were cut short by that Dragon¡­''


    "It is possible for Monsters to go through Evolution if they consume Cores from other kinds of Monsters, which is why we are constantly grateful that the Dungeon Floors are designed in such a way that prevents Monsters from various Floors from mixing with one another."


    But now, thanks to the Dragon, all of that had changed.


    ''Lower Floor Monsters will rise to the surface, and the stronger Monsters will consume the weaker ones, leading to more Evolution.''


    If the situation wasn''t curbed quickly, there was a chance that an Invincible Monster could be born.


    ''It is trite that Monsters have weaknesses. But, if a Monster evolves by consuming several other creatures thatpensate for that weakness, it bes an ultimate being.''


    In essence¡­ unstoppable!


    Rey could feel his heart race as he heard Conrad exin more about the situation.


    The issue of the Mastermind still bothered him to no end, but he decided to ce that at the back of his mind and focus on the information he was currently receiving.


    "Sir Ralyks¡ªthe Dark Adventurer who saved our city from destruction¡ªhas assured me that he will guard all of you in your Expedition, and he assured me that no harm woulde to you.''


    Rey could see the tense expressions of most of the students now softening.


    There was no one around who didn''t know the name ''Ralyks.''


    He was practically a celebrity.


    ''Dragons are considered the apex beings of this world, so since Ralyks was able to defeat one, everyone is assured of their safety. At least, to an extent¡­''


    Rey felt weird referring to himself¡ªor, at least, his alter-ego¡ªin such a way, but he had no other way of addressing it.


    ''Ralyks'' was separate from ''Rey'' as far as he was concerned.


    "By clearing the Dungeon with his aid, you''ll be able to get much stronger than before. Perhaps once that is settled, you can finally leave the Capital and begin your true adventures."


    Rey had a wry smile as soon as he heard this.


    ''By Adventures, don''t you mean war?''


    Rey knew how dire the current situation was. More than ever, the threat of the Dragons weighed heavily on them.


    ''With the loss of the skilled Mages and Knights of the Alliance, I''m sure Lucielle and Brutus will be permanently stationed on the battlefield.''


    That meant the students werergely on their own¡ªwith the exception of Ralyks.


    ''But, since I am Ralyks, it''s essentially just us Otherworlders that will be in the Royal Dungeon.''


    Rey wasn''t sure howfortable he would be when exploring Dungeon Floors with people around him.


    He knew a lot of restrictions would have to be ced on his usual mode of operation.


    ''I can''t run wild as I normally would.''


    "Let''s have some good news now. I can see you all have dreary faces, but it''s not all thunderclouds and rain, I promise." Conrad''s face slowly broke into an understanding smile.


    "I just had to get the heavy stuff out of the way first."


    The journey wasn''t for the faint of heart, so it was better for those who only desired benefits to understand the dangers and horrors that currently waited them.


    If they could see that, then the benefits would naturallye rolling in.


    "First of all, there have been a lot of resources found on the 99th Floor of the Dungeon; enough to find the Alliance for a very long time."


    Rey didn''t know how that was good news for the students, but he decided to be patient and listen before jumping to conclusions.


    "We n on rewarding those who decided to rescue our Head Warrior here despite knowing the risks. Ten percent of the total rewards will be shared amongst you six."


    Rey''s jaws nearly dropped as soon as he heard those words.


    ''E-eh¡­?!''


    "I know it is a mere token, but please ept our gifts.''


    Rey looked at the bunch and expected them¡ªor, at least, Adonis¡ªto gracefully decline.


    "Thank you for the reward. We will gratefully ept it."


    As the Hero bowed slightly, he shed his signature smile of sheer purity.


    ''Adonis, you bastard!'' Rey nearly cried, and he didn''t even really know the reason why.


    ''Aren''t you supposed to be heroic and reject those benefits?''


    Rey knew he was being unfair in his thoughts, but he didn''t stop. Adonis probably already knew that the Alliance could afford to give such gifts as incentives to their saviors.


    Plus, as a Hero representing the Otherworlders, he knew better than to simply be a doormat and get used.


    Since the very first day, he shrewdly ensured that his ssmates enjoyed the best luxuries while paying their dues to the Alliance.


    In essence, Adonis had a bnced stance.


    ''Still¡­ if I knew it was going to be like this, I would have just taken my share!''


    How was it fair that he did talk the heavy lifting and his ssmates reaped the rewards?


    Was he being greedy? Yes!


    Did he care? No!


    As Rey was having these thoughts, Adonis'' calm and gentle voice suddenly echoed out and stopped him in his tracks.


    "I would like to suggest a little adjustment to the allocation; if you do not mind."


    Conrad shook his head and gave Adonis the stage to continue.


    "I would like all nine of us who remained to take nine percent of the rewards, while the remaining one percent should go to the families of those who died in battle."


    As Adonis said this, Rey''s heart instantly melted and all his selfish thoughts turned to dust.


    ''That''s fair¡­ I guess.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    The Arc ising to an end soon. I know I said this before, but I mean it.


    Just trying to conclude this entire event.

 Chapter 183 Resolve To Grow Stronger

    <h4>Chapter 183 Resolve To Grow Stronger </h4>


    ording to Adonis, he didn''t feelfortable with the current allocation of rewards, considering the circumstances surrounding the entire incident.


    "Billy and Alicia were missing, and Rey went out to search for them. If it wasn''t for his decision to seek the aid of Sir Ralyks, we would never have found them and even gotten rescued from the Dragon."


    In essence, everyone had their own circumstances.


    "I would have liked to give Rey my own share if it was possible, but¡­ unfortunately I require resources for a particr endeavor of mine." Adonis slowly turned to Rey and bowed his head slightly.


    "I hope you can forgive my selfishness, Rey."


    The instant he did this, Rey swiftly raised both hands and waved them in an awkward attempt to dismiss the entire thing.


    "S-stop it! There''s no issue at all! I wasn''t thinking of taking your reward, even if you offered. Haha¡­ haa¡­!"


    The awkwardness in the airsted for a few more seconds as Rey and Adonis stared at each other, before both of them looked away with somewhatplicated smiles on their faces.


    Rey had a flushed shade of pink on his face, as he was absolutely mortified by Adonis'' suggestion.


    As for Adonis, he had a relieved, but somewhat sad expression on his face.


    "Thank you, Rey."


    "S-sure¡­"


    Once more, awkward silence took charge.


    "Mhm¡­ ahem¡­!"


    Thankfully, it didn''tst for too long. As soon as Grandmaster Conrsd cleared his throat, all attention returned to him.


    "I understand your suggestion, Hero. If that is fine by everyone, we will split the rewards like that."


    As attention was cast on the remaining five, they had a choice to make.


    ept or refuse.


    "Of course, I have no problems with that!"


    "It''s cool."


    "No big deal. It''s not like we need that much money anyway."


    "As long as I get my cut, I''m fine."


    "I don''t agree. Pfft! I''m just messing with you! Look at your faces. Of course, I totally support it!"


    Belle, Trisha, rk, Eric, and Justin respectively had what they had to say.


    Thetter''s reaction was particrly troublesome, eliciting varying reactions from the parties involved.


    A few people poked Justin while others chuckled a little.


    However, none of them found his little attempts atic relief to be annoying.


    On the contrary; it was endearing.


    A lot of the tension that wafted through the air had been reduced, and smiles covered the faces of those who were present.


    "I''m d you all agree. We already hadpensation we wanted to give to the families of the deceased, so we will add the one percent to the initial sum." Conrad raised a brow and smiled softly.


    "Is that fine?"


    Without wasting much time, everyone responded in the affirmative.


    "Understood."


    **********


    Conrad went on to talk about a few more things; most of them having to do with allocation of the other percentage of resources.


    Unsurprisingly, Lucielle and Brutus were also recovering their own shares despite simply performing their sworn duties.


    No one had anyints, though. The reward was an inconsequential amount anyway, so it was pretty reasonable.


    ''This arrangement isn''t too bad. It''s pretty amazing what can happen when money starts flowing into your pockets.'' Rey thought to himself.


    The same Alliance that seemed on the verge of copse not too long ago now seemed to have a bright future ahead of it,


    It put a smile on his face.


    ''Now I can see why they had to send the deadweights away first. If they had stayed, most of them would just try to suck this Alliance dry of resources before ditching at thest minute.''


    At least, with this arrangement, only the truly helpful ones would get rewarded.


    "It took us nearly two days, but we have sessfully stored the Dragon Corpse and have started processing it." Conrad added, bringing Rey back into the conversation taking ce.


    Apparently, the Dragon Corpse was being processed to make special items for all nine of them.


    ''Hehe¡­ Sweet!'' Rey found himself grinning even wider.


    Monsters had special anatomies and qualities that made their parts extremely useful for things like armor and other kinds of equipment


    ''I''m sure the Dragon Commander''s carcass will be even more useful than a regr Monster hide.''


    It wasn''t that Rey wascking in Magic Items. In fact, he had a lot of them to spare; and he could probably get more if he wanted.


    ''The problem is that there''s only so many Items you can stack at the same time.''


    There was something known as ''Equip Limit''.


    It wasn''t a quantifiable thing, and everyone had their limits depending on Levels and other unknown factors¡ªmaybe talent of physiology.


    However, this ''Equip Limit'' made it impossible for a person to stack up more than a certain number of Items.


    ''My current limit is 30 Items.''


    It was a reasonably high number, considering the fact that most people couldn''t equip more than five.


    Twelve was the current best record, and yet he had managed to exceed twice that amount.


    Still, it felt a bit frustrating that he had the means to obtain more items, but even if he equipped them, their effects wouldn''t stack after he sessfully equipped thirty,


    ''I don''t know when or how the limit will increase, so the best thing I can do is rece the weaker Items with stronger ones.''


    Thus, he was looking forward to the Item he would get from the Dragon''s corpse.


    If it was something grand, he would use it in the stead of a less impressive tool.


    ''Besides, I''m pretty excited to see everyone else get stronger.''


    He wasn''t sure he could single-handedly topple down a Dragon Empire by himself.


    ''I need Adonis and everyone to get stronger. Of course, I won''t getcent too.''


    During the iing raid, he couldn''t afford to be left behind and outdone by Adonis¡­ or any other ssmate for that matter.


    ''We should all grow strong. And I should grow stronger.''


    They had to be ready for the war toe.


    All of them.


    *


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    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    One more chapter before the end of the Arc. I hope you''re all excited for whates next!

 Chapter 184 Dark Clouds

    <h4>Chapter 184 Dark Clouds </h4>


    "That is all for now. You can return to your rooms now and rx until further notice."


    Once Conrad said this, he bowed his head slightly¡ªsame as Vida, Lucielle, and Brutus.


    "We really appreciate you sticking with us despite all that has happened. Humanity thanks you."


    As always, Adonis tried to be humble, and a few students reacted awkwardly. Rey acted stupefied, and before anyone realized it, they were already on their way.


    As Conrad watched the Otherworlders leave, his smile grew broader, but a distant worry echoed in the depths of his eyes.


    "It seems like we haven''t suffered too much of a loss. We have more prospects than ever before, and we aren''t fighting on our own."


    The presence of the Otherworldersforted him, and therades that stood by his side.


    "Sir Ralyks will be here within five days, so we should make all the necessary arrangements for the Dungeon Raid."


    The mysterious man that they had only gotten to know about barely three days ago seemed to be their best bet and central figure in the sess of the nned Raid.


    If he didn''t show up, everything would crumble into pieces,


    But Conrad had hope. It was the same kind of irrational hope he had when he first heard Ralyks'' intentions of saving everyone by himself.


    Against all odds, the man seeded.


    As such, Grandmaster Conrad chose to ce his faith once again in the one whom the entire United Human Alliance relied on.


    The Dark Adventurer, Ralyks!


    "We still don''t know anything about him, though. All my connections tell me the same thing¡ªthat there is no top-ranked Adventurer with such a name." Lady Vida''s voice oozed with skepticism.


    Conrad couldn''t me her. She hadn''t met the man personally, so she couldn''t understand.


    "It''s possible that he is using an alter-ego. What matters is his strength and willingness to help." Conrad responded.


    "Besides¡­ it''s not like we have other options, right?"


    Vida sighed and reluctantly agreed.


    In the end, the current Otherworlders weren''t as strong as they needed them to be.


    Under the protection of this Adventurer, all of that was going to change very soon.


    If that was the only issue on ground, then smiles were meant to be nted on the faces of the four individuals present.


    Unfortunately, that wasn''t the case.


    "Did your connections tell you anything about the movements of the criminal underworld?"


    As Conrad asked this question, a few seconds of silence echoed in their midst.


    No one uttered a single word.


    Until finally¡­


    "No. No one is saying anything. This goes deeper than the surface, and not even my connections know what ising next."


    What the two were referring to was the recent power vacuum left behind as a result of the deaths of the previous rulers of the Criminal Underworld.


    With the demise of the three Royal Council Members that governed and regted activities in the ck Market, it was inevitable that those hidden in the darkness would begin to surface.


    If the Underworld¡ªwhich had grown considerablyrger than they could even fathom¡ªwas left unchecked, it could swallow the entire Alliance whole.


    "How about on your end? Have you been able to collect more information from Evals Redart?"


    "A-about that. He ended upmitting suicide during one of the investigations."


    The moment Conrad heard this from Brutus, his eyes widened in surprise.


    "W-what?!"


    "My apologies. We weren''t able to get any more than the location of a single central hub of criminal activities."


    It was difficult enough to extract information from someone as stubborn as Evals Redart, but he thought with Lucielle finally recovered, they could give it a try with Magic.


    Unfortunately, he died before they could even explore that option.


    "Haaa¡­ I guess it can''t be helped. It''s best we don''t focus on the unchangable."


    Tons of Magic and Skills existed, but there was none that could raise the dead.


    At least, not one the humans had.


    "What happens in this central hub? Where is this central hub located?" Vida spoke up, her gaze directed at the flustered and mortified Head Warrior.


    He wasn''t the one who led the investigation, but he was most likely taking responsibility for what happened.


    "We don''t know much about the specifics, but we know of the city where it happens."


    Every eye was on Brutus as he announced the name.


    "The Allied Merchant City."


    Everyone''s eyes widened at the sound of the ce of interest.


    The Allied Merchant City was the central hub ofmerce in the entire United Human Alliance.


    It generated over twenty percent of the total revenue that the Alliance used to operate.


    It was a hotspot of all kinds of trade andmercial activity, so while it was not surprising to see that shady business was being done there, the four were incredibly anxious about how to make their move.


    "What should we do?"


    Any wrong step, and they could copse a monolith that was keeping the current economy afloat.


    A small mistake couldpromise everything.


    "The situation is too delicate now, but if we don''t act quickly, things we''ll get even more unstable."


    This wasn''t a problem that concerned the Otherworlders, which was why they didn''t say anything to them about it,


    Even if they had done so, it wasn''t like any of them could help them out with it.


    In the end, it had to fall into the hands of them¡ªthe Royal Council.


    While the Otherworlders tried their hardest in the Royal Dungeon, they had to find a way to resolve the issue theyy before them.


    ¡­ Before it became a cancer that they could not control.


    "This ''Obsidian Council'', the ''ve Trade Association'', and the ''Mercenerary Gang''¡­ they have to be stopped somehow."


    Thebined body was called ''The Grand Triumvirate'' by the now deceased ve Trader, and for good reason.


    They ruled everything in the underworld.


    "It appears we were never as united as I had hoped." Conrad said bitterly as he looked at the three before him.


    Vida, Lucielle, and Brutus.


    They all knew the ugly truth at this point.


    "The Dragons aren''t our only enemies."


    *


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    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Sorry, but it looks like there''ll have to be one more chapter.


    I hope you can see the setup for what might end up being the best Arc yet.


    One more chap to go and it''s a wrap.

 Chapter 185 The Black Palace

    <h4>Chapter 185 The ck Pce </h4>


    There stood a dark castle at the very precipice of a massive mountain.


    The mountain was shrouded in darkness, and obsidian clouds floated above everything.


    ck grains of sand danced in the air as this single ominously gigantic castle elegantly sat at the heights of majesty.


    There was a valley beneath the mountain that served as an Estate.


    Several massive houses and colossal structures dered thendmark at the center. However, no matter how big or morous everything was, they were all submerged in inky ck.


    And the darkest of all¡­ remained the castle.


    Within the great structure, past its imposing gates, and inside the throne-room of absolute splendor, a being currentlyy on his pile of treasures that formed a throne.


    Multiple precious tones were mixed together with only the purest kinds of Magical Objects and Rare Ores.


    Mana Crystals grew all around the absurd, yet immensely beautiful throne that the great being was casuallyying on.


    The throne was vertically huge, but more so horizontally long, so it could contain the huge form of the one atop it.


    It had a soft cushion, so there was no way they would get ufortable.


    No one was in the throne-room except them, and due to their eyes being closed, it was clear that they were currently asleep.


    However, the two eyes of the slumbering beast slowly fluttered open.


    "Strange¡­" As they opened their jaws, a deep voice echoed throughout the throne-room.


    The glowing purple eyes of this entity shone through the area, piercing the darkness.


    "One of my children is dead¡­?"


    This being was what could be described as a Dragon; and not just any kind of Dragon.


    He was a Dragon Lord.


    ¡ªThe Dark Dragon of the ck Mountain.


    His current situation was a perplexing one, as one of his offsprings had met an untimely death.


    The reason he could detect it wasn''t due to a strong paternal bond between himself and his children, but the ''Bloodline Connection'' that all Monarchs had with their progeny.


    He couldn''t help but be connected to them, and once one life was snuffed out, he would instantly know.


    "Which one was it? All my kids are Generals, unless¡­ ahh¡­"


    It didn''t take long for the Dragon Lord to know the one that was dead.


    "Jar''rarid¡­ right? That was the name¡­ I think."


    He squinted his eyes and frowned his face, almost as if saying the name of the deceased Dragon brought nothing but a bitter taste to his mouth.


    That was how much he detested him.


    ''The weakest of my offspring. Shame upon my lineage¡­''


    He had been so ashamed of his idiotic and talentless son that he couldn''t have him in the Dragon Empire, so he gave him a job as a miner in the human ce.


    ''He was a miner, if I''m not wrong. Ahh, yes¡­ that''s about right.''


    The minerals he got from the Human Cities were quite subpar, all things considered.


    Since Mana didn''t flow as densely over there as it did in the Dragon Empire, it was a given that their materials would have less quality.


    However, since they were at least useful for something, the job that his useless son had made him contribute at least a little bit towards the Empire.


    ''His death isn''t really consequential. It''s not like we won''t live or function well without those minerals. But¡­''


    The Dark Dragon narrowed his eyes, staring emptily into space as he growled silently.


    Everything around him began to tremble in the presence of his almighty power.


    ''¡­ How exactly did he die in a Human City?''


    Rage, mixed with disgust and disappointment began to swirl within him,


    He was embarrassed that he had a son like that. Even in death, the useless bastard kept bringing shame to the legacy of Darkness.


    ''He got himself killed among the humans? Is this some sort of joke?''


    Sure, Jer''ard wasn''t the strongest Dragon around, but he was still a Dragon Commander¡ªfar above the Dragon Newts and Dragon Soldiers.


    ''Are there any other races in the Western Continent? I don''t think so.''


    Humans were the only ones who popted that entire parcel ofnd, which made it their usual yground.


    The truth was¡­ humans were hriously weak.


    They were perhaps the weakest of all the races in H''Trae.


    They barely had any natural abilities or talents, and none of their features gave them any major advantage in battle.


    They were nothing more than cannon fodder to be used when training Dragon Newts and Dragon Soldiers.


    A singlepetent Dragon Commander could probably alter the entire scope of battle if they were sent.


    He could have even sent his useless child, and the fool would have been able to annihte most of the humans there.


    The only reason he didn''t was because there was no need to.


    The struggle of humans didn''t have to end so quickly, so the tides of their battle was something they actively ensured wouldn''t fall too far out of bnce.


    If the Dragons were winning too much, they would lessen their forces, and if the humans were winning too much, they''d send some reinforcements.


    It was nothing more than that.


    ''And yet¡­ that idiot lost to them?''


    The Dragon Lord shifted on his throne, feeling the cushion rub on his scaly body.


    ''What a curious development. Which group defeated him? Did they gang up on him? Was it an ambush? We''re there special circumstances behind it?''


    The Dark Dragon had to admit that he was curious.


    As his eyes shone brighter, the six horns on his head became more pronounced.


    ''Is it possible that humans have gotten stronger? Maybe smarter?''


    Somehow, he doubted it.


    ''Either way, I think this is worth investigating.'' He slowly closed his eyes and returned his posture to the way it was before.


    As he gotfortable, he had one trailing thought.


    ''¡­ I''ll get to it as soon as I wake up.''


    Thus, the Dragon Lord returned to his slumber.


    This single act saved humanity from extinction at the hands of overwhelming power.


    They just didn''t know it yet.


    [End Of Arc 2: The Royal Dungeon Incident Arc]


    ~We will now be beginning Arc 3!~


    [Prepare for the Dark Undertaking Arc!]


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    This was more like a bonus chapter, so I hope you enjoyed it.


    Anyway! This is the end of the Second Arc.


    See ya!

 Chapter 186 The Creeping Darkness

    <h4>Chapter 186 The Creeping Darkness </h4>


    "You maye in."


    The moment this deep voice echoed within the very dark room, and beyond, a door slowly creaked open.


    The intruder was a man with slick brown hair, with bright green eyes, and a very ssy outfit¡ªa ck waistcoat on top of a formal shirt, ck trousers, and a neat tie.


    All in all, this man in his early thirties was very handsome in every sense of the word.


    He was Aldred Winsley¡ªBroker for the Karinc Group.


    At least, that was what his identity demanded.


    "Greetings, father." He bowed his head the moment he came in and closed the door within the dark office.


    "Sit."


    Aldred obeyed instantly, moving past thefortable couches that stood at the center of the room, but moved towards the chair in front of the man''s desk.


    The man he called father¡ªLord nc of the Obsidian Council¡ªsat calmly behind his desk


    His bright green gaze could pierce the eyes of anyone, and even though the office was dark, they glowed intensely.


    Aldred was used to this gaze, but even he still felt like prey being constantly watched by a predator.


    He sat in front of his father, separated only by the desk that stood between them.


    For a few seconds, no one spoke.


    Then¡ª


    "They''re acting much faster than I expected. Things are getting really unstable right now¡­"


    ¡ªLord nc spoke.


    He didn''t have his usual confident and imposing tone.


    Instead, a sort of worrying vibe took over his voice, as well as his countenance.


    It was easy to see that he was shaken by the current situation.


    "How bad is it, Father?"


    "Very bad. We can''t contact our prime buyer due to some kind of interference through our main channel. We''ve also lost contact with the merchandise we kept in the warehouse in the East."


    Their prime buyer resided far from the Capital, so the Karinc had gotten a vast patch ofnd where they constructed a massive warehouse to store the goods they would sell prior to the final sales.


    It was also a major part of their ''Expansion'' n.


    And now¡­ it was in shambles.


    "We are in a precarious state right now. If we do notplete that sale, then we''ll encounter a devastating loss. Plus, the fact that we''ve lost contact with the warehouse and the merchandise¡­ it worries me."


    Lord nc didn''t want to admit it directly, but Aldred understood what all of this meant.


    The Karinc Group was desperate.


    They needed help.


    "Have you tried seeking assistance from the rest of your colleagues? You know¡­ the ones that aren''t on ''their'' side?"


    As Aldred asked this question, Lord nc grunted and shrugged slightly.


    "They''re also like me¡ªtoo busy protecting their interests to spare time for another."


    As Aldred heard this, he understood.


    No wise drowning man would try to save another drowning man if he didn''t have some kind of life raft first.


    Lord nc had powerful connections, but since they were experiencing the same challenges as he was, they could not render their aid.


    "Is this what ''they'' wanted all along, or¡­?" As Aldred whispered this, sensing his Father''s increasing frustration, he racked his brain to think of a solution.


    In the end, he could only imagine one.


    "Sir Ralyks¡­ we could enlist the help of Sir Ralyks."


    The Dark Adventurer who was shrouded in mystery and power; the same one who had reached the realm of ''Absolute'', and possessed a wealth of resources that would make the Karinc Group richer than ever before.


    He was immensely resourceful, intelligent, and most of all¡­ overwhelmingly strong.


    There was none within the four walls of Karinc that didn''t know who this esteemed man was.


    "Sir Ralyks? Hmm¡­"


    Despite all of these qualities, Lord nc didn''t seem to jump at the idea.


    He maintained a critical air around him as he narrowed his eyes in hesitation.


    "He had all the qualities we need, right? Besides, to turn the tables, we need as many powerful allies as we can."


    Aldred continued speaking, a slight passion in his voice.


    "I have seen Sir Ralyks'' capabilities. He is a far better fighter than Yuri and a much better Mage than I am. The fact that he was able to deliver so many Monster Cores also means he is still hiding much of his strength."


    It was difficult¡ªif not downright impossible¡ªto find even a single w in the man.


    "I already know these things. I never doubted his capabilities in the slightest." Lord nc sighed.


    Once Aldred heard this, his face became twisted in confusion. If his father didn''t doubt Sir Ralyks'' capabilities, why did he show such hesitation?


    "Then¡ª!"


    "I''m just unsure of whether he''d choose to ally with us. Someone as powerful and intelligent as him will not be fooled by tricks. I find it doubtful that we have enough to thoroughly convince him to take our side, given the current precarious situation we are in."


    Once Lord nc said this, Aldred finally understood his father''s concerns.


    Sir Ralyks was too powerful to concern himself with a losing party''s issues.


    The only reason they had maintained a somewhat mutual understanding was because the Karinc Group could pull their own weight.


    Even then, they knew he couldn''t be stopped even if he chose to break their promise.


    However, now that they were sinking¡­ why would he choose to help?


    "I¡­ I believe he maye to our assistance." Aldred swallowed his saliva as he spoke.


    "We just have to be convincing enough."


    As Lord nc heard this, he narrowed his gaze on his son and told him to proceed.


    "He left his lover in our care, and we''ve taken proper care of her in his absence. I believe it takes some measure of trust in us for him to have done such a thing."


    "H-he did that¡­?" Lord nc''s eyes were wide open in surprise.


    Aldred was meant to inform him of every update about the man named Ralyks, but he could understand why this was never mentioned.


    It must have urred during the period when the Dragon Incident urred, and the capital began to tremble.


    In that case, there wouldn''t be enough time or a stable opportunity to tell him.


    After all, after that entire incident, their enemies sporadically began to make their move.


    "Lord Ralyks trusts us to an extent, Father. Besides, he is not an unreasonable man. He has listened to my selfish requests a lot of times, and if we can make it worth his while, I''m sure he would hear us out at the very least."


    Upon hearing this, Lord nc sighed a little and maintained a few seconds of silence.


    Aldred held his breath as he watched his father for the decision he would make concerning the issue.


    "I understand. Please arrange a meeting between me and Ralyks as soon as you can." He said, his bright eyes glinting with resolve.


    It is rumored that once Lord nc makes a decision, he sticks to it until the very end. The very expression that his father was making gave credence to those rumors.


    "I shall inform you when next hees to our establishment."


    "Yes, Father." Aldred bowed his head and smiled.


    The truth is, he wasn''t very certain if Ralyks'' would actually help them¡ªthough he desperately hoped that was the case..


    There were some within the Karinc Group who suspected that he was the one who defeated the Dragon that appeared in the Capital.


    Aldred was one of them.


    He truly believed that if anyone in the capital could achieve such a feat, it would be him.


    He just didn''t know how and why¡ªpretty much the circumstances surrounding the strange and mysterious event.


    "You may leave now."


    Aldred obeyed his Father''s words and rose to his feet the instant he was told to depart.


    He took his bow once he reached the door, and finally¡­ he Lord nc all alone in the room.


    "Haaa¡­" The Obsidian Councilor heaved a heavy sigh and closed his eyes in the dark.


    "I hope this all ends well."


    It would seem that the fate of the entire Karinc Group, as well as that of the entire Criminal Underworld, rested on the choice of a single man.


    ''Sir Ralyks¡­ please favor us.''


    *


    *


    *


    [Wee To The 3rd Arc: The Dark Undertaking Arc]


    This might end up being the darkest and most interesting adventure yet.


    As always, you might have to be a bit patient for the action, since a lot of setup had to be put in ce.


    But¡­ this is gonna be a wild ride.


    Hope you all stick around for it.


    Also¡­ Character Arts are on the app now, so please check them out and VOTE for your favorite characters.


    Thanks!

 Chapter 187 Silent Observations

    <h4>Chapter 187 Silent Observations </h4>


    "Pfft¡ª!"


    A boy and a girl walked side by side as they entered a very luxurious sitting room, with doors stered on multiple areas of the walls.


    The chandeliers that hung from the ceiling gave the room an air of prestige, and the freshly painted walls made it reminiscent of paradise.


    The ground was squally clean, covered in both squeaky clean tiles and carpets that were fluffy to the feet.


    Everything was pristine¡ªan epitome of perfection.


    However, neither the boy nor the girl paid any of these fine details any attention.


    They were used to it, after all.


    "Haha! For real?"


    "Yes! You really need to check it out!"


    "Well, since you asked so nicely."


    "Haha! Of course!"


    They both chuckled as they ventured further into the room, until they couldn''t advance any further.


    After all, they had separate rooms to enter.


    "I guess this is where we part ways, huh?" The boy with ck hair and an average height looked at the slightly taller girl beside him.


    He had a in, ordinary face that you could find just about anywhere.


    His brown eyes appareard ordinary as well, and he looked unassuming enough to be seen as a harmless person.


    Just an ordinary guy, really.


    "Yup! It''s getting prettyte, so I''m gonna turn in now."


    The girl who responded was someone who could be said to be the exact opposite of the boy.


    She was absolutely stunning from head to toe.


    Her long brown hair was enchanting, and her amber eyes were captivating. Her slender physique, with perfect proportions, made her the kind of girl who would qualify as any guy''s dream girl.


    It was surprising enough that she was talking to the boy in front of her so casually, but she actually seemed so immersed in the conversation that you''d think they were best friends.


    These two were Alicia and Rey, and after spending all day in the library, they were finally in their residence.


    Not only did they go there almost immediately after Grandmaster Conrad''s announcements, but they didn''t leave until now.


    It was already past 11 PM, and the two teenagers seemed to have enough energy to keep going.


    If not for the tiny strand of self control left in them¡­ they could have continued into the next day.


    "Alright, Alicia. Guess I''ll see you tomorrow."


    "Yup! Goodnight, Rey."


    Alicia went into her room, and Rey did the same¡ªalmost doing so at exactly the same time.


    They both noticed this and giggled as they shut the door to their rooms.


    The moment Rey entered his room, a clicking sound echoed, which signified it being locked.


    The room brightened up thanks to the Luminous Stones that were automatically turned on using Magic anytime they detected his presence.


    He could always turn them off manually, though.


    "Haaaa¡­"


    Rey looked at his room, realizing this was the first time in a few days since he actually spent time in it.


    ''I was gone for two days and none of them were even worried¡­''


    Apparently, the reason they weren''t too concerned was because Ralyks assured them that he would be safe, and that he could always detect his location.


    Ignoring how creepy that sounded, Rey didn''t even remember he said something like that.


    ''Must be a bullshit excuse I came up with to exin away my absence back then¡­''


    He shrugged off the thought and copsed on his bed, feeling its soft embrace while closing his eyes.


    Taking deep breaths, he made afortable smile.


    "Alicia¡­"


    Unfortunately, the smile did notst for too long. The moment he uttered that name, a slight darkness clouded his face.


    ''We talked about a lot today: mostly books and all the drama I missed while I was away.''


    Since Rey had to y the fool, she had to tell him all about the Royal Dungeon Incident¡ªat least, what she heard from what everyone was saying.


    It was thanks to her ount that he was able to gain a lot more perspective on the situation of Adonis'' team before he rescued them.


    ording to the gist, they were only there for a couple of hours, yet it seemed they had spent all day in the Dungeon.


    ''I knew it! Time moves faster in the 99th Floor!'' He had beamed at himself at the time.


    The most important thing to note was their struggle against the Dragon; especially Adonis'' fight.


    He had to admit¡­ the Hero was strong.


    However, now that Rey understood the entire gist, he now knew for sure¡ª


    ¡ªAdonis wasn''t stronger than him.


    ''It seems I''ve finally surpassed Adonis. But, it''s not like I feel satisfied or anything¡­''


    All things considered, Rey was able to get theplete gist of the situation.


    He was d he came at the time that he did.


    If that wasn''t the case, everyone else could have died.


    ''I have a Skill that can heal practically anything and cure all ailments. But I can''t cure death.''


    Once a person died, that was the end of it.


    Still, despite all of these heavy thoughts, none of them were the cause of Rey''s disturbed expression.


    No¡­ this stemmed from something else.


    "She didn''t mention anything about the kidnapping."


    Not even a single detail.


    He and Alicia had talked about a multitude of topics, but anytime he tried to bring her to the issue of her kidnapping, she constantly deflected.


    After trying it two to three times, she straight up told him she didn''t want to talk about it.


    Once Rey heard that, hepletely backed off.


    ''I mean, I was there. I know everything that happened, and I know the story that led to it. But¡­''


    Rey sighed as he blinked rapidly.


    He couldn''t keep his sight steady with so many worrying thoughts swirling in his mind.


    ''I''m no good in situations like this. I just hope she''s fine.''


    Rey couldn''t force her to talk about it.


    He only hoped that once she was ready, she would tell him and they could sort things out together.


    He didn''t know when and how it all happened, but at this point, Rey already considered Alicia an important part of his life.


    He also hoped that was how she saw him too.


    ''I don''t want to make her uneasy, so I''ll back off. We can still have fun like usual.''


    Once he resolved that in his thoughts, his mind moved on to other things.


    ''Now that we''re only nine, I thought we would have some sort of meeting together. Adonis would have organized everything too¡­''


    From what Rey could see, though, Adonis appeared very distracted.


    It seemed like he was constantly thinking about a lot.


    ''I would like to ask him, but¡­ nah!''


    He and Adonis weren''t particrly close, and he didn''t want to cross the boundaries they had already established around each other.


    ''The whole situation must just have him rattled, that''s all.''


    Despite how powerful and idealistic Adonis was, he was still only a teenager.


    It was natural to feel these things.


    ''Right now, I should perhaps be more concerned about keeping an eye on Billy to make sure he doesn''t do anything stupid again.''


    From the little Rey observed, Billy didn''t seem like he would do anything, but he couldn''t be too sure.


    ''I can''t getcent about him. Not again.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Do you think Billy has changed his ways? Or is he nning something else?

 Chapter 188 Practical Objectives

    <h4>Chapter 188 Practical Objectives </h4>


    Once Rey settled all the floating thoughts in his mind, he pulled out a crumpled envelope from his pocket.


    It was the letter that Noah gave him since the start of the day.


    ''I still haven''t read it.''


    Rey tore through the envelope and brought out the white sheet that was trapped inside.


    He was still on his bed when he turned to lie on his belly, cing the paper in front of him so he could read its contents.


    ~Dear Rey


    Ah¡­ what am I saying? How do I even put this?


    I just wanted to let you know that I''ve made up my mind about all of this. After seeing that Dragon yesterday, I realize that I just can''t cope with this.


    I want to live a normal life, no matter what.


    Sorry, my thoughts and words are all jumbled up. My hand still trembles whenever I remember the entire thing that went down.


    As much as I want to tell myself that I can get stronger to face the Dragons, I know myself. I''m not cut out for this stuff.


    So¡­ I think I''ll leave and go to a quiet city where I can live a stable life. There doesn''t yet seem to be a way to return home, so there''s no use sticking around.


    If you do find a way to return to Earth, please don''t gatekeep it.


    COME AND FIND ME, PLEASEEEE!!!


    I wish you well. You seem to fit in so well in this world that I find it almost absurd.


    Hopefully, you survive till the very end.


    I''ll be rooting for you in my warm mansion.


    Your loyal subordinate¡­ Noah!~


    "Pfft! This guy¡­ he remained an idiot until the very end."


    Rey found himself chuckling as he read the letter.


    Despite smiling at the silly thing in front of him, he felt a deep pain in his chest.


    It didn''te from any kind of external damage, and Rey didn''t think he was physically hurt.


    He just felt strangely pained by the whole thing.


    To Rey, it felt just like losing his close friend all over again.


    "I''ll miss you, buddy."


    He wasn''t too worried about Noah, considering the fact that he was rtively on the stronger sidepared to the people of this world.


    ''He also has hundreds of tinum Coins, so he should be able to live a fairlyfortable life.''


    Rey also knew how Noah had matured in both business and general perspective as a whole.


    He was sure the boy wouldn''t get so easily swindled.


    ''Or maybe he will. How can I know?''


    Rey crumpled the note along with the envelope and threw it towards the bin that sat at an inconspicuous corner in the room.


    The crumpled paper perfectlynded inside the bin, causing the boy to leak out a stifled smile.


    "Hehe¡­"


    Despite his own maturity, he couldn''t escape the thrill any teenager would feel when they got their aim perfectly right.


    He sat up from his bed and sighed, feeling the pleasant emotion evaporating in no time.


    ''I just can''t forget it¡ªthat face.''


    The grinning face of the mastermind, as he turned and smiled in Rey''s direction¡­


    ''It¡ªno, HE¡ªtroubles me.''


    Adrien Chase was the mastermind, but Rey knew absolutely nothing about him.


    The boy stood out even less than he did.


    ''There''s no way to track him down now, so I can only hope he doesn''t cause any more havoc.''


    At the very least, Rey hoped he wouldn''t have anything more to do with Adrien now that the boy was gone.


    However, something told him their eventual confrontation was inevitable.


    ''At least he''s not evil. I should probably stop thinking about him and focus on the matters that are within my control.''


    With that thought, Rey exhaled deeply and considered the two most important things he had to do at the current moment.


    ''First is to go and see the Half-Elf.''


    He had abandoned her at the Karinc Group''s building, but since he didn''t think she was in any danger, he hadn''t been in a rush to get her back.


    After all, where exactly would he put her?


    ''I''ll just trust that Aldred and everyone over there have been taking good care of her.''


    Rey initially wanted to go see her during the day, or maybe in the night, but he and Alicia spent so much time together that he lost track of time.


    ''I''ll have to see her tomorrow, then.''


    The second thing that he had to do¡ªwhich he nned on starting now¡ªinvolved himself.


    "Status Window."


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Rey Skr.


    - Race: Human (Otherworlder)


    - ss: Anomaly (A-Tier)


    - Level: 99 (78.54% EXP)


    - Life Force: 72 (+158)


    - Mana Level: 189 (+158)


    - Combat Ability: 130 (+158)


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Doppel]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Fusion/Fission]. [Merger]


    - Alignment: Neutral Good


    [Additional Information]


    You are an irregrity to the world. Achieving the unbelievable, shaking the bnce of reality¡­ you seek to overturn what is and isn''t.


    Will you seed? Or will your failure be miserable?


    [End Of Information]


    ''I''ve grown rtively stronger, but without relying on Items, my Base and Bonus Stats are still quite low.''


    After facing the Dragon Commander Jer''ard, Rey realized just how low his Stats were.


    If it wasn''t for thebination of all his Skills, he would have lost terribly.


    ''Speaking of Skills¡­''


    That was precisely why he had opened his Status Window.


    "Doppel: Disy all Skills."


    Responding to hismand, a system panel popped up, revealing his Skills.


    All 76 of them.


    ''My goal is to use [Merger] andbine my Skills¡ªespecially the lower tier Skills together so they can be more effective,''


    Rey somewhat regretted letting go of some of his older Skills, since they could have been used as growth fodder now, but it was toote for that.


    He couldn''t have foreseen this sort of development.


    ''If Ibine the Lower-Tier Skills, and all the Skills that have very highpatibility, I can free up space in my arsenal.''


    Having too many Skills to call on was also too bothersome for Rey, so he preferred keeping thingspact if he could.


    ''I''ll also need to restructure the categories I ced earlier.'' He noted to himself as he looked at all the Skills disyed before him.


    It was going to be quite the chore, but Rey was determined to see things through to the end.


    ''Alright¡­ let''s begin!''


    *******


    [Some Time Later]


    "Ahh¡­ finally done!"


    It took Rey over two hours toplete what he set out to do.


    He hadn''t expected it to take so long, and the tired expression on his face was enough proof of that.


    Unfortunately for him, there was one major factor he never factored in when he considered the time he would dedicate towards merging his Skills.


    [Merging Process]!


    Depending on the quality of the Skills being merged, and the Skill that would be born, it could range between a minute to nearly twenty.


    He also had to carefully pick what Skills to merge with what others skills, which ended up taking additional minutes.


    As a result, a lot of time ended up passing by in the blink of an eye.


    "At least, it ended up being productive." Rey smiled as he looked at the System Panel before him.


    ''Perfect!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Apologies for the slow pace. The beginning always has to be like this to set things up.


    Let''s just keep moving, shall we?

 Chapter 189 Return To The KariBlanc Group

    <h4>Chapter 189 Return To The Karinc Group </h4>


    [Skill Categories]


    ~ SS-Tier: 3


    ~ S-Tier: 8


    ~ A-Tier: 8


    ~ B-Tier: 12


    ~ C-Tier: 3


    [New Skills: Please Select Their Categories]


    ~Nil~


    [Total Skills: 34]


    Rey smiled as he looked at his new sets of categories.


    ''The whole Attack, Defense, Buff, and Auxiliary thing just doesn''t cut it anymore.''


    Some of his Skills had oveps with these categories, so he felt it would be too confusing to ce them in a single box when they checked multiple ones.


    ''Right now, I have 34 Skills; 27 of them are Active and 7 are Passive.''


    He had also managed to increase the number of his higher Tier Skills while having a reduced amount of lower Tier Skills.


    ''It''s better to have fewer Skills that are more effective than a bunch of trash Skills.''


    To Rey, quality far outweighed quantity.


    In the fight against the Dragon, he had seen this exact philosophy being the perfect position to have.


    Back then, Rey had to either abandon or jointly use all his Low-Tier Skills to even think of damaging the thing.


    It went to show how ineffective they would be against powerful foes.


    ''Now that I have [Merger], this arrangement is the best.''


    Once he finally settled on the thought, Rey could feel his body nearing its limits.


    "Fuaaah!" He yawned while stretching his arms.


    ''It''s 3:00 AM, and I''m still awake. Damnit¡­''


    Thankfully there wasn''t training for the time being. He couldn''t imagine the suffering he would have to endure if that was the case.


    ''I''ll still have to wake up early, though.''


    He had to go to the Karinc Group to figure out what to do with the Half-Elf, after all.


    With that thought in mind, Rey copsed on his bed and enjoyed a nice sleep.


    *********


    [The Next Day]


    A dark cloaked man stepped out of a swirling rupture in space, his form the very personification of mysterious strength.


    The purplish blue portal behind the man copsed the moment he appeared, causing space to return to normal.


    He appeared at the doorstep of the Karinc Group''s massive building, his presence oozing nothing short of intimidation.


    The guards who saw him instantly bowed and parted ways for him to enter.


    Once he got in, he was weed by the staff, and he was escorted by an especially beautifuldy who donned the Karinc Group''s uniform.


    She smiled sweetly at him, maintaining a few inches behind him, while making sure she walked as gracefully and respectfully as she could.


    Everyone in this building knew just how important he was, and any single mistake made could result in severe consequences.


    They ascended the stairs that led to the first floor, and after passing the grand hallway, they arrived at the exquisite Lounge prepared for his exclusive use.


    For Sir Ralyks, he deserved at least this much.


    "You can leave now." The man in ck told his attendant, and she bowed her head and exited the room after opening the door for him.


    As she left, he walked in¡ªhis mask hiding any vestige of emotion.


    *******


    "Haaa¡­"


    Rey entered the freshly scented ce, feeling the cool andfortable ambiance of the ce.


    He had forgotten all about the amazing reception he always got from the Karinc group.


    Perhaps that was due to the fact that he watched as they mercilessly murdered their enemies.


    He knew they were a savage bunch and didn''t trust them in the slightest.


    To be honest, the only reason he was here¡ªapart from getting the Half-Elf¡ªwas that he wanted to sell his new set of Monster Cores.


    ''If I can make money from them, and get new Items, that would be nice¡­''


    It wasn''t like he needed money at the moment, but Rey had a feeling he would be relying on it in the future.


    Besides, there wasn''t really anything like having ''too much'' money.


    ¡­ Right?


    ''Well, it''s not apulsory arrangement. I''ll just have to wait and see how this whole thing goes.''


    The primary goal remained ensuring the Half-Elf''s safety and also figuring out what to do about her.


    ''Ah¡­ he''s here!''


    Rey maintained his sitting posture as he heard a slight knock on the door before it creaked open.


    Appearing inside the room was the slick and absolutely stunning Broker¡ªAldred Winsley.


    He was wearing his dark waistcoat, as usual, with his formal shirt and ck trousers. His tie was expertly done, and while both his hand sleeves were folded up, it didn''t subtract from his neat appearance.


    Aldred appeared to be nothing short of a gentleman.


    However, Rey couldn''t be fooled by the man''s gentle appearance and ''nice'' facade.


    He knew full well what kind of man Aldred really was.


    ¡ªA Killer!


    Rey fought back a gulp as Aldred smiled at him with a genuine look of relief and pleasant surprise.


    "Sir Ralyks, it''s so nice to see you. I apologize foringte, I just had to arrange a couple of things first before arriving."


    As soon as Aldred said this, he sat down and gave Rey the most innocent smile anyone can make.


    "I''m so happy to see you are well."


    Rey quickly nced away due to how ufortable Aldred''s smile made him.


    That was when he noticed something.


    ''Hm? Someone is still behind the door?'' He slowly titled his neck with interest.


    As soon as he thought that, Aldred''s voice burst forth.


    "A-ah! Sorry about that, Sir Ralyks. I assumed she would enter after I came in."


    ''He must have noticed that I detected someone behind the door. Also¡­ she?'' As Rey was having this go on in his head, Aldred spoke up.


    "Pleasee in, Miss. Sir Ralyks is waiting for you."


    After he said this, there was no response from behind the door.


    And then, a few secondster¡ª


    ~CREAK~


    ¡ªThe door slowly opened.


    Pale white hands held the knob as a girl entered the room.


    The moment Rey saw her, his eyes widened¡ªnearly bulged¡ª


    beneath his mask.


    ''T-that is¡­?!''


    He couldn''t believe what he was seeing with his own two eyes.


    ''¡­ It''s her!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I wonder what had Rey so flustered. In any case, I guess I''m sort of excited about the whole Half Elf girling into y.


    Maybe she could pose a challenge to Alicia.


    ¡­ Or not.

 Chapter 190 A Mortifying Misunderstanding

    <h4>Chapter 190 A Mortifying Misunderstanding </h4>


    An Angel.


    That was the best way to describe the person he was currently looking at.


    She had long ck hair that sharply contrasted her pale skin. Her blue eyes looked like the ocean¡ªor maybe the most precious kind of sapphire.


    She wore a ck gown that was decorated with traces of blue embroidery.


    A precious ne hung around her neck, gleaming with colors that matched her gem-like eyes.


    She looked absolutely majestic as she walked closer, though her aloof face made her seem more like a sculpted statue than a kind presence.


    ''It''s her? There''s¡­ no way! S-she''s gorgeous!''


    Rey could barely recognize the girl as the Half-Elf he had saved the other day.


    Sure, they shared certain features, but this girl was beautiful¡ªtoo beautiful.


    She was the prettiest person he had ever seen.


    ''I think only Seraph is prettier. What the hell?!''


    As her beauty captivated him, Rey felt increasingly grateful for the mask he had on his face.


    He was certain he was currently gawking at her like an idiot.


    After taking a few steps away from the closed door, the pretty maiden stopped dead in her tracks and looked just like a statue.


    She said nothing, made no gestures, and Rey didn''t even see her blink.


    She just¡­ stood there.


    "She hasn''t uttered a single word since she woke up. I don''t know why, but perhaps you do, Sir Ralyks."


    As Aldred''s words broke the silence, Rey found himself gently nodding his head.


    He was too deep in thought to reply.


    ''Didn''t she have short hair when I saw her? She''s grown her hair out already? And what''s with the quality of that skin?''


    Even though he healed her back then, she was still dirty. He wasn''t able to see past all the grime.


    But now¡­ she looked like a brand new person.


    ''Looks like it was the right call to bring her here. These people really took care of her.'' Rey slowly removed his gaze from the beauty.


    It was hard, but his willpower was enough to save him from her entrapping gaze.


    "Sorry for abruptly cing her under your care without informing you. You did an excellent job taking care of her."


    "Haha! What are you saying? This much is nothing, Sir Ralyks."


    As expected, Aldred tried to be as generous to him as possible. While Rey appreciated the gesture, he knew he had to press on even further.


    "I''m serious. How can Ipensate you for your troubles?"


    In response to Rey''s question, it seemed Aldred wanted to say something.


    However, he quickly decided against it and shook his head.


    "There''s no need forpensation, Sir Ralyks. Our rtionship runs a lot deeper for you this small gesture to warrantpensation."


    The moment Rey heard this, he sighed internally.


    He knew there was something the man was hiding, but it wasn''t like he could force Aldred to speak his mind.


    "Very well then."


    He gave one more nce at the statue-like girl a short distance from him, and suddenly doubts began to echo in his mind.


    ''She really looks so still. Is she even alive? Hold on¡­!''


    In the end, he had to resort to [Absolute Appraisal].


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Esme


    - Race: Half-Elf (Human and Elf)


    - ss: Commoner (F-Tier)


    - Level: 1 (91.34% EXP)


    - Life Force: 100/100


    - Mana Level: 200/200


    - Combat Ability: 3


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Absolute Appraisal]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Grand Magic Mastery]. [Grand Magic Application]. [Greater Mana Recovery]


    - Alignment: Neutral Good


    [Additional Information]


    A genius due to her superior Elf bloodline, but has been limited by her human genes and her unfortunate circumstances.


    She is profoundly grateful towards you, but still very troubled and requires your assistance.


    ¡­ Help her.


    [End Of Information]


    ''Ah! So her name is Esme!''


    It seemed like she had made a perfect recovery. Still, the fact that the System was still insisting on him helping her made Rey slightly on edge.


    ''Well, as long as it''s not detrimental to me, then I''ll try. At the very least, I''ve confirmed that it''s actually her.''


    He still couldn''t get over how crazy her Stats were.


    Even though Otherworlders were meant to be much stronger than the denizens of this world, he doubted any of his ssmates had the kind of Stats this girl had at just Level 1.


    Her potential was too much.


    "Sir Ralyks¡­?"


    Rey''s gaze shifted to Aldred, who was smiling at him.


    ''I must have missed what he said.''


    Right now, his thoughts were a mess. However, he quickly pulled himself together by taking a couple of deep breaths.


    ''I wonder¡­'' Rey narrowed his gaze on the Broker and activated [Absolute Appraisal].


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Asher nc


    - Race: Human


    - ss: Heir (C-Tier)


    - Level: 99 (99.99% EXP)


    - Life Force: 30[90]


    - Mana Level: 50/50 [150]


    - Combat Ability: 21 [80]


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Experience Gain]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Magic Knowledge]. [Quick Casting]. [Basic Elemental Affinity].


    - Alignment: Lawful Evil


    [Additional Information]


    Current Heir to the Karinc Group and the son of the nc Councilor of the Obsidian Council. He is currently undercover as a Broker as a part of his training.


    The only two people he respects are his Father and Ralyks.


    [End Of Information]


    ''E-eh¡­?''


    Rey was surprised, to say the least, the moment he saw all that was disyed before him.


    First of all, the guy he knew as Aldred didn''t exist.


    Not only was his name fake, but his entire identity was also not real.


    ''He''s actually a big deal here!''


    Rey knew he had no right to feel betrayed since he had also done the same¡ªhiding his real identity.


    ''Besides, it''s not like he did it specifically for me or anything. It''s training, huh?''


    Rey could already figure out that Aldred¡ªor rather, Asher¡ªwas being trained to inherit the Criminal Empire that he was born into.


    ''I better be more careful around him.''


    There was one more surprising detail, though. Well, it wasn''t really surprising for Rey since he noticed it when fighting Evals Redart too.


    ''Looking at the Stat distribution, I think it''s safe to conclude that they only get one Stat Point per Level Up.''


    Even as a Commoner, he usually received 3 Stat Points per Level Up. Compared to that, Asher''s Level and Stats showed his allocation was lesser.


    It went to show that being an Otherworlder¡ªeven one with an F-Tier ss¡ªmade him a formidable force.


    That was probably why no native in the Royal Estate really looked down on him. Given enough time, he was bound to surpass someone who was of an even higher Level than him.


    ''I''m guessing his ss isn''t suited forbat, which is why there''s no additional benefit in terms of Bonus Stats.''


    Rey wondered what Asher''s privileges were, but it onlysted a moment.


    He had to be wary of the [Alignment] that he glossed over the first time he looked through the Stats.


    ''He''s Lawful Evil, eh? I guess that means he had a code.''


    Rey smiled in relief, especially since the System established that he was in Asher''s good graces.


    ''I better respond to him now.'' After realizing he had been too deep in thought, Rey finally made his decision.


    "Could you repeat what you just said? I didn''t hear any of it."


    He decided to go down the honest path.


    "A-ah! I''m sorry. I should have spoken clearer." Aldred/Asher appeared flustered as soon as Rey made his statement.


    ''He''s ming himself? And it looks like he''s being for real too!''


    What Rey meant was that he wasn''t paying any attention to Asher''s words, but thetter must have taken it a different way.


    ''Welp! As long as it''s not detrimental to me, I should let him think whatever.''


    Aldred then proceeded to repeat his words.


    "I noticed your Lover¡ªthe Miss¡ªwasn''t wearing the White Amber, so I was just asking if something happened."


    The moment Rey heard this, he felt a slight tingle down his spine.


    It was probably just his imagination, but it felt like Esme''s eyes twitched and she nced at him.


    "I told you already! She''s not my lover. And yes, I needed the ring for something, so I borrowed it from her."


    Rey felt his heart racing as his hidden cheeks disyed shades of pink.


    Once again, he was grateful for his mask.


    ''Why''d you have to embarrass me like that, Aldred¡ªah, I mean, Asher!''


    There was nothing more mortifying than being paired up with a beauty without consent.


    What was he supposed to say?!


    "Ahh¡­ then I apologize for misunderstanding. Would you like us to make another White Amber for the Miss?"


    Rey wanted to shout an outright "NO!"


    The ring was meant for Alicia, and he never had any intentions of changing that.


    ''But¡­ what if this causes moreplications in the future? Besides, Esme could maybe use something to keep her safe.''


    The look on Asher''s face showed that he was willing to do it as a favor, so Rey had to fold.


    "Fine¡­"


    In the end, he just had to give in.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Sorry if the entire drama is boring you. Please be patient and push through.


    We''ll get to the fun bits soon.

 Chapter 191 Alone Together

    <h4>Chapter 191 Alone Together </h4>


    "Alright, Sir Ralyks. I''ll make sure we start working on it as fast as we can!"


    The enthusiasm in Asher''s face made Ralyks feel a bit guilty, but he swallowed it in.


    ''He''s acting a bit too young now. I wonder if this is his real appearance.''


    If Rey had to guess, then Asher seemed more like a younger man than someone in his thirties.


    ''He''s in Level 99, which is pretty impressive. I would think he was older, but that Exclusive Skill of his makes me think he Levels Up faster than others.''


    Of course, Rey knew this was all arbitrary, so he didn''t give it much thought.


    ''From the looks of his Stats, it seems like he''s stuck in Level 99.''


    Based on what he read in the Royal Library, humans had something called ''Level Caps''


    It meant that at a certain point, they couldn''t get any stronger¡ªor smarter.


    They would reach a limit that was impossible to ovee, thus preventing the humans of H''Trae to grow beyond their limits.


    ''That''s one of the reasons why people eventually rely on Enchanted Items and seek out more Skills.''


    These were ways in which people could improve their abilities without relying on Levels and Stats.


    ''But, there''s a way to ovee the Level Cap. I''m sure he knows that too¡­'' Rey felt his smile widen.


    The solution was simple.


    ¡ªA higher ss!


    A Commoner''s Level Cap was usually Level 30, and each Tier of sses had their limits.


    From what he heard about Brutus and Lucielle, they were both in Level 150, so he had to guess that the limits of B-Tier sses were at that point.


    ''C-Tier sses seem to have a cap of 100, or should I say 99? Pretty much, I guess¡­''


    Unfortunately for the people of H''Trae, changing sses was a very difficult thing to do¡ªespecially past the C-Tier.


    Rey was sure that even if the ''Heir'' ss changed into ''Obsidian Councilor'', it would still be a C-Tier ss.


    The effects would change, sure, but the ss'' Tier would remain the same.


    It was very rare for people have B-Tier sses.


    ''But that''s enough about Asher. I should get to the serious matters.'' Rey sighed silently as he nced at the girl that stood at the corner.


    "I''d like to have a private chat with her. Could you excuse us?"


    Asher rose to his feet without question, nodding as he did so.


    "Understood. I will be taking my leave now."


    True to his word, Asher left the couch and left the room in a jiffy¡ªalmost as if he was in a hurry even,


    Once he was gone, only Rey and Esme remained in the lounge.


    ''Well¡­ this is a little awkward.''


    Rey pulled himself together and decided to fully immerse himself in his Ralyks persona.


    "You can sit down now. I''ve confirmed the seat won''t harm you in any way. I''ve also cast Sound Magic, and taken other defensive measures to ensure you''ll be safe, undetected, and unharmed."


    Rey said this mechanically, almost as if he too was an unfeeling machine.


    As he gazed at her, he maintained his posture.


    ''What will you do now¡­?'' His thoughts trailed as a few seconds of silence passed.


    Much to his relief, she finally moved from her position and copsed on the couch.


    Her body slightly bounced as she did so, and once again, her face twitched.


    ''Is it ufortable?'' Rey couldn''t tell since her expression returned to the stoic kind in no time at all.


    ''I can''t get a read on her at all.''


    It felt like a chore to get through this, especially considering how she looked his age.


    ''I mean, Alicia is also a girl and I get along perfectly well with her. What''s causing so much friction here?''


    Rey seemed to be ignoring the fact that he was currently Ralyks, and he had an imposing aura around him.


    The girl before him was also far prettier than Alicia, though her proportions were a bitcking.


    If Trisha was on the high side, and Alicia was on the medium, well proportioned side¡­ then Esme¡ªthe Half-Elf before him¡ª could be said to be on the low end.


    She wasn''t sh as a washboard, but she also wasn''t particrly endowed with the curves that his two female ssmates had.


    ¡­ Not that it diminished her beauty in any way.


    "A-ahem! In any case, I just want to tell you that I have no intentions of hurting you. You''re safe here, I can assure you of that."


    Even though this was technically the ck Market, and the people here were cold-blooded killers, he could guarantee that no harm woulde to her.


    Rey didn''t know if that would be enough, and she could take his words for it.


    Fortunately for him, he didn''t have to wonder for too long.


    "I believe you."


    Her sonorous voice was like music to his ears, causing his tense body to rx.


    Her bright blue eyes glowed, and a small smile spread across her cute face.


    This was the first time he was seeing her smile, and his heart neatly skipped a beat¡ªmaybe two, or three.


    ''S-she looks even¡­ prettier!''


    Rey never thought that was even possible, but apparently¡­ it was!


    ''She''s using her [Absolute Appraisal] Skill on me, huh?''


    Heughed a little awkwardly, feeling a little too exposed as she did so.


    He practically felt naked.


    ''It''s ufortable, but it can''t be helped. If it helps her trust me, then okay. Besides, she already knows my identity, so¡­''


    It wasn''t like he didn''t do the same to her anyway, so there was no use getting caught up in that.


    "You''re a good person." Her words shocked Rey as her melodious voice danced in the air.


    Rey felt his heart race as he looked at her smile once again; this time even brighter than before.


    As her moist lips opened to form even more words, Rey found his eyes focusing on them.


    "To see such a strong, yet good person here¡­ I''m relieved."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Don''te charging at me, okay?


    I know you are all still behind Alicia, but it is what it is.


    Pray Esme doesn''t steal Rey from her.

 Chapter 192 Good And Evil [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 192 Good And Evil [Pt 1] </h4>


    "I couldn''t speak to them because¡­ they were scary. Bad people¡­ they were all bad people."


    As Rey heard Esme mutter those words, he began to understand a little more about her.


    ''She must have seen their Alignments and noticed the Evil attached.''


    Rey wasn''t so sure if ''Alignments'' properly made a person Good or Bad.


    He remembered feeling frustrated after seeing that Billy had a ''Good'' Alignment, thinking it had to be a farce.


    But, in actuality, Alignments were based on the personal values of an individual and how they interacted with the world around them.


    To Billy, his actions were good, but he did them in evil ways, which made him have the [Chaotic Good] Alignment.


    It was his own subjective definition of ''good'' mixed in with the actions of the opposite proportions.


    ''I think men like Asher know what kind of actions they engage in. Still, they indulge in it because it''s the only path they can take or desire to take to get to their goals.''


    For Asher and many members of the Karinc Group, Rey assumed they operated on self-interest, and they would do anything to gain profit¡­ as long as it was in ordance with their code.


    ''That''s why¡­ I don''t think there''s any good or bad people here.''


    Rey could never proim himself as a good person.


    And he could neverpletelybel Asher as a bad person.


    In the end, they were just performing good or bad deeds using their own subjective motivations and interpretations to guide them.


    ''I can''t tell her any of that, though.'' Rey sighed internally and nodded slowly at her words.


    "I understand." He could only mutter.


    "I trust you because you''re Neutral Good. You also saved me, so¡­"


    As her voice trailed, he founded gaze wandering.


    ''Is she worried about the other ves?'' Once he had this thought, exude tofort her a little.


    "Don''t worry. I saved everyone. They were taken to the Royal Estate, so they should all be with their families shortly."


    Rey knew life wasn''t as simple as that, but for the sake of the innocent-looking girl in front of him, he had to make it seem so.


    "A-ah¡­ that''s a relief." Esme smiled, though her gaze still seemed distracted.


    ''That isn''t it? Then why is she looking like that? Come to think of it¡­ I know nothing about her!''


    Even though the System said she was a Half-Elf, she looked pretty human to him.


    She didn''t even have pointy ears or blond hair that Elves were known for.


    She just looked like a really, REALLY pretty girl. Perhaps even a princess of some faraway kingdom or something.


    ''But her Stats don''t lie. She''s definitely special.'' With that in mind, Rey proceeded with his question.


    "Could you tell me your story? How did you end up where I found you?"


    There were a bunch of things he was curious about, that was the first and foremost.


    ''I can at least get a glimpse into her background and figure out her origins. Maybe even learn more about Elves¡­''


    "My story, huh? To be honest, it''s nothing too special." As Esme spoke, her gaze seemed to be on something far away.


    Her emotionless face made it seem like a statue was speaking.


    "I never knew my real parents. I was found and raised by the Orphanage where I grew up. Many times, families would want to adopt me, but I refused each one."


    "Why? Because they were bad?"


    Esme nodded with some hidden enthusiasm the moment Rey asked the question.


    It felt a little endearing seeing her, with her stoic face, disy so much energy.


    "I told the Orphanage of my gift, and I aided them in properly appraising anyone who wanted to adopt a child. I became indispensable to them, to the point that they finally agreed to let me remain there."


    Her small smile showed Rey that she indeed enjoyed her time in the Orphanage. They were probably the only family she wanted.


    As such, it was a mutually beneficial arrangement for both sides.


    "Once I became an adult, I took on more important roles in the Orphanage and took care of the kids there. Most of the people I grew up with had gone, but a few of us remained."


    Esme went on to exin some mundane activities that they did in the Orphanage and how it was managed.


    Rey thought she would go on forever, but he didn''t stop her.


    He couldn''t.


    "I¡­ was happy then."


    The fond eyes she used to look into the distance, and the sweet smile that radiated from her face as she recollected the good times¡­ Rey took all of them in.


    However, all of those were soon discarded as soon as she continued her story.


    A dark cloud came over her bright face, and her eyes darkened almost instantly.


    As she exined the horrors that came next, even Rey felt his chest tighten.


    "Our town was piged by Bandits. They called themselves members of the Mercenary Gang."


    Rey recognized the name.


    They were rumored to be the strongest force in the Criminal Underworld, and were often hired by top yers¡ªincluding the Obsidian Council.


    Rey didn''t think they would be mere pigers.


    "They ughtered so many people before my very eyes. The men were mercilessly executed on the spot, and the women were¡­ were¡­ vited."


    Rey could see Esme tremble as she shared the story.


    It seemed she was trying her hardest to control her emotions, and despite how pained she looked, not a single tear fell from her moist eyes.


    Her tone also seemed clear despite how many times it trailed.


    She was so hard to hold herself together.


    ''Should I do something? No¡­'' Rey decided to just watch.


    ''I really am no good at these things.''


    "I was separated from my friends as we tried to escape. Unfortunately for us, we were caught and taken as ves¡ªjust as all the viable young adults and children."


    Rey didn''t know why he felt relieved that Esme didn''t experience the ''vition'' that the other women encountered.


    She was plenty attractive, and any man would desire her body the moment theyid eyes on her.


    Despite all of this, she remained untouched.


    Rey could already guess why.


    ''They probably thought she looked too pure and didn''t want to sully the goods. I can only imagine how much she was going to be sold for.''


    Considering her looks, and the fact that Evals Redart could see the potential of the ves he wanted to sell, it was probably going to be at an astronomical level.


    "I remember thinking: why are they doing this? What did we do wrong? We were just living our simple lives when they chose to ruin our lives¡­"


    As Esme spoke once again, Rey narrowed his eyes.


    ''If I had to guess, the Mercenary Gang was hired by Evals to obtain a whole bunch of ves from their insignificant settlement while disguising it as a raid or pige.''


    It was done for profit¡ªnothing more, nothing less.


    "That was when I looked at their Stats and found the true reason. It''s because they''re evil. Good people would never do such things!"


    Rey didn''t know what to tell her. He knew he personally wouldn''t engage in such atrocities, but¡­


    ''No one is truly innocent. Not even the good ones.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Hope you enjoyed the chapter! I hope to show you that this Half Elf hasyers and she isn''t just the usual ''Ice Queen''

 Chapter 193 Good And Evil [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 193 Good And Evil [Pt 2] </h4>


    Rey knew there were good people in the world.


    He considered Alicia a good person, and to an extent¡­ he thought he wasn''t too bad either.


    Perhaps he had a few gray areas in his life, but he knew for sure that people like Alicia would not stand for evil actions.


    Still¡­


    ''When pushes to shove, we sometimes have to make certain decisions that could be considered evil.''


    There were quite a number of people in the world he came from who argued for the rights of animals, especially appealing to the fact that some were highly intelligent and sentient.


    This group of people proved that animals indeed felt emotions and pain; and in fact, we''re capable of feelings like love and attachment.


    They were highlyplex beings.


    Yet¡­ people killed them every day. They did so for various reasons¡ªlike sustenance, enjoyment, or dietary requirements.


    Genuinely nice and downright pleasant people would consume the very animals that were said to be sentient.


    Rey didn''t know which path was right or wrong.


    He only knew one thing.


    ''This is just the way life is.''


    And so, as he looked at the girl before him, truly empathizing with her for the horrors she suffered, he couldn''t help but feel a little numbness inside him.


    ''I don''t think I would ever go that far with humans, but¡­''


    If intelligent Monsters were happily living in their territory¡ªwithout bothering anyone¡ªhe wouldn''t hesitate to kill them.


    His reason for doing so would be justifiably simple.


    ¡ªEXP!


    Just as people consumed animals to survive, Rey didn''t mind killing Monsters to get stronger.


    It was unfair on the Monsters who¡ªif left alone¡ªwould have lived out their lives in rtive peace.


    However, Rey didn''t care.


    ''The same Monsters would do the same under simr or certain circumstances.''


    As he looked at the girl before him talking about Good and Bad people, he wondered what it would take for her to take a life or torture someone.


    It was a terrible thought to have¡ªespecially when looking at Esme''s adorable face.


    But he couldn''t help but wonder.


    "¡­ I don''t know what became of the others, but that''s how I found myself in there."


    As Rey watched her stop talking, he realized he had to say something soon.


    "You don''t think they were among the batch of ves I saved?"


    "No." She slowly shook her head. "They took them to a different Warehouse."


    "I see¡­"


    As Rey rubbed his chin, he felt a slight pinching sensation in his chest.


    ''If that''s the case, it''s probably already toote for them. They would have already been sold as ves. Or¡­''


    If Rey assumed that the schedule for their sale was the same as Esme''s, then by capturing Evals Redart, it was possible that the sale was dyed.


    In that case, there was a chance they were still at the Warehouse.


    ''I just have to get the addresses and connect the dots.''


    Rey was sure he could just ask the Royal Council for the information they had gotten from Evals, and it would be good to go.


    ''I don''t even know why I am thinking of going so far for her. Maybe it''s because of the System¡­?''


    "What do you want now?" He blurted out, staring straight into her eyes.


    For a few seconds, she kept quiet.


    It seemed like the question caught her off guard, so she was taking her time to properly articte her thoughts.


    Then¡ª


    "I just want a proper home. To be with my family."


    ¡ªShe gave her response.


    ''Her family, huh? I''m guessing she means the Orphanage members.''


    Rey already suspected she would say such a thing, so he recognized that aiding her with this task would make the System satisfied.


    ''And then I should get whatever rewards are waiting for me once it''s done.''


    "Don''t get me wrong. The people here have treated me kindly, and they''ve done everything to make mefortable. Even though I don''t speak to them, they always seem to know exactly what I need."


    Rey felt a smile tugging at his lips as he imagined Asher ordering all of Esme''s attendants to do their jobs perfectly.


    ''That guy¡­''


    "This ce also looks amazing. I''ve never seen such luxury in all my life. But¡­ I don''t feelfortable here."


    Rey felt his smile build up as he saw her honest face speak to him without hints of fear or nervousness.


    Throughout their conversation, she hadn''t shown even the slightest hint of intimidation.


    ''Is it because she''s convinced I''m trustworthy?'' He mused.


    "I feel uneasy here. I want to reunite with my friends and family that were separated from me. I want to rebuild that orphanage and live there with them. That¡­ is what I want."


    It was a simple task; not too ambitious.


    ''That doesn''t mean it''ll be easy. The tough part is finding her friends.''


    Rey wasn''t sure about finding all of them, but if he could get most of them¡ªmaybe half¡ªthen that would be fine.


    Maybe they would mourn the loss of the rest of their friends and move on.


    ''Unfortunately, don''t think I can half ass this."


    He had a feeling that unless Esme was satisfied, he wouldn''t be sessful.


    ''I''ll just have to find all of them. Hopefully it won''t be too much of a hassle¡­''


    It wasn''t like he was a cold-hearted monster or anything, but Rey had learned a long time ago never to be optimistic.


    He genuinely hoped he could find all her friends, but there was always the possibility of tragedy.


    ''¡­ And it would be dangerous if I set my hopes too high.''


    "I''ll try my best to find them." The moment he said this, Esme''s face brightened up.


    "You just have to be a little patient, but I''ll definitely try my best."


    "I trust you." She smiled at him and nodded.


    For a few seconds, none of them said anything. They only stared into each other''s eyes.


    Crimson¡­ reflecting Azure.


    It felt as if the world held its breath as the two of them remained still.


    "I should probably excuse myself. You want to continue your conversation with that man, don''t you?"


    "Yes, thank you."


    Esme rose to her feet, bowing slightly to Rey, who kept his position.


    "Thank you for saving me, Rey. And thank you for choosing to help me."


    Rey felt his heart skip a beat as she called him by name. He remembered the first time he saw her; as she called for him weakly.


    The girl back then was so different from the one who stood in front of him.


    "I don''t know why you are interacting with these people, but I trust and know you''re a good person."


    Rey wanted to tell her she wasn''tpletely right, but he kept his mouth shut and watched her walk to the door.


    "Please be careful. Don''t¡­ don''t be like them."


    Rey slowly nodded upon hearing those words.


    He didn''t know an ominous feeling rose from within him, but he somehow felt her words went beyond mere advice.


    It was a warning.


    Esme gave him one more smile as she left the room, causing Rey to be only one there.


    He inhaled deeply and closed his eyes, thinking about everything that just happened.


    ¡­ All he had just heard.


    And after mulling over them, only one word coulde out of his mouth in a croaky whisper.


    "Fuck¡­"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    What did you think of the chapter? Of Esme and Rey (as individuals and as a pair).

 Chapter 194 Meeting Rebal

    <h4>Chapter 194 Meeting Rebal </h4>


    A few seconds after Esme left, Rey felt the presence of two people approaching the door.


    One of them was clearly Asher, but the second was an unfamiliar force.


    He remained steady in his position while waiting for the doorknob to teist, and the man behind the door to reveal himself.


    And then¡­


    ''Hm?''


    ¡­ The both of them finally entered.


    Asher was the first toe in. He had his usual smiling demeanor about him, however, it seemed he was a bit uneasy.


    And it wasn''t difficult to see why once the second man came in.


    A buff figure who could easily be 6''10 in height walked in right behind Asher, his trimmed bearded face showing nothing but the direct contrast to Asher''s smiling face.


    The man had an air of authority around him, and he reeked of danger. Even Rey, in his seat, could tell that this man was something else.


    Still, he hardly reacted as he watched the two men enter the room.


    Asher allowed the man to sit, while he stood behind his couch.


    Before the former couldpletely settle on his seat, however, Rey already resorted to [Absolute Appraisal].


    The result¡ª


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Rebal nc


    - Race: Human


    - ss: Merchant (C-Tier)


    - Level: 99 (99.99% EXP)


    - Life Force: 10 (100) [200]


    - Mana Level: 41/41 [200]


    - Combat Ability: 60 [200]


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive):


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Bargaining]. [Combat Application]. [Weapon Mastery]. [Warrior''s Aura].


    - Alignment: Lawful Evil


    [Additional Information]


    Head of the Karinc Group, and one of the Councilors in the Obsidian Council.


    [End Of Information]


    ''Ahh¡­''


    Once Rey saw this, his entire outlook changed.


    ''I always suspected that this ce had a wide array of connections, but even then¡­ the Obsidian Council?''


    Everything all made sense to him now.


    The Obsidian Council was said to be the governing force of the ck Market. They made the Unwritten Laws, and they ensured there was order in themercial sphere of the Criminal Underworld.


    Apparently, they were also a part of some Triumvirate, but Rey didn''t have too many details about the entire structure.


    No one really did in this ce.


    ''And now one of their Councilors is seated right in front of me.''


    Rey pondered on the reason, and he considered many possibilities as the man made himselffortable on his seat.


    He was very buff¡ªprobably on par with thepetitive bodybuilders back in Rey''s original world.


    His height also made him appear more intimidating.


    He had rings on all his fingers, and unlike Asher, he wore a full-on suit.


    It made him appear both professional and dangerous.


    Rey couldn''t say he disliked that.


    "Sir Ralyks. I have heard so much about you. It''s a pleasure to meet you."


    As Rey listened to the words of the man before him, he nodded slowly and watched from their distance.


    They were separated by the center table, and while they shared a considerable distance apart, the man''s huge build almost made it seem like they were much closer than they actually were.


    Rey nced at Asher, who stood like a statue with a smile on his face.


    ''How do I go about this? y dumb or just call them out for their Bs?''


    Right now, it was clear that the two were trying some form of tactics to get some high ground when it came to bargaining.


    Or perhaps this was just how things were done in the ck Market and he had no idea.


    In the end, there was only one way he saw the current situation being tutored directly in his favor.


    And that was¡ª


    "And I''ve also heard quite a bit about you, Sir Rebal nc."


    The moment Rey said this, the man''s body and face froze up.


    Even Asher had an expression of shock written on his face.


    ''Should I go a step further¡­?'' Rey smiled underneath the mask, enjoying how the entire atmosphere was changing.


    "It''s not often that a Councilor appears in the open like this. Am I right, Asher?"


    Rey darted his gaze to the flustered standing man who appeared even more flustered.


    He had a look of confusion on his face, even as his father looked at him from where he sat. The two exchanged quizzical looks, and Rey simply sat back and watched.


    ''I''m sure I''ve disrupted everything they had in mind until now. Let''s see how they''ll take things from here¡­''


    Even though they hadn''t told him anything yet, Rey was already sure of one thing.


    ''They want something from me!''


    It was most likely a favor; and considering how much the Karinc Group had done for him, it would be a bit unfair for him not toe to their aid.


    ''I''m sure that is what they want me to think!''


    That was one of the reasons why he did what he did. At the very least, he would be able to prop himself up as someone who wasn''t a pushover.


    That way, he wouldn''t appear weak in the course of bargaining.


    ''I don''t want to be doing these people any favors, but I can''t just walk out now¡­''


    Esme was living here for free, and he still didn''t have any other way to properly take care of her.


    Since he was also going to be very busy with the uing Raid, it was better for her if she remained with the ncs.


    Of course, he knew he''d have to be on good terms with them for that to happen.


    ''Hopefully, whatever negotiation that happens with them ends well¡­''


    Rey swallowed his saliva and waited for the response of the older male who sat before him.


    "I guess there''s no use hiding the truth from someone of your caliber."


    The man leaked out a smile and rose to his feet, his entire build seeming like an imposing mountain that would crash upon Rey''s smaller build.


    As he watched him rise, Rey kept his normal position and simply raised his head to maintain eye contact.


    "You are right. My name is Rebal nc, and I am a Member of the Obsidian Council."


    Then, the man did the unthinkable.


    Rebal bowed his head to Rey, absolutely shocking him to the very core.


    "Sir Ralyks, the entire Karinc Group needs your help. Please hear me out!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Our boy is going ces; even a criminal overlord is bowing before him.

 Chapter 195 The Current Imbalance [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 195 The Current Imbnce [Pt 1] </h4>


    An ufortable silence hung in the air.


    The unnatural sight of a grown, massive man bowing to the much smaller man in darkness made the entire scenario all the more tense.


    No one could afford to speak in this heavy atmosphere, and for a few seconds, they could only watch each other.


    Then¡ª


    "What''s the use of a bow? I hope you do not intend on convincing me with cheap emotional appeals."


    As Rey said this, he felt the man''s big build tremble a little.


    "O-of course not!" Rebal nc responded, a big smile on his face.


    He looked nothing like Asher, but it seemed like they both liked to smile in situations like this.


    Rey took a sip out of the tea that had been ced on the table since he arrived.


    The tea never got cold thanks to the Enchanted Cup that it was poured into; as such, Rey didn''t need to gulp down the whole thing.


    Instead, he preferred to systematically take his time.


    This situation was no different.


    "Hmm." After taking a small sip of the sweet liquid, he cast his gaze on the two men before him.


    It seemed they werepletely at his mercy.


    "Sit down and get straight to the point. I prefer things being done that way."


    In response to his words, the Karinc Boss actually obeyed very seamlessly.


    ''Wow! They must be really desperate¡­''


    He decided not toment on anything until they were done telling him whatever favor they desired of him.


    ''If it''s something doable, then there''s nothing stopping me from assisting them. From the looks on their faces, it seems like they''d be grateful for the help.''


    Of course, Rey remembered his decision to stay away from the ck Market and Criminal Underworld as a whole.


    However, Esme was here, and he still had his uses for these people.


    Their rtionship was a necessary evil.


    "Very well, Sir Ralyks. I''ll get straight to the point with you."


    ''Okay. Here ites¡­'' Rey prepared himself for whatever big news woulde.


    "As you already know, the Royal Council has been the necessary aiding force in the ck Market and other facets of the Criminal Underworld."


    As Rebal started with this, Rey nodded¡­ though his thoughts yed things differently.


    ''I still can''t believe this actually happened. It seems like everyone knew about this except me!''


    If the Royal Council hadn''t said anything about their corrupt members, he would still be in the dark about the whole thing.


    Rey wondered how he would have reacted to the news if he heard it from Rebal''s mouth first.


    "Well, ever since their confirmed demise following the Dragon Invasion, the ck Market¡ªno, the Criminal Underworld¡ªhas been in an imbnce."


    Rey''s ears perked up the moment he heard this.


    He leaned closer, his shoulders arced as he legs were spread apart while maintaining eye contact with Rebal.


    The words that came out of his mouth were simple.


    "Tell me more."


    *********


    ''U-unbelievable!''


    Rey couldn''t believe all he had just heard. He never thought that so much lore could be behind the entire situation.


    Apparently, there was a body called the Underworld Triumvirate; and it consisted of¡ª


    The ck Market


    The ve Union


    The Mercenary Gang.


    These three bodies were under the direct supervision of their benefactors, who also served as their overlords.


    These benefactors were the three deceased Royal Council.


    With them gone, a lot of changes quickly began to ur within the entire sphere hidden in darkness.


    Apparently, Scy, one of the two remaining leaders of the ve Trade killed the second one and took over his entire territory.


    With so much power and influence; practically running a monopoly on ve trade, her influence skyrocketed.


    Rebal didn''t know all of the details, but the woman managed to convince half of the Obsidian Council to support her uprising.


    "She''s practically taken over everything beyond the southern area of the Underworld." Rebal had said.


    He also retorted that while the Mercenary Gang was a neutral party who merely provided muscle for the other factions, thedy in question now had a lot of their forces on her side.


    In essence, she was a force to be reckoned with.


    During the course of Rebal''s exposition, he mentioned how the Mercenary Gang engaged in piging and providing security services to gain wealth.


    In a way, they were merely leeches who sold their strength to the highest bidder.


    Just glorified bandits¡ªat least ording to Rey.


    In any case, Scy was making a grand uprising in the Criminal Underworld, and that proved detrimental to their business.


    Rey had multiple thoughts on the issue.


    ''To think I set this all off by identally causing the Dragon to crush them.''


    In a way, it was his responsibility.


    No¡­ that wasn''t right.


    ''It''s their fault for meeting in secret anyway. Besides¡­ good riddance."


    He really couldn''t see any reason to help the Karinc Group on such matters.


    Wasn''t this the way of the underworld?


    Was he missing something here?


    "Sir Ralyks¡­ I will reveal something to you that I have yet to tell any other person who isn''t directly involved in the trade, but¡­"


    Rebal appeared hesitant to share the information, but after a few seconds, his face tightened with hardened resolve.


    "All those Monster Cores we got for you were used to make a lot of weapons and Enchanted Items. However, it was never for the use of humans¡­"


    Once Rey heard this, his eyes twitched a little.


    Truly, he had given very little thought about what the Karinc Group was up to with the Items he made from what he sold to them.


    Now he was getting close to it,


    The only question was: if they weren''t being sold to humans¡­ who was their buyer?


    "The Elves to the East. They''re our biggest buyers at the moment; and they''re the ones we made so many Items for."


    ''E-ehh¡ª?!''


    Before Rey couldplete his thoughts, Rebal revealed even more.


    "Unfortunately, with the territories being under Scy''s control, we can''t reach them at all."


    In essence, they were experiencing a crisis.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Yup! Seems like we''re going to be seeing some interesting races in this Arc.


    Or maybe just Elves.

 Chapter 196 The Current Imbalance [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 196 The Current Imbnce [Pt 2] </h4>


    ''A-ahh¡­ I understand now''


    As Rey looked at Rebal and Asher, both of them having eyes that pleaded for myth, he had a considerable grasp of the situation.


    ''They invested a lot of capital on producing the items, but they can''t deliver it to the Elves in time.''


    This meant they couldn''t recoup the resources they poured into the production, which meant less liquid cash for them.


    However, that wasn''t all.


    ''In business, punctuality is key. If they don''t keep their end of the bargain soon, it''s possible that the Elves could go to another Company, which would be bad for business for the Karinc Group,''


    Not only would they never recoup their profit, but it would take an extremely long time to dispose of the items in their stock.


    Ultimately, this was the major issue that was ensuing.


    "The Eastern Continent is quite a long distance away. Do you know why the Elves are interacting with humans now? Why are they seeking so many Enchanted Items in the first ce?"


    "They didn''t tell us. But I suspect it''s because the war with the Dragons has made them desperate."


    The moment Rebal said this, Rey nodded in agreement,


    That was his first guess too.


    ''Elves aren''t technologically advanced and have no clue about industrialization. They are even often depicted as nature-loving entities who live apart from the corruption of beings like humans.''


    To see that Elves were going as far as dealing with Rebal¡ª-a ck Market leader¡ªmade him suspect that the difficulty had been cranked up in their domain,


    "I suspect we are being intentionally sabotaged by the other three Obsidian Council members who joined Scy''s side. We''ve lost contact with the warehouse located in the East, and our packages delivered through any route outside the Southern Territories immediately be unounted for."


    If this continued, their loss would be unbearable.


    ''They''re in quite the pickle.'' Rey thought to himself as he listened to Rebal go on.


    ''I can''t say I me them for being desperate. No matter how much capital apany has, profit is the lifeblood.''


    And profit was gotten through sales.


    Rey doubted the Karinc Group could make a lot of money just from exploiting the Southern territories.


    Apany whose scope of business was suddenly reduced to one-third of their usualmercial domain was bound to experience massive loss.


    ''Add that to the many Items unounted for, and the whole Elf situation¡­''


    It was inevitable that thepany would sink.


    ''So that''s why they need my help.'' Rey could feel a small smile forming on his face.


    Even if he wanted the ck Market to copse, there was no way he wanted Karinc to be the first to go down.


    This was the only ce he had formed proper connections with.


    ''If they fall, the ck Market might still exist, but I lose all my current benefits.''


    Rey could clearly see the appeal in helping Karinc. However, he also knew to be cautious.


    ''If I get caught up in a scheme that I do not understand, then it would be my total loss.''


    Rey knew he wasn''t very smart. He wasn''t that great of a maniptor either.


    He was still very inexperienced and only knew very little about how the world worked.


    ''I could be getting used by the Karinc Group for a muchrger scheme.''


    That wasn''t how it seemed at the moment, but Rey knew he couldn''t really trust the current circumstances alone.


    If he was to support them, he would be taking a risk.


    "The worst part about all of this is that it had to happen now. Right when we were about to begin our expansion n¡­"


    As Rey heard this, he couldn''t help but blurt out his next statement.


    "Expansion?"


    Rebal looked up and smiled a little sadly.


    "Yes. We were nning on going more mainstream once we had enough capital. This might seem a bit strangeing from me, but¡­ the ck Market is a really terrible ce."


    Rey was surprised to hear all of this indeed. He genuinely couldn''t believe what Rebal was saying despite being one of the major beneficiaries not the ce.


    "This ce is dangerous and violent. It isn''t a sustainable ce to conduct business."


    Once Rebal revealed more about what he meant, Rey could understand the man''s sentiments.


    Both from a logical and purely business perspective, it was much better to perpetuate trade in a more structured and orderly society.


    ck Market Trade was more profitable, sure, but it was also incredibly risky and highly vtile.


    Any mistake could cost you everything.


    "We made a few auxiliary branches in mainstream to test out the market, and after a few years of doing our proper research, we were ready to fully transition."


    Then, this unfortunate incident had to ur.


    ''If they n on moving to the mainstream, then it makes more sense to help them.''


    Rey now had a second incentive for acting.


    However¡­


    "I am curious about one thing."


    "What is it, Sir Ralyks?" As soon as Rey asked this, Rebal replied.


    It almost felt like the man was ready to bepletely bare with him, making it difficult to distrust any of the things that were being said.


    "Why do you not join Scy''s side?"


    "¡­"


    Rebal did not answer immediately, so Rey decided to borate.


    "If you joined her side, I''m sure your business would be protected and all the harassment would stop."


    The other three Obsidian Council Members probably figured this out a long time ago and folded.


    If Karinc did the same, surely things would end well for them.


    "Scy is known as a very selfish and cruel person. Even among the three leaders of the ve Union, she was always said to be the most ruthless. She''s unprincipled, and I would never be able to work with her."


    As Rey listened to this, he sensed arbitrary emotion taking over logic.


    He never expected such an experienced businessman like Rebal nc to have such a stance.


    "Besides, I reckon it''s a little toote for an alliance. Not only did I not get an invitation, but it''s most likely that the three who joined her wish to get rid of me and the other two so they can have more territory and power."


    Rey could understand that.


    "The fewer people there are in charge¡­ the bigger the profit that goes around bes."


    The three Obsidian Councilors wanted their territory and profit to at least double, while Scy wanted to rule everything.


    It made sense why the Karinc Group was never going to be able to join their side.


    ''But why didn''t he just say that from the get-go?''


    Rebal had first of all disyed his emotional reasons before going into the logical domain.


    Rey only had one guess.


    ''He wants to show me that he''s a man of emotion and sentiment, eh?''


    Rebal nc was a man of principles and rules. It wasn''t a surprise that both he and Asher had the same Alignment.


    ''I like that!'' Rey grinned widely as he looked at the two of them.


    ''There''s a lot that can benefit me here, especially in the Elf department. I also want to have an actualpany in the mainstream on my side. There''s also the fact that they''ve helped me in the past. Finally, by helping them, I can stop the actions of the other criminals involved in this.''


    There were probably other benefits he wasn''t seeing at the moment, but Rey already had his mind made up.


    ''I''ll join their side¡ªat least, for now.''


    If things ever got awry, or the Karinc Group acted suspiciously, he could always leave,


    "Fine¡­" Rey spoke, a heavy sigh escaping his lips.


    "¡­ I''m in."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 197 Ralyks Accepts

    <h4>Chapter 197 Ralyks epts </h4>


    Rebal nc''s heart was racing.


    As he stared at the man known as Ralyks, he felt a sensation he hadn''t gotten in the longest time.


    ¡ªSheer Intimidation!


    Rebal was genuinely anxious as he sat on his seat while staring at Ralyks.


    After the man had deciphered his identity after just one meeting, Rebal knew he was the real deal.


    ''How long has he known Aldred''s real name? Since the very first day too? Damnit, I messed up!''


    Those were his initial thoughts when he mulled over the meaning behind Ralyks stating both their names so casually.


    Now that he had calmed down, Rebal could tell that it was just a show of power.


    Thankfully, Ralyks wasn''t offended that they had kept Asher''s identity a secret.


    The reason he was currently was because he was waiting for Ralyks'' answer.


    Right now, the Karinc Group needed a miracle.


    He and his son had been strategizing different routes to take in their ns, but they always ended uping up short due to their currentck of enough resources.


    If they were to turn the situation around, they needed help¡ªa lot of it.


    "Fine¡­ I''m in."


    The moment Rebal heard those words from Ralyks'' lips, his heart nearly skipped a beat.


    He knew he was a little emotional a short moment ago, but he couldn''t help it. He had thought that it would turn the man off, but thankfully that wasn''t the case.


    "Thank you, Sir Ralyks." Once again, Rebal bowed.


    Asher, who stood beside him, also bowed as well.


    He hadn''t spoken a single word since the start of the meeting, as was the customs of people of their standing.


    "I trust you. Besides, since our rtionship runs deep, there''s no need to go as far as bowing, right?"


    Rebal found his heart lighting up as soon as Ralyks said these words.


    ''Is he just saying this, or does he actually mean it?'' Rebal knew he would never have the answer to that.


    So he did the reasonable thing and chose not to doubt the only chance they had at survival.


    "You are correct. Thank you, Sir Ralyks."


    This time, Rebal did not bow.


    "Come up with a decent n that involves me in it. Since I''ll be in the equation, feel free to ask for the favors you require. As long as it''s not dirty work, and it borrows my strength, then I will remain by your side."


    Those words sounded like music to Rebal''s ears.


    "U-understood!"


    "I''ll see you after a few days after making some preparations on my end."


    Ralyks slowly rose to his feet, and Rebal took this as his queue to stand as well.


    "As for rewards¡­ those can be discussedter. Once the job is done."


    Rebal found that absolutely fair¡ªif not downright charitable.


    Since the Karinc Group was barely floating, this wasn''t the time to splurge their resources.


    ''Though, even if he asked for a reward now, I''d probably give him everything I can.''


    "Then¡­ I look forward to working with you, Sir Ralyks." Rebal moved closer and stretched out his hand towards Ralyks.


    He had a warm smile on his face, reflecting the current state of his heart.


    It was contrasted by the ominously dark mask that Ralyks donned. He honestly looked like a demon, with his crimson eyes and Cale-like hooded cape.


    As they shook hands, Rebal felt relieved that the deal was sealed¡­ even it appeared to be nothing short of a deal with the Devil.


    "Then, I''ll be taking my leave."


    A distortion of space surrounded Ralyks, and just as he dislodged his hand from the man''s grasp, he vanished from sight.


    Not even a trance of his presence was left.


    "Haaa¡­ Haaa¡­!"


    Asher was the first to let out heavy breaths as soon as the man left the room.


    Beads of sweat were already falling down his face as he nervously approached his father.


    "We did it, boy!" He and Asher hugged, thetter squeaking a little thanks to being squeezed by his giant father.


    "Time out! Time out, father!"


    His father didn''t listen, carrying Asher up as if the boy was still a kid.


    It felt awkward¡ªa man in his early thirties being carried by another who seemed to be in his forties.


    However, Rebal didn''t care.


    He wasughing, smiling intensely as he expressed genuine joy that he, his son, and his empire, would not have to crumble.


    "Father¡­ you''ll interfere with the Item too much!"


    As Asher said this, it was already toote for him. The current thirty-or-so year old man began to fade away under the grasp of his father.


    It felt like a mist was being cleared, and a soft whooshing sound of wind enveloped the man known as Aldred as he reverted to his original form.


    The first thing that was disyed was his gray hair and sparkling green eyes. He had clear skin, and a perfectly handsome face.


    Some would say he looked more attractive than his previous form¡ªor perhaps ''cuter'' was the word.


    In any case, these weren''t the only things that changed.


    His height was also different.


    He looked much smaller than his purported age would make anyone believe.


    What this boy appeared to be was a teenager.


    Probably one who was just venturing into prime adulthood,


    And the reason for that was simple.


    Asher nc was actually a young man who was neen years old


    The only reason he took up such an aged disguise was so he could look mature and capable in his job.


    As Aldred, he needed to rack up as many aplishments and build up a good repute¡ªenough to win everyone''s respect and loyalty.


    But now, alone with his father, he showed his true colors.


    "We should probably get started on making the preparations."


    "Yeah.. we should."


    As the father and son duo ceased y and focused on business, their faces were filled with nothing short of determination.


    They only hope things won''t worsen before the preparations areplete.


    ''We''re counting on you¡­ Sir Ralyks!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Okay! d we''re done with ck marker conversation.


    On to the next matter!

 Chapter 198 The Dungeon Raid Discourse [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 198 The Dungeon Raid Discourse [Pt 1] </h4>


    ''Haaa¡­''


    As Reyy on his bed, he heaved a heavy sigh and went through everything that had just happened.


    It was hard to believe that after everything, it was still morning.


    ''Things got a lot moreplicated than I expected.''


    The whole thing with Esme was one thing, and now the Karinc Group was another.


    ''I also have to handle the Raid.''


    With all of these factors culminating in his mind, Rey began to wonder if he wasn''t doing too much at once.


    However, he quickly tried to defend his actions.


    ''The Karinc situation and the Esme matter aren''t totally unrted. There are oveps.''


    In the process of taking down the cancer that was the Criminal Underworld, he could look for her friends and help them,


    Besides, the main enemy was a ve Trader who had killed and consumed the territories of herpetitor.


    ''There''s the possibility that she already took over Redarts'' domain.''


    If that happened, then the chances of the ves being sold already was an option.


    ''Or maybe¡­ their sale has been postponed.''


    With the way the market was a bit unstable, it was probably better to wait things out and not take too many financial risks.


    Since that was the crux of the matter, he didn''t think doing both was going to be an issue.


    ''The problem is how to bnce Raiding with them.''


    The Raid was his initialmitment, and since he needed the Otherworlders to grow very strong, it had the most priority.


    There was no way he could put that on the back burner.


    ''I just have to find a way to make it work.''


    Rey looked around his room and realized it was a bit messy.


    He sighed a little as he took his eyes away and continued his line of thought.


    ''I can do the Raid stuff in the morning, and do the Karinc stuff at night.''


    It was at times like this that Rey wished he had a Cloning Skill.


    Unfortunately, life wasn''t as simple as that.


    ''I can use [Phantom Projection] to fool everyone that Ralyks and Rey are present at the same time, but that only works if I''m close to my targets.''


    [Phantom Projection] was a new Skill he got afterbining [Projection], [False Pain], and a few other neurological Skills.


    If allowed him to manifest anything that would look and even feel real.


    However, it would all be a mere illusion he made.


    ''It''ll be very useful in the Raid since I have to make sure I''m present as two people.''


    As for his engagement with Karinc, he would just have to alternate between responsibilities. Thankfully, he had Spatial Magic now.


    "It sucks that I can''t sell all those 99th Floor Monster Cores yet¡­"


    Rey grumbled within himself before grunting a little.


    Sales had to be put on hold for now.


    "I''ll have to go and investigate the Royal Dungeon in my spare time to make sure there''s nothing too crazy down there."


    He could also prepare a proper schedule and navigate the most optimal path for them to take so that the whole thing could be smooth sailing.


    For him, not them.


    ''They''ll have to work very hard, I''m sure. Grinding for Levels could be fun, but it was also a chore.


    In the end, though, they would see the rewards.


    "I should probably get ready to head to the library."


    There was a bunch of stuff he had to catch up on¡ªboth concerning business and monsters.


    As Ralyks, the mysterious and incredible Adventurer, he couldn''t be caughtcking.


    ''Let''s do this!''


    ********


    [A Few Days Later]


    The days passed in the blink of an eye, and the two members of the Royal Council were currently seated in a massive lounge.


    Even Adonis was present.


    Even though he initially wanted to stand, he was convinced to sit with the members of the Royal Council.


    All three of them were faced by a single man who watched them in silence.


    He was Ralyks, the Dark Adventurer.


    Just as agreed, they were to meet and discuss the future of the United Human Alliance, particrly regarding the Raid that was to take ce soon.


    He had no entourage with him¡ªas expected¡ªbut even the Royal Council and Adonis had no guards.


    Lucielle and Brutus had returned to the battlefield, and all thepetent soldiers had been drafted with them, or were busy with other responsibilities.


    Frankly speaking, they were pretty understaffed.


    However, they hoped Ralyks wouldn''t see it that way. Instead, this was meant to look like a kind gesture to show howfortable they were with him.


    Since he didn''tment on that at all, they could only hope that he got the message.


    "Before we start this meeting, I just want to say a big thank you to you, Sir Ralyks." Adonis swiftly spoke up¡ªjust a second before Conrad was about to part his lips.


    "Hm?"


    "I never got to thank you back then¡­ when you saved me and my friends."


    Adonis was referring to the Royal Dungeon Incident. Back then, he was too stunned and injured to mutter proper words of thanks.


    Everything happened too fast, and before he knew it¡­ the man called Ralyks had vanished.


    No, that wasn''t quite right.


    He and his friends had vanished away from him¡ªaway from the Dungeon and into the Royal Estate.


    The next he saw of him was from a distance where he saw how he easily handled the Dragon in its true form and dealt with it with rtive ease.


    And now, here he was¡ªRalyks himself¡ªright in front of Adonis.


    He had to air out his thoughts.


    "It was no problem. I was only doing what I had to do. You did well holding out for that long, though."


    As Adonis heard this, something about his previously bright expression changed.


    It darkened a little as he whispered.


    "No¡­ I really didn''t¡­ do anything¡­"


    His voice was barely audible, so it was difficult to even get a grasp of what he said.


    Eventually, Adonis'' gratitude was shoved into the background, and the pertinent issue rose to the surface.


    "About the Royal Dungeon Raid¡­" Conrad said with a smile on his face.


    His face was oozing with resolve¡ªsame as Vida''s.


    "¡­ Please take charge of it. We will ept all your conditions."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    It''s funny to imagine that Rey/Ralyks is just a teenager, yet he''s receiving so much respect.


    I envy him a little..

 Chapter 199 The Dungeon Raid Discourse [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 199 The Dungeon Raid Discourse [Pt 2] </h4>


    "Understood."


    Once the Royal Council made their intentions clear from the start, everything else flowed seamlessly.


    Ralyks began the briefing as curtly as he could, and everyone fell silent and listened.


    "I spent thest few days exploring the Dungeon in order to understand what path to take and how long the entire Raid willst."


    The curious eyes of his audience were enough to do the asking for them.


    "It''ll take several weeks. Probably two to three months."


    Taking into ount the time needed for rest, journeying, and the overall clearing of the Floors¡ªincluding mining¡ªit would take approximately three months.


    "Of course, that period could dwindle or increase, depending on how capable the team I''m leading is. I have no doubt they''ll be formidable, though, considering the fact that they held their own against a Dragon Commander."


    The Royal Council Members and Adonis gave Ralyks their smiles, but it was still obvious that they had some troubled thoughts.


    "It seems there is an issue. You can mention what it is."


    "N-no, it''s not really an issue that has to do with your n or anything. It''s just¡­" Conrad retorted quickly.


    His flustered expression made it obvious that he genuinely did not want to offend their benefactor.


    "We need the resources in the 99th Floor as soon as possible." In Conrad''s ce, Vida sharply spoke up.


    Unlike him, she showed no sign of nervousness.


    Instead, her face only showed worry.


    "We''re running out of ourst reserves, and the resources in that Floor are our lifesavers. Without them¡­ things could get really bad for us."


    After she said this, there was silence.


    Everyone had their eyes on Ralyks, probably hoping for a solution from him.


    Thankfully, he did not fail to deliver.


    "That is a simple matter. I can help you directly obtain the resources from the 99th Floor."


    "Really? You would do that for us?" Conrad''s eyes beamed shamelessly, as if he wasn''t already expecting something from the Dark Adventurer.


    It was no use trying to act surprised at this point.


    "Yes. Perhaps we should go to the site for a demonstration."


    "Demonstra¡­?"


    Before anyone in the room could even react, a warbling surge of purplish blue energy covered Ralyks and the three seated ones.


    Space warped, and they found themselves instantly transported to a ce gleaming with crystal-like wonder.


    The very ground was made up of Magic Crystals, and the high ceilings had loads of them hanging above.


    From the walls, to the massive chunks that littered the ground; everything was Mana Crystals.


    Massive piles of Monster Cores also filled a particr section of the expanse, and at this point it was already clear what was happening.


    What this ce was.


    "Wee to the 99th Floor." Ralyks spoke up, his tone as calm as possible.


    The two Royal Council Members appeared a little shaken¡ªprobably because this was their first time in a Dungeon.


    Or maybe they just hadn''t gone this deep into one.


    Adonis remained calm through it all, though he kept his gaze on Ralyks who surprised him with that move.


    Not even he could sense anything before being transpired.


    ''How fast is he, really?!'' His face seemed to say.


    "I don''t want to waste too much time, so let us begin quickly."


    Ralyks'' echoing voice caused the trio to take their gazes away from the distractions and focus on him.


    The next thing he did was equally surprising.


    "[Greater Summoning Magic]."


    A bright blue light formed around Ralyks, with sparks of orange energy dancing around him.


    Multiple Magic Circles appeared a few inches from where he stood, and from their hidden depths emerged¡­ creatures.


    "UUUU¡­"


    They leaked out heavy breaths as they appeared; massive monsters who had dark green skin, muscr bodies, and bald heads.


    The lights around them reflected on their naked bodies as they grunted.


    "Summoning Magic? You can use Summoning Magic too?" The whispers from Adonis was the first human sound to emerge after the beasts appeared.


    The other two in the room were too stunned to speak.


    The Hero stepped forward as he stared at the creatures in disbelief.


    These were Ogres!


    ''How can he use high-level Summoning Magic? I thought he was focused on powerful offensive abilities.''


    It was strange enough that he had Spatial Magic, which was rare, but adding Summoning Magic to the mix was just too absurd.


    Adonis couldn''t believe what he was seeing.


    His thoughts were broken abruptly when he noticed the Ogres moving.


    That was when he remembered something.


    "Y-you''re summoning Monsters? But if you''re not a Tamer, you can''t control¡ª!"


    "Don''t worry."


    As Ralyks'' reassuring voice echoed, items began to manifest out of thin air in front of the monsters.


    First were shovels, then pickaxes, and then hammers.


    "They''re already under my control. They''ll be the ones responsible for mining your resources."


    Adonis was stunned by what he was seeing.


    He wasn''t the only one.


    Conrad and Vida were shocked to their bones, to the point that their eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.


    The man before them was amazing.


    "I''ll systematically open a portal so they can bring out whatever they''ve mined for the day. That way, you can quickly begin to process them."


    Everything was already so amazing¡ªbeyond natural expectations.


    "I understand you are understaffed. Perhaps they could help fill that void."


    Three Ogres were definitely formidable.


    Ogres were C-Tier Monsters, and a single one could do the job of ten men, and so three of them could make up for thirty.


    However, the kind ofrge-scale production and mining that they needed in order not to be in serious trouble far outweighed the current manpower being disyed before them.


    Three Ogres were plenty, but¡­


    ''¡­ They''re not enough.''


    The moment the three audience members thought this, they were greeted with something that shattered those thoughts.


    ~FSHUUU~


    One after the other¡­


    ~ZZUUUU~


    ¡­ More Magic Circles began to form.


    And from the circles emerged more Ogres.


    Over a dozen.


    Over a hundred.


    Three hundred of them appeared before the Circle stopped spitting out any more.


    As the group gawked in shock and wonder, Ralyks stepped forward and asked a question that made all their hearts jump.


    "Will these be enough?"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Ralyks is too OP at this point¡­ or is he?


    I know some are wondering how he was able to get the [Greater Summoning Magic] Skill.


    Don''t worry. You''ll see¡­

 Chapter 200 Finalization Of Plans

    <h4>Chapter 200 Finalization Of ns </h4>


    [Greater Summoning Magic] was a B-Tier Skill that Rey got thanks to his [Merger].


    Hebined the effects of [Summoning Magic] that he learned back when he and his ssmates were training in the colosseum.


    Back then, the Summoners used [Summon], which was a C-Tier Skill¡ªalbeit rare.


    The Monsters they could summon at a time were weaker, and their numbers weren''t too impressive.


    ''Then, a few days ago, when Lucielle and Brutus were leaving for the battlefield, she used [Summoning Magic] to summon a giant flying creature that resembled a massive bird.''


    Since Rey and his ssmates saw them off, he was also able to mimic her Skill.


    Afterward, he merged the both of them together to birth this new Skill of his.


    ''Hehehe¡­!''


    Rey was grinning like an idiot under his mask as he stared at his enamored audience.


    They were all stunned beyondpare that he had summoned such a small army of C-Tier Monsters that it took all of his willpower to stop himself from bursting out inughter.


    ''Even though this is pretty much my limit, I made it sound like I could casually do more.''


    As Ralyks, his repute would only skyrocket after this incident¡ªhe was sure.


    ''Let''s just hope they don''t get too greedy and ask me to make more¡­''


    Judging from their expression alone, Rey was convinced that they would do no such thing.


    300 Ogres were more than enough.


    His Skill, [Greater Summoning Magic], allowed him to achieve this much, but he had reached his ''summon limit.''


    That was fine, though.


    ''As long as I can use my [Absolute Mental Control] Skill on them, they''ll do everything I say¡ªeven when I''m not around.''


    [Absolute Mental Control] was a fusion of Belle''s [Grand Charm], and a bunch of other lower-tier Skills.


    It basically gave him a more heightened version of [Grand Charm], and he could control his targets without them having to look into his eyes or hear his voice.


    The moment Rey summoned them, he had already ced them under hismand by imbuing his Mana into them.


    ''These grunts will ve away until they''re done mining this ce.''


    The issue was what to do with them after they were done.


    ''I doubt they''ll give me any meaningful EXP, but it''s still better than nothing¡­ I guess.''


    Not only were these C-Tier Monsters, but they were Summoned as well.


    Summoned Monsters didn''t have valuable Monster Cores, and they gave very little EXP.


    Even though these things looked strong, they were practically fodder to him.


    ''Maybe it''ll be better to give them to Adonis so he can get stronger.'' Rey considered his options well.


    Three hundred was a considerable number, so it was bound to make the Hero advance quite a bit.


    ''Well¡­'' He nced at his awe-stricken audience, still maintaining his smile.


    ''¡­ I can decide thatter.''


    Right now, they still had to conclude their meeting.


    "Let us return to the lounge."


    ***********


    After Ralyks returned the three to their initial meeting point, the meeting was pretty much over.


    There was practically no need for further deliberations¡ªespecially after seeing all he could do.


    They were certain he could handle the situation with their Otherworlders, and so they put their full trust on Ralyks and his decisions.


    Of course, they also made sure to tell him how amazed they were at his power, to which he responded;


    "It''s not a big deal."


    Thinking logically about his words, he wasn''t wrong.


    This was a man who had defeated a Dragon Commander before their very eyes. Compared to that feat, using a B-Tier Skill wasn''t verypelling.


    Still¡­


    ¡­ Ralyks'' power could only make one more amazed the more he disyed facets of it.


    This reality caused everyone to have a single thought.


    ''Just how deep does his power run?''


    No one could ever know!


    "You can meet the Raid Team tomorrow, and we leave all the details to you¡ªincluding when you want to begin the Raid and the model you want to utilize.''


    In the end, Ralyks had to make the final call when it came to who was qualified toe with him on the raid.


    He would test their performance and decide for himself.


    "Agreed." He responded.


    Afterwards, both sides rose to their feet and the Dark Adventurer shook the hand of Grandmaster Conrad, Lady Vida, and Hero Adonis.


    They all exchanged goodwill, and afterwards.. Ralyks vanished into the depths of his dark portal.


    No one knew where he went.


    *******


    "Haaa! That went well!"


    Rey plopped to his bed and smiled gleefully.


    He had pulled off things on his side so seamlessly¡ªalmost to the point that he was impressed with himself.


    ''It''s a lot more difficult acting when you''re in front of so many familiar faces.''


    There were a lot of times that he wondered if they could see through his disguise.


    Fortunately, he was able to quickly dismiss it as paranoia.


    Despite all this, though, there was one thing that couldn''t escape his mind.


    It was Adonis.


    ''I noticed it. He was acting a little off around me.''


    Rey realized that Adonis probably felt too inadequate in the presence of Ralyks.


    After all, he was the one supposed to be the Hero.


    ''But, if Adonis truly has the heart of a hero, then he should have no problems with me. As long as we can help the people here¡­ that should be all that matters.''


    He wasn''t particrly interested in getting close to Adonis as Ralyks, but he hoped they could get along.


    "Now that I''ve settled the whole arrangement with the Raid, I can focus on the Karinc situation.''


    He had spent his past few days wisely, so he was a bit more confident in his ability toprehend and appropriately act in the dealings of the Criminal Underworld.


    ''I''m happy I get to use my discretion in this Raid. It''ll give me more flexibility to alternate between both sides.''


    Leveling Up in the Royal Dungeon Raid, and helping out his business pals at the same time¡­


    ''I can''t wait!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I honestly apologize for the slow pace. It''s honestly my fault, as I like to get into the details of a story and that ends up taking space.


    Also¡­ I''m happy we finally reached 200 chapters! Thank you all so much for sticking with this story for this long.


    I promise to do better.

 Chapter 201 The Hero’s Thoughts

    <h4>Chapter 201 The Hero¡¯s Thoughts </h4>


    "This¡­ shouldn''t be happening."


    Adonis currently sat on his bed, his room surrounding him like one massive cage that tied him down.


    His eyes appeared vacant as they fixatedly stared at the ground, and his head hung low atop his shoulder.


    Despite his usual muscr figure, Adonis looked strangely small in the confines of his room.


    "So much has changed. I can''t keep up any longer." He sighed, punching his forehead with his hand.


    Adonis could not properly describe what he was feeling at the moment.


    He had tried his best to ensure his second chance at life wasn''t wasted.


    He made sure his ssmates were a coherent team, and he ensured they started training early and took it very seriously.


    He practiced hard¡ªworking his butt off even when everyone was resting.


    All of it was so he could get even the tiniest bit stronger than he was in the past.


    And yet¡­


    ''When it came down to it, I failed.''


    The Hero exists for one sole reason; and that is to save people from danger.


    Adonis felt like a failure for being unable to perform his sole responsibility.


    He was a Regressor who knew the future, yet somehow everything that was happening seemed to catch him off-guard.


    It was a mortifying thing for him.


    ''And now, look at everything.''


    The ssmates he tried so hard to hold together had fallen apart. The duo of Alicia and Billy that he implicitly encouraged due to how they were in his past life¡ªespecially after the kidnapping¡ªturned out to be a hoax.


    He was the only one among their ssmates who knew what had happened thanks to practically being an integral part of the Royal Council at this point.


    As such, Alicia and Billy had to tell him¡ªalongside Vida and Conrad¡ªwhat happened to them.


    ''Alicia seems to trust me a little now. She didn''t hesitate to talk to me. I suppose she knows I won''t tell anyone and cause more social dysfunction.''


    The result of all that drama was Adonis finding out the truth about what happened¡ªboth in this life and likely in the past too.


    ''I never expected Billy to be the culprit behind everything. I¡­ I just¡­''


    It revealed Billy to be a twisted soul in the past, forever altering the perception Adonis had of him.


    Despite all of that, though¡­


    ''We still need him!''


    That was the major issue that prevented the boy from being properly punished or even expelled from the Royal Estate.


    Other than the fact that he seemed to genuinely regret his deeds, he was also a vital member of their team.


    ''His punishment is still in deliberation, but it''ll probably be stuff associated with limiting his freedom, notpensating him the way we arepensated, and even tougher training.''


    That was all they could afford to do.


    ''It''s all my fault. If I had been more attentive in my past life¡­ and if I did more to investigate¡­ then maybe all of this wouldn''t have happened.''


    Deep down, Adonis knew he was just beating himself up for no good reason.


    He didn''t know he was going to regress back then, so there was no way he could have been ''more attentive.''


    Besides, he was just as lost and confused as everyone when they were first summoned.


    How could he have been collected enough to take in all the fine details of the world around him and all the events that urred in it?


    It wasn''t possible.


    Also, even in this life, he couldn''t have investigated every single person in great detail.


    He had to focus on training so he could get stronger.


    Sure, he tried to be friends with as many people as possible in order to understand them better, but he was mostly working with the information he had in his past life.


    There was just so much on his te.


    Adonis knew within himself that he had done his best, but he couldn''t help but feel more inadequate.


    ¡­ Especially when he looked at Ralyks.


    "Who¡­ is that man?"


    There was no person called Ralyks in his past life.


    If there was, perhaps the Dragons wouldn''t havepletelyid waste to the United Human Alliance and destroyed everything.


    ¡ªAnd everyone.


    ''His strength is so absurd and unreal. I''ve never seen anyone possess such a variation of abilities and specialties.''


    The only way this was possible was Enchanted Items.


    ''But even those can only go so far. We currently have a scarcity of Monster Cores and Mana Crystals that can replicate such amazing effects.''


    Even the ck Market wouldn''t have Items that would give someone such power.


    If they did, he would have already tried to obtain the items for him and his friends.


    ''If I assume they''re all his abilities, then how is he so strong? And howe I never saw him in my past life?''


    The only conclusion Adonis could arrive at was that Ralyks was like him¡ªan Otherworlder.


    ''Did another Nation summon an Otherworlder? But that isn''t possible.''


    They didn''t have ess to the Magic Form for the Summoning Circle, as well as the Spell required for Interdimensional Magic.


    ''And such Magic can only be done once every decade or so, to allow the space-time fabric of this world to stabilize after being punctured by otherworldly energy.''


    In essence, no other Otherworlder could exist in this world except him and his ssmates.


    ''So what could he be? Maybe he belongs to a naturally powerful race?''


    Elves were loved by Mana, and Fairies were Children of the World.


    However, he didn''t really fit those description; as true Elves would not interact with Humans, and he was too tall to be a Fairy.


    Ralyks also didn''t have pointy ears or an Elven ent.


    Sure, it was possible that the Dark Adventurer was in disguise, but Adonis found that to be highly unlikely.


    ''The Elves should currently be facing the Dragons in their own Continent. I doubt they would have a champion like Ralyks, and he wouldn''t help them out first.''


    None of what was happening made any sense to Adonis.


    He was currently running blind, and for a Regressor like him, it was humiliating.


    ''I don''t care what happens to me, though. As long as this world can be saved¡­ how I feel doesn''t matter.''


    Adonis had already purposed within himself that he would put the safety of this world before any of his own needs.


    Even his decision to integrate himself with the Royal Council, despite disliking politics, was for the very reason of helping his ssmates and after the United Human Alliance in the right direction.


    ''I already suspected Knox and those two bastards, and I was actively investigating them.''


    It was a shame that they had to die so prematurely, depriving the Alliance of any information that they had.


    ''Conrad and Vida will handle the situation of the Criminal Underworld, though. It''s best I focus on what I can do for now¡­''


    Adonis slowly raised his head and rose to his feet.


    There was only one ce that called for him now, and he prepared his body to go.


    ''I have to get stronger!''


    He despised how inadequate he felt¡ªhow powerless he was when it counted the most.


    Plus, with his Stats now lower than before thanks to using [Limit Transcension], he had to work extra hard.


    But, Adonis was ready to do all of that.


    ''If it means saving this world¡­ I will do anything!''


    That was why he was the Hero.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I hope you liked this deep dive into Adonis and his thoughts. To be honest, he''s one of my favorite characters in the story.


    But it looks like the Character Ranking shows that he isn''t too liked by readers.

 Chapter 202 Strategy Against The Undertaking

    <h4>Chapter 202 Strategy Against The Undertaking </h4>


    "So¡­ tell me your n."


    In the exclusive lounge that only Ralyks and the appropriate authority from Karinc to enter, the man of darkness satfortably as he spokeX


    He had a teacup in his hand, sipping its contents through the tiny spatial rupture he created on his mask''s surface.


    It led directly into his mouth, so despite having a Mask, Ralyks had no issues with enjoying the fine beverage that was ced before him.


    Before him were Rebal nc and a Asher¡ªboth taking on the same position they had thest time.


    Rebal was seated, and Asher stood beside him, silently watching over the conversation with his hands firmly ced behind him.


    Ralyks had just told them to exin their n, so Rebal was already cing arge parchment on the center table.


    It didn''t take long before he began to speak.


    "Things have escted since thest time we spoke." The man began by saying.


    He went on to exin what he meant by how the ck Market had been influenced greatly, and how the value of certain items had gone up while others plummeted to the ground.


    The Karinc Group was barely above water at this point.


    It was strange to think that such a monolith in the ck Market could experience a crisis as dire as this one.


    "They''ve taken over more territory, and at the rate they''re going, it won''t be long until they swallow up our region."


    The parchment that Rebal showed Ralyks was a map of the entire United Human Alliance¡ªthough this was a bit special from the ones that existed in mainstream libraries.


    This map showed all the shady spots; including ck Markets, Warehouses, and Hideouts that all tied into the Criminal Underworld.


    It was an Item exclusive to the higher-ups of the Criminal Underworld.


    This was to ensure there was ''Check and Bnce'' within the Triumvirate. After all, if everyone had dirt on one another, either side would be too wary to make a move.


    So far, it seemed to work out well.


    Until now¡­


    "The marked spots are the ces they''ve taken over already, and as you can see, they''ve encircled the parts where we upy, advancing as we speak."


    If they did nothing, in a few weeks, their entire undertaking was going to beplete.


    "I see. And even though you have the maps that also disy their spots, you can''t afford to attack them to slow them down or as retaliation?"


    As Ralyks asked this¡ªpractically rhetorically¡ªRebal nodded as his face became even graver.


    "If we attack them or make any careless moves, they''ll have more of an incentive to rush and pull us down."


    Rather than their slow and steady assault, they would see any kind of action on the part of the Karinc Group and any other kind of resistance as an official deration of war.


    "We do not currently have the manpower to handle their forces. We''ll have to enlist more forces from the Mercenary Gang."


    "And you''re sure they''ve not sidesd with Scy and your other colleagues?" The moment Ralyks asked this, the face of Rebal darkened even more.


    He had a conflicted expression on his face.


    "I''m no fool. I know that is certainly a possibility, but this isn''t the first time we''ve had skirmishes as a whole, and every single time they''ve stayed out of the politics and refused to take a stand."


    From a logical and business perspective, it was the best move to make.


    If the Mercenary Gang chose a side and the skirmish finally died down, they wouldn''t be trusted by the people they sided against.


    This would make them lose customers, and since the winning team was already on top, they wouldn''t have much use for the Mercenary Gang''s services.


    To bnce things out, they had to stay neutral and simply offer their services to those who desired it.


    That way, anyone could be their customer.


    "So you say, but¡­ none of your skirmishes have reached this scale before. Am I wrong?" Ralyks said with a grim tone.


    Rebal had to swallow hard as he responded.


    "No. You''re right. But, we currently have no evidence that suggests the Mercenary Gang has taken a side. Plus¡­"


    At this point, Rebal nc''s face turned into a mask of sheer anxiety and fear.


    "¡­ If the Mercenary Gang has taken their side, then all of this would be pointless. It might be wishful thinking, but we can only make ns like this and have hope for victory if they stay out of this."


    Ralyks finished sipping his tea and dropped it on the table, causing it to make a cking sound.


    A small sound of amusement echoed from behind his mask as he folded his arms.


    "Are they that strong?" He asked.


    Rebal didn''t hesitate to nod his head.


    "The Nine Heads Of Destruction¡ªExecutive Leaders of the Mercenary Gang¡ªare all extremely strong."


    "How strong?"


    "W-well¡­ it is said that they''ve all killed Dragons multiple times, and that if they work together, not even a Dragon Commander is a problem for them." As Rebal said this, his tone trembled a little.


    He didn''t have any doubts about his strength, but the Nine Heads were simply on another level.


    "I don''t know how much of it is true, but I hear that they''re all individually on par with the Head Warrior and the Grand Mage of the United Human Alliance."


    Ralyks crossed his legs and rested his back as soon as this was mentioned.


    "Oho¡­?" His voice contained hints of amusement.


    "And their leader¡­ he is said to be thrice as strong as an individual member."


    "So that means he can easily take on both the Grand Mage and Head Warrior? Interesting¡­"


    Rebal didn''t know what else to say. The words he was uttering would make any man tremble, yet Ralyks only found them amusing.


    Grand Mage Lucielle and Head Warrior Brutus were considered invincible by human standards.


    If there existed other humans who could defeat them, then those would be considered invincible too¡ªespecially if there were nine of them.


    ''I know he dwells in the realm of the [Absolute], but I''m not sure even Sir Ralyks coulde out of a fight with them unscathed.''


    There was a reason why the Mercenary Gang was so well renowned despite having hardly any political influence or business power.


    They simply did whatever they liked, making violence their sole upation.


    Those were the most dangerous kind of men.


    "Don''t worry. I understand the situation now. I''ll adhere to your discretion." Ralyks shrugged, though his tone still had hints of amusement.


    "Thank you, Sir Ralyks."


    "What is your n, then? You''ve identified the problem, so I believe you''ve worked around a viable solution."


    The moment he was asked this, Rebal nodded and began to exin.


    "The n is quite simple. We are currently outnumbered, but so are others. If we can get the two other members of the Obsidian Council to ally with us, and you assist us with your strength, we should be able to stop the advance."


    "Will it be that simple?" Ralyks asked, his tone containing skepticism.


    "No. Not really. We will have to reach out to the Mercenary Gang and also buy some of their strength so that we can spread our forces far and wide. If they see us working together, and you disy your power by defending us from their current undertaking, we can halt their progress."


    "And then¡­ you''llunch your counterattack. Correct?"


    As Ralyks said this, Rebal nodded and smiled.


    "That''s the n in a nutshell."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Alright¡­ we''ll soon be stepping into the action territory.


    Ahh¡­ I''m so excited!

 Chapter 203 The Escort Duty

    <h4>Chapter 203 The Escort Duty </h4>


    The rest of the discourse with Rebal went smoothly; as he essentially gave details regarding the strategy he wanted to employ.


    It was well thought out, and Rey ended up agreeing to all of it.


    He was still skeptical about trusting the Mercenary Gang, and he found a lot of the information on them to be dubious, but he trusted the words of the more experienced man in the room.


    At the final parts of the meeting, Rebal nc made one final request of him.


    "Since we desperately need cash for our ns¡ªespecially with the Mercenary Gang¡ªwe''ll need to engage in a few trades. We would like you to guard our caravans as they pass through our trade route."


    ording to Rebal, a lot had been happening to interfere with the transportation of their merchandise.


    It was bing a bother at this point¡ªand thepany was securing heavy losses as a result.


    "With you protecting our Items, we are guaranteed that they''ll arrive at their destination."


    It was a sensible n, and Rey agreed readily to it.


    He was curious about one thing, though.


    "What about the goods you wanted to sell to the Elves? Didn''t you have it in some kind of warehouse in the East?"


    "Ahhh¡­" Rebal''s troubled face said enough to show that all was no well.


    "Still no contact?"


    "None." Rebal shook his head and sighed. "But we have confirmation that those goods have practically fallen into the hands of the enemy."


    Unless they could turn the fight around and gain more ground, they couldn''t hope to ess them anytime soon.


    "Isn''t there a likelihood that they''ll try to contact the Elves and sell the goods for themselves?"


    Rebal nodded, more wrinkles appearing on his face.


    "No one outside the Karinc Executives directly involved in the trade knows about our business with them, except you. We also have a secret ce where we conduct business with the Elves¡ªone they don''t know of."


    If that was all Rebal had to say, though, he wouldn''t have made such a bitter face.


    "However, if the Elves get desperate, they can just reach out to the enemy side and they''ll be able to sell the goods."


    In essence, it was a loss waiting to happen.


    "We can''t monitor the items anymore due to some kind of interference, probably caused by a barrier ced around the warehouse."


    That was what alerted them that the ce had fallen into the hands of their enemy.


    If they didn''t act fast, they would lose so much money. If they acted too fast, they could lose everything.


    Rebal fought very hard to maintain a bnce.


    "After I''m done guarding your merchandise to its destination, would it be alright to check out the warehouse? I won''t engage if it gets too dangerous, don''t worry."


    Even though Rey assured Rebal about the safety of his intentions, the man still had a doubtful expression on his face.


    ''Does he not trust me?'' Rey wondered.


    "I do not doubt your capabilities, Sir Ralyks. In fact, I am certain you can handle yourself perfectly well. But, the problem is¡­ if you attack them in our old warehouse, then it could trigger their side and lead to the war we''re trying so hard to avoid."


    Rey could understand Rebal''s perspective. The man was being very careful with his actions, considering how delicate things currently were.


    ''But¡­ I''m not sure this is the best way to go about things.'' Rey nearly sighed under his mask.


    He had expected the Karinc Group to be a bit more daring, especially since he was on their side, but it seemed they were still intent on being cautious.


    ''Nothing I can do about that.''


    "I understand. Don''t worry, I won''t take any significant action, and I''ll ensure to remain hidden. Plus, even if I act, I''ll ensure it isn''t tied at all to the Karinc Group."


    Rey knew that even if he was a total stranger, the enemy side would attribute the me to the Karonc Group, or any other member of the opposing Obsidian Council.


    "I''ll be careful." He added words of assurance, causing the man before him to heave a sigh of relief.


    "I under, Sir Ralyks. Thank you."


    "It''s fine."


    The two people before him seemed pleased by how the entire discussion had turned out.


    With the meeting finally over, it was time for the most immediate action to be taken.


    "When will I be leaving to protect your goods?" Rey asked in his deep ''Ralyks'' voice.


    "We n on departing under the canopy of darkness, so in a few hours, you should be good to go."


    Rey nodded as he heard more details about the caravan.


    ''We''ll be going to a nearby city¡ªa night''s journey, really.''


    The route that would be taken was unconventional in order to avoid thepulsory tolls and inspection conducted at major travel paths.


    That meant the journey would be a tad more dangerous than usual transportation of goods.


    Rey didn''t mind, though.


    "Will I be protecting the caravan alone?"


    "No, Sir Ralyks. While we intend to have as little people as possible in the caravan, to improve speed and to reduce the chances of being detected, we would like to have one of our own apany you."


    Rey already expected that. It was only natural for the Karinc Group to send an insider with him.


    He also knew the person would be verypetent.


    "Is it Asher?" He asked, voicing his thoughts out loud.


    "No, Sir Ralyks. He is needed here to initiate some facets of the n. I n on sending someone equallypetent¡ªat least, with regards tobat."


    Rey was curious as he heard those words. For a man like Rebal to praise this person, evenparing them to his son, he wanted to know who they were.


    "You''ve met her before¡­"


    The moment Rey heard this, his eyes began to widen.


    ''No¡­ no way! Please let it not be who I think it is!''


    Unfortunately for him¡­ it was.


    "Our strongest Warrior, Yuri. She''ll be the one apanying you."


    At that point, Rey could only say one thing, hiding it under his breath.


    "Fuck¡­"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    This should be fun. Our lovely pink-haired warrior and our boy on Escort Duty.


    What could possibly go wrong?

 Chapter 204 Dead Of Night [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 204 Dead Of Night [Pt 1] </h4>


    Night arrived, and under the canopy of darkness, some strange movements were afoot.


    A caravan of goods trailed in the shaded world, with the ones responsible for them¡ªthe drivers of their respective carriages, and the watchers of the goods¡ªperforming their duties with absolute precision.


    Their task was simple and straightforward, yet also enough to cause crippling anxiety.


    A simple transportation of goods from one position to another; something the Karinc Group had engaged in numerous times.


    They already had their specialized routes, and their transportationwork was wless.


    At least, that was what they thought until goods started going missing and they found themselves unable tomunicate with their couriers.


    This downward spiral continued on until they stopped transportation altogether.


    However, the current couriers had no fear that anything of that sort could happen to them now.


    After all, they could all see the youngdy who was with them.


    She was in a carriage¡ªone of the many being pulled by the powerful horses that were used for jobs like this.


    The entire carriages were made using Enchantments, enabling them to be silent during transportation.


    The horses could also be barely heard thanks to the couriers being experts that specialized in Skills like [Silence] and [Illusions].


    In essence, unless someone intentionally sought them, and was incredibly powerful, there was no way they could be detected in the shadow of darkness.


    The youngdy that gave everyone confidence had pink hair and a cute appearance. She looked like she was in her early twenties; having a cheerful appearance that oozed nothing short of pure adorableness.


    She had an oversized long-sleeved shirt on, with baggy trousers and simple shoes. She had no ornaments on¡ªat least, none that were evident.


    Her name was Yuri, and everyone within the Karinc Group knew her as the strongest warrior they had.


    She was efficient and thorough, and contrary to what her appearance would make anyone assume¡­ she was ruthless.


    As if Yuri wasn''t enough for the mission, there was one more person within the carriage.


    This man made the couriers tremble in nervousness; forgetting the familiar sce that Yuri offered.


    His presence was both reassuring and unsettling, and his silence made them shiver.


    His name was Ralyks, and he currently sat opposite Yuri in their carriage as they sped through the darkness.


    With these two guarding the caravan, their safety was a foregone conclusion.


    ¡­ Or so it would seem.


    ******


    "¡­ And that''s how Ipleted my first job. It was a little messy, but I managed to pull through."


    "I¡­ see¡­"


    As Rey and Yuri sat in the speeding carriage, thetter was making small talk by referring to many areas of her life in an attempt to make conversation.


    ''Why? Why won''t she stop?'' Rey pondered within himself as he nearly broke his facade.


    Still, he chose to endure.


    "How about you, Sir Ralyks? When did you start this kind of work?"


    ''Why is she asking me stuff like this?'' He wondered within himself as he looked at her cute, unassuming face.


    Rey doubted that the Karinc Group put Yuri up to this, so it had to just be her personality.


    ''Any other employee would treat me with reverence, but it seems she doesn''t understand the meaning of that.''


    Rey also noticed that the girl could not pick a hint.


    ''I''ve clearly shown how I don''t want to talk, yet she keeps bringing up topics.''


    And as a teenage boy, he felt bad not responding to them at all. In the end, he would just give short replies, or try to make the conversation end.


    ''But she won''t stop!''


    The reason why Rey just didn''t want to talk to Yuri didn''t have anything to do with her current demeanor.


    The youngdy was kind, endearing, and downright interesting to talk to.


    She was also very pretty, and Rey knew he could think of a million topics to discuss with her if he was into it.


    But¡­ he just wasn''t.


    ''I don''t think I can view her the same way after seeing what she did.''


    The way she ughtered people with a big smile on her face, and the way that expression of savagery could easily revert to this cute demeanor¡­ it scared Rey a little.


    Still, since she really wasn''t doing anything wrong orpletely out of line, he just decided to endure everything.


    ''I wonder how Alicia would look at me if she found out Ralyks and I are the same person.''


    He didn''t really know, but he had a feeling it wouldn''t really be good.


    ''I better just hold off on telling her that information. At least, for now¡­'' He nearly sighed under his mask as he looked at the girl he was stuck with for the night.


    ''All this wouldn''t be happening if I could just teleport everyone to the target destination.''


    Unfortunately for him, he couldn''t.


    ''I guess I need to have been to the location first¡ªor see it¡ª


    before I can use teleportation that way.


    Plus, since he would be transporting so many people and items, he had to be extra careful with how he handled Spatial Magic.


    ''That leaves only this option. It''s not so bad, though. At the very least, I can study one of the trade routes in person and have a firsthand experience of the way Karinc transports goods.''


    So far, it had been smooth sailing. They had long passed Capital Territory, and their destination was about a city away.


    "Sir Ralyks, you''ve still not answered my question. No fair¡­!" As Yuri grumbled slightly, Rey felt himself roll his eyes.


    ''Acting cute won''t help you. Besides, what exactly am I supposed to say to your question?''


    After narrating a bloody story to him, which involved Yuri cutting down all the enemies as if they were strawmen, she was expecting him no narrate a simr story.


    ''Well, I have none!'' Rey knew he couldn''t say that as Ralyks, so he considered what to say instead.


    Then¡ª


    "Enough small talk. We havepany.


    ¡ªRey sensed something that shifted his mood and tone instantly.


    ''Sweet! Saved by the enemies!''


    Rey felt a tinge of gratitude for the approaching assants.


    They couldn''t have picked the perfect moment to arrive.


    "O-oh? I can''t sense anything, Sir Ralyks!" Yuri responded, her face slowly resembling a professional.


    "That''s because they''re still a distance off. Go tell the drivers and everyone else to be on their guard."


    Yuri nodded slowly.


    "Should we get prepared to stop?" Rey shook his head the moment she asked this.


    "That won''t be necessary. We''ll deal with them while maintaining our usual pace¡ªdon''t worry."


    Rey didn''t want any dys on their travels.


    The estimated Travel Time factored moments where they would have to slow down or stop in case of enemy attacks, but Rey wanted to eliminate thatpletely.


    It was already almost midnight, and Rey wanted to sleep as soon as he possibly could.


    ''I also have a busy day tomorrow, so the sooner this ends¡­ the better for me.''


    Thus, as he watched Yuri leave the carriage to speak to the drivers, Rey prepared himself for conflict.


    ''I just have to end things quickly, while also protecting the goods.'' He sighed, closing his eyes for a moment.


    "That shouldn''t be too hard."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I was thinking of letting Yuri join the Waifu Wars, but I eventually decided against it.


    Also¡­ yayyy! Finally, some action!

 Chapter 205 Dead Of Night [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 205 Dead Of Night [Pt 2] </h4>


    ~WHOOSH!~


    The caravan was attacked by projectiles a few minutes after Ralyks mentioned the presence of enemy forces in the distance.


    The dense cluster of trees in the distance danced back and forth, as if waving at the caravan as the several projectiles charged forth.


    The gleaming rain of enchanted arrows descended upon the carriage from the sky.


    Their number was overwhelming, and the strength within each arrow was enough to kill a man.


    It was also safe to assume they were poisoned as well.


    Normally, upon seeing so many attacks charging at a caravan full of valuables, the group was meant to stop, or even turn back as quickly as possible.


    Defensive measures ought to be put in ce as a result of the imminent threat approaching.


    However, none of that was the case.


    The group kept advancing as if there was nothing wrong.


    As the winds whistled, the uncountable arrows nearing their targets with absolute precision, a sudden glow emerged.


    It covered the entirety of the caravan.


    ~VWUUUM!~


    In a single second, a bright golden light illuminated everything within range.


    The drivers, the goods, and every single person and thing around the caravan was shrouded by the mysterious golden light.


    As soon as the glowing arrows met and touched this barrier, they disintegrated into dust.


    The night breeze carried the dust particles away, leaving the cheering caravan members roaring in victory and excitement.


    They were assured that, as long as the defensive measures were active, they would be safe.


    Yuri in particr seemed to have a wide grin as she stood on top of a carriage''s roof.


    She had seen everything y out, and now she couldn''t resist the allure of what came next.


    "Thank you, Sir Ralyks! Please keep protecting everyone while I take care of everything else!"


    With a wide grin, she leaped from her position, leaving the golden barrier of light of her own volition.


    ~WHOOSH!~


    Her destination was clear.


    ''I''ll show those fools who dared to attack our caravan! I''ll show all of them!''


    Her body flickered with bright bursts of energy, and her speed increased tremendously.


    A long de appeared out of thin air, and she grasped it in no time at all.


    Her eyes glowed very brightly, causing her to easily sae through the veil of darkness and cover the distance she had with her enemies through sight alone.


    In essence; [Night Vision] and [Farsight].


    A second volley of arrows flew into the air, raining down on the caravan.


    Yuri ignored them, considering the fact that she knew they couldn''t break that defense no matter how hard they tried.


    "Hehehe!" Cackles from Yuri echoed into the air as she advanced past the several trees.


    Everything became a blur as she advanced with power.


    And then¡ª


    ~WHOOSH~


    A projectile lunged at her, but she easily deflected it by swinging her sword.


    Several more appeared, but Yuri made short work of them just as easily.


    Her expert swings caused each weapon to be shredded into bits before they could even reach a few inches close to her body.


    ''Ranged fighters, eh? I''m guessing you won''t do well in a one-on-one!''


    She could already see the group that was responsible as they stood in a cluster.


    She brandished her trusty Enchanted Weapon, and it began to shine brightly.


    It was ready for some bloodshed.


    Not long after, Yuri appeared in the clearing, where she met a few dozen men who could barely even gasp as soon as her silhouette made an appearance before them.


    She was so fast that they hadn''t even registered her presence.


    ''Just about fifty? I thought they''d be more considering the arrows. Or did they use Magic to duplicate them?''


    Either way¡­ Yuri didn''t care.


    They were all going to meet their end here anyway.


    "Huu¡­" Her muscles bulged as soon as she took a deep breath, and her eyes focused on the men before her as a wild bird would stare at prey.


    There was no mercy or hesitation to be found in her eyes.


    Just a resolute decision to ughter.


    ~VWUSH!~


    In swift motion, she twisted her body and spun in the air, slicing through the night wind¡­ and flesh.


    Blood sprayed all around her, as fountains rose into the sky.


    This eruption of crimson liquid sparkles under the glow of her de, and with each strike she made, sparks of energy would electrify the air.


    She moved from prey to prey, slicing off their arms and legs, with their heads following after, in what seemed like a single strike.


    By the time she was done with nearly half of them, the others realized what was happening.


    Or¡­ almost.


    They could only see a blur¡ªa dangerous silhouette¡ªkilling theirrades, and they knew they were next.


    In attempts of desperation, they opted to cast Spells and bombard this shadow-like demon with theirbined might.


    Unfortunately for them¡­


    ~SWISH!~


    Before they could even get a word out, their heads were already flying in the air.


    Each man could see the head of hisrade ascending as his own head soon joined.


    It was only at that point, as they descended into death, that they could see the entity that wreaked such havoc and caused such carnage.


    She was nothing more than a young woman.


    "E-eh¡­?" They must have thought as everything in their mind went nk.


    Death weed them into its embrace, and they were happy to escape the horrors of fear that Yuri offered.


    With all the bodies plopping to the ground, she stood above all of them and gave a heavy sigh.


    "Huuu¡­"


    Her cold eyes watched the sticky blood cling to their multteral bodies, and she watched the terror stricken expressions that decorated all the severed heads.


    She felt nothing like remorse or pity for the fools who dared to defy her family.


    Only purpose filled her blood-stained face.


    "Subjugationplete."


    With those words echoing in the air, she returned to the caravan, and into the carriage that Ralyks sat in.


    Upon seeing his imposing mask of darkness, and hispletely shady demeanor, Yuri couldn''t help but grin with happiness.


    "Hey, Sir Ralyks¡­ you won''t believe what just happened!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Yuri is best girl for me¡­ because she can do whatever it takes to protect me (if I''m her family).


    Hehe¡­

 Chapter 206 Dead Of Night [Pt 3]

    <h4>Chapter 206 Dead Of Night [Pt 3] </h4>


    ''Strange¡­''


    As Rey listened to the story that Yuri force fed to him, he felt something off about the entire situation.


    ''From how she described them, they don''t seem like mere bandits.''


    Their coordination, gear, and most of all¡­ their abilities.


    It was true that bandits existed in tiers, but it was very unlikely to see an entire group of bandits have that level of consistent power.


    Besides, this was an established path by the Karinc Group, which was a big deal in the criminal underworld.


    Rey found it strange that a mere group of bandits would want to attack their caravan and risk pissing off thr Karinc Group.


    ''Last but not least, their mode of operation¡ªor should I say their method of attacking¡ªfeels shady.''


    Bandits employed several strategies, but the one Rey had seen wasn''t one of them.


    At least, ording to what he had studied on the subject.


    ''A bombardment of projectiles is used during times of war or intense conflict¡ªwhere the goal is to obliterate your opponent.''


    Yet¡­


    ''Why would bandits use such a method that risks harming the merchandise?''


    Sure, the bombardment could also be used for ambushes, but it was almost always fatal and destructive,


    Bandits could not afford to have their prospective items be damaged. It would reduce in value if that happened, or it could even have none.


    As Rey stared at Yuri''s face, he could tell that she wasn''t thinking about any of these things.


    She just seemed to be looking forward to the next fight.


    "Your face¡­" Rey found himself blurting out as he noticed a stter of blood around her cheek.


    "Hm?"


    Yuri didn''t know what he was referring to, causing Rey to sigh.


    It was too distracting, so he swiftly brought out a ck linen fabric and used it to scrub her face.


    In no time at all, the stain vanished.


    "A-ahh! T-thank you¡­ Sir Ralyks." She mumbled, suddenly acting flustered for the first time since they met,


    ''What''s her deal?'' Rey wondered to himself as he immersed himself back into his thoughts.


    In no time at all, he arrived at a conclusion.


    "I don''t think those men were bandits."


    The moment he said this, Yuri raised her brows and waited for him to exin.


    "If I had to guess, I''d say they''re more interested in making us fail, or destroying us and our goods, rather than plundering them."


    "Oh? Why do you think so, Sir Ralyks?"


    Rey wanted to yell the details at her, or tell her to use her head a little.


    Considering the fact that she had been doing this job for much longer than he was, wasn''t she supposed to be the expert here?


    ''I guess she was just their muscle.''


    Rey eventually had to exin everything to her.


    "A-ahh! I see. You''re right!"


    He wanted to roll his eyes so badly, but Rey gave in to his self control.


    "So who do you think is responsible?"


    The moment he was asked this, there was only one thought that came to his mind.


    "The enemy side¡ªspecifically the Mercenary Gang."


    Upon hearing this, Yuri''s face began to form a frown. All the cheerfulness from earlier faded away.


    "They''re most definitely the ones responsible for your missing packages. I''m sure they hired a lot of Mercenary Gang members to block all your major travel paths, which means we would have encountered that same problem if we chose a different location.


    So long as the routes led outside the Capital, they could have more enough muscles guarding everything.


    ''Looks like I learned a new Skill. [Lesser Object Enchant]. It''s a D-Tier Skill, so it''s pretty useless.''


    Rey decided he would simply use [Merger] andbine a Skill like [Greater Weapon Summon].


    "In any case, we should be on guard. If my guess is correct, then we might face even more formidable opponents as we travel."


    "Hahahaha! They shoulde!" Yuri raised her arm and gave a wild smile. "I''ll beat them all up!"


    Rey found himself smiling for some reason underneath his mask, though he merely stuffs externally.


    "Well¡­ at least one of us is excited." He whispered as he gazed outside the window.


    ''I wonder what awaits us ahead¡­''


    ********


    Fabian was a member of the esteemed Mercenary Gang.


    He had regr brown hair, and slightly pale skin that couldn''t be properly detected under the moonlight


    He had just joined a few years ago, but thanks to his hard work and dedication to the group, he was promoted to ''Captain!''


    That meant, for this group of fifty, he was the man in charge.


    Fabian didn''t allow this achievement of his to fuel his ego, but he knew he deserved everyst bit of his sess.


    Just as in any respectable organization, the Mercenary Gang operated on a strict hierarchical system, and he had managed to climb the ranks.


    Wasn''t he just amazing?


    "Sir, it seems the first Squad was wiped out." One of his subordinates came to him and spoke.


    "W-what?! Already?!"


    A head of sweat appeared on his face as soon as he heard that.


    ''What the hell did Miller do? How did he let them get past so easily?''


    To be honest, Fabian wanted hisrade¡ªMiller¡ªto fail, but not before whittling down the numbers of the Karinc Group''s traveling members.


    He would pick apart the rest and end up with all the glory.


    Unfortunately, things didn''t seem to be going down that route.


    "Miller isn''t fodder, though. How would he and his squad lose so quickly?"


    Sure, they excelled in long-range attacks, but he expected some time to be drawn out.


    ''But Jack''s Exclusive Skill doesn''t lie. If that''s what happened, then that''s what happened¡­'' Fabian sighed.


    He just had to ensure that he took care of the mess by himself.


    "S-sir, something''sing!" The voice of Jack, his right-hand man, soared through the air.


    "W-what are you¡ª?"


    ~SWISH!~


    Before Fabian couldplete his words, he saw a slit thatpletely encircled Jack''s neck.


    And then¡ª


    "E-eh¡­?"


    Blood sshed everywhere, dousing Fabian in the crimson liquid of the man he had just been speaking to.


    He looked around him and noticed that more heads were flying in the air and bodies were copsing to the ground.


    ''W-what is happe¡ª?"


    Before he realized it too, his own head floated above his body.


    Before Fabian even got to do anything, he realized the reason why Miller had lost.


    ''¡­ FUCK!''


    The enemy was too strong.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Guess we''ll see Yuri''s Stats in the next chapter.

 Chapter 207 Dead Of Night [Pt 4]

    <h4>Chapter 207 Dead Of Night [Pt 4] </h4>


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Yuri


    - Race: Human


    - ss: Berserker (C-Tier)


    - Level: 99 (99.99% EXP)


    - Life Force: 10 [50]


    - Mana Level: 30/30 [100]


    - Combat Ability: 61 [150]


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Sword Mastery]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Combat Application]. [Warrior''s Mantle]. [Farsight]. [Night Vision].


    - Alignment: Chaotic Neutral


    [Additional Information]


    A sword genius who was found and raised by the Karinc Group. She considers everyone in thepany as family and would do anything for her family.


    Even if it means killing anyone who stands in her way.


    [End Of Information]


    As Rey concluded his use of [Absolute Appraisal], he smiled slightly.


    ''Looks like she took care of them very quickly again.''


    As Yuri returned into the carriage, Rey found himself observing her. First with [Absolute Appraisal], then a close investigation on her muscr body hidden underneath the baggy clothes.


    ''I guess she''s pretty strong by this world''s standards¡­'' His thoughts trailed while seeing her excited grin.


    Since he began his travels with Yuri, there were three things he had learned about her;


    One was that she was very loud and yful.


    Second was the fact that she could be cruel and sadistic.


    And then, the third one was that she was incredibly clumsy.


    Right now, she was trying to rub off the blood on her face, but she only made things worse for herself.


    It almost felt like he was watching a child.


    "Here." He muttered, bringing out a dark rag from his Ring.


    ''I have lots of them in stock in case I need to clean something that gets stained with blood.''


    He never expected it to be used for someone else, but more importantly¡­ he never thought they would clean human blood.


    ''Well, whatever. I''ve gone past the point ofint anyway.'' Rey shrugged


    She had gotten a lot of stains on her attire, and there was nothing he could do about that, so he simply settled for her face.


    He also gave her rags to clean her hands.


    Once she was done, Rey instructed her to throw the rags to one of the bushes around, much to Yuri''s surprise.


    "Should we really be leaving traces?" She asked with raised brows.''


    "The bodies we left behind are enough traces for those who care to find us. Besides, this can help the Karinc Group trace our position and detect how far we''vee already."


    "Ohhhh¡­!"


    Rey didn''t say anything after that, and thankfully¡­ neither did Yuri.


    The only time Rey spoke was to alert her of iing enemies, to which she would dispose of in a jiffy.


    They continued this process through the night/early morning, until they finally arrived at their destination.


    ********


    The point of trade was arge clearing within a patch ofnd purchased by the Karinc Group.


    It existed in a developing city, so there weren''t too many inspections and regtions going on there.


    Besides, since this was the Karinc Group''s private property, they had every right and autonomy imaginable when it came to thend.


    Of course, getting into the city was the toughest part of the entire journey¡ªsecond only to leaving the capital¡ªbut even that wasn''t much of an issue.


    The Karinc Group wouldn''t have been able to survive in the ck Market, talkless of beating one of its leaders, if they didn''t have methods of circumventing such problems.


    They were able to avoid detection thanks to thebined skills of the caravan members, who shrouded everything in Illusion Magic, while using a massive Enchanted fabric to cover the carriages and horses.


    This caused them to be practically invisible as they literally flew into the city¡ªpast the tall fence that encircled the entire city.


    It required a lot of Mana to achieve all these things, so the effects were only temporary.


    Still, they seeded in their infiltration.


    Once they got past the security and got to their patch ofnd, they were pretty much in the safe zone.


    "Good job, everyone!" Yuri grinned at the entire crew as she ced both hands on her hips.


    They all smiled at her, charmed by her endearing nature.


    These were all members of the criminal underworld, so they weren''t turned off by the slight stains of blood that appeared on the girl''s dress.


    In fact, it sort of added to her appeal.


    With everyone dismounted, they began to offload the items they were going to be trading.


    Standing in a corner, and watching as everyone did their fair share of work, was Ralyks.


    He was resting his back on one of the carriages while folding his arms in solitude.


    A few men looked at him, glitters literally oozing from their eyes as they did so.


    "I can''t believe he could use such arge defensive barrier."


    "I don''t think things would have gone so smoothly if he wasn''t present."


    "He''s really amazing."


    The men who spoke weren''t wrong.


    Even Yuri had to admit that if she had been stuck on both offense and defense, things would have proven incredibly tough for her.


    The only reason they could obtain such a swift victory¡ªwith no damage or casualties involved¡ªwas for the simple reason that the enemy hadn''t expected a man of Ralyks'' caliber to show up.


    To arge extent, the enemy side had information about the Karinc Group.


    They were well aware of their military power, their economic and social standing, as well as their specialties.


    They even knew their trump cards.


    As such, they could prepare the perfect n to counter the Karinc Group''s endeavors.


    However¡­ with Ralyks thrown into the mix as an unknown variable, the status quo was bound to change.


    He was their dark horse that would lead them to victory.


    A true hero!


    *********


    ''Looks like it''s about to begin.'' Rey smiled to himself as he folded his arm.


    He was grinning under his mask as he sensed a presence approaching.


    ''Since they were all over our path, it was clear they knew where we were heading¡­''


    Nothing about what was about to happen surprised Rey in the slightest.


    Rather, it just made him more excited.


    ''This one is stronger than the others. I guess I have something to look forward to.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Will we finally get to see Rey fight for the first time since the start of this Arc?


    At longst!

 Chapter 208 Dead Of Night [Pt 5]

    <h4>Chapter 208 Dead Of Night [Pt 5] </h4>


    "When do you think the buyer is going to show?"


    Yuri was standing in front of Rey as she asked her question.


    The team had offloaded all the goods they were going to sell. They were all inside crates, and from the looks of it, there appeared to be a few dozen of them.


    Rey didn''t know what was inside the crates, though he was sure they would tell him if he asked.


    ''It''s just better I mind my business.'' He thought, now staring straight into Yuri''s gleaming eyes.


    He didn''t know how to respond to her question. Was he supposed to say something like;


    "Sorry, but your buyer might not show up at all."


    That would be too tiresome to exin.


    He cast his gaze on the many boxes and felt a bit bad for the Karinc Group.


    ''It looks like these goods will be worth a lot of money. They must have been counting on this sale being sessful in order to gain some liquid funds.''


    It was a shame things turned out this way.


    ''They''re closing in on us now. I''m sure Yuri will be able to sense something pretty soon.'' Rey''s thoughts trailed as he continued resting his back on the carriage.


    Just like clockwork, Yuri''s bright smile slowly began to vanish as she took a few steps back and closed her eyes.


    "Something''s wrong¡­" She whispered.


    For Rey, he had already known about this for some minutes.


    He already realized there were people watching them since they entered the city. The watchers were well-hidden, but his [Greater Sensory Perception] made their efforts useless to him.


    "Sir Ralyks, I think we need to gather around and defend the merchandise. Something feels off about this¡­"


    Rey nodded, somewhat happy that the girl before him had taken the initiative for once.


    He removed his back from the carriage and took a few steps forward.


    "Agreed. Let''s gather everyone."


    ******


    The entire group was nothing more than ten.


    With about five drivers and five members of the caravan who monitored the goods they were left in charge of.


    Usually, when it involved goods such as this, the number of members expected was about triple the current size.


    However, due to several reasons, this was the best approach the Karinc Group could take.


    The ten caravan members were huddled together as a group, with Yuri and Ralyks in front of them.


    The merchandise was also ced at their feet, so everything of true value was in close proximity. With everything safe and ounted for, one would think they would heave sighs of relief.


    No¡­ that was far from the case.


    They all had distraught expressions thanks to Yuri''s worrisome countenance.


    None of them were expert fighters, so they couldn''t sense the fact that a bunch of strangers were closing in on them from every angle.


    They could only sense that their best warrior was uneasy.


    "We''ve been surrounded, everyone." Yuri announced, in and simple.


    "E-eh?"


    "Y-you mean¡­?"


    "That can''t be¡­!"


    The Karinc Group always ensured that theirnds had defensive barriers surrounding them, preventing intruders from venturing in.


    The only way to get in without setting off any rm was to have a proper tag.


    As one would expect, the caravan had this with them, so they were able to sessfully enter the clearing within the mostly undevelopednd.


    As for the only other person who was meant to have a tag¡­


    "It seems your buyer waspromised." Ralyksmented, his tone the epitome of calmness.


    Despite the panicky faces of everyone present, he seemed to be the only one who was collected.


    "The way I see it, there are three possibilities." Ralyks continued, his gaze specifically on Yuri.


    "One; the buyer was forcibly intercepted by the enemy forces and thus, they were able to get the tag. Two; the buyer betrayed the Karinc Group for some other benefit. Third; the buyer was the enemy all along, or at least their agent."


    The caravan members trembled as they heard this.


    They had traveled for hours, experienced tons of danger, only for them to realize they the profit they were looking forward to most likely didn''t exist.


    The first possibility implied that the buyer was most likely dead. The other two possibilities made it certain that their buyer would not be purchasing their merchandise.


    In essence, a massive loss for the group.


    "A-are you sure they are enemies? The ones approaching us¡­ I mean."


    "Y-yeah. Maybe they are just the buyer''s entourage."


    "It¡­ could be for protection and¡ª"


    A heavy sigh from Yuri, followed by a "That''s enough," was enough to stop the wishful thoughts of the men present.


    She turned away from the ten and settled her gaze on Ralyks.


    "The Karinc Group audits their customers well before doing business with them¡ªespecially if it requires Travel." Yuri responded.


    Her words practically implied that the buyer was a legitimate client, thus eliminating thest option entirely.


    However, Ralyks didn''t back down so easily.


    "Do you, now? I don''t remember being put under any scrutiny or audits; and I''ve enlisted transportation services too."


    "You are an exception, Sir Ralyks."


    The moment Yuri said this, a slight chuckle escaped the Dark Adventurer''s lips, disying his clear amusement.


    "Fair enough. I''ll take your word for it."


    He gave a slight shrug and stared into the distance, where silhouettes had already begun to form.


    "I suppose there''s only one way to know the truth for sure."


    About a hundred people in total appeared from seemingly nowhere, surrounding the caravan in a veryrge circle.


    Standing in the direction where Ralyks cast his gaze was a tall and immensely muscr figure.


    There was no doubt who was in charge.


    His ebony skin glemed under the moonlight, almost like it was a gem in itself. His incredibly muscr upper body was bare open for all to see, while he wore long trousers and walked barefoot.


    He also had long beads strapped around his neck, as well as earrings on both his ears.


    The ground trembled with every step he took, almost as if he weighed the same as a mountain.


    The man held a massive spikyclub in one hand, while his other hand stroked his long, bushy beards.


    All in all, he resembled a barbarian who knew nothing but chaos and violence.


    As his dreadlocks swayed back and forth thanks to the night''s breeze, he grinned widely and announced his presence before the twelve who were trapped in the midst of him and hisrades.


    "Hahahaha! Lambs to the ughter!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Maybe guess the identity of the giant man. If you guess right¡­ I might do a mass release.

 Chapter 209 Yuri’s Rampage

    <h4>Chapter 209 Yuri¡¯s Rampage </h4>


    "Hahaha! Lambs to the ughter!"


    As the man''s deep, yet yful voice echoed in the dead of night, the bodies of everyone present shivered.


    The air itself was vibrating as it congratted his appearance.


    As he ced the giant club he wielded on his shoulder, the beads he wore ttered and danced, bearing on his massive chest.


    "Hehehe¡­ look at their faces. They look like sniveling rats!"


    As he said this, the hundred or so men that hemanded burst out intoughter.


    He wasn''t wrong, though.


    The moment most of the people who gazed at him were able to fully capture his presence, they were shaking profusely.


    Was it because they were surrounded by a hundred people? No¡­ not really.


    They could simply be protected like before.


    Then what was it? What could cause such fear among the very people that had experienced safe travels thus far?


    It had to do with the man who was speaking.


    "T-that is¡­ Ogun!"


    "What is he doing here? H-how¡­?"


    "This bad¡­ really bad!"


    The voices of the scared men reached the ears of the giant dark-skinned man, and he burst out into moreughter.


    "Looks like you''re not totally blinded by the darkness. You all know how fucked you are!"


    Moreughter echoed from the men around.


    They were all dressed considerably casually. Other than a few Enchanted Items and weapons that they wielded, they looked like mere ruffians.


    One could even think they weren''t really serious about the plunder and ughter they were intending on partaking in.


    The reason for theirckadaisical attitude towards their gear and even proper defensive measures was due to the colossal being that was their champion.


    Ogun; the Warrior of Blood and Iron!


    He was one of the Nine Heads of the Mercenary Gang; a savage warrior who craved the blood of his victims and loved the thrill of battle.


    His mere presence alone was enough to elicit sheer intimidation, and his powermanded respect.


    Even his name was enough to make one tremble.


    Even Yuri, the fearless warrior of the Karinc Group, was not immune to the pressure he exuded.


    "How¡­ did you get in here? W-what happened to the buyer?" She managed to ask while summoning her de to take a battle stance.


    "Oho? This bitch has got some nerve¡­ asking me questions like that¡­"


    Yuri''s gaze squinted slightly, showing just how intimidated she was of her opponent.


    However, she refused to back down.


    "Well, let''s see¡­"


    The spiky club that Ogun wielded fell to the ground, causing a gaping hole to form, and debris to scatter about.


    The echoes of the earth''s destruction caused many to shrink back or even jump in fright.


    Still¡­ Yuri maintained her stance.


    "If you''re talking about that artifact thingy, we swiped it off that guy''s corpse after we murked him."


    The pink-haired girl gritted her teeth as she watched the ebony man pull out something from his dirty pocket.


    It was white and round, and it was covered in slimy-like liquid.


    Ogun tossed it towards Yuri, allowing it to roll on the ground as it closed the distance towards her.


    "I got to keep that as a souvenir, but you can keep it."


    The white ''thing'' tapped Yuri''s shoes, and she looked down to see what it was.


    It was an eyeball.


    "You¡­"


    Yuri''s green eyes instantly began to brighten in rage, and energy swelled from her body.


    It seemed like she totally forgot her fear and embraced the wrath that was slowly consuming her.


    No one knew this, except Yuri, Asher, and Lord nc himself, but the man whose eyeball was now looking right at her was someone Yuri owed a great deal to.


    He was the one who saw her skill with the sword and brought her to the Karinc Group.


    Yet¡­ here he was¡ªdead.


    "I''LL KILL YOU¡­!!!"


    ~BOOOM!~


    The ground shattered as Yuri rushed towards the man she red at with such ominous hate.


    Her fury knew no bounds as she activated her [Warrior''s Mantle]. Pink energy consumed her body, and her eyes gleamed with bright light.


    Still she wasn''t done.


    Her [Berserker] ss had a privilege, among others, that allowed her to attain even more power.


    ~Rampage~


    In exchange for her properly functioning mental faculties, she would be granted an instant surge in power.


    Up to triple the amount she already had.


    "UROAAAHHHHH!!!" She screamed, unable to properly utter coherent words at this point.


    Drool fell from her mouth as she charged, parting the winds that stood in her way.


    Within a second, she was able to traverse the several meters that existed between her and her target.


    Her muscles erged as she tightly gripped her sword to deliver a powerful strike.


    However¡­


    ~CLANG!~


    Yuri''s de was met with the unyielding force of her opponent''s spiky club.


    Sparks flew as the both made contact, sending a shockwave flying all around them.


    "GRRRRR!!!"


    She twisted her body and absorbed the shock, rushing to his unprotected right nk to deal another damage, but before she realized it, the club was right next to her de.


    ~SWOOSH!~


    The thing rose up, pushing Yuri into the air with the brute strength being released by her grinning adversary.


    It made her even more enraged.


    "DIEEEEEEEEE!!!" She jumped away from the club, nimble like an animal.


    She flipped in the air andnded right behind him¡ªher prey¡ª


    wielding her de with the most power she could muster.


    ~SWOOOSH!~


    In one horizontal strike, the sword came crashing down.


    And a secondter¡ª


    "E-eh¡­?!"


    ¡ªThe de shattered, all without drawing a single drop of blood from her adversary.


    This despair brought back temporary rity, as her eyes became clear for just a second, allowing for rational thought.


    ''What just¡­ happened¡­?!''


    Yuri was currently thrice as strong as she would be normally¡ª


    which meant her Base Stats had tripled.


    She was sure her enchanted de had made impact, and her swordsmanship skills were her pride.


    Yet¡­ after all her efforts¡­ how in the world was she in the current scenario?


    Right as she was thinking this, a powerful blow came from the man before her and dug itself right into her stomach.


    "PUACK!" Vomit mixed with blood were forcefully ejected from Yuri''s mouth as her bloodshot eyes seemed to neatly pop out of their sockets.


    "Hahahaha! Pathetic! Did you really think you could win?"


    As Yuri''s body floated in the air, the man grabbed her short pink hair with one hand andnded another solid hit on her face with another.


    That single blow shattered most of her teeth, dislocated her jaw, broke her nose, and squished her face.


    ¡­ All in one moment!


    "G-Gurgh!" She fell to the ground, covered in dirt and too powerless to stand.


    Yuri felt her consciousness fading as her brain pounded.


    She could hardly feel any pain, but her body wasn''t responding to her any longer.


    Her swollen eyes slightly popped open as her blurry vision caught the man holding his spiky club as he intended to smash it on her.


    That would be more than enough to settle it; Yuri already realized it.


    Once the club made contact with her body¡­ she was going to be totally crushed by it, turning into a mix of thick red paste and mangled pink flesh.


    She would die a brutal death¡­ just like her victims.


    ''I don''t¡­ want to die¡­''


    As the club descended upon her, Yuri had this one thought.


    ''Sir nc¡­ Lord Asher¡­ anyone¡­ Please save me.''


    Unfortunately, the two people she mentioned were nowhere near close to save her.


    Still¡­ there was someone who could.


    And right as her blurry vision went dark and her consciousness faded, she saw someone appear before her and stop the club with a single hand.


    A voice also whispered into the air.


    "You''ve done enough. It''s my turn."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Now then¡­ shall we begin the main event?

 Chapter 210 The Observer’s Intervention

    <h4>Chapter 210 The Observer¡¯s Intervention </h4>


    [Moments Earlier]


    ''Ogun? That name sounds familiar¡­''


    As Rey watched everyone tremble before the man before them, he felt a bit left out.


    Everyone already knew his identity, and they were muttering his name with scared tones. He became curious and resorted to the only way to satisfy his current state.


    ''[Absolute Appraisal].''


    The moment he said this, Ogun''s System Window appeared before him.


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Ogun


    - Race: Human


    - ss: Chief Barbarian (B-Tier)


    - Level: 121 (78.54% EXP)


    - Life Force: 30 (+15) [+155]


    - Mana Level: 50 (+25) [+175]


    - Combat Ability: 100 (+50) [+200]


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Damage Nullification]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Power Output]. [Intimidation Aura]


    - Alignment: Neutral Evil


    [Additional Information]


    One of the Nine Heads of Destruction; an Executive Member of the Mercenary Gang.


    As someone who possesses immense strength and incredible defense, he is considered invincible by most.


    [End Of Information]


    "Ohhh!" Rey''s eyes widened as he looked at the man''s Stats.


    ''So these are his Stats?''


    Rey had been hearing about the Mercenary Gang Executives and how scary they were, but he never expected to meet one of them so soon.


    This man¡ªOgun¡ªcertainly looked the part, and based on the reaction of everyone, he was the real deal.


    Plus, the System didn''t lie.


    Yet, after Rey''s initial round of surprise, he couldn''t help but feel something a bit off.


    ''That''s strange, though¡­ why are his Stats so low?''


    He had heard that the Mercenary Gang Executives¡ªNine Heads of Destruction¡ªwere as strong as the Alliance''s strongest, so he expected to see some really high numbers.


    These seemed like a joke inparison.


    ''Brutus is currently in Level 150, the highest Level attainable for those with the B-Tier ss. His Stats reflect that well, and his Bonus Stats are much more impressive than this guy''s own.''


    He never saw Brutus fully equip weapons and Items, so he didn''t know how strong the man could get, but based on raw Stats alone, the Chief Warrior was already stronger than Ogun.


    ''And let''s not talk about Lucielle. She''s in Level 175 already, since the Cap for A-Tier is probably around Level 200, and her Stats are even higher than Brutus¡ªwell, except in the Combat Ability department.''


    All in all, both of the Alliance''s strongest were more powerful than the man before him.


    ''And they im he can single/handedly kill a Dragon? With those Stats?''


    Perhaps a One-Horn Dragon, but Rey doubted the man before him could do something like that with such Stats and his limited Skill-set.


    ''Unless¡­'' Rey''s eyes narrowed on the Exclusive Skill that Ogun had on disy.


    ''Is that what is at work? I can''t see any details about it, but I''m curious about what it can do.''


    Fortunately for Rey, while he was observing Ogun, thetter managed to piss off Yuri.


    ~BOOOM!~


    Rey heard the ground shatter and watched as Yuri approached Ogun with an unbelievable amount of ferocity.


    He had never seen her that way before.


    ''Her Stats are rising like crazy too!'' Rey beamed as he watched everything going on with keen eyes.


    He already knew her Stats were much lower than Ogun''s, but with her tripling the base numbers, there was still a chance for her.


    For one, Rey felt she would be more skilled in actualbat.


    He wasn''t wrong.


    Despite the gap in Stats, Yuri did extremely well and fought an impressive fight.


    By the time shended behind Ogun and went for the kill, Rey felt strangely proud of her and watched what would happen.


    That was when he saw what he had been looking for.


    The effects of the [Damage Nullification] Skill!


    ''Doppel: Show Skills'' Rey''s thoughts trailed as he kept his gaze on what was happening before him.


    [Skill Categories]


    ~ SS-Tier: 3


    ~ S-Tier: 8


    ~ A-Tier: 8


    ~ B-Tier: 12


    ~ C-Tier: 3


    [New Skills: Please Select Their Categories]


    ~D-Tier: Intimidating Aura~


    ~C-Tier: Warrior''s Mantle~


    ~C-Tier: Rampage~


    ~C-Tier: Damage Nullification~


    [Total Skills: 38]


    The moment Rey saw that it was C-Tier, his expectations slightly plummeted.


    Still, he decided not to judge a Skill merely based on Tiers. After all, a lot of his favorite Skills had the same standards, yet they were pretty useful.


    He tapped on the [Damage Nullification] icon to see its details.


    [Skill Details]


    [Damage Nullification]


    Tier: C (Passive)


    Ability: Gives the user a perfect body that nullifies any damage given, as long as they do not exceed your total Combat Ability


    [End Of Information]


    ''Oho! This is actually really good!''


    Rey felt a surge of dopamine hit his body as he took a second look at the Skill description.


    ''With this Skill, I won''t even take damage from anything weaker than me.''


    As long as his opponent''s Combat Ability was lower¡ªeven if it was by 1 unit¡ª he could not be harmed in the slightest.


    ''That''s crazy!''


    It was no wonder Ogun was called invincible. If anyone even remotely weaker than him faced him, it would end in their inevitable defeat.


    ''One people¡­ a hundred¡­ it doesn''t even matter!''


    As Rey was indulging in his thoughts, echoes of the battle reached his ears, causing him to pay attention again.


    Once he did, he noticed Yuri on the ground, her face all messed up.


    Ogun''s massive spiky club was raised in the air, about to be smashed on her entire body.


    ''Okay¡­ that''s enough.''


    In a single breath, he closed the distance between himself and the two who stood at a distance.


    The club came crashing down, but he easily held it up, stopping the powerful thing mid-air.


    He turned to Yuri, seeing as she was already losing consciousness while tears fell from her eyes.


    Rey felt a little bad at this point.


    "You''ve done enough. I''ll take it from here." He muttered.


    As he said this, he felt the weight behind the club increase, and the ground began to tremble as a result of the overwhelming pressure.


    It made no difference to him, though.


    "Take it from where? Hahahaha! Just because you¡ª!"


    "Hang on a moment." Rey interrupted the hulking man and pointed his unupied hand towards the unconscious Yuri.


    With a single thought, he used [Absolute Healing] and caused her to recover instantly.


    Then, he used his Spatial Magic to transport her to to the other ten who were trembling by themselves.


    ''I still have to protect the merchandise, don''t I?''


    He used [Absolute Perfect Defense] to generate a shield to cover the entire crew and the crates that were before them.


    That way, they would be safe regardless of whatever harm the enemy could conjure up.


    Once he was done with all of this, he turned to look at Ogun, who now had a surprised¡ªalmost wary¡ªexpression written on his face.


    "Now where was I¡­?"


    Before Rey could say any more, Ogun jumped back, causing the club to slip out of the former''s hand.


    "Ahh¡­"


    Rey''s gaze rested on the barbarian who now had a serious re, losing all of the yful demeanor he started the confrontation with.


    Right now, only an aura of danger enveloped him.


    "You¡­" He pointed his spiky club at Rey and asked with a deep tone caressing his words.


    "Who are you?"


    *


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Rey vs Ogun¡­ we begin in the next chapter!


    Our big man might have something to stop the Mc. Look forward to it!

 Chapter 211 The Barbarian Ogun

    <h4>Chapter 211 The Barbarian Ogun </h4>


    Ogun found himself wary inspite of himself.


    His heartbeat slightly spoked up and he felt saliva gathering in his throat as it itched.


    A cold pressure enveloped him; like tiny icicles piercing his skin and fusing him to back off.


    The ebony man could not ignore these feelings


    And so, he raised his club and asked the stranger who had disyed miraculous feats before him a simple, but pertinent question.


    "Who¡­ are you?!"


    The man in the mask was a mystery. ording to the intel he had received, the strongest in the Karinc Group¡ªother than their leader himself¡ªwas Yuri.


    There were also a few other notable individuals strong in the Karinc Group, but none matched the description of the man who stood before him.


    No one mentioned anything about this guy, which meant he wasn''t in the group, or perhaps wasn''t simply regarded as strong.


    But now that Ogun was staring at him now, he could tell without a doubt¡ª


    ''He''s stronger than that Yuri girl!''


    Despite how Ogun looked and acted, he was actually a very logical individual.


    He prided himself on the ability to think and make sensible decisions alongside the power to pummel down his enemies.


    His intelligence was looked down on by the other Nine Heads, but he considered himself a master strategist.


    ''That man is strong. But is he stronger than me?''


    So far, Ogun had seen him do a bunch of things that shouldn''t have been possible by normal standards.


    ''He healed the girl instantly, and he also teleported her to the rest of the group. As for them¡­'' Ogun slightly shifted his gaze towards the other Karinc members and their merchandise.


    ''¡­ He is also protecting them with a barrier.''


    All of these seemed to be high-level Skills that required some form of specialization.


    There was no way he could have all of them at once¡ªtalkless of using them freely.


    ''They must be one-time use Skills. Or maybe even haverge cooldowns.''


    There was also the possibility that these were simply the effects of items¡ªmost likely consumables.


    ''Yes¡­ yes, that''s definitely it!''


    Ogun simply couldn''t imagine a scenario where this man before him was stronger.


    "My name is Ogun! Warrior of Blood and Iron. I am a proud member of the Nine Heads of Destruction." Upon seeing that the masked man didn''t respond, Ogun had to take the initiative.


    As he spoke, he reminded himself of just how powerful he was.


    ''I''m a big deal, you know?''


    Broadening his lips, he disyed his fanged teeth with such ferocity you''d think he was a wolf beast.


    "The Great Ogun is asking you a question. You would do well not to waste my time and answer!"


    As he said this, Ogun smashed his club''s head on the ground, causing a small explosion of pressure.


    Cheers from his men echoed into the air as they roared his name and sang his praises


    "Hehehehe¡­ hahahaha!!"


    To him, all of it was music to his ears.


    However, to the opponent¡­it had to symbolize danger.


    ''He''s been standing there and watching while I beat the Yuri brat. I doubt he''s very strong!''


    Once Ogun convinced himself of this,pletely erasing the memory of how the man had stopped his club mid-motion; or that the man was fast enough to leave his position without even alerting him.


    No¡­


    None of those mattered now.


    "Since you''ve clearly proven yourself to be a mute, then I''d better put you out of your misery." Ogun smiled as he took a step forward.


    "Weaklings like you should be¡ª"


    "Hey, can I ask a question?" The deep voice of the man in the mask suddenly pierced the air.


    It caused instant silence, prompting even the cheering audience to cease their noises.


    Ogun felt a bead of sweat forming on his face for no good reason.


    "Tch. I don''t need to¡ª!" He ignored the question and was about to take a step forward.


    Then¡ª!


    ~BOOM!~


    The earth before Ogun was destroyed by what pleaded to be w marks.


    It looked like five ws had scraped the ground, digging severalyers inside as they shattered hard rock.


    And all of it happened in an instant; faster than even his eyes could process.


    "Are you the strongest of the Nine Heads of Destruction? If not, where would you rank your strength?"


    The moment he heard this, Ogun felt a wave of shock course through him.


    ''Why is he asking me such a question?!''


    He quickly shrugged it off as the nonsensical babblings that a desperate man would utter.


    "Dead men do not need to know such things!" He grinned.


    "Hmm. True, but I do not see how that applies here¡­"


    As Ogun heard this rebuttal, an uneasy feeling began to take over his body.


    Only a handful of people could talk back at him when he spoke.


    He wasn''tfortable in adding another to the list.


    "Dead men indeed do not need to know certain things. That''s why I didn''t respond when you asked for my name."


    Upon hearing, Ogun red up instantly.


    "You fool! You dare say such in my presence? I hope you can back those arrogant words with your actions!" He smashed his club on the ground again, creating massive cracks.


    He was done thinking or analyzing.


    He was a Barbarian, so he simply had to fight like one.


    ''[Power Output]! [Intimidation Aura]!''


    As soon as his thoughts echoed in the depths of his mind, his muscles swelled with overflowing energy.


    Ogun didn''t have a wide array of Skills. He preferred the term "quality over quantity."


    Or, perhaps he was only stuck with a few Skills because he hardly did anything consistently to warrant him getting a new one.


    But, Ogun didn''t care.


    He was plenty strong as he was now¡ªfar stronger than most humans could ever be in their lives.


    ''I can only think of two or three members of the Nine Heads that can match me in sheer power!''


    He had the most destructive offense, and coupled with his imprable defense, he was truly invincible.


    "I''ll show you why you truly shouldn''t have messed with me!" With veins appearing all over his head, Ogun licked his lips in anticipation.


    "I''ll beat you to a pulp!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Looks like we''ve gotten the pleasantries out of the way. Now¡­ on to the action!

 Chapter 212 The Bloody Bat

    <h4>Chapter 212 The Bloody Bat </h4>


    Ogun only had three Skills.


    The first one; his most important Skill which was exclusive to him alone¡ª[Damage Nullification].


    This was his golden finger; the sole Skill that made him capable of rising up the ranks and defeating countless opponents without getting as much as a scratch on him.


    With it, unless someone was absurdly strong or if a much higher Level than him¡ªwith a better Clsss to boot¡ªthey could neverpare to him.


    Other than this Skill, he had two more.


    [Power Output] and [Intimidation Aura].


    The former allowed him to explosively increase hisbat ability by increasing his strength to an unimaginable degree while also costing himself in dense, powerful Mana.


    As for thetter Skill, it caused his opponents to tremble in fear; allowing them to grow paranoid and even sluggish in their movements.


    Even the most skilled opponent would find it difficult to move properly if their body wasn''t listening to them as a result of fear.


    As Ogun tightly gripped his club, he activated its special ability.


    ~VWUUUUMMM!!!~


    Dark red energy covered it, and ckish red lightning sparked around him as he chuckled like the monster that he was.


    The earth around him caved in as his overwhelming power began to deep out in disturbing amounts.


    His Club was called ''Barbarian''s Bloody Bat'' and it could imbue itself with energy equivalent to how many human lives it had extinguished.


    Yes¡­ human lives.


    The gap in strength between each life taken wasn''t too much, so he had to eliminate a lot of foes for the Club to have a slight boost in power.


    It was almost like Leveling Up, but for a weapon.


    It even got increasingly harder to see growth when he pummeled down weak foes, so Ogun currently sought stronger people to smash in with his club.


    Right here and now, he had found two; Yuri and the man before him.


    ''After I kill both of them, I wonder how much stronger the Club will get¡­''


    Ogun''s thoughts were already dwelling in the realm of absolutes; there was no possibility of failure.


    With all his preparationsplete¡ªhis Enchanted Items working perfectly, and his Skills activated¡ªOgun felt like an overpowered beast.


    He was ready to pounce on his prey.


    ''Hehehe¡­ let''s go!''


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    He became a sharp blur, with traces of his eyes glowing red as he moved like the wind.


    Everything in the world slowed down and he became the fastest thing moving.


    It was a surreal experience, but Ogun did not let any of that distract him from his simple goal.


    "I''ll cave your face in with my Bloody Bat!" He yelled and took a sharp swing.


    The weapon moved like a colossal mountainpressed into a mere club¡ªcarrying the entire pressure of wind as it moved.


    Compared to the masked figure that stood still, it was too big, and it was bound to finish him off with a simple move.


    ''I wanted to enjoy this more, but it looks like this will soon be over¡­''


    Ogun didn''t know why he felt relieved by this conclusion, but he shrugged off those useless thoughts and watched as his weapon made its way to his victim''s face.


    It was the en¡ª


    "This weapon¡­"


    As soon as that voice echoed, the masked man raised his hand and stopped the club mid-motion.


    ¡ªAGAIN!


    ''I-it''s not budging!'' Ogun''s bulging eyes clearly expressed his thoughts as he looked at the absolutely absurd scenario.


    ''How is this happening?!''


    How could this man bare handedly stop a weapon that was almost as tall as he was?


    He didn''t even seem to be taking any damage!


    "Why¡­ why does it have such an ability¡­?" The masked man seemed to be trembling as he held the club.


    As Ogun saw this, his creeping fear was slowly doused.


    ''He''s under the effect of my [Intimidation Aura], and he''s probably struggling under all that weight!''


    Even though the stranger was using only one hand to stop the spiky club, Ogun still chose to believe that as the only reasonable exnation.


    ''Is he aware of Bloody Bat''s ability? Looks like it intimidated him. Hehe¡­ what a wuss!''


    Ogun decided he would try a few more times and pummel his foe until he was nothing but mincemeat.


    However¡ª


    ''H-huh? Why isn''t it budging¡­?!''


    His club seemed to be stuck in ce¡ªunable to even shift the slightest bit.


    It was as if it was being sucked further away from his grip the more he tried to pull away.


    ''What the he¡ª?!''


    ~WUUUUM!~


    Before Ogun could conclude his thoughts, he felt an overwhelmingly chilly aura spread from the man who stood before him.


    It caused his body to tremble and his teeth to chatter.


    "Why¡­ did I have to copy such a Skill? Taking human lives in exchange for power¡­?"


    Ogun could not see the expression that the masked man had under his guise, but he could tell that this wasn''t fear.


    Despite his trembling tone, this had to be something else.


    "It''s like you''re giving me a reason to kill you. All of you¡­"


    Ogun didn''t know why he gulped the moment he heard those words.


    "Why is this world¡­ why do you keep driving me to this point? I don''t want to do it, but¡­ if I can grow stronger and save others in the process, then¡­"


    Ogun didn''t understand what the man before him was saying.


    He could only feel something happening to his club.


    ''W-why is it trembling so much? It''s shaking violently. Almost as if it¡ª!''


    ~CRACK!!!~


    In that split moment, the Barbarian''s Bloody Bat that Ogun was so proud of experienced a drastic transformation.


    Several cracks appeared all over it, all stemming from the point where it was held by the masked man.


    Then¡ª


    ~BOOOM!~


    It shattered apart the next moment.


    Like broken rocks¡ªor particles of ice that had been broken to pieces by an even stronger force¡ªthe debris scattered all around.


    The spiky club that had given this barbarian so much confidence simply broke to pieces like it was nothing but thin ice.


    As the debris scattered, Ogun''s moist and terribly confused eyes could see the masked man''s crimson irises.


    It shone with power, but there was something else buried underneath them.


    Something deep¡­ dark¡­ disturbing.


    It was bloodlust!


    "¡­ I think I might kill you."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Is this Rey''s turning point? Will he finally kill his opponents now that a Skill demands it?


    Or will he preserve his morals? What''s your bet?

 Chapter 213 Ogun Vs Ralyks

    <h4>Chapter 213 Ogun Vs Ralyks </h4>


    What is life? What is death?


    Despite how long humanity has lived in this world, none of these two concepts have been satisfactorily answered or explored.


    However, most would agree with their simple definition.


    Life is simply the concept that best exins the state of being alive.


    Death¡­ is the opposite.


    To experience death means to die¡­


    Many proim to know what happens after death¡ªeternal paradise, or torment, or even a limbo.


    But no one knows for sure.


    And so, for many, death is the ultimate end to anyone.


    Everything is forever lost and fades into obscurity¡ªas if it never existed.


    Like tears in rain.


    ********


    Ogun''s eyes bulged as his weapon shattered right in front of him.


    The pressure, as well as the force he had generated trying to pull his weapon away, caused his hulking body to fly back.


    "Guh!" He grunted as his ebony body slid on the dirty ground.


    Despite his skin being imprable, the sensation felt deeply ufortable.


    Ogun held his head with one hand and shook it.


    "Urgh¡­" He let out a deep breath and looked in front of him, hoping all that happened was just in his head.


    However, upon seeing the masked man''s outstretched hand and pieces of his club dropping from his grasp, he could no longer deny it.


    The masked man had destroyed his club.


    "My name is Ralyks, and while this wasn''t my initial n¡­ I''m going to have to kill you here."


    As those words reverberated in the night air, Ogun felt his body shake.


    He could see from the glowing crimson eyes of his enemy that he was absolutely serious.


    ''Why?!''


    No; Ogun realized how strange his thought process was.


    In the first ce, why wouldn''t he kill him?


    They were enemies, and Ogun would have done the same to him within a heartbeat.


    In the Criminal Underworld, it was the fate of the loser to die¡ªusually painful deaths¡ªin the advent of the winner''s triumph.


    There was nothing strange about it.


    "Now then¡­" A step was taking from the masked figure.


    Ogun immediately slid back with his hands.


    He was still on the ground, seated as he faced Ralyks¡ªas he called himself.


    He didn''t know why, but with every advance made by the man, he found himself trying to widen the distance.


    Who would ever think that a Head Of Destruction could act in such a shameful way? He also couldn''t believe it.


    It almost felt like his body was moving on its own.


    ''No¡­''


    Ogun slid another few inches back.


    ''¡­ No, I can''t allow this¡­''


    His bloodshot eyes quivered as Ralyks drew even closer.


    ''¡­ I CAN''T LET IT END LIKE THIS!''


    ~BOOOM!~


    The earth around him cracked as his gigantic body rose to its feet.


    He felt immensely powerful once again; thanks to his [Power Output] Skill finally making aeback.


    All his Enchanted Items fueled him with confidence, but what made him most optimistic was his body itself.


    ''So what if he destroyed my Bloody Bat? I''m indestructible!''


    Ogun''s body gleamed like metal, and his muscles bulged as he tightened them in preparation for the showdown.


    ''I just have to be faster¡­ stronger¡­'' Ogun knew that this man''s seemingly overpowered strength wouldn''tst forever.


    He had to be using some kind of Skill¡ªno, probably a bunch of them!


    He could also be using Enchanted Items.


    ''Fuck! I should have considered that.''


    Since he worked for the Karinc Group, chances were that he would receive tons of benefits from them. A bunch of Enchanted Items could not be out of the equation.


    ''He''ll soon reach his limits. I just have to keep pummeling!''


    Unlike the scrawny Ralyks, Ogun had been working out and building his body his entire life.


    He was sure he had far more stamina; and since his defenses were guaranteed, he was sure who wouldst the longest.


    ''I just have to¡ª!''


    Before Ogun couldplete his line of thought, Ralyks was right in front of him.


    ''T-teleportation?!''


    Well, it didn''t matter to Ogun in the slightest. The fact that his opponent was right in front of him meant only one thing.


    His job was easier now.


    "Time to dig in!"


    He clenched his fists and began tounch a flurry of punches towards the masked figure.


    Every blow that was sent out felt like it was being stopped by an unbreachable wall.


    His attacks were doing nothing.


    However, Ogun did not stop¡ªhe couldn''t stop, no matter what!


    "ORAAAAAAAAA!!!"


    His muscles bulged even more, and his speed exploded to a phenomenal degree. He relentlessly continued his attacks, not even stopping for a second.


    However¡ª


    "That''s enough."


    The next strike that Ogun sent towards Ralyks was suddenly directed back at him¡ªalmost like a counter.


    All of a sudden, his bones shattered, and his arm became mangled.


    "GUARK!" Blood sprayed out of his ebony skin as he staggered backwards.


    ''H-he used¡­ a Counter-type Skill?!''


    That was the only exnation that Ogun could think of, considering how he was harmed by how own ferocious blow,


    "It''s about time we ended this." As Ralyks spoke, Ogun''s heart trembled.


    He realized at that moment that he could be harmed.


    ''If he redirects my hits, then I''ll take damage. I have to¡ª!''


    Right as Ogun was having these thoughts, trying to find his perfect footing, Ralyks suddenly appeared before him.


    "Euk! Y-you¡ª!"


    ~CRACK!~


    Both of his knees were shattered instantly, and Ogun found himself kneeling on the ground before he realized what happened.


    ''E-eh? But¡­ I didn''t attack.'' Ogun''s eyes swelled in confusion.


    How was he receiving DAMAGE?!


    He tried to push himself up and leap from Ralyks so he could create some distance. But¡­


    "Stay."


    The small hand of the masked one touched his shoulder, and the pressure he generated caused Ogun''s intentions to remain just that.


    ¡ªIntentions!


    He couldn''t rise up thanks to the hand that kept him down, and even when he tried to pull the hand away, he was met with another shattered bone in his only viable hand.


    "GAHH!"


    Ogun, the invincible one, found himself kneeling in the presence of someone.


    His two legs couldn''t move, and both of his hands were no longer viable.


    As the beads on his neck cked hard on his tough chest, Ogun could only look at the ground¡ªno, the man''s shoes.


    He was no longer the taller one.


    Instead, Ralyks looked down on him from an elevated height¡ª


    his crimson gaze filled with condescension.


    ''H-how did he do it¡­? I''m supposed to be¡­ invincible¡­''


    There was only one answer left for Ogun, and now he had no other choice but to ept it.


    The man before him¡ªRalyks¡ªwas stronger than he was.


    Far, far stronger!


    He was probably on par with the Deadly Three, the way Ogun saw it.


    ''What now? What more can I do?''


    The answer evaded Ogun. He could no longer fight, and he could no longer run.


    He was just a useless limp of mangled flesh and broken bones; left at the mercy of the devil before him.


    ''Is this¡­ the end?''


    It was at this moment that Ogun had an epiphany.


    He looked around him and saw the faces of his subordinates, and he yelled with all the strength he had left in his lungs.


    "WHAT ARE YOU ALL WAITING FOR?! ATTACK!"


    Ogun didn''t care that saliva rushed out of his mouth as he spoke.


    "KILL THAT BASTARD!"


    He just wanted to live.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I hope you enjoyed the chapter. It''s a bit slow paced, but I like doing things this way.

 Chapter 214 Making The Choice

    <h4>Chapter 214 Making The Choice </h4>


    "KILL THIS BASTARD!"


    Ogun knew he had neither arm or leg to aid him, so he used the only weapon he had left.


    ¡ªHis words!


    "Imand you as your leader¡ªas a Head of Destruction¡ªkill him!"


    The moment he said this, the scared and hesitant soldiers all grasped their weapons tightly and took battle stances.


    Their nk faces showed that they were probably not moving of their volition.


    "I see¡­ some kind of mind control activated bymand." Ralyks muttered as Ogun grinned with satisfaction.


    The masked man wasn''t wrong.


    This was a special privilege given to every member of the Nine Heads of Destruction.


    They could order lower members to do whatever, and they would listen. This wasn''t the result of a Skill, but simply the crest that every member of the Mercenary Gang had.


    It was imbued with a Magic Spell that bound them to the will of their leaders; hence, giving thetter the ability to control them.


    ''I can only give them simple instructions like this, but that''s more than enough!''


    Ogun knew that even a hundred men wouldn''t be enough to kill the monster before him, but at the very least they could distract him.


    ''I''ll use that chance to escape!''


    During the chaos, he''dmand two of the men to carry him out of the battlefield.


    He was a battle-hardened warrior, but Ogun was not suicidal.


    He would simply live to fight another day. After building his strength to the utmost degree, he would return for a second round.


    ''Yes! I''ll rip him to shreds when that timees. For now, though, I''ll leave it to my subordinates.''


    They usually just stood there while he fought all the battles for them, so this wasn''t a heartless or wicked decision, right?


    He had done so much for them, so the very least they could do was repay him for all his hard work.


    That was how Ogun saw it.


    "UWOOOAAHHHH!!!"


    The army marched forward, all of them raising their des and rushing towards the single foe.


    The earth trembled as the air vibrated as a result of the noisy advance of a hundred men.


    Bloodlust gathered around them, and from their nk gazes alone, it was clear they would only aim for the target''s vitals.


    ''I can buy at least seven minutes¡­ no, most likely five minutes with them.''


    His men were weak, but they weren''t useless.


    ''They just have to¡ª''


    "Hey¡­" The deep voice that woke him from the depth of his thoughts belonged to none other than Ralyks


    Ogun didn''t know when he raised his head as he heard the voice.


    "¡­ This counts as self-defense, right?"


    Ogun did notprehend what he was hearing at all.


    "Self¡­ defense¡­?"


    As soon as he uttered those words, he saw all his subordinates suddenly get crushed by something invisible¡ªas if it fell on them from above.


    Their squished bodies caused fountains of blood to erupt from where they stood, and pink meat scattered in various directions.


    "E-eh¡­?"


    Just like that, Ogun watched as crimson liquid sprayed in multiple directions and the bones and flesh of his subordinates were ground into a mixed form that barely resembled anything human.


    It was appalling¡ªno, beyond appalling.


    Ogun didn''t think he knew any word that could properly describe the grotesque bloodshed he just witnessed.


    This didn''t seem like the action of a human at all.


    It was the work of a MONSTER!


    "W-who¡­ who are you¡­?" Ogun didn''t know how he still found the courage to speak, but he was able to mutter the question.


    His well-trained subordinates had perished so easily to this entity before him.


    He thought they wouldst five minutes, but they couldn''t evenst five seconds.


    It was absurd! Too absurd!


    As if that wasn''t enough, the crimson gaze of the masked one fell on Ogun as he coldly spoke the words that caused thest strand of hope within him to snap.


    "Next."


    ********


    ''I killed¡­''


    As Rey''s thoughts flowed, he absentmindedly stared at the frightened man in front of him.


    ''For the first time ever¡­ I killed a human.''


    There were actually a hundred of them, but there was no use counting at this point.


    He had been taught that human life was infinitely precious, so a hundred times infinity still meant the same thing.


    ''To be honest, this doesn''t feel any different from killing Monsters. But¡­''


    Rey had to dismiss that thought.


    He had to convince himself that something about what he just did had heavy significance.


    Even though these men were scum¡ªcriminals who had done worse atrocities¡ªdid they have to die?


    For what reason had he done this?


    Well¡­


    [Skill Details]


    [Carnage]


    Tier: B


    Ability: You grow stronger based on the amount of human lives you take. Additional Stats will be stacked based on this number.


    ~Current Additional Stats~


    Life Force: 10


    Mana Level: 10


    Combat Ability: 10


    [End Of Information]


    ¡­ It was all for this purpose.


    ''So, killing a hundred people gave me this amount.''


    Was this the value of human life?


    Could people be reduced to mere numbers in order to determine their worth?


    Rey didn''t know the answers.


    He only knew one thing for certain, which prompted him to move forward.


    ''I¡­ grew stronger.''


    Just now, by killing these scum, he was able to gain at least seven Levels worth of Stats.


    That had to count for something.


    ''No. This has to be different from Leveling Up. If I do everything for strength, then I''m no different from them.''


    Rey knew he was different.


    ''I only did this because I had no choice. Self-defense.''


    ''Even Adonis killed Adam in self defense. I wouldn''t say he is any less of the person he is because of it.''


    By the same logic, he wasn''t to me for this.


    Besides, humanity would benefit greatly from these few stats that he gained and the demise of the hundred criminals he had executed to get them.


    Yes.


    Rey found sce in the fact that right here, right now, he had done the right thing.


    Was it good or bad?


    It didn''t matter to him in the slightest.


    "It was necessary¡­" He whispered, now looking at the leader of the crew.


    "And you are NEXT."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Well¡­ he finally did it. He finally killed humans.


    What do you say to this?

 Chapter 215 Interrogation

    <h4>Chapter 215 Interrogation </h4>


    As Rey''s crimson eyes glowed ever so bright, preparing for the execution, he looked through Ogun''s Status Window once again.


    Then, he ceased his initial n.


    ''It would be a waste to just kill him. Since he''s an executive member, I better collect as much information from him as possible.''


    Rey had been having suspicions about the whole thing that had gone down, so in order to satisfy his curiosity, he decided to use the Barbarian before him.


    Doing so wouldn''t be difficult at all.


    ''[Absolute Mental Control].''


    The moment he sent a pulse of energy to Ogun, the man''s will was no longer his own.


    He was reduced to nothing but Rey''s ve.


    "I have a few questions. Answer me as honestly and as urately as possible. Understood?"


    As Rey''s voice echoed among the pile of flesh and blood, the barbarian slowly nodded with his nk face as he opened his lips to speak.


    "Yes. I understand."


    The first question Rey wanted to ask was the most pertinent one at the moment.


    "Why did you attack us? Did Scy hire you? Did the three Obsidian Councilors on her side hire you?"


    Ogun shook his head to all of these questions.


    "We were not hired by anyone. Our leader decided that we side with Lady Scy and her New Order."


    Rey ensured he used Sound Magic to broadcast everything Ogun was confessing so that the ten witnesses could hear him loud and clear.


    "I see. Is it just your leader, or all of you?"


    "The words of the Leader are the words of the Gang. The Mercenary Gang follows his wishes."


    Rey nodded as he ced his hand on his mask''s chin.


    ''It''s as I suspected from the very start. The Mercenary Gang can''t be trusted.''


    Perhaps it was because he wasn''t too involved in matters rting to the Criminal World, so the biases associated with certain principles didn''t shackle his thought process the same way they did to people like Rebal nc.


    He already suspected the possibility of the Mercenary Gang interfering in this conflict.


    Still, Rey''s knowledge was limited to mere guesses. For him to truly have something to work with, he needed more information.


    "Why did your leader decide to join them? Did he tell you?"


    "Why else? The benefits far outweigh the alternative. Those were his exact words¡­"


    As Rey listened and mulled on Ogun''s words, only one thing kept ringing in his mind.


    It was a grim reality that he had to address.


    ''Rebal mentioned the reasons why the Mercenary Gang never chose a side, since it would be bad for business in the long run.''


    However, there was an exception to the rule¡ªa certain situation where their alliance with a side wouldn''t result in any detriment at all.


    ''¡­ The absolute annihtion of the other side.''


    If the Mercenary Gang chose the winning team, and the losing side was to be absolutely removed from the map, there would be no bad blood.


    ''Sure, there would be less customers, but their influence would rise, and they''ll get to plunder the resources of the losing team.''


    The Mercenary Gang could even take over their territories.


    ''They certainly have enough power and influence to do that.''


    As Rey looked at Ogun''s nk face, he couldn''t help but sigh in both worry and disappointment.


    ''Right now, Rebal''s ns will have to be slightly tweaked, or else everything will crumble.''


    Rey took a good look at the trembling caravan members, as well as the unconscious Yuri and shook his head slightly.


    "This is why I didn''t want us to y it too safe. While the enemy is making big moves, we''re taking measured steps.''


    The only reason he didn''t interfere any further into the n was due to his inexperience in the ck Market, as well as his ce in the hierarchy.


    ''If things get too dire, maybe I''ll say or do something.''


    For now, though, he only intended to ry the information he got to Rebal and see what the man would do about it.


    ''Okay. A few more questions, and I think we''re done here.''


    "Tell me more about your¡ª"


    Right as Rey was about to ask his question, his extraordinary senses¡ªwhich had [Danger Sense] already imbued in it¡ª


    warned him of something.


    ''Don''t tell me¡­!''


    Rey swiftly teleported away from Ogun, using his barrier to cover the man.


    The ebony Ogun suddenly began to expand, as if suddenly bloated. Like a balloon, he grew massive in size, every part of his body growing at an astronomical rate.


    Tears fell from his eyes, followed by streams of blood; the same thing happened with his mouth, nostrils and ears,


    "H-help¡­ meee¡­" Were thest words he uttered before meeting an inevitable end.


    ~BOOOM!~


    The same way a balloon would pop after reaching its limits, the bag of meat and bones exploded.


    Blood and gore sshed all over the interior of Rey''s barrier, preventing any of the bloody flesh and thick blood from flying around.


    Ogun died on the spot, his form unrecognizable from how it had been in the past.


    ''He was killed remotely, huh? Is it because he answered my questions? Was it automatic, or did someone activate it after knowing he revealed secrets?''


    Rey had many questions, but it seemed he wouldn''t be getting any here.


    He looked at his Status Window, and just as he expected, the numbers he rued from killing a hundred people had been added to his Stats.


    ''Looks like I won''t be getting anything for Ogun''s death.''


    After all, he didn''t kill with his own power.


    ''It''s a shame, but at the very least, it looks like I''ve Leveled Up.''


    Right there and then, Rey had sessfully broken into Level 100.


    ''It''s about time.''


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Rey Skr.


    - Race: Human (Otherworlder)


    - ss: Anomaly (A-Tier)


    - Level: 100 (07.01% EXP)


    - Life Force: 82 (+161) [+300]


    - Mana Level: 199 (+161) [+500]


    - Combat Ability: 140 (+161) [+500]


    - Stat Points: 4


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Doppel]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Fusion/Fission]. [Merger]. [Dead Calm].


    - Alignment: Neutral Good


    [Additional Information]


    You are an irregrity to the world. Achieving the unbelievable, shaking the bnce of reality¡­ you seek to overturn what is and isn''t.


    Will you seed? Or will your failure be miserable?


    [End Of Information]


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Well, it looks like Rey is still Neutral Good, so I suppose he hasn''t gone over to the dark side.

 Chapter 216 Dire Straits

    <h4>Chapter 216 Dire Straits </h4>


    "U-urgh¡­"


    Yuri slurred as she woke up, her body perfectly healthy despite remembering how badly she was wounded right before she passed out.


    As she blinked several times, ensuring her blurry vision returned to normal, she noticed the ten people that stood around her.


    "Miss Yuri! You''re awake!"


    "He said you''d be fine, but I''m happy to see you well."


    "Miss Yuri!"


    Yuri''s blurry vision soon returned to normal, so she was able to see the concerned expressions of the caravan members.


    ''They''re all safe. I''m also perfectly fine. Sir Ralyks must have helped¡­''


    That was the only rational conclusion she could get to.


    "Mhmm¡­" She slowly rose from the ground and looked around her.


    They were all within a considerablyrge golden dome; big enough for them to move freely inside.


    ''Sir Ralyks must have erected this.'' Her thoughts naturally trailed.


    She could also see the merchandise safely ced in a corner within the barrier around them, and beyond it, she could see the charred surfaces of earth.


    "What happened here¡­?" Yuri found herself whispering.


    "Sir Ralyks happened!"


    "He killed all of them in the blink of an eye and burned their corpses."


    "Yes. I don''t think I''ve ever seen a man so powerful and brutal."


    As more people vividly described what happened to Yuri, she couldn''t help but remember how foolish she had been to think he was soft in the past.


    Back then, he had refused to kill anyone, so he considered him too merciful.


    But now¡­ upon hearing just how he went about business, Yuri was more than impressed.


    She was amazed!


    "So, where is Sir Ralyks now?" She asked, looking around her once again, but not seeing him anywhere.


    "He said he''d be back soon; that he''s off to check a Warehouse, per his agreement with Lord nc."


    "I¡­ see¡­"


    Yuri knew the Warehouse Ralyks went to. It was the ce that they kept the Enchanted Items they were going to sell to the Elves.


    ''I trust Sir Ralyks, so I''ll leave everything in his hands.''


    Yuri heaved a sigh and looked at herrades with a gentle smile.


    "I''m d you are all fine."


    In response, they all burst with the same sentiment; some hugging her with intense emotion.


    ''It seemed I worried everyone¡­'' Her smile broadened a bit more.


    There was no way she would ever be so careless again. For the sake of her family, she had to control her emotions and make the right choices.


    She couldn''t afford to lose any more people.


    "By the way, Miss Yuri¡­ there''s something you should know."


    As one of the couriers said this, the tone within the dome changed.


    Everyone stared at her with worried expressions on their faces, and the anxiety was stifling.


    "What is it? What''s going on?" She had to ask, overwhelmed by both curiosity and a creeping sense of fear.


    "The Mercenary Gang has sided with the enemy side, Miss Yuri."


    "W-what?!" Her voice was loud, but that was understandable.


    A major portion of the n relied on getting the aid of the Mercenary Gang.


    "That''s right. Sir Ralyks interrogated Ogun before he died and extracted the information."


    "It seems we can no longer rely on them."


    This was serious news to Yuri, but she honestly had no energy to properly react to what she was hearing.


    She was too downcast by the news


    That wasn''t even all.


    "We don''t have the money to afford them anyway, so I guess we wouldn''t have been able to rely on them one way or the other."


    This trade was supposed to help the Karinc Group with some of their finances¡ªthe first of many trades to help them generate enough funds for the conflict toe.


    But, with the way things were now, they weren''t going to get in the green anytime soon.


    "Damnit. Looks like it''s back to the drawing board." She gritted her teeth in frustration.


    She could only pray that Lord Rebal nc and Lord Asher had a backup n.


    ''Right now, we''re in a very dangerous position.''


    The only reason they were afloat was Ralyks and his support. If he was not an ally, things would have been much worse.


    ''I don''t even want to imagine how they would be if he was our enemy.


    These thoughts were enough to assure Yuri that things weren''t that bad.


    They were currently operating within the best case scenario.


    ''We just need some luck.''


    As she stared above, her gaze fixed on the night sky above, she smiled sadly.


    ''Please return safely, Sir Ralyks.''


    **********


    ''So this is the ce¡­''


    It barely took Rey thirty minutes to arrive at his designation despite it being cities away from his previous position.


    Sure, they had been traveling Eastward, but not so far East.


    On his way, he had seen so many settlements¡ªincluding developing towns and small viges¡ªbut his speed made all of them appear like blurs.


    Rey didn''t know how many miles he had traversed, but with his [Grand Flight], coupled with a few Buffs, he was sure he had covered a lot of grounds.


    ''I memorized the map well, and since Rebal was detailed with his description, it wasn''t too hard to find¡­''


    Right now , he was floating right above what appeared to be considerablyrge mountains.


    ''But I know that they aren''t mountains.''


    This entire ce was a warehouse, connected through several underground paths which led from one mountain to another.


    ''The Karinc sure is resourceful.'' Rey could see about ten Mountains clustered together, so he knew he was in the right ce.


    ''Just how massive is this warehouse for all of them to be filled with Enchanted Items for the Elves?''


    There was only one way to find out, and Rey was about to begin his descent.


    ''I haven''t forgotten about our deal, Rebal. However, since this is a remote area and there seems to be a lot of ws in your n¡­ I think I''ll help you out just a little.''


    Rey smiled as his eyes flickered with dark purple.


    ''I might need to be a bit extreme in my measures.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    What sort of n does Rey have? Anyone want to guess?

 Chapter 217 It’s A Dragon!

    <h4>Chapter 217 It¡¯s A Dragon! </h4>


    The Karinc Eastern Warehouse.


    It existed beyond the standard definitions of a warehouse, instead taking on apletely different form.


    Ten snow-capped mountains clustered together, with secret entrances spread all around them, as well as passageways locked underneath the earth that led to one another.


    It was abyrinthine path ensured no outsider could everprehend theplicated activities that went on within it.


    Inside this mountain, which had been drilled so that caves and caverns could be used to safely store valuable resources that were to be distributed to multiple areas within the Eastern Region.


    However, this was merely one function of the warehouse.


    Only half of it was used for storage, while the second half was used for production.


    The products made within the Eastern Warehouse included many things, but due to the recent business with the Elves, they mostly consisted of Enchanted Items necessary for warfare.


    Living quarters existed in both sections of the mountains, specifically for the workers there.


    As a result, the Warehouse was self-sustaining, and more importantly, it was safe.


    ¡­ Until now.


    *******


    "IT''S A DRAGOOOOOOONNNN!!!"


    Screeches filled the chambers of the Warehouse as the very interior rumbled as a result of whatever was happening outside.


    Just a minute ago, they were busy with their activities, but once the rms rang from the watchtowers, and they realized what hade, everyone ceased their activities.


    This was no time to work.


    It was time to run.


    "A DRAGON IS HERE!!!"


    Screams filled the air as grown men and women cried like babies.


    They trembled as they tried to find their way out of whatever center they were assigned to.


    "RUN!!!"


    Echoes of desperation filled the entire Warehouse, and before long there was a stampede.


    Even those who had time off, or were resting in their rooms, heard the noises and jumped to their feet.


    There was only one thing on everyone''s mind.


    ¡ªSURVIVAL!


    ~BOOOOOM!~


    More volleys of what they presumed to be Dragon Breath caused portions of the ceiling to copse.


    Thankfully, no one suffered fatal injuries.


    They all took the emergency escape tunnels and fled for their lives, leaving behind whatever they could.


    No one dared go outside. They would take the hidden tunnels and journey through them for at least a mile before exiting through a cave that was considerably far from the Warehouse.


    At the very least, they would be able to preserve their lives that way.


    With everyone in a frenzy, no one dared to even think ofing back or fighting back.


    In the presence of a Dragon, there was nothing anyone could do.


    ********


    "Fuwaa¡­"


    A yawn echoed from an extremely handsome man as he rose from his bed.


    He was being tapped by two young maidens who shared his bed and sat at both his left and right.


    "Hmm?" He raised his brow as he noticed the distraught look on their faces as their naked bodies greeted his sight.


    ''What''s going on?'' The looked around his grand room¡ªa ce fit for a king¡ªand noticed that many things in it were vibrating.


    ''I can hear shouts and screams too¡­''


    He had been feeling tremors and hearing noises, but he simply thought he was dreaming.


    However, now that he was awake, it seemed themotion wouldn''t die down.


    "Would you just shut up¡­" He grumbled as he itched his head.


    His long ck hair fell on his shoulders and scattered all over his face, and he stroked his bald chin gently.


    As his sharp ck eyes fell on the maiden beside him, he slowly opened his lips and asked his question.


    "Why did you wake me up from my sleep? Haven''t I told you that I don''t like being disturbed?"


    "W-well, sir¡­" The naked girl backed away, her hands trembling as she pulled them back.


    Her moist eyes were filled with fear, and her face was pale with fear.


    The reason was simple.


    The man before her was one of the 9 Heads Of Destruction, and he had been ced as a guard of this ce.


    He had two personal rules when it came to his affairs.


    One: No woman he called in was allowed to leave his presence unless he said so.


    Two: No one was to wake him up when he was asleep.


    Any who broke these two rules had to die.


    ~SPLOOOSH!~


    Blood sprayed from the youngdy''s head as her head practically exploded.


    "ARGHHHH!!!" A scream came from the lips of the second one as she watched stters of blood rush from the gaping neck of her friend.


    Why¡­ why did she have to die such a brutal death?


    It wasn''t their fault that this pervert of a man summoned them to his room and had his fun with them through the night.


    They wouldn''t even have dared to wake him up, but they had no choice.


    "L-Lord Phobio¡­ w-we had no¡­"


    "¡­ Too loud¡­"


    ~SPLOOOOSSH!~


    The destruction of the other girl''s head caused the ringing in the handsome young man''s ears to stop, and he smiled in satisfaction once it happened.


    The blood that sttered from both girls were not floating in the air, like liquid bubbles in the air.


    Not a single drop had sshed on his body.


    Instead, more began to rise from the necks of the women until they became nothing but dried-up corpses.


    All the blood gathered together to form onerge sphere of blood.


    "Haaa¡­ finally some quiet." He whispered, ignoring the sphere that was floating next to him.


    "So, what exactly happened? What''s causing themotion?"


    Unfortunately, there was no one in the room to answer him.


    "Tch. Why did I kill them? Am I still asleep, or¡­"


    Lord Phobio, as he was called, rose from his bed with azy groan.


    He was naked, so his lean, but well-toned body was exposed in all its majesty. He put on a white robe and a pair of sandals, leaving his bedroom for the Living Room.


    As he did so, the sphere of blood followed him.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Guess this is like a marathon or something. We''re going to see another Mercenary Gang Head flex his power.


    Sorry for all the info dump¡­

 Chapter 218 The Great Lord Phobio

    <h4>Chapter 218 The Great Lord Phobio </h4>


    Phobio arrived in the parlor, a morously furnished ce that made him nothing short of a nobleman.


    No one would ever expect such a room like this to exist deep within the mountains.


    And yet¡­


    "Let''s find out what happened, shall we?" As he muttered this, he went to a corner of the room where a mirror was hung on the wall.


    He took a minute or two to observe his handsome face and his perfect body. He was extremely gorgeous, and even his ''tool'' down there was toorge to be true.


    Many women had testified to this.


    It was only after checking himself out a couple of times that Phobio reminded himself that he hade to the mirror for an important purpose.


    ¡­ Besides checking out his body, of course.


    "Show me what''s going on outside." As Phobio said this, the mirror stopped reflecting him, instead disying the havoc that was ensuing within the warehouse.


    ''They''re all fleeing, eh? Interesting¡­''


    There were a couple thousand workers that lived and worked in the Karinc Eastern Warehouse; and this was the count after he had executed a few hundred to serve as examples to the rest.


    After taking control of this ce, the rules were pretty simple.


    The workers would work in exchange for their lives.


    They weren''t getting paid¡ªat least, not in cash. Still, that didn''t mean they could do shoddy work or desert their work posts.


    "Looks like I''ll have to teach them a lesson."


    He ced a hand on the mirror and muttered a few words.


    "Activate the emergency trap."


    The moment he said this, the mirror glowed bright crimson, and what soon followed were screams of chaos and death.


    When he took over, he¡ªwith the help of a colleague¡ªinstalled arrows more than three times the total number of workers within the Warehouse.


    He ced them on the ceiling of the path that led to the other end of the emergency exit¡ªthat is, the emergency tunnels.


    Each arrow was poisoned, so normal people who served as workers didn''t stand a chance even if they were grazed by one.


    As a result¡­ a massacre ensued.


    "How dare they try to desert their workce¡­" He whispered, smiling as he could see pretty much all of the workers dead,


    All those thousands of lives extinguished.


    "I''ll have to get new workers. Well, it shouldn''t be a problem¡­ right?"


    Frankly speaking, Phobio didn''t care.


    He would just do what he wanted to do; the same as he had always done.


    The very reason he joined the Mercenary Gang was for that purpose, and he knew just how valuable he was to them, so it wasn''t like they could reprimand him too much.


    Who else among them had a Skill they could manipte Blood?


    ¡­ A Skill as rare as Spatial Magic or Gravity Maniption.


    The only reason he wasn''t among the Deadly Three was because he simply didn''t care for it.


    Being recognized as the strongest within the Mercenary Gang meant more responsibility, and Phobio didn''t care for any of that at the moment.


    Phobio simply wanted to drink, sleep, have fun with women, and jerk himself off as he stared at his reflection.


    Perhaps there were other things he would desire in the future, but for now¡­ he didn''t really want much else.


    "Ahh¡­ I never found out the source of themotion."


    From what he could see from the mirror, it seemed all the workers were dead, but Phobio suspected that a few could still be alive.


    ''Maybe some won''t die immediately from the poison. I''ll just extract information from them before I eliminate them.''


    Phobio wasn''t sure if they would be honest with him if he didn''t offer an incentive, so he decided to lie that he would save them if they told him what he wanted to know.


    ''A good n. Now then¡­ let''s go.''


    ********


    Phobio''s soft white robe danced as his flip flop squeaked on the ground.


    He only came to a halt once he reached the pool of blood that littered his sight.


    The blood on the ground slowly began to gravitate towards him, and into the sphere that stood beside him.


    All of it was drained from the ground and sucked into the crimson orb.


    As a result, only lifeless husks with pale skin littered his sight.


    "Ahh¡­ they''re all dead." Phobio murmured, pping his hand on his face.


    As he stared at the emaciated corpses, an expression of disgust appeared on his face.


    "Why couldn''t one of you just hang on until I came? Bunch of useless weaklings."


    They weren''t like him at all.


    He¡ªLord Phobio¡ªwas special, even from the moment he was born.


    "Looks like I''ll have to investigate myse¡ª"


    "How unexpected¡­" A voice suddenly echoed within the massive clearing that Phobio stood in, forcing him to cease his words.


    He could feel a prickling sensation behind him, so he quickly turned and looked in the direction of the only other living entity in the room.


    ''H-huh¡­?!'' His gaze met someone who wore a ck hooded cape, with red designs on the fur potions of it


    He had a ck coat on as well, with a ck mask hiding his face.


    "¡­ To think there was still someone left." The masked individual said, taking a step forward.


    "Who the hell are you?" Phobio asked, his loud voice filled with annoyance.


    ''I didn''t even notice his presence until he spoke. He''s not normal!'' Phobio narrowed his gaze instantly.


    The masked fellow certainly wasn''t as special as he was, but he was formidable.


    He had to admit that much.


    "Drained corpses? Did you kill all those people?" The masked man asked, pointing at the dead bodies of the dead Karinc Group employees.


    "Pretty much. But you''ve not answered my question yet."


    Phobio was ready to strike down the man in front of him if he ignored his question again.


    He was already being generous by forgiving his impudence once.


    "Who am I? Well, that changes depending on who you ask. But, I guess for this event''s purposes¡­ I am a Dragon."


    The moment the masked man said this, his eyes glowed purple, and an indescribable aura filled the air.


    Phobio couldn''t deny it even if he tried.


    ''This man¡­ is a Dragon!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Let''s see how far Rey goes with his shenanigans.

 Chapter 219 Phobio Vs Dragon [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 219 Phobio Vs Dragon [Pt 1] </h4>


    Lord Phobio; The Crimson Angel.


    That was what his name within the Mercenary Gang¡ªthough some would argue that his true nature resembled a devil more than an Angel.


    He had a beautifully crafted face, and his body was toned to perfection.


    As he stood there, watching the Dragon announce itself, he couldn''t help but leak out a wry grin.


    "Kekeke¡­ you''re a Dragon, huh?" His lips slowly curled up, revealing a twisted grin that handsome men shouldn''t have.


    Phobio looked like a snake at that point, his entire demeanor contorted to form an ugly mask of amusement.


    "So what? So what if you''re a Dragon?" He asked, his body suddenly rxing as he kept up his cackles.


    "Hm? Aren''t you supposed to be frightened or something?"


    "Nope! Why would I be?"


    Phobio feared no one. That had been the case since he was little.


    His special ability made it so that he was always very strong. In fact, he was the one who was always feared by those around him.


    Also¡­


    "I''ve killed a Dragon before, so it''s no big deal. It seems you came here to attack us, so I''ll just kill you too¡­"


    The way Phobio spoke was with confidence and finesse.


    Even though he wasn''t wearing a lot of Enchanted Items, he still had the confidence to win.


    His white robe and dark brown sandals were the only two Items he had on, and they were far from his usual set.


    Still, he was confident.


    ''The blood I''ve amassed from thousands of people should be enough for this guy¡­''


    Particles of Mana was trapped in the blood of people, so if he collected their blood, he was coting a lot of Mana in the process.


    Not only would the energy add impact to his Spells, but it wouldn''t consume too much energy on his part.


    He could keep going on and on.


    "I see. I''m curious, though, what kind of Dragon did you defeat?" The Dragon asked.


    He seemed to be scoffing at Phobio, as if disbelieving his words.


    "How would I remember the kind of Dragon? I don''t care to remember such things."


    Phobio wasn''t lying. He didn''t care enough to recollect the kinds of enemies he had faced, especially if they lost.


    The defeated had no value in his eyes


    "You probably fought a weak Dragon. I''m a strong one, you know?"


    Veins appeared all over Phobio''s heard the moment he heard this.


    He had never felt so insulted in all his life.


    "What the hell are you trying to say?" He growled, the sphere of blood beside him already bubbling with energy.


    What would happen next depends on the next word given by the humanoid Dragon.


    "Haha! Sorry! It seems your brain can''tprehend what I''m telling you, so why don''t I break it down for you?" As the Dragon spoke, he stretched a hand towards Phobio, gesturing for a moment,


    "I''m telling you, it''ll be okay for me. After all¡­ you''re weak."


    "¡­."


    Phobio''s wide eyes took in the Dragon''s humanoid form as he heard those words.


    His eyes that were littered in darkness suddenly began to have a red glow to them.


    "Did you just¡­ call me weak¡­?"


    His long ck hair began to rise, and an incredibly denseyer of Mana erupted from within him.


    The amount of energy generated caused distortion in the air, but Phobio cared for nothing like that.


    He simply wanted to show the ignorant Dragon in front of him who was boss.


    ''Those two fools must have known it was a Dragon, which is why they woke me up¡­''


    They couldn''t leave his side since he had instructed them not to, so they resorted to the least severe option¡ªand for good reason.


    ''Those two knew I could beat the Dragon, which is why they fervently stayed by my side rather than run off.'' Phobio''s thoughts echoed deep within him, so he couldn''t help but smile internally.


    ''I understand now. Those girls¡­ they should have exined or said something quickly.''


    Phobio thought it was a shame to see them die.


    ''Well¡­ they brought it upon themselves. Just like this fool here!''


    The Masked Dragon stood still, watching as Phobio''s Mana undted.


    It almost seemed like the thing wasn''t even fazed by the power being released.


    ''You can''t fool me!'' The man gritted his teeth as he activated his three other Skills.


    [Great Protection Cloak]. [Superior Self]. [True Detection]. [Bloodlust].


    Each of these Skills had their benefits, and by using them at once¡ªalongside his [Greater Blood Magic]¡ªhe was pretty much invincible.


    ''I''m not with any of my standard Items. But, I canpensate for that weakness with this amount of blood. It''s not most times I get to have something like this¡­''


    Even though this was the coalition of blood from vermin, it still had its uses.


    "Oi, Dragon!" Phobio''s enraged eyes glowed a different shade of redpared to the Dragon,


    "Get ready to die!"


    "Oka¡ª?"


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    Like a ghost, Phobio instantly appeared behind the Dragon, a de already in his grasp.


    After using [Superior Self], a Buff that raised his physical abilities to the very limits, Phobio had no problem quickly making a sharp and long de out of blood.


    His crimson weapon was going to be dyed in blood as soon as he shed the bare back of his enemy.


    His [Great Protection Cloak] was going to be useless in this fight, now that Phobio thought of it.


    ''The enemy will perish! Right here and now!''


    [True Detection] had told him that attacking his opponent''s back was the best move at the moment, and he followed suit instantly.


    As for [Bloodlust], it caused his opponent to feel a paralyzing sensation that prevented them from reacting properly to his attacks.


    Some targets, who had weaker mental states, would even see illusions of them dying before they experienced actual death.


    Phobio hadbined all of these Skills in order to deal a decisive strike.


    He could ask all the questionster,


    ~WHOOOOSH!~


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Sorry for the info dumps, but I just had to let you know how strong this character is.


    Who do you think would win between him and Ogun?

 Chapter 220 Phobio Vs Dragon [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 220 Phobio Vs Dragon [Pt 2] </h4>


    ~WHOOSH!~


    The vertical strike was smooth and straightforward.


    It was bound to slice through his opponent from head to toe; shattering his skull and rending every organ he had inside.


    It would be like a hot knife running through butter!


    The attack descended.


    Then¡ª


    ~CLANG!~


    As soon as the blood sword reached the Dragon''s head, a loud noise filled the room.


    ¡­ Almost as if the de had hit an unbreakable wall.


    Phobio took a few steps back in recoil as his brain tried to process the whole thing.


    ''H-huh¡­? What just happe¡ª?!''


    Before he couldplete his line of thoughts, the de that he now held in his trembling hand shattered before his very eyes and scattered about like ss.


    ''What?!''


    The ss-likeponents of the de turned into blood and soon returned to the orb that hovered beside Phobio.


    As long as he was still alive, and there was still blood, it would gather around him.


    That was a Special Privilege of his ss.


    However, Phobio wasn''t concerned about any benefits or ss at the moment.


    Only one thing filled his mind.


    ''How did this guy¡­ shatter my de.


    The de was made of concentrated blood¡ªthe kind that had thebined fluid of hundreds of people.


    ''I don''t see any armor or Skill being used. Is he just that durable?''


    Dragons were famed to be the strongest in H''Trae, so it was a given that they would have tough skins.


    That was precisely why Phobio went for a dense weapon.


    ''To think even that wasn''t enough to do any damage!''


    Phobio''s eased facade slowly began to crumble.


    "My turn." He suddenly heard a voice from the Dragon in front of him.


    It scared him to his bones.


    ~WHOOM!~


    The ''thing'' closed the distance between them in a sh, sending his hand flying towards Phobio in a rush.


    ''Euk!'' Phobio couldn''t react on time, so he covered his face while stepping back.


    He looked like a pitiful coward, and the approaching fist would have bashed his head at that very moment.


    However¡­


    ~BOOOM!~


    ¡­ His second ss privilege came in handy.


    A dense shield made up of blood now manifested before him, defending him from the fiend that would have surely blown off his head.


    "Guh!"


    The shockwaves generated by the attack was enough to cause Phobio to stagger a few steps back as his widened eyes watched as his shield broke apart in horror.


    "I''m not done." The Dragon''s voice echoed past the crumbling blood as he rushed towards Phobio again.


    ''Tch! I gotta evade!'' The young man ducked to his side, barely avoiding the impact that caused the very ground to shatter apart.


    The Dragon fluidly rushed to his location, but he used his actively nimble body to avoid the slew of attacks he was receiving.


    His long ck hair danced as he avoided death-causing hits.


    However; there was only so much luck a man could receive.


    ~WHOOSH!~


    The Dragon appeared right as Phobio moved to a new position, almost as if he had already known he would retreat there.


    What happened there was no one''s surprise.


    ~BOOOM!~


    The punch carried so much weight that Phobio felt his body shooting him signals of instant pain as he was sent flying to the closest wall behind him.


    The very thing cracked as Phobio''s body dug a hole in it.


    "Puack!" Blood spurted out of his lips as he helplessly remained hanging in the wall.


    The bloody mess on his chest also stood out.


    "Do you understand now¡­? Why I said you''re weak?"


    As the Dragon''s voice echoed in Phobio''s ears, he could feel something heat up within him.


    It was rising from his depths.


    "You¡­" Phobio''s bulging eyes were fixated on the Dragon as he had this thought.


    "You dare hit me¡­?!"


    As his voice echoed in the vast expanse, all the blood that had been gathered slowly began to rush towards him.


    "YOU DARE?!"


    As soon as the sphere touched Phobio, the crimson liquid exploded into a river of blood.


    The river coalesced to form something massive, with Phobio in the center.


    The ceiling trembled, and the ground cracked as the thing that was forming had too much mass and power to be contained within the area.


    "Looks like this ce is too cramped. Let''s take this outside." The Dragon suggested.


    Before Phobio could say a single word, the being flew high into the ceiling, creating a path for itself as debris flew everywhere,


    "WAIT! COME BACK HERE!"


    Phobio roared in rage as he saw his prey leave. His blood-shot eyes made it clear that he wouldn''t rest until he ended the beast''s life,


    His massive crimson construct was pretty much done, so he rose to the surface in a blur as well.


    In a rush of crimson, he ascended to meet his prey.


    And in no time at all¡­ he was outside the safe region of the Warehouse mountains.


    That was when he saw the true reason his subordinates had been fleeing all this time.


    ''W-what is all this¡­?''


    The darkness could not cover what he was witnessing.


    Severalyers of destruction were finely disyed all around the mountains; with some even on them.


    Considerable damage had been done to the nearby areas, and from the chaos he was witnessing, Phobio was convinced the Dragon he was facing was the real deal.


    ''Would I have been able to replicate this¡­?'' He asked himself, watching the sheer scale of destruction.


    ''No. I can''t think that way!''


    Just because the Dragon had superior firepower, it didn''t mean he wouldn''t win.


    Every beast had a weakness, after all.


    "Did you like my redecoration?" The Dragon appeared in front of Phobio, as if it had always been there.


    The mask was still on, and his dark cloak danced with the cool breeze.


    "YOU!"


    Initially, Phobio wanted to kill the Dragon just because; and also because it was a threat to his group.


    But now, this was personal.


    In his current form, it was indeed very possible, so Phobio felt no need to hold himself back any longer.


    He had to end this!


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Next chapter ends the fight, don''t worry!

 Chapter 221 Phobio Vs Dragon [Pt 3]

    <h4>Chapter 221 Phobio Vs Dragon [Pt 3] </h4>


    A creature of red.


    It had crimson wings, as well as scarlet armor that covered its entire body.


    It somehow resembled a woman who could pass as a battle-hardened warrior at any time; with long hair made from hardened blood, and an irresistible face dyed in red.


    It stood at about fifteen meters¡ªa colossal entity by all means.


    The blood construct had a de on both hands, appearing pristine and battle-ready at the same time.


    This was Phobio''s ultimate technique¡ªCrimson Valkyrie!


    The very reason why he was granted the nickname ''The Crimson Angel'' was precisely due to this form of his


    The Valkyrie was not a living construct, but merely a golem-like entity that responded to Phobio''s whims andmands.


    The thing looked at the target, just as Phobio did from within its thick armor


    There was a mirror simr to the one he had in his room so he was able to perfectly observe what was going on without exposing himself.


    He was simply going to be content watching his foe turn into nothing but flesh paste right in front of his eyes.


    There would be nothing more satisfying.


    "I see. So we''re going with an epic final boss CGI battle, huh?" He heard the Dragon say from his distance.


    Phobio didn''t understand what CGI meant. He just wanted his enemy out of his sight.


    "I guess I''ll show you my true form¡­."


    Phobio''s tense body quivered a little, but he stood his ground.


    ''Rx, Phobio. So what if transforms! It''s not like you haven''t faced a Dragon before.


    With so much blood at his disposal, he was currently at an advantage.


    There was no possibility of failure.


    Then¡ª


    ~VWUUUUUMMM!~


    ¡ªOnce the Dragon''s true form emerged, Phobio wasn''t so sure anymore.


    The being was massive¡ªperhaps more massive than the Crimson Valkyrie¡ªand its monstrous form sent terror flowing through even Phobio''s body.


    It had three twisted horns, and its scaly body gleamed with ominous power.


    Its bluish purple eyes glowed with horror, and misty breath proceeded from its dragon-like jaw.


    Of course, it had wings to keep it afloat, and its tail danced as if floated.


    As both colossal entities stared each other down, Phobio didn''t know when he took a huge gulp of saliva.


    He could feel a part of his body shaking.


    ''No¡­ No!''


    He didn''t want to ept it.


    ''That thing isn''t stronger than me! It''s not stronger than my Trump card!''


    He could never ept it.


    ''I''ll destroy it right here and now!''


    And so Phobio gave his bloody construct one simple instruction.


    "Crimson Valkyrie¡­ KILL THAT DRAGON!"


    ******


    ''I see. So that''s his trump card?''


    As Rey''s Dragon Eyes took in the opponent he had to face, he nearly gave a sigh.


    ''It''s pretty strong and durable, but¡­ not a threat.


    Rey also had the same thoughts about Phobio.


    ''I can''t believe he is also one of the leaders of the Mercenary Gang.''


    His Stats were even lesser than Ogun''s, but it seemed he made up for it when it came to Skill.


    ''Blood Magic, huh? This is the first time I''ve seen something like this.


    Of course, he copied all the guy''s abilities, and he was partially curious about whether or not he could control Phobio''s construct.


    ''But now isn''t the time. I''ve messed around for too long, so I should probably wrap things up.''


    After all, there was no point ying around again.


    ''The original n was to scare everyone away by pretending to be a Dragon and helping Rebal recover the warehouse.''


    It was supposed to be that simple.


    ''But this idiot went and killed everyone I was trying to save.''


    It pissed Rey off, but he managed to swallow his dissatisfaction.


    ''Now that the original n has beenpromised, there''s no witness to tell the superiors what I want them to think happened.''


    If the survivors had fled, the Mercenary Gang would be able to confirm that this was the work of a Dragon¡ªnot in any way connected to Karinc and the other Groups..


    That way, no war would start.


    ''In fact, the opposite might happen. They might be very wary and be on the defensive for a while.''


    Doing that would give the Karinc Group more room to breathe and time to figure things out.


    ''The issue now is that they''re all dead. Which means¡­''


    Yup, there was no other choice.


    ''¡­ I''ll have to make him my sole survivor somehow.''


    To Rey, that meant aiming for non-lethal spots and incapacitating the Crimson Valkyrie


    ''Shouldn''t be too hard.''


    He could see the enemy already brandishing their de, getting ready to attack, so Rey prepared himself as well.


    He was already much faster than Phobio, but he couldn''t be certain about the Crimson Valkyrie.


    ~WHOOSH!~


    The thing rushed to Rey to deal the first strike, but he easily evaded it.


    ''It seems I''m still just as fast and agile as I am in my normal form.''


    The issue was his size. He still wasn''tpletely used to it, but that didn''t mean he couldn''t avoid the entire strikespletely.


    ~SWISH!~


    ~FWISH!~


    ~WHISH!~


    The crimson des of the Crimson Valkyrie danced in the air as Rey dodged everything.


    After a few more strikes, he was finally able to detect where his opponent was.


    ''The chest region, huh?''


    With it already figured out, as well as his enemy being much weaker than he was, Rey figured it was the best time to finish things.


    ''[Dragon Breath: Dark].''


    With this single thought echoing in his mind, Rey opened his dragon mouth and released the pent-up energy locked within.


    ~BOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!~


    The instant the dark breath touched the hardened blood, thetter could not stand it and instantly vaporized.


    Rey aimed for the head, so the Crimson Valkyrie was now headless,


    However, since that was only for decoration, the thing attacked again; this time trying to use its two des to slice her down.


    This time, Rey held both of the Valkyrie''s hands with hisrge dragon-like ones, easily stopping them in their tracks.


    And then¡­


    ~SQUELCH!~


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Damnit¡­ looks like I was wronh. We have one more to go, it seems.

 Chapter 222 The Dragon’s Victory

    <h4>Chapter 222 The Dragon¡¯s Victory </h4>


    Blood sprayed out of the Crimson Valkyrie''s two arms as Rey ripped them out in an instant.


    Without both hands and a head, the colossal thing was pretty much done for.


    He used [Greater Corrosion] on the blood-red hands so they would never return to the Blood User.


    If it wanted to regenerate its body, then there were two options.


    ''Spread out the condensed blood and lose durability, or reduce the mass and maintain it.''


    Unsurprisingly, the opponent chose thetter option.


    Blood gathered in the damaged regions as the Valkyrie flew a considerable distance from Dragon Rey.


    The Crimson Valkyrie was now about eleven or so meters tall, with its body seemingly as good as new.


    "You beast!" He heard Phobio''s voice echo from within the massive thing,


    "I''LL KILL YOU! I''VE KILLED DRAGONS BEFORE!"


    Rey sighed and shook his head.


    ''I''m sure now. These guys haven''t killed any strong Dragons.''


    Their Stats were nice, but a jokepared to a Dragon Commander''s


    ''And I''m stronger than a Dragon Commander, so¡­''


    There was no need to even respond, so Rey simply waited for the Valkyrie to attack before he finished it off.


    The colossal thing stood at a distance, instead forming several projectiles from blood.


    ''Yeah¡­ sure. That would only reduce your size. Go ahead, though.'' Rey nearly rolled his eyes when he saw this.


    Phobio had to have figured out how useless it was to attack him in close-range. So he chose a long-range battle.


    For Rey, though, they were one and the same.


    ~FWOOSH!~


    Like several arrows cutting through the wind to reach their targets, so too did the blood spikes rush in Rey''s direction.


    However, by merely activating [Absolute Perfect Defense], the moment the blood touched the barrier around him¡­ it vaporized.


    Every spike was reduced to dust.


    "W-sha¡ª?!"


    Before the fool behind his 10-meter crimson avatar could say any more, Rey had closed the distance between himself and the crimson entity.


    He could have used Spatial Magic, but merely relying on his speed was more than enough.


    The moment he became a blur and appeared before a Phobio, the man tried to make his Valkyrie do the work for him.


    However, four des appeared out of nowhere, thanks to Rey''s [Greater Enchanted Weapon Summon], and cut through the Valkyrie''s four limbs.


    Once again, the being before him was subjugated so easily.


    ¡­ Too easily.


    Rey, of course, ensured to disintegrate all the blood heid eyes


    Screams appeared from within the Valkyrie, as if it was Phobio''s limbs that were cut off.


    "Don''t be a wuss." Rey muttered, giving the Crimson Valkyrie¡ªat least, what was left of it¡ªa good shoulder chop.


    ~BOOOOM!~


    The thing fell to the ground at an abnormal rate and shattered the earth the moment itnded.


    Right as it tried to get up, Rey descended from his heights and stepped on it.


    ~BOOOOOOOM!~


    As more echoes of destruction radiated all around, sts of the ensuing conflict filled the air.


    More blood was stripped from the once mighty construct, and its inadequate power lessened every time.


    In no time at all¡­ it was no longer a mighty ring of unparalleled power.


    It was merely Phobio donning the crimson armor as if he wore a certain kind of exoskeleton suit.


    ''He looks so cheesy.'' Rey thought to himself as he cracked a smile.


    Phobio saw this and had a frustrated look on his face. Despite how badly he had lost, the fool simply failed to ept it.


    "Y-You¡­" He stepped forward, approaching Rey''s fifteen-meter plus Dragon Form.


    "¡­ I''m not scared of y¡ª!"


    Before Phobio couldplete his statement, Rey did a finger-flick.


    Instantly, the pressure shattered the final shred of armor that shrouded him; as well as the robe and sandals that he previously wore.


    It was a miracle that his skin was still hanging tight to his body after everything was ripped off by Rey''s pressure.


    "A-ahh¡­"


    Rey felt awkward seeing his enemy¡ªa grown man¡ªnaked.


    He would have covered his eyes, but that wasn''t a very smart choice on a battlefield.


    As a result, he kept his eyes peeled.


    ''This is probably the perfect time to turn back.''


    *******


    ''H-how¡­?''


    Phobio was barely standing on the ground, his legs too tired¡ª


    as well as frightened¡ªto move a single inch.


    He was sweating all over, and his so-called perfect body was filled with the salty, smelly odor of his liquid.


    A trace of ammonia could be found if one took a whiff close to him.


    ''¡­ How could I have lost?!''


    He was so sure he could defeat this opponent.


    Hadn''t he beaten Dragons before? Why was this one any different?


    Why¡­ why was this Dragon so strong?!


    As his naked body shivered in the cold, Phobio couldn''t take it anymore.


    He had to know!


    "WHY ARE YOU SO¡ª?!"


    "Shut up." The moment he heard this, Phobio didn''t know why he suddenly stopped speaking.


    The Dragon swiftly transformed into a human, and in a sh, he was right in front of him.


    "Kneel."


    A sudden echo surged within Phobio''s brain, and he suddenly found himself on the ground.


    "Bow."


    Phobio''s trembling body ate the dirt as he prostrated himself before the overwhelming night of the almighty.


    The pressure was overwhelming.


    "You''re too pathetic to even kill." The words of the Dragon echoed in his ears.


    Phobio didn''t know why he felt happy to hear that.


    Perhaps he simply didn''t want to die.


    "You killed every other upant of this ce, right?"


    Phobio nodded profusely, not minding that he was bashing his head on the rock-hard ground.


    "Then¡­ if I spare you, will you return here?"


    His long hair swayed as they swept up the dirt and dust around.


    He had be nothing but a filthy mongrel¡ªthe same kind that he usually discriminated against.


    "Then leave my sight. I''ll be taking over this territory now."


    As the harsh words of the Dragon echoed in the air, Phobio felt a pressure lift off him.


    He slowly rose to his feet, trembling as he stole one final stare at the entity before him. He couldn''t even look him in eye.


    "Y-yes¡­ I-I u-u-u-understand¡­!"


    Phobio was miserable, bleeding, and naked. He didn''t have anything with him, and the closest thing to civilization was miles off.


    But, at the very least¡­ he was alive.


    That was all that mattered!


    *


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    By the time I''m writing this, we have just hit 1 million views, and I know it will have increased exponentially when this is published.


    But thanks to everyone who has been supporting this book!


    You all are the best! There''d be no ''An Extra''s POV'' without you all.

 Chapter 223 Securing The Goods

    <h4>Chapter 223 Securing The Goods </h4>


    "Oh, wow¡­"


    As Rey watched Phobio scamper off with his miserable naked body, he felt a bit bad for him.


    ''I thought I was average down there, but it seems there''s someone who''s worse off than me.''


    Rey knew he couldn''t judge a man by his ''equipment'' since it was something mostly out of one''s control.


    ''Must be his Gics¡­''


    Rey shrugged off his thoughts of the guy''s little worm and decided to focus on the more important things.


    "Looks like the damage wasn''t too much. I doubt the goods inside would have been affected too much." He smiled.


    The reason Rey decided not to use any shy attacks or destructive moves was because he didn''t want too much damage done to thendscape.


    ''My initial Dragon attacks were done to raise the rm, so I had to go a bit overboard.''


    Not that the act was over, he felt better than ever.


    ''I hope I was able to nail that arrogant and imposing Dragon aesthetic.''


    Seeing how Phobio acted in his presence, he could tell that he must have done something right.


    ''I doubt the Mercenary Gang members would want to face a Dragon that easily defeated their executives so easily.'' Rey smiled.


    Even if they did, he doubted they''d be opportuned to take action anytime soon.


    ''Their first goal will be to squash the Karinc Group and the other two.''


    That meant their hands were too full to deal with a powerful Dragon.


    ''If they''re stupid enough to think of fighting me, then it also works for my benefit.''


    If he eliminated as many of the Heads as possible, the military power of the opposing sides would drastically reduce.


    ''And then, it''ll be our turn to counterattack.''


    Either way, Rey could see how he was going to emerge victorious in all these things.


    ''I''ve reimed ownership of the Warehouse, but I can''t just leave it unmanned.''


    Phobio had pretty much ensured no one was left.


    ''Guess I''ll have to summon some Monsters to handle the job.''


    With everything pretty much taken care of, Rey decided to take a good look around the warehouse and survey everything before leaving.


    ''I should hurry, though. Everyone is waiting for me.''


    *******


    [Moments Later]


    "Huu¡­" Rey was in the final storage room, and he still couldn''t believe how much stuff had been stockpiled for the trade with the Elves.


    ''Easily hundreds of thousands of weapons and items.''


    They were all high-quality too, as expected of the Karinc Group.


    "I guess things must be really serious over at the Elf ce. Maybe I''ll check it out after I''m done resolving the Dungeon Raid and this whole ck Market thing.''


    In this world, there were other races that upied various portions of each continent.


    ''I really need to check them all out.''


    Since he now had Spatial Magic and Flight, things would be much easier than for any other person.


    ''I wonder if they have something like a Visa or Passport process. Well¡­ not much is known about the other Races, so there''s really nothing I can say.''


    Rey dismissed his thoughts and took one final look at everything he had just saved for the Karinc Group.


    ''You better keep your word and go mainstream after all this¡­'' Rebal nc came to his mind as he narrowed his eyes.


    They were definitely going to make tons of profit with so many Enchanted Items.


    It was no wonder that paid him so much money for the Monster Cores.


    ''Welp! No use thinking about that now.'' He shrugged as he stretched his hand towards the piles of goods in front of him.


    He simply had to do what he did for the others in the rooms he just visited.


    "[Grand Inventory]."


    The moment he whispered this, a swirling vortex of space suddenly manifested all around the room, distorting everything in sight.


    Reality seemed to twist as the environment itself took on a warped form.


    In just a few seconds, the world returned to normal and all the goods in the room hadpletely vanished.


    "Great. That''s thest of them." Rey chuckled to himself, returning his hand to his pocket.


    The Skill he just used was an amalgamation of [Inventory] and [Gateway Portal].


    It allowed him to create a gateway to an alternate spatial dimension.


    Unlike with [Inventory], though, there didn''t seem to be any limit to what he could put inside this new dimension.


    At least, not with what he had seen.


    Rey also knew everything that happened in his special world, which meant he knew precisely what dwelled inside and where they were.


    He could also summon them whenever he wanted.


    ''By cing them all in Grand Inventory, they''ll be safe from any harm.'' He smiled to himself.


    In an instant, Rey vanished from his position and appeared near the entrance of the Warehouse.


    "I''ll just summon some Monsters and leave." He murmured.


    By controlling them and giving them a directive to protect the ce from intruders, he could at least take extra measures to ensure the other side suffered some kind of loss if they returned.


    ''Imagine them going through all that trouble, only to kill all the monsters, rush inside, and then realize there''s nothing waiting for them!''


    Rey nearly burst outughing just thinking about it.


    He went on to make all the preparations and summon the Monsters in no time at all.


    Once he reached his Summon Limit, he gave them their instructions and walked out the front door.


    ''Well; now that I have everything I need, I better head back before they start worrying.''


    In a single swirl of contorted space, Rey vanished from his position.


    Underneath his mask, he had a wide grin on his face, and his lips moved to form a short whisper.


    "This is bing a lot more fun than I expected."


    ******


    "He''s finally gone."


    "Yes. Seems he is."


    Two pointy-eared people with a hood covering their beautiful hair, and a mask covering their faces, looked at each other right after witnessing the Dragon in obsidian ck cloak teleport away from his position.


    Their brightly colored eyes gleamed with what could be interpreted as delight or anxiety as they nodded at each other.


    "We need to tell Lady Aurora. She''ll know what to do next!"


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Looks like our pointy-eared friends will soon be joining us.

 Chapter 224 Grim Notice

    <h4>Chapter 224 Grim Notice </h4>


    ~VWUUSH~


    A portal opened within the Karinc Group''s Official Building¡ªa ce separate from the usual Store.


    It was muchrger than the store, and with itsrgepound upying a considerable amount ofnd.


    Most importantly¡­ it was on the surface.


    The pristine white building did not belong in such a dreary ce as the ck market, so it''s squeaky white walls and pristinepound radiated with beauty that could only be seen in the capital.


    To the outside world, this was simply a Nobleman''s property used for vacation once a year.


    But in actuality, it served as the Warehouse of the Karinc Group within the capital.


    It held items in stock, and it had a secret pathway that led to the ck Market.


    Thanks to Lord nc''s connection with a few Nobles, this was easily a thing he could aplish.


    This was also where Rebal nc''s office was located; the same expanse where the glowing portal was opening up in.


    "Hm¡­" He raised his head and saw the one who had visited him so abruptly.


    It was none other than Ralyks.


    His intimidating presence made the older man feel a weight resting upon his shoulders¡ªa weight far heavier than what the current state of his empire made him feel.


    He was a very cautious man, so he knew full well what these instincts of his told him.


    The man in front of him was dangerous!


    ''I''m grateful to have him on my side, but¡­'' There was no way to be at ease with him.


    Not entirely.


    Ralyks proceeded to sit on the chair right opposite where Rebal sat.


    Only a pristine desk separated them


    When Rebal wanted to rise to pay his proper respects and greet Ralyks, he was told not to bother.


    "Don''t worry. Everyone is safe, and the goods are all secure."


    Ralyks had been given a special device that allowedmunication between two parties¡ªthough it consumed more Mana the further away themunicators were.


    Thest time they spoke, he had been informed of the attack, and now that Ralyks was in front of him¡ªall alone¡ªRebal had been worried for a moment.


    "Yuri and the couriers are all back. I teleported them to the designated location beforeing here."


    Rebal nodded in appreciation, but he felt like this was only scratching the surface.


    There had to be something more intricate about this visit.


    "We need to talk, Rebal." Ralyks spoke, fully confirming the feelings of foreboding that had been clinging to his heart.


    Rebal gulped and nodded slightly.


    "Okay, Sir Ralyks. Please tell me what the matter is."


    ********


    It only took a few minutes, but Ralyks was able to fully exin the situation to the Obsidian Councilor.


    His eyes fell as he began to make heavy sighs.


    "I feared this possibility, but I hoped it wouldn''t be the case." He whispered, his voice radiating within his dark office.


    It was still pretty dark outside, with most people sleeping in their homes.


    For Rebal, though, he couldn''t sleep.


    Not while the very empire he struggled to build was crumbling before his very eyes.


    "So, the Mercenary Gang has sided with Scy and her New Order¡­" His tone was grave, and his voice slightly trembled.


    With this, it was already clear that they were nearly at checkmate.


    However, for some reason, the situation didn''t seem as bleak as one would expect.


    Why?


    Because¡­ Sir Ralyks was still with them.


    "I mentioned this before, but I faced two of the Nine Heads. They''re pretty strong, but they''re nothing to fear if you have me."


    Rebal nc still found it too good to be true, but after hearing about their descriptions from Ralyks, he had to admit it.


    ''He really eliminated two of them¡­''


    For the second one, it wasn''t an elimination, but more like "cing him out of the equation."


    ''Sir Ralyks is indeed very strong. I always knew it, but hearing it now¡­'' Rebal was regarded as a powerful man himself.


    However, even he had limits.


    Without his Enchanted Items aiding him, he would be able to stand a chance against any of the Nine Heads, and even with his Items, he would only be able to stand against one or two.


    He wasn''t even sure he woulde out scathed.


    And yet¡­


    ''How strong are you, really?'' He wondered as he stared at the masked face of the man before him.


    "You said you left your subordinates to guard the Warehouse, right?"


    "Yes. They''re Monsters, so they won''t be linked to the Karinc Group at all."


    "That''s a relief."


    Rebal had already been informed about the strategy Ralyks used.


    The whole illusion of a Dragon attacking the Warehouse to cause distress¡­ It was brilliant.


    ''It''s unfortunate that so many of our employees died, though. I''ll have topensate their families.''


    This was no time to mourn, though.


    There were a lot of things to be concerned about; especially with the revtion about the Mercenary Gang joining forces with the enemy.


    "I suspect they''ll make some kind of move on the other two Groups besides yours."


    Rebal nodded at Ralyks'' words. He also had that sneaking suspicion.


    "Asher has already gone as a delegate to one of the Councilors. He stays considerably close to the capital¡ªa couple of small cities away."


    The n was to gain the support of the Groups as soon as possible, so almost as soon as Ralyks took off, Asher also went for his own mission.


    "It''s possible that they could try something to them, so I think you should reach out to your son. Ask him about an update."


    The man nodded and used his Communication Device¡ªan item that resembled a runestone¡ªto connect with the other pair with his son.


    However¡­


    "He''s not responding.


    ¡­ There was radio silence.


    Rebal''s face began to get moist with sweat.


    "Has your son ever refused to respond your call under any important circumstances?" Ralyks asked, his tone growing deeper.


    "No¡­"


    Even when Asher had reasons to, he never ignored his father''s call.


    That meant only one thing.


    "They''ve begun to make their move already." Ralyks instantly rose to his feet with that deration.


    "Asher is in trouble."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Looks like this is quite the long night.

 Chapter 225 Asher’s Delegation

    <h4>Chapter 225 Asher¡¯s Delegation </h4>


    [Moments Earlier]


    ''This is a very important mission¡­''


    Asher¡ªknown for all intents as purposes as Aldred by the group he was traveling with¡ªwas currently in deep thought as he sat in the carriage.


    The world was currently shrouded in darkness, which meant this was the perfect moment to think.


    His eyes fluttered open, and then he closed then soon after, thinking of the current state of his father''spany.


    ¡­ His birthright.


    ''Right now, I have to convince the Jaune Councilor.''


    Each Council Member of the Obsidian Council had a code name attached to their real names.


    His father was the nc Obsidian Member; and right now, the n was to convince the Jaune and Verte Members respectively.


    ''Lord Verte is too far away, so we''ll have to start with Lord Jaune.''


    Depending on how much he paced himself, they could get there in an hour. However, Asher couldn''t imagine doing something like that.


    ''There''s still etiquette to consider, and we can''t just intrude on another''s property at such an ungodly hour.''


    As such, the eventual n became for him to simply camp outside their territory and wait for dawn to break before proceeding any further.


    ''Yeah. That''ll work.'' As Asher thought this, he looked outside his window and observed the two entourages that sat on their mounts and steadily moved beside him.


    There was also one more behind him.


    Adding them to the coachman, there were a total of four entourages¡ªfive individuals in total.


    ''Let''s hope the delegation ends well.''


    Even though his father¡ªRebal nc himself¡ªwanted to be the one to lead this delegation, it would be too risky for him to leave their main area of business.


    That was practically announcing vulnerability to everyone who was around.


    ''Besides, if fatheres for this delegation, the other Groups might think we''re desperate and we might lose considerable Bargaining Power.''


    In the end, this was the best thing they could do.


    As the carriage left the green shrubberies behind and reached the tunnel at the end of the lush greenery that surrounded them just earlier.


    ''It''ll be smooth sailing from here.''


    If Asher used his Enchanted Item, he could probably see the Jaune stronghold from where he stood.


    "We should probably set up camp here, then¡­" Asher murmured, bringing out a pair of sses from his pockets.


    Everyone halted, and Asher even came out of the carriage at this point. The journey had been a bit stressful, especially since they had to travel at nights


    It wasn''t something they couldn''t handle, though.


    As the sole heir to the Karinc Group, he had to make sure he was at least this capable.


    ''I better confirm the state of the Jaune Group¡­'' Asher''s thoughts trailed as he looked at the Enchanted Item in his hand.


    He put on the sses and activated its effect.


    The item glowed bright blue, and a shiny light surged from Asher''s position,


    Then¡ª


    ''I-impossible! What is this?!''


    What greeted Asher''s already enhanced eyes was a sight so horrible that one could practically chalk it up to a nightmare,


    The entire buildings within the vastpound were on fire, and he could see corpses buried in their entrails and blood.


    Some couldn''t even be qualified as ''corpses'', given the messed up states of their bodies.


    ''This is bad!'' Asher''s thoughts echoed as he narrowed down his vision.


    He could see a few people fighting, but that was about it.


    It seemed like the Jaune House desperately needed help, so if the Karinc Group assisted them here, then¡­


    ''The negotiations might go even better!''


    Asher knew he couldn''t take any chances, so he decided to rush towards the infernal mes and sea of blood that greeted his sight anytime he focused on the view.


    ''Let''s not get distracted and get this over with!''


    The darkened moon hovered him and his subordinates as they prepared to quickly save their potential allies.


    Amidst all the preparations and impatience that swirled within the group, a worrisome thought kept on guing Asher''s thoughts.


    ''This could only have been done by the Mercenary Gang. No one else has enough power or even the nerve to try this to an Obsidian family member.''


    ''I didn''t think they''d stoop this low! Does that mean Sir Ralyks was right? Did they go to the enemy side?!


    ''If so, then our n crumbles from the start. Still¡­''


    A bead of sweat fell from Asher''s face as heposed himself well.


    ''I should first go to their aid and hope for the best!''


    With his choice already made, Asher and his men parked their carriages and horses in a secure location, one of them casted a sort of protection Spell, while the other made an Illusion Spell so that their means of transport could not be detected naturally.


    Once all of this was done, they proceeded towards their target.


    *********


    It took nearly ten minutes toplete the distance.


    Even though they augmented their speeds with Mana and rushed as fast as they could, it still took some time to arrive.


    And once they did¡­ what greeted their sight was the bloodshed and mes that engulfed the entirepound.


    ''This is just¡­''


    It felt like watching an entire empire crumble to the ground, and Asher began to wonder if the same would happen to his Karinc Group one day.


    ''Never! Father will figure this out. Sir Ralyks is also helping out!''


    This thought gave Asher more resolve than ever.


    ''I have to y my part too.'' He looked at his entourage and told them to split up and search for clues.


    "Don''t get in any unnecessarybat. Retreat when you encounter an opportunity ande back with the information you''ve gathered."


    Asher, on the other hand, chose to embrace the storm by walking straight into the entrance.


    He was still a delegate from the Karinc Group.


    ''I better be careful.''


    Asher was known to be considerably strong, but after what he had experienced in the past couple of days¡ªperhaps even a week or two¡ªhe was sure he was still a novice.


    ''I''ll have to take this very seriously!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Now then¡­ we get to see Asher in a bit of action!

 Chapter 226 The Destroyer [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 226 The Destroyer [Pt 1] </h4>


    "Haaa¡­ haaa¡­"


    Blood. Gore. Brutalized human meat that felt downright despicable.


    ¡­ It felt wrong.


    As Asher heaved heavy sighs, his eyes upied with the several blurs of red that danced in his eyes, he tried his best to find survivors.


    There were none.


    Everyone in the burning building had been cooked to an overwhelmingly fine degree. Some had whole bodies, and some had chopped-up ones.


    In the end, they were made equal in death.


    Asher struggled to make it through the mes, thanking his Enchanted Cloak for the heat resistance and durability additions that it provided.


    If not for it, as well as his other Enchanted Items, he would have been cooked as well.


    The central manor of the Jaune Councilor had several areas, but Asher was focused on only one.


    The man¡ªLord Jaune''s¡ªoffice itself.


    ''There''s not much use for a man who has lost his resources, but a Councilor is still a Councilor¡­''


    With this line of thought, Asher navigated his way through the building''s mes and made his way into the ce.


    Unfortunately for this, when he arrived in Lord Jaune''s office¡­


    "My God."


    ¡­ The man''s diced up flesh was arranged to form a corpse on the wall, and mes slowly burned through it.


    An aroma of cooked meat filled the room, different from the choking and unbearable atmosphere outside.


    Once Asher saw this, he knew he had struggled for nothing.


    ''He''s dead.''


    With the Councilor dead, there was no longer any need to be here.


    ''This merciless execution¡­ it could have only been the Mercenary Gang.'' Asher''s suspicions were now confirmed.


    Were they hired by Scy and her forces? Have theypletely gone over to their side?


    As Asher had these thoughts, he moved closer to the corpse; perhaps to find a clue about what had happened before his arrival.


    Then¡ª


    "I wasn''t expecting any guests today¡­"


    A voice appeared from behind Asher. However, the moment he turned to look, an explosion of mes rushed towards him.


    It felt like a floodgate had been opened, and the overwhelming burst of fire charged in his direction.


    ~WHOOSH!~


    Utilizing his Passive [Quick Casting] Skill and [Basic Elemental Affinity] Skills, he swiftly utilized Wind Magic to shroud himself and jump out of the building.


    ~BOOOOOOMMM!!!~


    The fragile walls broke apart like cookies, and Asher was able to escape the wrath of mes that would have melted him down to his bones.


    As the sparks of fire danced in the air, Asher swiftly used a Wind Spell to guarantee his safending.


    Gusts of wind danced around him, lessening the impact he would have on the floor as hended safely.


    His eyes were on the floor above him, though¡ªwhere he had jumped out of.


    A certain man stood there, his body shrouded by mes so it was difficult to see.


    However, before Asher could even respond, the man jumped from his heights to the ground.


    ~BOOM!~


    The earth shattered as it weed his gloriousnding, and his dark silhouette soon began to form the image of a man.


    ''T-this man¡­!''


    The man wore a long hooded cloak, though his hood was brought down, revealing his face.


    He wore no shirt, and he had ck trousers under his cloak.


    Markings¡ªlike crimson red tattoos¡ªwere drawn all over his body, and his spiky red hair gave him an air of intimidation.


    He was well-built¡ªwith muscles that appeared perfectly toned.


    He looked like he would be a great warrior, but thanks to the Magic disy just now, it was clear he was also a Mage.


    He had a few more markings on his face, marred by the maniacal grin he had on.


    "You know who I am, kid?" He asked, his intimidating presence burning itself into Asher''s mind.


    Despite merely appearing to be in his thirties, the man was referring to Asher¡ªwho still had the form of Aldred¡ªas a kid.


    Could he see through his disguise? Or was he merely looking down on him?


    Either way, Asher could notin.


    He could only respond.


    "You''re¡­ Anukus¡­ the Destroyer?"


    Asher''s body trembled as he watched the man''s grin widen in delight.


    ''It really is him!''


    Asher had only ever heard of him, but this was the very first time he would be seeing such a being in person.


    Anukus was one of the Deadly Three; the strongest trio among the Nine Heads of Destruction.


    He was called The Destroyer because everything about him was destruction personified.


    His Skills, ss, and even his personality; they were all geared towards consuming his prey and tearing them apart.


    ''They say he has the strength of a Warrior and the skills of a Mage.'' Asher gulped as he crouched a little.


    There was no need to fight him.


    "I apologize for intruding on your work. If you do not mind, I would like to be on my way."


    Asher''s eyes darted to the left and right as he searched for his subordinates.


    Once he spotted them, he would give his signal, and they would all retreat as fast as they possibly could.


    ''We might lose some people, but I''ll make sure as many members of the Group survive!''


    The Members of the Karinc Group were what made up the group.


    Without them, the leader was nothing.


    That was one of the first lessons that his father taught him, and even till this moment, it remained an essential part of his life.


    "I do mind, though. You are right in front of me now, so why don''t I simply strike you down where you are?" Anukus shrugged.


    It was clear that he simply desired bloodshed.


    ''I don''t want to y this card, but it seems I have no choice¡­'' Asher sighed internally.


    "I am an important person from the KariBlnc Group, and Lord nc won''t be pleased if he finds me missing or killed by the Mercenary Group."


    "Hm¡­?" Anukus tilted his head, as if in slight confusion.


    "You were contracted to eliminate the Jaune Group, so I understand that. But I do not think I was part of your execution contract. Making an independent action against me will have¡ª"


    "You said you''re from the Karinc Group, right? Led by nc, who isn''t in Scy''s New Order¡­ right?"


    The air suddenly grew heavy as Anukus asked the question.


    Asher felt like any answer he gave at the moment would be wrong.


    "It seems you don''t know yet, so let me spell it out for you, kid." The man''s grin widened, and his face seemed to morph into something ugly and malevolent.


    "There is no contract, and there is no rule or code of conduct that stops me from eliminating you. The Mercenary Gang had allied itself with Scy and her New Order, which means you lot are the enemy!"


    Asher''s heart began to beat rapidly. He had suspected this, but he always hoped it was just him overthinking.


    ''No¡­ no! If that''s the case, then¡­''


    "Once we''re done with Jaune and Verte, who do you think is next?!"


    As Anukus raised an eyebrow and grinned intensely, Asher could feel a weight rest upon him.


    "Your side is doomed already. You already lost!"


    As those words echoed in his ears, Asher felt his heart sink.


    This was indeed the worst case scenario.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Looks like Anukus really be cooking some meat. If he reminds you of a certain character, let me know in thements,

 Chapter 227 The Destroyer [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 227 The Destroyer [Pt 2] </h4>


    "Hahaha¡­ HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"


    Laughter of chaos filled the air as Anukus stretched both hands out and grinned with utter malevolence.


    "Look at your face¡­ the despair written all over it!" He beamed at Asher''s shocked expression.


    It wasedy gold to him.


    ''Should I go a step further¡­?''


    Anukus could see the man before him was on the verge of breaking down, so he opened his lips to say more.


    "I wonder if you had any rtions to the four men that went scouting around thepound."


    The moment Asher heard this, his eyes widened and he looked at Anukus'' face, hoping it was just a joke.


    But, the face he saw on the man before him said all that he needed to hear.


    ''T-they''re dead¡­?!''


    "I butchered them up and roasted them really well. They had that particrly tender odor that only weaklings have."


    As Anukus went into further detail about how they screamed and writhed in pain, Asher could not help but feel disgust.


    Sure, he had done his fair share of interrogations.


    He had also been involved in torturing enemies, as it came with ck Market territory, but it had never been to such a despicable extent.


    And it wasn''t like he boasted about his feat too.


    In the end, torturing people was merely a means to an end. He only did it because of a particr benefit that the action would bring to the Karinc Group.


    But this monster was different.


    ''He tortures because he truly enjoys it. He''s not someone I can reason with.''


    Now that all four members of his entourage were gone, there was no longer any need to remain.


    ''I have to run!''


    He had to hurry and inform his father of the terrible news that had befallen the Criminal Underworld.


    "You''re thinking of escaping? Don''t bother. The moment you turn your back against me is the moment you die."


    Asher didn''t think the man was joking based on his tone.


    ''Damnit¡­ what should I do?!''


    He had tons of Enchanted Items, but he had his ''Equip Limit'', and even if he was armed to the teeth, Asher doubted he stood a chance against someone who was famed to have killed a Dragon.


    ''Is there no way to escape? Any way at a¡ª?''


    As Asher was about toplete his thought, a certain sound echoed from his trouser pocket.


    It was the Communication Device that connected directly to his father.


    ''This wasn''t the agreement. Has something happened in¡ª?!''


    ~SWISH!~


    Before Asher could reach for the Item, a shing sound radiated through the air, and barely a secondter¡­ arge tear appeared in the location of the ringing sound.


    The Communication Device was shed into two, now spilling out of his torn trouser pocket.


    It was a swift, instantaneous strike.


    Asher was too shocked by what had just happened to even think of moving.


    ''Just now¡­ what if it was my throat he targeted?''


    It would have been the end.


    "Do you understand now? Killing someone is no fun if you can do it so easily and quickly."


    Anukus ced both hands in his pocket as he keenly watched Asher''s trembling form.


    "I''ll admit it, kid. You''re pretty strong. It''s just that we''re on totally different levels."


    Anukus wasn''t wrong.


    Asher was a genius among humans. He was already in the Max Level avable to those who had a C-Tier ss.


    Compared to normal humans, he was very strong¡ªespecially considering his real age.


    But that was where it ended.


    When monsters like Anukus came out of their dwelling ce, it was no longer a contest of strength.


    This was simply a ughter.


    "Now that I''ve made it perfectly clear that I can end your life very easily if you choose to run or stand still, there''s only one thing you can do to prolong your life."


    Asher knew it already.


    ''He wants me to fight him!''


    "You''re going to have to fight, kid. Fight until you can no longer do so anymore." His wicked grin intensified.


    "Only then will I kill you."


    How was this a fair deal¡ªor any kind of deal at all? Asher knew there was no chance he could beat a monster like this.


    However, he also didn''t want to die.


    ''Is there a way that fighting him will somehow buy time for a rescue team toe?'' He wondered.


    No¡­ it was better for him not to think down that line at all.


    His father would have definitely felt something was off with the way he didn''t answer the call, but what then?


    Did they have anyone in the Karinc Group that could defeat a member of the Deadly Three?


    ''Sir Ralyks is already upied with transporting our goods, and there''s no telling when he''ll be done.''


    Other than him, there really was no one else.


    Even his father, Rebal nc himself¡ªwhile possibly being strong and smart enough to hold his own against one of the Heads of Destruction¡ªcould not stand a chance against the Top 3 of the Group.


    Anukus was just too powerful.


    ''Even if we gathered the best attack squad, it would take them too long to get here. Even if Ist for hours upon hours¡ªwhich I doubt that I can¡ªthey''ll onlye here to meet their deaths.''


    It was all pointless.


    Despite all that, though¡­ Asher had a fire burning in his eyes.


    ''I don''t want to die. Not after everything!''


    He knew it was inevitable to try and preserve his life. In the end, only the most painful demise awaited him no matter how hard he was about to struggle.


    Still¡­!


    ''I won''t give up.''


    All of Asher''s Skills were passive, so there really was no need to activate anything.


    He simply had to rely on his Spells and Enchanted Items to live.


    His opponent stood before him, wearing a mask of utter amusement and deep wickedness.


    ''I won''t let you have your way so easily.''


    Crouching even more and forming fists with his hands, Asher prepared himself for the fight of his life.


    "With this Sacred Word, I summon¡­"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I know what you want to say. I know¡­ hahaha!


    By the way, I know the pacing has been sucking for the past couple of chapters, so I''ll try to be better in it.


    Cheers!

 Chapter 228 The Four Elementals

    <h4>Chapter 228 The Four Elementals </h4>


    Asher didn''t have any Active Skills¡ªMagic or otherwise.


    That was because he simply didn''t need one.


    As someone who had extensive knowledge of Magic, as well as a very fast growth in terms of Levels¡ªand by extension, Stats¡ªthere was no need for them.


    He knew the Spells, and so his offensive and defensive abilities were high anyway.


    With [Quick Casting], he could cast a Spell in a second, and with [Basic Elemental Affinity], he could utilize any of the basic elements.


    His [Magic Knowledge] Skill allowed him to analyze his opponent''s Magic Spells or Skills to a particr extent.


    It also boosted the abilities of his own Spells.


    With all these factorsbined, Asher had always been confident in any fight he wound up in.


    He had enough power and intelligence to emerge victorious.


    Well¡­ none of that confidence could be seen here.


    Breathing raggedly, he clenched both of his fists and concentrated his Mana, his eyes turning a bright green.


    "With this Sacred Word, I summon¡­" He muttered, causing more Mana to gather around him like a whirlwind.


    Utilizing all the cards on his side, and also thinking of how best to survive longer when fighting his opponent, this was the best Asher coulde up with.


    "¡­ Elemental Guardians!"


    That very instant, four entities emerged from the excess Mana that swirled around Asher''s body.


    There was one who was bright red and orange, with traces of yellow. It was madepletely out of mes, and it looked like a warrior with a ming sword and burning armor.


    This sentinel took a battle stance, and the others also took their positions.


    There was one who resembled a diator¡ªmadepletely of earth. It had green moss covering its body, but most importantly, it was gigantic and sturdy.


    It had a massive shield, and if anything, it appeared designed for defense.


    The third one appeared to be a ghost of wind, with a swirling breeze forming a man¡ªan archer. This archer distorted the area around him with intense winds, and it stood proud.


    Finally, there was one who appeared to be a priestess¡ªor perhaps a Mage¡ªmade out of water. It had a hood covering its face, as well as a staff.


    Everything was water, regardless.


    The ming warrior took the vanguard position, with the earth tank right behind it and in front of Asher.


    The Wind Archer took the right nk, and the Water Mage took the left nk.


    This was the current formation that Asher chose to employ, given that his opponent was right in front of him and was a straightforward opponent.


    ''I would have liked to summon a superior water elemental, since his main element is fire, but I can''t summon any that''s better than this one.


    He could also only summon one kind of elemental at a time.


    ''At the very least, the other ones will deal some damage while she offers defensive measures against his mes.''


    The Earth Tank was meant to absorb the damage done by his enemy''s shes, and the archer was meant to deal ranged damage while the me warrior would directly fight.


    ''Currently, this is the best measure to take¡­''


    It consumed a lot of Mana, sure, but Asher was confident that he could recoup enough for another Elemental Summon if they bought him enough time.


    ''I''ll just maintain a safe distance and attack him with all of them. In case they need support, I might also need to pitch in.''


    He could act as a second Water Mage, hence making it a battle of five against one.


    ''The odds seem to be in my favor, but that''s ignoring who this man is.''


    A head of sweat fell from Asher''s forehead as he watched the man¡ªAnukus, The Destroyer¡ªremove his cloak.


    His bare, well toned body embraced the darkness of the night, and the sparks of mes all around him served to highlight his immacte form.


    ''He looks like an expertbatant, so I can''t let him get too close!'' Asher narrowed his eyes and took in a deep breath.


    "Come!" Anukus yelled, stretching out his hands as if being a careless man driven into insanity.


    ''As you wish!''


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    In one swift move, the me Warrior rushed forward, sweeping past the barrier of distance that separated it from the enemy.


    Its ming body danced as it raised its de and prepared a heavy frontal assault.


    As it did this, the Wind Archer slid a little further down the nk where it guarded, already aiming at the adversary.


    The Water Mage already had a st of water prepared in case of a me Spell from the enemy, and the giant orb of water only kept growing bigger.


    As for the Earth Tank, it protected Asher with its bulky form and sturdy shield.


    All of this happened within a moment, and by the time most of the new formation had been settled, the ming warrior was already in front of the enemy.


    ~SWOOOSH!~


    The first strike of both sharpness and intense heat radiated forth.


    It would have burned the foe before finally cutting through their body like a hot knife through butter.


    However, this strike did not connect.


    The man named Anukus easily evaded the strike and appeared behind the me Warrior.


    Asher¡ªlike one ying an intricate game of chess¡ªcontrolled his puppets to strike from the distance.


    ~FSHOOO!~


    Wind arrows whistled through the arrow, but Anukus easily evaded every one as well, twisting his body in a wild dance of expertbativeness.


    As he did this, though, the me Warrior that he earlier evaded was right behind him with a heavier strike.


    ~BOOOOM!~


    The earth split, and fire erupted from it as the Warrior''s sword missed its target.


    Anukus was right beside the de, wearing a bright grin on his face.


    As the me Warrior made to raise its de to strike the enemy,bining itsbat ability with the wind arrows that were on their way, Anukus cackled silently.


    His brightly glowing crimson eyes showed something malevolent within.


    "Alright¡­" A wicked tone erupted from his whisper.


    "¡­ Let''s get a bit more serious!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Hope you enjoyed the chapter. I know you''re all waiting for it to end and for Asher to die.


    Your wish just might be granted¡­

 Chapter 229 The Power Of Anukus

    <h4>Chapter 229 The Power Of Anukus </h4>


    ~WHUUSH!~


    The ming de resonated with the arrows of wind, causing a roaring tempest to be born.


    shes of fire rose to form a torrent of whirlwind as the arrows burst in a wind vortex.


    The result was a surrounding me-windbination that engulfed the enemy,


    The whirlwind of mes ascended high,pletely shrouding Anukus within its heated embrace.


    shes of winds would continuously tear through the target as fire turned them into hot crisps.


    Surely, no one could survive that.


    ~FSHUUUU!~


    The ming torrent was dispersed instantly, turning into mere sparkling embers within a second.


    And standing within it all was Anukus, with a hand raised up and an insane expression on his face.


    Asher could see it, and he didn''t like the sense of foreboding that coursed through his mind.


    His brain quickly worked up a solution, but before he could think of one, something bright was glowing from Anukus'' hand.


    It resembled.. mes!


    ~BOOOOOOMMMM!!~


    The intense fire wave was sent towards the me Warrior, consuming it in fire far more intense than what it wasposed of.


    "Hehehe¡­ hahaha¡­ HAHAHAHAHA!!!" Anukus gave the ming warrior all of its attention, as more mes roared from his second hand, all rushing past the Warrior''s body.


    One would think that a me Elemental wouldn''t be affected by Fire Attacks, but that wasn''t true at all.


    A lesser me Elemental would definitely be affected by the me Attacks of higher intensity.


    It was almost like being involved in a fist fight.


    Flesh hitting flesh¡­ only the superior kind of flesh¡ªwith better muscles and sturdiness¡ªwould emerge the winner.


    So also was the case here.


    The Fire Warrior was already slowly vanishing as a result of the raging fires that bathed its body.


    It couldn''t even move. a


    "Guh! Attack!" Asher grew so desperate that he yelled despite not needing to.


    He was talking to his Water Mage, who had managed to generate arge ball of water for situations like this.


    ~WHOOSH!~


    Sheunched her ''WaterBall'' at the enemy, and it moved quickly for its size.


    In no time at all, it would traverse the distance and reach the enemy.


    But¡ª


    ~VWUUUUMMM!~


    A wall of fire suddenly rose from the ground to stop the giant ball of water.


    And¡­ believe it or not¡­ the mes and water were evenly matched in strength!


    ''N-no way! I''ve been preparing that WaterBall for some time now!''


    Despite all that, it couldn''t get a single barrier that had just been formed.


    It was absurd to Asher.


    ~SHUUUUUUUU~


    In the end, both shes ended in steam rushing from their point of impact, filling the area with its white cloud.


    The steam''s influence did notst very long, though, as the explosion from the distance cleared everything up in a sh.


    The area''s steam parted as the pressure of heat and wind sent everything dissipating, paving the way for an image of destruction itself.


    "A-ah¡­!" Asher''s eyes nearly bulged as he looked before him.


    The me Warrior that he had spent so much Mana to create was in shambles, its dying embers fading away.


    That was one out of four.


    Anukus, whose back was facing Asher, slowly turned his head and looked behind him.


    He had a cold,pletely imposing expression on his face as his eyes glowed brighter crimson.


    "Next." He said.


    Shivers covered Asher''s body, and he began to slowly panic.


    Hemanded the Water Mage to prepare another round of its WaterBall, but right before it could do so, a bright pir of mes rushed from beneath it.


    The swirling mes consumed the Water Mage in no time, not even leaving a single moisture left in the immediate atmosphere.


    The Wind Archer that was now targeting Anukus from a blind spot shot a very intense wind arrow at him¡ªone that was strong enough to shatter the earth itself.


    However¡ª


    "Weak."


    ¡ªThe wind itself tore to pieces, shed by an invisible de that none could see.


    Before the Wind Archer could flee from itspromised position, or even react to the shocking defeat of its strongest arrow¡­


    "Sever."


    ¡­ It too was ripped into shreds.


    The very personification of wind, sliced into pieces beyond recovery, soon died out as it faded away into obscurity.


    In the end, Anukus stood alone in a field of devastation, watched only by Asher and the Earth Tank that was meant to defend him.


    "Now then¡­ shall we continue?"


    Anukus began to move from his position, every step of his seemingly causing a quake in the ground.


    His maniacal grin returned as he watched Asher tremble from where he stood.


    The man was absolutely terrified; and for good reason.


    Before Asher could even think of a next n of action, Anukus was already standing in front of the Earth Tank.


    The massive Elemental made to charge at Anukus using its sturdy shield, but before it could make any meaningful movements, Anukus was right behind it.


    And then¡ª


    ¡ªThe Earth Tank crumbled on the ground, turned into nothing but blocks of rock.


    Its sturdy shield had been broken to pieces before it even realized it, and its body followed not long after; yet another effortless disy of power by the one known as Anukus.


    "It''s just you now. Got any other way to entertain me?"


    Asher was speechless.


    ''I¡­ I haven''t recovered enough Mana yet!''


    He had thought his Elementals would be able to buy him enough time. He had even been generous about the time by cing his estimation to the lowest possible time possible.


    Still¡­ this was unexpected!


    ''I barely have enough to summon one Elemental, and even then¡­ what good would that do?!''


    His enemy was strong. Overwhelmingly strong.


    Too strong!


    The reason he chose the Elemental Strategy was to create a variation of attack patterns in order to see which would be more effective.


    This would allow him to learn more about his opponent while also keeping his distance and preserving his life.


    But, it turned out all of that was pointless.


    There was no ''weakness'' to exploit here.


    There was no ''attack pattern'' to be studied either.


    There was only Anukus¡­ and the chaos that he wrought with his power.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 230 The Intrusion

    <h4>Chapter 230 The Intrusion </h4>


    ''Is this really the way it ends? I can''t do anything more than this?''


    As the unfair truth rubbed itself in Asher''s face, he felt the invincible being pull closer.


    He could already smell the sulfur and smoke, and the heat itched his skin.


    This was truly the end¡­


    "Hm? Who''s that?"


    ¡­ Or not.


    Anukus stopped before he reached Asher, his gaze focused on something in the distance¡ªbehind the crouching man.


    ''E-eh? What''s happeni¡ª?''


    Before Asher could realize what was going on, he suddenly felt himself being pulled into something strange.


    It felt like the world had be a blur, and everything became blurry, until¡ªa secondter¡ªit was back to normal.


    "H-huh?" He noticed that, somehow, Anukus was further away from him than before.


    They had been mere inches apart before, but now it was more like seventy to a hundred meters.


    ''What happened? How did this¡­? I don''t understand!''


    Asher was still very confused when he felt a hand rub his disheveled hair.


    A familiar presence suddenly washed over him as he took his eyes off the nightmare that was Anukus and looked up.


    "S-Sir Ralyks¡­!"


    The dark, intimidating mask and his glowing crimson eyes seemed to bring nothing but sce to the Asher.


    Never before had he felt safer.


    "I came as fast as I could. I hope I''m not toote." Ralyks said, his eyes on Asher.


    The young man in an older fellow''s body shook his head profusely.


    "N-no! Not at all! Thank you foring, Sir Ralyks!"


    Somehow, the fear that had pervaded his body slowly became nonexistent.


    It was soon reced with a bright ray of hope.


    "Good. Stay by my side, then. This will soon be over."


    Ralyks and his confident tone did not at all surprise Asher. It didn''te off as condescending as well.


    To Asher, the only one who could defeat the enemy who stood before them was Ralyks.


    If he couldn''t do it, then all hope was practically lost.


    "He uses sh and me attacks."?Asher said, doing his best to ry whatever information he had managed to collect in his fight.


    It wasn''t much, but he hoped it would be useful to his savior.


    "I can see that."


    That was the response Ralyks gave.


    It almost felt like he was grinning in amusement, causing Asher tough awkwardly.


    "A-ahh¡­ okay." Asher slowly moved a little closer to Ralyks, since he was already beside him.


    The two stared at each other for a second more before the voice of their enemy echoed forth.


    "What''s this? Am I being ignored here? The both of you sure have some nerve."


    As Anukus'' voice reverberated in the air, Asher felt his skin tingle.


    During their brief interaction, he had been trained to fear this man¡ªeven his voice.


    However, before he could give in any deeper to his fears, he heard Ralyks'' reassuring voice.


    "There''s no reason to fear."


    As Asher heard this, he felt his heart grow lighter, and the shaking in his body ceased.


    He gazed up, in both admiration and surprise, at the man who hade to save him.


    "I never lose."


    With those words reying in his ears, Asher smiled, nodded, and looked away.


    "Thank you, Sir Ralyks." He returned his gaze to Anukus, a confident smile now on his face.


    He was no longer afraid to give a confident grin in the face of such an overwhelming foe.


    Why would he be?


    There was an even more frightening being that was his ally.


    That was enough to make Asher smile.


    "He killed all my men and our supposed allies. Please don''t end it too quickly."


    Asher knew he was being a little impudent, but he hoped the man beside him would listen to his heartfelt request.


    "Please let him suffer a little, Sir Ralyks."


    Asher felt Ralyks'' gaze leave him and turn in the direction of the man who stood a distance from them.


    "Fine." Ralyks'' powerful voice caused the air to vibrate.


    "Let''s have him beg for death."


    *********


    ''What''s with these people and suffering?'' Rey thought to himself, nearly sighing.


    He knew full well that Asher also tortured his enemies, and now the guy in front of him was also guilty of the same.


    At this point, Rey was sick of Underworld Business.


    ''I can see the justification for this, though. It seems this guy had done quite a lot of awful things.''


    Rey knew Asher and his father¡ªthe entire Karinc Group¡ªhad done a lot of terrible things too, so they weren''t really meant to judge.


    However, a critical factor made this particr one unforgivable.


    ''This guy messed with the n. He went and killed the people we''re supposed to be allied with, and even eliminated people from our side.''


    To Rey, that was more than enough of a reason to enact some form of vengeance on him.


    Rey took a nce at the man''s Status Window that was still beside him and smiled.


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Anukus


    - Race: Human


    - ss: Heretic (B-Tier)


    - Level: 145 (10.54% EXP)


    - Life Force: 15 [+185]


    - Mana Level: 100 (+50) [+200]


    - Combat Ability: 30 (+50) [+170]


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Sever]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Greater Fire Magic]. [Homing].


    - Alignment: Chaotic Evil


    [Additional Information]


    One of theDeadly Three; the three strongest Executives of the Mercenary Gang.


    He is known as ''The Destroyer'' due to his immense destructive capabilities and his unstable personality.


    [End Of Information]


    ''Interesting¡­'' He smiled.


    It was amazing how a person could have only three Skills, yet be considered very formidable due to how well they used them.


    ''I guess it''s all about quality and less about quantity.''


    Rey preferred to have both, though.


    ''It''s a good thing I snagged his Skills a while back.''


    The honest truth was that Rey had arrived a few moments earlier¡ªright when Anukus had destroyed the me Elemental.


    He watched as the man proceeded to wreck all of the other Elementals and then nearly kill Asher.


    Of course, he wasn''t going to let Asher die, so he saved him right in the nick of time. From the looks of things, he made the right call, seeing as Asher now looked immensely grateful to him.


    ''Looks like my points with him have gone up.''


    It was thanks to his patience that Rey was able to witness a disy of power from both Asher and Anukus.


    The result?


    [Skill Categories]


    ~ SS-Tier: 3


    ~ S-Tier: 8


    ~ A-Tier: 8


    ~ B-Tier: 12


    ~ C-Tier: 3


    [New Skills: Please Select Their Categories]


    ~ D-Tier: Intimidating Aura~


    ~ C-Tier: Warrior''s Mantle~


    ~ C-Tier: Rampage~


    ~ C-Tier: Damage Nullification~


    ~ B-Tier: Carnage


    ~ C-Tier: Great Protection Cloak


    ~ C-Tier: Superior Self


    ~ C-Tier: True Detection


    ~ C-Tier: Bloodlust


    ~ B-Tier: Greater Blood Magic


    ~ B-Tier: Greater Fire Magic


    ~ B-Tier: Sever


    ~ C-Tier: Homing


    ~ C-Tier: Elemental Summoning (Fire)


    ~ C-Tier: Elemental Summoning (Water)


    ~ C-Tier: Elemental Summoning (Wind)


    ~ C-Tier: Elemental Summoning (Earth)


    [Total Skills: 51]


    "Haaa¡­" Rey sighed a little while giving himself a wry smile.


    ''Looks like I''ll eventually need to sort out all these new Skills.''


    It wasn''t long ago that he had just 34 Skills, and now he had a lot more.


    ''It''s a good thing I have [Merger] now.''


    If that wasn''t the case, he would have to start throwing away some of Skills at this point.


    ''Enough about that, though¡­'' Rey shrugged aside his thoughts and chose to observe his opponent instead.


    ''He doesn''t look too happy. I wonder why.''


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Looks like we''re about to have a third executive match consecutively. These guys just keep popping out!

 Chapter 231 Heated Confrontation

    <h4>Chapter 231 Heated Confrontation </h4>


    Rey didn''t know this, but Anukus had just done something that he wasn''t aware of.


    [Sever] mixed with [Homing] made for a sure-hit attack that obliterated anything in its path.


    Anukus had used this attack on Rey, hoping for his head to get sliced off.


    ''That''s your punishment for interrupting my match!'' Anukus had thought.


    He hated strangersing out of nowhere and just disturbing his moment of enjoyment.


    If they wanted a fight with him, they could just wait their turn!


    ''DIE!'' He had thought silently as he sent the attack.


    However¡­


    ''E-eh¡­?''


    ¡­ The attack did notnd.


    Normally, this would be the time when his opponent''s head would go rolling to the ground, but there was no such thing this time around.


    It was as if nothing had ever happened.


    In fact, the target didn''t even seem to notice what had just happened.


    ''M-maybe my aim was off¡­'' Anukus thought, forgetting that he had the [Homing] feature activated.


    There was no way he could have missed, even if he wanted to!


    ''Let''s try again!''


    Anukus did it again and again, but every single time he did so, there was no effect.


    In the end he had to try out his attack on the man beside him.


    However, the moment he did so, a bright golden barrier covered him, causing the attack not tond.


    ''What? A defensive barrier?!''


    "Hey¡­ the fight is between you and me. Leave my client out of this."


    As the intruder raised his voice at Anukus, he felt an intimidating pressure that he had never perceived before.


    It made a cold sensation rush through his body.


    ''Is that fear? Impossible!'' Anukus had long forgotten fear


    He had gotten much stronger since thest time such a feeling was ingrained in his mind, and based on his current progress, it wouldn''t be long before he reached the limits of his power.


    Most people didn''t even give him any EXP when he killed them, considering how worthless and weak they were.


    ''He called the other guy his client, which means he was hired by the Karinc Group.''


    In essence, he was an enemy he had to eliminate.


    ''If the Karinc could hire someone in their current state, there''s no way they''re that strong. Maybe he just has a strong defensive Skill¡­''


    Anukus had a colleague who had a Skill called [Damage Nullification], so he was well aware of how annoying defensive Skills could be.


    ''But [Damage Nullification] is of no use if your opponent is stronger than you!''


    That meant this had to be something else.


    ''It could also be an item. I''ll need to get up close and personal with him to find out.''


    Anukus slowly began to smile. The match against the other man had been a bit refreshing, but it was nowhere near stimting enough.


    He wanted more.


    ''Maybe this guy will be able to entertain me better!''


    "Fine, then. I''ll y with you¡­" Anukus took a step forward, his blood boiling with excitement.


    "Come!" He stretched out both hands as he awaited the attack of his opponent.


    ''Let''s see how strong you a¡ª!''


    "Oh, no way. I won''t be the one facing you." The voice from the masked being suddenly echoed in the air.


    "What?!"


    Anukus'' raised eyebrows and annoyed tone were answered by a roaring me being manifested by his opponent.


    The mes appeared intense; almost impossibly so.


    And then, from the depths of the fire¡­ a single entity appeared.


    It had pristine armor, with a helmet shrouding its my face.


    Two des were criss-crossed on its back, and in its hand was a powerful spear.


    It was covered in full-ted armor, appearing much darker¡ªlike magma¡ªthan the my body that it protected.


    This being had glowing eyes and a fierce presence that seemed to ooze danger.


    As it stepped on the ground, thetter melted. The air seemed to warp around it as its intense mes werepressed to its immediate surroundings.


    This was no mere Fire Elemental.


    It was a Greater Fire Elemental. No¡­ perhaps even a Grand Fire Elemental!


    ''No¡­ that''s not possible.''


    Even if it was a big stretch, Anukus could still grant that the thing that was summoned was a Greater Fire Elemental.


    But calling it a Grand one was going too far.


    ''A single Grand Elemental needs to be summoned by a group of powerful Mages. There''s no way someone like this can do it himself.''


    Only Grand Mage Lucielle was known to be able to summon a Grand Elemental by herself, but even she would be drained after doing so.


    The benefits of having one was high, but it was practically impossible for any one person to summon one themselves.


    ''So it''s a Greater Fire Elemental, then?'' Anukus grinned with amusement.


    ''This is going to be a fun battle, but I''ll definitely win!''


    His [Greater me Magic] alone wouldn''t be able to put this one down, but so what?


    He had this second Skill, which was objectively superior¡ªeven though they were both in B-Tier.


    ''Alright, then!''


    A monstrous smile caused his face to morph into that of a wild heart.


    "Entertain me before I get to the main dish!"


    *******


    ''I can''t believe I can now summon a Grand Fire Elemental¡­'' Rey smiled as he looked at the ming entity in front of him.


    ''Looks like the experiment was a sess.''


    Rey''s mind went back to a few moments earlier, when he wondered how best to take care of his opponent.


    He decided to merge the [Greater Fire Magic] in his arsenal with his [Elemental Summoning (Fire)].


    The result was [Greater Elemental Summoning (Fire)].


    Afterwards, he decided to utilize it alongside his third SS-Tier Skill [Divine Elemental Magic]; with the help of [Fusion/Fission] Skill.


    Thanks to the synergy among these Skills, he was able to create a Grand Fire Elemental.


    ''Since I would need the right Spell to make an Elemental normally, it''s just better to have it as a Skill¡­''


    Rey figured he could also create the same synergy with the rest of his Elemental Summoning Skills to make a new one.


    Unsurprisingly, it worked.


    He sessfully merged them all to form [Greater Elemental Summoning (Basic)].


    ''If I use [Divine Elemental Magic], that means I can make any of my Elementals enter the Grand category.'' Rey nodded to himself in satisfaction.


    That alone was enough to put a smile on his face.


    *


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    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Our boy is about to be some kind of Sung Jin Woo, but with Elementals instead.

 Chapter 232 Fiery Severance

    <h4>Chapter 232 Fiery Severance </h4>


    "Fshuu¡­"


    As the Fire Elemental made a heated exhtion, the atmosphere slowly rose in temperature.


    Its presence was enough to cause a disturbance around.


    Of course, with Asher in his barrier, and Rey being protected by all kinds of Resistance and his Enchanted Items, they didn''t really feel anything.


    The only one being affected was Anukus.


    Beads of sweat fell from his face as he red at the creature he was confronted with.


    Regr Elemental Summons had to be manually controlled by their Summoners, but Greater and Grand Elementals had their own level of autonomy.


    As a result, the Caster/Summoner didn''t really need to do anything.


    He just had to watch.


    ''Just sit there and watch, arrogant bastard!'' Anukus grinned while licking his lips.


    ''Once I''m done with this one, I''lle straight for your head!''


    Anukus prepared himself for the imminent confrontation.


    He had more than enough Mana thanks to his Star distribution and his ss advantage.


    Plus, his Items also blessed him with sufficient energy.


    In essence, he wasn''tcking in Mana.


    ''All I have to do is¡ª!''


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    Before Anukus could evenplete his thought, the Fire Elemental vanished from its position and appeared right in front of him.


    ''E-eh¡­?''


    Its spear was already raised, and it began to descend at breakneck speed.


    The pressure from the weapon alone told Anukus that he couldn''t possibly survive a heavy impact like that¡ªnot without entering a critical state.


    He also couldn''t evade by leaping backward since the range of the spear was quite long.


    The only thing he could do was dart to the side.


    ~BOOOM!~


    The spear barely missed its mark as Anukus dodged the strike; though the pressure of the st sent his body recoiling backwards.


    He didn''t have enough time to think, though, as his tall, ming opponent instantly wielded the spear like a javelin and took its stance.


    ''D-don''t tell me¡ª!''


    The me spear was thrust at such a remarkable rate that Anukus feared for his life.


    ''I have to stop it!''


    His body wasn''t going to be fast enough to dodge it properly, and the weapon was moving too fast for his [Homing] to capture.


    If [Homing] wasn''t working well, then [Sever] wouldn''t be as effective as normal.


    As a result, Anukus'' only option was to use his [Greater Fire Magic].


    ''They''ll create equal impact, canceling each other out!''


    He stretched out both hands and sent a surge of fire charging at the target.


    ~BWOOOSH!~


    The roar of mes flowed through the air in a concentrated st, everything directed at stopping the approaching spear.


    ~BOOOM!~


    The shockwave caused by the impact sent Anukus flying once again, though he was able to quickly recover by twisting himself in the air.


    Much to his shock, though, the spear wasn''t impeded by his Magic.


    Sure, it slowed down a little, but¡­ it''s fiery charge continued.


    Thankfully, Anukus had already left his previous position, so the shattering earth reced what would have been his body.


    As the ground broke to pieces, engulfed by intense mes of sheer power, Anukusnded a considerable distance from the enemy and took in a deep breath.


    ''This guy is more difficult than expected. Is this how fighting Greater Elementals is supposed to be like?''


    Anukus had never fought one before, so he wasn''t sure.


    ''It''s iparably stronger than the one that the other guy summoned. I suppose this is just the gap in Tiers.''


    Still¡­ since Anukus also had B-Tier abilities¡ªtwo in fact¡ªhe was confident in winning.


    ''It''s time to stop holding back!''


    He stretched out both hands and kept his focus on the approaching Fire Elemental.


    ''Any moment now, it''ll vanish like before. I can''t allow that!''


    He focused all of his Mana in the iing attack, prepared to end the enemy in only one blow¡ªor rather, consecutive strikes encapsted in a single moment.


    "Before you can do anything¡­"


    Combining [Homing] with [Sever] and [Greater Fire Magic], Anukus would create a new technique.


    ~Fiery Severance!~


    "¡­ I''ll mutte you!"


    And so, his attack was initiated.


    Slices that could not be avoided were mixed with intense mes that burned through even fire.


    Combined, they devastated everything in front of Anukus, creating a path of destruction towards the true target.


    "DIE!"


    The destruction raged, rippling through everything around¡ªthe earth, the winds, and finally¡­ the enemy.


    Multiple ~SWISH!~ were mixed in ~VWUUSH!~ to form an borateyer of severance and mes.


    ¡ªTrue, unbridled chaos!


    "You can see it, can''t you? My true power!" Anukus roared in delight.


    His widened eyes struggled to see past the destruction, but it was too difficult to do so.


    The fiery rage of fire and the multiple shes that did not stop made it an impossible venture to properly examine the state of the opponent.


    But Anukus pushed his sight to the limits.


    He desired to see the pathetic state of his opponent as it was trapped in its cage of fatal torture.


    However¡­


    "W-what is¡­ WHAT IS THAT?!"


    ¡­ A certain silhouette was still walking through the mes and shes.


    It kept its steady advance, undeterred by the multiple shes and explosions that constantly assailed it.


    For every chip in its armor or every damage it suffered, it instantly healed.


    It felt like it was walking through an unfettered storm, embracing the rain of destruction without a care in the world.


    This Fire Elemental was walking through the ~Fiery Severance~ like it was nothing.


    "No¡­ NOOO!"


    Anukus didn''t believe it!


    He couldn''t believe it!


    Even though his bulging eyes were staring at the urrence, he simply couldn''t ept it.


    If he did, that would mean his analysis had been wrong all along.


    His opponent was not a Greater Fire Elemental.


    It was Grand One.


    And if that was the case, there was only one implication that stemmed from it.


    Anukus could not win!


    "THAT''S NOT TRUE! THAT CAN''T BE TRUE!" He kept howling like a wounded dog.


    "DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!"


    Anukus kept screaming this, until finally¡­ the Grand Creature was right in front of him.


    His inevitable fate¡­ was sealed!


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    What an intense chapter. I hope you enjoyed the read.


    I definitely enjoyed writing this particr chapter.

 Chapter 233 Grand Execution

    <h4>Chapter 233 Grand Execution </h4>


    Death stared down at Anukus.


    The Grand Fire Elemental was far taller than Anukus was, and its imposing build put his muscr physique to shame.


    The weak, pathetic one was none other than him.


    As he was forced to raise his head to meet the creature''s gaze, he felt a sense of inevitability.


    The fear he thought he had forgotten slowly began to rise to the surface.


    His body seemed paralyzed; with both arms still outstretched and his form the same.


    Perhaps he feared that if he took a single step, the creature would notice and strike him down.


    He couldn''t even tremble for fear that it would register it as movement and end his life.


    The doubts that seared his mind weren''t present any longer.


    Now that he was up close with the thing¡­ Anukus knew.


    This was a Grand Fire Elemental.


    ''H-how¡­?! How did he do it!'' Anukus thought about the masked man that summoned this monstrosity.


    ''Does this mean he''s on par with the Grand Mage? No¡­ could he be stronger?''


    No¡­ that was going too far.


    ''Ahh¡­ I don''t even know what to think anymore!''


    The only thing he knew was that if he didn''t do anything, he was going to die.


    ''I won''t be dying, though¡­''


    There was one other way he could win this fight that he hadn''t yet forgotten.


    ''I admit that this monster is far behind my capabilities, but¡­''


    Anukus'' eyes turned to see the man who had summoned the thing.


    He was just standing still, almost as if he was a statue.


    ''He must be exhausted after summoning this thing. Now is the perfect chance to strike him down.''


    Anukus knew what he had said before¡ªabout how he would save him forter¡ªbut now wasn''t the time to mess around.


    If he didn''t do anything drastic, he was going to die.


    ''But¡­''


    Anukus grinned as he activated an item that was disguised as a tooth.


    The insides of his mouth instantly flowed, and a swift warping of space urred around him.


    Before the Grand Fire Elemental could strike him down, it was already toote.


    ~VWUUSH!~


    He vanished from his position and appeared right in front of the masked man.


    ''Killing the Summoner cancels the Elemental Summon. I only have to eliminate this guy!''


    With a demonic smile now spreading all over his face, his outstretched hand released thest ounces of Mana he had.


    Anukus was not going to take any chances here! He was going to use his full strength¡ªgoing all out, even against a weakened foe.


    That was how desperate he had be.


    "DIEEEEEEE!!!"


    And so, ~Fiery Severance~ was activated once more.


    A rain of destruction, focused on only one person¡ªonly one position.


    shes of unimaginable mass and numbers struck one after the other, and the mes attached to them added to the intensity of the overall attack.


    Surely, this time it would seed.


    "Hahahaha! Hahahahaha! Haha¡ª!"


    ~SPLOOSH!~


    Interrupting Anukus'' maniacalughter was the dismemberment of his two arms, with blood spurting out of them as they flew off.


    ''H-huh¡­?''


    The attack came behind Anukus, in the form of two ming projectiles¡ªarrows¡ªthat sliced through his two arms in an instant.


    "GUARGHHH!" He screamed, stumbling a few steps backward as his body absorbed the pain.


    ''B-but how¡­? Why¡­? I¡­ I killed the¡ª!''


    "Sheesh! Such an annoying breeze, am I right?" The voice that came forth belonged to the man who was meant to be dead.


    The shes and plumes of mes were soon discarded with the wind, revealing the masked figurepletely unharmed.


    "H-how¡­?!"


    Not even a single scratch was on his body. No damage had been dealt whatsoever.


    But that wasn''t possible!


    He was meant to be weakened after summoning the Grand Fire Elemental, and there was no way a Mage would have the durability to tank his intense assault.


    Yet¡­ YET¡­!


    "Sorry, but your attacks won''t work on me. I have barriers that protect me all the time, you know?"


    No¡­


    "And even if you got past those barriers, you''d have to deal with my Resistance and Rapid Regeneration."


    That couldn''t be¡­


    "Not like you''d make it past [Damage Nullification] since you''re too weak."


    There was no way he was hearing these words correctly.


    He¡ªAnukus The Destroyer¡ªwas being called weak.


    How was that even possible?


    He copsed on the ground, his weak knees mming upon the heated earth.


    The pain he felt from both his dismembered hands made him forget every other physical sensation.


    "Fshuu¡­"


    The heavy breath of the Grand Fire Elemental began to weigh down on him.


    The terrifying entity was right behind him, brandishing the two des that were fixed on its back.


    Anukus, having lost in every regard, could barely evenmand his body.


    The only things that could properly move were his lips.


    And so, as the des descended to grant his execution, he muttered the only things he could think of at the moment.


    "You are¡­ the true Destroyer."


    ~SWISH!~


    In two smooth swings, the des of the Grand Fire Elemental sliced off Anukus'' head.


    His body plopped to the ground, turning to ash as the mes burned through it in an instant.


    The descending head also suffered the same fate right as it bounced on the ground.


    The two hands that Anukus lost had also suffered the same fate moments before his execution, leaving nothing of him.


    He was gone¡ªturned into nothing but dust.


    "And with that, it''s a wrap." The voice of the true Destroyer reverberated through the early morning air.


    His tone was unamused, yet there was a tinge of unseriousness etched within.


    As if everything that just happened was nothing more than a drama that was staged in front of him.


    There was no sanctity of life in the way he spoke, or remorse in the gleaming crimson eyes that shone from within the mask.


    His words merely rang hollow.


    "Thank you, Sir Ralyks." The reverent, but slightly fearful voice of the man beside Ralyks echoed.


    Ralyks turned to look at him, shrugging as he spoke.


    "I told you, didn''t I? I never lose."


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    This was a fascinating way to end things. Though, I wonder how long Ralyks/Rey can keep his winning streak.

 Chapter 234 Journey To The Next Location

    <h4>Chapter 234 Journey To The Next Location </h4>


    ''Looks like I won. This guy is really strong.''


    Rey smiled under his mask as he looked at the Grand Fire Elemental in front of him.


    ''I wonder how it would fare against people like Adonis or Chief Warrior Brutus.''


    The way Rey saw it, the Elemental was simr to an A-Tier Monster.


    Perhaps a less powerful one, though.


    "We''re done here, but your father mentioned something about a second location." Rey spoke to Asher.


    "S-second location¡­?"


    "Yes. The abode of the second person we''re supposed to be allied with. If they thought to attack this ce, it''s possible that they''ll go there as well."


    Rey could already tell that his entire thing was done as a calcted way to clip the wings of the three Obsidian Councilors who were excluded from Scy''s New Order.


    ''They attacked our cargo and they attacked this ce. It''s very likely that they''ll do something against thest family.''


    That was his line of thought.


    "A-ah! That''s true! But isn''t it a little toote for that now? The ce is quite far.''


    By far, Asher meant a few thousand miles.


    ''It''s doable¡­'' Rey thought to himself while shrugging.


    ''I came here from the Capital in minutes. I should be able to make it there within an hour¡­ I think.''


    His Base speed, coupled with stuff his Buffs and Teleportation made him incredibly fast.


    ''It''s a shame I can''t just teleport there, but I guess it can''t be helped.''


    Rey decided he would have to travel to various ces in the near future in order to have several checkpoints if he wanted to go to a certain ce.


    "Just show me the ce on the map, and tell me importantndmarks. I should be able to find my way there." Rey added.


    He had studied the maps of the United Human Alliance enough to practically determine the distance between multiple locations.


    He had also cross-referenced the Maps with drawings or captured footage of the actual ces, so he was also confident that he could spot importantndmarks while flying through cities.


    In essence¡­ Rey could find his way as long as he knew where he was going.


    "O-okay! It''s in our carriage. Let''s go there together."


    "Alright then."


    Rey and Asher returned to the carriage, but not before the former put out the fire that kept on raging all around him.


    He also UnSummoned the Grand Fire Elemental since its use wasplete.


    ********


    [Minutes Later]


    Rey floated in the air¡ªno, more like he sped through it.


    His body was properly encased in a stable barrier as he rushed through the vastness of the sky and flew at intense speeds.


    He was sure that he had be much faster than an airne from Earth at the moment, and the fact that he could maintain his speed for such a long distance made him even more satisfied in his abilities.


    ''Speaking of abilities, I should probably check out my new Skills now¡­ to pass time.''


    It would still take him about thirty minutes¡ªmaybe even more¡ªto reach his destination.


    He could do something productive in the meantime.


    "Status Window."


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Rey Skr.


    - Race: Human (Otherworlder)


    - ss: Anomaly (A-Tier)


    - Level: 100 (17.51% EXP)


    - Life Force: 87 (+161) [+300]


    - Mana Level: 200 (+161) [+500]


    - Combat Ability: 141 (+161) [+500]


    - Stat Points:


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Doppel]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Fusion/Fission]. [Merger]. [Dead Calm].


    - Alignment: Neutral Good


    [Additional Information]


    You are an irregrity to the world. Achieving the unbelievable, shaking the bnce of reality¡­ you seek to overturn what is and isn''t.


    Will you seed? Or will your failure be miserable?


    [End Of Information]


    ''Hmm? A new Non-Exclusive Skill?'' Rey was surprised to see one there.


    "What''s [Dead Calm]?"


    As if waiting for him to ask the question, a System Window opened right in front of Rey, showing him what he wanted to see.


    [Skill Details]


    [Dead Calm]


    Tier: B


    Ability: You have the ability to remain calm and rational even under the most stressful and challenging situations.


    Intense emotions that are detrimental to your growth or intended actions will also be suppressed.


    [End Of Information]


    ''Ahh¡­ I see.''


    It had been bothering Rey for some time now, but now he knew the reason why he didn''t feel any guilt when he killed Anukus.


    ''Usually, I get conflicted and hesitant, but¡­'' This time, Rey intentionally and mercilessly killed him.


    And he truly didn''t feel bad about it.


    ''So it''s because of this Skill. I guess I should be thankful for it.''


    Despite thinking this, Rey couldn''t help but feel this was merely a shortcut out of dealing with the implications of what he was doing.


    He was stronger than his enemies, and they were terrible people.


    Killing them had to be justice.


    That had been his justification going so far, but what if he encountered a slightly different situation?


    What if his enemy wasn''t pure evil, but they were in his way and he remained the stronger one?


    ''This Skill will make me feel nothing even if I kill them¡­''


    Rey didn''t like how things would turn out if he kept relying on such an emotional crutch.


    For this night, though, he was resolved to keep it on.


    There was no room for hesitation.


    ''Ah¡­ I didn''t notice before, but my Stats all rose by 1. Must be because of the [Carnage] Skill.''


    As expected, it was a useful addition to his arsenal.


    ''Now, for my new Skills¡­'' His eyes went to [Doppel], thus causing a new System Panel to appear in front of him.


    [Skill Categories]


    ~ SS-Tier: 3


    ~ S-Tier: 8


    ~ A-Tier: 8


    ~ B-Tier: 12


    ~ C-Tier: 3


    [New Skills: Please Select Their Categories]


    ~ D-Tier: Intimidating Aura~


    ~ C-Tier: Warrior''s Mantle~


    ~ C-Tier: Rampage~


    ~ C-Tier: Damage Nullification~


    ~ B-Tier: Carnage


    ~ C-Tier: Great Protection Cloak


    ~ C-Tier: Superior Self


    ~ C-Tier: True Detection


    ~ C-Tier: Bloodlust


    ~ B-Tier: Greater Blood Magic


    ~ B-Tier: Sever


    ~ C-Tier: Homing


    ~ B-Tier: Greater Elemental Summoning (Basic)


    [Total Skills: 47]


    ''So this is everything I have at my disposal at the moment¡­'' Rey''s thoughts trailed.


    He had his 34 old Skills and 13 new ones.


    ''Out of the thirteen new ones, only three are Passive, leaving ten as Active Skills.''


    He now had to attribute them to his old Skills and their respective categories.


    ''But first, I should merge the ones that need to be added to each other.'' Rey could already see a few that fit into this category.


    ''[Sever] seems like a really good Skill. I''ll merge it with the [w Attack] that I got from that Dragon.''


    Once Rey did so, the new Skill became [Severing w].


    ''I should be able to create a lot more slices through the air at the same time, and I''m sure I can release them at a faster rate.''


    It was still a B-Tier Skill, but the range and power had been greatly increased.


    "I''ll just merge [Warrior''s Mantle] wirh [Rampage], [Great Protection Cloak], and [Superior Self]."


    The result was a A-Tier Skill called [Ascended Self], which increased his Base Stats by five times.


    ''This is a crazy boost! I expected a B-Tier Skill, but I''m not surprised. They must have great synergy.''


    Rey smiled as he looked at the list of Skills he had left and he found his heart racing in excitement. It was finally time for yet another restructuring.


    ''Seems I''ve gotten a lot stronger than expected!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Next chapter, I''ll show you all of his Skills since some of you might be curious.


    Hurray!

 Chapter 235 Cautionary Thoughts

    <h4>Chapter 235 Cautionary Thoughts </h4>


    "Doppel¡­ Skill Information."


    As Rey muttered these words, a long System Window opened in front of him.


    It revealed the list of Skills he had amassed thus far.


    All 42 of them.


    [Skill Details]


    Name: Doppel


    Tier: SSS


    Ability: Allows the user to mimic the nature of any ability that exists as long as he has seen it once; down to the appearance and quality of what he mimics.


    Number Of Abilities Obtained: 42


    [SS-Tier]


    Divine Sword Summon (Active)


    Divine Beast Summon (Active)


    Divine Elemental Magic (Active)


    [Total: 3]


    [S-Tier]


    Absolute Perfect Defense (Active)


    Absolute Healing (Active)


    Absolute Appraisal (Active)


    Absolute Spatial Domain (Active)


    Absolute Power (Active)


    Absolute Magic Supremacy (Passive)


    Absolute Mental Control (Active)


    Absolute Martial Supremacy (Passive)


    [Total: 8]


    [A-Tier]


    Grand Armament (Active)


    Grand Item Equip (Passive)


    Grand Mana Recovery (Passive)


    Dragon Breath: Dark (Active)


    Grand Flight (Active)


    Grand Full Resistance (Passive)


    Grand Sound Magic (Active)


    Grand Inventory (Active)


    Ascended Self (Active)


    [Total: 9]


    [B-Tier]


    Mimic (Active)


    Greater Enchanted Weapon Summon (Active)


    Transmute (Active)


    Force (Active)


    Marite (Active)


    Greater Corrosion (Active)


    Greater Concealment (Active)


    Greater Regeneration (Passive)


    Greater Debuff (Active)


    Greater Sensory Perception (Passive)


    Phantom Projection (Active)


    Greater Summoning Magic (Active)


    Greater Elemental Summoning (Basic) (Active)


    Severing w (Active)


    Carnage (Passive)


    Greater Blood Magic (Active)


    True Homing (Passive)


    [Total: 17]


    [C-Tier]


    Counter (Active)


    Corruption Poison (Active)


    Damage Nullification (Passive)


    Detection (Active)


    Intense Bloodlust (Active)


    [Total: 5]


    [Active Skills: 32]


    [Passive Skills: 10]


    [Limit Count: 42/100]


    "Haa¡­ that''s quite a long list." Rey muttered as he felt overwhelmed by their sheer number.


    ''When I first arrived in the world and copied the Skills of my ssmates, I had about seventy or so¡­''


    What he had now was a lot less than back then, or even a few moments ago, but the quality of these Skills could not bepared to the past.


    They were all of superior quality at the moment.


    For example, Skills such as [True Detection]¡ªgotten from Phobio¡ªmixed with [Homing] gave rise to [True Homing], a B-


    Tier Skill.


    ''It''ll allow my attacks to automatically detect the weak spots of my enemies and charge towards it.''


    Since it was Passive, it didn''t require much of an effort from him.


    Adding that to his Support Skills which aided in his defense and overall well-being, Rey could see himself being untouchable by most.


    ''But¡­ I can''t afford to getcent.''


    So far, he had only fought a single Dragon, and that one was said to be average by the System.


    If a more powerful Dragon Commander hade¡ªperhaps even a group of them¡ªthings might not have ended so smoothly.


    ''And what of even more powerful Dragons? I can''t be sure yet, since I don''t properly know about the hierarchy.''


    These were the thoughts that prevented him from growing conceited in his newfound power.


    Rey knew full well that he could not be haughty after merely overwhelming humans.


    ''I haven''t met most of the other Races yet. Looking at Esme, who is a Half-Elf, it''s safe to say that Elves are pretty strong in this world.''


    Their potential greatly dwarfed that of the humans.


    ''If the Elves are also having trouble with the Dragons, it must mean they''re a very big deal.''


    Rey couldn''t afford to ck off.


    ''And it''s not just me¡­'' He remembered the arrangement he made with Conrad, Vida, and Adonis, about the Raid that would be happening soon.


    ''I''ll be meeting everyer today as Ralyks. I''m supposed to gauge their abilities.''


    Rey didn''t know what impression they would have of him, but was determined to make them strong.


    All of them.


    ''Since they chose to remain in the Royal Capital, it means they''re serious about stopping the Dragons''


    That meant they were worthy investments.


    ''I can''t be everywhere at once. Until I find a Skill that can make such a thing possible, it is better to have strong allies.''


    That was the major reason why he was so interested in the Raid.


    ''I don''t know if it''s because they''re humans, but I''m not getting as much EXP as I used to ever since I crossed the 100 Level threshold.''


    It would be a lot more difficult Leveling Up, so he needed quick growers like Adonis and Alicia to be a lot more powerful.


    ''That said, I shouldn''t fall behind.''


    If he killed a lot of Monsters, there was no way he would remain stagnant as well.


    ''My current ss is A-Tier, which means my limit is somewhere around 200.''


    No one in humanity''s history had ever reached the limits of A-


    Tier, so no one really knew what it was.


    Even Lucielle was currently in Level 175; perhaps even higher now that she had returned to the battlefield.


    Still, Rey assumed the Cap would be around Level 200.


    ''That means I can still get twice as many Levels as I have now.''


    That was a satisfactory goal to march towards.


    Finally, there was the issue of the current situation in the Criminal Underworld.


    ''I''m sure the Royal Council knows about what''s going on¡ªat least to an extent.'' Rey rubbed his chin as he thought to himself.


    ''It''s a shame that they let Evals Redart die like that, but they were able to squeeze relevant information from him at least¡­'' Rey thought back to the conversations he had with the Royal Council; mixed in with the topic of the Raid.


    ''As expected, Adonis is also in on everything. They probably won''t make any move without consulting him as well.''


    If it was anyone else, then Rey might have been wary of them having so much power, but for some reason¡­ he had faith in Adonis.


    ''I trust he''s doing this for the benefit of everyone in the ss.''


    That was just the kind of person Adonis was.


    ''Well¡­ there''s also the possibility that he''s hiding his true self¡ª


    like with Belle, or even myself¡ªbut I just don''t see it.''


    In the end, whether it was for logical reasons or purely emotional ones, Rey couldn''t help but see the guy in a positive light.


    ''And now, it''s time to set all those thoughts aside¡­''


    The reason for Rey''s passing thought was simple, as he even halted his flight and looked below him.


    His mask hid the smile radiating from his face as his crimson eyes gazed down.


    A few thousand feet beneath him was the ce he was heading to.


    "Looks like I''ve arrived."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Sorry for the short chapter, and it being mostly Rey''s internal monologue.

 Chapter 236 The Verte Estate

    <h4>Chapter 236 The Verte Estate </h4>


    Screams of horror filled the air.


    Death and destruction surrounded a young maiden as she tightly clung to something wrapped in a piece of clothing.


    Her dark green hair and brown eyes sauntered back and forth as she was escorted to safety by her three guards¡ªpreviously four.


    As she ran through thepound, ignoring the burning mansion behind her, or the terror-filled night that seemed to be copsing on her, her heart raced.


    ''Father and Mother are dead¡­'' Tears fell from her eyes as she kept moving her legs.


    The darkness of the night made it appear as though she was being constantly watched, but she could not stop moving.


    ''T-this¡­ this is all too awful!'' She wanted to scream and cry, but she could not.


    She squeezed the package she held very close to her ample bosom, and her mature body jiggled with every swift step she took.


    The name of this young maiden was Kara Verte¡ªdaughter of the Verte Councilor of the Obsidian Council.


    Her family had been one of the first original founders of the Council, so it would count as a surprise to see them in such a desperate state.


    But Kara knew why.


    Her father had told it to her already¡ªright before sending her off with the Four Cardinal Knights of the Verte Estate.


    Compared to the other Obsidian Council Groups, the Verte Estate was practically known to be a Crime Family.


    It wasmon knowledge.


    But, there was a reason the Royal Council did not make a move on them¡ªbesides the power and influence they wielded.


    It was because of their cooperation and desire for bnce.


    They still paid levies to the Royal Council and even sometimes acted as informants for them.


    In essence, they worked at both ends.


    But, it seemed none of that was good enough at this point. Despite all the Verte Family had done to stay afloat, the darkness of the world was too much for them to ovee.


    And now¡­ they found themselves sinking deeply.


    "Huff¡­ huff¡­"


    As Kara quickened her pace, seeing as her Cardinal Knights were encouraging her to do so, she could feel her chest grow hot.


    She was nearing her limits, being the mere human that she was.


    Combat and Magic Abilities were not her field of expertise at all.


    Instead, it was business.


    Despite only being 18 years of age, her parents had put her in charge of several areas of business due to her analytic and critical mind.


    They also often brought up the topic of marriage, since she was long overdue, but she always shrugged it off.


    ''I wish I listened to you, mother, father¡­'' She sniffed, her sses bouncing on her face as she ran.


    ''I would have at least made you happy with a grandchild before you passed!''


    It was toote now.


    She could only run with her guards, hoping none of them were caught by the enemy.


    "Where do you think you''re going?!" A loud voice echoed in front of them, and someone instantly appeared before them.


    The suddenness of the voice, and the abrupt appearance of the leader of the carnage caused Kara to reach her breaking point .


    "Kyaaa!" Exhaustion and fear caught up to her, causing her to stumble and fall.


    She screamed as she helplessly felt her face get trampled on the ground, her pretty dress stained by the dirt all over.


    "Lady Kara!" Voices rang in the air as her blurry vision picked up the three guards around her stopping.


    Right as they were about to reach for her, their heads were sent flying, and blood sprayed all over the floor.


    Kara felt herself being drenched by the hot blood of those she saw as family.


    They were all decapitated right in front of her eyes.


    Without the aid of her sses¡ªwhich was now somewhere on the floor¡ªKara couldn''t properly see.


    But, she already knew what happened.


    "N-no¡­" Her whimper softly echoed out as her body couldn''t properly move.


    The only thing she could do was hold on to the thing she held, wrapped up in cloth.


    "Haha! Weaklings¡ªall of them!"


    There were Four Cardinal Knights that served as the Verte Family''s most powerful group.


    They were all incredibly strong, each with a weapon that they were experts in, and unmatched by anyone within the Verte Estate.


    However, to the attackers¡ªor, at least the one who led the charge¡ªhe found them to be weaklings.


    Her blurry vision couldn''t see the man now, but she had caught a glimpse of him moments before¡ªwhen one of the Cardinal Knights offered to distract him while the rest fled with her.


    He had arge scar¡ªlike a w mark¡ªimnted on his face, with narrow eyes like that of a sick animal.


    He had wavy gray hair, and he looked middle-aged. Despite his body appearing very fragile due to his old age, his intimidating presence made anyone who saw him know he was the real deal.


    His name was Fernand, one of the Nine Heads of Destruction within the Mercenary Gang.


    "Haaa¡­ haaa¡­"


    The fact that the enemy was here only meant one thing.


    ''Sir Jusirai is dead¡­?!''


    The strongest of the Cardinal Knights had met his demise when facing this man all alone, and now even the three others were dead.


    All of their corpses were lying lifeless on the ground, leaving her as the sole survivor of the entire massacre that had gone down on her Estate.


    "Hey, young miss¡­" Fernand''s deep, aged voice caused Kara to shudder once she heard it.


    "That''s a nice piece of clothing you''re clinging tightly to. What you got there?"


    She couldn''t properly see his face, but Kara knew instinctively that he was grinning very widely.


    He was like a demon that had been sent from hell; and this gleaming blood-soaked de made it clear that he wasn''t done with his task.


    There remained one more he had to cut down¡ªKara herself.


    "Guess I''ll have to check it out once I''m done tearing you to pieces."


    Kara tightly shut her eyes as she expected the strike toe.


    But¡­ it never came.


    Once she opened her eyes, she would see the reason why.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Yeah¡­ I spent an entire chapter on a new character. Some might be pissed, some might be fine, but I''m sort of in the middle.


    Here''s one morepetitor for Alicia.

 Chapter 237 The Reaper Arrives

    <h4>Chapter 237 The Reaper Arrives </h4>


    ~SWOOOSH!~


    The de sliced through the air, making its way towards the target in a literal sh.


    No one ever detected Fernand''s strikes whenever he swung his de.


    That gave rise to his nickname: sh shy Fernand.


    It was a little goofy, but the old man took it seriously. He had a track record of killing multiple enemies who wouldn''t even know they were dead until seconds¡ªmaybe even a minuteter.


    His record was 93 seconds, and he was proud of that feat.


    However, he was in a hurry now. Ending this girl''s life and retrieving this document was the mission.


    And he never failed any missions.


    Not now, and not when he was the Head Warrior of the United Human Alliance.


    ''She''s probably holding all the important documents rting to the business of the Verte Estate. Taking this from her should earn me even more merit.''


    That way, he could finally be recognized enough to ascend to the Trio position.


    ''I''ve earned it now, haven''t I?''


    Bypleting this mission sessfully, surely he had proven his worth enough.


    If the Royal Estate couldn''t see his skills and talents, he was sure the Criminal Underworld would.


    He was going to prove himself to them. Then, they''d hand over his position among the Deadly Three.


    ''Then¡­ I''ll aim for the position of leader.''


    That was his goal!


    To rise to the very top of any organization he was in.


    And by spilling the blood of this innocent girl, he would finally be able to fulfill his grand ambition.


    ''Sorry, little one. All of this is necessary too!''


    ~CLANG!~


    ''Hm?!''


    Fernand was shocked.


    His de was meant to easily slice through his opponents¡ªlike a hot knife through butter.


    It was the easiest thing to do.


    So why? Why was he experiencing resistance?!


    His wrinkled eyelids opened and he was could now see the reason for it.


    "You¡­"


    Fernand frowned deeply as he red at the man who now stood in front of him.


    He had a dark coat, with the crimson color in certain parts of his outfit. His dark mask was intimidating, and his presence oozed power.


    Fernand could instantly tell that the man was strong. He could also detect a growing dislike that rose within him.


    He already hated this man.


    ''How dare you stop my de!'' His thoughts echoed as the breeze flowed in the darkness.


    "Who are you?"


    ********


    ''E-eh¡­?''


    Kara Verte was stunned to see someone else standing in front of her.


    Her blurry vision made it difficult to really decipher who he was, but the de that was approaching her never got close.


    She wasn''t dead, and it was all thanks to the man who stood in front of her.


    ''Who is he?'' As she pondered this, the enemy also asked the same question.


    A tense silence consumed everything around as the world held its breath, waiting for the man to respond.


    "My name is Ralyks. But you can call me your grim reaper." His voice, deep and resolute, echoed in its majesty.


    Kara felt her body tremble slightly as she felt his cold statement wash over her.


    She felt immensely grateful that she wasn''t the one he was talking to.


    "My grim reaper? What in the world are y¡ª?"


    ~VWUUUSH!~


    Kara watched as Fernand was suddenly thrust back, creating arge gap between him and them.


    The further away he went, the more she couldn''t even see him at all.


    He had be aplete blur.


    ''I really need my¡ª''


    Just as she had this exact thought, she felt something pressing on her face, and the scent of the man in ck overwhelmed her senses.


    Within a moment, she could see perfectly.


    "Here you go." His voice softly echoed in her ears.


    Then, as her visionpletely returned, she could see him a lot clearer.


    He looked like the embodiment of chaos¡ªof death.


    The Reaper itself!


    "Much better." He patted her head gently, his voice still remaining the same as it was.


    Calm, collected, and kind.


    Despite being a scary monster that could consume even darkness itself, Kara felt safe with him.


    Her fear ceased, her grief lessened, and her heart slowed down infort.


    ''T-thank you¡­ Lord Ralyks.'' Her eyes leaked forth tiny drops of tears before she closed her eyes and felt sleepy.


    Kara still didn''t know what her fate was. She also held onto the cloth very tightly.


    However, having this man here gave her a sense offort and security.


    ''Mother, Father¡­ I''m safe now.''


    *********


    ''Good. Looks like she''s asleep now.'' Rey sighed in relief as he looked at the girl in his grasp.


    He cradled her gently and let hernd softly on the ground as she enjoyed the sleep he induced on her.


    ''She looks traumatized. It''s better she rests for a bit.''


    He exhaled deeply once he gave another nce at her. She was pretty, and her cute face was even more entuated with the sses she wore.


    She also had a somewhat sickly pale skin which added a fragile look to her overall appeal.


    ''She''s the daughter of the Vertes, huh? Kara, I see¡­''


    Rey had used [Absolute Appraisal] on her, so knew a little about her.


    ''Her parents are dead already too. What a sha¡ª''


    "HEY! ARE YOU IGNORING ME RIGHT NOW?!" The angry voice of an old man woke Rey from his thoughts.


    It caused him to slightly look away from the sleeping beauty and slowly turn back to see the enemy.


    His glowing crimson eyes increased in intensity as he red at him.


    "Be quiet. I''ll attend to you once I''m done."


    There was no way Rey was ignoring the old man. He just wasn''t the priority at the moment.


    ''I came to save the Verte Group, but it seems I could only save one girl. I suppose I''m not as fast or as strong as I want to be.''


    Even though he arrived rtively early, if he hade here slightly earlier, he could have saved the dead Knights on the floor.


    If he came even earlier, there was a chance he could have saved Kara''s parents.


    In essence¡­


    ''¡­ I''m not that strong. Not yet!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 238 Terror Of The Reaper

    <h4>Chapter 238 Terror Of The Reaper </h4>


    ''T-this guy¡­!''


    Fernand felt a burning rage course through his veins as he looked at the man who stood just a few meters from him.


    ''He has the audacity to show me his back?!''


    Fernand already knew he was strong, wasn''t this bordering on the line of hubris?


    ''I was caught off guard when he sent that pulsating attack that created distance between us.''


    Still, that didn''t give the fool a license to let his guard down in front of a powerful opponent.


    Fernand knew he certainly wasn''t going to be hit by that attack again.


    ''So why is he being sox? Is he that confident in his victory? Or is he just a foolish youth who doesn''t know his ce?''


    Fernand was willing to bet on thetter.


    ''It seems he hasn''t experienced the ultimate disgrace¡ªnot like I have. He doesn''t know there are bigger fish in this world.''


    There was always someone stronger.


    As a warrior, that realization had driven him to hone his strength and work even harder to reach his determined destination.


    For many, though, this realization often came with despair.


    They could never truly be the strongest since there was always going to be someone who was more talented or skilled that would surpass the strongest.


    He experienced this when he was the Head Warrior and was bested by a Warrior within his ranks.


    Back then, he had lost in every sense of the word¡ªa fact that he wasn''t willing to ept until he finally reflected on everything.


    He was weaker than the current Head Warrior. He knew that.


    After his disgrace, he remained in the Royal Estate in an attempt to regain his position, but nothing worked.


    No matter how hard he trained, or how much work he put in, Brutus was always stronger.


    He struggled against the tides so much that he began to sink so deep.


    That was when an Epiphany hit him.


    ''There are some opponents you just can''t surpass.''


    Rather than try fruitlessly to do so, attention was better spent elsewhere.


    ¡­ Perhaps in a smaller ce where you could be the strongest.


    And so, in a search for purpose and superiority, Fernand stumbled upon the Mercenary Gang and proved his power.


    He was instantly promoted to the rank of the Heads of Destruction.


    But¡­ Fernand knew he deserved better.


    He was definitely strong enough to be among the Deadly Three.


    He just had to merit it.


    ''And now that I''ve finally made it this far¡­ I won''t be stopped by the likes of him!''


    Fernand brandished his de as he red at the man he would soon cut down.


    ''I wanted to fight as a warrior, but it seems you simply want to die a swift death. Fair enough!''


    Fernand decided to activate his Skills and strike at full strength.


    There was no room for hubris here.


    ''[Swift de]. [Swift Mind]. [Elevate]. [Aura Sword].''


    These were the four Skills that Fernand had¡ªthe very Skills that made him a deadly force that could not be stopped.


    [Swift de] and [Swift Mind] made his weapon and mind move at such fast rates that time seemed to slow down exponentially.


    When this happened, he could think very fast even in the shortest of moments.


    With his sword moving very fast too, it would be too fast for any eye to perceive.


    These, coupled with [Elevate] that improved his physical abilities so that they could match his mind and weapon''s speed¡­ made him a perfect fighter.


    Fast¡ªtoo fast to be evaded or blocked.


    Then, his final Skill was what truly made him a nigh invincible warrior.


    [Aura Sword] imbued his weapon with powerful and dense energy¡ªMana that had beenpressed to its limits.


    This was Aura¡­ the energy that cuts through all things!


    With all of these Skills on his side, he could easily cut down a nobody that stood in his way.


    ''Die for your foolishness.''


    Fernand closed the distance between him and his target in one breath, his de already raised to cut him down.


    ''Whether or not you have defenses, I''ll cut them all down.''


    That was the true nature of his de.


    ~CLANG!~


    ''W-what?!''


    Once again, Fernand met heavy resistance from his de.


    His strike had definitely been heavier and faster than ever before.


    He even added Aura to it.


    So how¡­ why was this man''s defenses so strong?


    ''W-who are you?!''


    The man in the mask slowly looked at him, his eyes shining brightly as Fernand felt his body growing still.


    "I believe I already told you¡­" His calm voice echoed in the air, and Fernand heard every syble.


    But it wasn''t in slow motion.


    Despite his Skills being activated, he was perceiving the opponent in real time.


    Why was that? We''re his Skills not working? Had he slowed down?


    No¡­ none of those were the answer.


    The answer was very simple, but uneptable to Fernand.


    Just like when he lost, the old man could notprehend what was happening, nor did he want to ept it.


    ¡­ The fact that the Reaper was moving just as fast as he was.


    No¡ªmaybe even faster.


    "I said I would attend to you once I was done, but it seems you''re in a hurry to die."


    Fernand felt a chill down his spine the moment he heard that.


    He followed his instinct and leaped back the moment he felt the bloodlust of his target wash over him.


    The man before him was no longer the prey.


    He had be the predator.


    Ralyks¡ªas he called himself¡ªrose from his position, his eyes still on Fernand.


    ''W-what''s this? Why¡­? Why can''t I move?!''


    Fernand''s body was shaking violently as he witnessed the blood-curdling pressure that a single man was emitting.


    As he felt this sensation, he remembered¡­ the deep-rooted terror he had buried.


    The one that was given to him by the Dragons!


    ''N-no¡­ there''s no way he''s that strong!''


    However, now that Fernand felt even more of the pressure that Ralyks gave out, he wasn''t so sure about his earlier thought.


    There was no way a human was this strong.


    ''H-he''s a¡­ a¡­!!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I guess now we know a bit of the lore of this world.


    My fights are usually slow paced because I add a lot of monologues and information as it goes on.


    Forgive me¡­

 Chapter 239 Conclusion Of The Night

    <h4>Chapter 239 Conclusion Of The Night </h4>


    The w scar that was on Fernand''s face was given to him by a Dragon during the first wave of war.


    Ever since then, he truly knew the meaning of powerlessness.


    The despair that was imprinted into him caused a domino effect that ruined his life.


    His paranoia was so strong that he lost the respect of his subordinates.


    ¡ªEnough to make one of them challenge him, and win!


    He was demoted, and despite his desperate requests, he was still taken to fight the Dragons on the front lines.


    That hellish experience¡­ Fernand thought he had left all of that behind when he deserted the Royal Estate and joined the Mercenary Gang.


    As an Executive there, he was well respected and he could do whatever he pleased.


    All his enemies were also very weak.


    ¡­ Until now.


    "E-eeeeek!" The old man squeaked like a rat, still unable to move as he watched his predator finally stand in front of him.


    "W-what are you? A¡­ dragon¡­?!"


    Blood began to flow out of his eyes, nose, ears, and mouth.


    Fernand felt like he was choking on his own life fluids as he struggled to breathe.


    His face begged for mercy, but the emotionless response of the nk mask showed him that there was none to be given.


    "Don''t worry. I won''t kill you."


    As Fernand heard this, he felt his heart jump in relief.


    "A man like you still has his uses, after all¡­" The words that Ralyks spoke didn''t seem at all merciful.


    Instead, they sounded almost sinister.


    "I''ve been thinking of using Mind Control on one of you people in order to gain ess to this entire Undertaking. I guess you''ll have to do."


    Fernand still didn''t understand what was going on.


    He couldn''tprehend the gravity of what he was to face.


    "Don''t worry. You won''t remember any of this. At least, not in the way you currently do."


    Fernand suddenly felt himself slowly falling into an endless pit of darkness.


    He couldn''t scream or shout.


    He could only watch powerlessly as his will was stripped from him, leaving a puppet in its stead.


    "Now then¡­ let us begin."


    ********


    "I guess I''m done here." Rey muttered.


    He looked ahead and could see Fernand running away, a wide grin of relief on his face.


    ''This is probably for the best. It''s not part of the n, but I can''t leave everything to Rebal.''


    He cast his gaze away from Fernand and looked in the opposite direction¡ªat the opposite side of the burning building.


    ''All his subordinates are waiting there. They must be waiting for their leader. That''s too bad¡­''


    Rey pulled the unconscious Kara into his [Grand Inventory], saving her from whatever carnage would soon ensue.


    ''I got four new Skills from that man. That''s a good haul, I suppose.''


    From the man''s Status Window, Rey already knew a bit of his history and his level of strength.


    ''He''s the strongest Head I''ve seen so far. Almost as strong as Brutus too¡­'' Rey gave a wry smile and shrugged a little.


    ''Former Head Warrior, huh? I wonder what would have happened if we trained under him.''


    Fortunately for Rey and his ssmates, they would never get to find out.


    ********


    "Where''s the boss?"


    "He''s taking too long! I want to go home already!"


    "Ya think we should go see him?"


    "Come on, don''t go stirring the ho''s nest! Just do what you''re told!"


    "Aye aye!"


    The warriors under Fernand numbered a hundred, and they all mostly sat on the ground¡ªthough some stood¡ªas they waited for their leader.


    Even though they were supposed to raid the Estate together¡ªkilling everyone inside¡ªFernand told them all that he would handle it.


    Since they didn''t doubt his strength, no oneined in the slightest.


    Their job was merely to set the entire property on fire and look out for any deserters.


    They weren''t allowed to make any other active moves


    "Argh¡­"


    "I''m bored."


    "Me too. Why does Boss always do this? We barely get to do anything."


    "Shouldn''t you be grateful? We don''t do anything yet we get paid! You know how many would kill for this kind of opportunity?"


    "Yeah, I know. But¡­"


    For men of violence, they desired that very thing. That was why they were growing very restless having not seen their leader.


    Thankfully, they wouldn''t have to wait for much longer.


    "Hm? Who''s that?" Someone pointed at a shadowy figure who stood a few meters from them.


    "A deserter? Looks like it."


    "Hehe! You''re not going anywhere!"


    "Time for some action!"


    The men casually grew their des and sluggishly rose to their feet.


    They had no idea what wasing.


    "[Severing w]." A voice echoed from the man of the shadows.


    "Eh? What''s that?"


    "You''re not even gonna try running?"


    "Hehehe! What an idiot."


    The fools did not realize that they were already dead¡ªcut down by the several invisible des that swept through all of them in a sh.


    One moment, they were readying their des to strike.


    And the next¡­?


    ~SPLOOOOSH!~


    They were nothing more than chunks of meat and bones swimming in a vast ocean of blood.


    Even the weapons they held shattered into pieces, as if being sliced apart.


    The ground was no exception.


    w marks were imprinted upon the earth, decorating the floor that entrails and sliced-up human flesh sat on.


    "Good riddance." The voice from within the mask echoed.


    Although, at that point, no one was listening to him any longer.


    **********


    [Moments Later]


    Reyy on his bed, his head facing the ceiling of his fine room as he heaved a sigh.


    It had been a very long night/morning for him.


    For the first time since arriving in this world, he actually left the Royal Capital.


    But, that was only the tip of the iceberg.


    ''I killed people¡­''


    Even though he got stronger with every human life he took, it still bothered him to no end.


    He couldn''t shake it off.


    ''I did a lot of things I wouldn''t normally do. It was all in the spur of the moment.''


    But Rey knew he couldn''t stop now.


    He had already started the journey, so it was toote to pull back now.


    ''Thankfully, Asher and Kara are safe. The Karinc Group should handle the rest of the details while I rest. There''s a lot to do, so I''ll probably head back there as soon as I''m done with the Raid preparationster today.''


    He closed his eyes, feeling the call of sleep whispering to his exhausted body.


    ''With this, it''s confirmed that there is indeed an uprising from Scy and her New Order. This undertaking of theirs is serious indeed¡­''


    It was uncertain whether the Royal Council would be able to react on time, so he had to take matters into his own hands.


    His sixteen-year-old hands.


    ''I''m so tired¡­'' Rey could feel tears falling from his eyes as he used his hand to cover his face.


    He wasn''t even sure why he was crying.


    ''¡­ So tired.''


    He slept off this way, unaware of what was urring in the depths of darkness.


    ¡­ Completely oblivious of the evils toe.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    What do you think of the recent developments? Do you think it''s right for Rey to kill?

 Chapter 240 The New Order [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 240 The New Order [Pt 1] </h4>


    In a vast and beautiful room, furnished finely with the best kinds of items anyone could find, there was a long table.


    This table had five chairs lined before it.


    Two were ced in the left, two in the right to the final chair¡ªwhich also looked the most prestigious¡ªwas at the very front.


    The head of the table.


    Seated on each of these seats were people who were dressed rather uniquely¡ªthough most of them had fancy wears.


    The chandelier up above, the fine murals all over the pristine space, the regal carpets, and the exquisite curtains; all of these things sanctified this entire room as purely bourgeois.


    As such, the people presently seated had to reflect such dignity.


    Other than a rough-looking man that sat with his arms folded, fleshing his bulging muscles and his barely covered chest, everyone else was dressed appropriately for the meeting.


    They also had entourages who stood behind them.


    Each of the regr four seats had two people standing behind them.


    However, the majestic seat in front of them all had only one person standing.


    The young man who stood there wore a pure ck suit, with pure ck hair and blue eyes shimmering from his nk eyes.


    He looked stoic as he ced both hands behind him and stood behind his mistress.


    Indeed¡­


    The one who sat in the most prestigious position was none other than Lady Scy, the only ve Trader who currently operated within the United Human Alliance''s borders.


    Her long, blond hair was coiled, and it fell on her purely red dress.


    Her beautiful and delicate face would be more than enough to fool anyone. It hid the truly savage and ruthless persona she had within.


    With her lips giving off the hue of red, and her violet eyes echoing nothing but danger, she smiled at the people who had gathered before her.


    There was Noir, Rouge, and Bleue of the Obsidian Council.


    And then, Fenrir, the Chief of the Mercenary Gang.


    These were the members of her New Order; heralds of the Undertaking.


    Behind them were their subordinates. For the Mercenary Gang Chief, two of the Deadly Three stood behind him.


    For the others, they also had the most qualified of their members standing behind them.


    As for Scy¡­ the boy that guarded her was more than enough.


    "I suppose we should begin with some good news." Scy''s voice echoed within the bright room, causing everyone to give her their full attention.


    "We''ve culled every seed of the previous rulers of the Criminal Underworld. They won''t be a threat to our goals."


    Everyone in the room knew what that meant.


    The True Triumvirate that governed all the activities of the Underworld were members of the Royal Council.


    They had enough power and wealth to do and undo.


    After their deaths, there was the fear that their children would also rise up to take on the mantle.


    Hence, the culling.


    Every person rted to the three Councilors were killed without mercy.


    No one was confirmed to survive.


    "I suppose we should be thanking you, Fenrir. Your Mercenary Gang took care of everything practically overnight."


    As Scy said this, her charming smile radiating so much goodwill, Fenrir grunted and shrugged.


    His wild and bushy ck hair was reminiscent of a beast, and while he had a bald chin, traces of his hair were already closely encroaching on it.


    He had a ck armless jacket on, exposing his muscr physique, and he wore pretty baggy trousers, with boots serving as footwear.


    Overall, he appeared to be a ruffian who seemed barely interested in the meeting.


    Still, he reluctantly remained.


    "Whatever¡­" He murmured.


    "Oh,e on. Don''t be so modest, Sir Fenrir." Lord Rouge grinned.


    "Indeed! Indeed!" Bleue joined and nodded.


    The two of them could not be the furthest thing from each other.


    While Rouge was an overweight middle-aged man who had balding blond hair, Bleue appeared to benky; with ebony skin and a more youthful face.


    Everyone knew he was using Magic to appear younger, though.


    "Enough patronizing. That won''t stop me from charging you full price for our services." Fenrir growled and shrugged.


    "Of course! We understand."


    "Yes! We understand!"


    The way the two echoed their words clearly pissed off the Mercenary Gang''s Chief, but he maintained control over his emotions.


    "I believe we all gathered here for a purpose. Why don''t we get to that?"


    The one who spoke was Lord Noir¡ªan old man with gray hair and a snake-like expression on his wrinkled face.


    Out of everyone in the room, he was dressed the most elegant


    ¡ªwith a ck cape, and jewels that had dark tints to them.


    His pale skin andposed attitude was reminiscent of a ssical depiction of the Vampire Count.


    As the current patriarch of the original family that began the Obsidian Council, Lord Noir was met with the respect of everyone present.


    His shrewd gaze and immacte presentation made it impossible not to adore him.


    Compared to him, the other two members of the Obsidian Council appeared asckeys.


    And¡­ perhaps they were.


    "You''re right, Lord Noir!"


    "Right indeed, Lord Noir!"


    The old man sighed, also finding their bickering to be exhausting.


    He nced at Scy and nodded slightly¡ªhis pure ck irises telling her to go ahead with the meeting.


    "Based on the original n, the Mercenary Gang has sent their forces to cripple the nc House whilepletely eradicating the Jaune and Verte House."


    The reason they didn''t simply eliminate the nc House was due to them being based in the Capital.


    It was one of the most lucrative ces to be in, but also the most dangerous.


    They couldn''t simply send their forces to cause chaos in the Capital; considering the security that the ce boasted of.


    Besides, since a Dragon was spotted there recently, it really wasn''t the best time to engage in such an overt mission.


    "We''ll deal with the nc House once we''re done consuming everything aside from the Capital. For now, we''ll absorb all the resources of the other Houses."


    The way Scy spoke in such absolutes made it clear that she had no doubt in their victory.


    It was already assured.


    "As for the Enchanted Items in the Karinc Eastern Warehouse, the Mercenary Guild will split will have everything¡ª


    as agreed."


    Fenrir grunted in response.


    "The territories and total resources of the fallen three will be shared among the three of you. I suppose that''s only fair." Scy turned to the deserting members of the Obsidian Council.


    As soon as she said that, the faces of Rouge and Bleue were especially joyful.


    Noir maintained his calm demeanor, so Scy simply decided to continue.


    "We still have no idea what they were going to use so many Enchanted Items for, but it''s a good thing we seized control over the entire area before it became toote."


    The military force of their New Order would be equipped with so much power¡ªenough to even go against the Royal Council.


    They would have enough economic potential to also outscale the Royal Council.


    Everything was flowing smoothly.


    "Soon, we of the Underworld will be the ones ruling everything on the surface as well."


    Those words were enough to put a smile on everyone''s faces.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Looks like the antagonists have been introduced.


    What do you think?

 Chapter 241 The New Order [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 241 The New Order [Pt 2] </h4>


    "Looks like we''ve talked about all the important bits."


    Scy smiled as she continued all she had to say for the meeting.


    So far, they had discussed a lot of extensive topics such as the management of their newly acquired territory, and the n that they had decided on to fully take over the United Human Alliance.


    It was a grand scheme worth uniting for.


    "So¡­ any questions?" Scy asked with an innocent face.


    Her violet eyes scanned the room for defiance, and she certainly found one very quickly.


    It came from none other than Fenrir.


    "What''s your gain in all of this?" He asked with a suspicious expression written clearly on his face.


    "Hm? What do you mean?"


    "Don''t y dumb. The way you allocated the resources between all of us is clearly detrimental to you!" Fenrir raised his voice.


    His anger was palpable at this point.


    "You must clearly have some scheme. There''s no way you''d ce yourself at such a disadvantage."


    He wasn''t wrong, especially when considering how valuable these resources being given out were.


    More than Enchanted Items to outfit every single member of the Mercenary Guild¡­


    More than enough money and territories for each House¡­


    More than enough power and influence to be wielded by both parties¡­


    "Where does your ve Unione in?" Fenrir''s question echoed within the vast room.


    For a moment, there was silence.


    No one said a word, and all eyes were on Scy.


    "Oh? So that''s what you were talking about?"


    Suddenly, her innocent smile warped into something twisted, and her eyes nted in the most ominous way possible.


    The grin on her face was the very definition of evil.


    "Isn''t it obvious? You all¡­ are mine."


    As she said this, the room seemed to tremble with an invisible kind of pressure that could be felt by everyone in the room.


    "You can have all the riches and power you want. As long as you''re mine, it will never be a loss on my part." Her moist lips echoed the words she had kept in her heart since she founded the New Order.


    "You may obtain whatever you desire; grow to the very ends of the world. It changes nothing."


    As a ve Trader who was a veteran in the field, she understood this principle too well.


    So long as she was the one in power, there was nothing to fear.


    "In the end, I''ll be the winner."


    That was all she had to say on the matter.


    "Pfft! Bravo! Bravo!" Fenrir, for the first time since the meeting started, genuinelyughed while pping his hands.


    The echoes radiated throughout the room, and the shockwaves from his ps caused everything to tremble.


    "So you''re finally revealing your true intentions. Took you long enough!"


    The other three who sat on their tables said nothing.


    They probably knew that this was their fate already. The revtion made no difference to them.


    "You''ve grown even bolder, Scy. I can''t say I dislike that, so I guess I''ll just go with all this¡­ for now?"


    "Well, that''s nice to hear." Her sweet and kind response to Fenrir had just as many undertones as his had.


    Despite being allies, there was a certain friction between the two that just couldn''t be missed.


    "I also have a question. But it''s directed at Mr. Fenrir over here."


    Lord Noir was seated right beside Fenrir, so all he had to do was look beside him to gaze upon the beast of a man.


    "I still don''t understand why you''re on board with all this. The Mercenary Gang usually stays neutral in political issues like this. Plus, it seems you do not particrly like working with Lady Scy."


    His tone was calm andported, and despite being but a fragile broomstick whenpared to the absolutely ripped Fenrir, he still spoke his mind.


    "So¡­ why exactly are you here, as an Ally?"


    Scy heard this question and smiled. Her violet eyes twinkled as she looked at the man who now had the stage.


    It was time for Fenrir to answer.


    "I guess I just chose the most logical option¡ªthe winning team in this war."


    Noir raised his brow slightly, still notpletely convinced by the answer he was getting.


    Fenrir noticed this and groaned a little before proceeding to speak some more.


    "I guess you could say Scy¡ªor rather, her bodyguard over there¡ªwas pretty convincing."


    "Bodyguard?" All darted to the young man who had ck hair and blue eyes; standing right behind the head of the table.


    His stoic demeanor revealed from his calm gaze did not change even though so much focus was on him.


    His white mask remained as well.


    He appeared to be nothing more than a statue.


    "I''m very confident in my strength and I am well aware of my limits. That guy over there is stronger than I am."


    Gasps filled the air as everyone in the room¡ªwith the exception of the smiling Scy, the frowning Fenrir, and the expressionless figure¡ªkept interchanging nces between the two involved parties.


    "Surely you jest¡­" At this point, even Noir seemed a bit on edge.


    "I wouldn''t joke about such a thing." He grunted. "Even if I and these two¡­ no, every one of my Executives¡­ face him, I doubt we woulde out unscathed, even if we managed to win."


    It was surprising to the majority of the people within the room; especially since they all knew how powerful the Mercenary Gang''s Chief was.


    But just like he said¡­ he wouldn''t joke about such a thing.


    "You could call it fear mixed with personal interests, but for now our interests are aligned." Fenrir shrugged, as if everything he just said was no big deal.


    He cast a nce at Scy and frowned a little more.


    Seeing her smile so gleefully as he spilled the beans gave him a bad feeling, but he swallowed it in.


    Now wasn''t the time¡­


    "Since you''ve all satisfied your curiosity, and we''re done with our discussions for today, I suppose our meeting will be adjourned."


    As Scy said this, everyone nodded in agreement and rose to their feet.


    "Until next time."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I wonder who this masked fellow is. I wonder if he''s as strong as Rey!

 Chapter 242 Ralyks Meets The Otherworlders

    <h4>Chapter 242 Ralyks Meets The Otherworlders </h4>


    Daybreak arrived, and once it was approaching noon, all the Otherworlders gathered together.


    There was only one reason for such; especially after formal training had been discarded in favor of personalized training and duels.


    Since Brutus and Lucielle had gone to the frontlines¡ªincluding all thepetent Mages and Warriors avable¡ªthe only ones left weren''tpetent enough to train the Otherworlders


    Plus, since they were only nine now, the Capital had more than enough resources to support individual training.


    Hence, pending the time for the Raid, it was agreed that this would be the new training method.


    However, today was different.


    All the Otherworlders were here, along with the two members of the Royal Council, to meet with none other than the Dark Adventurer himself.


    ¡ªRalyks!


    "Sir Ralyks, we are so pleased to have you with us." Conrad smiled at the masked man.


    "Indeed." Vida emphasized.


    The Dark Adventurer shrugged despite their disy of high regard for him.


    He had no use for formalities.


    "So these are the nine who will descend¡­" Ralyks spoke, turning to the nine who stood before him.


    They were of different heights, builds, and many other factors.


    However, if they all had something inmon, it was this¡ª


    "You''re all young. Weak too."


    Indeed. Ralyks had called them the very word that no one in the Royal Estate had ever referred to them as.


    Expressions of disbelief washed over the faces of the teenagers who stood before him.


    No, by this world''s standards, they were pretty much adults.


    Their faces clearly depicted surprise.


    "Haha! It is as you say, Sir Ralyks. That is why they need your guidance." Conrad added oil to the mes by his patronizing remarks to the Dark Adventurer.


    This was the very same man who had told them they were special, and that only they could save the world.


    Right now, he was bending over backwards to an absolute stranger; albeit one who killed a Dragon and saved the Capital.


    So, yes¡­ Conrad was onto something.


    "I''d like to be left alone with them, if you don''t mind." Ralyks looked at both Conrad and Vida as he spoke.


    They nodded instantly.


    "Understand. Well, we will be taking our leave now."


    "Make sure you listen to everything Sir Ralyks tells you."


    The two Councilors left the nine in the hands of a man they barely knew¡ªnot even showing the slightest hints of hesitation.


    The reason was simple,


    They had to attend to other important affairs¡ªlike the Mana Crystals that had been mined already, the production of ingots and raw materials meant for the Items they nned to bestow upon the Otherworlders, and finally the issue with the Criminal Underworld.


    These were all issues that required immediate attention, so they were happy to be excused.


    "Introduce yourselves." Ralyks spoke aloud, his voice as deep as the ckness of his garment.


    And so, they began.


    "My name is Adonis Levi."


    Ralyks nodded as soon as he heard the name, looking at the rest for their words.


    "I''m Alicia White."


    "Justin ke."


    "Just call me rk."


    "I''m Eric."


    "My name is Trisha."


    "R-Rey¡­ is my name."


    "Billy¡­ McGuire¡­ sir."


    "I''m Belle. Nice to meet you, Sir Ralyks."


    Once they were done with their introductions, the Dark Adventurer nodded in satisfaction.


    "If you think you are strong¡­ step forward." He said.


    No one moved an inch.


    How could they? After seeing the full might of a Dragon, who could dare say they were strong?


    After suffering the humiliation of nearly being sold as ves, not even Alicia or Billy could move their still legs.


    But¡­ that wasn''t all.


    After witnessing the power of the man in front of them, sensing the power that oozed from his body alone, how could they evenpete with his power ?


    The answer was that they couldn''t.


    They were all weak¡ªat least,pared to the standard they strived for¡ªso no one had enough hubris to exert their strength.


    In the eyes of the man who was truly strong, they were nothing.


    "It''s a good thing you all know your ce. But there''s no need to have such downtrodden faces, though."


    As Ralyks said this, he got surprised reactions from everyone.


    "There''s nothing shameful about being weak. We all start out that way. The true shame lies in remaining that same way after being given the opportunity to improve."


    There was an opportunity standing in front of them right now.


    He stretched out his hand as he continued.


    "The Royal Dungeon is more dangerous than ever, but it''ll make you strong. You all have a choice. To remain as weak as you are, or to step forward and choose to be strong."


    His words echoed in the air as he narrowed his crimson eyes.


    "What will it be?"


    The first trembling leg stepped forward. It belonged to none other than Adonis.


    "I choose to be strong!" He yelled with a passion.


    The next step was from Trisha, as her beautiful face gave off sheer resolve.


    "I also choose to be strong!"


    One after the other, the rest followed. Justin, Eric, rk, Alicia, Belle, Billy¡­ and Rey.


    They were all prepared for the task ahead.


    "Good." He nodded.


    "You all need the right set of gear to go into the Dungeon, and based on my discussions with your superiors, it''ll take a few more days before they''re prepared."


    That meant they still had a bit of time to grow stronger¡ªbefore they entered the jaws of death.


    "In the meantime, I will be supervising your training. I''ll be teaching you how to properly act in a Dungeon."


    Attack. Defense. Strategy.


    Everything necessary to seed in a Dungeon would be taught by the man before them.


    Since he had Summoning Magic, he could always bring out monsters and teach them the best ways to subjugate them.


    There were no downsides to his tutge.


    "But first¡­ I need to know just how strong or weak you currently are." Ralyks threw aside his cape and hood, leaving only his mask and ck garment underneath.


    "All of you will attack me at the same time." He made a battle stance and looked at the weaklings that were determined to be more.


    Something about their bright eyes made him all the more assured of his instruction.


    "Go ahead. Don''t hold anything back."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    The moment we''ve been waiting for. Ralyks vs everyone begins!

 Chapter 243 Otherworlders Vs Ralyks [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 243 Otherworlders Vs Ralyks [Pt 1] </h4>


    ''As expected. I still can''t see it¡­''


    As Rey looked at the eight¡ªplus a projection of the ninth¡ªenemies who would fight him, he could see Status Windows popping out of every single one of them.


    All except one.


    ¡ªAdonis!


    ''I guess it''s because he has an S-Tier ss. That makes sense¡­''


    In essence, it was on the same Level as [Absolute Appraisal]¡­ or even stronger.


    ''Still, the only exception to [Absolute Appraisal] is that the target is a Tier above my Skill''s effect.''


    As such, Rey thought he''d be able to see Adonis'' Status Window. However, after trying for so long, nothing was forting.


    In the end, he had to settle on a conclusion.


    ''He probably has Resistance to that kind of stuff.'' That was the only exnation that made sense to him at this point.


    ''In any case, it looks like they''re about ready.''


    Still in his Ralyks persona, he calmly looked at the group that surrounded him from all areas.


    It was a cool morning, so no one was sweating¡ªat least, not yet¡ªyet they looked tense as they circled around him.


    ''I should probably cancel out the effects of my Items to give them a chance¡­''


    Instead, Rey decided to utilize a few of his Buff Skills instead.


    His body flowed slightly as every aspect of himself became strengthened, one way or the other.


    Rey still felt it was unfair, as he pretty much knew all their abilities and style ofbat, but he was also being faced by everyone at once.


    ''I think that evens things out a little¡­'' He smiled, feeling his heart thump a little in excitement.


    ''Alright then. Let''s see what they''ve got.''


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    The group attacked at once, all of them glowing with energies of various colors as they buffed themselves up considerably well¡ªfor those who could¡ªand a couple attacked from long range.


    Rey watched all the attackse at him with a smile on his face.


    ''Let''s see how far I can go too!''


    *******


    Adonis felt a determination within his heart as he looked at the opponent in front of him.


    He wanted to win!


    ''I already know Sir Ralyks is stronger than I am. I''m not even sure we can defeat him if webine our strengths. Still¡­''


    Adonis was looking for a single clean hit.


    As such, once the fight was initiated, he used his [Grand Light Magic] to call a heavy rain of light to descend upon his target.


    He looked around and saw everyone else call forth their Skills or Magic abilities.


    Alicia utilized her [Greater Ice Magic], sending piles of Ice Spikes flowing his way, while Justin sent a bunch of sharp threads flying towards Ralyks using [Marite].


    He also utilized stealth and tried to get closer.


    Belle was using her [Absolute Wind Magic] to conjure a maelstrom of wind torrents all around Ralyks.


    It made it difficult for those who had rushed to face Ralyks head-on¡ªlike Trisha and rk¡ªto properly reach him,


    However, once the whirlwind reached a critical point, both of them chose to back off.


    Trishaunched a Lightning Strike Spell using her [Greater Lightning Magic] Skill, while Eric relied on his [Heat Vision] Skill.


    Eric could only do so much thanks to his C-Tier Mage ss, but he practically poured his entire Mana Supply into [Greater Explosion], since that was the best damage-dealing Skill at the moment.


    As for Rey, well¡­ his only Skill wasn''t going to be very useful, so he maintained his distance and watched from afar.


    That was probably for the best.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!~


    Echoes of destruction, and shockwaves of power spread from the target''s location.


    The area of impact was sorge that Adonis and his ssmates had to take countless steps back and regroup in a single position thanks to the explosion.


    With all of these Skills raining down on the target, one would think he was toast.


    But¡­


    ''What''s this bad feeling that I sense?'' Adonis narrowed his gaze as he stared at the convergence of overwhelming energy on the target at once.


    ''He should suffer some damage¡­ right? He didn''t even dodge it.''


    Even the Dragon that they fought¡ªwhom Ralyks had defeated


    ¡ªwould have been severely wounded if he received so many attacks at once.


    Adonis wasn''tparing Ralyks to an average Dragon Commander, by any means, but he simply couldn''t see so much power going without consequence.


    "Amusing."


    The nine students expressed shock the moment the words were uttered from Ralyks'' lips.


    Hissing smoke soon reced the explosion, and as the charred, devastated ground leaked out dark mists, there was a certain silhouette that stood at the center.


    The shadowy appearance was tanging still, as casually as imaginable.


    "My turn."


    The moment Adonis heard this, he activated [Absolute Defense] and yelled at the very top of his lungs.


    "Everyone! To me!"


    The group huddled closer to him, and his golden dome of energy covered all nine of them.


    He looked at the position where Ralyks had stood, at the crater that had been formed on the ground, but found nothing there.


    ''H-he''s gone¡­?!'' Adonis'' eyes widened as he tried searching for him all around.


    Left? Right? Behind? No¡­ he was in none of those ces.


    "There''s no need to look so anxious¡­ or is there?" The voice came from above.


    Everyone raised their heads, and there Ralyks was; floating in the air as he stared down at all of them.


    "Do you really think you''re safe inside that dome?"


    Adonis shivered as the question was asked. He didn''t know how to answer it, so he decided not to.


    Instead, he thought of a way to counter, and it involved summoning his Divine Sword to¡ª


    "It''s no use¡­" Adonis felt a hand rest on his shoulder as a voice echoed within the dome.


    ''E-eh¡­?''


    It belonged to none other than Ralyks, and the Hero hadn''t even noticed when the invaded his [Absolute Defense].


    ~VWUUUUM!~


    A strong pressure filled the interior of the defensive barrier, causing everyone to fall to their knees.


    "Is there anyone who can rise?."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I mean, how else did you expect the fight to go if not a one-


    sided massacre? I''ll try to keep things engaging¡­

 Chapter 244 Otherworlders Vs Ralyks [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 244 Otherworlders Vs Ralyks [Pt 2] </h4>


    True power.


    It has been, and will always be, a crushing pressure that causes the ones under it to fall to their knees.


    Helpless to go against it, they have no choice but to show subservience. In truth, true power can not be resisted.


    It consumes all.


    *****


    ''D-damnit!''


    Adonis struggled to rise, but there was no use to it. He could feel a weight on him that was impossible to shrug off.


    Looking at everyone else, they seemed to be having the same problem.


    But¡ª


    "Urahhh!" rk jumped from


    His position, shattering the earth where they all knelt as he flew towards Ralyks.


    ''Of course! rk has [Crush Resistance] based on his ss.''


    Adonis swiftly released his [Absolute Defense], and Belle used her Wind Magic to propel rk in his epic rush.


    ~WHOOSH!~


    The determined boy was about to punch Ralyks and send him away from his current position.


    However, what ended up happening waspletely different from his intentions.


    Before rk couldnd a single hit, Ralyks held his throat, causing the boy to get stunned instantly.


    "Urk!"


    Still, he refused to give up.


    He sent his most powerful fist towards Ralyks, but before it could even reach the man, a very toughyer of defense stopped him.


    "Nice try."


    That was what Ralyks said before ascending high into the air and hurling rk down to the ground in a series of swift moves.


    ~BOOOM!~


    The ground shattered, and the boy was nearly buried in rubble as he lost consciousness.


    "CLARK!" Many shouted¡ªespecially Eric and Justin¡ªbut they only caught the attention of their predator.


    "Worry more about yourselves." He appeared right behind the two of them.


    His crimson eyes glowed as he spoke, like a demon whose malevolent presence was impossible to escape.


    Justin tried to use his [Marite] to at least bind Ralyks, but before he could do so, he heard a thud and suddenly found himself on the ground.


    Eric was about to use [Grand Sound Magic] topletely mess up his target, but what he found out was that his attack bounced back towards him.


    The result?


    "Arghhhhhh!!!" Eric screamed before falling to the ground as well.


    His smaller body fell on top Justin''s taller form¡ªthe both of them clearly unconscious.


    ~ZTTTZZZZ!~


    Sparks of electricity buzzed all around, and the space around began to vibrate.


    "Lightning Torrent Of Destruction!" A fierce feminine voice echoed in the air.


    Bigger sparks coalesced to form a swirling barrier of pure lightning, and everything began to close in on the target.


    However, the man just walked through it like it was nothing.


    "W-what?!" As the ebony who cast the Spell was still recoiling from shock, Ralyks appeared right behind her.


    "L-Lightni¡ª!"


    A swift chop on her neck sent her falling unconscious instantly.


    Ralyks didn''t even spare her a thought as shended on the floor. Instead, he looked at his next prey.


    "Alicia¡­ right?" He now stood in front of her, his merciless crimson gaze falling on the girl who was smiling nervously.


    "What do you have for me¡­ huh?"


    Before Ralyks could realize what was happening, his entire body was beginning to freeze from the leg up.


    He looked at the smiling Alicia whose smile grew broader the longer his dark form took on white.


    "Ice Magic: Absolute Zero Chamber¡­" She smirked, her eyes disying how happy she was to have gotten the enemy.


    Unknown to her, though¡­


    "Ice Magic, huh?"


    ¡­ The man she was trying to defeat could not be stopped by something so trivial.


    Almost as fast as he began to freeze, all the ice on his body broke apart.


    "Why don''t I give you a taste of the same?"


    Alicia''s eyes widened as misty breaths began to escape from her lips. Her body grew stiff, andyers of white began to cover her like a shell.


    "STAY AWAY FROM ALICIA!" A loud voice emerged from someone who was running straight towards Ralyks.


    He was short¡ªat least, more than the others. He also looked a lot weaker than the rest.


    The boy had transformed his hand into a de as he rushed towards Ralyks


    His pathetic excuse for an attack came for the overwhelming opponent that was Ralyks, causing thetter to shrug as he watched ite.


    "Hmph¡­ weak." He waved his hand and sent a wave of energy towards Rey.


    "Hup!" The boy slid on the ground, sessfully dodging the st that would have made many lose their footing.


    Rey sessfully closed the distance between him and his enemy, a determined expression on his face.


    He elongated his hand and broadened the de he had turned his arm into, just so could have more reach.


    ~SWISH!~


    As he shed through the air, Ralyks easily caught the thing with his thumb and index finger.


    "Too slow." Before Rey could even react or step away from the fight for a moment, a strike was sent to his stomach.


    "Puack!"


    Rey''s eyes bulged, nearly popping out of their sockets, as saliva flew out of his mouth.


    "Too impulsive." Another strike was sent to the boy''s back, causing him to scream out even more.


    And then, just as Rey staggered, his body unable to fully process the pain he was going through, ast attack came.


    "Too slow."


    With a swift backhand hit from Ralyks, Rey''s helpless body was sentnding on the ground.


    His head dug into the earth as his butt pointed towards the sky in pure humiliation.


    He was down for the count.


    As Ralyks turned away from Rey, and back to Alicia, he noticed her deep re.


    "Y-you didn''t have to go that far!" She yelled, despite shivering from the ice that still encroached her body.


    "He''ll live. Worry more about yourself."


    "Why do you¡ª!"


    ~WHUUUUSH!~


    A brilliant gust of both wind and light echoed from behind Ralyks, causing him to turn back a little and generate a shield to defend himself.


    ~BOOOOM!~


    Destruction swarmed the area, and everything around was filled with smoke once again.


    "Bothersome¡­"


    With a single Spell, Ralyks got rid of the smoke that swirled around him.


    Once he did, though, he saw a fine alliance between three individuals.


    Billy, Adonis, and Belle.


    These three were huddled together as a group and desired to fight him together.


    "Oh? What an interesting development."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I hope you enjoyed the fight. Nearly forgot about Billy there, right? Haha¡­

 Chapter 245 Otherworlders Vs Ralyks [Pt 3]

    <h4>Chapter 245 Otherworlders Vs Ralyks [Pt 3] </h4>


    [Moments Earlier]


    "Belle, Billy¡­ over here!"


    As Ralyks was delivering destruction to his ssmates, Adonis called for the two individuals who were closest to him.


    His serious demeanor was enough to tell anyone that he meant business, so they rushed to his side.


    "Let''s team up." Adonis said, looking at the both of them.


    Belle''s brows were raised the moment he asked this.


    "Aren''t we all teamed up already?"


    "No! I don''t mean that. It''s true that we''re all a team, but in a group thisrge, we''re practically utilizing individual abilities at once or in sequence to face him."


    Adonis suggested they went a step further.


    "If we have considerable teamwork and systematically attack him with a n in mind, we''ll go very far."


    Adonis would have loved to have Alicia on board, but she was too far away for him to risk it.


    If he made too many moves, the chances of him being noticed by Ralyks went up.


    Once that happened, it was game over.


    ''Besides, both Belle and Billy are more primed towardsbat than she is.''


    Belle''s Wind Magic was two Tiers higher than Alicia''s, and Adonis also needed Billy''s destructive capabilities as Warrior abilities.


    ''If Alicia could properly use her SS-Tier Skill, that would be nice. Unfortunately¡­ she can''t.''


    It drained too much Mana to summon a useful Beast, and her Level was too low to have such Mana.


    ''Her Healing Magic is also draining, which is why she pours all her energy into Ice Magic.''


    One of Adonis'' hopes was that Alicia would be able to get a lot more powerful during the Raid and awaken to her true potential.


    ''After all, she should be the second strongest in our entire ss¡­''


    In the end, the three ended up partnering up and watching as Ralyks beat up their ssmates¡ªall in order to think of a perfect strategy to counter him.


    It took some time, but they were finally ready.


    "Remember, both of you¡­" Adonis heaved a sigh as he summoned his Divine Sword.


    "¡­ Give it all you''ve got!"


    *******


    ''Hmm? What are they up to now?'' Rey pondered as he looked at the trio.


    He knew they had been together for some time now, so none of this development was surprising to him.


    In fact, he would have been disappointed if Adonis hadn''t made a move like this.


    ''But what of it?''


    He could only wait and see what the results of their nning was. Meanwhile¡­


    ''I hope I didn''t overdo it.'' Rey looked behind him and noticed Alicia being unconscious.


    She wasn''t the only one, too.


    Practically everyone, except the three that now challenged him, had fallen unconscious.


    ''White Ember should heal her, so she''ll be fine. This is all for her own good anyway.''


    Rey knew it was most likely due to [Dead Calm], but he really didn''t feel bad for his actions.


    He only had the best of intentions for his ssmates, and since they all consented to all of this, he had the responsibility of gauging their abilities and showing them a standard of strength.


    ''Now it remains these three.''


    Adonis now wielded his Divine Sword, and Billy had put on all the Buffs that he could.


    As for Belle, she was preparing her [Absolute Wind Magic].


    ''Her Great Mage ss must be really helping her with that Mana Usage issue. Unlike Alicia, who is a Tamer and can''t get enough Privileges from her ss when ites to that.''


    Rey began to stroke his masked chin as he thought about something in particr.


    ''I wonder¡­ hmm, I think I''ll try it out after this training exercise.''


    Right as he was thinking, both Adonis and Billy rushed towards him.


    Billy was holding a powerful sword¡ªthanks to his [Greater Weapon Summon] Skill, and Adonis wielded the Divine Sword.


    It was clear who was faster of the two, but Adonis lessened his pace so they could run side by side.


    ''I guess it''s because of their n. I wonder what it is. Attacking me from both nks in order to distract me?''


    Just as Rey suspected, Adonis rushed to Rey''s right and Billy charged to his left.


    They both had glowing bodies thanks to the enchantments they had ced on themselves to make them stronger and faster than normal.


    Adonis raised his Divine Sword and made to strike, while Billy took his Martial Arts stance and coated his sword with intense mes.


    ''Belle will probably use Wind Magic to ensure my escape paths are limited, which means I''ll either have to dodge Adonis'' attack and suffer Billy''s strike, or I use my defenses to block Billy and suffer from Adonis'' attacks.''


    Once again, the battle flowed just as he predicted.


    Belle used her [Absolute Wind Magic] Skill to create a wind barricade that pushed Rey away from escaping behind him, and he also couldn''t rush forward because of the same barrier.


    From a strategic standpoint, they had him pretty trapped.


    ''What about upward? They probably left that as an option for me for a reason. Should I y along?'' Rey wondered as the enemies closed in on him even more.''


    He sighed and shook his head a little.


    ''No¡­ I think I''ve had enough.''


    To be honest, their strategy wasn''t bad in the slightest. However, he was just too strong for such things to be an issue for him.


    For example¡­


    ~WHUUSH!~


    Rey instantly teleported to Belle and touched her back.


    "A-ah¡­?!" Her widened eyes depicted surprise as he touched her back.


    ''You can''t fool me. I already know this is a part of your n.'' Rey looked beneath him and could sense a lot of weapons lodged under the ground.


    ''Belle will use Wind Magic to raise them and try to skewer me. But that''s only a distraction so that Adonis and Billy can reach me before I fully recover from the surprise.''


    Rey suspected that Adonis would probably use his Light Magic to blind or disorient him, and then he and Billy would rush to strike him down.


    ''I''m happy they thought this far ahead. Since Adonis has fought an opponent who can teleport, he knows how tricky they can be.''


    However, even though he was going ording to their n, things weren''t going to turn out the way they wanted.


    ''For one¡­ I''m faster than they expect.''


    Rey moved slightly faster than usual, easily breaking past Belle''s Wind Defense.


    He hit her at the base of her neck and she instantly fell unconscious. As her body slowly fell to the ground, Rey looked at the shocked and desperate expressions on both Billy and Adonis'' faces.


    "BELLE!!!" They yelled out.


    ''Let me try something else¡­'' Rey smiled as he looked at the two rushing towards him.


    ''[Intense Bloodlust].''


    The moment Rey activated this Skill, an aura of danger and intense killing intent spread all over the area.


    Intense fear took over, and he watched as the two reacted.


    Billy stopped moving entirely, his body shaking as his weapon dropped from his grasp.


    As for Adonis, he still advanced despite trembling slightly.


    ''Ohh!'' Rey''s eyes widened as a smile coursed through his face.


    ''Nice one, Adonis!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I feel kinda bad for the rest of the Otherworlders. Personally can''t wait for Alicia to unlock her full potential.

 Chapter 246 Conclusion Of The Duel

    <h4>Chapter 246 Conclusion Of The Duel </h4>


    ''Must be that Divine Sword. Or is that a perk of his ss.''


    Rey had many thoughts as he saw the Hero approaching with sheer ferocity and an unstoppable will.


    Either way, though, Rey couldn''t see the fight going his way.


    ''He looks so determined. I hate to do this to him, but¡­'' He began to raise his hand.


    However, he found himself unable to move.


    ''What''s this? Marite?'' He turned to his side to see that Justin was still slightly conscious, and he was smiling while on the floor.


    ''Nice one, Justin. But¡­'' Rey easily broke through Marite.


    The moment he did so, a sh of lightning descended from the sky¡ªobviously a Skill from Trisha.


    Still, none of the electric currents that burst from the attack really affected him.


    ''Looks like I slightly underestimated their recovery capabilities.'' Rey smiled as he stepped out of the lightning-charged assault.


    ''I should end this now.''


    Taking a deep breath, Rey''s eyes turned purple as he raised his index finger¡ªseeing that a bunch of people were already gaining consciousness.


    "[Absolute Spatial Domain]¡­" He whispered.


    ~VWUUUUUUUMMMMM!~


    At that very instant, everyone appeared in the same position, forcefully transported beside each other.


    Even Adonis, who had been charging towards him, experienced the same change in location.


    He looked surprised, but his grand march did not stop.


    Unfortunately for the dear Hero, Rey wasn''t finished with him¡ªor everyone else for that matter.


    "Fall."


    In that instant, space itself warped in a way that forced them to fall to their knees before him.


    Adonis was no exception.


    The boy struggled to get up, but it was no use.


    ''Space seems to be warping around the Divine Sword, so he must be fighting it somehow.''


    However, it was useless.


    ''My [Absolute Spatial Domain] allows me to control every facet of space around me. That allows me to unwarp the space around the sword.''


    For Rey, as long as he had enough power to overpower his enemy, there really wasn''t anything they could do to resist.


    ''Seems like none of them can escape. Time to finish things¡­''


    His index finger was still raised, so Rey activated one of his SS-Tier Skills.


    [Divine Elemental Magic].


    A sudden swirl of several elemental attributes¡ªFire, Water, Earth, Wind, Ice, Darkness, Light, etc.¡ªbegan to swirl around Rey''s palm.


    Everything danced around one another, bing a massive sphere that rose above his finger until it floated above Rey.


    His other Skill, [Fusion/Fission] allowed everything to flow seamlessly, so no conflicting element reduced the total ability of the cluster of various elements.


    Rey smiled as he saw them tremble before his colossal orb of destruction.


    ''Now you understand¡­'' His thoughts trailed.


    It was different seeing a Dragon¡ªthe enemy¡ªexhibiting such power, and a human doing the same.


    ''Ralyks'' wasn''t even an Otherworlder, so by showing them this power, he wasn''t intending on granting them despair.


    No. It was the exact opposite.


    ''You all can do great things like this someday. Well, not all, but¡­''


    As long as they saw someone show them that humans were capable of this much, the people in front of him wouldn''t be too distraught about the Dragons.


    "That''s it. Lesson over."


    The cluster of elemental attributes was broken down into nothingness, causing mere sparkles of broken-down energy to remain.


    Rey also undid the effects of his Skills, allowing the Otherworlders to move of their volition.


    "I was slightly wrong about you all." He moved forward and smiled at the disheveled group.


    Their crestfallen faces and dirtied clothes showed just how badly they had been hurt¡ªboth physically and emotionally.


    Rey stretched out his hand and activated his [Absolute Healing] Skill.


    He spread the effects to everyone, and while the ability took a toll on his Mana, it wasn''t too serious.


    Thanks to his remaining Buffs, it was no big deal.


    "A-ahhh¡­?!"


    "I feel good as new!"


    "The¡­ hell¡­?"


    Rey smiled and nodded at them, moving even closer to the eight¡ªappearing as nine.


    ''Healing Magic, unlike Potions, doesn''t reset a person''s growth by reversion. I''m sure they''ve grown a tad bit stronger due to this experience.''


    "All of you should rise." With everyone being conscious and capable of movement, they obeyed.


    Some were a little sluggish, but in a mere few seconds, everyone was on their feet.


    Rey ced hands in his pocket and nodded slowly at them.


    "Stand proud. You are strong."


    He wasn''t just saying that to make them feel better. He genuinely thought so.


    ''Compared to the humans of this world, they''re definitely top tier. They are also very young and have room to grow.''


    That was enough reason for Rey not to discount them.


    "You all have immense potential to be stronger. I can promise you that by the time you are done with this Raid, you''ll be much stronger than you were today."


    That much was a given, but Rey wasn''t done with his admonition.


    "I probably won''t be able to hold you off as easily as I just did."


    As soon as he said that, he could see shocked expressions on the faces of everyone present.


    After his disy of power, they most likely saw him as an impossible wall that they could never surpass.


    But now¡­


    "Who would win between you and all of us if we fought again after actualizing our potential?"


    Justin was the one who raised the question, and from his smile, Rey could already tell he wasn''t being very serious.


    Still, he answered it with his usual ''Ralyks'' tone.


    "Well, if you were at full strength, then you might cause me some trouble¡­" He began, stroking his chin a little as he narrowed his eyes on a select few of his ssmates.


    ''Once Alicia can use her Divine Beast Summon, she''ll be at an advantage in that aspect due to her ss. Adonis also had a lot of room for growth, and he Levels Up fast too. As much as I don''t like Billy, he has a very powerful set of Skills, and then there''s Belle and her problematic abilities.''


    All in all, Rey could see a bunch of other students as well who would prove problematic if they all joined forces and fought him with a proper strategy.


    That said¡­


    "Would you lose though?" Adonis asked with all seriousness.


    Rey smiled at the Hero, almost as if he already knew what was on the boy''s mind.


    There was no need to skirt around the issue.


    ''They could give me all the trouble in the world. That doesn''t matter at all.''


    Rey was still confident in the oue.


    "Nah, I''d win."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Do you think Rey is being too arrogant now that he has gotten power? Or he''s just acting normal.

 Chapter 247 A Little Friction

    <h4>Chapter 247 A Little Friction </h4>


    ''Why¡­ why do I feel so frustrated?''


    As Adonis stood among his ssmates, hearing the words of the great Ralyks, he couldn''t help but grate his teeth.


    A sense of restlessness and unease rested upon him, and he calmed himself by squeezing his hand while cing both hands behind him.


    He did his best to express a neutral expression, but any observant person could tell he was upset.


    ''I was never this strong in my past life. None of us were. This power that Sir Ralyks has is unreal¡­'' His thoughts echoed as he stared at the dark-cloaked figure.


    ''¡­ It honestly shouldn''t exist. Still, I''m d it does. If not, we would all be dead and humanity would have already lost.''


    Adonis truly felt grateful for Ralyks and his existence in their lives¡ªeven if he didn''tpletely understand it yet¡ªhowever, something ate at him.


    It was something he desperately tried to avoid, but Adonis was fighting a losing battle.


    ''Why do I feel so envious¡­?''


    Adonis had put in every ounce of spare time into training. He chose the most Optimal ss ad sets of Skills forbat, defense, and overall utility.


    Since Skills and sses had the chance to evolve into higher Tiers, and the Hero ss ensured quick growth¡ªamong other things¡ªhe thought he had made the right choice by choosing his current ability set.


    Plus, he had the knowledge of his past life guiding him.


    Adonis thought he couldbine all of these factors to grant himself a better shot at saving everyone.


    But¡­ nothing has really changed,


    ''Compared to Sir Ralyks¡­ I''m nothing.''


    He wanted to cry. Hot tears welled up in his eyes, but he held them all in as he took in deep breaths.


    ''I know I shouldn''t feel this way. It isn''t right. We''re all on the same side, and we have amon enemy to defeat.''


    Normally, as long as that was the case, and Ralyks was contributing to that, he wasn''t meant to have any problems with it.


    But¡­


    ''I just can''t help but wonder if all the efforts I put in didn''t matter. If I''m even as relevant as I thought¡­''


    Adonis smiled wryly, realizing he was probably being childish for wanting to be the central figure who led his ssmates and this world to victory.


    He wanted to be the strongest.


    ''Maybe I''m wrong, but I can''t help but feel that way.''


    After experiencing the terror of the Dragons in his first life, and watching the very world burn before his eyes, he couldn''t help it.


    He desired strength; for him, and all of his allies.


    ''It''s just¡­ I want more.''


    He hoped that he could at least close thergely insurmountable gap that existed between him and Ralyks, at least a little, during the Raid.


    ''That would be nice.''


    ********


    "Now that we''re done with this little spar, this is the best time to reiterate that I''ll be going over battle tactics and formations with you."


    As Rey spoke in his Ralyks tone, he confirmed that everyone was paying attention to his words.


    He could see Adonis sulking slightly, and while he honestly felt for the boy¡ªafter all, he was only sixteen¡ªRey was more concerned about the present situation.


    ''I''m sure he''ll be happier once he starts Leveling and getting stronger.''


    "I''ll be Summoning Monsters to use for your training. This is less about the EXP and more about applying the tactics you''ll learn so you can work more efficiently in the Dungeon."


    Rey also considered using his Elementals, but since it was better to stick to the kind of Monsters one would find in a Dungeon, it was simply better to summon thetter kind.


    "But first¡­" Rey nced at Alicia and narrowed his eyes.


    ''She''s the only one I didn''t have to heal due to the rings. I''m happy it''s working well¡­''


    Beyond his thoughts, though, he had a reason for focusing on her.


    "You''re a Tamer, aren''t you? And you have a Beast Summoning Skill, correct?"


    Despite him using his best Ralyks impression, which would intimidate most or cause them to be flustered if he suddenly talked to them, Alicia remainedposed.


    "Yes. That is all correct. How did you know about all this?"


    "I can see through your Status Window."


    "W-what?!"


    Everyone burst into shock as they looked at Ralyks. Their eyes widened in disbelief, and sharp murmurs rose from the group.


    "Kidding! I''m just kidding¡­ haha! I merely asked Conrad and Vida." Rey swiftly turned things into a joke andughed it off.


    He gulped and hoped everyone would take him at his word.


    Thankfully¡­


    "Ohhhh!"


    "Whew! For a second there, I thought¡­"


    "Well, that''s a relief."


    ¡­ They believed his words.


    ''That was a close one.'' Rey nearly held his chest and heaved a sigh of relief.


    He couldn''t break out of his persona, though, so he refrained from doing so.


    "Ahem¡­ so, back to my point." He got everyone''s attention back in no time at all.


    Then¡ª


    "Why haven''t you yet summoned and controlled something?"


    Rey asked the burning question.


    "I actually have. Maybe you should have asked Conrad and Vida for that information too." Alicia responded, folding her hands.


    For some reason, Rey felt she was being a little confrontational.


    ''Or am I the one going too far? This must be how Seraph felt like when she was challenged by Alicia¡­''


    It wasn''t a pleasant feeling at all¡ªfalling under the girl''s scrutinizing gaze.


    "Fair enough. Can you borate on what you summoned and controlled?"


    Of course, Rey knew the details already. It was during their Skill presentations.


    She used her [Divine Beast Summon] Skill and managed to temporarily summon something.


    She even brought it under hermand for a few seconds before her Mana ran out and the Summon had to be canceled.


    From that experience alone, everyone was able to learn two major things about Alicia''s ability.


    One was the fact that it drained a lot of energy.


    Second¡­ once energy ran out, it was all over. At the very least, that was what they observed.


    "I''d like you to summon a Beast and control it, right here and now."


    As Rey said this, he crossed his own arms as he stared at the defiant girl.


    "Why is that?" She responded the same asst time.


    In such a situation, he had no choice but to y his almighty card.


    "Because, with the way you are now, you''re too weak."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Just for your information, the ''Beast'' she summonedst time wasn''t an SS-Tier creature. It was just something.


    [Divine Beast Summon] means her limit is the SS-Tier category.


    Hope that makes sense.

 Chapter 248 The Beast Summon

    <h4>Chapter 248 The Beast Summon </h4>


    "Because, with the way you are now, you''re too weak."


    As Alicia heard these words, she frowned a little.


    It wasn''t because she felt somehow offended by the statement, but because she knew it was true.


    ''I know I''m not living up to my full potential.''


    But was it really her fault? She was just around Level 9, so there really wasn''t much she could really do at the moment.


    The more she grew, and the more Mana she amassed, the stronger she would be.


    Then, after getting strong enough, she would try the Summon again and obtain a Beast that she could tame and call her own.


    ''Yeah¡­ I don''t have to listen to him.'' Alicia frowned even deeper as she red at Ralyks.


    She already didn''t like the man.


    ''Maybe I''m being overly sensitive, but I can''t help but think he''s a huge asshole.''


    Looking at the way he treated everyone¡ªespecially the way he beat up Rey in the most brutal fashion¡ªmade her dislike towards him grow.


    Alicia knew that she couldn''t objectively dislike him, since none of what he did was personal.


    Still, she couldn''t help but feel that way.


    ''I might be overreacting. I also can''t let my emotions ruin the progress of everyone.''


    Alicia stole a nce at Rey and noticed he was pretty fine, so she sighed in relief.


    She caressed the ring in her finger and smiled slightly, slowly feeling her disgust towards Ralyks fade away.


    ''Maybe I''ll cooperate just this once.''


    With that, she calmed herself and responded in the nicest way that she could.


    "What do you suggest, then?"


    *******


    ''I knew it! She''s definitely mad at me!'' Rey thought to himself as he felt himself under her scrutinizing gaze.


    As someone who had seen Alicia''s nice side, it felt a bit awkward to be on this side of the equation.


    ''She also looked at the ''Rey'' projection I made, so maybe she''s angry about how I¡­ nah, let''s not even go there.''


    Right now, the important thing was that she had asked him for his way out.


    ''That''s good. We can get somewhere then.''


    The best way to go about it was simple, and it was a shame that the Royal Estate hadn''t done this with Alicia yet.


    "Enchanted Items. I''ll lend you three of my Items that should help boost your Mana Level and elevate your control over your Skills.''


    Currently, Rey''s ''Equip Limit'' remained at about thirty Items, and he had tons of Items he wasn''t utilizing.


    Every time he had a discussion with the Karinc Group, he ended up shopping for energy stuff that he fancied.


    In essence, he had a lot more Enchanted Items than he could properly use.


    There was also the pile of Enchanted Items that were supposed to be sold to the Elves. Rey had a ton of options to choose from.


    ''Now that I think of it, I might as well give everyone at least one Enchanted Item in addition to the gear that the Royal Council n on providing.''


    Enchanted Items made Leveling Up easier without increasing the EXP threshold necessary for Leveling Up.


    In essence, it served as a crutch to get stronger pretty quickly.


    "Let''s see what you can do with sufficient Mana and a proper understanding and control over your Taner ss."


    Rey was also curious; as well as curious.


    ''I want to see what she''ll manage to summon.''


    "So, what do you say? Want to give it a try?" Rey stretched a hand out to Alicia.


    She still seemed to dislike him, but he already knew Alicia''s personality well.


    ''She won''t hold the entire ss back just because of her personal inclinations.''


    Alicia wanted to help save this world and find a way to return home.


    ''I know she''ll make the best choice.''


    *********


    Alicia''s eyes were closed as she currently donned three extra Enchanted Items given by Ralyks.


    A glowing blue orb that pretty much served as a Mana Battery which she was connected to.


    A ne that improved her individual Mana amount by a certain percentage, and also a bracelet that improved Mana usage efficiency¡ªreducing cost and improving the effects of Skills.


    With these three Items sending waves of energy coursing through her body, she inhaled and exhaled deeply.


    Alicia could feel power¡ªmore power than she had ever perceived before.


    It was nearly overwhelming.


    "Huu¡­ I''m ready." Once she limated to the Mana that resonated with her, she spoke.


    All eyes were on her as she concentrated her attention on what she was about to do.


    The entire crowd held their breaths and waited.


    "[Divine Beast Summon]." She whispered.


    As she uttered those words, a System Window appeared in front of her.


    [Select Category Of Summon]


    ~Divine Tier (SS)~


    ~Absolute Tier (S)~


    ~Grand Tier (A)~


    ~Lesser Tiers (B - C)~


    [Warning: Your Grand Tamer ss can only control up to the Grand Tier. Anything beyond will be beyond your control]


    [End Of Information]


    Alicia had seen all of this before.


    She had chosen the least of the allowed Tiers back then, and she managed to Summon something for a few seconds before running out of Mana.


    But now, things were different.


    She had advanced some Levels, and she had three Mana-


    enhancing Items to aid her in her endeavor.


    Frankly speaking, she was also very excited to see the oue of the Summon.


    ''I''ll go with the highest one possible¡ªthe Grand Tier.''


    She slowly opened her eyes and saw the Magic Circle forming in front of her.


    It flowed bright and white, waiting for her to pour her Mana inside.


    And so she did.


    ~FSHUUU~


    Energy flowed from Alicia, dancing like a whirlwind as it swirled around her and the Magic Circle like a whirlwind.


    And then¡­ something began to emerge.


    The world held its breath as it weed the entity that was rising from the depths of the circle.


    Unlike ordinary Summoning Magic, which brought forth Monsters that already existed in H''Trae through the Summoning Circle, Alicia''s Skill was different.


    For one; Beasts weren''t the same as Monsters.


    They had no kind of Core, but were instead made out of Mana itself.


    Secondly, they didn''t naturally exist within H''Trae.


    They were usually summoned from another ne of reality¡ª


    somewhere different from this world.


    Finally,pared to Monsters¡­ Beasts were phenomenally stronger.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I guess it''s time for Alicia to grow stronger.


    She''s had this developmenting from the first Arc.

 Chapter 249 The New Familiar [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 249 The New Familiar [Pt 1] </h4>


    A swirling white void opened up.


    Within it emerged a radiant creature with pure white fur¡ªbrilliant like snow.


    Its two long ears perked up as it manifested, with marble-like red eyes gleaming with innocence.


    It had a small form, quadrupedal, with a cute appearance that startled everyone once they witnessed the entity that showed itself.


    It was none other than¡­


    "A rabbit?"


    "That''s a rabbit, isn''t it?"


    "An albino rabbit to be exact."


    The students looked at the creature before them and murmured their thoughts.


    The Grand Beast that just manifested in front of them resembled just any kind of albino rabbit one could find on Earth.


    If not for the tattoo-like markings on its body¡ªlined in ck¡ªit looked so ordinary.


    ''These guys¡­ they have no idea.'' Rey grinned widely as he looked at the summoned entity.


    Its cute appearance could fool everyone, but not him.


    He could clearly feel the intense energy the thing emitted.


    But, that wasn''t even all.


    ''Absolute Appraisal.''


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: (Currently Nameless)


    - Race: Tibbar (Beast)


    - ss: Grand Summon (A-Tier)


    - Level: 1 (00.00% EXP)


    - Life Force: 300


    - Mana Level: 500


    - Combat Ability: 700


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Replicate]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Rush]. [Leap]. [Bounce].


    - Alignment: Neutral


    [Additional Information]


    A Grand Beast that resembles the Rabbit on Earth, but possesses great power despite its cute appearance.


    It is quite dangerous.


    [End Of Information]


    Rey nearly dropped his jaw as looked at the absurd Status Information of the creature.


    He expected it to be strong, but not this powerful.


    ''What the fuck?!''


    This was what the entire ss was missing out on by letting Alicia''s Skill collect dust all this time!


    ''It''s a phenomenal ability! I''m definitely trying this outter!''


    If he could obtain a powerful summon, then it could prove to be his most valuable ally yet.


    ''Is there a limit to the summon you can get per time? If so, I bet she can just keep summoning them and improve our overallbat ability.'' Rey was beyond amazed.


    He was bamboozled.


    He looked around and saw that most of the students considered the rabbit cute and were even squealing at the pure white thing.


    "A! Look at the little guy."


    "Shhh! It could be a girl."


    "Either way, it''s too adorable!"


    ''That little guy can rip most of you to shreds in a single hit!'' Rey''s thoughts screamed as he fought to stayposed.


    He looked beside him and noticed Adonis staring intensely at the creature.


    Rey couldn''t help but smile and nod.


    ''At least one of them knows just how strong the Summon is.''


    He cast his gaze to Alicia, who had begun the ''Bonding'' process.


    ''You did well, Alicia.'' Her determined expression caused his heart to skip a beat.


    As she pursed her lips, breathing heavily while sweating and maintaining eye contact with the Grand Summon, he silently wished her the best.


    ''That is a fine Summon. Perfect for someone like you.''


    *******


    "Haaa¡­"


    Alicia leaked out misty breaths as she blocked off every sound that caused her to lose concentration.


    Her gaze was only on the Grand Beast, and it also looked at her with its seemingly innocent eyes.


    Alicia could sense it, though.


    This Grand Beast was anything but innocent.


    ''It''s strong! Stronger than I am by far!''


    It could probably kill everyone in their ss¡ªexcept for maybe Adonis and a few others.


    She didn''t sense any kind of malice from the rabbit-looking Beast, but she still couldn''t afford to fail in ''Bonding'' with it.


    Her Grand Tamer ss naturally had five Privileges associated with it.


    The Window that showed all of them was open right beside her, though she could not as much as nce at it at the moment.


    [ss Privileges]


    ~ 10 Starting Base Stats for all your Stat Areas


    ~ 4+ Subsequent Stat Point for every Level Up


    ~ Animal Friendly Effect can be activated (No animal, whether domestic or wild, will ever be hostile to you)


    ~ ''Bonding'' will be applied to any living creature you wish to contract with ormand. This will make them connected to you at all times, and they will be your loyal subordinate until the ''Bond'' is terminated by you.(Bonding can only be used on creatures who have a lower or equal ss with you)


    ~+100 Stat Points for Mana Level


    [End Of Information]


    It was all thanks to her ss Privileges that she couldmand such a creature despite it being much stronger than she was.


    Her Status Window by her side disyed just how strong¡ªor rather, weak¡ªshe was.


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Alicia White


    - Race: Human (Otherworlder)


    - ss: Grand Tamer (A-Tier)


    - Level: 9 (34.90% EXP)


    - Life Force: 10


    - Mana Level: 1/30 (+100) [10/300]


    - Combat Ability: 23


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Divine Beast Summon]. [Absolute Healing]. [Greater Ice Magic]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): Nil


    - Alignment: Lawful Good


    [Additional Information]


    A pet-lover who desires to return home, but can not afford to see others in a state of distress. Your Skills and ss are in perfect synergy with you.


    [End Of Information]


    The gap that she felt between herself and the rabbit was too far apart.


    It was like the distance between Heaven and Earth.


    ''He was right¡­'' Alicia heaved slowly.


    As much as she hated to admit it, Ralyks had been correct on this matter.


    ''I''m too weak. This was the right call all along¡­'' A small smile formed on her face as her lips curled upward.


    Her amber-colored eyes reflected the System Notification that now glowed in front of her.


    [Bonding Sessful]


    [Congrattions! You have acquired a Familiar, and a secure ''Bond'' has been established between the two of you.]


    [Please Name Your Familiar]


    ''I did it! I seeded!''


    The Summoning Circle surrounding the rabbit was slowly evaporating, but Alicia no longerid any mind to it.


    One of the importance of the Circle was to protect the summoner from the Beast within it, since if it wasn''t yet under control, it could rampage.


    No matter how powerful a Beast or Monster was, they could never break out of an active Summoning Circle.


    If the rabbit had negative intentions, it couldn''t perpetrate it as long as it was within the confines of the barrier.


    But now¡­ all of that was unnecessary.


    The creature was hers now.


    "Snow. I''ll call her Snow."


    [Your Familiar will be named ''Snow'']


    [You and Snow have be linked by your Bond, so you canpletely understand each other]


    [End Of Process]


    The System Panel disappeared, and almost as soon as it did, Alicia copsed to her knees in sheer exhaustion.


    "Haaa¡­ Haaa¡­"


    Several of her ssmates attempted to encircle her, but Ralyks signaled for them to stop.


    As such, they maintained their distance.


    "Huff¡­ huff¡­" Sweat dripped from Alicia''s face, and her body trembled as she felt the toll on her body.


    ''Even with the enhancements¡­ I feel so drained.''


    This wasn''t Life Force drainage, else she would have healed herself.


    It also wasn''t a decrease in stamina or any other physical area, since she could always use the White Ember to raise her physical attributes to counter the exhaustion.


    No¡­ this was about her Mana.


    ''To think that I feel this way even after using three Enchanted Items simultaneously.''


    It was no wonder she hadn''t been able to properly use this Skill before.


    ''But¡­ I did it!'' Alicia beamed, albeit tiredly.


    And the fruits of herbor, Snow, stood in front of her as a testament to that.


    ''You and I¡­ we''re in this together, okay?''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 250 The New Familiar [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 250 The New Familiar [Pt 2] </h4>


    "Congrattions, Alicia."


    Ralyks'' voice echoed throughout the devastated field as he approached, his dark cape and cloak now fluttering behind him as he walked towards her.


    She was still kneeling, the rabbit in front of her, as she looked at him.


    "This is quite an impressive summon." He added.


    The moment he got a bit closer, the rabbit turned away from Alicia and red at Ralyks.


    ''E-eh¡­?'' The girl thought to herself, wondering where all the hostility wasing from.


    "It appears you don''t like me very much, Alicia. I have to say, that''s a little hurtful¡­"


    Alicia felt bad hearing that. She realized her Familiar must have sensed her dislike for Ralyks and acted ordingly.


    "No, Snow. He''s not an enemy." She quickly patted the white fur of the cute creature, and the thing finally backed off.


    The Familiar returned its gaze to Alicia, rushing towards her bosom for something akin to an embrace.


    "Looks like it desires to be petted. Do you have experience with animals?" Ralyks asked, almost amusedly.


    Alicia smiled as she tickled the belly of the rabbit and gently stroked its head.


    "Yes. I have¡­ erm, cats back home. You may not know them, but¡­"


    Alicia thought she saw Ralyks take a few steps back and shudder for a second, but that was probably her imagination.


    "A-anyway¡­ I don''t think I''ll have a problem catering for her."


    "Her? What made you draw such a conclusion?"


    "I just know it within myself." Alicia responded, stroking the rabbit even more.


    The little guy seemed to be enjoying every moment of it, but Ralyks had to ruin the fun with a bit of unnecessary information.


    "It''s a Beast made of Mana. There''s really no Gender or Sex you can give it."


    "You think I don''t¡ªum¡­ what I meant to say is that I''m well aware of that."


    Alicia knew it would be wrong of her to be rude to her instructor, especially since he had shown a fair share of goodwill towards her.


    ''I still can''t get over what he did, but he''s not a bad person.''


    Yes, Snow had no real sex, but that didn''t mean Alicia would look at her just a thing made up of Mana.


    It was also strange for her to refer to her Familiar as they/them.


    As such, she could only think of the perfectpromise.


    Besides, Snow looked feminine enough to be girl.


    ''And she''s so soft too. Almost feels like a cat. I''ve not had a pet in this world yet. Ahh¡­ I might get addicted to this!'' She fought to make any weird face as she looked at her adorable little fighter.


    As a warmer smile formed on Alicia''s face, she looked a distance away from her.


    "Hey, Rey! You should get over here. Come check this out. She''s so soft."


    She had told Rey all about her love for cats, and the pets she had at home.


    Plus, Rey said he loved cats too.


    ''I''m sure this will remind him of them!''


    As she thought this, she noticed Billy''s sad¡ªalmost pitiful¡ªexpression, butpletely ignored it.


    She didn''t want to have anything to do with him.


    And now, with Snow by her side, he wouldn''t dare to carelessly make a move against her.


    "Come on, Rey¡­ hurry." Alicia yelled, noticing how slow the boy was moving.


    Before he could take another step, though¡ª


    "U-um¡­ that''s enough of ying around for now!"


    ¡ªRalyks suddenly interfered.


    "You now have your Familiar, so let''s move on to the next stage. You can indulge in whatever activities you wish to do after that."


    What Ralyks said made a lot of sense. Once Alicia regained the awareness that literally every single person present had eyes on her, she realized how careless she had been.


    "Maybeter, then¡­" She shot Rey an apologetic look, and he smiled and gave her a thumbs up.


    ''He must have felt a bit awkward doing this in public.''


    Her Familiar shot her a quizzical expression, but she ignored it and focused on Ralyks and his new agenda.


    "We''ll have to test out the strength of your Familiar, since I still do not have a proper grasp of its¡ªah, I meant her¡ªstrength."


    Alicia didn''t know why, but she was happy to hear Ralyks adopt the pronoun for Snow.


    "Don''t worry. I won''t be the one facing her." Ralyks added, cing both hands in his pockets.


    "I guess we can all sit back and enjoy this show."


    *******


    ''That was a close one! That was a very close call!''


    Rey found himself nearly sweating within his dark mask.


    He had almost messed up his entire arrangement thanks to the existence of Snow.


    ''[Phantom Projection] is only a B-Tier Skill. That Familiar is too strong and sensitive to notice what is real and what isn''t.''


    His recement as Rey was an illusion he had conjured up with that Skill. It worked on everyone with certain base Stats and inferior Levels topensate.


    Even Adonis, despite having an S-Tier ss, was no exception.


    ''He''s weaker in terms of detectionpared to Snow. That''s probably why he didn''t notice.''


    However, one look at the Grand Beast told Rey that he already knew his recement was an illusion.


    ''There''s a chance it would have told Alicia if the projection got too close.''


    That was why he had to quickly create this scenario.


    ''I already know how strong Snow is, but I suppose I can let everyone find out.''


    Rey had a perfect method for that.


    ''I''ve used the Grand Fire Elemental before, so why don''t we switch things up a little?''


    Rather than relying on the one with the highest offensive capabilities, he would summon the better tank.


    That was practically the best way to test the power of their new addition.


    ''And the entire thing will let me copy its Skills. A win-win!''


    With his thoughts already concluded, Rey began his summoning process.


    ''[Greater Elemental Summoning (Basic)], and [Divine Elemental Magic]''


    With the aid of [Fusion/Fission], the results were established.


    "A Grand Earth Elemental."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Who here wishes she summoned a cat instead? The thing would be OP!

 Chapter 251 Rabbit Vs Elemental [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 251 Rabbit Vs Elemental [Pt 1] </h4>


    "GHUUUU¡­"


    A colossal creature made purely of rocks stood like an unshakable monolith.


    It was at least ten meters tall, and its overall build resembled that of a buff warrior who hadpletely maxed out its defense.


    The dark earthen armor of had onplemented the lighter lines that could be seen around the joints and slight crevices within the full-body armor.


    Even the Elemental''s face was shrouded in armor, leaving only a slit for vision.


    The Grand Earth Elemental had a massive shield on one hand, and a mace on the second hand.


    Both of them appeared remarkably heavy.


    "T-the hell!"


    "That''s crazy huge!"


    "Unbelievable!"


    Many people marveled in both awe and intimidation as they witnessed the massive Titan take its first step forward.


    The ground shook, and everyone trembled.


    Even though they now stood a considerable distance from the massive thing, they could still feel the tremors it caused.


    After experiencing all of this, they couldn''t help but look in the direction of the little one who was to face the Goliath.


    The tiny rabbit¡ªAlicia''s cherished Snow.


    "Does he stand a chance, though?"


    "Isn''t Sir Ralyks being a bit¡­ unfair?"


    "Alicia might lose her Familiar at this rate. Damn!"


    As they watched the rabbit also approach the opponent that looked infinitely bigger and stronger than it.


    Right now, a massive dome covered therge area that would serve as their battleground, courtesy of one of Ralyks'' Skills.


    The Otherworlders all sat as they waited for the match to start with growing anxiety.


    They had just met this rabbit minutes ago, but not everyone wanted to see it get squashed so easily.


    Alicia looked especially focused on her Familiar, though the expression on her face wasn''t that of fear or nervousness.


    ¡­ It was excitement!


    Rey sat beside her, and they both watched the match as Ralyks stood close to the barrier in order to coordinate the whole thing.


    "Now then¡­"


    As Ralyks said this, both the Earth Elemental and the cute Familiar were now about one or two meters from each other.


    They stared at each other, with the rabbit straining to look up, while the noble earthen warrior found it simrly difficult to gaze so low.


    Still, they both acknowledged the other with a nod.


    "¡­ Let the match begin!"


    ~VWOOOOSH!~


    The first to move was the mace of the Grand Earth Elemental.


    It descended with a mighty roar, causing the winds around it to cry. With a heavy pressure, the colossal weapon neared the white rabbit.


    In the eyes of many¡ªif they could even see the attack¡ªit would hit the smaller creature in no time.


    However¡­


    ~BOOOOOOOOMMMM!!!~


    The macended on the earth, causing tons of debris to scatter all around the arena.


    However, the rabbit wasn''t among any of the debris, nor was it crushed by the overwhelming force of its opponent.


    No¡­ what happened was quite simple.


    "Kwii¡­" A squeak of the rabbit echoed from behind the Grand Earth Elemental.


    It stood there, with two of its limbs on the ground, and its forelimbs raised a little higher.


    For a moment, there was silence.


    Then¡ª


    "W-what just happened?"


    "I couldn''t see a thing!"


    "Did any of you notice what just happened?"


    "No! I just saw blurs."


    "You saw blurs? I just blinked and this is what happened? How?"


    No one could properly exin the phenomenon.


    Even Adonis squinted his eyes and focused his attention just so he could follow the fight.


    And even he had only seen the blurry movement of the rabbit.


    "It¡­ moved so fast that it was almost like teleportation¡­" Adonis whispered as he stroked his chin.


    It was a straightforward move¡ªnothing too special.


    Yet, the Hero couldn''t help but smile.


    "Amazing¡­"


    While many gawked at the sight, Alicia was stunned by her Familiar''s speed as well.


    She never expected to be unable to follow at all.


    This series of amazement was merely the start, though. Many more shocking revtions were yet toe.


    ~BOOOOOOMMM!~


    Another echo of destruction reverberated in the air, and the Otherworlders realized that the area where the rabbit had stood was once again destroyed.


    The question was¡­ where did the bunny go?


    Fortunately, this time no one needed to ask that question for too long.


    It was standing directly on top of the mace,pletely unscathed by the attack that was meant to crush it.


    The Grand Earth Elemental noticed this and tried to take action by smashing the mace''s surface to the ground.


    However, before he could do anything, the rabbit sped away from its previous position and rushed towards the armored Goliath.


    It sent one of its legs forward for a powerful kick, but the Elemental reacted faster and used its shield to block the assault.


    The shockwaves caused by the impact of the tiny rabbit hitting the massive shield caused the air around to vibrate.


    Once again, amazement filled the air.


    Even though the Otherworlders could barely see what was going on with their eyes, the snippets they caught with their naked eyes¡ªand the very fact that they couldn''t see most of the fight¡ªtold them of how amazing the conflict was.


    At this point, no one referred to the white rabbit as "little guy", or "tiny thing¡­ or even "cute bunny."


    No¡­ they were way past that now.


    Everyone referred to Snow by her name, and the image they had of her was nowpletely different from just earlier.


    "She''s so fast¡­"


    "Strong too! Didn''t you feel that impact?"


    "C-crazy!"


    This white rabbit was beyond decent in its abilities.


    It was strong!


    Still, they had gotten excited too early.


    After all, this was just a warm-up¡ªsome kind of greeting between both parties.


    There were yet to be Skills involved.


    However, that was soon going to change with the Grand Earth Elemental taking its battle stance and Snow also changing posture.


    She took a sprinting position, and both targets stared at each other from their distance.


    Tension was palpable in the air.


    Then¡ª


    ~BOOOOOOMMMM!~


    ~WHOOSH!~


    Destruction trailed behind the Elemental as only a cloud of smoke and a trail of wind followed Snow with her sheer speed.


    They closed the distance between each other in one move, signaling the true dawn of their sh.


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Who do you think will win between the two?

 Chapter 252 Rabbit Vs Elemental [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 252 Rabbit Vs Elemental [Pt 2] </h4>


    ~BZZTZZ!~


    White lightning sparked from the Snow as she got closer to her target.


    Her crimson eyes glowed even brighter as she neared the colossal opponent that cast a dark shadow over her.


    The ck markings on her body glowed pure red¡ªas bright as her eyes¡ªand all the hair that made up her fur stood upright.


    It was the signal of a Skill.


    [Rush]!


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    Her speed nearly tripled as she became a blur, even by speedster standards, leaving only a trail of red lightning.


    The energy condensed in her small body exploded to create a burst of kic energy that seemed impossible given her mass.


    Then¡ª


    The shield neared her as she thrust her leg forward to hit her target.


    ¡ªShe made impact.


    ~BOOOOOM!~


    The shockwaves that echoed throughout the area was far greater than the one earlier.


    And the results were different as well.


    The shield shattered from the point of impact, sending the earthen rubble flying to several points in the massive battlefield.


    If not for the dome that contained the fight, there was no doubt that the earthen chunks would have flown to several areas across the entirepound.


    However, despite this jaw-dropping feat, Snow was not done with her actions.


    She flipped in the air, taking care of the recoil caused by such extensive damage, and her body emitted great steam as she released an incredible amount of energy.


    As she recovered in midair, the Elemental''s mace was already nearing her fragile-looking body.


    It had gotten too close forfort, and so, dodging at such a distance seemed highly imusible.


    But¡­ this was a Grand Beast.


    Snow activated her next Skill, [Bounce], which practically allowed her to be a cannonball¡ªeven in midair¡ªand shoot to multiple locations at once.


    ~WHOOOOM!~


    Her body became an epic blur as the markings on her body turned purple and sparks of purple electricity coated her white fur.


    She ricocheted through the air and towards the dark and dreary helmet of her opponent.


    ~BAM!~


    Her body made impact, and she instantly ricocheted to the next target, almost as if she wasnding on a trampoline.


    From the helmet, her white bodynded on the earthen arm of the opponent, and then towards the chest, and then¡­ the mace.


    Snow''s eleration increased exponentially, and the purple bursts of power rose to an impable degree.


    Then¡­ IMPACT!


    ~BOOOM!~


    The earthen mace shattered instantly as she broke through it, finding her footing on the floor not long after.


    All of this barelysted seconds, and the Grand Earth Elemental had been too confused by so many actions to act appropriately.


    In the end, it lost its shield and mace¡ªits only two weapons¡ªwhile also having cracks on the armor it wore.


    Snow exhaled, misting out of her mouth, as she still kept her gaze on the opponent she had to defeat.


    That was when she noticed something peculiar.


    The Elemental''s damaged armor restored itself in no time, and just by stretching out its hands, a new shield and mace appeared.


    It appeared as though Snow had done nothing at all.


    She narrowed her gaze as she looked at the haughty gaze of the earthen creature before her.


    Of course, Elementals weren''t truly alive, but it honestly seemed like the thing was mocking her.


    Snow couldn''t have that.


    ~VWUUUUUMMMM!~


    Like an engine roaring to life, Snow began to release her stockpile of Mana, causing the air around her to vibrate due to the pressure.


    None of this affected the Elemental, though, as it readied itself for another round.


    As long as it could keep regenerating, despite being damaged, there was no way it could lose.


    Snow also had to hit it very hard for any serious damage to be done.


    Thus, a conundrum was born.


    Snow was faster than her opponent, and she could definitely damage the target without much issue.


    However, no matter what damage she did, it would heal nearly instantly.


    The only way to win seemed apparent: the Elemental had to be destroyed in one shot.


    But, could Snow¡ªwith all the amazing feats she had disyed so far¡ªmanage such a thing?


    Well¡­


    [Leap]!


    ¡­ Everyone was about to find out.


    This time, blue energy swirled around her in the form of violent electricity.


    She jumped from her position just as the mace hit the ground, sending her flying upward, like a rocket ther could not be stopped.


    In one swift move, she broke through the helmet of the Elemental and shattered the whole of its earthen head.


    If this was a human being¡ªor even a massive monster¡ªthey would already be toast.


    But, Elementals weren''t living beings


    A head was merely an essory that could be reced through regeneration.


    As Snow floated above the Earth Elemental, she could already see the massive stone being recovering from the extensive damage.


    If no care was taken, her efforts would be in vain.


    ~BZZZZTTZZZZ¡­~


    As the sparks around her body became purple, Snow activated her Exclusive Skill.


    [Replicate]


    In an instant, the single white rabbit became two.


    Then four.


    Then eight.


    Then¡­ finally¡­ she became ten.


    ~WHUUSH!~


    Purple sparks and blurs descended from above in ricochets, as Snow¡ªor rather, the ten Snows¡ªbounced on and off the colossal body of her enemy.


    Their rapid-fire movements and destructive dances were too much for the Grand Earth Elemental.


    Chunks of its massive form began to shatter apart before it could even realize what was going on.


    Its shield broke, its mace was destroyed, its armor was obliterated, and finally¡­ its earthen flesh was riddled with multiple holes as streaks of purple burst out of them.


    Until finally¡­


    ~BOOOM!~


    ¡­ It waspletely annihted.


    The rubble descended upon the ground, and Snow walked away from the cloud of smoke as the triumphant one.


    No one could really tell if a rabbit was smiling or not, but the look on the Familiar''s face made it certain.


    The little rabbits¡ªall now converging back to one¡ªwere grinning widely as they exited the powerful dome.


    "Kwii¡­"


    All the spectators could see her skills for themselves.


    Snow was the real deal.


    *


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    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 253 End Of The Exchange

    <h4>Chapter 253 End Of The Exchange </h4>


    "Today was just a prelude. For the rest of the few days of your training, I''ll be pushing you all to the limit, so get ready."


    Ralyks stood in front of all the Otherworlders, addressing them in his strict, yet calm and understanding tone.


    "Is all that understood?"


    "YEAH!" The Otherworlders eximed with pure energy.


    It seemed like seeing a rabbit disy more power than they could ever dream of mustering had awakened something within them.


    They wanted to try more.


    "I''ll be leaving you all for today. Make sure you rest well on preparations for tomorrow." Ralyks added, his gaze flowing to one person in particr.


    "Also, Rey Skr¡­ I''ll need to do something about your current pathetic state. You''reing with me right now."


    The moment he said this, three people disyed the most shock.


    Alicia, Adonis, and Rey himself.


    "R-right now?" Rey responded with a bit of uncertainty in his tone.


    "Yes. Don''t worry, it''s for your own benefit. I also have permission from the Royal Council, so there''s nothing wrong here."


    Ralyks had been granted so much authority over them that it wouldn''t be strange if he chose to take all of them to the Royal Dungeon at that very moment.


    Fortunately for them, he was a very reasonable man.


    "The choice is yours, though. I don''t force people to grow strong. If you wish to remain the weakling that you are, then that''s also fine."


    Once Rey heard this, his countenance changed from uncertainty to resolve.


    The change was a little too swift and unnatural, but those who looked at him could understand the cause of his expression.


    Compared to every other Otherworlder that chose to remain in the Royal Estate, Rey was too weak.


    It was probably for the best for both them and Rey that Ralyks had personal training sessions with him. At the very least, so he could keep up.


    "I''ll do it! I''lle with you!" Rey said, his fist clenched as he raised it in determination.


    Ralyks hooded his head and turned to the rest of his wards.


    "You all did well today. But, as long as you can do better, then there''s no need to settle for less."


    Everyone nodded in agreement.


    "Good. Looks like we have an agreement. Let''s go, Rey!"


    Rey stepped forward and was about to leave with the Dark Adventurer when Alicia reached out to him and nearly touched him, but he managed to evade her grip at thest minute.


    "At least pet Snow before you go."


    As soon as she said this, Snow shot her another quizzical look and looked at Rey with narrowed eyes.


    Ray''s expression was unexinable, but it seemed to border on the realm of nervousness and indecisiveness. Before he could make the choice, though, he vanished from his position.


    In a split second, he was right beside Ralyks.


    "He''ll do so when he returns." With those words remaining in the air, a portal opened behind the two of them.


    They were swallowed by the spatial distortion, taken to a ce no one knew.


    For a moment, there was silence.


    Alicia''s face appeared downcast, almost as if she could sense something was wrong.


    ''Did he do it on purpose? Is he¡­ avoiding me?''


    Rey didn''t really seem scared of the rabbit, so it had to be her that he was running away from.


    He even avoided her touch.


    ''Is it because I kept what happened with the kidnapping a secret? I¡­ I just¡­''


    She couldn''t properly think about the whole thing, and the more she suspected Rey of drifting away from her because of that reason, the more her heart ached.


    ''Maybe¡­''


    Before she couldplete her thoughts, though, someone appeared right in front of her.


    "Alicia, mind if I pet Snow?"


    It was Adonis, with his charming smile and genuine interest in the Familiar she cradled close to her chest.


    "O-oh¡­? Really?" She appeared a little hesitant, though her friendly smile remained.


    "Yeah! It''s really amazing how cute and adorable she looks, yet she could most likely beat me in a fight."


    "Come on, Adonis. You''re kidding. I don''t think Snow could take on someone as strong as you."


    The moment Alicia said this, Snow¡ªwho had kept her eyes closed¡ªshot Adonis apetitive re.


    "Haha¡­ stop." He quickly raised his hand in surrender. "I''m actually¡­ not that strong."


    There was a tinge of sadness in his tone¡ªone that Alicia could rte to.


    It caused her to smile sweetly and hold one of Adonis'' raised hands.


    She guided it to her rabbit''s soft fur.


    "Sure. You can pet her." She gave a genuine toothy grin.


    To Alicia, her pets were sacred.


    She hardly allowed strangers anywhere near them, talkless of touching them.


    Conversely, if she had someone she considered a true and close friend, she wouldn''t hesitate to let them touch her pets.


    In fact, she would prompt them to do so.


    ''I wanted Rey to be the first, but¡­'' As Alicia looked at how Adonis stared very excitedly at Snow, she couldn''t help but smile.


    He was doing it right, and Snow also seemed to be enjoying herself.


    It made her d.


    ''I''m not very close to him¡ªnot like before¡ªbut it seems he still has a soft spot for animals.''


    Adonis was very kind. That was what made her fall for him back on Earth.


    Things were a lot different now, but she was happy that he hadn''t grown haughty due to him being a Hero.


    ''I initially misinterpreted his intentions, but he really is a good guy, huh?'' She nearlyughed at herself.


    "About Rey¡­ please try to understand him."


    Adonis'' abrupt words caught Alicia off-guard, and she found him looking at her with his bright golden eyes.


    "He desires to be strong. He probably feels even more of that now that you have Snow and everyone seems to be getting stronger at a rapid rate."


    Adonis patted the rabbit''s head and ceased his action.


    "I know you care about him and want to protect him very much, and he probably also feels the same about you."


    Alicia didn''t realize she had made her intentions or emotions so obvious.


    Perhaps Adonis was just very good at reading her.


    Thankfully, his tone was low, so none of the surrounding students heard anything.


    They were all talking with one another, but it was clear that they were waiting for their turn to pet the new member of the group.


    "He''s weak right now. I can rte to how frustrated he must be feeling right now¡­ wanting to be better."


    Alicia wasn''t sure about Adonis being able to rte to Rey, but she said nothing and continued to listen.


    "The best thing we can do right now is grow strong¡ªall of us in our own way. We should also encourage others to do the same."


    He slightly used his fist to hit Alicia''s shoulder in a casual, friendly manner.


    Typical Adonis behavior.


    "So, yeah. No need to overthink it. We all have work to do."


    Once he was done speaking, he stroked Snow a little more before walking away.


    "Later then."


    "W-wait!" Alicia yelled out, before realizing how loud her voice was.


    She awkwardly looked around and found her ssmates looking at her¡ªbut quickly turning away.


    It was so embarrassing.


    She continued with what she wanted to say, though.


    "Thank you, Adonis."


    Despite her cheeks red and flushed with embarrassment, she uttered the words anyway.


    "No problem." He waved, walking away as he did so.


    Alicia felt a slight relief in her heart as a result of her conversation with him.


    ''I feel much better now.''


    Right as Alicia had this thought, she could already see the rest of her ssmates close in on her due to Snow''s overwhelming cuteness.


    Billy inconspicuously walked away, but everyone else was subtly¡ªbut also not so subtly¡ªhinting at their intentions.


    However, Alicia wasn''t going to have any of that.


    Not with these people.


    "Oh? What''s that, Snow? You want to see my room right now? Let''s go, then!"


    Hence, Alicia was able to escape the mob of Otherworlders and safely keep Snow away from the clutches of her ssmates.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Hope you enjoyed the chapter.


    Stockpiling all those chapters for a mass release was really tough, but I''m d I pulled through.


    I really appreciate all your support!

 Chapter 254 Meeting Esme Again

    <h4>Chapter 254 Meeting Esme Again </h4>


    ''I hope Alicia didn''t take it the wrong way.''


    As Rey teleported to the official Karinc Premises on the surface, he had that thought swirling in his mind.


    ''I just can''t afford for her to find out¡­''


    Rey pondered on why he just couldn''t tell her about his identity as Ralyks, but he reckoned it was the same reason why she didn''t tell him about the entire thing with Billy.


    ''It''ll lead to a whole spectrum of conversations.''


    Rey would have to reveal some of his involvements, by consequence, and she might not approve.


    The truth was¡­ he was telling too many lies.


    ''It''s a risk. I just¡­ don''t want her to see me any other way¡­''


    Rey entered the reception area of the building and was greeted by a pretty woman who recognized him well.


    He was donning his Ralyks costume, after all.


    "Sir Aldred and Lord nc aren''t present at the moment." Thedy said with an official smile.


    Whether it was on the surface or in the ck Market, Ralyks would always be treated with utmost respect.


    As a result, even thedy before him was trembling as she spoke.


    "Where are they?" Rey''s deep voice went forth as he tried not to look at thedy too much so as not to make her too ufortable.


    "They''re in the ck Market sorting through a few things. They told me to make you veryfortable and entreated that you wait for them¡­ if that pleases you, of course."


    Rey slowly nodded as he crossed his arms and sighed.


    ''Seems there''s a lot to be done. I guess that''s understandable¡­''


    He found it to be a waste of time to simply wait around for them to arrive. Hence, he found another way to while away time.


    "Where is the residence of my¡­ partner here?" Rey found it difficult to utter the words, but he did so anyway.


    "Partner, Sir Ralyks?"


    "Yes. The very beautifuldy that is affiliated with me."


    Rey couldn''t call her "Esme" or "Half-Elf" since no one here properly knew of her identity.


    ''Come to think of it¡­ I don''t think she knows that I know.'' Rey stroked his chin a little.


    ''[Absolute Appraisal] allows you to see the surface-level Stats of your target, but since my own Appraisal Skill is under [Doppel], she probably doesn''t know I have ess to her Status Window.''


    In essence, Esme probably didn''t know that he knew her name or identity.


    ''Should I change that?''


    "A-ah! Yes, she is in her quarters in this building. The Lord thought it would be safer and better to move her to the surface."


    ''Yeah. Rebal already told me¡­'' Rey shrugged.


    He wanted to see her, so he jumped to his feet and looked at the woman who stood beside him.


    "Take me to her quarters."


    It would be unfair if she had to constantly dress up to meet him. He just wanted to have a brief conversation with her and see how she was doing.


    ''Just a casual discussion, I guess¡­''


    *******


    It only took a few moments, but Rey now found himself in front of the girl''s door.


    The hallway was luxurious, as expected of the Karinc Group, and the entrance before him was painted white, contrasted with obsidian ck and blue designs all around.


    He was here, at longst.


    ''Ahh¡­''


    It was at this moment that he remembered one very crucial information.


    ''¡­ I''ve never entered a girl''s room before.''


    This was the first time he would be doing such a thing. He felt nervous as hell, but thankfully, that didn''t stop him from drawing his hand close to the door to knock.


    ''What am I doing? It''s not toote to turn back now.''


    Rey didn''t know why he was feeling so awkward all of a sudden.


    ''Esme is a cool person¡­ right? I saved her life, and it doesn''t seem like she has some sort of snobbish personality.''


    In fact, remembering thest time they spoke, she was pretty open with him.


    ''There''s no need to be anxious.''


    The moment he thought like this, all the tremors within his body vanished.


    It felt like Magic.


    ''I suppose [Dead Calm] had something to do with it. Once I''ve decided on something, it helps numb the detrimental emotions associated with it.''


    Once his thoughts settled, he took in a deep breath and proceeded to knock on the do¡ª


    ~CREAK~


    ¡ªor.


    Rey''s hand was already in motion, so despite the door opening on its own, he had already begun to move his wrist.


    The result of that was disastrous.


    "O¡­"


    He ended up knocking Esme''s forehead.


    ''A-ahh!'' Rey instantly took a few steps back as soon as he noticed what he did.


    His widened crimson eyes noticed Esme rubbing her pale forehead as she looked at him with one of her cool blue eyes.


    The second was closed, probably due to her wincing in pain.


    ''I think it has reddened a little.'' Rey''s thoughts echoed inside him, and all theportment he thought he had built up ended up vanishing.


    At this point, he remembered that [Dead Calm] wasn''t active at all since he chose not to keep it on during his activities in the ck Market¡ªor such rted matters.


    He had no emotional crutch for such a situation.


    "S-sorry¡­" He managed to mutter, his gaze totally captured by her once again.


    She had a pure white shirt¡ªone that looked casual. It was oversized, exposing a great deal of her shoulders while also reaching the very end of the shorts she wore.


    ''About that¡­''


    Rey looked at her shorts, and they were very low. They barely neared her knees, so a lot of her pale skin was disyed in front of him.


    She was also barefoot, and her pretty little toes felt strangely alluring.


    ''What am I even thinking? Why am I looking down there?'' Rey quickly raised his head and saw Esme''s face.


    She was smiling at him.


    ''Did she notice anything?!'' He wondered, once again d that he had his mask on.


    "It''s fine. This much is nothing." Her voice was clear and calm, and her calm smile told him that.


    ''This much¡­? Ohhh! She''s talking about her forehead!''


    Rey looked at the spot he identally knocked, and the redness had vanished.


    He heaved a sigh of relief instantly.


    "Ufu¡­ you''re quite honest, aren''t you?" She chuckled, her delicate fingers slightly covering her mouth.


    ''Well, damn.''


    Rey somehow felt frustrated in front of Esme.


    ''She pretty much knows who I am, and it seems like she can pretty much see through me.''


    In that way, at the very least, she was in the opposite position of Alicia.


    "You shoulde in." Esme smiled invitingly, opening the door even more as she walked into her room.


    Rey stood at the entrance for a few more seconds, preparing himself for the experience.


    ''My first time. This is my first time.''


    He had wanted it to be with Alicia, but it couldn''t be helped this time.


    ''Let''s go!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 255 The Girl’s Room

    <h4>Chapter 255 The Girl¡¯s Room </h4>


    ''Smells nice¡­''


    That was the first thought Rey had when he entered the room.


    Esme''s room¡ªor perhaps all girl rooms¡ªhad a certain ambiance that his room could neverpare to; no matter how tidy he was.


    He began to feel embarrassed for all the times Alicia stayed in his room.


    ''Did it smell inside? Was it too untidy?'' Rey was panicking within.


    Thankfully, the scent of flowers, and the rxing atmosphere around him, caused his anxiety to mellow out a little.


    Her room was pure white, withyers of blue and bright velvet sttered about.


    The carpet was blue, with white strewn all around, and the painting consisted mostly of white, with velvet curtains, alongside murals that were both colors.


    Rey could go on and on, but the sight around him was fascinating.


    ''Is it because this is the Karinc Group, or because she''s a girl?''


    Rey knew the most logical position to have was the former, but his bias tempted him to pick thetter option.


    "Over here, Rey." Once again, as she called him by his name, he felt a little stirring within him.


    Rey always put himself in the "Ralyks" zone whening to these parts, so it was always strange for her to disrupt the flow.


    He turned in the direction that she called him to, and lo and behold¡­ it was her bed.


    "Sit." She patted the space beside her as she sat on the big and luxurious bed.


    ''Ahh¡­'' Rey didn''t know how to describe the bed.


    It wasrge and luxurious, sure, but it also had those curtains or veils that he often saw in dramas back on Earth.


    They were capable of covering the three exposed sides of the bed with ultra-thin linen that allowed only the shadow of the one sleeping to be seen.


    ''I sense Mana from them, so it''s Enchanted.'' Rey realized it was probably a defensive measure taken by the Karinc Group to protect Esme in her sleep.


    Plus, since the curtains were all drawn to one side, Rey could clearly see Esme and sit beside herfortably.


    He walked towards her bed, feeling the lovely aroma of the room get even stronger as he approached.


    "You really should call me Ralyks. That''s what everyone calls me here." Rey muttered as he sat where she told him to.


    "Really? Why?"


    "Because I''m hiding my real name from them." He responded, almost as if stating the obvious.


    "No, I mean¡­ why should I call you that? We''re all alone now, right?"


    As she emphasized that fact, Rey felt something hot on both sides of his cheeks.


    He ignored the sensation, though.


    "Yeah, but¡­"


    "I don''t speak when you''re not around. And the only reason I''m talking is because you assured me that no one would be listening in to our conversation. I believed your words, so were you lying to me?"


    "No! No! I wasn''t lying!" Rey swiftly raised both hands and waved them.


    He was caught under Esme''s scrutinizing gaze, and before he knew it, hepletely broke out of his ''Ralyks'' character.


    He just couldn''t maintain that identity with Esme. She knew too much.


    Ultimately, he was always going to be Rey.


    "Then it''s fine, don''t you think?"


    "H-huh?"


    "It''s fine for me to call you Rey. You can call me Esme too, so it''s fair."


    Rey didn''t know what to tell the girl in front of him. There were many reasons he wanted to keep his identity a secret and keep pretending to be a badass Dark Adventurer.


    But he couldn''t think of any that applied to her.


    After several moments of silence¡ªwhen he couldn''t take the tension and awkwardness any longer¡ªRey copsed on her bed and gave a heavy sigh.


    "Fine! Whatever! I guess we''ll just address each other normally then." He yelled out.


    He couldn''t believe what he was doing¡­


    "Whoah! This bed is unbelievably soft!"


    Why was he showing such an uncool side of himself to this girl?


    "Smells nice too!"


    It almost felt like he didn''t care any longer.


    Why?!


    "Ufufufu¡­" Her giggles reached his ears, and he saw her smiling so pleasantly at him as he said those things.


    Somehow, he didn''t feel embarrassed.


    Rather, it felt liberating¡ªlike she was encouraging him to be more like himself.


    His true self.


    "It feels better, doesn''t it? Being honest with someone and speaking your mind." As her soft voice radiated throughout the room, Rey couldn''t help but agree.


    She fell on her bed too, her two hands on her stomach as she looked at the ceiling of the bed.


    "I wish more people were like this, you know?"


    As Rey, who was right beside her, looked at her warm smile, he found himself smiling as well.


    ''She''s really honest, huh?''


    After a few seconds of silence, with both of them just enjoying each other''s presence, Esme broke the silence again.


    "You know I''m a Half-Elf, right?"


    A momentter, Rey responded.


    "Yeah." He noticed her smile deepened as he said this. "How did you know?"


    "Who knows? I just made a guess."


    Rey jumped back to his seated posture and protested instantly.


    "No way! So you just guessed that?"


    As soon as he said this, Esme giggled some more. It felt like, despite the mask, she could see his expression quite well.


    "I mean, you didn''t react to me telling you my name, so I figured you already knew about it. And if you know my name, there''s a good chance you also know my Race."


    An "Ohhhh" leaked out of Rey the moment she analyzed the reason behind her guess.


    "I was going to tell you anyway, so it doesn''t really matter. I''ve never met an Elf before, so it hasn''t been an essential part of my life before."


    The only way her Elven identity affected her was in rtion to Stats.


    A slightly sad smile yed on her face at that moment.


    "Sometimes¡­ I want to see one. An Elf. Maybe it''s just wishful thinking, but¡­ I don''t know."


    Every word that flowed out of her lips were genuine, and her eyes, previously distracted by the ceiling above, finally settled on Rey.


    She looked at him with her honest blue eyes, as if boring deep into his soul.


    "What about you? Do you desire something that you think is wishful thinking?"


    When Rey was asked this question, he didn''t know why the first thing¡ªor rather, person¡ªhe thought of was Alicia.


    He wanted to show her his strength. He didn''t want to seem pathetic before her. He also wanted her to like and respect him.


    But¡­


    ''I don''t want to take that chance.''


    With Esme, he really had nothing to lose by acting in his ''Rey'' persona.


    But for Alicia¡­


    ''I''ve killed over a hundred people already. I''ve dealt with people who have employed ves¡ªthe same thing she was nearly a victim of.''


    And the worst part was¡­ Rey didn''t think he was going to stop.


    Of course, Rey didn''t think he would ever stoop to the very low level of the criminals he associated with or eliminated.


    Still¡­ he couldn''t help but worry about her perspective.


    ''I guess¡­ I''m scared.''


    That was the honest truth.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Even I am disappointed in the MC at this point; for his behavior around Esme.


    He''s supposed to be edgy at all times.

 Chapter 256 An Engaging Conversation

    <h4>Chapter 256 An Engaging Conversation </h4>


    "It''s fine if you don''t want to talk about it."


    Esme''s voice woke Rey up from his drawn-out thoughts.


    He turned behind and saw her slowly rising to a seated position too, a friendly smile written on her face as she rose.


    "A-ah, it''s¡ª!"


    "I understand. It''s about a girl, right?"


    "W-what? How can you be so sure!" As soon as Rey said this, and also saw Esme''s smile widen, he realized the ugly truth.


    ''I''ve been tricked! Damnit!''


    It was toote to realize it at that point, though. He had been careless, and now the price had to be paid.


    "I just made a guess. But it seems like I was spot-on."


    Rey wanted to ask Esme for the reason behind her guess this time, but before he could say anything, she told him.


    "That man¡­ Asher¡­ he referred to you and I as a couple thest time."


    Rey remembered how he noticed Esme''s face twitching back when it was mentioned.


    She didn''t say anything after then, but since she was mentioning it now, Rey knew he had to vindicate himself.


    "I told him we weren''t a couple. No, it wasn''t even that! It was¡ª!"


    "This isn''t meant for me, is it? It''s meant for the girl you''re thinking of." Esme brought out a ne from her pocket.


    There was a ring at the center of the silver-like chain.


    It was the White Ember¡ªor, something simr.


    The ring this time still had a frosty white surface, but the gem at the center peered more aqua than ember.


    It was a glowing blue gem.


    "They designed something a little different for me. It matches my eyes, don''t you think?"


    "Y-yeah¡­" Rey managed to say.


    The ne, as well as the ring attached to it, looked exquisite.


    "If you don''t mind, could you help me put it on?"


    She handed the ne to him and packed her long ck hair to the side.


    ''Is she even giving me a choice in the matter?'' Rey wondered as he stole a good look at her delicate, pale neck.


    Esme was really pretty, and her skin had a major role to y in that.


    Before Rey realized it, he was helping her to put on the ne. As he did so, his fingers brushed past her skin a few times.


    ''So soft¡­'' He thought to himself as he did so.


    It was no wonder her forehead had a pink shade despite his knock being very mellow.


    ''I guess she''s very delicate.'' He found himselfughing internally until he was done.


    Once he was done, she iled her hair back into ce, using her fingers to push aside any stray hair that would block the ne from being seen?


    "So? How do I look?"


    She was right beside him¡ªa dozen inches apart maybe¡ªand her surprisingly stoic face as she asked the question made his heart nearly skip a beat.


    "It looks good on you. Truly."


    A small smile formed on her face and she nodded slowly.


    "Is that so? Thanks. Even though you didn''t mean for something like this to be made for me, I still appreciate the gesture."


    ''She knows about that too?!'' Rey wanted to pull his hair out with the way the girl pulled at his heartstrings.


    This time, though, he said nothing to confirm her suspicions.


    Esme noticed this and giggled a little.


    "Don''t be so wary. This isn''t a gusss. I know the White Ember was meant for someone else. But since this isn''t that, I think I''ll be a bit greedy and have it."


    Once again, she was very blunt.


    "Is that fine by you?" She cocked her head to the side and asked.


    At that point, Rey knew he was only presented with two words as a response.


    "Yes" and "Yes."


    He struggled in his mind toe up with a third option, until he finally did.


    It took all he had, but Rey figured out the perfect response to give.


    "I guess so."


    "Pffft! What''s that response?" Esme nearly snickered as she covered her mouth andughed out loud.


    It was only until he heard herugh at him that he realized the honest truth.


    ''I should have just gone with one of the two options I had.''


    *********


    Quite a bit of time passed, and Rey found himself slowly getting morefortable around Esme.


    The butterflies in his stomach disappeared, and he found himself enjoying herpany so naturally.


    It felt amazing!


    As people, they couldn''t be any different, yet they got along so well.


    ''It''s like with Alicia all over again. No¡­ Alicia and I had books and a bunch of other things inmon.''


    However, with Esme, everything was so strange and new.


    Yet, that was what made things so much fun.


    However, all good things eventually end, and so Rey had to steer the conversation into serious territory.


    "I''m working on something right now. If it all works out, you could meet some Elves. Maybe even get to know more about your origins."


    The moment Rey said this, he saw Esme beam.


    "Really?"


    "Yup!" He nodded with a reassuring smile¡ªnot that she could see it behind his mask.


    He wasn''t making empty assertions too.


    Now that he had sessfully taken all the goods from the warehouse, they could continue their sale with the Elves.


    ''I just have to get rid of all the opposition first.''


    "It''s possible you could meet your real family and¡ª"


    "No, Rey. My real family remains with the Orphanage. With the Elves, it''s nothing more than curiosity¡­ I think."


    Once Rey heard this, his expression darkened a little.


    ''I guess it won''t be as simple as I thought. To help her, I''ll have to find her Orphanage friends.''


    Now that Scy was the only yer in the ck Market, it was possible that they were already sold off into very.


    Perhaps even¡­


    ''No! Let''s not think like that!'' Rey swallowed his saliva and looked at Esme''s resolute expression.


    "Yeah, you''re right." He nodded.


    ''For her sake¡­ I can''t consider THAT as a possibility.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I really want to know your thoughts on these two. Do you find Esme''s character annoying?


    Or is the dynamic between the two of them strange?

 Chapter 257 Reaching An Agreement

    <h4>Chapter 257 Reaching An Agreement </h4>


    "Is there any progress with finding any member of my Orphanage?"


    Rey shook his head at the question.


    To be honest, he hadn''t even gotten to that issue yet. The Criminal Underworld was vast, and there were a lot of things to settle first.


    If he didn''t, things could spiral out of control.


    "I figured." She heaved a sigh.


    It wasn''t one of disappointment or frustration, but more like her reaction anytime she got something off her chest.


    "Thanks for all of this, Rey. I appreciate it greatly."


    He shrugged, smiling under his mask.


    In the past, he only really bothered because it was an imperative given by the System. But, at the moment, his disposition had changed a little.


    ''I genuinely want to help her.''


    "I''ll keep searching, don''t worry." He gave her an exaggerated thumbs-up, which made her giggle a little more.


    He still couldn''t believe that the same girl he thought was an emotionless doll could disy such emotions.


    ''I wonder what face she makes to Asher and the staff at Karinc.'' Rey found himself thinking amusedly.


    He quickly shook off the distracting thoughts and returned his attention to the serious present.


    "Is there anything I can do to help, though?"


    ''Hm? Where''s thising from?'' Rey wondered as he stared at Esme upon hearing her abrupt question.


    "I don''t want to keep on being a liability. Besides¡­ things are pretty boring and uneventful here."


    Esme exined how she never really did anything but stay in her room all day.


    She was also lonely and tired of having to stay quiet. Plus, her unease was building up every time she had to be with the ''bad people.''


    There was also the fact that she felt anxious about her friends and family, yet she wasn''t actively doing anything for them.


    "I know it''s selfish, but I really want to help in the search."


    Ray instantly raised his hand and shook his head in disapproval.


    "It''s better you stay out of this. The current situation is very dangerous. It''s too¡­ gory and unfit for you."


    Rey didn''t want Esme to see him killing people, or experience bloodshed with her eyes.


    She looked too pure to be sullied.


    "You don''t have to worry about me, Rey. I have seen my fair share of brutality."


    Rey was still not convinced.


    ''She probably feels like a burden and is trying to be tough about the whole thing.''


    "Have you ever watched someone''s four limbs dismembered as they''re raped in front of you. And as the man climaxes, he decapitates her head?"


    Rey felt sick the moment he heard such a graphic description.


    More shocking was the calm look on Esme''s face as she said all of it.


    "I have seen things worse than that. The Mercenary Gang¡­ what they did in my town was truly awful."


    Rey felt conflicted.


    On one end, he understood Esme''s request, and he genuinely wanted her to be by his side.


    However, he also recognized the dangers.


    ''What should I do?''


    "I should have mentioned thisst time, but you have no way of knowing what my friends look like. I know them, and they know me. Wouldn''t it be better if I came with you on your search for them?


    That was thest nail on the coffin for him.


    Rey no longer had any concrete excuse to keep her away from the battlefield at this point.


    "Huu¡­ fine." She appeared excited, almost like a little child, once he said this.


    "After considering everything, I suppose you''re right. You''ll follow me on my next expedition."


    Her smile grew bigger and her blue eyes twinkled bright.


    It almost made Rey squint just to look at her face.


    "Thank you! Thank you so much! I''ll try not to get in your way!"


    Esme seemed too excited about his decision¡ªto the point that Rey was convinced there was some other reason she wasn''t telling him.


    He was too tired to address it at the moment, though."


    "I''ll have to talk to the relevant people in this ce to outfit you in something appropriate."


    That way, she could conceal her identity when they were on expeditions.


    ''Enchanted Items should also allow her to somehow keep up with me. I should consider her protection as well.''


    Once Rey thought a little, he realized there was no real reason for him to worry too much.


    ''It''ll be fine. If I can let Alicia and the rest go on the Raid, there''s nothing stopping me from letting Esme find her friends.''


    Both ventures had their risks, but they also had overriding benefits.


    "I have a question, Rey."


    Rey snapped out of his thoughts and looked at Esme, who now had a curious look on.


    "Why do you still wear your mask around me?"


    "Eh?"


    "You know I won''t betray you or anything, right? Plus, you''re pretty much acting like yourself now, so there''s no need to keep it on."


    Rey felt a bead of sweat form on his face as he digested the question he was asked.


    Esme wasn''t particrly wrong in any sense.


    She pretty much already knew enough to render his Ralyks identity obsolete.


    It would be morefortable if he just took off his mask and addressed her like a normal person.


    Still¡­


    "I would prefer to keep it on."


    "Ahh¡­ I see."


    "I hope that''s fine. I just¡­ don''t wish to show you my real face." Rey murmured.


    He had gotten quitefortable with his real appearance, but someone like Esme would probably consider him ugly.


    ''I''m also short. Shorter than her.''


    Of course, Rey didn''t logically believe that Esme was that petty and superficial, but he honestly couldn''t help feeling that way.


    He was truly the superficial one; and he merely didn''t want a beauty like Esme seeing hispletely average appearance.


    "I understand, Rey. It''s fine."


    He heaved a sigh of relief, strangely d that she didn''t press on the matter any further.


    "I should leave now." Rey said, rising to his feet.


    He felt like he could spend forever in Esme''s room, but this was time for such.


    "Asher and Rebal are back already. There are things to discuss, so I have to leave."


    Esme nodded, still seated.


    "Okay. Thanks foring today. It was¡­ fun."


    Rey chuckled and mirrored Esme''s gesture.


    "Yeah. I had fun too."


    ~VWUM~


    Space around him became distorted, and he gave another thumbs up as he vanished.


    "I''lle get you when it''s time to move out."


    In all honesty, Rey was still worried about bringing Esme along.


    But¡­


    ''Somehow, I also want her by my side.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Well¡­ that certainly took its time to resolve.


    Special thanks to everyone who purchased my privilege chapters, sent Golden Tickets, as well as Gifts and Power Stones.

 Chapter 258 Going On The Offensive

    <h4>Chapter 258 Going On The Offensive </h4>


    "Oho? So that''s what is going on now¡­"


    Ralyks sat on a couch, and opposite him were three seated individuals.


    Rebal, Asher, and the girl he saved earlier that morning¡­ Kara Verte.


    They had dealt with all the pleasantries pretty early thanks to Ralyks'' insistence. Important affairs came before any other thing, so he was more interested in progress.


    ''How noble¡­'' Kara thought as she looked at her savior with starstruck eyes.


    Ever since she was saved by the man of darkness, she couldn''t stop thinking about him.


    She wanted to meet him the moment she regained consciousness, and now to at he was right in front of her, she couldn''t let out as much as a squeak before him.


    Right when they met, she was able to thank him for saving her life, but he casually addressed it.


    He also apologized for noting earlier, but she couldn''t understand why he was being so dismissive of his actions.


    It was all thanks to him that she was able to safely keep all the relevant documents of the Verte House that rted to their properties and assets.


    Kara''s family was very thorough with their paperwork, so the mere fact that their legacy didn''t fall into the wrong hands was more than enough for her to lick the sole of his feet.


    ''Lick¡­ his feet? What am I even thinking!'' Kara chastised herself and shook her head.


    Right now, she had to behave ordingly. Her parents were dead, and she was the only survivor of their main estate.


    ''I have to find a way to ally with him personally. To protect my family''s assets and our future!''


    These were her thoughts as she looked at the brooding Ralyks.


    "So, to summarize, you n on securing the properties of the Verte House and fortifying the positions that have bex as a result of the loss of manpower on the end of our enemies?"


    "Yes. Precisely." Rebal responded to Ralyks, his determined gaze now containing a fire that wasn''t present before.


    It seemed the recent incident had finally changed his disposition.


    "We can''t afford to be passive any longer, especially with this window of opportunity you''ve made for us."


    There was already no way the other side would keep quiet once they found out two out of their Executives were killed, and their ns didn''t go ordingly.


    "Even if we didn''t act, we''d only be driven into more of a corner, so it''s better we make our moves."


    The Mercenary Gang waspletely on Scy''s side¡ªas well as pretty much most of the Underworld.


    "They''ve most likely taken control over the Jaune territory, and since there''s no tether for us to use regarding that venture, it''s best we only focus our attention on the nc and Verte house."


    They didn''t even have enough manpower to spread themselves too thin.


    "I understand. So, what do you need my assistance with?" Ralyks asked with a deep, concise tone.


    He clearly wanted to get to the point.


    "Lady Kara over here would like to secure all the assets of the Verte Group, so it would be really helpful if you served as her guard." Rebal said solemnly.


    "Hmm¡­"


    "P-please don''t take it the wrong way, Sir Ralyks! I would have sent anyone else if they were capable enough, but it''s possible that they might encounter a Head, and this mission is too sensitive to take any chances."


    Rebal¡ªthe nc Councilor¡ªcouldn''t remember anyone else that he had to grovel so much to.


    However, Ralyks was more than worth it.


    Right now, it didn''t even matter what kind of reward they were going to give him in the end, they needed him far more than he needed them.


    With that thought currently at the forefront of his mind, Rebal awaited Ralyks'' answer.


    "There''s no need to be so uneasy. I epted to help you all out, and I intend to keep my end of the deal, so don''t worry about it."


    Rebal¡ªas well as Asher and Kara¡ªheaved a sigh of relief.


    "I was just wondering if I could take a bunch of detours during my escort missions. Don''t worry, it won''t impede anything at all."


    Upon hearing this, Rebal''s eyes sparked a little in curiosity.


    "I trust you, Sir Ralyks. Is it perhaps rted to the ve Trade Warehouse you mentioned the other time?"


    Ralyks nodded, confirming the question.


    "Well, I have had my men working on preparing a map for you that pinpoints every known and spected Warehouse of the ve Trade Union." Rebal added.


    He and Ralyks had already had a thorough conversation on his interests in these Warehouses prior to their current conversation, so Rebal''s men were done with their task.


    ''I suppose he wants to dismantle the ve Trade Union, which is Scy''s major source of wealth and power.''


    Rebal appreciated Ralyks thinking far ahead, and he was truly grateful to have him as an ally.


    ''I must never make this man an enemy!'' He told himself for the umpteenth time.


    "I''ll also be bringing my¡­ partner along with me. I''ll talk to Asher about the details, so we don''t have to discuss that now."


    Everyone in the room already knew their ce in the alliance they had formed. That meant Kara knew Aldred''s true identity¡ª


    though not his real face.


    He still had his ''Aldred'' appearance, after all.


    "There''s no problem at all, Sir Ralyks." Rebal nodded, and so did the other two.


    "I''m curious about one more thing."


    This time, Ralyks turned his gaze to the only female in their midst.


    "What do you n to do after this conflict is resolved, though? Rebuild the Verte House as a Criminal Empire?"


    This question had a lot of weight to it, considering the current state of the ck Market¡ªas well as what it would end up as eventually.


    "If we seed, everything will be in shambles. The Karinc Group intends to be a legitimate business group. So, what about you?"


    There was no doubt that the Verte House still had employees and affiliates in other areas aside from their headquarters.


    Kara was not alone, and it was indeed possible to rebuild.


    It all depended on what she wanted.


    "I¡­ am not sure yet." She muttered, her clouded face showing a mix of confusion and sadness.


    "I just want to secure my family''s legacy for now."


    Ralyks nodded, and Rebal smiled alongside his son.


    That in itself was the most concrete and realistic goal anyone could have given the current situation.


    "Very well. I suppose we ought to act fast." Ralyks rose to his feet, his cloak of darkness dancing with him as he did so.


    The rest followed his lead.


    "Our enemies would have realized their loss by now. That means they''ll make their next move pretty soon." Rebal added.


    They just had to be prepared for the wrath toe.


    ''I''m not frightened or uneasy, though.'' Rebal smiled as he shook the hand of the man before him.


    Was there really a need to feel anxious at all?


    No¡­ not at all.


    ''After all, we have Sir Ralyks!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Sorry for all the info dumps and drawn-out conversations.


    I personally can''t wait till we''re out of these woods and enjoy the pure, unadulterated action.


    But¡­ for fights to be fun, they need buildup.


    So hang in there!

 Chapter 259 Scylla’s Wrath

    <h4>Chapter 259 Scy¡¯s Wrath </h4>


    [Meanwhile¡­]


    "DAMNIT!!!"


    A loud voice echoed from the lips of a particrly beautiful woman, making her appear awfully ugly as a result.


    As her long blond hair swayed, her white teeth were disyed in pure rage. She was grating them very loudly, and the wrinkles on her face caused her to appear even more hideous.


    "H-how could all of this happen?!" She hissed, growling like a hungry predator who desired nothing but devastation.


    Fury, mixed with anxiety and a hint of fear, rose from her pretty body.


    Thisdy was Scy¡ªthe Head of the ve Union, and also the Leader of the New Order.


    Her fury coat and ck gown would have made her appear to be one of the ssiestdies in the world, but the crass way she currently spoke, and the curses she spewed thanks to her current dissatisfaction, made her seem more vulgar than she appeared.


    Fortunately, only one other person was in the room¡ªher personal guard.


    His pure white mask had a dull glow as he watched her from a corner, like a statue.


    It was almost like he wasn''t there at all.


    That allowed Scy to continue her tantrums without feeling watched or scrutinized.


    "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Damnit!"


    The reason for her current frustrationsy in the fact that her entire framework of ns was copsing.


    For one, the Eastern Warehouse was suddenly attacked by a Dragon, and it killed every single worker there.


    Phobio, one of the Nine Heads of Destruction, had managed to escape with his life¡ªbarely avoiding the wrath of the beast or the jaws of death.


    ''If not for our patrol agents, we wouldn''t have found his naked, unconscious body on time.''


    If this was all, though, then Scy would not be in such a frenzy.


    Having a Dragon suddenly invade a major hotspot of resources was bad¡ªincredibly so¡ªbut it wasn''t impossible to resolve the problem.


    Unfortunately, that wasn''t the only issue.


    ''Ogun, another Head, is dead. Same as Anukus, who was a wild card, but was also one of the Deadly Three¡­''


    Scy also got news that Fernand was able to make it back safely, though all his men had suffered an unlucky fate at the hands of an incredibly powerful foe.


    ''It seems the nc House has gotten their hands on someone pretty strong. For him to cause Fernand to retreat, also killing all his subordinates¡­''


    Scy wanted to know who it was!


    ''Even the whole incident with the Dragon can bebeled as a coincidence, the other incidents can''t be so easily dismissed.''


    In three other locations that were considerably far from each other, some of her strongest pawns had been eliminated or nearly done in.


    ''I want to know why!'' This didn''t just mean that they had lost strong men¡ªamodity that was very rare¡ªbut also that their ns regarding those incidents had copsed.


    ''The resources that were meant to be distributed to the Mercenary Gang had beenpromised, thanks to what happened in the Eastern Warehouse.''


    Sure, the Nine Heads of Destruction could be dispatched there to subjugate the Dragon, but that would spread them too thin.


    ording to Phobio, the Dragon was far stronger than him.


    ''It''s probably a three-horned one. Fenrir should be able to manage if he has his subordinates with him.''


    The problem was that it would leave her, and the rest of her assets, vulnerable.


    There was also the possibility of suffering more casualties¡ªsomething they couldn''t afford at the moment.


    Scy began to bite her nails very aggressively.


    ''I already took thebat ability of the Karinc Group into ount, and there''s no one among them that can beat a Head of Destruction. Maybe Rebal nc himself, but there''s no way he''d be on the front lines.''


    That meant there had to be at least three individuals who were hired by them; considering the three different locations where their members were killed.


    ''Out of the nine, I only have seven left. Adding Fenrir, that''s eight. It''s not a major loss, but¡­''


    The mission was supposed to involve retrieving documents and swallowing territory.


    It was meant to push the Karinc Group into a single corner¡ª


    the Capital.


    ''But now¡­ they''ll begin to spread their wings for sure!''


    Scy screamed and cursed some more, almost as if she was courting insanity.


    "I should calm down. Yeah¡­ let''s find a solution to this issue."


    Thedy considered the most pressing matters at the moment, and she recognized them to be the recovery of the Eastern Warehouse, as well as the recovery of their lost resources.


    They also had to deal with the strong forces of the opposing side.


    ''We need to get rid of that Dragon quickly, or else it''ll be difficult to appease theMercenary Gang.''


    There was only so much a rule by fear could do.


    ''I have the strongest card with me, so dishing out the stuck isn''t an issue. Still, I have to ensure the carrot remains as well.''


    That meant searching for a way to recover the Eastern Warehouse.


    ''If it truly is a three-horned one, then we''ll have to concentrate all our attention on that for now.''


    That meant they would have to halt their advancements and give the nc House room to breathe, as well as an opportunity to strike.


    ''The issue remains¡­ how topletely get rid of them.''


    By consuming everything around them, she had inadvertently backed them into a corner, which caused them to strike back ferociously.


    ''If I ount for their forces to be as strong as the Deadly Three


    ¡ªperhaps even stronger¡ªthen this will be a tough run.''


    There was something Fernand said about his opponent possibly being a Dragon, but Scy couldn''t believe that.


    The nc House couldn''t have been able to tame a powerful Dragon¡­ right?


    ''And this Reaper guy¡­ I don''t know who he is, but there''s no way he was responsible for all those events.''


    They urred simultaneously, far away from one another.


    There was just no way.


    ''Still¡­ I can''t deny his strength. If there are two others like him, then it would be difficult to properly intercept them.''


    "Unless¡­" Scy began to grin widely as she slowly sat on her office chair.


    ''¡­ I guess I''ll have to use myst resort!''


    It was a bit early, but she didn''t care at this point.


    "Once the Mercenary Gang is done eliminating the Dragon to the East, I suppose we''ll go full throttle." She whispered and began to chuckle to herself.


    "Kukuku¡­ kukukukuku¡­ kukuahahahahaha!!!"


    She now had the perfect way to trap the fools who had chosen to defy her and derail her ns.


    ''Enjoy the next few days of peace, nc. It''ll soon be over.'' Scy closed her eyes, and a wicked grinpletely reced her look or rage.


    "Once I''m done, everything you have¡­ will be mine."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Looks like Rey really messed everything up for thisdy, sucks to be her¡­ haha

 Chapter 260 Discovering New Possibilities

    <h4>Chapter 260 Discovering New Possibilities </h4>


    "Skill details." Rey mumbled to himself as he sat all alone in a luxurious suite.


    He was waiting for the final preparations by the Karinc Group before leaving with Kara Verte to secure her family''s properties.


    They would be doing all of this for the next few days, so Rey had prepared himself for it.


    His suite was incredible¡ªalmost as amazing as Esme''s room¡ªand it was too vast for him alone to upy.


    At some point, Rey felt a gnawing pang of istion and boredom as he just waited.


    ''Esme really had a point there, huh?'' He had thought, after experiencing something simr himself.


    Thankfully, this feeling didn''tst forever.


    It was at this point that Rey remembered he got new Skills from Snow¡ªAlicia''s new Familiar¡ªso he decided to check them out.


    [Skill Details]


    [Replication]


    Tier: A


    Ability: The ability to split yourself into multiple identical copies, though your overall ability is halved whenever you do so.


    Ability is split evenly among all copies since you are all meant to be identical.


    Current Limit: 9 Copies


    [End Of Information]


    "I see. So that''s how it works¡­" He murmured as he went over the details.


    Normally, Rey would be jumping for joy, but there was no reason to do that at the moment.


    After all, he already saw the Skill in action.


    ''I was pretty excited to see a cloning ability. Nearly jumped in excitement back then¡­''


    However, now that he was looking at the details, he could understand why it wasn''t an S-Tier Skill.


    ''I knew it was too good to be true. So this is the caveat, huh?'' He smiled as his mind flowed into the limitations of his abilities


    This was an amazing Skill, sure, but every time he cloned himself, his ability was halved.


    "So, if I have nine clones, that means I''ll only have ten percent of my full power left."


    That was awfully inconvenient, but also not particrly a bad trade-off.


    ''It says nothing about distance, so that means I should be able to maintain the clone over a long distance¡­ right?"


    Rey also wondered how he would go about controlling the clone.


    ''Does the copy have a mind of itself? That would be a little problematic.''


    ''Looks like I''ll have to test out this Skill. But first, let''s look at the other Skills.''


    Rey had gotten [Rush], [Leap], and [Bounce] from Snow as well. They were all B-Tier, hence making them very useful Buff/Attack type Skills.


    He looked over the details of the three and ended upbining all of them to form a new A-Skill.


    [Godspeed].


    ''Then, there''s also the [Bonding] Skill I got from watching Alicia use her ss Privilege.''


    With that, Rey had three new Skills that made him just a bit stronger.


    ''Ah¡­ there''s also those Skills I got from that Fernand fellow. I shouldbine them too.''


    [Swift de], [Swift Mind], and [Elevate] werebined into [Swift Zone].


    As for the [Aura Sword] Skill, Rey left it as it was, thinking he would probably need it someday if he wanted to show off a lower-ranked Skill.


    ''With that, it looks like my allocations areplete.'' He smiled and nodded.


    "With this, I have 47 Skills. That''s not bad at all¡­"


    There was only one thing left for him to do now was test out his [Replicate] ability and see what it was all about.


    Rey rose up to his feet, taking a deep breath as he did so.


    ''Here goes nothing¡­'' In a single thought, he activated [Replicate].


    Essence left his body, almost like a blur. Rey could feel it¡­ how his strength and overall power diminished as the misty energy rose away from his flesh


    It danced away Rey, forming something right in front of him.


    ''This could be dangerous. If it has a mind of its own, and I have to fight it, we''ll be evenly matched.''


    The only advantage he had was that he was the original, and so he could just cancel the whole thing when he felt like it.


    ''I just don''t want such aplicated situation. Please¡­''


    The process was short, but to Rey it had taken forever.


    ~FSHUU¡­~


    Mist rose from the naked body that stood in front of him, and the fully-formed copy stared nkly at Rey.


    The boy didn''t look like Ralyks, or any other disguise Rey had.


    It was simply Rey''s true form.


    ''Ahh¡­ I see. So it replicates how I truly am. That''s good to know.''


    The fact that he was naked also proved the fact that the Replicate ability didn''t work on Items or any other Non-Rey thing.


    Other than that, the entity before him was a perfect clone.


    ''Now then, I guess now is the moment of truth.''


    Rey had to know if the clone had a will of its own, so he utilized his [Absolute Appraisal] on it.


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Rey Skr [Copy]


    - Race: Clone (Otherworlder)


    - ss: Anomaly (A-Tier)


    - Level: 50 (8.76% EXP)


    - Life Force: 43 (+161)


    - Mana Level: 100 (+161)


    - Combat Ability: 70 (+161)


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Doppel]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Fusion/Fission]. [Merger]. [Dead Calm].


    - Alignment: Nil


    [Additional Information]


    A nk canvas of Rey Skr (Original). Command it to do your bidding.


    [End Of Information]


    "Whew!" Rey held his chest and heaved a sigh.


    It seemed all his worst fears about the Skill weren''t true. That was more relieving than he thought.


    ''It seems like it also has the full effect of my ss. That''s a good thing.''


    The rest of its Stats were halved, though.


    "Status Window." He murmured in order to check his own Stats.


    Unsurprisingly, everything had also been cut into half.


    ''This isn''t a useful ability against a stronger opponent¡ªall things considered.''


    [Replicate] was best used when one wanted to perform a lot of tasks or overwhelm multiple enemies at once.


    ''Snow used it to target multiple areas of the Earth Elemental, so that''s also a good use.''


    He still wasn''t sure if his Skills would be as effective since he was duplicated, but since the Skill depiction said ''overall ability'' then he guessed they applied.


    If they did, then what about sses? Why weren''t they affected?


    These questions were being noted in Rey''s mind as he stared curiously at himself.


    ''I''ll need to do a lot of tests.''


    The bottom line that Rey found was that it wasn''t the best Skill avable, but it had solved one essential problem had been consistently having.


    ''With this, I can actually manage my dual lives a lot better.''


    He telepathicallymanded his copy to use [Mimic], and the Rey opposite him did so instantly.


    He became Ralyks¡ªat least, his form.


    ''What a handsome guy¡­'' Rey found himself smiling sheepishly.


    He felt like a child who wanted to try out new things.


    ''Imagine turning into a nakeddy or something¡­''


    ~PSHUUU!~


    All of a sudden, the copy in front of Rey did as the original thought and became a naked woman.


    The body mimicked someone Rey had always been curious about.


    And now¡­ her ebony body stood in front of him.


    "T-Trisha¡­?!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I''ve been waiting for this Skill for so long! I think Rey underestimates the possibilities.

 Chapter 261 The Ones In The Dark

    <h4>Chapter 261 The Ones In The Dark </h4>


    Trisha''s naked body was captivating.


    As most danced around so many parts, it glistened in the room that Rey upied.


    Rey found himself gawking at the lewd form of the girl in front of him, unable to stop himself from being flustered by what he was looking at.


    As if that wasn''t enough¡­


    ~DUM~


    ~DUM~


    Knocking sounds echoed from the entrance of his room.


    ''Damnit! Howe I couldn''t sense that on time?''


    Rey reckoned it was due to his lessened Stats and the lower efficiency of his Skill, but he also recognized that it could also easily be the fault of the ''distraction'' in front of him.


    ''Fuck! What have I done!''


    More of the mist cleared, finally revealing some explicit aspects of Trisha that he badly wanted to see¡ªeven though guilt swallowed him whole instantly.


    "Stop! Stop!" He yelled, and the nude girl turned into mist and faded away.


    "Haaa¡­ haaa¡­" He found himself breathing heavily as he stared nkly into the distance.


    ''How can I even look her in the eye after this?''


    The knock on Rey''s door woke him from his flustered thoughts, so he was awkwardly jerked back into reality.


    "Y-yeah?!" He yelled out.


    Of course, his Ralyks tone had returned, though that single stutter made him cringe.


    The voice that emerged was that of ady¡ªa Karinc Group employee.


    "Lord Ralyks, everyone is prepared and waiting for you."


    "Alright. I''ll be down now." He responded, copsing on his bed instantly.


    "Understood, sir."


    He heard her footsteps as she walked away from his door, and a sigh of relief oozed from his lips.


    Rey could only imagine if she had fought him when the naked body of a youngdy was still in front of him.


    ''Ahhh! That would be so embarrassing!'' He wanted to scream out, but he controlled himself.


    It was time for business, so he couldn''t afford to be in such a zone.


    "It''s Ralyks time."


    Once again¡­ Rey cringed.


    *******


    Everyone who would be going on the journey was present.


    There was Kara Verte, with another man beside her¡ªa Karinc Agent.


    He would serve as the coachman, so his presence was necessary.


    Then, there was Esme¡ªthough she couldn''t be recognized thanks to her dark mask.


    Just like Ralyks, she donned a dark mask¡ªone that appeared more feminine¡ªand she had a dark cloak on.


    Her long hair was packed to one side, she had a hood on, and her overall demeanor told of mystery.


    Thest person to converge with the group was Ralyks, the Dark Adventurer.


    As he appeared from his spatial rupture, everyone weed him with bows and nods.


    Rebal nc and Asher even appeared to see the group off, wishing them farewell.


    They could only hope for the best.


    As they all boarded the carriage and began their journey, smiles were on their faces, and confidence radiated forth.


    They were prepared for any dangers that they might encounter. They had Ralyks on their side, after all.


    Unknown to all of them, though, the darkness they bled to encounter wouldn''t be spotted for the next few days.


    Instead, it would converge in another ce.


    The Eastern Warehouse.


    *********


    [Western Continent: A Cave In The East]


    When one thought of a cave, they would expect to see grimy rocks and a jagged path that didn''t look the slightest bit appealing.


    However, this haven was different.


    The cavernous dwelling had smooth surfaces all over the walls and ceilings. Tiny balls of light danced in the air, like fireflies, and the ce appeared far more pristine than most human dwellings.


    Flowers grew in multiple corners of the cave, generating an irresistibly pleasant aroma all around. The fragrance offered fresh air, so despite being surrounded by rocks, no single presence could feel it in the slightest.


    The cave walls glimmered with blue hue, and there was something sanctified about therge dwelling within that betrayed the smaller entrance.


    There could only be one reason for such a wondrous sight: the presence of Elves.


    Two of such beings entered the cave through the entrance, their pointy ears and brightly colored hair stood out the moment they stepped in.


    Their hairs were pink and purple respectively, resembling beautiful flowers more than anything else.


    Their gem-like eyes also shone in the cave, and their pretty faces exuded a charm that humans could never dream to match.


    The duo walked through the passageway and navigated through thebyrinthine corridors within the cave, passing by the entrances to the temporary rooms of theirrades.


    Most of them were probably asleep now, considering it was already evening, but the two knew that their leader would still be awake.


    The moment they entered the central room at the end of the cave, their thoughts were confirmed.


    The entrance to the wide room was merely a curtain made of tender leaves.


    Once past them, a field of glowing dandelions would enter one''s sight, and the aroma would be more than enough to overwhelm one''s senses with pleasure.


    For the Elves that walked in, though, they only felt awe and respect for their dear leader.


    She was at the very center of the dancing flowers, meditating very solemnly.


    Her eyes were closed, and both hands were spread apart to her legs which were folded in her meditative posture.


    Her hair shimmered with green, blue and silver light; like the fairest kind of flower one could pluck from the ripest tree.


    "Lady Aurora, we have returned." One of the Elves said as both of them sped their hands, bowing their heads as they greeted her.


    Aurora, as she was called, opened her eyes, the moment she was called. Her greenish-blue emerald eyes were on full disy as she did so, and her long eyes perked up nearly instantly.


    The moment she saw the two girls in front of her, a smile coursed through her pale face and she nodded at them.


    "Lali¡­ L¡­ you''re finally back!" As she said those words, she rose to her feet slowly.


    Her expression showed genuine joy.


    "You may raise your heads."


    The two younger Elves obeyed, so they could see Aurora''s gentle smile.


    The older Elf invited them closer, and they walked through the field that slowly made a path for them.


    Once they got close enough, she embraced the two of them and breathed them in.


    They did the same to her¡ªas was the custom among Elves.


    "Well done, you two." She patted their backs, slowly pulling away.


    L and Lali''s pained faces showed they wanted to be in her embrace for longer, but it couldn''t be helped.


    They had to pull away as well.


    As Aurora looked at them, she noticed their desires and only smiled even more.


    Little ones would always act like that.


    "You''ve been outside all day. I need to hear every detail." She sat in her previous position and urged the girls to do the same.


    They obeyed.


    "So, tell me everything."


    L and Lali nced at each other, not knowing where to start in their analysis.


    Aurora nearly giggled at the cute behaviors of her sisters. It seemed she would have to help them once again.


    "Why don''t we start¡­" Her tone slowly took on a deeper, darker tone as the smile she had onpletely vanished.


    "¡­With the issue of the Dragon."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    If you''re on Reddit, please check out the Reddit server. Link is in this novel''s Synopsis.


    Also¡­


    So many yers in this game, and we''ve not even gotten to the climax.


    I''m so excited to see how this will all end up

 Chapter 262 Discourse Among Elves

    <h4>Chapter 262 Discourse Among Elves </h4>


    Earlier that day¡ªvery early in the morning¡ªL and Lali saw something.


    It was a fight between a Dragon and a human.


    The Dragon was a three-horned one; a Dragon Commander. As for the human, he was a considerably capable person.


    Ultimately, the Dragon prevailed, and the human fled.


    This sh was peculiar for multiple reasons, so L and Lali knew they had to report it to their leader.


    For one; the Dragons were currently raving theirnd in the Eastern Continent.


    As such, they were enemies of the Elves.


    However, the reason they didn''te out to assist the human was because humans weren''t too far off from Dragons in the eyes of Elves.


    Besides, this particr human had the stench of evil shrouding him, making him even more repulsive to the Elves who watched.


    The second peculiar thing about the sh was that the Dragon spared the human.


    That contradicted the nature of the feral and merciless beasts that the Elves knew.


    The third, and perhaps the most important thing about the entire conflict, was what the Dragon did after winning the battle.


    It entered the mountains through an entrance, and it also proceeded out of it.


    That seemed like an inconsequential detail, but if one considered the fact that the Elves had been stationed in the Eastern Land for about a week now¡ªwaiting for the Enchanted Items that they were promised¡ªit made a lot of sense.


    The two Elven Scouts had finally found the warehouse of the humans; I.e, the Karinc Group.


    With the Dragonpletely taking over it, and the Elves knowing where the Warehouse was now located, a perfect opportunity had presented itself.


    The Elves could take what they wanted¡­ all without paying a dime to the shady humans they had to make a deal with.


    This, too, was the world''s perfect act of justice.


    ********


    "The humans at Karinc stopped contacting us for some time now. I still tried reaching them today, but all to no avail."


    For Aurora, she could confidently say that she and herrades weren''t the ones at fault in this transaction.


    It was the humans.


    "We''ve honored our part. They''re the ones who defaulted¡­"


    As she said this, the twodies in front of her nodded vehemently.


    "As expected of the humans."


    "So untrustworthy¡­"


    Elves had a strong distaste towards the affinity of evil. They all despised it greatly.


    Anything deemed unclean or unnatural was dubbed as evil, and for the Elven Culture, most of every other culture or race could be ced under that category.


    "Sister Freya warned me about them, but I thought we could at least obtain a fair bargain if I seduced them with what they fancied most."


    Elves weren''tcking in Resources or Minerals. Theirnd was rich and full of them.


    From Mana Crystals to Adamantite, Orichalcum, and several other immensely valuable resources of the highest quality¡ªfar higher than what the humans currently possessed.


    The problem was that they didn''t have any refineries.


    Elves weren''t a technological species, so they had no way to properly purify their minerals or turn them into actual weapons or crafted items.


    As a result, they had to rely on the humans.


    ''We couldn''t try the Dwarves or Giants because they''re more difficult to deal with."


    Humans were very simple-minded, so they were the perfect pawns to use.


    The Elves intended on selling their special resources to the humans in exchange for Items. Of course, the humans had to supply them with Items first before they got paid.


    It would be of inferior quality, but Elves were desperate at this point.


    Anything Grade 5 above was needed.


    Thankfully, the Karinc Group delivered.


    There were at least thousands of consumable Enchanted Items in stock, ording to what they were told, and a couple hundred durable weapons.


    ''We can finally drive those monsters away from our territory and cut off ties with these humans¡­'' Those were Aurora''s thoughts when she entered into the agreement.


    Unfortunately, the humans failed in keeping their promise.


    And now¡­ time was running out.


    "We need to return home as soon as possible. Since they''ve dyed, then we are justified in our actions."


    And so, the Elves decided to take matters into their own hands and seek out the Warehouse where the goods were being kept.


    In their eyes, the deal was off.


    If the humans could not even honor an agreement despite having benefits attached to them, then they weren''t even capable of being tame animals akin to livestock.


    They were nothing but wild beasts.


    "The Dragon was a blessing. It took care of the humans for us, so now all we have to do is take care of the Dragon." Aurora smiled at her sisters.


    ording to Elven Culture, they were all brothers and sisters.


    Those in higher positions had titles, yes, but in the end¡­ everyone was in one big family.


    It was a value that they shared; one that no other race possessed.


    "A-about the Dragon¡­ we saw no sign of it all day. Maybe it left already?"


    "Yes. Maybe it''s not returning."


    Aurora furrowed her brows once she heard those words.


    The Dragons she knew were very greedy and destructive.


    They wouldn''t just leave so much treasure behind.


    "Well, this Dragon was indeed strange¡­ sparing a human like that." She stroked her chin in consideration.


    They still had to be careful, all things considered.


    ''We only brought a dozen of our brethren, so I would like us to be as vignt as possible.''


    It wasn''t like a Dragon Commander was too much of an issue for her or anything, but she simply didn''t want to take any chances for the sake of her younger ones.


    "If we dy, it''s possible that the humans could bring reinforcements and things could get messy. I suppose it''s better to act quickly¡­" Aurora murmured.


    She didn''t want to fight humans¡ªnot because she believed them to be of value or anything, but because it would sully her hands.


    A wild beast was still a living being.


    They couldn''t possibly perform perverse acts against nature in such a way.


    Elves were naturally pacifists.


    ''The only reason we kill the Dragons is because the Oracle proimed them a scourge upon the world that should be eliminated.''


    They were a threat to nature, and Elves were Nature''s servants.


    At least, ording to them.


    "We will act tomorrow. Tell the rest of our sisters to prepare for battle." Aurora finally made her decision.


    "Battle? But I thought we concluded that the Dragon wasn''t around any longer." Lali asked with innocence.


    "Yeah. I thought so too." L added.


    Both of them had child-like eyes on their faces, causing Aurora to smile and pat their heads.


    "In life, sometimes the unexpected happens. We must prepare for such moments."


    The two girls beamed at their elder''s wisdom and bobbed their heads in pure agreement.


    "Amazing!"


    "So wise!"


    Aurora merely giggled at the innocence of her younger sisters. This was how people were supposed to be.


    ¡­ Uncorrupted by the evils of this world.


    "The Dragon might show up again, the humans mighte back with reinforcements, or a new threat could arise."


    To protect themselves, the Elves had to be prepared.


    "For the sake of our family, we must fight."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 263 Brewing Conflict

    <h4>Chapter 263 Brewing Conflict </h4>


    [The Next Day]


    "The time hase, my dear sisters."


    Aurora stood in front of ten Elves, all of whom were on the zenith of what could be considered a hill.


    It was a high ground, with a valley stretched bellow that led to the cluster of mountains that was their goal. They had made a cave within this hill as their abode, but now they were out in the open.


    The ten Elves that stood in front of Aurora had gowns that were seemingly made from patches of nts and flowers.


    Their colorful attires radiated warmth and beauty, and the looks on their faces greatlyplemented what they wore.


    Each Elf was astoundingly beautiful. Their hair color appeared tropical, and their fair skin oozed magnificence.


    Of course, their pointy ears also added to this exotic beauty.


    Out of all of them, however, Aurora stood at the very top of elegance.


    Her greenish blue, coupled with silver hair, flowed with the cool wind while her emerald-like eyes gazed upon her brethren.


    Wrapped around her was a cape of leafy green, and her outfit underneath was a mix of blue and white.


    The very definition of pristine, ording to Elven standards.


    "As the n entails, we will separate ourselves into two major groups."


    The ten Elves nodded instantly.


    "The first group will consist of those who will explore the Warehouse and search for our Items, and the second group will remain at the entrance to secure the building and fight back any adversary that may show up."


    So far, everyone understood the n. However, she was yet to assign roles to the Elves.


    That was the goal of this briefing.


    "Due to how big the entire structure is, and how many goods we ordered, a bulk of you will be going in. Ten, to be exact." Aurora began.


    "You''ll be led by L and Lali, who are currently on final patrol, and your mission is to scour every nook and cranny of the ce to secure our goods."


    As for the remaining two¡ªwho she would choose from the ten in front of her¡ªthey would be with her at the entrance.


    "Should a Dragon or some unknown enemy surface, it would be preferable to have an elder stand guard. As a result, I will take that burden upon myself."


    The eyes of the Elves glittered as tears fell from them and they looked at Aurora with such gratitude and awe.


    It looked like they were children who were gazing upon their hero; or diehard fans who could finally meet their favorite celebrities.


    Words like¡ª


    "Lady Aurora is so considerate."


    "Lady Aurora¡­ you''re too kind!"


    "I want to be like Lady Aurora when I grow older."


    ¡ªEchoed within the open area that they upied.


    Despite her strategy being the obvious choice, and not really one of self-sacrifice, all the Elves considered it to be a selfless act of courage.


    It was difficult to tell whether they were incredibly virtuous or just in stupid.


    "Let us depart now. We will rendezvous with L and Lali once we get to the entrance."


    The Elves all responded affirmatively, and so they left their hilltop and moved towards their goal.


    *********


    It didn''t take them too long to cover the distance between the hill and the cluster of mountains.


    Once they arrived, L and Lali were already waiting for them there.


    They had slightly troubled expressions on their faces, one which Aurora quickly picked up on and asked what the issue was.


    "A small army of humans is on its way here."


    "We reckon they''ll be here before we are done with our mission."


    Aurora narrowed her eyes the moment she heard the news.


    ''So¡­ the Karinc Group decided to return with backup.''


    It wasn''t like she never considered this to be a possibility, but Aurora didn''t want it to be the case.


    After all, that would put the Elves in a problematic situation with the humans.


    "Lady Aurora, what should we do now?"


    As soon as she was asked this question, she snapped out of her thoughts and gave the only reasonable answer she could proffer at this point.


    "We continue with the n. The humans were given their chance, but they failed to meet up with their end of the bargain."


    As far as the Elves were concerned, the deal was off.


    "Understood."


    All the Elves bowed their heads before her, and she nodded in response.


    "Lali and L, you have the greatest sensory abilities of the group, so you will be leading the group inside."


    The two Elves nodded eagerly.


    "We won''t disappoint you, Lady Aurora!"


    "You can count on us, Lady Aurora!"


    Like little children, excited when they were sent on errands, they disyed pure joy at the responsibility that was thrust on their shoulders.


    "Yera and Yare, you will stay by my side as I ''wee'' the humans."


    The two Elves whose name were called forth nodded and moved forward, also affirming their readiness for the role with their words.


    With everything set and prepared, there was no need to waste any more time.


    "My sisters¡­ let us begin the task."


    "YES, LADY AURORA!"


    ********


    [Meanwhile]


    The wind parted as an army of three hundred raced towards the Clustered Mountains.


    Leading them was a man, as well as two others who stood by his side.


    These were the Mercenary Gang, and their leader¡ªFenrir¡ªwas at the forefront of the horde.


    Closest to him were his two lieutenants¡ªthe surviving members of the Deadly Three.


    And then, behind them were the strongest men of the Mercenary Gang.


    This was the elite squad; at least, a portion of it.


    They couldn''t mobilize everyone and everything at once, since this was an emergency. However, Fenrir felt like this many was more than enough.


    "That spineless coward, Phobio¡­" Fenrir grunted under his breath as they all advanced with their mounts.


    ''In the end, he chose to stay back like an imbecile. I suppose the Dragon really dealt great fear to him.''


    Fenrir wasn''t afraid, though.


    He was excited! If they were to meet the Dragon in their territory, he wanted to fight it.


    ''I''ll show you what happens when you cross the Mercenary Gang!'' His thoughts flowed as he grinned like a bloodthirsty animal.


    This wasn''t merely the thoughts of a conceited man.


    After all, Fenrir was one who had in a Dragon Commander all by himself.


    ¡­ A true beast in the body of a man.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    The conflict draws nearer and nearer.


    Also¡­ if you haven''t done so already, please check out the Subreddit. It''s in the book''s synopsis.


    Thank you all!

 Chapter 264 Light The Dark

    <h4>Chapter 264 Light The Dark </h4>


    L and Lali weren''t twins, yet they were very simr in many regards.


    Other than their confusingly identical names, they had the same height and weight. Their appearances differed due to the respective colors of their hair and eyes, but they had simr sets of abilities.


    When it came to tracking, spying, long-range observation, sensory awareness, etc. they were both highly qualified and also evenly matched.


    In essence¡­ they had the Ranger ss.


    For Young Elves, they were pretty much geniuses among their peers, which was why Aurora relied on them a lot more than the other Elves.


    However, unlike with humans, that didn''t make them feel conceited in any sense.


    Their power was for the sake of themunity.


    They simply had to carry on more responsibility for their brothers and sisters.


    As for the less talented Elves, there was no need to feel envious of their sisters.


    This was because every Elf was told that had value to themunity. The mere fact that they were born as Elves gave them worth.


    As such, no matter how incapable an Elf was, there was no need to fear or envy another person.


    As such, even with Lali and L leading the group through the cavernous path before them, no one felt bitter.


    They were all just excited to be of use to Lady Aurora¡ªand by extension, their Elven Family.


    They simply¡ª


    "Halt." L and Lali said with a hushed tone, at the exact same time.


    The group stopped, and the girls at the forefront narrowed their eyes while observing the area around them.


    "We''re not alone." Lali whispered.


    "There are life forms here. A lot of them¡­" L concurred.


    It was strange for the Dragon to have spared the life of that single human, but what if he spared even more people and allowed them to dwell in the Warehouse?


    That made no sense whatsoever.


    "Ready your defenses. Rather than falling into their trap by advancing, we''ll lure them out."


    "Let''s find an open space first, though."


    They were currently in a passageway, and while it wasn''t particrly clustered, the Elves possessed no advantage fighting in a limited space.


    ''This is bad, though. Even with my sensory abilities, I can barely sense their presence.'' Lali thought to herself as she looked at L.


    It seemed the other Elf was also going through the same thing.


    ''Could it be some kind of cloaking Magic or Skill? Does that mean the Dragon anticipated our action?''


    If things ended up taking an awry turn, they still had the flute that they could use to call upon their Lady Aurora, but none of the Elves present desired such an oue.


    They didn''t want to burden their Big Sister, especially since she would also be upied with her own mission.


    As a result, they silently prayed to the Goddess of Nature for aid.


    ''We just have to get to a storage area as soon as possi¡ª''


    "GURAOOOAAHHHHH!!!"


    A bunch of Monsters suddenly emerged from theyers of darkness, roaring as they approached the Elves with bloodthirsty rage.


    Their numbers weren''t identifiable in the thick of the moment, but the two Rangers estimated them to be over ten.


    Thankfully, since their defenses were active, the shadowy beasts could only w at a denseyer of protection.


    No one was harmed in any way.


    "So they blend in with darkness¡­" Lali whispered.


    "In that case¡­ let''s remove their advantage." L muttered.


    Elves naturally had powerful vision. Whether it was day or night, they could see quite vividly.


    However, this vision of theirs had a downside which the Elves were now noticing.


    ''Our sight automatically banishes darkness by ignoring it and ensuring we see light¡­''


    ''By blending in with darkness, they were also able to bypass our superior vision until it was nearly toote.''


    Lali and L wondered if they would have taken any damage if they hadn''t erected barriers prior, but there was no way to honestly determine that.


    Realizing this, the two ignored their initial line of thought and focused simply on eradicating the prowling creatures.


    "[re]."


    The two of them stretched their hands forward and released a st of pure light.


    Instantly, a bright re clouded the room, revealing just how many Monsters there were around them.


    That was when the Elves opened their eyes in shock.


    "W-what is this¡­?!"


    "There are hundreds of them!"


    "What in the world?!"


    "What should we do now?!"


    Monsters of varying kinds and shapes and sizes were upying the hallway, all of them with starving eyes and salivating mouths.


    "We''re at a disadvantage here!"


    "We need to hurry. Quicken up the pace as we look for an open area!"


    Lali and L instantly took initiative andmanded their eight sisters.


    The girls nodded, ready to follow the instructions they had been given.


    "The Monsters are stunned thanks to [re], so we just have to continuously use it while we navigate our way past them."


    "They''ve crossed the area, but with our barrier, we can push them aside and advance!"


    Elves had special eyes, so unless the [re] in question was especially powerful, they weren''t going to suffer any adverse effects from it.


    As such, using this strategy was the best course of action.


    "Let''s go!"


    The group hurried past the Monsters, carrying out their ns with the utmost kind of precision.


    Every Elf assisted in utilizing [re], or some other variant in the form of Spells rather than a Skill.


    Thankfully, their barriers held up as they kept up this long process.


    Until finally¡­ they arrived at a clearing.


    *******


    "GURRRUUUUUU¡­"


    "URERUUUUGGHHH¡­"


    "KRUKUUU¡­"


    Monsters swarmed around the Elves, approaching from various pathways that led to the same clearing.


    The Elves appeared undeterred, forming a small circle within the clearing as they cautiously watched the creatures approach.


    "This is strange. I see different kinds of Monsters¡­"


    "Indeed. They should be attacking each other, but they''re working together¡­"


    The Elves found it absurd, especially since they had observed nature for so long and already knew how it operated.


    Monsters of differing Races never worked together.


    Unless¡­


    "Perhaps it''s due to the Dragon''s influence."


    "It must be controlling them somehow."


    They never expected to see Monsters, talkless of a variety of them working together in such huge numbers.


    However, this was yet another example of the wise words that Lady Aurora had bestowed upon them.


    Lali and L looked at each other and nodded warily.


    They could see it with their own eyes.


    ''In life the unexpected happens¡­ and preparations must be made for such moments.''


    And now that the moment hade, there was only one thing they could do.


    ¡­ FIGHT!


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 265 Creeping Fear

    <h4>Chapter 265 Creeping Fear </h4>


    Elves were pacifists.


    No matter what happened, they were averse to violence.


    And even in the case of necessary violence, they never crossed a line.


    ¡­ The line of death.


    ********


    "We need to disable them somehow!"


    "Yeah! Let''s utilize the Skills at our disposal. For those who know Spells on restraints, you should utilize them now!"


    "If you have the [Sleep] Skill, use that too. A stronger Skill is also preferable!"


    "Hurry!"


    The Monsters were already closing in on the Elves, so thedies began to raise their voices a lot more.


    This was so their instructions wouldn''t be drowned by the countless grunts of the approaching Monsters, and also because they were slightly anxious.


    Sure, they had a wider room to operate on, but if they dawdled for too long, the Monsters would fill up the space.


    That would be bad for everyone.


    Thankfully, thebined barrier that they had was around A-Tier, and none of the Monsters could prate it.


    At least, not yet.


    "On my mark, everyone!" L yelled, not willing to wait and find out if their barrier was more durable than the countless attacks they received from the surrounding beasts.


    "Prepare to release your Spells and Skills at once!"


    As Lali''s voice echoed out, determined expressions formed on the faces of the young Elves.


    Even though the hundreds of Monsters¡ªmost likely C-Tier and some B-Tier¡ªsurrounded them, they were certain that theirbined mental attacks would be enough to knock them out for good.


    That way, they could freely explore the Warehouse without any further interference.


    The Monsters got closer, the brimming lights from the eyes and hands of the Elves grew brighter.


    And after a second of silence, with everyone holding their breaths¡ª


    "Now!"


    ¡ªThe attack erupted.


    ~VWUUUUUUUSSSSSHHHHH!!!~


    A wave of powerful Mana swept through the room, releasing a strong mental wave of Skills such as [Sleep], [Enchant], and [Charm]; as well as Spells of the same caliber.


    The goal was to simply render the Monsters invalid or incapable of action for a long period of time.


    Afterwards, they could take their time restraining them with Magic, or sealing off the room so they would be trapped in it.


    Once that was done, they would be free from all interference.


    The only problem was¡­


    "E-eh¡­?"


    "W-what is this¡­?"


    "W-why¡­?"


    "WHY ISN''T IT WORKING?!"


    Their eyes slowly began to widen as they noticed that the Monsters weren''t stopping.


    "B-but they''re only C-Tier¡­"


    Thebined might of their abilities was easily A-Tier.


    So why weren''t the Monsters falling down?


    "They''re getting closer!"


    Anxiety began to rise, and some other emotion that the Elves hadn''t really felt since the mission began started to creep in.


    It


    Was


    FEAR!


    "Eeeek!"


    "It''s not working! Why isn''t it working!"


    "Let''s try again! AGAIN!"


    The Elves did the exact same thing one more time, expecting something different to happen.


    ¡­ They were disappointed.


    The only difference between the current moment and the moment before was that the Elves now had less Mana to work with.


    None of their mental abilities were working on the Monsters.


    Panic spread among the ten, and the eight weaker Elves began to look up to the two talented ones.


    They were the ones who had the most responsibility, so it was only natural for this to happen.


    L and Lali had to be held ountable.


    "C-could it be¡­ an effect of the Dragon?"


    "Maybe Mind Control! It''s Mind Control that allows them to work together!"


    That was the only answer that L and Lali could conjure up.


    There was no other exnation.


    "For it to resist our A-Tierbined mental effects, it means the Dragon''s Mins Control Skill must be higher."


    No one was surprised to hear that.


    Dragons were especially powerful, so one having an S-Tier Skill wasn''t particrly umon.


    In fact, it was a prerequisite for a Three-Horn to have an S-Tier Skill.


    ''This is bad¡­'' Lali thought to herself as she watched the Monsters approach.


    ''None of us have S-Tier Skills. Only Lady Aurora does.''


    The most they had were A-Tier Skills.


    ''Lali and I are not experts in Mental Skills and Magic, so we can''t utilize much in that regard. This is really bad¡­'' A bead of sweat fell from L''s forehead.


    The only option now was to use Binding Magic to somehow render them immobile, but even that option was a bit iffy.


    ''They''re too many of them to capture.'' Lali thought to herself.


    ''And even if we did capture all of them, they could escape from our binds given enough time.'' L was also thinking along the same lines as her sister.


    Ultimately, they were in a difficult situation.


    The Elves had to make a choice eventually.


    "E-everyone! Let us proceed to bind them!" L and Lali shouted at the same time.


    They hade up with the most effective strategy for the current moment.


    "We''ll restrain them and seal off this room. It''s going to take a lot of Mana and concentration, but you all have your emergency Potion supply, so we''ll use that once we''re done!"


    There was no guarantee that they wouldn''t encounter even more Monsters the deeper they went, but this was the best they could think of for now.


    "Once they''re sealed here, we''ll have limited time to search for the goods and secure them for ourselves."


    Spatial Rings were among the Items they paid for, so the Elves were simply going to use the Rings to collect all the Items and then leave the entire Warehouse.


    There were certain Items that Spatial Rings could not be used on, so they could alwayse back for those with Lady Aurora.


    With that as their current game n, the Elves all nodded in agreement and ignored their fears.


    "Get ready!" Lali and L yelled out, prepared for their next counterattack.


    They couldn''t help but think of their Big Sis and wonder how she was handling the disgusting and conniving humans.


    They already knew she would seed, just as always.


    That meant they couldn''t fail either.


    ''We will do our best here, Lady Aurora! None of us shall fail you!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Sorry for this entire long tangent.


    We are going to go to the main event; which is Aurora against the Mercenary Gang.

 Chapter 266 The Confrontation

    <h4>Chapter 266 The Confrontation </h4>


    The air grew increasingly tense as the army of men began to fall within sight.


    Aurora stood still, her stoic demeanor unchanging for even the slightest second, as she watched the silhouettes of the humans draw closer.


    They were on horses¡ªall of whom were enchanted to move faster than normal while experiencing as little fatigue as possible.


    The man at the forefront, while initially nothing but a blur, soon became a clear image for Aurora.


    ''He must be their leader¡­'' She thought to herself.


    He had a fur coat on¡ªresembling the hide of a white wolf¡ªand he had nothing else on for a shirt, so his entire chest was exposed for all to see.


    His baggy trousers firmly stayed at both sides of the mount he wielded, and his long, unruly hair made him look more animalistic than man.


    He had glowing orange eyes that belonged to a predator, and his determined gaze had no hint of fear.


    There was no doubt in Aurora''s mind.


    ''He''s the leader. Those two who are close to him must be his captains.''


    One of the men was dressed like a Mage¡ªwith a purple hooded cape covering his face, and a somehow borate garb that served as his entire attire.


    He had jewels decorating his hands and neck, which were clearly Enchanted Items, and stuck behind him¡ªlike a spear or sword¡ªwas a gnarled staff of some sort.


    The man was most likely a user of Magic, ording to Aurora''s analysis.


    As for the second man, he had heavy armor on¡ªfrom head to toe.


    His face wasn''t even exposed thanks to the helmet he wore. He only had his visor¡ªmeant for seeing¡ªand punctures close to his ears and nose so he could breathe and listen.


    The heavy armor he had on was obsidian ck, though it had silver designs all around.


    Aurora could see no de with the man, but she knew he had to use some kind of weapon.


    ''Does he have an ability to conjure weapons? Or maybe he''s storing them somewhere. Perhaps a Spatial Ring or something of the sort¡­''


    Aurora knew humans were very innovative with technology, something that Elves had no experience in.


    She didn''t think it made their race any better than hers, though, considering what they had to do to arrive at such a precipice.


    They literally upturned the way of Nature in their selfish bid to grow stronger.


    The fur coat that Fenrir wore, for example.


    It had to belong to some kind of powerful Monster. By killing the Monster, he had grown stronger.


    However, growing stronger also meant they had deprived nature of one of her agents.


    The Enchanted Items that they all boasted of was only possible due the sacrifice of countless lives.


    It was disgusting.


    ''But it seems even we have transgressed¡­''


    By requesting for Enchanted Items, they were essentially endorsing the wicked acts of mankind. The only way Aurora could justify what was going on was by giving the excuse:


    "They would have done it anyway, even if we didn''t desire Enchanted Items."


    It was thanks to this mental gymnastics that she could at least remain somewhat noble in her pursuits.


    ''In any case, the fight draws near. I have already strengthened my resolve to do what needs to be done¡­ for the sake of my people.''


    Elves weren''t fighters. They had very little to no experience when it came to truebat.


    That was yet another thing humans had over them¡ªthough it wasn''t apliment to say that man was more violent than the Elves.


    It was for this very reason that Aurora had been hesitant to fight humans. Their prowess and endless wickedness could prove to be their greatest strengths when facing her people.


    But¡­ the option of peace had long since died.


    There could only be war.


    ''I may have to use sheer violence, and I''m prepared for that. As long as I do not kill them, then my ethics are preserved.''


    No matter how vile humans were, they weren''t deserving of death.


    Not by her hands anyway.


    Aurora looked ahead once more and noticed the obvious changes.


    The silhouettes were no longer distant, but were now concrete men who were not too far away from Aurora and her sisters.


    ''About three hundred men. They don''t appear particrly threatening, but I can not dismiss their number.''


    Aurora closed her eyes and gave a deep sigh.


    She opened it slowly and summoned a staff out of nowhere.


    It was an ashen staff¡ªalmost white¡ªand she tightly gripped it while cing its sole on the ground.


    This was a staff only elders could wield, as it came from the Elder Tree of their Elven Vige.


    The mere fact that Aurora summoned it meant that she had no intention of holding back.


    Even the Elves behind her looked shocked at her decision. However, they could not question it.


    Lady Aurora''s actions were for the benefit of the Elf Family.


    ''Come, vile humans.'' Her thoughts echoed as her bluish-green eyes glowed.


    ''None of you will get past me!''


    ********


    Fenrir and his army slowed down as they neared the entrance of the Karinc Eastern Warehouse.


    They had expected to be greeted by the Dragon, but so far there was no enemy in sight.


    Until now¡­


    ''Who are these chicks? I noticed them from afar off¡­''


    The first thing he noticed was their pointed ears, so he quickly realized they were Elves.


    Their beauty was enthralling, and despite their fierce expressions, they looked very delicate.


    The woman at the forefront was the most beautiful of the three¡ªno, that didn''t do her justice.


    ''She''s the prettiestdy I have ever seen.''


    Fenrir and his men stopped about a hundred meters from them, and he dismounted almost as soon as they halted.


    He took a few steps forward, his eyes lit with desire.


    "You three¡­ I like you." He pointed at the three Elves, his teeth now beingpletely disyed alongside his brazenness.


    He could see the frowns on their faces, but that only made him more excited.


    He could even feel a slight bulge in his crotch.


    He took a few more steps forward and ced a hand on his hairy, muscr chest.


    With a loud voice and an excited tone, Fenrir made his deration.


    "Be my brides, and I shall forgive your defiance!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Welp¡­ this is quite the scenario, isn''t it? Yes, I knowints will arise about the slow pace of the book.


    I''m trying, but this is really how I enjoy writing my stories.


    It gives it a certain flow and vibe that I enjoy.


    So I''ll try to quicken things, but I also won''tpromise my enjoyment and style of the story.


    I appreciate your understanding!

 Chapter 267 The Mercenary Gang Leader

    <h4>Chapter 267 The Mercenary Gang Leader </h4>


    "What?!"


    Fenrir heard the enraged sound of the two Elfendies who stood behind their apparent leader.


    They had deeper frowns on their faces, though that didn''t take away from their beauty in any way. The two angry women looked even more attractive the more annoyed they were at him.


    As for the Elf at the center, she didn''t express any such thing as anger.


    Instead, she gave Fenrir a condescending look.


    "I would have to refuse; on behalf of myself, and my sisters." She responded calmly.


    Her soft voice made the bulge in his crotch slightly twitch, and he found himself growing increasingly excited.


    There was nothing that turned Fenrir on more than an interesting hunt.


    "What can I do, then? I really want you three, you know? Especially you." He pointed at the most mature Elf of the bunch.


    Her brows furrowed a little in disapproval, and the two Elves behind her began to yell with anger.


    "How dare a mere human¡­!"


    "Don''t look at our Lady with your filthy eyes!"


    Their reactions made Fenrir chuckle in delight. Elves were rare to find, but finding ones this amusing was impossible.


    He knew he had to have them at all costs.


    But first¡­


    "We havee here to recover our goods whichy beyond that entrance. I don''t suppose you''d let us freely pass."


    As he said this with a smirk, his two lieutenants moved closer to him, and his three hundred men began to reach for their weapons.


    ¡­ They had to take care of business.


    "We have taken full custody of the goods within. Per the arrangement made with your Karinc Group, those items inside belong to us." The prettiest Elf spoke sternly, gently hitting her staff on the ground.


    The moment she uttered those words, Fenrir''s eyes widened in shock.


    ''Those nc bastards¡­ so they were dealing with the Elves?!''


    A wide smile formed on his face as he appreciated the intel.


    The men behind him also looked at one another in both surprise and amusement.


    Once again, they were assured of the quality of the items they would soon be getting.


    ''Based on her response, she seems to think we''re the Karinc Group. I could just y along, but there''s no merit in that.'' He smiled, both internally and externally as he stepped forward and flexed his muscles.


    "My name is Fenrir, leader of the Mercenary Gang. We are not affiliated with the Karinc Group; instead, we have thoroughly crushed them."


    The two Elves behind their leader reacted with genuine shock and expressed nothing short of disgust towards Fenrir and his approaching men.


    "As a result of our victory, we deem it our right to im the spoils of war¡­ don''t you agree?" He raised his hand, as if requesting for something.


    "So step aside and hand over the Warehouse¡­ before things get messy."


    His bloodthirsty smile and wide grin made it clear that he was willing to be a ferocious beast if they refused his gentle offer.


    Fenrir didn''t care much for long talks and negotiations.


    If something was his, he would want to have it no matter what¡ªno sharing or haggling involved.


    He was strong, therefore he didn''t have to learn diplomacy or grovel at the feet of anyone.


    Fenrir was simply following the unfairw of the world.


    "I believe I already made my position clear." The leader Elf said calmly.


    "This ce is now under the custody of the Elves led by me, Aurora El viarai."


    Fenrir could feel some kind of pressure circle around Aurora as she spoke¡ªlike strong winds that only seemed to be growing into a tempest.


    "If you know what is good for you and your subordinates, then you should retreat. Now."


    Fenrir could detect confidence in the words of the Elf. This wasn''t merely defiance¡­ It was a challenge.


    Aurora, as she called herself, was strong.


    "Hehehe¡­ so that''s how it is!" Fenrir grinned widely, cracking his neck as he slowly winded his muscles.


    "That''s such a shame. I truly didn''t want to fight you."


    He wasn''t particrly averse to hitting women, but he didn''t want to damage the faces of the pretty Elves that he would soon make his.


    ''Well, I can always have them healed, so there''s no need to think that way.''


    Besides, if he made sure to pummel them well, they would know better than to defy him next time.


    The sooner he taught them obedience¡­ the better.


    "Why don''t we handle this like mature adults? Me versus you."


    Fenrir was, of course, referring to Aurora.


    Frankly, he wanted to rest out her strength and see how strong she was.


    He already knew Elves were very poor atbat, but this particr one seemed fairly confident in her power.


    ''It would be nice to see her despair once she falls under my superior strength.''


    "Fine. Though I do not mind taking you all on right now." Aurora took a step forward.


    Her statement amused Fenrir. He couldn''t tell if she was speaking this way due to self-assurance or pure stupidity.


    "You two, remain here and guard the entrance." She told her two subordinates, who nodded at her every word.


    Once she was done, Aurora took a few more steps forward, until she was a considerable distance from her sisters and much closer to Fenrir.


    Thetter was also moving closer to her.


    "You do know that there are multiple entrances, right? My men could always take a different route." Fenrir chuckled in a mocking tone.


    "It matters not. I will not allow any of you to step inside."


    Aurora''s response was curt and straightforward. It was clear that she didn''t desire to converse with the human in front of her.


    Fenrir only took this as even more motivation to have her as his woman.


    "By the way, I heard a Dragon attacked this ce. I don''t see any traces of one, so¡­ was it you who got rid of it?"


    Fenrir narrowed his eyes as he asked the question.


    ''If she is the one, then I should assume she''s a lot stronger than my Deadly Three. I''ll probably need to go all-out from the start.''


    However, her response to the question was a shrug.


    "The Dragon left already, so we took it as our chance to obtain our goods."


    Fenrir was chuckling long before realizing it. Based on her statement, he could decipher two things.


    ''First is the confirmation that they''re the true buyers of those Enchanted Items. Secondly¡­ they''re not as strong as the Dragon.''


    If they were, the Elves wouldn''t have waited for it to leave before attacking.


    Thus, Fenrir reached his conclusion.


    ''In essence¡­ I''m definitely stronger!''


    He stepped forward with his muscles bulging with every step he took.


    ''There''s no need to go all-out for now, but there''s also no need to hold back too much either.'' With this line of thought, he activated three out of his five Skills.


    ''[Greater Fiery Power]. [Greater Pure Boost]. [Greater Iron Fortress].''


    ~WHUUUUUSSSHHHHH!!!~


    A swirling force instantly rushed around him as both his offensive and defensive abilities rose to the max.


    Burning aura enveloped his body like mes, and he grew to be at least one feet taller than usual, with his muscles looking a lot bigger as well.


    Every aspect of Fenrir had bulked up, and as he stood right in front of the Elf he desired, he licked his lips with utmost delight.


    "You''re mine!"


    *


    *


    *

 Chapter 268 Fenrir Vs Aurora [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 268 Fenrir Vs Aurora [Pt 1] </h4>


    Fenrir, Chief of the Mercenary Gang.


    He had the ss ''Warlord'', a B-Tier ss, and 5 Skills at his disposal.


    [Greater Fiery Power]. [Greater Pure Boost]. [Greater Iron Fortress]. [War Cry]. [Beast Mode].


    Three of these Skills were B-Tier Skills, while the two others were C-Tier.


    He was also Level 145, the strongest man recognized in the Underworld.


    Alongside his experience inbat, his Privileges as a Warlord, and the multiple Skills at his disposal, he had one more thing that made him known to be invincible.


    The fact that he had killed a Dragon Commander!


    All of that culminated into the one known as the Chief of the Mercenary Gang.


    ¡ªAn unstoppable force of VIOLENCE!


    ********


    ~WHOOSH!~


    In a harsh breath of wind, Fenrir made his first move, rushing towards the still Elf with a powerful fist directed at her face.


    Sure, it would disfigure it, but Fenrir was assured that she would survive.


    ~BOOOOOOMMMM!~


    The earth shattered as his fist made impact, causing debris to fly in multiple directions as smoke rose from the Elf''s position.


    While he didn''t hear her screams and groans, he imagined it was frowned by the loud noise of destruction that he caused.


    ¡­ He was wrong.


    "H-huh¡­" Fenrir thought his eyes were deceiving him as he looked at a standing silhouette within the smoke.


    A secondter, and the winds carried away all that obstructed his sight so he could see the being who stood upright before him.


    It was none other than Aurora.


    She maintained her position, and the calm expression on her face had not been altered in the slightest.


    While everything around her had suffered from the effects of Fenrir''s punch, the tform she stood on was absolutely fine.


    And it was all thanks to the near-white translucent barrier that formed a sort of semi-sphere around her.


    "Hoh? Nice defense!" Fenrirmented, despite his usual habit of not speaking during fights.


    The fact that the Elf kept staring at him with such defiant eyes unnerved him a little.


    What was previously amusing for him slowly started to get annoying.


    Fenrir wasn''t satisfied any longer.


    ~VWOOOSH!~


    Another powerful blow was sent towards Aurora, this time with bursting mes coating Fenrir''s entire fist.


    The result?


    ~BOOOOOOM!~


    A massive explosion rose from the point of impact, causing heated winds to fly on and about the area.


    The rest of the Mercenary Gang braced themselves due to the impact, and the Elves behind Aurora did the same.


    However¡­


    "Stop. It''s useless."


    ¡­ Aurora and her barrier remained intact.


    ''H-huh¡­? What''s going on?''


    Fenrir had never seen anyone capable of defending against two of his attacks so casually.


    Perhaps the Grand Mage of the Kingdom could do so, but she was just one person.


    Besides, she would have to cast a Spell for that.


    ''Hold on! This is an Elf! I can''t hold her to the same standards as the others!''


    Fenrir shook off the anxiety that was slowly building up within him.


    He didn''t want to entertain the possibility of losing just yet.


    Not when he hadn''t fully revealed all the cards on his shoulders.


    ''What of [War Cry]?''


    "URAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" Fenrir activated his debuff Skill, ensuring his roar filled the entire space where everyone upied.


    [War Cry] had two primary functions.


    One was to boost the strength of his allies, and the other was to reduce the power of his enemy.


    He could only choose one of the functions, and the cooldown rate was quite long, which was why it remained a C-Tier Skill despite its incredible use.


    Once he was done activating the Skill, he sent one more fiery strike towards his adversary, this time putting his back into it.


    ~BOOOOOOMM!~


    The earth shook, threatening to cave inpletely, as the barrier soaked in the impact of his strike.


    Fenrir felt as though he broke through the barrier and shattered the woman''s jaw, but that could have as well been his imagination.


    Still, by utilizing [War Cry], he was assured that Aurora''s abilities would have drastically reduced.


    It wouldn''t be long until¡ª


    "Why don''t you just stop now? I already told you that it''s of no use¡­" Aurora''s disconcerted tone shattered the reality that Fenrir was living in.


    Winds scattered the dust and smoke that danced around her, revealing how her barrier was still standing.


    "What?!" Fenrir found himself in confusion at this point.


    ''What Tier is that Barrier? A-Tier?'' Was that perhaps why he couldn''t make a dent in it?


    No¡­ even if it was A-Tier, it shouldn''t have survived that long against his strikes.


    All the Skills he had used so far already ced him around the level of an A-Tier, especially coupled with his Warlord Privileges


    ¡ªone of which stated:


    ~Your power will drastically rise by 50 percent when facing someone with a Tier higher than you.~


    He also had several Items on that made it so that he was an unstoppable force of destruction.


    Adding all these factors together, he was confident that he could defeat an A-Tier target.


    So why wasn''t he winning?!


    "Tch!" Fenrir clicked his tongue.


    He had to admit that Aurora was far stronger than he expected and he still didn''t know the depths of her strength.


    ''Now that it''se to this, I''ll just have to go all-out.''


    That meant activating his final Skill¡­ [Beast Mode].


    ~VWUUUUMMM!!~


    Misty energy swirled around Fenrir as his body underwent a rapid transformation.


    His ck hair turned white nearly instantly, and his body began to grow fur at an unbelievable rate.


    Fenrir discarded his human appearance and took on the form of something else.


    Like a wolf, but notpletely one.


    He still had human-like muscles, and he was bipedal, however, he now had a wolf tail, wolf limbs, and a wolf head.


    He stood at least eight feet tall, and his huge body was beyond threatening.


    It was primal.


    At this point, his power had long transcended what it used to be.


    "ROAAAAARRRHHHHH!!!" He let out, allowing shockwaves to ripple through the air and crash upon everyone who was within the vicinity.


    A powerful pressure was sent down to everyone who watched


    ¡ªall thanks to Fenrir''s transformation.


    Despite it being a mere C-Tier Skill, [Beast Mode] gave Fenrir the ability of a predator; one whose bloodlust was insatiable, and his desires endless.


    It boosted his Combat Ability and presence to a magnificent degree of 100%, hence making him a walking cmity.


    His additional Items also had their effects improved thanks to his ''Equip Limit'' increasing.


    His current strength had more to do withpatibility rather than sheer power, but it was effective regardless.


    At this moment, Fenrir was truly a beast.


    ''Now then¡­'' He growled as he looked down on the Elf who had no choice but to look up to him.


    ''¡­ Time for round two!''


    Moving faster than anyone''s eyes could possibly perceive, Fenrir rushed towards his target like a wild beast and sent both hands rushing toward her for a w attack.


    His body was still burning red thanks to his [Greater Fiery Power] Skill, so adding the intensity of such a ming aura to ws that distorted the air itself¡­.


    ¡­ The result had to be catastrophic!


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Isn''t it funny when someone doesn''t know it when they''re clearly the weaker one?


    It''s dumb fun.

 Chapter 269 Fenrir Vs Aurora [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 269 Fenrir Vs Aurora [Pt 2] </h4>


    ~FWIIIIISH!~


    Twin burning shes marked themselves into space as theynded upon the barrier.


    The force alone caused Fenrir to be pushed back, so he simply recoiled in the air andnded a few meters away from his enemy¡ªright before charging back again.


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    Once again, he did the same, shing and hacking the barrier with unbelievable speed.


    Again¡­


    ~SWISH!~


    And again¡­


    ~VWUUSH!~


    ¡­ Yet again!


    He kept this up, almost as one who had infinite stamina, just waiting for the moment the barrier would wear down.


    But¡­ it didn''t!


    No matter how many strikes he made, or how fast he tore through the air to reach his target, or how badly the area around him was devastated¡­


    ¡­ The barrier remained intact.


    "Haaa¡­ haaaa¡­"


    After about five minutes of relentless assault, the beast finally slowed down.


    He exhaled heavily, standing about ten meters from his target while huffing and puffing.


    ''Why is the barrier not going down? I''ve tried practically everything¡­''


    Fenrir already knew the answer, but he had been subconsciously ignoring it all this time. But, with his options all but consummated, he had no other choice but to admit the truth.


    ''She''s stronger than I am. And it''s not even close!''


    It felt like a strike to his ego¡ªespecially since he desired her as a submissive bride.


    Now that he knew who was superior, Fenrir felt beyond annoyed.


    He felt frustrated.


    ''Damnit! I do have that one final card, but I can''t use that. Not here¡­ and not on her!''


    That meant he only had one option.


    "Prepare to attack, everyone!" Fenrir yelled out.


    The entirety of the Mercenary Gang unsheathed their weapons, and the two members of the Deadly Three instantly appeared next to their leader.


    Fenrir was still in his Beast Mode, but he knew it would onlyst for about three more minutes.


    He had to end it within that time frame.


    "You don''t look too surprised. Still having that calm facade¡­" Fenrir scoffed at the Elf who remained in her barrier.


    "Humans are untrustworthy scum who don''t keep to their word. I never had any expectations from you, to begin with, so your actions don''t surprise me."


    Fenrir frowned a little as soon as he heard Aurora''s monotonous response.


    "Are you saying you can take on all of us at the same time? You''re that confident, huh?"


    "I believe I already told you that I didn''t mind those odds from the start."


    Fenrir felt a rising heat in his chest as he heard her replies.


    He initially felt turned on by her words, but now he only wanted to pummel her without any mercy.


    He truly desired to kill her.


    "We''ll see about that." He growled, raising his hand while preparing his men to attack.


    "There''s nothing to see."


    The woman raised her staff from the ground and pointed it towards Fenrir and his crew.


    "ATTACK!"


    The moment Fenrir''s roar echoed in the air, the Mercenary Gang elites marched forward with their weapons drawn and their Skills being activated.


    In their horde, they advanced with threatening power and chants of violence.


    The very ground shook, and the air around vibrated as tension took over.


    Led by Fenrir and his two lieutenants, the army neared Aurora, with bloodlust so palpable one could nearly taste it,


    But¡­


    "[Nature Magic: Sleepy Garden]."


    ¡­ They were all stopped by a single Spell from Aurora.


    In an instant, a massive willow tree appeared behind the Elf, and flowers erupted from the ground to form a garden.


    Pretty colored flowers of various colors filled the area with sheer beauty.nIt surrounded Aurora, and it soon covered the grounds that the army trampled upon.


    The moment the adversaries took a step forward, their eyes turned white and their faces lost all the violence it once had.


    Instead, they became drowsy and copsed on the ground.


    One after the other¡ªwithout exception¡ªthey fell down andpletely lost consciousness.


    The three-hundred were the first to go, and the two lieutenants didn''tst very long either.


    Within seconds, everyone was down for the count¡ªexcept one.


    "Y-you¡­"


    Fenrir was kneeling, his body trembling as he fought to resist the drowsiness that was creeping inside his massive body.


    "J-just what kind of¡­?"


    Fenrir''s vision was already getting blurry, but he knew he couldn''t fall unconscious. He couldn''t leave himself at the mercy of his adversary.


    ''Damnit! Damn it all!'' If it wasn''t for his current state of power, he would have fallen like the rest of his subordinates.


    Never before had he experienced such humiliation.


    ''At least, I could always sense the difference in power between me and whoever was stronger than me.''


    Like when he fought the Dragon Commander and won, or when he faced Scy''s bodyguard and instantly knew who was stronger.


    He could always tell.


    But this¡­ this Elf waspletely different.


    She appeared so delicate, even when she was trying to be firm.


    He truly thought he could take her on.


    ''I was wrong! She''s definitely top-tier! Perhaps even¡­ in the S-


    Tier?!''


    As Fenrir mulled over this issue, he felt footstepsing his way. His heart raced, but rather than the excitement he would normally feel, there was a hint that this was due to fear.


    Finally, the footsteps stopped, as the one who approached him now stood right before his kneeling self.


    "I told you there was no use. It seems your limits are B-Tier Skills, and you have no aptitude for Magic." Her words echoed deep in his ears.


    "Human hubris knows no bounds indeed."


    Aurora''s words stung Fenrir to his core.


    His wounded pride could no longer allow such insults to go unanswered.


    ''My trump card¡­ it seems I''ll have to use it now!''


    There was no way she could survive this ability he was about to utilize.


    It was a Privilege from his Warlord ss, and the most powerful tool in his arsenal.


    ''Get ready, bitch! It''s time for payba¡ª!''


    Before he could conclude his thoughts, his distorted senses noticed many footstepsing from the entrance of the Warehouse.


    They all belonged to Elves.


    ''S-she has reinforcements¡­?!''


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    The fight is pretty much over at this point. I wonder how the Elves would perceive Rey when they eventually meet¡­

 Chapter 270 Dark Realization

    <h4>Chapter 270 Dark Realization </h4>


    ''As expected¡­ they''re unimpressive.''


    As Aurora stood in front of the humans she so easily subdued, she heaved a sigh.


    She was grateful that they didn''t give her any issues whatsoever in the battle.


    ''The Ashen Staff''s barrier was able to deflect all his attacks, so I suppose there was no need to worry about thebat abilities that humans possess.''


    Her S-Tier Nature Magic was also pretty useful in subduing all of them without any need for excessive violence.


    ''I must have overestimated them in a bid for caution.'' Aurora nearly smiled to herself.


    The only one who was still awake despite her Spell was Fenrir, but he was barely even conscious.


    ''Even if he chooses to counterattack, he''ll barely be able to do anything.''


    Right as she was having these thoughts, ten Elves emerged from the entrance of the Warehouse.


    ''They''re back! Finally!'' Aurora smiled, d to finally be done with dealing with humans.


    Her relieved expression soon took a dip, however, once she looked in their direction and saw the kind of face they made.


    "H-huh¡­?"


    The ten Elves had sad and weary looks practically embedded on their face.


    Not even a single one had a twinkle of joy in their eyes.


    It puzzled Aurora.


    "You''re back early. How was it?" She asked, looking at L and Lali especially.


    They appeared to be the most exhausted of the group.


    "We encountered a horde of Monsters, most likely a trap left behind by the Dragon." Lali responded.


    "We managed to bind the first batch and block off the room they upied. We had to hurry, though, since they could break out at any time." L spoke next.


    Aurora furrowed her brows in confusion.


    "Why didn''t you just put them to sleep?"


    "We tried. It didn''t work."


    "Must have been the Dragon''s control."


    Aurora had a few more questions, but they could all wait. The biggest one on her mind was why they weren''t carrying anything with them.


    "Where¡­ are the Enchanted Items?" She asked, her tone taking a bit of an anxious turn.


    The whole reason they had gone through all of this trouble was for the grand prize that would assist their people and theirnd.


    Yet why wasn''t she seeing anything with them?


    "We found nothing. We searched high and low, through every corner of the Warehouse¡­ but in the end¡­"


    "There was nothing. It''s empty¡ªat least, for the most part."


    Aurora couldn''t believe what L and Lali told her.


    "A-are you sure you weren''t in too much of a hurry?" She knew it was insensitive to ask such a question, especially after her sisters had done their very best.


    L and Lali were especially diligent, and everyone knew that for a fact.


    But¡­ Aurora simply couldn''t believe that their prized goods were missing.


    "The Dragon must have taken them all. Could it be Spatial Magic?"


    Aurora could feel anger getting mixed with frustration as she gritted her teeth at the news.


    "Kekeke¡­" A strained chuckle echoed from the man who knelt before her.


    He was in a delirious state, barely conscious. Yet, he gave his all tough at the Elves.


    "Serves you bitches ri¡ª!"


    ~FWIP!~


    In one swift turn of her staff, Aurora whipped Fenrir, causing him to lose consciousness that very instant.


    Afterwards, she took a deep breath and sighed.


    "Haa¡­ I guess there''s no helping it." As Aurora muttered this, she looked at the human beneath her.


    There was no need to resort to violence since he would have passed out a few secondster anyway. The reason she went so far was due to her frustration.


    She was angry!


    ''That cursed Dragon!'' Her mine echoed as she clenched her fist.


    Everything was ruined now.


    ''We can''t just go home empty-handed, and there''s no telling how things have escted over there.''


    She bit her lip and did her best to hide her immense vexation, knowing fully well that her impressionable sisters would feel even worse seeing her that way.


    "Let''s retreat for now. It wouldn''t be good if the earlier fight attracted unwanted attention."


    This was the middle of nowhere, and Aurora doubted that the Dragon would return, but the safe call for the current situation at hand was for a timely retreat.


    "What about the humans?" One of the Elves asked.


    Aurora felt the question was unnecessary, and she was about to let her thoughts be known.


    ''But, considering our major loss, this isn''t the time for anything of the sort.''


    "We''ll leave them here. There''s no no need to worry about them."


    "Understood, LadyAurora!"


    The Elves were pretty much done with everything rted to the Warehouse, and while Aurora felt the temptation to check things out herself, she decided to trust L and Lali.


    ''I might return to check things out on my ownter¡­''


    If indeed all the Enchanted Items were gone, they would have no choice but to leave within the month.


    ''I only fear what will happen to us afterwards.''


    ********


    [Hours Later]


    "Urhh¡­"


    Fenrir woke up in a field of wilting flowers, and not long after doing so, he could see hisrades slowly waking as well.


    Despite falling unconscious so abruptly, his entire body felt so rxed and amazing.


    He felt a slight sting in his head, but other than that, his tense muscles were in top shape, and all his stiff joints were back now loose and flexible once again.


    Still, despite all of these positives, Fenrir could not ignore what had just happened to him and his subordinates.


    "So we lost, huh?"


    It was a frustrating thing to admit, but Fenrir couldn''t deny the power he had felt.


    He was always willing to ept it when he was weaker than his opponents¡ªthough that didn''t mean he liked doing it.


    ''It also seems like they don''t have the Enchanted Items either.'' He rubbed his head as he winced.


    ''The Dragon has it, huh? I don''t know which is worse¡­''


    Objectively speaking, the Dragons having their hands on so many assets was the worst situation.


    However, Fenrir pretty much despised Elves now thanks to the defeat he suffered.


    "Haaa¡­" He sighed once again as he stood up.


    The willow tree that Aurora had summoned was no longer present, and most of the flowers were drying up.


    Fenrir had never seen such Magic before, but he knew it had to be very strong.


    ''Strong, huh? Dragons and Elves¡­ it seems both sides are stronger than we humans.''


    He chuckled to himself and shrugged.


    Thankfully, his job didn''t involve any of them in the slightest.


    ''Looks like I''ll have to inform Scy about all of this.''


    Without their means ofpensation, Fenrir wondered what she would offer up next.


    ''Whatever it is¡­ it had better make me stronger!''


    ********


    [A Few Days Later]


    Rebal nc sat within his office as he opened an envelope and pulled out a letter addressed to his nc House.


    It was from The Underworld Triumvirate itself.


    "N-no¡­" As he read the contents of the letter, he felt his body tremble slightly.


    Just when things were beginning to stabilize, this had toe and disrupt everything.


    Once Rebal was done reading the letter he pped it on his table and groaned softly.


    cing both hands on his face, while exhaling deeply, he murmured words that no one could hear but him.


    "The Dark Gathering¡­ is at hand."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    We''re slowly approaching the climax of this part of the arc. Yes, it''s been slow, but I hope you all are having a good time.

 Chapter 271 Prelude To The Raid [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 271 Prelude To The Raid [Pt 1] </h4>


    "Well done, everyone."


    The man of darkness himself, Ralyks, pped as he gazed upon the group of nine who stood before him.


    No one could see what was hidden underneath his dark mask, but based on the tone of his voice, and his gesture, it was clear he was pleased.


    The expanse above showed a bright sun that sharply contrasted with his ck aesthetic, and the ground around him had been shattered¡ªdestroyed by the just-concluded battle.


    "You exceeded my expectations." Ralyks nodded in approval as he formally ended the round.


    The Otherworlders¡ªor rather, students under Ralyks¡ªhad just passed the final phase of their test with the Dark Adventurer.


    This was something they had been undertaking for the past few days, so the smiles and expressions of relief that pervaded their faces was understandable.


    Everyone was exhausted, but they couldn''t help butugh energetically as they copsed on the ground in satisfaction.


    They really did it!


    "You''ve defeated thest of my Elemental Summon. I can see you''re now ready for the next step."


    The Otherworlders all looked at Ralyks from wherever they sat on the devastated ground.


    They knew what was toe.


    "Tomorrow¡­ we will venture into the Royal Dungeon." He dered.


    The equipment that they needed was finally ready. Their practice had paid off, and they were deemed prepared enough for the rigors of the Dungeon Raid.


    Everything had been set in motion.


    "Any questions?" Ralyks asked, both hands behind him as he did so.


    No matter the situation, this man always maintained an air of elegance and prestige.


    ¡­ Also power.


    "I have one. How long will we be spending for the Raid in total?"


    The person who asked this question was Justin, and he had a goofy smile on¡ªas usual.


    His question was serious, nheless, and the teenagers around him seemed to resonate with it with their curious eyes.


    Ralyks shrugged the moment he heard it.


    "I previously thought it would take two months or more, but¡­" He narrowed his eyes as he looked at the bunch in front of him.


    "Right now, one month should be fine."


    If they spent an average of ten hours a day in the Dungeon, they were definitely going to finish things within a month.


    "You''ve all grown exponentially in the past couple of days."


    Some depicted more growth, but each individual had their respective kinds of progress.


    It was a beautiful thing to see.


    The innocent and helpless teenagers that came out of that Summoning Circle were not the same as the ones who now sat before Ralyks.


    They had all grown.


    ********


    [Moments Later]


    "What did you think about the final training? Was it difficult?"


    "Man¡­ I''m so exhausted!"


    "Gotta get back inside to snack on something real quick!"


    "Eww! Dude, take a shower first!"


    Once Ralyks left the bunch of students by teleporting away, everyone instantly began to talk about random things.


    They were still teenagers, plus Ralyks had told them to take the rest of the day off and rx, so being this loose and carefree was only natural.


    As one would expect, each person had their preferred group:


    Belle, Justin, Eric, and rk hung out together very often.


    Adonis, Billy, and Trisha often trained together, or just walked together.


    Then finally, Rey and Alicia were a clique of their own.


    The two were practically inseparable.


    Even now, as they all rose from where they sat and decided what to do after, the both of them were discussing among themselves.


    If the first group could be said to be "the boys"¡ªwith Belle being the center of attention around them¡ªand the second group was essentially the "hardcore training club," then the final group was essentially the "nerd group."


    Rey and Alicia were known to frequent the library pretty much every day.


    A few students¡ªusually naughty ones like Justin¡ªpostted that they were definitely doing something more than ''reading books'' there.


    However, with no proof, nothing he said could stick.


    Even when he decided to spy on them, he couldn''t get his hands on the evidence he desired.


    In the end, he was forced to leave due to how boring and eerily quiet the ce was.


    Rather than discouraging him, the experience only solidified his beliefs that Rey and Alicia were definitely doing something extra for spending so long in the library.


    "They can fool everyone, but not me!" He often dered aloud, though that was always followed-up by some kind of p on his back by the rest of his friends.


    Inevitably, this led to a rumor about Rey and Alicia in the ss.


    The match-up was surprising¡ªconsidering how incredibly beautiful and powerful Alicia was, and how average Rey appeared¡ªbut no one could deny their connection.


    Some called it mere friendship.


    Others referred to their rtionship as one-sided, with Alicia essentially controlling Rey.


    While others made noments on the issue.


    People had their various perspectives on the issue, but it wasn''t like they really dwelled on it.


    Not with the Dungeon Raid starting theing day.


    Right now, everyone just wanted to return to their rooms, wash up, and spend their time doing whatever they wanted for the time being.


    Reading, eating, sleeping, or basically anything else that didn''t involve training.


    Even Billy and Trisha¡ªthe training junkies of the ss¡ªdidn''t look like they were up to that for the day.


    As for Adonis, he currently stood in front of everyone as they slowly rose to their feet in order to leave the training field.


    "Everyone, may I have your attention?"


    As one would expect, everyone turned in his direction that very instant.


    He had a smile on his face, the kind that made him look like a god sculpted into the form of a man.


    It captivated everyone and drew them in.


    "I want to express my thanks and gratitude to all of you here! Despite the tough training, none of you quit or gave up. You kept up the hard work, and we''ve finally made it this far as a result."


    Unlike the initial number of twenty-nine, who were functionally a disorderly bunch, this small squad of nine members was far more coherent.


    It showed the benefit of quality over quantity.


    "I want to congratte all of you, and wish you safety, regarding tomorrow."


    Adonis'' white teeth were disyed for all to see, and he gave his genuine heroic smile so all his ssmates could join him in his celebration.


    And they did.


    Every single one of the eight that stood opposite Adonis gave their versions of smiles.


    All of them were beyond excited.


    "I wish you all good luck on the Dungeon Raid!"


    *


    *


    *

 Chapter 272 Prelude To The Raid [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 272 Prelude To The Raid [Pt 2] </h4>


    Within the inner sanctum of the Royal Library, two students were making a bit of noise.


    "Rey, stop!"


    "Why? You like it, don''t you?"


    Their voices and pleasant sounds echoed within the vast world of books and knowledge.


    The Library was meant to be a world of silence and discipline, but the sounds that these two teenagers were making wasn''t at all akin to that.


    There was no prestige in their words; no hush apanying their tone.


    Theyughed and giggled¡ªforbidden activities within the four walls of the sacred hall.


    The only reason they got away with it was because no one else was present in the Library.


    It was just them.


    "Stop! I''m serious, Rey!" Alicia''s face was beet red as her body trembled.


    She swiftly covered her flushed face with her hands, but that only caused amusement for the boy who was next to her.


    "You''re saying that, but you don''t really mean it, Alicia¡­" He made a wide grin as he advanced closer.


    A somewhat sadistic smile yed on his face as he yfully spoke.


    "Your body is honest, Alicia. You can''t deny it!"


    Indeed! Despite telling Rey to stop, the girl couldn''t deny that she was enjoying every fraction of this moment.


    After all¡­


    "Rey, please transform back!"


    ¡­ Rey was currently partially transformed as a rabbit¡ªthanks to his special ability.


    "Pfft! It''s too¡­ it''s too funny! Hahahaha!"


    His two legs were entirely simr to that of her Familiar, and they looked incredibly weird being attached to his human torso.


    His hands were also human, so one could only imagine how odd he looked with such a strange appearance.


    Ah, yes¡­ he also had bunny ears.


    "Hehehe! I bet Snow thinks of me as one of her own." Rey turned to the white rabbit who sat on Alicia''s desk.


    The Familiar looked at Rey for only a few seconds before snickering in its rabbit sound.


    It rolled over andughed to its heart content, most likely making fun of Rey in its animalnguage.


    "I guess even your rabbit thinks I''m a joke." Rey chuckled as he hopped forward with his rabbit legs.


    Of course, he fell t on the ground thanks to having no proper bnce.


    "O-ow¡­."


    "Pfft! Kwiiii¡­ kuwiiii!" The rabbitughed even more, uttering some unintelligible words.


    "Hey, Snow! Be nice!" Alicia said to the rabbit in disapproval, quickly turning to Rey and sighing.


    "I warned you, Rey! Serves you right for hitting your face on the ground."


    Even though Alica folded her arms and closed her eyes as she uttered those words, there was no denying that she really cared.


    The red hues on her cheeks, and the fact that she slyly opened her eyes and looked at him in concern just a secondter, proved how much she cared.


    "Are you¡­ fine, though?" She eventually had no choice but to murmur.


    Rey slowly rose to his feet¡ªhuman feet now, since he already changed them back upon his unexpected impact¡ªand nodded his head.


    "Yep! Just a bit sore on my head¡­" He stretched his body as he rose upright.


    "This guy¡­ well, I guess that''s what you get for making meugh too hard."


    Alicia iled her hair and looked away from him, once again acting all disinterested.


    "Well, I aim to please." Rey bowed curtly, a mischievous grin appearing on his face.


    Both of them found themselvesughing not long after.


    "Kwii¡­?" Snow bent her head a little to the left, not really understanding the interaction between the two parties.


    Who could me her? Not even the two teenagers really knew what they were doing.


    They were simply having fun.


    *******


    "I''m d you were able to learn more about your powers and how to properly control them." Alicia smiled at Rey as she rubbed his reddish forehead.


    When he fell, his head essentially hit the hard tile floor of the library.


    It wasn''t anything serious, but Alicia insisted on taking a look at it.


    She even offered to heal it, but Rey said it was no big deal, and he managed to escape her care.


    After all, there really wasn''t anything to heal.


    "Y-yeah¡­ I mean, I''m a lot stronger now." Reyughed a little awkwardly.


    Alicia was currently rubbing his head, and she was also very close to him.


    ¡­ Too close to him.


    "I noticed. The fight with the Elementals¡­ I was surprised with how you fought."


    Rey''s movements were a lot more fluid than anything Alicia had ever seen him do.


    In the past, he moved a little too awkwardly¡ªalmost as if he was trying too hard, or not trying at all.


    But this time, he felt more natural.


    And, he was a much better fighter as a result.


    "I can''t wait to go to the Dungeon Raid. Are you excited?" Rey smiled as he looked at Alicia''s face.


    She was done checking his forehead, so she backed away and he did the same.


    They both returned to their seats, directly facing each other as was their habit.


    They hadn''t even started reading; and they probably wouldn''t even need to.


    There were a lot more interesting things to immerse themselves into than mere literature.


    Like¡­ talking.


    "I can''t believe you''re so excited. I heard what happened to everyone thest time." Alicia''s response was that of hesitation.


    It was as if she couldn''t understand the appeal of the Dungeon Raid, despite recognizing its necessity.


    "Yeah. But we''ll have Sir Ralyks with us. He''ll protect us."


    Rey''s response was the stereotypical kind any ssmate would give when the issue of the Dungeon''s safety came up.


    In the past, their trust used to be on Adonis, but now it shifted to Ralyks.


    "Your expression changed when I mentioned Sir Ralyks. Do you really dislike him that much?" Rey asked.


    Everyone could pretty much tell that Ralyks and Alicia didn''t have the best of rtionships.


    Perhaps it was because Alicia always questioned everything and was usually more critical about Ralyks'' unlimited authority over them.


    Unlike everyone else, she had challenged some of his positions and actions.


    It caused some friction between the two of them.


    "I don''t dislike him per se. It''s just¡­ I don''t know how to put it¡­" Alicia murmured as she looked away.


    Anytime she saw how Ralyks treated everyone¡ªespecially Rey


    ¡ªso roughly, she just couldn''t help but not like his methods.


    So it wasn''t like she disliked or even hated him. She simply didn''t like him.


    "And I don''t think that''s going to change." She sighed after exining everything to Rey.


    "Of course, I recognize how much he has helped you. He helped me too, with Snow and training. He was practically the one who rescued me as well."


    In more ways than one, Alicia owed a lot to Ralyks.


    Yet¡­


    "I just can''t bring myself to like him. I don''t know why¡­"


    Rey smiled at her and shrugged.


    "I''m sure Ralyks understands, wherever he is. I don''t think he''s doing this to make us like or respect him."


    The guilt on Alicia''s face slowly evaporated as she heard this.


    "Really¡­?"


    "Yes. He simply wants to help us. I just feel like as long as we trust him and utilize his help to the utmost, nothing else matters."


    It sounded a bit cold-hearted, but Ralyks never showed any intention of getting close with any of them.


    He only expressed one thing: his desire for them to grow.


    "Let''s just do our best in the Raid and get stronger. That''s the best way to show your thanks to him for all his help."


    Both Rey and Alicia smiled at each other as they made eye contact. The former nodded at her and had a confident glint in his eyes.


    It caused whatever uncertain feelings within Alicia to die out. In the end, she also nodded her head in agreement.


    "Okay. I''ll do my best."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Sorry for the slow-burn nature of this chapter, but I had to explore these two a bit more.


    Hope you liked it.

 Chapter 273 Talk On The Dark Gathering [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 273 Talk On The Dark Gathering [Pt 1] </h4>


    Night soon arrived, and for most that meant turning to thefort of their beds and venturing into the realm of sleep.


    However, for one man, the night held a different meaning.


    It was a call to shed his natural identity and don another one.


    From an average nobody¡­ to the most powerful man whose power was shrouded in mystery.


    Thus, under the shade of the dark clouds and dull moon, the Dark Adventurer was born.


    ¡ªThe one known as Ralyks


    *********


    ''Looks like I can finally return to the Karinc Group¡­'' Rey thought, alreadypletely outfitted as his alter-ego.


    As he stood in his room, ready to open a portal to his rendezvous point with his other allies, he mulled over a few things.


    ''Alicia and I really took our time talking today. I guess she really is nervous about tomorrow.''


    Rey had explored every nook and cranny of the ce, so there really wasn''t anything to be worried about.


    He already knew how strong everything was, and he had designed the perfect map that would lead them down the path of the Dungeon.


    ''She doesn''t know that, though, so I understand her nervousness.''


    Rey knew he would never put her life in any kind of danger, though.


    ''We still haven''t talked about the incident¡­ but I think she still has some trauma from then.''


    In all fairness, he also hadn''t revealed the truth about him being Ralyks as well. In a way, they had their secrets that they were hiding.


    That didn''t in any way diminish their friendship.


    ''I guess we both have our reasons for keeping secrets.''


    Based on everything he had seen thus far, he could clearly say that it didn''t matter whether she told him about the incident or not.


    They were still good friends.


    Nothing much has changed, and Rey liked it.


    Even now, with the Dungeon Raid and a bunch of other thingsing up, Rey felt a strange sense of calm wash over him.


    ''She''ll be fine. They all will be.'' He smiled to himself, though it was all hidden underneath his mask.


    Their proficiency in both individual and team abilities over the past few days had improved drastically.


    ''I let my clone act as Ralyks while I operate as Rey. I can clearly see how fluid thebat flow has gotten.''


    After what they did earlier in the day, he was thoroughly convinced that everyone was ready to Level Up like crazy and keep up the grind.


    ''I won''t fall behind too¡­'' His grin became wider, and a swirling portal appeared in front of him.


    Rey ventured in with his hands in his pockets.


    ''I wonder what''s currently going on with the Karinc Group¡­''


    ********


    Tension.


    As Rey sat opposite Rebal, Asher, and Kara, he could feel the tension oozing from their bodies.


    Something was definitely wrong, and the atmosphere suffered because of it.


    It took a lot to scare denizens of the underworld, so Rey could only wonder what could be the reason behind the pale and downcast faces of the people before him.


    Sooner orter, though¡­ they had to speak.


    "There has been a¡­ ahem¡­ a new development, Sir Ralyks."


    Rey nodded slowly and waited for an exnation.


    "We received a letter very early this morning, almost right after you left. It was from the Triumvirate, and it concerns the Dark Gathering."


    Rey slightly raised his brow as soon as he heard the name. He was very confused, and once again thankful that his mask prevented anyone from noticing it.


    "The Dark Gathering. Hmm¡­" He muttered, giving a vague sense of understanding.


    ''Why aren''t they borating? Do they expect me to understand it with just that?''


    A head of sweat fell from Rey''s face as he waited for Rebal to keep speaking.


    There was no way he would say anything inurate or stupid and risk embarrassing himself.


    The burden was on his interlocutor.


    "As you well know, this means that the ve Union, the Obsidian Council, and the Mercenary Gang have to gather in the Allied Merchant City for a meeting. We are expected to show up as well." Rebal said with a deep sigh.


    Rey didn''t know how they expected him to figure that out on his own, but he simply responded with a "Hmm¡­" and allowed Rebal to continue.


    "The venue for the Dark Gathering is the same as every year, and this isn''t the first time we''ll be having it, but¡­ as you can tell, there''s a lot that is suspicious about this invitation."


    As soon as Rey heard that, he made a deep sigh.


    There was no way he couldn''t tell this much about the current situation.


    "Indeed. It''s most likely a trap, is it not?" Rey smiled as he spoke almost amusedly.


    It was clear that Scy and her New Order were trying to make a big move to eradicate the Karinc Group by using this Dark Gathering as an excuse.


    "My suspicion is that they intend to take over my territory and also the Verte properties during the Dark Gathering, where we''ll be too powerless to do anything." Rebal spoke with a grave tone.


    "They''ll also take your lives there, won''t they? Tying up all loose ends."


    The older man nodded at Rey''s additional statement, and the expressions on both Kara and Asher''s faces showed that they recognized the current situation very well.


    Everything they had worked for was in danger.


    ''There''s a lot I don''t understand, though¡­'' Rey''s thoughts trailed as he looked at the bunch.


    For days now, they had been going all over the United Human Alliance, securing the properties of the Verte House.


    Rey had also said used that chance to check out the ve Warehouse along the way.


    ''So far, all those Warehouses have been empty, and the properties were secured with much of an issue.''


    Things had gone pretty smoothly¡ªwithout incident at all¡ªfor the past few days.


    ¡­ Almost as if Scy''s New Order was biding their time for the moment to strike.


    ''If that''s the case, then I''m pretty sure this Dark Gathering is their endgame.''


    If that was the case, then Rey knew it had to be something incredibly serious and well thought-out.


    One of the reasons why he spared two Heads of Destruction was so they could report back to the Mercenary Gang¡ªand by extension, Scy.


    Doing that would make them see the Karinc Group as a threat, while also ensuring they would be distracted by other factors.


    ''I don''t know how they handled the Eastern Warehouse matter, but I suppose they should already know that there''s nothing inside.''


    Everything that had happened was culminating into this moment, but Rey didn''t understand the fundamental reason that made the Dark Gathering so threatening.


    "Can''t you simply choose not to go?" He asked the people before him.


    Everyone in the room already knew that Scy and her New Order couldn''t be trusted.


    They were already pretty much enemies, so whether they epted the invitation or not, terrible consequences would follow.


    ''So why don''t they just ignore it and start preparing for their inevitable atta¡ª?''


    "I can''t do that." Rebal nc interrupted Rey''s thoughts, causing him to widen his eyes a little.


    ''E-eh¡­?''


    "If I don''t go¡­ we will all die."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Looks like everything will go down in the Dark Gathering. Also, I have a surprise for you all at the end of this Arc.


    Should be fun¡­

 Chapter 274 Talk On The Dark Gathering [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 274 Talk On The Dark Gathering [Pt 2] </h4>


    The Dark Gathering was apulsory symposium that could only be initiated by a consensus by two-third of the parties involved.


    In essence, of the Triumvirate''s body¡ªthe ve Union, the Mercenary Gang, and the Obsidian Council¡ªtwo had to arrive at a unanimous consensus for initiation.


    Also, thest party had to have at least half of the members agreeing in favor of the meeting.


    Once all of these conditions had been fulfilled, all parties involved had to meet up¡ªwithout any room for exception or excuses.


    Refusal to participate would result in the death of the Head of the deviant group and their seed.


    These were the rules of the Dark Gathering.


    ********


    "Hmm¡­."


    As Rey listened to the exnation given by Rebal, he couldn''t help but feel a tight feeling in his chest.


    ''These guys are too hardcore!'' His thoughts echoed within himself.


    "Based on the rules, it''s very difficult to even establish a Dark Gathering, and it has been quite a few years since thest time we met like that."


    Rebal''s face turned grave as he exined further¡ªespecially on how the Triumvirate enforced non conformity to the rules.


    "It''s a curse. Curse Magic. There''s a certain Enchanted Item that grants curses, or more like binding vows, on targets based on certain conditions." He said solemnly.


    The older man turned to his right and left, looking at Asher and Kara.


    "The Curse passes on to the seed of the target as well, so these two aren''t safe from the punishment if I disobey the rules."


    Rey could understand things a lot better now.


    ''He really has no other choice, huh? I don''t have any Skill that counteracts Curses, so I can''t do anything about it.''


    Even with [Appraisal], he couldn''t see any signs of curses on any of them.


    ''Since Rebal is sure about it, though, I suppose it has to be true.'' He shrugged internally


    "It seems we''ll have to tweak our ns a little, then. How long is it before the Dark Gathering?" Rey asked calmly.


    "Four days."


    ''Wow! That''s pretty soon. I guess they really don''t want to give us any time to prepare.'' His thoughts echoed as he smiled.


    Despite the fact that he hadn''t yet met this Scydy, he was sure she did all of this on purpose.


    "Based on what you told me, it''s safe to assume that Scy and the Mercenary Gang were the ones who unanimously agreed to this Dark Gathering. Is that correct?"


    "Yes. That is correct." Rebal responded to the question almost immediately.


    "That means they need half of the Obsidian Council to agree with the proposal¡­ correct?"


    "Indeed."


    Rey felt a smile tugging on his lips as he considered a somewhat malevolent proposal.


    "What if I eliminate one or two of the Obsidian Councilors? That way, the Dark Gathering won''t hold?"


    He could see surprised expressions on the faces of the audience, but Rey didn''t let that deter his line of logic.


    By eliminating two Obsidian Councilors, it would remain only one on Scy''s side.


    ''With two on our side, we can just disagree with the whole thing.''


    "Unfortunately, it doesn''t work that way." Rebal sighed, bringing Rey back to reality.


    ''E-eh¡­?!''


    It seemed like, despite trying his hardest so he wouldn''t embarrass himself with ignorant words, he ended up doing so.


    Rey remained still, though. There was no way he would ever allow his mortification to show.


    "The Dark Gathering has been initiated. There''s no way to reverse it. Besides, Kara hasn''t been formally recognized as a Head. She''s just a provisional one, so she''ll have toe to the Dark Gathering and receive the approval of the rest of the Obsidian Council."


    Once Rebal was done exining, Rey realized just how cornered the Karinc Group really was.


    ''I was thinking of even controlling Fernand to disrupt the Mercenary Gang''s unanimity if the situation called for it, but it seems like there''s nothing that can stop the meeting.''


    It was all toote.


    ''Besides, I''m sure the Mercenary Gang would just hang up on Fernand and eliminate him if he went against the wishes of the majority.''


    Rey remembered how Ogun died just by spilling simple information.


    ''It must also be due to the Curse Magic. I should try to figure out what it is and how to get ess¡­''


    For now, though, there was a situation that required his attention.


    ''How should we deal with this Dark Gathering?''


    If attending it was clearly a trap, but it was an unavoidable setup, then there was only one option for the Karinc Group.


    "I suppose we have no choice but to attend the Dark Gathering."


    The expression on Rebal''s face soured as he nodded with a sigh.


    "Indeed."


    The hopeless expressions on the faces of Rebal, Asher, and Kara were amusing to Rey as he sat and watched them while critically mulling over the matter.


    He couldn''t help but widen his smile.


    "It''s the perfect stage to conclude everything, don''t you think?"


    The moment Rey said this, everyone looked at him with shock.


    "Everyone will be there. At least, all the important figures." He added.


    If the same rules that bound Rebal applied to everyone else, then he expected to see all the main yers in the Dark Gathering.


    "It''ll be the perfect moment to strike them down."


    Of course, he expected attacks on the Karinc Group especially.


    ''From what Vida and Conrad told me about their ns on the Underworld, they n onunching arge-scale sweep on the Allied Merchant City. The date coincides with the day of the Dark Gathering¡­''


    Was that a coincidence? Rey didn''t think so.


    ''Scy must already be aware of the sweep, which means she has a way to avoid the Royal Council''s attempt to flush the Underworld out.''


    As if that wasn''t enough, the fact that it would be a very tasking effort, most of the manpower that would otherwise be concentrated in the capital was bound to be poured on the mission.


    ''That leaves the Capital vulnerable. It''s the perfect chance for Scy''s New Order.''


    The only reason the Karinc Group hadn''t yet been swallowed was due to the intense security and power concentration in the Capital.


    Once all of that vanished, Scy would definitely take down the Karinc Group.


    ''So, they n onpletely eradicating the Karinc Group on the day of the Dark Gathering, while also wasting the time and efforts of the Royal Council''s full sweep attack.''


    It was a smart move, and Rey found himself impressed by all the things he was piecing together.


    ''There''s only one problem with this n of theirs.'' The realization was more than enough to make Rey leak out a crooked smile.


    ''It''s the fact that I''m involved.''


    Rey had no doubt that Scy and her Undertaking would seed if he didn''t take the side of the Karinc Group.


    However, the mere fact that he did already proved to be a fatal w in their perfect n.


    "I wille with you to the Dark Gathering, and I will take care of things behind the scenes as well." He stretched out his two hands, as if expecting an embrace.


    His crimson eyes glowed very brightly, contrasting the darkness that was his mask.


    "You just need to do as I say." Once he made this deration, Rebal nodded in agreement, and so did the two beside him.


    They all knew what was good for them.


    The only hope that the nc and Verte Houses had was Ralyks.


    He was the dark horse of the Underworld.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I can''t wait to see what Rey ns on doing about all of this.

 Chapter 275 Emergence From The Depths

    <h4>Chapter 275 Emergence From The Depths </h4>


    "Sir Ralyks¡­ there''s another issue to address."


    Rey could already feel himself getting excited about the uing event that he barely caught what Rebal said.


    "Is it still about the Dark Gathering?" He asked.


    "Yes."


    Rey felt interested, so he perked up his attention and gestured for Rebal to continue.


    "The Dark Gathering is in four days, and the journey from here to the Allied Merchant City takes about three days. If we want to leave, we have to go as soon as possible."


    With the tone Rebal used, Rey could already figure out the undertones that were implied.


    ''It''s possible that Scy tries to dy our arrival so that we end up missing the Dark Gathering, hence killing Rebal and everyone else.''


    It was a pretty easy way to get rid of their adversaries.


    ''If I thought about it, there''s no way they didn''t consider it too.''


    In order to be safe, it was easy to leave as early as possible, and even that wouldn''t ensure they would make it in time.


    But¡­


    "There''s no need to concern yourselves with that. I can easily teleport you to the Merchant City when the time arrives." Rey shrugged.


    "A-ah! That''s true!" Rebal beamed, and so did the rest of his audience.


    Seeing such a sheepish expression from the older man made Rey feel a strange sense of satisfaction.


    ''I haven''t been to the Merchant City yet, but I have traveled somewhere close. If I teleport there and navigate my way to the City, I should be good¡­''


    It probably wouldn''t take more than three to five hours, so Reyn wasn''t particrly concerned about it.


    "You can begin your preparations, though. We can also trick the enemy by pretending like you left early so they can make more obvious moves."


    In the end, it was beneficial for Scy and her New Order to believe that the nc and Verte house were at their mercy.


    ''Let''s see how it goes. For now, though, there''s something else I want to try.''


    Rey decided it was time to wrap things up with the Karinc Group and venture somewhere else.


    Once he rose to his feet, everyone followed.


    After they bowed to him and thanked him profusely, he waved them farewell and teleported away.


    To the three who observed him leave, they only saw a dark hero who would save them from certain doom.


    However, the true man under the mask was a tiny bit different.


    *******


    Rey was shaking in excitement.


    All the news he had just heard was making something within his body boil, and his heart was racing with anticipation.


    He wanted it badly! To experience this Dark Gathering and create the perfect conclusion to the situation he ced himself in.


    ''But first¡­'' Rey''s thoughts flowed as he appeared in an entirely different space.


    It wasn''t anywhere close to the Karinc Group''s residence, or his own room. This was a ce of immense danger, obscured from the rest of the world.


    ¡ªThe 99th Floor of the Royal Dungeon.


    ''¡­ Let''s take care of business.''


    He smiled as he looked all around at the massive space he now upied.


    Most of the Mana Crystals that caused the ce to glow had been mined, so the area was shrouded in darkness.


    With a single Light Magic Spell, however, illumination filled the entire expanse.


    Like fireflies or dandelions floating in the air, balls of golden light danced all around the 99th Floor. They banished the darkness, creating a solemn ambiance that was nearly divine.


    The only stain on this perfect canvas was the one who stood at its center.


    Ralyks¡ªor rather, Rey.


    "I''ve been too busy to properly do this. Or maybe that''s just an excuse I''ve been giving myself¡­" He smiled to himself.


    He had more than enough Mana, and he had all the necessary Skills for it.


    All he needed was a good reason.


    "And now I have it¡­" Rey muttered as he looked at the empty space before him.


    "It''s time to summon my Familiar."


    Since he was about to do something so radical, this was the perfect ce to go about it¡ªan isted space that only he had ess to.


    ''The weird time-discement thing isn''t effective anymore thanks to most of the Mana Crystals being harvested.''


    Rey learned this by reading up on a lot of books in order to learn of the phenomenon. He also experimented on the spade during the past couple of days.


    The results made it certain!


    ''ces with phenomenally high density of Mana tend to express some conceptual imbnce.''


    Either gravity was too weak, or time was too fast: there were many effects that could be a result of the overwhelming output of Mana in an area.


    ''Now that we''ve gotten rid of all that raw Mana, though, it''s all back to normal.''


    Rey took a deep breath and prepared all his Skills for the moment of truth.


    He activated all of his Buff Skills, ensuring bountiful Mana flowed through him. All his Itemsplemented his current abilities, making him all the more powerful.


    With his eyes glowing crimson, and his body leaking out his excess Mana, he felt ready for the challenge.


    "[Divine Beast Summon]." He whispered.


    The moment he said so, a System Window appeared in front of him.


    [Select Category Of Summon]


    ~Divine Tier (SS)~


    ~Absolute Tier (S)~


    ~Grand Tier (A)~


    ~Lesser Tiers (B - C)~


    [Warning: You are not a Tamer, so unless you have a Skill that can subdue the Beast you are Summoning, there will be no way to control it.]


    [End Of Information]


    Rey looked at the System Window and smiled to himself.


    He already knew this process thanks to Alicia.


    ''She chose the Grand Tier due to the limits of her ss, but¡­ I want to go a step higher.''


    He desired the Absolute Tier.


    ''The problem is how to Bond with something of that caliber.''


    Rey had Alicia''s [Bonding] Skill, but it was only A-Tier.


    To get a Beast in the Absolute Tier, he needed something stronger.


    ''I''ll utilize the effects of [Absolute Mental Control] and [Bonding] using [Fusion/Fission].''


    With them working in tandem, Rey reasoned he should be able to achieve his desired results.


    ''Even if it fails, and there''s no way to control it, I''ll just have to kill the Beast.''


    That would give him some EXP, and he would get new Skills for free.


    ''I hope that''s not the case, though. I don''t want to settle for an A-Tier Familiar¡­''


    Rey took in a deep breath and chose his option.


    The Absolute Tier.


    Then¡ª


    ~VWUUUUUUSSSHHH!~


    Energy began to gather around the space in front of him. It formed a Magic Circle, one soplex and intricate that Alicia''s own didn''t evenpare.


    A powerful pressure surrounded the circle, and Rey began to see something emerge from its depths.


    Sparks of ck and white light shed all over the glowing circle.


    Crimson auras surrounded it as well.


    "T-this¡­ this is¡­!" Rey''s eyes nearly bulged as he watched the creature that emerged from within the summoning Circle.


    It was nothing like what Rey expected.


    "¡­ Meow."


    The Absolute Beast was none other than a CAT!


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: (Currently Nameless)


    - Race: Bakeneko (Beast)


    - ss: Absolute Summon (S-Tier)


    - Level: 1 (00.00% EXP)


    - Life Force: 1,000


    - Mana Level: 1,500


    - Combat Ability: 2,500


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Shapeshift]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Dark Magic]. [Magic Supremacy]. [Possession]. [Compulsion]. [Illusion]. [Undead Summon]


    - Alignment: Chaotic Evil


    [Additional Information]


    An Absolute Beast whose true form remains unknown, but takes the form of a cat. It is a great trickster with malevolent desires. It is a wicked entity.


    [End Of Information]


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Did this surprise anyone? Hehe¡­ I hope you enjoyed the chapter.


    I wonder if Rey will be able to control this thing.

 Chapter 276 The Bonding Process

    <h4>Chapter 276 The Bonding Process </h4>


    When Rey first saw his conjured Beast, he couldn''t help but have a single thought.


    ''Why?''


    Why did it have to be a cat?


    Could it be due to some influence from Alicia? Perhaps he had some affinity for them that he didn''t recognize.


    Either way, it was totally unexpected seeing the creature sitting at the center of the circle.


    It had jet ck fur, with purple eyes, and a pretty long tail that curled around it.


    It stared at Rey with a calm look, it''s eyes glowing with a strange power he could not decipher.


    ''Is it using a Skill?''


    It was at this point that Rey decided to use his Appraisal Skill on the creature.


    Thankfully¡­ it worked!


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: (Currently Nameless)


    - Race: Bakeneko (Beast)


    - ss: Absolute Summon (S-Tier)


    - Level: 1 (00.00% EXP)


    - Life Force: 1,000


    - Mana Level: 1,500


    - Combat Ability: 2,500


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Shapeshift]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Dark Magic]. [Magic Supremacy]. [Possession]. [Compulsion]. [Illusion]. [Undead Summon]


    - Alignment: Chaotic Evil


    [Additional Information]


    An Absolute Beast whose true form remains unknown, but takes the form of a cat. It is a great trickster with malevolent desires. It is a wicked entity.


    [End Of Information]


    The first thing this confirmed to Rey was that he could use his S-Tier Absolute Appraisal Skill on those with an S-Tier ss.


    So the reason he couldn''t use it on Adonis had to be some other reason.


    ''Most likely a resistance to Appraisal¡­''


    Once that thought settled and Rey actually read through the Status Window of the creature before him¡­ he trembled.


    ''W-what is¡­ this?!''


    This Beast was just in Level 1, yet its stats were already higher than the Dragon Commander that he had faced back then.


    ''The Skills in its arsenal are also insane!''


    However, the most jarring thing that shook Rey to his core was the Beast''s Alignment.


    ''Chaotic¡­ Evil.''


    That was the worst kind of Alignment imaginable.


    It practically meant that the creature before him had no redeeming qualities and simply desired to do evil and wreak havoc.


    A true force of nature that desired destruction.


    ''How could I have summoned something like this?!''


    As Rey had this thought, he saw the cat move from its initial position.


    The creature stepped forward a little.


    Then, it touched the barrier caused by its Magic Circle.


    Space around it distorted, and the more it pressed it''s darkened w on the barrier, the more distorted it seemed.


    In the end, it couldn''t break free.


    ''This is a Magic Circle made by an SS-Tier Skill. No S-Tier Summon should be able to break through.'' Rey thought silently.


    If the cat had broken through it, then he would have lost all confidence in his n to control it.


    ''This isn''t the time to silently observe, though. It''s time to begin the Bonding Proce¡ª''


    "Greetings, my summoner." The feline suddenly spoke, causing Rey''s thoughts to experience pause.


    ''E-eh? Is it talking to me?''


    How was that even possible? ording to Alicia, she couldn''tmunicate with Snow until they experienced the Bonding Process and she became her Master.


    Even then, they didn''tmunicate in basguage, but rather it was simply a feeling within her that told her everything her Familiar was feeling.


    And the same applied vice versa.


    ''Yet it''s speaking to me normally. This thing is definitely not normal¡­''


    On one hand, Rey desired to have the creature as his subordinate. However, he also feared it in a sense.


    Still unsure of what to do or say, he didn''t offer the cat a response and simply waited for it to say something else.


    "Don''t be so cold, mister. You summoned me here, didn''t you? The least you can do is say something."


    Rey remained silent.


    And then¡ª


    ~VWUUUUUSSSSHHH!~


    The cat suddenly transformed into a massive torrent of ckness, its misty body confined within the barrier that surrounded him.


    It snarled as its feral eyes and sharpened teeth were on disy despite the smoke-like form it had taken.


    "ANSWER ME, YOU IMBECILE!"


    As the creature roared and its contained power swelled, Rey could only smile to himself.


    "So you''ve finally revealed your true nature. Well¡­ it''s toote."


    Rey felt like a priest or some kind of exorcist, standing before a Demon of unimaginable power and evil.


    He stretched forth his hand as the cat growled and roared in its disgust and rage.


    "[Absolute Mental Control || Bonding]."


    As Rey whispered this, his crimson eyes began to resonate with the creature''s purple eyes.


    "W-WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME, YOU BASTARD? YOU WANT TO CONTROL ME? ME?!"


    It snarled, trying to attack Rey, but it couldn''t get past the barrier that surrounded it.


    Rey felt like the creature would rip him to shreds if given just a single second of leeway.


    It had a look of hate and disdain.


    "I AM A SERVANT OF NO ONE! I AM DARKNESS INCARNATE! WHO ARE YOU TO THINK YOU CAN CAGE CHAOS ITSELF?!"


    Rey smiled as he listened to the creature''s tantrums.


    "If you are darkness, then I am the one who tames that darkness." Rey stepped forward, drawing closer to the barrier.


    "I will be your Master. And you will submit to me."


    He stretched forth his hand and touched the barrier, causing more distortions to appear all over its surface area.


    "ME? SUBMIT? WHY WOULD I EVER?!"


    A single smirk formed on Rey''s face, hidden behind his mask, as he stared at the helpless creature.


    Only one answer could be given.


    "It is my will."


    "YOU IMBECILE! YOU COWARD! BASTARD! PERVERT! RELEASE ME AND LET US HAVE A PROPER MATCH! COME ON! YOU FOOOOOOOOLLLL!!!"


    The tantrums went on and on, but Rey''s crimson energy spread all over the thick darkness until it closely receded and returned to its form as a cat.


    The cat writhed and shot its paw into the air, as if fighting an invisible foe.


    s, it was toote for the Absolute Beast.


    Soon, the cat sat still, its entire being now overrun by thebined power that subdued its will.


    [Bonding Sessful]


    [Congrattions! You have acquired a Familiar, and a secure ''Bond'' has been established between the two of you.]


    [Please Name Your Familiar]


    Rey grinned steadily as he looked at the silent creature.


    Its purple eyes were now crimson and it looked so docile that one wouldn''t think it had been causing such a ruckus before.


    "I''ll call you Ater."


    Rey had read somewhere that it meant darkness, and it fit the cat well.


    So, why not?


    [Your Familiar will be named ''Ater'']


    [You and ''Ater'' have be linked by your Bond, so you canpletely understand each other]


    [End Of Process]


    Rey could feel a great chunk of Mana escape his body as hepleted the Bond, but it wasn''t enough to make him copse.


    ''The amount of energy it takes must be quite a lot¡­ especially for something of this caliber.'' He mused.


    Regardless, Rey was d that it was finally over.


    The Magic Barrier that surrounded the cat vanished, and Rey stood before it like an imposing pir of greater darkness.


    "Speak."


    As soon as it heard this, Ater¡ªthe Absolute Beast¡ªhung its head low and uttered words of reverence.


    "I greet you, my new master. I, Ater, will do my utmost to serve you¡­ and I shall personally wreak carnage and utmost chaos upon your enemies."


    ''So intense¡­'' Rey thought awkwardly.


    Since the System had confirmed Ater''s loyalty, and he could also sense the sincerity of his Familiar within him, Rey knew there was no need to doubt it.


    There was just one thing left to do.


    "Show me your true form."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I wonder what we will get. I know some of you are already getting some ideas.

 Chapter 277 A Wild Card

    <h4>Chapter 277 A Wild Card </h4>


    Ater was a Bakeneko.


    It was a creature of utmost malevolence and deceit.


    ording to legends, it often caused mischief and wrought misfortune upon anynd it trod.


    Its desire was nothing beyond absolute chaos.


    But now, under a Master it could not resist, the creature had been tamed.


    Its will wss tied to its master, and for the first time¡­ it had to follow an order.


    "My true form¡­" Ater had no choice but to utter words of honesty to its master.


    "¡­ I can''t remember."


    As a creature of darkness and chaos, it had changed to so many forms that it couldn''t even remember what it looked like from the beginning.


    "I can be whatever you desire." Ater whispered, its head still bowed very low.


    It could feel the weight of its master''s gaze upon him.


    No one needed to tell it before it could realize the gap in the abilities¡ªhow powerful its master truly was.


    In a way, it came as a relief to the Absolute Beast.


    At the very least, the one who subdued it¡ªwhom it was forced to call Master¡ªwas much stronger than it.


    "I see. Take on another form, then. I don''t feel veryfortable seeing you as a cat."


    The Bakeneko nodded instantly.


    It could feel that its master was being genuine with it, and so it had to obey.


    It scoured its thoughts, searching for the perfect form to please its master.


    The best thing that would make its masterfortable.


    ''I see¡­'' The Absolute Beast grinned as it began its transformation.


    Darkness swirled around its body like a mist,pletely shrouding its full form as it began to grow in height and weight.


    It lost its tail and fur, instead taking on the skin of a human.


    Blood red hair danced on its humanoid head, and its eyes were now human.


    Other than its slit pupil that looked like that of a cat, it had crimson irises, and the whites of its eyes were filled with ckness.


    Then, its slender form began to grow some muscles, and its naked form was shrouded in a pure ck suit.


    It had ck shoes, a ck tie, and apletely darkened appearance.


    Its skin was immacte ebony, and from head to toe, it was sculpted to perfection.


    Ater had be a handsome man, shrouded in mystery and a forbidden allure.


    "Haaa¡­" Steamy white breaths escaped from his perfect lips as he stared at his master with a calm demeanor.


    He fell to his knees and bowed his head almost immediately, expressing genuine respect to the being that transcended his absolute self.


    "I hope this form pleases you well, Master."


    Ater waited in silence as his Master didn''t say or do anything.


    ''Did I do anything wrong?'' He wondered, puzzled by theck of response he was receiving.


    Was he perhaps meant to turn into something else? Did his master find this form to be insufficient?


    As Ater began to panic, he felt the overwhelming presence of his Master close in on him.


    "M-Mast¡ª!"


    Before he could react, his shoulders were being held by the masked monarch before him.


    He dared to raise his head and look upon his master''s eyes. They were filled with an emotion Ater couldn''t decipher.


    "You''ve done well, Ater¡­" Was what his Master said.


    There seemed to be some other emotion hidden within those words, but Ater could not understand them.


    He could only nod and smile at his Master''s kind words.


    "Thank you, Master."


    Thus, the creature of untold horror and carnage¡ªnow called Ater¡ªbecamepletely tamed by the man he would eventually know to be Rey Skr.


    *********


    ''He''s too handsome!''


    Those were Rey''s initial thoughts when he saw Ater''s appearance.


    The man had a charm that exceeded most women and even trumped Adonis by far.


    ''He''s the most handsome guy I''ve ever seen. What the heck?!''


    Rey could only imagine what would have happened if Ater had transformed into a girl.


    ''I''m so thankful he didn''t.''


    Before Rey realized it, he had begun to address Ater as a male. It was at this point that he understood why Alicia decided to attribute feminine qualities to her Grand Beast.


    Since it was convenient anyway, and Ater would be taking on this form for the duration of their interaction, Rey decided to go along with it.


    "Rise to your feet." Hemanded his new Familiar, and thetter obeyed instantly.


    ''He''s taller than my form as Ralyks, and he appears to be in his early twenties. I suppose that''s doable.''


    There was no need to hide Ater''s identity with a mask since he could always change it anytime.


    Plus, whenever he was ''Rey'', and didn''t need Ater around, he could always send him on an errand or keep him in his Grand Inventory.


    Anything like that...


    ''ording to Alicia, you can only have one Familiar at a time, so it seems I''ll be stuck with him for a while.''


    Rey figured with Ater''s abilities, he wouldn''t be a liability to him at all.


    Especially once he started to Level Up.


    ''His Alignment is still Chaotic Evil, so I can''t let my guard down around him.''


    As his Master, Rey knew Ater wouldn''t harm him in any way. However, there were still other factors to consider.


    ''There''s a chance he''ll cause damage and destruction if I order him too carelessly or I don''t supervise him too much.''


    As Rey stole one more nce at Ater''s smiling face, he couldn''t help but think about a devil.


    ''Looks like I''ve got myself a wild card.''


    It all depended on how he used him.


    "Since you''re my Familiar, there''s no use hiding my identity from you." Rey sighed, removing his mask.


    He revealed his face as Ralyks, causing Ater''s smile to widen even more.


    Rey felt like the man wanted to devour him, but based on the ''Bond'' that they shared, he knew that Ater was simply happy.


    "I am honored to gaze upon the face of your transformation."


    Rey''s eyes flickered a little as soon as he heard that.


    "So you noticed?"


    Ater nodded with a smile. "I wasn''t sure if I was supposed to mention it, since I am not meant to question my Master in such a way."


    Rey¡ªhis face still as Ralyks¡ªnarrowed his eyes and broadened his own smile.


    "So why did you mention it?"


    "I thought you could be testing me in some way. Also¡­ by showing you my capabilities in perception, I felt you would grow to trust and depend on my abilities even more."


    ording to what Rey felt as a result of their ''Bond'', he knew Ater was telling the truth.


    He couldn''t help but be impressed by his Familiar''s intelligence and personality.


    ''Compared to that Rabbit, having someone like this is a lot more useful.''


    Rey didn''t regret his choice to choose the Absolute Tier for his Summon.


    "I understand. Before I show you my real form, though, I''d like to ask you a question."


    Ater bowed his head, showing subservience to him.


    Rey then went ahead to ask;


    "If I decided to kill you, right here and now, what would you do?"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    For all those who wanted a cat-girl¡­ sorry to disappoint you!


    This is what you''re getting!

 Chapter 278 Perfect Understanding

    <h4>Chapter 278 Perfect Understanding </h4>


    Silence.


    Pure, unbridled silence radiated within the vast expanse.


    As the golden lights danced around the room like fireflies, Rey stood in front of his Familiar¡ªhis question echoing in both their minds.


    Ater''s face remained the same. He had a calm smile, and despite the dangerous question he was asked, nothing changed in his demeanor.


    "What would I do, huh¡­?" He slowly raised his hand to his chin and rubbed it while closing his eyes for a moment.


    "Need some time to think about it?"


    "No, no¡­ that''s not it." Ater responded swiftly to Rey''s question, inhaling deeply as if absorbing the question.


    "It''s just that¡­ I find it to be a pretty straightforward question."


    Rey''s curious face sharply contrasted thepletely resolute expression that Ater gave.


    "As your Familiar, everything I possess is yours. If you desire my life¡­ it is yours."


    His face no longer had a smile or any hint of amusement on it.


    It was purely that of a serious disposition.


    "I see. Good answer." Rey smiled and nodded.


    Their ''Bond'' confirmed everything Ater said.


    It was still surprising to see such a hateful, uncontroble Beast be so tame, but what Ater just had made all the remnant skepticism within him vanish.


    Rey couldn''t deny it any longer.


    "I have confirmed your absolute loyalty to me." Rey''s body slowly began to change, and his tall, imposing form vanished.


    Recing his ''Ralyks'' form was his mundane appearance as Rey.


    He had a in face, and his dark hairplimented his dark irises. His height had grown to be a little above average, but he was still considerably shorter than Ater.


    He had a baggy shirt on, and he wore in shorts.


    This was Rey¡ªmaster of Ater and tamer of darkness¡ªin all his glory.


    "This is my true form. Pretty underwhelming, right?" He ced both hands in his pockets and smiled.


    In response, however, Ater slowly shook his head and smiled.


    "True power need not unt. Those who judge outward appearances are merely superficial fools."


    He ced a hand on his chest and bowed very deeply to Rey. It was an awkward sight, one that seemed like a grown man was bowing his head to a mere teenager.


    However, those with knowledge would know who was the truly superior one among the two.


    This was what Ater meant by his words.


    "The power within you towers mine by an infinite degree. I can notprehend the depths of your strength, nor can Ipare to the magnitude of your greatness."


    The power Rey had was one that transcended the Absolute and even the Divine.


    It was Primeval.


    Ater didn''t know what level it was in, but he was perceptive enough to recognize the true nature of his Master''s power.


    He knew it was impossible for him to ovee.


    "If you so permit it, I would be honored to learn of my Master''s name."


    His head was still bowed as he uttered those words.


    He took on a reverent tone, and he remained still like a statue¡­ waiting for his Master''s words to grace him.


    "My name is Rey. Rey Skr." As Rey spoke, he ced his hand on Ater''s crimson hair.


    "You will do well to remember it."


    "Thank you, Master. I will forever cherish this moment, as well as your honored name."


    The momentsted for a few more seconds before Rey removed his hand from Ater''s hair.


    ''Too cringe¡­'' His thoughts flowed as he smiled nervously.


    He could feel that Ater was a bit forlorn by his action, but Rey didn''t care at this point.


    What mattered was the understanding they had between each other.


    And now¡­


    "There''s something I need from you, Ater." Rey broke the awkward silence between them and began to walk away.


    After taking a few steps back, he used his [Divine Elemental Magic] to make an earth throne to sit on, copsing on it as soon as he did so.


    "Yes, Master." Ater slowly raised his head and looked at Rey''s majestic form.


    His physical form was, of course, unimpressive, but Ater could see beyond the natural.


    He knew the existence before him was no longer in the realm of the natural.


    Rey Skr was a god!


    "A lot will be going down in about four days. I''ll be needing you to take care of a few things for me."


    "Understood, Master. You can count on me."


    "You don''t even know what I want to ask of you. How sure are you that you can do it?" Rey''s question caused Ater to smile a bit broader than usual.


    "As long as Master is the one who orders it¡­ there is nothing I can not do."


    Rey nodded in approval, as if saying "That''s the spirit!"


    Ater''s response was by no means a sign of hubris.


    Rather, he was essentially cing Rey at an intellectual precipice, implying that if his Master chose an assignment for him, it meant that he believed Ater was up for the task.


    Rey was no fool.


    He wouldn''t send his subordinate on a mission that was beyond their capabilities.


    "Well said. Now then, I will exin the details of your assignment."


    Ater nodded carefully and awaited his task in excitement.


    He couldn''t wait toy waste to his Master''s enemies.


    *********


    [The Next Day]


    "The time hase."


    Conrad stood before all the nine Otherworlders, with Vida and Ralyks standing beside him.


    Every Otherworlder was outfitted in armor and special attires, carrying weapons and Enchanted Items which had been provided by the Royal Council and also Ralyks'' generosity.


    They were equipped to their maximum Equip Limit.


    For most of them, that was about 9-10 Items. However, Adonis could equip 15 Items at once.


    Hence, he remained the strongest of the group.


    "You are about to venture into the Royal Dungeon tomence the long-awaited Raid." Conrad smiled at the nine who stood before him.


    Their resolute faces and obvious determination made his heart race in excitement and pride.


    He nced at Ralyks, and nothing short of overflowing gratitude radiated from his heart.


    The moment of truth was now upon them, and once again¡­ the fate of the Alliance''s future rested on the sess of this mission.


    Praying inside, and smiling outside, Conrad''s loud voice marked themencement of the Royal Dungeon Raid.


    "I wish you all the best in this endeavor!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I hope you''re all excited for what''s about to go down.


    I know I am.

 Chapter 279 The Dungeon Raid Begins

    <h4>Chapter 279 The Dungeon Raid Begins </h4>


    ~VWUUSH!~


    A swirling disturbance in space appeared within the darkened halls of the Royal Dungeon''s First Floor.


    From within the spatial distortion, ten beings emerged. They donned armor, had special wears, and possessed various weapons located in specific parts of their bodies.


    These were the Raid Team, consisting of the nine Otherworlders and Sir Ralyks¡ªleader of the team.


    As soon as they came out of the portal, it closed, forcing darkness to take over the expanse surrounding them.


    Thankfully, this was only temporary, as several balls of light floated in the air¡ªcourtesy of Ralyks.


    As a result, everyone could clearly see the world that they had entered.


    "Gather around, everyone." Ralyks'' voice interrupted the serene silence that had pervaded everything.


    The nine looked at him and did as he instructed. They formed a cluster opposite the Dark Adventurer, eyes alit with resolve.


    "Let us begin the briefing."


    ******


    Adonis. Alicia. Belle. Billy. Trisha. Justin. rk. Eric. Rey.


    Each of these participants were outfitted very differently, with weapons and attires that were unique to them and their abilities.


    Broadly speaking, those who had warrior-like builds¡ªlike Billy, rk, and even Adonis had armor for gear.


    Billy''s armor was the most borate, focusing solely on strength and power. He had dual swords behind him, as well as two daggers on his hip.


    His helmet had a visor that allowed him to see, but aside from the few other openings in his armor, he was covered from head to toe in ck and blue armor.


    rk, a natural Tank, had the bulkiest armor.


    Based on his criteria, there was a red cape attached behind his armor that made him seem like some kind of legendary hero.


    He didn''t really have any wieldable weapon, though he had spiked knuckles, and he could also bring our ws from his wrists if he desired.


    His armor was also colored blue and red for some reason.


    As for Adonis, he had light armor on. His requirements ensured the items he wielded were more Enchanted than they were heavy.


    This caused his Stats to jump as a result of their boosting capabilities.


    His armor was golden, with small hints of ck¡ªa perfect fit for someone like him.


    Everyone could attest to the fact that he looked like a true Hero in full gear.


    For the speed-based types¡ªlike Justin and Trisha¡ªthey were outfitted in much lighter attires to better boost their abilities.


    That way, they got boosts on their Skills, as well as multiple star boosts, withoutpromising their specialty in speed and stealth.


    Trisha had a ck skin-tight wear that covered her entire body. Then, she donned a blue jacket and short pants that had the same color.


    Her shoes, gloves, and chokerplimented her outfits perfectly¡ªall enchanted in one way or the other.


    Finally, she had her Enchanted des¡ªone by the sheath on her waist, and the second one was behind her.


    The one on her waist was a new weapon, while the second was the same weapon she bought during the first excursion.


    It went through an upgrade that turned it Enchanted, so both her des were strong enough for the task at hand.


    For Justin, he was dressed in all-ck¡ªa standard for thief-rted roles.


    He had a hooded jacket, with a dark inner shirt, ck trousers, and a cloak that had a series of daggers fixed inside.


    He had daggers on his hips, behind him, and in various other hidden positions.


    All the Daggers were Enchanted as well, and since he wasn''t strictly equipping all of them at the same time, they weren''t particrly subject to the ''Equip Limit.''


    The Mage-types¡ªAlicia, Belle, and Eric¡ªhad more emphasis on Items; like rings, bracelets, nes, staffs, etc.


    Alicia, for instance, had five rings on her right fingers, as well as a long cloak that served as an Enchanted Item, two nes, and a bracelet.


    She also had the White Amber on her left finger¡ªmaking a total of ten Items.


    Belle had a simr build, but with two bracelets, four rings, a long staff, and a tiara on her head.


    As for Eric, he opted for a stave rather than a staff, and he had Magic Gloves, Magic earrings, a Magic Ring, and a Magic ne.


    They also had respective colors.


    Belle opted for a more pink and amethyst vibe, while Eric had a more green-like taste.


    As for Alicia, she had a white and blue color choice.


    Thest among the group was Rey, and his Equipped Items were restricted to only five.


    He had a horned helmet to protect himself, though it still gave room for his face to show.


    Frankly speaking, the helmet appeared a bit oversized, but Rey managed it well.


    He also had goggles for increased perception and boots for swift movements, while also equipping an armored gauntlet one one hand¡ªwhich doubled as a shield and a counter-type Item.


    The final Equipped Item he had was a ne that absorbed energy and boosted his Stats. It also released bursts of energy after a set period of time. It was going to be helpful for long-


    range attacks, so that was included.


    Rey''s equipment ensured he had both offensive and defensive capabilities, precisely matching the nature of his sole Skill.


    With Enchanted Items, even weaklings could be strong. As a result, Rey''s Items¡ªdespite being only five¡ªboosted his abilities to an unreal degree.


    Right now, he wasn''t the nobody that he used to be. Everyone could tell too.


    In his own way, he too was strong.


    Then, standing before all of them in his usual raven-ck attire was Ralyks.


    "I already sealed off the First Floor, so no Monsters exist here." He began the briefing.


    "From the Second Floor and below, there will be several kinds of Monsters. Their strength will be unpredictable, and their abilities would have evolved."


    Everyone''s expression remained stern. They were already prepared for this much.


    "I will be with you, so there''s no reason to fear. However, I will not deliver the Monsters to your hands. You''ll have to do that yourselves." Ralyks paused and looked at everyone.


    Then¡­


    "Is that understood?"


    "YES!"


    ¡­ He nodded in approval.


    "Let us begin the Raid."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    The Royal Dungeon Raid begins! Do you think an unprecedented incident will happen?

 Chapter 280 First Day Of The Raid [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 280 First Day Of The Raid [Pt 1] </h4>


    Heavy breaths.


    Flickering eyes.


    Racing hearts.


    The nine Otherworlders stood tall, prepared to descend down the Floors as they stared at the entrance to the second one.


    "Ready?"


    They all gulped and nodded, prepared to begin their mission.


    Of course, some showed a lot more courage than others, but they all advanced forward.


    Rey Skr was among the ones who showed less courage than hispatriots. Still, the fact that he kept moving forward showed his dedication to the cause.


    His eyes shone with determination.


    "Let''s stick together, Rey." Alicia whispered to him, a small smile on her face.


    It was clear she was nervous as well, but after noticing Rey''s anxiety, she wanted to cheer him up.


    "No way! You''ll take all my prey and I won''t be able to Level Up." Rey responded.


    He then looked beside her and spotted Snow¡ªher Familiar.


    "You have to Level Up Snow as well. I''ll be fine, don''t worry." Rey murmured while nodding slowly.


    Alicia gave a knowing smile, and they both exchanged nods.


    In the end, this was still some sort ofpetition.


    Leveling Up wasn''t going to be fair to all, and if certain individuals werezy or pampered, they wouldn''t be able to grow as strong as theirrades.


    "Huu¡­ I got this!"


    With Rey''s words appearing to settle him down, he finally joined hisrades in descending down to the Second Floor.


    ******


    "Take your formations!"


    The moment they descended to the abode of Monsters, they were greeted by a group of anthropomorphic creatures.


    These entities had fur like goris, but their appearances¡ªat least, their upper bodies¡ªresembled wolves.


    They had sharp ws and powerful jaws, with saliva dripping out of thetter the moment theyid eyes on their targets.


    Their legs looked like that of a spider¡ªor maybe an ant? It was weird describing these weird beings who seemed monstrous, even for monsters.


    These were ''Evolved Monsters.''


    Though, based on their appearance, it was clear that these creatures didn''t turn out quite right.


    "KURRRIIIIKKKK!!" They made strange noises as their massive forms approached the nine Otherworlders.


    This was the moment of truth.


    Fight or Flight¡ªperhaps neither, and simply paralyzing fear.


    The Otherworlders had to decide their path.


    "Attack!"


    The nine¡ªten, if one counted the Rabbit¡ªmoved fluidly, as if they were born and bred for this very moment.


    For some reason, they showed no hesitation.


    Perhaps it was because of their constant training with Ralyks. Maybe they had grown so ustomed to this world that they didn''t realize how much their minds had changed.


    It could also be due to their bizarre expectations and preparations for this day.


    And so, now that they were in the thick of it, they felt nothing like fear.


    They knew their mission¡­ and they executed it.


    "Arrows Of Light!" With Adonis beginning the assault with several projections using his Light Magic, he was able to aim for the eyes of the opponents.


    Once that was done, the rest was easy.


    Since this was meant to be an opportunity to Level Up, the group couldn''tpletely rely on roles for teamwork.


    They all had to venture out to y their enemies.


    EXP wasn''t divided based on Party Contribution or any kind of arbitrary means.


    You had to kill the thing to gain EXP!


    As a result, it was ''Every Man For Himself.''


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    Otherworlders like Trisha and Billy swiftly ran ahead, brandishing their des with utmost precision.


    Billy had advantage with his Weapon Summon, so he summoned several des, which he in turn thrust towards several of the Monsters in his path.


    He equipped his Enchanted de and sliced through the bunch as easily as a hot knife would cut through butter.


    Most of the armor and weapons the students had on was made from the corpse of the Dragon that Ralyks defeated.


    Adding the Mana Crystals of the 99th Floor, as well as the several Monster Cores to the mix, it was easy to see how powerful these Items would be.


    Other than that, Billy¡ªlike all the members of the Alpha ss¡ª


    was also an incredibly strong warrior.


    With all of these culminating together, the Otherworlders didn''t have a very difficult time executing the Monsters.


    Trisha utilized her [Greater Lightning Magic] alongside her recently improved [Greater Combat Application] to swiftly eliminate her foes.


    [Danger Sense] allowed her to detect attacks before they hit her, granting her more time to dodge and counterattack.


    Smell of burning flesh and cooked blood danced in the air as she danced in a frenzy of chaos.


    Her and Billy weren''t the only ones to partake in the action, though.


    Every Otherworlder was on it as well.


    Justin easily glided through the Monsters as a result of his [Stealth] Skill, while using his [Marite] Skill to choke the Monsters with his strings.


    In situations where his position waspromised, he would utilize stronger threads to tear through the very flesh of the Monsters and turn them into mincemeat.


    In no time at all, gore filled his vicinity.


    As a result of his swift, unpredictable, and deadly moves, he hardly had any problems at all.


    Of course, he was being boosted by a lot of his items, but his abilities made his job a lot swifter and easier than most.


    Alicia, Belle and Eric were the type to stay in a single position and spam attacks.


    As Alicia stretched forth her hands to cast her [Greater Ice Magic] on the targets she chose, Belle cast her [Absolute Wind Magic] on the opponents in her own area of influence.


    Eric also had his targets, and [Greater Explosion] did the job against them.


    Ultimately, it was a cinch for them.


    Unlike most of the Otherworlders who fought onnd, rk took to the air and rushed the enemies with a bombardment of Heat Vision and his brute strength.


    One would think his heavy equipment would slow him down, but that wasn''t the case at all.


    It looked like he was faster than normal.


    With bursts of strength. He cut down the Monsters with sheer power, sending small shockwaves echoing throughout the space around.


    As he did this, Snow¡ªthe Rabbit¡ªalso got a bit of the action, thanks to her ability to jump very high.


    It almost looked like she was flying based on how she leaped high in midair.


    Her task was simple¡ªLevel Up.


    She was a Grand Summon, but she was merely in Level 1. If she Leveled Up alongside the Otherworlders, even the rabbit could get a lot stronger.


    With everyone killing their fair share of Monsters, there existed one of them who was mowing them down.


    Like an unstoppable bulldozer he cleared everything in his path with his mighty sword and overwhelming aura of light.


    Adonis, The Hero, easily killed his enemies with shes and swings, testing them apart in sheer moments.


    None of them stood a chance.


    "K-KURGHHHH!"


    The Monsters began to scream at some point, but there was no room for mercy.


    Despite their superior numbers, they were no match for the golden executor that sent them to the realm of death.


    He did all of this with ease.


    They all did.


    All of this carnage¡­ so much of this destruction¡­ and the perpetrators showed no remorse.


    Instead, they were all smiling.


    Yes, they grinned with relief and delight, indulging in their own strength to cut down their enemies to grow even stronger.


    Such was the nature of the Dungeon.


    ¡­ The nature of this world.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I hope you enjoyed the chapter. It''s nice focusing on the other Otherworlders every once in a while, don''t you think?

 Chapter 281 First Day Of The Raid [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 281 First Day Of The Raid [Pt 2] </h4>


    "Fiery Destruction!"


    ~BOOOOOM!~


    "Ice Prison!"


    ~FSHIII!~


    "Wind Vortex!"


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    "Descent Of Light!"


    ~SHIIIINNNGGG!~


    Various Spells stemming from Skills were being called out, filling the vast expanse with the voices of the Otherworlders.


    They were all followed by explosions or sounds of destruction.


    ¡­ Every single time.


    The cause for yelling out Spells was because, unlike Skills, Spells had to be Chanted aloud.


    Unless one had the [Magic Application] Skill that Lucielle possessed, or perhaps something better, they were stuck with that arrangement.


    In fact, they had to cast the full Spell if they wanted to bring out its full power, which most didn''t have the time for.


    As a result, while the abilities being disyed were lesser than they would have been if they were fully Chanted, they were still very efficient and effective.


    Evidence of that was the damage done to the area, and the falling Monsters in the expanse.


    None was spared.


    "Haaa¡­!"


    With all of this action going on, there was one more person who ventured forth and did what needed to be done.


    He bravely marched forward and challenged the monsters who were at least twice his size.


    "Raahhhh!" Rey gave a battle cry as he dashed onward.


    The fear that previously stained his face was nowhere to be seen. The only thing in his eyes was the intent of winning.


    ~WHOOSH!~


    He leaped from his position, just barely fast enough to evade the shes of the enemy.


    Once he did so, he jumped straight for his opponent''s face and transformed his hand to an extremely sharp weapon of execution.


    ~SWISH!~


    In one powerful swing, he decapitated the beast.


    ~THUD!~


    As soon as the creature crashed to the ground, Rey lightlynded behind it, meeting two other Monsters who threatened to end his life.


    He dodged the attack of one and blocked the second''s sh with his shield.


    "Guh!" The force was enough to make him recoil, but he didn''t allow himself to remain stunned for too long.


    He dodged the next strike by a hair''s breadth and charged towards the creature before him.


    His Enchanted Items definitely yed a huge role in his enhanced speed, allowing him to traverse the needed distance in no time.


    And so¡­


    "Yahhh!"


    ¡­ He was able to close the gap in no time.


    With a graceful stride, he slid behind the creature and utilized all his strength to cut off multiple legs of the abomination.


    "KRIIIII!" The Monster screeched as it lost its bnce, swaying its heavy body violently.


    Rey took this chance to leap high into the air and slice off its head with utmost precision.


    Blood sprayed all over as his second executed beast began to copse to the ground.


    However¡­ there remained one more close to him, and its massive ws neared him at an astronomical rate.


    "Tch!" He swiftly activated the defensive ability of his helmet, which allowed an incorporeal shield to appear in front of him.


    ~SWISH!~


    As the beast swung its heavy w at Rey, his massive shield blocked the attack and saved his life¡ªalbeit barely.


    He swallowed the saliva in his throat and managed to properly gain his footing afternding on the ground.


    The snarling creature appeared annoyed at the fact that Rey had escaped its attack, the opposite of Rey''s expression of relief.


    "Huff¡­ huff¡­" Rey narrowed his eyes as he closely examined the creature.


    He couldn''t get careless at this point.


    ''I can do this!'' His face seemed to scream out as he took a sprint stance, ready to give the subjugation onest chance.


    "KRIIIAAKKKK!"


    The Monster charged at Rey with its multiple spider appendages making clicking noises as they smashed the ground to reach him.


    Rey activated the function of his ne and sent many sts to the Spider-Wolf''s legs, causing it to screech out in pain.


    It stumbled at some point, which gave Rey the perfect chance to advance.


    He didn''t miss chance.


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    He activated the only Non-Exclusive Skill he had in his arsenal, [Sprint], obtained from his training with Ralyks, which allowed him to double his speed for a set period of time.


    He charged ahead and easily reached the stumbling creature in less than half of the time it would have normally taken.


    He transformed his legs into a powerful variant that could allow him to leap ahead with great force.


    ~BOOM!~


    The ground shattered a little, and he was propelled as a result of his kangaroo-like legs.


    He twisted in the air and created des with both hands.


    "KRIII¡ª?!"


    The Wolf-Spider swiftly thrust its hands to catch Rey before it could slice off its head, but Rey''s spinning form easily cut through the hand of the beast.


    As the monster''s fingers and arms were diced into multiple fleshy chunks, the beast realized its death was inevitable.


    In the end, even this weakling had triumphed over it.


    ~SWISH!~


    In one powerful sh, its head was cut off.


    Blood gushed out like a fountain, but the executor had long flown from that area and rushed forward in search of his next prey.


    His eyes went alight with desire, and before long, he also wore the same expression as everyone else around him.


    ¡ªA smile of excitement.


    Of course, no one knew what went on his mind as he found his next target and charged toward it.


    They could only know one thing.


    This wasn''t the same Rey that was a weakling back then. Just like everyone else, he had grown a lot stronger.


    He was fit to be called an Otherworlder.


    ********


    ''Ahh¡­ this is boring.''


    As Rey killed his next foe, he fought back the urge to leak out a sigh.


    So far, he had killed four Monsters while everyone else was nearing their tenth mark.


    ''I would say that''s pretty standard.'' His thoughts trailed.


    The problem was that he wasn''t gaining any EXP from the Monsters that he was killing.


    ''Even if I killed everything here, I doubt I''ll be able to Level Up once¡­''


    No, that was even too ambitious.


    Rey had reached a point of growth that killing a hundred Monsters of this caliber wouldn''t give him 10% EXP.


    As a result, every action that he was taking felt too monotonous.


    ''But I have to endure.''


    In the end, this wasn''t for his benefit.


    ''The rest should grow as well¡­'' He stole a nce at all his ssmates, finding them smiling.


    He couldn''t help but leak out a grin as well.


    ''They''re enjoying themselves, growing stronger in the process.''


    This was what he wanted.


    ''Let''s see how long thatsts.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I am thinking of doing another Mass Release, but I''m not sure yet. I hope you enjoyed the chapter, though.

 Chapter 282 First Day Of The Raid [Pt 3]

    <h4>Chapter 282 First Day Of The Raid [Pt 3] </h4>


    "Great work, everyone." Ralyks pped as thest of the Monsters fell.


    The Otherworlders were done with a little over a hundred Monsters in the blink of an eye, and they barely even broke a sweat.


    Even Ralyks had no choice but to be impressed.


    "These Items are amazing. I don''t even feel tired at all!" One of the Otherworldersmented with excitement.


    "I Leveled Up three times just now!"


    "Four for me!"


    "This is insane! Dungeon Raids are awesome."


    There were sounds of excitement echoing from so many of them that it was safe to assume that they unanimously enjoyed their activities.


    Brilliant smiles and bright eyes shone among the teenagers who stood amidst the carcasses of Monsters.


    It seemed like they no longer feared anything.


    "Kukuku¡­ is that so?" Ralyks chuckled slightly.


    No one could see what was beneath his mask, but it was clear that he was amused by their reactions.


    "Well then, since you''re not exhausted, let''s keep advancing into the Floor."


    The moment he said this, everyone¡ªwell, almost everyone¡ªlooked at him, perplexed.


    "What''s with those faces? You didn''t think this was all there was to the Second Floor, did you?" The moment Ralyks said this, the ground trembled a little.


    Loud noises and screeches echoed a far distance away from the students, deeper down the path they were meant to traverse.


    "W-what were those?"


    "They sound like a lot more of them."


    "How many more of them will be on this Floor?"


    The overwhelming confidence that the Otherworlders had built was beginning to crumble.


    However, their worries didn''tst for long.


    "We''re all a lot stronger than we were before. We also have better gear. Lastly, we have Sir Ralyks. Is there really any reason to worry?"


    As Adonis'' words of encouragement echoed among the group, the members all nodded in approval.


    The tension and unease vanished.


    "Well said, Adonis. Let us proceed."


    Ralyks floated in the air, right behind the students, and they began their advance towards the terrifying screeches and growls.


    Despite all they heard, and were about to see, no one expressed any form of hesitation.


    In the end, they wanted to grow stronger.


    And this was the only way!


    *********


    [Moments Later]


    "Guark!"


    rk yelled as his body was thrust into a wall with so much momentum that his body felt it greatly,


    ~BOOOOOOM!~


    Debris scattered from the point of impact, and his armored body dug into the wall as he struggled to regain focus.


    He looked around him with blurry eyes and found that the rest of hisrades weren''t faring so well either.


    ¡­ All because of one Monster.


    They were currently in the Boss Room of the Second Floor, and their enemy was a single entity.


    A massive wolf who had the height of at least ten meters,


    It had spider appendages stemming from its back, and its wolf-like body was extremely agile for its size.


    It could be a blur and appear anywhere in no time at all, making it extremely unpredictable.


    Its several appendages were also used for offense, and having so many sharp and strong spider appendages made it nearly impossible to catch it off guard or attack a blind spot.


    It had a defensive barrier active anytime it wasn''t attacking, and also a sonic attack that rushed from its mouth for long-


    range attack.


    It was this sonic attack that hit rk, forcing him tond on the wall without any way to resist.


    "Tch¡­e on!" He grunted, peeling himself away from the rock that he was stuck in.


    Fortunately, he was able to jump away from there before the Boss Monster appeared there and impaled him with its appendages.


    ~WHUUUSH!~


    The moment the Boss appeared where he had previously been, rk used his [Icy Breath] to lock him in ce, but the beast''s shield suddenly manifested to block the assault.


    "KRIIIIIIIIAAAAKKKK!!!" It roared, sending rk flying to the ground, where the rest of hisrades were standing.


    All nine of them watched the Boss with annoyance.


    They were clearly powerful enough to take it down, but the problem was its annoying ability to evade attacks or downright block it.


    "I''m ready!" Eric yelled, stepping forward and stretching his wand to the air.


    "Everyone step back!"


    They all listened to his voice, all of them covering their ears as well.


    "Vibrato Resonatia!" He yelled out, swinging his glowing Enchanted Item as he activated a Spell from his [Grand Sound Magic].


    At that instant, a screeching vibration echoed into the air, piercing the world around them.


    Adonis activated [Absolute Defense] around hisrades, protecting them from the attack, but the Monster wasn''t so fortunate.


    Its barrier or evasion could not protect it from sound itself.


    As a result¡ª


    "SKRIIIIAAAAKKKK!!!"


    ¡ªIt copsed to the ground, screeching and screaming in its monster tongue.


    "Now! Attack now!"


    No one needed Eric to say anything before making their move.


    Everyone rushed towards the Boss, but no one was nearly as fast as Adonis.


    Streaks of golden light passed all the Otherworlders and closed the distance between everyone else and the affected creature.


    In no time, Adonis appeared before the Boss and moved his hand to finish it off.


    ~SWISH!~


    Following the flow of the de, the severed head danced off the neck of the beast, and everything was over at that moment.


    Adonis ended the life of the Boss Monster, thus concluding the Raid on the Second Floor.


    Everyone copsed on the ground the moment their task was over.


    Heavyyered sighs and deep breaths were taken as the Otherworlders clearly disyed how spent they were.


    The only one left standing was Adonis, and he was right in front of the Boss he had just dispatched.


    "Haaa¡­ haaa¡­" The Hero heaved a few sighs, white fog rushing from his lips.


    So far, he had killed the most enemies out of everyone else. He never took a break, and he constantly fought with all his strength.


    It was no surprise that the exhaustion was beginning to catch up to him.


    "We did it¡­" He whispered, a smile forming on his face despite how tired he was.


    "I.. I did it!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Who''s your favorite character among the Otherworlders?

 Chapter 283 First Day Of The Raid [Pt 4]

    <h4>Chapter 283 First Day Of The Raid [Pt 4] </h4>


    "Let me heal you."


    Alicia''s words echoed in the air as she approached rk and helped him recover from the damage he received from the Boss Monster not too long ago.


    "T-thank you." rk responded sheepishly, as if he wasn''t used to such kind gestures.


    He even scratched his head andughed awkwardly. Alicia ignored all of this and healed him anyway.


    It was during moments like this that her S-Tier Skill, [Absolute Healing], coulde in handy.


    ''I have enough Mana to properly use it now.'' Alicia smiled as a bright light covered rk as a result of her powers.


    This wasn''t the first time she was using [Absolute Healing] in the Raid.


    She had done so a few times already, especially during the just-concluded Boss Fight.


    Surprisingly, she never got to heal Rey.


    ''I guess he''s being extra careful, so he fights Monsters he knows he can take.''


    Thanks to that, and his defensive Enchanted Item, he didn''t take any damage.


    ''To think he hasn''t made a single slip-up so far. That''s really impressive¡­''


    Alicia still didn''t know the kind of training that Rey underwent with Ralyks, but it had to have been amazing for him toe back so strong.


    Of course, he wasn''t as powerful as everyone else.


    However, he wasn''t a liability.


    ''I''m happy for him.'' Alicia shot him a nce and smiled.


    He looked so tired, and she understood it well.


    ''If I didn''t have the White Ember, I might also be¡­'' The thought caused her to smile even more.


    She noticed Rey was turning in her direction, so she quickly looked away.


    ''Why did I even do that?'' She thought to herself, feeling like an idiot.


    It wasn''t as if Rey would find it weird if she was staying at him and smiling at the same time.


    ''He doesn''t think I ignored his gaze, right?''


    Alicia felt like she was overthinking again, so she shook off those thoughts.


    "Um¡­ I think I''m pretty much healed already." rk''s voice brought her back to reality.


    "A-ah, yes! Yes, sorry!"


    "N-no¡­ it''s fine. Thanks once again."


    "It''s no problem."


    Alicia watched rk sheepishly make his exit and go to chill with his closest buddies¡ªEric and Justin. She also noticed Adonis walking towards the rest of the group with a smile on his face.


    Looking around her, she could see everyone being extremely positive despite how tired they were.


    She was no exception.


    "Well done, you all." Once again, Ralyks appeared before them and pped.


    Alicia moved to Rey''s side, and they both acted naturally as they waited to hear what Ralyks had to say next.


    "We''ll be taking a short break now¡­"


    Once he said this, the faces of everyone expressed nothing short of relief.


    They had been forced to tread the world of the Dungeon for about five hours now, and they were pretty exhausted after the Boss Fight.


    A few had feared Ralyks would tell them something different, so it was a pleasant surprise to see that he was being considerate.


    Perhaps if they knew what his next words would be, they wouldn''t have celebrated so early.


    "¡­ Before descending to the Third Floor."


    The moment Ralyks said this, the closed eyes of many popped open, and jaws dropped in shock.


    "Third Floor? After all this?!"


    "That''s insane. Aren''t the Monsters there going to be tougher?"


    "How long do we have to rest?"


    "I don''t really mind if we can chill here for like an hour or so¡­"


    "No¡­ no more¡­"


    Different reactions rushed from the lips of the Otherworlders.


    It wasn''t like they were unwilling to work, or toozy to continue.


    They were simply too tired.


    "You''ll be resting for thirty minutes. That''s more than enough time to recover your strength."


    More groans and grunts reverberated among the Otherworlders, but it ended at that.


    No one could reallyin.


    "What about the Monster Cores? I noticed we haven''t been picking them." Adonis asked, his hand slightly raised.


    "The Alliance will surely need them."


    Many people grunted as soon as Adonis said this, since it meant they would be tasked with even more work.


    Unknown to them, though, that shouldn''t have been a concern of theirs.


    After all, Adonis already knew one of Ralyks'' abilities, and how it would be incredibly helpful when it came to this situation.


    ¡ªSummoning Magic.


    "I''ll be summoning minions to take care of the harvesting of Monster Cores and any other precious resource here, so don''t worry." Ralyks replied with a nod.


    "All you need to be concerned about is getting stronger."


    Adonis nodded back and thanked Ralyks for his response.


    "It''s no problem. In any case, your resting period starts now, so make the best use of it."


    The agreement was to spend 10 hours a day in the Dungeons. If they were only resting for thirty minutes, that meant they had to work for over nine hours.


    Even Training wasn''t this brutal.


    The Otherworlders could now better understand why the Royal Council had to get rid of their remaining ssmates.


    There was no way most of them would agree to this kind of arrangement.


    As they mulled over this issue and rested, a few watched Ralyks as he took a few steps from them and began to release a strange power.


    Before long, all eyes were on him as a sort of dark energy crept from his body.


    A swirling mix of ck and purple danced around him as a Magic Circle began to form right a few meters from where he stood.


    Then, he spoke.


    "Come forth¡­"


    As the purplish-ck Magic Circle began to cackle with unknown power, something began to emerge.


    First was a hand, then it was followed by multiple hands.


    Faceless faces rose to the surface, and the forbidden nature of darkness began to manifest before everyone''s very eyes.


    Death incarnate was manifest.


    "¡­ Denizens of the Dead."


    From the depths of the dark void rose ten undead entities¡ª


    each with varying forms.


    One was very robust, while another was incredibly skinny. Some had rotting flesh on, while others were mere bones.


    The only thing these beings shared inmon was the fact that they were dead.


    Ah¡­ and one more thing.


    They were strong!


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I guess this is the moment some of you begin to piece some things together, but I won''t say anything yet.


    Hehe¡­

 Chapter 284 First Day Of The Raid [Pt 5]

    <h4>Chapter 284 First Day Of The Raid [Pt 5] </h4>


    Undead.


    They were a very specific kind of Monsters that were very rare.


    This was mainly because of the special kind of energy they gave off¡ªa perverted kind of Mana that very few knew of.


    Miasma.


    Miasma was a corrupted version of Mana, and it was its very antithesis.


    Like poison, it could prove deadly to pure Mana Users, though the opposite was also true.


    Since Miasma was exclusive to Undead beings, they were known to be incredibly dangerous. Hardly anyone had any sort of Skill rted to such a forbidden power.


    All the Otherworlders had learned of this during ss, so they simply couldn''t believe what they were seeing with their very eyes.


    Sir Ralyks¡­ had just summoned Undead¡ª and it wasn''t just one or two, but a whopping ten!


    Each of them were different from mere Zombies or Skeletons. They had armor, special clothing, and various kinds of appearances that caused them to look different from each other.


    While one seemed to be a Mage, others resembled Knight, Thief, Archer, Lancer, Brawler, etc.


    With all these Undead manifesting at once, the Otherworlders felt a certain pressure that caused their bodies to grow cold.


    Snow growled as she stood in front of Alicia, ring very deeply at the creatures that had just appeared from the depths of darkness.


    No one could move.


    They could only helplessly watch as the grim reapers bowed to their summoner.


    "There''s no need to be frightened. They''re all my ves." Ralyks told the group with a calm demeanor.


    "They won''t harm you."


    Despite how assuring his words were, the students simply couldn''t believe him this time.


    The level of intensity his ''ves'' exuded was too much for them.


    "Haa¡­ I understand. I''ll send them off now, so endure it for a while longer."


    The Dark Adventurer turned to his undead servants and gave them their instructions.


    "Depart andplete your tasks."


    They nodded and bowed in respect once more before swiftly departing from the Boss Room.


    None of the Otherworlders could even follow the movements of the Undead Summons as they departed from their sights.


    Their speed was unbelievable, and their power incalcble.


    Yet, Ralyks summoned them so casually.


    Despite no one saying it so explicitly, the same thought went on in the minds of everyone who saw what he did.


    "Just how much more power does Ralyks have?!"


    *********


    The break was instrumental for the Otherworlders to rx and catch their breath, but before they realized it, it was over.


    Once again, they were all thrust into a new battlefield¡ªThe Third Floor.


    This ce was apletely different realmpared to the First and Second.


    It was filled with tiny glowing stones that grew on the ceiling and certain corners. This caused a full glow to fill the area, though Ralyks still ensured there was more than enough light for the Otherworlders to see very clearly.


    "You know what this means, don''t you?" Ralyks told them the moment they stepped into the Floor and observed this phenomenon.


    The Third Floor had already been mined of Mana Crystals just a few weeks ago, when the Royal Dungeon was still viable.


    The fact that so many¡ªirrespective of how small they were¡ªhad already started growing in this area meant one thing.


    There was a lot of Mana density in this Floor.


    The consequence of that was a simple fact¡ªthe Monsters in this Floor were very strong.


    "Brace yourselves. This will be your biggest challenge yet."


    The Otherworlders gulped, their nervousness palpable as they advanced into the jaws of danger.


    If Ralyks said something, they had to believe it.


    And this time¡­ he wasn''t wrong!


    Several stronger Monsters appeared in the Third Floor, and it was a lot more difficult to defeat them than anyone could have imagined.


    Some were just as tricky as the Boss Monster of the Second Floor, having abilities that focused more on evasive maneuvers and defense.


    Fortunately, the Otherworlders had Eric as well as speed on their side.


    The problem was numbers.


    At some point, they became outnumbered and outgunned. Ralyks had to intervene and eliminate a swarm of Monsters to protect them.


    That was how incredibly dangerous the ce was.


    Alicia had her hands full with healing her allies, and Adonis had to work twice as hard due to the nature of the enemies he faced.


    The problem wasn''t individual strength, but rather their numbers and problematic tricks.


    Out of everyone present, he managed to kill most of them by a wide margin.


    The only one who surpassed Adonis wss Ralyks, who took care of the leftovers that were a threat to the overall welfare of everyone.


    In estimation; Ralyks took care of forty percent of the enemies, while Adonis took care of about twenty-five percent.


    The remaining thirty-five percent was handled by the rest of the Otherworlders.


    Unfortunately, Adonis could not keep up this streak for too long.


    Once the Boss Fight came, he was too tired to do very much, and the rest of the Otherworlders were also at their limits.


    As a result, Ralyks had to subdue the creature and pretty much offer it to the one who had the least Levels in an attempt to be fair.


    Rey ended up dealing the final blow to the Boss Monster. This caused an incredible boost in his Level,pensating for his very little contribution to the overall subjugation in the Third Floor.


    No one could evenin that he got carried since it was pretty much the same for everyone,


    If the Second Floor had made them confident in their abilities, the Third Floor served as a way to humble them.


    They were still a long way from being truly strong.


    *******


    "We''re done for today."


    With everyone copsed on the ground in the Boss Room, he didn''t p or chuckle at them.


    Instead, he folded his arms and gave them all a nod of respect.


    "You truly did well for your first. Good job."


    Those words marked the end of the first day of the Royal Dungeon Raid.


    A bittersweet mix of pride and dissatisfaction coiled within the hearts of the Otherworlders.


    It was clear from the look in their eyes that they weren''t done yet.


    All of them were determined to do better on the second day.


    All¡­ without exception.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Next chapter, I want to show the growth of the Otherworlders. They would have definitely grown a lot stronger thanks to this alone.


    I hope you enjoyed the chapter.

 Chapter 285 End Of The First Day’s Raid

    <h4>Chapter 285 End Of The First Day¡¯s Raid </h4>


    ''Not bad¡­'' Rey smiled as he looked at the faces of everyone around him.


    He was, of course, pretending to be exhausted beyond measure. Still, he was secretly staring at everyone and looking at their Status Windows.


    ''Most of them have Levels already in their early Twenties.''


    A few outliers like Billy and Belle managed to get to thete twenties.


    Trisha''s Level was around the mid-twenties¡ªsame as Eric.


    Those were the hardest hitters in the entire raid.


    ''rk started out strong, but he ended up defending himself and others too much.''


    As a result, he didn''t Level Up too much.


    ''Alicia was too busy healing people, so she didn''t have much of a chance to Level Up herself.''


    Justin was objectively the one with the lowest Level since he often liked to sneak around and take down his enemies one at a time rather than engage in a more reckless assault.


    No one could really me him since that was his build.


    People like Billy and Belle had immense destructive power, so it was only expected that they would Level Up the fastest.


    Trisha was the most skilled fighter of the group¡ªaside from Adonis, of course.


    As a result, she was more efficient in taking down Monsters despite being weaker and having a limited set of Skills.


    ''Then there''s Eric. That guy''s like a natural-born wizard. It''s crazy!''


    Hisbination and utilization of various Skills, as well as the Spells associated with them, was insane.


    Rey wouldn''t be surprised if the guy had a scrapbook that he used to prepare attack patterns and countermeasures against Monsters.


    He truly was impressive.


    ''As for me, I think I''ll maintain a range of Level 10-12. That''s a safe ce to be in.'' Rey nodded to himself as he stared at the MVP of the entire Raid.


    Adonis Levi.


    ''He''s seriously a beast. I still can''t check his Status Window, but I wouldn''t be surprised if he cracked Level 40. No¡­ maybe even close to 50.''


    Adonis had everything! Everypliment Rey gave his other ssmates could also be attributed to him.


    No¡­ perhaps even more!


    ''He''s the most skilledbatant I''ve ever seen. He uses his Skills perfectly, and he''s so decisive in his attacks.''


    Adonis was unbelievably strong.


    ''I can''t afford to ck off. At this rate, he''ll definitely catch up to me.''


    Rey felt tempted to solo the Floors in order to prevent that, but he decided against it.


    ''Even after killing the Boss and my fair share of Monsters, I still haven''t Leveled Up once.''


    It seemed there was something about the realm behind Level 100 that just made it difficult to proceed any further.


    ''I have to find an alternative soon. Maybe another Dungeon or something.''


    *********


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Adonis Levi.


    - Race: Human (Otherworlder) (Regressor)


    - ss: The Hero (S-Tier)


    - Level: 60 (56.99% EXP)


    - Life Force: 420 (+210) [100]


    - Mana Level: 450 (+225) [150]


    - Combat Ability: 400 (+200) [200]


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Divine Sword Summon]. [Absolute Defense]. [Grand Light Magic]. [&$@?3$$!0n]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Combat Application]. [Magic Application]. [Mana Recovery]. [Full Sense]


    - Alignment: Lawful Good


    [Additional Information]


    Your desire to save this world has transcended the very bounds of time itself, and now you are once again on the journey to protect those you love.


    Good luck!


    [End Of Information]


    ''Not enough. It''s still not enough¡­'' As Adonis stared at his Status Window, he felt a constant surge of hunger within him.


    Despite reaching Level 60 on his first day, he still didn''t feel aplished.


    It wasn''t enough.


    ''It''s a shame that my Stats deteriorated after facing that Dragon. I would have been a lot stronger by now.''


    Adonis calcted how many Stat Points he lost in total, and it was over 400.


    He had gained 900 Stat Points thanks to Leveling Up thirty times in this Raid, so thatpensated for his loss greatly.


    Still, he desired a lot more.


    Until his Stats were in the thousands, he didn''t have enough confidence in his ability to protect his friends.


    ''I wonder what his Status Window looks like¡­'' Adonis thought to himself as he looked at the Dark Adventurer.


    Was it in the thousands? Tens of thousands? Surely it couldn''t reach hundreds of thousands.


    ''I don''t know. I don''t think I can know¡­''


    Adonis swallowed his current dissatisfaction and looked around him.


    He could see their smiles and expressions of relief, and somehow that made him happy.


    ''It seems everyone has grown considerably. That''s good¡­''


    He couldn''t face the uing threats alone, and it felt reassuring to have his friends grow with him.


    ''Even Rey is finally catching up. This is good¡­ it''s all good!''


    Rather than also seeing his own progress and being proud of his achievements, Adonis did not even let such a thought cross his mind.


    ''I can''t afford to growcent.'' That was his excuse.


    ''Until I properly defeat a Dragon on my own¡­ I will not be satisfied!''


    **********


    Rey and his friends got transported back to the Royal Estate thanks to the portal that Ralyks created.


    They all had refreshed expressions on their faces, despite still being sore in certain parts of their bodies.


    Alicia would have healed them all if she could, but even she had reached the limits of her abilities and was plenty exhausted.


    "You should all have a proper rest. I''ll see you again tomorrow." Ralyks told them as soon as they appeared within the Estate.


    Before they could say anything else, hepletely vanished from their sights.


    "He didn''t even wait to hear my ''Thank you''."


    "Haha! That''s just the kind of guy he is¡­"


    "I''m actually very excited for tomorrow!"


    "Me too!"


    The Otherworlders retired to their quarters and straight for their rooms as soon as they arrived in the Royal Estate.


    Of course, they discussed before getting there, but everyone instantly clocked in the moment they reached thefort of their home.


    Alicia was no exception, as she told Rey she was drowsy and would talk to himter before venturing to her room.


    Rey told her the same and went to his inner sanctum as well.


    The moment he entered and closed the door, however, hepletely put off the act and sat on his bed, apletely different demeanor now active.


    "I suppose it''s time for a review¡­" Rey stared right ahead at a swirling darkness that formed a small distance from him.


    "¡­ Ater."


    *


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    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Have you all figured it out by now? Please tell me you have!

 Chapter 286 Ater’s Proposal

    <h4>Chapter 286 Ater¡¯s Proposal </h4>


    Emerging from the darkness was a man in a ck hooded cloak, shrouded in a mostly ckened attire.


    He had a dark mask on, and he appeared just like the famed Dark Adventurer.


    No¡­ he really was him!


    The one who stood before Rey was none other than Ralyks.


    Then, he knelt before the seated boy.


    "Master¡­"


    As those words echoed in the room, Rey shrugged slightly as a small smile formed on his face.


    "You should transform back to your normal form." He said.


    "You mean as a ca¡ª?"


    "No! You know fully well what I mean." Rey swiftly interjected.


    Thispletely broke his cool vibes.


    "Understood, master."


    Instantly, a swirling surge of energy circled around the Ralyks that knelt before Rey, and in no time at all, it had be a handsome young man with red hair and ebony skin.


    His crimson eyes shone brightly in the room, and his lips curled up to form a devilish grin.


    "That''s more like it." Rey nodded, staring at his Familiar¡ªAter.


    "You may rise."


    Ater rose to his feet, his tall figure looming over Rey who satfortably on his bed.


    "You can sit down if you like. We have quite a bit to discuss, after all."


    Upon hearing that, Ater began to float in midair and crossed both legs together as he sat on nothing but empty space.


    Rey noticed this, and a spark of curiosity appeared in his eyes.


    "How are you able to do that? Float, I mean."


    Ater didn''t have any Skill rted to flying, yet he had disyed the ability to fly a few times¡ªboth as Ralyks and in his normal form.


    How was that possible? Some kind of Magic Spell he had?


    "Ahh¡­ I think it justes naturally to me. Sort of like how walking is to humans¡ªmaybe even running or crawling."


    Once he heard this, Rey''s eyes widened considerably.


    ''Oho! So that''s how it is.''


    Just the same way humans didn''t have a Skill for walking or running, he didn''t need a Skill for flying.


    ''It muste naturally to his race.''


    "Alright then. Back to important matters. How was your first day as Ralyks?" He asked, folding his arms as he rested on the wall behind him.


    Rey had previously nned on using his [Replicate] Skill to be both Rey as Ralyks, but Ater had suggested himself acting as Ralyks.


    There were several advantages to this, so Rey decided to leave things up to him.


    Thankfully, Ater was good at acting, so he yed his part well.


    ''There were some parts where he acted a bit too cold, but I can see my Ralyks persona acting that way, so it''s forgivable.''


    In the end, it didn''t matter who was behind the mask, as long as they got the job done.


    ''And I think he did considerably well.''


    "It was puzzling for the most part. Master, I do not understand why you waste your time with those inferior entities." The moment Rey heard this, he nearly coughed out loud.


    ''The hell¡­?!''


    Ater had just spoken his mind, and Rey could definitely feel he was being honest, which was why hisment was even more effective on him.


    "W-what do you mean?" He asked, clearing his throat as he spoke.


    "Well, the resources you are spoonfeeding them are indeed making them stronger, but I can notprehend why you would choose to aid them so much."


    The ebony man stared honestly at his master, and his gleaming red eyes showed no regard for any of the Otherworlders at all.


    "Other than Adonis, none of them possess any real value. Perhaps Adonis would be useful as one of Master''s servants, but I see no reason for your charades around him¡­ or the rest of them."


    Ater remained calm, his demeanor a mostly stoic one, but his eyes showed some kind of genuine confusion.


    ¡­ As if he couldn''tprehend his Master''s action.


    "Could there perhaps be some deeper reason to this that I can not figure out?" His face seemed to say.


    Rey didn''t know what to tell his Familiar.


    He was frozen in his seated position, wondering how to justify his actions to someone who was driven by nothing but cold-


    hearted utility.


    "You really think they have no value?"


    "Perhaps they can be used as fodders in war, but even then, you already possess powerful abilities that allow you to make fodders of your own without relying on any of them." Ater responded.


    "I understand there is a war, and I understand that every leader requires followers, but I find it difficult to believe that these ones will be of much use in the end."


    Rey shook his head slightly as he stared at Ater.


    ''He''s only saying this because he''s pretty much stronger than all of them. Other than Adonis, I don''t see anyone getting stronger than him¡ªespecially if he begins to Level Up.''


    However, there couldn''t be a lot of Adonises, and Ater came in short supply.


    In the end, rather than merely seeking out the best of the goods, it was also prudent to grow the lesser valued products and make them worth as much as possible.


    In essence, the weaker Otherworlders had the potential to grow stronger by training them and helping them grow.


    ''That is my intention. I want to make them strong enough to actually stand against the Dragons.


    And it wasn''t impossible!


    ''Just by looking at their growth today, and how their Stats have advanced so far, I honestly think it''s only a matter of time that they reach Level 100.''


    It was possible that they would arrive at that Level once the entire Dungeon Raid was concluded.


    Rey couldn''t even imagine what Level Adonis would reach once the entire thing was over.


    ''They''re currently being polished. Given enough time, I''m sure Ater will see their value.''


    Besides¡­


    "Utility isn''t the only reason I make such decisions." Rey smiled in response to Ater''s questions.


    Perhaps he was just being sentimental, but he genuinely wanted to see those eight grow strong too.


    ''In this world, it''s better to be strong rather than weak. They all stayed because they wanted to protect this world and stop the Dragons. The least I can do for them is give them the opportunity to be strong.''


    One could perhaps describe it as an act of benevolence. Others could call it selfless, or even patronizing.


    But for Rey, none of those mattered much.


    ''Most of what we do as humans isn''t fully logical.'' He sighed and rubbed his head.


    Even now, he couldn''t help but wonder if Ater was right¡ªand if there weren''t any better ways to go about what he wanted.


    However, since his current arrangement was working well, there was no need to change anything.


    "I guess there are reasons that you just can''t recognize." Rey finally said to Ater, who had been waiting for an answer.


    The moment he heard this, his eyes widened in surprise.


    He instantly bowed his head in respect.


    "I understand, Master!"


    Whatever Rey meant by those words could have been misinterpreted by Ater, but the boy didn''t notice any of that at all.


    He was just happy that Ater wasn''t asking him the question any longer.


    "Now then¡­ on to the real issues."


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    What do you all think? Is Ater right? Should Rey just ditch everyone and focus on his own grind?

 Chapter 287 Conspiratory Discourse

    <h4>Chapter 287 Conspiratory Discourse </h4>


    "So, how are the ''preparations'' going?"


    As Rey asked this question, Ater''s lips broadened and a somewhat sadistic smile formed all over his face.


    "They''re going well. They should be ready by tomorrow. We can utilize them anytime after that."


    "I was thinking of waiting for two or three more days before using them. It''s not time yet." Rey responded, rubbing his chin.


    "I understand. The beneficiaries aren''t ripe yet, am I correct? You desire for them to limate a little more."


    "Yes. You saw how they were today. They have a long way to go before the n can be viable."


    Ater nodded his head at his Master''s wise words.


    "You are correct."


    While he didn''tpletely understand the rationale behind his Master''s actions, Ater could see the reason behind this n in particr.


    It pleased him that his Master was the one behind it as well.


    "I''m quite optimistic about it." Rey added, and Ater couldn''t help but give a nod in approval.


    They were both on the same page on that matter.


    "This is just a tangent, but I guess being in the thick of it with them in today''s Raid made me notice a few things about my ssmates that I didn''t know before." Rey chuckled a little.


    He was able to see them very differently since he was paying very rapt attention to them.


    It was a somewhat refreshing experience.


    "If you so desire, we can create a scenario that will help you explore more of that tomorrow." Ater voiced his opinion, eager to please his master.


    Rey narrowed his eyes as he heard what Ater said.


    "I promise, it''s nothing harmful. In fact, it could end up benefiting them."


    "Hmm¡­" Rey clearly senses that Ater had no malevolent intent with his suggestion, so he knew he could trust him.


    "Fine." He sighed. "But you''ll have to tell me the details."


    "Understood, Master."


    They had gone on yet another tangent, and the most important matters were yet to be addressed.


    Rey felt like pping his hand on his head, but he controlled himself while being watched by his loyal Familiar.


    He had to keep up some measure of appearances.


    "I noticed you didn''t Level Up despite killing a fair share of Monsters on the Third Floor¡­"


    Ater raised his earlier bowed head the moment he heard the question.


    He gave a slight sigh and shrugged.


    "None of those fodder can grant me any kind of meaningful EXP talkless of helping me Level Up."


    The Absolute creature sounded disappointed¡ªperhaps a little frustrated¡ªas he voiced the conundrum to his Master.


    ''I can totally rte!'' Rey wanted to cry out, but he restrained himself.


    It seemed like they both suffered from the same problem.


    They were too strong.


    "We both need to find stronger prey, it seems." Rey sadly smiled at his Familiar.


    He knew that Ater had intentionally given him the Boss of the Third Floor, perhaps as a means to get the lion''s share of EXP, but it was honestly no good.


    He barely got any EXP from it.


    ''That Boss Monster would have been a lot more beneficial to someone else¡­''


    In the end, it was a waste on him.


    ''I''m honestly concerned about how things will y out in the future. I don''t want to end up stuck at this Level.''


    Rey had heard there were other Dungeons in a bunch of other regions, so he began to wonder if he should go there after he was done with his current assignment.


    ''Yeah. I think that''s what I''ll do.''


    Once Rey settled on his thought, he went on to the next topic¡ª


    perhaps the most important one yet¡ªwith Ater.


    "The Karinc Group is supposed to set out tonight¡ªat least, that is how it''s supposed to be if they''re going to get to the Merchant City on time." Rey smiled.


    Of course, he wasn''t nning on letting them leave so early. He was simply going to teleport them once the time came.


    However, they had to put up appearances.


    ''There''s no doubt that there are spies hidden all around who are waiting to see Rebal and Kara leave the Capital.''


    They had to fool them by ensuring the two¡ªand a believable number of people serving as their entourage¡ªleft before their eyes.


    "You can leave everything to me, Master." Ater bowed his head and gave a confident smile.


    "Oh, really?"


    "Yes. While I find it doubtful that they would be attacked if they were to journey to the Merchant City, with or without your help, I understand your concerns."


    Indeed¡­ Ater didn''t believe Scy and her New Order would ambush Rebal or try to slow him down.


    If that was the case, then this entire procedure was unnecessary.


    However, Rey had to disagree.


    ''Well, it''s still better to be safe rather than sorry.''


    As a result, the conclusion was to keep Rebal and those who would be going with him to the Dark Gathering in some safe and hidden ce while only making it seem like they left the Capital.


    "Alright. I''ll leave it up to you." Rey nodded at Ater.


    He didn''t doubt his Familiar''s capabilities in that respect, so he left him to it.


    "Thank you, Master."


    "Ah! I nearly forgot, but remember the rule." Rey raised a finger, and the Familiar nodded almost instantly.


    "No unnecessary killing or violence. I understand."


    They had to remain as lowkey as possible¡ªat least, until the promised day.


    ''If I don''t give him something specific like that, he might go about the n in some twisted way.''


    Rey couldn''t have that.


    "Well, I suppose that''s pretty much it for now."


    "Yes, Master."


    "Also, were you able to get more information about Conrad''s moves?"


    "Yes. The Royal Council is currently gathering their forces in the Merchant City while also strengthening their forces in the Capital and preparing for a full-blown Raid."


    As Ralyks, he had agreed to transport the Capital''s forces within the Merchant City once the time came, but Rey was pleasantly surprised that they already had troops being gathered there.


    "Were you able to find the spies among the forces who leaked information of the Royal Council''s ns to Scy?"


    "Yes, Master. They''ll be dealt with once the n ispletely in motion and they''re not needed any longer."


    Rey smiled as he listened to all of this.


    ''Everything is going very smoothly.'' As his smile broadened, his eyes brimmed with excitement.


    "That''s good."


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I honestly can''t wait for the epic showdown that''s about toe down.

 Chapter 288 Under The Canopy Of Night

    <h4>Chapter 288 Under The Canopy Of Night </h4>


    Night soon arrived, and darkness crept into the world.


    The starless sky had only the dull glow of the half moon shining upon the areas engulfed in the thickness of the dark.


    On this very night, a certain carriage departed from the nc Mansion.


    It was prestigious, well-made. It''s surface Barry reflected any light, and it was obviously designed for stealth.


    As an Enchanted Carriage, it made no sound as it passed through the hidden paths that led out of the Capital.


    As one would expect from a carriage of this pristine nature, it wasn''t alone.


    An entourage of six powerful men¡ªled by a pink-haired woman¡ªsurrounded the wheeled mechanism.


    They were all on mounts, and they had solemn expressions on their faces as they advanced to whatever destination they had in mind.


    Among the entourage, there was a certain hooded man who rode right behind the others. If Yuri could bebeled as the leader at the forefront, then this enigma was the one who took the rear end.


    Their formation ensured that the carriage would be protected from all sides¡ªeven the nks.


    A pretty standard formation for a considerably long journey.


    "So they finally took off¡­"


    A silent voice, unable to be heard by anyone around, softly proceeded from the lips of a man who watched all of this.


    He was the leader of the Scy''s Personal Recon Team¡ªJawl.


    His body waspletely shrouded in darkness as he narrowed his eyes to activate his Skill.


    ''[Transparency]!''


    With it, he could see through solid objects. Hence, despite the carriage having tinted windows, that didn''t stop him from seeing what was going on inside.


    As expected, Jawl''s Skill worked!


    He saw the interior of the carriage, and it was as exquisite as anyone would imagine.


    Seated within it were Rebal nc, Kara Verte, and a mysterious man in a mask.


    Rebal and Kara were seated beside each other, while the masked man was opposite them.


    Once Jawl confirmed their positions, as well as all the other information he required from the carriage and its entourage, he deactivated his Skill.


    ''I better call Lady Scy.'' His thoughts trailed as his eyes darted up and about.


    His subordinates were spread up and about the path that surrounded the carriage. As professionals, they had formations of their own.


    It didn''t matter what kind of formation the target had. They could easily break through it.


    ''We just need her go-ahead.''


    Jawl knew that his second Skill¡ª[Dark Silence]¡ªwas still activated, so he was confident that his next action wouldn''tpromise his mission.


    He brought out his Enchanted Communication Device and activated it by pouring his Mana into it.


    The thing was shaped like an orb, and it was considerably heavy thanks to how many high-quality Mana Crystals were needed to make it.


    Since it was used formunicating long distances, the Mana necessary was incredible.


    After this single call, Jawl knew he would need to recharge the Item.


    ~ZTTTZ!~


    Before long, the Communication Item connected to the other end.


    ~What''s the situation?~


    Jawl recognized the voice to belong to his master¡ªLady Scy herself¡ªand he subconsciously bowed his head the moment he heard her voice.


    "All the necessary parties are present. Rebal nc and Kara Verte are within the carriage. Leading their entourage is their strongest warrior, Yuri, and I can recognize the other entourages save a few new faces."


    He went ahead and sinctly poured out all the intel he had uncovered.


    It was brief, straight to the point, and urate.


    As a professional who had served Scy for nearly a decade, he knew her preferences and how to do his job to her utmost satisfaction.


    The reason he didn''t even address her as ''Master'' when on the call was due to her distaste for time-wasting formalities.


    Jawl desired to please her to his utmost, so he did as he was told and reported exactly what his Master desired to know.


    ~Good job.~


    The moment he heard this, Jawl felt like he had been rewarded for all the scrutiny he had put into his work.


    Scy''s words of admonishment, spoken by her soft voice, put a smile on his face.


    He wanted to do anything for her.


    "My men are on standby. Should we attack passively and dy their arrival to the Dark Gathering, or engage in active assault to eliminate them?"


    For a few seconds, there was silence on the other end.


    Then¡ª


    ~You said there are a few faces you do not recognize. Are there any of them dressed peculiarly? Perhaps in a way that resembles the title ''Reaper''¡­?~


    Upon hearing this, Jawl searched through his incredibly photographic memory and came up with two results.


    "I saw two men dressed entirely in ck, hiding their faces. One was at the rear end of the formation, while the other was within the carriage."


    ~Two? I thought there would be three. Hmm¡­~


    Jawl didn''t know anything about this ''Reaper'' figure, and frankly¡­ he didn''t care.


    Sure, the name sounded scary, but that wasn''t going to deter him from fulfilling his duties andpleting his mission.


    Reaper or not¡ªthey would all perish if that was the wish of his Master.


    ~Don''t engage the enemy. You''ve confirmed what you need to, so let them be and begin your second assignment.~


    "Understood." Jawl was curious about his Master''s decision, but he was in no position to question it.


    He didn''t need to know.


    He just had to act¡ªthat was his purpose.


    ~You desire to know why I ordered against attacking, right?~


    Upon hearing those words, Jawl shuddered a little.


    He wasn''t surprised that his Master had figured out his thoughts, but it still caught him off-guard.


    "Yes." He responded.


    There was no way Jawl could lie to Scy.


    A slight chuckle echoed from the Communication Device, and Jawl swallowed hard as he listened to the melodious sound.


    He felt something tingle between his legs, but he ignored it and focused solely on his Master''s angelic voice.


    It was enough to save a wretched man like himself.


    ~It''s simple, really. I do not wish for you and your men to die futile deaths.~


    The moment Jawl heard this, his heart nearly stopped. He couldn''t believe the generosity and mercy of his Master.


    "¡­"


    He was rendered speechless by her consideration.


    ~Then, inform me of any other situation that arises. Bye.~


    Once she finished speaking, Scy cut offmunication from her end, leaving radio silence on his device.


    It automatically deactivated on its own, and Jawl slowly ced the Item in his pocket.


    He couldn''t say a word even a minute after the call. His mind was still recoiling from the kind words he heard from Scy.


    ''She doesn''t want me to die a futile death¡­''


    Jawl seemed to have forgotten that her words weren''t directed only at him, but at all of his men.


    Still, his broken mind interpreted it the way he wanted.


    ~FWUSH!~


    "Leader! We have been on standby for some time now. What is the order?" One of Jawl''s subordinates appeared, seemingly out of thin air, his head bowed.


    The subordinate''s eyes nearly popped out of its sockets once he saw the massive pir that rose from his leader''s pants.


    It was not human-like.


    "Call all the men back." Jawl spoke,pletely neglecting¡ªor maybe just ignoring¡ªhis incredible boner.


    "We''re retreating."


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 289 The One Who Devours

    <h4>Chapter 289 The One Who Devours </h4>


    "Two instead of three, huh? Interesting¡­"


    A voice echoed in an immensely pristine room. It belonged to a woman who sat behind an incrediblyrge dining table.


    Her chair was soft and of the utmost quality, and the table was finely made as well.


    The entire room was painted mainly white, withyers of ck and red¡ªa bit of gold too.


    It had an aesthetic of wealth and power¡­ but also forbidden danger.


    The woman who sat all alone in the room¡ªsave for the masked guard who stood in a corner¡ªwas incredibly beautiful.


    She had the face of an Angel, and her body was gorgeous beyond description. With clear skin and perfect proportions, she would easily pass as any man''s dreamdy.


    She was currently confronted with a feast on her dining table.


    It was mostly a meal that consisted of meat, with deep red sauce, and several garnishing by the side.


    Then, a bottle of exquisite wine stood beside the meal, while she downed a ss which was gracefully held in her grasp.


    Her lips formed a smile as she looked at the meal before her and mulled over the news she had just listened to.


    All of it was making her hungry.


    ''Could I have been wrong in my assessment? Maybe two would have been enough¡­''


    She took her fork and knife, perfectly slicing the juicy steak that was on a te in front of her.


    "Mmm¡­" Closing her eyes and savoring the vor, her smile grew wider.


    "Perfect."


    The tender meat seemed to melt into her mouth, and the juices were fully absorbed without any difort of any kind.


    ''I can''t evere back from this.'' She licked her lips as she looked at the steak, and then carried her gaze to the other meaty meals before her.


    No other kind of food could satisfy her like this.


    She took another bite and swallowed, downing the wine and leaking out a satisfied exhtion.


    Once this process was over, she dropped her empty ss and decided it was time to think more deeply about everything thus far.


    ''If I was wrong, it means that somehow, one of those two was fast enough to get to two locations. So one of them guarded the Karinc goods and defeated Ogun, while the other took care of Anukus and Fernand. I see¡­''


    That scenario was a little difficult to believe, but it wasn''tpletely imusible.


    ''The bottom line is, they''re both pretty strong.''


    At this point, thedy''s smile her broader¡ªnearly losing her allure as an Angel.


    If only she was one¡­


    No, this was Lady Scy, the furthest thing from a being of purity.


    "I was ready to send those men to their deaths in order to find out just how strong this ''Reaper'' is, but¡­'' Scy had changed her mind at thest minute.


    After some careful thoughts, she realized how wasteful the whole thing would be.


    ''What''s the point of testing the waters with weaklings like them when I know the Reaper is strong enough to kill a member of the Deadly Three?''


    Compared to those monsters in the Mercenary Gang, her Recon Forces were mere toddlers.


    It would be a pointless venture to try to see the depths of the Reaper''s strength with weaklings like them.


    As a result, they were spared.


    ''They''ll serve a better purpose staking out the Karinc Group''s assets and the nc Mansion.''


    Once the time for action arrived, their mission would beplete and she would have to think of some other thing to use them for.


    ''It''s only in a few days. I can''t wait¡­''


    Regardless of how strong the nc and Verte House had be thanks to the aid of this mysterious ally of theirs, the results were inevitable.


    She had set up the perfect trap for them, and her ns would reign supreme.


    ''Either way¡­ I''m going to win!''


    Scy stabbed the meat on her te and took another bite of the juicy, tender meat.


    Her intentions were to devour the entire United Human Alliance the same way she consumed the delicious meat that now melted in her mouth.


    No leftovers whatsoever.


    ********


    [The Next Day]


    ~BOOOOOM!~


    The Fourth Floor had its own sets of troubles as the Otherworlders had to set up a formation in order to stand a chance against the centipede-like monsters.


    These creatures were each at least ten meters tall, with incredibly thick bodies and powerful exoskeletons.


    They were also poisonous, and their incredibly sharp reflexes made them a chore to deal with.


    The biggest issue was, of course, their numbers.


    They were incredibly plentiful, and thanks to the several tunnel-


    like holes they had burrowed all around the Fourth Floor, they could escape at any time.


    Thankfully, the team had Adonis'' defensive barrier and Alicia''s Healing Magic.


    If not for those two forms of protection, they would have been rendered invalid a short while in.


    The current n was simple: restrain the Monsters and then the heavy hitters would strike with everything they had to destroy them.


    Of course, this meant that the heavy-hitters would get all the EXP, but this was the only viable n they coulde up with among themselves.


    Despite Ralyks being present, he already made it very clear that he wouldn''t help unless their lives were in danger.


    And so, the formation was initiated.


    One of the most importantponents of the restraining procedure was Justin¡ªdue to his ability to get close to the centipedes and utilize [Sleep] and the binding Skill [Marite].


    As a result of his particrly useful skill-sets, he was sent to deal with the most problematic of the bunch.


    Utilizing [Stealth], he easily made it behind the wave of centipedes and initiated his two-part maneuver.


    First was [Sleep], which instantly rendered the Centipedes sluggish as a result of the drowsiness that it caused.


    Before they could recover, he used his [Marite] Skill to create several threads to bind them all of them in something like an inescapable of sorts.


    Thanks to theirck of speed, he was able to pull this off and even reinforce the strings with a wide smile on his face.


    Once he was done, the heavy hitters were ready tomence their assault.


    "On my mark!" Adonis'' voice echoed in the vast expanse.


    They only had one shot at this.


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I just can''t help butugh anytime Scy is on screen. I try to make her intimidating, but¡­ haha¡­

 Chapter 290 A Costly Mistake

    <h4>Chapter 290 A Costly Mistake </h4>


    All the assaulters were ready to begin their counterattack.


    With the window that Justin opened for them, and the other minor traps and debuffs like Eric''s [Blindness], they were set to go.


    Then¡ª


    "KRIIIIIIIIIKKKKK!!!"


    ¡ªThe most unexpected urred.


    ~SWIIIISHHH!~


    One of the centipedes wiggled its way through the strings and rushed towards Justin in a bid to devour him.


    Perhaps even crush him.


    "Justin, no!" Swiftly leaving his own position in the formation, rk rushed towards his friend.


    Shockwaves radiated as a result of his impulsive action, causing others to shift ever so slightly from their formation.


    Justin, who was too distracted in his celebration, did not notice anything off until rk called out his name.


    Once he opened his eyes wide, he noticed the centipede which lunged at him with dangerous precision.


    It''s disgustingly ck body was about to crash on him when rk charged towards it and knocked it away.


    ~BOOOOOM!~


    The knockback effect caused the centipede to wriggle and try to gain its footing.


    rk rushed towards it before it could recover and sent it a flurry of punches while burning it with his Heat Vision.


    "JUST! STAY! DOWN!" He screamed, finally dispatching the Centipede with a powerful strike involving a sped fist descending on the wounded Centipede''s head.


    Yes, he was able to defeat that single Centipede.


    However, thanks to his disturbance, the restrained Centipedes not only woke from their slumbering states, but they grew erratic and wriggled out of their restraints as well.


    With Justin too startled to tighten the hood of his strings, they sessfully escaped their constraints and charged at rk all at once.


    "rk!"


    "Look out!"


    rk''s ssmates rushed through the wall of massive insects, but even they could not make it in time.


    It would seem as though all hope was left, when¡ª


    "Dissipate."


    ¡ªAll of the Centipedes suddenly turned into dust.


    Their sandy remains fell to the ground, instantly eliminating the danger that would have ended the life of one Otherworlder.


    Perhaps even two, if Justin was counted.


    The only reason they were able to survive was due to the masked man who appeared before the kneeling rk and red at him with his crimson eyes.


    Despite the threat being extinguished, a powerful pressure still filled the room.


    It screamed of more danger than the swarm of Centipedes could ever generate.


    And all of it stemmed from Ralyks.


    "Why did you break formation?" He asked, ring at rk.


    His tone was calm, but the undertone clearly disyed his dissatisfaction with the boy''s action.


    He waited patiently for rk''s reason.


    "Justin was in danger. I couldn''t just watch while he¡ª!"


    "I would have saved him. I''m here, remember?"


    Ralyks had given his word that none of the Otherworlders would die as long as he was around.


    So far, he had managed to keep his word true.


    The mere fact that he easily destroyed all the Monsters that were giving them so much trouble meant they really weren''t anything to him in the slightest.


    Surely, he would have helped Justin even without rk''s impulsive action.


    rk should have recognized that too.


    But¡ª


    "I-I''m sorry, but¡­ I just can''t sit by and watch someone get hurt right in front of me. Not¡­ not anymore¡­"


    rk''s face fell, bing slightly downcast.


    Ralyks still looked at him with his cold, crimson eyes. No mercy orpassion could be found in his gaze, and this continued for a few moments.


    "Sir Ralyks, maybe¡ª"


    Ralyks instantly held up his finger the moment Adonis spoke up, instantly shutting up the Hero.


    No one dared say anything afterwards. They only gulped and watched in anxiety as Ralyks looked down on the boy.


    "By doing so, you would have put the rest in greater danger. Is that truly a better alternative?"


    rk couldn''t answer the question. He just looked away and stared at the ground.


    "What would you have had me do? Just watch my friend die¡­?" He murmured.


    Ralyks would have saved Justin for sure, but at that moment, nothing of the sort registered in rk''s mind.


    He simply wanted to save his friend.


    "The desire to protect is indeed an important aspect in being a hero."


    As soon as Ralyks admitted this, rk beamed and looked at the Dark Adventurer with bright eyes.


    "Exactly! I just¡ª!"


    "BUT, there are no heroes in a Dungeon. There is only the predator and the prey. The hunter and the hunted. The Adventurer¡­ and the Monster."


    Ralyks narrowed his eyes as he stared at rk''s trembling facade.


    "You will do well to remember this, boy. In here, your desire to destroy must exceed the will to protect."


    Destroying the Monsters, eliminating the enemies, and growing stronger while doing so¡­ that was what mattered most in the Dungeon.


    The primary reason one had to protect their teammate in a Dungeon wasn''t due to some altruistic reasons or selfless action, but simply because the chances of survival would reduce if said teammate died.


    You protect your ally in a Dungeon because your survival hinges on it.


    Because you can kill more Monsters by working together.


    "It''s a cold and dark world down here, kid. You''ll do well to remember that."


    "I think that''s enough." Justin stepped forward, his voice quivering as he did so.


    He looked nervous as he stood up to Ralyks, but his gaze went to rk, who was already crying.


    "I think he gets it already."


    Sobs escaped the macho rk''s lips, and tears flowed down his eyes.


    It seemed Ralyks'' words hadpletely broken him.


    "Very well. We''ll be taking a small break here, so rx a little while I do some scouting."


    Ralyks stared at Justin for a few seconds, causing the boy to tremble a little.


    "I won''t fault you for your carelessness. Mistakes happen in the Dungeon, especially with newbies like yourselves."


    Ralyks looked at everyone else and addressed them all.


    "That is why I am here. To prevent you from dying whenever you make a mistake."


    Then, he looked at rk for thest time.


    "So you do your job¡­ and let me do mine."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Hope you enjoyed the mass release!

 Chapter 291 Group Conversation

    <h4>Chapter 291 Group Conversation </h4>


    Just as Ralyks told the team, he left them alone so he could patrol the area.


    As a result, all nine Otherworlders¡ªas well as Alicia''s Rabbit¡ªwere left in the well-lit cave.


    For a few moments, there was silence in the ce.


    No one said a word.


    Rey looked around and saw the gloomy faces of everyone around him. He couldn''t help but feel a little guilty.


    ''I didn''t think things would get as intense as this.''


    To be honest, he already knew all of this would happen since it was orchestrated by Ater.


    "I''m really sorry, guys. I thought, for sure, that tied them up good. I didn''t think any of them would escape like that¡­"


    Justin was the one who broke the silence with his apology.


    Adonis was the first to respond with theforting words: "We all make mistakes."


    Then, others said simr stuff. Things like;


    "It''s fine. As long as no one got hurt."


    "That was a close call. d you''re fine."


    "It''s as Sir Ralyks said¡­ mistakes are inevitable."


    Most people had their expressions darkened the moment his name was mentioned, and it was for an obvious reason.


    Rey watched all of this, and while he nodded in agreement with everything that was being said, his thoughts flowed in apletely different direction.


    ''Ater purposely cut the strings at specific areas so that the Centipede could escape. He must have known rk would do what he did, and everything else yed out right as he wanted it to¡­''


    In all honesty, Rey didn''tpletely get the full scope of Ater''s n, since he had requested for it to be simplified for him to understand.


    Still, he knew the major gist of it.


    ''His goal here is to cause some tension. That sort of thing exposes some things about people¡­''


    For example, it revealed the kind of person rk was, and even broke him down into a crybaby.


    Someone like Justin, who was usually all fun and jokes, actually stood up to Ralyks when even Adonis couldn''t say a word.


    Justin''s current expression was also nothing like how he usually acted.


    This time, he seemed a lot more brooding.


    ''He acts childish most of the time, but he''s really effective in his role. The reason he didn''t bother with [Perception], and even deactivated his [Stealth] is probably because he knew he did his job well.''


    Ater managed to gaslight Justin, as well as everyone else in the room, to believe a false scenario that he made up.


    ''I shouldn''t disrupt the flow and simply see how this ends.''


    "I''m also really sorry, everyone." At this point, rk was already recovered from his little outburst, so he spoke up.


    "I shouldn''t have left the formation like that. I disrupted¡­ ruined everything."


    Rey couldn''t help but feel bad for rk. Based on his Alignment and additional information, it was clear that the guy simply wanted to help.


    That was all he wanted¡­


    ''He has a Hero Complex. If Adonis didn''t snag that Hero ss, I''m sure rk would have done so.''


    Ater must have figured all of this out, even without [Absolute Appraisal], and created a scenario that would force rk to act.


    It was a pretty intelligent move.


    ''But it''s also coldhearted. I''m beginning to regret going down this route.''


    His initial thought was to simply use his [Absolute Mental Control] to pry everything he wanted out of his ssmates, but that seemed extremely hical and a breach of their privacy.


    As a result, he decided to organically orchestrate a scenario that would help him learn more about them.


    Unfortunately for him, Ater came up with this.


    ''This feels just as hical. But, it''s already started, so there''s no point in stopping now.'' Rey''s thoughts trailed as he stared at rk.


    "I was never able to do much to help those around me back home, so¡­ when I got to this world and received these powers, I just¡­" He stopped and sighed.


    Everyone could get where he wasing from.


    This world, despite its dangers, had given them an opportunity that didn''t exist in normal reality.


    They were special¡ªhaving powers that many could only dream of.


    With those powers, it seemed rk thought he could finally help the people around him.


    ''Is that why he chose the ssic superhero build? I guess it all makes sense now.'' Rey smiled to himself.


    "I understand where you''reing from, rk. I''m right here with you." Adonis smiled, touching rk on the shoulder.


    He had his usual heroic expression on, one that won over anyone who gazed upon it.


    Even Rey felt he wasn''t immune to it.


    "You don''t have to deal with this alone, you know? Just as you want to help us, we want to help you too."


    "Thanks, man."


    rk and Adonis hugged, and out of nowhere, Justin began to p and cheer.


    ''What the¡ª?'' Rey thought it was weird as hell, but somehow, everyone began to follow Justin''s lead.


    They all pped and cheered for the emotional disy that could best be described as cringe.


    With everyone smiling and cheering, Rey also ensured he was doing his best not to be left out. He stole a nce at Alicia and found her eyes to be moist.


    ''Now I feel bad for not being in the moment.''


    Rey wondered if the situation would have been any different if he didn''t know anything beforehand.


    He still couldn''t imagine being moved.


    The only one who didn''t seem to be concerned by what was going on was Snow. She was simply looking at everything with a nk face, and Rey suddenly began to feel a sense of camaraderie with the Beast.


    He didn''t consider the possibility that perhaps everyone was normal and he had be more Beast-like than he realized.


    He simply went with the flow and cheered.


    ''I guess this is what Ater meant by all of this being beneficial for everyone.''


    If that was the case, then he had noints.


    ~FWOOSH!~


    A sudden darkness swirled at the center of the group, and Ralyks appeared before them.


    The ps and cheers instantly died down, and a sense of dread immediately took over.


    "Break is over. Time to advance."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Is Rey going over to the dark side, or has he somehow always been like this? I wonder¡­

 Chapter 292 Splitting Up

    <h4>Chapter 292 Splitting Up </h4>


    "You will all be splitting up now."


    The sudden announcement caused an uproar among the Otherworlders, but Ralyks exined the reasons behind his decision.


    "The Centipedes have burrowed several tunnel-like openings throughout this Floor, and as a result of this, the path ahead separates into multiple corridors."


    ''That''s a lie.'' Rey smiled internally as he silently watched Ater.


    Rey knew he was lying due to their Bond, but from a normal standpoint he could see how the story could sound convincing.


    In the first ce, Ralyks had no motive to lie to any of the Otherworlders, so they were predisposed to believing everything he said.


    Also, since he was stronger, smarter, and more experienced than all of them, they had to take him at his word.


    Plus, he mixed in certain truths with lies.


    It was already obvious that they all ate up the lies he fed them, and that allowed him to proceed without much need to exin himself.


    "Considering their numbers, and how they''ll drastically reduce if they''re isted per corridor, it''s safer to take them out one corridor at a time." He continued, crafting a scenario out of lies.


    "But, if we all attack one corridor at a time, the process will be slower. The goal of today is to conquer three Floors, so we have to hurry."


    And so, the n was to split the entire group into three.


    "There are a total of five corridors. I''ll take two of them, and I''ll leave the remaining three to you. Don''t worry, I''ll summon guardians to protect you, just in case."


    Everyone shivered the moment he said that. They already knew what he meant by ''guardians.''


    He was talking about his Undead Summons.


    No one couldin, though. In the end, his method was the fastest way to clear the Floor. The sooner they cleared the Floor, the faster they could advance even deeper andplete their mission.


    Sure, they would lose some EXP to Ralyks, but it was already part of the deal he made with the Royal Council.


    It was all fair.


    "Now then¡­ for the team matchups."


    The first team consisted of Eric, rk, and Justin.


    They couldn''t have been more perfectly matched, considering how close the three of them were.


    Everyone knew them to be inseparable for the most part.


    The second team had Belle, Alicia, and Trisha as teammates.


    It wasn''t strange to see all the girls centered in a single group, but there were noints from anyone. It was just strange, considering the fact that they were from totally different social circles.


    As for the final team, it consisted of Rey, Adonis, and Billy.


    Adonis'' smile, Billy''s awkward silence, and Rey''s unassuming expression, showed this team to be the most bnced of the bunch.


    "Now then¡­ Come Forth."


    Once again, just likest time, Ralyks¡ªor rather, Ater¡ªsummoned ten Undead creatures.


    He assigned one per group, and he told the other two to take on the remaining two corridors while he would supervise everything.


    Thest five were going to pick up Monster Cores and mine whatever they could¡ªjust like the previous day.


    With everything set, the teams advanced and prepared for their time apart from everyone else.


    Strangely enough, despite the chills running down their bodies as a result of the Undead that served as their escorts, they didn''t feel any sense of dread at all.


    They simply kept moving forward.


    ********


    [Moments Later]


    "¡­ And that''s why I chose the Assassin ss!"


    Eric and rk began tough as they walked down the eerilyrge corridor.


    There were many tunnels that led in and out of the corridor, and while the three boys were initially very cautious when they started their journeys, they eventually lowered their guard.


    Justin still had his [Perception] Skill active, and the other two were passively looking out for an enemy, but for the most part, they were just talking.


    When Eric mentioned how they were supposed to be on proper lookout, Justin pointed to their Undead guardian¡ªa Skeleton who wore full-ted dark armor¡ªand said the guy would definitely protect them.


    "Besides, even if we screw up¡­ it''s totally normal, right? Sir Ralyks will surely protect us!"


    This easygoingment made the other two boysugh, but also ease up.


    Before long, they became invested in their conversation.


    They broached topics that no one really tried to discuss after arriving in H''Trae.


    "Hey, do you guys miss your life on Earth sometimes?"


    The one who asked this was, surprisingly, Justin.


    He no longer had his yful smile on, but instead he wore a slight grimace.


    "The truth is¡­ I have a girl back home. I''ve liked her since we were kids, and we only started dating a month before the whole Summoning happened."


    Justin''s clenched fists and the way he narrowed his eyes in pain showed just how serious everything he said was.


    "I try to be allughs and jokes to forget about it, but sometimes¡­ I want to go back. I want to go back so badly, guys."


    Sure, it was cool to have powers and be on a quest to save the world.


    But Justin just wanted to see the ones he cared about again, and he wasn''t sure he would ever be able to.


    "I just¡­ I can''t even start thinking about my single dad and everyone else I left back home. Is it the same for you guys? Am I the only one who feels this way?"


    Justin looked at the two who walked alongside him. Their lips were shut in silence, and Eric especially had a guilty expression on his face.


    "Sorry for bumming you guys like this. Sometimes, it just gets too much, you know?"


    Justin rubbed his eyes despite hardly any tearsing out. He must have held them in pretty well.


    "Forget about it, haha! I just¡ª"


    "I don''t want to go back." Eric''s voice echoed within the corridor.


    It sounded almost confrontational, the exact opposite of Justin''s earlier words.


    "Earth¡­ and my life there, I''ve already thrown all of those away."


    Both Justin and rk looked at Eric with surprise, watching as he tilted his sses and looked away into the distance.


    "This world of Magic feels more like home to me than Earth ever did." Leaking out a small smile, he turned to the two.


    "Sorry, Justin. But I don''t have anyone back home like you do."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I really enjoy exploring side characters like this. Adds more depth and spice to the story.


    At least, in my opinion.

 Chapter 293 Confessions [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 293 Confessions [Pt 1] </h4>


    Eric had always held a fascination for Magic.


    Even back on Earth, he was someone who delved deep into things like mysticism and other forms of paranormal activities¡ªall so he could find some proof of any supernatural force.


    The reason for this insatiable hunger of his wasn''t innate.


    It had a cause.


    "Both of my parents died in a car crash. I live with my aunt and uncle. They''re not bad people, but¡­"


    Eric didn''t love them.


    He didn''t feel any sense of attachment towards those people¡ªnot like he felt for his parents.


    Plus, they had kids of their own.


    Eric felt it would even be a burden off their shoulders if he was no longer their responsibility. That was his own way of repaying them.


    "Bottom line is that I don''t miss Earth and I don''t want to return." Eric furrowed his brow with resolve and calmly stated all of this.


    "Oh wow. I didn''t know that happened to your folks. My condolences, man." Justin murmured, his face crestfallen.


    "There''s no need to feel bad about it. I also didn''t know about your situation. I find it respectable that you want to see the people you love again."


    With Eric and Justin smiling at each other, rk decided it was his turn to speak up.


    "To be honest, I have a friend that is being domestically abused at home. I want to help him so badly, but I''m so powerless. In an attempt to research more on the subject, I entered this rabbit hole of cases and instances¡­ and there''s so much of it going on." As he spoke, he clenched his fist and disyed anger.


    "Why does there have to be so much injustice in the world? Why do the bad guys get away with their crimes? Why¡­ why can''t I do anything to help?"


    In the end, there was nothing rk could do about his friend''s situation.


    "Somehow, I want to go back to Earth¡­ at least if I get to keep these powers. I want to help my friend and others who need help. To stop the strong from bullying the weak¡­" Justin and Eric smiled as they nodded at rk.


    His ideal was something they couldn''t help but appreciate and agree with.


    "Power is meant to be used for good. That''s what I believe. Whether it''s the Dragons of this world, or those evil scum back on Earth¡­ I want to stop them with the strength I''ve been given."


    "What if you were going to lose your powers if you went back to Earth?" Eric asked, flexing his sses once more.


    "Would you choose to do so?"


    Upon hearing the question, rk had a grimace on. His face contained nothing shock of hesitation.


    "I¡­ I don''t know. I just want to help, so¡­ I don''t know."


    Eric and Justin knew better than to pressure him about his ideals any longer.


    "You know what I think? I think there has to be a way to use the Summoning Magic that was used to summon us to bring those we love to this side." Eric changed the topic and gave a wide smile.


    "We could bring your friend who is being abused, as well as your girl and parents."


    Eric looked at rk and Justin respectively. His eyes showed he was serious despite smiling about it.


    "If we were able to arrive here, then others should as well. I''d rather study the Magic of this ce and figure out how to do all of that than to simply return to Earth and risk my powers being removed."


    Everyone could rte to what Eric was saying, however, that didn''t make his own suggestions absolute.


    "Well¡­ it''s going to be a while before that n of yours bes viable." Justin chuckled at Eric, pping his back.


    "Gah!" The boy yelped a little as he stumbled forward, causing Justin to quickly apologize.


    "We first have to rid this world of Dragons, right? Let''s stick to that first."


    Justin and Eric nodded at rk''s words, implying agreement.


    For a moment, the three boys practiced silence and smiled at each other. In a strange sense, this entire walk with just three of them had given them the chance to grow a lot closer than they could have imagined.


    It was almost like everything had naturally led to this point.


    "I hate to interrupt what''s going on here right now, but we havepany, guys." Justinmented as he swiftly poured his attention forward.


    His [Perception] kicked in at just the right moment, alerting him of the danger up ahead.


    His friends swiftly took their position and cautiously prepared for the attack they would face.


    The Undead Summon behind them already had its de sheathed, and its hollow sockets began to brim with bright purple sparks.


    It was obviously preparing forbat.


    "Guess we''ll talk moreter." Justin chuckled. "For now¡­ we gotta kill some bugs."


    ********


    [Meanwhile]


    ~SQUISH!~


    "This is thest one." Trisha said as she violently pierced the Centipede Monster that stood before her.


    The thing wiggled a little, but once she added ayer of her [Greater Lightning Magic] to the mix, it became deeply cooked and stopped moving altogether.


    "Whew!" She rubbed her forehead, feeling sweat slightly gathering there.


    As the smell of roasted Centipede entered her nose, Trisha looked at the trail of corpses that she had caused, smiling softly to herself.


    "I''m done on my end."


    "Me too."


    She turned to her fellow females, only to see the Centipede corpses thaty at their feet.


    Compared to theirs¡ªespecially Alicia''s¡ªhers was but a small pile.


    ''Both of them have at least three times more¡­'' Her thoughts trailed as she left her own heap and reunited with her group.


    Of course, Trisha understood that Belle had a more superior ranged set of abilities, and Alicia had her Familiar to assist her.


    Plus, her skill-set couldn''t properly shine given the kind of enemies that they were fighting.


    With all of those in mind, Trisha shrugged off her earlier thoughts and rendezvoused with the girls.


    ''It is what it is¡­''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    This was a nice conversation, I''d say. I wonder what the girls will talk about¡­

 Chapter 294 Confessions [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 294 Confessions [Pt 2] </h4>


    As the girls gathered together, they looked at their other team member¡ªthe Undead Summon.


    This one was an Archer, and while it was lightly equipped, most likely for speed, its abilities had managed to surprise every girl who watched it.


    The Undead covered all their blind spots and ensured they never got attacked while dealing their damage.


    Its role as a Support was perfect.


    "Kwii¡­ Kwii!" Snow hopped closer to Alicia, brushing past the other girls.


    Of course, everyone had to recognize how cute her actions were, despite the fact that she shunned the rest of them.


    "Am I the only one who feels like Snow doesn''t like me?" Belle broke the silence with a somewhat innocent grin.


    "Haha! You''re not." Trisha responded, sheathing her de.


    Upon hearing this, Alicia instantly responded with a panicky tone.


    "No, that''s not it at all! She''s just frustrated since she isn''t able to properly hunt in this ce." Her protests were greeted by surprise.


    "Really?"


    "Yeah! It''s why Snow contributes very minimally to the Raid."


    When she first got Snow, the goal was to Level her Up as fast as possible so that she could be an indispensable asset to the team.


    However, after not being able to properly Level Up even once since they started the entire Raid, it was clear that the standards for a grand Beast to advance to the next Level was different from theirs.


    Snow needed more powerful prey. Right now, however, she wasn''t getting that.


    As such, her role was reduced to ying the supporter or Alicia''s defender.


    ''I''m sure she''ll y a more active role once we go further down the Floors.''


    For now, though, Snow was pretty much on standby.


    "She did help me stun enemies so I can kill them, though. I guess that counts as helping." Aliciaughed.


    "That''s totally helping!" Trisha interjected.


    "Yup! Totally agree!"


    The three girlsughed at each other and one another, causing the previously awkward atmosphere to soften up between them.


    "We should start advancing." Alicia said, pointing at the Archer, who was already in front and patiently waiting for them.


    "Ah, yes¡­ let''s go!" Trisha smiled, running behind Alicia as they made their way forward.


    The only one not moving was Belle.


    Her narrowed eyes showed something akin to rage¡ªperhaps frustration.


    ''Anytime I try to use [Grand Charm] on those two, that Undead looks at me with an intense aura. Is it aware¡­ of my abilities?''


    Belle gulped a little and clenched her teeth in even more annoyance.


    When the group division happened, and she ended up with these two, she had her ns to enact.


    ''I was going to use [Grand Charm] to make them weaken the Monsters while I finish them off.''


    As a result, she would gain a much higher Level than the two of them.


    Unfortunately, things didn''t go ording to n.


    Not only that, but Alicia even managed to rake in more kills than her thanks to the aid of her Grand Summon.


    It all ended up being a mess.


    ''And it''s not only because of the Undead¡­'' Belle stole a nce at the rabbit who hopped right beside Alicia.


    ''She says the thing is only in a bad mood due to not being able to fight, but I don''t believe that.''


    The rabbit was clearly wary of her, and Belle could tell due to how she treated her.


    ''Maybe I should¡ª''


    As soon as she had the thought, Snow turned back and gave Belle a dangerous look.


    It was almost like a warning¡ªtelling Belle not to even try anything she would regret.


    ''Eeep!'' It caused Belle''s heart to skip a little.


    The rabbit then gave a smug smile and returned her gaze forward. Her actions couldn''t have annoyed Belle any more than they did.


    ''That stupid thing! Is it threatening me?!'' She pressed her fingers on her palms so much that they whitened.


    As she gritted her teeth and red at the rabbit, she suddenly heard two voices.


    "Belle,e on!"


    "We have a lot of ground to cover!"


    Alicia and Trisha called out to her, and almost as if her previous expression was merely an illusion, Belle shed her innocent smile.


    "A-ah, sorry! I guess I spaced out!"


    She chuckled nervously and jogged to her female allies.


    "Jeez¡­ you have to be careful next time."


    "You can''t be so vulnerable in a Dungeon."


    The two girl seemed genuinely concerned about her, but Belle wasn''t buying it.


    She simply kept up her facade and walked with everyone¡ª


    knowing fully well that the gaze of the Undead Archer and the Grand Summon would never leave her.


    It was too stifling.


    ********


    "Mind if I tell you guys a little secret of mine?"


    After battling another round of Monsters, Trisha spoke up and looked at the two others who neared her.


    "Yeah, sure."


    "Spill."


    Trisha smiled, almost blushing as she looked very mortified by what she was about to say.


    "I''ve always sort of been jealous of the both of you."


    As soon as she said this, both Alicia and Belle expressed surprise¡ªno, downright bewilderment.


    Her confession came out of the blue.


    "What? Really? Why?"


    Trisha chuckled at the question, looking at the two as if they were being silly by asking her that.


    "Seriously? I mean looking at things from my perspective, there''s a lot to be jealous of." Trisha shrugged.


    "The both of you are so pretty and social. Plus, you are pretty popr with the guys. For me¡­ it''s a bit different."


    Compared to the prim and proper girls before her, Trisha was a rough outlier.


    She was a tomboy who had well-trained muscles.


    It was already obvious who the guys would prefer among the three of them.


    "The worst part is¡­ when we arrived in this new world, I thought to myself, ''This is it! My moment to shine hade!''"


    All those times she spent training, instead of taking care of her skin or socializing like the rest of her peers¡­ she would be rewarded for them in this ce.


    "But¡­ I was wrong." Trisha leaked out a sad smile as she looked at the twodies before her.


    "Even when it came to power, the both of you still came out superior."


    Trisha highly doubted that either of the girls had trained for even a day before their arrival at H''Trae.


    Yet¡­ YET¡­!


    "I couldn''t beat you in strength either."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I can rte a lot with Trisha''s story. Unfortunately, that''s how life is.


    Haha¡­

 Chapter 295 Confessions [Pt 3]

    <h4>Chapter 295 Confessions [Pt 3] </h4>


    "Be strong. Stay strong."


    That was Trisha''s family motto, and for all her life, she abided by those principles.


    Her father was a well-respected Martial Artist in themunity, and he even used to have a dojo before retiring.


    Despite her being the only child of the family, her parents treated her with love and didn''t try to turn her into a boy.


    However, she could see it in her father''s eyes¡ªthe desire he had for an heir.


    Someone to carry on their family''s legacy.


    "Father, I want to learn Martial Arts!"


    In the end, she was the one who thrust herself in the world she became immersed in for most of her life.


    Everything she did after that revolved around training, learning, trying her hardest to be strong.


    It was difficult, but sheforted herself with the happiness of her father.


    ¡­ With the sess of her family.


    Even now, Trisha had no real regrets. She still desired to be strong and every day, she strives to reach even more of the unattainable height that was the Martial Peak.


    She couldn''t me her father for this path.


    Everything she was, and all she had be¡­ Trisha chose it of her own ord.


    Which was why she began to crumble when she looked around her and found out a truth she couldn''t see before.


    In this world, where her father and the entiremunity she grew up with, weren''t present¡­ what was the purpose of everything?


    Sure, she was strong¡­ but did that really matter here?


    Her Martial Arts were rendered obsolete by Skills and Magic, and she wasn''t even the best at that.


    She was outshined by the pretty girls and handsome guys of the ss.


    It grew into heavy frustration for her.


    There was only one person whom she could truly look at without hints of envy, yet had some strange kind of respect for.


    That was Rey Skr.


    Somehow, she knew he was strong¡­ yet he didn''t seem like it.


    He was an average boy who had some mediocre Skills, yet she knew his application of Martiao Arts and his insight into abilities were beyond normal.


    He was a truly special case.


    Unfortunately, with Alicia already being much closer to him than she was, Trisha already realized she was fighting a losing battle.


    As such, she backed off.


    But¡­ there was only so much a girl could take.


    After stomaching everything for so long, Trisha felt like she would break.


    Why couldn''t she be as strong as everyone else?


    Why wasn''t she as attractive as other people?


    It¡­ just wasn''t fair.


    *********


    "Wow. I didn''t know you saw things that way." Alicia was the first to speak after a long moment of silence.


    She had a genuinelypassionate expression on her face; one that feltpletely different from pity.


    "To be honest, I don''t think of myself as special in any way. My beauty is all due to gics, and I had to study very very hard to be able to pass all those exams that got me top grades¡­"


    Of course, none of thosepared to Trisha''s hard work and experiences, but¡­ Alicia hoped her own story could show her another side of things.


    "My poprity wasn''t always for the good. You might choose to believe this or not, but¡­ I actually had a Karma Point of 57."


    Gasps filled the air, and the two who heard lookedpletely bbergasted,


    "I don''t believe it."


    "That''s not possible, right? Your Skills¡­"


    Alicia smiled a little and shook her head.


    "It''s all aboutpatibility and luck in selection. By choosing a Skill or ss, you get a chain reaction in the mix." She sighed.


    The girls still looked upon her in disbelief. There was no way they could believe such incredible news.


    "I know it sounds crazy, but it''s the truth. My point is that while I was popr, I wasn''t well-liked by a lot of people."


    Alicia went on to give examples of their life on Earth¡ªthe rumors that spread about her on multiple asions, and how she nearly got into trouble that one time.


    These were mind-shattering revtions to the girls who listened.


    "In the end, I believe all those superficial things don''t matter. I won''t deny that I was lucky to have gotten these powers here, and that my appeal yed a big role in making me popr back on Earth, but in the end¡­" Alicia looked at Trisha and smiled.


    "¡­ What matters most is what we choose to do with what we have, right?"


    Alicia didn''t know if she was passing the message across the way she wanted to, but she knew there was something else she had to say.


    "Also, I really think you''re pretty, Trisha." As soon as Alicia said this, Trisha blushed and stopped back in shock.


    "W-what? Stop kidding!"


    "I''m serious. You look really pretty. I like your whole tomboy aesthetic, and I''m sure I am not alone in that sentiment."


    Trisha shook her head as if she didn''t want to believe it, but Belle giggled at the whole thing, causing both girls to look at her.


    "Ipletely agree with Alicia. You''re a very fine girl, Trisha. Especially those thighs of yours. Your butt is also pretty plump."


    "BELLE! That''s a bit too much, don''t you think?" Alicia yelled, noticing how flustered Trisha looked as a result of her assessment.


    "What? I was just saying the truth." The blonde answered innocently. "Besides, we''re all girls here, right? I doubt the Undead guy is listening in on our conversation."


    Trisha''s face appeared very very conflicted. She fidgeted a little too.


    It wasn''t like she hadn''t heard those words from people before, but she always thought they were making snidements or didn''t mean what they said.


    Seeing her fellowdies give her thosepliments really encouraged her and gave her confidence in her body.


    "Thank you¡­ the both of you." Trisha''s moist eyes glistened as she looked at Belle and Alicia.


    This conversation was more liberating than she imagined.


    "You girls are the best!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    How cute. I still n on an arc, or some sort of deeper interaction with Trisha''s character so you can know her better.


    No girl gets left behind¡­ until the final decision is made.

 Chapter 296 Confessions [Pt 4]

    <h4>Chapter 296 Confessions [Pt 4] </h4>


    "Wanna know what I think?"


    Belle''s thin, melodious voice burst forth as the girls began their walk.


    Her massive boobs jiggled with the way she walked, causing both girls to get distracted by the ongoing depiction of physics on her chest.


    "I believe there''s more to people than meets the eye. Everyone has their fair share of secrets and insecurities."


    This far, Trisha had shared hers, and even Alocia depicted how life wasn''t as perfect for her as everyone thought.


    The only one left with a seemingly perfect persona was Belle.


    "Even I have my fair share of them. They''re just too embarrassing to share." Belle blushed a little as she spoke.


    "Oh? Come on, tell us!" Alicia prompted, a big smile on her face. "You''re curious too, right, Trisha?"


    "Me? Yes! Yes, I am!"


    The two girls surrounded the shorter Belle and began to pressure her. She looked cute, like a small and innocent thing caught in the middle of bigger entities.


    Belle couldn''t escape.


    "W-well¡­ my chest is a good example."


    The eyes of the two girls subconsciously went to her milkers, once again seeing how big they were.


    They then turned to Belle for an exnation.


    "It attracts too much attention! Every time, people stare at them. It can get a little¡­ no, very ufortable, you know?"


    Belle appeared exasperated, especially since none of the girls seemed to rte to her predicament.


    "Hmm. I can definitely see that happening." Alicia rubbed her chin. "A lot of guys are scum."


    Belle turned to the ebony girl in their midst and asked, "What about you, Trisha? You should have also noticed a lot of stares on your thighs and butt."


    Trisha looked a bit confused, but she shook her head.


    "I mean¡­ I don''t think so? I tend to be immersed in whatever I''m doing, so I don''t really notice most of those things."


    Besides, even if Trisha noticed people staring at her, she would think they were looking at her muscles.


    She never imagined that guys were sexualizing her.


    "Wow¡­ that''s crazy."


    "I never thought of it that way."


    Belle looked at the two girls like she couldn''t believe what they were saying.


    For Alica, she dressed modestly, so most of the attention she got would be her face. As for Trisha, she had insecurities with her body, so she didn''t understand it when guys drooled over certain proportions that she had.


    That meant Belle was all alone in this struggle.


    "Haa¡­ it is what it is, I guess." She sighed.


    The girls patted her shoulders and head, and thanks to her shorter height, she couldn''t possiblyin.


    She was like the baby in the group.


    *******


    [Moments Later]


    "Okay, okay! Last question!"


    The girls had bonded more than they could have ever imagined over the course of their journey together.


    It was crazy how much they had gotten to know about each other.


    They knew about Alicia''s cats, as well as Trisha''s crushes back in High School¡ªeven Belle''s incident with a teacher in the past.


    Layers uponyers were exposed by the girls, and they were having a ton of fun with it.


    However, they had to end the rapid-fire questions very soon.


    And based on the roster, it was Belle''s turn to ask thest question.


    "Which guy are you most interested in at the moment?"


    The question was directed at the entire group, which meant everyone was supposed to answer it.


    Based on the rules of the game, they all had to say their answer at the same time. This was to ensure that no one felt too shy to speak up.


    By talking over each other, it allowed all of them to blurt their answers out.


    And so¡­ the moment of truth arrived.


    "Rey."


    "Rey."


    "Rey."


    The unanimous answer was one person¡ªmuch to the surprise of everyone in the group.


    "E-EH¡­?" All three of them gasped in shock.


    ''Hold on¡­ Trisha is also interested in Rey?'' Belle thought to herself.


    She already knew Alicia liked Rey, which was why she asked the question. She never imagined that it would be a unanimous thing.


    As for Trisha, she looked at Belle in shock.


    ''Why would Belle¡­ also like Rey?''


    From what she noticed about the girl, she usually hung around the inseparable trio¡ªEric, Justin, and rk.


    Out of all of them, Trisha had thought it would at least be Justin.


    ''No! Adonis has to be the better choice!''


    Since Trisha trained with Adonis and Billy, she noticed Belle constantlying over to converse with Adonis and even bring him meals.


    They seemed very close, but when Adonis was asked about if, he often made remarks like;


    "Belle is just my friend."


    Or


    "She''s like a sister to me!"


    Or even¡ª


    "She reminds me of my little cousin back home."


    Trisha didn''t know about Adonis'' feelings, but she had always assumed that Belle had some kind of feelings for Adonis.


    ¡­ And she wasn''t the only one.


    ''H-hold on¡­ they both like Rey?'' Alicia''s thoughts were in shambles the moment she heard their answer.


    When it came to Belle, Alicia always thought of her as someone who was interested in Adonis.


    She made it too obvious.


    As for Trisha, she had suspected her for a while, but after some time she concluded that she was just imagining things.


    As Rey told her, they were just friends.


    However, now that the truth hade to light, an awkward atmosphere took over the room.


    No one knew what to say to the other person.


    An ufortable silence just took over.


    Until¡ª


    "KREEEEIIEEEKKKKK!!!"


    ~BOOOOOM!~


    Several Centipede Monsters rushed from their tunnels and charged at the group.


    Many who saw this sudden attack would panic and be in distress, but it was the opposite for the girls.


    They were relieved by the assault.


    After all, they unanimously thought it was preferable to fade Monsters than to continue with their conversation.


    Thatst questionpletely killed the conversation.


    Even after all the Monsters were eliminated, no one said a word to the other any longer.


    They just silently marched forward.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Hahaha! This chapter cracked me up, not gonna lie. Sorry to bore you about girl stuff like this.


    Also, I hope this isn''t leaning into the Harem trope too much. Rey isn''t some special protagonist or anything. They just have their specific reasons they like him, and it''s not like he''s gonna end up with all of them.


    Hope you didn''t find the chapter too boring.

 Chapter 297 Confessions [Pt 5]

    <h4>Chapter 297 Confessions [Pt 5] </h4>


    ~SWISH!~


    Adonis'' golden de swept through the air as he nimbly sped across the area in a cost of brilliant light.


    Space around him became distorted as waves of energy flowed from his body. In a sh, he sliced up multiple Centipede Monsters andnded a finishing blow on the one wriggling at the end of the row.


    ~BOOOOOM!~


    They all erupted, turning into chopped-up forms of bug meat, roasted by the intense radiation that Adonis '' attack gave off.


    "Haa¡­" Mist escaped his lips as he looked behind him to see the actions of his teammates.


    Billy was doing fine enough.


    He was using his [Grand Fire Magic] to damage the Centipedes and also trap them in a concentrated position, while utilizing his Warrior-concentrated Skills to lend heavy blows and finish them off.


    None of them stood even a modicum of a chance.


    As for Rey, well¡­


    "Hiyaa!" He shed some of the several legs of the Centipedes with his ded arm, while also blocking their attacks.


    He slowly chipped away at their strength, and right when they attacked and he blocked, he would go for a counter which involved slicing through their head, or cutting through their long torsos.


    Either way, he fought in a more strategic way.


    His major strength was evasion and defense, while striking at the perfect time.


    Unfortunately, his method was too slow.


    By the time Adonis and Billy were done with their part, he was barely getting started on his end.


    As a result¡ª


    "Let me help you out, Rey."


    ¡ªAdonis had to intervene.


    ~VWOOSH!~


    In a burst of golden light, Adonis appeared right behind the cluster of Centipedes and cut down their numbers by a quarter with a single strike.


    "T-thanks, Adonis!"


    Thanks to their numbers going down by a consideable margin, Rey had a lot more room to breathe.


    He gave more counters, and he was able to kill a lot more from his position.


    And so, Adonis kept chipping at their numbers from behind while Rey did so at their front.


    The event swiftly ended in the victory of the team.


    Their guardian Undead, a Mage-looking ''thing'' , merely watched them, not once having the opportunity to assist the team in their plight.


    After all, they¡ªor, a majority of them¡ªwere just that good.


    They were done with their round in no time.


    *********


    "Thanks for the save again, Adonis." Rey beamed as they began to walk side by side.


    Billy kept a considerable distance from the two and didn''t utter a word, but he sometimes cast his gaze on them.


    He was clearly listening in to what they were saying.


    "It''s nothing, Rey. You did a good job with those Monsters, though. I keep getting surprised by your incrediblebat skills."


    Rey scratched his head as heughed sheepishly.


    "Come on, don''t patronize me."


    Adonis smiled and ced his hand on Rey''s shoulder. His expression looked genuine¡ªas genuine as one could possibly be.


    "I would never do that. I''m only speaking facts." His smile broadened as he took a look at several portions of Rey''s well-developed body.


    "You''ve really grown, Rey. You''re a lot stronger than you were before. Your hard work is paying off, and I just want you to know that I can see that growth."


    Adonis'' hand tapped Rey''s shoulders for a few seconds, almost the same way a big brother or an uncle would react if you told them some incredible news.


    For some reason, Adonis seemed much older than he actually was.


    "Thanks, man. Your hard work is also evident. You''re really OP."


    As soon as are made this statement, though, Adonis'' bright expression darkened and he took his hand away from Rey''s shoulders.


    He shook his head slowly and turned away.


    "No. Not really¡­" Adonis whispered, almost to himself.


    He clenched his fist and looked at the ground in something akin to a defeated posture.


    "I¡­ still have a long way to go."


    "Don''t we all? We''ve not reached the full extent of our potential, right? So I see you growing even more."


    Adonis swiftly shifted his gaze to Rey, his face holding a look of pleasant surprise.


    "Unlike you, and even Billy, who are growing at an astronomical rate, I¡­ I am just doing so at a slow pace." Rey clenched his teeth after uttering those words.


    "I know I can''t ever measure up to you guys. It just feels a bit¡­ I don''t know how to put it¡­"


    Adonis'' eyes glistened, almost as if they were moist. He pulled closer to Rey and hugged him.


    The suddenness of his action caused shades of red to form on Rey''s cheeks.


    It was so embarrassing.


    Even Billy had to look away from the awkward disy that was happening right before his eyes.


    "You''re fine, Rey. You don''t need to be too bothered about all of this."


    His words came as a soft whisper, dancing into Rey''s ears in a somewhat stimting tone.


    "I-I see¡­"


    A bead of sweat fell from Rey''s forehead as he began to look a bit ufortable.


    Unfortunately, Adonis could not see his face at the moment.


    "You''vee this far already. So far, you have done great. I''m proud of you¡­ for how far you''vee."


    Adonis slowly stepped back, and Rey had to ster a smile on his face so he wouldn''t seem ungrateful for the goodwill from Adonis.


    "A-ahem¡­ sorry. Just got a bit emotional there¡­" Adonis cleared his throat.


    It seemed even he could sense how awkward he had made the entire atmosphere.


    Billy, of course, kept pretending that he wasn''t invested in the conversation.


    "I-it''s fine." Rey strained his smile.


    Both of them looked at each other for a few seconds, their eyes absorbing the other''s.


    It seemed like a staring contest that wouldn''t end.


    Then¡ª


    "To be honest¡­ neither you nor Ipare to the true OP guy." Adonis took a step back and looked at the Mage-like creature who floated in the distance.


    "Compared to him, I''m really nothing."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Man¡­ I really like Adonis. Not in the way some of you think, though.


    Hahaha!

 Chapter 298 Confessions [Pt 6]

    <h4>Chapter 298 Confessions [Pt 6] </h4>


    The Undead had the appearance of Lich from legend, even having a crooked style to go with its aesthetic. However, since its face was mostly obscured, it was difficult to tell its true identity.


    Adonis cast a forlorn look on the Summon, saying nothing for a moment.


    It forced Rey to speak.


    "You mean the Undead?"


    The Hero turned to give Rey a confused look, before bursting into a pleasantugh that made his face appear even more handsome.


    "Of course not, silly. I meant Sir Ralyks."


    For a second or two, silence radiated among the boys. Rey opened his lips to make an "Ohhhh¡­" sound as Billy slightly nodded in agreement.


    "Compared to him, am I really that strong?" Adonis chuckled as he shrugged.


    "I''m not even confident in beating that Undead that he summoned. Not unless I go all-out."


    Rey''s eyes widened in surprise. It was clear what was currently afflicting Adonis.


    ¡ªInferiority Complex.


    "To be honest, Rey¡­ I don''t even feel like a capable leader any longer. Whether ites to strength or intelligence, he''s ahead of me in every facet." Adonis gave a sad smile as he looked at Rey.


    "I know I shouldn''t be frustrated about it. It''s for the greater good of mankind, but¡­ sometimes I just can''t help but feel envious."


    It was difficult imagining Adonis being envious of anyone for anything at all.


    He was incredibly handsome, intelligent, powerful, and most of all¡­ he was very kind.


    Everyone looked up to him.


    Yet, no one could deny that Ralyks was definitely more intelligent and powerful than any of the Otherworlders.


    No one knew what he looked like, but a lot of them expected to see an incredibly handsome man for some reason.


    But, if there was something Adonis had over Ralyks, it was his most attractive trait.


    "You''re a better person than he is." Rey dered with a straight face.


    "W-what?"


    Adonis looked stunned by the words he heard from Rey, but thetter didn''t back down. Instead, he doubled down on his deration.


    "You''re very kind, Adonis. Even back on Earth, and now here¡­ you always put everyone into consideration and ensure we are fine."


    It was now Rey''s turn to ce his hand on Adonis'' shoulder and smile.


    "It''s only thanks to you that we''ve been able to make it this far." As Rey uttered those words, Adonis'' eyes began to grow moist.


    "We aren''t following Ralyks just because he is strong, you know? It''s because you endorse him."


    "What are you even saying, Rey?" Adonis chuckled as he tried to dismiss the boy''s words.


    However, Rey ced his second hand on Adonis'' other shoulder and smiled fiercely at the boy.


    "The reason we stayed behind wasn''t just because of Ralyks. It is because we trust you, Adonis. Our faith isn''t on the Royal Council or on Ralyks¡­ but on you."


    Something like a spark began to glow from Adonis'' eyes as Rey uttered those words.


    "R-really¡­?"


    A mixed look of relief and doubt yed on the Hero''s face. It seemed like he wanted Rey''s words to be true, but he didn''t want to risk believing them.


    "I don''t know about others, but¡­ you''re the reason I decided to stay behind. Because I trust you. I think it''s the same for everyone else, at least to some level."


    "I see¡­"


    Rey patted Adonis on his shoulder, though his series of actions were weird due to the height gap between the two of them.


    They both pretended not to notice the awkwardness of Rey''s actions, though, and only focused on the intentions behind them.


    "Besides, if you think you''re weaker than Ralyks, then there''s only one thing you can do¡­ right?"


    "Yeah¡­ I can just get stronger!" Adonis clenched his raised fist.


    Rey broadened his smile and nodded at him. The two stared at each other, trapped in a world where time was still.


    Adonis began to look so emotional that it appeared as though he would hug Rey. Thetter subtly pulled away, preventing it from happening a second time.


    "A-ahem¡­" Rey cleared his throat as he awkwardly looked away.


    Adonis merely smiled at the awkward Rey and nodded slowly.


    "Thanks for your words, Rey. They mean a lot more to me than you realize."


    Rey slowly turned to Adonis and shrugged, a bright smile on his face as well


    "Thanks as well."


    As they both chuckled, a certain someone clenched his fist and finally had the courage to utter his first words since they began their journey as a team of three.


    "I''m sorry¡­ both of you."


    Billy''s barely audible voice echoed within the corridor, instantly sullying the moment between Adonis and Rey.


    They both looked at Billy, who was staring at the ground with a bitter expression on his face.


    "I''m sorry for all I''ve done. Adonis¡­ Rey¡­" He slowly looked at them, tears slowly falling from his eyes.


    "I know I have no excuse for how I acted, or how I treated you. I don''t even expect you to forgive me or anything¡­"


    His brows were crinkled upward and his lips trembled with emotion.


    It was clear that he meant every single thing he uttered.


    "I shouldn''t have abandoned you as a friend and let all that power get into my head. I shouldn''t have gone that far with Ali¡­ I mean, with everything that went down."


    Everything he said was greeted with silence.


    "I won''t ask for forgiveness or anything, but¡­ I''ll try to be better."


    As those words reverberated in the air, someone began to approach him.


    It was none other than the Hero.


    "It''s good that you''ve admitted your errors. It means you have properly reflected on them."


    Adonis ced a hand on Billy''s shoulder and smiled at him with a warm demeanor.


    "I won''t speak for everyone and forgive you on their behalf. However, we''re still young. Mistakes are inevitable, aren''t they?"


    "A-Adonis¡­" Billy''s tears began to flow more.


    "What matters is learning from them and growing. I''m happy I gave you enough time to yourself so you could fully understand your actions and their consequences."


    "I thought¡­ I thought you hated me and wanted nothing to do with me any longer."


    Adonis merely shook his head and cast a sympathetic smile upon the crying hunk of a boy.


    "I was disappointed and reasonably upset. But I''ve never hated you, Billy."


    *******


    ''Urgh¡­''


    An air of intense emotions wafted through the air, and while the two boys seemed locked in the moment, Rey felt a little ufortable in their midst.


    He looked at the Undead, and it was clear that all the positive energy and overflowing emotions were also too much for the cold-hearted creature.


    They both just wanted it to end.


    "¡­ You can be better. Redeem yourself with actions and not words alone. For it was your action that caused this to begin with."


    Once Rey returned his mind to the conversation, they were already rounding things up.


    Thankfully.


    "You''ve made a great first step, Billy. Keep it up, man. We need you now more than ever."


    "Y-yes! I won''t let you down!"


    "This isn''t about me, Billy. It''s about everyone else. It''s about this world."


    "I-I understand."


    "Let''s do our best together, okay?" As Billy nodded at Adonis'' wise words, the golden-haired Hero turned to Rey.


    Rey swiftly returned his expression to a solemn one, and thus his eyes mer the pure Hero.


    "Let''s all do our best. What do you say, Rey?"


    It was already obvious what his answer would be.


    "I haven''tpletely forgiven you, Billy. I don''t think I can ever forget your actions, but¡­" He approached the duo with a bright smile on his face.


    "¡­ I don''t hate you either."


    To Rey, Billy wasn''t even an issue worth considering.


    He was just someone that existed.


    ''I have more important things to worry about¡­''


    "You''re necessary for this world''s survival. I''m not so small-


    minded that I don''t recognize that."


    Rey struggled, but he was able to ce his hand on Billy''s shoulder.


    Adonis ced a hand on Rey''s shoulder, and Rey did the same to him as well. Billy also did the same to both of them.


    At that moment, all three boys were in perfect understanding.


    They needed one another for the sake of the world.


    Nothing more¡­ nothing less.


    Rey was busy thinking about a bunch of things as this whole thing was going on that he failed to notice the smile Adonis gave him.


    It was one of utmost gratitude.


    His face clearly read "Thanks, Rey. You really help out more than you realize¡­"


    Adonis looked at both of his teammates and closed his eyes in satisfaction.


    He was truly happy.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    What a wholesome chapter in total. I made it a lot longer than usual because I wanted to properly explore all of these emotions without any breaks.


    Did you think making up with Billy like this was the right choice? Do you think Billy didn''t suffer enough for his actions?


    I want to hear your thoughts.

 Chapter 299 End Of The Second Day’s Raid

    <h4>Chapter 299 End Of The Second Day¡¯s Raid </h4>


    ''I see. So this is what you meant, Ater¡­''


    As Rey trailed behind Billy and Adonis, he had a hidden smile on his face.


    After their earlier conversation, the three hadn''t spoken very much. In fact, it was mostly Billy talking to Adonis, and that was perfectly fine.


    However, something had definitely changed, and Rey could see it.


    ''We''ve gotten a bit closer. I understand the two of them a lot better.''


    Billy most likely regretted what he did that led Alicia into such dangers based on his words and actions. It also seemed like he wanted to be a better person.


    ''I can''t dismiss that he could be lying, but if I cross reference what he said with his [Additional Information], then it''s easy to see that he''s telling the truth.''


    Rey found it almostical how detached he was to Billy when they had been the closest of friends merely months prior to this entire incident.


    ''I guess a lot can happen within such a short span of time''


    Barely two months had passed, and things had be this way. It showed just how fleeting experiences and human life generally was.


    ''In any case, Ater was right. This whole thing should prove beneficial to the whole group, and it helped satisfy my curiosity as well.''


    Rey figured that a simr urrence would have happened between the two other groups, and Ater would probably record all that information for him somehow.


    ''This is good¡­''


    There was nothing better than amon understanding among members of a group for effective teamwork.


    ''I still don''t fully understand how he was able to go about this and get this result, but I can make a few guesses.''


    For one, by causing the atmosphere to be tense and pulling at certain heartstrings, he caused rk and Justin to be the first to disy some measure of emotion and reveal parts of themselves that they normally wouldn''t.


    This lit a fuse that inevitably led to everyone else being more open and predisposed to sharing information given the right circumstances.


    ''The next thing he did was to divide us into groups that would increase chances of revealing said information.''


    Justin, Eric, and rk were close friends¡ªand they were boys¡ªso it was a given that they would share deeper conversations with each other.


    Girls were also more prone to discuss personal things if left alone for a long period of time.


    Finally, cing the weakest of the group and the strongest in the same team made for a verypelling arrangement.


    Conversations were bound to ur.


    ''Since we''re in smaller groups, it is easier for everyone to speak their minds. Also, the absence of Ralyks in the groups allows everyone to be morefortable.''


    In the end, Ater nned all of this well.


    ''I''m impressed.'' Rey smiled as he increased his steps to gain more ground.


    ''Looks like the next round of Monsters are iing.''


    *********


    Once the team concluded their journey through the corridors, they all converged at the exit point.


    Justin''s group seemed as cheerful and optimistic as ever, while the girls looked to be the opposite of that. They had an awkward atmosphere among one another, though it didn''t seem like they were on negative terms.


    Finally, Adonis'' team arrived with a simr vibe as the first group.


    They were all smiling.


    Once Alicia saw Rey with Adonis'' team, she rushed to him. As for Belle, she subtly made her way to Justin''s group. Trisha also joined Adonis and Billy.


    Before anyone noticed, they were back to the status quo.


    "Well done, everyone. I''ve been waiting."


    Ralyks appeared out of a distortion in space, his body covered in sheer darkness.


    His crimson eyes glowed and his magnificent robe pped with the pressure of the energy he gave off.


    "d to see you all in one piece."


    The Otherworlders shrugged.


    Sure, the Centipedes were tough in the beginning, but after splitting up and fighting them they became rtively easier to handle.


    ¡­ Nothing too special.


    "It''s time to challenge the Boss. I hope you''re all ready."


    The moment Ralyks said this, the looks on the faces of some people soured.


    They seemed to scream out "No break?!"


    Unfortunately, Ralyks didn''t seem to care about their feelings. None of them could evenin at all since they were on the clock.


    They still had two more Floors to conquer.


    ********


    [Several Hours Later]


    "Congrattions, everyone. You did well."


    The Otherworlders beamed as they stood in the Royal Estate''s open field. The second day was officially over, and once again, everyone had made reasonable progress in their Levels.


    The average Level was around the Level 35, though outliers like Billy had a Level of 39.


    Trisha was understandably in Level 37, though Alicia already caught up to her and went a step further.


    She was in Level 38 now.


    Belle was in Level 35, the average for most of the Otherworlders to fall under.


    Justin was the lowest, as usual, with Level 34¨Cjust one Level shy of the expected number.


    Rey decided to boost his outward Level to about 19, which he considered to be fair¡ªall things considered.


    As for Adonis, no one knew, but he was in Level 69.


    He would have probably had a much higher Level, but he was asked to sit out the entire Boss Fight for all the Floors.


    In the end, all of them had grown reasonably stronger than they were at the start of the day.


    "Tomorrow, we''ll finally be putting that Familiar of yours to use." Ralyks looked straight at Alicia and narrowed his gaze on the rabbit that she held.


    "We''ll begin the Seventh Floor with Snow trying her hardest to solo the Floor. I want to see how she''ll do as an offensive force on her own."


    "W-what?!"


    Most of the Otherworlders were shocked, but Ralyks maintained his calm demeanor.


    "It''s not fair that you''re the only ones who get to grow. Snow is still in Level 1 because I made her sit back and let you all Level Up."


    In order to make things bnced, it was better to make certain Floors exclusive to the Grand Summon so she could decently hunt and grow.


    Since she had incredible potential at just Level 1, there was no debate as to her use if she could grow even stronger than normal.


    "That''s the end of today''s announcements." Ralyks gave a slow nod at everyone and subtly vanished from the open field.


    "See you tomorrow."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I can''t wait to see the growth of our dear Snow. I wonder how many Stat Points she''ll get per Level.


    Make a guess.

 Chapter 300 Reading Between The Lines

    <h4>Chapter 300 Reading Between The Lines </h4>


    "Hmmm¡­"


    As Rey finished listening to thest recording of his ssmates, he couldn''t help but squirm a bit ufortably on his bed.


    After all, he had heard some pretty personal things from the girl side of things.


    ''I should have asked Ater to filter it¡­''


    Rey definitely didn''t need to learn about Belle''s boob issues and Trisha''s thick thighs.


    He felt especially bad because he was one of the boys who stared hard at those parts of the girls'' bodies, and he now realized how much they disliked it.


    ''Alicia even called those who do it creeps. She basically called me a creep¡­''


    Rey had never thought of it like that before, but he was now seeing things from a different light.


    ''On a more serious note, though¡­ I can''t believe all of these issues exist with them.''


    Rey wasn''t just thinking about the girls, but every single one of his ssmates.


    ''It seems they all have issues that I never even thought about before.''


    Rey never deeply considered what his ssmates felt about being trapped in this new world¡ªunable to return home.


    The way it seemed, most people had given up on returning to Earth.


    ''ording to Seraph, we would have died anyway. So what''s the point?''


    Still, he felt like Alicia was a special case for seeking a way to return home.


    ''I never expected there to be others. Justin wants to return home, and even rk wants to do so if he can take his superpower with him¡­''


    There could be a few others among the girls, as well as in his own group, who shared the same sentiment.


    ''That''s important to know.'' As he rubbed his chin, a thought came to him.


    It was a fleeting one, but it appeared regardless.


    "Would I ever get an ability that allows me to cross realities? Is it possible?"


    As he mumbled these words, he noticed a slight movement in front of him.


    ''A-ah, I forgot I wasn''t alone.''


    Ater was floating right in front of him in his same seated posture. He was waiting for Rey''s review of the entire n. no doubt.


    "Good job." Rey said as he set aside his other thoughts for a separate time.


    "I can now understand them a lot more¡­ all thanks to you."


    It was all due to Ater''s actions and thorough nning that he was able to naturally learn a lot more about his teammates, and also ensure they bonded in a sense.


    "The n wasn''tpletely effective on the girls, unfortunately. Would you like me to try again?"


    As Ater brought that topic up, Rey felt his cheeks flush in embarrassment.


    Memories of the girls and what they said at the very end of their conversation struck him.


    "Which guy are you most interested in at the moment?"


    The response the girls gave to that question was forever etched in his mind.


    ''They''re all interested in me? For real?''


    Rey didn''t think he could believe it.


    If it wasn''t that Ater recorded it, he would have thought someone was pulling some kind of prank on him.


    ''Well, maybe the interest they mean is just simple curiosity¡­''


    Rey realized he had stood out in a few ways, so it was possible for the girls to find him interesting. Plus, he was the supposed weakest, so that made him unique in his own way.


    ''But why would they all give such a unanimous answer?''


    They could think of a couple more reasons, and one of them was the influence of a particr girl among the group.


    "Belle¡­ she was definitely up to something."


    Rey noticed Ater nodding in front of him, but he was too engrossed in his thoughts to properly pay him any mind.


    ''Did she say my name in order to get on Alicia''s mind? Then what of Trisha? She probably meant it innocently. That leaves Alicia¡­''


    Rey''s cheeks turned even redder the moment he thought of Alicia.


    His racing heart doubled in speed, and he felt like he would have a heart attack just thinking of the possibilities attached to her words.


    ''To be honest, if they all liked me that way¡­ I don''t know what I would do.''


    He found Belle to bepletely out of the option and entirely disturbing.


    ''I still think she''s just trying to cause trouble with Alicia.''


    Seeing that she was the one who asked the question, it was also clear that she did everything on purpose.


    Rey didn''t even want to think of her in that way at all.


    ''As for Trisha, I don''t know¡­''


    It was still more likely that Trisha was simply curious rather than romantically attracted to him.


    ''What do I know about romance, though? Haha¡­''


    The one he desperately wished to be true was Alicia''s confession.


    ''I like her, so if she likes me¡­ maybe I can finally confess or something.''


    Doing so would mean he would reveal his identity as Ralyks, but Rey didn''t think it would make too much of a difference.


    ''Alicia doesn''t like Ralyks too much, sure. But if I exin everything to her, I''m sure she''ll understand¡­ right?''


    He still wasn''t sure, and his heart was pounding abnormally.


    ''I probably shouldn''t think about it too much. At least, not right now.''


    It would be stupid for him to try anything during such a pertinent period in their training and growth.


    ''Maybe after the Raid is over¡­'' Rey had a nervous smile on his face, but his face was lit with some kind of excitement.


    ''I can''t wait!''


    "I have a question, Master." Ater interrupted Rey''s thoughts, causing the boy to look up.


    "Yeah? What is it?"


    "You could have easily controlled them to do your bidding and reveal everything about themselves. So why didn''t you?"


    Ater''s concerns about the most efficient route remained, and based on his Beast mindset, it was clear that Rey had chosen the effective method.


    "I know what you mean. I could have gotten even more information from them, and I could have also made them get closer without any need for the organic process."


    Ater nodded and waited for his Master''s reasons.


    Rey simply chuckled and shrugged, copsing his back on the soft bed.


    "I still operate under the bounds of my moral restraints, Ater."


    Closing both of his eyes, he smiled to himself.


    "There are lines I don''t cross."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Yayyy! We''ve reached 300 chapters!


    It''s so crazy how this book is just a bit over two months old and I''ve already written so much.


    Thank you all for your constant support. I wouldn''t havee this far if not for you, dear reader.


    If you''ve made it this far¡­ then wow. I''m guessing you really like the story.


    That makes me happy indeed.


    This book was able to win that WPC that I joined in for, and I thought it would be important to share it with you.


    It couldn''t have gone anywhere without your assistance.


    So thanks!


    (PS: Don''t worry, I''ll ensure this doesn''t affect the word count.)

 Chapter 301 Mask Off [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 301 Mask Off [Pt 1] </h4>


    [Day 3: Seventh Floor]


    ~WHOOSH!~


    One kick shot through the air like an overwhelming spear, instantly reaching the target within the blink of an eye.


    "Kwii!"


    ~BOOOOOOM!~


    One hit was enough to pulverize the monster of flesh and blood, instantly killing the massive thing in a sh.


    Blood, coupled with pretty much all of the Monster''s intestines, sshed out, drenching everything in the area with its guts .


    ¡ªThe kind that would drive one to vomit.


    Snow, the blur of pure white, caused electricity to cackle around her as she pounced on her prey once step at a time.


    They stood no chance against her speed and power as she easily evaded their attacks and returned the favor with her one-shot attacks.


    The result¡­?


    ~BOOOOOOM!~


    Ogre-like cyclops were the creatures who upied the Seventh Floor. They bred like Goblins, but they were incredibly strong.


    After evolving, their skin was as strong as metal, and yet Snow easily crushed them¡ªone kick at a time.


    They shot energy beams from their eyes, but the Grand Beast was much faster than their shots.


    Her ricocheting attacks were especially deadly¡­ especially when she used [Replicate] alongside it.


    In the end, the one-eyed Ogres were fighting a losing battle.


    They stood no chance at all.


    The Otherworlders watched from within a manifestation of Ralyks'' defensive Skill.


    As long as they were inside the dome, they wouldn''t be harmed in any way.


    This Seventh Floor wasn''t for them to grow or train. It was simply to let them experience firsthand what a Grand Beast could do.


    They saw, with their very eyes, how Monsters fought among themselves.


    No¡­ there was no way what they were looking at could be defined as a fight.


    It was a massacre!


    *******


    After Snow was done with the Seventh Floor, Ralyks informed everyone that they would be taking a break.


    Of course, most of the Otherworlders weren''t even tired since they didn''t get to do anything, so they were allowed to take walks around.


    They could even help in harvesting the Monster Cores if they wanted to do something productive.


    Some of the Otherworlders gathered the new celebrity of the ss¡ªSnow.


    She had managed to Level Up two times, putting her at Level 3.


    All her Stats rose by 30 with every Level, which meant she gained a total of 90 Stats per Level Up. That also meant she had obtained a total of 180 Stat Points thanks to the two Level-Ups.


    It was too absurd to even believe.


    Unfortunately, it would take quite a long while before Snow would be able to Level Up again.


    Apparently, her EXP was already pretty close to Leveling Up the first time, so she was able to quickly reach Level 2 once they started their Seventh Floor expedition.


    For the rest of the Seventh Floor, however, despite taking on every single Monster¡ªwho were much stronger and even greater in numberpared to the ones on the upper Floors, she could only advance one more Level.


    When considering how long it''ll take Snow to reach Level 4¨Cprobably an estimate of three Floors¡ªRalyks decided it was time for her to take the back seat once again.


    And so, with Snow being a celebrity, and many of the Otherworlders engaged in one thing or the other, Ralyks sat in a corner and watched all their actions in solitude.


    His enigmatic self seemed to be seated on the bare ground, but if one looked closely, they could see that he wasn''t touching the ground at all.


    He was subtly floating.


    "Hmm¡­?" Ralyks raised his head as he noticed a presence approaching him.


    The Otherworlders usually avoided him during their breaks¡ªor rather, they were too upied with other things, so it was strange for anyone to be near him.


    Yet¡­


    "¡­ What is the matter, Belle?"


    ********


    Belle felt her heart race as she stood in front of the Dark Adventurer.


    It had taken a lot of resolve toe this far, and she still couldn''t believe she was really doing it.


    ''Come on! Just do it!'' She told herself, puffing her big chest up as she inhaled deeply.


    "I¡­ erm, would like to ask for advice from you."


    Belle held her breath, looking cute while doing so, as she waited for Ralyks'' response. Her heart pounded faster and she gulped while staring into his crimson eyes.


    She didn''t know who was truly behind the mask, but he intimidated her.


    "Fine. You can ask me anything."


    Thankfully, his response wasn''t harsh in any way.


    Belle nearly leaked out a tear of relief as she held her plump chest and finally exhaled.


    "Could we talk somewhere private? It''s actually something private."


    "Don''t worry. No one will be able to hear us."


    Belle''s nervousness slowly began to dissipate as she nodded and proceeded to sit opposite him.


    She had a bright smile on her face,pletely different from the shy and meek expression that she previously donned.


    Confidence was now oozing from her.


    "I want to be stronger. Stronger than everyone else. What do you think I should do to achieve that?" She asked.


    "Is that your question?"


    Confidence was now oozing from her.


    "I want to be stronger. Stronger than everyone else. What "Not really. It''s just part of it¡­"


    For a moment, silence echoed among them. It seemed like Ralyks was mulling over the question, but he really wasn''t.


    Instead, he stared deeply into her eyes and his crimson eyes glowed brighter.


    "Tell me what''s really on your mind. What is bothering you¡­?"


    A spark of crimson shed in Belle''s eyes, and before she realized it, her lips moved on their own.


    "I hate Alicia. I know I shouldn''t still hate her, especially after what she told me and Trisha yesterday. I should feel for her and forgive her for stealing my spotlight back then, but¡­ I just can''t stop hating her."


    Belle''s eyes widened in shock. She didn''t realize it until she ended up blurting out exactly what was on her mind.


    ''H-how¡­?!'' Her mind echoed out.


    "Why do you hate her? Or why do you suspect you hate her?"


    "I think¡­ I am jealous. Jealous of how genuine she is. I used to think she was fake and simply putting on some front as Miss Perfect, but after yesterday, I can''t deny her kind nature."


    Belle''s inner self was puzzled by her sudden openness to the man in front of her, but she didn''t stop.


    She couldn''t stop!


    "I hate that she''s so free and genuine about herself. I know I can never have that, and it pisses me off so much."


    The Belle that sat in front of Ralyks was no longer the sweet and cute girl that everyone knew.


    She had a cruel frown on her face, and her eyes glowed with true envy. Hate consumed her tone, and all the darkness that she held within began to manifest before Ralyks.


    ''I-I didn''t n on going this far. I didn''t want to say all of this¡­''


    Yet, she naturally poured them out of her lips.


    "I see¡­" Ralyks'' tone was smooth and undisturbed.


    It felt too calm for someone who had just seen her true identity was a truly vile person.


    "I understand now. It all makes sense."


    A slight chuckle echoed from within the mask as Ralyks pointed at Belle with two fingers.


    "You''re a sociopath."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    The mask is finally off. Who is she speaking to, though? Rey or Ater?

 Chapter 302 Mask Off [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 302 Mask Off [Pt 2] </h4>


    "W-what¡­?"


    Belle''s mask of bravado broke as Ralyks made his statement. Her eyes were wide open as she looked at the darkness before her.


    "There''s no need to hide it. I see through you, you know?"


    More chuckles of amusement echoed from behind the mask as Ralyks drew closer to her by shifting his body forward.


    Belle felt like she wanted to retreat, but there was nowhere to run to.


    She could only watch him approach.


    "S-so what if I am?" She found herself asking.


    This would be the time where she was meant to deny what he was saying, but here she was digging a deeper hole for herself.


    ''I''ve never been this honest with anyone before.''


    Belle didn''t want to stop, but she also understood how dangerous her current disposition was¡ªespecially if she was found out.


    ''I can''t let everythinge crashing down! I can''t be found out!'' She panicked as she tried to look away from Ralyks.


    "There''s no need to worry."


    The calm words that came from Ralyks seemed to embrace her and draw her body closer to him.


    Belle suddenly felt at ease.


    "I won''t tell on you. In fact, I find your personality refreshing¡­"


    "W-what are you¡­?"


    "I mean that I quite like you, Belle. You''re very much my type."


    "I-I don''t understand¡­"


    Belle was so confused, yet something within her felt happy to hear those words.


    She felt her cheeks grow hot, and she felt herself sinking deeper into the gaze of a man whose face she didn''t even know.


    "There''s no need for you to understand. I understand it all¡ªyour thoughts, your emotions, and your current dilemma."


    Ralyks said it before, but it was only now that Belle believed it wholeheartedly.


    ''He can see through me!''


    Her heart raced even faster as her body trembled in his presence.


    She didn''t know what to say next.


    "Am I¡­ evil?" She asked the man before her.


    "Pardon?"


    "I ced all my ssmates under my mind control, and let them do my bidding. If it wasn''t that Conrad went to make his announcement so suddenly and in public, I would have controlled everyone and forced them to remain in the Royal Estate for my sake. But¡­"


    "Is that all?" Ralyks'' tone seemed to hint at boredom.


    It puzzled Belle.


    Surely, her actions would be considered despicable by most, yet this man wasn''t even moved by it at all.


    "I-I also¡­ in my homnd, I caused a lot of people to suffer for defying me or trying topete with me."


    "And? What else?" Ralyks asked once more.


    "I n on making Alicia and Adonis suffer for outshining me. Even after knowing that they''re good people, I can''t help but desire to see them suffer."


    A few seconds of silence psed, and Belle began to breathe heavily.


    ''Surely this will be enough¡­'' She thought to herself as she maintained eye contact with the man before her.


    His eyes did not flicker for a moment, though.


    "Are you done?" As Ralyks asked her this question, Belle felt a sting within her.


    She couldn''t believe the look of disappointment that oozed from the eyes of the man who stared at her.


    His crimson stare was cold.


    Too cold.


    "You''re going to remember this conversation a lot differently, so I suppose there''s no harm telling you¡­" Ralyks'' tone was dangerously low.


    It felt like she wasn''t even hearing him with her ears, but he was speaking directly into her mind.


    "I haveid entire civilizations to ruin. I have consumed several worlds and caused the end of countless innocents."


    Belle''s thoughts became nk as images of horror yed through her mind.


    What she saw was unspeakable.


    She couldn''t even understand most of it. The end of it all, however, was darkness.


    "Do you really have the right to call yourself evil? No¡­ you''re not."


    "I am¡­ not evil?" Belle asked, her eyes widening the more she uttered the words that were imprinted in her mind.


    "You are not evil."


    "I am not evil." She repeated with a smile on her face.


    "Indeed. You did all those things simply because you thought they were right. We all make mistakes when we''re young and we learn to grow out of them when mature." Ralyk''s voice filled her mind.


    "Let''s just say you have grown more mature now. You understand things better¡­ don''t you?"


    "Yes. I understand things better."


    Ralyks nodded his head and patted Belle on her head, his fingers coursing through the beautiful yellow strands of her hair.


    "What matters most aren''t our intentions, but our actions. Despite your sociopathic tendencies, you chose to stay behind and save this world. Right?"


    "Yes. But that is simply due to my selfish desire."


    "But you''ll be recognized as a hero. As someone who selflessly charges into the battlefield."


    "Is that who I really am, though?"


    "Does it matter? Are you good because you help people, or do you help people because you are good? It''s a paradox."


    Slowly, Belle began to understand.


    She wasn''t evil in the slightest¡ªat least, not ever since she matured.


    "I just have to do good deeds topensate for the darkness within."


    "Indeed. That darkness¡­ that innate selfishness¡­ you can''t let it die. It is your greatest ally."


    Belle nodded like an obedient child. She understood the wise words that Ralyks fed her mind.


    "Is that why you are helping us? Why you do so much good to us?" She asked, her nk eyes staring at his deep crimson ones.


    "Hmm?"


    "You possess a much deeper darkness than I can see. Yet you assist us. Why do you do so¡­?"


    Chuckles began to respond in Belle''s head. They contained nothing short of dark amusement.


    Hisughter was so condescending, as if he mocked her question¡ªno, her very existence.


    "I only help you all because it is the will of my Master. If I was free, I would have consumed this world as well."


    "Why¡­ do you serve your Master?" Belle asked.


    This time, there was noughter.


    No amusement whatsoever leaked from the lips of the ckened one.


    Only rity echoed from the depths of his mind.


    "Because Master has a deeper darkness than mine¡ªmuch deeper than he realizes."


    Belle could not understand these words that she was hearing.


    No one could.


    "I await the day when that darkness awakens."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 303 Rising To The Tenth Floor

    <h4>Chapter 303 Rising To The Tenth Floor </h4>


    "Thank you for the talk, Sir Ralyks."


    Belle rose to her feet and bowed slightly to the Dark Adventurer.


    Her gentle smile and pleasant face gave off an air of cuteness and downright innocence. Her boobs jiggled as she raised her head from its bowed position, but it seemed she didn''t notice.


    "You''re wee. Go and rest for the remaining time. We''ll be resuming the Raid very soon."


    "Understood!" She gave a salute and jogged off.


    As she happily hopped off, Ralyks¡ªor rather, Ater¡ªsmiled underneath his mask.


    ''That went well¡­'' He thought to himself in amusement.


    The mind of humans never ceased to intrigue him. Even the most vile among them were like mere nk canvases that could be contorted to his whims.


    ''[Compulsion] works like a charm, as expected.''


    Of course, he made sure to edit some of her memories of the events that transpired between them. That way, no risk woulde to his Master''s persona.


    ''But with this, I suppose one seed has been nted.'' He took one final look at the girl, watching as she sat among her male friends.


    Darkness coiled within the red of his eyes.


    ''I look forward to your future, Belle.''


    ********


    Once they were done resting, the Otherworlders began their journey downward.


    Of course, this meant encountering even more powerful Monsters.


    "Full power! Attack the left nk!"


    Echoes of desperation, as well as roars of powerful strikes, filled the entire Eight Floor.


    The reason was simple.


    ''Since we didn''t face the Monsters of the Seventh Floor, we haven''t properly limated to the Monsters here¡­'' Rey thought to himself as he maintained his position on the formation.


    Their current enemies looked like massive lizards.


    They had scales like crocodiles, though, and their bodies seemed to be as stic as rubber.


    They had camouge abilities, venomous breaths, acid spray, and a bunch of other nasty abilities that made them very problematic.


    Their scales were tough, and their senses were razor sharp.


    The only advantage that the Otherworlders had going for them was speed and intelligence.


    The Monsters, despite their multifarious abilities, were predictable andcked anything beyond basic intelligence.


    After facing them for a while, it was clear that these were the kind of creatures who acted based on their impulses and nothing more.


    As a result, the Otherworlders were able to give a brilliant counterattack and gain momentum from there.


    Since utilizing physical attacks was very disadvantageous when fighting the Monsters, Magic-based Skills were preferred.


    Keeping their distance from the Monsters while sending bombardments of Spells in their direction seemed to do the trick.


    The moment the Monsters caught wind of this, the Otherworlders would switch tactics to distracting them with a feint in their nks, and then giving them the real deal when they least expected it.


    Since everyone''s Levels had gone up quite a bit, and they had Items aiding them in their venture, fighting these Evolved Monsters suddenly began to get a lot easier.


    Not as easy as the Second Floor¡­ but somehow close.


    In less time than expected, they reached the Boss Room and dispatched the Boss and its goons.


    ¡­ All thanks to an unceasing volley of Magic Attacks.


    **********


    [Several Hours Later]


    "Haaaa¡­ haaa¡­"


    Adonis'' leaked exhausted sighs as he tightly held his Divine de.


    The sword was lodged deep into the Boss Monster''s Skull, and he used his weapon to support himself as he stood on the corpse''s head.


    They were finally done with the Tenth Floor, their final challenge for the third day.


    It was an optional venture, but since the Otherworlders felt confident about their abilities¡ªespecially since thest two Floors weren''t too difficult¡ªthey let their guard down in the Tenth Floor.


    The Monsters there were on apletely different level¡ªespecially the Boss.


    Thankfully, they somehow managed to pull though.


    With everyone on the brink of exhaustion, Adonis personally requested to handle the Boss Monster by himself.


    Ralyks gave him the permission to do so, and all his teammates were behind his decision as well.


    One would have expected him to need assistance at some point in the battle. But¡­


    "Huff¡­ huff¡­"


    ¡­ Adonis was able to defeat the Boss Monster on his own.


    ''Finally¡­'' He smiled to himself as he looked at his Status Window.


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Adonis Levi.


    - Race: Human (Otherworlder) (Regressor)


    - ss: The Hero (S-Tier)


    - Level: 90 (56.99% EXP)


    - Life Force: 420 (+210) [100]


    - Mana Level: 750 (+375) [150]


    - Combat Ability: 1,000 (+500) [200]


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Divine Sword Summon]. [Absolute Defense]. [Grand Light Magic]. [&$@?3$$!0n]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Combat Application]. [Magic Application]. [Mana Recovery]. [Full Sense]. [Life Force Recovery]. [Indomitable Power].


    - Alignment: Lawful Good


    [Additional Information]


    Your desire to save this world has transcended the very bounds of time itself, and now you are once again on the journey to protect those you love.


    Good luck!


    [End Of Information]


    ''¡­ My Stats have reached a satisfactory level.''


    Adonis grinned even more when he looked at his Skills. He had gotten new ones.


    ''I guess I made the right call after all.''


    He had abandoned his Life Force Stat and focused on his Combat Ability and Mana Level.


    This was simply because he had a Skill for defense, and throughout the Raid, he could always be healed by Alicia if he sustained damage.


    What mattered most to him was how many enemies he could defeat in order to grow stronger.


    As a result of this choice, he was able to get a bunch of new Skills¡ªone of which gave him the ability to slowly recover his Life Force.


    In essence, Healing.


    ''It''s a Passive Skill, and its effects are slow. But since it doesn''t consume any Mana, it''s plenty useful.''


    He also got [Indomitable Power], which temporarily doubled his Base Combat Ability Stat.


    All of these Skills contributed to how ted Adonis was at the moment.


    Yes, he felt so exhausted that he wanted to vomit and copse on the ground.


    However, more than that¡­ he felt ecstatic.


    ''Just as you said, Rey¡­'' Adonis cast his gaze on the nobody in the background and widened his smile.


    ''I¡­ I''ve gotten stronger!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Do you ever think that Adonis and Rey will have some kind of sh in the future?


    If so, what do you think the sh will be about?

 Chapter 304 The Night Before [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 304 The Night Before [Pt 1] </h4>


    Passing through a swirling distortion in space, the Otherworlders once again made it to the surface.


    Their shabby appearances greeted the evening sky overhead, and as they all appears in the open field, they copsed on the ground and allowed their bodies to embrace the grass.


    "Haaaa!"


    "Fresh air atst!"


    "I''m gonna take a very nice shower!"


    Words like these echoed from the lips of the sweaty and dirty students.


    Despite groaning and grumbling, the smile on their faces was undeniable. They were all happy, and it wasn''t difficult to tell why.


    "We did it!"


    "We reached the Tenth Floor!"


    "I swear, I thought I was going to die!"


    It wasn''t easy, but they managed to achieve a milestone¡ªand it was only in three days.


    This celebration of theirs, however, was instsntly cut short by Ralyks'' cold voice.


    "I have important news for you all."


    As he said this, all the Otherworlders looked in his direction with puzzlement.


    Normally, this was the moment when he would say his farewells and depart. Yet, something about his tone and the contents of his words made the imminent issue seem a little grave.


    "I won''t be with you for your Raid tomorrow."


    The moment Ralyks said this, eyes popped wide open. The Otherworlders had stunned expressions on their faces.


    However, before they could utter a single word, he continued.


    "I need to take care of some business for the Royal Council, so tomorrow will bepletely booked."


    The Otherworlders didn''t know what was happening in the background¡ªexcept for Adonis, of course.


    As someone who associated with the Royal Council on a deeper level, Adonis was the only one who didn''t depict any ounce of shock or surprise.


    After all, he already knew something of the sort wasing.


    ''This is about the Triumvirate, and their Dark Gathering that will ur in the Merchant City tomorrow.'' Adonis'' thoughts flowed as he stared at Ralyks.


    They recently received a tip from their informant that this would be some kind of secret meeting between the major yers of the underworld.


    The Royal Council has been nning a full sweep for some time, but now they had even more reasons to go all-out on the offensive.


    ''I wish I could go, but I''m needed here¡­''


    Adonis sighed a little and looked around him. He had to grow stronger in order to be of help to people, but at moments like this, he felt his impulses begging him to dive into the action.


    However, thanks to his self control¡­ he knew very well what his choice would be.


    ''I''ll leave this to Sir Ralyks and everyone else.'' Adonis smiled.


    ording to what he knew, the Royal Council already had their forces gathered in the Allied Merchant City, while the rest were somewhere within the Royal Estate.


    Ralyks would be transporting those who were still in the Royal Estate to the Allied Merchant City the next day.


    ''Then, they''ll initiate the Full Sweep Operation.''


    "So does that mean we''ll have to go to the Eleventh Floor by ourselves?" Justin asked with a chuckle, though there was a hint of seriousness in his tone.


    Concerned reactions instantly filled the faces of the Otherworlders. They probably didn''t want to imagine a scenario where their guardian Angel wasn''t in the depths of danger with them.


    They looked at the masked figure in panic, praying for a favorable response.


    "I''ll be sending a bunch of Elementals to keep youpany tomorrow. With their help, you shouldn''t have any problem with the Floors."


    Ralyks had already told them that they would be exploring three Floors on the fourth day, so everyone knew they would be reaching the 13th Floor.


    No one really panicked since Ralyks was with them, but now,., now they weren''t so sure.


    "Each Elemental is of the Grand ss, and I n on sending four with you. You should be fine."


    Once the Otherworlders considered how much of a team effort it took them to take down one Elemental of Ralyks during training, they began to recognize how strong they were.


    Granted, they were stronger now, so they definitely wouldn''t have as much trouble with an Elemental.


    However with four of them¡ªall in the Grand ss¡ªthings would get pretty trippy.


    "As long as they''re with you, you''ll be fine. I''ve surveyed the Dungeon Floors too, and I have determined that there''s nothing in there that is beyond your abilities."


    Ralyks then turned away from the teenagers and began to conclude his address.


    "Whether or not you choose to participate in tomorrow''s Raid is up to you."


    Slowly walking away, his voice echoed in the air.


    "You can choose to sit this one out and wait for me, like spoon-


    fed children, or you can show me just how much you''ve grown without me."


    He stopped moving and slightly turned his neck so his face tilted to the side and he saw them with his crimson eyes.


    "The choice is yours."


    Those words reverberated underneath thete evening sky, with everyone''s eyes glistening as they watched him give them their options.


    It was already clear which path they would take.


    "We''ll do it!"


    "Count me in!"


    "I''ll try my best!"


    "M-me too!"


    "There''s no way I''m missing out on this."


    "As long as it''s safe¡­ I''ll y ball."


    "Alright! Let''s roll!"


    "I''m getting pretty excited¡­"


    "Let''s all do our best!"


    With those words rushing from the lips of the nine, it was already clear what choice they had made.


    Ralyks looked at them, almost as if he smiled underneath his dark mask.


    "Good. I wish you the best of luck." He waved at them as he stepped into the distortion that had formed in front of him.


    "Farewell."


    ********


    Night fell, and as the small stars twinkled in the sky, the lights of a particr room also glowed despite the darkness that fueled its exterior.


    Within the Royal Estate, there was a room utilized by only the most important members of the United Human Alliance.


    It didn''t appear luxurious in any way, and the designs were pretty simple.


    It was sparsely finished with chairs, and a round table that stood before all the seats present.


    Maps and several other important documents were either hung on the walls, or carefully ced in the massive bookshelf that stood at the corner of the room.


    Needless to say, the items hidden in the deep recesses of this exclusive library were confidential.


    This was the Strategy Room, and right now it was upied by three parties:


    Conrad Listrio


    Vida Origa


    And¡­ Kara Verte, Informant of the Royal Council.


    A sudden warp in space caused all the seated members to rise to their feet and look in the direction of the distortion.


    A man in ck emerged from its depths, his crimson eyes glowing as he saw all three of them.


    "Sir Ralyks¡­" They all slightly bowed their heads.


    The Dark Adventurer nodded slowly and sat on his seat, an act that was followed by everyone else in the room.


    "Enough with the formalities." His words were curt, and he folded his arms as though he meant business.


    "Let us begin the meeting."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I hope you enjoyed the chapter. The moment is almost upon us.


    Who else is excited?

 Chapter 305 The Night Before [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 305 The Night Before [Pt 2] </h4>


    ''Looks like we''re ready to begin.''


    Rey took a deep breath as he looked at everyone within the tense room. His eyes darted towards Kara, who gave him an inconspicuous nod.


    ''Seems like she has primed them before my arrival. That''s good¡­''


    "So, have you concluded your strategy against the Triumvirate?" Rey asked the Royal Council, donning his usual Ralyks tone.


    "Indeed we have." Conrad smiled and nodded.


    "I see. And you''re sure you want to discuss the details before her? She belongs to the very underworld you desire to tear down, don''t you?"


    As Rey asked this question, he sped his hands and rested them on the table.


    "What is your rationale?"


    This time, it was Vida who spoke up.


    "The Verte family has always mentioned some kind of bnce despite being a criminal family. They often cooperated with our efforts."


    "That can''t be all, surely." Rey said, narrowing his eyes in Vida.


    She expressed intimidation, something he personally enjoyed, but she quickly pulled herself together.


    "O-of course not. The truth is that her entire family was killed off by the new head of the ve Union and her New Order. She''s no longer affiliated with them, and they''re as much of an enemy to her as they are to us."


    Surely, Vida''s exnation made sense.


    Rey also knew this was the truth because he had firsthand knowledge of the whole thing. He only chose to act ignorant of the entire events because it was more in line with his character.


    ¡­ As well as the n.


    "I see. I''m still skeptical, but I trust your judgment."


    "What will it take for you to trust me?" Kara suddenly blurted out a question, her gaze resting on none other than Ralyks¡ªor rather, Rey.


    "Hmm. If I was to say, I''d say I''ll have to closely monitor your actions. You don''t mind, do you?"


    "I have nothing to hide." Kara responded with a wry smile.


    To those words, Rey chuckled.


    His deep, darkughter echoed throughout the room, and everyone kept quiet until his voice grew solemn.


    "Without exception¡­ everyone has something to hide."


    No response was given to his words, but Kara did appear unnerved as he said this.


    "I''ll choose to trust you, at least for now." Rey said, before turning his focus back to the Royal Council.


    "Now where were we? Ah, yes¡­ the n."


    ********


    "So far, we know the Dark Gathering will be taking ce in the dead of night, so we n to enact the n and encircle the entire city before that period."


    Since this event was happening the next day, they also had to make their move then.


    If they acted too early, it could tip off the enemy, but if they acted toote, they risked their n taking a plummet into nothingness.


    There was a fine line tha determined when to act, and Conrad was confident that he and his team had cracked it.


    "If we encircle the city, they can''t escape through conventional means. Of course, it''s very possible that they escape through secret exits, so we''ll be on a lookout for that during the Full Sweep."


    The Full Sweep meant just what the name implied: a thorough investigation of the Merchant City.


    The Merchant City was a lotrger than the Capital, so something of such a scale would take a lot of time and manpower.


    They had prepared enough manpower for the asion, and with Conrad''s roster, it was very possible to investigate the entire city barely into nightfall.


    "We still do not know where the Dark Hall that will be used for the Dark Gathering is situated, so the best we can do is narrow down the location while cracking down on all the other illegal activities that are going on in the Merchant City."


    "I''ll carry out my personal investigation to seek out the ce." Ralyks suddenly spoke up, causing Conrad to cease his words instantly.


    "Really, Sir Ralyks?"


    The Dark Adventurer nodded, though his eyes darted to the only girl with sses in the room.


    "I''d like Kara Verte to apany me on this investigation¡­ if she isn''t otherwise upied."


    Conrad shot a pained look at Kara and strained a smile.


    He already knew Kara was not on the enemy''s side. Not only because of her unfortunate circumstances, but also due to herpletely passing the tests they gave her using the Truthseeker.


    She was genuinely on the side of the Royal Council on this matter.


    Still, Conrad could understand Ralyks''s suspicions.


    Too much was at risk.


    "I understand. I''ll cooperate with you." Kara''s response eased both Conrad and Vida''s hearts, causing them to shoot relieved nces at each other.


    ''I didn''t have to coerce her¡­ thankfully.''


    With that going on in his mind, Conrad smiled and nodded in agreement to the arrangement between Ralyks and Kara.


    "While I personally investigate the city for the Dark Hall, focus your efforts on the other establishments that are associated with the underworld."


    Stalls, shops, warehouses, abandoned ces¡­ the criminal underworld had stuck its grimy tendrils into every aspect of the Merchant City.


    It was also open as Noir''s Territory.


    "Lord Noir is said to be the most ruthless and most thorough of all the members of the Obsidian Council. Please be careful in your search." Kara added, her tone indicating genuine concern and worry.


    "Noted." Conrad responded, while Vida simply nodded.


    All of them then returned their attention to the massive map of the Merchant City that was ced on the table.


    Everyone could see just how much ground they had to cover within the very limited period of time.


    "It''s going to be very tasking, but we''re willing to do whatever it takes." Conrad said with resolve.


    Ralyks nodded at him and they shook hands, each man tightening his grip on the other''s hands. As they did this, the women went for a simple hug, and in no time they were done.


    Even then, Ralyks and Conrad still had their hands stuck with each other.


    Not until Ralyks repeated the words.


    "Wherever it takes."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Preparationsplete. Ready perfectly. We''re getting closer and closer to the final act of this Arc.


    Hope you''re excited!

 Chapter 306 The Night Before [Pt3]

    <h4>Chapter 306 The Night Before [Pt3] </h4>


    Once the meeting was concluded, Kara was left alone with Ralyks¡ªconsidering how they would be working together from that moment on.


    The Dark Adventurer transported both of them away to a location unknown to anyone else, most likely to kickstart their investigation.


    The two had somewhat exchanged brief pleasantries during the entire meeting, but now that it was over, it was all business.


    ¡­ Or so the Royal Council members thought.


    *********


    "You did a good job ying along, Kara. You have nice acting skills."


    Rey was currently opposite Kara, standing right outside the Safehouse where she and the other key yers were upying before the promised day.


    She smiled, probably blushing a little, as she curtsied and bowed her head slightly.


    "I appreciate yourpliments, Sir Ralyks."


    Rey felt very weird having a really pretty girl like Kara address him in such a way, but he hade too far to break character now.


    He simply nodded nonchntly and shrugged without any sort of energy attached to it.


    "I guess you can go in now. Rebal and Asher should be waiting inside."


    "Would you like toe in? We could prepare something for you and show some hospitality." Kara swiftly added, showing even more emotion and energy than Rey remembered.


    It almost felt like she was over enthusiastic to please him.


    ''Did Rebal and Asher fill her head with stories about me? That''s probably what happened.'' Rey sighed internally.


    "There''s no need. I have other matters to take care of."


    This was a lie.


    Rey had already taken care of everything he needed to. He already had the coordinates to the Merchant City, and he was able to get there the previous night. He had also sorted through what he considered to be his own ns.


    Everything was pretty much set on his end.


    "Have all preparations been made on your end?"


    "Yes, Sir Ralyks. The venue of the event has been identified, and we have also made all travel preparations."


    "Good. Then, I look forward to tomorrow." Rey smiled underneath his mask as he walked past Kara and created a portal out of the area.


    "I look forward to it too, Sir Raly¡ª"


    Kara''s voice was cut short as Rey''s portal closed right behind him the moment he entered his room.


    The spacious expanse greeted him as he copsed on his bed and returned his body to its regr form. A heavy sigh escaped his face as his face looked high upon the ceiling.


    "Looks like I can at least have a proper night''s rest to¡ª"


    Right as he was about to conclude this sentence, Rey felt a presence in front of his room''s door.


    ''What the¡­?!''


    He then heard a knock on the door.


    ''A visitor? At this hour?''


    It was nearly midnight already, yet there was someone who was waiting to see him.


    And Rey knew exactly who it was.


    "Hup!" He jumped to his feet, sluggishly walking to the door afterwards.


    He wasn''t particrly exhausted, but he really thought he would be able to sleep in for the night.


    Knowing Rey''s schedule, ''sleeping in'' probably meant sleeping for the standard eight hours.


    For him, that was plenty.


    "Who is it¡­?" He muttered as he opened the door, already knowing the face he would see.


    Unsurprisingly, as soon as the door swung open, he was met with the cute face of Belle.


    His tired eyes looked at her in silence, hoping she would say anything or do something that could possibly justify hering to his room at such an absurd hour.


    "Let me in." She whispered, her glowing pink eyes staring straight into his eyes.


    Rey felt like sighing heavily the moment he realized what was going on.


    ''Not this again. Do I really have to y along?''


    He knew he didn''t have to put up with her tricks, but Rey decided to step aside and grant Belle ess to his room for two primary reasons.


    One was the mere fact that he was curious.


    He wanted to know why Belle woulde to his ce sote in the night, and he felt like she would tell him if he just yed along with the whole charade.


    The second reason he decided to y pretend was that he hadn''t yet thought of a way to properly deal with Belle.


    ''I haven''t really had much time to think about her, and she hasn''t approached me since then¡­ so I never put her as a priority.''


    To think she would just pop up like this¡­


    It was against Rey''s policy to control his ssmates, but he began to consider using his [Absolute Mental Control] on her to get things over with.


    ''Let''s hear her out first.'' He hid his grumbled and dragged his feet inside, closing the door slowly.


    "Come. Sit beside me."


    Belle''s face had a somewhat mysterious smile. Rey couldn''t properly get a read on her intentions, so he decided not to think too much about it and simply y ball.


    He plopped his butt on the bed, a few inches from where she sat.


    ''I have to get into character. Ahh¡­ I really miss my Elite Enigma ss right now.''


    He missed the Special Privilege that allowed him to perfectly act in the way he wanted.


    At least, when he was Ralyks, he was constantly hiding behind a mask. Even when he broke character, no one would know.


    As Rey, though, things were different.


    ''I don''t know if I''m getting this whole thing right¡­''


    "I''ve had a lot on my mind, and I guess I just need someone to offload it all to."


    ''E-eh¡­?'' Rey''s thoughts echoed. ''Why me?''


    "I guess you''re the only one I can feel mostfortable with. You''re so weak and fragile¡­" She began to squish his cheeks, the same way the elderly did to little kids.


    Rey didn''t feel any pain as she pinched his cheeks, but it felt so ufortable and weird.


    It wasn''t long before he became distracted by Belle''s chest, which was disyed right before his dead eyes.


    Her oversized shirt covered up the goods, but he could see two pointy things on her chest. It told him all he needed to know.


    ''She''s not wearing anything underneath?!'' His mind screamed, but he kept his reactionpletely neutral.


    ''Her shorts are also too¡­ short. This girl is a walking thirst trap.''


    Rey didn''t want to call her careless at this point. It was prettyte, so she properly didn''t need to bother.


    Besides, he was supposed to be under her influence, so he wouldn''t have cared.


    ''I''m not a creep. This isn''t my fault. I didn''t do anything wrong!'' Rey swallowed his saliva and pleaded his case to literally no one as he remembered Alicia''s words to her fellow girls.


    He could imagine the kind of stare she would be giving him if she peered into his mind.


    ¡­ His impure,pletely soiled mind.


    ''Come to think of it, this is the second girl to enter my room.'' Rey found his mind changing topics.


    All of this, while Belle was rambling on about things he wasn''t really paying attention to.


    Until, he felt something draw closer to him.


    ''W-what?!''


    Before he could even figure out what and why was happening, he found Belle''s lips pressed upon his.


    She had just kissed him!


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 307 The Night Before [Pt 4]

    <h4>Chapter 307 The Night Before [Pt 4] </h4>


    "Mmmphhh!"


    Rey found himself assaulted by the kiss of a pretty girl.


    He didn''t know how he found himself in such a precarious situation, or what kind of conversation could have led to such a thing.


    All he knew was that Belle was currently kissing him, and her chest was pressed against his.


    ''S-so soft¡­'' The dark side of his mind trailed.


    He meant this for both the two melons thatnded on him and the sulent lips that graced his own


    ''What the hell is this crazy girl doing?!'' Rey felt vited.


    He had reached the very limits of his tolerance for this sort of craziness.


    Not only did shee to his room unannounced, depriving him of sleep, but she also decided to steal one of the most precious things he had.


    ¡ªHis first kiss!


    Sure, it felt good¡­ but it was still wrong.


    ''I should stop her now! This has gone too fa¡ª!''


    "Press my boobs. Do it softly."


    Rey found his hands slowly rising to Belle''s chest. He initially wondered if it was actually the effect of [Grand Charm], but he soon realized that he still wasn''t being affected.


    This wasn''t the cause of some mind control ability.


    No¡­


    Rey was being controlled by instinct.


    He found both hands sinking deep into Belle''s chest, though the barrier of clothing still remained.


    He felt his fingers stroking the pointy things he saw earlier, and a moan escaped from Belle''s lips the moment they did so.


    "T-that''s enough! Stop it!"


    Rey stopped, his face nk, but his mind racing with a lot of different questions.


    ''What in the world am I doing? What is she doing? I''m so confused!''


    Rey and Belle were teenagers, so it was clear that they had wild hormones that ran wild at certain intervals. It was inevitable to desire some kind of release at some point.


    But¡­ not like this.


    Rey found Belle blushing, her cheeks having a hot red hue.


    Her entire face was pink.


    It made Rey feel like he was the assaulter, and she was somehow the prey. But that was far from the case.


    ''Is she trying to set me up or something? No¡­ that can''t be.''


    Rey didn''t sense anything that could point to that. She didn''t have any Enchanted Item on her, and there was also no one else around.


    Everyone was sleeping in their rooms.


    ''I also got an Item to record the activities of this room in case someone entered without me realizing it. If she decides to scream and pin this on me, I can just use that and show everyone what really happened.''


    Rey was prepared for a situation when things went south, but he didn''t think that was Belle''s intention at all.


    "I think¡­ I''ll stop here." She muttered, making heavy breaths as she stared passionately at Rey.


    "I want to devour you, Rey. I really do¡­"


    Rey felt shivers down his spine as soon as he heard those words.


    "I want to steal you from Alicia''s clutches and make you mine. You''re so fragile¡­ I fear you might break by the time I''m done with you."


    Despite Belle saying that, Rey felt like it was all a load of BS.


    ''She seemed overwhelmed with just me fondling her boobs. I don''t think she has a lot of experience to begin with.''


    Of course, his face was nk, so nothing he thought of left the confines of his mind.


    "But¡­ I don''t think I should go any further with you."


    ''Sure. If you say so.'' Rey nearly snickered.


    He felt a bit let down, especially between his legs, but he considered the whole thing more viting than stimting.


    All he really wanted to do was rest.


    Truly¡­


    "I like you, Rey. You''re cute and weak. So pathetic that it makes me very hungry¡­" After saying this, she licked her lips and drew her face closer.


    Rey feared he was in for another kiss. He prepared his heart and slowly began to pucker his lips, but just a second before they made contact, Belle stopped.


    She sighed, shaking her head.


    "This isn''t right, though. It doesn''t feel fulfilling enough¡­"


    Rey was thankful that he wasn''t vited the second time, though disappointment crawled somewhere in the corner of his heart.


    ''Hold on, so does she really like me? For real?'' Once his mind became a bit clearer, he processed what Belle said.


    This was the first time he was hearing a girl tell him of her feelings.


    Of course, with the girl being Belle, there were a lot of dangerous connotations attached to it. Still, Rey couldn''t help but giggle internally.


    More than giggling inside, however, he found himself in deep confusion.


    ''She likes me because I''m weak and pathetic? The hell?''


    Not only was her perception of himpletely wrong, but it was very twisted.


    ''She''s crazy! Why did my first ever confession have to be from a crazy person?'' He nearly cried inside.


    "I''ll just leave you for Alicia and chase after a muchrger goal, Rey."


    Upon hearing Alicia''s name in Belle''s words, Rey focused more on what the blonde had to say.


    "I want to be strong. Strong enough so I don''t lose to Alicia anymore. I want him to pay me more attention. I want to gain his approval¡­ and respect¡­"


    ''Who?'' Rey found himself wondering.


    Then, a certain memory shed in his mind.


    Earlier that day, right when he and Alicia decided to help out with harvesting the Monster Cores, he saw Belle talking to Ralyks¡ªor rather, Ater.


    ''That motherfu¡ª!''


    "I want to gain his love! I''ll do anything to make him recognize me, and only me!"


    Rey''s mind nearly exploded as he looked at Belle''s twisted smile.


    Both her hands were on her cheeks as she looked ecstatic. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes glistened with passion.


    Rey had never seen Belle¡ªor any girl¡ªmake such a face before.


    It seemed almost unnatural.


    "This will be thest time we''ll talk like this again, Rey. Consider us officially broken up."


    ''But we were never dating!'' Rey protested internally.


    They barely ever spoke.


    "I''ll be undoing my Charm on you, just as I''ve undone the Charm on everyone else. I don''t need to control you anymore."


    ''For real? So this entire thing is over?''


    "I''ll make sure to get together with Sir Ralyks, and instead of Alicia and Adonis saving the world¡­ I want to fight the Dragons by his side."


    Her words made Rey shiver with every syble. He truly didn''t know how she was able to get to such a bizarre conclusion.


    ''What the hell did you say to her, Ater?!''


    "That will be my revenge on them¡ªsaving the world with Sir Ralyks and being happier and more aplished than them."


    ''Oh boy¡­''


    As long as Belle wasn''t nning on making Alicia and Adonis suffer any longer, this could have as well been considered a win.


    However, Rey felt like there was something perverse about Belle''s current stance.


    It felt worse than before.


    "Farewell, Rey. Once I leave, you''ll forget all about this conversation and everything that happened this night."


    Rey wished things were that simple.


    Unfortunately, they weren''t.


    *


    *


    *

 Chapter 308 The Promised Day

    <h4>Chapter 308 The Promised Day </h4>


    Belle rose up from the bed and exited the room by herself.


    Rey simply sat there and watched as she left in silence,pletely speechless even after she shut the door.


    A few seconds after, and only one word proceeded from his lips.


    "Ater¡­"


    He spoke through gritted teeth, a deep re manifesting on his face.


    The instant Rey uttered those words, ckness swirled about a meter from him, and a handsome young man appeared in his presence.


    Ater, in all his glory, fell on his knees as he addressed his Master.


    "What did you do to Belle?" He asked in a low, but threatening tone.


    "I merely made a few suggestions to her mind. In order to stop her from being more troublesome in the future¡­"


    Rey could understand the sincerity of Ater''s words.


    Thanks to whatever he did, Belle no longer desired to enact proper revenge on Alicia and Adonis. She also undid her [Grand Charm] on everyone.


    In a way, Ater had solved the Belle problem for him.


    "In essence¡­ it was for the greater good?"


    "Precisely, Mas¡ª!''


    ~VWUUUUUM!~


    Rey''s aura instantly filled his room, enveloping everything in an inescapable pressure.


    "¡ªter!"


    Ater''s body crumbled further to the ground, now prostrating in the most humiliating way possible. His face was nted straight on the floor, and his entire body could not move even if he wanted to.


    Such was the greatness of the power that held him down.


    "I will only say this once, so listen carefully." Rey''s eyes glowed as he coldly stared at Ater.


    The Familiar couldn''t even look upon him due to his current situation, so he merely shivered under his Master''s words.


    "Don''t ever mess with my ssmates again."


    A certain emotion¡ªanger mixed with pure authority¡ªcoated Rey''s statement.


    It wasn''t a mere suggestion, or an advice.


    It was a warning?


    "Do you understand?" Rey asked, his gaze still on Ater''s pathetic form.


    "Y-yes¡­ yes, Master!"


    Once Rey heard this, he caused his overwhelming pressure to instantly evaporate.


    "Good."


    Rey exhaled deeply and plopped to his bed, his head facing the ceiling.


    ''Maybe I was a bit too hard on him. He only did what he thought was best.''


    There was no malevolent intention whatsoever in his actions.


    Still¡­


    ''Why am I so upset? I don''t know¡­'' Rey slightly bit his lip and made another deep exhtion.


    He covered his eyes with his hand and shut them, breathing silently until he finally fell asleep.


    ********


    "W-whoa!"


    "T-this is¡­!"


    "Amazing! They''re amazing!"


    The Otherworlders were in awe as four Grand Elementals stood before them.


    Fire


    Water


    Earth


    Wind


    These four Grand Elementals had their respective designs which differed slightly from the ones they recognized.


    The Earth Elemental had four arms, with a buffer form than they previously recalled. It also had varying weapons in each hand.


    Likewise, the other Elementals had notable differences that made them appear more formidable than ever.


    Behind the Grand Elementals was Ralyks, and he had a calm demeanor as he looked at his creation.


    "They will be your guards and supporters in the Dungeon."


    Grand Elementals could obey orders¡ªboth general and specific


    ¡ªand fill in the nks from there.


    They were by no means sentient. However, they could act on their own based on the instructions they were given by their Summoner.


    "Good luck on your Raid." Ralyks told them, and the Otherworlders nodded in full resolve.


    "I await news of your victory."


    Before they could respond to those words, a portal was opened beneath them, and they all descended to the Eleventh Floor of the Dungeon.


    Of course, they all made a perfectnding, and as they did so, the Grand Elementals descended into the Dungeon Floor as well.


    In total, there were nine Otherworlders, one Familiar, and four Elementals.


    A total of fourteen for the Raid.


    "Alright, everyone!" Adonis smiled at hisrades.


    He felt a surge of optimism and excitement for the mission for some reason.


    "Let''s do this!"


    ********


    ''With that settled, it''s time for the next step.''


    Rey stared into the distance as he sent his ssmates and a replica of himself into the Dungeon.


    ''I''m basically at half power, but this should be more than enough for now.''


    As he turned back and saw the soldiers that were already gathering behind him, a smile formed on his face.


    There were a total of three thousand, five hundred soldiers who were gathered in the Royal Estate.


    Added to the seven thousand or so soldiers that were in the Merchant City, they had over ten thousand soldiers to work with.


    ''Of course, these are just fodder. Most of them don''t even have more than one Skill.''


    The ones with more than one Skill had pretty useless ones in their arsenal. That was why they were mere soldiers who were responsible for guarding or patrolling the United Human Alliance, rather than helping out in the ensuing war.


    None of them could be useful against a single Dragon.


    ''But, for the purposes of our investigation, they''ll work perfectly well.''


    Rey approached the group of soldiers, standing right beside Conrad, who was already opposite them.


    ''Vida will be staying in the Capital and monitoring things while we''re away.'' Rey thought to himself as he cast a nce at Conrad.


    It was clear that the man was nervous.


    ''The Merchant City ys a very vital role in the economy of the entire Alliance. He''s taking a big risk by suddenly raiding the ce, guns zing.''


    If Conrad didn''t end up with something tangible to show for his actions, the Royal Council could face serious bacsh.


    They were even facing bacsh already; with some people using Conrad and Vida of executing the other Council Members so they could remain in power.


    ''All the deceased''s family members and rtives have also been reported missing or dead, so Conrad and Vida can''t choose sessors.''


    All of that merely served topound the issue and made the two of them seem even more guilty.


    ''He''s probably praying that this mission yields good results so that the people''s faith can be restored in the Royal Council.''


    Rey smiled to himself as he prepared himself for what was toe.


    ''Don''t worry, Conrad. You''ll have your results.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    The day hase, and we''re about to head to the Merchant City. Do you have any theories on what could happen?

 Chapter 309 Gathering The Troops

    <h4>Chapter 309 Gathering The Troops </h4>


    "Let us begin."


    As Ralyks spoke for all to listen to, a massive portal opened right behind him, the likes of which no one present had ever seen before.


    Space distorted all around him, and like a massive tear in reality, the spatial rift manifested right behind him.


    Every single soldier who watched was in awe.


    Some had heard stories of the Dark Adventurer, but no one had ever truly seen this side of him.


    Perhaps a few guards were fortunate to see Ralyks executing the Dragon back when the Capital was attacked, but their numbers were too smallpared to the few thousands that gathered in the open fields.


    "What are you waiting for?" Conrad raised his voice at the soldiers who were spacing out.


    Their nk and utterly stunned faces soon began to change as soon as they heard their Royal Councilor''s¡ªnow turned Commander''s¡ªvoice echo out.


    "Match in!"


    The grown men obeyed and rushed in, utilizing their formation in due diligence.


    Before long, they were all able to venture into the massive portal that greeted them. Not a single one was left behind.


    "Shall we?" Ralyks turned to the only man who was yet to enter.


    Grandmaster Conrad himself.


    "Yes, Sir Ralyks."


    The two men then walked into the shrinking portal, feeling the ripple of space as they entered.


    From the open field of Royal Estate, their vision instantly changed into the view of a massive military clearing in the outskirts of the Merchant City.


    It was arge camp, with tall walls surrounding its vicinity¡ªhence preventing the prying of outside forces.


    The overhead was an open sky, but a certain Magical Barrier formed a barrier that prevented any sort of spying from above.


    As a result, the three thousand soldiers¡ªas well as the upying seven thousand¡ªwere fully protected from the observation and interference of the outside world.


    The total size was about fifteen hectares ofnd, most of it a barren field dedicated to training or the assembly of all the soldiers.


    There was not a single grass to be seen on the ground, and several wooden buildings and temporary tent-like structures filled the residential areas for the soldiers.


    It was clear that this ce wasn''t meant to be stayed at for too long. It was a station meant for transition: nothing more, nothing less.


    "Every major city''s outskirts has a post like this. It was designed this way because of the Dragons." Conrad murmured, slightly looking at Ralyks.


    The Dark Adventurer responded with a subtle nod, before uttering a few lines.


    "Are all of them asrge as this?"


    To that, Conrad made a sad smile and shook his head.


    "The Merchant City is an exception due to its huge size and incredible relevance. Most posts are about asrge as a hectare. Sometimes less."


    "I see¡­"


    Conrad and Ralyks once again looked at the surrounding area and noticed the seven thousand, five hundred soldiers already converging with the three thousand.


    As their numbers slowly merged, someone rushed to Conrad.


    It was a woman who seemed to be in herte twenties, pretty, but also having a certain fierceness about her.


    Her dark brown hair was cut short, but it still had a feminine ir to it. She wore full ted armor, and one of her eyes was blocked with an eyepatch.


    Her color theme seemed to be ck, but the de of choice that was hung on the strap around her hip had a silvery glow to it.


    The moment she reached Conrad, she fell to her one knee, raising the other as she bowed her head in reverence.


    "Greetings, Councilor Conrad. General Lucy pays her respect to you."


    Her voice was stern and deep, almost masculine. Whether this was natural, or an ent that she had formed over time, was unknown.


    At least, to one of the two who watched her greeting.


    "Ah, Lucy! It''s been a while."


    Conrad smiled broadly at the youngerdy, his face quickly moving towards the man beside him.


    "Sir Ralyks, this is Lucy. She''s a General, and she''ll serve as the Vice Commander of this entire operation."


    Upon hearing this, Ralyks took a few steps forward and stretched his hand towards the woman who still had her knee nted to the ground.


    "I hear it''s difficult for women to be soldiers, talkless of rising up the ranks to the position of General." He began, his voice containing a rare emotion for a man such as Ralyks.


    ¡ªRespect!


    "You have quite the achievement; bing a General at such a young age. That in itself is deserving of respect."


    Lucy kept her head bowed, but she epted the outstretched hand offered by the Dark Adventurer¡ªsomeone she had already been briefed about.


    As soon as she shook his hand, she found herself standing upright.


    An expression of surprise filled her face, but she did her best to drown all of it and simply respond to the kind words of the Alliance''s benefactor.


    "I deeply appreciate your words, Sir Ralyks. However, I am still far from adequate."


    A certain glint of ambition glowed in her eyes, and Ralyks seemed to like it.


    "I see. Then, I look forward to seeing how far you go."


    General Lucy nodded, her lips curling up to form a resolute smile.


    "I will do my utmost not to fall short of your expectations."


    **********


    "I like her enthusiasm."


    Once Lucy finished giving Conrad her report and returned to attend to the soldiers, Ralyks said this to the Councilor.


    Everyone in the United Human Alliance knew of the stereotype that pervaded its inner workings.


    Women were seen to be more talented in Magic and males were considered to be more primed to be Warriors and Martial Artists.


    As a result, positions of soldiers were upied almost exclusively by men, and women were a very small minority¡ª


    usually taking up lesser or administrative roles.


    They could also be medics or cooks.


    In such a world, Lucy had managed to bypass the rank of Lieutenant, Colonel, Major, Captain, and Marshal, obtaining the position of General.


    Only the Admiral and Supreme General positions were left for her.


    In response to Ralyks'' statement, Conrad nodded, staring at the woman''s fierce address to the soldiers.


    "Yes. I like it as well."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Will Lucy y an important role in the future? I wonder¡­

 Chapter 310 Meeting The Other Side

    <h4>Chapter 310 Meeting The Other Side </h4>


    The opening address didn''t take too long already, as all the soldiers had already been briefed prior to the day of the operation.


    The entire operation could be summarized into two essential elements: the Day and Night.


    The Day Operation was a more broad search, disguised as some kind of super patrol. As for the night search, it would be a lot more aggressive.


    The goal was to utilize the day patrol as an excuse to execute a more thorough investigation in the night due to a reason they would cook up.


    By patrolling and searching in the morning, soldiers would take up strategic positions around the city, and they would also properly cover all the grounds that made up important checkpoints.


    Once that was established, a more intense approach could be carried out.


    Above all else, the goal of such a roundabout strategy was to ensure that they didn''t tip off the enemies during their search.


    Or, at least, ensure that it was toote for the criminals to run and hide once they figured out what was happening.


    This was the essence of the Full Sweep Operation.


    *******


    "Looks like you can take things from here. I''ll be on my way now."


    Ralyks began to step away from Conrad, who was about to join the soldiers in starting the operation.


    "As promised, I''ll investigate things with Kara on my end."


    "Ah, yes! I understand." Conrad replied with enthusiasm.


    Ralyks had never failed them before, so he had no doubt in the man''s abilities.


    "How is she, by the way? Kara Verte, I mean. Does she still appear suspicious to you?"


    In response to this, Ralyks shook his head.


    "I don''t trust her. However, she isn''t suspicious, so there''s no need to worry. Just carry out your operation, and I''ll carry out mine."


    With this agreement in ce, Conrad and Ralyks shook hands once more before the Councilor jogged to meet up with the troops while Ralyks opened a portal and vanished from sight.


    Not too long after, the Operation on the Merchant City began.


    *******


    ''Huu¡­''


    Rey appeared in his next destination¡ªthe Safehouse that held his other allies.


    He had to knock and say the passcode, of course, before being allowed to enter. It all felt like a silly spy movie, but Rey yed along anyway.


    Once he went through all due processes, though. The door opened, and the first face he saw behind the door was none other than Kara''s.


    "Wee back, Sir Ralyks."


    Rey shrugged and greeted back in a more casual tone before entering the premises.


    The moment he did so, he could feel an intense Magical Flow circting throughout the room.


    ''It''s heavily enchanted.'' He noted to himself, taking a good look at his surroundings.


    The Safehouse looked more like a simple cottage, or a partially worn-down shack, on the outside¡­ but the inside could not be more different.


    The walls were painted an exquisitecquer brown, with the furniture in the parlor so well designed and arranged that Rey felt like he was in a miniature version of the nc Mansion.


    The ce was indeed small, but with the grand designs that filled his sight¡ªfrom the chandelier on the ceiling, to the perfectly tiled floors, and solemn ambiance¡ªRey could tell that this was a perfectlyfortable ce for his allies.


    ''I guess they would still befortable even when they''re in hiding.'' He mused, taking his seat in the most exquisite-looking chair in the room.


    He didn''t particrly want to stir anything, but with the arrangement of the seats, Rey simply assumed that they ced it there for him to upy.


    Besides, the moment he sat there, Kara smiled in approval.


    He wasn''t wrong.


    A few seconds after he entered the Safehouse, Asher and Rebal rushed out, their faces filled with expressions of relief.


    "Sir Ralyks!"


    "Sir Ralyks, wee!"


    As father and son approached Rey, he couldn''t help but feel a little awkward watching two grown-ass men treat him with such high esteem.


    ''Why can''t I just get used to it?'' He wondered while addressing them and telling everyone to take their seats.


    They instantly obeyed, allowing all the formalities to die down.


    It was time for the important bits toe up.


    "The attack on the capital will most likely be a two-pronged one." Rey began, both hands intertwined with each other.


    It made him feel smart, so he decided to go with it.


    "They''ll attack the Capital itself¡ªthat is, the nc Mansion and the surrounding areas, and then they''ll attack the ck Market underground."


    This was to ensure theplete ruin of the nc House, and also a hostile takeover of the Capital.


    ''I don''t think Scy and her goons will want to govern the entire United Human Alliance, though. If I had to guess, it''s more like they''ll make a grand statement of their power.''


    If that was the case, it meant that the Royal Council and every resource of the mainstream market and government would merely be puppeteered by Scy''s New Order.


    In essence, she would have absolute control over everything while remaining in the shadows.


    The surface would fight her wars, and they would protect her and her interests from the Dragons and any other enemy that surfaced.


    ''At least, that''s what I think.''


    If that was indeed the case, then Scy was quite the nefarious schemer.


    ''A little too ambitious, though.'' Rey decided to shrug off his thoughts and focus on rifying their roles in the imminent conflict.


    "As nned, Asher will be transported to the Karinc Shop in the ck Market, where he will remain for the duration of the entire incident."


    Of course, he wasn''t going to be without help.


    "My subordinate will be with you, so there''s no need to worry."


    Then, there was the obvious issue of the Capital. The New Order was bound to raze a lot of things to the ground in order to send a message, while alsopletely destroying the nc Mansion and whatever other assets they had on the surface.


    There was no need to be so concerned about that either.


    "Another of my subordinates will handle that as well, so there''s no need to fear." He told the people who were listening to him.


    However in truth, Rey only had one subordinate to handle both affairs.


    ¡ªHis Familiar, Ater.


    ''He said he can properly handle everything without any innocent casualty, so I''ll take him at his word.''


    He also knew Ater was more than capable, so that was pretty much a closed chapter.


    "As for the Dark Gathering, the roster remains the same. Rebal and Kara are the participants, while my partner and I will act as your guards¡­" As Rey said this, he realized something.


    Or rather, he chose to address something he had realized a while back.


    "Where is she, by the way?"


    By "she", Rey meant Esme. She wasn''t to be found among all the people who gathered before him.


    As if waiting for him to ask, a sweet-sounding feminine voice echoed from behind Rey.


    "Right here."


    ''I already knew you were standing there¡­'' Rey''s thoughts trailed, but he simply decided to y along with the current situation.


    "Hm¡­" He slowly tilted his head and turned in the direction of the voice.


    What he saw, however, defied his expectations.


    ''Is that¡­ Esme?!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 311 Foreboding To The Calamity

    <h4>Chapter 311 Foreboding To The Cmity </h4>


    ''Is that¡­ Esme?''


    Standing behind him was an entity covered entirely in dark armor.


    They wore a hooded cape, but beneath all of that was a thinyered full-ted armor.


    It even had a helmet and everything.


    "You are¡­?" Rey asked, tilting his head to the side a little.


    "It''s Es¡­ I mean, you know who I am already!"


    Of course, he did! Rey could easily recognize her voice. Plus, he had also confirmed by using [Absolute Appraisal].


    It really was Esme, locked in a fully armored attire.


    ''I mean, I told them to focus more on defense and concealing her identity when it came to her appearance, but to think they''d go this far¡­''


    The entire armor was made from Orichalcum, though certain areas were lined with Mythril in order to ensure that her Mana Flow wasn''t too disturbed.


    "The inner regions that directly touch her body were designed to be veryfortable. I can assure you that your partner is not in any difort." Rebal finally spoke up, adding more context to the ck armor that Esme donned.


    "Really? Did she confirm that?" Rey shifted his gaze to Rebal.


    "N-no. Actually¡­ this is the first time we''ve heard her speak."


    ''A-ah¡­!'' Rey''s thoughts snapped as he remembered how Esme was usually silent around these people.


    He wondered why she decided to speak.


    ''Is it because I''m here with them? Or because it could be unavoidable tomunicate due to the nature of the mission?''


    Either way, Rey could see from the stunned expressions of the three seated ones that they were also blown away by Esme''s amazing voice.


    ''So it isn''t just me. Whew!'' He gave an internal sigh of relief.


    "What are you standing there for? You shoulde sit and join us." Rey said to Esme before turning to the three who sat before him.


    He knew his tone was a little demanding, but he had a reputation to keep among these people.


    Rey could only hope Esme could pick up on that and act ordingly.


    Thankfully, she didn''t disappoint.


    Esme sat on the chair closest to Rey, one which had been left intentionally empty since the start of the meeting.


    It was as if everyone in the room already knew that it belonged to Esme¡ªjust as they thought to reserve the best seat for Rey.


    ''Oh well. This much is natural, I suppose.''


    Rey continued on with the n''s discussions, allowing everyone else to say a few things regarding how the entire thing would y out¡ªespecially reactions to certain antics that Scy could pull.


    At the end of it all, Rey deemed it fit to first of all transport Asher to the Karinc Store in the Capital''s ck Market, then transport Kara, Rebal, and another replica of himself to the respectable in that they would be staying in pending the time of the Dark Gathering.


    Once all of this was done, the only two who remained in the Safehouse were himself and Esme.


    A few seconds of silence passed as they both just stared at each other.


    Then¡ª


    "You know I can''t take you seriously with that helmet on, right?"


    ¡ªRey broke the silence with a snicker.


    "Well, you have your mask¡­ and I have mine." Esme smugly responded.


    They both giggled after that, copsing on the chair andughing like little kids.


    With the Ralyks persona nowpletely gone, and Esme able to talk a lot more freely with Rey, they soon gotfortable being alone together.


    "Do you really feelfortable inside that thing?" Rey asked Esme.


    He couldn''t help but suspect that she couldn''tin to them even if she felt some kind of difort.


    "Yes, it''s fine. The insides are soft, so there isn''t much friction.


    "I see. I see."


    "I thought it would be hot, so I decided to strip before putting it on, but it had some kind of temperature regtion, so it''s perfect."


    The moment Rey heard some words that Esme spouted, he grew rigid instantly.


    "W-wait, so you''re¡ª!"


    "Naked under the armor? Yes." She responded pretty naturally.


    "Why?" Rey nearly screamed. "Why did you have to tell me that? TMI!"


    "TMI? What does that mean?" Esme tilted her head a little bit.


    Her action looked a little clunky since she still had her helmet on.


    "It means ''too much information''."


    "Ohhh¡­" Her voice trailed and went low, almost as if she was thinking of aeback.


    Then, not long after, it came.


    "I mean, you''re also naked underneath your outfit, right? How is my situation so special that you''d freak out like that?"


    Rey fell dead silent once Esme said that.


    Esme wasn''t wrong, after all. Underneath his attire he had¡­ hold on, he had something else.


    "At least I have my underwear."


    "Well, under that is what? In the end, take off enough clothing, and you get a naked person."


    "T-that''s not the same as¡ª!"


    "I''m literally wearing a denseyer of metal. I think that''s enough clothing, don''t you think?"


    Rey sighed and shook his head. Arguing with someone like this was impossible.


    He simply had to give up and focus on the important things, else he would waste more time on the irrelevant stuff.


    "Anyway, we''re going to be investigating the Warehouses in the Merchant City pending the time the Dark Gathering begins. I hope you''re already."


    As Rey sighed, he saw Esme nodding enthusiastically.


    ''I''m sure she''s excited. We haven''t found a single ve or clue in any of the Warehouses on the map.''


    Since the Merchant City was the heart of the corruption that threatened to devour the United Human Alliance, chances of finding what they sought was high.


    "When do we start?" Esme asked in excitement, which prompted Rey to rise to his feet.


    "Nothing''s stopping us from starting now, right?"


    Sure, Conrad''s n was already underway, but Rey could easily cloak himself and Esme, so they could freely search for whatever they desired without once shing with the Alliance''s forces.


    ''It seems everyone is busy now.'' Rey grinned with delight.


    The Otherworlders were busy with the Royal Dungeon Raid.


    The Alliance was running a campaign against the Criminal Underworld.


    The enemies were preparing for their final showdown, and Rebal''s side was anticipating it.


    As for him¡­ he was currently going to do his best to help Esme andplete the System''s Quest for him.


    ''I''m only at about 33 percent thanks to [Replicate], but this much should be fine.'' Rey thought to himself as he opened a portal right in front of the excited Half Elf.


    "He waited in front of the portal and made a mock bow as Esme approached it.


    "Ladies first."


    "You¡ª!" Esme gave him a quick jab on his stomach before rushing inside.


    "Pfft! This girl¡­" Rey shook his head and chuckled to himself.


    Of course, he felt no pain and suffered no damage thanks to his [Damage Nullification] Skill.


    It was nothing short of amusing for him.


    *******


    [Meanwhile]


    "Darkness is about to creep upon thend."


    A man sat right in front of the standing Asher, his blood red hair dancing as his crimson eyes brimmed with maleficence.


    His ebony skin seemed to glimmer in the dark, and his broad grin showed nothing short of amusement for the events toe.


    "In the grand scheme of things, all of this remains inconsequential, but¡­" He cast his gaze upon Asher, causing thetter to tremble.


    "¡­ I assure you that I shall fulfill my duties to the letter. For it is my Master thatmands it."


    The ebony man rose to his feet and inhaled deeply.


    "I can promise you this. No harm wille to anything of the nc House, nor will any denizen of the Capital suffer any harm on this day. But¡­"


    Despite saying all of this, his wide grin only grew in intensity¡ª


    forming a warped smile that could not be said to belong to a human.


    It could only be from a Devil!


    "¡­ All of Master''s enemies will be thoroughly destroyed."


    He walked past the trembling Asher, not paying thed any heed at all.


    "I, Ater, swear on this."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Seems like things are about to get a tad bit interesting.


    But, as you should be used to by now, it''s time to blueball you all and change scenes for a moment.


    Let''s check out what our dear Otherworlders are up to.

 Chapter 312 The Dungeon Squabble

    <h4>Chapter 312 The Dungeon Squabble </h4>


    The Royal Dungeon Raid, contrary to the initial fear of the Otherworlders, went smoothly despite the absence of Ralyks.


    From the Eleventh Floor, they descended to the Twelfth Floor, and even went through it with minimal help from the Grand Elementals that Ralyks ced as their chaperones.


    At first they were surprised by how rtively easy the whole venture was.


    After all, they had been primed to believe that the Dungeon was an incredibly dangerous and unpredictable ce.


    However, with their current level of strength, nothing of the sort applied to them.


    The Otherworlders could safely and easily dispatch the mobs of the Dungeon Floors, and the Bosses of the Eleventh and Twelfth Floors were rtively easy to beat.


    Not only were they a lot more powerful than before, but their ability to make decisions on the fly¡ªsuch as choosing which strategy and formation to utilize¡ªhad greatly increased.


    Everything was going very smoothly.


    ¡­ Too smoothly.


    ********


    "Looks like this is it. The final Boss Room for the day."


    Adonis smiled as he touched the stone surface of one of the two massive double doors.


    The door looked to be about thirty meters tall, and the stone surface of the doors felt eerily rough and dense. One look at the entrance would be enough to ward off any intruders who thought to enter.


    However, this brave band of Raiders were different.


    They were Otherworlders, each now above the Level of fifty.


    All of them were also well-equipped, and while there were signs of exhaustion among most of the members of the team, they had immense confidence in their abilities.


    They were able to clear the Eleventh and Twelfth Floors within half the time than they initially anticipated.


    Most of the exhaustion they rued was due to their non-stop journey as well as the the utilization of Mana and exertion of their physical abilities.


    It was a natural reaction from exploring three Floors of a Dungeon for hours.


    "I suppose it''s time for a break." Adonis smiled at his fellow teammates.


    He had done the most out of everyone present, and he could feel the strain on his body. If he took a break for thirty minutes or so, he was confident in his ability to fight at full power.


    ''It''s pretty obvious that we''re going to win this due to the streak we''ve had thus far. But, we can''t take any chances.'' He thought to himself.


    It was better to be safe than sorry.


    "Why can''t we just go in now, though?" Justin whined, his voice containing more frustration than exhaustion.


    "The sooner we finish, the faster we can leave this ce and spend our time doing other things."


    "You mean, things like messing around?" Trisha snapped at Justin, causing everyone in the vast hallway to burst out inughter.


    Most of them were already seated on the ground, intending to camp outside the Boss Room until it was Break Time was over.


    However, a few people like Justin and Adonis were still on their feet.


    "I''m serious this time, though. We already faced the mobs, so we already know the kind of difficulty to expect going in."


    Everyone stared at one another and contemted Justin''s words.


    He wasn''t wrong in his line of reasoning. After all, one could always estimate the overall strength of a Boss Monster by taking a good look at the goons that upied the same Floor.


    Of course, the Boss Monster was going to be phenomenally stronger than the mobs, but not by some unreasonable extent,


    If the Otherworlders were able to defeat the mobs with restive ease, it was pretty much guaranteed that they could take on the Boss.


    Even Adonis thought the same.


    ''It''s ourst Raid for today. If we just go in now and use our full strength, I''m sure we could take the Boss down pretty quickly.''


    However, Adonis wasn''t one to disregard procedure.


    It was time to rest, and as long as they weren''t at full strength, it wasn''t something he could endorse.


    "Come on! What do we have to fear? We even have Sir Ralyks'' Grand Elementals with us!"


    The four beings were silently standing in the background, their looming presences a reminder of the assured protection that they offered.


    There really wasn''t much to fear.


    Despite all of these reasons, no one stood up from the ground. They mostly gave expressions of uncertainty and hesitation.


    Perhaps they were waiting for the first to support Justin.


    "I agree with Justin." Eric finally rose to his feet, flexing his sses as he did so.


    "However, rather than act rashly¡­ why don''t we just vote?"


    He turned to Justin, who was now beaming and giving him a thumbs up.


    "Justin and I agree to go in now. That''s two votes out of nine. Who else supports this?"


    Many people would assume that Eric was taking the side of his friend and also desired to conclude the raid as quickly as possible, but that wasn''t the case at all.


    In fact, the whole reason he desired to take this route was for apletely different reason.


    ''Eric doesn''t want Justin to embarrass himself by pressing the matter too much.'' Adonis thought to himself as he watched the whole thing.


    ''No one likes it when someone is being too overbearing. At least, when ites to voting, everyone is given an easy chance to establish their opinions.''


    If this was the case, why did Eric decide to vote in support of Justin? Well, the reason was pretty simple.


    They were friends.


    Of course, Eric would support his friend.


    "I don''t agree with this decision." Alicia raised her hand, a slight frown ying on her face.


    "It''s just for thirty minutes, so why don''t we just take a solid break before going in?"


    Her eyes slowly trailed to the massive entrance, and she shivered a little.


    "I have a bad feeling about all this¡ªincluding the Boss that''s waiting for us there."


    "So, you want us to give up on it or what?" Justin interrupted Alicia, causing her to snap back as soon as he spoke.


    "That''s not what I meant! It''s just a bad feeling is all¡­"


    ncing at her Familiar, Alicia could see her also trembling slightly.


    In fact, the source of her unease was Snow.


    ''Don''t worry. We''ll be fine¡­'' Her expression seemed to say as she stroked the rabbit with her gentle hands.


    "I agree with Alicia. There''s no need to rush. We''re already way ahead of schedule. Let''s just wait a little while longer."


    Once Adonis spoke up, the choice was pretty much made. Not only was his tone calm and reasonable, his words carried a lot of sense with them.


    It also helped that he was the Hero, as well as the leader of the Raid Team.


    His words pretty much settled the entire argument.


    "Tch. Fine¡­ whatever." Justin sighed in defeat as he plopped to the ground.


    He was eager, sure, but he wasn''t stupid enough to rebel against Adonis'' authority.


    Besides, it wasn''t like he had any bad intentions to begin with.


    ''I''m sure he just believes we can take the thing behind this door head on.'' Adonis stared at the massive entrance once again and furrowed his brow.


    ''Let''s hope he''s right.''


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    What do you think the Otherworlders will encounter behind the doors? Any theories?

 Chapter 313 An Absolute Monstrosity

    <h4>Chapter 313 An Absolute Monstrosity </h4>


    The Otherworlders sat.


    They discussed amongst one another, enjoying the moment of peace that served as their sce.


    Even the initially grumpy Justin joined in on the fun, and a cheery atmosphere pervaded the contrasting representation of the Dungeon.


    All was well.


    Until¡­


    "EVERYONE DOWN!"


    The roar from Adonis caused all the Otherworlders to freeze in panic, rather than listen to the words of their leaders.


    This could have been due to the suddenness of his scream, or the fact that they weren''t in the proper mental space to take orders.


    However, the more likely reason was a third option.


    ¡­ The fact that they all felt a pressure so heavy that none of them could move a single inch.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!~


    The double door that led to the Boss Room was eviscerated in an instant, and a deep blue surge of energy burst out of the entrance.


    It devastated everything that surrounded it and rushed towards the Otherworlders.


    ~FWOOSH!~


    The Grand Elementals instantly rushed to the forefront of the seated nine, their massive forms blocking them from inevitable death.


    The result of this action was fatal.


    ¡­ All four of them disintegrated the moment the st reached them.


    None was able to withstand its power.


    They could not resist.


    The protectors all perished with that single st, yet the misfortune was yet to be satisfied.


    The roaring st still charged at the Otherworlders with just as great an intensity as when it first manifested.


    Surely, the end hade.


    "[Absolute Defense]!"


    A barrier of golden light suddenly covered the Otherworlders, shielding them from the immense radiation of ultimate destruction.


    The result was as one would expect.


    ~BOOOOOOOM!~


    The ground shook, and the ceiling trembled. Everything around them vibrated as the golden field protected the nine from the deep blue st.


    However¡ª


    ~CRACK~


    ¡ªEven [Absolute Defense] began to show cracks in its sturdy walls.


    "N-no way!" Adonis gasped, his eyes widening in disbelief.


    No matter how strong a Monster in the Royal Dungeon was, none of them had ever managed to crack his ultimate means of defense.


    Yet¡­ YET¡­!


    ~FSHIIIIIII¡­~


    Fortunately, the bursting noise of destruction soon became nothing but fading echoes of dissipating heat.


    The intense blue energy thinned out, leaving particles of light dancing in the air, and smoke wafting all around.


    The charred earth and copsed ceiling filled the sight of the Otherworlders and Familiar, causing all of them to tremble in awe.


    ¡­ And FEAR!


    Whatever had caused this level of destruction was no mere creature.


    ~DUM!~


    ~DUM!~


    ~DUM!~


    Tremors rose from the ground as something began to appear from within the forbidden pce.


    Its silhouette was majestic, having a figure of about twenty five meters. Five blue eyes glowed from the creature''s head, and almost as soon as it made itself known, the thick smoke began to clear.


    An intense storm of winds reced any hindrance to the sight.


    As a result, the creature''s true form was bare for all to witness.


    "N-no way¡­!"


    "Why does it look like¡­ that?"


    "T-this is the Boss¡­?!"


    It had a glorious build that resembled a massive lizard¡ªor more like an argentinosaurus, the biggestnd dinosaur to be discovered on Earth.


    If only it bore resemnce to such a creature and nothing else, then perhaps it wouldn''t have been such a frightening thing to see.


    Unfortunately, there was more to the Monster than just that.


    It had massive crystal-like substances, akin to heavy spikes, protruding out of its scaly body. It had gleaming ck skin, though vein-like cracks decorated its humongous body like a tattoo.


    It seemed to be bursting with so much power, to the point where the very ground it trod began to grow smaller versions of the stones on its body.


    "A-are those¡­ Mana Crystals?!"


    "Mana Crystals are growing all over its body!"


    "Even on the ground! T-that means¡­!"


    No one needed to say the obvious, but perhaps they all began to blurt out words like these because they didn''t want it to be true.


    They wanted someone to correct them.


    But no one did.


    All their observations this far were spot on.


    This beast was one unlike any other, but it was a Monster.


    Only Monsters would have so much power, yetck the intelligence to control their Mana to prevent it from leaking out so much.


    None could have expected to find such an existence here, but they were now confronted with it.


    "Huuu¡­" Smoke leaked from its mouth as its long neck coiled backwards.


    Its five eyes stared at the little ones who had yet to die from its st of destruction. Only one thing came to the creature''s mind once he saw this.


    ~BWUUUUUSSSHHH!~


    It began to gather a phenomenal amount of Mana from its belly, evident by how it''s stomach glowed intensely, followed by the radiation that flowed through its incredibly long neck.


    The Otherworlders already knew what wasing.


    They were neither fast nor capable enough to evade it, and the only hope they had to protect themselves was already cracked.


    Their safety hung by a thread.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOMMMM!~


    The second ray of destruction poured out, this time a lot less powerful than before.


    However, its incredible pressure was enough to tell Adonis, who now poured more Mana into his barrier, that his protection could only do so much.


    After all¡­ this thing had long transcended the limits of any Dungeon Monster, or any Monster to be discovered, period!


    Due to its evolution, it broke through the Grand barrier of A-Tier and reached the Absolute Realm.


    As impossible as it was to admit, Adonis could no longer deny the truth that stared him in the face.


    "I-It''s an S-Tier Monster!"


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: (Currently Nameless)


    - Race: Evolved Grand Onitnegra (Monster)


    - ss: Absolute Evolved (S-Tier)


    - Level: 300 (97.89% EXP)


    - Life Force: 5,000/9,900


    - Mana Level: 7,000/9,000


    - Combat Ability: 7,500


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Absolute Ray]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Pure Density]. [Defense Break]. [Perfect Sense]. [Double Power].


    - Alignment: Chaotic Neutral


    [Additional Information]


    A Monster who was previously the apex predator of the 98th Floor as a Grand Monster, but has now evolved to be an Absolute Monster. Its Life Force continually deteriorates as a result of its incredible power, and it is a force to be reckoned with.


    Status Condition: [Health Reduction]. [Mind Control].


    [End Of Information]


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Looks like our Otherworlders are in for quite the challenge!

 Chapter 314 Otherworlders Going All Out [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 314 Otherworlders Going All Out [Pt 1] </h4>


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: (Currently Nameless)


    - Race: Evolved Grand Onitnegra (Monster)


    - ss: Absolute Evolved (S-Tier)


    - Level: 300 (97.89% EXP)


    - Life Force: 5,000/9,900


    - Mana Level: 7,000/9,000


    - Combat Ability: 7,500


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Absolute Ray]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Pure Density]. [Defense Break]. [Perfect Sense]. [Double Power].


    - Alignment: Chaotic Neutral


    [Additional Information]


    A Monster who was previously the apex predator of the 98th Floor as a Grand Monster, but has now evolved to be an Absolute Monster. Its Life Force continually deteriorates as a result of its incredible power, and it is a force to be reckoned with.


    Status Condition: [Health Reduction]. [Mind Control].


    [End Of Information]


    ********


    The Otherworlders were paralyzed in fear as they watched the absolute being tower above them.


    The st that rushed from its jaws descended on Adonis'' barrier, causing even more cracks to reverberate all over it.


    Adonis could feel his bones rattle as his defense was being prated.


    "E-everyone! Prepare to retrea¡ª!"


    Before the Otherworlders could say any more, they began to hear strange sounds around them¡ªespecially behind.


    Many feared to turn back, but those brave enough to look were rewarded with even more despair.


    "More Mobs! And they lookpletely different from the ones we just defeated!"


    Each of them looked eerily simr to the Boss Monster before them, except a lot smaller and less menacing.


    Their threatening existence still neared, however.


    And so, before the Otherworlders could get a grip on what was happening, they were surrounded!


    "What should we do now, Adonis?"


    "Adonis, what''s the n?"


    "Is there a way out, Adonis?"


    Adonis! Adonis! Adonis! Adonis! Adonis! Adonis! Adonis! Adonis! Adonis! Adonis! Adonis! Adonis! Adonis! Adonis! Adonis! Adonis! Adonis! Adonis! Adonis! Adonis! Adonis! Adonis! Adonis! Adonis! Adonis! Adonis! Adonis! Adonis! Adonis! Adonis! Adonis! Adonis! Adonis! Adonis! Adonis! Adonis! Adonis! Adonis! Adonis! Adonis! Adonis! Adonis! Adonis! Adonis! Adonis! Adonis! Adonis! Adonis!


    The Hero''s name kept echoing in his head as he struggled to keep his wits about him, while also trying his hardest to maintain his barrier in order to prepare for the next round of attack that was iing.


    "Prepare forbat! We''re going to fight our way through this!"


    "E-EH¡­??"


    Shocked expressions radiated from the Otherworlders.


    After seeing the Monster and what it could do, they had expected Adonis to speak along the lines of retreating. Yet, he was talking about something too unrealistic.


    ¡ªDefeating such an unbeatable foe.


    "It''s the only way to survive! If you want to live, then get ready to fight!" Adonis yelled as he gritted his teeth and frowned deeply.


    Now wasn''t the time for hesitation or second guessing. Doing that could risk actual death.


    They didn''t have Ralyks with them this time, so it was possible that any mistake here could lead to their deaths.


    "Get in formation, everyone! Heavy hitters like Belle, Alicia, and Billy, I''ll need you toe with me to deal damage to the Boss and distract it from everyone else. Everyone else, focus on the mobs."


    It was a very risky venture, dividing their forces in such a way. Not only would their fullbat power be halved, but it was very likely that both sides would lose without the other backing them up.


    However, at the moment, it was the only viable option.


    ''Right now, I''m in Level 105. My base Combat Ability and Mana Level are above 1,000, but my Life Force is stillcking¡­''


    ording to the kind of power the Monster was exuding, Adonis guessed the thing''s Stats had to have reached 5,000¡ª


    perhaps even surpassed it.


    ''If I add my Bonus Stats and the effects of my Enchanted Items, along with my Skills, it''s possible I can somewhat keep up.''


    The biggest advantage that Adonis and everyone present had was their intelligence.


    ''It''s a mass of power, but it''s merely following instincts. With a proper strategy, it''s possible to win.''


    ~VWUUUSH!~


    Summoning his Divine Sword, Adonis felt a rush of power surge through him as his teammates neared him.


    "Belle, use your strongest wind abilities to attack it in multiple areas. Billy, take the left nk, Alicia, take the right nk. I''ll attack from behind, hopefully dealing enough damage." Adonis instructed, and they all nodded their heads instantly.


    Every other person had to deal with the mobs, which meant they would be unprotected from the Monster''s st.


    Adonis had a n for that, though.


    "Huu¡­" Misty breath escaped his lips as he stared resolutely at the creature before them.


    "¡­ Let us begin!"


    ~WHOOOOSH!~


    Adonis deactivated his [Absolute Defense] and rushed towards the Boss, his helpers moving right behind him.


    The Boss Monster easily noticed this and prepared a st to halt them in their tracks, or at least eviscerate them.


    However, Adonis had already expected this predictable pattern of attack.


    "Rahhhhhhh!" He shed hard, pouring his Light Magic into the st of energy that his Divine Sword generated.


    The result was immediate.


    ~BOOOOOOOM!~


    The Boss Momster''s face tilted slightly, causing the st to fly somewhere else.


    As a result, they were all safe.


    "NOW!" Adonis yelled, noticing the monster had gone on recoil.


    Billy, Alicia, and Belle took their respective positions, and as they prepared their Skills, Adonis leaped high to the very face of the Monster and used his Light Magic.


    "Grand Luminous re!" Pointing both of his palms towards the Boss, a powerful burst of blinding light rushed towards the beast''s face.


    While it was concentrated solely on the Boss Monster, the purpose of the Spell was not at all to deal some kind of damage.


    No¡­ it was to deal a debuff.


    "I''ve blinded it. Maintain some distance from the Boss, as well as the effects of your attacks, so it can''t detect where you are!"


    Adonis twisted in the air and bounced off the ceiling so he could finallynd behind the Boss.


    Tightly gripping his de, he prepared a definitive attack on the Boss.


    ''I can''t pull my punches!'' Gritting his teeth, he began to activate all Skills that would be useful for the current battle.


    Skills like [Indomitable Power] would help him in his offensive maneuvers, and since the Boss Monster was most likely a lot faster, his [Full Sense] Skill woulde in very useful if the creature tried to make any sudden moves.


    ''All preparations have been made¡­'' Adonis took his stance, ready to strike.


    ''Please let this work!''


    *


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    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    What do you all think? Will it work? Will it not?

 Chapter 315 Otherworlders Going All Out [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 315 Otherworlders Going All Out [Pt 2] </h4>


    ~BOOOOOOM!~


    Adonis'' first attack roared as he put all his power into his swing.


    Layers of brightly bursting energy and golden light were sent flying towards the hide of the Boss Monster in a single rush of destruction.


    However¡­


    ''N-nothing, huh?!'' Adonis felt a bead of sweat fall down his face as he gulped.


    Not only was the creature perfectly fine after tanking that attack, but it used its very long tail to whip through the area, speeding towards where Adonis stood.


    ''W-what?!''


    Thanks to [Full Sense], Adonis was able to detect the tail swing in time, but he wasn''t fast enough topletely evade it.


    Sure, he dodged the tail itself, but there was no escaping the shockwaves that flowed with it.


    "Guh!" The pressure alone was enough to send Adonis flying into the Boss Room itself, a deste ce filled only with glowing crystal-like energy sources.


    ''Damnit! I miscalcted!''


    Adonis'' thoughts began to race as he looked ahead, barely seeing the Monster as a result of his disoriented vision.


    ''I blinded it, yet it could sense my exact position.''


    Was that a coincidence?


    No¡­ Adonis couldn''t possibly assume that.


    There was only one conclusion he could reach, and based on his experience, Adonis knew he was right on the mark with this.


    ''It has a Sensory Skill!''


    If that was the case, then he had to hurry and warn the rest of his teammates.


    They weren''t as safe as they thought!


    *******


    "True Frosty Spikes!"


    Alicia sent multiple spiky projectiles towards the Boss Monster, while also trying her best to slow it down by covering it with ice.


    Unfortunately, the creature''s body mass was too big for her to possibly cover. Also, its body''s incredible density and vitality made all her efforts worthless.


    Even the Ice Spikes easily bounced off its body as if it was nothing.


    ''I''ve been expending Mana at an astronomical rate and yet¡­!''


    Not a single sign of damage seemed to be evident.


    She looked as her Familiar, Snow, was busy fighting the Mobs, an order Alocia gave her despite the rabbit desperately wanting to stay by her side.


    ''Snow wants to protect me, but this is what is best for the formation.''


    With the rabbit''s speed, the rest of the Otherworlders could more quickly dispatch the Mobs ande over to assist them in facing the Boss.


    That was what she thought, at the very least.


    While Alicia was having these thoughts, she didn''t notice the long neck of the Boss Monster turning towards her.


    ¡­ Not until it was toote.


    ~VWUUSH!~


    A smaller, more concentrated st began to manifest in the Monster''s mouth, and it set its blond eyes on the annoying woman on its nk.


    ~VWOOOM!~


    The air trembled as the st wasunched, which was just when Alocia noticed iting towards her.


    Her body was too stiff to move, and her widened eyes took in the intense radiation that was charging towards her.


    "Aliciaaaaa!!!" Billy''s roaring voice echoed in her ears as she felt her body being pushed to the side.


    Surprised, her sight caught Billy now taking her previous position.


    ''H-he¡­ what is he doing¡­?!'' Alicia thought to herself as she looked at Billy''s determined gaze.


    ''N-no¡­!''


    The light descended, practically swallowing him whole.


    ''Not this!''


    And then, the resounding echo of destruction raged forth, sending shockwaves flying in multiple directions.


    Everyone was blown away, and Alicia was no exception.


    In the end, once the dust began to settle, she was still on the ground, weakly looking at the distance where Billy had stood.


    She expected to see nothing standing there, but instead she found two people at the exact spot.


    One was floating in the air, both hands raised, with smoke rushing all around him. The other was kneeling on the ground.


    "C-rk¡­?" Alicia''s gaze of surprise greeted the floating boy who had left his own formation and sessfully blocked the st.


    Everyone in the team already knew that one of the Privileges of his ss was the ability to withstand any single attack, no matter how powerful.


    This Privilege only applied once a day, so it wasn''t invincible. It also protected the user from one attack, so a second blow would be fatal.


    rk hadn''t yet used this Privilege on the Raid thus far because everything was so easy¡ªat least, until now.


    If it hadn''t been for that, Alicia already knew they would be toast.


    ~WHOOSH!~


    Like aet, a golden st rushed from within the Boss Room, and Adonis charged towards the face of the Boss Monster with far more tenacity than normal.


    ~BOOOOM!~


    Tremors filled the room as the impact of Adonis hitting the face of the Boss Monster spread all over the massive expanse.


    This caused the thing to stumble, and with Belle''s persistent Wind Attacks, the creature''s imbnce took a very critical turn.


    Alicia instantly realized it was her turn for action, so she froze the ground, forcing the Monster to copse on the ground.


    "Haaa¡­ haaa¡­" As she heaved in near exhaustion, she turned her gaze to Billy and rk.


    They were already having a heated conversation, and Alicia could already tell what it was about.


    ''He nearly died¡­ just to save me!''


    *********


    "Are you stupid?! Why would you throw your life away like that?"


    rk''s face was flushed with annoyance as he red at Billy.


    Not only did he have to use his once-a-day Privilege to save Billy, but he also broke his own team formation in the process.


    "Y-you didn''t have to save me. I''m fine¡­"


    "Fine my ass! If I didn''t save you, you would have died, and that would havepromised the entire formation." rk growled as he dragged the kneeling Billy by the cor.


    "We need you to survive this, asshole. If you just throw your life away like that, it would reduce our chances of making it out of here alive."


    As rk said all this, he felt something shift in his heart, but he didn''t know quite what it was.


    When he saw Billy in danger, the first thing he thought of wasn''t merely to prevent him from dying.


    Rather, it was how his death would affect the whole team.


    Once he recognized the overarching detriment, his body moved on its own, and he ended up saving Billy.


    ¡­ Not like the boy seemed very thankful for it.


    "Are you suicidal or what? If you pushed Alicia out of the way, you could have moved too!"


    rk knew this wasn''t the ce to say all of these things. He knew Billy had done a very righteous thing, by saving one of their own.


    But¡­ somehow he couldn''t help but feel frustrated.


    "Choosing to die, just like that, do you have any idea how selfish that is of you!"


    That wasn''t what being a Hero was about.


    "I¡­"


    "Do you even realize how your death would affect the person you saved? Think of the guilt and heavy burden she''ll have to bear her whole life¡ªthat is, if we manage to escape this ce!"


    Once Billy heard this, he chuckled slightly and leaked out a small smile.


    "No¡­ I don''t think she''ll feel guilty at all." Billy cast his gaze on rk, and his gaze was pretty much dull.


    ¡ªAs if he was a dead man standing.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    What an interesting turn of events all of this is. I hope you''re all enjoying the story!

 Chapter 316 Otherworlders Going All Out [Pt 3]

    <h4>Chapter 316 Otherworlders Going All Out [Pt 3] </h4>


    Billy was tired.


    He was tired of feeling like a shitty individual.


    Sure, it was all his fault that he and Alicia experienced the horrors that they did and were nearly sold into very.


    He recognized all of his errors, though he knew everything he had done was with Alicia''s best interests at heart.


    He just¡­ made too many mistakes and went about things the wrong way. Billy realized that now.


    Unfortunately, it seemed like this realization hade a bit toote. Even though he epted his faults and was willing to change, it didn''t seem like there was anyone who was willing to see him for who he was.


    There was Adonis, but it was obvious that he couldn''t regain the previous trust the Hero had in him.


    Everyone else who didn''t know of the incident treated him normally, but he couldn''t help but fear what would happen if they ever found out about his actions.


    As a result, he sort of isted himself from the rest of his ssmates.


    He was no longer friends with Rey, who would have probably understood his actions if they were still as close as they were before.


    In a tragic twist of fate, Rey now upied the position he always wanted.


    He had the respect of Adonis, the affection of Alicia, and the acknowledgment of the rest of his ssmates¡ªall while being so weak.


    Rey probably didn''t know this, but the Otherworlders had grown to respect him.


    They knew where he started from, and now that they saw how much he had improved, none of them could doubt the hard work he put into his growth.


    Even Billy¡­ couldn''t deny it.


    ''I regret everything.''


    Billy wished, more than anything, to be able to go back and restart everything.


    He would make so many new choices and stop his stupid self from making so many wrong choices.


    Unfortunately¡­ no one could change the past.


    ''If that''s the case, then¡­ isn''t it better if I''m not here at all?'' That was the thought Billy now had.


    The thought that prompted him to nearly end his life for the sake of a noble cause.


    Unfortunately, rk saved him and instantly saw through his bullshit. Once again, he felt shitty, as if he now had something new to regret in his massive pile.


    How much more could he endure before finally breaking?


    Billy had no idea.


    ''I''m just so tired already¡­''


    ********


    "Alicia wouldn''t care if I died¡­"


    Billy chuckled as he shrugged slightly. The two boys could clearly hear the explosions and echoes of destruction, but at that moment, they could only look at each other.


    rk was stunned by the version of Billy that he was seeing, and for the first time in a while, thetter was peeling off his mask.


    In the end, no matter how much he tried to take responsibility, he couldn''t regain what he lost.


    Wasn''t he better off dead then¡ªespecially if he could do something heroic before his death?


    "If you can say that about me, then you really don''t know me at all."


    The feminine voice that echoed in the air caused Billy''s body to grow stiff, and his heart nearly skipped a beat¡ªmaybe more.


    Approaching the two boys, who looked to their left, was the current topic of their discussion.


    "A-Alicia¡­?"


    "I don''t like you, Billy. I don''t think I could ever look at you favorably or even forget what you did. But¡­ that''s not to say I wouldn''t care if you died."


    Billy could feel his heart ache, as well as moistness spreading through his eyes.


    This was the first proper sentence that Alicia had said to him ever since the incident.


    She wouldn''t even look at him before now.


    "I recognize your strength, as well as the efforts you put into growing stronger. Everyone in this room requires that strength."


    Billy felt a mix of both mncholy and joy.


    ¡ªIndescribable joy.


    "This world needs you. Your ssmates need you. I need you." Alicia drew closer and stretched her hand towards him.


    "So, please¡­ let''s fight together and win this battle."


    Tears fell from Billy''s eyes as he gazed upon Alicia, who seemed like the very personification of light, here to save him from the darkness that was consuming him.


    All he had to do was take her hand.


    "I¡­" His croaking voice echoed as he raised his hand towards her.


    "¡­ I understand!"


    Grappling her by the hand, she pulled him up quite easily.


    Any normal person seeing this would think it was shocking, but considering how Alicia was almost in Level 60, with immense Points spread across various facets of her Stats, doing something like that was rtively easy.


    Billy smiled, swallowing whatever saliva and mucus that had clogged his throat. He also cleaned the tears in his eyes and had a determined gaze on his face.


    Alicia nodded at him, and he did the same.


    They were finally on the same page, and seeing all of this y out before his eyes, rk couldn''t help but also smile in satisfaction.


    "Thank you, rk." He turned to the brown-haired boy beside him.


    "No problem. d to see you back. Billy."


    "d to be back!"


    Billy took in a deep breath, feeling a surge of motivation unlike anything he had felt in a very long time.


    It was at this exact moment that the rest of the Otherworlders gathered with them, already done with the rest of the Mobs.


    "What''s with this gathering?"


    "We needed some backup, and you all were just talking?"


    "We''re finally done, no thanks to you three."


    Chuckles and sighs of relief echoed forth, but there was no ill spread among any of the ssmates.


    Belle also approached the cluster of eight students, and not long after, Adonisnded in their midst as well.


    With all nine of them gathered together, having nothing else to face but the Boss Monster, they all gazed upon the fallen creature who struggled to rise.


    "Now is our best chance to fight it!" Adonis spoke up, addressing all who were waiting for their orders from him.


    "I''ll do my best to stop the sts, so all of you should take on respective parts of its body and chip at its health."


    "UNDERSTOOD!"


    "Belle and Alicia, both of you are responsible for ensuring it never rises back up." Adonis turned to the two strongest girls in the group.


    "Belle, use your Windfall Spell to create a pressure that makes it difficult for the Monster to rise. It''s naturally heavy, so your Spell should make it more difficult for it."


    "Got it!" The blonde nodded.


    "As for you, Alicia, make sure the ground remains frozen, and ensure the part of its body that is on the ground is also frozen so it remains stuck."


    With that, the mobility of the Boss Monster was essentiallypromised.


    Even though it would take them forever to chip at its health, this was the safest option they had.


    "Understood!" Alicia responded with resolve.


    "Alright! We all have our roles, so let''s do our best."


    Adonis'' eyes glowed golden and cackles of power rushed through him.


    "We''re not going to let Sir Ralyks down. We''re going to defeat this thing and get out of here in one piece."


    Everyone nodded and strengthened their resolve for thest act of their battle.


    "All of us, no exceptions!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    This was quite the dramatic chapter. I wonder what Rey is doing through all this, though.

 Chapter 317 Otherworlders Going All Out [Pt 4]

    <h4>Chapter 317 Otherworlders Going All Out [Pt 4] </h4>


    "Haaa¡­ Haaa¡­"


    Alicia felt her heart racing as her ssmates and her prepared to charge.


    She turned to her right and she saw her Familiar, Snow, clinging close to her.


    Once again, she didn''t want to let her go by herself. However, Alicia knew Snow was going to be very helpful to the mission, so¡­


    ''Please help out!'' She pleaded.


    Inevitably, the Familiar had to follow her Master''smands.


    Alicia turned to her left, and among the few students who stood there, a particr boy caught her sight.


    ''Rey¡­''


    He had a determined expression, one that showed how determined he was to y his role in the brewing conflict.


    ''There''s no guarantee we''ll make it out of here alive. And it''s even more risky for someone like him.''


    Despite that, Rey showed so much courage.


    It made Alicia''s anxiety slowly dissipate. She bit her lip and steadied herself while still breathing heavily.


    "CHARGEEEE!!!"


    Adonis'' loud voice reverberated among the Otherworlders, and everyone took their respective positions.


    Alicia poured all her strength into ensuring the icy ground was strong enough to support the weight of the creature that was slowly rising.


    Once it tried standing for a few seconds, Belle''s winds destabilized it, and Alicia''s ice took it from there.


    The behemoth of a creature fell back down, sending tremors flowing through the ground.


    Shockwaves rocked the entire Floor, but the Otherworlders would not be deterred by that¡ªnot in the slightest.


    This was a fight for their life.


    "ATTACK! GIVE IT EVERYTHING!"


    Adonis went straight for the head and began to chop up the Monster.


    Each Otherworlder took a certain position and bombarded the creature with their most powerful offensive moves.


    It had a very dense body, so they kept chipping at a particr location until the Monster would inevitably fall.


    "URAAHHHHH!"


    "DIEEEEEEEE!!!"


    "EAT THISSSSSS!"


    Screams and shouts kept ringing aloud, almost as if the Otherworlders had lost their minds.


    They kept up the same monotonous movements¡ªsome hammering their Enchanted Weapons on the body of the creature while pouring all their Elemental Magic into their de itself.


    Others kept chanting their most powerful Spells and spamming it on the Monster.


    The creature initially didn''t make any troubling sounds. If only tried to counterattack, but every time it tried to do so, Adonis was always ready for a counterattack.


    After going at this for nearly an hour¡­ they finally began to see progress,


    "UROAAAHHHHHHH!!"


    The Boss Monster began to howl in pain, iling its body around as if it was experiencing pure agony.


    "Don''t let up! We''re getting there! Continue attacking!"


    Adonis and his allies kept up their assaults. Their sweat sprayed all over, and their muscles convulsed as a result of the relentless effort they kept putting forward.


    Then, after another hour passed¡­


    ~SPLOOOSH!~


    ¡­ Blood began to spray out of the Monster''s body.


    Most of the Otherworlders were already beyond exhausted at this point, but the moment they saw the bluish purple liquid spurt of the creature, they regained their zeal.


    Squeezing out thest drop of Mana that they had, they began to bombard the inner recesses of the Monster with their attacks.


    "[Greater Explosion]!"


    "[Greater Lightning]"


    "[Grand Fire Magic]!"


    Words like this kept echoing among the respective Otherworlders.


    More noise and seemingly unintelligible words flowed out, only to be drowned by the explosions caused by their assault


    Then, after a total of three hours¡ªno, most likely more¡ªsince they started the attack, the Boss Monster finally gave its final shriek.


    ~SQUISH!~


    Thest strike to its belly was the attack that finished it off, and the one who did it in¡­ was apparently the weakest of the group.


    ¡ªRey Skr!


    ********


    "Good job, everyone."


    Adonis, and every other person in the group, was on the floor, lying t as he breathed heavily.


    He had a wide grin on his face despite the fact that he and his friends nearly died. Something about the challenge he just experienced made his heart race at an abnormal pace.


    The fact that they won despite the odds tugged at his lips and made him grin even wider.


    Everyone was breathing heavily, but their mixed expressions made it clear that not all of them were as happy as Adonis.


    "I can''t believe we went through all of that and didn''t even Level Up one time."


    "Yeah¡­ my entire body aches."


    "I just want to sleep for ten thousand years."


    "I''m so hungryyyy!"


    Adonis merely smiled at the tantrums and looked in the direction of the luckiest one in their group¡ªRey.


    The boy was lying down right beside Alicia, which caused Adonis to smile even more.


    ''To think he got all the EXP from that Boss. I wonder what Level he''ll be in now¡­''


    There was no way his ss would remain a Commoner after all of this, so the Level Cap of 30 had to change as well.


    ''If I had to guess, he''ll have an Adventurer ss. That''ll be a C-


    Tier ss. As for Levels, I''m thinking somewhere around the range of 35-40.''


    Adventurers had increased EXP when fighting and defeating Monsters¡ªespecially if those Monsters were more powerful than the Adventurer, so Adonis was certain Rey would have gotten a lot stronger than before.


    ''If he ys his cards right, he might eventually close the gap between himself and everyone.''


    Adonis knew it was wishful thinking, but he couldn''t help but wish to see that happen.


    Maybe it was because Adonis was a good person and simply wanted to see everyone grow in their own way. Perhaps it was just that he was being a pragmatic leader and desired for all his teammates to be as equallypetent as possible.


    Or¡­ it could be because of something else.


    Something called guilt.


    ''You were a lot stronger in the past, Rey. Your ss and Skills were different, so¡­''


    Adonis felt a sense of responsibility every time he looked at Rey.


    ''My return to the past must have caused that change.''


    Which was why, no matter how little he could contribute or help, he had to atone for some of those deeds.


    ''I was warned this might happen, but I don''t care. No matter the other changes that have urred and that might ur, I don''t regret my choice.''


    With a deep re, Adonis looked at the ceiling and soon closed his eyes.


    ''I will save everyone¡­ no matter the cost!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 318 The Tense Aftermath

    <h4>Chapter 318 The Tense Aftermath </h4>


    "I was watching you¡­ Rey."


    Alicia''s breaths were heavy, her chest rising up and down every second as she looked at the boy she was talking to.


    He was also equally tired¡ªno, perhaps even more so.


    "You just kept hacking and hacking. You didn''t even show a hint of fear at all."


    Of course, this was a quality she admired in Rey¡ªthe assertive nature he had underneath the seemingly in appearance and personality he usually showed.


    It was thanks to watching him constantly attack, despite the exhaustion he must have been feeling, that she was able to keep going despite feeling extremely drained.


    She couldn''t let up¡ªnot after seeing what Rey was doing.


    And so, despite feeling lightheaded, tired, or downright sick, she kept her attacks. As a result, they were eventually able to defeat the Monster.


    "T-thank you, Alicia. I just¡­ had to do it!"


    "Weren''t you scared at all? I mean¡­ you were so close to the thing."


    "I¡­ I wasn''t scared." Rey said as he smiled at her.


    "I knew we would win."


    Alicia''s face instantly morphed into that of surprise. She didn''t think anyone could say such words given the situation.


    All their options seemed to have vanished, and even their guardians were eviscerated. If it hadn''t been for certain conditions, and the aid of Adonis'' leadership, they would have all perished.


    "You do realize that we could have easily been killed if we made the slightest mistake, right?"


    "But we didn''t." Rey responded, his smile growing even broader.


    "I believe Sir Ralyks must have been very confident in our capabilities¡­ enough to believe we could take down that thing."


    Alicia''s eyes widened even more upon hearing that name.


    "So he¡­ he actually¡­!"


    Thanks to the intensity of the situation, she never really had the time or opportunity to process the bigger picture of things. But now¡­ she was beginning to unravel everything.


    "Are you saying he knew such a Monster was waiting for us here?" She blurted out, her voice so loud that it attracted the attention of everyone in the room.


    The moment she asked this, everyone began to stare at each other in realization.


    "H-hold on¡­ Sir Ralyks knew?"


    "He intentionally sent us down here despite knowing all that? That''s so messed up, man!"


    "We nearly died, you know?"


    Before any more could be said about the matter, Rey spoke up with the loudest possible voice he could make.


    "Let''s not me Sir Ralyks. I''m sure he trusted in our abilities and knew we woulde out victorious."


    Many people shot Rey mixed reactions, but someone in particr quickly gave a response as soon as the former defended the actions of their supposed guardian.


    "Of course, you''d support him. You got all the benefits of the Level Up."


    "Hey!" Alicia''s voice instantly rose as she stared at the one who said the words.


    It was Justin Baker.


    The moment Alicia gave him her disapproving look, he shrank back in hesitation. However, that didn''t mean he was done.


    "I''m not wrong. I''m sure we''re all thinking the same!" He looked at every other Otherworlder in the room, probably hoping to find an ally among them.


    "C''mon! Let''s just be honest with ourselves."


    "That''s enough, Justin. We all know it was by chance, and I''m sure you wouldn''t haveined if you were the one who got that EXP."


    With Adonis speaking up, Justin began to dete.


    "I agree with Rey. Of course, Sir Ralyks would have known the Monster was here. He''s very thorough, and he said he had already looked into the Floors we would be challenging before leaving them up to us." Adonis continued, his voice calm and collected.


    Silence filled the room as everyone decided to hear him out, despite their initial aversion to Rey and what he had to say.


    "He also told us that we would be able to handle everything we would encounter down here. He must have also been referring to the Monster we faced just now."


    There were still doubtful expressions on the faces of the Otherworlders, but a few of them were able to see reason.


    "I mean¡­ I guess you''re right." rk murmured. "Even with all the powers it disyed, we still managed toe out on top."


    "Yeah. And it was thanks tobining our powers." Eric added.


    "If we made a single mistake, we would have lost. But¡­ we didn''t make those mistakes." Trisha also spoke out.


    After speaking for a while, none of them could deny it any longer.


    "Sir Ralyks already knew we could win!"


    Sure, it was difficult and incredibly dangerous. They actually thought they were going to die. But¡­


    ¡­ That was exactly what they needed!


    It was that sense of danger that prompted them to act so desperately and try their best to survive.


    Thanks to their swift response to the situation, as well as their powerfulbinations and utilization of their most effective abilities, they managed to pull it off.


    "This is what a real Raid is all about. I believe Sir Ralyks was trying to teach us that."


    Nods of agreements went to Adonis'' words.


    Out of everyone who spoke, though, there was one person who didn''t utter a single word¡ªBelle.


    Initially, they thought she was upset or experiencing some kind of difort, due to her trembling so much.


    However, after checking her out, they found out she was sleeping.


    *********


    ''Mission sessful!''


    Rey smiled internally as he took in the ambiance of the entire ne that surrounded him.


    ''Looks like everything worked ording to n.''


    He cast a slight nce at Belle''s sleeping state, heaving a sigh of relief upon seeing her gentle face.


    ''She was leaking out so much bloodlust when Justin and the others were badmouthing Ralyks. What has Ater done to her¡­?''


    Rey had to put her under [Sleep], or things would have been bad. Best case scenario, she would end up embarrassing or even exposing herself for who she was.


    However¡­


    ''Worst case scenario, she would have injured or nearly killed someone.''


    Rey didn''t think these two were mutually exclusive. Thankfully, he was able to prevent either.


    ''I''m happy they can all see the benefits of this entire thing. They were able to fight an extremely powerful opponent that they had no chance of beating without working together.''


    Rey didn''t take pleasure in seeing people suffer¡ªespecially if they were his ssmates.


    However, it needed to be done.


    ''Our real enemies are the Dragons, not mere Monsters. This way, they can at least know what to expect from the real world.''


    As Rey''s thoughts flowed, they were interrupted by Alicia''s voice.


    "Sorry you were just silenced like that. It wasn''t right."


    Rey shrugged as soon as he heard Alicia say that. She was even making a sad face, which sort of pricked him a little.


    ''I don''t even feel bad about it.'' He couldn''t tell her that, though.


    "It''s fine. I''m used to it."


    "That doesn''t make it fair. Look at how their expressions changed once Adonis said pretty much the same thing."


    Rey offered a wry smile.


    ''She really is cute, caring about me like that¡­''


    In a way, that made Rey feel even more guilty for lying and keeping so many secrets from her.


    ''This has gotten moreplicated.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    What do you think will happen now? Rey piling lies upon lies like this¡­

 Chapter 319 The Invitation

    <h4>Chapter 319 The Invitation </h4>


    "So¡­ what now?"


    The voice echoed from Justin, his eyes directly ced on Adonis.


    "If Sir Ralyks nned all of this, then surely he would have thought of taking care of the aftermath."


    The question was valid, and everyone began to stare at Adonis, though a few cast their gazes on Rey as well, since he too supported Ralyks.


    "How exactly are we going to get back to the¡ª?"


    Before Justin could utter another word, a massive portal appeared underneath them, causing all nine¡ªten, if you included the Familiar¡ªto descend into the swirling spatial rift.


    ~WHUSH!~


    In no time at all, their bodies wereid t within the living room of their quarters.


    Astonished expressions filled the Otherworlders as they looked around the familiar setting, all of them pretty much unable to deny the facts any longer.


    Sir Ralyks had been in control from the start!


    Even in the possible scenario of them losing to the Boss Monster of the Thirteenth Floor, it was now clear that Ralyks would have sent them away from danger.


    No one knew how he was able to utilize Spatial Magic in such a way, despite being absent from the scene.


    However, they all knew one thing.


    "Sir Ralyks really is amazing!"


    ********


    With everyone now in their living quarters, they quickly found out that it was already evening.


    Many of the Otherworlders were already sleepy, and others just wanted to rest on a soft,fy surface¡ªin essence, the beds in their rooms.


    Who could me them?


    Even Adonis looked exhausted beyond measure.


    "Well¡­ I guess this is the point where we retire to our rooms. I''ll see you all tomorrow morning."


    Upon saying that, Adonis basically crawled to his room.


    He wasn''t the only one.


    Literally all the Otherworlders had to crawl to their respective rooms¡ªsome acting like worms, while others behaving like turtles.


    Their hands and legs were pretty much spent, but if they relied on potions to do the work for them, it would essentially render all their hard work useless.


    Despite not leveling up, it was a given that they would gain a lot of Stats just from exerting themselves so much.


    What they needed right now was rest.


    "W-well¡­ this is farewell, Alicia." Rey smiled at her as he began to squirm away like a worm.


    He was no exception to the rule, after all.


    "W-wait, Rey. There''s something¡­ I want to tell you."


    Most of the students had already gone to their rooms, except Belle who was just sleeping in the living room.


    Adonis had been kind enough to ce her on the couch, but no one was going to carry her to her room¡ªespecially since no one could enter without her consent.


    In any case, the living room was essentially deserted, but Alicia still wouldn''t budge.


    She looked at Rey intensely as he turned back to look at her face.


    "Something you want to tell me?" He asked.


    "Yes. It''s about¡­ that time¡­ that I went missing."


    Her face was clouded with something indescribable, but she still struggled to let those words out.


    "I think I''m ready now." Slowly, herplexion turned into a brighter hue, and she smiled a little.


    "O-okay¡­" Rey could only mutter as he looked at Alicia.


    He knew she wasn''t one to inconvenience anyone. She could have easily postponed it, yet she chose to have it at that exact moment.


    The whole thing must have been eating at her inside for too long.


    "O-or maybe we can talk about itte¡ª"


    "No. I''d like to hear it all now, please." Rey responded, reciprocating her brave smile.


    "Thank you, Rey."


    The boy simply nodded, and for a moment, the two of them stood still¡­ watching their eyes sparkle as they stared at each other.


    "My goodness, get a room already." Belle''s voice suddenly woke the both of them from their reverie as she crawled away from her sofa into her room.


    She had a frown her face, clicking her tongue as she shut the door in a menacing manner.


    "Oof¡­ grumpy much?"


    The moment Rey said this, Alicia burst outughing, and he did the same as well.


    "Pffft! Hahaha!"


    "Hahaahahaha!"


    They were practically the only ones left in the living room, and seeing as their posture was just themying on the floor, the entire thing felt weird.


    "Come on, Rey. Lets go and talk in my room."


    "E-eh¡­?" Rey''s brain nearly shut down once he heard those words.


    "What? Why do you look so surprised?"


    "W-well¡­ I mean¡­"


    "Don''t tell me you''ve never entered a girl''s room before." Alicia suddenly gave a slick smile as she narrowed her gaze on Rey.


    At that moment, the inner man within Rey didn''t want to lose.


    He couldn''t stand for such humiliation.


    "Of course, I have¡­ ahem!" He struggled hard not to say anything more.


    "Ohhh? I wonder who the girl is."


    Her smug smile, coupled with how she sounded, made Rey regret ever admitting to his actions.


    "She''s¡­ not important. And it was a while back." He could only spit out.


    "Hmmm¡­"


    Rey gulped as her eyes pierced deeper into his own.


    He could only hope she bought it.


    "Haha! It''s fine. I guess I just like pulling your legs so much."


    Alicia''s grin made Rey feel like a buffoon for getting so worked up like that, though her next statement nearly made him freak out twice as much.


    "You know¡­ yours was the first guys'' room I ever entered."


    "¡­"


    "I know. Surprising, right?"


    "¡­"


    "In any case¡­ let''s go." Alicia quickly changed topics, doing her best to ward off the awkward tension that was thick in the air.


    "¡­ Okay."


    Rey''s face was beet red as he looked at her. He felt so embarrassed that he wanted to simply cover himself in a nket and float away.


    The situation wouldn''t allow it, though.


    ''My first time in Alicia''s room¡­ let''s just think about that.'' He calmed his mind and soothed his thoughts.


    And so, like amb led to the ughter, Rey crawled to the second girl''s room he would be visiting.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    This chapter took a different turn from what I expected, honestly. Sigh¡­ hopefully the quality isn''t too bad.

 Chapter 320 Breaking Down

    <h4>Chapter 320 Breaking Down </h4>


    Alicia''s room was cute.


    It wasn''t as pretty or as spacious as Esme''s bedchambers, but it had a unique feel to it that Rey felt it would be ridiculous topare the two.


    Her room was painted in pure white, with hints of blue here and there.


    Rey already knew this, but Alicia was a minimalist¡ªbarely having anything of note in her room.


    It had a simple design, and her bed also appeared very simple, though incredibly spacious.


    ''I bet Snow sleeps right next to her.'' Rey thought to himself.


    Seeing as the rabbit instantly hopped to the bed once they arrived in the room, he knew his theory was spot on.


    The most pleasant thing about the room for Rey, however, was the scent.


    ''Smells like Alicia¡­ all around.''


    Rey wondered if he was being a creep for thinking thoughts like this. He couldn''t help it, though.


    Every whiff he took reminded him of the girl who was right beside him, and it honestly felt like he was close to her at all times.


    "Sorry if it doesn''t meet your expectations. It''s nothing special, really." Alicia broke Rey out of his thoughts, causing him to return to reality.


    "O-oh, no! Not at all!"


    Rey''s expression had been nk since they entered, so Alicia must have taken it to mean that he was unimpressed with what he was experiencing.


    However, it was the opposite that was true.


    Because he was so captivated by what he was seeing, and so excited to be in her room, he refused to let his overflowing emotions burst out.


    As such, he ended up looking nk.


    "It looks so pretty and simple. Sofortable¡­" Rey leaked out a small smile, casting an intense gaze on Alicia.


    "It smells like you, Alicia."


    "W-what?!" Alicia''s cheeks began to show signs of pink.


    Rey was either blind, or he wasn''t paying attention, because he didn''t stop.


    "I''m serious. Honestly, I just feel like closing my eyes and sleeping here."


    "Ce on, don''t exaggerate!"


    At this point, Alicia had to look away, pretending as if she was staring at something on the wall that simply wasn''t there.


    "Y-you really aren''t disappointed¡­?" It came out as a whisper, barely a murmur, but Alicia asked the question.


    Rey answered almost immediately.


    "I''m not disappointed in the slightest." As Rey said this, Alicia turned back to look at him.


    "Your room is pretty. Just like you."


    Both of their cheeks turned red, and they silently soaked in the intensity that kept on rising at an astronomical rate.


    "T-thank you¡­"


    "Y-you''re wee¡­"


    No one knows how long this awkwardnesssted. However, by the time they both came to their senses, it was pretty dark out already.


    ********


    "¡­ And that''s what happened."


    Alicia told Rey everything¡ªfrom start to finish.


    She told him how she was tricked by Billy from the Library, and what transpired in the juice shop, up till when they were both kidnapped and nearly sold into very.


    The worst part was being in that darkness, feeling the taste of despair as her body refused to listen to her.


    The overwhelming fear was too traumatic for her.


    "If I had stayed there a day or two longer¡­ I think I might have gone mad."


    Alicia had never experienced such despondency. She truly believed her life as she knew it woulde to an end, and she could do absolutely nothing to stop it.


    "I¡­ I was scared, Rey! I''m still scared!"


    She ended up copsing on his chest as they bothy down on her bed.


    Yes, they were both filthy as a result of the Dungeon¡ªRey more filthy than her¡ªbut none of them cared.


    Alicia simply rested on his broader chest, and he wrapped his arm around her¡­ something he never thought he could do.


    She didn''tin. In fact, she drew even closer to him.


    "Anytime I look at Billy, I feel such rage and fear. I can''t ever forget and forgive him for what he put me through." Her voice was quaking, oozing out emotions in all their purity.


    "I fear the darkness now. I just¡­ I feel a lot of sensations from back then that are still real to me now."


    The same Alicia who would oftenugh and joke was also the one going through so much pain.


    Rey stroked her hair, looking at her as she tightly shut her eyes and cried.


    ''I really don''t know what to say to her¡­'' His thoughts trailed as he felt a tiny pang within his heart.


    ''At the very least, I''m happy she was able to finally tell me all this.''


    As for how to respond in an empathetic and totally rtable manner, that waspletely lost to him. The only thing he could do was to remain quiet and listen to her.


    It was painful, but Rey had no other choice.


    ''This is the only thing I can do for you.'' He smiled sadly at the girl who cried her eyes out on his chest.


    ''I don''t think Billy scarred you to this extent. I didn''t know you were this badly affected by everything¡­''


    Rey had thought he already knew everything about the incident, but he was dead wrong.


    Just as Billy surprised him with his intentions to change and grow, Alicia also shocked him with the tellings from her perspective.


    It was no surprise which one he resonated with the most.


    "Thank you for telling me all this, Alicia." Rey finally spoke after the room was silent for too long.


    Only sounds of the girl''s sobs filled everywhere, which meant he had to say something.


    "You''ve been through too much. You endured it all. I really don''t know what to say to you right now, but¡­"


    Rey narrowed his eyes and cursed himself for being so impotent when it came to properly expressing himself¡ª


    especially in moments like this.


    Still, he gave it his hardest.


    "¡­ You did well, holding on for this long."


    He didn''t mean that in any superficial way. Rey genuinely respected Alicia for her challenges and how she chose to handle them.


    It was this respect that prompted him to utter those words.


    "I now understand." He could see her eyes slowly open as she looked at him.


    "Whatever it takes, Alicia¡­ let''s find a way to get you back home."


    More tears fell from her eyes.


    "R-really¡­ Rey?"


    "Yes." One of the things that stung Rey''s heart the most was the dangers that Alicia had to go through in this world.


    They wouldn''t have happened back on Earth.


    Alicia had constantly told him of how she missed her life on Earth, but he always shoved it at the far corners of his mind due to his opposite viewpoint.


    But now¡­


    ''I can no longer stand you getting hurt like this.''


    This was the only way he could think of to save her from the constant threats and dangers that were waiting for her in this world.


    ¡ªThe only way to help her!


    "Let''s do it together. We''ll find a way back home, Alicia. No matter what it takes."


    She nodded at him and whispered the word "Thank you, Rey."


    He could only smile and nod.


    ''Don''t thank me yet, Alicia.'' The thoughts in his mind responded to her show of gratitude.


    "I''m sorry for burdening you with all of this."


    ''No. I should be the one apologizing¡­'' Rey felt yet another pang in his heart as he sank into her teary eyes.


    He couldn''t help but feel guilty.


    ''Even though you''ve told me this secret¡­ I don''t think I can tell you mine.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    In case some of you are wondering how Rey''s replica can disy such emotions, you should know that it''s actually Rey.


    It''ll be exined next chapter.

 Chapter 321 What Rey Was Up To

    <h4>Chapter 321 What Rey Was Up To </h4>


    [Moments Earlier: The Merchant City]


    "This is weird¡­"


    Rey and Esme were walking alongside each other, though with both of them cloaked, no one around could see them.


    They couldn''t hear them either.


    "Why haven''t we spotted a single Warehouse with any ve in them?" Esme muttered, her tone showing signs of impatience.


    She was, of course, in her full-ted armor, and her face was covered in a dark helmet. Still, that didn''t stop the emotions she disyed from leaking out.


    "I''m not surprised." Rey answered her, causing the Half Elf to turn in his direction.


    "What do you mean? You knew this would happen?"


    "No. I wasn''t sure. But, with all of this happening, it''s pretty clear what''s going on now."


    Esme''s quizzical expression was hidden underneath her helmet, just as Rey''s smile was also locked behind his mask.


    Both of them merely spoke without once being able to visually express their current emotions.


    "With Scy and her cohorts already aware that the Full Sweep is happening today, it''s very likely that they have already transferred their assets to a different location." Rey finally answered.


    To this, Esme groaned.


    "But we''ve been searching a lot of ces for days now. Nearly two weeks, even." She sighed, pping her hand against her metal helmet.


    If not for Rey''s control over sound Magic, her sudden action would have definitely attracted attention.


    "Does that mean we''ll have to search for them all over again?"


    A slight chuckle echoed from Rey as he looked at Esme, wishing he could see what kind of expression she had behind the Orichalcum.


    "You''re very smart and collected, but when ites to matters like these, you really are naive and excitable."


    "W-what?"


    "Pfft! Rx. I don''t me you for being unaware of how things work in this sphere of life." Rey shrugged, his tone still containing hints of amusement.


    "You don''t know anything about the Criminal Underworld."


    With Scy now in control of the entire ve Trade business, it was previously assumed that she would have her ves in the regions that were now under hermand.


    However, none of the merchandise could be seen there.


    No single ve was spotted there.


    "That means they''ve been transported to ces that aren''t even on the map, or they exist somewhere close¡­ where they''re very essible." Rey added.


    "But we''ve checked the Merchant City through and through and we''ve found nothing." Esme sighed. "And you also added that there''s no underground area for trade here."


    Rey nodded slightly.


    Unlike in the Capital, where an entire underground space had to be built in order to ensure the business of the ck Market flowed well, the Allied Merchant City had ck Market activities seamlessly blend well with mainstream businesses.


    Unless there was an expert in the field, or a proper investigation was carried out, it would be difficult to differentiate the two.


    "Which was why I also thought we had to search through the Merchant City. But, after finding nothing, I think there are only two options left." Rey sighed, both hands in his pockets.


    "Firstly, they might be in unregistered areas that aren''t on the map. That''ll make our search more difficult."


    "And the second option?" Esme quickly asked, neatly cutting Rey off when he spoke.


    A short moment of silence ensued after she did this.


    "S-sorry for that¡­"


    Esme''s head hung shamefully on her shoulders as she apologized. She was clearly anxious and extremely worried for her family.


    Rey understood that.


    ''I guess moments like this really show how young she is.'' He smiled underneath his mask before proceeding to tell her what she wanted to hear.


    "The second option is simple. They''re located at the closest ce they can be to Scy¡ªthe venue of the Dark Gathering itself."


    "A-ah¡­?"


    "Thinking about it well, even if there''s no underground region for trade here, Scy could have an underground area in her territory meant for storing her goods. It''s the perfect ce to hide merchandise." Rey found his lips widening the more he mulled over the possibility of his suspicions being correct.


    Before he could get very far, though, Esme''s voice surged forth.


    "Why do you keep referring to them like that?"


    "Pardon?"


    "The ves. They''re people, you know? Why do you keep referring to them as goods and merchandise?"


    Rey hadn''t particrly been paying attention to his use ofnguage, but he didn''t particrly think they mattered in the context in which they operated.


    "I call them that because that''s what our targets use to identify them. If I want to figure out where they are, I need to think the same way the opponent thinks."


    In essence, only by putting himself in their kind would he be able to fully grasp their thought process and imagine situations that could arise as a result.


    "I see¡­"


    Esme''s voice seemed neutral, though Rey felt like she was sort of disappointed in him.


    ''It doesn''t matter, though. Once she sees how helpful such a methodology is, she''ll understand.'' He shrugged all of those thoughts aside


    "Either way, it doesn''t matter which of the two options is true. We''ll be able to find out everything once the Dark Gathering begins." Rey chuckled as he stared at Esme.


    "I believe It''s time we returned to Rebal."


    *******


    ~VWUUUUSH!~


    Space parted, spitting out Rey and Esme in the process.


    The two walked in on Rebal and Kara seated on their beds, with the duplicate of Rey¡ªor rather, Ralyks¡ªstanding in the corner.


    "Y-you''re back, Sir Ralyks!"


    "Wee back, Sir Ralyks and¡­ well, his partner."


    As the two awkwardly gave their greetings, Rey nodded at them.


    "It''s evening already. A couple more hours, and the Dark Gathering begins." He smiled at the group, though his mask prevented anyone from seeing anything.


    "I still have to take care of one more round of business before we begin, so I''ll be taking my leave now."


    Of course, Rey still nned on leaving his Replica in the room¡ª


    pending the time he returned.


    The ce he was headed to was none other than the Royal Estate; the living quarters of the Otherworlders to be exact.


    "Later, then."


    ~VWUSH!~


    Once he took his leave and arrived at the living quarters, he found it to be obviously empty.


    ''Based on my sensory link to the Replica, I can tell that they''re done with facing the Monster. And, just as instructed, the Replica was able tond the final blow.''


    He was also thankful that he had tuned in to the Replica when he did, so he was able to stop Belle from freaking out on the rest of her ssmates.


    That was truly a close call.


    With a wide grin on his face, Rey gave hisst instruction to his Replica while transforming his body into what he would look like as a battered Rey and not the powerful Ralyks.


    His instruction to the Replica was simple: to teleport all his ssmates back to their living quarters.


    Once the replica did so, he positioned himself exactly where he would have been among the rest of the Otherworlders.


    As a result, he was able to blend seamlessly with them.


    Everything that happened after that was done by Rey¡­ and Rey alone.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I hope this gives you enough context on what has been going on thus far.


    Boring, I know, but please endure¡­


    And if it''s not boring to you, then that makes me even happier!

 Chapter 322 The Secret Of Darkness

    <h4>Chapter 322 The Secret Of Darkness </h4>


    [Moments Later]


    ''It''s a relief I undid the [Replication] when I did.'' Rey thought as he looked at Alicia''s sleeping face.


    After crying her eyes out, she had fallen asleep in Rey''s arms.


    He already knew she was very exhausted, so none of it came as a surprise to her. The only awkward thing was that he still had his arms wrapped around her.


    "Huu¡­" Rey couldn''t help but wonder what his Replica would have done in such an emotionally charged moment.


    ''I don''t even want to think about it.''


    In all honesty, he had been very lucky with the way the events had turned out.


    ''If I had been a bit off, things would have ended up being a little messed up. Maybe even more than that¡­'' He sighed.


    The n from the start was pretty simple.


    Rey fed the Boss Monster, as well as the Mobs, on the 98th Floor the Monster Cores that he found in the 99th Floor.


    That made them evolve to another level entirely.


    Afterwards, he left Ater in charge of overseeing their further evolution and ensuring that they would be viable for use in the fourth day of the Raid¡ªwhen there would be no Ralyks to save the Otherworlders.


    ''It''s really a shame that Monsters break down once they enter S-Tier. I guess they just don''t have it in them to evolve any further.''


    Rey wondered if the same applied to humans.


    Someone like Lucielle, if she was forcibly thrust into the S-Tier¡­ would she end up the same as the Boss Monster that Rey evolved?


    ''If that''s the case, then I guess humans are doomed to be on this level.''


    Rey still wasn''t sure if that was strictly the case, but his experience with the Monster had shown him that it was a great possibility.


    ''Maybe if the Monster had more time to stabilize its evolution, it wouldn''t have broken down like that. Its body would have limated to the change very slowly, and it would have been sessful.''


    Unfortunately, since Rey wanted immediate results when he embarked on that project, he couldn''t say for sure.


    ''Maybe I''ll conduct another experiment some other time to find out.''


    He still had a couple more Monster Cores belonging to the 99th Floor, so there were still assets at his disposal.


    For now, though, there other things upied his mind.


    ''I can''t tell Alicia that I''m Ralyks.''


    Thinking about how she perceived him, and how she perceived Ralyks, it would be a very difficult thing to ask her to reconcile both perspectives.


    Alocia had also told him on a few asions¡ªincluding not too long ago¡ªabout how she admired him for being so determined and brave despite his weakness.


    She liked how he worked hard and struggled to catch up to others despite being a weakling.


    ''How would she feel if I told her that was all a lie?''


    Rey had deceived her and everyone else for so long that if he revealed his true identity, it wouldn''t be that of ''Rey'' or ''Ralyks'' but a totally different person.


    He would be a stranger to everyone¡ªAlicia included.


    ''Besides, after pulling today''s stunt, I don''t know if I have it in me to tell her that the guy she looks up to so much intentionally put her in immense danger just so she can grow stronger.''


    Sure, he had the Boss Monster under his control.


    The thing wouldn''t have killed any of them since that was its directive. Besides, his Replica was also there to prevent any tragedy.


    He had been very careful with his nning.


    ''But I put them in a life or death situation mentally. Given Alicia''s trauma, that''s a very scummy thing to do.''


    Rey didn''t want her to see his actions in such a negative light.


    ''She might end up hating me the same way she despises Billy. No¡­ maybe even worse?''


    There was no need for him to risk their perfect rtionship with such an intense revtion.


    ''I¡­ I can''t tell her anything about it.''


    Rey sighed silently and wiggled his way out of her embrace. Smiling gently at her, he recognized his decision was more selfish than it was out of consideration for her.


    He truly was scared


    "Besides¡­" As he walked away from Alicia''s bed, Rey''s whisper silently echoed.


    It was cold, just like the look on his face as he neared the door.


    ''¡­ With what I''m about to do next, it''s better this all remains hidden.''


    Alicia had told him that she was scared of the darkness.


    ''My identity as Ralyks is nothing but darkness.''


    A path carved from the shadows, meant to do whatever was necessary¡ªeven if it meant spilling blood.


    That wasn''t something he could show her.


    "Which is why I''m so sorry, Alicia." Tears fell from his eyes as he twisted the doorknob.


    "My secret stays with me."


    ********


    Silent tension filled the room as Rey returned in his full glory.


    Wrapped around in darkness, with all his gear strapped in their respective locations, he appeared out of the warp in space.


    His allies¡ªRebal, Kara, and Esme¡ªrose to their feet, instinctively knowing that their moment of wait was now over.


    In a single breath, Rey canceled the effects of his [Replication], ensuring his final clone returned to him.


    Right now, he was at full power.


    "The time hase." He said, his gaze on the three who nodded and shuddered at his words.


    The Dark Gathering was at hand, even while the Merchant City was being turned upside down by the Royal Council''s Full Sweep efforts.


    Chaps pervaded the capital that night, and even more horrors were about to be revealed.


    However, everyone present in this room already knew this. They were fully prepared to walk the path of darkness, at least for this single night.


    "Now then¡­"


    ~VWUUM!~


    The swirling gate of shattered space invited them inside as Rey stood right beside it.


    Beyond it was the cmity they dreaded, and the solution they desired. All they had to do to grasp either of both was to step forward.


    "¡­ Let us begin."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    At longst, we are finally getting to the crux of this Arc. Sorry it took so long.


    Hope you enjoyed the chapter¡­ and if you didn''t, I will certainly try my hardest to ensure you enjoy whates next.


    Cheers!

 Chapter 323 The Dark Gathering [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 323 The Dark Gathering [Pt 1] </h4>


    Darkness seeped through the cracks of the night.


    It deepened, like ink spreading on paper, until the entire city was engulfed in it.


    And so, once ckness reigned true¡­ the Dark Gathering could begin in full.


    A massive hall, separated from the world thanks to a barrier that rendered it both invisible and imprable, served as the venue.


    It had no windows, yet due to Magic, the entire ce was so cool that one''s breath could nearly be seen just by breathing.


    The walls were eerily ck¡ªsame as the tiled ground.


    Fortunately, there were purple carpets strewn all about, and the great neon-like chandelier rained down a wonderful gem-like ambiance upon the whole room.


    The entire building belonged to none other than Scy, and since that was where the Dark Gathering was unanimously agreed to be held, all members had no choice but toply.


    Hence, the members of this union began to trickle in.


    Lord Bleue, with hisnky appearance and dark skin, walked in with his two bodyguards¡ªthe Duo of Death.


    As for Lord Rouge, his bby body was closely guarded by two other guards, each one a respectable member of the Mercenary Gang''s most Elite Unit.


    Lord Noir, who had apparently been the first to arrive, was already seated by the time these two arrived almost at the same minute.


    They watched him sipping tea behind the round table that stood at the center of the room.


    He was guarded by one of the Deadly Three, as well as another most Elite guard from his own private forces.


    The Deadly Three member was none other than the Warrior of Darkness¡ªObsidian de: Ladon.


    It was said that his skill inbat was unmatched, except by Fenrir, and his incredible armor was practically imprable.


    He served as both a striker and a tank, making him the perfect offensive and defensive individual.


    ¡ªThe perfect warrior.


    Lord Noir was seated beside the empty and grandest seat of all, which belonged to Scy¡ªof course.


    On the left of the seat was a position upied by none other than the Mercenary Gang Leader, Fenrir¡ªThe White Wolf.


    Behind him was the ck Magician¡ªthest member of the Deadly Three.


    Everyone in the room already knew what happened to Anukus, The Destroyer, but the surviving two were standing representations of the epitome of the Mercenary Gang.


    If any were to ask for the superior one, it would be difficult to answer.


    The Obsidian de was much faster andbat adept, and his prowess made him difficult to deal with. However, the Dark Magician had Spells that bypassed the former''s defenses, hence giving him an edge in their fight.


    As a result, it was still a debated issue to date; who was the more superior one.


    However, the topic that was already settled in the minds of all was the person who could be deemed the strongest in the Mercenary Gang.


    That title undeniably belonged to Fenrir.


    While rumors had passed that each of the Heads of Destruction of the Mercenary Gang had yed Dragons, only Fenrir''s case had been confirmed.


    After all, the very armor that the Obsidian de wore belonged to the very Dragon he killed. The staff of the Dark Magician was also the same.


    Fenrir also seemed to be wearing his own custom item that he obtained as a spoil from the Dragon.


    It was the Totem of Chaos, and it wrapped around his bulky neck like a charmed ne.


    With all of these individuals seated, a cking footstep began to echo within the dark hall.


    Scy''s high-heel shoes made coordinated noise, like a symphony that signaled something eerie, as she stepped into the room as if from thin air.


    Everyone instantly turned in her direction, and they noticed Scy in a pure ck gown. Her blond hair swayed marvelously as her makeup amplified her beauty and caused her reddened lips to appear even more sulent.


    Lady Scy was just breathtaking.


    Still, while it was easy to be amazed by the beauty that had just appeared, the masked guard that walked behind her made it difficult to do so.


    He had a strong, imposing presence that made sure everyone was on their toes.


    No one could hear his footsteps, but they could feel the increasing risk to their lives the closer he drew to their midst.


    Until finally¡ª


    "Greetings, friends!" Scy beamed.


    ¡ªThe Lady took her seat in the most morous of positions.


    There were a total of seven seats, and hers was at the very head; a perfect representation of the power she currently wielded.


    Her left side was upied first by Fenrir, and then Bleue who sat beside him. Her right side had Noir, and then Rouge.


    Thest two seats remained unupied, but everyone knew who they were for.


    "It seems like our dear friends are going to bete to the event." Scy''s voice seemed to contain regret, though her wicked smile showed the opposite.


    Without the two whom they were expecting, the Dark Gathering wouldn''t really hold any significance, so she genuinely wanted them to show up.


    However, them beingte¡ªor not showing at all¡ªwasn''t actually a bad thing.


    It would just be a waste is all¡­


    "Well, we can''t keep waiting for them. The doors shall now be closed."


    The massive gates that led to the room soon began to close shut. This was the very entrance that every single member had used to get into the Dark Gathering, so without it being open, getting in would be¡­ very difficult.


    Needless to say, shutting it tight would essentially block off anyters.


    As soon as the two doors shut tight, Scy intertwined her fingers and rested her hand on the table.


    "Now then, let us begi¡ª"


    Almost as soon as Scy''s words echoed in the vast hall, a loud creak echoed in the furthest corner of the room.


    Everyone instantly looked in the direction of the loud noise, only to find the very same massive double doors being opened by a figure in a dark robe.


    Behind him was yet another dark figure, and then the two final participants of the Dark Gathering.


    "It seems we arrived a littlete." The deep voice of a man echoed from their position as the two dignitaries walked in.


    "However, we are here now."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    And so, the saga of the Dark Gathering begins! I hope you have a good time.

 Chapter 324 The Dark Gathering [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 324 The Dark Gathering [Pt 2] </h4>


    Deafening silence.


    The world within the hall fell into a total lull as the Patriarch of the nc House and the new head of the Verte House stepped inside.


    Their steps were measured, but not cautious.


    The two seemed to have an air of unquestionable authority and unchallenged confidence as they stepped into the den of the obvious enemies.


    Fear or unease was absent in their gaze.


    Once they had taken a few steps into the hall¡ªwith the second figure of darkness trailing after the female of the two Obsidian Councilors, the man who had opened the doors instantly vanished from his previous position and appeared beside the much older Councilor.


    The door loudly shut behind them as they advanced to the center of the hall, where the table was waiting for them.


    They said nothing.


    Other than the few things that were spoken earlier, no word echoed from their tightly shut lips.


    At least, not until they finally reached their respective seats.


    "Greetings, everyone." Rebal nc said with a smile as he took the left position.


    "Apologies for beingte." Kara Verte stated as she too gracefully took her position to the right.


    They both sat without any wariness or caution, not even bothering to observe their chairs before taking such an impulsive action.


    Their observers didn''t know what to make of that.


    Were they really fools, or were they just that confident in their abilities?


    It was uncertain.


    Perhaps they simply trusted in their entourage that much. The two who guarded them appearedpetent enough, after all.


    The one who stood behind Kara Verte had the imposing air of a seasoned warrior. Though their face was hidden in dark armor, it was the assumption of many that whoever was inside the armor was strong.


    Perhaps even as strong as the Obsidian de.


    Unlike the Obsidian de''s bulkier armor, which was predominantly ck, with silver designs all around it, this person was coated in more streamlined tes.


    Perhaps they focused more on speed rather than pure defense. The armor was by no means light. It just seemed a bit morepact than the one worn by adult veteran men.


    Nheless, everyone had no choice but to narrow their gaze in caution.


    Then, there was the second one.


    He wore a dark hooded coat, with a design that made the upper helm of his hood look like two horns were protruding out.


    He had a cape on top of the darkened coat, with the hood of that one having a red fur-like design, and the inner color also radiating crimson.


    His coat resembled that of a veteran Adventurer, and everything about his gear showed he was someone who preferred being concealed in the shadows


    He had a dark mask on his face, with crimson eyes glowing from within the holes for his eyes.


    He didn''t have as much of a presence as the armored one, but it would be foolish not to recognize him as formidable.


    Then, for Rebal and Kara, they wore regal outfits that best corrted with their Houses.


    Rebal was in an all-white suit, with his greying hair and beardsplimenting his color choice to the utmost perfection.


    He had a walking cane on one hand, though it was more likely to be a weapon than a harmless essory.


    Kara Verte, on the other hand, had a lime green gown, with dark jewelry coating multiple parts of her body. Despite her naturally cute appearance, there was nothing cute about her this evening.


    She seemed to radiate pure sternness.


    "Well, it''s no problem. We weren''t waiting for very long." Scy smiled, responding to the earlier apology.


    No one spoke in response to her.


    "What matters right now is that the Triumvirate has gathered."


    Scy''s grin widened as she traced her violet gaze to look at everyone seated in the room.


    ''Just as nned. Everything is going ording to the n.'' She stifled herughter and simply cleared her throat.


    All her subordinates in the Royal Capital who were in wait could now make their move.


    ''All Communication from the outside world is blocked here, with only my device serving as the exception.'' Her lips widened even more.


    ''They won''t be able to reach the Capital at all, and those in the Capital won''t be able to reach them.''


    In the end, they were trapped here.


    ''And once I finally take care of all the loose ends¡­ the entire Alliance will be mine!''


    *********


    ''So this is the Dark Gathering¡­''


    As Rey observed everyone from within his dark mask, he narrowed his gaze.


    ''All of the troublesome ones are here, just as expected.''


    Rey cast his sight on the traitors of the Obsidian Council, how they showed no shame or difort even when Rebal was standing right next to them.


    They hadpletely erased one of the Houses, and they even killed every single member of Kara''s family, yet there wasn''t even a hint of regret.


    ''I suppose this is what being a member of the Underworld is really about.''


    His gaze rested on Kara and he admired how she was behaving herself despite being among the vile entities who caused the death of everyone she ever loved.


    Rey knew it had to be a painful experience, but she had to endure.


    ''It doesn''t really matter at this point, but¡­''


    Rey took in a deep sigh and stared at Esme, who remained still as a statue.


    ''Is she reallyfortable in that?''


    He knew he had asked this for the umpteenth time, but it just seemed like a bulky essory for someone with a small build like Esme''s.


    ''I should focus on the more important matters, though¡­'' Taking in a deep breath and closing his eyes for a brief moment, Rey processed all the information he had gotten thus far.


    After all, he already used [Absolute Appraisal] on everyone present.


    As he opened his eyes, his crimson gaze narrowed on only one entity in the room: the man in the white mask.


    He was the only one who made Rey''s heart tremble.


    ''This guy¡­!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Sorry for taking so much time with descriptions. I hope the buildup and all is working.

 Chapter 325 The Dark Gathering [Pt 3]

    <h4>Chapter 325 The Dark Gathering [Pt 3] </h4>


    "Let''s get down to the important bits first, shall we?"


    As Scy''s melodious tone reverberated within the dark hall, everyone''s attention was perked up.


    Lords Bleue and Rouge seemed to be the most anxious, causing them to constantly shift their gaze to Lord Noir, who ignored them each time.


    The elderly man was already done sipping his tea, so he merely kept his eyes partially closed while waiting for the words that would soon be uttered.


    "Before that, I have a few things to say." Rebal raised his hand, stopping Scy before she could say any more.


    Anyone would have taken offense at that, but the Lady didn''t sweat it at all.


    She merely shrugged and gestured for him to continue.


    Rebal rose to his feet, his eyes forming a deep re while a frown radiated all over his face.


    "I would like to know why? Why would you all conspire this way and destabilize the bnce of the Triumvirate, which we spent so long trying to establish?"


    Rebal''s voice contained nothing short of sincerity as he stared at those who used to be his allies despite beingpetitors.


    "Over ten years ago, when the Dragons attacked and humanity banded together under one g, our organization was formed." Rebal began, a deep sigh echoing from his lips.


    "Those were chaotic times, and we thrived off that chaos. Even until recently, we have continued to remain pretty stable. We generate profit, and we turn the other eye from one another''s business¡­"


    His face turned even more sour.


    "Which is why I do not understand why you would do this. If we just continued the way things were, you would continue to benefit greatly from your trade. You would keep racking up wealth that is more than enough for you and your families."


    There was no need to go as far as destroy the very structure that was built a decade ago.


    "If no one understood this, I expected at least you to get it." Rebal turned to Lord Noir, who silently listened to all that was being said.


    "You, along with the Verte House and the nc House, created the Obsidian Council. We started this!" Rebal banged to table a little, his gritted teeth disying his anger.


    "Every other House joined because of our influence, and even the ve Union only came under the umbre of the Triumvirate so they could utilize our connections, influence, and trade routes."


    Rebal nced at Scy, who was busy ying with her beautiful hair while smiling.


    "They were the leeches! Even the Mercenary Gang was a group of mere thugs and violent bandits before we brought them under our wings and offered them a seat at the table."


    After knowing all of this, it burned Rebal''s heart to see everyone conspiring against him and his business.


    "We even took an oath not to attack each other''s business, but since the Mercenary Gang didn''t sign off on that¡ªas a neutral party¡ªyou used them as the perfect weapons to destroy us."


    It was all so disgusting that Rebal''s frown only deepened the more he spoke.


    "All I want to know is why? Was it worth it? The money and resources, or thend you were offered¡­ was it all worth all of this?"


    In the end, what did it all matter?


    They already had more than enough wealth anyway. The fact that they sought even more, enough to ruin the decade-long legacy of the Obsidian Council, made Rebal''s blood boil.


    Now that he stood before all of them, he could properly articte his feelings.


    "You all disappoint me."


    Once Rebal said that, he returned to his seat and folded both arms while leaking out one final sigh.


    Turning to Kara, he asked if she wanted to say anything in addition, but she shook her head.


    "It''s a waste of time. There''s nothing that needs to be said to the likes of them."


    That was all she responded with.


    Rebal nodded in agreement. He already knew the uselessness of his actions, but those words would have eaten him from the inside out if he said nothing


    Now that it was all out of the way, he could finally sit back and watch how things yed out.


    *******


    An unwee decorum followed Rebal''s conclusion.


    No one spoke, and it felt like they all had stiff joints since they hardly moved either. They simply waited for someone to address what had just been said.


    Then¡ª


    "Those are some interesting things you''ve said." Scy remarked, before turning to her left. "Is there anything you''d like to give as a response, Fitz?"


    The man she addressed as such was none other than Lord Fitzgerald Noir. The old man twitched a little the moment she addressed him so loosely, but he did nothing more than that.


    In response to her question, he slightly shrugged and opened his slightly shut eyes.


    "None at all. Only a fool needs to exin why they seize an opportunity that is presented to them on a silver tter." Lord Noir spoke in a calm manner.


    "If you do not seize it, someone else will. There''s nothing more to it than that."


    With his answer being so direct and straightforward, Noir fellpletely silent afterwards.


    Scy looked at Rouge and Bleue, but neither of them seemed to have anything to say about the matter. Then, she turned to Fenrir.


    "What about you? Have anything to say?"


    In response to that, Fenrir gave a toothy grin and looked at Rebal with a menacing re radiating from his glowing eyes.


    "Old man, your time is up. There''s no need to whine about it." His mocking tone radiated all over the room.


    "Just ept it like a champ."


    Rebal narrowed his eyes at the obvious taunt, and a few chuckles echoed from the rest of those seated¡ªand even a few standing.


    "It is as you can see, Rebal, Kara¡­" Scy turned to both of the people who sat at the furthest end of the table.


    "Your time is up."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Okay, okay¡­ I know, it''s bing a bit much. I just can''t help it.


    I love tensions and build ups like this. Hope you enjoyed the chapter!

 Chapter 326 The Dark Gathering [Pt 4]

    <h4>Chapter 326 The Dark Gathering [Pt 4] </h4>


    "With all of that out of the way, I suppose it''s time to return to topic."


    There really was nothing left to discuss. Scy knew that much already.


    Rebal and Kara already knew they were screwed, and her n was already marching into itspletion. To be honest, finishing them off at this point would simply be the end of it.


    But no¡­ that wasn''t satisfying enough.


    ''I want to see it¡­ the despair on their faces as they lose everything!''


    She had always been looked down on, being one of thest to join the Triumvirate, so being in such a position of power¡ªlooking down on the founders as they burned to the ground¡ªbrought her great satisfaction.


    She was already salivating as she imagined them squirm.


    ''Before the execution¡­ let''s fatten them up a little.''


    And was there a better way to do that than topletely sully their confidence with tragedy?


    "The Merchant City is currently under siege. You must have seen that, with the Alliance''s soldiers heavily patrolling the area and investigating the stores around."


    Of course, since she already knew all of this would happen, Scy had ensured to hide the valuables in secure locations.


    Her personal properties were also kept in the safest location possible.


    None of this affected her whatsoever.


    "As such, the Royal Capital''s security has thinned considerably. That means your only line of defense has been removed." She narrowed her gaze on Rebal.


    "What are you implying?" The old man asked, narrowing his gaze as well.


    "It''s simple, really. The five remaining Heads of Destruction, as well as the army under them, are going toy siege on that city and destroy everything you hold dear."


    Their Mansion, their Warehouse, their Stores¡ªeverything woulde crashing down.


    "Is that so? Did you really think I didn''t expect something like that beforeing here?"


    Rebal''s response was calm, but Scy knew he was just putting up a front. He was simply trying his hardest to hold on to his pride as a man.


    But it was all useless!


    "From the reports, I have asserted that you have three powerful aids who are assisting your enterprise despite it being destined for destruction." Scy raised her finger in amusement.


    "I''d assume two of them are here, standing as your entourage, but thest one is probably still in the Capital. Am I wrong?"


    Rebal''s brow creased, almost as if he was a little confused¡ªor rather, taken aback by her question.


    "I have no idea about what you''re talking about." He finally responded.


    "Hahaha! There''s no need to y dumb! I already know!"


    Scy''s hystericalughter sent a chill spreading all across the hall as her gaze remained on Rebal''s stunned face.


    "I always knew there had to be three, though at some point I suspected just two. However, with this arrangement, and all that has happened thus far, I am convinced that there are three."


    Scy already knew Rebal would deny it even more, so she decided not to argue with him on the matter.


    Instead, she decided to focus on the despairing aspect of her grand n.


    "No matter how strong your aid is, they can''t take on five Heads of Destruction at the same time." Her glossy lips curled upward, almost in an unnatural way.


    It made Scy appear as a demon would.


    "Your legacy within the Royal Capital is as good as lost¡­ not that you''d be alive to witness all of it as well."


    This was the best part! The part that she had been giddy about all day.


    "You two¡­" Scy looked at both Kara and Rebal with sheer amusement. "¡­ You''re going to die here, surrounded by nothing but your enemies."


    She proceeded to point at them, and then gestured their demise by running her finger through her neck.


    "Once you''re gone, everything you have will belong to the New Order that I''ve created. Which means everything will be mine."


    "That''s not how business works."


    "Maybe not in the past. But only the winners get to define history and reshape the world in their image." Scy instantly responded to Rebal''s words, almost flippant in her mannerisms.


    To her, victory was already a long-held conclusion.


    ''I was still cautious at the start, thinking they''d be able to challenge me somewhat. But¡­ it turns out I was worried for nothing.''


    This hall¡ªno, the entire building¡ªwas protected from the outside world, so there was no chance they could get reinforcements.


    The Royal Capital was also going to suffer the same fate.


    "So what will you do now, Rebal, Kara?" Scy''s tone took on a mockery in her delivery.


    "Will you beg? Who knows, I just might spare your lives."


    In response to her question, both parties merely frowned and said nothing. Their answer was already obvious in their silence.


    "I see. Very well, then." She shrugged, raising her thin hands above her head.


    "Your choice."


    Then¡­ she snapped.


    ~CREAK!~


    From all over the room, the walls began to open, as if they were doors all along.


    Emerging from within the walls were men who donned armor or certain apparels that made it obvious just what kind of people they were.


    They trooped inside the hall in their hundreds, their faces depicting nothing but savagery and an insatiable hunger for violence.


    Fenrir''s grin was especially wide as he looked at all the men who showed up for the show.


    They were about one-third of the Mercenary Gang''s members¡ª


    an approximate number of nine hundred and ny.


    ¡­ Nearly a thousand.


    Their savage appearances and bloodshot eyes showed a primal instinct to kill, ravage, and utterly decimate any who stood in their way.


    As soon as they popped out of the walls, the doors closed, and they filled the room in their number.


    "Looks like everyone is present." Fenrir chuckled, his arms folded as he looked at Rebal and Kara.


    All eyes were on them now, eagerly waiting for what they would do given the new development.


    "It''s your turn."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Slowly¡­ we''re slowly reaching the climax, everyone. What do you think will happen to all of these poor souls?


    I mean¡­ haha!

 Chapter 327 The Dark Gathering [Pt 5]

    <h4>Chapter 327 The Dark Gathering [Pt 5] </h4>


    Nine hundred and ny Warriors and Mages were on standby.


    The Mercenary Gang Leader, along with two of his Deadly Three also watched from their respective positions.


    The Duo of Death, the Scrorpion Tail, the Piper of Cmity¡ªall members of the Mercenary Gang who guarded their clients, were also waiting.


    Then, Lord Noir''s other guard¡ªCaptain of the Noir militia¡ªstood beside his Lord and felt the increasing tension in the room.


    Last but not least, the masked figure behind Scy also spectated.


    A total of nine hundred and ny-nine foes were within the hall, all of them anticipating the move of the trapped four.


    Of course, they knew it was all useless.


    Still, they desired to be amazed. These people had gone through all the trouble to set up such an borate scheme, after all.


    They desired to bepensated well.


    "It seems you have nothing to say. Then¡ª"


    "Hold on. I have something to ask them." Fenrir was clearly grinning as he interrupted Scy and ced his full attention on the prey.


    "I want to know who among you killed Anukus."


    For a moment, there was silence.


    "The Dragon attacked Phobio in the East. Ogun was killed by someone in the North. Anukus in the SouthWest. Fernand was attacked by a Reaper in the Northwest¡­" Fenrir began, analyzing how each of his Executives lost in their respective battles.


    Phobio and Fernand had survived, but it was unfortunate that the Mercenary Gang lost two of its Executives.


    "Ogun could have lost to anyone with a higher Level, or even certain Enchanted Items. So, I can understand his demise." Fenrir narrowed his eyes, showing just how serious he was about the whole thing.


    "But Anukus was different. He wasn''t some pushover who would lose that easily. So, I ask again¡­"


    Veins appeared all over Fenrir''s face as his menacing tone burst forth from his lips.


    "¡­ Who among you killed Anukus?"


    Not long after he asked this question, a response was given in the form of a question.


    "What do you n on doing with that information?"


    "Hm?!"


    The one who asked this was the man in the mask and hood. His voice was deep, carrying nothing short of confidence despite the clearly disadvantageous position he was in.


    "Oh? How amusing. Replying to my question with another question¡­"


    The man in the dark mask said nothing. He merely waited for an answer.


    Then, the answer arrived.


    "I n on personally fighting the one who did so. I want to test the depth of their strength."


    As soon as Fenrir gave his reply, a strange chuckle suddenly began to echo within the hall.


    "Kukukuku¡­"


    Surprised expressions filled the faces of those who were seated, and even those who were standing¡ªwaiting for their chance to strike.


    They couldn''t believe the amusement that was leaking from within theughing man''s ck mask.


    The worst part was that Rebal and Kara were also making small smiles and slight chuckles as they listened to the amusedugh.


    Why?


    This was the moment when they were supposed to be begging for their lives, yet they seemed perfectly at ease.


    Was it because of the man in the dark mask?


    Was he really that strong?!


    "Forgive myughter. It''s just¡­ you said something quite amusing."


    "And what did I say that was so funny?" Fenrir asked, his frown growing deeper.


    He found himself growing increasingly annoyed by the mere entourage that dared to make fun of his words.


    Still, he stomached it all due to curiosity.


    He wanted to know¡­


    "You said you want to test the depths of my strength. Someone like you¡­?" The tone felt condescending and oozed with sheer confidence.


    Fenrir detested that.


    "You are quite arrogant." He responded, his gaze warning the man with the mask to cease his foolishness.


    However, his warning fell on blind eyes


    "In my eyes, the arrogant one is you. iming to do the impossible merely due to the little strength you possess¡­ is that not the very definition of hubris?"


    "Y-you¡­!"


    Fenrir quickly controlled himself, taking in a deep breath as he kept observing the man before him.


    ''The way he speaks connotes great strength, but he could also very well be bluffing.''


    Bluffing was an effective tool to make your opponent overestimate your capabilities, hence hesitating at crucial times.


    Some battles could be won using that as a tactic.


    ''That won''t work on me, though!'' Fenrir grinned wickedly.


    "So, you''re essentially iming to be the one that killed Anukus. Is that right?"


    Fenrir nced at both of the other members of his Deadly Three.


    They both shook their heads, their stances on the situation obvious to him.


    He also held the same position.


    "I indeed killed him. It''s nothing worth lying about."


    The response was once again prideful¡ªenough to finally make Fenrir figure out the truth.


    "Buahahahahaha!"


    Laughter erupted from the leader of the Mercenary Gang, a shock to everyone within the room.


    Well, almost everyone.


    "You see¡­ once you reach a certain level, you can tell how powerful a person is by sensing their abilities through instinct." Fenrir began, still chuckling.


    "All members of my Deadly Three have attained this status. The only way to bypass this instinctive sense is by being phenomenally stronger than what we are able to detect."


    The Mercenary Gang Chief looked at the masked man and shook his head.


    "I can clearly sense your capabilities. You''re not as strong as Anukus. You''re definitely not the one who defeated him."


    "Hm? Really? I''m pretty sure I was¡­?"


    Fenrirughed even harder as he mmed his hand on the table while shaking his head.


    "Hahaha! Old man, it seems your servant is quite the delusional one. I would have advised getting him checked and treated, but you''re all going to die here."


    Rebal said nothing, which prompted Fenrir to nce at the other entourage.


    ''They''re covered in Orichalcum, which makes it difficult to gauge just how powerful they are. With that defense, though, it''s possible they were the one who defeated Anukus.''


    There was also the chance that the one who did so was back in the Capital, but Fenrir doubted that.


    ''They knew they wereing to the heart of the enemy''s camp. I''m sure they would have brought their biggest guns.''


    That meant it was more likely that one of the two was Anukus'' killer.


    ''Since it isn''t ck Mask over there, then it has to be the armored one¡­'' Fenrir narrowed his gaze and exposed his sharp teeth.


    He could feel excitement swelling inside him.


    "The thing is¡­ I''m not averse to epting my loss or inferiority to those who are much more powerful than I am." Fenrir slowly rose to his feet.


    He thought back to when he recognized the gap in power between himself and the masked guard of the Lady he now worked for.


    Even more recently, in his confrontation with the Elves, he was able to see how powerless he could be in the face of a more powerful foe.


    He was humble enough to admit that.


    "But¡­ it seems you guys are yet to really understand that brute fact of nature."


    It was a humility that could only be taught by experience.


    "So allow me to be your teacher."


    Fenrir pointed at the two guards whom the nc and Verte house had, his wild grin reminiscent of a wild beast.


    "At the very least, I am confident I can take both of you on by myself."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Looks like we''re drawing close to the action! At longst, we can see Fenrir flex on the arrogant masked man!


    Should be fun!

 Chapter 328 The Dark Gathering [Pt 6]

    <h4>Chapter 328 The Dark Gathering [Pt 6] </h4>


    Scy was enjoying herself as she watched in silence.


    This entire exchange was proving to be a lot more entertaining than she expected.


    ''It''s making me so hungry¡­'' She licked her lips as she watched Fenrir''s wild grin.


    ''Looks like he''s very confident. I suppose I was concerned for nothing, after all.''


    Scy wasn''t a fighter, so she knew nothing about sensing the abilities of her opponents.


    She only knew one thing about this entire exchange.


    ''Fenrir will win!''


    "Ahh¡­ I see what the issue is." The voice of the man in the mask suddenly filled the room.


    He itched the back of his head a little, almost as if he was an incorrigible klutz.


    "It seems [Grand Concealment] was still active. My bad¡­"


    His whispers were barely audible, but Scy caught on to those words.


    ''[Grand Concealment]? What''s that?''


    "Pfft! There''s no need to keep up your bluff!" Fenrir yelled out, flinging his chair away as he stepped away from the table.


    He seemed to be in a hurry to cause bloodshed, a sight that relieved Scy from the slight unease that was beginning to form within her.


    ''That''s right, Fenrir! Just finish the job right here and now!''


    " I''ll just end it with one mo¡ª!"


    ~VWUUUUUUUUUUMMMM!~


    An unbelievable pressure suddenly enveloped the room, instantly silencing Fenrir and everyone else who dared to leak out a single sound.


    ''E-eh¡­?'' Scy felt her body shaking. ''W-what is this?''


    She couldn''t understand it.


    She could barely move her body, but she looked around her and found that she wasn''t the only one trembling like a scared little child.


    All the Warriors and Mages that she was counting on were also shivering.


    ''M-my body feels so cold¡­ and heavy!''


    Scy couldn''t grasp it.


    She didn''t understand that she was sensing the true presence of the man in the mask.


    The higher one was in power, the greater their senses were when it came to those who were truly powerful.


    Hence, amoner might not be able to tell how strong an Expert is, but fellow Experts could gauge each other''s strength.


    In a sense, ignorance really is bliss.


    However, what could be made of this situation, where Scy¡ªamoner in terms of strength¡ªcould feel the powerful presence of the man before?


    Was it even possible? Yes¡­


    It only went to show how frightening the entity before them was.


    At that moment, Scy''s instincts told her only one thing.


    ¡ªRUN!


    *********


    "How is this? Much better?"


    As the masked man¡ªif he could even be called that¡ªspoke, Fenrir''s paralyzed body trembled even more.


    His bulging eyes spasmed as he felt the weight of power halt his steps.


    ''W-what is this¡­ this power?!''


    It eluded Fenrir!


    He had never felt anything like this in his life.


    It felt like a de was ced right in front of him. If he even dared to take a single step forward¡­ he was going to die!


    At least, in his current state¡­ he stood no chance at all!


    "Is that all it took? I didn''t even activate [Greater Intense Bloodlust]¡­" The man in the mask muttered, clearly disappointed.


    ''T-this man¡­ I was wrong! I was wrong to doubt him!''


    Sweat fell from Fenrir''s face despite shivering like someone who was freezing.


    ''He''s more than strong enough to kill Anukus! In fact, he''s stronger than I am!''


    He had been the one who was arrogant all along!


    His ignorance blinded him from truly seeing the power of the one before him.


    ''He was right. What a joke I made¡­'' Fenrir swallowed as his eyes took in the masked one in all his entirety.


    ''How could I possibly see the depths of this thing?!''


    "I suppose it''s time to start cleaning up the trash." The masked man spoke softly.


    He didn''t move an inch, and he raised not a single finger.


    He just stood there.


    And¡ª


    ~FWOOOSH!~


    ¡ªThe end arrived.


    Faster than the eye could dare to process, a beam of light surged through the room, instantly disintegrating the heads of all nine hundred and ny armed Warriors and Mages where they stood.


    In no time at all, they became nothing but decapitated corpses, still having their stances.


    ''U-uaaarrrghhhhh!'' Fenrir wanted to scream, but his lips wouldn''t let him.


    "I think this is pretty useful. It''s fast and efficient."


    Fenrir looked at the masked man and saw smoke dancing at the top of a finger he raised up.


    ''W-when did he¡­?! How¡­?!''


    Fenrir couldn''t notprehend it. He just stood there, like a bumbling idiot.


    "It''s best this looks like a bloodbath¡­ forter."


    Before the man could process what those words meant, the remaining bodies of all the nine hundred and ny were sliced into many pieces.


    ~SPLOOOSH!~


    Blood gushed out of them as their meaty chunks flew all over the room in an instant.


    The purple curtains and carpets were now dyed in blood, with the walls oozing with the liquid that once flowed through the veins of human beings.


    These were people¡ªhundreds of them¡ªughtered in ways that even animals did not have to endure.


    Fenrir could feel thick blood on his body, and several entrails clung to his body. It was sickening¡ªfeeling the innards of his subordinates now sticking to him.


    The smell¡­ the stench of death was strong in the room.


    It made Fenrir go weak in his knees.


    Before he knew it, his body descended and he knelt in the pool of blood and gore.


    Compared to the terror of the Dragon he fought¡­pared to the mercy of the Elf he lost to¡­


    ''¡­ This is the most humiliating!''


    He felt an absolute feeling of powerlessness, and dread consumed his entire being.


    It was at this moment that Fenrir knew that his life was no longer his own.


    It belonged to none other than the man in the mask.


    ********


    ''I''ve taken care of all the mobs. Looks like [Absolute Ray] and [Severing w] are really something. Especially with [True Homing] working passively¡­''


    He had deliberated on which move to use, but eventually settled on those two since he wanted to know how they would function against arge crowd of people.


    ''[Dead Calm] is active, so I feel nothing.''


    Rey took in a deep breath as he watched the remaining enemies he had to deal with.


    ''Let''s get this over with.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I hope you enjoyed the chapter! This was quite fun to see; the gore and dread.


    All seems to be going well. Hehehe¡­

 Chapter 329 The Dark Gathering [Pt 7]

    <h4>Chapter 329 The Dark Gathering [Pt 7] </h4>


    "A-ahh¡­?"


    Scy had never seen so much blood rush out in a single moment.


    She found the sight beautiful¡­ but that was only for a second.


    Soon, she realized just what kind of dread awaited her. She wasn''t the one causing the rain of blood, after all.


    It was the enemy!


    ''This wasn''t¡­ this wasn''t in the n at all¡­!''


    How could nearly a thousand people die in a sh? It was unheard of!


    Impossible!


    ''Even my own can''t¡­!'' She swallowed hard as she looked at her stationary guard.


    It seemed he too was stunned by what was happening.


    ''Damnit! Damnit! This isn''t¡­ this isn''t how it was supposed to go!''


    Scy held her breath for some reason, perhaps hoping the man in the dark mask wouldn''t be able to detect her if she didn''t breathe.


    However¡ª


    ~ZZZZRRRNNGGG!~


    ¡ªHer pledge of silence was cut short by the vibrations that echoed from her ring.


    ''W-what?! Not now! Why are you calling me now?!''


    Scy felt sweat gather all over her face as all attention turned to her the instant her ring began vibrating.


    "Amunication ring, huh? You ced your Communication tool in a Spatial Ring for easiermunication, I see¡­"


    The words of the masked man caused her to shiver down to her bones.


    ''H-he figured it all out¡­?!''


    She was meant to receive a call once the Royal Capital''s mission wasplete.


    She didn''t expect to receive it so soon, but it seemed like they were done on their end pretty quickly.


    ''M-maybe if they return to provide backup¡­ we might stand a chance¡­?!''


    But how was that even possible?


    They were hundreds and hundreds of miles apart from each other. It was impossible to even dream of getting backup anytime soon.


    "Pick the call."


    "E-eh¡­?" Scy muttered as she heard the masked man speak to her.


    This would be the first time they would talk to each other, and she felt an overwhelming weight descend upon her.


    It made her nauseous.


    "Pick. The. Call."


    Scy instantly knew what would happen if she refused.


    ¡ªInstant death!


    "O-okay¡­"


    She ced her ring on the table, and it projected amunication tool, which in turn produced sounds, which eventually turned into noise.


    Scy could hear screams in the background, with echoes of destruction raging forth.


    She could tell that her subordinates had carried out their duties to the utmost level, ensuring their enemies suffered greatly while everything around them burned to the ground.


    ''S-serves them right!'' A part of her thought, while another part feared even more.


    What would happen if the wrath of the masked man was directed at them? Now that he knew what they had done¡­ would he not grow even more upset?


    ''H-he''s bound to kill us all at this rate!''


    Fortunately for Scy, she soon realized that she waspletely mistaken about all that she was hearing.


    "Uarghhhhhhh! Lady Scy, please save us!"


    ''H-huh¡­?!'' Scy''s thoughts went nk.


    "T-the enemy¡­ h-he''s too strong! He''s ughtering all of us!"


    "Please send reinforcements, Lady Scy!"


    "Guarghhhhh! He''s closing in! Please help! H-heeelppp!"


    Scy didn''t know where and how to begin processing the information she was recovering.


    ''T-the enemy¡­? He¡­?''


    That signified the existence of only one person. Just one man wasying waste to five of the Nine Heads of Destruction as well as nearly two thousand troops?


    ''H-how¡­?''


    How could this be allowed under the heavens? It was an abomination¡­ an anomaly upon the world.


    No single man ought to have such power!


    "P-PLEASE HELP USSSSHHHHH¡ª!"


    ~ZZZTTTZZZZZ!~


    Themunication device went dead as thest sound that Scy heard was the gurgling of blood and even more screams in the background.


    Once the call ended, Scy didn''t need anyone to tell her what had happened to Jawl and his men¡ªas well as everyone else in the Capital.


    They were most definitely dead.


    She hung her head in despair as she looked at themunication device in sheer despondency.


    ''The n¡­ it failed.''


    ********


    "Do you understand now? How pathetic you all are?"


    Rey spoke up, looking at the shivering ones before him¡ªboth the ones who were seated, and the ones who stood.


    ''Looks like Ater is working hard over there. I should also try to finish things up here.'' Hes smiled underneath his mask.


    "I hope you''re all ready to die now."


    Rey counted seven entourages he had to eliminate, so he decided to get to work on those first.


    "A-attack! Kill him already!"


    "Protect me, you fools!"


    Rouge and Bleue yelled out at their guards, shamelessly asking the men to die on their behalf.


    It was all useless, though.


    ~SWISH!~


    In one fell swoop, using [Severing w], Rey easily tore through the armor and bodies of the four guards who were still trembling under orders.


    Their meaty remains sploshed on the ground as their entrails slopped out of their dismembered bodies.


    The diced four were mere additions to the thousands of body parts thaty strewn all over.


    "Next." Rey said, staring at the fat and thin men who shrieked in fear.


    They jumped from their seats, slipping on the bloody ocean underneath them, as they tried to escape.


    It was no use, though.


    ~SQUELCH!~


    They were ripped apart in an instant, their body parts staining the walls a result of the momentum.


    Just like that, two integral members of the New Order were eliminated.


    All without any effort from the perpetrator.


    Rey only had one word to utter after killing the two Ex-


    Councilors.


    "Next."


    This time, he looked at Lord Noir, who was shivering like a scared little baby.


    "P-please¡­ I''ll do anything." He fell to his knees and prostrated to Rey.


    Fitzgerald didn''t care that his body was being sullied by the blood and innards of those who were now dead. He didn''t care for the pride and prestige he was known to disy.


    For the first time in his life, he broke character and bowed before the absolute one before him.


    Tears fell from his eyes as he begged.


    "S-spare me¡­ please! Please!"


    "¡­"


    For a moment, there was no response from the man in the mask.


    Fitzgerald Noir took this as a good sign and raised his head in slight relief and gratitude. However, what he found out were two things.


    ~SWISH!~


    One was the fact that his head was slipping out of his neck.


    Before he realized it, his head rolled on the ground, and his butchered body followed soon after.


    As for the second thing he realized, it was the response of the masked man¡ªthest words he heard before his demise.


    "No."


    Noir''s wrinkled and aged body served as another addition to the pile of corpses that decorated the room.


    The once crowded ce had be a hellscape upied by only a few.


    Other than the seated Rebal and Kara, as well as their entourages, only Scy and her guard, as well as Fenrir and his two captains were left.


    A total of nine.


    However, it seemed even this number was too much for the bringer of death.


    After all, he said the words once more.


    "¡­ Next."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    The ughter continues! Now this is what I live for!


    I suppose I can understand why Rey decided not to tell Alicia about his identity. Imagine telling her all of this messed up stuff.


    Damn¡­

 Chapter 330 The Dark Gathering [Pt 8]

    <h4>Chapter 330 The Dark Gathering [Pt 8] </h4>


    There are two major kinds of fear.


    There is the kind that arises as a result of that which is deemed uncertain..


    Fear of the future, fear of failure¡­ fear of the unknown. Many argue that this is the greatest kind of fear.


    But there is another.


    It is the one grounded on the nature of the Absolute.


    The kind of fear that leads to despair and brings about nothing but never ending dread.


    An example¡­ the FEAR OF DEATH.


    *******


    ''I''m going to die¡­ I''m going to die!''


    As Fenrir heard the squishing of flesh and the spraying of blood, he waited for his turn toe.


    He was a dead man kneeling, and he knew that well.


    Nothing but death upied his senses. The ck Magician, Enry, also seemed to share the same sentiment.


    Ladon, who was trembling due to the power being disyed by the man in the mask, was next.


    The man he was protecting had just been killed by an invisible sh, and before long, the Head of the Noir Militia followed.


    Only death awaited the Obsidian de.


    ''Is this it? Is this how everything ends?'' Fenrir asked himself.


    No¡­ no, he hade too far for that to be his fate!


    ''I''ve had to struggle with all my might to reach this level! I can''t just die like this!''


    His instincts went into overdrive as he sought a way to live.


    Then¡ª


    "Lord Rebal nc, Lady Kara Verte¡­ please spare me and I will devote my entire existence to serving you!"


    ¡ªHe came up with the perfect card.


    It was the only move he had left, but it was his trump card.


    The two Councilors looked at him from where they sat, their faces exhibiting surprise by his proposal.


    "I am willing to bind myself with the Curse Enchantment or get the ve Rune embedded on me. Anything to make you trust me and to prove my loyalty!"


    His plea was genuine, but it wasn''t due to some sort of ignorance or far fetched optimism.


    Fenrir knew fully well that begging the masked man would be a foolish move.


    ''He''s being hired by the old man and that girl. If I can convince them, it''s possible they''ll call off the killing spree.''


    Besides, Fenrir figured it would be a lot easier to convince the two who actually seemed like humanspared to such a cold hearted killer.


    ''I wonder¡­ is that other one like this too?'' Fenrir gazed upon the ck knight.


    If that one was also equally a monster, then they never stood a chance to begin with.


    Fenrir wondered how the nc and Verte House were able to get such powerhouses, but he soon realized it was a foolish thought to have at the moment.


    Right now, what he had to be most concerned with was survival. As such, he repeated his offer to the two of them at the top of his voice.


    "I am not as powerful as your guard here, but I can assure you that I have my uses. I have in a Dragon Commander before, and I can attest to my might and connections throughout the entire Alliance!"


    Fenrir went on to list out all the benefits of having him as a subordinate.


    All he wanted was to be spared.


    ''I''ll think of the detailster! Right now. My lifees first.''


    "Please ept my loyalty."


    He bowed his head and awaited their response, swallowing his saliva as he prayed for the best.


    The next thing they did, however, shocked him.


    "What should we do now, Sir Ralyks?"


    ''H-huh? Sir Ralyks¡­?''


    Fenrir raised his head and looked in the direction of the two he was pleading with.


    They were currently staring at the man who was supposed to be their guard,


    ''D-did they just call him Sir Ralyks¡­?''


    Ralyks was the name of the man who fought and humiliated Fernand. He also went by ''The Reaper.''


    So what in the world was going on here?


    ''But¡­ he said he was the one who killed Anukus. Does that mean he was also the one who handled Fernand? But¡­!''


    Fenrir''s confused mind was still trying to process the meaning behind why the masked man was being called Ralyks when another thought came to him.


    ''They''re calling him¡­ Sir?'' To Fenrir, that meant only one thing.


    ''H-he''s their superior! I fucked up!''


    Instead of appealing to the actual man in charge, he made the mistake of pleading with those who were lesser than him.


    ''I should have known! He''s too strong to be their subordinate!''


    Fenrir didn''t know what to do at this point. He already saw how this Ralyks figure had acted to the surrender made by Noir.


    He was clearly a monster with no conscience at all.


    ''W-will he even consider my proposal¡­?!''


    Fenrir knew there was no other way he could survive than to plead for mercy, so he decided to try his luck and hope to survive.


    "Sir Ralyks, plea¡ª!"


    "I refuse." The man''s response was swift, without hesitation in the slightest.


    "I already have a capable subordinate, as well as Allie''s with decent enough prospects. Compared to them, you''re pretty much a useless bag of bones."


    "A-ahh¡­!?!"


    "The only way you can be of use to me is by dying. You can do at least that, can''t you?"


    ''I knew it¡­'' Fenrir''s eyes widened as he stared at the crimson eyes of the one who looked down on him.


    ''¡­ He''s the devil!''


    "P-please reconsider¡­"


    Fenrir didn''t know why he still persisted. He was just so desperate, and he knew it was useless to fight.


    He just wanted to live.


    "Didn''t you hear me? You''re really of no use to me. All your subordinates have probably already been killed by my subordinate, and once this night is over, everything about your legacy will be gone."


    At this point, the man called Ralyks appeared right in front of Fenrir.


    "Besides¡­ weren''t you the one that said this a while back?"


    As Ralyks drew closer, the stench of death became stronger.


    "Your time is up. There''s no need to whine about it."


    Fenrir''s eyes turned bloodshot, with hot tearsing out of them, the moment he heard the words that Ralyks whispered to him.


    "¡­ Just take it like a champ."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Ray, or should I say Ralyks, was cold this chapter ngl. It''s about time to start rounding up, I think.


    I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

 Chapter 331 The Dark Gathering [Pt 9]

    <h4>Chapter 331 The Dark Gathering [Pt 9] </h4>


    ''Looking at this guy''s Status Window, he has a bunch of interesting Skills. Same as the other two¡­''


    Rey began to consider the possibilities of what could be as he looked at Fenrir, Ladon, and Enry.


    ''All three possess nice abilities.'' A smile coursed through his face as he finally stopped his advance.


    "You three should work together. If you cannd a single hit on me, I''ll let you go."


    Instantly Fenrir shot him a look of surprise, as one would expect, but Rey didn''t bother exining himself any further.


    Using his [Absolute Spatial Domain], he teleported Ladon from where he was¡ªaway from the bunch¡ªand brought him right beside Fenrir and the ck Magician.


    With all three characters right in front of him, he repeated his words.


    "Attack me. If you cannd a single hit on me, I''ll let you live."


    "B-but how could we possibly¡­" Enry stuttered, making this the first time he was hearing the Mage''s voice.


    It sounded so pure and innocent, a sharp contrastpared to the kind of person they were.


    ''I don''t have time for this.'' Rey rolled his eyes and decided on the second option.


    ''[Absolute Mental Control].'' His eyes glowed as he activated the Skill.


    The moment he did this, Fenrir and co fell under his ability.


    "Rise."


    They all rose to their feet, like puppets that were being expertly controlled by a professional.


    "Fight me like you mean it. Use every Skill at your disposal."


    The three, all having nk expressions on their faces, instantly took stances forbat. It felt a little invigorating seeing them act this way.


    ''Now I see why Belle was so obsessed with using her [Grand Charm] on everyone. It''s pretty useful.''


    Rey didn''t really like using mental attacks on people, since he found it to be intrusive. However, he had already solidified his resolve against people like these.


    If he could kill them, then surely controlling their minds wasn''t out of the options for him.


    Besides, with [Dead Calm] still activated, he didn''t feel any emotional or moral weight based on his actions.


    He just did what had to be done.


    "Begin."


    **********


    Fenrir was frightened.


    ''W-what am I doing¡­?!''


    He found his body to be moving on its own, with him being powerless to stop it.


    It felt like he was seeing with his very eyes, and he was feeling every sensation that urred within and without his body.


    But¡­ he could not control anything.


    He was paralyzed, forced to see everything that would y out; a prisoner in his own flesh.


    "[Greater Fiery Power]. [Greater Pure Boost]. [Greater Iron Fortress]. [War Cry]. [Beast Mode]." He heard himself mutter.


    As expected, power swole within him, sending ripples of energy dancing all around his immediate surroundings.


    As shockwaves rushed from his position, white fur took over his toned skin, turning him into a partial beast.


    This was Fenrir at full strength!


    From his peripheral vision, he could see his subordinates activate their respective Skills.


    The ck Magician''s Skills focused heavily on debuffs and curses, which would essentially be lethal. Skills like; [Poison Magic], [Distortion], [Fear]. [Degrade]¡­ with his only purely offensive Magic being [Shadow Magic].


    If they could slow the enemy down with these heavy-hitters, then it was possible to win this battle¡­ or so Fenrir hoped.


    As for Ladon, he was mainly focused on offense.


    He had the [Weapon Summon] Skill, as well as [Enchant Weapon], [zing Strike], and [Amplify].


    These Skills, added to the incredible density of his armor, made Ladon incredibly destructive and versatile in multiple weapons and fighting patterns.


    Fenrir could already see the Obsidian de summoning a few des, holding one in each hand, while the rest floated in the air as a result of an effect from his [Enchant Weapon].


    [zing Strike] allowed his des to go up in mes, increasing their offensive abilities, while [Amplify] improved all of his physical abilities.


    With all said and done, Fenrir was still much stronger than Ladon, but thetter was pretty strong himself.


    Enry was also done casting his Spells, which caused a shroud of shadows to cover him as a defensive cover while an extremely Poisonous Magic would be sprayed on the target.


    ''Enry''s strike wille first¡­'' Fenrir knew his subordinates well enough to predict that.


    After all, The ck Magician would usually use [Fear] to paralyze the enemy¡ªsometimes leading to their deaths¡ªand then alter their perceptions using [Distortion], which practically tricked the mind with auditory and visual illusions.


    Afterwards, he would use [Degrade] to wear down the defense or vitality of the opponent, while finishing them off with lethal poison.


    For some reason, despite having the ability to make people suffer with his poison, Enry preferred a quick death through a deadly dose.


    ''I doubt he''ll die if he''s attacked with the poison, but if Ladon and I strike immediately after, then maybe¡­''


    If theynded one hit, then they would live!


    Fenrir wasn''t in control of his body, but he desperately prayed for the sess of himself and his allies.


    ~BOOOOOOOOM!~


    The attacks were initiated, and Fenrir''s two captains struck in tandem while he followed suit and dealt the finishing strike.


    The entire building trembled, and it even tore the ceiling open.


    The Chandelier that was above them came crashing down, sending its ss fragments flying everywhere. The beautiful Crystal-like shards soon became sullied by the blood and gore beneath them.


    But none of those mattered.


    ~WHUSH!~


    ~VWUUUUM!~


    ~BOOOOOOOM!~


    More strikes and explosions rippled through the area, devastating the furniture that once stood morously at the center of the room.


    The chairs were devastated, ripped to shreds by the shockwaves alone, and the table was broken into multiple pieces before burning down.


    Several more strikes and the ground began to send forth debris.


    Fenrir attacked ferociously in wolf form, utilizing a hundred percent of strength in each strike.


    However¡­


    "Okay. That''s enough."


    ¡­ It was all to no avail.


    "I''ve seen enough." The man called Ralyks told them, his tone a deep lull that told of nothing.


    "Farewell then."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I mean¡­ it was inevitable, but they tried their best.


    Respect!

 Chapter 332 The Dark Gathering [Pt 10]

    <h4>Chapter 332 The Dark Gathering [Pt 10] </h4>


    ~SWISH!~


    That was thest sound Fenrir heard before his body turned into mincemeat and his consciousness was plunged into darkness.


    Before dying, though, Fenrir could only ask himself one question.


    ''Why¡­ did I ever think I killed a Dragon Commander¡­?''


    He didn''t understand the reason why. Perhaps¡­ if he didn''t have such thoughts, he wouldn''t have been so careless with his actions.


    ''I¡­ we were just previous soldiers drafted into war back then¡­''


    The founding members of the Mercenary Gang were merely ex-military officers who decided to defect and be fugitives instead.


    They stole a lot of resources from the Alliance¡ªespecially weapons¡ªbefore defecting. This was instrumental in starting their own organization.


    They initially started out as mere bandits, but slowly built their influence up to this point.


    Sure, they spread the rumors of their exploits¡ªkilling Dragons being one of them¡ªbut even Fenrir hadn''t killed anything above a Two-Horned on his own.


    There was no way a single man could win against a Dragon Commander.


    Sure, his squad had encountered a Dragon Commander in the past, but they were all wiped out¡ªsave for him.


    It was all due to luck!


    Yet, somehow his mind had interpreted it as him winning the battle somehow.


    Why¡­?!


    Fenrir didn''t know why he thought that.


    But, it was because of those foolish thoughts that he had made so many wrong decisions which led to this downward spiral.


    In the end, his arrogance led to his fall, and the hubris of the leader caused the end of the Mercenary Gang.


    ''I really was¡­ a fool.''


    And so, Fenrir''s head and entrails fell amongst the countless others thaty strewn all over the area.


    They formed a grotesquendscape for the senses.


    ¡ªA painting of death.


    ********


    ''Not bad Skills at all.'' Rey thought to himself, happy to have gotten something valuable from the entire exchange.


    His expression quickly soured, however, after thinking about the fact that there were still a few members of the Heads of Destruction whose Skills he hadn''t yet obtained.


    ''Even if they''re not useful on their own, I could fuse them for maximum efficiency.''


    Rey sighed, realizing there was no use making a fuss of such matters.


    ''I have no long-distancemunication Skill, so it''s not possible to tell Ater to spare the Heads of Destruction until I return.''


    Besides, knowing his Familiar''s personality, they would already be dead at this point.


    The most he could do at this distance was feel what Ater was currently experiencing, and based on those vicarious emotions, Rey could only feel delight and satisfaction.


    It felt so raw that Rey was convinced that Ater was doing some pretty nasty things back in the Capital.


    ''As long as it''s only directed at the bad guys, I suppose there''s no issue.''


    He cast his gaze on Rebal and Kara, who were still seated in their seats.


    They had been constantly protected by Rey, so none of the echoes of destruction touched even a minute part of their outfits¡ªtalkless of hurting them.


    "Are you all good?" He asked, especially looking at Esme, who remained behind Kara.


    "Y-yes. I''m fine." Kara nodded, though based on her trembling tone, it was clear she was somehow afraid.


    ''Why is she frightened? Ah¡­ I understand now.''


    Rey looked around them and realized just how messy everything had gotten. This was the result he was going for, but he could see how that could be a problem for Kara.


    ''Her family was brutally killed, after all. It''s possible she still has trauma.''


    Rey had hoped seeing the people responsible for the death of her family would bring her some sort of satisfaction, but that seemed a little too much to hope for.


    ''But, even Rebal also looks anxious. Does he have trauma too?''


    "S-sir Ralyks¡­ the remaining two are¡ª" Rebal began, pointing at the seat that Scy had previously upied.


    "I know."


    As Rey nced in its direction, he could only see a wrecked seat, with no one seated there.


    "Scy and her guard slipped away while I was busy with Fenrir and his allies."


    Despite the severity of what he was saying, Rey''s voice didn''t disy any ounce of worry or anxiety. In fact, it seemed like the opposite.


    A terrible calmness coursed through his words.


    "On to important matters, I suppose your role here is done, Rebal."


    "I-I suppose so¡­"


    "I''ll be transporting you back to the Capital. As for you, Kara, I''ll be reuniting you with the Alliance Forces that are likely on their way here already."


    Once Rey said this, Kara''s eyes widened a little in surprise.


    "On their way here?"


    "Yes. They''re almost done with their thorough investigation of this city. Besides, my recent fight with Fenrir and the other two sted a hole in the ceiling, whichpromised the barrier that keeps this ce hidden."


    Of course, Rey had ensured all of this was done intentionally.


    It was to send a signal to the Alliance Forces so they could reach the location of the enemy on their own.


    "For good context, this is what will happen¡­" Rey went on to exin the n going forward.


    "I''ll be going after Scy and her guard, while Rebal returns to the Capital, and you''ll rendezvous with the Alliance Forces directly outside this building and exin what happened¡ªof course, you''ll tell them what we agreed on."


    "U-understood!" Kara nodded in response.


    "What about me? What should I do?" Esme''s voice was low, containing none of the life that they had all experienced before the mission started.


    It sounded like her voice was hoarse, almost as if she had been crying her lungs out for hours.


    "I can sense a Cer downstairs, and I can sense a lot of people there. You should go down there and look for the merchandise that we seek."


    Of course, he meant her friends, but with Rebal and Kara present, he had to change his wordings a little bit.


    "I-I see¡­"


    Rey couldn''t help but notice how detached she seemed to him.


    ''Did my recent actions frighten her? Maybe¡­''


    He didn''t regret anything he did, though. Besides, he had already told her how bloody things would be, and she signed up for it anyway.


    It wasn''t his fault at all.


    ''Still, I don''t think she''ll feel veryfortable around me right now¡­''


    Rey sighed and shrugged a little. With a few thoughts, he summoned two Grand Elementals beside her.


    Earth and Wind.


    "They''re going to defend you down there." He told her.


    ''I doubt there is anyone who can beat a Grand Elemental down there, but just in case¡­ I chose the two who would be best for protecting her.''


    The Earth Elemental was the perfect Tank, while the Wind Elemental was swift and could be used to escape in case of awry circumstances.


    In any case, both would be perfect recements for a clone of his.


    ''Besides, I''ll probably need to be at a hundred percent for whates next.'' Rey told himself as he looked at the three people who stood before him.


    "You all did good today. We''re almost done already. All that''s left are some loose ends."


    Thest ounce of Rey''s smile vanished as he recognized the next phase of what he had to do.


    ''Even I am not certain about how this will go.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Well, we''re almost out of the woods. It''s time we draw close to the conclusion of this Arc''s climax.

 Chapter 333 The White Mask [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 333 The White Mask [Pt 1] </h4>


    ~VWUSH!~


    Once Rey finished transporting Rebal and Kara to their respective destinations, he activated the secret lever hidden on one of the walls.


    It instantly caused the ground to open, revealing stairs that led underground.


    One would expect it to be eerily dark, but luminous stones brightened the path, allowing the stairs to give off a majestic aura.


    "If anything happens to my Grand Elementals, I''lle after you right away." Rey assured Esme, to which she nodded.


    He still didn''t know what kind of expression she had under her mask, but he decided not to pry.


    ''We can talk about this after¡­''


    "Thank you, Re¡ªI mean, Sir Ralyks¡­" Usually, they would both chuckle at this, but not a single echo ofughter could be heard.


    Only something akin to awkward silence loomed around.


    "Later then."


    Rey broke the silence and waved her farewell, to which she whispered her response.


    He turned away, hearing how the Earth Elemental ventured into the underground area first, followed by Esme, and finally the Wind Elemental.


    This formation allowed for maximum security on Esme''s person.


    ''With that out of the way, it''s about time I catch the final prey, huh?''


    The honest truth was that Rey never lost sight of Scy and her guard. In fact, he had intentionally dyed in dealing with them so he could see what they would do.


    Sure enough, the bodyguard was a Spatial Magic user who teleported himself and his Mistress to a secure location¡ªthough still within the same building.


    ''Not that I didn''t know he would do that¡­''


    Even now, with his perception spread throughout the building, he could sense exactly where they were inside.


    ''It''s about time.''


    Clenching his fist in resolve, Rey''s crimson eyes glowed beneath his ck mask and he vanished from his position.


    ~VWUUSH!~


    The world blurred as he was instantly greeted with the new area he would appear in.


    Rey had already braced himself for the worst when teleporting. He expected to even be plunged straight into battle once he appeared in front of the enemy.


    He had nned for traps and all sorts of preparations that his adversary would have set up in order to deal with him.


    However¡­


    ''What the¡ª?!''


    ¡­ Even Rey never expected what he saw in the white and red room.


    Scy was standing about fifty meters from him, kneeling before the man in the white mask.


    The moment he appeared, she turned to look at him, and he saw her wretched face¡ªone filled with tears and melted makeup.


    ck lines fell from her eyes, and a particrly horrified expression consumed her face. It was both perplexing and satisfying to see.


    But, before Rey could fully savor or understand what he was witnessing, the next surprising thing happened.


    ~SWISH!~


    Her head was sliced off her neck in one swift motion from the white masked guard.


    ''¡­?!''


    There was a certain emotional detachment from the man whomitted the act. His action was fluid, precise to the letter.


    As he used his hand as a de, swinging it with sharp momentum, and the head flew from the body, Rey maintained his silence and watched.


    Scy''s head ascended high, her blond hair dancing in midair as bubbles of blood followed her.


    Then, her lifeless body crumbled to the pure white tiles, with a red pool already forming underneath it.


    Not long after, the decapitated head followed.


    As Rey stood there, watching all of this with widened eyes, he only had one thought.


    ''What the hell?''


    ********


    [Moments Earlier]


    "Haa¡­ haaa¡­"


    Scy nearly vomited as she felt herself get pulled away from the sight of horror into a white room and red room.


    ''T-this ce is¡­!''


    She recognized it well as her dining area.


    Why would her guard teleport her to a dining area instead of the Safehouse?


    ''No¡­ not even that. I didn''t even know he could use Spatial Magic.'' Scy''s thoughts flowed.


    "Haaa¡­" She tried to speak, but only heavy breaths came out.


    She felt very nauseous, and her body was still trembling from the leftover fear that the man in ck had inflicted on her.


    Right now, it didn''t matter that her guard could use Spatial Magic without her knowledge.


    Only one thing was of concern to her.


    "C-can you beat him? That monster in the form of a man¡­ can you win against him?"


    "Hmmm¡­"


    The guard ced his hand on his chin, located directly behind his white mask. He seemed to be thinking very deeply about it, which gave Scy some glimmer of hope that it wasn''t too absurd.


    ''I-if he can win¡­ or even if they''re even, then it''s possible that I can escape while he tries to hold him back!''


    "It''s a possibility."


    "Huh?"


    "Me winning against him¡­ it''s a possibility."


    Scy''s anxious face transformed entirely the moment she heard this bit of good news.


    "Then stop him! Fight him off while I escape!"


    Once again, the guard rubbed his chin for a few seconds.


    ''What''s there to think about? I''m your Master!'' Scy wanted to scream, but she patiently waited.


    "No."


    Her eyes widened as soon as she heard that response.


    "What did you just¡ª?!"


    "[Command Code: Kneel]." Words flowed from his lips, and the next moment, Scy felt her body descend.


    ''E-eh¡­?!''


    Her eyes began to widen as she found her body unable to move in the slightest. She merely powerlessly knelt before the man who was supposed to be her guard


    ¡ªHer ve!


    "W-what is the meaning of this? What''s going on?"


    Her question fell on deaf ears. Not only did the guard not answer her question, but he didn''t seem to be paying any mind to her.


    The confusion written on Scy''s face only got even more palpable by the second.


    Her heart raced and a certain fear began to surface.


    A fear that perhaps¡­ she was not in control of the situation.


    ''No! No! No!''


    "Imand you by the ve Crest to exin yourself."


    No response.


    "Release me!"


    Nothing.


    "Protect me!"


    No word was given back.


    Scy wheezed as she looked at the man in the mask with shock and downright confusion.


    None of this made any sense.


    "W-why¡­ isn''t this working¡­?"


    "You''re quite the idiot." His voice suddenly echoed in the air, and for the first time since they arrived in the room, he looked straight into her eyes.


    His glowing blue gaze caused her body to tremble in a feeling she could only associate with fear.


    No¡­ despair!


    "You still haven''t figured it out?"


    Scy didn''t know what he was talking about. Figured what out? Who could possibly understand this paradoxical event?


    He was her ve, yet not only was he not responding to her ve Crest, but he was disying abilities that she never knew existed.


    The man before her was already beyond human when he was loyal to her, but with these new sets of Skills that he was disying, she didn''t know where to ce him.


    Scy didn''t understand him.


    "W-who¡­ are you¡­?"


    Wasn''t he her ve? Wasn''t his name¡­?


    ''H-huh? His name? What is his name? What is¡­ huh?''


    As Scy stared at the white mask with nothing short of stupefaction, the man behind it spoke.


    "Who am I? Well¡­ you''re about to find out."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I will never admit to anything! I won''t spoil anything too!


    Whether you''re right or wrong¡­ I won''t say anything until we see it happen with our own eyes!


    Hahaha!

 Chapter 334 The White Mask [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 334 The White Mask [Pt 2] </h4>


    ''I''m about to¡­ figure what out?''


    As Scy had this thought, she saw a finger of the masked figure draw close to her.


    ''N-no! Stay back!'' Her thoughts echoed as it neared.


    Unfortunately, she could do nothing to stop its advance. Before long, itpletely closed the distance and reached her forehead.


    ~Tut~


    Nothing but a gentle tap reverberated through her head as the finger made impact.


    However, the moment Scy rxed her body¡­


    ~ZZZTTZZZZ!~


    ¡­ The true inflow arrived.


    "ARRRGHHHHHHH!!!" Her screams filled the massive room, followed by convulsions all over her body.


    Her head particrly swayed as her hair whipped all over. Like a madman, she constantly bobbed her head and her face showed hints of insanity.


    Tears descended down her eyes, causing her mascara to melt. The cause was a dream of ck lines streaming down her cheeks.


    Perspiration covered her face as well, which caused most of her makeup to be ruined.


    After a while¡ªcountless months, if not years, encapsted in a single moment¡ªScy finally stopped her throes of insanity.


    It was only when she stopped screaming that the finger left her forehead, and the strange buzz it had exited her brain.


    "Do you remember now?"


    The strange voice of the man in the mask wafted through Scy''s ears as she looked up at him with a perplexed and apprehensive expression.


    "I-I don''t know who you are. You''re not¡­ you''re not my guard. Who are you? Where''s my guard?" Her voice began to climb as she gazed upon him.


    "Oh? So now you remember!"


    "Who are you? Where is my guard! Who are you? Where is my guard? Who are you? Where is my guard?!"


    She kept screaming, almost like a broken doll.


    "[Command: Silence]."


    That very instant, Scy stopped talking, almost as if she was never shouting to begin with.


    "Perfect."


    Her pained expression made it obvious that she had a lot more to say, but that didn''t seem to concern the man in the mask at all.


    "Don''t worry about all of it. None of that matters now¡­"


    Scy didn''t understand what he meant by that, but it didn''t seem like he had any intentions to exin any further.


    "You know¡­ I''ve only known you for a rtively short while¡ªthough those false memories told you otherwise¡ªbut you''ve always disgusted me."


    Scy''s shock didn''t vanish. It only intensified upon hearing that.


    "Your twisted habits and questionable tastes¡­ I don''t understand how people who are so weak and pathetic end up being so cruel." He drew closer to her, the nkness of his mask adding a sense of dread to thedy''s mind.


    "Ruthless, yet weak. It''s ipatible, I''d say."


    The man in the white mask took another step closer, and this time Scy nearly jumped out of her skin.


    She was frightened beyond words.


    Her muffled voice pleaded for mercy, and the tears in her eyes flowed even more.


    ''Anything¡­ I''ll do anything!'' Her face screamed as she watched him advance even closer.


    Of course, the man in the mask ignored this altogether.


    In fact, he seemed to be chuckling.


    Suddenly, the chuckles stopped, and the guard seemed to look behind Scy for some reason.


    He was staring at something; she could tell.


    "It''s finally the time I''ve been waiting for. Looks like there''s no need to dy any longer."


    Scy didn''t know what he meant by that. She did her utmost to move her body, and much to her surprise¡­ it moved!


    Her head turned behind to see a man standing in front of a closing portal.


    ''Eeeeeek!''


    It was the man in the ck mask¡ªthe Reaper himself!


    "Farewell." With thosest words echoing in her mind, Scy felt her head being separated from her body.


    Everything went nk nearly instantly.


    Thest ounces of her tears floated in the air with her blood as the violet colors of her eyes dulled.


    Just like that¡­ she, who had nned everything from the start, ended up suffering such a humiliating and thorough defeat.


    Where did she go wrong?


    She knew it already! The nexus point that kickstarted her entire undertaking.


    ''H-he did this¡­!''


    Scy had always been somewhat dissatisfied with her position in the ve Union. As an ambitious human, she constantly desired more.


    However, she never acted on this desire.


    Not only was she too weak, but her resources wouldn''t allow her to swallow the others in the same trade as her.


    Besides, if she ended up failing, or if the other factions ganged up on her, she would bepletely done for.


    As a result of these factors, Scy never made any real moves.


    Not even after the capture of Evals Redart and the deaths of the Councilors who truly ruled the Underworld.


    But¡­ all of that changed when she got power.


    She suddenly obtained more resources and an invincible guard. She was confident in her ability to win, and she acted on it.


    As a result, she was able to pull everyone she wanted as an ally to her side and get rid of her enemies.


    None of this¡­ none of it was her fault.


    ''I never wanted all of this!''


    It was toote, though. Her cries could be heard by no one at this point.


    Scy only screamed at the abyss as it called for her.


    And she had no choice but to answer.


    *******


    Silence.


    Pure silence pervaded the world of white and red that the two masked parties upied.


    They stared at each other in quiet observation.


    However, before this entire confrontation went any further without a single word being spoken, the man in the white mask spoke out.


    "It''s understandable if you''re confused about what just happened."


    "There''s no need for you to exin." The one in the ck mask¡ª


    Rey¡ªresponded.


    He stared at the corpse at his opponent''s feet, before trailing his gaze back to the white mask.


    "I know this is the sort of thing you would resort to¡­" With narrowed eyes and creased brows, Rey spat out his name.


    "¡­ Adrien Chase."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I hope you enjoyed the chapter.


    Yeah. I knew you all saw thising. I made it obvious for a reason.


    ¡­ I think.

 Chapter 335 Revelation [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 335 Revtion [Pt 1] </h4>


    ''Adrien Chase¡­ it all makes sense now.''


    As Rey''s thoughts trailed, he wondered why he never pieced together all of the information beforehand.


    ''Back then, when I first saw him standing behind Scy¡­ I instantly knew he was involved. I just didn''t know why¡­''


    However, now that they were standing opposite each other, Rey had a good idea of what was going on.


    "Did you manipte the events thus far? Pretending to be a part of the Criminal Underworld¡­ acting like someone you''re not¡­ just to gain all the benefits?"


    Rey thought along these lines because they were the kind of things he had done and would do in order to get what he wanted.


    What were the chances that Adrien had a simr thought pattern as him?


    ''He has been controlling Scy without her knowledge. He probably wants all the resources of the Underworld for himself.''


    This was an borate way to set things up, but he was able to orchestrate the events thus far.


    ''Or am I the one overthinking it?'' Rey thought to himself.


    "No, you''re not overthinking things."


    The moment Rey heard Adrien''s voice and saw the boy move, Rey instantly took an offensive stance.


    "Rx¡­" Adrien reached for his mask and began to pull it away.


    "¡­ I don''t want to fight."


    As Adrien revealed his face to Rey, it precisely matched the smiling boy who turned back back then.


    His ck hair swayed as his blue eyes gleamed with some sort of hidden motives.


    He instantly got shivers when he remembered that event, but [Dead Calm] suppressed everything in an instant.


    "I know what you''re thinking, and you''re notpletely wrong¡­ but you''re notpletely right either."


    Rey still maintained his offensive stance as Adrien began to advance forward.


    "I indeed orchestrate these events, but it wasn''t wholly for personal gain. I mean, look at the results? The ck Market, the Mercenary Gang, and the ve Union¡­ they''re all in shambles."


    "And?"


    "I mean¡­ isn''t this the perfect conclusion?" Rey narrowed his gaze as he listened to Adrien speak.


    He didn''t believe a single word the boy uttered.


    "That''s because I was here to ensure whatever n you cooked up didn''t work."


    In response to Rey''s words, Adrien chuckled.


    "It''s funny how you think I didn''t ount for your presence at today''s event."


    "What?"


    "I mean¡­ you''re the main yer today, Sir Ralyks."


    Rey didn''t know what to believe any longer. Adrien was skirting around the issue, or perhaps he was being straightforward.


    "I only set the stage for you."


    "To what end? If you truly wanted to reap the maximum profits, you wouldn''t have involved me." Rey narrowed his eyes as his re deepened.


    "True. But, like I already said, I did all of this for a good reason."


    Rey''s skepticism was obvious in his silence.


    "The ck Market and this entire Criminal Empire that the Triumvirate founded is stupid. It''ll only get in the way of the Alliance''s progress in the long run." Adrien drew even closer, until he got to the ce where the head of Scynded.


    "They were a cancer eating away at this Nation''s resources and potential. They''re a detrimental force¡­ an overall liability to the mission."


    Adrien stepped on Scy''s head and instantly turned into a bloody paste.


    "That''s why I had to cut them off."


    ''So he did this for the sake of the Alliance?'' Rey had already had the exact same thought about the Criminal Underworld some time back, so he knew Adrien wasn''t lying about that.


    The wealth of the Underworld would be best distributed to the Alliance in order to improve its economic state and ensure better social welfare.


    Goods and special items would be more helpful in the mainstream market¡ªespecially in times of scarcity and warfare.


    Of course, those profiting from it would disagree, but if the Underworld kept hoarding things from the mainstream, it would lead to the overall detriment of the Alliance.


    ve Trade was also incredibly vile, and the Mercenary Gang alsomitted atrocities for the other branches of the Triumvirate.


    This created an entire cesspool of wealth that would eventually burn itself out and eat itself up.


    It was just as Rebal said.


    ''The entire enterprise isn''t sustainable.'' Rey agreed on all of that.


    However¡­


    "Do you really expect me to believe that you did all of this for altruistic reasons?"


    Summoning a de from seemingly nowhere, Rey pointed it towards Adrien.


    ''I can''t be an idiot and just ept whatever he says.''


    If he could pretend to be a heartless killer as Ralyks, then it was possible for Adrien to act as a concerned phnthropist.


    "Haha¡­ you really have such a low opinion of me, huh?"


    ''Yes. Yes, I do.'' Rey gritted his teeth and red.


    Anyone who could orchestrate a scenario to frame a ssmate, steal from them, cause someone else to die in their ce, and so on¡­ deserved his full skepticism.


    There was no way he would let Adrien off the hook just from hearing a few words concerning his selfless deeds.


    "Believe it or not, I''m not an enemy. I''m not even the viin here; the Dragons are."


    Rey found his de wavering a little.


    "I''m also very much against the Dragons, just like you. Just because I do things a little differently doesn''t mean our interests do not align." Adrien added.


    "By differently, you mean creating a bloody mess by messing with people, don''t you?"


    "Says the guy who killed all those people. You''re wee, by the way." Adrien casually shrugged as he spoke.


    "What''s that supposed to mean?"


    "I''m just efficient is all. If you want to get rid of the Dragons, then you''ll have to be prepared to do anything necessary to achieve that goal."


    Rey couldn''t disagree with the words Adrien was saying.


    In fact, he found them to be alike in a lot of ways.


    But¡­ there was something about Adrien that made Rey feel a sense of repulsion.


    "The difference between us is that I''m willing to do whatever it takes to win, but you still hesitate¡­"


    As Adrien said this, he smiled at Rey.


    "¡­ For now, at least."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I hope you''re liking the exchange. What do you think about Adrien''s philosophy thus far?

 Chapter 336 Revelation [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 336 Revtion [Pt 2] </h4>


    Rey felt something rise within his chest every time Adrien spoke, but it was always suppressed by [Dead Calm].


    His words struck some kind of chord within him.


    ''If it wasn''t for this entire incident, I wouldn''t have killed anyone¡­''


    It was Adrien''s fault that he became a killer.


    ''No. That''s not fair. I might have had to do it eventually¡­''


    Rey knew he had to take responsibility for his actions. However, looking at the boy before him, he couldn''t help but dread something.


    ''Will I be like him eventually?''


    Was that so bad?


    It was mostly thanks to Adrien that the Criminal Underworld was crumbling.


    ''No! He went about things the wrong way. His actions were too extreme!''


    But¡­ were they?


    Rey dug deep within himself and asked himself a very difficult question¡ªone that he was just considering at the moment.


    ''Who was hurt during all of this?''


    It was only the members of the Underworld. They were the ones affected by Adrien''s actions.


    The Obsidian Houses that suffered heavy losses, like Kara''s family, were not innocents. Objectively, they were a part of the cancer eating into the wealth and progress of the Alliance.


    All the dead rtives of the Councilors were also deemed guilty of knowledge and connections to the Underworld thanks to the investigation he personally did.


    The victims of the entire Dark Undertaking¡­ they were criminals¡ªthe scum of the world.


    And so, with all of this flowing into his mind, Rey had to ask himself once again.


    ''Is he really wrong?''


    Rey desperately wanted to say "No" but he couldn''t.


    That would be hypocritical.


    After all¡­


    ¡­ He would have done the same if he was in Adrien''s shoes.


    "I still don''t trust you." Rey spoke, almost whispering his words.


    "Is that so? That''s a shame¡­"


    Adrien''s face seemed to show genuine disappointment. Something akin to regret was also mixed into his eyes.


    "¡­ Rey."


    The moment Rey heard his name, his eyes snapped open.


    ''Hold on¡­ he knows I''m Rey?!''


    Throughout their interaction, he had spoken as Ralyks, and Adrien had also addressed him the same way.


    Rey wasn''tpletely sure, but he always thought Adrien didn''t know who he really was.


    But all of that was now shattered.


    Thankfully, Rey''s anxiety and shock were suppressed by [Dead Calm], so he didn''t react at all despite hearing his own name.


    He was just quiet.


    "I understand why you don''t trust me. It''s about Adam''s death¡­ right?"


    ''Among other things, yeah.'' Rey felt his heart pounding, but it slowed down almost as quickly as it started.


    His mind was strangely clear, though that didn''t do away with all of his unease.


    "Adam would have betrayed the ss eventually."


    ''Do you expect me to believe that?'' Rey nearly scoffed at the words he was hearing.


    Adam was a loose cannon, and he was very rebellious, but he wouldn''t go that far.


    At most, they could have just sent him off¡ªthe same way the Council eventually did to all of the Otherworlders.


    Death was too much for one of their ssmates.


    "I don''t expect you to believe me, but it''s true. This is probably not relevant anymore, but you should know that Adam is a serial rapist and sex offender."


    ''What?!''


    "It''s weird how he''s already such a shitty person despite being so young, but it''s true. All those crimes were swept under the rug by his rich and influential family."


    ''How do you expect me to believe such oundish ims?!'' Rey''s thoughts nearly burst out.


    There was no way for him to verify any of the ims that Adrien was making.


    The only thing he knew for sure was that Adam indeed had a rich and influential family.


    That was why he was such an asshole to everyone, able to get away with bullying and the likes. Despite his terrible behavior, he was still very popr and constantly surrounded by people.


    It was all due to his money and influence.


    ''He did a lot of shitty things in the past, but¡­ isn''t rape too far?''


    "What if I told you that he also killed someone?"


    Rey didn''t want to believe him.


    "I prompted him to kill Adonis, but why do you think he readily epted my offer?"


    ''Because you influenced his mind¡­ maybe.''


    "No. It''s because he''s done it before."


    "That''s enough." Rey sighed, refusing to make anyment that would cement his identity as Rey.


    For all he knew, Adrien could be guessing his identity.


    "I have no idea what you''re talking about." He added.


    Adrien chuckled, shrugging casually once again while nodding.


    "I understand. Fair enough."


    For a moment, no one said anything. Both parties merely stared at each other.


    Then¡ª


    "I also want to apologize for the entire ordeal you had to go through in the trial."


    ¡ªAdrien spoke once again.


    "I also want to apologize for stealing those Monster Cores. I needed resources to obtain a bunch of things for my ns back then. I know it''s not an excuse, but¡­ I had good reasons for doing what I did."


    Rey was rendered speechless by what he was hearing.


    He had always thought the Mastermind was a heartless machine who manipted everyone and orchestrated scenarios to suit his selfish whims.


    After Adam''s death, that concrete image had been imprinted into Rey''s mind.


    ''But this¡­ this is unexpected!''


    Adrien seemed very reasonable, and in fact he was more simr to Rey than thetter could have imagined.


    It was almost freaky how identical their views were.


    ''But¡­''


    Rey searched within himself for a way to justify his skepticism towards Adrien, but his mind came up nk.


    Just like Adrien, he had also gotten his own resources through somewhat illegitimate means.


    Did that make him evil? No¡­


    "Apologies are shallow, I know. So why don''t Ipensate you now¡­ for all your troubles."


    "What are you talking about?" Rey asked, realizing he had been silent for too long.


    "I''ll leave the remaining resources Scy had, as well as all the resources of the ck Market members at your disposal. I won''t touch anything."


    Adrien''s response would havee as a shock to Rey if he didn''t already know the kind of person he was.


    "You''ve already taken what you need, haven''t you?"


    In response to that, Adrien merely deepened his smile and shrugged.


    "If you feel like that isn''t enough, then why don''t I give you some information? Consider it as a reward for getting this far."


    Rey didn''t like how he was being strung around like a child. It seemed like, even now, Adrien was manipting him.


    Perhaps that was what rubbed him the wrong way when dealing with this boy.


    ¡ªThe fact that Adrien held the advantage here.


    Rey hated feeling like prey¡­ like the underdog. However, in all their interactions, it always seemed like he was one step behind Adrien.


    It was despicable.


    He hated every second of it.


    Perhaps he wasn''t particrly angry at Adrien for his actions as much as he was upset that he never thought about them, or maybe was just one of the pieces being yed by someone else, rather than being the chessmaster himself.


    Even now, as he was piecing together all of the information before him, Rey couldn''t help but feel like that was exactly what Adrien wanted.


    It left him at a crossroads, with two equally detestable options


    "I know about the whereabouts of our ssmates. I can tell you that if you like."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    What do you think about Adrien''s personality so far?


    I feel like he talks too much.

 Chapter 337 Revelation [Pt 3]

    <h4>Chapter 337 Revtion [Pt 3] </h4>


    ''Our ssmates? The ones who left the Royal Estate?!''


    Rey had no idea where they were, and he frankly didn''t even bother finding out. In all honesty, none of that mattered to him.


    They were liabilities, and save for Noah¡ªwho he considered a friend¡ªthere was no value in looking out for any of them.


    Rather than that, he focused on making sure the current roster of capable Otherworlder were as formidable as possible.


    That way, he could cut his losses and take his chances with the winning team.


    ''But he means to tell me that he knows exactly what they''ve been up to?''


    "Most of them are working closely with merchants and reputable agencies. With their Skills and basicbat training, they can pretty much handle all the bandits they have to fight to guard properties." Adrien exined.


    Of course, there was still no way to verify what he was saying, but Rey was running out of reasons to believe Adrien could be lying.


    He didn''t even know why Adrien would lie.


    "A few are already dead. It''s a shame, but it''s quite the cruel world that they found themselves in."


    "Who killed them?" Rey found himself asking.


    Adrien smiled as soon as Rey replied with that, and for a second, he said nothing.


    However, his silence was short-lived.


    "Monsters. They didn''t stand a chance against powerful Monsters."


    "Why would they just encounter Monsters?"


    "They didn''t understand the geography of this world. It''s not difficult to imagine them going to a forest or region that had been deemed to be a Danger Zone."


    Rey felt a tight feeling in his chest.


    Adrien was right about a bunch of regions where Monsters spawned. Careless travelers or those who were ignorant of that fact could be attacked by them and meet cruel ends.


    "As for your friend, Noah, he''s currently an Adventurer in the Adventurer''s City."


    Rey''s eyes widened the moment he heard that news.


    ''What the hell is he doing as an Adventurer?'' That wasn''t at all the hat Noah had said in his letter.


    What changed?


    "I believe that should be enough repayment for one day." Adrien sighed, almost as if he was already tired.


    "I''ve spoken too much for a day. It''s really exhausting. I guess being a silent guard really suits me, considering I don''t have to say anything for most of my job."


    Perhaps this was meant to be a joke, as Adrienughed a little, but Rey''s stern face showed how unamused he was.


    Once again, an awkward silence filled the room.


    "Now that we''re done here¡­ I think I''ll take my lea¡ª"


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    Before Adrien could conclude his statement, Rey sped towards him and grabbed him by the throat.


    He rushed towards a nearby wall and mmed Adrien on it without a care in the world, forcibly imprinting a massive crack on the wall.


    ~BOOOM!~


    Shockwaves of the sudden action caused everything in the room to tremble, but Rey''s grasp remained firm.


    "There''s no use trying to wiggle out. You can''t teleport out of here, and none of your Skills will affect me." Rey said, tightening his grip on the still Adrien.


    Despite being treated so roughly, the boy continued to smile.


    "I really don''t like you, Adrien."


    "I¡­ noticed." Adrien leaked out a chuckle before being forced to keep quiet thanks to Rey squeezing his throat harder.


    "You''re full of bullshit. You could have just destroyed the Criminal Underworld more efficiently without going through such an borate scheme."


    "What¡­ do you¡­ mean?"


    "You can''t fool me. You are strong enough to destroy all of them by yourself, and you''ve had the chance to do so. Yet, you went through all this length and risked so much damage to achieve the same results? I''m not buying it." Rey drew closer to Adrien and growled.


    "You have other intentions. Tell me what they are."


    "Haha! Damn¡­ you really have me all figured out, don''t you?" Adrien coughed, maintaining his strained smile.


    Rey pressed him against the wall, his crimson eyes glowing greatly.


    "Perhaps I was curious about you and wanted to see how strong you were. s, this event wasn''t too challenging, so I couldn''t see the depths of your power."


    "Is that so?" Rey''s intensity increased.


    "Rx. It''s all hypothetical." He coughed once again. "The thing is¡­ I don''t want to make my existence known to the world. That''s why I chose to blend in with them and organically destroy everything from the inside out, inviting you to deal the final damage."


    "What?"


    "If I went about the destruction of the Criminal Underworld more straightforwardly, it would alert everyone of a higher power. I don''t think I want that kind of attention."


    "I thought you wanted what''s best for the people." Rey mused.


    "There''s that too." Adrien widened his grin. "Think about it. How would people react if they found out there''s a second Ralyks running around, with enough power topletely decimate an Organization that has been operating from the shadows for a decade?"


    Rey could think of a list of reactions, though it all depended on the circumstances, or nature of Adrien''s approach when purging the filth.


    "No matter how you slice it, I consider the whole thing unnecessary. There''s no need for a second Ralyks when there''s already one."


    "Is that why you made it so that I was involved?" Rey asked.


    Adrien nodded with a brilliant smile ying on his face.


    "I want you, as Ralyks, to take full credit for all this. You can be that overarching figure that will serve as a higher power."


    "I don''t think so."


    "But you''ve already started. All your actions so far have been in that line. You saving the Otherworlders, killing the Dragon, and even the way you''re currently assisting our devoted ssmates to grow. You''ve done so much, so just add this one to the list."


    Rey could once again see the sense in Adrien''s words. But he knew, instinctively, that there had to be some kind of catch.


    A deep benefit that only Adrien knew about and would profit from.


    "Do you think I''ll let you use me like this?"


    "Yes, I do."


    Rey growled and squeezed harder on Adrien''s neck, but the boy still spoke normally regardless.


    "It''s for the greater good, after all."


    "I think you''ll need to define what you mean by ''greater good'', Adrien."


    In response, Adrien raised both of his hands in an "I don''t know" or "You tell me" fashion.


    "We''re both on the same side against the Dragons. I think that already speaks for itself."


    Rey chose silence this time.


    He had run out of things to ask, and Adrien seemed pretty harmless at this point.


    "If you''re so worried about me, why don''t you just kill me now and get it over with!"


    "¡­"


    "You''ll be able to stop my ns, and you''ll be able to save the world your way. Pretty neat, right?"


    Despite saying this, Adrien was smiling so confidently. You''d never think he was being pinned down by Rey from the way he was acting.


    And the honest truth was¡­ he wasn''t.


    "I already know this isn''t your real body. It''s a puppet, isn''t it?"


    *


    *


    *

 Chapter 338 This Is Farewell

    <h4>Chapter 338 This Is Farewell </h4>


    "I already know this isn''t your real body. It''s a puppet, isn''t it?"


    Adrien''s brilliant smile broadened and a twinkle shed in his blue eyes as Rey said those words.


    It seemed he was waiting to hear them.


    "Your real body is most likely somewhere safe, far away from this location." Rey added, his tone teetering the point between curiosity and disinterest.


    Once again, Adrien shrugged.


    "Far away, yes. Safe¡­ I''m not very sure."


    Upon hearing this, Rey narrowed his gaze and found himself smiling.


    "Why don''t you tell me where you are? I''ll go right there and kill you, just like you asked me to."


    "Haha! I don''t think I want to die just yet." Adrien chuckled, shaking his head slightly.


    "Besides, what''s the fun in giving you the answers just like that? It''s a puzzle, so figure it out yourself."


    Rey already knew he was going to get that kind of answer, so he never put much stock into his question. If he had some sort of Skill that would allow him to track Adrien''s real body, that would have probably worked, but he currently had no such luck.


    All he had was a marite whose death would be inconsequential.


    ''I can''t use [Absolute Mental Control] or [Compulsion] on a target that isn''t in my immediate vicinity, so it''s not possible for me to force him to spill the beans. None of my Skills can allow me to reach him in any way either.''


    Rey gritted his teeth, realizing he was stuck.


    ¡­ Just as Adrien desired.


    "You did well, you know? Killing these people, I mean."


    Adrien''s voice spurred Rey from his maelstrom of thoughts.


    It caused Rey to suspend his mind from going over as many possible alternatives to the situation at hand, instead gazing into Adrien''s azure eyes.


    "If you consider me vile, then I wonder how you''ll react once you see¡­"


    "See what?" Rey asked in a bit of frustration.


    "Underground. Check it out for yourself."


    ''The Secret Underground area? Isn''t that where Esme went?''


    "I don''t see your partner with you. The weakling who was hiding behind that armor."


    Rey''s eyes slightly twitched the moment he heard those words. [Dead Calm] was active, so he hardly reacted to anything Adrien said to him.


    ''Does he know Esme''s true identity, or is he just trying to pry information from me? I''m not sure¡­''


    Either way, he decided not to say anything.


    "Your priorities are misced. I don''t think you should be wasting any more time with me downstairs when your partner is down there."


    Rey flinched a little more.


    ''I definitely didn''t sense anything dangerous down there. Nothing too dangerous for my Grand Elementals.''


    Sure, there were a lot of people that upied the spaces underneath, some of which were most likely hostile, but they wouldn''t be too dangerous for his Elemental Summons to handle.


    ''He''s just trying to mess with me, isn''t h¡ª?!''


    Before Rey could finalize his thoughts, he felt something instantly die out within him¡ªlike a connection which was suddenly severed.


    It was the link between himself and his two Summons.


    Despite the effects of [Dead Calm], Rey felt a surge of panic for about a second, before finally regaining hisposure.


    ''Impossible¡­!''


    There was no way the connection between himself and his Grand Elementals would be cut off given the circumstances he had calcted.


    Only two things could cause such a development.


    One would be the appearance of some Skill or Magic which could hijack his control over the two Elemental Summons.


    As for the other option¡­ it was the death of the Grand Elementals.


    Both options were equally terrible because they essentially pointed at the existence of a much more powerful foe than he anticipated.


    An S-Tier threat, at the very least!


    ''Damnit! I should have left a replica with her, after all!''


    The reason he didn''t do so was because he wanted to be prepared when facing Adrien¡ªor at least, his puppet.


    He had no way of telling if the actual Adrien was going to show up, and given the fact that he had an SSS-Tier Skill, just like Rey, thetter knew that he couldn''t be too careful.


    As a result of that, he ended up leaving Esme in a vulnerable state.


    "Hahaha! I suppose this is farewell, Re¡ª"


    ~SQUISH!~


    Before Adrien could conclude his message, Rey crushed the throat of the puppet, instantly turning the entire thing into dust through corrosion.


    "I''ll deal with youter¡­" He whispered under his breath, a bright crimson hue radiating from his slightly frustrated eyes.


    Despite the effects of [Dead Calm], Rey found himself growing increasingly desperate.


    ''I should hurry!''


    ~WHOOSH!~


    In a swift blur, he teleported away from where he was and instantly made his way to the very bloodied hall where he ughtered his enemies.


    He didn''t care to look at the dismembered corpses and quickly rushed inside the gaping entrance that was yet to close.


    ''I hope I''m not toote¡­'' His thought trailed as winds brushed past his face as hebined his use of teleportation and swift flight, rushing as quickly as he possibly could in such an enclosed space.


    If he was too fast, he couldpromise the entire structure and cause everything to copse.


    That would further ruin his n.


    He couldn''t allow that¡ªespecially after all the meticulous nning that went into the entire event that was the Dark Gathering.


    Rey was sure that this was due to the influence of [Dead Calm], but he found himself unwilling to risk his ns for a chance of arriving earlier to save Esme.


    It felt¡­ disgusting.


    And soon as he made that connection, Rey turned off his [Dead Calm], which just coincidentally turned out to be the perfect time when he closed in on Esme''s location.


    Then¡­


    ~BOOOM!~


    ¡­ He burst through the walls, turning everything into dust and entered an incrediblyrge room¡ªfar more spacious than the hall used for the Dark Gathering.


    ''Esme!''


    He was thankful to see her still alive, though a secondter, his joy transformed into something else.


    ¡ªSomething awry.


    ''W-what¡­ what in the world is this?!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    If this chapter felt a bit rushed, that''s because it is. My conscience couldn''t allow me not to publish anything today, but I''ve been so busy with IRL stuff¡­ and I''m still busy.


    Just squeezed some time out to write this.


    Hope you liked it.

 Chapter 339 Definition Of Despair

    <h4>Chapter 339 Definition Of Despair </h4>


    Red.


    Rey saw red all over the room.


    The sulent color of blood, and the warm moisture of the liquid dropped from every corner of the room.


    It upied every facet of it.


    Then, sitting atop the endless river of blood¡ªone that flowed without end¡ªwere heaps and heaps of corpses.


    Like mincemeat, their bodies were riddled with holes and squashed beyond recognition.


    It seemed they were initially diced into multiple pieces, and then crushed in many areas until they became nothing but pounded flesh.


    It was this very flesh that decorated the room, hanging all over like strewn spaghetti covered in tomato sauce. It was both an absurd and horrifying sight.


    Yet¡­ there was a certain beauty about it.


    This painting of death, however, had one fatal w¡ªthe living still remained on it.


    This, perhaps, was what made Rey''s eyes widen in absolute shock.


    Because, even if he didn''t expect to see a scene of bloodshed, it wasn''t at all new to him. However, this would be the first time in all of his existence that he would witness this¡­


    ¡­ This scene of absolute depravity.


    He saw humans being treated like cattle.


    Young ones who looked like they were barely adults, were having intercourse despite the blood and gore that was bound to overwhelm the senses.


    They were naked, like beasts, and they carried out their duties with utmost precision.


    The male swung their hips, thrusting their tools into the holes of the women whose bodies dangled with each move as they received their dues.


    It was a twisted scene.


    Their faces told Rey that none of them were enjoying this. It seemed more like they were in a trance rather than reality.


    They had dted pupils, with drool oozing from their mouths and snot dripping from their noses¡ªall signs of doping.


    One check at their Status and Rey could easily confirm that they were on some kind of drugs, though he didn''t even need to go that far to arrive at that conclusion.


    What he was looking at weren''t humans anymore.


    They were nothing more than broken dolls whose activities had already been predetermined for them. Ovee by lust, and without barely any cognitive function left, the only thing they could do¡­


    ¡­ Was to breed.


    "W-what in the world is this?!"


    Rey''s perplexed eyes took in this abominable scene and could barely even speak, talkless of move.


    Gore mixed with an unsavory orgy left a bad taste in his mouth¡ªalmost driving him to vomit all over the ce.


    However, he stopped himself since that would only make things worse.


    Then¡­ amidst all this, he heard a sob.


    It came from the girl who knelt right in front of the horror that pervaded the room.


    Her pale, naked skin was dipped in the crimson blood that flowed endlessly, and she seemed to be still¡ªlike a statue without life.


    "E-Esme¡­?"


    Rey''s tone contained a lot of worry, but also a slight hint of confusion.


    But, that was understandable.


    For the girl who knelt in the pool of blood was different from the one he knew just a few moments before.


    Recing the ck hair she had was an angelic bloom of white hair that flowed ever so beautifully.


    They were partially covered in blood, but their beauty radiated through even that.


    They appeared soft¡ªsofter than silk¡ªand each strand seemed to be made from the most beautiful of gems. However, this wasn''t the only change.


    Esme''s normal ears were now pointed, like that of an Elf. In this moment of tragedy and horror, her true beauty emerged¡ªlike a flower surrounded by dirt.


    In all its majesty, her pale body bloomed like the most perfect depiction of beauty, only to be shrouded by the world''s greatest horrors.


    The sobs continued.


    As Rey took a single step forward, the girl''s body began to move.


    Her beautiful hair swayed as she turned to face him, who stood from behind.


    "Rey¡­" Her lips uttered his name in a way thatpletely melted his heart.


    The pain in her tone, and the agony on her face as she said his name and hot tears streamed down her cheeks, was enough to paralyze him.


    He couldn''t go any further.


    Rey could only pause and watch as she looked at him with a maelstrom of emotions.


    Fear. Rage. Sorrow. Pain. Horror. Disdain.


    A lot more existed on this spectrum, but before Rey could process any more of it, Esme opened up her lips and spoke once more.


    "¡­ What have I done?"


    **********


    [Moments Earlier]


    ''I''m so nervous¡­''


    Esme was right in between two reliable guards, but that didn''t make her feel any safer. Even her very sturdy armor only felt like paper as she stepped into the brightly lit stairwell that led to unknown depths.


    Each of the Grand Elementals with Esme could easily crush her in a second, and she wouldn''t be able to resist at all.


    She knew they wouldn''t do such a thing¡ªsince they were Rey''s summons¡ªbut her intrusive thoughts kept winning in her mind.


    In the end, she could only nervously trod down the path set before her.


    They finally reached the bottom of the stairs, and all Esme saw in front of her was a massive red door.


    Atop the door, a message was shown:


    [WARNING: Powerful Aphrodisiac Usage ahead. Please wear a face mask]


    ''Aphrodisiac? What is that?''


    Esme was quite innocent in that regard so she didn''t know what such amonce term for a chemical stimnt for one''s sex drive meant.


    ''Is it a poison or something¡­?'' She nced at the Elementals who were with her.


    Thankfully, she didn''t have any need to worry, since the Wind Elemental Summon instantly shrouded her in a sphere of protection.


    This sphere protected her from any attacks or poisonous air around her. As a result, whatever this ''Aphrodisiac'' was, it wouldn''t affect her.


    ''I have the perfect nose mask with me!'' Esme smiled to herself, feeling a lot more confident.


    Elemental Summons didn''t need to breathe, so she doubted they would be in any trouble beyond the doors of the room.


    ''I guess it''s time to advance.'' She told herself.


    Esme didn''t like keeping her hopes up for too long, considering how she had been disappointed in the past up until this point.


    They had explored dozens upon dozens of warehouses, but Esme was yet to see a single friend of hers. None of her surviving family was in any of the ces they visited, so she didn''t want to think that this particr ce would be any different.


    However, something told her that this time would be different.


    She genuinely believed that it was possible¡­ no, likely to see them here.


    Perhaps it was just wishful thinking¡ªan irrational expectation she ced on the situation due to how far she hade.


    However, Esme chose to believe it all this time.


    And so, she took a step forward, filled with purpose and determination.


    ''Allie, Charles, everyone! I''ming for you!''


    Esme flung the red door open, and she was greeted with a squeaky clean white hall¡ªmuchrger than the room used for the Dark Gathering.


    It was so big and tall.


    But¡­


    ''H-huh¡­?!''


    ¡­ It was very upied.


    Esme had witnessed a lot of horrors¡ªone of which just recently concluded above his very facility¡ªbut this one trumped everything.


    It was the ultimate punishment for one not deserving at all.


    The true definition of despair.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    This chapter was a little overly descriptive, but I had to pour out everything the way it flowed. I hope you didn''t hate it.


    As for what happened to Esme¡­ a big OOF¡­

 Chapter 340 Metamorphosis

    <h4>Chapter 340 Metamorphosis </h4>


    Esme saw something horrifying that day.


    ''Allie¡­?''


    She saw her friends and family, just like she wanted. But¡­ they weren''t the same as she left them.


    ''Charles¡­?''


    She found them to be positioned like beasts, mating in the most disgusting way possible.


    ''E-everyone¡­?!''


    Their vacant pupils and drooling mouths were wide open as they absentmindedly moved their body to engage in activities they wouldn''t normally get involved in.


    Such vulgar actions¡­ the filthiness of it all¡ªEsme nearly didn''t recognize these people as her family.


    But they were!


    Not all of them were here, but she could see a lot of familiar faces.


    The bodies of the young ones she knew had been forcefully matured somehow, and their previously t bellies were swollen.


    "A-ahh¡­ ahhh¡­"


    Esme felt her mind was tearing apart.


    She always wanted to reunite with her family, but now that they were right in front of her, she couldn''t take a single step forward.


    This wasn''t her family at all.


    They were¡­ different¡­ from how she remembered them.


    "Intruder!" Esme heard voices echo from all over the room.


    Suddenly, sirens began to re and a lot of guards began to rush in through the double-door at the furthest end of the room.


    Some had des, as well as other weapons, while some had staffs. They clearly seemed to be veterans, and ording to protocol, they had their nose masks on.


    Esme was too shell-shocked to utter any word.


    She just looked at the entire scene that yed right in front of her in bone-chilling horror.


    ''H-how¡­ why¡­?''


    Her eyes began to grow wide, and her racing heart couldn''t go any fast, so it practically stop beating; for that moment, at least.


    Then¡ª


    "No¡­"


    ¡ªHer voice began to manifest.


    ~BZZZTZZZ!~


    "¡­ I should have expected this¡­"


    ~ZZZTZZZZ!~


    "You''re all monsters. Every single one of you." Esme raised her face and looked at the people who cautiously approached her.


    They must have been quite worried due to the Elementals that guarded her.


    If they took any step closer to her, Esme knew her protectors would easily get rid of them.


    But¡­ she didn''t want that.


    ~ZZZTTTTTZZZZZ!~


    Esme wanted to be the one to do it.


    She wanted to kill them.


    [SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]


    [The World Has Listened To Your Cry, Lost One]


    [Inferior Gene Limitation Has Been Removed]


    [New Skill Unlocked: Absolute Elemental Control]


    [All Pre-Existing Skills Will Be Upgraded]


    "Haaa¡­"


    As misty breaths escaped Esme''s lips, she looked at the approaching enemies with only one thought in mind.


    "Please die."


    ~VWUUUUUSSSHH!~


    The Orichalcum armor that covered her body instantly broke apart as a result of the inflow of such incredible Mana.


    Her current power was too much for it to contain.


    That wasn''t all, though.


    The two Grand Elemental Summons beside her also shattered, and their bodies became nourishment for her new Skill.


    The violent winds from the Wind Elemental, coupled with the broken shards of the immensely powerful Earth Elemental, gave Esme strength.


    She sent the winds forward, easily slicing through every single defense that her enemies could erect to protect themselves.


    Within a single moment, their diced up bodies floated in the air¡ª all of them without exceptions.


    Then, Esme sent the shattered rocks towards all the dismembered corpses, using the debris to point their flesh until they became pasty entrails and grounded meat.


    They sttered all over the room¡ªboth blood and flesh¡ªall of it creating a disgustingly beautifulndscape of death.


    In that single moment, Esme killed over a hundred guards, seeing their flesh and blood cover everything in the vast room.


    Once her violent outburst was over, Esme plopped to the ground, kneeling in utter defeat.


    She had indeed killed her enemies, but her victory rang hollow.


    No¡­ was it really a victory at all?


    Despite everything, Esme could still hear the sounds of flesh pounding against flesh¡ªan action carried out by the thousands in the room.


    Some were familiar, some were not.


    They were not moaning in pleasure, but grunts and squishes could be heard all around.


    Esme could see it all¡ªwith her [Absolute Appraisal]¡ªthat their mental and cognitive functions had long been corroded.


    ''They''re too far gone¡­''


    Yes, they looked like people, but they were far from it. These were empty shells that only knew how to do certain things.


    Machines disguised as living beings.


    Or rather, living things that had be nothing more than machines.


    ''I¡­ what did I¡­? I¡­''


    Before Esme couldplete her thoughts, she heard a sound behind her.


    ~BOOOOM!~


    A familiar presence appeared behind her.


    She was naked and absolutely vulnerable, covered in blood. Her shame consumed her as she knelt there, unable to look in the eyes of the man who had now appeared behind her.


    Tears streamed down her eyes as she felt his gaze settle on her.


    ''I¡­ I¡­''


    Then, she heard his footsteps, how they advanced towards her.


    ''No! Don''te near me! I''m too¡­'' She turned to look at him at that moment.


    ''¡­ Too filthy!''


    Esme had be the very evil she hated¡ªkilling and enjoying every bit of it.


    She knew a smile was on her face when she cut up those men and women and crushed their meaty flesh and solid bones with her power.


    It was terribly fleeting, but Esme had felt indescribable pleasure back then.


    She was a horrible person.


    "W-what¡­ have I done?" She whispered as she looked at Rey.


    His dark mask prevented her from seeing his face, but she was so scared about how he now perceived her.


    Perhaps as a monster¡­ or as evil.


    Back when he had executed all the members of the opposition side, Esme only felt disgust and repulsion¡ªtowards him and the entire dance of violence.


    But now¡­ now it was her turn.


    She was so scared to be gazed upon with such eyes.


    If only Esme really knew what Rey was currently seeing through the lens of his sight.


    He never perceived a monster.


    All he saw was a beautiful gem surrounded by tragedy.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Well, I certainly hope I didn''t gross you out too much with the descriptions.


    And if I did¡­ that''s good too.


    You''re meant to be grossed out!

 Chapter 341 What Has To Be Done

    <h4>Chapter 341 What Has To Be Done </h4>


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Esme


    - Race: Half-Elf (Human and Elf)


    - ss: Elementalist (B-Tier)


    - Level: 15 (98.14% EXP)


    - Life Force: 100/100 (+100)


    - Mana Level: 200/200 (+200)


    - Combat Ability: 3 (+3)


    - Stat Points: 140


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Absolute Appraisal]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Absolute Magic Mastery]. [Absolute Magic Application]. [Grand Mana Recovery]. [Absolute Elemental Control]


    - Alignment: Chaotic Good


    [Additional Information]


    A genius, even by Elven Standards¡­ with a special heritage and connection to the World.


    She is currently lost and immensely bereaved.


    ¡­ Help her.


    [End Of Information]


    ''A-amazing!''


    Rey''s eyes widened as he witnessed the drastic change in Esme''s Status Window. Her Skills had grown so much, and she managed to rise 14 Levels beyond her previous point.


    Of course, he had to address the most probable cause for all of it.


    ''Looking at everything that''s going on here, I can guess what happened¡­'' Rey''s thoughts trailed as he took his eyes off Esme for a moment.


    He settled his gaze on everything else¡ªthe ugly tapestry of lust and death.


    ''She must have been traumatized by this breeding going on. If I had to guess, her friends must be among the people¡­''


    Rey used [Absolute Appraisal], and he could see why she would have broken down.


    ''They''re merely husks of their previous selves. They could as well be dead.''


    Not only were these teenagers¡ªnot even adults¡ªunder several Negative Status Conditions, but their [Additional Information] explicitly told Rey that there was no hope for them.


    It was literally over.


    ''They''ve gone past the point of return.''


    Once he figured that out, Rey could easily deduce the reason why so much blood and gore decorated the room.


    It was the same reason Esme suddenly had a much higher Level than before.


    ''She killed the caretakers and guards of these people, most likely.'' His thoughts trailed.


    ''How many were they?'' Rey wondered. ''Judging by what I''m seeing here, the total number should be about two hundred? Maybe more¡­''


    It was hard to tell since the bodies of Esme''s victims had be nothing but shredded pulps that could hardly be called flesh.


    ''She really killed all those people, huh?''


    As for the cause of death for his Elemental Summons, Rey simply had to assume that Esme did it somehow thanks to her Skills.


    ''She''s incredible!'' His thoughts echoed, despite also feeling a strong sense of tragedy for her.


    He had previously thought there was a possibility that Esme''s friends were dead, but he always shrugged the thought aside for her sake.


    Despite his own dreary thoughts, Rey never imagined this sort of oue.


    ''But why? Why would Scy do this?'' He wondered.


    Rey could think of a few usible reasons. For example, Scy could have intended on making the ve Trade business self-sufficient, so she wanted them to bear children for her.


    ''No¡­ that makes no sense!''


    It would take too much time and resources to fully cater for the children until they reached a viable age for proper trade.


    Besides, Scy could always just get viable ves by utilizing the aid of the Mercenary Gang, which was already under her control.


    They could pige towns and obtain the kind of ves she wanted.


    ''If her n this night seeded, no one would be able to stop her. There''s no way she would have done any of this for a self-sustaining enterprise.''


    Rey continued to rack his head for an answer.


    ''Could it be for entertaining purposes? Are there sick bastards in this world who like to see things like this?''


    This was another possibility.


    It was a stretch to use Scy or any other person of it, but considering the diminishedmercial values of the breeding ves in their current state, and the fact that it would be a loss to Scy''s enterprise to merely raise children for years until they were ripe for selling¡­ Rey began to think this was the reason behind such a horrific sight.


    ''I just¡­ can''tprehend it.''


    There were at least three thousand innocent lives here.


    Why would someone put them all in this ce just for them to have constant sex until they ceased to function?


    It was sick!


    ''Treating humans like animals¡­'' Rey sighed as he took a few steps forward.


    The closer he got, the more the incoherent words of the mind-


    broken masses began to make more sense.


    Rey could hear words being uttered.


    "K-kill me¡­"


    "I¡­ I don''t want to¡­ anymore¡­"


    "Kill me¡­ please kill¡­ m-me¡­"


    Words like this wafted in the air, forcing Rey''s legs to grow heavy the more footsteps he took.


    Before he realized it, he stood behind Esme, whose gem-like light blue eyes were transfixed on him. Their eyes glowed in their respective hues.


    Both were looking directly into the other''s eyes.


    "What will you do now?" Rey asked.


    There were a million other questions he could have asked, as well as a couple other things he could have said.


    But Rey didn''t say any of those things.


    He simply stared hard at her, as they both heard the pleas of death from the suffering ones who still had embers of their humanity before they would cease to function as peoplepletely.


    Under the sounds of these perverse noises, Rey asked that question.


    He knelt behind Esme, allowing the blood to drench his dark attire. He ced his two hands on her naked shoulders, and he whispered words into her ears.


    "I won''t judge you for anything you choose to do. It is your choice to make."


    ''I can see rune markings embedded on all of them. Even if they somehow recover from the Aphrodisiac, they won''t be able to stop their actions if they have beenmanded to by the runes.''


    It reminded Rey of the subordinates of Ogun who could not resist thepulsive effect of their runes.


    ''They could also be inflicted with the Curse that Rebal talked about, so if we manage to make them stop¡­ they could die.''


    There was no way of really knowing how prepared the enemy was.


    ''Rather than letting them die in such a wasteful fashion, it would be better if they could be turned into EXP¡­''


    Rey paused his thoughts and recoiled in surprise.


    He couldn''t believe he could think in such a way about people who¡ªat least, during a period¡ªwere functional human beings.


    Innocent, functional people.


    Yet, he wasn''t hesitant at all to equate them to EXP?!


    ''[Dead Calm] is turned off, so why¡­?''


    Before Rey could finish his thoughts, he heard Esme''s voice respond to his question.


    "I''ll do what needs to be done."


    She slowly rose to her feet, and Rey watched her, still kneeling in his position.


    Her naked form was majestic, and as Rey looked at her from behind, he couldn''t help but be blown away by her sheer beauty.


    Esme turned to face the thousands of livestock that continued their monotonous activities.


    "Thank you, Rey." She whispered.


    And then¡ª


    ~SWISH!~


    ¡ªWith the slight of one hand, she put them all out of their misery.


    All three thousand bodies plopped to the ground in a lifeless fashion, their heads rolling all over the blood soaked ground as their convulsing bodies greeted the pool of blood that surged underneath them.


    In that single moment, a grand decapitation was performed.


    And Esme was the executor.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Thesest couple of chapters have been dark, honestly. I can feel myself slowly descending into the kind of author I once was.


    But no¡­ let us all endure together!

 Chapter 342 Tainted

    <h4>Chapter 342 Tainted </h4>


    ''Goodbye¡­ everyone.''


    Esme''s fleeting thoughts as she stared at the rend flesh and spraying blood was one of mncholy.


    She allowed all the emotions to flow through her, every ounce of her guilt and sorrow pulsating within the depths of her being.


    Esme felt it all.


    She closed her eyes and let tears stream down, slowing like the blood that spurted from the necks of all the innocents who died.


    Her onlyfort was that her actions had freed them. Through their deaths, they could finally find rest.


    "Haaa¡­" Soft puffs of wind danced away from her sulent lips as she gazed upon the red-colored world.


    It was a lot different from what she used to see.


    "This world is evil. It''s too evil¡­" Esme slowly turned away from the desecrated sight of her creation.


    She faced Rey, allowing him to see her in all of her nakedness.


    "It has tainted me. Tainted you. Tainted everything and everyone¡­"


    More tears fell from her eyes.


    "I hate this world." She cried, pain and hatred forming a horrible mix on her face.


    Rey approached Esme, and in one swift breath, he was right in front of her.


    "¡­"


    "I understand." Rey drew her close to himself, allowing her smaller frame to fall on his muscr build.


    Her head descended on his chest as he wrapped his strong arms around her.


    "I¡­ I hate this world so much¡­" Esme felt her tears pout out, staining Rey''s dark robe with its contents.


    But Rey didn''t mind.


    Instead, he shortly caressed her long hair and nodded through it all.


    His silence was herfort.


    Her screams and cries were able to fully rush out of her, enveloping the entire room in her pain.


    Esme didn''t really know how long they stayed like this.


    All she knew was that it felt like an eternity for her. Everything felt so raw and primal that she thought she would sink inside forever.


    But, everything had to end at some point.


    And for Esme, it all ended when her eyes slowly closed shut and she fell into the realm of unconsciousness.


    *******


    ''She''s finally asleep, huh?''


    Rey looked at Esme''s smaller, thinner frame and felt a string of mncholy echo within himself.


    In apletely different context, he would have freaked out if someone like Esme was hugging him so tightly.


    But¡­ given the situation, Rey felt no pleasure at all.


    He just felt genuinely sorry for the girl.


    ''I lied¡­''


    Rey felt tears falling down his eyes as well. He was grateful that they were onlying out now, after Esme was asleep.


    ''I¡­ I don''t understand.''


    He knew full well that he couldn''t rte to the pain the girl was experiencing.


    It burned his heart, but he really knew nothing.


    He couldn''t say anything.


    He could only stand there like the idiot that he was.


    ''I''m sorry you had to experience this, Esme¡­'' Rey took a peek at her Status Window, seeing her Level rise once again to a much more impressive height.


    A sad smile formed on his face as he sniffed.


    ''At least you''re stronger for it.''


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Esme


    - Race: Half-Elf (Human and Elf)


    - ss: Elementalist (B-Tier)


    - Level: 27 (98.14% EXP)


    - Life Force: 100/100 (+100)


    - Mana Level: 200/200 (+200)


    - Combat Ability: 3 (+3)


    - Stat Points: 260


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Absolute Appraisal]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Absolute Magic Mastery]. [Absolute Magic Application]. [Grand Mana Recovery]. [Absolute Elemental Control]. [Executioner]


    - Alignment: Chaotic Good


    [Additional Information]


    A genius, even by Elven Standards¡­ with a special heritage and connection to the World.


    She is currently lost and immensely bereaved.


    ¡­ Help her.


    [End Of Information]


    ********


    ''Now then¡­''


    After Rey ced Esme into his [Grand Inventory], he set his eyes on the door that existed at the furthest end of the room.


    Perhaps Esme could not sense it, but he could.


    ''There''s something else¡­''


    Rey could sense Monsters, but he could also sense people there as well.


    ''Let''s see what this is all about.'' Of course, he kept his guard up, though he didn''t feel any sort of threatening presence from them.


    In a sh, he appeared behind the doors and proceeded through the white hallway that lined his sight.


    Once he reached the end of the hallway, he noticed that the path was divided into two points.


    In one direction, he was guaranteed to find Monsters and other humans who seemed to be capable to an extent.


    And the other side only had a handful of humans, and they didn''t seem to be threats of any kind.


    ''[Replicate].''


    Rey decided to split himself into two equally powerful entities¡ª


    one clone and one original.


    He also ensured to keep a strong mental link with his replica so he could perceive everything it experienced in real time.


    "Let''s go¡­"


    Rey decided to take on the more dangerous path, sending his replica to the other end.


    They were both equally powerful, but Rey''s intelligence and ability to make useful decisions on the spur of the moment made him more capable when it came to actualbat.


    To be safe, he decided this would be the best arrangement¡­ though he already knew none of the enemies here would be able to take on his Replica no matter how hard they tried


    Rey walked down the right path until he got to the furthest end. He saw arge door, where he saw a warning sign above.


    [BEWARE: Dangerous Monsters Beyond This Point]


    ''Are they keeping Monsters here? Rearing them? Breeding them?''


    Rey had another dark thought, but he banished it from his mind and ventured inside.


    "W-who are you?!"


    "I-intrude¡ª!"


    Before the several enemies inside the squeaky clean room could say anything, Rey instantly killed them with [Severing w], coupled with [True Homing].


    They were all very weak, so it didn''t take a moment.


    "Huuu¡­" Rey set his sights on the activities within the room, beyond the pool of blood and gore that spilled on the ground.


    The good news was that his worst fears about the nature of the room didn''te to pass.


    Monsters weren''t being bred with humans.


    However, what was urring here could be perceived as equally appalling to some.


    "They''re feeding humans to the Monsters¡­"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I wonder what you all think about Esme and Rey as characters now. Also, I know all of these disturbing scenes are a lot, but bear with me.


    Hope you enjoyed the chapter¡­ haha¡­

 Chapter 343 Meat

    <h4>Chapter 343 Meat </h4>


    Monsters were inside their cages, all of them docile thanks to the runic crests that existed on all of their bodies.


    They weren''t particrly strong Monsters; around E and D-Tier at most.


    Nothing was particrly special about these creatures, except perhaps what they were feeding on.


    Rey saw it clearly¡ªthe body parts of human beings.


    The corpses were already pale and dull-looking, most likely the cause of being dead for a considerable length of time.


    ''I see. So they feed the dead ones to the Monsters¡­'' Rey found his thoughts trailing.


    At this point, he had reached emotional lull.


    Even without [Dead Calm] he found it difficult to be shocked or furious at the scene ying out in front of him.


    Perhaps he was desensitized.


    Maybe he was simply tired.


    Either way, Rey looked at everything with dead eyes.


    ''So, they make the ves have sex with themselves to breed, and those who have reached expiration are sent to the Monsters as feed.''


    It made sense why Scy would want more offspring now.


    At the very least, they could serve as meat for the Monsters; especially since they wouldn''t have much value otherwise.


    ''They look healthy, which means they''re being fed well.''


    Rey observed the way the creatures ate their meal, not even disturbed by his presence or the fact that he had just killed their caretakers.


    ''How many humans have they eaten already? I don''t know. I can''t even estimate.''


    Rey counted the creatures in an attempt to get the numbers.


    ''They''re only about a hundred Monsters. I don''t know how long they''ve been here, but if I assume it''s recent, that means they''ll have at least fed them hundreds of people¡ªif not a thousand.''


    It was no wonder the other Warehouses were empty or abandoned.


    ''Scy fed the ves of the other ve Traders to her Monsters. Was she trying to rear them for war, or maybe formercial reasons?''


    The crests on the Monsters made it so that they would obey their Master''s instruction. It was very possible that Scy was trying to make Monster ves.


    ''No one has ever done that in the entire history of the Alliance¡­ no, even before then.''


    If Scy was trying to break into a new market, using Monsters as themodity, Rey could understand a lot of her actions.


    In fact, he found it impressive.


    ''How much profit would she be able to gain from it? If she took control of the Royal Dungeon, just how high would the profit margin be?''


    A lot of these questions swirled in his mind as the crunching sounds of Monsters devouring human flesh echoed in the air.


    In the end, he found himself more curious then he imagined¡ªenough to instruct his replica not to kill anyone he encountered in the other room.


    ''I need to know more¡­'' Rey thought to himself.


    Since he was pretty much done with his investigation here, Rey turned his back on the Monsters, his [Severing w] instantly turning them into slobs of meat.


    ''The Monster Cores are useless to me. Maybe the Alliance will find use for them once they investigate these parts¡­''


    ~VWUSH!~


    Rey exited the room and instantly teleported to the location of his replica.


    Once again, he was greeted by a pure white room, though considerably smaller than the Monster Room.


    More surprising than the squeaky-clean nature of the room was what kind of ce it was.


    The ce was a stark example of a ssy kitchen.


    ''I never expected to see something like this here¡­'' Rey mused as he looked at half a dozen individuals who were currently paralyzed¡ªcourtesy of his Replica.


    "Good job."


    As Rey uttered these words, he fused back with the other version of himself.


    He took a close look at the suspended men and noticed how they were dressed like chefs.


    Pure white apparels, with the chef hats and everything. The pristine kitchen, the grand decor, the clean white ambiance¡­


    ¡­ This seemed like the dream kitchen anyone would want to eat their meals from.


    However¡ª


    "What is that meat?" Rey pointed at the b of flesh that was ced on arge tray atop a counter.


    He didn''t need an answer to the question.


    [A portion of human flesh]


    That was what his Skill, [Absolute Appraisal], told him.


    "You''re preparing human meat¡­ here?"


    Disgust swelled within his stomach the moment a second question surfaced


    ''For who¡­?''


    This didn''t look like a ce where food for Monsters was being prepared. It appeared to be an exquisite ce made for the most distinguished of people.


    Rey could see spices and a bunch of other ingredients in therge kitchen that told him that these chefs were preparing a delicacy.


    He could smell something cooking¡ªlike fresh stew.


    It felt absolutely amazing.


    It almost made him salivate just from a single whiff.


    However, there was no way anything made from this ce could be appetizing to him.


    Beyond this kitchen, Rey could sense a door that led to another room.


    He feared what he would see there, but his curiosity got the best of him so he instantly teleported to the location.


    What he found¡­ was horrible.


    Human meat, hung as if they belonged to some kind of cattle in an abattoir.


    The room was freezing cold, though Rey felt none of it.


    All he felt was sheer disgust.


    Rey wanted to vomit.


    His vision blurred as the information he received began to overwhelm him. He even staggered a little and struggled to find his footing.


    His head turned back and forth as he looked at the shelves in the cold room, only to find packets of already sliced meat¡ªall human, of course¡ªwith certain names inscribed on them.


    ''Names of¡­ people? I know some of those names!''


    They belonged to some rather famous merchants or rich elites in the Alliance


    Of course, some of those names were obscure. They didn''t know everyone, but he could picture the faces of a few.


    Some were known by many to be corrupt, while others were viewed as pious and incredibly good-natured.


    ''Why¡­ why are their names here?''


    The packages had human meat, but it couldn''t belong to those people.


    Rey knew they some of them were very much alive, and it would make no sense for them to be turned into meat¡ª


    especially since their value being alive far outweighed them being dead.


    Then, a dark thought coursed through his mind.


    The same question he had before reappeared inside his mind.


    ''All this meat¡­ who is it for?''


    Rey felt like he already had the answers to his inquiry, but he wasn''t satisfied.


    He couldn''t be!


    So he teleported back to the chefs and raised one with his hand.


    Utilizing [Compulsion], he easily gained ess to the man''s mind and asked him the simple question.


    "The meat in that cold room, who are they for?"


    "Our customers¡­" The man muttered in response.


    "Who are you customers?"


    "Madam Scy''s friends¡­ in her inner circle."


    Rey knew this was enough for him, but he had to be sure.


    He had to hear it straight.


    "What¡­ what do they do with the meat?"


    The answer was one Rey should have already known, yet once he heard it, his eyes widened considerably.


    Puke swelled from the depths of his throat, and not fluids rose from his bloodshot eyes.


    The abominable horror that was uttered was forever burned into Rey''s mind.


    "They eat the meat."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Yup! Now you know what Scy was devouring during the call.


    I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

 Chapter 344 Vermin

    <h4>Chapter 344 Vermin </h4>


    Scy was a cannibal.


    Personally, she enjoyed her meat slightly undercooked, so she could get the moisture just right, and her spices were also milder than usual.


    She also didn''t like her food preserves prior to being served, which meant every time she was hungry¡­ someone had to die.


    There was no preserving her meal afterwards.


    Scy had friends who shared in her twisted hobbies and enjoyed the same delicacy as her, so she turned her disgusting practice into a business.


    She would procure, process, and even sometimes cook the meals that herrades would enjoy, and they would give her money or small favors in exchange.


    Of course, these people readily agreed.


    They were too high-profile to risk their names being marred by murder or some kind of illegal activity. Also, since most of them weren''t particrly deep into the criminal Underworld of the Alliance, they didn''t know how to properly go about killing and processing humans.


    In the end, it was far better for Scy to do the dirty work.


    There was something else too¡­


    Out of all the clients Scy had, none had managed to outmatch her own cruelty.


    She was the worst of them all.


    Since she preferred her meat to be very tender, her favorite maal was the meat of young ones¡ªthe younger the better.


    Imagination could go wild on that, but it was exactly how it sounded.


    Her twisted nature knew no limits.


    ************


    ''What¡­ the fuck?!''


    The more Rey got to know about Scy, the more the disgust in his stomach bit at him.


    His bloodshot eyes couldn''t stop twitching as he tried his hardest to process the information he was receiving.


    ''Even¡­ babies¡­?!''


    When Rey first saw Scy, he thought she was very beautiful. Not as pretty as Esme, or even Alicia¡ªin his opinion¡ªbut she was a very finedy.


    Of course, he never let that distract him from his task. However, he often thought about how her innocent face didn''t fit her cruel ns.


    ''This is on another level, though¡­''


    He never thought she would be such a Monster.


    ''Her Alignment was Neutral Evil, so I thought she only did these atrocities due to self interests¡­''


    While that was still true, Rey hadn''t known how far those ''self interests'' would take her, and just how much she had done.


    If he had known¡­


    ''I would have killed her myself!'' He gritted his teeth as he made a murderous thought.


    "I''ve seen enough." Rey sighed, pinching his nose with his hand.


    Rage. Disgust. Downright confusion.


    A bunch of feelings swirled inside Rey to the point where he just wanted to copse and lose himself in sleep.


    However, he wasn''t done yet.


    Since he had gotten to the final stages of his n, he simply teleported away from the kitchen, leaving the sliced up chefs in the kitchen.


    All of them, without exception, had be the very meat they were tenderly handling.


    ''Almost done¡­'' His fleeting thoughts raced as he vanished.


    ''¡­ Almost done with this night!''


    **********


    [Moments Later]


    ''I''m happy you weren''t there to see everything else.''


    Rey reappeared in the hall that was used for the Dark Gathering, a sigh escaping his lips.


    He plopped on one of the chairs, seating amidst the disturbing scene he had made with his own great power.


    Once again, the stench of blood and gore greeted his senses. He was already used to seeing all of it, but after getting his full of disgusting things, Rey found himself retching a little.


    He was at his limits.


    ''There really are some people who do not deserve to live. People who are no different from Monsters.''


    No¡­ even worse than Monsters.


    At the very least, Monsters had very limited intelligence, and their main directive was to kill their enemies¡ªhumans included.


    They simply couldn''t help it.


    Compared to the kind of humans he had learned about this very night, Rey found Monsters to be quite benevolent.


    Scya had just proven to him that some humans could be worse than Monsters.


    This realization caused his code to be obsolete.


    ''What''s the difference between killing people like that and Monsters? It''s for the greater good.''


    Killing human beings shouldn''t have to be ast resort, but something he had to actively do when it came to certain scum.


    ''To make this world a better, safer ce¡­ some of these vermin have to die.''


    Rey wondered if he should pay visits to some of the names he saw on the list, but he decided against it.


    It had been a long night already.


    After leaving the underground world of Scy, he went around and investigated the entire building where the Dark Gathering had taken ce.


    He searched every nook and cranny of the ce.


    ''I couldn''t find that Curse Item that Rebal was referring to. Did Adrien steal it already?''


    Rey bit his lip in a bit of annoyance. However, he recognized that there was nothing he could do about the matter.


    In the end, he just had to let it go.


    Rey stole one final nce at the carnage he caused, straining a smile on his exhausted face.


    ''I should feel proud about what I did tonight.''


    He had purged the world of the vermin that were eating into the goodness of the world he was living in and were making it all worse.


    At the very least, he knew there would be less victims who would suffer at the hands of cruel beings like Scy.


    That was Rey''sfort.


    ''It''s time to leave¡­'' Rey could already sense the presence of the Alliance Forces.


    They were closing in on the building and getting ready to enter.


    He didn''t want to be spotted there.


    ''Perhaps I should first of all branch Rebal''s mansion and drop Esme there.''


    Afterwards, he just wanted to have a long rest.


    ''With this¡­ it''s over.''


    ~VWUUSH!~


    In a sh of blue light, Rey waspletely gone from the scene.


    And then, a few secondster¡­ the soldiers entered.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    The Dark Gathering is officially over, and now we''re going to be entering the final act of the Arc, as well as the transition into the next Arc.


    There''s still quite a bit to cover¡­

 Chapter 345 Reaper

    <h4>Chapter 345 Reaper </h4>


    "Charge in!"


    General Lucy and her forces rushed inside the room at hermand, their loud roars a clear testament to the resolve burning within their hearts.


    However, only a few seconds after entering the room, all of their resolve melted into something else.


    "A-ahh¡­?!"


    "M-my goodness¡­"


    "T-this is¡­!"


    All their eyes could see it¡­ the scene of carnage thaty before their very eyes.


    The mangled and butchered corpses of a thousand people decorated their sight and overwhelmed their senses.


    Even Lucy, with all of her experience on the battlefield, found herself widening her single eye.


    ''T-this is horrible!''


    She had never seen or heard of a single human cause such extensive bloodshed on fellow people.


    This felt awful beyondparison.


    It felt wrong.


    ''That man¡­ Sir Ralyks¡­ he did this¡­?''


    Lucy had always gotten bad vibes in his presence¡ªas if he was a dangerous one that she couldn''t afford to mess with.


    However, she never expected him to be so ruthless.


    ''The Royal Council trusts him as an ally, and since he executed the members of the Criminal Underworld, none of his actions here are illegal.''


    However, Lucy couldn''t help but feel anxious.


    ''What if he stops bing an ally?'' Lucy didn''t want to imagine such a possibility.


    After all, the moment Ralyks ceased being on their side would be the day she would have to raise her de against him.


    Lucy found herself gulping at the thought.


    ''Should that day ever arrive¡­ I''ll be nothing more than these lumps of flesh and stains of blood.''


    It caused her to shiver.


    "D-don''t just stand there! Examine the corpses and identify the ones who belong to the respective Houses." Lucy dered.


    "I''ll lead a separate unit on an investigative tour of the entire building. We will be stripping this entire ce of all its secrets, from top to bottom!"


    Lucy turned behind her and looked at Kara Verte¡ªtheir ally and informant.


    The girl also looked as disturbed as everyone else present.


    The General could see why.


    ''If she hadn''t taken our side¡­ she would have ended up the same.''


    Lucy took steps forward, feeling her metallic boots kicking away fleshy parts and going through the currents of thick blood. Once she took in the entire sight, Lucy reached a conclusion.


    "That man¡­ Ralyks; he''s neither a Hero nor is he an Adventurer."


    Heroesmitted valiant deeds without the stigma of horrors attached, while Adventurers caused carnage only to beasts such as Monsters


    None of those applied here.


    Instead of Monsters, humans had been cut up. He hadmitted a valiant deed indeed, but the horror was too ring to be ignored.


    ''In the end, Sir Ralyks was different.'' Lucy closed her eyes and gazed at the bloody chandelier.


    "¡­ He''s a Reaper."


    **********


    ~VWUUSH!~


    Rey appeared before the nc Mansion, and it was in perfect condition¡ªjust as he expected.


    As he took a step forward, the blue distortions behind him flickered and vanished, leaving him standing all by himself.


    The ambiance of fresh air took over his nose as he inhaled deeply. He missed the lovely taste of fresh air, a sharp contrast to the bloody musk he had inadvertently gotten used to.


    Everywhere felt still; so peaceful and quiet that it was difficult to tell if anything had even transpired here this evening.


    ''I''ll find out from Aterter¡­'' Rey''s thoughts trailed as he looked at the massive mansion before him.


    ''First things first.''


    He could already sense where Rebal and Asher were, so he teleported there in a sh.


    The moment he did so, he found himself in a lounge, with the father and son staring at each other in utter silence.


    They both looked scarred by something.


    ''Maybe I''ll ask themter.'' Rey sighed internally.


    He only wanted to do what he came here for.


    "I''m back." His voice startled the two, who instantly jumped to their feet and bowed before him.


    "S-Sir Ralyks¡­ wee back!"


    "Wee back, Sir Ralyks!"


    Their greetings seemed to contain an additionalyer of respect, though Rey wondered if it was simply the product of his imagination.


    ''Well, whatever¡­''


    He didn''t really care for any of that at the moment.


    "Here." In a sleight of his hand, Esme appeared on one of the sofas, her unconscious form gracefullyying on it.


    Rebal and Asher looked at her in shock¡ªspecifically because of her white hair and pointy ears.


    Their faces exuded confusion, and it seemed like they had several questions on the issue.


    Rey, however, didn''t want to have any of it.


    "Don''t ask me any questions. It''s a long story."


    "O-of course!" Rebal promptly answered and lowered his head.


    It felt a bit too much, but Rey allowed it.


    "Take care of her and nurse her to full health. Pay close attention to her and ensure all her needs are met." Rey instructed.


    The two men nodded instantly, responding affirmatively to everything he said.


    Rey had a sad smile on his face as he nced at Esme for thest time that night.


    ''This wasn''t how I expected things to go. But I guess the both of us ended up getting the worst surprise of our lives.''


    He didn''t know what kind of person Esme would be when he next saw her.


    Rey only had one wish.


    ''I hope you allow this to make you grow¡­''


    Not everyone grows when pressure and tragedy is applied to their lives.


    Some crumble under the pressure.


    Some never let go of what was to embrace what is.


    However, for the ones who learn to embrace the change and evolve past their circumstances¡­ to them is given more power to rise.


    Power not to experience the same again.


    ''I hope that''s the case for you, Esme¡­''


    With that faint smile still ying on his face, Rey took a few steps away and attempted to teleport back to his residence.


    He stopped short of a step and decided to give in to a bit of his curiosity.


    "Was my subordinate able to handle all the problems?"


    "Y-yes! Yes, he was!" Asher blurted out.


    "And¡­ how was it?"


    For a moment after Rey asked this question, no one said anything.


    Asher''s gulp was audible to Rey, but he said nothing of it. He simply waited for the answer.


    "It¡­ it was a bloodbath."


    Upon hearing this, Rey found his smile growing wider. No one could see it since he wore a mask, but it was a twisted grin.


    "Good."


    And with that, he vanished from the nc Mansion.


    ********


    Rebal and Asher still felt their bodies trembling even after Ralyks departed from them.


    This was no mere man, and if they didn''t already know that before, this night had reinforced the truth and burned it into their very minds.


    One could even go as far as saying he wasn''t human.


    "I-I''ll sort through her well-being and handle everything, Father. You should go and rest in your room."


    Upon hearing the words of his son, Rebal smiled and nodded gently.


    Right before Ralyks appeared, the two of them had quite a bit about the horrors they experienced.


    It was more than enough to deserve a break.


    "Thank you. I think I will."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Seems like depression is everywhere in this aftermath.


    As it should be¡­


    But it seems we''re finally going to get some of that Ater''s POV!

 Chapter 346 The Prelude To Horrors [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 346 The Prelude To Horrors [Pt 1] </h4>


    [Moments Earlier]


    Rebal found himself within his mansion in the blink of an eye, once again finding Ralyks'' teleportation ability very strange.


    It was just a moment before that he was staring at the bloodied corpses of Ralyks'' victims, and yet¡­ here he was.


    ''Sir Ralyks really is amazing.''


    Nothing short of awe and dread currently enveloped Rebal as he thought of his savior. He had never met a man like Ralyk, and he didn''t think he ever would.


    ''The Mansion appears fine, so I''m guessing Sir Ralyks'' subordinate must have taken care of everything.'' The man grinned as he began to walk.


    ''Where''s Asher, then?''


    Rebal knew his own premises like the back of his hand, so it didn''t take him very long to locate his son.


    He was seated in a pretty small lounge¡ªone that T?? long sofas opposite each other, with a center table separating them.


    "Asher, my son! It''s a glorious ni¡ª!" Before Rebal couldplete his echoes of joy, he noticed something off about his son.


    The boy was seated in absolute silence, his vacant eyes looking at the ground.


    ''He looks absentminded. He didn''t even notice my presence¡­''


    Rebal instantly knew something was wrong.


    As part of his training, Rebal had taught Asher to be constantly aware of his surroundings so he would never let his guard down.


    His son had followed this counsel, and Rebal always saw that he never let his guard down.


    However, this night waspletely different.


    ''I haven''t seen him this shaken since his mother''s death¡­''


    Rebal drew close and ced his hand on Asher''s shoulder.


    "Uwaaaaahhhhhh!"


    Asher''s sudden screams frightened Rebal, causing both of them to recoil back for a few seconds, the formernding on the hard floor.


    "S-sorry. I didn''t mean to startle you like that."Rebal was astonished as he said these words.


    The look of sheer terror on Asher''s face was not something he had ever seen on his boy''s face before.


    It made Rebal as curious as he was worried.


    "What happened to you?"


    *************


    Rebal and his son now sat on their respective sofas opposite each other, and while silence was the central theme in the room, it was constantly interrupted by their audible breaths.


    After a few seconds of saying nothing, Rebal finally spoke up.


    "What happened?"


    Silence followed the question¡ªat least for about five seconds.


    Then¡­


    "T-the one Sir Ralyks brought here¡­ his subordinate¡­ he was¡­" Before Asher couldplete his words, he covered his mouth with his hand, almost as if he wanted to retch.


    No, this wasn''t merely disgust.


    It was just sheer fear¡ªthe kind that made one hesitant to speak of its cause.


    "What did that man d¡ª?"


    "HE''S NOT A MAN!" Asher suddenly raised his voice as he hit his two hands on hisps, having widened eyes with moisture evident in them.


    His distant gaze was enough to drive anyone insane.


    "He''s¡­ not a man¡­" As this tone of his trailed, Rebal had no choice but to agree with him.


    "So, what did this subordinate do?"


    Everywhere was so silent and peaceful that Rebal was still confused about the details of the event that happened in his absence.


    If it wasn''t for what he heard from Scy''smunication device, he would have thought they hadn''t even begun their attack yet.


    ''The fact that he scarred my son like this means it was quite the big deal.''


    "Is it how he killed the enemies? He used some gruesome means, or¡­?"


    Rebal found Asher shaking his head, so he stopped what he was saying as he watched thetter look him in the eyes.


    "He didn''t kill anyone."


    "H-huh¡­?" Rebal was left quizzical. "What do you mean he didn''t kill anyone?"


    "They begged for death¡­ but he didn''t kill them."


    "They''re still alive?"


    "Alive? C-can I even call them alive¡­?"


    Rebal was confused. If they weren''t dead, that meant they were alive¡ªright


    There were just two states of being, and even if someone was being starved or tortured, they weren''t dead yet.


    They were still alive.


    ''Isn''t he contradicting himself right now?'' Rebal thought to himself.


    He began to wonder if his son was overreacting.


    After all, he too had experienced Ralyks'' cruelty and he saw how the man brutally murdered his enemies.


    What exactly did the subordinate do that could trump the deeds of his Master?


    "What exactly happened here? Were the enemies killed or not? There can only be one."


    No¡­ no, Rebal didn''t understand.


    Asher shaking his head was enough proof, but the older man couldn''tprehend it.


    There was only one way for him to truly realize the error of his ignorance; so he could reach beyond his limited understanding.


    "I will tell you¡­ exactly what happened." Asher finally said, much to Rebal''s relief.


    Unknown to the man, it would soon be his nightmare.


    **********


    "It seems the time hase."


    Ater was looking at the moon through arge window from where he stood when he uttered those words.


    His gaze appeared distant, as if reminiscing about some far offnd, or a time that had long passed.


    It wasn''t like Asher could understand any of it, as the young man simply sat a short distance from Ater¡ªready to attend to whatever requests he made.


    Despite being a subordinate, Ater''s status vastly exceeded Asher''s, and thetter knew that very well.


    After all, this man was the only one who could save their empire.


    "Those fools. They n on seizing the Capital in a head-on assault rather than splitting their forces and attacking specific parts in order to make proper use of their time and resources." Ater''s whispers made themselves known to Asher.


    "At least they bothered to divide their forces into two¡ªone attacking the ck Market and the other focusing on the surface. A simple strategy, but it works¡­"


    At this point, Ater turned to Asher and smiled at the young man.


    Asher felt a tingle down his spine as he felt the crimson gaze upon him.


    Something about it seemed malicious, and the pressure it gave off actually exceeded Ralyks'' own.


    "This should be interesting."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Ater really is something else, isn''t he? Let''s hope he lives up to the hype.

 Chapter 347 The Prelude To Horrors [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 347 The Prelude To Horrors [Pt 2] </h4>


    "Will you be alright by yourself? Is there any way I can assist?"


    Asher wasn''t asking these questions because he doubted the abilities of the man before him.


    Rather, it was just a sign of courtesy. As someone who was ced in charge of the Mansion and the nc resources in the absence of his father, Asher had to act the part.


    He had to represent his father well and show as much hospitality and goodwill to their guest.


    "Hm. I think I''ll be fine on my own." Ater smiled with a gleam in his eyes.


    Asher gulped and nodded, instantly believing it.


    The way the man''s all-ck ck suitpletelyplemented the rest of his clothing already gave the impression that he could handle himself.


    Ater''s red hair flowed like blood, and his red eyes seemed much darker and deadlier than Ralyks''. Despite all of these qualities, however, he had a bright smile on his handsome face.


    He was too good-looking, having a form of roguish charm that made him irresistible. Yet, Asher felt like if he got too close, he would be swatted like an insect and meet his end.


    These mixed signals caused the man to keep his distance while speaking to Ater.


    "Now that I think of it, though, it would be nice to have a spectator." Ater narrowed his gaze on the trembling one.


    "What do you think?"


    Something within Asher told him to reject the subtle invitation, but he also knew he couldn''t run away from his responsibility as the host.


    He was meant to help out as much as he could.


    "I-I would dly spectate your battle!" Asher realized howme his deration was as soon as he said it, but he stuck to it anyway.


    "Oh? You''re volunteering yourself? That''s so nice of you."


    ''Eh? He didn''t mean me?''


    The confusion on Asher''s face was filled with shock when Ater suddenly appeared in front of him and ced a hand on his shoulder.


    A devilish smile yed on his face, causing Asher to shudder.


    He was beginning to have doubts about his response, and an inner voice screamed at him to back away.


    But wasn''t it toote?


    He had already given his word.


    "Don''t worry, you won''t be in any danger. Thank you for offering yourself." Ater tapped his shoulder and gave a softer, well-meaning smile.


    "I ept your offer."


    Asher gulped after hearing those words.


    There was no concept of the Devil in the world of H''Trae, but if there was, then Ater seemed like the proper representation of such.


    ¡ªAn entity of untold malevolence.


    **********


    "It looks like we''re all set."


    The one who spoke was a man in a dark purple robe.


    He seemed like a priest, having a long staff on his hand, with bangles dangling from the top of them.


    A skull of some kind of creature was affixed on the top of the straight staff, and while most of his body was covered in the robe, his aged, pale skin partly showed from his hands and face.


    Of the Nine Heads of Destruction, only seven were left, and of those seven, two were in the Dark Gathering as the surviving members of the Deadly Three.


    That meant only five Heads were involved in the current mission.


    Of the five, Fernand and Phobio¡ªthe strongest of them¡ªdecided to go to the ck Market with their allocation of soldiers while the rest stormed the Capital.


    It was a basic strategy, one which this particr robed man had tried to protest against.


    However, they would have none of it.


    ''Perhaps I am being a bit too cautious.'' The man thought to himself, looking at his fellows.


    Before him were two women¡ªthough one could hardly be called one due to her age.


    Saying they were a woman and a girl would be more appropriate.


    He was chosen as the leader of their own attack squad by unanimous vote, with the both of them saying stuff like;


    "udius, you''re the most suited to lead us!"


    Or


    "udius, we need your sound judgment!"


    This old man¡ªudius Fern Frierant¡ªknew they were just trying to butter him up.


    In actuality, they just wanted to leave all the work to him so they could ck off on the mission.


    ''Tch! How annoying¡­''


    Everyone always assumed he was the ''responsible'' and ''wise'' one because of his status as an old man, but he really wasn''t very old at all.


    He was just in his early thirties.


    The only reason he looked like this was because of an overuse of his Exclusive Skill.


    He didn''t regret any of his actions, though.


    It was only thanks to all he had done that he was able toe this far¡ªboth in power and status.


    ''No one cares about thest prince from the fallen Kingdom that was destroyed by the Dragons all those years ago.''


    What mattered in this world was power.


    And udius Fern Frierant had gotten said power.


    ''Fools would think of ascending to higher ranks, but I need none of that.''


    He had learned his lesson from watching the actions of his father and how his Kingdom fell into ruin.


    Instead, all he wanted was to live afortable life.


    Enough food and water to properly enjoy life, and enough money to get whatever he desired.


    So far, he seemed to have achieved all of that.


    Of course, the price he paid for it was the need to do the dirty work of the Mercenary Gang¡ªsuch as on this particr night.


    ''Many innocents will die, and their blood will be on my hands¡­''


    Even though he felt bad about it, udius didn''t bother apologizing in advance.


    That would be hypocritical.


    ''I have to do what I have to do to get what I want.''


    Such was the nature of this world.


    After the Dragons came and burned down his Kingdom, turning his world to ash, he had an epiphany.


    ¡ªLiving is not for the weak.


    The strong takes whatever they want, and that is the natural order of things.


    That was why he ended up burning through his life essence¡ª looking like an old man as a result.


    It was so he could live.


    ''I just have toplete this mission and be done with it. I''ll enjoy my fine wine in my luxurious home and eat the finest of meals.''


    That would help sate his conscience.


    Then, he could tell himself that his actions tonight were worth it.


    "Jawl is with the rest of our troops. We''re ready to depart at yourmand."


    One of thedies, Feyu, was the one who uttered those words.


    She wasn''t particrly attractive, but udius desired her. Unfortunately, she would never even look at him for even a second.


    Not while he had such a hideous face.


    Her speciality was Elemental Magic, though only at the basic level.


    She was still quite skilled.


    "When are we leaving?" The second female spoke.


    This one had the height of a ten-year old, but she was actually twelve.


    Rumors had it that she was Fenrir''s daughter, and due to her immense talent, she was added to the ranks of the Mercenary Gang.


    Regardless of her status or whether the rumors were true, the fact remained that the girl named Shuri had climbed thedder of the Gang on her own.


    Without any aid, she was able to be a member of the Nine Heads of Destruction.


    Out of all the members, she had the most potential.


    "Huu¡­" udius heaved a sigh and looked at Feyu and Shuri with narrowed eyes.


    He steeled his heart and prepared himself for yet another massacre.


    "We''re leaving now."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 348 Carnage In The Capital [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 348 Carnage In The Capital [Pt 1] </h4>


    udius and the twodies behind him met with their armed forces, an estimate of one thousand men.


    A few more members were also in their midst, led by Jawl¡ªScy''s personal dog.


    ''Looks like our performance will be watched by Lady Scy''s Covert Squad.'' udius mused as he got closer to the group.


    ''At the very least they''re being open about it and not hiding in the shadows.''


    He assumed that some were also with Phobio and Fernand, so udius chose not to make a big fuss about things and just go with the flow.


    "The n is simple, really. Security is very loose tonight in the Capital. As a result, we can go wild without anyone stopping us."


    Personally, udius would have preferred a more borate n, but the members of the Mercenary Gang were a rough and simple bunch.


    They actually preferred arrangements like this.


    "Our primary target is the nc Mansion, so please ensure that in your acts of violence, you remain on the path to get to the Mansion."


    It was possible to get lost in the thrill of ughter¡ªnot that udius could rte¡ªbut they couldn''t forget their primary assignment.


    "Once we''re done with the nc Mansion, we''ll be taking viable individuals as Merchandise for Lady Scy." udius added with a sigh.


    "Leave the selection of the appropriate goods to me and my men. Don''t kill the ones we tell you not to kill, and help us in restraining the ones we tell you to."


    Jawl''s voice carried a lot more weight than udius'', but the Gang members still looked at thetter for confirmation.


    After all, they didn''t answer to Scy. They answered to their leaders¡ªwho in turn answered to the Chief at the very top.


    "Haa¡­ do as he says." udius shrugged.


    ''So that''s why they''re here. It''s not just to observe, but to select the people to capture for Scy.''


    It was no secret what these people were going to be used for.


    ''very, huh? How annoying¡­''


    udius had never liked the concept of ve Trade, even when it was legal andmonce in his own Kingdom.


    In fact, one of the things he wanted to do when he became King was to abolish the trade.


    However, now that he was a criminal himself, he had a whole new perspective on the entire thing. Even if his Kingdom was never destroyed and he had abolished the trade, it wouldn''t go away.


    It seemed like it was inherent in human nature to desire some form of dominance over fellow humans.


    Whether this was in the form of government, employment, or extremes like very; people wanted to feel superior to others.


    It was unfortunate, but the ones who were weak had no choice but to serve the strong.


    ''I personally don''t see the point, but¡­''


    It was what it was.


    "We move out now." udiusmanded, his two colleagues trailing right beside him as the army charged forward.


    ''¡­ Let carnage begin.''


    ************


    Just as udius expected, it was a ughter.


    Men. Women. Children. Infants.


    It didn''t matter who they were and what they looked like¡ªthey were all mercilessly killed by the bloodthirsty mobs that scoured the Capital.


    Of course, in certain instances, Jawl and his people would stop the deaths of certain people.


    This wasn''t out of benevolence, however.


    Death would have been the preferable option if these poor people knew what would befall them in the eventual future.


    Of course, the Mercenary Gang Members weren''t too pleased about this development.


    However, they endured for the sake of the mood.


    Rather than whine andin about it, they chose to revel in even more violence and entertain more bloodshed.


    That night, the entire Capital was bathed in blood, starting from the entrance¡ªand continuing as they kept up their advancement.


    udius simply removed his eyes from the grotesque sight and kept up his calm, slow pace towards the mansion.


    On the way, he and the twodies with him encountered a few guards who tried to fight them in their inadequate numbers.


    They were all killed by Feyu¡ªand very swiftly too.


    Shuri was a Tamer, so she had to summon her Familiar to fight the battles for her. It wasn''t a swift process, and it consumed a ton of Mana, so she wasn''t relied upon when facing weak fodder like guards.


    Her Summoned Familiars also disappeared after a set period of time, so in order to use them to their best capabilities, it was best to summon them at the time when they had to be used.


    As such, she didn''t have to summon anything.


    As for why udius didn''t fight, it wasn''t that he couldn''t do so.


    He wasn''t averse to killing as well


    If the situation called for it, he would take a life without hesitation. The problem was his proximity with these twodies, and the nature of his power.


    Based on these circumstances, Feyu was the best for the situation.


    Her mastery over the four basic elements was incredible, and while she could only use them in limited quality and quantity, the fact that she could control them well without Spells was an amazing feat.


    ''Elemental Mages really are something, huh?''


    udius made a wry smile and looked ahead and noticed the mansion standing erect.


    "Is that it? Will I finally be able to kill some people when we get there?" Shuri asked in her usual blunt tone.


    The older man nodded, already used to hisrade''s twisted and sadistic behavior.


    "Hehehe! I can''t wait!"


    Shuri''s sweet smile betrayed her malevolent desires¡ªthe urge to kill.


    Her fair skin and cute appearance was just for disy. Inside, the girl was as cold and twisted as one could imagine.


    ''As for Feyu¡­'' udius nced at the woman he desired.


    Her dirty blond hair and in face drew him in. She had freckles on her face, with a stern facade constantly being disyed.


    udius knew there was more to Feyu than mere business and killing, and he often wondered if he could one day discover those parts with her.


    ''Ahh¡­ what am I thinking?'' He sighed, shaking his head as his dark purple robe danced with the cool wind.


    ''Let''s just focus on the task at hand.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Sorry for focusing on such a minor character, but¡­ I really like telling these sorts of stories like this.


    Hope you enjoyed the chapter.

 Chapter 349 Carnage In The Capital [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 349 Carnage In The Capital [Pt 2] </h4>


    The carnage was wrought.


    From the looks on the faces of the men who began to gather, one after another, they were yet to have their fill.


    They desired more death.


    However, for the moment, they had to abandon all of that and focus on the primary assignment that concerned them.


    ¡ªThe utter destruction of the nc House''s legacy.


    That meant killing andpletely devastating the mansion that stood before them.


    ''This is it, huh?'' udius stared at the massive building.


    It was by farrger than his own home, but he personally didn''t mind. He didn''t need all of this room anyway.


    ¡­ Not when he didn''t have anyone to share it with.


    "Would you like to scout inside first, or should we begin the task?" udius turned to look at Jawl as he appeared beside him.


    "We''ll take a look inside."


    ''As expected.'' He smiled wryly.


    Scy might have given them another assignment that they weren''t disclosing. It was also possible that they were after the wealth of the nc House and not willing to share the spoils with the Mercenary Gang.


    Either way, it was none of his business.


    "Alright. Please proceed. We will wait here for your return."


    "Yeah. We''ll be back soon."


    udius watched as Jawl signaled about half of the men with him¡ªall of them equally shrouded in dark attires¡ªand they nodded back.


    Afterward, they proceeded inside the mansion, like shadows dissipating into the darkness.


    ''If it was going to be like this, they should have done this earlier, while the ughter was going on.''


    Instead, Jawl was making him and his men stand by and wait for thepletion of Scy''s hidden agenda.


    ''It''s annoying!''


    Yes, udius was well aware of the possibility that he was overreacting or overthinking again.


    ''They probably needed us to surround the Mansion so there would be no escape for the targets in case they caught wind of their actions¡­'' He tried to give excuses like this.


    But that was all they were¡ªexcuses!


    ''They could have split us up into two or more groups from the start¡­ just as I wanted.''


    That way, there would be enough people to surround the mansion while the ughter would still be ongoing.


    For the men who would be dissatisfied with not killing, they could alternate roles at intervals so that everyone could have their fun.


    ''Besides, how is it fair that we have to remain on standby because of their own agenda? If anyone escapes from the Mansion, wouldn''t it be due to their ipetence?!''


    udius calmed his heart and decided to remain calm.


    ''It''ll soon be over anyway.'' He told himself.


    Before he could conclude his thoughts, udius heard the creaking sound of a door up ahead.


    ''Huh? Did one manage to escape?!'' He narrowed his eyes and clicked his tongue.


    Something was off, though.


    Why would anyone think of escaping through the front door? Wouldn''t that be thest ce one would think of when it came to stealthily exiting a building?


    ''Sure, we have this ce surrounded, so their actions are useless either way, but it''s not like the denizens inside will know that right away.''


    udius'' confusion was furtherpounded once he set eyes on the man who stepped out of the building.


    He had red hair and ebony skin, with a pure ck suit clinging to his body. His shirt and tie were equally ck, same as his shoes.


    He also had red irises that seemed to glow as soon as he stepped out.


    The most distinguishing trait of the stranger, however, was his extremely handsome face. He appeared to be sculpted by the divine, and the calm smile on his face only added to that splendor.


    ''Who is that¡­?'' udius wondered.


    It was puzzling to see someone just step out so casually, with both hands in his pockets as if he was going out for a walk.


    Before udius could think any further, he noticed movement behind the red-haired man, causing him to twitch slightly.


    ''He''s not alone¡­?''


    Behind him was a man udius knew, having met him once or twice. His name was Aldred Winsley, a broker for the Karinc Group.


    It wasn''t strange to see Aldred here, but what was he doing behind the handsome stranger?


    Why did they both appear from the main door?


    ''Aldred appears a little nervous, but not the other one. Both of them aren''t disying surprise too, despite our numbers far exceeding theirs.''


    udius found his brain ticking as he tried to figure out what all of the details before him tranted to.


    ''They''re clearly not surprised to see them here. The nc House should have known what would happen if they went to the Dark Gathering and left their goods unattended to.''


    But why were they so calm?


    Aldred indeed looked nervous, but it wasn''t enough.


    ''Isn''t this the time where they surrender? No¡­ in the first ce, why would those fools let intruders out like this?''


    This wasn''t the n at all!


    ''Damn you, Jawl. Do we still have to wait for you and your men despite all of this?''


    The answer was simple.


    ''No wa¡ª!''


    "Greetings, everyone. It''s a pleasure to see you all gathered here tonight."


    udius'' thoughts were interrupted by the calm voice of a man.


    It came from the one in ck.


    He took a step forward, bringing out his hands from his pockets to stretch them out as he gave his address.


    "So many new faces. An approximate of one thousand and ny-six." His gaze seemed to flow from one person to another.


    udius felt the man''s gazend upon him for a second, and they made eye contact. The feeling was enough to send chills down his spine.


    "Not a bad audience. The rest will be joining us shortly, but we can begin with a bit of preliminary fun."


    With a p of his hands, several mangled bodies descended from above, along with a rain of blood.


    ''H-huh¡­?!''


    udius'' eyes widened as he looked at the corpses. They were twisted and mangled beyond proper recognition, but he could still ce their identities.


    ''The Recon Unit!'' His eyes nearly bulged.


    What in the world happened?!


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    It seems like theing of true darkness is about to begin. Should be fun to see¡­

 Chapter 350 Carnage In The Capital [Pt 3]

    <h4>Chapter 350 Carnage In The Capital [Pt 3] </h4>


    Scy''s Recon Unit didn''t have members as strong as the Nine Heads of Destruction¡ªexcept maybe Jawl¡ªbut they were still elite.


    They matched the Mercenary Gang''s Elite in ability, though they were sorelycking in numbers.


    What made them even more scary was their cloaking speciality and stealthy maneuvers.


    In that regard, they were definitely superior to the Mercenary Gang''s Elite.


    If it came to an enclosed space, especially in the dark, if they had their numbers¡­ there was hardly any enemy they couldn''t beat.


    Yet¡­


    ''W-what is this¡­?!''


    udius'' jaws trembled as he watched the bodies of all the members of Scy''s Recon Unit descend from above and plop to the ground.


    Blood sullied the stained clothes of everyone present, further bathing them in the crimson liquids that once flowed through people.


    "This one seemed to be the leader, so I gave him special treatment." A voice came from the man in the ck suit, forcing udius to raise his head.


    Once he did, he saw one body appearing out of nowhere, as he was held from the head by the dark-suited man.


    ''I-Is that¡­ Jawl ¡­?'' udius'' confusion was understandable, considering how the man looked like now.


    All the skin had been peeled off the body, and it also seemed like the hair had been yanked out very violently.


    The two eye sockets were empty, with thin strands of flesh protruding out to hold the dangling eyeballs that hung beyond their hollow sockets.


    No teeth. The body was a vile representation of a human, but the worst part was¡­


    ''He''s still alive¡­?''


    Compared to the mangled corpses that filled their sight, the one whom udius suspected to be Jawl still seemed to be breathing¡ªalbeit barely.


    "It would be a waste to just leave him be, so I''ll do this instead."


    The ebony man flung the skinless body forward, causing it tond on the pile of flesh and blood that stood a distance from him.


    "It''s a shame that I can no longer use my previous abilities. Most of them were abandoned upon the reset, but that''s fine." He began to draw both of his hands to each other.


    "I just have to remake it¡­"


    A dark gleam appeared in his eyes as udius heard words he didn''t fullyprehend.


    Purple sparks of energy began to surround him, and the crimson glow in his eyes took on the same hue. It radiated, pulsating forth until the litter of corpses began to exhibit the same color.


    Then¡ª


    "Hollow Technique #7¡­"


    The world held its breath as it waited for the man toplete his words.


    udius wondered why he and his allies were still. Normally, they would have rushed the ebony man and gutted him.


    Yet¡­


    ''It almost feels like an imprable wall is in front of me.''


    Perhaps it was shock that paralyzed them, but udius thought it was something else entirely.


    Something akin to instinct.


    "¡­ Compound Corpse."


    The moment he uttered those words, the meaty flesh and bloodied entrails of the corpses began to jerk to life.


    All the blood around them swiftly started to converge, all of them seeping into the distorted forms of men. It happened so quickly that only a few could process the urrence.


    Once the blood vanished, all of the plump flesh began to seep into just one target¡ªthe skinless form of the one who was yet to die.


    Soon, his body was covered in the flesh of everyone.


    "Fshuu¡­" It gave heavy breaths as it rose to its new, towering form.


    It was at least five meters tall, with a plump body that showed thebination of several life forms being merged into one.


    One could still see toes or some heads sticking out of the robust abomination that stood tall and mighty.


    This thing could no longer be called a human.


    It was¡­ a being of horror.


    "I thought, as an appetizer, you could enjoy your first battle of the night with this." The Ebony man stretched his hand towards the flesh monster.


    He had a tone that oozed pride. It almost seemed like the man thought his actions warranted thanks and reverence from the audience.


    More than that, however, udius was specifically stunned.


    He could see the eyes of hisrades on him as the Undead Monster stood before them, still stationary¡ªthankfully.


    ''He did something of this level with merely a few words and no prior preparations? What Level is he in?!''


    Worst of all, it didn''t seem like the man had put any effort at all in the Undead''s creation


    He could clearly perceive the corrupted Mana¡ªin essence, Miasma¡ªthat was slowly rising from the massive entity before them.


    It was immensely dense.


    udius gulped and his mind went to work.


    ''That is undoubtedly an Undead creature, which means this one is a Necromancer¡­'' udius narrowed his eyes as he stared ahead.


    Necromancers belonged to a special category of individuals¡ª


    obscure beings who could bend thews of the world even more than normal.


    This stemmed from their power over even life itself.


    ''The fact that he can bring forth Miasma and create an Undead from sacrifices proves my point.''


    The man before him fulfilled all the qualifications of being a Necromancer.


    "udius¡­" Feyu muttered as she looked at him with concern.


    The older man instantly nodded his head the moment he heard his name being uttered.


    There was a reason why he knew so much about Necromancers, and why this particr urrence bothered him the most.


    It was because he was also a Necromancer!


    "Yeah, I know. This is a tough one, even for me." udius said, his eyes narrowed on the man who stood behind the Undead.


    The Undead itself wasn''t too much of a threat.


    It was strong, sure, but not to the point where an experienced Necromancer like udius would be so nervous.


    The problem was the man who summoned it.


    ''He must have greater skill than I do. Even more Energy too.''


    However, udius wasn''t blind to his own advantages in the current conflict.


    ''I have numbers on my side.''


    "Shuri, begin your Familiar Summoning Process. Feyu, protect her. As for me¡­ " As udius said this, he took a few steps forward, away from his teammates.


    "¡­ I''ll take care of this one!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    This should be fun¡ªa match between Necromancers. By the way, got any theories on what Ater mentioned earlier and the technique he used?


    Let''s hear ''em!

 Chapter 351 Carnage In The Capital [Pt 4]

    <h4>Chapter 351 Carnage In The Capital [Pt 4] </h4>


    udius Fern Frierant had an Exclusive Skill since he was born¡ª[Dead Call].


    It allowed him to resurrect a dead person to be his personal ve. Of course, this ve had neither the will nor the mind that they possessed when they were alive.


    They were merely husks of their former selves.


    In essence¡­ Undead.


    He knew he was special since he was a kid, and his family agreed.


    He was given the most luxurious upbringing, and after practicing his Skill for years, more offshoots arose, until he finally gained the Necromancer Apprentice ss.


    It was a C-Tier ss, but for a man in histe teens to have advanced that far already, it was an amazing feat worthy of celebration.


    Thanks to this ss, and the Privileges that came with them¡ªalong with his pre-existing Skills¡ªhe became quite the prodigy.


    Everyone said he matured a lot faster than his age, and for a while, it was considered apliment.


    But¡­ udius soon understood that it was more of a curse than a blessing.


    The Miasma involved in Necromancy had inadvertently caused his body to age a lot faster than it normally would, causing him to appear like a man in his thirties despite being ate teenager.


    Of course, this process only became much worse the more he utilized his power.


    At a point, he decided to stop in order to prevent any further aging.


    But¡­ the Dragons came.


    They burned his home to the ground and took everything that mattered to him in the blink of an eye.


    He wasn''t strong enough to stop them.


    He couldn''t do anything but run away, escaping from the only ce that he had grown to love.


    ''If only¡­ If only I kept bing strong, would I have been able to stop them? Maybe I could have at least saved my family! Maybe¡­''


    Those thoughts remained in udius'' mind as vestiges of regrets that would never leave him.


    It was because of these thoughts that he abandoned his looks and health, considering them to be vanity, instead focusing on the pursuit of strength.


    He joined the Mercenary Gang, and after years of practice, he eventually advanced his ss to a B-Tier ss¡ªJunior Necromancer.


    Despite reaching such a height, he kept this ss a secret and kept growing in strength.


    ¡ªEven to the point where he was confident that he had surpassed the Deadly Three.


    udius didn''t care for ranks, though.


    All he wanted was the power to protect himself, and provide for his every need.


    Once he reached such a height, he stopped his climb to power, but at that point it was toote.


    He already had the body of an elder with a young man''s mind.


    This was the price for power¡ªthe cost of gaining nigh unrivaled strength!


    Was it worth it?


    The answer was simple.


    YES! Of course, it was worth it all.


    And now, as udius stood in front of the Compound Corpse, he desired to demonstrate it once more¡­ the value of his power.


    He desired to prove to himself, and the world, that his actions were correct.


    To attain strength, one had to sacrifice everything!


    *********


    "Abyss Call: Knights Of ck!"


    As udius utilized one of his three Undead-based Skills, [Abyss Call], ck circles began to appear on the ground.


    The ck shadows were about ten inches from him, and there were three of them.


    From within the darkness emerged three tall entities who donned full-ted armor.


    Their armor was pure ck, though signs of rust and gleams of purple appeared in several areas of their metallic forms.


    The three Knights Of ck Stood, each with a weapon of speciality¡ªa Sword, a Lance,stly Bow and Arrows.


    They instantly took battle stances, with udius right behind them as their summoner.


    This was the power of [Abyss Call].


    With this Skill, udius could summon the Undead he had already made prior to the event.


    Of course, there were certain limitations to [Abyss Call]¡ªlike the total number of Undead he could store in his abyss, but this was his go-to Skill.


    This was specifically because it didn''t require Miasma to flow through and into him, hence it didn''t affect his body.


    His two other undead-based Skills¡ª[Dead Call], and [Ultimate Sacrifice], were the opposite.


    Since udius already had a wide variety of Undead in his abyss, thirty-nine in total, and others which were in his territory back home¡­ he didn''t need to utilize his other Skills.


    It felt like a waste having them, but the safest option remained [Abyss Call].


    "Attack!" udiusmanded, and his loyal soldiers of the dead instantly obeyed.


    They expertly rushed forth, instantly taking formation without any need for some kind of remote control.


    No¡­ these were experts.


    Depending on the skill of a Necromancer¡ªspecifically their ss and its Privileges¡ªit was possible for the Undead to possess the abilities it had back when it was still alive.


    In essence, the Skills and experience¡ªthings as minute as muscr memory and instinct that had been honed over one''s lifetime¡ªcould be used by the Undead.


    Theoretically, it was possible to bring back the intelligence of a previously living entity, though that was a level that was too high for the current udius.


    Perhaps a Senior Necromancer could pull that off, but not him.


    For udius, he couldn''tpletely bring everything over¡ªjust vestiges, like theirbat experience and one or two Skills.


    Any Undead he made would always be weaker than their living counterparts.


    Even with that¡­


    ''These three Knights are the strongest warrior-type Undead I have in my arsenal.''


    ¡­ udius knew his minions wouldn''t disappoint him.


    ~WHOOSH!~


    Just as he expected, the three expertly traversed the obstacles that stood before them as if they were nothing.


    The Compound Corpse was too slow and bulky for it to catch the nimble Knights, and thanks to theirbined efforts, they easily subjugated it.


    How? Well, by going for the four limbs, they were able to render it immobile.


    After that, the knight with the sword decapitated the gigantic thing, thus ending its false life.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 352 Carnage In The Capital [Pt 5]

    <h4>Chapter 352 Carnage In The Capital [Pt 5] </h4>


    ~THUD!~


    The earth shook slightly as the colossal cluster of corpses fell to the ground¡ªdead for the second time.


    "Huu¡­" udius looked at his Undead minions as they gathered before him, once again taking battle positions.


    Afterward, they became stationary.


    ''Looks like it''s over. Good thing I summoned my best fighters.''


    If he didn''t, it would have taken a lot longer.


    As an experienced Necromancer, udius knew all about the quality of corpses and Undead, hence he was able to make the right decision and achieve wless victory.


    ''Now all we have to do is take down the opponent before he summons another troublesome thing.''


    He didn''t know how possible that was, though.


    To make an Undead, you needed a dead body. That was a fundamental principle that remained unchanging for all Necromancers.


    The only reason udius could bring out his minions despite having no sacrifices was thanks to [Abyss Call].


    ''I''m not sure if this person has it or not, but it''s more likely they don''t.''


    Based on what the man had disyed¡ªmaking such a high-leveled Undead in such a short period without any borate process¡ªudius had to assume he used a bunch of Skills at the same time.


    ''At least three would have been used, the way I see it.''


    Humans had a limit of five Skills, and if he ounted for the Skills he used to kill the Recon Unit and make them suddenly appear, then the list of Skills had to be consummated.


    ''He also at least needs to have a Passive Skill when ites to Magic, so there''s that.''


    udius knew that the number of his Skills had already somehow reached five, so there was no room for a Skill like [Abyss Call].


    ''That means he''ll have to summon something else from scratch. I see no sacrifices around, so he might have to go outside the Mansion''spounds to get the dead bodies of those we killed beforeing here.''


    udius wasn''t going to let that happen, but even if the man managed to escape their encirclement, he wouldn''t be able to make any high-leveled Undead from the corpses that he would find.


    ''An Undead''s strength is limited to the power they had when they were alive.''


    Regr denizens of the Capital couldn''t qualify as powerful.


    ''Even if hebines their corpses, like he just did, it wouldn''t be enough¡­''


    That meant, as far as Necromancy went, he was at a disadvantage.


    ''The only thing I have to worry about is the unounted Skill that he used to kill the Recon Unit. It is very possible that it could be an Undead he already summoned, and not a Skill.''


    Either way, udius had no intentions of letting his guard down.


    He explored the possibilities in his mind as he waited for Shuro to be done with her Summon.


    Perhaps his mind was so upied that he didn''t notice how the colossal cluster of corpses was rising back to its feet.


    He had subconsciously dismissed it, instead focusing on the Necromancer himself.


    That was his mistake!


    "CLAUDIUS!" Feyu''s loud voice woke udius from his reverie, giving him enough time to notice the Compound Corpse charging towards him.


    ''W-what?!'' His bulging eyes expressed his surprise quite well.


    He couldn''t believe what he was seeing.


    ''H-how is this possible?!''


    Undead couldn''t regenerate¡ªnot without some kind of Skill that allowed them to do so, either by the Necromancer or the Undead itself.


    ''I-it never showed any ability like that? How is it¡­ how did it regenerate so quickly?!''


    These questions rushed into udius'' mind as he stood, shell-shocked by what he was witnessing.


    It was something impossible!


    "A-atta¡ª!"


    Before udius spoke, the Compound Corpse swatted aside one of his Knights, sending it shattering into pieces.


    The other two tried to attack, but it was clear that it would reach udius before that happened.


    "¡ªNng!"


    Recoiling from the shock, he closed his eyes and backed away in shock.


    udius knew it instinctively¡­ he was going to get hit.


    ~WHUUUUSH!~


    A sudden st from behind him sent the Compound Corpse staggering back, its two bby arms iling in the air as a result of the intensity of the powerful wind.


    udius'' eyes widened the moment he saw this, instantly recognizing who had cast the Spell.


    ''There''s only one of us who can generate such a powerful Wind!''


    It was Feyu.


    udius smiled, his heart racing even faster than before.


    There was no way he could hesitate now that she had just saved his life and gave him such a window of opportunity.


    "Attack!"


    The two Undead who were left under hismand instantly rushed towards the Compound Corpse, de swinging andnce thrusting.


    ~SWISH!~


    In a sh, they sliced through the thing''s bulky arms and legs, finishing the job by jointly decapitating it and sending its leftover body flying towards the Necromancer who summoned it.


    ~BOOOM!~


    The earth shattered as the dead corpse''s heavy bodynded, sending small debris scattering around.


    Once again, they had eliminated the threat.


    "Thanks, Feyu." He turned behind and smiled at her.


    Her stern face greeted him, and she slowly nodded before once again focusing on guarding Shuri.


    Thattter was in a Summoning Circle at the rear of the group, the safest position to be at the moment.


    The longer the time it took to summon¡­ the better the Familiar.


    Shuri was definitely calling forth a big one.


    udius made a wry smile as he returned his gaze forward, exhaling deeply as he watched the unmoving Compound Corpse.


    ''I lost one of my Knights, but¡­ it''s down for good now, right?''


    Unfortunately, udius could not make such an assumption any longer.


    ''What in the world just happened?''


    The Compound Corpse he saw from the start was a strong but sluggish entity who could easily be subjugated by his Knights.


    It was such a simple entity that required no special strategy.


    ''But, just now¡­ it''s speed drastically increased.''


    It also showed more decisiveness than before¡ªalmost as if it was learning.


    ''In the first ce, how was it able to regenerate and revive? I was sure it died¡­''


    "You appear confused." The voice of the ebony man surged forth, forcing udius to gaze upon his immensely handsome face.


    "What appears to be the issue? Perhaps I could assist in enlightening you."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I just can''t stopughing due to how wrong udius is. But, I respect his analytics regardless.

 Chapter 353 Carnage In The Capital [Pt 6]

    <h4>Chapter 353 Carnage In The Capital [Pt 6] </h4>


    "What appears to be the issue? Perhaps I could assist in enlightening you."


    Once again, there was a condescending element in the tone of the ck-suited man despite how polite his words were.


    udius could tell that this man saw them as inferior.


    It didn''t particrly vex him¡ªthough udius didn''t like the anxiety that came with that realization.


    "Why can your Undead regenerate? Does it have a Skill to do so? It didn''t seem like the type to possess healing-type Skills."


    "Hmm¡­?" The ck suited man cocked his head slightly.


    ''Is he ying dumb? Did he not understand my question?'' udius thought to himself.


    Either way, the more time went by, the better for them. Stalling for the moment Shuri would be done with her Summoning was one strategy he could employ.


    Still¡­ he was curious.


    "I''ve merged corpses before, so I know they do not possess such qualities. As long as they do not possess the inherent Skills in that particr field, they can not exhibit such special abilities." udius spoke audaciously, taking a step forward.


    He had to let this man know that he too was an experienced Necromancer who had spent his whole life exploring the art.


    "It''s also very unlikely, or impossible, for you to have healed the Corpse on your own. Your Skill Limit is full, and even if it wasn''t¡­ I didn''t see you activate a Skill."


    udius had explored all the options, so he desired a response out of the current conundrum.


    "So how did you do it?"


    For a moment, there was silence.


    Tension rose in the air.


    All the thousand members of the Mercenary Gang were careful about even their breathing as they watched with palpable anxiety.


    Unlike the likes of udius and Feyu, they knew full well how powerless they would be against the Compound Corpse.


    It was too strong and fast for them.


    It just went to show the gap that existed between the Heads of Destruction and regr soldiers¡ªeven elites.


    After a silence that seemed tost for an eternity, a sound finally came forth.


    "Kukukukuku¡­"


    Everyone''s eyes widened a little.


    "¡­ Kukukuahahahahahahahaaha!"


    Their eyelids spread even more, taking in the sight of malevolence before them.


    They could hear the ugly cackles of the man before them. It sounded like metal scraping metal, loud enough to cause all that heard to nearly fall in submission.


    udius held his ground despite all of this, furrowing his brow as he frowned.


    ''Is this a Skill too? No¡­ it just feels like natural pressure. What in the world¡­'' His eyes were blurry as he looked at the man who stood at the mansion''s elevated entrance.


    ''¡­ Is that man?!''


    As soon as he had the thought, however, theughing man suddenly stopped cackling.


    He still had a wide smile on his face, but it was the kind that a person had when they saw an ant that they lit on fire, or some kind of horrid thing befall an inferior entity.


    It was a look of spite¡­ utter disgust, and the amusement derived from it.


    "What are you even talking about? Special ability? Healing? How much of an amateur are you?"


    udius didn''t know how to respond to this.


    ''I''ve been practicing Necromancy for thirty years now.''


    He was the best expert he had ever encountered, not that there were many Necromancers to begin with.


    Thanks to his Exclusive Skill, and his incredible dedication to the art, udius could argue that there was no man in the entire Alliance who knew more something about Necromancy that he didn''t.


    ¡­ Until now.


    "Do you not know the qualities of a Compound Corpse? You mistook it for a Clustered Corpse, didn''t you?"


    "E-eh¡­?" udius found himself looking dumbfounded.


    ''They''re not the same thing?!''


    He had been operating on the assumption that the Compound Corpse he faced was the same as the merged corpses that he had experimented with in the past¡ªClustered Corpse.


    To think they were not the same¡­


    "It seems I have been a little underestimated. Why would I utilize such a crude technique?"


    ''Crude? Did he just call it crude?'' At this point, udius was bordering on the edge of absolute confusion.


    Yes, Clustered Corpse was a very rigorous technique, but it wasn''t particrly low-leveled. Its benefits were worth it, especially if one could stack up enough corpses as sacrifices.


    The only reason udius didn''t indulge any further into the craft was because of the amount of people he would need to kill to get the materials necessary for a proper Clustered Corpse.


    Plus, the exposure to Miasma in making such a corpse was incredibly higher than other techniques¡ªbut that only went to show howplex and powerful it was.


    In order to preserve his physical well-being, udius decided to abandon the method.


    ''Yet¡­ he calls it crude?!''


    "Listen here, Compound Corpse is a Hollow Technique¡­ one of the high-leveled ones under the Chaos Art."


    ''What¡­ is he talking about?'' udius found himself on the borders of ignorance.


    Even though he was a Necromancer, he had learned a lot about Magic and everything rted to Skills or Spells in that category.


    What was being mentioned¡ªTechniques, Arts¡ªthey were not in his purview.


    "It''s Ancient MajiK, so I don''t expect you to get it. You''re still too young. This world is too young too¡­ so I suppose it hasn''t aged enough to learn these things."


    udius felt like he was hearing nonsense.


    "H-how does that exin the Corpse''s Regene¡ª?"


    "Hush now. I''m still speaking." The ck suited man ced a finger on his lips and stared at udius with aplicated look.


    Thetter gulped without realizing it.


    ''W-why did I fall silent so quickly?'' He asked himself, though something inside him already knew the answer.


    This was a survival reaction¡ªthe blessing of instinct.


    "Compound Corpses have multiple lives. They possess the same amount of lives as the number of Corpses used in creating them."


    As the ck-suited man uttered those words, the colossal entity began to stand on its two feet.


    Rather than having two hands, like before, four hands grew from its sides, and its new head had three faces.


    Two faced the side, and one gazed straight towards udius and his two remaining Knights.


    "You only killed this Corpse twice." As those words echoed in the air, an ominous ambiance took over.


    "It seems you still have a long way to go."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I wonder just how much Ater knows about the world and everything about it. Sorry if this whole thing is dragging out for too long.


    It is what it is¡­

 Chapter 354 Carnage In The Capital [Pt 7]

    <h4>Chapter 354 Carnage In The Capital [Pt 7] </h4>


    ''It changed again!''


    udius eximed internally as he watched the new and more menacing form of the Compound Corpse that eerily stood before everyone.


    Did this mean that his suspicion was correct? Was this thing learning?!


    "A Compound Corpse evolves upon each death so that it doesn''t suffer it again. This adaptability depends on the material used for its creation, though¡­" The ck-suited man looked at the creature before it and sighed.


    "As you can see, it isrgely ipetent as a result of the inferior flesh that it was formed from. There''s nothing I can do to improve trash, it seems."


    ''Inferior? Ipetent? That thing¡­ is trash?!'' udius'' eyes were widening far more than he thought was possible.


    ''What am I hearing?!''


    udius had never heard of an Undead with multiple lives. If such a thing existed, he was certain that he would know of it.


    ''It''s unbelievable¡­'' Yet such a thing was happening right before his eyes.


    It was every Necromancer''s dream to create a true undying Undead.


    This meant they had to either be virtually immortal, which wasn''t possible, or they had to be able to grow and learn so they wouldn''t die.


    ''If his Undead keeps evolving at this rate, it''ll be unkible.''


    A more terrifying thought entered udius'' mind.


    ''What if¡­ he uses even more people as a sacrifice? Just how powerful will the Undead be?!''


    It was a question that was too scary to answer.


    "Well¡­ I''ve rambled on for long enough. Why don''t we continue from where we left off?"


    udius instinctively knew his two Knights would not be enough to handle the current enemy.


    As a result, he used [Abyss Call] once again, creating three more ck circles on the ground.


    Proceeding out of them were three Mage-looking Undead¡ªall of them wearing tattered robes with rotting flesh for skin.


    ''Killing it would only escte the problem. To properly handle this situation, it''s best I restrain it!''


    He would use his two Knights as guards while making the Liches in hismand subdue the enemy with Binding Magic.


    ''I never thought a day woulde when my best warriors would be treated as standby disposables¡­'' udius made a wry smile as he began hismand.


    In response to his words, the undead creatures began to chant, their loose jaws making unintelligible words as Spells.


    "Do you really expect the Corpse to just stand still and let them cast their Spells?" The ck-suited man asked.


    In a split second, the Compound Corpse appeared before the three Mages, its four arms ready to pummel them to pieces.


    ''It''s fast!'' udius'' thoughts echoed.


    Much faster than he had anticipated!


    However¡­


    ~WHUUSH!~


    A dark barrier, like a semi-sphere surrounded the Mages the moment the Corpse sent his attack towards them.


    ~ZTTTZ!~


    Purplish ck electricity crackled forth in retaliation, burning the fists of the Corpse, causing it to stagger back in recoil.


    ''I expected you to go after my Mages. That''s why I made preparations.'' udius grinned internally.


    No matter what how powerful the Corpse was, or what it did, there was no way it could win against an experienced Necromancer!


    "I see. So the barrier came from that weird skill at the top of your staff."


    ''H-huh¡­?!''


    udius'' found his eyes twitching as he cast his gaze on the ck-suited man.


    "To think it was actually Undead. I dismissed it earlier because it was too weak, but¡­" The man smiled even more, causing udius to shiver.


    ''How did he know?!''


    udius'' staff was indeed an Enchanted Item, but the skull affixed on top was one of his creations.


    It only had one function¡ªmaking a powerful barrier that couldn''t be prated for a minute.


    Unfortunately, it took a few seconds for the barrier to be active, which was why udius couldn''t use it earlier when the Corpse surprised everyone and nearly killed him in its march.


    The second problem was that the barrier¡ªwhile very effective¡ª


    had a very long cooldown period.


    ''I can''t use it for a few hours, but that''s fine.''


    Even if it onlysted for a minute, and its cooldown wasn''t going to allow such a perfect defense any longer, udius wasn''t worried.


    After all¡­


    ''Their Spell isplete!''


    ~FSHIIING!~


    Bright chains made of fiery energy rushed from the massive Magic Circle that floated in front of the extended hands of the three Liches.


    They instantly wrapped themselves around the stunned Undead, surrounding its body in searing hot constraints that tightly cling to its body.


    The Compound Corpse fell with a heavy thud,pletely paralyzed due to the pain and extreme bondage it suffered from.


    It didn''t scream or groan, but the conclusion was obvious.


    The Compound Corpse was done for.


    ''Capture Complete!'' udius grinned as he watched the colossal thing suffer a terrible downfall.


    He cast his gaze on the ck-suited man, a gleam of confidence now flowing through his aged eyes.


    ''You made an error in judgment. By revealing the abilities of your Undead, you allowed me to figure out a way around it.''


    If all of that had been left as a mystery, udius imagined he would have struggled even more against it.


    ''I suppose I should be grateful for his hubris.''


    Despite having this thought, udius found himself being unsettled.


    One look at the opponent and he could tell why.


    ''Even though we just beat his Undead, he appears unfazed.''


    udius remembered how the man had called the Compound Corpse trash earlier, which meant there was a chance that he had other tricks up his sleeve.


    ''Or maybe he was just bluffing¡­''


    Either way, udius couldn''t get rid of his unease, and so he remained on his guard.


    "You used the information I gave you to create a n that involves binding and not direct killing. Not bad¡­"


    The ck suited man ced both hands in his pocket as he stared casually at the people that surrounded him.


    He seemed to be enjoying every moment of the event, contrary to the majority of those who stared back at him.


    ''I won, but what is this feeling?'' udius shuddered as he looked into the eyes of the enemy


    His calmness was too unnerving.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Alright, I''ll try to end this fight in the next chapter.

 Chapter 355 Carnage In The Capital [Pt 8]

    <h4>Chapter 355 Carnage In The Capital [Pt 8] </h4>


    ''What more does he have nned?''


    udius swallowed his saliva as he racked his brain.


    ''He''s a very powerful Necromancer, so he shouldn''t have a lot ofbat ability in any other field.''


    Yet¡­


    "Don''t look so concerned. I won''t step in yet, so don''t worry."


    ''If he won''t step in, then who will?'' udius found himself following the line of sight of the enemy and found him staring at the fallen Corpse.


    ''Why is he looking at it like that? Don''t tell me¡ª!"


    ~SLOOOP!~


    Like gooey ooze, the bulky Compound Corpse suddenly divided itself into two separate forms; both of them having two hands and two legs, with two heads each.


    They formed away from the ming restraints, each standing at about two meters tall.


    ''N-no way¡­''


    udius couldn''t believe that there was even more to the Compound Corpse than he expected.


    "I never told you that the things I mentioned were all the qualities of the Compound Corpse."


    ''There''s more?! Just¡­ just how much more?!'' udius found himself panicking at this point.


    The mere existence of the Compound Corpse already ced the enemy at about A-Tier, but if there was more, then udius couldn''t help but wonder what kind of person they were dealing with.


    Could they even win?!


    "A Compound Corpse can divide itself as many times as the lives it has left. Of course, itsbat ability will be reduced, but it''s pretty useful in tricky situations like this."


    udius tried his best to calm himself, and after a few seconds, he was sessful.


    ''Think! Think, udius! If this is yet another quality of this creature, that essentially makes it overpowered.''


    It could easily turn into numerous forms and easily handle his Knights a lot better during the first round¡ªeven in the second round.


    It could have also gone after multiple targets at once.


    ''Yet it didn''t! There has to be a reason!''


    udius'' eyes widened the moment his mind responded to the inquiry.


    ''Durability reduction!'' udius stared at the two Compound Corpses. ''If it splits, it bes smaller, weaker¡­ essentially a lot easier to kill.''


    Normally, that would be a good thing for the Compound Corpse.


    But¡­


    ''It probably won''t be able to regenerate if all the parts of its body are destroyed at once.''


    When it was five meters tall and a lot more durable, it was practically impossible for udius or pretty much anything in his arsenal to one-shot.


    But now that the enemy was a lot smaller¡­ it was indeed possible.


    ''I''ve figured it out!''


    ~VWUUSH!~


    The moment he had that thought, almost as if the heavens were smiling upon the Mercenary Gang, a surge of energy rose from behind him.


    "KRIIIIIIIAAAAAKKKK!!"


    A powerful screech echoed in the air, emanating from none other than the Familiar that had just been summoned.


    ''T-that is¡­!'' udius'' eyes widened as he turned back to see the magnificent creature.


    It stood at about six meters tall, with its winged hands spread high up, and its long neck raised upward.


    The powerful tail of the beast pped within the circle, and its gray scales glittered within the bright confines of its position.


    Anyone would be able to recognize such a magnificent entity the instant they saw it.


    The closest rtive of a Dragon¡ªa Wyvern!


    "This is the strongest one I''ve ever summoned!" Shuri beamed as she proceeded to create her Bond with the Familiar.


    As a Great Tamer with a highpatibility with beasts, she was able to easily contract with the B-Tier Monster.


    It came at the perfect time too!


    "Shuri,mand your Familiar to destroy those two! Absolutely destroy them!"


    "Understood! Get down, everyone!"


    In an instant, the Magic Circle faded away, and the Wyvern opened its powerful jaws to release a powerful ray of yellowish light.


    It was [Wyvern Breath], an inferior version of [Dragon Breath], but a powerful one regardless.


    ~BOOOOOOM!~


    In a burst of powerful energy, the yellowish light traveled straight for the approaching Undead, instantly consuming them in the explosion.


    The ground shattered into pieces, and the charred remains of earth were barely intact by the time the eruption wasplete.


    ~SHUUU~


    Smoke rose from the ground, and not even a speck remained of the Compound Corpse.


    It was gone.


    ''I knew it! We finally got rid of it for good!''


    udius heard pping wings beside him and noticed Shuri riding her Wyvern to his left.


    Feyu appeared to his right, her stern facade leaking a bit of relief once she saw the destruction that her ally''s Familiar caused.


    There was no way the Undead could have survived from that.


    "Great job, you two." udius smiled, wrinkles all over his pale face.


    "Hey! I was the one who summoned this, you know? You should praise me more!"


    udius raised his head and saw Shuri pping the dense body of her Familiar and Mount. She was pouting heavily as she looked at the two of them.


    "A-ah! My apologies¡­"


    "Yeah. You did a very good job, Shuri."


    Both udius and Feyu corrected the mistake of the former, causing the young girl to smile with full satisfaction.


    "Hehe! As long as you know!"


    The two adults nced at each other and heaved a sigh of relief.


    No matter how powerful the girl was, in the end she was still a child.


    It wasn''t easy dealing with kids, but they already figured Shuri out a long time ago.


    "Now all that''s left are those two." udius turned to look at the ck suited man, and Aldred who had managed to escape attention by standing behind him.


    "Don''t you mean one? That handsome Necromancer is the real challenge here, right?"


    "Nng!" udius gripped his chest as soon as he heard those words from Shuri.


    Her words felt like a personal attack on him, considering how he was also a Necromancer, but far from being handsome.


    It forced udius''s mind to revisit the thing he had tried his best to ignore for so long.


    ''Why does he look so young and handsome despite being such apetent Necromancer?''


    udius bit his lip as he narrowed his gaze on the enemy.


    ''If I can get the answer, then isn''t it possible for me to finally¡­?'' udius nced at Feyu for a moment.


    He saw her telling Shuri something along the lines of "Never underestimate your enemy. They''re both our enemies, so we need to treat them as such."


    He found himself smiling fondly at her for a moment before taking his eyes away and looking forward.


    "Feyu is right. We can''t afford to ignore the other target just because he''s weaker."


    udius didn''t know how strong Aldred was, but there had to be a reason why thetter was taking such a passive role.


    ''Aldred Winsley is a Broker and not a part of the Karinc Militia. He''s most likely not much of a fighter.''


    That meant their attention would be focused on the dark suited man, while also ounting for Aldred.


    "It seems you''re ready to fight with me. That''s nice to see." Despite saying this, the man didn''t bother removing his hands from his pockets.


    Despite seeing this, udius and his allies prepared themselves forbat


    "You''re making one fatal error, though."


    The wide smile and condescending words proceeding from the man caused everything around to tremble.


    "You''ve overestimated your actions."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    What is most amusing about all this is that Ater has so many other Skills that he could use in this circumstance.


    Yet he''s using Nexromancy. He''s not even summoning those OP undead of his.

 Chapter 356 Carnage In The Capital [Pt 9]

    <h4>Chapter 356 Carnage In The Capital [Pt 9] </h4>


    ''H-huh¡­?''


    The impossible began to happen in the presence of udius and his entire band of Allies.


    ~FSHUU~


    Particles of dark red liquid¡ªblood¡ªbegan to appear in the air. This was quickly followed by patches of flesh-like muscles, and then bones, before dead skin finally wrapped itself around everything to form a singr entity.


    That singr entity¡­ was the Compound Corpse.


    "I-It''s not dead?!"


    "How?"


    "Why?"


    "Why isn''t it dead?!"


    Several voices rushed into the air, and udius found himself just staring at the taller, more intimidating thing that now stood before them.


    It was now about seven meters tall, with six hands, four faces, and a tail dancing right behind it.


    It''s body was now muscr, like a veteran bodybuilder.


    All of this culminated into one thing.


    ¡­ The Corpse had evolved once more.


    "What''s going on, udius? Why isn''t it dead yet?" Feyu looked at him with concerned eyes, worry palpable on her face.


    In all honesty, udius didn''t know how to respond.


    "I¡­ I don''t know¡­" He could only mutter as he stared at the abomination.


    How could such a monster exist? How could it have survived absolute destruction?


    It was impossible¡­


    "Its entire body was destroyed! There was nothing left! How could it have survived that! There was no body left to restructure!" udius yelled.


    He wanted to reject what he was seeing. He didn''t want to ept that there could exist an Undead of such a caliber.


    "How is such a thing possible?!" His hoarse voice echoed in the air.


    udius was desperate.


    His body was trembling due to this sudden revtion.


    He just had to know!


    "Pfft! I told you already¡­ it''s Ancient MajiK. You wouldn''t get it."


    "Magic? What is Ancient Magic? What in the world are you talking about?" udius quickly responded to the ck suited man.


    Surely, whatever happened now had to have a logical reason or basis for it.


    Even Magic Spells had to follow certain inescapablews.


    Necromancy, which was an outlier of conventional Magic¡ªtwisting the very rules of life and death, and blurring the lines between them¡ªcame with its own cost.


    Yet¡­ YET¡­!


    ''Why does his power make no sense to me? It''s too perfect to be real!''


    How could such a master Necromancer have such an amazing body? How could an Undead have so many perks, yet it was summoned without much ceremony?


    It negated everything udius had known his whole life.


    "You thought that destroying its entire body would end the false life of the Compound Corpse, but that''s not enough." The ck suited man''s voice dragged udius away from his maelstrom of thoughts.


    "N-not¡­ enough¡­?"


    What in the world was he talking about? Regeneration and Healing only functioned if there was something to heal.


    Was udius foolish or crazy for thinking that?


    No!


    That was the normal way to reason.


    ''Yet why is he saying this like it''smon sense?!''


    Anyone would have called the man crazy if they didn''t see the Compound Corpse form from literally nothing.


    "It''s a Chaos Art, you know? It''s not easy to destroy just like that¡­"


    ''Chaos Art? What''s that?''


    "Unless you have special existence erasure abilities, or you can kill the Hollow Technique itself, there''s no point¡­"


    ''Don''t tell me¡ª!''


    "You just have to keep killing the Undead until all of its life runs out."


    udius'' aged eyes widened in both shock and just a tinge of despair.


    ''If that''s the case¡­ then we''re screwed.''


    udius knew full well how many Recon Unit members went into the mansion, so he had a rough estimate of the number of sacrifices used to make the Compound Corpse.


    ''That thing had about thirty lives from the start. We''ve only killed it three times, and it has be this strong already¡­?!''


    They still had to kill it at least twenty-seven more times so it would forever be dead.


    ''The problem is¡­ it has already evolved to handle a Wyvern''s st.''


    Perhaps a couple more sts could kill it this time, but what about next time? And the time after that?


    What then?!


    "Hey, hey, udius¡­ why isn''t that thing dead?" Shuri asked while pouting at the monstrosity before them.


    ''How the hell am I supposed to know?!'' He wanted to scream out.


    "What should we do, udius?"


    This time, it was Feyu who asked the question. But udius'' thoughts were practically the same.


    "I¡­ I don''t¡­"


    Before he couldplete his sentence, though, a shriek echoed in the air.


    "Uahhhh! I don''t¡­ I don''t want to die!"


    "S-save me!"


    "I''m retreating!"


    "RUN!"


    The Mercenary Gang soldiers were violent, not stupid.


    They had heard everything the ck-suited man said, and it didn''t take them very long to piece together the implications of his words.


    Their enemy simply couldn''t be killed at this rate.


    It was much better to flee.


    udius'' panicky expression was palpable as he turned back, beads of sweat forming on his face.


    "Wait, you foo¡ª!"


    Before he could speak, beam of yellowish energy trailed past him and instantly shot towards the few men who were already attempting to flee.


    Needless to say, they died instantly.


    "A-ahh¡­"


    The leftover parts of their bodies crumpled to the ground, jerking a little before finally ceasing movement.


    udius'' breathing became heavy.


    He had sensed where the beam came from, but he wasn''t even fast enough to react to it.


    "Haa¡­ haa¡­" Slowly, he turned his face towards the monstrosity that stood before all of them.


    It suddenly had gaping mouths on all four of its faces, and smoke danced in front of them.


    udius already knew¡­ the Compound Corpse was the one who sent the st.


    ''It instantly killed them with [Wyvern Breath].''


    Not only could this creature evolve after death, but it could also learn the abilities that had caused its demise.


    If this wasn''t already an invincible being, then what was?


    ''I have no idea how to beat that thing¡­'' udius felt his shoulder slump.


    As his heart grew mellow, he clenched his fist and gritted his teeth.


    ''¡­ At least, not without making any more sacrifices.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 357 Carnage In The Capital [Pt 10]

    <h4>Chapter 357 Carnage In The Capital [Pt 10] </h4>


    udius had a total of five Skills.


    [Dead Call]. [Abyss Call]. [Ultimate Sacrifice]. [Miasma Resistance]. [Life Force Recovery]


    Of these five, three were Active.


    And¡­ of those three, one could be considered his most powerful move.


    ¡ªHis Trump Card!


    "Feyu¡­ Shuri¡­ you might have to step away¡­ maybe leave this vicinity." He muttered.


    They both nced at him in surprise, but udius kept his gaze on the surprisingly unmoving creature that had to be beaten.


    ''If they try to escape, that thing will try to use [Wyvern Breath]. But, I''m at least confident they can defend themselves or counter with an equally powerful move.''


    That meant they could safely escape.


    ''If that''s the case, then I can use my power to its fullest without any living witness¡­ and with no way to sacrifice them.''


    He made a wry smile and prepared himself for what had to be done.


    "Wait for my signal, you two. Once I tell you to¡ª"


    "Oh? What''s this? You guys aren''t done yet?" A voice suddenly echoed from behind the crowd of Mercenary Gang soldiers.


    ''H-huh? That voice¡­'' udius'' eyes widened as he looked behind him.


    The entire army also recognized the voice and instantly bowed while parting ways for the person, or rather, the two important people, to pass.


    "Phobio! Fernand!" udius beamed as he looked at the two men who approached from behind.


    The army that they led remained behind, their numbers also about a thousand.


    Phobio and Fernand also appeared to be intact¡ªthe former was even smiling widely while thetter appeared as indifferent and stoic as always.


    "What''s going on here? We saw the building still standing from afar and wondered what caused the holdup¡­ so we came to check."


    Phobio''s tone seemed as carefree as always, with his regal dark hair flowing behind him with every word he uttered.


    As for Feenand, the w scar on his face seemed particrly dull under the dim glow of moonlight.


    Either way, two more members of the Mercenary Gang''s Head of Destruction were present.


    ''And these two are strong enough to be considered candidates of the Deadly Three!'' udius beamed with delight as he saw them.


    With five Heads of Destruction present, the situation seemed a lot more manageable than the previous alternative.


    "It''s good you''re here. We''re dealing with a rather troublesome enemy, so we would really appreciate your assistance." udius swiftly responded to Phobio, his eyes trailing to the standing Compound Corpse.


    "Oho! I see. So you''re having problems dealing with that huge thing, eh? I understand¡­ it''s quite big and looks pretty strong."


    Despite saying this, Phobio didn''t flinch at all.


    udius instantly knew why.


    ''His Blood Magic allows him to create a massive avatar which he can use to fight.''


    If they had something that big to restrain the Undead, it was possible to defeat it.


    ''The only issue is that he requires a lot of blood to achieve that, so¡­''


    "Time to use my Crimson Valkyrie! Hehe!" The manughed as he licked his lips with delight.


    udius was confused.


    He didn''t see a sphere of blood anywhere, and Phobio needed arge stock of blood to be able to utilize such power.


    "Lord Phobio, how do you n to use Crimson Valkyrie?" He asked.


    "Huh? Are you stupid? Can''t you see my sphere of blood?"


    Phobio''s irritated response made udius begin to doubt himself.


    ''I can''t see it? Is it hidden or what?''


    "I was able to harvest quite a lot from the battle on our end. All of those weaklings were so easy to kill." Phobio sneered.


    "A-ah¡­ so your mission went well, then?"


    "Of course! Ask Fernand if you don''t believe me." The young man chuckled even more.


    udius shifted his gaze to Fernand, who merely shrugged as he spoke in a calm, collected manner.


    "It''s true. We were able to massacre everyone in the Karinc Shop and eliminate all their affiliates in the ck Market. All witnesses were extinguished, and we''ve pretty much conquered the ck Market in the Capital."


    udius couldn''t believe they were fortunate enough to have been blessed with such an uneventful mission.


    ''Ours started uneventfully too, until¡­''


    "See? See? We did all of that and you guys were still stuck with this single problem." Phobio began tough, pointing at the massive Undead before them.


    "Well¡­ it''s very difficult to handle since it has many lives and it also ada¡ª"


    "Don''t you worry, though. Since I''m in a good mood, I''ll use my Crimson Valkyrie to help you out this time."


    Once again, the Necromancer was confused.


    ''With what blood?''


    udius nced at Feyu and Shuri, sending them signals about whether or not they saw any blood sphere, but they both shook their heads.


    ''This doesn''t make any sense, though. If they indeed ughtered everyone in the ck Market, then the blood sphere should be massive by now.''


    Yet, udius and his own allies saw nothing.


    ''Something is wrong somewhere!''


    "Alright, I think I''ve given you all enough time to chat." The voice that echoed in the air caused udius to have chills.


    For the first time since the start of the fight, the ck suited man began to walk forward¡ªtowards the group of over two thousand.


    "Now that you are all present, I suppose we should start moving on to the main event."


    ''Now that we''re all here? Was he waiting for us to converge? Is that why he didn''t make any move until now?''


    Dozens of questions raced within udius'' mind, but they were all interrupted by Phobio''s arrogant tone.


    "Hm? Who is this guy, udius? Is he an idiot? Can''t he see that we''re conversing?"


    udius was frozen in disbelief, perhaps a bit of shock.


    He was yet to see the power of the ck suited man, but there was no way he would underestimate him after all he had witnessed.


    Phobio, on the other hand, had the disadvantage of ignorance.


    "Phobio, please be¡ª!"


    "Since everyone is present, I no longer require you, Corpse." The ck-suited man''s voice drew udius''s gaze back to his position.


    He saw that the man was right beside the giant Undead, and in a snap of his fingers, the Undead melted into his shadow.


    It all happened very quickly, but udius had gotten a glimpse of the entire thing.


    "He''s a Necromancer like you, udius?" Fernand''s calm voice echoed out.


    "No. We''re not on the same level. He is the superior one."


    Upon hearing udius'' confession, Fernand narrowed his gaze and let out a slight frown.


    "I see¡­" His voice trailed.


    udius returned his sights to the ck-suited man, who was now standing by his lonesome, with Aldred still standing right in front of the mansion''s doors.


    ''It seems he wants to fight us by himself¡­''


    Usually, that would be good news, but udius didn''t know why he felt even more uneasy.


    ''If he''s a Necromancer, doesn''t that mean he''s weaker when ites to head on assault?''


    However, as soon as udius had this thought, he quickly dismissed his utilization ofmon sense.


    ''I can''t think of him as a normal man. Perhaps he''s also confident in hisbat ability¡ªenough to be able to handle all of us.''


    udius had to operate under that assumption.


    The mere fact that he could discard such a powerful card like the Compound Corpse¡­ it meant he was also very strong


    "Are you going to use another Ancient Magic¡­?" udius found the courage to ask.


    "No. Ancient MajiK is too draining for my current form, so I''ll desist from it for this round."


    udius felt relief, but also confusion.


    ''That should be his trump card¡ªthe thing that escapesmon sense¡ªyet he can''t use it?''


    If that was the case, didn''t that mean that they had a chance to win¡ªespecially if they went all out from the start?


    Five of the Nine Heads of Destruction.


    Two thousand Mercenary Gang soldiers.


    Thirty members of Scy''s Recon Unit.


    Combined, they could actually stand a chance against this man!


    "I suppose it''s time I introduced myself."


    The man ced one hand on his chest in an attempt at a formal introduction.


    "I am Ater; a name given to me by my Master." He didn''t bow his head in the slightest, but he appeared polite regardless.


    ''Master?! He has a Master?!''


    At this point, udius found himself swimming in an ocean of confusion


    He didn''t know how to navigate through it.


    "We don''t need to hear your name! Let''s just get down to it." Phobio sneered in absolute confidence as he took a casual stance.


    Fernand did the opposite and reached for his de in caution while frowning his face.


    "Who is your Master?"


    udius was also curious, so he was grateful to Fernand for asking the question.


    ''There is no way the nc House could have such a monster in their ranks.''


    Even if they did, they would have taken him to the Dark Gathering.


    ''Any Master of this man¡­ what kind of monster could he be?!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Okay, we''re finally reaching the endgame of this entire confrontation.


    I hope you weren''t too bored.


    Hahaha¡­

 Chapter 358 The Malignant One [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 358 The Malignant One [Pt 1] </h4>


    "Let''s get the first things out of the way."


    The one known as Ater began by raising a finger, pointing the tip upwards.


    "Darkness¡­"


    In an instant, a swirling sphere of darkness, sparking with purple crackles of energy, appeared at the top of his pointed finger.


    It shot up into the sky, scattering the moment it reached a high enough altitude.


    Once the sphere exploded, it created a thinyer of purplish ck darkness¡ªlike a veil¡ªthat covered the sky and shrouded the immediate vicinity.


    In a mere moment, all of the Mercenary Gang members were within the massive dome of darkness.


    ''What did he just do?'' udius wondered to himself as he stared above him.


    They could still see the moon hanging in the sky, as well as pretty much everything else.


    The world was just a bit darker, but apart from that, there was no issue at all.


    ''If his goal was not to take away our vision to restrict our mobility, then what was it?


    "Don''t look so concerned. This doesn''t affect you in any way, so ignore it." Ater smiled, and udius felt like those words were directed at him in particr.


    It frightened him.


    "Now then, it''ll be a waste of time to entertain you all any further, and I''m pretty bored, so I think I''ll just end this quickly."


    Before udius could properly process and analyze what he just heard, Ater pointed his finger towards the crowd and muttered words.


    "Dark Possession."


    In that instant, a powerful pulse radiated from Ater, filling the entire space in an instant.


    "G-guh!" udius felt something slip into his consciousness, but he quickly shrugged it away.


    His body felt cold, but he overcame it all through his sheer willpower.


    Blinking rapidly and shrouding himself in energy, he woke up from whatever slumber he must have been experiencing.


    However, what he saw next was perplexing.


    "UWAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!"


    "SAVE ME! SAVE MEEEEEEEEEE!!!"


    "I''M DYING! UWAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!"


    "HELP MEEEEEEEE!!!"


    "MOMMY! DADDY!"


    Multifarious voices filled the air behind him, and udius could hardly recognize any of them since they were yelling on top of each other.


    What he knew, however, was that they all belonged to the members of the Mercenary Gang.


    He heard thuds, meaning that most of them had copsed¡ªeither in their knees, their backs, or their stomachs.


    udius could hear wriggling. If he listened closely, itching and gnashing teeth could also be heard.


    In essence, throes of despair filled the air.


    udius was tempted to look behind him to look at his men and confirm what was going on.


    However, he knew only death awaited if he did so.


    The man before him, Ater, was living proof of that brute fact.


    "I thought you wanted to end things quickly." udius asked.


    Hisrades were most likely experiencing anguish as a result of some kind of mental attack.


    It was far from the quick end that Ater promised.


    "You and I have different views regarding time." The response was smooth and downright hideous.


    "An hour is a mere speck of a second for me. A day is not even worth a minute."


    As the man approached udius, he already knew he couldn''t win¡ªnot the way he was now.


    ''I have to use it¡ªmy Trump Card!''


    Beside him were the stationary Heads of Destruction, all of them in an equal state of mental anguish.


    udius was the only one who had fought it off.


    He looked at Feyu¡­ at Shuri¡­ and he instantly knew he wouldn''t be able to save them.


    ''If I try to help them, my life will be forfeit.''


    Fernand and Phobio were also invalid, so he waspletely left on his own.


    ''I am sorry, but¡­ for my survival¡­ I must do this.''


    A bitter feeling permeated udius'' heart as he crouched and ced his hand on the earth.


    He had always thought he would do anything to attain power and livefortably, but now¡­ he wasn''t so sure.


    The hesitation he felt was too real.


    That didn''t stop him from making the choice, regardless.


    "[Ultimate Sacrifice]."


    ~VWUUUUUUMMMM!~


    A sudden ckness suddenly swept through the area like quicksand, easily filling the ground surrounding him with dark shadows.


    ''Anyone in the range of my shadow bes a sacrifice¡­'' udius thought bitterly as he spent all of his energy expanding his range to ept as many sacrifices as possible.


    ¡­ Until he filled the entire battlefield.


    Every single ally with him fell within his range, though somehow his shadow didn''t reach Ater.


    ''As expected. He''s a Necromancer, after all¡­''


    udius felt the burden on his body as he began the process.


    ck patches¡ªappearing like hands¡ªbegan to stick to the bodies of those who were caught in his darkness.


    It pulled them under.


    As if they were slowly drowning in an ocean of ink, the bodies began to get submerged in the muck.


    ''There''s no going back now!'' udius gritted his teeth


    His body aged faster. Hair began to fall out of his head, and more wrinkles decorated his body.


    His breathing became heavy, but he didn''t stop.


    "Do you think I''ll just stand here and let youplete the process?" Ater asked with a grin, making an attempt to approach.


    Of course, udius was no fool.


    He already knew that, despite thex attitude his enemy had shown thus far, he could always act at any time.


    ¡­ Especially in a dangerous situation.


    ''At least, I now know that the final results of this Skill is dangerous to him.'' udius smiled, activating hisst Enchanted Item to give him a final burst of energy so he could utilize another Skill.


    ''[Abyss Call]!''


    He summoned every single Undead in his arsenal¡ªfrom high-


    grade to the lowest of them all.


    They all emerged from dark circles beneath, each of them only having one purpose.


    "Attack that man!" udius screamed.


    ~WHOOOOSH!~


    They all charged at the enemy, like the loyal troops that they were.


    udius already knew that they wouldn''t be able to win. However, they could surely restrain the enemy until it was finally time for his Skill to fully blossom.


    And so, the sh began.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Got any theories about what''s going on and how this will end up?

 Chapter 359 The Malignant One [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 359 The Malignant One [Pt 2] </h4>


    "Please¡­" udius prayed.


    "Please hang on¡­"


    He saw how his Undead fell, one after the other, at the hands of the clearly superior foe.


    None of them stood a chance in the slightest


    Ater pummeled all of them with ease, using his bare fist to strike them. He instantly ended their false lives with barely any effort involved.


    Until finally¡­ there was only one standing.


    "Pathetic." In a sh, that one also got destroyed by a single enemy.


    All of his most powerful Undead were gone.


    "Huu¡­"


    udius was not worried or afraid, though.


    "¡­ Finally¡­"


    The answer stood right behind him, in the form of an entity that was born from the ultimate sacrifice of over two thousand lives.


    The Ultimate Undead¡ªDeath Knight!


    Of all the Undead that existed, this was known to be of mythical status.


    It was coated in obsidian armor, standing at about three meters in height. This entity had a longsword and a sturdy shield, with a cape behind it that had the color of blood.


    Its rotting face was hidden beneath its mask, but the crimson eyes that glowed from within it told of its bottomless hunger for battle.


    ¡­ Its immeasurable hatred for the living.


    ''The Death Knight is said to grow stronger the longer a battlests, and it is immune to Magic attacks.


    The march of the Death Knight never stopped until its head and false heart were both destroyed¡ªboth of which were covered in incredibly dense armor.


    udius had never summoned a Death Knight before, so this was the first time he wasying eyes on one.


    ''It''s at the pinnacle of A-Tier for sure!''


    It was magnificent!


    "Death Knight¡­ heed your Master''s call and eliminate my enemy!"


    The moment udius spoke, the Death Knight cast out a deafening roar.


    "URUAAHHHH!!"


    The air vibrated as tremors took over the earth.


    In a single sh, it sted off from its position and charged towards Ater with breakneck speed.


    ~BOOM!~


    The ground beneath and around udius shattered merely due to that single dash, causing the aged man to stagger and nearly fall into the crevice of the earth.


    Despite narrowly managing to escape with his frail body, he had a wide smile on his face.


    "Yes! End him!"


    udius had sacrificed everything in order to have this single weapon of destruction.


    Seeing how the thing had be a ck blur as it attacked his foe gave him goosebumps. Delight reced his anger and regret as he keenly watched his own ve tear down his enemy.


    ''I''m going to win! Death Knight is going to win!'' His thoughts echoed.


    And sure enough¡­ he was winning.


    Ater was struggling to keep up with the ferocious blows of the Death Knight.


    He couldn''t get past the tough defenses of the absolute monster that udius made.


    Ater even duplicated himself, transforming into so many copies of himself, but the Death Knight spared none of them.


    All of them met an end by his de.


    udius grinned intensely as heughed like a maniac. Seeing his enemy struggle against his creation was surreal.


    At some point, udius stopped caring about anything Ater did to struggle against the beast.


    ''Yes! Yes! KILL THEM ALL!''


    Even when he used Elemental Magic, he didn''t care.


    After all, it had no effect.


    Even when he created bursts of yellowish light, it didn''t matter.


    Blood Magic was useless, and the Death Knight surpassed Ater at Swordsmanship. In the end, the Death Knight emerged the ultimate victor.


    ¡­ Until, there was only Ater left.


    udius stood right behind his Death Knight as he stared at the wounded Ater that powerlessly sat on the ground.


    He was surrounded by the other Ater corpses, soon to join them in the eternal embrace of darkness.


    "Anyst words?" udius asked as he looked down at the pathetic one known as Ater.


    His gaze was cold.


    ''It seems once again¡­ the truth remains unchanged.''


    To achieve strength, one had to truly give up everything.


    udius was finally able to achieve ultimate power.


    But at what cost?


    "I lost everything because of you. You¡­ you monster."


    In response to those words, Ater merely smiled with the most scornful smile.


    "Look who''s talking." Upon hearing those words, udius felt something in his heart churn.


    His chest tightened in pain.


    He didn''t want to fill that.


    "SHUT UP!" Screaming, hemanded the Death Knight to execute the vermin before him.


    That very instant, the Death Knight''s de was thrust downward, piercing the final body Ater had at his disposal.


    Blood spurted out, instantly staining the de with its vile liquid.


    "It''s finally¡­ over, huh?" udius whispered.


    Tears trailed down his eyes as he uttered those words.


    He had no doubt that he did the right¡ªmost logical¡ªthing, but udius felt an emptiness that his victory could not fill.


    It felt¡­ wrong.


    ''I''m done with this life. I can''t take any more.''


    udius was sure that with the Death Knight, he would be strong enough to handle Fenrir and other members of the Mercenary Gang.


    He was going to quit the Mercenary Gang and live out the rest of his life alone¡ªaway from everyone or everything.


    He would have taken his own life, but his will to live was far too strong for him to do so.


    To atone for what he had done¡­ this was the best thing he could think of.


    ''To kill the monster¡­ I became one.''


    "How long are you going to keep sulking?" A voice suddenly rang.


    It sounded so familiar¡­ so sinister.


    udius recognized it.


    It belonged to¡­


    "You''re so boring." The man who spoke stood in front of the mansion''s door, right beside Aldred.


    ¡­ Ater!


    ''H-huh? H-how?! B-but¡­ but I killed him!''


    udius could see the amused smile that filled Ater''s face. He instantly knew something was wrong.


    Unfortunately for him¡­ this realization came a little toote.


    ''E-eh¡­?''


    udius saw the corpse right in front of him¡ªthe one that was impaled by Death Knight''s de.


    It was Feyu.


    ''Why¡­ why are you here?''


    udius staggered back, nearly tripping over nothing as a mix of both fear and pain washed over him as he saw her dead body.


    ''N-no¡­ no that''s not her! That''s not Feyu¡­''


    To perhaps distract his gaze from her, he looked at his immediate surroundings, only to find more confirmation for his despair.


    Fernand, Phobio, Shuri, and her Wyvern¡­ their bodies were all positioned right where Ater''s corpses should have been.


    All of them were dead¡ªgruesomely impaled and butchered by the full might of the Death Knight.


    ''No¡­ no I didn''t do this¡­ I didn''t¡ª!''


    Behind him, there was no one. All of them had been consumed to make the Death Knight.


    The bare sight of everything behind him, and the horrors that surrounded him, made udius shrink back.


    "Where do you think you''re going?" Ater''s voice echoed from right in front of him.


    "Are you fully awake now?"


    It was at this moment that udius realized the truth.


    The time when Ater had uttered "Dark Possession" and he resisted it¡­ that wasn''t how it went.


    udius was the target all along.


    He had fallen for the power, despite thinking that he was the only one who resisted it.


    And so, in his grand delusion, udius singlehandedly caused the demise of everyone.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Did you all see thising? I''m curious. Hehehe!

 Chapter 360 The Malignant One [Pt 3]

    <h4>Chapter 360 The Malignant One [Pt 3] </h4>


    "I¡­ I killed¡­ them all¡­?"


    udius felt his body grow weak and his face turned pale. Falling to his knees, he shivered uncontrobly.


    He felt like vomiting.


    The woman he loved stood a few feet from him, brutally murdered as a result of his insanity.


    Hisrades¡ªallies that could have assisted him in taking down the enemies¡ªwere all ughtered by his hand.


    ''I did this? I¡­ I¡­''


    "Indeed! Congrattions, I suppose!" Ater''s voice echoed, delight in his tone.


    udius'' body froze the moment he heard those words.


    He gazed up, ignoring the snot that dropped from his nose and the tears that overflowed.


    Ater was blurry in his sight, but it wasn''t like he couldn''t see the man.


    "YOU¡­"


    udius remembered it well.


    He wasn''t the one who did this. He was under some kind of mind control, and the one responsible for that was the man before him.


    ''He killed¡­ he used me to kill everyone!''


    udius felt rage unlike anything he had ever felt before enveloping him.


    He forgot the pain and regret that permeated his heart and focused on the rawest and most primal emotion that kept rising at an astronomical rate.


    ¡ªRAGE!


    "I''LL KILL YOU!" udius roared, pointing his staff at Ater''s stationery self.


    "Kill him, Death Knight!"


    ~WHOOSH!~


    In a brilliant blur of darkness, the massive Undead left its position and charged towards the enemy


    udius let his desire run wild in his mind.


    He wanted to see Ater bleed.


    Beg! Suffer! Cry!


    And then repeat the same process over and over again until he finally died.


    His mouth watered as his eyes bulged like a madman.


    However¡ª


    "Weak." With a single swat of his hand, Ater caused the Death Knight''s body to be crushed by some invisible force.


    ''E-eh¡­?''


    The invincible warrior of the dead was instantly consumed by purple mes that burned through its armor in no time at all.


    udius saw it¡­ the naked body of the Death Knight that was hidden underneath its armor.


    It was disgustingly pink¡ªso tender, like the flesh of a newborn baby or an internal organ.


    The whole thing was easily swallowed by the purple mes until there weren''t even any ashes left.


    ''M-my¡­ Death Knight¡­?''


    "Death Knights are not very impressive if you bypass their defenses, you know?"


    udius felt like his mind was breaking as he heard the words that Ater was uttering.


    "In the first ce, they''re supposed to be used as Cannon Fodder. I do understand your sentiment, though¡­"


    udius was on the edge of insanity.


    "You''re still too young. You probably got excited since it was the first time seeing such a new toy."


    Insanity beckoned for him, and he freely gave himself up to it.


    There was nothing left waiting for him.


    "Perhaps a Death diator could have some more use, but¡ª"


    "Uwaahhhhhhh!!!" A loud shriek erupted from udius'' lips as he jumped to his feet and ran away.


    Tears filled his eyes as his blurry vision navigated his parh far away from thepound.


    He knew not where he was headed.


    ¡­ As long as it was far away from the one known as Ater.


    ''DIE! DIE! I''m¡­ going to DIE!''


    As he ran and screamed, he neared the edge of the dark dome that surrounded the mansion and its immediate vicinity.


    udius feared what would happen if he attempted to cross the dark threshold.


    However¡­ he was too desperate to care.


    "UWAAHHH!"


    Much to his shock, he was able to pass through the dark veil without much issue.


    He didn''t feel anything off about his senses and movements. His body was fine too.


    ''So why¡­?''


    This thought was immediately overridden by udius'' desperation as he kept running, quickly regaining the vitality he had in his youth.


    ''I¡­ I can''t DIE here! I¡­ I can''t¡­!''


    **********


    "You look like you have something to say."


    Ater nced at Asher, who was standing in the corner while shivering for some reason.


    "Come on. What''s on your mind?" He asked in the most polite way.


    His master had told him to treat the people of the Karinc Group courteously, after all.


    "A-are you just going to let him get away¡­?"


    "Ah, that. Of course not." Ater smiled.


    "Those men in ck costumes also snuck away, thinking I didn''t notice. They''ll be dealt with, don''t worry."


    "A-ah¡­ I see¡­" Asher muttered, though he still appeared as bemused as ever. "S-so¡­ why did you make this veil?"


    Ater smiled at the ignorant human and exined himself, not even bothering with the corpses that slowly began to rise before him.


    "They allow me to resurrect any dead entity within its parameters. As Undead, of course."


    "U-Undead¡­?"


    "Yes. These are high-ranking members of the enemy group. They are bound to have information that I can deem useful. It would be a waste to let them die just like that."


    "T-true¡­ but why did you not just take the e information from them before killing them?"


    Ater liked Asher''s questions. The boy was obviously scared, so Ater had to influence his mind a little so he would be motivated to ask the questions.


    But, it was intriguing to see.


    "You won''t remember most of this conversation anyway, but I''m bored, so I might as well run my mouth."


    Ater pointed at the Undead who now stood in front of them¡ª


    neither fully dead nor fully alive.


    "Normally speaking, one could think I wanted to increase my Master''s arsenal by employing these individuals, but they''re too weak to be of any real use¡­" He began smiling at the four humans and single Wyvern.


    "There''s also the benefit of leaving them alive so that my Master can copy their abilities, but there''s really no need for that."


    Ater grinned with a little twinkle in his eyes.


    "With or without them being present, the powers they possess can still be transferred to my Master."


    He still wasn''t gone elucidating potential reasons.


    "Perhaps this is retribution for attacking this ce and daring to go against my Master. All of these are valid reasons, but¡­" Ater''s grin grew demonically wide.


    "¡­ There is only one reason why I would go through such lengths."


    Ater crushed his fist, and all at once, the Undead began to squish together, forming an abnormal amalgamation of all of them.


    Before long, a new¡ªmore hideous¡ªUndead was born from their Union.


    "I just wanted them to suffer."


    Asher''s surprise grew even more as he looked at Ater''s malevolent grin.


    "Just¡­ to suffer?"


    "Indeed. That''s all there is to it." He responded with a shrug.


    "The fools who were convinced of their victory. Those who were certain of their escape¡­ all of it culminates into the despair that I feed on."


    No one understood this but Ater.


    It was merely in his nature.


    The same way humans couldn''t help but enjoy a tasty meal, or sharedpany, so too did Asher relish the sight of horrors and despondency.


    "I suppose I have rambled on for long enough. It''s about time for the finishing act."


    As Ater said this, a being entered the world within the veil.


    It was none other than udius.


    His skin was grey, and the white in his eyes was ck. Everything about him felt unnatural and twisted, and he reeked of Miasma.


    There was no doubt about it.


    udius had be the very thing he oncemanded¡ª


    Undead.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 361 The Malignant One [Pt 4]

    <h4>Chapter 361 The Malignant One [Pt 4] </h4>


    [A Few Moments Earlier]


    "Huff¡­ huff¡­"


    udius was already beginning to feel the exhaustion in his body as he sprinted at full speed, without stop.


    His aged, wrinkled body began to ache, begging to slow down for even a moment. However, he knew he could not do that.


    Stopping for even the slightest of a second meant certain death.


    Sweat sprayed from his face as he navigated the path he and his men took to reach the Karinc Mansion.


    His goal was simple¡ªescape the Capital!


    He had expended all of his Mana, and right now he was merely running on the little reserves that his Enchanted Items gave him.


    He had lost all of his Undead, and even if he had his full stock, they would be useless against the enemy.


    Even running was useless.


    But¡­ udius had to hold on to hope one way or the other.


    As a result, he found his legs moving.


    ''Faster!''


    They swept past the silent city.


    ''Faster!''


    They moved away from the peaceful ambiance.


    ''Much faster!''


    They trampled upon the unsoiled ground.


    ''Fas¡­ ter?''


    udius tripped on something and found his body headed for the ground. Unfortunately for his tired self, he could do nothing but witness his copse.


    "Guh!" He winced as he hit the ground, his eyes tightly shut.


    However, he couldn''t allow himself to dawdle for much longer.


    He had to get up!


    He had to run!


    ''I-I have to, or else¡­ h-huh¡­?''


    Perhaps it was due to his overwhelming fear, but udius hadn''t been paying any heed to his surroundings until now.


    It was dark, and he was running too fast, so he didn''t take the time to observe.


    But now¡­ as he knelt on the ground and looked around him, he found something odd.


    ''Where are the dead bodies?''


    On their way to the Karinc Mansion, the Mercenary Gang Members had killed their fair share of people, while destroying properties and burning down homes.


    But¡­


    udius could see no dead bodies.


    There were no burning houses or devastated properties.


    Everything was in perfect order, almost as if nothing had ever happened that night.


    ''A-am I still in a dream?'' udius wondered to himself, his body trembling.


    He could no longer distinguish between dream and reality any longer.


    What if, after running for so long and finally reaching his point of escape, it all turned out to be a farce?


    What if he was actually still before the Mansion?


    Would he really be able to tell?


    ''No one is pursuing me. Everywhere is eerily still¡­''


    Yes¡ªthis had to be a DREAM!


    Or¡­ perhaps the opposite was true.


    udius remembered how Phobio bragged about killing so many people in the ck Market, and yet there was no sphere of blood with him.


    This wasn''t merely the case of him being delusional either. Fernand also confirmed the same fact, which meant they all thought they killed people.


    ''But if there was bloodshed, there would be a sphere of blood¡­''


    After putting his own experience into ount, udius had to suspect that he and his men hadpletely dreamt through the entire massacre of the Capital.


    There was never carnage or destruction.


    ¡ªJust foolish men swinging their des, thinking they were killing people.


    "It looks like you figured it out." A certain silhouette appeared before udius.


    It was very dark, so he couldn''t see it very well.


    However, he knew that voice very well. It came from the man who had single-handedly made all of them into fools.


    "Which is it? Am I still in a dream right now, or¡­ did we hallucinate everything?"


    "Thetter." udius couldn''t see the man''s face well, but he was sure he was smiling.


    Only the gleaming purple gaze of the one known as Ater was visible, and it stared down at udius in amusement.


    "C-can I ask you a question?" udius asked, his knees still remaining on the ground, as his body refused to move.


    No¡­ that wasn''t quite true.


    It was he who refused to move his body.


    There was no point, after all.


    "Sure. Ask your question."


    udius leaked out a bitter smile as he parted his lips and finally addressed the issue he had been ignoring for so long.


    "Why¡­ do you look so young and attractive?"


    "Hm?"


    "You''re a Necromancer, aren''t you? That means you deal with Miasma when handling corpses and turning them into Undead. I''m only thirty-three years old, and yet I look like this¡­"


    udius knew he was rambling to an enemy, but this was the first time he was telling anyone his real age and his personal struggle.


    He thought that if anyone could understand, it would be a fellow Necromancer.


    "My skin is wrinkled and loose, my body is aged, and my bones are weak. I always thought that it was a sacrifice I had to pay to attain the power I needed, but after seeing you¡­ my resolve has wavered."


    udius looked up at the being who listened in silence, tears now falling from his eyes.


    "Why? What did you have to sacrifice to give you such power? How can you have everything I wanted, with no ws or caveat? What did you do that I didn''t? What makes you so special?"


    udius always believed he was special since he was a child. After all, it was incredibly rare for someone to be born with an Exclusive Skill¡ªespecially one as rare as his was.


    But,pared to the man standing before him¡­ he was nothing.


    Why?


    "Your mistake lies in your initial premise." Once Ater spoke, udius'' thoughts were suspended.


    He only nkly looked at the man of darkness.


    "Power requires sacrifice? Where did you get that absurd idea from? Those that w their way into power will surely have a measure of it, based on what they scrape from the world. But¡­ true power is etched in a being''s nature."


    16:36


    ''N-nature¡­?'' This was the first time udius was hearing such a thing.


    "Yes. Nature dictates that you are weak and I am strong." Ater''s voice sank deep into the darkness.


    "That is all there is to it."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Do you agree with Ater''s philosophy? What are your thoughts?

 Chapter 362 The Malignant One [Pt 5]

    <h4>Chapter 362 The Malignant One [Pt 5] </h4>


    "God is strong. Humans are weak. Angels are somewhere in-between."


    As udius heard these words, he shuddered in ignorance.


    "No matter how powerful a human tries to be, sacrificing all he can to attain strength, it will all fall under the allocated strength he is allowed to possess." Ater''s words echoed coldly in the night.


    "Ultimately, it will fall under weakness."


    "S-so¡­ all my attempts at strength¡­ were in vain¡­?"


    "Maybe it had some worth against fellow humans, but your luck ran out when you faced me. You see, I know I''m not weak¡­ because I''m not human."


    ''N-not¡­ human?'' udius'' eyes widened as he heard this deep revtion.


    "I can take on whatever shape I want, while also possessing the abilities of those whose form I take. In essence¡­"


    A sh of light sparked around Ater, and his form came into light as he crouched so he could somewhat be on the same level as udius.


    Thetter''s eyes bulged as he looked at his reflection¡ªthe miserable old man he had be.


    "¡­ I can be you."


    Ater had transformed into udius in every sense of the word, and upon seeing this, the old man felt his heart ache.


    He truly¡­ had sacrificed everything for nothing.


    "I can also use all your abilities. There are a few limitations ced on my power, but that''s how it works in simple terms."


    Ater rose to his feet, transforming back into the handsome man he once was.


    "You''re¡­ invincible¡­" udius croaked.


    With such a power, Ater was at least in the realm of the Absolute.


    There was no doubt about it in udius'' mind.


    "Am I really? Perhaps in some worlds, that would ring true. Even in this world, maybe¡­" Ater smirked, shaking his head as he circled around the despairing one.


    "However, there exist beings who far transcend my current state."


    "T-the Dragons¡­?"


    "Yeah. I''ll admit that there exist some that I can''t beat right now. But all of it is only a matter of time."


    "T-then¡ª!"


    "However, there is one that I couldn''t possibly hope to beat no matter the passage of time."


    udius could only make a guess at this point, but he muttered a response.


    "Your¡­ Master?"


    "Precisely!"


    He couldn''t see Ater''s face, but the way his eyes narrowed and from the sound of his tone, udius knew he was smiling.


    He had more questions, and so he didn''t hesitate to ask them.


    There was nothing left to lose, after all.


    "How strong¡­ is your Master?"


    "Let''s just say he can do exactly what I can do and so much more." Ater''s amused chuckle echoed in the dark.


    However, this response only made udius all the more curious.


    "Can you not simply transform into him and use his powers?"


    "¡­"


    "Or¡­ is that one of your limitations?"


    For a moment, there was silence among the two who conversed.


    Then¡ª


    "I can indeed take on his form. My limitation prevents me from turning into anyone with a higher ss than me, so Master isn''t off limits."


    However, despite saying this, there was no tone of triumph in Ater''s voice.


    It was the opposite, actually.


    "I can normally use all the Skills in my target''s Arsenal¡ªthough if it is higher than my ss, then the effects will be proportionally reduced." Ater continued in his mncholy.


    "However, there is one exception: The Primeval Tier."


    udius was lost, once again.


    To humans, the highest realm that existed was the Absolute one¡ªmeant for heroes and gods.


    If there was to be any realm above that, then perhaps it would belong to wherever designed reality and existence itself.


    A sort of Divine Realm.


    But¡­ what was this Primeval Tier that Ater spoke of?


    "The bulk of Master''s power exists within that Primeval Skill, and I can''t ess it. Isn''t it amazing?!" Ater''s mncholy quickly turned into amazement.


    He cackled in delight and drowned in the pleasure of it.


    "Master''s power¡­ is something I can never touch¡ªa realm I won''t ever reach."


    ording to the earlier definition Ater had given down, it only meant one thing.


    "Compared to Master¡­ I am WEAK!"


    As udius looked at Ater, he could now understand¡ªat least to an extent¡ªwhy he had yed with everyone so casually.


    ''We were really worth nothing, weren''t we?''


    Compared to the likes of this man and his Master¡­ the humans of this world were really nothing but dust.


    ''It was my mistake.'' udius finally admitted as his face fell. ''I made too many assumptions from the start.''


    Power¡­ true power wasn''t something one had to sacrifice everything to possess.


    It was a mandate.


    "Are you even¡­ a Necromancer?" udius asked in passing.


    "No. I am a being of Chaos, so I can use the Chaos Art of Ancient MajiK. The Hollow Technique is simply one of those Arts."


    "I¡­ I see¡­"


    "It seems I was allowed a Skill to summon the Undead in my stockpile, but that''s about it. I doubt I''ll be permitted to use any advanced Ancient MajiK here¡­ not that I have enough energy to do so."


    "I¡­ see¡­"


    "Out of everyone present, you were the most entertaining. At the very least, you managed to feed my pleasures for a while. You have my gratitude."


    udius didn''t know how to react towards being praised as a ything.


    He could only respond as he normally would.


    "You''re wee."


    For a moment, there was a lull in the area.


    "So¡­ what will happen to me now?" He asked with a bitter smile.


    udius already knew he wouldn''t be spared. Ater didn''t seem like the kind of man who would show the likes of him any mercy.


    "Well, I already made sure you would die ande back to me as an Undead. The effects should be taking ce pretty soon."


    udius'' eyes widened as soon as he heard this.


    "W-when¡­?"


    "Earlier, when you were still in the dome of darkness."


    "A-ahh¡­"


    udius'' body shivered as he recognized the truth. He stared at his hand and found it already pale.


    His body was refusing to function, and he was copsing on the ground.


    The Ater that was in front of him was nowhere to be seen.


    ''I see. I was¡­ dreaming again¡­''


    There was never an Ater in front of him, and there was no conversation with a being of such magnitude.


    All thoseplicated things had to be what his brain conjured up in the end.


    ''I¡­ I was truly strong, wasn''t I?''


    With that as his final thought, udius slumped to the ground and met his end.


    For a second, he remained like that¡ªan old corpse, lying on the freezing floor of an empty street.


    Then, his body jerked back to life.


    He rose to his two feet and turned towards where he was called.


    He had vacant eyes and an absolutely dull face,pletely devoid of any will to live and strippedpletely of all his desires.


    All udius had be¡­ was a ve.


    ********


    "Pfft!"


    Ater smiled as he saw udius approached the lump of flesh that was hisrades.


    "I-is there anything funny?" Asher, who was still trembling beside him, asked.


    In response to this, Ater simply shrugged.


    "No. Not really."


    As Ater stared at udius bing one with the abominable fleshy Undead that everyone had merged into, he grinned in further amusement.


    Soon, all five of the Heads of Destruction¡ªalong with the Wyvern¡ªbecame one.


    "I just had a rather fun conversation with someone through his mind."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    This concludes udius'' story. I apologize if it was too long for some of you. I really enjoyed it, though, and I hope I''m not alone in that.


    Once again¡­ I appreciate you all sticking around.

 Chapter 363 Fools In The Dark

    <h4>Chapter 363 Fools In The Dark </h4>


    "So¡­ the mission failed, huh?"


    A group of about fifty men sat together in an isted room. There were no windows, and no external source of light¡ªsave for a few candles.


    The men were coated in the ck, though the turbans they used to wrap their faces were now pulled down so their faces were shown.


    This was Scy''s Recon Unit¡ªthough it was members short.


    "Is that what you''re mostly concerned about? Who the hell was that man? How could he kill Leader Jawl just like that?!"


    Jawl was oftenpared to the Nine Heads of Destruction in strength, so when they first saw his corpse, none of the Recon Unit Members present believed their eyes.


    However, after seeing how the other Heads of Destruction struggled against a single Undead made by the mysterious ck suited man, they instantly realized how big of a threat the enemy was.


    Once the other squad reunited with them, they nned their escape. And, when no eye was on them, they stealthily left the premises.


    "Do you think they''re all dead?" One of the Unit members asked.


    "I think so."


    "R-really? Even with Five Heads of Destruction leading the charge?"


    For a moment, there was silence.


    No one really knew how the fight had concluded, considering they left prematurely.


    Still, none of them regretted their decision.


    "At least we were able to secure the merchandise for Lady Scy."


    "It''s in the other room, right?"


    "Yes."


    "Whew! I wouldn''t want her to chew us out for failing to do that along with failing the rest of the mission."


    "Haha¡­ indeed!"


    As theyughed among themselves, a creaking sound began to echo from the door.


    "H-huh¡­?"


    "I-is that¡­?"


    All the eyes in the room darted towards the only entrance and exit within the dark room. Some even reached for their weapons and waited.


    The creaking continued, and the door slowly opened.


    Gulps could be heard, and a few now had their hands on the hilt of their de.


    ¡­ Ready to strike.


    Then¡ª


    "How troublesome¡­"


    ¡ªA man entered the room.


    The moment they saw him, their faces melted into relief, with nearly everyone exhaling and rxing their muscles.


    After all, the man who just entered was the Deputy Leader of the Recon Unit.


    "What''s with all of you?" He asked with puzzlement as he stepped into the room, locked the door, and went to have his seat at the corner of the room.


    Many leaked out silly smiles, though a few still watched the Deputy Leader with anxiety.


    "So, how did the call with Lady Scy go? Was she understanding?"


    This was the most important question to all of the members of the Recon Unit at the moment.


    Despite being in the secret Scy Safehouse within the Capital, they couldn''t feel safe until their Boss and Master had deemed them so.


    The Deputy Leader had stepped out so he could use the Communication Device with him tomunicate with Scy, since the walls of this particr room was made from dense Orichalcum¡ªhence preventing any signal involving Mana to pass.


    Now that he had returned, they awaited the news.


    "She wasn''t answering. It''s strange, considering she always makes time to respond to our calls¡­"


    The Deputy Leader appeared worried, and for good reason.


    Without some sort of external intervention from Scy, or at least some kind of order, they were stranded in the Capital.


    With such a monster within the Capital, it was easy to see why they weren''t at ease despite being somewhere safe.


    "Do you think something happened on their end? Perhaps some kind of interference?"


    "Maybe things aren''t going ording to n in the Dark Gathering too¡­"


    "What should we do now?"


    Murmurs turned into echoes of confusion as all the parties stared at each other indecisively.


    None knew what to do.


    Even the Deputy Leader had a guilt-ridden and absolutely confused expression on his face.


    ''If only Jawl was here¡­'' His thoughts trailed in silence.


    He would have been able to lead everything and everyone better.


    ''He just had to die to that thi¡ª!''


    "Looks like Master is pretty much done with things on his end."


    The voice of a stranger echoed amidst the group of people who didn''t instantly pick up the sound. Its amused tone had a strange sense of familiarity, but there was no doubt about how detached it was.


    By the time the Recon Unit members realized what was going on, it was toote.


    The dark suited man, Ater, was sanding in their midst.


    "H-how¡­?!"


    "This is a top-secret Safehouse!"


    "How did he get in!"


    "I-impossible!"


    "Eeek!"


    The blood-red hair of the ebony man flowed as he looked at them with a condescending gaze of amusement.


    It felt like they were nothing but maggots in his eyes.


    "Safehouse, huh? Is that what you see? Interesting¡­"


    Suddenly, the safe and cozyfort of the room began to crumble.


    It was reced by an open field under the night sky.


    They could see the clouds, the dull glow of the moon, and the scarce stars in the sky.


    ¡ªApletely different sight from what they remembered a few moments earlier.


    "This is just on the outskirts of the Capital. You never retreated to your Safehouse." Ater said as he took his seat in the air.


    Everyone who saw him eximed in overwhelming shock. They couldn''t even pick what to be surprised about, since everything was happening too quickly.


    "W-what did you to do us?!" One of them screamed, only to cover his lips in fear.


    In response, Ater only smiled warmly.


    "[Illusion]¡­" He answered calmly. "From the moment you stepped into the Capital, you were all under my power."


    As such, everything they experienced from that moment on was subject to him.


    Was it real? Was it not?


    They could not tell in the slightest.


    "Now, it''s my turn to ask a question." Ater narrowed his gaze as he looked at the paralyzed group.


    "Why do you think I let you escape?"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I understand that some readers might not like how Ater is taking a lot of screentime, but do be patient.


    The night will soon be over.

 Chapter 364 Shadow Slave

    <h4>Chapter 364 Shadow ve </h4>


    Silence.


    Deafening silence took over the members of the Recon Unit.


    They could not move their bodies for some reason, else they would have fled. Besides, even if they ran, they would still be stuck under Ater''s illusion.


    The mere fact that Ater was here meant that the Mercenary Gang lost. Hence, if he wanted to, he could also unleash the Undead he previously unsummoned and wreck them.


    Bottom line?? there was no escape.


    "You don''t need to answer the question. It was rhetorical??" Ater chuckled as he looked at the group with hidden delight.


    They all gulped simultaneously.


    "I want information. No, more than that??" Ater rubbed his chin as he spoke.


    "I n on controlling your group so you can scour the entire Alliance and sniff out as much as you can far and wide. Since you''re considered elite, you must be pretty good, right"


    The Recon Unit members shuddered as they heard what the man before then was saying.


    It was indeed true that they were the best at what they did??investigating, digging up dirt, and navigating everything regarding both the illegal and mainstream paths within the entire United Human Alliance.


    When it came to espionage, sabotage, and thorough investigations?? they were the best.


    "I would have used the minions in my arsenal, since they''re more efficient andpetent, but theyck that human element??as well as the experience you''ve all umted."


    The Recon Unit felt a bit of relief from what they were hearing.


    ''WE HAVE WORTH!'' Their thoughts echoed.


    As long as they were useful for something, the man before them wouldn''t kill them.


    To be honest, that was enough for them.


    All the members of Scy''s Recon Unit were her ves. They had no freedom or life of their own.


    If Ater made them his ve, nothing really changed.


    They just changed employers.


    "And so, after deliberating both the advantages and disadvantages of using you versus using my Undead, I came up with a perfectpromise." Ater''s grin widened to monstrous proportions.


    "I''ll simply make you Undead! That way, you''ll be more efficient andpetent."


    The eyes of all the Recon Unit Members bulged in shock.


    "Of course, I''ll make sure you keep your memories and everything else. You''ll only be slightly stronger than your current selves, but at least you won''t break easily and you can endlessly serve."


    Before they could think any further??perhaps even beg and offer their undying loyalty??Ater had already begun the process.


    "Hollow Technique #2: Shadow ve."


    In that instant, a dark silhouette washed into all fifty or so of the men, causing them to copse on the ground??dead.


    Their gray corpses oozed darkness, and their cold, lifeless forms remained stagnant for a few seconds.


    Then??


    "Uuuuuuuu??"


    ??They returned to false life, the white in their eyes darkened, with dark vein-like markings appearing in multiple parts of their skin.


    All of them had be Undead.


    "You''ve be Shadow ves. You can move freely through shadows and do a lot of interesting things, which should further assist you with your mission."


    One of the requirements to be a Shadow ve was that the targets had to be killed by the Hollow Technique.


    In exchange for just a few seconds of painless death, they were basically immortal creatures who never tired or required sustenance.


    They could turn incorporeal and be Shadows. They could travel long distances and even blend in with their surroundings.


    All their senses and physical abilities were heightened, and they could always ry information to their Master.


    They also possessed all the Skills and abilities they had before death.


    The only problem was that their ss would be changed and forever stuck under the C-Tier Shadow ve ss.


    Since they were merely minions meant for reconnaissance and information gathering, however, this much was fine.


    "Very convenient tools to have." Ater smiled as he gave one final look at them.


    He ceased sitting and stood on his two feet.


    "I''ve passed across the details of your task to your minds. Begin immediately."


    All the Shadow ves knelt before Ater, bowing their heads in profound reverence.


    A secondter, they were nowhere to be seen.


    Their bodies had be one with the darkness, and they had blended into the night.


    "Master desires topletely eradicate the Criminal Underworld, however if care is not taken, they will spring up again."


    Such was human nature.


    If given enough time, malicious individuals would gather together under the banner of self interest.


    They would form their own Dark Triumvirate.


    ''But, as long as I keep undying watchers on them and nip the problem in the bud before anything further arises, then there will be no issue at all.''


    Ater smiled as he looked at the darkened sky.


    ''Master will be able to learn all the Skills of the ones I capturedter, which will further improve his might.''


    A tinge of regret formed on Ater''s face, though.


    ''How I wish Master could use the Arts. But that time is yet toe. He is too young??''


    Ater''s grin broadened regardless.


    ''Soon, Master?? you will ascend beyond the bounds which nature has dictated for you." He licked his lips in anticipation.


    Ater simply could not wait to watch it happen, all in the fullness of time.


    ''Only you can do it, Master.''


    Only Rey Skr, holder of the Primeval Power, could possibly reach such height.


    "Status Window." Ater whispered.


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Ater


    - Race: Bakeneko (Beast)


    - ss: Absolute Summon (S-Tier)


    - Level: 3 (09.12% EXP)


    - Life Force: 1,000 (500)


    - Mana Level: 1,500 (750)


    - Combat Ability: 2,500 (1,250)


    - Stat Points: 200


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Shapeshift]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Dark Magic]. [Magic Supremacy]. [Possession]. [Compulsion]. [Illusion]. [Undead Summon]. [A$!!?


    ??\>.???\K].


    - Alignment: Chaotic Evil


    [Additional Information]


    An Absolute Beast whose true form remains unknown, but takes the form of a cat. It is a great trickster with malevolent desires. It is a wicked entity.


    [End Of Information]


    "Calling me a wicked entity, huh?" Ater muttered as darkness shrouded his entire self.


    Soon, he vanished from sight, leaving only the whispers of his voice behind.


    "How cold??"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I have a question for you all. Who do you think is more powerful? Ater or Adrien?


    Also, who is smarter between the two?

 Chapter 365 Conclusion Of The Night

    <h4>Chapter 365 Conclusion Of The Night </h4>


    "S-so¡­ that''s what happened, huh?"


    Rebal was still recoiling from the words of his son.


    What he described wasn''t as gory or bloody as what Ralyks had disyed during the Dark Gathering, but something about it felt more twisted.


    ¡­ Far darker.


    "The worst part is, I could have sworn that there was a lot of damage during the entire fight, but there''s nothing! Nothing at all¡­" Asher replied, still notpletely himself.


    The honest truth was that he was scared.


    Was he in a dream? Was he in reality? What if, just like the Mercenary Gang, he thought he saw something which wasn''t real?


    Asher didn''t know what to believe anymore.


    "You just need rest." Rebal smiled at his son, though he too had some rabid fear within himself.


    Perhaps they both needed the rest.


    "Sir Ralyks¡­ he ughtered all the enemies without mercy. I''ve never seen a man kill with such¡­ck of remorse."


    And so many at once too.


    Both Ralyks and his subordinate, Ater, seemed to be cut from the same cloth¡ªone that even Rebal could not fullyprehend.


    "The battle is won, and now it is time for the aftermath." Rebal chuckled, a hint of fear in his eyes.


    "What do you mean, father?"


    "I mean¡­ Sir Ralyks was employed by us to take care of this mess. Now that it is over¡­ isn''t it time to think about his payment?"


    It felt like an absurd thing to say, but they had to face it¡ªthe truth that confronted them.


    What could they pay such a man?!


    "It seems you also need some rest, father." Asher said with a tired smile.


    Rebal nodded, returning the exact same expression.


    Even though it was nowhere near enough, both father and son decided to consider the horrors they witnessed as a penance for their crimes.


    They knew what awaited them if they deviated from their current path.


    ¡ªCertain tragedy, followed by inevitable death.


    *********


    That night, everything changed.


    The world was turned upside down in the span of merely a few hours.


    While the denizens of the Capital were fast asleep, oblivious to the events that had transpired within the walls of the massive city, the situation in the Allied Merchant City waspletely different.


    Scy''s Building¡ªthe location for the Dark Gathering¡ªwas exposed to the world that very night.


    Troops of the Alliance stormed into the building, searching every nook and cranny until they were able to see the horrors for themselves.


    Of course, they still required extensive investigations to piece together most of the details, but the core issues did not elude them.


    At the very least, they did not elude General Lucy and Councilor Conrad.


    They saw for themselves¡­ the kind of darkness that had been festering within the haven that the Alliance was supposed to create.


    ve Trade was expected to be vilest thing they would find, but that was hardly the most disgusting thing was seen in their pursuit for the truth.


    They saw it all.


    The bad, the worse, and the ugly.


    All the disgusting truths came to light that night


    And then what?


    The ck Market was officially disbanded, and the Triumvirate copsed.


    The Criminal Underworld was done for, and while there were bound to be vestiges here and there, those were on borrowed time.


    Sooner orter, they too would die.


    The world saw, that day, that darkness would ultimately fall¡­ and justice would prevail.


    Merchants were reminded to remain honest and diligent in their dealings with customers.


    And clients knew they had to be fair.


    If they weren''t, the angel of death could descend upon thend once more and reap justice.


    Yes¡­ they all felt it.


    They heard whispers from the passing soldiers who described the gory sight that the public was not allowed to see.


    Most importantly¡­ they heard the name.


    The name that would go on to be a legend amongst the denizens of the Merchant City and beyond.


    ¡ªThe Reaper.


    ********


    ''It''s been a long night.'' Rey smiled to himself as he sat on his bed.


    He was in an entirely different outfit, in his real form. His pajamas felt a bit oversized for him, but he didn''t mind at all.


    In fact, he liked the space.


    "I killed even more people. I already knew I would do it, but still¡­"


    Rey had steeled his heart. It was one of the reasons he decided not to tell Alicia anything.


    He already knew what he was going to do.


    However, despite all his nning, there were a lot of things he hadn''t ounted for.


    One of those was the presence of Adrien Chase¡ªhow deep the conspiracy went, and how he had been a puppet on a very loose string all this time.


    But more than that¡­


    ''I didn''t expect this world to be so twisted.''


    He had always been grateful for the second chance he got to enjoy in H''Trae.


    He had overpowered abilities, Allie''s who respected him, a loyal subordinate, a lot of money, and plenty of prospects.


    Sure, it was a dangerous world, but he was very strong.


    ''I never thought I would live an easy life here. I already knew I would have to grind and keep getting stronger if I didn''t want to get left behind.''


    Never once did Rey consider gettingfortable.


    ''But¡­ this world¡­ is not what I thought it was.''


    Perhaps he had his na?vet¨¦ to me.


    He didn''t expect the human malice and wickedness of this world to reach such a peak.


    ''If I had known from the start¡­'' Rey narrowed his eyes and let tears flow.


    All the tears he saved up¡ªthey streamed down his face and dropped to the ground.


    "If I had known it was like this¡­ I wouldn''t have hesitated from the start."


    All the wicked humans in this world¡ªpeople like Scy, and the others on the list¡ªdeserved the same fate.


    ¡ªMiserable death.


    They weren''t worthy of his mercy in the slightest.


    The same way he viewed Dragons as scum who toyed with humans, or how he saw Monsters as threats to the safety of people¡­


    ''¡­ That''s how I should see those scum!'' That was the conclusion Rey reached that night.


    And from that point on¡­ there was no going back.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    As you can see, we''re drawing closer to the end of this Arc. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I liked writing it.


    I did tell you it would be the darkest one yet.

 Chapter 366 Praise From The Master

    <h4>Chapter 366 Praise From The Master </h4>


    Rey found it difficult to sleep that night.


    And when he finally fell asleep, he had the worst of nightmares.


    Needless to say, he didn''t enjoy his night at all. Memories upon memories appeared to haunt him, tormenting his mind until he finally woke up.


    By the time he did so¡­ it was already morning.


    "Yawnn!" He rose up, stretching both arms as he weed the freshness of a new day.


    Somehow, he felt at ease just knowing that it was morning. Something about the new day seemed to wash away the anxiety of the night.


    "Ahh¡­"


    Rey smacked his lips as he blinked several times. He wanted to make sure he was really seeing what was in front of him.


    And sure enough¡­ he was!


    "Good morning, Master! I hope you had a pleasant night."


    Ater was bowing his head first thing in the morning, with one hand on his chest and the other behind him. Of course, he was still dressed in his entire ck attire, but something about him seemed slick this particr morning.


    Perhaps it was the bright gleam in his eyes or the cheerful smile on his face.


    Either way¡­ Ater seemed pleased just seeing Rey wake up.


    "How long have you been watching me?" Rey muttered as he groggily cleaned the little tears that spilled out thanks to his yawns.


    "Not for too long, Master. Just a few hours¡­"


    Rey smiled and shook his head a little. In all honesty, it felt nice having someone dote over him like this.


    ''When did he start acting like my parent?'' He mused and shook his head.


    "You should stop the stalker behavior, Ater."


    The moment he said this, Ater''s face fell slightly, which caused Rey to quickly rethink his words.


    ''Did I hurt his feelings? Does he even have feelings?'' He sighed and shook his head once again.


    Ater was a chaotic entity. He was the worst kind of evil, even the System confirmed that much. Having him around was incredibly advantageous, but Rey had to wonder if he could treat Ater like how he would treat a normal person.


    ''Well, he is my Familiar, after all. I don''t think I should treat him poorly.''


    Not after a job well done the previous night.


    "You did wellst night, Ater. Just as you promised, no denizen of the capital died."


    "Your praises are too much, Master. I only did what was expected of me." Ater bowed his head even more deeply.


    ''What was expected of you, huh? Can''t you just take thepliment?''


    Rey cracked a slightly wide smile and decided not to bother himself with the details.


    "Do you desire any reward?" He asked.


    Ater seemed to bow even deeper for some reason, after hearing the question.


    "I am not deserving of such."


    ''Really? Welp, I guess that''s fi¡ª''


    "Although, if you insist, there is indeed something I would like very much."


    Rey narrowed his gaze in suspicion the moment he heard those words from Ater.


    Was he buttering him up?


    ''I swear, if you ask for anything like a bunch of children to eat, we''re gonna have some problems¡­''


    "Go on. Tell me." Rey smiled, hiding his true thoughts underneath.


    Any evil requests would be reciprocated with a p on the back for sure.


    "Well¡­"


    Rey waited for the request with a racing heart.


    "¡­ I would like you to praise me, Master."


    It took a moment for that request to fully register in the mind of the confused Rey. He couldn''tprehend it at first, and his eyes became a wide nk sheet.


    "E-eh?"


    ********


    "Who''s a good boy? Yes, you are! Yes, you are!"


    Rey was currently rubbing the belly of the ck cat that sat on hisp, and an unconscious smile was tugging at his lips.


    ''Ahh¡­ this is so cringe!'' His mind yelled as he gently stroked the feline.


    It had very soft fur, and the skin underneath was equally pleasant to the touch.


    In all honesty, despite feeling ufortable at first, Rey was beginning to enjoy the process. His cheeks were beet red as he massaged the cat.


    He could see Ater purring and twisting his body in delight, an obvious sign that the chaotic evil being¡ªthe personification of chaos, as he called himself¡ªwas enjoying the belly rub.


    Rey didn''t know which was worse; the fact that he was literally petting a grown-ass man, or the fact that he didn''t want to stop.


    ''It''s so addicting! Now I know why Alicia is so passionate about cats.''


    In a way, doing this for only a few minutes allowed Rey''s body and mind topletely rx.


    He soon forgot about his nightmares, and his slightly uneasy mind became purged of all negativity. In a way, this seemed more like a reward for him as well.


    ''Thank you, Ater. You''re really¡­'' Rey smiled at the ck cat on hisp.


    ''¡­ More considerate than you appear.''


    Rey''s smile widened as he took his eyes off Ater and stared straight ahead, only to notice a screen floating in front of him.


    It was his Status Window.


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Rey Skr.


    - Race: Human (Otherworlder)


    - ss: Anomaly (A-Tier)


    - Level: 115 (05.13% EXP)


    - Life Force: 146 (+206) [+900]


    - Mana Level: 240 (+206) [+950]


    - Combat Ability: 207 (+206) [+990]


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Doppel]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Fusion/Fission]. [Merger]. [Dead Calm].


    - Alignment: Neutral Good


    [Additional Information]


    You are an irregrity to the world. Achieving the unbelievable, shaking the bnce of reality¡­ you seek to overturn what is and isn''t.


    Will you seed? Or will your failure be miserable?


    [End Of Information]


    ''It looks like I was able to grow stronger¡­'' Rey smiled wryly.


    His Stats had increased quite a bit, and other than Leveling Up from the S-Tier Monster and the scum in the Dark Gathering, it was also a product of his [Carnage] Skill.


    ''How many¡­ have I killed?''


    The answer was presented to him in a perfect format.


    [Skill Details]


    [Carnage]


    Tier: B


    Ability: You grow stronger based on the amount of human lives you take. Additional Stats will be stacked based on this number.


    ~Current Additional Stats~


    [Number Of People Killed: 1,109]


    Life Force: 51


    Mana Level: 51


    Combat Ability: 51


    [End Of Information]


    ''I see¡­'' Rey''s expression appeared a little downcast as he looked at the numbers.


    He wasn''t particrly bothered about the number of people he had killed, as his eyes were focused on something else entirely.


    ''So this is the value of a thousand lives. It''s quite small.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    A little Master and Servant bonding experience never hurt anyone, so I hope you enjoyed the chapter.

 Chapter 367 Another Proposal From Ater

    <h4>Chapter 367 Another Proposal From Ater </h4>


    "¡­ And that''s where we stand now."


    As Rey listened to Ater''s full report, he found himself blown away by all he heard.


    Not only was he pleasantly surprised, but he was also shocked by just how much Ater knew and how many steps he had taken on his own.


    ''I never even told him about my [Doppel], yet he figured it out on his own.''


    Thanks to that, he was able to preserve the dead bodies of the important yers that he killed¡ªall so Rey. Oils copy their Skillster.


    "Great job, Ater! You even went ahead and took action regarding the investigation of the vermin in the Alliance."


    After seeing the names on those packets of meat, Rey knew that a lot of people¡ªif they could even be called that¡ªwould have to be purged from the Alliance.


    It was the best route to take.


    "I will acquire all those names from the Royal Council''s inventory and inform the Shadow ves to investigate and execute them."


    Rey smiled and nodded at Ater, pleased to have such an autonomous and intelligent person by his side.


    ''Should I have sent him to the Dark Gathering while I stayed in the Capital instead?'' Rey smiled internally.


    He wondered how different things would have been if Adrien had to deal with Ater and not him.


    ''Would he have been able to locate Adrien''s real body and capture him?''


    It was all spective anyway, so there''s no need to think too deeply about their matchup.


    ''Maybe next time, then.'' Rey mused, and he furthered his discussion with Ater on other matters.


    ''I''m surprised he was even able to turn them all into Undead. That''s not a part of his Skills, so¡­ ah, he must have shapeshifted and used the Skill of the udius guy¡­''


    Rey realized that Ater probably didn''t need to preserve their corpses for him since he could just copy them directly from him.


    Still, it was smart for Ater to have Undead that could end up being useful, one way or the other.


    "What are your ns now, Master?"


    Rey raised his brow as Ater asked this question.


    "The Dark Undertaking is over, and in due time, the Dungeon Raid will be concluded as well. I was just curious about what you nned on doing after that."


    Rey rubbed his chin upon hearing the question. It would be a lie if he said there hadn''t been any nning on his end. However, nothing was concrete enough to be considered a proper n.


    "I want to defeat lots of stronger enemies so I can Level Up more. Despite killing a thousand humans, I barely Leveled up two times. If this keeps up, I will probably fall off and be surpassed by the likes of Adonis."


    His Enchanted Items were giving him quite the advantage when it came to Base Stats, thanks to his ability to Equip a lot higher than normal.


    But what of it?


    Eventually, if he wasn''t careful, others would catch up to him.


    "I see. I do not believe you need to worry about that¡ªat least, not for the time being. There will be plenty of opportunities for you to grow stronger in the near future." Ater responded with a smile.


    Rey wondered if his thought process was too childish after looking at Ater''s doting smile.


    He blushed a little in embarrassment.


    "What did you mean by ns, then?" Quickly asking to change the topic, Rey found himself rushing through the question.


    "A-ah¡­ I was talking about what you n on doing with this ce. This United Human Alliance¡­"


    "What do I n on doing? I don''t understand¡­"


    "Do you ever consider the possibility of leading this entire Nation? Perhaps¡­ bing the king?"


    "E-eh?"


    "I can make that happen, Master. If you rule this ce, then it will be a lot easier to¡ª"


    "What are you talking about, Ater? Me being a ruler? I''m only sixteen!" Rey pped his hand on his forehead as he stared at his Familiar in disbelief.


    He couldn''t believe Ater was thinking that far already.


    ''This guy is seriously giving me too much credit.''


    "I do not believe your age is an important factor, though. You have done and achieved more than what most would never dream of in their lifetime." Ater responded calmly.


    Sighing very loudly, he shook his head while raising one hand to show hisck of interest in the suggested position.


    "The answer is no. I would rather be a fighter and leave all the administrative stuff to those in charge than to govern everything myself."


    "But you can merely leave a proxy behind while you fight. Besides, do you not believe that the strongest should be the one to lead?"


    "Of what use is strength without maturity and cunning to back it up?" Rey answered in swift motion.


    Surely, Ater would have to agree that a leader needed more than raw power to be able to properly lead a group of people.


    If they didn''t have the skills necessary formanding the respect, trust, and fear of those that followed them, then not was no use.


    "That is why you have me, Master."


    Ater''s answer caught Rey off-guard. He didn''t expect his Familiar to be so adamant on the subject.


    And he had no further rebuttals to give.


    "The answer is no." Rey maintained his ground, squeezing his fingers on the surface of his palms.


    ''There''s no way I would want to be such a high-profile person¡­''


    He was still struggling with bncing his dual identities, yet Ater wanted to suggest something even more draining?


    No way!


    ''Getting strongeres first! If I''m strong enough, I can just influence Conrad and Vida to do whatever I want, as Ralyks¡ªof course.''


    He could enjoy his time with his ssmates as Rey, while also building his strength andmuting the necessary evils as Ralyks.


    It was straining and convoluted, but thanks to his list of Skills, Rey was convinced that he could do all of it.


    There was no need for more.


    "I understand, Master. Then, please forget I said anything¡­"


    "Your idea wasn''t bad, Ater. Maybe when I grow older and be a lot more responsible." Reyughed, clearly making light of the issue.


    Ater shrugged and gave a slight chuckle too.


    "Yes. Maybe¡­"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    What do you think about the suggestion? King Rey doesn''t seem that bad, does it?


    Haha¡­

 Chapter 368 Identity Crisis

    <h4>Chapter 368 Identity Crisis </h4>


    Thanks to the immensely harsh experience that the students went through in the Royal Dungeon, they were allowed to have a whole day to themselves.


    No one expected a full-day break, but they sure were plenty satisfied when they heard that.


    Most of the students went outside the Estate''s walls, but not all of them could afford to do that.


    For example, Adonis was very busy with the Royal Council regarding the aftermath of the Dark Gathering and the implications it would have on the Alliance.


    Alicia called in sick, and so she was being treated by the Royal Physicians.


    Apparently, she had suffered excessive mental stress and a lot of drain from overexerting herself.


    It wasn''t fatal or anything, but she required a lot of rest.


    Everyone was prevented from visiting her¡ªincluding the Otherworlders¡ªas she needed proper rest and istion for her to be able to recover.


    The only living entity allowed by her side was her Familiar¡ªSnow.


    They couldn''t get rid of the thing even if they tried.


    Then, there was onest person who didn''t leave for the Capital''s wonders.


    It was none other than Rey, and his excuse for doing so was simply due to wanting to sleep in after exerting himself too much the previous day.


    It wasn''t surprising, since Rey was the weakest out of all of them.


    Even though their entire bodies ached, they were able to recover overnight by sleeping. However, Rey probably hadn''t gotten enough sleep.


    As a result, he had to rest more.


    And so, with that arrangement¡­ the Otherworlders began their day.


    ********


    "Now I feel even more guilty."


    Rey let out a sigh as he walked in a hallway, with Ater following right behind him.


    The gap between the two of them was very small, but it remained as a sign of the hierarchy that existed.


    "May I ask what makes you so guilty, Master?" Ater''s question came as a whisper, but Rey could hear it well.


    Rey sighed even more as he kept walking to his destination, and though he didn''t really know how to phrase it, he didn''t want to ignore his Familiar''s question.


    "It''s about Alicia. She''s sick because of me. I really pushed her and everyone hard, didn''t I?"


    "Wasn''t it for their benefit? So they can get stronger?" Ater responded with another question.


    Rey knew where Ater was going with this, but he also couldn''t help but feel bad for cing such a strain on someone he had feelings for.


    He thought everyone would be fine after a day, even Alicia¡ªgiven how they even talked after returning from the Raid.


    Yet¡­


    "Do you think she''s like that because she spoke to me after the Raid instead of sleeping?" Rey asked Ater, who shot him a quizzical look by raising a brow.


    "N-never mind¡­"


    Rey felt like sighing again, but he stopped himself from being so soppy.


    He was almost at his destination, and he had to deliver as much positive energy as possible. Of course, he was dressed as Ralyks, so the ''positive energy'' he had to exude needed to match and even exceed his dreary ambiance.


    ''I just¡­ haa, I guess I''ll stop worrying about her.'' Rey smiled to himself.


    He had secretly visited her room and used [Absolute Appraisal] to check how she was really doing.


    ''It''s just as the physicians said. She''ll be fine after some rest¡­''


    That brought some relief to him.


    Alicia was sleeping when he visited, and even if she was awake, she wouldn''t be able to see a thing due to how well he cloaked himself.


    "Why do you not reveal your identity to everyone, Master?"


    "W-what?!" Rey nearly choked on his saliva the moment he heard that suggestion from Ater.


    "You seem overly concerned about your actions, and how they affect your allies. If that is how you truly feel, would it not be better to be transparent with them and ensure even greater cooperation?"


    "Are you crazy? I can''t do that now¡­ not after everything I''ve done as Ralyks!"


    Rey couldn''t believe the kind of absurd things Ater said out of the blue. They were always too far off from where he would rather be.


    Still, he couldn''t help but consider this suggestion a bit more seriously.


    "You''ll only continue to do more, so everything will simply umte."


    "¡­" Rey didn''t know how to respond to this.


    "You are merelypounding the issue, at least that''s what I think."


    Rey already knew that. The best moment to tell everyone¡ªor at least, a few people¡ªabout his true identity would have been right before the Dungeon Raid.


    Not only were the number of his ssmates fewer, but they had grown to respect Ralyks and his strength to a considerable extent.


    Rey was also not an object of scorn and ridicule any longer.


    But, he missed that window a while back.


    Why?


    Maybe he was scared. Maybe he didn''t know how to frame it.


    Maybe¡­ he just didn''t want anyone to know how strong he was. Perhaps he liked things this way.


    "Do you¡­ really think I should tell my allies my secret?" Rey asked, his footsteps already ceasing their echo.


    Ater also stopped walking, staring straight into Rey''s eyes.


    "My preference would be to not have allies at all. Subordinates are far more manageable than allies, and you wouldn''t owe them any exnation regarding the secrets you keep."


    Rey''s face went pale as soon as he heard Ater''s response.


    He already knew where this was headed.


    "Allies are problematic due to the nature of the rtionship. Their trust is important¡­ and it is unwise to keep them in the dark about certain details of importance."


    Rey felt a slight pang in his chest as he heard this.


    "The longer your deceptionsts, the more catastrophic the feedback will be."


    Rey nodded in agreement and sighed.


    "You''re right, Ater. I''ll have to tell them soon¡­"


    Ater nodded and smiled at his Master, and the former did the same as well.


    "Now then, let''s continue." Rey continued to move forward, now setting aside his previous thoughts while focusing on the most pertinent one at the moment.


    "I hope you''re doing better now¡­ Esme.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Cast your votes! If you want Rey to reveal his identity, then say "Yayy!"


    If you''re against it, say "Nayy!"


    There''s no room for being neutral here¡­

 Chapter 369 Grieving

    <h4>Chapter 369 Grieving </h4>


    [Moments Earlier]


    "My partner¡­ I''d like to see her. Where is she?"


    Rey, currently disguised as Ralyks, was seated opposite Rebal, Kara, and Asher.


    All three of them gazed upon him with respect and reverence¡ªfar more than what they would normally depict.


    Rey ignored all of that and focused on his question.


    ''I haven''t seen her since yesterday. She was very distraught back then¡­''


    Rey could only hope that Esme was a lot better.


    However, he soon realized¡ªas soon as he saw the anxious expressions on the faces of the three¡ªthat his hopes were going to be dashed.


    "Thedy¡­ said she doesn''t want any visitors."


    ''H-huh?'' Rey was surprised the moment he heard that.


    "I''m not just ''any visitor'', though." He responded almost immediately.


    Rebal and the other two gulped, almost simultaneously. They must have thought he was offended when, in all honesty, he was just surprised.


    "She also specifically mentioned that she doesn''t want to see you, Sir Ralyks."


    Rey felt something squeeze within his heart.


    ''Why? Why doesn''t she want to see me?'' His mind echoed.


    Was it because of how he ughtered all those people in the Dark Gathering? He didn''t even torture them, and he made their deaths pretty much instantaneous.


    They were all bastards who had iting anyway.


    ''I thought she would finally understand after seeing what they did to her friends¡­''


    Once Rey remembered her friends and the trauma she suffered, he considered the possibility that Esme could be grieving them.


    She was most likely upset about their demise and ming herself for their death.


    ''All the more reason to see her!''


    "Show me her room. I want to see her." Rey pressed, his crimson eyes glowing brighter with every word that proceeded from his lips.


    Needless to say, Rebal and his colleagues eventually folded and told Rey what he had to know.


    *******


    ''What''s going on with you, Esme?''


    Rey had this thought as he finally made it to the entrance of Esme''s room.


    Ater, of course, maintained even more distance now that his Master had arrived at his destination.


    He stood a few feet away from the doorstep, watching as Rey nervously stood in front of the door while drawing his hand closer to knock.


    Before his knuckles could touch the door''s surface, however, a sound gently echoed from within the room.


    "I don''t want to see you¡­ Rey."


    As heartbreaking as it was to hear that, Rey maintained a straight face.


    "I know. But I want to see you."


    Rey responded before the door, ensuring his voice got carried over with Sound Magic. The entire area was also isted from everywhere else, so nothing they said would leak out.


    Not even Ater could hear what they were saying.


    It was just Rey and Esme.


    "Well¡­ we don''t always get what we want. You''re not an exception, Rey."


    "This isn''t about that. I just want to make sure you''re okay."


    "I need time. Time to process everything."


    Rey felt like Esme needed more than time. She couldn''t be alone at such a critical time.


    "I know that''s what you think you need, but you also need¡ª"


    "What I THINK I need? What makes you think you know what I need right now?"


    Reg was a bit startled once he heard Esme raise her voice. It sounded like she was very upset with him.


    ''Has she ever gotten angry at me before?''


    Somehow, it made Rey feel terrible, shitty even. ''I''m only trying to help¡­''


    "I''m grateful to you, Rey. I really am. But¡­ I can''t see you or speak to you right now."


    As heartbreaking as it was to hear, Rey felt like she was being genuine with him.


    Perhaps that was even what made it worse.


    "Please respect my decision and leave me alone."


    Rey could easily break down the door and step in. He could phase through, and there were a few ways for him to even sneak in without her even knowing.


    He could see her without her seeing him.


    ''Maybe I should just¡ª''


    "Master¡­" Ater''s voice suddenly echoed in Rey''s mind, causing him to promptly look in his direction.


    Much to his surprise, he saw a stern expression from Ater, who shook his head slowly.


    "¡­ Just leave her be."


    For a moment, he let it all sink in¡ªeverything that happened, and all he heard.


    ''I just¡­ wanted to make sure she was okay.''


    Rey knew that was his justification, but after mulling things over for a few seconds¡ªespecially with the cold stare that Ater gave him¡ªhe began to understand things better.


    ''I guess I was just thinking about myself, huh?''


    He wanted to do what HE thought was best for her, rather than trust in her decision or ability to figure things out herself.


    ''I''m such an idiot. If I was in her position, I would probably want the same thing¡ªsome time alone.''


    Yet Rey was ready to barge in just to satisfy his own conscience and sate his curiosity.


    Of course, all of these things would have been done with Esme''s well-being in mind, but Rey knew it was wrong.


    ''The road to hell is paved with good intentions, after all.''


    Rey had almost fallen for the mistake of doing something horrible, while using the justification that it was the best thing for the person.


    ''I made a mistake.'' He smiled and nodded at Ater.


    Thetter instantly changed his expression and beamed, returning Rey''s nod.


    "You made the right choice, Master."


    Deep down, Rey still felt like it would be better to check up on her and see how she was feeling. However, he simply decided to respect her wishes.


    "Let''s go, Ater." He muttered, and the two decided to walk away.


    Perhaps it was just his imagination, but before Rey left the doorfront, he heard a whisper reach out to him.


    It was low and stifled, nearly inaudible¡­ but he picked it up right away.


    "Thank you¡­ Rey."


    The boy smiled as he heard those words. He walked past the hallway, and eventually vanished from the mansion.


    He had made the right choice, after all.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Okay, I know things have been a bit slow, and the Arc isn''t over yet despite the climax being reached, but hear with it, okay?


    There are still a few more surprises and events before thises to a close.


    I''m pretty hyped!

 Chapter 370 Getting An Upgrade

    <h4>Chapter 370 Getting An Upgrade </h4>


    "Huu¡­ that''s thest of them, right?"


    Rey was currently in his base¡ªthe 99th Floor of the Royal Dungeon, and in front of him were Ater and the Undead who just finished disying a wide array of Skills to him.


    After leaving the nc Mansion, they came here for Rey to add more abilities to his arsenal.


    Needless to say, it was a sess.


    "Yes, Master. You have gotten all the relevant Skills that the enemy possessed."


    Ater spoke like all of this was just a matter of course, but Rey hadn''t gotten over how the guy figured out all the qualities of his Skills.


    He didn''t even realize it when he used [Absolute Appraisal] on Ater and found out his Level had increased.


    "Congrattions, you''re in Level 3 now." Rey smiled at the Familiar.


    Ater got 100 Stat Points for each Level he gained¡ªa far more impressive feat than Snow''s 30 Points.


    ''I suppose it only goes to show the difference between S-Tier and A-Tier.'' He mused.


    "This much is nothing, Master. It does notpare to you in the slightest.''


    Rey felt like bursting into tears the moment he heard those words.


    Adding his bonus Stat addition and base Stat addition upon every Level Up, he only got 6 Stat Points for each Level Up.


    If not for his gear carrying him for most of the time, he would be pretty weak in base form.


    ''Compared to me, he has an incredible Stat increase every level, and his bonus Stat Points are essentially half of his normal Stats¡­''


    If that wasn''t broken, then what was?


    Rey found himself more grateful for deciding to take the risk and summon an S-Tier Familiar.


    ''But damn¡­ I really wish [Bonding] could allow me to keep even more Familiars.''


    As soon as Rey had this thought, he realized something.


    ''I could merge Skills together with Bonding to evolve it to the level where I can get that result!''


    His eyes gleamed with delight as he began to imagine the possibility of having multiple Aters around.


    "Master? You have a creepy smile." Ater''s voice echoed in the vast room, but Rey hardly paid any mind to it.


    Steam proceeded from his gaping mouth as saliva dripped from it.


    He could feel it¡ªthe fullness of GREED within him.


    "Ater¡­" Rey took a few steps forward until he reached the very front of his Familiar.


    "Yes¡­ Master?"


    He ced his hands on Ater''s shoulders, a sense of foreboding swirling around the room.


    As the tension reached an epic crescendo, a brilliant smile burst from Rey''s face as he gushed out to Ater with indescribable delight.


    "How would you like a younger brother?!"


    *********


    "Haa¡­"


    After hours of deliberating and merging, Rey was finally done with the process.


    What now appeared before his eyes was the finished product of so much hard work¡ªthe culmination of everything he had been through thus far.


    [Skill Categories]


    ~ SS-Tier: 6


    ~ S-Tier: 10


    ~ A-Tier: 15


    ~ B-Tier: 13


    [New Skills: Please Select Their Categories]


    ~Nil~


    [Total Skills: 44]


    "Pfft! The numbers are even less than before." Rey found himself chuckling.


    Still, he could say the quality of his Skills has drastically increased.


    "Master, is this all really necessary?" Ater''s voice came out of nowhere, and Rey nearly rolled his eyes the moment he heard it.


    Why?


    Because since he started sorting out his Skills, all for the sole purpose of getting more Familiar, Ater had been on his case.


    He was greatly against the idea, and it was easy to see why.


    "Master doesn''t need any other Familiar! I alone am enough!" Ater had said many times, not even hiding the reason why he was against Rey''s decision.


    He was simply insecure of his position.


    ''Maybe I shouldn''t have told him, after all.'' Rey sighed to himself.


    If he had kept it a secret and chose to surprise him with a new Familiar, none of Ater''s tantrums would exist.


    ''Well, I can''t be sure about that.''


    He could imagine Ater''s expression if he presented the newest addition to the group as a surprise.


    ''He would probably want to devour it.''


    Rey used his [Grand Sound Magic] to block off all the sound that Ater was making, but the problem was the bond that they shared.


    Not only could Rey hear Ater in his head, but he couldn''t turn it off either.


    It was simply a consequence of their rtionship.


    "Master, please rethink this. Do you really want to hear multiple voices in your head at once? I don''t think you would be veryfortable feeling the emotions of multiple Familiars at once."


    In all honesty, Ater made a few good points. But¡ª!


    "That''s why I''m only going to start with one more. I''ll limate as time goes on." He grinned widely.


    Ater appeared exasperated, which made Rey chuckle even more. It was very rare to see his Familiar disy this kind of emotion, after all.


    "Sorry, Ater. But my mind is already made up."


    If it wasn''t, he wouldn''t have had to sacrifice a bunch of his Skills in order to get an evolved version of [Bonding].


    ''I no longer have [Absolute Mental Control], which is quite a loss¡­ but [Compulsion] still works as mind control, so it is what it is.''


    [Compulsion] was an A-Tier Skill, though.


    ''I hardly use mind control anyway, so it''s fine¡­'' Rey closed his eyes and smiled.


    What mattered most was that he now had the means to summon more than one Absolute Beast and make them his Familiars.


    "Let us begin!"


    [.]


    [Doppel Skills]


    [SS-Tier]


    Divine Sword Summon (Active)


    Divine Beast Summon (Active)


    Divine Elemental Magic (Active)


    Divine Power Ascension (Active)


    Divine Ray (Active)


    Divine Magic Supremacy (Passive)


    [Total: 6]


    [S-Tier]


    Absolute Perfect Defense (Active)


    Absolute Healing (Active)


    Absolute Appraisal (Active)


    Absolute Spatial Domain (Active)


    Absolute Dominion (Active)


    Absolute Martial Supremacy (Passive)


    Shapeshift (Active)


    Absolute Necromancy (Active)


    Absolute Perpetual Armament (Passive)


    Ascended Godspeed (Active)


    [Total: 10]


    [A-Tier]


    Grand Item Equip (Passive)


    Grand Mana Recovery (Passive)


    Grand Flight (Active)


    Grand Sound Magic (Active)


    Grand Inventory (Active)


    Replicate (Active)


    Defense Break (Passive)


    Perfect Sensory Perception (Passive)


    Grand Life Force Recovery (Passive)


    Grand Concealment (Active)


    Possession (Active)


    Phantom Illusion (Active)


    Grand Enchanted Weapon Summon (Active)


    Grand Elemental Summoning Magic (Active)


    Compulsion (Active)


    [Total: 15]


    [B-Tier]


    Mimic (Active)


    Transmute (Active)


    Force (Active)


    Greater Corrosion (Active)


    Greater Debuff (Active)


    Severing w (Active)


    Carnage (Passive)


    Greater Blood Magic (Active)


    True Homing (Passive)


    Aura Sword (Active)


    Greater Corruption (Active)


    Greater Intense Bloodlust (Active)


    Greater Counter (Passive)


    [Total: 13]


    [Active Skills: 33]


    [Passive Skills: 11]


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Well, what do you think about Rey''s new set of Skills? I didn''t want to show them again, but it''ll be a pain exining and going over them in the future, so it''s best to get them all sorted out now.


    Also, I would have exined how he got some of those Skills and merged his old Skills, but that would be info-dumping.


    We''re at the end of the Arc, so I don''t want to bore you with such details.


    You canpare and contrast the old ones to see which ones were merged and so on.

 Chapter 371 The Warning Of A Familiar

    <h4>Chapter 371 The Warning Of A Familiar </h4>


    "[Divine Beast Summon]."


    Rey''s voice echoed throughout the vast room of the 99th Floor, as he made a wide smile.


    His heart kept racing for some reason, and even though he didn''t need to say the name of the Skill to activate it, he found himself dering it very boldly.


    Perhaps a part of him wanted Ater to hear it.


    As expected, after he activated the Skill, a System Window appeared in front of him.


    [Select Category Of Summon]


    ~Divine Tier (SS)~


    ~Absolute Tier (S)~


    ~Grand Tier (A)~


    ~Lesser Tiers (B - C)~


    [Warning: You are not a Tamer, so unless you have a Skill that can subdue the Beast you are Summoning, there will be no way to control it.]


    [End Of Information]


    His smile grew wider.


    "Brings back old memories, doesn''t it?" Rey muttered, partially talking to Ater, who watched from in front of him.


    The ck suited Familiar sat in midair and observed the entire process.


    His face was a lull, so Rey couldn''t properly see what he was thinking of. Of course, due to their bond, he knew Ater was still bothered about the whole thing.


    ''Shouldn''t you be happy about the growth of your Master?'' Rey?wondered to himself, eventually shrugging it off.


    "I wonder if I should go for the Divine Tier this time¡­" A broader smile formed on his face.


    Rey''s [Absolute Dominion] Skill was the recement for [Bonding], and it allowed him to make as many beings his Familiar as long as they were S-Tier entities or lower.


    ''Of course, Beasts also apply to this equation.''


    The problem was that Divine Beasts were a Tier above that, so it would be impossible to control a Beast of that level if it was summoned.


    ''I''m not seriously considering it, but I could at least try, right? If it misbehaves, I have SS-Tier Skills I can use to subdue or even kill it.''


    Rey''s excitement was growing even higher.


    "I mean¡­ if we both work together, maybe we can subjugate the Beast, and I can¡ª"


    "No, Master." Ater''s response was curt.


    It was very rare to see Ater take such a blunt tone, even when addressing serious issues. He was usually very polite and subservient in his approach on matters.


    Yet¡­ his response this time was straightforward and borderline disrespectful.


    "Do not attempt to summon a Divine Tier Beast, Master." He added, a serious frown now on his face.


    Rey couldn''t tell whether he was upset because he would summon a more powerful Beast than him and possibly make it his Familiar, or there was another underlying cause.


    Even his connection with Ater gave him muddled responses.


    "Why shouldn''t I? Scared your position would be threatened by a neer?" Rey joked, his face a mask of yfulness.


    In response to this, Ater merely scoffed and shrugged.


    "There are only a few entities who could threaten my position, and I doubt you''d be able to summon them."


    "Tch! Is that a challenge?" Rey responded back, surprised by Ater''s rather loose tongue.


    ''He doesn''t seem to be lying, based on our connection. And it seems he genuinely doesn''t want me to summon a Divine Beast.''


    "It''s not a challenge, but a statement. I do not mind Master having more subordinates, as I have also suggested the idea to you in the past." Upon hearing Ater say this, Rey could remember their conversations on the issue.


    Ater indeed wanted Rey to expand his influence.


    "So why are you against the Beast Summoning?"


    Ater shrugged upon hearing the question. His red eyes oozed sheer honesty as he opened his lips to speak.


    "Because it isn''t necessary at the moment. Master is already plenty powerful, and I am alreadypetent enough as your Familiar. Having another one seems like a superflous waste."


    Rey didn''t agree. One could never have too much power or resources.


    "I respect Master''s decision, however. You may go ahead with the Summon. Just don''t attempt to summon one from the Divine Tier." Ater reiterated.


    Once again, everything he said was genuine and honest.


    "Hmmm¡­ why though?"


    Rey already knew his chances of sess were low, but he always thought it would be worth a try at least. Besides, even if he didn''t seed, there was the opportunity of learning new Skills from the Beast before killing it.


    ''I currently have six Divine-Tier Skills. It should be more than enough to handle a Beast of that level.''


    It wasn''t like he hadn''t at least thought it through.


    "You will surely die if you summon one now." Ater replied with as much brute honesty as possible.


    "H-huh¡­?" Rey''s eyes twitched the moment he heard that.


    "What do you mean die? As in, I do not have enough Mana to summon one?"


    "No. That''s not it. You most certainly have enough Mana to do so." Ater sighed, shaking his head a little as he spoke.


    "The problem is that you would have no means to defeat it."


    Rey didn''t understand why Ater was speaking this way. Perhaps his Familiar greatly underestimated his strength.


    "I have six Divine-Tier Skills, you know?"


    "I am well aware. However, all of those won''t be enough when facing a Beast in that category¡ªat least, if you summon the real thing."


    Rey felt even more confused.


    ''Is he saying Divine-Tier Skills won''t suffice for a Divine-Tier Beast?''


    "Master, what I am saying is simple¡­" Ater interrupted Rey''s thoughts with his calm words.


    "If a proper Divine Beast is summoned to this world, it will spell the end for everything you know and love. Including yourself."


    Ater was a Beast himself, so Rey had to grant some credence to his words. Perhaps he knew something he didn''t know about Beasts.


    ''I should trust his words¡­'' His thoughts trailed as a sigh escaped his lips.


    "Fine. I won''t summon a Divine-Tier Beast."


    "Maybe don''t summon any at all."


    "Don''t push your luck."


    "O-okay¡­"


    Rey clenched his fist in annoyance, with a tinge of frustration. He really wanted to try seeing the full extent of the Skill.


    It seemed Ater noticed that.


    "Don''t worry, Master. In the fullness of time, even Divine Beasts would beg to be your ves."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I wonder what the big deal is about Divine Beasts is.


    Who has any theory?

 Chapter 372 Crimson Flurry

    <h4>Chapter 372 Crimson Flurry </h4>


    "In the fullness of time? Are you trying to make me feel better?" Rey smiled at his Familiar.


    "Well, there''s that¡­"


    Rey shook his head and chuckled. Ater was also grinning, but it wasn''t at all in amusement at all.


    It was excitement.


    "But there''s more as well. Master, your power is incredible. I''m sure if you keep up your grpwth, you''ll be able to tame a Divine Beast before the year runs out."


    Rey didn''t know what to say in response to that.


    ''A year seems pretty long¡­''


    It had only been about three months¡ªmost likely even less¡ªsince he and his ssmates arrived in this world, and yet he was already this powerful.


    ''Will it really take a year before I can get a Divine-Tier Beast as my Familiar?'' Rey wanted it to merely be an underestimation, or a way for the Familiar to attempt stalling for time, but he knew how unrealistic that was.


    Ater was bonded to him, and they shared a connection that made it impossible for the former to lie to him.


    As a result, Ater always spoke the truth.


    ''It must be an urate evealuation of my current state and growth rate.'' Rey sighed.


    He didn''t allow himself to despair, though.


    ''I should just be content with my current state and summon what I can¡­ for now, at least.''


    Rey stared at the Status Window in front of him and picked the obvious choice¡ª[Absolute Tier (S)].


    The moment he did so, a Magic Circle appeared before him, and bursts of light and energy began to manifest from within it.


    Rey had previously activated [Divine Power Ascension], a Buff Skill that granted him an immense boost in his Stats¡­ especially Mana.


    This was to prepare for summining a Divine-Tier Beast. However, since he settled for a Tier lower, he didn''t even feel any strain of Mana on him.


    ~FSHIIIIII!~


    The bright light that emanated from within the Magic Circle was zing red, and the walls of the 99th Floor radiated the bright crimson power that surged from within the limited space.


    ''This should be good!'' Rey found his heart pounding with excitement as he watched the magic happen right before his eyes.


    Despite his initial disappointment, he was super invested in what was emerging.


    Ater, on the hand, rolled his eyes and shook his head. He even leaked out a tired sigh as he watched the whole thing y out.


    It felt like he was impatiently waiting for it to be over.


    Fortunately for him¡ªand for the expectant Rey¡ªthe swirling crimson lights began to converge on a single position.


    It revealed the identity of the newly summoned Absolute Beast.


    "T-that is¡­!" Rey''s eyes bulged, his eyes nearly popping out of his sockets as he gazed upon the mighty thing that appeared.


    His lips trembled at the sight.


    "Oh¡­?" Even Ater leaked out a little voice.


    Neither had expected this oue, so it was clearly a surprise¡ªalbeit an unpleasant one.


    "... What the fuck is this?!"


    Sitting at the center of the Magic Circle was an egg.


    It looked just a bitrger than a chicken egg, but it had the same shape and a sir-looking texture. The only difference was that this egg was bright red, which made it appear more stic than authentic.


    It looked like one of those toy eggs he used to y with as a kid.


    "An egg¡­? That''s my Familiar?" Rey muttered in disbelief.


    "Technically, it''s not yet your Familiar. You have to¡ª"


    "Yeah, I know. Thanks for reminding me, Ater." Rey dryly replied, making a wry smile in the process.


    "You''re wee, Master."


    Rey felt his veins nearly pop when he heard that. It was either that Ater didn''t recognize sarcasm when he heard it, or he knew what Rey meant and chose to also give his own sarcastic reply.


    Either way, Rey found himself to be the loser.


    ''I can feel it. Ater is happy right now!'' He frowned his face as he stared at his Familiar, who was busy looking at the egg.


    ''This guy¡­''


    Ater was most likely rejoicing that he ended up with a cheap looking egg and not some ultra-rare Overpowered Absolute Beast.


    ''Oh well¡­ I can''t judge a book by its cover.'' Rey sighed, finally recovering from the disappointment that echoed within him.


    ''Absolute Appraisal''


    [System Information]


    ~A crimson egg~


    [End Of Information]


    ''E-eh¡­?''


    Rey couldn''t believe his eyes when he saw the only details that his [Absolute Appraisal] gave.


    ''H-hold on, this could mean either of two things.''


    It could either mean that the egg was too strong for [Absolute Appraisal] to properly identify it.


    If that was the case, then Rey felt like he had hit a jackpot.


    ''But if that''s the case, shouldn''t it have shown no information at all? Maybe it would have shown something like [Error] or something¡­'' An intrusive thought entered Rey''s head, but he quickly shrugged it off.


    He didn''t want to have to consider the second possibility.


    ¡ªA chance that the egg was a bust.


    ''Logically speaking, it''s more likely that its a special egg that [Absolute Appraisal] can''t properly detect.''


    After all, Skills were supposed to deliver ording to their functions, so it would be a big problem if his Divine-Tier Skill made such a silly mistake like this.


    ''Besides, both Alicia and I have used it to summon Beasts before, so I know its legit.''


    Rey couldn''t properly detect how much energy the egg had, but when it was summoned, the immense crimson energy that appeared told him that it had to be somewhat powerful.


    ''It had an intense Mana, after all.''


    After piecing all of this together, Rey abandoned his disappointment and stepped forward to use his [Absolute Dominion] on the thing.


    [Dominion Sessful]


    [Congrattions! You have acquired a Familiar, and a secure ''Bond'' has been established between the two of you. The Familiar will forever be subject to you, and will be molded ording to your will]


    [Unfortunately, the Familiar is in a suspended state. Please wait patiently for the suspended state to be over]


    "Haa.. and how long will that take?" Rey wondered aloud, his thoughts nearly a mess.


    [3 Weeks, 5 Days, and 11 Hours from now]


    Once Rey saw this, his face deted and he had no choice but to croak his response.


    "U-understood¡­"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    What do you think is inside the egg? Who wants to make a guess?

 Chapter 373 Another Try

    <h4>Chapter 373 Another Try </h4>


    "There, there, little egg."


    Rey caressed the small object in his hand, whispering to it as he watched Ater approach him.


    "You better grow to be big and strong so you can prove your big bro Ater wrong, okay?"


    Ater chuckled as he heard Rey say this. He had an air of ease around him, nearly shrugging aside all the events that had transpired.


    The Magic Circle was long gone, and since the task wasplete, it was time to return home.


    "Shall we leave now, Master?" Ater asked with a sparkling smile on his face.


    "No."


    "E-eh¡­?"


    Ater''s surprise at his Master''s words caused his handsome and calm face to disy hints of nervousness.


    Somehow, he already knew what was on Rey''s mind.


    "I''m going to try again!" Rey dered, snorting out steam from his nose.


    "B-but Master¡­ you said you''d try one at a time."


    Ater''sints fell on deaf ears. Rey''s determined face made it clear that he wanted to have another Absolute Familiar.


    "How have I been inadequate, Master? I''ll try to be better, so let us just stop for today¡­" He pleaded even more.


    However, Rey shook his head as he maintained his stone-cold face.


    "I can only pray for something special toe out of that egg. But, I also need something I can use now."


    Since his [Absolute Dominion] allowed him to make as many Familiars as he wanted, as long as he could handle them, he wanted to give it another try.


    "But Master, excessive summoning causes space to experience an imbnce. It might not be safe to use a Summon Skill of such a scale again"


    Rey shook his head again and raised it in determination.


    "My [Absolute Spatial Domain] tells me that this space can handle at least one more Summoning. If I manipte the space around me, I can make it handle two or even three more!"


    Rey''s stern demeanor shattered apart as a wide smile crept on his face. He seemed to be the very personification of evil as he grinned with bloodshot eyes.


    His desperation was palpable.


    "But Master¡ª!"


    "You just sit back and watch¡­" Rey stepped forward and prepared himself for what was to happen next.


    He ced his egg within his [Grand Inventory], and inhaled deeply.


    "I''ll summon something good this time."


    ********


    [Moments Later]


    "Another egg?!"


    Rey nearly shed tears as he held a simrly shaped egg in his hands.


    This time, the egg was blue, matching the bursts of energy that flowed from within the Circle when the Summoning took ce.


    "Why¡­?" Rey muttered.


    Why was he so unlucky today?


    Of course, he knew that whatever was inside the eggs would bepetent and strong, but they would take quite a long time before they hatched.


    Just one look at the System Panel in front of Rey told him that fact.


    [3 Weeks, 5 Days, and 11 Hours from now]


    ''The same amount of time as the red one. What''s going on here? Are they siblings or something¡­?''


    Rey sighed and hung his head in shame, until a hand fell on his shoulder.


    He looked up and saw Ater smiling at him while raising a thumb in encouragement.


    "Why not try again, Master? Who knows¡­ you could get something a lot better this time!"


    Rey beamed the moment Ater said this.


    He didn''t expect the guy who was so against all of this to encourage him this way.


    "Alright¡­" Rey wiped away his nonexistent tears and ced the second egg in his [Grand Inventory].


    It was time to try his luck a third time.


    ''I''ll use [Absolute Spatial Domain] to stabilize the space around me so it doesn''t cause a problem to summon something else.''


    Ater stepped aside and smiled at Rey. The two of them exchanged nods and waited in anticipation for what woulde next.


    ''Give me something good this time!''


    *********


    [Moments Later]


    "It''s purple this time¡­" Atermented as he looked at the egg sped in Rey''s hands.


    Just like the previous times, Rey managed to summon another egg.


    "This is impressive in of itself. I''ve never seen anyone consistently summon the same thing three times." Ater smiled as he rubbed his chin.


    "You''re pretty amazing, Master."


    Rey thought the praise sounded sarcastic, but that wasn''t what his bond with Ater told him.


    "I''m tired of this¡­" Rey sighed, cing the third egg in his Inventory. "This purple egg will take three months to hatch, unlike the previous ones. That''s even worse."


    As he slumped to the ground, sitting on the dirt, Ater''s voice came to him.


    "Why don''t you try agai¡ª?"


    "Shut up! You''ve made your point already!" Rey cried out, resting his back on the floor as he held his head with both hands.


    "I get it! I''ll just rely on you more."


    Ater''s smile widened as he heard that, and Rey felt his joy resonating within him.


    ''This guy¡­''


    Rey couldn''t me him for the whole thing, though. Just like him, Ater was also a spectator to the whole event.


    No one could have guessed what came out.


    "Don''t look so sad, Master. You only need to be patient for a short while to see the fruits of today''sbor." Ater smiled intently.


    "Yeah, yeah¡­"


    As Rey''s voice trailed and his sigh echoed in the derserted Floor, a sudden thought manifested in his mind.


    "Hey, Ater¡­ do you know what''s inside those eggs?"


    In response to his, Ater narrowed his gaze and his smile deepened.


    "I can''t be sure, but I can make a guess. Want me to tell you?" He asked with a calm demeanor.


    "No, don''t spoil it for me." Rey responded with a rxed smile. "I want it to be a surprise."


    The excitement he had when he used [Divine Beast Summon] and didn''t know what he was going to get¡­ Rey didn''t want to lose it when the eggs hatched.


    "Just tell me one thing." Rey turned to look at Ater.


    "Are they strong?"


    Ater took a few seconds to process the question. He ced a hand on his chin and closed his eyes while inhaling deeply.


    "Well, if I had to say, then¡­" A genuine smile formed as he stared back at Rey.


    "... Yes, they are strong."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Our boy is lowkey a talented poultry farmer.

 Chapter 374 Astonishing Growth

    <h4>Chapter 374 Astonishing Growth </h4>


    "That settles it, then. I guess I''ll just be patient."


    The smiling Ater nodded as Rey made his conclusive statement.


    "That is most respectable."


    Rey pushed himself from the ground, and in a huff of wind, he was right on his feet. Ater was right behind him, and they were both smiling.


    ¡­ Almost as if they just finished having a round of fun.


    "So what now, Master?"


    "Well, the most urgent matters have been dealt with already. The only thing of immediate concern ispleting the Royal Dungeon Raid." Rey answered.


    After that was over, he suspected there would no longer be any reason to remain in the Capital.


    "Calcting their current growth rate, they should be done with the Raid in about two weeks." He turned back to look at Ater.


    "Then what?"


    "Well, I suspect we''ll finally get drafted to the battlefield. It''s about time, considering we would have spent three months here." Rey replied.


    "True. And do you think they will be ready for the Dragons by the end of the two weeks?"


    Ater''s question caused a moment of silence to permeate the room. Despite the decorum, however, there was no tension.


    Rey''s expression remained as rxed as before.


    "I guess we''ll see once the timees. Besides, there''s no reason for them to be anxious¡­" His confident grinplemented his words.


    "... After all, I''ll be there."


    Ater''s smile deepened and he nodded at his Master''s words.


    "Fair enough. I look forward to seeing your exploits in battle." He bowed his head while cing his hand on his chest.


    "Likewise. I still haven''t seen you fight."


    "Haha!" The Familiarughed in delight. "Then, I suppose we both have something to look forward to."


    Once they were done conversing, Rey opened a portal and the two departed away from the 99th Floor, and by extension the Royal Dungeon.


    ¡ªReady to visit it the next day.


    *********


    [Two Weeks Later]


    "Alright, everyone¡­"


    Ralyks stood in front of the team of nine¡ªten, if they counted Snow¡ªwho were currently on a Raid of the Royal Dungeon.


    They were on the 97th Floor, thest viable Floor of the Royal Dungeon, and not only had they finished dealing with the mobs, but they now stood in front of a very massive double-door.


    The thing looked like a fortress¡ªan imprable wall¡ªonly divided by a thin line. All they had to do was push the two sides to open the door, but its imposing presence made the entrance seem a lot more difficult.


    ¡­ At least, this was what they would have thought two weeks ago.


    However, these Otherworlders were not the same as before.


    Despite standing before their final¡ªand probably most difficult¡ªhurdle, they all had smiles on their faces.


    Excitement flowed within the room as Ralyks stood to address them.


    "As agreed on, I won''t render any assistance, no matter how bad the situation is. This is your final test, and if you are unable to cross this hurdle, none of you will be qualified enough to go to the War."


    Despite saying that, however, Ralyks had a mild tone.


    He was merely following formalities, as he already knew the capabilities of the Otherworlders and there was no doubt in his mind about the oue.


    "Don''t ck off or embarass yourselves here." He said, almost in an amused chuckle.


    "I expect nothing short of wless victory."


    The looks on the faces of Adonis, Alicia, Billy, Belle, rk, Justin, Eric, Trisha, and Rey all showed the same expression.


    "Is that understood?" As the question was posed to them, they unanimously gave the same reply.


    "Understood!"


    And so, the gates were opened, and the group of nine charged forth to meet the denizens of horror.


    What they met¡­ was an army.


    Not just any army resided in this massive hall that was the 97th Floor''s Boss Room, but Monsters that looked incredibly simr to the S-Tier creature they defeated before.


    Of course, these ones were a lot smaller, but they also had Mana Crystals protruding outside their bodies, and their entire self reeked of immense power.


    Them there was the Boss.


    It was muchrger than the horrid creature they faced that day


    ¡ªundeniably a more powerful S-Tier Monstrosity.


    Having to fight an army of A-Tier Monsters was not enough, but they also had to defeat an S-Tier Monster as well.


    It was an impossible task to ask of teenagers.


    Fortunately, these weren''t ordinary teenagers. They couldn''t even be considered mere Otherworlders any longer.


    No¡­ they had be more.


    Each and every one of them were at least in Level 90, and they possessed even more Skills than they previously had before.


    Some¡ªlike Eric Belle, and Rey¡ªhad even gotten advanced variants of their initial ss.


    Needless to say, they were even more monstrous than the Monsters that surrounded them.


    "I''ll take on the Boss!" Adonis dered as he raced ahead of the team, his gleaming Divine Sword in hand.


    No one argued with him, and none of them gave any look of concern as the Hero charged at the creature of unimaginable mass and incredible power.


    Why would they?


    The way Adonis cut down the obstacles in his path, all to reach the foe, said it all.


    He was strong enough to face the Boss!


    And what of the rest of the Otherworlders? They were surrounded by incredibly violent and bloodthirsty creatures, but none of them wavered in the slightest.


    Instead, they stuck to their formation and executed their strategy with absolute calmness and precision.


    No onegged behind¡ªnot even the weakest of the bunch, Rey.


    Even he¡­ he was also at Level 90!


    He had gotten an advanced variant of his ss too, and despite being objectively weaker than pretty much everyone, his disy of skill exceeded nearly everyone in the group.


    It wasn''t just Rey that disyed impressive feats, though.


    Everyone yed their roles well, and in just under ten minutes¡­ the Raid wasplete.


    Victory belonged to the Otherworlders, and it wasn''t even close.


    This was never a battle, to begin with.


    It was a massacre!


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Looks like our friends have be OP as well.


    The Otherworlders have truly be strong. It''s a good thing to see.

 Chapter 375 On Another Level

    <h4>Chapter 375 On Another Level </h4>


    "Fuwahh! That was tough!"


    Whether this was a sarcastic statment or not, it didn''t matter to Justin, the bbermouth. He stretched his body as he said this.


    Those around him couldn''t help but smile andugh, though some agreed with him to some level.


    "Well, we did go down five Floors at once today. It''s understandable if you''re exhausted." Eric snickered.


    This seemed to quickly change Justin''s disposition.


    "N-no, that''s not what I meant. Of course, I''m not exhausted."


    Moreughs echoed from the students around as they made small talk among themselves. Of course, they weren''t idle either.


    Rather than let Ralyks'' Undead subordinates to harvest the Monster Cores, they took it upon themselves. Since they were a bit ahead of schedule, they had a lot of time to spare.


    All of them had also gotten the hang of harvesting Monster Cores, so it was pretty easy.


    "As I was saying¡­" Justin said as he poked his hand into the corpse of the Monster before him. The dense skin felt like a thickyer of butter as he slipped inside and got the prize.


    "... I just thought they were a little tough. Mobility definitely yed a big factor in the fight."


    "Well, I suppose¡­" Eric rubbed his chin with one hand as he used the other to shave off the Mana Crystals from the bodies of the fallen creatures.


    rk and Trisha were beside them, so they too joined the conversation¡ªall of them discussing alternative ways they could have dealt with the Monsters, even after the fact.


    It was a heartwarming sight.


    As for Adonis, he was busy with the colossal corpse of the Monster, harvesting all its useful parts by its lonesome.


    "Its body was already on the verge of expiration, so the Monster Hide won''t be useful for anything¡­" He muttered with a slight frown.


    "It seems its rapid evolution ended up killing it. No wonder there aren''t any S-Tier Monsters¡­"


    Even wit the corpse itself being of no use, the Monster Core, Mana Crystals, and specific parts of the Monster''s body¡ªlike the jaws and ws¡ªcould be useful as raw materials for certain Enchanted Items.


    Adonis smiled as he turned to see the rest of his ssmates, all of them working hard in their respective locations. He couldn''t help but feel a warm sensation course through his heart.


    ''They''re all here¡­'' His smile deepened.


    Everyone was in a group, socializing. Billy and rk were speaking to each other, and Trisha was talking to the boys. Alicia and Rey were working together, with Snow closely by Alicia''s side.


    Belle was the only one who separated herself from the group, but that seemed to be intentnional.


    ''She''s talking to Sir Ralyks again, huh? Those two seem to be getting close these days¡­''


    Adonis could never hear their conversation, no matter how hard he tried. He figured it had something to do with interference from Sir Ralyks, so he stopped trying to find out.


    He only hoped all was well.


    ''I still don''t know who this man was in my past life. He''s helped us out a great deal, but¡­ if he was this powerful and kind, then where was he in the past?''


    Adonis was sure a lot had changed in the world thanks to his interference, but¡­ surely, there had to have been some trace of Ralyks in his past life. Yet, no matter how long Adonis thought of it, he couldn''t get anything.


    ''Well, Belle seems happy talking to him¡­ so I''m happy to see that.'' Adonis smiled.


    After they were done harvesting the Monster Cores, they would leave the mining of resources to the Undead that Ralyksmanded. The reason was due to just how many minerals they had to mine.


    ¡­ Including Adamantite, the strongest metal in the world.


    None of the students had tools necessary for mining Adadmantite, and the entire process wasn''t only very time-consuming, but also incredibly tasking.


    ''We''ve all worked hard enough for the day, and we''re even mining Monster Cores¡­'' Adonis nodded in satisfaction.


    Ralyks had taught everyone everything they needed to know about exploring a Dungeon, so Adonis was convinced he was a veteran Adventurer.


    As a result of his teachings, all the Otherworlders knew how to mine, harvest cores, and a bunch of other Dungeon activities that Adventurers practiced.


    It led to a very satisfying and wholesome result.


    ''I''m in Level 150 now, about 100 Levels higher than what I expected to have at this point.''


    Everyone had also grown a lot more than expected.


    ''Now then¡­'' Adonis smiled as he thought of something that had been on his mind for a while.


    ''We should be ready for it¡ªThe Great Cmity!''


    **********


    ''Impressive! They''ve all grown spectacrly well!'' Rey grinned as he conversed with Alicia.


    They were talking about cats, specifically about petting them.


    Fortunately, after his experience with Ater, he could rte to the conversation. He found himself silently appreciating his Familiar for choosing the reward that he did.


    That way, he and Alicia were able to get engrossed in their discussion.


    As she spoke, though, Rey couldn''t help but go over what truly made him excited about the day.


    ''Everyone has grown so strong.''


    Even though Rey couldn''t see Adonis'' Status Window, he estimated that the guy was around Level 140-150¡­ somewhere within that range.


    However, for his other ssmates, seeing their growth was as simple as using [Absolute Appraisal].


    ''Alicia is currently in Level 99. That''s a big step-up from when she first started.'' Rey grinned as he looked at the girl next to him.


    She was about two Levels higher than the average students who averaged at around Level 97. There were exceptions to the rule, however.


    Billy, for one, was in Level 101. Belle was even higher, with a Level of 105.


    ''Ater must really be motivating her. She''s been grinding like crazy¡­''


    Her ss even changed from Great Mage to Heretic Mage¡ª


    having the same ss Tier as Lucielle, though hers focused mostly on offensive abilities rather than a bnced approach.


    Eric, thankfully, also advanced his ss to a B-Tier ss called Arcane Mage, which involved manipting energies and controlling stuff, rather than utilizing elements the way an Elemental Mage would.


    ''He''s in Level 97, but I''d say he had a big win getting a ss advancement¡­''


    ''rk, Justin, and Trisha are also in Level 97. They''ve all grown a lot too, and it seems they''ve added a couple Non-Exclusive Skills to their arsenal.''


    All in all, it was undebiable progress.


    ''Even Snow has advanced.'' Rey cast his gaze on the white rabbit that constantly stood beside Alicia.


    ''She''s Level 15¡­''


    Beasts found it difficult to Level Up, and most of the time, Rey had to give the students chances to grow so it wouldn''t be too much in favor of Alicia and her Familiar. As a result, Snow''s options were limited.


    Despite that, she was able to reach Level 15.


    ''I find that impressive.'' He beamed, opening his lips to respond to Alicia''s question about¡ªwho could have guessed it¡ªcats.


    ''With everyone growing so strong so fast, it makes me wonder¡­''


    Even as Rey spoke, his mind was still working just fine. An image appeared in his mind, and it caused his eyes to darken a little.


    ''... How strong Adrien has be.''


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Now we all know where each Otherworlder stands in terms of power. Only Adonis has a higher Level than current Rey, so that''s a relief.

 Chapter 376 Farewell Presents [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 376 Farewell Presents [Pt 1] </h4>


    The ambiance within the Royal Estate was sullen that evening.


    As everyone stood in a straight line, all of them facing the man who had guided them thus far, an electrifying energy rushed within their hearts despite the solemn atmosphere.


    A tint of orange dyed their faces thanks to reflections from the sky above them. All the students¡ªsome more than others¡ªhad glistening eyes. Even the two surviving members of the Royal Council were present, standing behind the Otherworlders as hey looked at a single man.


    "Sir Ralyks¡­ on behalf of everyone here, I''d like to thank you for everything you''ve done for us." Adonis stepped forward and bowed his head.


    "THANK YOU, SIR RALYKS!" They all bowed in respect.


    The man shrouded in darkness said nothing. He merely watched their disy of respect in silence.


    "The Royal Council also thanks you greatly." Vida and Conrad stepped forward with respectful smiles stered on their faces.


    "Not only did you help train the Alliance''s greatest asset against the Dragons, but the resources that this Raid has contributed to the cause is more than we can imagine. It will definitely have a positive impact on the battle toe."


    Every word they said was genuine. It was obvious that every single one who stood in that in field had one thing or the other to be grateful to Ralyks for.


    He saved them.


    He made them stronger.


    He made them richer.


    ¡­ All without getting anything substantial for his troubles.


    There was a lot of mystery about his identity, and it was easy to suspect him for several things. However, no one dared to do so.


    Who could sully his good name?


    He was the Dark Adventurer, the Reaper, the Hero of the Capital.


    No one could deny it any longer¡ªSir Ralyks was the strongest, mostpassionate, and most brutal man they had everid eyes on.


    And these qualities were what made him deserving of all the affection and respect he recieved.


    "Your thanks are misced. It shouldn''t be me you should thank."


    His words rang of modesty, but the tone in which he spoke them seemed reminiscent of a bit of anger and regret.


    "In any case, you should all be proud of yourselves." He quickly changed the topic. "You did well."


    No one knew what Ralyks looked like under the mask, but there were theories.


    Some thought he was a man scarred by something¡ªboth physically and emotionally¡ªso he embarked on a journey to be strong. There were variants of this Origin Story, with some spcting that a Monster killed his family, while others theorizing that it was a Dragon.


    Either way, this theory hinged on a tragic past that spurred Ralyks to don a mask and be strong. It also exined why he was so concerned about strength and his desire for all the Otherworlders to be strong.


    Some thought he was a weakling in the past, which was why he decided to personally train Rey until the boy could hold his own with the other members of the team.


    Some thought he was an old hermit, while others felt like he was simply a young genius.


    There was a particrly weird theory that imed Ralyks was actually a woman in disguise. Of course, the proponent of this was none other than Justin.


    Regardless of which theory was right or wrong, everyone who saw Ralyks at that moment and heard his words of praise felt the same thing.


    ''He''s smiling under that mask!''


    "Youpleted the Raid faster than I expected, and as a reward for that¡­ I have decided to give all of you presents."


    Everyone appeared excited once they heard this.


    Now that their Levels had increased drastically, their Equip Limit had also gone up. That meant they could get even more Enchanted Items to aid them on the next phase of their journey.


    Sir Ralyks truly was considerate!


    "Step forward once I call your name." He began, looking at the leader of the team as the first on the list.


    "Adonis Levi."


    The golden haired boy stepped forward in all his grace. A determined look fueled his face, and he appeared tense despite the calm atmosphere.


    "You were the most exceptional throughout the raid. I truly believe you have incredible potential¡ªenough to surpass the ''Ralyks'' that is before you."


    No one knew why the Dark Adventurer chose to speak of himself in the third person, but they went with the flow.


    "Here. Have this." Floating atop his hand was a cube.


    The cube had multiple colors, and it warbled while floating. A mix of ominous and pure sensations wafted from the object as Adonis stared at it.


    "T-this is¡­!"


    "So you know what it is and what it does, huh? Interesting¡­" Ralyks said in slight amusement.


    "Sir Ralyks, where did you find this item?"


    "You don''t need to concern yourself with that. Just take it."


    Adonis looked very conflicted as he stared at the floating cube. On one hand, he eyed it greedily, but on the other hand, he was very reluctant to ept it.


    After a single second of deliberation, however, the box was in his hands.


    "I believe you do not need to hear this from me, but use it sparingly, okay?"


    "Y-yes! I understand." Adonis nodded.


    "Good. Now then, on to the next¡­"


    Adonis caressed the box in his palms as he went back to his position on the line.


    "Belle Vanitas. Step forward."


    The excited blond girl seemed to race to Ralyks'' front the moment she heard her name.


    "You surprised me the most out of everyone. Your start was a bit rough and average, but you''ve really grown a lot. That is very pleasing to see."


    "Kyaaaaa!" Like an incorrigible fangirl, Belle shrieked with delight.


    Everyone could see how heavily she was blushing, and some began to put to question the nature of her rtionship with Ralyks was.


    They also wondered how ''appropriate'' it was.


    "For your hard work and dedication¡­ here." Right in Ralyks'' grasp was a ring, so pretty that no one could get their eyes off it.


    It glittered even more than diamonds.


    "This is yours, Belle. Take it."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    This is so Sus. Looks like Ater isn''t escaping those allegations at this point.

 Chapter 377 Farewell Presents [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 377 Farewell Presents [Pt 2] </h4>


    Once people saw the ring, their questions grew into suspicion.


    Why was Ralyks giving Belle a ring? Of course, they didn''t particrly question Ralyks'' integrity, as they had noticed it was Belle who constantly flocked around him.


    He also behaved appropriately at all times.


    As such, no one could really me him. Besides, people became adults at the age of 16 in this world, and so it wouldn''t be strange if Ralyks treated Belle as an adult.


    He wasn''t averse to putting them in harm''s way, so he probably thought they were all mature enough to handle themselves.


    When one put all of these factors together, it would be a really far off assumption to me Ralyks for what just transpired. However, no matter how clean a record one had, there would always be one person who saw another angle to it.


    "That''s very sus¡­" Justinmented while giving a naughty smile.


    Unfortunately for him, he was stifled by the jabs and knocks from his fellow students before he could say any more to disgrace himself.


    Needless to say, most of the students epted the ring in good faith. It looked like a powerful Enchanted Item, and was bound to help the wielder well.


    No one had anyints, and other than Justin, they all sort of recieved it well.


    The only other person who seemed to take the perverted approach was none other than Belle herself.


    She was blushing violently as Ralyks handed her the ring, despite it having no romantic connotations at all. Tears fell from her eyes, and she staggered back a few steps, almost as if she was going to faint.


    Thankfully, it didn''t happen.


    Instead, she took the ring with shivering hands and bowed her head to Ralyks¡ªprobably to hide how intensely she was was blushing, though it was already toote.


    "I am g-grateful for this gift, Sir Ralyks. I will strive to do even more to please you."


    Many felt Belle''s words were a bit off, but they assumed she meant something along the lines of "I won''t fall short of your expectations." or "I won''t disappoint you."


    Only Justin found it incredibly suspicious, but he couldn''t risk saying another word.


    A few eyes were already focused on him, waiting to see him run his mouth so they could get another satisfying round with him.


    Belle returned to the line, and the next person that was called was Rey, whom everyone knew was the most obvious option.


    He had, by far, the most surprising contribution to the mission.


    From someone who could be seen as incredibly ipetent, he was able to distinguish himself as a valid member of the fight force, mostly relying on his very impressivebat abilities to make up for hisck of power.


    It wasn''t an exaggeration to say that all the students who watched him step forward now respected him. The nods they gave as he walked towards Ralyks showed just that.


    The camarederie was palpable.


    Out of everyone, Alicia''s smile was the brightest, as she even leaked tears as she watched Rey recieve some kind of ne. He turned back to watch his ssmates, smiling and waving at her in particr.


    She smiled at him so sweetly, you would think they were more than just friends.


    While everyone had grown to respect Rey, Alicia already respected him for some time. She was just so happy to see him gain the recognition he deserved.


    The only other person who showed this level of happiness was Adonis, and a few steps lower than that was Trisha.


    "Good job, Rey¡­" Were words that trailed from Alicia''s lips as she looked at her friend.


    "Next is Alicia White."


    It wasn''t surprising to anyone that she woulde next. Not only had she improved her overall abilities, but with her Familiar by her side, she was an even bigger force to be reckoned with.


    As Rey returned to the line and Alicia stepped forward, the both of them made a high five¡ªwith the p echoing throughout the field.


    It was clear to everyone that each celebrated the other''s sess.


    ***********


    It didn''t take long for the entire ceremony to be over, and afterwards the Otherworlders were dismissed to their living quarters.


    They all had smiles on their faces, though one particr student wasn''t all too pleased despite the facade he put up.


    ''That damn Ater¡­ what the hell was he thinking?'' Rey''s thoughts trailed.


    ''He didn''t tell me he would be giving everyone gifts. Where the hell did he get those items from?''


    Rey suspected that he got most of them from the Karinc Group, and after using [Absolute Appraisal] on them, he was able to confirm that to be true.


    The only exception was the item he gave to Adonis.


    ''The Unknown Box¡­ where did he get that from?'' Rey wondered to himself.


    The Enchanted Item had one function, and it was to bring forth the full potential of a particr Skill, irrespective of the Mana Cost and the likes. It could only be used by its wielder once a day, and there weren''t any Tier Limits ced on the Item.


    ''It''s an S-Tier, so I should assume that its limited only to S-Tier Skills, right? Also, did Ater make it himself?''


    Rey wasn''t particrly jealous that Adonis had recieved this gift. After all, the current Rey had more than enough Mana to activate any of his Skills.


    He wasn''t even mad about Adonis'' present.


    It was what Ater gave Belle that greatly concerned him.


    ''I ignored what they had going because it was helpful to Belle''s growth, and he wasn''t controlling her in any way. But this¡­ this is too much!'' Rey''s thoughts echoed in his mind.


    Why would Ater go and give her a ring, especially despite knowing how Belle currently viewed Ralyks?


    ''I feel like I would be a scummy person if I ignored this¡­''


    The good news was that Ralyks was pretty much gone from the lives of the Otherworlders now that the Royal Dungeon Raid was over.


    His involvement was just a device meant to facilitate the growth of everyone involed.


    ''And now¡­ it''s all over.'' Rey smiled as he sighed in relief.


    ''All that''s left is to wrap things up nicely.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Now what''sing next¡­?!

 Chapter 378 Secret Meeting [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 378 Secret Meeting [Pt 1] </h4>


    "So¡­ how are things now?"


    Ralyks was seated on a couch within the vast reception hall of the main building within the Royal Estate. He was such a distinguished individual that the Royal Council considered him more than worthy to be treated with the utmost courtesy.


    The entire room sparkled with luxury. The curtains were made of fabrics of the highest order. The same could be said about the carpets and furniture.


    Exquisite paintings could be seen in all directions, and the fine decor radiated such pristine elegance that it could only belong to the very top of the socialdder.


    Of course, the most expensive kind of chandelier was affixed to the cieling, and the sheer radiance it depicted could make any man shed tears.


    The fact that Ralyks was not overwhelmed by this experience simply spoke volume of his character, and how he was probably used to this kind of excessive luxury.


    He was clearly unfazed.


    "Things have stabilized, thankfully." Conrad answered his question. Seated beside him were Adonis and Vida, both of whom were parties to the secret meeting between Ralyks and the Alliance''s higher-ups.


    The goal on the side of the Royal Council¡ªwhich the Hero was informally now a part of¡ªwas simple, yet difficult.


    ¡­ To make Ralyks a permanent ally of the United Human Alliance.


    His strength and resourcefulness was enough to make them unanimously decide that this was the best course of action that they could take.


    They were willing to ignore his unknown identity and shady abilities.


    As long he was on their side¡­ that was all that mattered.


    "That is good to hear." Ralyks responded calmly, as always.


    The ball was in the court of the Royal Council. For the Dark Adventurer, he had confirmed all he wanted to know.


    It had been a bit over two weeks since the Dark Gathering, as well as the Full Sweep Incident of the Merchant City.


    A lot had happened since then.


    Not only were things dug into and further investigated by the Royal Council, but they were able to discover even more criminals tied to the Underworld.


    The eerie thing about their investigation, however, was that anytime they tracked down one of the people they had confirmed to beplicit in the illegal side of the Alliance, those individuals were already dead.


    It was almost as if someone, somewhere, was carrying out divine judgment.


    They had asked Ralyks about it, but he imed not to be involved, so they had to figure out who was responsible for the Nation-wide culling that was happening.


    Other than that aspect of things, everything else was stable.


    "We aren''t sure how many shadows are still lurking around, but everyone is working diligently to search for thest remains of the criminal underworld." Vida added with a smile.


    "That''s good to hear¡­" Ralyks responded once again.


    "We''ve also recovered most of the resources that the Dark Triumvirate hoarded. Since they now belong to the Alliance, we n on properly redistributing the wealth and also ensuring the relevant resources go towards the battlefront."


    Adonis'' words were coupled with his smile.


    The older ones beside him nodded in total agreement. Every resource they got from the entire incident would be geared towards the betterment of humanity.


    "You''ve all done well." Ralyks said, nodding in satisfaction.


    His audience beamed once they noticed he was pleased with the full analysis of their activities.


    "No, we didn''t really do much, Sir Ralyks."


    "It''s all thanks to you, Sir Ralyks."


    "We really owe you more than words can say, Sir Ralyks."


    Their words were most certainly true, but they also had the intention of asking for even more of his favor. As such, they had to take on this approach.


    "You are still yet to recieve your reward, Sir Ralyks. Please tell us what you would like. Even though what we have is limited, we will grant you anything we have the power to." Conrad took the bold step to ask the pending question.


    Everyone waited to hear what their masked hero would say.


    However, much to their surprise, he just shrugged as soon as the question was posed.


    "There''s nothing on my mind at the moment. I''ll think about it and get back to you." Ralyks'' response betrayed his identity as an Adventurer.


    It caused the three who heard him to open their mouths in shock.


    "Is that fine?" His modesty and exemry attitude painted him as a saint¡ªfar more righteous than any man could possibly be.


    Beads of sweat fell from their faces and they nodded.


    "Y-yes, it''s fine!"


    Now that they had confirmed his true nature, this was the perfect time to ask for the alliance. Conrad, Vida, and Adonis exchanged nods, their signal obvious to the man who sat directly opposite them.


    They seemed like excited children who were ready to execute a n. They didn''t care, though¡ªnot when such an opportunity had presented itself to them.


    Before the three could say any more, though, a question arrived from Ralyks.


    "Do you fear me?"


    Once the question echoed in the hall, there was silence. Absolute, undisputed silence pervaded everything.


    Conrad, Adonis, and Vida looked at Ralyks, unable to see beyond his dark mask and crimson eyes as he awaited their response.


    Their gulps didn''t seem too strange as well.


    "To be honest¡­ yes. I fear you, Sir Ralyks." The first to speak was Adonis.


    He had a grave expression on his face, which made his answer seem that more genuine.


    "You''re different from anyone I''ve ever encountered. Your power is unreal, and your kindness is unmatched. In all honesty, you seem too perfect."


    This came from the guy whom everyone thought was perfect.


    Adonis was the golden standard for what an exemry person should be: strong, kind, powerful, and well-mannered.


    Yet, Ralyks beat him in almost every regard.


    "Your power is worthy of awe, Sir Ralyks. But¡­ your strength is ultimately unfathmable. And we tend to fear what we can not understand." Conrad added with a sad smile.


    "Forgive us. It''s just the nature of the weak." Vida gave the same kind of smile as Conrad.


    In the end, their answer was unanimous.


    They feared Ralyks.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I know these past couple of chapters seem like fluff, but I don''t want to rush the end this Arc.


    I hope you can at least have casual fun with these.

 Chapter 379 Secret Meeting [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 379 Secret Meeting [Pt 2] </h4>


    "I see. It''s understandable¡­"


    Upon hearing Ralyks'' response, they bowed thier heads in appreciation.


    "Thank you for your understanding."


    Ralyks shrugged, and while the tension was still quite high, Adonis took the opportunity to simply blurt out the words that were difficult to say.


    "We hope you will continue to be our ally, Sir Ralyks. We''ve been able to advance so much thanks to you. We do not want to lose your help."


    There were a bunch of questions regarding Ralyks, but none of them asked them at this moment.


    Questions like; "Why isn''t he fighting in the war against the Dragons" or "Where has he been all this time?"


    They were irrelevant at the moment.


    Ralyks must have had his reasons for not showing up until now, and for not joing the front lines to defeat the ones who threatened all of their lives.


    It wasn''t in their ce to judge him¡ªespecially after his contribution to the cause.


    All they could do was request for more help.


    "Rest assured. I am indeed on the side of humanity. I won''t do anything to the detriment of the people."


    The audience beamed as soon as he said this. It was more than just a promise. It was an assurance given by the most powerful man in the world.


    That was more than enough for the Royal Council to be satisfied.


    "Thank you¡­ for being an ally of humanity." Conrad rose to his feet and shook Ralyks'' hand. Aterwards, the other two took their turn to do the same.


    "We are most grateful, Sir Ralyks."


    *********


    Once Ralyks left, Vida was the first to plop to the couch, her lips bursting with a loud sigh of relief.


    "Haaa¡­ that went super well!" She beamed.


    Not only nad Ralyks not requested for any reward, but he also confirmed to be on their side. This was most certainly the best-case scenario.


    "Indeed. However, you shouldn''t rejoice too much." Conrad''s voice caused the two in the room to look at him with slight confusion.


    "Sir Ralyks said he is on humanity''s side, and he wouldn''t do anything to harm the people. He never specifically said anything about us, the Royal Council."


    Of course, it would be assumed that the Royal Council existed for the sake of humanity, and every action they took would be for the people''s benefits, but both sides were not the same.


    "In any instance where Sir Ralyks believes our actions are against the interest of humanity¡­ he''ll most likely eliminate us." As he added this, Vida''s expression turned a bit more sullen.


    For a few seconds, no one said anything. Then¡ª


    "Isn''t that perfect, though?" Adonis spoke as he gently sat down on the couch.


    "Right now, the Royal Council wields a lot of power and resources. There''s the possibility of corruption arising as a result of that. Sir Ralyks acts as a perfect check to the power we possess."


    Conrad and Vida nodded as soon as Adonis addressed the issue.


    "The Hero is right. This should only serve as motivation for us to do more."


    "Indeed!" Vida beamed at the words of her colleague.


    "Let''s give it our all!"


    **********


    ''It''s a relief everything went well with the Royal Council¡­''


    As Rey closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, he remembered the events clearly and smiled.


    ''Now then, on to the next issue.'' He opened his eyes, feeling the embrace of the mask that covered his face.


    Three people sat in front of him in an exquisitely furnished room. Although it wasn''t as morous as the Royal Estate''s Grand Reception Area, it was still incredibly decent.


    At the very least, that was what Rey thought.


    The three who were in front of him were former ck Market members who had turned a new leaf and were in their final phase to join the mainstream market.


    Rebal, Asher, and Kara.


    "So, have you decided on what you''ll do now that the Verte Group has officially been dissolved?" He asked thetter, using his staple Ralyks tone.


    The girl with sses nodded instantly, her green hair swaying as she bobbed her head.


    "I''ll be joining Sir Rebal and Sir Asher in their new establishment. All the remaining resources of the Verte Group will be merged with the nc Goup''s resources, which will grant me a certain percentage of the total shares, as stipted in the contract that we agreed on. Plus¡­"


    Kara went on, rambling on and on about the technicalities of the contract, and her new responsibilities in thepany. Rey found it so exhausting to listen to, especially since he couldn''t understand all of it.


    ''Why all this? I only asked what you decided to do¡­'' He slightly rejected his choice, but there was no way he could take them back now.


    He only had to wait patiently, while nodding as if he understood everything perfectly well.


    "... And that''s about it." By the time Kara was done, Rey felt like he had be a bit smarter in many regards.


    He was happy that he managed to pay attention to what was being said. While he was still lost on some aspects of the business structure, he understood the bascis.


    At first, he thought he was the only dummy in the group, but after staring at Asher for a bit and noticing how his own expression changed from collected to confused, Rey knew that he wasn''t alone in the puzzlment.


    It wasn''t that he was dumb.''


    ''This girl is just really smart. I''m sure she''ll be a good addition to the team.'' He beamed internally.


    "We have all the resources necessary to run a legitimate business, and we''re through with all the paperwork and intricacies necessary before joining the mainstream market."


    Now that they had taken all the necessary precautions, they could finally begin proper business.


    "Have you decided on the name of yourpany?" Rey asked.


    He knew they couldn''t go by any of their previous names since that would be a slight on the reputation of the newpany. Plus, it would tie them to the underworld in some way.


    They needed to have a fresh start.


    "Indeed we do." Rebal replied with a smile.


    And then, as if they had all practiced beforehand, all three of them said the name at the same time.


    "The Reaper Group."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I like where this is all going, don''t you? I hope you liked the read, everyone!

 Chapter 380 The Reaper Group

    <h4>Chapter 380 The Reaper Group </h4>


    "R-Reaper Group¡­?"


    Rey identally stuttered the moment he heard the name. Reaper was the new nickname he had gotten after the ughter at the Dak Gathering, after all.


    The name had spread beyond the reaches of the Merchant City, or so he had heard. Hearing the name being used by the former Karinc Group made him have a slight dread about what was toe.


    Despite this premonition, he went ahead to ask for the reason behind their decision.


    "Well, Sir Ralyks¡­ we thought really hard about it, but it turns out that there''s really nothing we can give you for your troubles¡­" Rebal adjusted himself on the sofa, taking a more earnest position on the seat.


    "Not only do we owe you our lives, but also literally everything that is currently in our possession. It is all because of you, Sir Ralyks."


    Rey couldn''t deny that he had shown bias towards Rebal and his family¡ªKara too¡ªdue to his prior connections to the Karinc Group.


    He would be a fool to im that they had clean hands, or that they hadmitted less atrocities than the average ck Market Group. Yet, he ughtered the rest and spared them.


    If that wasn''t bias, then what was?


    "It''s a no brainer in business to give a fair payment for the work done. And so, it was pretty obvious what the only thing we could offer you could be." Rebal smiled, bringing out a parchment rolled up like a scroll.


    It had a yellowish gold tint, and based on how Rebal carefully handled it, the object seemed to be of immense importance.


    "I have consulted my son and Miss Kara here on the issue, and we have reached a consensus. Sir Ralyks¡­ we would like to offer you our lives, and the very ownership of the Reaper Group."


    Rey''s eyes widened underneath his mask as he heard the absurd news.


    ''E-eh?!''


    He couldn''t believe his ears. Sure, he had done a lot for Rebal and his people, just as he had helped the United Human Alliance and the Royal Council.


    However, he always thought he could save up the rewards for those good deeds and reap them when the time came. For the Karinc Group, he would have been satisfied if they gave him mary benefits and free Enchanted Items.


    Sure, he deserved more, but he didn''t expect anything more than that.


    But now, they had surpassed his expectations to an unbelievable degree. He nearly yelped, but this wasn''t his first surprise rodeo, so he controlled himself.


    "I see. Are you really sure about this, though?" Rey asked as Rebal handed him the scroll, and he began to go through it.


    ''As expected¡­ it''s theirpany deed.''


    All their current properties¡ªwell, about ny-nine percent of them¡ªwere registered under thepany''s name, and the document regarding that was in his hands.


    ''I have been ced as the owner, and I''m supposed to imprint my Mana Signature and official signature, huh?'' Rey felt his heart pound.


    He was just 16 years old! He had never owned a car, or a house¡­ but now he was being put in charge of hundreds, if not thousands of properties all over the continent.


    It was too surreal.


    "Yes, we are sure. Sir Ralyks, we offer you our full devotion. We would like you to be our leader and guide us to a better future." Rebal bowed his head, and the other two followed suit.


    When Rey saw this, and heard the words of allegiance, his racing heart began to slow down.


    ''This is all very overwhelming, but I can understand why they would do this¡­'' Once he got over his initial surprise, the gears in his head began to turn.


    ''For one, they are guaranteed a safer and much more stable future if I be the head of the Reaper Group. Since it is mypany and I have the highest stake in it, I will always protect it no matter what.''


    Unlike the Royal Council, who chose the route of alliance, the Karinc Group went one step further and chose authority.


    ''At least, I can cease my alliance with the Royal Council, but I can''t easily do the same to the Reaper Group since it''s mypany.''


    The more Rey thought about it, the more he grew to appreciate Rebal''s wit on the issue.


    ''Or was it Kara that thought about it? It would make sense if it was her¡­'' He had seen her technical sense, and it was astounding.


    ''Even though I''m the official owner of the Reaper Group, pretty much all of the management and business will be done by them. They will still get most of the profit, since I have shown that I don''t really have much use for money."


    Of course, Rey knew they feared ''Ralyks'' too much for there to be corruption, but he also understood that there was really no true loss on their part if they turned over the ownership of thepany to him.


    ''Other than the fact that I''ll want a steady supply of Enchanted Items, of which I''ll probably supply the Monster Cores or other materials for, it''s really a no-brainer."


    Rebal and hisrades now had a shield for thepany, and Rey was tethered to it since he was the owner in every sense of the word.


    Both sides benefitted, and there really wasn''t a loss.


    ''It''s also pretty cool that I now have my own faction. The Reaper Guild will definitely make lots of money, and with the resources they have as my own, I''m pretty much like a billionaire.'' He began to muse.


    He felt strangely excited.


    It was more money than he would ever be able to spend, considering most of his needs were already covered, but the prospects of having so much disposable ie and capable subordinates thrilled him to no end.


    ''This is really the best!'' Rey grinned widely, while maintaining his outward Ralyks demeanor.


    "Very well. I ept your fealty."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I wonder what rank Rey is on the billionaire charts. My guy really took this to the next level.

 Chapter 381 Hearing From Esme

    <h4>Chapter 381 Hearing From Esme </h4>


    After some more minutes¡ªnearly spanning an hour¡ªof discourse concerning thepany, its assets, and a bunch of other technical things kept brief, the official handing down was over.


    Of course, this was just the official state of things.


    Rey still appointed Rebal as the CEO, and Kara as the Deputy. Asher''s role, as well as the other staff''s responsibilities, would be decided by the two heads of thepany.


    Even though he was the true Head of The Reaper Group, he didn''t have to do anything.


    ''I guess being Ralyks is enough for them¡­'' Rey mused, considering how they readily agreed with no caveats.


    Just as he expected, this must have been what they were after all along.


    ''I don''t even really mind that they''re using me. I''ll be using them plenty in the future¡­''


    The people of the Reaper Group knew that he could kill them at any time, so they wouldn''t dare scheming against him. He was also sure he had shown a fair amount of intelligence to apany his power, so they wouldn''t consider him to be dumb.


    ''If I was all muscle and no brain, they could have manipted me and used me for my strength while offering nothing of real value in return.''


    But that wasn''t what happened.


    The Karinc Group, now Reaper Group, knew what he was capable of¡­ and they probably suspected him of even more feats.


    ''I''m sure they won''t betray me.''


    "A-ah¡­ Sir Ralyks, I apologize for not remembering until now. Lady Esme informed me that she would like to see you now."


    Rey''s eyes nearly bulged the moment he heard those words.


    ''He knows her name?! Did Esme tell him?'' That seemed to be the only exnation, all things considered.


    "Did she tell you that personally¡­?" Rey asked, his tone as calm as possible despite feeling all sorts of turbulence within.


    "Well, no. She told the maid attending to her. But, we spoke after I was informed of that for a brief moment."


    "What did you speak about?"


    "She just wanted to know when next you would being, and I told her that I didn''t know. Then she asked a few questions about you, and your rtionship with our Group."


    "S-she did that? What did she¡­ ah, hold on¡­"


    Rey told himself to calm down, as his excitement and shock was breaking his Ralyks persona. If he wasn''t careful, he wouldpletely ruin what he had been trying to build up for so long.


    ''I can''t allow that!''


    Still, this was quite the development!


    ''Esme didn''t speak to anyone because they were Evil in her eyes. Even back then, when she informed them that she didn''t want to see me, she did it by way of a letter.''


    The only time she spoke to Rebal, and Kara was due to the circumstances surrounding the Dark Gathering¡ªnothing more, nothing less.


    ''Yet, she''s having conversations and revealing her name? What is going on here?'' Rey''s heart began to pound as he considered the possibilities.


    ''In any case, it seems like she wants to see me. I can just ask when I see her!''


    It had been over two weeks since hestid eyes on Esme. In the past, he hadn''t really considered her to be a big deal, and even up until this very moment, she hadn''t really yed an important role in his life.


    Rey didn''t think he was particrly close to her either.


    ''And yet we know so much about each other¡­'' His thoughts trailed as he narrowed his eyes.


    Perhaps that was why he felt so attached to her despite their interactions being brief and on few assions at best.


    There was also the fact that he saw her naked, but Rey didn''t want to think about it.


    "Very well. We shall conclude our discussions here." Rey said, now regaining his respectable aura of calmness.


    "I''ll go and see how she is doing."


    As soon as he rose to his feet, everyone followed suit and nodded in understanding.


    It seemed they still thought something special was going on between the two of them despite that not being the case. Rey didn''t feel the need to correct them, though.


    He didn''t know why, but he felt strangely pleased that he was being paired with someone like Esme.


    ''As long she and I know it''s not true, there''s no need to ruin the whole thing¡­''


    Besides, him denying a rtionship with her would only raise further questions, and he didn''t want any new issue centered around misced romance.


    ''Welp¡­ this is farewell for now.'' He stared at all three of the people before him, wondering if he should give any words of encouragement or admonition.


    After a while of internal deliberation, Rey decided against it.


    ''Make tons of money for me!'' Was what he shouted in his head before he teleported away.


    ***********


    ~VWUSH!~


    Rey appeared in front of Esme''s room in an instant, and while he stood in front of it, he remembered what happened just two weeks earlier.


    He recollected her pain, and the more time passed after then, he could understand how deep her despair ran.


    ''For the first few days, I was tempted to go back and see her. Maybe even knock the door over if that was what it took¡­''


    Rey thanked Ater for stopping him during those moments. His Familiar talked some sense to him every time, allowing him to calmly assess the matter.


    After the first week passed, he became a lot more stable and decided to give Esme her space.


    That didn''t mean that he didn''t miss or think of her at times. However, he just reached the point where he unerstood her intentions and was willing to truly respect her wishes.


    ''I still can''t believe she spoke to a maid, and even Asher, before me, though¡­''


    Rey didn''t want to admit it, but he didn''t feel the best of emotions after learning that Asher spoke to her.


    ''I still want to know what they talked about, but¡­'' He took a deep breath as he stepped forward.


    ''... Seeing how she''s doinges first.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    We finally see our belloved Half Elf again! I wonder how much Esme has changed, or maybe she hasn''t really. Who knows¡­

 Chapter 382 Esme’s Decision

    <h4>Chapter 382 Esme¡¯s Decision </h4>


    Once Rey took a step forward, a voice emerged from beyond the door that stood before him.


    It had been a little over two weeks since he heard that voice.


    The moment if came forth, Rey felt something shift in his heart. The melodious tune danced in his ears, and he felt his body grow lighter.


    At that instant, the tension in his body vanished.


    Rey felt relief.


    "Is that you, Rey? Pleasee in."


    Those words propelled him to take more steps forward as he twisted the doorknob and finally gained ess to the sanctuary beyond.


    ''Ahhh¡­''


    The first thing that upied him was the lovely aroma that was swept out the instant he opened the door. It overwhelmed his senses, causing him to close his eyes as the entire ambiance embraced him.


    It felt like nature hade to visit him, granting him the gift of countless flowers with the best vors to please his nose.


    It was ecstatic, just standing at the entrance.


    "What are you standing there for? Come in."


    Rey snapped out of his reverie, and perhaps it was muscle memory, but his legs began to move on their own despite his mind still not recovered from the pleasant breeze and amazing scent he recieved.


    He closed the door behind him, and once again, the wonders of Esme''s room made him gleam with delight.


    It was cool and spectacr, just like the Elf who sat on her bed¡­ waiting for him toe to her.


    Her long white hair felt like clear clouds, spilling over her shoulders to the point where they hearly reached her knees. She currently donned an oversized shirt, with shorts and was barefoot¡ªthe usual casual wear that Esme preferred.


    Everything about the experience felt like the very first time he entered her room. He didn''t know why, but that was the vibe he felt.


    Her clear blue eyes shone like gems the moment she stared at him, and soon as their eyes met, she beamed.


    Rey felt a wave of energy, mixed with emotions rush towards him.


    ''She looks the same. Yet¡­ something has changed about her.''


    Perhaps it was because she looked more elf-like now, thanks to her pointy ears. Maybe it was because this would be the first time he saw her smile in her room while donning her white hair.


    No¡­ just the mere fact that he was seeing her for the first time in two weeks made him leak out a smile.


    ''I guess I missed her more than I thought.'' Rey thought tp himself.


    He steadied his pace and took his seat right next to her, right under the watch of her azure eyes. The moment he did so, however, he found his entire body plopping on the incredibly soft mattress.


    "Ahh¡­ this is reallyfortable. I should ask Rebal where he got it!" He found himself speaking first as he faced the ceiling.


    Inhaling deeply and closing his eyes, he whispered.


    "I''ve missed this."


    "What? The bed?" Esme''s voice proceeded naturally, almost as if they had been talking for a while now.


    "You." He responded almost instantly. "I''ve missed this¡­ with you."


    The moment he said this, he saw her smile a bit more, drawing her hand to his mask forehead to poke it.


    Then¡ª


    ~TUT~


    ¡ªShe did exactly that.


    "What was that for?" Rey answered, returning to his seated posture.


    Her actions didn''t hurt him at all, but he worried that she might have done something to the mask.


    "Nothing. Just wondering when you learned to talk like that." She said, very smoothly too.


    "Talk like what? How am I talking?"


    "I don''t know. You tell me." She giggled, much to Rey''s pleasant surprise.


    Her softughter was even more amazing than her mere smile. Rey wanted to make herugh even more, but he was still confused about what he said that was so funny.


    "In any case, I''m happy you''re here, Rey. I missed you too."


    Almost as soon as she said that, herughter vanished, and only a somewhat sad smile remained.


    She still looked incredible, but Rey knew that she had a lot to get off her chest. He just wanted to hear her out.


    "I''m sorry about the other day. There was a lot on my mind. A lot of things that I had to process¡­ you know?" As she said this, she looked away.


    "Yeah. I get it."


    For a moment, there was silence.


    Rey was tempted to speak, but he stopped himself every time his lips were about to part. This was Esme''s time, and he had to respect it.


    Even if she didn''t say anything, he would just sit there in silence.


    That was what he decided.


    "I thought about it a lot, Rey. I questioned my beliefs, ideology, everything. After seeing everything crumble before my eyes, and seeing myselfitting the very atrocities I condemned¡­ I had to ask myself the difficult questions."


    Once again, Rey waited patiently.


    Esme turned to look at him, her face nowpletely serious.


    "I used to think that all life is precious. I didn''t want to hurt anyone or anything¡­ even if they hurt me back." She said.


    As her soft voice flowed, so did the tears from her moist eyes.


    "Ah, excuse me."


    "N-no, its fi¡ª"


    "One second¡­" Esme raised her hand and reached out for a nearby linen of white.


    She cleaned her tears and even blew her nose¡ªall right in front of Rey. He could only watch in silence as she did all of this.


    Once she was done, she sighed and turned in his direction once again.


    "Where was I? Ah, yes¡­ I no longer think any of that, Rey." Esme''s words took a somewhat dark tone.


    Her tone was still calm and soft, but there was a certain bluntness about them that Rey couldn''t quite exin.


    "Rey, I want to punish those who bring about evil and cause suffering. As long as my actions will bring about better good than suffering¡­" Everything about her words and demeanor rang of resolve.


    "... I am more than willing to do whatever it takes."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    It doesn''t seem like she has changed very much. Looks like it''s the same Esme we know and love, at least for the most part.


    But, man¡­ Rey really is a simp, huh?

 Chapter 383 Discourse On Morality

    <h4>Chapter 383 Discourse On Morality </h4>


    "Whatever it takes¡­?"


    Rey found himself blurting out the very words he heard Esme say.


    ''What does she mean by that?''


    "I mean what I said, Rey." The Half Elf answered him with a stern face. "I will do whatever I can to achieve more good than suffering around me."


    For a moment, an eerie silence took over. Rey watched as Esme''s lips moved to show the extent to which she was willing to go.


    "... Even if it means taking the lives that I once thought was precious."


    In that instant, Rey recognized just how prepared Esme was to fulfil her new disposition.


    Many people often spouted off ideals, but theycked the resolve to do anything to bring them to reality. Even back on Earth, Rey''s original world, there were people who wanted radical changes to the world, or warned against certain catastrophes that would befall mankind if certain steps weren''t taken.


    Some of them were for objectively good causes, and they were right in their ideals.


    However, most people did not follow-up these ideals with action. They didn''t have the resolve¡ªthe unbreakble will¡ªto do what had to be done.


    Just like on Earth, this was a dog eat dog world.


    Many people¡ªlike the Esme of the past¡ªwished for peace and harmony. They shunned evil and clung to good. However, they really didn''t have enough willpower to take the extra step to ensure their wishes became manifest in the canvas of reality.


    But now¡­ Rey saw a different person in front of him.


    Esme had changed!


    "What is good, Rey? What is evil?"


    For a moment, no one said a world. Rey merely watched in astonishment, processing everything he was hearing.


    "Come on¡­ answer."


    "A-ahh, about that¡­" Rey stuttered, his face falling as he thought a little deeply about the subject matter.


    "I don''t think there''s such a thing as objective good or objective evil. Killing is bad, until you have to kill for the reasons. Stealing is wrong, unless those goods are stolen from a hoarder to feed your dying child. It''s a messy spectrum, but such an arbitrary disposition can also mean anything goes if someone has a right reason. It ultimately leads to chaos."


    He paused for a moment, introspecting on what he really felt.


    "What do you mean by chaos?"


    "Well¡­" Rey sought for the best way to exin his position. "For the most basic examples, my position works just about well. If there is no objective good or evil, then people simply need to operate on their perceptions of morality. But¡­ that never ends well."


    In the end, people are warped.


    One man''s definition of morals often differ from the other, and while there is usually a general consensus by society on what ethics ought to be, there were certain grey areas that couldn''t be resolved no matter how Rey thought about it.


    "If a man''s daughter is captured by an unknown third party, and he has to kill another man''s dauughter to save his own¡­ what happens then?"


    "..." Esme was silent.


    "Is the first man justified inmiting such a sin? Perhaps. But what of the second man who has to defend his daughter, whose life means the death of the first man''s daughter?"


    "..." Yet another moment of silence.


    "Who is right? Who is wrong? Ultimately, the third party is the truly evil one, but sometimes life presents us with equally problematic situations. What then?"


    Perhaps life in itself is evil, but since everyone is living in the world, it remains an abstract entity.


    For Rey, he couldn''t get over this moral dilemma.


    Perhaps that was why [Dead Calm] seemed more appealing to him these days.


    "I justify my murder of humans by saying they''re nothing more than monsters, or perhaps they''re even worse." That was his way of escaping the moral dilemma.


    He could kill Monsters because they weren''t a member of his species, just as humans killed animals. He would kill Dragons because they were going to wipe out humanity otherwise.


    And as for people¡­ they were no longer humans in his eyes.


    "I get stronger by these killings, so its an additional incentive for me." Rey confessed.


    He never imed to be morally correct in all instances, which was why he was of the firm opinion that people couldn''t bepletely good or evil.


    He sometimes did evil things for what he considered good reasons.


    "I know I''m a hypocrite in a sense. After all, I sided with the KariBanc Group and aided a criminal organization, instead of wiping them out along with the rest."


    A true saint would have done that.


    "I spared them because of my past rtionsip with them, and for the additional benefits I could gain from them."


    Rebal and the rest were his allies, so he sided with them.


    If they had been his enemies, he would have killed them without mercy.


    ''The same thing will happen if they turn on me at any given moment.'' Rey had already made that resolve within him.


    He simply didn''t think it was a ''Good'' action. Still, he didn''t think he was evil either.


    "I just¡ª"


    "Want to know what I think?" Esme''s voice interrupted his silent whisper.


    Rey broke out of his slump and looked at the Half Elf in front of him. She had a calm look, not appearing bothered by the moral conflicts at all.


    It made him curious.


    "What¡­ do you think?"


    "I think you''re oveplicating the issue." Rey found his eyes widening the moment he heard this from Esme.


    "What do you mean?"


    "You already said it yourself. Good and Evil are rtive." She answered with a sigh. "There is no true good and evil in this world. There never was, and I fear there never will be¡­"


    Despite making such a despairing statement, Esme leaked out a smile.


    "Still, I want to make the world as good as it possibly can be."


    "H-how¡­?" Rey asked.


    No matter what one did, they would still end up in the same moral dilemma.


    Unless¡ª


    "I will follow my own definition of morality and execute justice¡­ the way I deem fit."


    That, ultimately, was the path Esme chose for herself.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    What do you think on this question of morality? Personally, I''m neutral on the issue, but I''d like to hear your thoughts on it.

 Chapter 384 Right Or Wrong

    <h4>Chapter 384 Right Or Wrong </h4>


    Is it right to take a life?


    NO.


    Is it right to take a life you believe to be wrong?


    MAYBE.


    Is it wrong to allow a life you believe to be wrong take another life?


    YES.


    In the endless spectrum of results, Esme chose the simplest path to arrive at her definition of morality.


    "I will eliminate anyone who threatens the wellbeing of myself, those I care about, and those I consider to be worth keeping alive."


    And so, when it came to the question of the two men and their daughters, Esme had her answer.


    "If killing a man''s daughter will save my daughter, I''ll kill the daughter. If killing a man will save my daughter, I''ll kill the man. And if I can kill the third party who started the twisted game, then that is what I will do."


    There was no need for a moral dilemma or oveplicating an issue that would appear simple to anyone living in a certain point of view.


    "Why is that your answer?" Rey asked Esme.


    "Because I can''t save everyone. I have a life, and I am limited by my experiences. It''s useless taking my opponent''s perspective and experience into ount. I am not them, and they are not me."


    Rey slowly nodded.


    "If I choose not to kill someone''s daughter to save my own, am I so certain that the person would do the same if they were in my shoes? No¡­ I don''t think so."


    In the end, humans only did things based on their perception of things.


    "We don''t see the world as it is, but from a contaminated lens of the self¡­ eh?" Rey smiled as he looked at Esme.


    She wasn''t wrong in her analysis.


    ''We share the same perspective on how we would handle the situation¡­'' His thoughts trailed.


    Rey never expected to switch to his perspective so easily, but after seeing the ugliness of the world, it seemed she too hade to the same conclusion as him.


    "But doing that doesn''t make you good, does it?" He added, a bit yfully.


    "Huh? Why doesn''t it make me good?"


    "Hmm?" Rey was surprised by her question.


    Wasn''t it a given that doing bad deeds already made you a bad person, unless one looked at it from the spectrum of moral rtivism¡ªwhich was what both Rey and Esme currently held to be the correct path.


    In that vein, there wasn''t any real hero or viin¡ªno truly good or bad person. People could do good things for bad reasons and bad things for good reasons.


    Hence, Rey was simply saying Esme wasn''t fully good. If she was willing to kill another man''s daughter to save her own, ormit atrocities to achieve what she percieved to be a better oue.


    Then she wasn''t truly good, neither was she truly evil.


    Of course, Rey exined this to her, but Esme shook her head while she listened.


    "I don''t ept that." She responded.


    Her tone was once again serious, and her eyes gleamed with nothing short of resolve.


    "I am a good person. I choose to follow the path that I consider good and generate the best oue for everyone."


    Of course, it was what SHE considered the best oue, but still¡­


    "If I do all of that, then I AM good. Because the other side is what I would call EVIL." That was Esme''s conclusion.


    Upon hearing this, Rey said nothing more.


    ''Ahh¡­ I understand now.'' His crimson eyes shone brightly as he observed her Status Window.


    He instantly understood why her current perspective was the way it was.


    ''She''s Chaotic Good¡­ just like Billy.''


    That meant they followed their own path and philosophy of good¡­ to the letter.


    ''We''re not the same at all!''


    The one big difference between Esme and Reyy in the nature of their convictions.


    Rey would do the exact same thing that Esme would, but he did so from a neutral perspective¡ªconsidering himself neither objectively right or wrong.


    But she was different.


    Esme was right in her own convictions! That made her the most dangerous kind of Good person.


    ''It looks like she indeed sorted out her trauma¡­'' Rey''s thoughts trailed as he looked at Esme''s bright smile.


    ''It just wasn''t in the way I expected.''


    *********


    "So¡­ do you have an objective n on how you''ll go about this new ideal of yours?"


    Rey''s question echoed in the room after several minutes of silence from both parties.


    He was initially willing to give her time to say whatever she had to say, but after waiting for a while, Rey suspected that Esme was done with what she had to say.


    And so, he asked the question.


    "I want to y an active role in defeating the Dragons. To do that, though¡­ I''ll need to get a lot stronger than I am at the moment."


    Rey nodded and smiled the moment he heard this.


    ''That''s the spirit!''


    It was nice to see her so fired-up. Her Stats were fine, in all honesty, but that was by human standards. The fact that she could get even stronger made it all the more pertinent to do so.


    "I''m happy you said that, Esme. I was also thinking of how I can


    ¡ª"


    "No, Rey¡­" Esme cut him short before he finished his statement. "I can''t burden you any longer."


    The moment Rey heard this, he flinched.


    "You''ve done a lot for me, and I appreciate it. But my conscience can''t allow me to keep burdening you like this when there''s an easier alternative."


    "You mean¡­ the Elves?" He asked, though his tone was near silent.


    Esme nodded and widened her smile a little. "If it''s not too much trouble, can you help me reunite with them? I would like to fight alongside them."


    Rey understood everything.


    ''Why do I feel this way? Wasn''t this the initial n? Isn''t this what I always wanted?''


    Perhaps he just thought they would have more time together.


    "I apologize for burdening you onest time, Rey¡­" As Esme spoke, Rey raised a hand and shook his head. He smiled sadly, though she couldn''t see it thanks to his mask.


    "I understand, Esme. I''ll make sure you get to meet your people."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 385 Meeting With The Elves

    <h4>Chapter 385 Meeting With The Elves </h4>


    The truth of the matter was that Rey already had a discussion on the Elf issue with Rebal not too long ago.


    It seemed the Elves were still around, and they were very much interested in the exchange.


    Rey was personally going to see them and acquire more information about the Elves¡ªas much as he possible could¡ªwhile trying his best to form some kind of connection to them.


    He would take things slow and easy until he knew enough before he suggested the idea to Esme.


    ''Who would have thought she would bring it up first¡­'' He smiled wryly as he sat in his room.


    Rey wasn''t upset her decision. In fact, he understood it perfectly.


    ''Just the way I fight for humans, she probably wants to do the same with those she closely rtes to the most.''


    Besides, the Elves never hurt her like the humans had. They were also the more superiror race, and they would be able to help her grow a lot faster than the humans.


    ''It''s the most preferred option.'' Rey sighed.


    He plopped on his bed, instantly remembering Esme''s.


    The beds offered to the Otherworlders was by no means of shoddy quality. For all he knew, his could even be better than the Esme''s.


    And yet¡­ he found himself missing that sensation.


    "Haa¡­ I''m so stupid." Rey muttered to himself, not even knowing why.


    ''The meeting with the Elves has already been arranged. It''s happening tomorrow, and I''ll be warping there with Esme.''


    When he told her of the details, she beamed and excitedly epted his offer to take her along with him.


    Of course, the meeting was purelymercial, but Rey was sure Elves wouldn''t reject one of their own seeking sanctuary with them.


    At the very least, it was worth a shot.


    "Welp¡­" He closed his eyes and nonchntly raised both hands. He had to let go at some point, and now was the best time to do so.


    ''... It is what it is.''


    ************


    [The Next Day]


    ~VWUUSH!~


    Rey, Aldred and Esme proceeded out of a portal, all three of them in their respective disguises.


    Rey was in his usual Ralyks appearance, and as for Esme, she was dressed in an overall hood that covered most of her face from being seen.


    Aldred wore an his all-ck suit, with his handsome face exposed and his clear skin gleaming under the evening sky.


    The meeting took ce at the very eastern shores of the Western Continent. It was the first time Rey hade to such a ce, so after teleporting to the nearest location, and flying for another long distance, he saw the meeting spot from afar and opened a portal there.


    All of this was to achieve a grand entry, and he considered it sessful by all standards.


    The waves crashed upon the rocks present at the beach, and Rey could see water constantly creeping to sea shore from a short distance off.


    It reminded him of the beach back home, though this ce was deserted.


    Well, almost deserted.


    "You can undo your cloaking. I can clearly see you." Rey spoke up, looking in a particr direction to his far right.


    Just as he said, there were about three Elves standing there¡ªthough there was a certain barrier that covered them from sight.


    It was useless against his perception, though.


    "You have good eyes." A voice echoed forth, and from the invisibleyer that existed, three figures emerged.


    Just as Rey expected¡­ they were Elves.


    All three were exquisitely beautiful, all dressed in attires that could only be described as gorgeous¡ªalbeit crude.


    Their hair had neon-like colors, but the one that stood out to him was the hair of the Elf at the center. It was bluish green, and her attire matched it well¡ªexuding an air of elegance he couldn''t ignore.


    Everything about the Elf at the center captivated him. She was incredibly beautiful¡ªalmost as beautiful as Esme.


    She wielded a white wooden staff, and while her demeanor was stoic, slowly turning into a frown, she still looked incredible.


    Other than looks, though¡­


    ''This smell¡­ it''s so good!''


    It reminded him of Esme''s room, though somehow it felt stronger than that. The aura that came from thedy at the center dominated all the rest, and so did her scent.


    It was not as pleasant as Esme''s, but it was more overpowering.


    ''Are all Elves like this?'' He wondered, snapping himself back to his senses as he watched them approach.


    "My name is Aurora El viarai. My sisters with me are L and Lali." She introduced herself.


    Rey nodded in acknowledgment and introduced himself as well.


    "My name is Ralyks. With me are Aldred and Esme."


    "Es¡­ me?"


    "Yes?" Rey asked, wondering if the name struck some kind of bell with Aurora.


    It would make things a lot easier if they actually knew Esme in some way, or if she happened to be the long lost daughter of their queen or something.


    Unfortunately, they had no such luck.


    "That''s a good name." Was all Auororamented on.


    It was disappointing, but not entirely so. Much to Rey''s relief, the Elves were plenty courteous.


    He didn''t know if it was because they were desperate, or they were always like this, but it made the mood perfect for Esme''s entire reveal.


    Before that, though¡­ business came first.


    ''I''m tempted to look at their Status Windows, but I can''t do that now.''


    If they had some sort of way to know that he used [Absolute Appraisal], he could risk offending them. Worst case scenario, the deal would be off..


    ''I don''t know just how desperate they are, but it''s probably not a good idea to test the waters yet.''


    He still wanted to maintain good rtions with the Elves after this, and there was the issue of Esme. Rey decided to wait until the deal was sealed and he was somewhat out of reach before he used [Absolute Appraisal].


    That way, they couldn''t be sure that it was him.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Well, we''re slowly arriving at the conclusion of the Arc. For real this time.


    I hope you''ve been having a good ride thus far.

 Chapter 386 The Elf Encounter [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 386 The Elf Encounter [Pt 1] </h4>


    "Are you with the goods?"


    The Elf called Aurora finally broke the silence with her question. Her eyes narrowed and her frown deepened.


    Rey could see her strengthen her grip on the staff, and nothing about her demeanor spoke of friendliness.


    Despite the Elves being courteous, it didn''t automatically make them friendly.


    ''She''s has her guard raised, huh? I can even sense ten other Elves that are hiding a far distance off. It''s best I don''t mention that, though¡­'' His thoughts trailed.


    The atmosphere was a little too tense for his liking, but it couldn''t be helped.


    Rey slightly nced at Aldred, who slowly nodded at him. He took in a deep breath and calmed himself.


    ''I can''t mess up. Let''s get this over with.''


    "Yes, I do. And do you have the promised payments?" Rey took a step closer as he brought a small sack from one of his pockets.


    Within the pouch were quite a few Spatial Rings, which contained the Enchanted Items that the Elves requested.


    ''Over ten thousand in total. They really bought in bulk, huh?'' Rey smiled to himself as he looked at Aurora.


    "Of course we do. What do you take us for?" Aurora responded as she nodded at one of the Elves behind her.


    Rey raised his brow underneath his mask and felt a bit slighted.


    ''What''s her deal? Didn''t she ask me the same thing?'' The way he saw things, the Elf before him had a serious attitude.


    Even if she wasn''t in a good mood, that didn''t mean she could bring it into business.


    One of the assisting Elves behind Aurora¡ªFeyi or Feyu, Rey didn''t quite remember the name¡ªhanded over a sack to Aurora seemingly out of nowhere.


    Of course, for Rey who had already noticed the sak under severalyers of concealment, it didn''t look that way at all.


    "Here, as promised. There are high-end minerals and Mana Crystals of the cumtive value of the items you are exchanging." Aurora raised the sack and gave Rey, and he also returned the favor and gave her the small pouch.


    "You don''t mind if I examine the goods, do you?"


    Rey asked this the moment took the sack away from Aurora''s hands. Naturally, the pouch that was previously with him now belonged to them.


    ''It feels considerably heavy. I should check, though¡­''


    "Hmph! Do as you please." Aurora responded, and a certain re of stifled hatred echoed from her eyes.


    ''Why does she look so mad? Rebal told me the Elves were pretty cooperative with him, though it was difficult making the deal with them. But he didn''t say it was this bad!''


    Rey felt like something ha definitely happened to make them like this.


    ''Well, let''s ignore that for now¡­''


    Rey opened therge sack before him and noticed the goods. He utilized [Absolute Appraisal], on one hand to confirm the quality, and on the other hand to see if the Elves noticed him using the Skill at all.


    At the very least, that would allow him to know if they aware of the Skill and its effects.


    ''Oho! These are incredibly pure Mana Crystals! Far purer than anything we have here¡­'' Rey looked at the shining gems before him.


    It wasn''t just Mana Crystals, though.


    The Elves had Orichalcum, Mythril, and Adamantite¡ªthe three rarest metals in the world.


    Well, ording to the books he read.


    The fact that the Elves had them in such phenomenal quality and quantity told Rey that perhaps they weren''t as rare as he imagined.


    ''This is really¡­''


    With these materials, and the Monster Core he obtained from ying that S-Tier Monster, he could create a very potent Item.


    Perhaps the frist Grade 2 Item in the history of mankind.


    ''Grade 1 would be an item like the Divine Sword. I don''t think anyone could make something like that¡­''


    Rey felt his smile widen as he anticipated the future. In the meantime, it seemed the Elves were also done with their analysis, and so the leader spoke up promptly.


    "They''re all here. This concludes our deal."


    Aurora''s voice was stone cold, a lot less thrilled than Rey expected.


    There was no way he could just watch the Elves go like that when they had ess to such pure minerals¡ªprobably in high quantity. If the Alliance could exploit that, then maybe¡­


    "Hold on, Lady Aurora. If you don''t mind, I would like to discuss further business with you."


    "I do mind, and there is nothing further to discuss." Aurora responded bluntly.


    She made to leave, turning her sights from Rey. He clenched his teeth and sighed internally.


    ''I can''t rush things. If I am too pushy, it''ll just push them away even more. Besides, they''ll eventually run out of those Items, so there''s a chance we can do business again.''


    There was also the possibility of the Elves finally winning the war on their end, so Rey wasn''tpletely sure which side of the pendulum his interests would fall on.


    ''There''s the backup n, but¡­ I should at least try my hardest here, right?''


    Rey opened his lips to call upon Aurora''s attention, but before he could do so, a louder voice echoed from behind him.


    "Lady Aurora, please spare me a moment of your time!" It came from Esme.


    Rey swiftly turned to look at her, finding her hood down and her Elven face exposed.


    ''Ahh¡­ I guess it hase to this already.'' His thoughts were deted. ''This isn''t going in the order I expected it to.''


    He made one more nce at Aldred, but the young man simply smiled and shrugged.


    ''Fair enough.'' He smiled and kept quiet, turning his gaze back to Aurora, whose eyes were widened with shock.


    "Why¡­ Y-you¡­?" Her voice quaked as beads of tears began to fall from her moist eyes.


    It seemed like just one look at Esme was enough to make the cold and angry Elf soften up and even cry. Rey''s eyes glistened in relief.


    ''At the very least, I can say the Esme n worked we¡ª''


    "Why do you look like her¡­ you abominable half-breed?"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I think we all sort of expected this oue. Also, I''m sure you can all guess the reason why Aurora is upset.

 Chapter 387 The Elf Encounter [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 387 The Elf Encounter [Pt 2] </h4>


    Rey''s eyes were wide in shock.


    ''W-what¡­?'' He struggled to process the words that Aurora had just spat out.


    ''Abominable half-breed¡­?''


    He took another look at Aurora''s face, and what he saw wasn''t an emotion synonymous to pity, kindness, or sadness. It wasn''t anything warm and fuzzy that was synonymous with a happy reunion.


    This was the opposite.


    Aurora'' tears were not for Esme, but for herself and her people. The look she gave Esme was that of disgust and slowly growing rage.


    "A Half Elf¡­ that looks like Older Sister¡­? How repulsive!"


    Esme was so stunned by the response that Aurora gave that she fell silent. All the resolve and confidence that she had umted for this moment fizzled out almost instantly.


    She just stood there, like a statue, and watched as Aurora uesed words to tear her to pieces.


    "Isn''t that a bit too far?" Rey finally spoke up, his brows raised in annoyance.


    He didn''t want to speak up, since both parties were Elves, and it was only right for family to sort things out themselves. However, he quickly changed his mind once he saw how Aurora treated Esme.


    And more importantly¡­ he noticed how hurt Esme looked.


    ''This bitch clearly doesn''t see Esme as the same kind as her.'' For the first time since the start of the conversation, Rey frowned.


    "You stay out of this, filthy human. Our deal isplete, so you may be on your way." Aurora waved her hand and dismissed Rey with that gesture.


    "You will leave this Half Elf here, though. I have some questions for her that are not the business of humans."


    ''What the hell¡­?'' Rey''s frown deepened.


    "I will have to tell you to excuse us now."


    After listening to how Aurora spoke to him about Esme, and how she red deeply at the object of attention, Rey felt a tinge of relief that the Elf had exposed her true feelings.


    Even the two Elves behind Aurora expressed the same disgust as they stared at Esme, though there was still some level of shock in their demeanor.


    ''To think I wanted Esme to return to these assholes.''


    On one hand, it seemed the Elves wore their hearts on their sleeves. That made them a lot easier to deal with than humans, who were experts at concealing their feelings.


    If Aurora was an intelligent human, she would have pretended to get along with Esme until Rey and Aldred left. Perhaps they would have even gotten to the Eastern Continent before the ill treatment started.


    Instead of doing things in such a calcted fashion, Aurora and her sisters spilled the beans so quickly.


    ''Maybe it doesn''t matter to them. If they can simply get rid of us and capture Esme either way, then there''s no need to pretend¡­'' Rey''s mind flowed.


    Either way, he was grateful to them for showing their true intentions.


    "Esme is never returning to you." Rey took a step forward, swiftly throwing the sack of goods to Aldred.


    The nimble man caught it instantly, holding it tightly whils Rey folded both hands and nted his heels on the ground.


    "I believe I already told you to leave her and return to your vile settlement¡ªwherever that is."


    Aurora''s frown deepened, and she gave Rey an intense re.


    Despite all of this, however, not an iota of her beauty was sullied. In fact, Rey thought she looked even prettier when she was in a terrible mood.


    ''Ahh¡­ what am I thinking?'' It was an inappropriate thought to consider at the moment, and he quickly chastized himself for it.


    "Why don''t you make me¡­ bitch?" Rey responded with words of his own.


    He was never very good ating up with insults, so he merely spat out what cane to his mind first. It felt good, letting out a tiny bit of his frustrations on the Elf, but he knew that it came at a cost.


    ''I guess it''s toote to form a cordial rtionship.'' The flustered look on Aurora''s face told him that much. ''We''ll just have to go with n B.''


    Rey didn''t me himself for speaking out, though. The Elves started it, and it was clear that they were not interested in any kind of mutual understanding in the slightest.


    They were arrogant, rude, and extremely insensitive people¡ª


    though it seemed like they would be the exact opposite merely based on their appearance.


    It annoyed Rey to the core.


    ''Forget an alliance with them. I don''t even care.''


    He simply stood his ground and waited for what Aurora would do in response to his words.


    "You bald monkey with no proper cognitive function. You dare address an Elf with words that are meant only for lower creatures like your kind?"


    Rey felt the insult seep into his soul, and it hurt him intensely.


    "Imbeciles like you should know their ce and do what they are told. I have been as kind to you as I possibly can, so leave now while I still offer you the grace of my understanding¡­ fool."


    Rey inhaled deeply, trying his hardest to exercise full control. Perhaps using [Dead Calm] would be perfect here, but Rey was also aware that he could kill the Elves simply based on the intense intent they were directing towards him.


    Speaking of intent, Rey could feel immense bloodlusting from behind him. He swiftly turned to Aldred and rapidly shook his head.


    ''Don''t do anything, you idiot!''


    Fortunately, Aldred saw this and took control of himself. It was a close call, all things considered.


    "Why are you still here, fool?" Aurora asked, narrowing her gaze at Rey.


    Any second now, and the Elf could attack him. He had to prepare for whatever they could dish out and ensure they made the first move so he was justified in his actions.


    "Is it because of the the half-breed vermin?"


    That''s right. He had to patiently wait until they raised their ppowers against him¡­


    "A freak of nature like that should not exist. She should not even have been bor¡ª"


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    Before Aurora could conclude her words, Rey left his position and appeared right in front of her.


    "Hey¡­" His voice came as a threatening whisper.


    His eyes were wide open, and his clenched fist drew close to Aurora as he stared with nothing short of the intent to pummel her.


    "... Shut up!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Damn, the Elves really are mean to outsiders. But let''s not forget how kind they are to each other.


    Okay? Okay!

 Chapter 388 The Elf Encounter [Pt 3]

    <h4>Chapter 388 The Elf Encounter [Pt 3] </h4>


    ''T-this human¡­!''


    Aurora was shocked by what currently stood in front of her, upying the range of her sight.


    The man in the ck mask¡ªRalyks¡ªhad left his position and appeared before her before she could even react.


    She had never met a human that fast.


    ''Even that wolf man was not this quick!'' Her thoughts echoed, remembering Fenrir¡ªleader of the Mercenary Gang.


    At the very least, Fenrir seemed to be a leader. This man, in sharp contrast, was merely an errand boy of the Karinc Group.


    This sort of power wasn''t meant to be wielded by him.


    ''But so what¡­?'' Aurora grinned to herself.


    Her Ashen Staff''s automatic barrier would protect her from all kinds of harm, so it wasn''t like she was in any danger.


    ''He''s only fast. There''s no way he can¡ª''


    ~KRRIIAAKAAA!~


    Like ss, the invisible barrier around Aurora shattered.


    ''W-WHAT?!''


    It broke apart right before Ralyks'' fist even made impact, which meant this wasn''t the result of mere brute strength.


    It was the result of a Skill.


    "I-impossi¡ª!''


    ~BOOM!~


    Before her lips could conjure up thest syble, the man''s fist was nted on her face.


    The air around her seemed to part, and the two Elves behind her were instantly pushed back by the sheer pressure of thended blow.


    That wasn''t all, though.


    "Uguooh!" Aurora let out a loud grunt as she felt her body pushed backwards.


    Blood flowed from her nose, and her head spun circles as everything in her body experienced instant confusion.


    Elves were naturally peaceful people.


    They were pacifists.


    As a result, it was very rare for them to get the opportunity of experiencing pain.


    Aurora, in all her life, had only every experienced pain three times¡ªtwo of those times being when she tripped and fell as a child.


    Well, this sensatio was nothing like tripping and falling.


    It was far, far more painful.


    ~WHOOSH!~


    Aurora''s body flew a distance andnded on the ground, sliding through dirt for a meter or two before finally stopping.


    "Lady Aurora!"


    "Lady Aurora!"


    L and Lali rushed to her side, like the kind sisters they were. Both of them had tears in their eyes as they observed the slightly swollen face of their beloved older sister.


    It caused a true stain on her beauty.


    "LADY AURORA!" Voices echoed from behind her, as the ten hidden Elves exposed their position and charged towards her in a crying frenzy.


    ''N-no! Stay back and hide!'' Aurora wanted to yell, but her lips wouldn''t move properly.


    She was still recoiling from the attack, and so it was difficult to move her body talkless of forming coherent words.


    All of this humiliation was thanks to one man¡­


    "Y-YOUU¡­" Her re rested on the imbecile who ced her in such a degrading state.


    He stood a couple of meters from her, hands folded as he stared at her in his all-ck attire. His mask prevented her from seeing his face, but more than anything, she wished to rip the thing off his face and pummel it until everything about him became a bloody mess.


    ''A-ah¡­ calm yourself, Aurora.'' She told herself, a bit surprised by her violent thoughts.


    The Elves around her helped raise her back to her feet, and her staff suported her as she stood. Nothing but pure hatred radiated from her eyes as she red at the impudent human¡ª


    Ralyks


    "U-urgh¡­"


    Pain still shot around her face, but it was subsiding. Her body slowly began to recover, and within a few more seconds, her appearance was good as new.


    The blood and snot was gone, and the swolleness had also vanished.


    Aurora was as good as new; well, except for her gown, which was already stained thanks to hernding so disgracefully on the ground.


    ''Never again¡­'' She growled as she stepped forward.


    "What? You want to get beaten up more?" Ralyks asked in his impudent tone, and it infuriated her to the core.


    ''This¡­ this VERMIN!''


    Aurora was bursting with rage, and she indeed desired to rip him apart limb from limb, but she had to control herself.


    ''He was able to break the barrier cast by The Ashen Staff. He also moves faster than my eyes can keep up with.''


    Clearly, this wasn''t an ordinary enemy.


    ''I never imagined humans to be so powerful. He could definitely handle a Three Horned Dragon with that kind of power¡­''


    To deal with someone so tricky and strong, Aurora had to rely on the perfect counter to strength.


    "[Nature Magic: Sleepy Garden]."


    A massive willow tree instantly emerged from the ground, taking its ce behind Aurora. Flowers appeared all over the ground, creating a garden in a single moment.


    Multiple colors filled the area, crearing andscape of beauty around the Elf.


    ''With this, no matter his strength or speed, he''ll be disarmed.'' She smiled as she looked at Ralyks, who was already trapped among the flowers.


    ''The other man doesn''t seem like anything special, so if he tries to assist, he will also encounter the same fate.''


    Then, Aurora''s gaze went to the Half Elf who stood and watched like the fool that she was.


    ''I was initially upset at these people due to the potential of their cooperation with the Dragons¡­''


    The fact that the Karinc Group was in possession of the Enchanted Items that should have been taken away by the Dragon meant there was a high chance that they were working for or with the Dragon.


    The chances of them ying the Dragon who stole the Enchanted Item was slim, and it was even slimmer to think that a Dragon would be working under them or as their partner.


    That meant they were the ones working for the Dragon.


    ''I ignored all of that due to desperation, and since they are merely weak humans, I decided to forgive their transgressions and overlook things this one time.''


    Yet¡­ YET¡­!


    ''They had to further humiliate my kind by showing the vilest abomination of all; our greatest source of shame¡­ a Half Elf!''


    At this point, Aurora could ignore it no longer.


    ''You will all be captured! I won''t let any of you leave!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I hope you understand things a bit more from the perspective of the Elves.

 Chapter 389 Abomination Of The Absolute

    <h4>Chapter 389 Abomination Of The Absolute </h4>


    Half Elves were an abomination to Elves.


    Every Elf learned this from the day they were born, along with the fact that a pure Elf had immense value just for being birthed into the world.


    Every Elf had to hold repulsion towards a Half Elf due to the disgusting event that would have led to their conception.


    ¡­ An Elf was bred with another race.


    It was too filthy to think about, so most Elves felt it was taboo to even talk about that act.


    Elves were pure and unsullied¡ªperfect beings crafted by nature to inherit the world and responsibly take care of life on it.


    They were the chosen ones of the world¡ªa higher life form.


    It was filthy to breed with anyone who wasn''t an Elf. It was no different from a man having intercourse with an animal.


    Such an act of depravity was not only frowned upon by society, but was criminalized.


    People should never have intercourse with beasts.


    As such, any Half Elf that existed was proof that what shouldn''t happen had ured somehow.


    But¡­ the fault was not with the Elves.No sane Elf would even think of sleeping with a human; not when they couldn''t stand their race.


    For one, humans had a foul stench.


    Elves secreted sweet-smelling aromas from their bodies, just from existing. They were servants of nature, so this was to be expected. The greater an Elf''s potential, the sweeter the aroma, and the stronger an Elf was, the more intense it was.


    But humans not only didn''t have this sweet aroma, but theirs was somehow the inverse case for Elves who met them. A human''s potential was incredibly low, so rather than having a sweet smell, they stank.


    They stank so much!


    Apart from their smell, they were ugly.


    Compared to the incredibly beautiful people of the Elven Race, humans were not very attractive.


    Even the most handsome human would onlye across as passable to an Elf.


    Adding to all of these factors, humans were also incredibly dubious and untrustworthy. They were selfish, greedy, backstabbers, and a bunch of other things.


    They were brutes, and in short,pletely unappealing to an Elf.


    In essence, no Elf would ever desire a man. In the case of Half Elves, the opposite had to have happened.


    Humans desired Elves so much that they forced themselves on them¡ªhence, birthing the monstrosity that was a Half Elf.


    Merely looking at a Half Elf could make any Elf vomit.


    Some Half Elves took on more qualities from humans, while others resembled Elves, but one thing was for sure.


    Any Elf could spot an Half Elf just by looking at them.


    No one needed to tell them what it was, the same way no one had to tell a human that he was looking at feces.


    They could just spot it and get naturally disgusted by it.


    Elves couldn''t help their gag reflexes, and they certainly couldn''t help their dislike for the freaks of nature that was the Half Elves.


    Halfs weren''t brethren to them. They shouldn''t exist at all, and in order to restore nature to its proper path, the only just thing to do would be to erase them.


    Yes¡­ erase them entirely.


    That way, Nature could be appeased and the world could return to its rightful state.


    *************


    ''This human¡­ he doesn''t stink.'' Aurora looked at Ralyks.


    No, it wasn''t just him.


    The other human also didn''t stink, for some reason.


    Yet, they both passed entirely as humans. How was that possible?


    ''Well, it doesn''t matter.'' Aurora leaked out a sigh a she looked ahead and narrowed her gaze on the masked man.


    ''I''ve captured him. We''ll take all of them and investigate the origins of the abomination before putting her out of her misery.''


    "What are you thinking about right now?" A voice suddenly emerged from behind the dark mask.


    ''H-huh¡­?''


    It surprised Aurora, causing her to take a step back almost instinctively.


    "Surely, you don''t think this much will be enough to stop me, do you?" Aurora''s eyes widened as she head the words of Ralyks.


    ''H-how is this possible?!''


    Her [Nature Magic] was S-Tier, and this particr Spell of hers was her go-to when it came to this Skill.


    It had a wide area of influence, and none could resist it.


    "How are you still standing?!" Aurora yelled, both in shock, and a slight hint of fear.


    "What a foolish question, though I''m not surprised since it was asked by a foolish woman."


    The response caused Aurora to feel a certain sting in her heart. Not just her body, but her pride, had been damaged by this man.


    ¡­ This mere human!


    "Your power is simply too weak."


    "Keep quiet, vile human! Be silent and fall into slumber!" Aurora screamed, her Mana erupting so much that the air began to vibrate.


    ''If this much isn''t enough, then¡­!''


    The willow behind her began to extend its multiple branches as they prepared to attack.


    ''I''ll just attack you with Nature!'' Her wide grin betrayed the graceful expression that used to y on her face, but she didn''t care.


    Her younger sisters were safely behind her, so she could go all-


    out.


    ''I''ll crush your bones. I''ll your body. I''ll squish you till you be a bloody mess! As long as I leave you just barely breathing, you won''t die!''


    With her gleaming teeth exposed, she sent her bulky vines towards the target.


    "A fool using a foolish power. You consider your power absolute, failing to realize that there exists something above it¡­" Ralyks spoke, but Aurora wasn''t willing to listen.


    "By the time I''m done with you, YOU''LL BE BEGGING FOR DEATH!"


    The branches charged towards Ralyks at breakneck speed, easily piercing everything in its path as it neared the targer.


    But, Ralyks wasn''t done speaking.


    "That which exists above the absolute¡­ The Divine."


    All of a sudden, almost as if the branches were frozen in time, they halted their charge.


    Without exception, they stopped moving.


    "W-what? N-no way¡­!" As Aurora muttered this, shocked by all respects by what she was seeing, the words of Ralyks came once more.


    "[Divine Elemental Magic: Sleepy Garden]."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Big flex from Rey right now. I believe this is his first disy of Divine Elemental Magic.


    Also, do forgive the entire ramble about the Elves.

 Chapter 390 Divine Spell

    <h4>Chapter 390 Divine Spell </h4>


    ''D-divine¡­?''


    Aurora could not deny what she was looking at. If there was any word to describe it, that would indeed be the word.


    Divine!


    A massive willow tree stood before Aurora, its height at least a thousand meters. Its leaves formed a canopy thatpletely blocked the evening sun, casting a shadow of inescapable darkness on her.


    Compared to her willow tree that was barely fifty meters tall, the massive epitome of nature that stood before her quenched any vestige of defiance he had left.


    ''Ahh¡­''


    All her sisters had slumped to the ground, instantly rendered unconscious, merely due to the presence of the Tree.


    Her own Willow Tree shuddered, its branches shivering as they fell to the ground in defeat. It recognized the one before it as unquestionably superior.


    Before her very eyes, the Willow Tree fell asleep.


    Aurora found herself on her knees, viewing the flowers that painted the air, not just the ground with their amazing colors. The petals created a three-dimensional canvas of astonishing beauty.


    A beauty she could not dream of replicating.


    Then, she saw the man of darkness. He stood directly in front of her. She hadn''t even noticed when he closed their distance.


    As she gazed upon him, viewing his amazing work of nature in the background, she felt into a reverie.


    ''Who is he? A Divine Being? Im-Impossible!''


    The Oracle was one who spoke on behalf of Nature, and they considered them divine. If this man was on the same level, then¡­


    ''No¡­ THAT IS BLASPHEMY!''


    But, it was impossible to think of him as anything else as she stood before his magnificent presence.


    ''It makes sense why he was able to break the defenses of The Ashen Staff and he wasn''t affected by my [Sleepy Garden]... if he is indeed, but¡­''


    Aurora felt her mind getting fried, just thinking about the man before her. She felt her body grow weak in his presence, and as she inhaled deeply, she smelled the sweetest, most potent aroma she had ever taken in.


    She was¡­ overwhelmed.


    ''T-This¡­ IT''S TOO MUCH!''


    She felt like she was going insane, just from processing the sweet and intense vor that came from Ralyks.


    Drool fell from her mouth, and snot dripped from her nose. Tears streamed down her face and she felt her vision grow dull.


    Aurora was falling unconscious, and she knew it instantly.


    ''... O'' Oracle¡­ why did you not tell us of this being?'' Her thoughts flowed as she closed her eyes and fell into the soft embrace of flowers.


    She could not smell the aroma of the flowers, or anything else for that matter. Only the man''s scent filled her senses.


    Itpletely overrode her mind.


    ''I have transgressed¡­ against a Divine One¡­''


    ***********


    Rey felt a little guilty as he stared down at Aurora''spletely broken face.


    ''Did I go too far?'' He wondered to himself. ''I only activated the Spell. I didn''t even do anything yet.''


    To think the mere manifestation of his Spell would cause everyone to fall asleep¡­


    ''I just wanted to flex a little. Now that they''re unconscious, I can''t just leave them like this.''


    As much as he wanted to, he thought against it.


    ''They''re all Lawful Good, so it would be irresponsible for me to do something like this to them.''


    Rey didn''t know why they had such a deep-rooted animosity towards Esme, and immense disregard for humans, but he knew that Aurora didn''t attack him directly even though she could have.


    ''Those branches would have restrained me, and her [Sleepy Garden] Spell would have put me to sleep.''


    In essence, they weren''t going to harm him.


    ''It seems like their target was just Esme. Must be due to some Elf stuff that I can''t understand.''


    Even after thinking all of this, Rey still would have left them be. However, he saw something in their Status Window that made him second-guess his decision.


    ~... Help Them.~


    ''The System is telling me to help them. Just like Esme¡­''


    Rey genuinely just wanted to take his prize and withdraw from the scene, but he didn''t know what would happen if he ignored the System.


    Plus, by choosing to help Esme, it brought some good things to him.


    ''I''m still expecting some kind of proper Side Quest Reward, but I don''t know when it''s going toe.''


    After all, the System still told Rey to help Esme.


    "Sigh¡­ this is so annoying!" Rey mumbled to himself as he looked at Aurora.


    He dispelled his Spell upon seeing that her own Spell had shriveled way and vanished.


    "What is the issue, Sir Ralyks?" Aldred came close and asked with a confident smile on his face.


    He joined Rey in looking at the fallen body of Aurora, reaching for her staff.


    ''You don''t need to call me that now, you know?'' Rey thought to himself as he watched Aldred reach for the Ashen Staff.


    ~BZZZTTZZ!~


    As soon as he touched it, a pulse of energy shot from it, instantly repelling Aldred''s hand.


    "Ow¡­ that stung." Aldred gazed at his burned hand, watching as smoke rose from its surface.


    Despite saying this, there was no look of pain on his face. Instead, he was still smiling. Within a few seconds, he recovered from the injury, so his rxed attitude made more sense.


    "That''s what you get for touching what''s not yours." Rey shook his head and made a mock sigh.


    "It wouldn''t have been a problem if I¡ª"


    "Yeah, I know. In any case, can I leave you to handle the rest from here?" Rey asked, staring straight at Aldred.


    For a moment, there was silence between them.


    Aldred slowly looked in Esme''s direction, and then noticed that Rey was already doing the same¡ªperhaps a few seconds before he did.


    "I understand." He bowed his head and smiled. "Leave the rest to me."


    "Thanks." Rey smiled.


    He was looking at Aldred''s face, and Aldre''s physique, but the one he addressed wasn''t the Broker from the Karinc Group, neither was he the son of Rebal.


    He was something else entirely.


    "Till we meet again, Ater." Rey tapped the shoulder of the bowing man and softly stroked his hair before walking away.


    "I expect to see good results."


    The bowed head went even lower, and a deeper voice reced the timid tone from earlier.


    "I will not disappoint you¡­ Master."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I know you all saw thating, but it still had to be written that way. I wonder what this n is, though.


    Should be fun¡­

 Chapter 391 There’s Something About Esme

    <h4>Chapter 391 There¡¯s Something About Esme </h4>


    "Let''s go, Esme."


    Rey took her hand and drew her close to him as he flew away from the scene.


    With his Spatial Skill, he could have easily teleported the two of them out of there, but instead, he chose to ascend to the skies with her.


    They both floated in the air, the ground far beneath their feet.


    "W-what about Aldred? What will happen to him¡­ and them?"


    A single nce at Esme''s face showed that, despite being hurt by the Elves, she still cared about them. Rey didn''t understand if it was some kind of racial camaraderie, but he found it odd.


    ''Would I have been the same if the humans treated me like shit?''


    He wasn''t sure, but he doubted it.


    Even when he was considered the weakest of the Otherworlders, and he sort of still was, the Royal Council didn''t treat him with any kind of bigotry.


    The only reason they separated the students into two sses was in order not to rush the training of the lesser skilled students and also to prevent the impediment of the growth of the more talented students.


    It was a pragmatic approach, and Rey wasn''t even the only one who was in Beta ss. Most of the students were there.


    Promotions and demotions also existed, so it wasn''t a strict hierarchy.


    There were initially nine students in the Alpha ss, but they eventually got whittled down to seven. If Trisha continued her intense training, Rey had a feeling that she would have undoubtedly reached Alpha ss.


    All of that was in the past now, but the bottom line was that he wasn''t harshly treated by the humans in H''Trae. Lucielle and Brutus¡ªas well as any other trainer in-between¡ªwere pretty fair to him.


    He was treated pretty much the same as everyone else.


    In fact, most of the scorn he recieved was from his fellow Otherworlders. A lot of them made fun of him in the beginning, but eveb that didn''tst very long.


    Everyone had their own thing, and so they soon ignored him.


    No one really bullied him. Perhaps that was due to the influence of Adonis, but Rey also felt like they simply had their struggles and challenges to keep busy.


    "I haven''t really had it that rough, so I wouldn''t know how you feel right now¡­ Esme." Rey said as he looked at her.


    For a moment, they stared at each other in silence.


    Then¡ª


    "It''s fine, Rey. They don''t want to have anything to do with me, and I understand that." Esme spoke calmly.


    Rey thought she would cry or disy some kind of emotion, but her slightly stoic demeanor was not within his expectations.


    "I also don''t want to have anything to do with them."


    "A-ahh¡­ I see." Rey chuckled in slight embarassment.


    It seemed like, rather than Esme, he was the one who took things too seriously.


    "Thanks for having my back, though. I really appreciate it, Rey." She smiled, slightly using her fist to bump him on his shoulder.


    "Jeez¡­ it''s no big deal."


    Rey rubbed his shoulder as he muttered the words.


    Of course, he didn''t feel any difort from her action.


    It was the opposite, actually.


    He was blushing underneath the mask, so thankful that she couldn''t see his beet red face.


    "You''re a good friend, Rey. I''m lucky to have known someone like you."


    Rey felt something move in his heart as she said those words. He felt a bittersweet sensation within him as he heard those words.


    ''Friends, huh? I guess¡­ we are friends.''


    "I still remember the first time we met. In that dark room¡­" Esme''s voice was soft and sullen, but it wasn''t sad at all.


    She smiled despite bringing up the terrifying event.


    "I had to strain my voice to call your name, you know? I said nothing initially, since I thought you would save everyone. Imagine my shock when you just started walking away with those two."


    "Haha! I was going to report to the authorities, and they would have rescued you." Rey responded with a nervous smile as he watched Esme shake her head.


    "That''s not what I thought back then, though. I was like¡­ ''This jerk is just going to leave the rest of us like this? I can''t believe he has a Good Alignment!'' that sort of thing."


    "Pfft! Well, I won''t deny being a jerk." Reyughed even harder.


    "Yeah. You made a fragile girl like me struggle just so you could save me¡­" Despite saying that, Esme''s smile only grew broader.


    "Who would have thought that jerk would end up being such an amazing friend?"


    The two stared at each other for what felt like a minute, allowing the winds to blow on them as they shared the silence.


    "You''re not half bad yourself." Rey finally spoke up, replying in a yful tone.


    Esme giggled the moment she heard that. "Well, isn''t it very rare to have such a pretty friend like me? You can show me off to your other friends, you know?"


    Rey didn''t have a lot of friends, so only one image really came to mind once Esme said what she said.


    ''Alicia¡­!'' He gulped the moment he thought about what would happen if he tried to show Esme off to her.


    ''What will she say, I wonder?''


    The right answer would have been that Alicia was going to be happy for him. Making another friend was not an easy task for Rey, so¡ªnaturally speaking¡ªshe would be d to see him bonding with someone else.


    But¡­


    ''That didn''t work outst time, with Trisha.''


    Somehow, the thought of introducing any female as his friend gave Rey goosebumps when he imagined Alicia''s reaction.


    ''That means she likes me, right? Maybe I can ask Esme about that!''


    "Don''t look so dull, Rey." Esme''s voice brought Rey back to reality. "If it''s for your sake, I can pretend to be your girl so you can look cool."


    "H-huh¡­?"


    "I understand, Rey. My friends also made me feel a bit jealous when they had boyfriends and I had none."


    ''E-eh? Esme didn''t have guys fawning for her?! Impossible!'' Rey''s thoughts echoed.


    "But wait¡­ you have a girl, right? Ah, yes¡­ the one you got the Amber Ring for. I almost forgot about tha¡ª"


    "S-she''s not¡­ my girlfriend."


    "Yet." Esmepleted Rey''s sentence and winked at him.


    "Yeah¡­ yet." Rey muttered,ughing at himself as he scratched his head in embarassment.


    Esme really caught him off-guard with all of this. But, Rey didn''t mind it at all.


    In fact, he quite enjoyed every moment.


    "Can you tell me who she is? This girl that my friend is so in love with." Esme nudged, raising her brows a few times so Rey could spill.


    It was so funny that he wanted tough, but he swallowd it instantly.


    "W-well, you''ve met her before¡­"


    "I have? Hold on¡­ was it one of the two people you saved back then?"


    "Yes."


    "I couldn''t properly see their faces since it was dark, and I was weak." Esme began rubbing her chin as she thought back to the incident.


    Then, a wide smile formed on her face.


    "I see. Well, I look forward to seeing where this goes." Rey nodded and replied with equal fervor.


    "Me too."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I guess this officially ces Esme in the friendzone. Haha¡­ Alicia enjoyers are having a feast right now.


    I quite enjoy their interactions, though.

 Chapter 392 Rey’s Outcry

    <h4>Chapter 392 Rey¡¯s Outcry </h4>


    Rey and Esme flew side by side, enjoying the brilliant sight that only they could see thanks to their high altitude.


    Esme didn''t have any Flight-based Skill, but her [Absolute Elemental Control] Skill allowed her to freely manipte the elements around her.


    Since the winds constituted that, she had no problem freely navigating her way through the air.


    When Rey asked her how she was able to fly so easily, she responded:


    "I was floating for most of my time in those two weeks of solitude. Learned a bit about my new abilities too¡­"


    Rey was certain that Esme learned a lot more than just a bit, but he decided not to push it any further.


    "You have immense potential, Esme." He could only say. "Maybe even more than those Elves we saw."


    Rey noticed that Esme''s smile only deepened. She didn''t argue, so he knew she must have also checked their Status Windows.


    ''From the looks of things, they get 10 Stat Points from every Level Up. That''s incredibly broken¡­''


    Compared to humans, Elves were on another Level. Of course, someone like Adonis easily trumped them.


    ''They also have a ton of Skills. That Aurorady had nearly fifteen Skills. That''s like three times the limit of the strongest humans in H''Trae.''


    All in all, Rey was impressed by the Status Windows he saw.


    ''Aurora looks like a young woman in herte twenties, and the others look like teenagers. Their Level difference is like night and day, as it should be¡­''


    ''If they were actually good people and Esme went with them, then it''s possible that they could help her grow incredibly strong.''


    All of that was lost now, but it was by no means thier fault.


    ''And now¡­'' Rey nced at Esme, whose eyes were on thendscape below them.


    Once he gave her his attention, however, she looked at him and tilted her head to the side in curiousity.


    "What''s wrong? Is there something on my face?" She asked.


    He shook his head.


    "Oh? Whew!" She heaved in relief. "So what''s up?"


    After flying for a quite the distance, Rey felt like it was time to ask the difficult question that had been on his mind for quite some time.


    "Where do you n on going now?"


    Esme didn''t look surprised once she heard the question. She must have been expecting him to ask it eventually.


    "Hm. I''m not sure¡­" She answered, her white hair flowing behind her like a river. "I''m sure I''ll think of something."


    Rey had somehow predicted his answer.


    He already knew it wasing, and yet¡­ he wasn''t satisfied with it.


    His silence spoke volumes, but it wasn''t enough. He clenched his fist and gritted his teeth as he stared intensely at Esme.


    "Don''t leave."


    Rey ceased his motion and instantly paused in the air.


    Not long after, Esme also did the same. She looked at him with surprise as he stared hard into her eyes.


    "I don''t want you to leave."


    Rey knew he sounded like a brat.


    He knew Esme was her own individual, and as such, had her own life to live. He knew they hadn''t really known each other for very long, and their friendship was still too young for him to make such a request of her.


    She didn''t even know what he looked like! Yet¡­ YET¡­


    ¡­ Rey couldn''t help his selfishness.


    "Where will I stay? The Reaper Group? There''s really nothing waiting for me there."


    Rey knew that very well.


    "I¡­ I am the leader of the Reaper Group. Staying with the Reaper Group means staying with me¡­" His voice trembled as he uttered those words.


    He had never been so scared to open his mouh and speak in his life, yet somehow he found the courage to tell Esme what he truly felt.


    Perhaps it was because he recognized that he could lose her forever if he didn''t.


    That fear gave him strength.


    "Stay with me, Esme. I want you to¡­ stay with me, even if just for a bit longer. I want us to talk together,ugh together, grow together, fight together¡­ even if it''s just for a while longer."


    Rey was in love with Alicia, but he never had a friend like Esme before.


    He didn''t want to see their friendship dissolve so quickly¡ªnot when it was just starting.


    "Don''t¡­ leave me too."


    He cast his gaze downward, unable to look Esme in the eye.


    Was he being maniptive? Was he trying to guilt-trip her by appealing to her emotions so she would have no choice but to stay with him?


    Esme was a kind person, so maybe she could pity him and remain by his side.


    Rey didn''t want that for her.


    He didn''t want to force his selfishness on someone else. For all he knew, all of these rabid feelings that threatened to consume him were only one-sided.


    ''H-how can I live with myself¡­ knowing I forced her to stay?'' Despite his strong inclination to hold on, he knew that some thing had to be forfeit.


    Perhaps¡­ he just had to let go.


    "Esme, I''m sorry for¡ª!"


    ~WHOOSH!~


    Like a blur, Esme''s body rushed to Rey''s, and she hugged him very tightly.


    "What are you apologizing for, you jerk?"


    Rey felt paralyzed¡ªunable to move in the slightest.


    All he could do was inhale the sweet aroma that Esme exuded, allowing the tears in his moist eyes to dry up and his trembling lips to part wide open.


    "I¡­ I also don''t want you to leave me." Esme''s words caused Rey''s eyes to widen.


    He had neevr heard those words in his life.


    All of his friends¡­ they left him at one point or the other.


    Billy betrayed him. Noah abandoned him. Even Alicia wanted to leave this world that he loved so much and return to Earth.


    He didn''t despise any of these people, and to an extent¡­ he understood why they made the choices that they made.


    But Rey was human too.


    He wanted connections that wouldn''t expire. He desired a bond that wouldst.


    He craved someone who would stay.


    And right now¡­ he was trapped in her embrace.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Now, even I wonder what will happen next. Alicia or Esme, pleasement your choices so I can at least understand the perspective of the readers.

 Chapter 393 Premonition For What Is To Come

    <h4>Chapter 393 Premonition For What Is To Come </h4>


    "U-urgh¡­"


    Aurora felt a sharp sensation in her head as she woke up in a flowery expanse.


    The ce was lit by fire-fly like sources of light that floated all around the garden that seemed to exist in a cave.


    ''We''re back here¡­?'' Aurora''s thoughts trailed as she looked around.


    She could see her sisters still asleep. There were twelve of them in total.


    ''What happened back then? What did the humans do? My memory is fuzzy¡­''


    Thest thing she remembered was the exchange of goods with the humans, and then they went their separate ways.


    ''Did we get attacked on our way back? Was it a Dragon?'' No, if that was the case, they would already be dead.


    Besides, Aurora still had the pouch which contained the Spatial Rings in her possession. All the items were secure, and her twelve sisters were safe.


    A Dragon would not show that sort of mercy.


    ''This ce is ursed. We shouldn''t havee here, to begin with!'' Aurora chastised herself as she rose to her feet.


    Still, they had no choice thanks to their desperation.


    ''Now that we have recieved these Items, we can return to our home.''


    Aurora stole one final nce at her sisters and felt a surge of bliss. It had been a long, ardous, and frustrating journey, but they were finally done with their mission.


    A subtle feeling within her told her she was forgetting something, but Aurora could hardly notice it. Not while her heart raced and she remembered the sisters who were busy fighting against the scourge of the world.


    ''Wait for me, everyone!'' Aurora clenched her fist in resolve and smiled with sheer determination.


    ''I''ming back!''


    **********


    [The Next Day]


    The Otherworlders were busy in their living quarters, all of them enjoying their time off by either moping around or engaging in interesting conversations.


    Even Adonis, the training obsessed one, was taking a break. He also urged Trisha and Billy to take the day off. As a result, all nine of the Otherworlders were in their residence when a neck came from the door.


    Naturally, everyone''s attention was drawn to it.


    Before long, the door was opened and the Royal Council Members entered in their majesty.


    Surprise was in on the faces the students as they watched the two enter their living quarters. After all, they had all been informed that there would be no official business for at least a few days.


    They were to enjoy their time as they saw fit.


    Seeing the sources of official business enter the room, they felt a bit tense. Unfortunately, their concerns were valid.


    The Royal Council came to visit for an ominous reason, after all.


    "Could you all gather around, please? We have a very serious announcement to make." Vida spoke up first.


    Somehow, hearing her nice voice set up a somewhat friendly atmosphere in the living room.


    The students who were in thier rooms were called for, so before long all nine Otherworlders were in the same living room.


    There were a few murmurs, but most of them were silent.


    They looked at the Councilors with curiousity and tense expectations. Somehow, most of them already had a good guess of what this meeting was all about.


    Without a doubt, it was rted to the very reason they were summoned in the first ce.


    "We are here to inform you that we have finally recieved a response from the front lines of the battle. Lucielle and Brutus will be arriving in about about ten days to fetch you all for your confrontation with the Dragons." Conrad spoke up.


    He tried his best to be calm and warm in his voice, but even if he did so, it didn''t take away the heavy meaning that his words implied.


    The time for war was near.


    It didn''t matter that they had spent thest three months preparing for this moment. The mere fact that it hade was enough to cause most of the Otherworlders to shudder.


    There was fear.


    Anxiety was written on the faces of everyone present.


    However, this was only temporary. Once they overcame the initial apprehension, most of the students leaked out a smile.


    A certain glow could be seen in their eyes.


    It betrayed the initial apprehension from before. Their gaze transcended mere excitement or anticipation.


    It was sheer exhiliration!


    They seemed to be saying with their faces "I CAN''T WAIT!"


    "In ten days, you say¡­" Adonis raised his hand, causing everyone to look in his direction. "And what should we be doing before then?"


    udius leaked a sigh of relief as he heard those words, so Vida took it as her cue to respond to the Hero''s question.


    "You can do whatever you like pending that time. Consider it as a little vacation before the main work."


    The students understood this well, and so they nodded at each other.


    "Once again, we would like to thank you all. Brave champions like you, visitors from another world, who have chosen to remain here in order to save us¡­" udius bowed his head before them.


    Vida did the same with a bright smile on her face.


    "You have all grown so much stronger in such a short span of time. Your power is unrivaled among we humans, and your potential for growth never seems to end."


    In this awe-inspiring moment, the Otherworlders showed the courtesy of silence as they watched the Councilors appreicate them with all thier hearts.


    "For all you have done and are about to do¡­ THANK YOU!"


    **********


    [Meanwhile]


    [10 Days before Front-Line Deployment]


    In the barrennds, west of the Adventurer''s City¡ªdirectly in its outskirts¡ªa rumbling sound echoed.


    The capable men who guarded the City''s borders, and the patrol officers who just happened to be walking nearby at that exact moment, experienced the amazing thing that ured.


    The wastnd, which upied everything in the south¡ªas far as the eyes could see¡ªwas trembling vilently.


    The sands parted, giving way to something¡­


    ¡­ Something beyond normal.


    Emerging from the desertednd was an ominous building, one so ck that it far surpassed the gift of the night.


    Strange energies poured out of this colossal establishment, and moments after it rose from the earth, the rumblings ceased. Everything went silent, and the wastnd entered a lull.


    It was as if nothing had even happened.


    Other than the massive dark structure that stood in the distance, nothing else changed.


    Every guards and patrol officer present stared at all of this happening, their eyes wide and sweat dripping down their faces.


    They all thought the same thing.


    "I-It''s a Dungeon!''


    For the first time in about a Century, a new Dungeon had appeared within the Western Continent.


    This was an amazing discovery¡ªone worth celebrating.


    However, just as a Dungeons was known to bring great prosperity, it was also terrible omen¡­ a harbinger for the great tragedy toe.


    And this particr Dungeon was no exception.


    For within ten days after its emergence, a great evil would befall the United Human Alliance.


    It would be forever known as the Grand Cmity Dungeon.


    *


    *


    *


    [End Of Arc 3: The Dark Undertaking Arc]


    ~Prepare yourselves for Arc 4!~


    [The time hase for The Grand Cmity Arc]


    PS: Hope you enjoyed the Mass Release¡­

 Chapter 394 World Of The Lost

    <h4>Chapter 394 World Of The Lost </h4>


    Death.


    The world was covered in the stench of it.


    No matter where you looked, there would always be a dead body¡ªa gaping corpse whose wretched form stared back at you.


    The skies seemed to be shrouded in an eternal night, and a nonsensical mix of freezing heat pervaded everything.


    Chaos was rampant.


    Destruction became trite.


    Humanity, after fighting the long war for fifteen straight years¡­ was finally on the brink of extinction.


    In this despairing world, three silhouettes sped across the devastated battlefield.


    They trampled on the bodies of their fallenrades, their feet sshing around the blood of the dismembered corpses around them.


    Despite such obvious desecration, they didn''t seem to care.


    Their goal¡ªThe Chamber of the Ancients¡ªwas far too valuable for any kind of hesitation in their march.


    Also, they were in a bit of a hurry.


    ~WHOOSH!~


    Like the very personification of wind, they flowed through the area, ensuring they could reach their goal in time.


    And, by some absurd miracle¡­ they did!


    The Chamber of the Ancients¡ªa dome-like structure that existed at the furthest ends of the domain they existed in¡ªepted their entry.


    The three were able to get in, just in time for the Solstice to begin.


    The Celestial Solstice that took ce once every hundred years¡ªthe short window that caused the veils of reality to thin out considerably¡­ creating the perfect chance for a miracle.


    The three silhouettes were bathed in the light that shone from within the dome, revealing their true identities.


    There was a white-haired Mage, immensely beautiful, with crimson eyes and several charms ced all over her enchanting body. Her Mage Attire had many torn all over, a sign of the dreary experience she had to endure in the war.


    Her hair was cut short, but she still had the same bright smile as the first day¡ªfive years ago¡ªwhen the first miracle of mankind happened.


    "Lucielle, we''re finally here! What now?" The voice of the second man rang with boldness and readiness.


    There was a hint of pain in his tone, but he hid it all in the bravado he disyed.


    He had ck hair and dark brown eyes. He was of average looks, but his well-built body and incredibly long de were far from average.


    In the past, his hair was of natural length, but it had now grown long due to being unkempt for a long period. It used to be packed together, but their journey to this dome was by no means a smooth one.


    As a result, his long hair roughly covered his face, and by extension, the scar on his left eye.


    ¡­ A mark he received in order to save the life of therade next to him.


    "Patience, Rey. We just got here." Lucielle mumbled as she began to look around the dome''s interior.


    Of course, Rey knew that Lucielle was busy observing the runguage that covered the walls of their surroundings, matching it to what they had learned over the past year.


    The Oracle''s words rang true, so that meant the power they sought was also present.


    ¡ªThe power to change everything!


    "I think what we have to do lies over there. With that Magic Circle." Lucielle pointed forward, towards an altar.


    There existed ming torches that surrounded the stage, and rune-like depictions warbled as if they could go off at any given moment.


    "You think?" Rey responded, raising one of his brows.


    The three in the room rushed towards the altar, and Lucielle observed it some more.


    "Based on what I''m seeing here, I''ll have to augment the Magic Circle in order to suit our purposes." Lucielle rubbed her chin as she spoke.


    "So¡­ you can control how far back we can go?"


    "No, not really. The further back, the more time and energy will be required to activate. Plus, remember what I''ve been warning against."


    "Yeah, yeah, the butterfly effect."


    "Butterfly? It''s the Dragonfly effect, though."


    "In our old world, it''s called the Butterfly Effect. Same difference."


    This exchange by both parties was observed by the third member of the trio. He silently watched everything, unable to contribute even a word to the conversation. He had an oddly cut yellow hair, his very lean appearance, and his face could be defined with one word¡ªugly.


    He was unsightly in appearance, so he often bowed his head to hide his full face from anyone who was in his presence.


    "I-in any case, we can''t afford to make too many big changes since it''ll derail the events that''ll happen even more." Lucielle sighed, her eyes still on the runes in the Magic Circle.


    She had to understand everything about them¡ªtheir arrangements, formation, up to the tiniest details¡ªor else there could be a fatal error.


    "So¡­ your point is that we don''t make changes?"


    "No. If we desire to change this oue, we need to make changes. We just can''t make significant ones except at given points in time, so we can predict exactly what happens and how to best respond to them."


    "¡­."


    "Altering the future, or should I say, this present, by going to the past¡­ that in itself will make changes that are significant. I suppose it is unavoidable." Lucielle muttered, finally rising from her crouched position.


    "That''s what I''ve been trying to say." Rey responded with a sigh.


    "Well, we''ll figure it out as we go. For now, it''s best we get started." Lucielle smiled.


    She grabbed the hands of thenky blonde and pulled him over to her side.


    "Come on, Adonis! Let''s get to work."


    Lucielle''s smile caused the boy to beam, and Rey watched this exchange with a sad smile on his face.


    "Your Master and Disciple rtionship makes me a bit teary, you know?" His chuckle rang hollow as he strained a genuine smile.


    "Makes me wish my own Master was still around."


    For a moment, there was silence.


    Then¡ª


    "Brutus'' sacrifice won''t be forgotten. He made the right choice. If he didn''t do what he did, we wouldn''t be here."


    "I know¡­ I get it." Rey sighed at Lucielle''s words. "It''s not just him. Everyone''s sacrifice has brought us to this point."


    All three stared and nodded at each other.


    "¡­ To this ce."


    Rey tightly gripped his tall and broad sword¡ªhis Master''s final gift to him¡ªand made a smile oozing with nostalgia.


    Brutus called it histe present to Rey for finally surpassing him and reaching the realm of the Absolute.


    He had be an Absolute Knight King.


    "Looks like all of that is about to be reset, though¡­" He chuckled as he made the joke.


    Rey turned and smiled at Adonis in particr, whose face was so gloomy that it contrasted the other two in the room.


    "Don''t look so gloomy, my friend. We''re going to change everything!"


    And then, those words became a blur.


    The world became distorted, and the dream that was once so vivid turned dark¡­ dark and red.


    The dreamer slowly opened his eyes in his room, and tears streamed down his handsome face as he ced his hand on it.


    "You were right, my friend¡­" Adonis muttered, his voice barely able toe out as a result of the choking emotions.


    "Everything is changing."


    *


    *


    *


    [Wee to the Grand Cmity Arc]


    Sacrifices will be made, and so many things will change within these ten days. Prepare for the most pivotal point of the story yet.


    Who will die? Who will live?


    Let''s find out together, shall we?

 Chapter 395 The Dungeon Notice

    <h4>Chapter 395 The Dungeon Notice </h4>


    The Royal Estate''s open field, which was empty just yesterday, was packed to the brim with all the nine Otherworlders.


    Well, eight of them¡ªsince Adonis went to meet the Royal Council after making the announcement that all of them should all rendezvous at this point in time.


    As such, the students all waited for any sign of the Hero and the leaders of the Alliance.


    "What''s going on now?"


    "Why''s there another meeting when we just had one yesterday?"


    "I''m supposed to be chilling in the town today, you know?"


    "Hopefully, this doesn''t take too long¡­"


    Thankfully, thetter''s statement was answered by the appearance of the Royal Council Members and Adonis from within a swirling portal.


    Everyone instantly recognized the portal, so they kept their eyes peeled on its entrance, but the spatial rift just closed as abruptly as it opened.


    There was no sign of the Dark Adventurer at all.


    "EHHHHHHHH¡­?!"


    The students all responded with surprise, seeing only three¡ªrather than four¡ªto emerge from the warped space.


    "We just concluded a meeting with Sir Ralyks, but he had to quickly attend to something so he couldn''t stop by." Adonis quickly addressed the voices of the students, but it wasn''t enough.


    "N-not even to say hi¡­?" Belle''s face was particrly crestfallen.


    "W-well¡­ he does send his regards." Adonis quickly added, hoping it would help lighten up the mood.


    Thankfully, it did!


    "I-I see! I understand now!" Belle''s blushing face connoted that she misunderstood Adonis'' words, but he had no intention of correcting her.


    Instead, he left the girl to her giggles and squeals, focusing on the most pertinent matter.


    "Sir Conrad and Miss Vida have important things to say, so I''ll leave it to them."


    Despite saying this, Adonis did not join the rest of the students¡ªmost of which were already seated in the open field. Instead, he took responsibility as one of the people who had to make the decision that was about to be revealed.


    His face was solemn, but it oozed of confidence.


    "Please listen to them attentively. Participation is optional, but it would be for the best if you hear us out first."


    As expected, the hearts of everyone softened, and they hearkened to their leader''s voice.


    Then, the Councilors took the stage.


    "Just yesterday, we received news of something unexpected. It hasn''t happened in over a century now¡­" Conrad began.


    He could see the tense, but attentive faces of the students. That gave him the strength to continue.


    "A new Dungeon has appeared in the Adventurer''s City. Not just any kind of Dungeon, but the Adventurers havebeled it as a Grand Cmity-ss Dungeon¡­ the highest ss a Dungeon can have."


    Adventurers had a different lingua to exin certain phenomena and concepts. Theybeled their ranks, missions, and even ces.


    This presented as close to urate a representation as one could get.


    If a Dungeon wasbeled as a Grand Cmity ss, that meant only one thing¡ªit was impossible to clear.


    "The first Grand Cmity ss Dungeon appeared about three hundred years ago, and nearly half of the Adventurers were wiped out in the Dungeon Raid. That was when the infamous name was coined." Vida added, emphasizing the dangers of this Dungeon.


    "So how was the Dungeon cleared?" A random, but pertinent question, rose from the audience.


    Several positive murmurs and nods of agreement were directed at the one who raised the question¡ªAlicia White.


    "It wasn''t cleared."


    Once Vida said this, shocked expressions filled the faces of the Otherworlders.


    "Just as suddenly as it appeared, iming the lives of half the poption of Adventurers within the span of a week, it vanished just like that."


    "A¡­ week?"


    "Well, more like ten days."


    "That''s a small amount of time. Strange too¡­" Alicia murmured while cing her hand on her chin to think.


    Vida nodded and smiled wryly.


    "Indeed. We have no proper exnation for it, but there have been cases of Dungeons disappearing into thin air. That shouldn''t be too surprising, considering how they also appear out of nowhere sometimes."


    The Otherworlders didn''t know too much about Dungeons¡ª


    save for a few who actually studied¡ªbut they knew this much thanks to a lot of exnation from Ralyks during their Royal Dungeon Raid.


    As a result, they could all rte to what Vida was saying.


    "It''s likely that, just the same way the Grand Cmity Dungeon of the past disappeared after ten days, this one will also do the same." She added.


    "Any specific reason for that?" Alicia asked.


    "None whatsoever. However, it''s only logical to expect simr results from simr objects of investigation."


    It was merely an act of association.


    If one encounters a Dragon for the first time¡ªhaving no prior knowledge of the beast¡ªthere tends not to be any kind of expectation towards the thing.


    However, after the first encounter, if one observes the violent tendencies of the creature and associates it with danger, then the next time they are to see a Dragon, that bias is bound exist.


    Of course, other factors could have contributed to the first Dragon being dangerous, which may not exist in the second instance. For example, the first Dragon could have been a terrible entity who was banished from the rest of the kind Dragons.


    However, when associating with the second Dragon, none of those variables wille to mind. The safest assumption to make is to associate Dragons with danger.


    "As such, it''s safer to bet that the Dungeon will act a certain way, the same way we have determined that it is very dangerous."


    "I see. Makes sense." Alicia returned to her seat once she was done with her rification.


    Hence, Vida continued.


    "Usually, the Adventurer City has a certain level of autonomy, so they do not report most of the activities that go on there to the Capital. But, the appearance of a Dungeon of this scale is an exception. We received a report of this yesterday night, along with something else¡­"


    Conrad stepped forward toplete the words of his partner.


    "The Adventurers want to challenge the Grand Cmity Dungeon this time, and they are requesting our assistance."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Alright, we''re just at the start of the Arc, so you know what''sing. I''m sure some of you are already making predictions on what will happen.


    Well¡­ things might not go that way.

 Chapter 396 The Epitome Of Freedom

    <h4>Chapter 396 The Epitome Of Freedom </h4>


    Three hundred years ago, things were very different.


    Human civilization was fragmented into various nations, and so there were various opposing factions with their individual self-interests at y.


    The only exception to this¡­ was the Adventurer''s Guild.


    Adventurers were neutral parties amongst the scuffle among nations. They weren''t involved in politics, and their simple lives were unaffected by the embers of conflict spreading amongst the other nations.


    They were strong enough to make their own city¡ªa haven free from the rigors of nationalism¡ªand became the very embodiment of freedom.


    "An Adventurer serves no one but himself."


    This embodied the spirit of everyone who chose the path.


    As long as you obeyed the basic rules of conduct necessary for living in a civilization, there was no restriction to what you could or couldn''t do.


    As far as their economy went, individual Adventurers sold Monster Cores and special ores gotten from theirnd to the highest bidder. The Guild received their cut and maintained the City in return.


    Jobs gotten through the Guild made them entitled to more profit, but the payment and security of the job would also be guaranteed.


    There was more to the trade, but that was essentially it.


    While the ideal of freedom had a lot of benefits to the Adventurers, there were some consequences to their hubris.


    When chaos struck, or cmity arose¡­ the Adventurers would find themselves alone.


    Without any affiliation to a nation, they could not opt for support or seek out aid. As a result, the Adventurers were doomed to fall on their own.


    This was especially true when the Grand Cmity ss Dungeon emerged.


    Of the five thousand and ny-nine Adventurers who charged in for the Raid¡ªno, the Dungeon Conquest¡ªonly two-thousand and nine hundred made it out alive. A few hundred were unable to recover from their injuries and died not long after they escaped the Dungeon.


    It was the greatest loss the Adventurer City ever faced in history, even till date.


    They suffered a heavy blow that day, and when they requested the aid of the neighboring nations¡ªthe same nations that often used the strength of the Adventurers to get rid of Monsters of assist in all kinds of tasks in their respective territories¡ªtheypletely ignored the Adventurer''s City.


    Perhaps they thought if the Adventurers became desperate enough, they would finally sumb and sign an Affiliation Treaty.


    When that didn''t happen, out of frustration, the Nations decided to take what they wanted by force. The Adventurers were a major threat, since they were too strong for any sole Nation to handle.


    However, in their weakened state, they were easy prey.


    ¡­ Or so the Nations thought.


    The Nations found out that day¡ªat the time of their invasion¡ªthat they were dead wrong.


    The main reason why the Adventurers could form a faction of their own, without any external interference, was not simply because of their collective strength.


    No¡­ it was due to the power of one man.


    The man known as the first Heroic Rank Adventurer¡­ the strongest Adventurer in all of history.


    ¡ªJet Zephyr, the Sword Saint.


    He singlehandedly warded off the armies that charged at his beloved city.


    It was only thanks to Jet Zephyr that the Adventurer City was spared that day. He saved them all¡­ the dream of freedom that the brave men and women had.


    He was a true Adventurer; an ideal that all aspired to be.


    *********


    "Forgive my long rant, but you get the point, right?" Conrad sighed, feeling a bit drained after going on and on about theplicated history of the Adventurer City.


    The Otherworlders didn''t know of it, so he thought he could exin it in a few words.


    Well, it ended up being a little more than that.


    "So¡­ what you''re basically saying is that the Adventurers hate your guts despite being an Alliance, and they often act as a separate entity from you even though you''re on the same side against the Dragons." Eric spoke up, flexing his sses as he did so.


    "Yes. Precisely tha¡ª"


    "Let''s not forget that the reason for that is because of what the Nations did to them all those years ago." rk added, interrupting Conrad.


    "Dick move, man. Dick move." Justin nodded.


    "Y-yes. We know it was a¡­ dick move, you called it? But, a lot has changed since that time." Conrad said, finally sighing as he appeared deted.


    Dealing with Otherworlders was not his forte, so he shifted his gaze to the expert and pleaded for some support.


    "Guys, it''s a messy history for sure, but times have changed." Adonis stepped forward and addressed the students.


    "I''m sure we can all think of atrocities that some nations havemitted against one another back on Earth. That didn''t stop the UN from forming, and for alliances to be madeter in the future."


    In the end, letting go of the past and embracing the future was the most optimal path for progress.


    "It seems like the higher-ups in the Adventurer City can see that now." Adonis added with a smile.


    The contents of the discussion between the Royal Council and the Adventurer City''s highest authority were then spilled.


    "The Adventurers want to begin a Dungeon Conquest on the new Grand Cmity Dungeon."


    "WHAT?! Even after what happened before?!"


    The shock from the students was expected, so Adonis wasn''t fazed. Instead, he took his time to further exin his position.


    "There are currently three Heroic Rank Adventurers and more high-ranked Adventurers in the City. Their numbers are a lot more than what they had three hundred years ago. They believe they have both the quality and quantity advantage¡ª


    enough to ensure the sess of this Conquest."


    Of course, this was no guarantee that they would win. However, they had the biggest chance to seed now, more than ever before.


    "The Dungeon is assumed to close in nine days. They want to begin the Conquest as soon as possible in order to guarantee maximum results and sess." Adonis paused upon seeing a hand raised.


    "Is it really necessary to risk their lives like this? Can''t they just wait for it to go away?"


    The concerned face that Belle gave made everyone''s heart melt. It was obvious how worried she was about the fine Adventurers of the city.


    "If only it was that simple¡­" Adonis sighed.


    "I think preserving your life is pretty simple, though." Justin added, but Adonis shook his head slightly.


    "You should all understand by now¡­ the rewards that a Dungeon can offer to those who challenge it."


    No one spoke after that. Theypletely understood Adonis'' words.


    "Adventurers seek fortune and glory. A Dungeon with the highest difficulty rank also means it has the highest reward avable. Many will risk their lives just for a chance to get that."


    Many of the students could not rte, since they were sheltered by the Royal Council from day one, but such was the nature of this world.


    To survive and thrive¡­ one had to risk it all.


    "Besides, the Adventurer City is not a monolith. The Guild is the central hub, sure, but there are various factions in the form of Parties. There is no rule stopping an Adventurer from exploring a Dungeon, as long as they have the qualifications necessary for such."


    A Grand Cmity ss Dungeon was not even regted by any kind of rule, since it was an outlier.


    That meant anyone could venture in.


    "There are bound to be Parties who challenge the Dungeon regardless of warnings. As we speak, there will already be casualties." Adonis spoke sternly. "In order to reduce the amount of fatalities that will ensue as a result of this Dungeon''s appearance, it''s better to organize a Conquest where Adventurers attack the Dungeon en masse."


    And it was in this n that the Otherworlders came in to y.


    "Simply put, the higher-ups of the Adventurer Guild want us to send some of our best to help them out in this Conquest in order to make it a sess." Adonis continued, casting his gaze on each and every one of hisrades.


    "They require our assistance, so after some deliberation¡­ we decided to pitch the entire thing to you all."


    The Otherworlders had mixed expressions on their faces, but Adonis wasn''t done with his address.


    "Like I said earlier, this is entirely optional. If you don''t want to participate, then that''s fine." He added. "But, I would advise you to consider it, as it would not only help out the Adventurers, but also each and every one of us once we reach the front lines."


    "What do you mean by that?" Alicia asked.


    Adonis smiled upon hearing this. "We won''t be in the same unit in the battlefield, just as we won''t be in the same party if we ept the request of the Adventurer City."


    In essence, this could be regarded as their final training before the real thing ten days from now.


    "So¡­ what do you say, everyone?"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    This chapter was longer than usual, and it had a lot of info dumps, but I hope you enjoyed it regardless.

 Chapter 397 Unanimous Agreement

    <h4>Chapter 397 Unanimous Agreement </h4>


    A battlefield is chaos.


    It is a wideyout of destruction. And as such, it requires capable soldiers spread out in the canvas of carnage in order for it to be called a battle.


    Different brigades are led bypetent leaders, and they handle various battle positions while properly sticking to the established formation.


    Every role is important, and is required to remain firm¡ªfrom the vanguard, to the nks, to rear defenses and support¡ªelse, failure is certain.


    That is the nature of war.


    *********


    "We won''t be together? For real?" Justin''s voice echoed among the students as he raised his brows and voice in shock.


    "You didn''t know that? I figured it out pretty early."


    Eric sighed as he flexed his sses. To him, all of this was justmon sense. Anyone could see why the Otherworlders couldn''t just be one elite force when the front lines had various areas that required attention.


    Plus, Otherworlders weren''t invincible as well.


    The Dragons were a lot, and they were just nine. In order to win, just like they learned in the Dungeon, they required a functional strategy.


    "Ehh? You already knew, Eric?" Justin asked with widened eyes.


    "Yeah. It was obvious."


    "I sort of figured it out too."


    "Yeah¡­ me too."


    It turned out most of the Otherworlders had at least an inkling of suspicion about the nature of their dispatchment. This had to be because they thought very critically about the battlefield and what they would be doing there.


    And , well, thinking wasn''t Justin''s strongest suit.


    "In any case, everyone, let''s get back to topic." Adonis drew the attention of the students back to himself, and he folded his arms as he looked at them seriously.


    "If we take on this mission, we can use thest days preparing for the battlefield rather than just having fun and getting rusty. I understand the temptation to take a break, especially after all we''ve been through. I also understand if anyone wants to remain in the Royal Estate, but¡­ I really think this is a good opportunity for us."


    The fact that Adonis emphasized this point made it all the more curious.


    "We''ll register as Adventurers and join different Parties. Our identities as Otherworlders from the Capital will also be kept a secret. If some found out about it, it could lead to some unsavory results."


    Not all Adventurers had forgotten the past. In fact, it was safe to say that most still clung to it, and would never respect any established government.


    In that vein, it was of utmost pertinence¡ªas important as it was to seed in the Conquest¡ªto keep the deal a secret.


    "So, who''s in?"


    The Otherworlders looked at each other, one by one, trying to gauge on another''s response.


    Unlike in the past, this choice had no major consequence. Even though some chose to remain back, some could still go for the mission. In the same vein, everyone could choose to ept or reject the mission.


    For a moment, tense silence pervaded everywhere.


    The students seemed to be waiting for something¡ªor at least, someone¡ªto break the inevitable decorum.


    Then¡ª


    "I¡­ I am in."


    ¡ªThe voice of someone from behind echoed, causing everyone to look in his direction.


    It was Rey Skr.


    "I don''t want to be left behind. The EXP and experience everyone will gain in the Conquest will be lost to me if I don''t go. To better myself and not be a burden, I would like to participate."


    Once he gave his reasons and shared his resolve, there wasn''t much silence after that.


    "I''ll go too."


    "Me too!"


    "Count me in!"


    "Hehehe! This should be fun."


    "I''m supposed to be resting, but okay¡­ why not?"


    One after the other, the Otherworlders epted. Alicia, Belle, Billy, Justin, Eric, rk, Trisha, Adonis, and Rey; all of them unanimously agreed to the challenge.


    Conrad and Vida watched this sight with even more relief in their hearts.


    Seeing how Adonis always managed to sinctly exin the situation, and convince everyone to follow him¡­ these two adults couldn''t help but be envious.


    The Hero had everyone''s trust.


    It was a wonderful sight to see, regardless.


    *********


    ''What an interesting development¡­'' Rey smiled internally.


    He had been nning on visiting the Adventurer City one way or the other during the break since he nned on getting stronger before the deployment, but he never imagined such a unique opportunity would pop up.


    Of course, this wasn''t the first time he was hearing the news. That would be moments ago, when Adonis and the Royal Council called for him about a pertinent issue.


    He had left a Communication Device that they could use to contact him in their possession, so he got their call and headed there immediately.


    ''To think things would turn out this way¡­''


    *******


    [Moments Earlier]


    "So¡­ how bad is it?"


    Ralyks sat opposite the trio, having only an borate table to separate their equally prestigious andfortable sofas.


    His question remained in the air for a few moments before receiving an answer.


    "The situation isn''t too bad yet, but it is projected to be uncontroble. The Grand Cmity ss Dungeon itself isn''t the issue, but the Adventurers. About a hundred have already ventured in, based on what west heard, and there has been no word from them."


    As Conrad spoke, his face became crestfallen.


    "Adonis suggested we deploy the students as backup, but we would like to get your input¡ªas the one who observed them throughout the Raid. Do you think they''re ready to take on such a challenge?"


    Ralyks chuckled almost instantly once the question was posed to him. His arms were folded, but his body shook gently as he stifled hisughter.


    "Such a needless question." He replied, his tone still containing hints of amusement. "All nine of them exceed even the most powerful Adventurer."


    Adonis smiled and nodded, a spark in his eyes. It seemed he was in agreement with all that Ralyks said.


    "I can guarantee it."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    What Rank do you think the Evolved Royal Dungeon will be ording to the Adventurer scale?

 Chapter 398 Behind The Scenes [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 398 Behind The Scenes [Pt 1] </h4>


    "S-since you are so confident about them, then I guess there is no issue¡­"


    Conrad stroked his chin as he looked at Vida, who also nodded at him. They both appeared relieved, and it seemed their intention was to convey some details of what they told Ralyks to the students.


    Of course, some details would have to be exempt.


    "The Royal Dungeon was originally designated as a Disaster ss, but it evolved into an unidentified ss." Conrad asked, looking straight at the masked man. "What ss would you choose to give it, as an Adventurer."


    "Grand Cmity ss."


    "F-for real¡­?!"


    "Yes. The Monsters there were of the highest caliber, and with only nine of them, and a bit of assistance from me, it was cleared in a month."


    Granted, they desired to clear this new Grand Cmity Dungeon in nine days¡ªpreferably seven¡ªbut from the way the students had grown, it would suffice to say that they were capable of a Conquest on their own.


    "At their current level, they should be able to take on a Grand Cmity ss Dungeon on their own. Is that something that can be arranged?"


    Not only would it prevent any needless deaths, but it would also guarantee some form of victory. Last of all, it would allow every one of the Otherworlders to go all-out and face the new challenge with all their wits and abilities.


    "Unfortunately, that isn''t possible¡­" Conrad shook his head and sighed.


    "The Dungeon is on the property of the Adventurers City, and so it is well within their right to choose how they handle it. The only reason we are considering going is because they have chosen to seek our assistance."


    Normally, the government of the United Human Alliance could not tread on the Dungeons belonging to the Adventurers City. The only reason taxes and levies were imposed on them was due to the ''cause'' that was the war with the Dragons.


    The Adventurers City had to pay their dues as part of the contribution in the good fight.


    "If we choose to bypass the rules and make sneak the nine of them into the Dungeon, it will only be a repeat of what happened three hundred years ago¡­"


    Many people still hadn''t forgotten the treachery of the Nations all those years ago. If they tried to do something so vile once again, it meant the hadn''t learned from the mistakes of their ancestors.


    "Even if it will be faster and easier for the nine to singlehandedly handle this Dungeon, I doubt any Adventurer would agree to such a proposal. Even if we decide to forfeit all the rewards, they wouldn''t be satisfied."


    The EXP gained from a Dungeon, the thrill of risking one''s life to get stronger and richer¡­ and the pride of Adventurers in their livelihood¡ªthese factors were hindrances that would prevent Ralyks'' suggestion from being remotely considered.


    "As an Adventurer, you must understand how stubborn those in your upation tend to get. I mean no offense, Sir Ralyks." Conrad smiled nervously, to which the Dark Adventurer simply shrugged at.


    "I take no offense at words of truth. I personally find most of them to take on old-fashioned positions, but it is not in my ce to critique their values."


    Ralyks exhaled loudly, his gaze raised to the ceiling as if he was deep in thought about something.


    After a few seconds, he then spoke.


    "Have them integrate with the Adventurers then, preferably joining different Parties. It should offer at least some benefit that way."


    "Pardon? What do you mean by that?" Conrad asked, his brows raised slightly.


    "I get it, Sir Ralyks! You want us to get ustomed to fighting without each other. If we''re in different Parties, we''ll learn how to function with others rather than just one another." Adonis beamed, instantly severing the confusion in the air.


    Conrad and Vida weren''t warriors and fighters. They weren''t much of strategists either, though they tried their best in that regard.


    When it came to war, however, they were nearly ipetent.


    After all, experience was the most important factor in that field, and sheltered leaders had very rare opportunities to witness the evils of battle.


    "Indeed." Ralyks nodded at Adonis and responded calmly. "Even if you have to share EXP with the Adventurers, and probably forfeit most of the rewards gotten from inside a Dungeon, you can still learn valuable things there."


    They were practically making lemonade with the lemons being thrown at them.


    "Ahh, one final thing about the report, Sir Ralyks." Conrad spoke up. "I didn''t think to mention it since it was just a passingment that hasn''t been confirmed yet. But¡­"


    The worried look on the Grandmaster''s face made it clear that it worried him a little.


    "They mentioned a disturbing, negative pouring of the Dungeon. There is spection that this energy could be Miasma."


    Upon hearing this, a powerful surge of energy swept across the room. For only a mere instant, it felt like the entire space was coated in bloodlust.


    Everyone was paralyzed under the pressure that came from one man.


    "Did you just say¡­ Miasma?" Ralyks asked, his voice low but deadly.


    Conrad gulped as he nodded, beads of sweat proceeding from his lips. Vida appeared equally ufortable, though shock mostly filled her face.


    "I-is there a problem, Sir Ralyks?"


    "Huu¡­ no. None at all." As he calmly exhaled, the pressure vanished, and the ambiance in the room returned to normal. "Just be careful. The existence of Miasma makes this Dungeon more difficult than I previously estimated."


    "No worries, Sir Ralyks. I''m sure we can handle it."


    Adonis'' words oozed confidence, and for a moment the Hero and Dark Adventurer gazed at each other in silence.


    After the next few seconds, Ralyks nodded and shrugged.


    "Very well. I trust in your judgment."


    Adonis smiled in relief, but it also seemed like he was proud of himself after hearing such praise from the strongest man he knew.


    "By the way, Sir Ralyks, I have been meaning to ask¡­" Vida spoke up, her tone as cautious as it was mellow.


    "Hm? What is it?"


    A few seconds passed before a response, in the form of a question, was posed.


    "Are you going to be participating in the Dungeon Conque¡ª?"


    "No. No, I won''t." Ralyks answered bluntly, not even waiting for the question to beplete.


    "You all are on your own this time."


    The words he uttered surprised everyone. They couldn''t even hide their surprise if they wanted to.


    "W-why¡­?" The inevitable question leaked out of Adonis'' lips.


    Ralyks was the most powerful ally humanity had at the moment. If he went to the Grand Cmity Dungeon, he would be able to prevent the unnecessary deaths of possibly thousands of people.


    Plus, since he was an Adventurer, there would be noints from the authorities.


    He had every right to challenge it on his own too.


    "I have my reasons. Reasons I cannot disclose." He answered, swiftly rising to his feet.


    "I wish you the best of luck, though."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Yet another chapter with dialogue alone. I do apologize for the slow pace, but please be patient with me once again.


    This Arc is gonna be lit!

 Chapter 399 Behind The Scenes [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 399 Behind The Scenes [Pt 2] </h4>


    "If I may be so impudent, could you please tell us the nature of what you have to do?"


    The one who asked the question was Adonis.


    Yes, he respected Ralyks immensely. The man was incredibly powerful, and he was selfless in many regards. Despite all his good qualities, Adonis could not remain blind to a few of his suspicious traits.


    For example, his unwillingness to participate in a Dungeon Conquest that would definitely be a betterment to humanity.


    "I have some private investigations I will need to conduct, so I won''t be around for an extended period of time." Ralyks responded calmly, still on his feet.


    "And it can not wait?"


    It pained Adonis to press on this way, but he had no choice. As someone who had seen the future¡ªone where there was no Ralyks¡ªhe had to understand this man very well.


    "It cannot." Once Ralyks gave this response, Adonis felt deted.


    He had no right to pry any further, and in all honesty, Ralyks was doing him a big favor by even responding to the questions.


    "Sorry for asking so many unnecessary questions." Adonis bowed, but the Dark Adventurer shrugged it off.


    "It''s fine. Also, while I won''t be around, I don''t mind transporting everyone to the Adventurers City tomorrow."


    Upon hearing this, everyone in the room beamed.


    The Adventurers City was very far. Even on the fastest carriage, it would take nearly a week to reach the location. The fastest way to get there would be through Magic, but since none of the students had Spatial Magic, it wouldn''t be an easy feat.


    If they boosted their transportation with Items and the likes, they would still need a few days to reach the location.


    ''The higher-ups at the Adventurers Guild also recognize this, so they are probably not expecting much from us despite requesting for our assistance.'' Conrad thought to himself, smiling intensely. ''But with Sir Ralyks, we can bypass all of those problems.''


    That was one of the major reasons why they called him in.


    ''Still, it''s strange. Even the higher-ups don''t know who Sir Ralyks is¡­''


    It boggled the mind, but Conrad had learned to simply let theplicated matters go and just focus on the good aspects of life.


    ''Right now, we have everything ready for our participation in the Conquest. All that is left is, of course, the consent of the Otherworlders.''


    Whether or not they would ept was a different ball game entirely, but it didn''t concern Ralyks in the slightest.


    "I''ll return in the evening tomorrow, so please be prepared by then." As he said this, sparks of energy manifested, followed by a distortion of space behind him.


    "Understood!"


    Conrad , Vida, and Adonis rose to their feet and nodded.


    "Thank you once again, Sir Ralyks."


    "It''s no problem." He shrugged as he began entering the portal.


    Then, out of nowhere, a panicked voice rose from among the trio¡ªits origin still a mystery.


    "Ah, could you also transport us to the Estate Fields? I think we''re a little behind schedule on¡­"


    "Sure¡­"


    And that was how the Royal Council met up with the waiting students while Ralyks gracefully made his exit.


    **********


    [The Present]


    The students dispersed after the entire announcement, and most of them decided to make the most of their time before heading to the Adventurers City.


    Since they would be leaving on the evening of the next day, they still had considerable time to have fun. For different people, that could be defined in various ways.


    Regarding Rey and Alicia, however¡­ it meant one thing.


    ¡ªReading in the library.


    The two of them sat in silence, within the four walls of the library. They were surrounded by the fresh smell of paper and parchments, soaking in the decorum that only the inner sanctum of knowledge could provide.


    The result was absolute immersion in what they found pleasure in most¡ªat least, this was true for one of the two people in the room.


    While Alicia was busy consuming the contents of the book in her grasp, hungrily devouring the knowledge within it as if there was no tomorrow, Rey''s distracted gaze merely rested on his own book.


    His mind was elsewhere.


    ''Miasma, huh? Could this be Adrien''s work? Is he somehow rted to this entire incident?'' Rey wasn''t sure what to think.


    For one, it didn''t seem likely that Adrien would orchestrate some big event like this that would attract the attention of so many people. Besides, Dungeons popping out of nowhere¡ª


    even Grand Cmity ones¡ªhad happened before.


    As such, it wasn''t some unknown, unexinable phenomenon.


    Trying to pin it on Adrien Chase, just because Miasma was involved, felt a bit far-fetched to Rey.


    But¡­


    ''Adrien has found ways to manipte even the most ordinary-


    looking scenarios and made them all work for his benefit. Perhaps he caused the Dungeon appearing, but it''s also possible that he didn''t cause this Dungeon''s appearance, but he has ns for it.''


    Either way, Rey couldn''t help but feel like he was being lured in.


    ''I don''t like this one bit.''


    It was one of the major reasons why he chose not to appear as Ralyks. He would be taking too big of a risk, and that could be ying into Adrien''s hand.


    ''I''ll have to think of another way to go about this¡­'' Rey sighed.


    With the Conquest happening, and so many things about to take ce at the same time, Rey felt a bit overwhelmed with all of it.


    ''I actually kind of miss Ater now. Who would have thought¡­'' He smiled to himself and shook his head.


    ''I wonder what he would have done if he was in my position.''


    As Reyy on his bed and closed his eyes, he sighed and imagined everything that could happen to him and his ssmates within the City and inside the Dungeon.


    ''I''ve never been to the Adventurers City, so¡­'' A brief smile crept on his face and he internally made a decision.


    ''I''ll have to ask around a bit before reaching my conclusion.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    What do you think? Is Adrien behind this situation? Also, who has a guess on what Rey will do about this?


    I await your thoughts.

 Chapter 400 City Of Adventures [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 400 City Of Adventures [Pt 1] </h4>


    Distant footsteps could be heard as two individuals trod down the path that many took.


    Yet, for some reason, only these two currently walked it.


    They wore contrasting attires, easily drawing the attention of the people around them. A few individuals even trailed behind them, maintaining their distance of course.


    One or two of these people had been watching these two strangers from the moment they stepped into the city through the South Gate.


    It wasn''t strange for the Adventurers City to have guests or visitors, but something about these two made them stand out, and it wasn''t just their well-made and pristine outfits.


    They had a unique aura about them, and any veteran could tell just from a nce.


    Whoever they were, the two were strong.


    After walking for a while, they finally arrived at their destination¡ªthe only ce strangers in the City would be interested in.


    ¡ªThe Adventurers Guild.


    The ce was a tall, massive building. It had at least five separate Floors, not counting the Ground Floor. It also had an intimidating aura about it to ward off those who were too weak-willed to take a bold step of faith.


    This was the effect of an especially powerful Enchanted Item, so it wasn''t news to see one or two fools attempt to join the ranks of Adventurers, only to piss themselves and run away scared.


    Not everyone was cut out to be an Adventurer. The Item''s effect was meant to prove that by exposing the frauds among those who wanted to give it a shot.


    Only those who were truly cut out for the task could step into the Guild.


    Usually, amused grins would be let out by spectating Adventurers, but no one said or did anything this time.


    They already knew that these two were more than worthy to step in.


    And yes, just like that¡­ they both walked into the Adventurers Guild without any issue whatsoever. Though the duo didn''t realize this, they had already passed the first test of the Adventurers City.


    Whether they would be able to ovee the next hurdle, however, was yet to be decided.


    ********


    Burke was a frustrated woman who worked in an equally frustrating ce.


    The loud noise generated by the Adventurers who upied the pub upstairs could be heard even in the Reception, which was practically the whole of the Ground Floor.


    She, among about a dozen others, stood behind desks as they waited to be approached by Adventurers and Clients.


    Opposite where their desks were situated was the ''Big Board'', as it was called by the Adventurers, where the avable Quests would be disyed.


    If an Adventurer was interested in a Quest, they only needed to identify the Quest Number and register their names and badges with any of the Receptionists in order for their eptance of the mission to be officially recognized by the Guild.


    This way, once they were done with the Quests, they could obtain their reward straight from the Guild without any issues.


    There was also a time limit given, for ountability, so if an Adventurer registered for a Quest and was unable toplete it within the specified period, they would be penalized.


    Of course, as was the nature of humans, many tried to bypass this hurdle by starting a Quest and only registering their eptance when they were almost donepleting it, or when they were already done.


    While a few got away with it using this method, most could not. This was because each Quest had an entry limit, and as such once the limit was reached, no one could register their eptance.


    Several stories had been told of Adventurers who tried to y smart with the system, but ended up working for free due to being toote to ept a Quest after doing most of the work beforehand.


    The lesson here was to do things the proper way to avoid anyplications, and that was what most Adventurers in the upper ranks did.


    Only scramblers in the lower ranks resorted to such underhanded means.


    Burke mulled over all of this information she already knew as she sighed internally. She had a slight frown on her face, which she quickly corrected so that her face wouldn''t age too quickly.


    For some time now, thedy had been making sure to pay close attention to her appearance¡ªespecially since she wasn''t getting any younger.


    Burke was in her mid-thirties, but one nce at her would make you think she was in her twenties. That was the wonder that Enchanted Items and a lot of skincare could do.


    Her goal was simple¡ªone day marry a strong man who would take care of her and not allow her to work for the rest of her life.


    Workers of the Adventurers Guild met with strong people all the time, which was why she chose this career path, but after working here for over ten years now, Burke found herself regretting that decision.


    ''These Adventurers are too crass. Other than a few exceptions, they''re ruffians!''


    None of them were gentlemen who could treat a woman right. Even those who were gentlemen weren''t the type who supported her dream of perpetual retirement.


    Pretty much every Adventurer she met and had an interest in thought that their partner had to work somehow. Their line of reasoning made sense, considering how there were tons of female Adventurers who were in the City.


    Burke couldn''t ept it, though.


    ''Women should just be pretty and stay at home, while the men work and protect them!''


    That was her philosophy, and it remained unchanged despite how long she had spent in the Adventurers City.


    Her mindset only did her a disservice, though.


    No veteran desired her, as most of them sought after strong women who would understand the rigors of being an Adventurer.


    The only Adventurers who paid her any attention were new and inexperienced Adventurers who didn''t have a penny to their name. They couldn''t even take care of themselves; talk less of a non-working partner.


    In the end, she felt trapped somehow.


    "¡­ Excuse me, Miss."


    The deep voice of a man in front woke Burke from her thoughts, and so she lifted her gaze to attend to the next customer.


    Unknown to her, this one encounter would change her life forever.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Sorry for the long tangent. I really am¡­ I just got lost in the sauce.


    Forgive me, everyone!

 Chapter 401 City Of Adventures [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 401 City Of Adventures [Pt 2] </h4>


    "Ahh¡­"


    As Burke raised her head to gaze upon the man who called for her, she found herself quickly overwhelmed by the presence before her.


    There wasn''t just one man, but two people: a man and a woman.


    They both had a unique aura that only veterans gave off, but Burke didn''t recognize them.


    ''There are over ten thousand Adventurers in this City, but there aren''t that many that have such peculiar appearances and intense vibe.'' Burke found herself gulping as she took in the sight.


    The man in question had a hat on, and it covered a slight portion on his face, while casting a dark shadow on his dark purple eyes. He had a long ck coat, while wearing a full suit underneath.


    He had traces of silver as designs on his coat as well as his tie. His tie and belt also bore the same silver color, but he was mostly shrouded in ck. This stranger held a briefcase in his right hand, its contents unknown.


    Other than a small portion of his pale face, and his exposed neck, no other part of his skin was exposed. He had hand gloves on, and all other parts of his body were covered in the darkness of mystery.


    Yes, this was an absolute stranger.


    ''If someone like this was an Adventurer, I would know!'' Burke told herself as she examined his exquisite wear.


    He wasn''t the only one who took her attention, though. Thedy who wore white, in contrast to the dark gentleman''s attire, was equally astonishing.


    She had a hooded cape on, with the helm covering most of her face. It was pure white, having gold designs and a tinge of blue to add an allure of beauty and regality to her appearance.


    The rest of her outfit was the same.


    Thedy had an amazing blue-white top, with a brown belt tied and buckled at the top of her waist, along with a darker shade of blue as her trousers. Her boots were pure white,ced with blue as well.


    Even though her face was hidden, she seemed like an angel in disguise¡ªjust from what anyone could see.


    A sharp contrast to the devil-like wear of the dark gentleman.


    ''These two¡­ just who are they?'' It was rare seeing clients with this kind of presence, having this kind of equipment on.


    Burke wasn''t even the only who felt this way.


    She could even see that literally everyone in the reception hall had their eyes on the two strangers, having the same look of wonder and awe in their eyes.


    Of course, all of this observationsted only a few seconds in Burke''s mind. In reality, though, over a minute had passed and still the two were waiting to be attended to.


    "Excuse me, Mi¡ª?"


    "Ahh, sorry about that. Wee to the Adventurers Guild. How may I help you two today?" Burke quickly responded, a little mortified that she managed to get distracted twice.


    This had been happening a lottely, up to the point where a few people had madeints about her absentmindedness.


    ''I''ll have to beg these two not to give any negative reviews about my service to them!''


    That also meant she had to provide them with the most exceptional service they could get.


    ''Okay, I''m pumped up now!'' Her eyes were lit with determination as she awaited the words of her clients.


    "We would like to register as Adventurers." The man in the hat spoke, his monotone remaining the same.


    Burke nodded with enthusiasm as her thoughts flowed seamlessly.


    ''Adventurers, huh? Figures that they''re not just ordinary clients.'' Many would mistake them for aristocrats, but their attires consisted of nothing but Enchanted items, and the way they conducted themselves made it clear that they were experienced.


    Burke could only wonder what line of work they engaged in beforeing to the Guild.


    "Alright, then. You''ll need to fill out these forms."


    She pulled out two pieces of paper from seemingly nowhere and ced them on the desk. Of course, pens were also provided for them as well.


    "Take your time to¡ª"


    "We''re done." The man''s voice greeted Burke''s ears the moment she blinked, causing both to bulge the moment she heard the statement he made.


    ''E-eh¡­?''


    Her widened eyes looked at the two forms, and sure enough, they were already filled to the letter.


    Most Adventurers, despite being rash and savage, took much longer when it came to filling out forms. In fact, a lot of them required help from the Receptionists since they were illiterates.


    Of course, Burke didn''t think the distinguished two in front of her were illiterates, but she also found it difficult to believe they could finish everything in the blink of an eye.


    However, after examining their forms, she had no choice but to ept what had happened.


    ''Their handwritings are so fluent, and they took care of everything needed for them, while leaving the appropriate space meant for the Guild Staff to fill.''


    ¡­ All without any prior instruction or exnation.


    ''That''s impressive!'' She went over the names of the two applicants and smiled. ''So the girl is Lux, and the man is¡­ Jet.''


    Burke found thetter amusing, considering how the strongest Adventurer in history had the same name.


    ''I suppose he also looks up to Jet Zephyr.'' Burke smiled and nodded.


    When registering as an Adventurer, it wasn''t necessary to use one''s real name. As a result, many often resorted to nicknames which would serve as their moniker.


    Of course, there were many who chose the name "Jet" as their Adventurer name, but none of them managed to make it stick. All, without exception, returned to make rectifications within three days.


    Burke thought of telling the two, but decided against it.


    ''I shouldn''t ruin the rite of passage for anyone¡­'' She smiled to herself.


    "So, it says here that you two belong to the same Party. Would you like that to be officially recognized by the Guild?"


    Doing so meant that the Guild regted their profit-sharing, and would think of them as a single entity in circumstances of liability and so on.


    Of course, it was up to the parties involved if they desired this.


    Normally, candidates would take their time to consider this question, but there was no hesitation in the answer that came next.


    "Yes. Yes, we would."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and if you didn''t¡­ I''m sorry. This is all necessary, still. So hang in there, okay?


    Haha¡­!

 Chapter 402 City Of Adventures [Pt 3]

    <h4>Chapter 402 City Of Adventures [Pt 3] </h4>


    The rest of the registration process didn''t take too long.


    Burke was soon finished with most of it. There were just a few things left, and that included their signature, a shot of their real face, and the Adventurer Test that they would each have to participate in.


    Of course, depending on the rank they desired, they would have to pay the appropriate sum to take the test. This way, the Guild wouldn''t suffer any losses from organizing the test and amodating the candidate.


    The duo didn''t have an issue with the signature¡ªwhich was essentially just them imprinting their Mana on the form.


    Anyone who desired to be an Adventurer had to at least have a Skill, and since Skills required Mana, it was expected for candidates to be able to use it.


    Imprinting Mana wasn''t very difficult, as the paper itself would extract the Mana once it made contact with the necessary part of the candidate''s body. It required no Skill or innate Mana Control.


    After the signature was the face reveal, which was just standard procedure when it came to registration procedures.


    "Do we really have to show our faces?" The gentleman in ck asked.


    His deep tone was calm, showing no hint of anxiety or skepticism. It just seemed like he was mildly curious.


    "Yes, sir. It''s standard procedure. If you want to keep your identity hidden, we can move to a private ce where you''ll show your face to the Receptionist in charge of you, i.e. Me. Of course, you''d also have to fill another form for¡ª"


    "There''s no need for that. We''ll do it here."


    Burke nodded at his words, though she made a silent observation as the conversation progressed.


    ''Thedy beside him isn''t saying anything. Why?''


    The gentleman was speaking for both of them as if it was natural. They both outlined in their history that they were partners, and they even opted to be recognized as a Party by the Guild.


    ''Are they married or something?'' Burke wondered.


    Before she could conclude her line of thought, the man took off his hat, revealing his silvery-dark hair. It had a certain charm to it, and the excess hair was packed behind with a dark band.


    The few unruly strands fluttered around, revealing the pale and incredibly handsome face of the young man.


    His dark purple eyes were charming, and his soft-looking skin was sharply contrasted with the stern look he had on.


    Something about his demeanor felt threatening.


    ''H-he''s so handsome! He''s more handsome than any Adventurer I''ve ever seen!'' Burke wanted to scream out loud.


    He also had a very gentlemanly voice, with a calm face and a proper attitude. This man, Jet, was everything she looked for in a man.


    Sure, he was just a neer, but merely looking at his equipment it was easy to deduce that he was a man of means.


    ''If I could have someone like him, then¡ª!'' Before she could conclude her line of thoughts, the woman beside the man took down her hood.


    The moment Burke gazed upon the pristine beauty that stood before her, she didn''t dare have another thought about the gentleman.


    Lux had white hair, so long that they streamed past her back. Her clear blue eyes could captivate anyone. Even a woman like Burke was mesmerized.


    Her heart nearly stopped at the sight.


    Her skin wasn''t as pale as the gentleman, but she had a simr soft-looking skin. Without a doubt, she was an unparalleled beauty.


    As both of them¡ªgods of beauty in their respective rights¡ªstood before Burke, she nearly fainted from overexposure to pure attractiveness


    ''If this is his partner, I don''t stand a chance!''


    No¡­ even if Lux wasn''t his partner, did she really deserve a man as perfect as Jet?


    ''Ahh¡­ I see now.'' At that point, Burke had an epiphany. Her inner eyes became open to the very things she couldn''t see in the past.


    The things she chose not to see.


    ''All this time, I''ve always thought that the men in this city aren''t good enough for me, but¡­ I never bothered asking myself why I didn''t attract the men that I desired.''


    Men like Jet deserved women like Lux.


    Likewise, if she was going to find the man of her dreams, then maybe she also had to be deserving of him. Perhaps¡­


    ''¡­ I should find a way to better myself somehow, if I don''t want to settle for less.''


    Being a receptionist, with nothing to go for but her job and good looks, the kind of men she would attract were those who were interested in those things.


    If she didn''t want to work after settling down, that left only her good looks on the table.


    ''I''m thirty-five. These looks won''tst forever¡­'' In fact, they were already fading very quickly.


    Many veteran Adventurers already knew how long she had been working in the Guild, and of all the receptionists present, she had the most experience.


    ''Perhaps it''s time I advance and move on with my life.'' Burke thought to herself, her eyes glistening in resolve.


    ''I should¡ª!''


    "What next, Miss?" Burke''s introspection was interrupted by the words of the charming gentleman.


    She nearly jumped out of her seat the moment she heard his voice.


    "I''m sorry! I''m so sorry!"


    To say she was flustered would be an understatement.


    ''Shit! Once again, I got distracted!'' Beads of sweat appeared on her face. She quickly cleaned them off with her neat napkin and returned her mind to the task.


    The two in front of her had calm, stoic faces. They simply waited for her to regain herposure and address them properly.


    "W-well, all that''s left is to take the Adventurer Test. As you know, the test is divided into categories based on difficulty, which determine the rank of an¡ª"


    "We will take the most difficult one." The man said, his tone so smooth that Burke nearly nodded in response.


    That was until she realized what he just uttered.


    "Huh? You want to take the Heroic Rank Test?!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I guess we finally got to see Burke''s small character arc. Now, I''ll try to focus solely on the story at hand.


    Sorry once again¡­

 Chapter 403 City Of Adventures [Pt 4]

    <h4>Chapter 403 City Of Adventures [Pt 4] </h4>


    Man isn''t equal.


    No matter where you go to in the world, there is always a hierarchy¡ªsome kind of strata that exins the natural order of things.


    So also is the way of the Adventurers.


    Among the ranks of the Adventurers, there exists a hierarchy of rank defined by stars; from One Star to Six Stars.


    They define the strength andpetence of the Adventurers, and also determine the kind of tasks they can undertake.


    Within this strata, Six Stars remain the highest rank attainable by an Adventurer¡ªno, by any human, period!


    Only three Adventurers currently have this Rank in the entire Adventurers City.


    Ah, it is also called by another name.


    The Heroic Rank!


    *********


    "Huh? You want to take the Heroic Rank Test?!"


    Burke''s voice was so loud that the entirety of those within the room heard what she said. It stunned even her, causing a look of shock to appear all over her face.


    ''I didn''t expect to be so loud! I''ve just spilled confidential information!'' Tears nearly welled up in her eyes.


    If these people weren''t nning on giving her a bad review before, now that she had done this, there was no way they would let it slide.


    She couldn''t escape the punishment for her negligence.


    "Yes. We would like to take it."


    "B-but¡­"


    "There''s no rule stating we can''t, is there?" The moment the man asked this, Burke had to fall silent and shake her head.


    The Adventurers believed in freedom above all else, so there was no rule confining the candidates to a particr set of tests, or cing a ceiling on the options avable to an aspirant.


    As long as they had the guts and money necessary to take the test, there was no limit to what they could or couldn''t participate in.


    "Then, we''d both like to take the test. How much is it?"


    Burke sighed and decided to tell them the price. Perhaps once they heard it, they would change their minds.


    "One tinum coin each. And there''s no refu¡ª"


    "Here you go." Two tinum coins were ced on the table before Burke could evenplete her sentence.


    ''Ahh¡­ what did I expect? They were dressed this fancily, looked this attractive, and they both want to take the Heroic Rank Test.''


    Nothing about these two was ordinary, and she was a fool to have expected their actions to make any kind of sense.


    "O-okay." Burke took the Coins and inspected them, per procedure.


    They were legitimate, but after cing it in the appropriate coin register, she pulled out two tags and handed them to the candidates.


    "Please return here after?twenty-four hours to take your test."


    "Hm? I thought we could take the test immediately after registration." Jet asked, his brow raised in inquisition.


    Of course, he still looked despite his confusion, so Burke was happy to rify the whole thing.


    "If this was any other Test, that would be the case. But, it takes a lot of preparation to organize the Heroic Rank Test, which is why you''ll have to return tomorrow."


    Jet stared at Lux, and they both nodded as if they just exchanged a message telepathically.


    "Understood. Then, we will return tomorrow."


    Burke nodded and smiled at the two. ''There''s no doubt about it. They''re definitely together!''


    "Is there anything we need to know before tomorrow? Any further thing to process?"


    "N-no. Once you''re done with your Test, you''ll be given your badge, and that''s about it¡­" Burke answered, but quickly realized her unconscious choice of words.


    ''Why did I assume that they would pass?''


    "Very well. Thank you for your time." Jet bowed his head slightly and wore his hat while Lux pulled up her hoodie and hid her face.


    It was already toote to hide their identities, as pretty much everyone had caught a glimpse of it¡ªthough most of them didn''t get to see their whole face.


    There was even an uproar in the reception hall, though all of it was ignored by the three parties who were engaged in their conversation.


    "T-thank you as well¡­" Burke didn''t even attempt to plead for a good review, but her tongue slipped and she ended up saying what she shouldn''t have.


    "What a nice couple¡­"


    Once again, her voice was louder than expected. As a result, the two who were already leaving stopped dead in their tracks.


    "Eeeek!" Burke knew she was going to get in trouble this time for sure.


    However, rather than reprimand her for speaking so carelessly, Jet merely chuckled and responded in the calmest manner possible.


    "We''re not a couple. We''re siblings."


    With those words of correction uttered, Jet and Lux casually stepped away from the reception area and headed straight for the exit.


    Burke watched their backs as they left, her jaw wide open as only one thought filled her mind.


    ''H-he was¡­ single all along?''


    **********


    "What an amusingdy¡­"


    "Indeed¡­"


    As the partners¡ªck and white¡ªstepped out of the Guild Building, their whispers faintly filled the air around them.


    Their silent footsteps and gentle strides showed just how graceful they were. Even the briefcase that the man held was as graceful as the man who wielded it.


    It was practically evening already, with the sun setting in the distance¡ªthe perfect time to settle in an inn.


    Despite knowing this, the two halted their steps.


    This wasn''t due to some kind of negligence on their part. Instead, their sudden stop was caused by a group of about six men who stood in front of them.


    They all had rough appearances and reeked of alcohol. Despite this, there was an air of intensity about them that made it clear that they weren''t mere novices in the game.


    These were veteran Adventurers.


    "Is there a problem? You''re in our way." Jet spoke, his voice the only echo of reason among the annoyed grunts that the six made.


    "A problem, huh? Yes¡­ you could say that¡­" The one who seemed like the leader stepped forward.


    He was very tall, with dark skin and a muscr build. He was clearly a Barbarian. If his ebony skin and ited hair didn''t give it away, then his terrible attitude made for the perfect introduction.


    "I hear you n on taking the Heroic Rank Test¡­"


    "Yes. That is correct."


    The moment the man heard this, he drew his face closer to Jet and slightly turned his head in a threatening manner.


    "Oi¡­ wanna die?"


    For a moment, tense silence took control. That was until the remaining drunk Adventurers ''oooohed'' and ''ahhhhed'' at the entire scene.


    They seemed amused for some reason.


    "Pfft! Sango is gonna beat them good!"


    "Take it easy or they''re gonna piss themselves."


    "Intense from the start, eh? As expected of the Vice Captain!"


    Their cackles were unpleasant to the ears, and despite them making a scene, no one seemed to be stopping them.


    Despite there being quite a number of onlookers, it seemed like many were intrigued by the confrontation and wanted to see what would happen.


    Finally making a move, Jet held his hat and lowered his head, his voice spreading throughout the area despite being a mere whisper.


    "I would appreciate it if you did not bathe me with your foul breath, you fool."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 404 City Of Adventures [Pt 5]

    <h4>Chapter 404 City Of Adventures [Pt 5] </h4>


    "W-what did you just say?"


    Sango''s face seemed to depict a fair bit of shock as soon as he heard the response of the stranger in ck. His brows were raised in genuine surprise.


    "You heard me well enough. Step back if you know what is good for you."


    More surprise filled Sango''s face.


    "Do you¡­ not know who I am? Who we are?"


    "How would we know that? We just got here." The response from the hatted man made Sango nearly frown.


    Surely, his name was known even beyond the confines of the City. Any aspiring Adventurer would know the name of one of the strongest Adventurers in the City, as well as the top Party in all of the City.


    Yet, none of that recognition seemed to being from the fellow before him.


    The girl beside him also said nothing. She just stood there like a statue, almost as if she wasn''t witnessing anything that was happening.


    ''Do they both not recognize me? Are they messing with me, or¡­?'' Sango''s thoughts trailed.


    The cackles of his subordinates brought him back to reality, though, as they started making fun of him.


    "Seems like your poprity has plummeted, Sango!"


    "Being Rank 7 is apparently not enough for the neers to recognize you!"


    "Pfft! You''re not gonna let it slide, are you?"


    At this point, Sango couldn''t help his frown. He raised his voice at the drunks that he called subordinates.


    "Would you stop already? You guys are already drunk!"


    He was only met with more ridicule.


    "We''re drunk? Look who''s talking, pfft!"


    "Maybe we''re all sober and you''re the one that''s drunk!"


    "Hahahaaha!"


    At this point, Sango pped his hand on his face and stood upright, removing his face so close to the gentleman who stood before him.


    "These guys are bumming me out¡­" He sighed.


    Despite having lots to drink, Sango wasn''t drunk in the slightest. He had his Barbarian genes to thank for that fact. Unfortunately, the embarrassments caused by hisrades was enough to wish that he wasn''t sober.


    "I-in any case, let''s not waste any time and get to the point¡­" Sango pointed at the two, who patiently waited for him to recover from his mortification.


    "You two should withdraw from the Heroic Rank Test!"


    "No way."


    "WHAT?!"


    "I said¡­ no way?"


    "Why no way?"


    "Because it''s not possible?"


    "Why isn''t it possible?"


    "It''s just not."


    "Why not, you stupid bastard?!" At this point, Sango was exasperated.


    He was nearly running out of breath due to the quick back and forth. He wasn''t used to this kind of defiance from people¡ªespecially from people younger than him.


    Only those who had proven themselves as stronger could do that, and he wasn''t getting that vibe from the two of them.


    "Look here, you punks¡­" Sango''s tone took a deeper and more aggressive tone. "You''re just a bunch of newbies. Do you have any idea how insulting it is to opt for the most difficult rank from the start?"


    The man with the hat cocked his head slightly and asked a very, but pertinent question. "It''s not against the rules, is it?"


    Sango felt slighted by that response.


    He really wasn''t used to people talking back to him like this, so he responded in the only way he knew how to.


    "LISTEN HERE, IT MIGHT NOT BE AGAINST THE RULES, BUT IT IS STILL WRONG TO DO!" Sango simply raised his voice.


    That always did the trick for him.


    As his thunderous voice filled the area, the air itself vibrated, and everyone who watched the scene shivered.


    Well, everyone except the two who stood right in front of him.


    "How is it wrong? It''swful."


    ''H-he''s still running his mouth? How¡­?!'' Sango''s eyes widened.


    The man in front of him clearly wasn''t normal. However, that didn''t stop the Barbarian from speaking even more.


    "It''s wrong to the Adventurers that are here. Your seniors who have been working their butts off for so long¡­ how do you think it looks like to them when a bunch of amateurs show up and want to skip the process?"


    "If you''re strong enough, I see no reason why you can''t just get a Rank suited for your strength." The response of the gentleman was reasonable, but Sango did not ept it.


    After all, that line of reasoning only applied to those who were ''strong enough''.


    And these two¡­ Sango wasn''t sure that they qualified.


    "Look, you don''t get it. When guys like you just pop up and throw your money around to get the exams, it pisses off honest Adventurers who look up to that Rank and work hard every day so that they can get to that level one day."


    Sango wasn''t just pulling words out of his ass. Majority of the Adventurers who watched this entire scene nodded in agreement to the Barbarian''s words.


    "We have the way we do things here. I''m saying this for your sake too. So you should just go back there and change the kind of test you want to have."


    Silence engulfed the area, and the gentleman ced his hand on his chin as if deliberating on what to do.


    Sango grinned widely, happy that he was able to knock some sense into the haughty neers without resorting to violence.


    Unfortunately, his happiness was cut short by the hatted man''s response.


    "No. It''s not possible."


    "Why is it not possible?"


    "It''s just not."


    "Why not, YOU STUPID BASTAAAARD?!"


    In response to this, the gentleman merely shrugged. "Now, if you''ll excuse us, we''d best be on our way."


    The dark coated man and his white-d maiden walked past Sango in a calm and elegant stride.


    But¡ª


    "Hold on¡­" Sango held the shoulder of the man, his frown deepening to a monstrous degree.


    Sparks of lightning shed in his eyes, and his muscles began to bulge to an unbelievable extent. Everyone who saw this took the hint and stepped back.


    "It seems you weren''t paying any attention to what I was saying¡­"


    Sango until he became at least twice as tall as the man whose shoulder he held. His deadly gaze echoed violence, and his overwhelming power overflowed through all parts of his body.


    "YOU WILL CHANGE THE RANK OF YOUR TEST."


    "And if I refuse?" The man responded, his calm voice an antithesis to the rough echoes of Sango''s growl.


    Upon hearing this, the ebony giant grinned like a maniac and gave the only response he could render at this point.


    "Then¡­ you DIEEE!"


    ~BZZTTZZZ!~


    Sango''s hand crackled with electricity as it rushed towards the face of the stranger faster than the eye could process.


    This blur of a fist was capable of breaking the toughest boulders and tearing apart buildings. Against a single man, it was overkill.


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    The blow neared the target, and all closed their eyes, expecting hear the squishing sound of flesh.


    What they heard, instead, was a pping sound.


    ¡­ Almost as if, somehow¡­ the blow had been stopped by a palm.


    All opened their eyes, and to their unanimous shock, that was indeed the case. Sango''s blow was stopped by the white partner of the dark gentleman.


    "W-WHAT ARE YO¡ª!"


    ~BWOOOOOOSHHHH!~


    Before Sango could even say anything, an invisible gale of wind blew him away, sending him flying far away.


    ¡­ Perhaps into oblivion.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    In case you haven''t noticed, I have decided to upload a lot of chapters daily, for the next ten days. That way, we can swiftly get to the good bits and have a lot of fun.


    Please cheer me on!

 Chapter 405 City Of Adventures [Pt 6]

    <h4>Chapter 405 City Of Adventures [Pt 6] </h4>


    ~BOOOOM!~


    The resounding eruption caused by the destruction of the earth spread throughout the city.


    Everyone within earshot could hear the loud crash, and those who were still too far to listen were greeted by the rumbles that rushed from the ground.


    All of this chaos stemmed from a single location.


    ¡­ The same ce where Jet and Lux stood.


    "E-EEEEK!"


    Upon seeing their leaderpletely lose consciousness from a single hit, the remaining five stooges began to squeak in fear.


    Sango''s ebony body was buried in the ground, covered in dirt and debris. He was literally foaming in the mouth, his eyespletely white due to the shock that sent him straight to sleep.


    Vestiges of lightning crackled from his body as smoke rose all around the crater that formed on the ground.


    Everyone was dead silent, holding their breath as they stared at this amazing sight in awe.


    Sango was among the strongest Adventurers in the City, having a Five Star Rank. He was a Master Adventurer, and everyone treated him as such.


    Seeing him get his arse handed to him just like that was a surreal experience for everyone who watched.


    It didn''t take long before murmurs began to echo forth.


    "Are you kidding? Just one hit¡­?"


    "Even stronger Adventurers would not have ended it with just one hit¡­"


    "Maybe it''s because he was drunk¡­"


    "You idiot! Have you ever seen Sango pass out due to alcohol before?"


    "He was sober? You''re joking!"


    "I couldn''t even see the strike. What kind of move¡­ was that?"


    All eyes shifted from Sango, and the curious gazes of everyone rested on the perpetrators of the entire mess. The gentleman in ck and the maiden in white: their existence caused the hearts of many to tremble.


    "If she was able to do that, does that mean that man is also capable of that much?"


    "They''re partners, after all! It''s a given!"


    "B-but¡­ even Master Rank Adventurers wouldn''t have knocked Sango out like that!"


    "Oi, oi! What are you saying? That they''re somehow Heroic Rank? Come on!"


    "Shh! Don''t be so loud, or they''ll hear you¡­"


    The Adventurers were terrified, sure. But beyond that, they were fascinated.


    Perhaps the two strangers recognized this, because instead of departing the way they previously intended, they remained still.


    After soaking up all of the attention for a few seconds, the dark d gentleman took off his hat, revealing his incredibly handsome face.


    Following his lead, the woman did the same.


    Instantly, all the noise surrounding the duo sizzled out. Everyone''s jaws went loose as they opened wide in reaction to the beauty that they were faced with.


    Before they could even take it all in, the confident tone of the man filled the air.


    "My name is Jet, and my partner''s name is Lux. I won''t ask you to remember our names, because soon you will have no choice but to know them."


    These would have been viewed as haughty statements if they hadn''t just trumped one of the strongest Adventurers in the City.


    "My goal is simple¡­ to surpass Jet Zephyr as the strongest Adventurer in the history of this City¡­ and spread my name to the entire world!"


    With this deration made, all the widened eyes served as witnesses.


    On that very day, a promise was made to every denizen of the Adventurers City, and it was not received with scorn.


    For deep within their hearts, the Adventurers hoped that they would be able to see the time when the young man''s dream would ripen and bear fruit.


    They all desired the day of the promise''s fulfillment.


    *********


    "Hmph! How pitiful¡­"


    A particr figure stood beside the window of her room and watched the events that unfolded beneath her with a scrutinizing gaze.


    Her lips were pursed in disapproval, and her cold gaze narrowed upon hearing the deration of the man called Jet.


    "Surpass Lord Zephyr? What a foolish statement." She muttered with her moist lips.


    Her dirty blond hair flowed behind her as she folded her hands beneath her modest chest. She couldn''t help but re at the ridiculously attractive man and woman who were now the center of attention.


    ''So just because thedy managed to beat Sango, everyone suddenly takes the man''s deration seriously? My goodness, Adventurers really are a bunch of simple-minded buffoons.''


    Thedy shook her head and sighed, leaving the window as she heard a knock on her door.


    ''I''ve seen fools like them more times than I can count, thinking they can make it big in the Adventurers City just because they''re a little strong.''


    The Six-Star Badge on her chest glistened on her chest as she reached for the doorknob.


    She had specifically made sure no one disturbed her in her living quarters. The only exception to this rule was if her urgent attention was needed.


    "What is it?" She asked, once her hand was ced on the doorknob.


    "Y-yes, Miss Britta! Two Adventurer Candidates wish to take the Heroic Rank Test! I-I came to deliver their forms to you for screening since you''re their designated examiner."


    The woman closed her eyes and sighed.


    Somehow, she already knew this would be the case. That wasn''t all she figured out, though.


    "Let me guess¡­ the names on those forms are Lux and Jet."


    "Y-yes, Ma''am!" The voice from behind the door swiftly answered, though the stuttering made her response too clumsy to be considered proper.


    Regardless, her tone indicated surprise. Heroic Rank Adventurers were known to do some pretty amazing things, but irvoyance was a little too much for a fighter-type Adventurer like Britta.


    How could she have perfectly guessed the names?


    ~CREAK~


    The door opened and Britta took the two forms from the trembling delivery staff, who instantly scrambled off once she was done with her delivery.


    Britta sighed, closed the door, and took a good look at the document¡ªher green eyes taking in every single detail that was on the pieces of paper.


    "Foolish newbies¡­" Britta smiled as she threw the forms aside and grinned to herself.


    Fools who went so far to take the Heroic Rank Test were very rare, but they existed.


    Britta had supervised her fair share, so she knew what happened to the few overly ambitious folks who bit off more than they could chew.


    Without exception¡­ they all died.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    The setup is still in progress, so just keep sailing smoothly on these gentle tides. If you''ve made it this far, I assume you already know my style.

 Chapter 406 Jet and Lux

    <h4>Chapter 406 Jet and Lux </h4>


    "Haa¡­"


    This heavy sigh came from Jet as he took his seat on a sizeable bed at the far right corner of a spacious room. His gaze was on the girl with him, who sat on the other bed, which was located at the extreme end opposite him.


    There was arge window at the corner of the wall that stood beside both beds, causing the dim evening lights to shower in.


    There were also Enchanted Lamps to give the room a bright-enough ambiance. Objectively speaking, it was a neat room. A bit minimalistic with the furniture¡ªhaving only a wardrobe, two bedside tables, a study desk and chair, and of course, their beds¡ªbut everything seemed to be in good order.


    They had more than enough space to put whatever stuff they wanted to add to the room. It was clearly designed this way so that Adventurers could set everything else up ording to their preferences.


    Any normal person would look at this ce and be genuinely impressed.


    However, both Jet and Lux had to admit to themselves as they looked around them¡­pared to the ces they were used to, this ce was mediocre at best.


    "The bed is pretty ufortable." Jet broke the silence, sighing even more.


    "I thought I was the only one who noticed."


    For the first time ever, Lux responded with her own voice. It was so enchanting and smooth that anyone who heard it would instantly fall in love with it.


    The twoughed as soon as they heard each other speak, instantly getting rid of the dreary atmosphere that existed within the room.


    "It is what it is. This is the most expensive inn we can get in this City. Unless we want to get a proper house, which won''t be worth it since we''re just going to be here for a week or so."


    "Yeah, I get it." Lux responded to Jet''s borate exnation with a shrug.


    They both took off their hats and hoods, revealing the incredibly attractive faces that they both had. Suddenly, theyughed at each other once again.


    "Is that really what you look like underneath the mask?" Lux giggled as her previously human ears became pointy.


    Other than that small difference, she remained the same.


    "Of course not. You think I''ll reveal my face to anyone here? If you had some kind of shapeshifting ability, I would have preferred it if you could also have a different appearance."


    Jet put on a dark mask, and soon, his entire body transformed into apletely different form.


    His pale skin took on a much more normalplexion, he became a lot taller and bulkier than he previously was.


    In no time, he left the identity of Jet behind and took on apletely different one¡ªRalyks!


    "I wonder if you''re really buff like that in real appearance." Lux¡ªno, more like the Half Elf, Esme¡ªsmiled as she looked at the new person in front of her.


    "I am."


    "Pfft! I don''t believe you."


    "For real. I''m pretty buff¡­ I think."


    "Then prove it. Show me your true self, Rey¡­ ah, I shouldn''t have said your real name, right?" Esme looked a bit nervous, but the guy opposite her merely shrugged it off.


    "Sound Magic is active, so I guess it''s fine."


    "Ah, yeah. I forgot about that." Sheughed, itching her white hair.


    "You know I won''t show you my true form, right?" Rey said with a yful tone.


    "Yeah, yeah! It''s not fair, though. You''ve practically seen me naked, yet I can''t get even a glimpse at your face."


    "H-hey! Why are you bringing that up now? Y-you know it wasn''t on purpose or anything¡­"


    The moment Esme heard this reaction from Rey, she made a naughty smile and stared at him in a particrly unnerving fashion.


    "W-why are you looking at me like that?"


    "How about a trade?"


    "A trade? Don''t tell me¡­?!" Even with the ck mask covering his face, Rey''s bulging eyes could be seen.


    "Yes. I''ll let you see me nude again. In exchange¡­ I want to see your face."


    It was a strange thing for a girl to say. Most guys would never hear those words from anydy, especially if thedy was as drop dead gorgeous as Esme.


    Yet¡­ she was willing to make such a bargain?


    Rey''s silence after hearing this was evidence of how difficult it was to reject such a tempting offer.


    Thest time, everything happened too fast for him to burn the image in his mind.


    But now¡­ now things were different!


    "I-I think I¡ª"


    "Just kidding! Haha! As if I''d do something like that¡­ hahahaha!"


    Esme''s loud giggles drowned whatever response Rey would have given to her offer. Thanks to that, hollow silence reigned supreme after theugh was done.


    No one said anything for a while.


    Then¡ª


    "At least let me see your body."


    "No."


    "Come on! You can cover your face with your mask, so it''s pretty much the same thing!"


    "I refuse!"


    "Please? Pretty please? I''m dying of curiosity here!"


    After an exhausting round of back and forth, Rey finally gave in with a very loud sigh.


    "Fine, I''ll tell you¡­" He mumbled, almost as if he was being shy about it. "This is¡­ my true form."


    "H-huh?"


    "I sort of grew taller and buffer after Leveling Up a lot. So, yeah¡­ I''m pretty much as tall and as buff as my Ralyks persona."


    "You''re serious?" Esme''s eyes widened at the realization.


    That meant, all this time, she had been speaking to the real Rey


    ¡ªwith no barrier that wasn''t the mask present.


    That meant, right now¡­ Rey was¡ª


    "Of course I''m kidding. Why would I show you how I truly look like?"


    "Y-YOUUUUU!!!!"


    If not for Rey''s Sound Magic, the next round of arguments¡ª


    especially from Esme¡ªwould have blown the whole room apart.


    Fortunately, it all eventually sizzled out.


    ¡­ Only after a few hours, though.


    "Huff¡­ huff! Are you¡­ done?" Rey asked, his hoarse voice a clear sign that he too had to raise his voice at some point in order to match Esme''s.


    "Y-yeah¡­ I think so."


    With peace and sanity restored within the room, both Rey and Esme finally had the clear mind to discuss what they should have talked about from the start.


    "Now that we''ve made it this far, I suppose it''s time to talk about what our next move is." Rey said, looking straight at the smiling Esme.


    "Yeah."


    As fun as it was to put on new costumes and pretend to be different people, there was a very important reason why they had chosen to do all of this.


    "It looks like the n to establish ourselves worked well, though." Esmemented, recalling the events that led to their current predicament.


    "Yeah. A little too well, though."


    "What do you mean? I know you used Sound Magic on that receptionist so that everyone in the hall could hear what she said." She stated. "We got the attention you wanted."


    It was for the same reason that he agreed to expose their faces in public.


    "Yeah, but I had nothing to do with that Barbarian from earlier."


    "Really? I thought you controlled him or something." Esme responded casually. "Guess I was wrong."


    "Yeah¡­ that guy was just being a natural idiot."


    Thanks to that, though, their names became known among the Adventurers pretty early.


    "The initial n was to pass the Heroic Rank Test today and spread our names using that method, so when that receptionist said we would have to take it tomorrow, I was a bit disappointed¡­"


    Esme couldn''t see this, but Rey was smiling underneath his mask.


    "It''s a good thing that idiot approached us and caused such a scene." Rey plopped on the hard bed and stared at the ceiling with a look of gratification imprinted on his face.


    His tone also did well to convey his satisfaction.


    "Now everything is going ording to n. Right on schedule."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I know it was pretty obvious who these people were, so I won''t even bother with the "Ah, surprise!"


    Hope you enjoyed the chapter. I know I did¡­

 Chapter 407 The Adventuring Plan

    <h4>Chapter 407 The Adventuring n </h4>


    ''What should I do now?''


    That was the question Rey asked himself when he thought of the Grand Cmity Dungeon.


    It posed too much of a risk to him, and everything he had built thus far, if he decided to go as Ralyks. If Adrien was indeed behind what was going on, there was a huge chance he was being lured in.


    The mere possibility that he was being used made Rey rule out his strongest card¡ªRalyks.


    That wasn''t the only reason, though.


    Rey wasn''t sure how far the name of Ralyks had spread, so it would be too much of a risk if he used his most influential persona. He would stick out like a sore thumb, and that would ruin the point of everything.


    Of course, not all attention was bad. However, in the case of his identity as Ralyks, it was much better for him to get no attention at all than for him to get any.


    ''Ralyks is someone who is already an Adventurer, but is keeping his identity secret. It would be weird if I had to register as an Adventurer while being Ralyks.''


    It would literally cause his persona to crumble.


    Besides, until he could confirm if Adrien was behind the incident or not, perhaps even figure out what his n could be, Rey decided it was best not to use his Ralyks persona.


    That was probably what was best for everyone¡ªhimself most of all.


    What then?


    If not Ralyks, then how was he going to get the freedom to properly explore and investigate the city?


    The answer was pretty simple.


    ''I''ll just make another Alt ount!''


    That was how the Dark Gentleman Jet came to be. He decided on a new set of clothes and chose a different aesthetic¡ªeven abandoning his staple mask.


    This way, people would be able to differentiate him from Ralyks, at the very least.


    Also, despite still pretty much being the same person, Rey knew he would have to usepletely different sets of abilities as Jet in order for any observers not to draw any kind of connection between him and Ralyks.


    He also had to be considerably weaker.


    Despite how much Rey disliked Adrien Chase, the guy had a very good point.


    ''There can''t be two Ralyks.''


    Jet would simply be a powerful Adventurer who had reached a considerable height in power¡ªenough to rival the strongest of Adventurers.


    Nothing more¡­ nothing less.


    It was all of those thought that led to this exact moment; Rey and Esme journeying to the Adventurers City together.


    For Rey, it was to investigate the entire Grand Cmity ss Dungeon, while for Esme, this would be a good opportunity for her to Level Up and grow stronger.


    Of course, Rey was also going to get as strong as possible, but that just wasn''t his primary goal.


    *********


    "Well, things are certainly looking up." Esme smiled as she wore a more casual outfit, her white hair still dripping with water despite tying a towel around it.


    It seemed she just had a shower, though her oversized sweater and shorts showed that she changed beforeing out.


    Her slightly moist legs gave an alluring glow, but Rey looked away before his senses could get sucked in to the beauty.


    "I mean¡­ I had no idea that I would get the chance to Level Up this fast." She added.


    Sitting on the bed opposite where Rey was, she crossed her legs and rested her face on one of her open palms.


    "Thanks for considering me for this mission."


    "Well, it''s not like I can let you remain weak forever¡­" Reymented, still refusing to look in her direction.


    "Wow¡­ that one seriously burns. But don''t worry, I''ll catch up to you in no time."


    The moment she said this, Rey snickered and gave a sarcastic nod,


    His response naturally made Esme''s face turn beet red, and she looked around for something to throw at him. Unfortunately, after their earlier argument¡­ she was all out of ammunition.


    Besides, after thinking of it for a few moments, her anger sizzled out.


    Rey wasn''t particrly wrong, after all.


    "Yeah, you''re right. I am pretty weak." She smiled, narrowing her gaze on him as she did so. "I owe you one. Thanks."


    This time, it was Rey''s turn to be slightly flustered. Of course, Esme could see none of it since it was hidden behind the mask.


    "W-well, it''s no big deal. Besides, I''m not doing it just for your sake anyway. I''ll also get stronger."


    If he was lucky, there would be some powerful Monsters who could give him some pretty sweet EXP. Also, the chance of him obtaining some pretty neat Skills were also high.


    "But you could go on your own, right? Bringing me along will only split your EXP. I could also get in the way if we encounter an absurdly strong Monster." Esme responded, her smile bing more warm and understanding.


    "What''s your point?"


    "Nothing. I just really appreciate your consideration." She giggled, before flexing her small hands as if there were muscles there.


    "Don''t worry¡­ I''ll make you proud and get crazy strong!"


    It made Rey break character for a moment andugh his heart out. "Pfft! You better!"


    Both sides enjoyed their conversation after that, with the moon watching over them atop the night sky.


    ********


    [Meanwhile¡­]


    Within the base of the strongest Party of the Adventurers City, a certain individual sat on his grand seat¡ªthe spot reserved only for the Party Leader.


    A dark shadow was cast over this figure, so nothing but the yellow sparks in his eyes were disyed.


    Perhaps this was a good thing for the six who were kneeling in front of him¡ªSango and his five drunk subordinates.


    "So¡­ you mean to tell me that you guys went and harassed the guy out of nowhere, and still got your asses handed to you?"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    The plot marches onward, and you all areing with me. Looks like it''s finally time for the Test!

 Chapter 408 The Test Commences!

    <h4>Chapter 408 The Test Commences! </h4>


    The looks on Sango''s bruised face showed just how badly his body and pride had been damaged. There was no fury on his face, however.


    ¡­ Just pure reflection.


    "I''m sorry, Boss! I''ll take full responsibility for all this!" Sango groveled even further, perhaps to satiate their Party Leader''s anger, but his actions were misdirected.


    The Boss wasn''t upset at all.


    Instead, he appeared curious¡ªhaving a smile on his clear and youthful face.


    "How interesting. Tell me more about those two Adventurers."


    "Well, they called themselves Jet and Lux."


    "Jet and Lux? Hmm¡­ go on." The Party Leader said with a smile on his face.


    "Well¡­ also¡­"


    Sango went on to fully describe the entire incident, including how he shamefully got his arse handed to him and couldn''t remember what happened after that.


    His story was met with a round ofughter from the leader¡ªnaturally.


    "Well, you guys are definitely going to apologize to him." The Boss finally stopped hisughter, wiping away the beads of tears that formed on his face.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll go with you." He smiled.


    "B-but¡ª!"


    "No buts. A Party Leader has to take responsibility for those in their party." The silhouettemented with a broad grin.


    "Besides¡­ I''m a bit curious about those two."


    Narrowing his gaze, almost as if something new dropped in his mind, the Boss rubbed his chin and parted his lips.


    "This Jet¡­ did he have a mask on?"


    "Um¡­ no."


    "Then you saw his face? How did he look?"


    "He was¡­ very attractive, or so I hear. I was knocked out cold before I could get a good look, and those guys were too drunk to serve as any reliable source of information."


    Of course, Sango''s retort was met with loudebacks from his kneeling subordinates.


    "W-we saw!"


    "He was very handsome!"


    "Thedy with him was also pretty! So pretty that I sobered up the moment I saw her!"


    Their words seemed exaggerated, but everyone knew it would be unwise to lie to the Party Leader.


    The moment the seated man heard this, he rubbed his chin and narrowed his eyes even further in order to scrutinize the information even more.


    "It''s not him, then¡­" He muttered, barely audibly. "This doesn''t seem like his style at all."


    He sighed, the wide grin on his face vanishing as he rose to his feet, his frame seeming like an intimidating silhouettepared to his kneelingrades.


    "I still want to meet him, though. This Jet fellow¡­" He walked past them, his hand in his pockets as his jet ck coat fluttered iled behind him and his Six Star Badge gleamed under the dim light of the room.


    "¡­ He seems interesting."


    *********


    [The Next Day]


    "Good afternoon, you two. My name is Britta, and I will be the one supervising your Heroic Rank Test today."


    A fierce-looking woman with dirty blond hair stared at both Jet and Lux with a piercing stare.


    She wasn''t particrly beautiful, but she had a certain cuteness that came with being so serious and stern all the time. A few freckles could be seen on her nose, and a ck birthmark in the form of a dot sat underneath her left eye.


    She was dressed in full gear¡ªlight armor that seemed to be made from abination of Monster hides. Her chest was covered with proper breasttes, with her back, shoulder, hands, lower legs, and other relevant areas covered in denser armor than the rest of her body.


    Most of everything else were fabric, though based on the way they gleamed under the sun, it was clear that they weren''t just normal clothes.


    Britta was garbed with her full set of Enchanted Items; including a de behind her, a dagger strapped to her waist, and several pouches attached to her belt.


    Her boots were squeaky clean, but they looked aged due to how many times they had been used.


    Last, but not least, her Six-Star Badge was firmly ced at the center of her belt, perfectly enunciating her Adventurer Rank to the two candidates.


    All in all, she was the perfect representation of an Adventurer¡ª


    the pinnacle of what everyone in the City strived to be.


    "Good afternoon, Britta. We will be in your care." Jet responded with a slight bow.


    "What''s with that casual tone? Call me Miss Britta."


    "Ah, apologies¡­ Miss Britta." Despite Jet correcting himself and even bowing lower than before, Britta couldn''t help but frown even more.


    Somehow, she felt like he was being sarcastic.


    "Well, whatever." She sighed, shrugging the whole matter aside.


    Britta didn''t consider herself petty enough to get hung over little things like that.


    "We''re going to be taking a bit of a tour inside there." Pointing towards the dense forest that stood to their left, she went on to exin.


    "This ce is known as the Dead Zone. It''s considered dangerous, even by Adventurer Standards, and that''s because powerful Monsters reside inside."


    It was home to an entire ecosystem where the strong devoured the weak, creating a boiling pot for Monsters to grow and evolve into stronger entities.


    The only reason Adventurers didn''t bother clearing the forest¡ª


    assuming it was even possible to do so¡ªwas because the Dead Zone helped them to breed Monsters for free.


    As long as they asionally patrolled the forest at scheduled times, and conducted the systematic culling that held every year or so, there was no risk to the City.


    An outbreak had only happened once, and after that there had been more safety measures put in ce to ensure it was not a danger to the City despite being a dangerous ce by every right.


    "I''m sure you were already told this by the Receptionist when you returned to the Guild and she directed you here, but your goal for this Test is pretty simple."


    Britta folded her arms and gave a wide smile, with a deadly gleam explicitly exposed within her eyes.


    "Both of you must defeat at least one A-Tier Monster each."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Looks like we''re finally gonna be getting action soon.

 Chapter 409 Heroic Rank Test [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 409 Heroic Rank Test [Pt 1] </h4>


    The hierarchy within the Adventurers City wasn''t arbitrary.


    There was a reason why the Adventurers were divided into cadres, and it wasn''t just for status and wealth. The most pertinent reason waspetence.


    How strong a person was determined their Rank.


    How, then, could this strength be examined? It couldn''t be properly gauged by mere exhibitions of Skills, or written exams. Evenbat training or duels couldn''t properly bring out the full potential or power of a person.


    There was only one true way for an aspiring Adventurer to prove their strength.


    ¡ªHunting down Monsters!


    An Adventurer did many things, but the specialty of the trade remained Monster Extermination and Dungeon Exploration.


    No one did these better than Adventurers.


    ********


    "Novices can only handle E-F Tier Monsters. Commons can easily handle E-Tier Monsters, but will find it difficult to beat a D-Tier Monster. Veterans an easily handle any D-Tier Monster and below, but their limits are C-Tiers. An Expert can handle a C-Tier Monster on his own, but it will be very difficult to win against a B-Tier Monster¡­ though they can win."


    As Britta exined this, the two candidates in front of her were silent and listened.


    "5 Stars, that is, Masters, can pretty much handle B-Tier Monsters, but can''t beat A-Tier Monsters on their own." Her tone suddenly took a serious tone. "That is where the Heroic Rankes in."


    Everyone knew just how powerful and amazing those in this Rank were because they were the only ones who could stand up to the strongest kinds of Monsters.


    That made them the strongest humans.


    "6 Star Adventurers like myself can beat at least one A-Tier Monsters without any issue. As you know, the strongest Tier a Monster has is A¡­ same as we humans."


    The key difference, however, was that Monsters were far more suited tobat than human beings.


    They had sharp ws, tough hides, immense Mana Levels, and their instincts were geared towards violence and destruction. In all areas ofbat, Monsters outranked humans.


    As such, A-Tier Humans would find it incredibly difficult to win a head-on fight with an A-Tier Monster. Thankfully, humans had intelligence on their side.


    With the right strategy, it was possible to win.


    Also as important as strategy, if not more important, was having proper equipment.


    There was a reason why Enchanted Items were so costly, and that was simply because having supplementary power from external sources was a big game-changer when it came tobat.


    In fact, in many scenarios, the boost that Items gave Adventurers was the sole reason they could maintain their rank and survive till date.


    With these equipment, A-Tier humans¡ªreferred to as Heroic Rank Adventurers in this city¡ªcould easily handle one or two A-Tier Monsters without even needing strategy.


    The existence of Enchanted Items remained the perfect representation of human innovation.


    "Since you two desire to be Six Star Adventurers, all you need to do is kill A-Tier Monsters each. As long as you can do so, you pass."


    Of course, it went without saying that they couldn''t rely on teamwork to win. The Test was for the individual and not the Party.


    Both Jet and Lux nodded their heads, disying their readiness for what awaited them.


    Britta couldn''t help but scoff at this.


    "Since you now understand the rules, let us depart."


    *********


    ''These two¡­ what fools they are.''


    Britta found her thoughts trailing as they walked through the dense cluster of trees. Her full sense was active, so even if she couldn''t properly see through the shrubbery, she could detect every movement around her.


    The weather was pretty cool in the forest, and thanks to the taller trees serving as canopies to block the sun, it got pretty dark despite the day still being in session.


    Britta had no problem seeing despite the darkness, though. Her incredible senses never dulled, and even now she could clearly see the movements of those in front of her.


    They were walking very casually despite being in a Dead Zone.


    ''They probably have no idea how dangerous this ce is¡ª


    especially the current path we''re treading on.''


    There was a reason why the Guild had to request for her to supervise the two, despite how high-ranked she was.


    Only Six Star Adventurers could survive this particr portion of the Dead Zone.


    ''The Guildmaster and that brat won''t take on the role, so that leaves only me to take care of losers like these.'' Britta''s frown only deepened as they advanced even further.


    Since this wasn''t the first time doing something like this, she made a general rule when it came to supervising Heroic Rank Tests.


    ''I have no responsibility to save the fools who brought this upon themselves.''


    Candidates were the ones who made the choice toe to such a dangerous ce, and as such, they had the full liability for their actions.


    It was that simple.


    "We''re close." Britta said as she called for the two candidates in front of her.


    Her role was to observe them, so naturally they were the ones who would take the lead. Still, she had to at least inform them when the Test would begin.


    Now that she had done her part, the rest was up to them.


    The two nodded at her and proceeded, still having the same casual air about them. It pissed Britta off, but she let the matter go.


    ''I hope they trip on an undergrowth or two¡­'' Her thoughts ended up revealing her true feelings.


    Then¡ª


    ''H-huh? What''s this?!''


    ¡ªA sudden sensation assailed Britta, giving her instant goose bumps.


    Before she could fullyprehend what her senses were telling her, it was already toote.


    ~WHOOOOOOSHH!~


    A sharp, powerful gust of wind instantly blew from the direction they were heading, instantly clearing everything in its path.


    The tress, undergrowth¡ªliterally everything¡ªflew away, carried away by the wind torrents that rushed forth.


    In a single, blurry moment, the entire forest where they traversed had be nothing but arge clearing.


    "T-this is¡­!" Beads of sweat fell from Britta''s face as her eyes widened in shock. As a 6 Star Adventurer, she knew precisely what this meant.


    ¡­ And it wasn''t good at all.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Britta is Best Girl for me, so yeah. Might as well write her into the story''s romance.


    Come fight me!

 Chapter 410 Heroic Rank Test [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 410 Heroic Rank Test [Pt 2] </h4>


    ~BOOOOMMM!~


    As the several trees flew and crashed against their fellow trees, sending the resultant debris flying in multiple directions, a disjointed echo of destruction followed.


    Layers of catastrophes caused the ground to shake violently, almost as if an earthquake was about to ur and swallow everything whole.


    Britta shook amidst this literal disaster, realizing that the walls of trees that once stood beside her were no more.


    She was even more surprised that, despite what just happened, she wasn''t harmed at all.


    "Are you alright, Miss Britta?" Jet approached the shaken Adventurer, his tone still calm despite the crazy thing that just happened.


    "Y-yeah, I am. It seems the two of you are alright as well."


    Britta was just as surprised¡ªif not more surprised¡ªby the fact that the two candidates were unscathed as well. Even if her case was luck, it was impossible for the two of them, who were right in front of her, to not have been affected.


    They were literally the ones closest to the powerful winds that blew everything away.


    "Lux used her barrier to shield us, so I guess none of us got hurt." Britta twitched the moment she heard that.


    ''A barrier, huh? That makes more sense than mere luck.''


    She couldn''t believe that the very two whom she looked down on¡ªor at least, one of them¡ªwas responsible for saving her life.


    ''To think she would have a barrier that strong. Is it an Item?'' It most likely was.


    Britta also had an Item that generated a barrier around her, but it could only be used for a limited number of times, and she had to activate the shield normally.


    ''There''s no way their reaction speed exceeds mine. They were also closer to the st, which means they had less time to prepare.''


    Once Britta thought about all of these factors, she determined that Lux'' Enchanted Item had to have some sort of Automatic Response function.


    ''A barrier that strong should most likely have a long cooldown duration.'' She sighed, staring cautiously around her.


    That meant they had no way of properly protecting themselves if the same wind st came again.


    ''I don''t like this. I still don''t know what caused the st, but this is a Dead Zone. Nothing about it makes sense.''


    Besides, Britta didn''t even have the time to go over what could have caused it.


    ''My hands are going to be full with whates next!''


    The consequences for such a huge st of wind was that it would literally send a signal to any Monster in close proximity to the area of impact.


    Naturally, the Monsters would have to responses.


    The first would be to run away. However, this reaction was only given by the weaker creatures of the forest.


    The second response, which was the one Britta was personally worried about, would be to gather at the point of impact.


    In essence, strong Monsters would see the destruction as some sort of beacon¡ªan invitation, if you will.


    And, as was the nature of the wild, they always answered the call.


    ''Ahh¡­'' Looking around, Britta could already see the silhouettes of the Monsters that hid within the cluster of trees that now surrounded the clearing.


    ''¡­ They''re already here!''


    Beads of sweat began to sprout from her face as she gulped down the saliva that was forming in her mouth.


    ''This is bad! This is really bad!'' Her thoughts echoed as she struggled to find a possible solution to the problem at hand.


    ''Thanks to the winds blowing away the trees, which took some parts of the ground with them, we''re on lower ground.''


    The Monsters had the higher ground, and them being in a clearing meant they could be surrounded from all areas. By the looks of things, that was exactly what was happening.


    ''Just how many are they? Twenty? No¡­ I think even more.''


    The only Monsters who could possibly respond to such a loud explosion were A-Tier Monsters. Since this was their territory, it also made sense to expect them.


    "GRRRRRRRR¡­"


    Britta''s body trembled as she looked up and saw the savage creatures emerge from the forest.


    Just as she expected, they were incrediblyrge, with bodies that varied depending on their race. Fourdistinct kind of Monsters could be seen from the multiple sides that surrounded them.


    There were Serocis¡ªincredibly huge ones¡ªto the left. Their lion-like bodies and multiple scorpion tails made them impossible to miss. Not only were they huge and deadly, but one sting from their poison was all it took to kill most people.


    Then, there were Hydras to the right¡ªeach having three heads, with slithering bodies of snakes.


    North and South, there were High Orcs and Rakgoblin Champions.


    The former were practically giants with the biggest builds, while thetter were more nimble andnky¡ªthough the Mana emanating from them was far superior.


    ''I can see about ten on each side!''


    That meant the number she initially suspected just doubled.


    Britta struggled to think at this point. At most, she could only handle three A-Tier Monsters if they charged at her at once. However, even those had to be of the same race, so she could predict their attack patterns and employ a lessplicated strategy to win.


    If you threw in Monsters of different races at her, things would get exponentially more difficult. Not only would she find it very difficult to deal with their varying attack patterns, but it would be difficult to keep up with their multiple Skills.


    She would undoubtedly lose!


    This was true for pretty much any Adventurer, which was why Parties were so important. If she had a reliable Party on her side, she could deal with over ten A-Tier Monsters¡ªeven if they were of different races.


    As long as the Party Members did their jobs, alternating between defense, buffs, and taking the heat off her in critical moments, she would emerge victorious.


    Unfortunately, she had no such thing at the moment. There was no reliable Party, and no chance of victory.


    At this point, Britta was pretty sure of one fact.


    ''I¡­ I''m going to die here.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Well, it''s about time we see Lux and Jet in action. I wonder what their abilities are.

 Chapter 411 Heroic Rank Test [Pt 3]

    <h4>Chapter 411 Heroic Rank Test [Pt 3] </h4>


    Brute facts of nature are immutable aspects of existence that cannot be changed.


    They exist as a reminder that there are things we can''t control.


    Things like death, suffering, inequality, pain¡ªthey are all examples of brute facts that remain inevitable till date.


    Even if concepts like gravity, space, and time can somehow be bypassed or bended to a certain degree¡ªthanks to Skill and whatnot¡ªthe aforementioned remain essential aspects of reality that cannot change.


    And so, as Britta watched the forty, or so, Monsters close in on therge clearing that her and her candidates upied, she could see another fine example of a brute fact of nature.


    "¡­ iss Britta¡­"


    Without a doubt, they were going to die here.


    "¡­ ey, Miss Britta, can you hear me¡­?"


    It was a forgone conclusion. There was no way out. This¡­ this was definitely the end.


    "MISS BRITTA, CAN YOU HEAR ME?!"


    Britta instantly snapped out of her thoughts as soon as a deep, loud voice called out for her.


    "E-eh¡­?" She looked in front of her and saw the dark gentleman, Jet, holding her by both hands and shaking her until she finally responded.


    Once she returned to reality, he let her go¡ªthough the aftereffects of his tight grip remained as a sensation.


    "There are a total of 47 Monsters here. A few of them are hiding behind the dense walls of the trees."


    "I see¡­" Jet''s exnation did nothing to assuage her worries.


    It only made her more assured of her fate.


    "We can''t beat them on our own, Miss Britta." Jet''s voice appeared calm despite all of the turbulence.


    Still, Britta felt a bit disappointed to hear that even the haughty Adventurer didn''t have the confidence to win.


    Perhaps, deep down, she was expecting a different answer.


    "We need to rely on teamwork."


    "H-huh?"


    "Earlier, you said we can''t rely on teamwork since this is an individual test, so¡­"


    "You''re still on about that?!" Britta couldn''t believe her ears.


    They weren''t even sure of survival, yet this fool was still thinking about the Heroic Rank Test!


    Was there a bigger idiot than this?


    "Well, I would very much like to pass this Test. For the sake of my dream¡­" Jet''s smile seemed so distant that for a moment Britta wondered what his story was.


    What could be driving him so much?


    "If we work together, Miss Brtitta¡­ we should be able to win. But we need your help."


    Britta, who had previously thought her death was a forgone conclusion, found herself having hope.


    All her skepticism vanished in the blink of an eye, and her face transformed into a look of readiness. She was resolved to whatever it took to survive.


    ¡­ Even if she had to listen to some newbie whom she looked down on moments earlier.


    "Lux'' specialty is Wind Magic, and she has an A-Tier Skill to back it up."


    "A-A Tier?!" Britta was shocked.


    Only very few individuals in all of humanity had A-Tier Skills. Even she, despite being a Heroic Rank Adventurer, only had three B-Tier Skills and one C-Tier Skill..


    The Guildmaster had an A-Tier Skill, but she wasn''t even sure if thest 6 Star had one. He most likely didn''t, considering how very young he was.


    It was incredibly rare to possess an A-Tier Skill, since having one essentially made you one of the strongest humans to exist.


    The Grand Mage of the Alliance, also known as the most powerful Mage of the Alliance, had only one A-Tier Skill, and she was able to reach such an incredible height. Chief Warrior, Brutus, didn''t even have any A-Tier Skill, and yet¡­ even he was considered the strongest man in the Alliance.


    Of course, having a high-tier Skill wasn''t a guarantee that you could use it well, but the mere mention of Lux possessing one made Britta''s turbulent heart settle a little.


    "She''ll use her Wind Magic to restrain the enemy while you and I will attack them as quickly as possible." Jet continued.


    "B-but if she''s restraining them, then she''ll be vulnerable."


    "Don''t worry. She has a Defense Item that will protect her from harm. It takes up a lot of Mana, though, so we have to hurry."


    ''U-unbelievable! Could that be the same Item that protected us earlier?''


    Britta felt stupefied, but she did her best to control her expression as she watched Jet, who was cautiously looking at the sneering Monsters.


    ''I wonder how strong he is¡­'' Britta found herself thinking.


    "Looks like the Monsters won''t be attacking each other until they eliminate us first. That makes things pretty straightforward."


    Jet''s voice reverberated as a chuckle. Then, he reached for the briefcase that he kept on the floor.


    In a slow, elegant fashion, he unlocked the item, causing two clicks to echo out.


    The Monsters descended, charging down at the three who stood at the center of the crater-like clearing. As they did this, Lux chanted her Spell while Jet brought something out of his briefcase¡ªthe only thing that was inside it.


    It was a hilt.


    The hilt of a de to be precise¡ªabout a meter tall, and obsidian ck in color. It had silver-blue runes imprinted all over it, and it gleamed with an ominous aura.


    "Just so you know, I have an A-Tier Skill as well." As Jet spoke, the runes on the hilt shed a bright color, causing the object to transform.


    Like goo, it changed shape, erging swiftly until it became a long de.


    "Combined with the sacred de passed on to me by my father, who was also granted it by his own father¡­ I will not be defeated here."


    Energy surged from the de, causing the entire area to tremble in response to its invincible power. As space itself shook, Jet took off his hat and gave Britta a confident smile while his hair danced.


    "We''re going to make it out of this alive."


    Somehow, Britta felt like she could believe his words. The de he wielded, the conviction in his tone¡­ it told her that perhaps she would be able to witness a miracle.


    "Awaken from your slumber¡­." With this whisper, all the blue and silver energy that ran wild began to converge on the dark de''s body.


    "¡­ Chaos de!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Ah... I''ve made the mistake of being slow-paced again. I shall try my best to quicken the pace a bit.

 Chapter 412 Hidden Power Unleashed

    <h4>Chapter 412 Hidden Power Unleashed </h4>


    ~BOOOOOM!~


    An intense beam of light erupted, rising into the sky as soon as the Chaos de awakened.


    The tremors ceased, and everywhere went still.


    It was as if the world itself was holding its breath as this disy of sheer power was wrought.


    Jet raised this powerful de up high so all could witness it, his eyes glowing with a spark of purple. His dark robe danced around him as the celestial lights sparkled in all their majesty.


    Even the Monsters halted to see the beautiful sight of a miracle unfolding.


    Then¡ª


    "Now, Lux!"


    "Wind Constraints!" The female Mage yelled out, causing an incredible surge of wind to manifest all in an instant.


    The winds took form, turning into several translucent chains that bound the stationary targets that were too stunned by chaos'' beauty.


    Once all the Monsters were bound, Jet concentrated all the light to his de''s surface and edges, creating the perfect aura around his weapon.


    "Britta¡­ it''s time." He nced at the stunneddy, and she nodded at him that very instant.


    With no hesitation, he closed his eyes for a moment, muttering the name of his A-Tier Skill.


    "[Ascended Godspeed]."


    ~BZZZTTTTTTZZZZ!~


    That instant, his entire body was coated in shes of red, blue, and white lightning, while also bursting with immense energy.


    The colors merged in perfect harmony to birth a new hue¡ªpurple.


    Layers of purple energy and lightning shrouded Jet, and his previously dark hair turned silver white that very instant.


    "Here I go¡­"


    ~BOOOM!~


    The ground beneath him shattered as he charged at the first target like a blur in the wind.


    ~WHOOSH!~


    Faster than the eye could process¡ªindistinguishable from teleportation¡ªhe reached his prey, flying straight towards its tall face.


    "Rahhhh!" With a powerful yell, he sent his de high up, slicing through the neck in one move.


    Britta saw this from her distance and yelled "AMAZING!"


    She had never seen anyone slice off the head of an A-Tier Monster in one swing, and so quickly for that matter.


    ~BWUUSH!~


    The force of the strike sent shockwaves flying around, but it didn''t distract Jet from his mission. Instead, he allowed his body to flow with the wind, propelling him towards the next A-Tier Monster who sent their fists flying?towards him in a flurry.


    ~SWISH!~


    One swing turned the creature''s fist into mincemeat, and the next swing went straight for the throat, severing the head from the body with unstoppable momentum.


    Yes¡­ just like that, the next Monster was down.


    ~WHOOSH!~


    Using the corpse of the Monster as a tform, he charged at his next opponent like a streak of lightning.


    It seemed like the Monster was attempting to use a Skill, but before they could activate anything, the de in his grasp erged into a muchrger sword¡ªtwice as tall as the man who wielded it¡ªand sliced the Monster''s body in half.


    As one would expect, it resulted in the beast''s instant death.


    ~SPLOOOSH!~


    Blood sprayed from the corpses of the three Monsters at the same time, as Jetnded on the ground and sloshed aside the blood that stained his de.


    In just the fraction of a moment, before Britta could even take down one Monster, he was already done with three.


    It was an amazing sight¡ªenough to force tears out of anyone''s eyes.


    Anyone who saw the Monsters toppling behind Jet as he approached the next foe would see the potential of humanity at its finest.


    Even the skeptical Britta, who once scoffed at the young man''s dreams, couldn''t help but feel something tug at her heart.


    She had a sudden thought.


    ''Maybe he can do it¡­'' As her eyes witnessed the impossible, she couldn''t help but tremble in wonder.


    Britta finally embraced the possibility of what she considered impossible.


    ''If anyone can surpass Jet Zephyr¡­ it''s him!''


    **********


    "Huu¡­"


    Rey released steam from his lips as he did his best to control the excitable energy that filled his body.


    ''Holding back like this is a lot more difficult than I thought.''


    He was currently using the S-Tier Skill[Ascended Godspeed], but since such a thing was impossible by normal human standards, he had to slow down a little inorder not to freak out the spectator.


    If he really went all out with that Skill alone, all the Monsters around would be cleared in an instant.


    ''Everything is so slow, and I''m moving so fast that it''s exciting!'' He thought to himself, sighing even more. ''That''s why this is so frustrating.''


    He had to control his movements and stop at intervals so he wouldn''t disy too much of his power.


    ''At least when I pretended to be a weakling to my ssmates, I wasn''t using any Active Skills, and I turned off most of my Passive Skills. It was so much easier then¡­''


    But this was literally torture.


    ~SPLOOSH!~


    As he killed the next A-Tier Monster, he felt no resistance at all. His de just smoothly cut the flesh of the Monster despite the creature boasting an incredibly dense skin and strong bones.


    Rey already knew the reason for that.


    ''I''m using [Aura Sword] mixed with the new Item I made using the remains of that S-Tier Monster and the high-quality materials we got from the Elves.''


    Normally speaking, even if [Aura Sword] was a B-Tier Skill was a mere B-Tier Skill, Rey''s sheer volume of Mana and monstrous Stats already made it on par with an A-Tier Skill based on effects alone.


    Then, adding the effects of the Chaos de¡ªas he chose to name it¡ªwhich essentially took on whatever form he desired as long as he projected his intentions to it¡­ he was pretty much ying on easy mode.


    Granted, the mass of the Chaos de was limited, so he couldn''t make it absurdlyrge. His limit was about three times his length, but that would stretch out the de and make it thinyered.


    ''I also can''t create overlyplex constructs, like guns and stuff. At least, not yet.''


    However, Rey was optimistic about this weapon''s potential¡ª


    especially since he still had one or two more in his stockpile, as well as the materials necessary to make more.


    ''Alright. Let''s test out more of what you can do!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 413 Breaking The Record

    <h4>Chapter 413 Breaking The Record </h4>


    ''He''s amazing!''


    As Britta finished off the third A-Tier Monster, feeling the obvious strain on her body, she nced in the direction of the man who upied her mind.


    Jet was a streak of purple lightning, impossible to even keep track of. He simply dashed or glided in the air, ying Monsters like they were nothing.


    As Britta saw him y another Monster, her heart leaped in awe.


    ''How many has he killed now? Fifteen maybe? I''ve lost count¡­'' She found herself gawking at his majesty.


    Sure, the A-Tier Monsters were being constrained by Magic, but that didn''t mean all their movements werepletely sealed.


    No A-Tier Skill or Spell could ever do something as absurd aspletely stopping so many Monsters.


    ''Still¡­ that Luxdy is impressive.''


    The A-Tier Monsters had lost pretty much most of their mobility, so other than a few jabs here and there, and the activation of their assault or defensive Skills, they didn''t cause a lot of trouble.


    ''I can only imagine how difficult it would have been if that wasn''t the case.''


    Jet and Lux were exceptional¡ªthe most exceptional Adventurers she had ever had the privilege of setting her eyes on.


    She had seen the Guildmaster in action only once, but even he didn''tpare to these two¡ªno, even just Jet.


    Then, what of the other Heroic Rank Adventurer? She wasn''t sure how strong he was since he never disyed his full power, even when he passed the Test.


    Britta never expected much from him, though, considering how young he was. But, if these two could surprise her so much, she was beginning to rethink her previous assessment of thed.


    No, that wasn''t the only thing she was rethinking.


    Britta''s entire worldview had already begun to crumble, and it was because of the current experience she was having.


    "GROOUAAAHHHH!" A Monster''s voice echoed in the air as it used its Skill to fire an extremely potent ray in her direction.


    She dodged it pretty easily, though.


    ''My [Greater Full Sense] won''t let you catch me off guard, you know?" She yelled, instantly charging towards the horrid creature.


    Tightly gripping her de as she neared it, her two other B-Tier Skills, [Greater Full sh] and [Mortal Enlightenment], were already functional.


    The former allowed her to generate a force of up to 300 percent more than her initial strike. That meant she could slice up opponents a lot stronger than her, as well as deal three strikes in the ce of just one.


    [Mortal Enlightenment] raised her Stats to an incredible degree, which made her superhuman in all regards. Adding that to the former made her capable of so much more than your run-of-the-mill Adventurer.


    [Greater Full Sense] was her third B-Tier Skill, and it essentially allowed her to perfectly locate and detect anything within her range. She could focus this sense on one or multiple targets to get a much more urate read.


    As for her C-Tier Skill, it was [Night Vision], which allowed her to see incredibly well in the dark¡ªnot that it mattered in such a situation.


    Thankfully, her B-Tier ss [Elite Swordsman] gave her a solid boost with the de, and her Items helped her with the Mana Consumption.


    All of these factors helped her to stand toe to toe with A-Tier Monsters without being inferior to them.


    Still,pared to the likes of Jet and Lux, she was severelycking.


    "Hiyaaaa!"


    She sliced off the arm of the Monster that fired at her, reveling in its screams as she went for its tendons and swiftly got rid of them.


    The creature copsed, bing more vulnerable to the constraints that held it down.


    "Eat Thissss!" She screamed, jumping to its neck as she exerted the full force of her [Greater Full sh] on the nape of the colossal creature.


    In that instant, three slices went through the Monster''s neck, nearly severing the head from the rest of its body.


    Still, with over half of the line cut, the thing had passed the point of recovery.


    Death was certain.


    ~THUD!~


    Once the Monster copsed, Britta felt a wave of ecstasy wash over her.


    Right there and then, she had surpassed her limits and broken her record of the most A-Tier Monsters that she killed in a single day.


    ''The highest record was held by Jet Zephyr, but I can guess that it has already been cleared.''


    The greatest Adventurer in the history of the Adventurers City once took on an entire Dungeon Floor by himself due to the unexpected injuries of his Party Members.


    They were ambushed by Monsters far stronger than they imagined, and a total of five A-Tier Monsters faced the weakened Party at the same time.


    Death would have been the only natural conclusion, but Jet Zephyr did not allow it.


    He alone fought and killed all five A-Tier Monsters, saving all the injuredrades that could only watch the entire scene in awe.


    None of his Party Members died that day, and after killing the Monsters, he guided everyone back to the surface so they could be treated.


    ''Adding the number of A-Tier Bosses he killed prior to that encounter, Jet Zephyr''s record for a day is about twelve.''


    As Britta looked at Jet, she could see at least twenty-five corpses already at his feet.


    He was done with all the Monsters on his end.


    ''Over two times the previous record, huh?'' A broad smile coursed through her face as she nodded.


    ''Looks like you are one step closer to achieving your dream¡­ Jet.''


    ~BOOOOOM!~


    A sudden eruption rushed from behind Britta, coupled with the enraged roar of thest set of Monsters that swiftly surrounded her.


    ''W-what?!'' Her eyes widened as she noticed a stark difference between the creatures that closed in on her and the ones she had beaten not too long ago.


    ''The Constraints¡­ they''re gone!''


    Her eyes darted towards Lux, and the girl was kneeling while clutching her chest.


    ''She''s out of Mana! Shit!'' Britta''s thoughts rose as her heart raced intensely.


    Without anything holding them back, she was no match for so many Monsters charging towards her at the same time.


    ''I-is this¡­ the end?!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Looks like the end hase for our sweet Adventurer. She would have made for a pretty good zer, but¡­ haha


    Also, I just noticed that we crossed 400 chapters a while back.


    Yayyy!

 Chapter 414 Britta’s Last Moments

    <h4>Chapter 414 Britta''s Last Moments </h4>


    Britta had always been a very rough girl.


    Ever since she was a kid, she liked manly things and didn''t find anything the girls did to be of any interest.


    She eventually grew up to be tough, just like her father. And just like him, she became an Adventurer.


    "Father was stuck at Three Stars his whole life." She always reminded herself. "I want to be better!"


    The man her father idolized, Jet Zephyr, was known for many things. He was poprly known as the strongest, but some said that there was a time when he used to be very weak.


    No one knew if this was true or not, but the mere idea of this tale made weak men strive to be strong¡ªto be like Jet?Zephyr.


    It served as an inspiration to her father, and for a time¡­ it inspired Britta as well.


    But, she soon learned of the real truth.


    ''Weak people have their limits.''


    Any attempt to try and surpass those limits ended in futility or failure. Nothing good ever came from trying to overturn this brute fact of nature.


    Her father, who was an average Adventurer his whole life, ended up dying in a Dungeon Floor he shouldn''t have gone to in an attempt to ovee his limits.


    Thanks to his foolishness, she was left an orphan for most of her life.


    That tragedy taught her an important lesson.


    "Those who are strong were always meant to be strong. Weaklings will always remain weak."


    Potential was what mattered most.


    That was she felt nothing even when foolish Adventurers ended up being killed by Monsters after choosing the Heroic Rank Test.


    She felt it was simply a natural conclusion¡ªthe very flow of the world.


    But¡­


    ''Was I right? Did I really¡­ understand?''


    As she looked at the world, and felt her life sh before her eyes, Britta wondered if she truly believed in the philosophy she lived by.


    Was her father really weak? Was he not stronger than he was years before?


    If her father had survived that Dungeon¡­ would he not have been stronger for it? Was it not the same with her¡ªwith everyone?


    ''We all start out weak, don''t we?''


    One''s journey was a path towards growth and strength. The longer one lived, the stronger they were supposed to be¡ªnot just physically, but in multiple areas as well.


    It was unfortunate that her father''s life ended when it did, just as it was unfortunate that hers was about to end now.


    After all, she could fill it in her guts¡­


    ''I could have gotten stronger.''


    Much, much stronger.


    Strong enough to witness it, and perhaps stand by his side once it finally happened.


    "It''s a shame I couldn''t see your dreame true, Jet."


    ~SQUELCH!~


    The sound of flesh being pierced echoed in the air, and blood oozed out into streams and bubbles.


    Britta could hear all of it, but she felt no pain at all.


    Instead, warm hands swooped her from where she stood, and she felt a rush of wind sweep all over her body as she ascended into the sky.


    Was she flying? Was she already in the afterlife?


    What was this warmth? What was this feeling? It felt like nothing had changed, yet everything around her was different.


    "I can''t allow anyrade of mine to die!" The loud voice of Jet rushed through her ears, forcing her to open her eyes.


    That was when she saw his face. For the first time, he lost all sense of calmness, and a look of concern was etched deeply on his pale face.


    "You''re going to live, Britta! Live to see my dream, and to fulfill yours! Understood?"


    Britta didn''t mind that he addressed her casually, neither did she care that her body was tightly hugging his as they descended from the air.


    All she cared about was that he had her in his arms.


    "Y-yeah¡­"


    She wrapped her arms around him and closed her eyes, hoping he would y the rest of the rest of the Monsters and never let her go.


    "I''ll finish things with this¡­" Jet whispered, channeling all of the purple energy around him to his weapon.


    The Chaos de began to grow in size until it became twice his size. It crackled with all kinds of energies and power, and with just one hand wielding it, since he held Britta with another¡­ he sent the de charging down.


    "Chaos Judgment!"


    ~BOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!~


    *********


    The battlefield was silent as the three humans sat among the carcasses and debris of the many Monsters that filled thendscape.


    Even the ones hiding among the trees were caught and killed, leaving no loose ends.


    Of course, after the Monster Subjugation, all the parties were exhausted, so they copsed on the ground to catch their breath.


    While Lux downed a potion to recover her Mana, and Jet had his back on the ground to catch his breath, Britta sat and rested her back on a wall of earth while looking at them.


    ''These two are incredible. They''re the strongest humans I have ever witnessed. Perhaps even on par with Lady Lucielle and Sir Brutus.''


    Britta couldn''t be sure of this assessment, considering how those two were the ones who led humanity in the frontlines and warded off the Dragons.


    Britta had never seen them in action, but from what she had heard, Jet seemed about equal to Brutus, while Lucielle was a cut above Lux.


    That made them rare treasures of humanity.


    "You two¡­ how did you get so strong?" Britta didn''t even realize it when she uttered those words.


    Both Jet and Lux looked at Britta, their expressions so calm despite having fought such an intense battle.


    "Ever since we were little¡­ we were ridiculed for being weak. We realized we had to change that, so we worked our asses off. Before we realized it¡­ we had be strong."


    Their tale bore a keen resemnce to the story of Jet Zephyr.


    Perhaps it was a mere coincidence, perhaps not. Either way, Britta couldn''t help but nod and smile at the two of them.


    "So¡­ did we pass?"


    "Huh?"


    "The Test. Did we pass it?" Jet asked as he looked at Britta.


    Without a doubt, they had passed the Heroic Rank Test, but by strictly following the rules, they would be disqualified for teamwork.


    Plus, Lux didn''t even kill any A-Tier Monster.


    ''But screw the rules¡­'' Brittaughed at herself, surprised at the sound of her own giggle.


    Whenst had sheughed?


    "Congrattions, you two." She beamed at both Lux and Jet, warmth radiating all over her face.


    "You have now be the fourth and fifth Heroic Rank Adventurers of this City."


    *


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Well, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. This is a good time to say that the reason I''m doing this Mass Release is because of a bet I made with a reader.


    I n to release 10 chapters a day for ten days straight. Yesterday was Day 1, so we have 9 days to go.


    Funny thing is¡­ my exams are starting very soon.


    But, I won''t give up!

 Chapter 415 Triumphant Entry

    <h4>Chapter 415 Triumphant Entry </h4>


    The journey back was smooth sailing for the group.


    Sure, they were attacked by one or two Monsters, but none of them were a challenge for the fully realized Six Star Adventurers.


    They even managed to capture one A-Tier Monster, courtesy of Lux''s Wind Magic. As expected, it was a lot easier for her to handle one Monster than over forty.


    The beast couldn''t even move under the Wind Constraints.?It just helplessly remained still as thedy in white easily carried it with her winds as they exited the Dead Zone.


    "With this A-Tier Monster, you should be able to organize the next Heroic Rank Test without needing to go to the Dead Zone." Jet finally broke the silence as he addressed Britta, who was gawking at the subjugated creature.


    "A-ah, yes!"


    Britta''s clumsy response, and her flustered face was easy to read. Ever since she was saved by Jet, she had been acting rather strange.


    Her face would turn red at certain instances, and she constantly felt her heart race anytime she heard his voice. Despite constantly being nervous to talk to Jet, for reasons she had no idea of, she also desired to talk to him a lot.


    This paradoxical mix of emotions nearly caused steam to rise from her head as she covered her face with her hands.


    "U-um¡­ Are you really sure about giving the Guild this Monster?" After organizing her thoughts, Britta finally responded.


    Before they left the forest, the group managed to harvest the Monster Corpses. They couldn''t take all the parts, but they made sure to collect the most useful ones.


    Thankfully, Jet had a Spatial Ring¡ªsame as Lux¡ªso it they were able to lessen the load a little. Despite that, however, both Jet and Britta carried huge sacks that contained more Monster parts.


    Lux was busy carrying the living A-Tier Monster, so no one really bothered her.


    As for the leftover parts of the Monsters, the Adventurer Guild would announce their existence, and interested Adventurers poprly dubbed ''Scavengers'' would venture out to retrieve them for themselves.


    This wasn''t the first time such a thing was happening¡ªthough it never urred at such a big scale¡ªso Britta knew just what to do.


    When Jet asked about the safety of the Scavengers, considering how the territory they hunted in belonged to A-Tier Monsters, Britta reassured him. Scavengers were professionals who were experts in stealth and weren''t the type to engage the enemy no matter what.


    As long as they remained lowkey, they were bound to be fine.


    "Besides, Adventurers risk their lives all the time. If they desire the spoils of other people''sbor, then they had better work for it a little." She also added.


    The current Britta wasn''t as coldhearted as she was before this experience with Jet and Lux, so she indeed considered the safety of the Scavengers. However, considering how so many A-Tier Monsters were killed by them, other Monsters were bound to stay away from the clearing.


    Even the bravest A-Tier Monsters had the instinct of self-preservation.


    "The Guild will surely be able to make better use of it. Like I said¡­ you can use it for the next test." Jet responded to Britta, bringing her mind back to the current conversation.


    Once again, she yelped without realizing it.


    ''Why does his voice always startle me? What is this feeling in my chest?'' She had no idea what to call it.


    It almost felt like the kind of feeling she had when she was thrust into battle, or anytime she entered the ''zone'' of fighting.


    It was unsettling, invigorating¡ªalso mildly frightening.


    Yet¡­ she couldn''t put abel on it.


    Why¡­?


    "I don''t think any Heroic Rank Test will be held anytime soon." She brushed aside those thoughts and replied, hoping she didn''t take too long toe up with a response.


    "There aren''t many people these days who are crazy¡ªI mean, skilled enough¡ªto attempt such a Test."


    "Hmm¡­ is that so?" Jet responded, a small smile forming on his face.


    Britta didn''t know what caused him such amusement. She wanted to know so badly.


    ''Was it something I said?!'' Her thoughts rang.


    "Do you disagree?" In the end, she had to continue the conversation as seamlessly as possible.


    For a moment, Jet made no response. The three simply walked in silence, nearing the entrance of the City.


    Then¡ª


    "I''m not sure, but¡­ I have a feeling that someone crazy¡ªI mean, skilled¡ªenough will attempt this Test."


    ¡ªHe finally spoke in his calm, deep voice.


    "R-really? Well¡­ that would be quite the surprise."


    Jet merely nodded at Britta''s words, and he said nothing else for the rest of their journey.


    In a way, it was a relief to her. She could finally assess her thoughts in a calm, mature manner. However, she also couldn''t get her mind off the Jet.


    Ultimately, Britta was unable to process anything. She merely kept ncing at Jet, hoping he would say something else, for the rest of their journey.


    ''Arrgh! What the hell is happening to me!''


    **********


    To say the City was in an uproar afterseeing the triumphant entry of Jet and Lux would be a gross understatement.


    Shock was evident on the faces of practically everyone who gazed upon them. Many cast their sights on the heavy sacks that both Jet and Britta carried, but the center of attention for most was the chained A-Tier Monster that floated above Lux''s head.


    Most couldn''t tell what Tier the Monster was, but for those who did¡­ they nearly passed out just from setting their eyes on such a dangerous entity so close to where they lived.


    No one needed a confirmation as to whether they passed or failed.


    The results spoke for themselves.


    And so, as Jet and Lux proceeded into the doors of the Adventurers Guild, and eventually emerged from within it with their 6 Star Badges, no one could contest theirpetence.


    They knew for a fact that the two were more than deserving of their positions.


    The only role they had to y was to cheer as loudly as possible for the new Heroic Rank Adventurers of the City.


    Jet and Lux¡ªwithout the shadow of a doubt¡ªhad cemented themselves in the annals of history as the first Adventurers to climb up the ranks so quickly.


    ¡­ The first to pass the Heroic Rank Test as mere candidates.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Legends have been born, and a majority of this Arc''s prologue has been settled.


    Can''t wait till we get to the meat!

 Chapter 416 The Most Unexpected Confrontation

    <h4>Chapter 416 The Most Unexpected Confrontation </h4>


    ''Ahh, finally! We finally got everything sorted out!''


    The evening clouds had already begun appearing over the city as Rey and Esme left the Adventurers Guild building.


    The wind was soft, carrying a certain chill about it to prepare the denizens of the City for the night that was fast approaching.


    Rey took in the air and smiled, his mask as Jet still intact. Beside him was Esme¡ªor rather, Lux. He would have long discarded his disguise if it was just her with him.


    Unfortunately, that wasn''t the case.


    After all, behind him was a mob of Adventurers who were simply gawking at the two legends who were nothing short of superstars in the eyes of every single person who witnessed their grand return.


    Merely judging by how they were gushing over him and Esme, Rey was certain that many were dying to get his autograph or even have a word with him.


    ''Some are probably wishing I was in their Party¡­'' His thoughts trailed as he fought to hide his wry smile.


    However, none of them approached him.


    Perhaps they were scared of him, or maybe this was the least amount of courtesy they could offer him after his long and tiring Heroic Rank Test.


    Well¡­ not that itsted very long, in all honesty.


    ''Well, I''m d they''re keeping their distance. I really have to lodge in the inn and return to the Royal Estate so I can bring everyone here.''


    Rey was still pretty early, so he didn''t consider himself behind schedule, but he was the type to ensure he had extra time to himself so he wasn''t tardy.


    ''I have my reputation as Ralyks on the line, after all.''


    Besides, this would be the first time in a few days since he interacted with his ssmates as Ralyks. He had to make it perfect.


    Thankfully, despite the parade that was urring all around the both of them, Rey and Esme ended up making it to their Inn without any issue.


    Rey really thought he was in the clear this time.


    That is, until he saw the same group of six that confronted him the previous day.


    ''The idiot and his goons? What are they after this time?'' Rey wondered to himself as he slowly halted.


    They were practically at the entrance of the Inn, and judging by how their eyes were on him, it was clear who they were after.


    ''I thought one beating was enough, but it seems these guys never learn.'' He sighed internally.


    There was also the possibility that the group wanted to congratte him¡ªperhaps even apologize for their actions¡ªbut Rey wasn''t the optimistic time.


    It was better to expect the worst and be surprised by better.


    "What do you want?" He asked, one hand in his pocket as the other firmly gripped his suitcase.


    He posed in such a way that the 6 Star Badge on the left side of his chest would be undisputedly observed by the men. He even slightly puffed out his chest for maximum impact.


    "W-well¡­ about that¡­"


    Sango, leader of the bunch looked a bit sweaty and nervous. He had lost all the confidence he disyed the other day.


    Rey could sniff it¡ªthe smell of fear.


    ''If he''s so nervous, why would he and his people corner me where I stay?'' He raised an eyebrow, taking one step forward to test the waters.


    As expected, Sango took a step back.


    ''I don''t want to create a bad reputation of bullying Adventurers, even if they''re deserving if it, which is why I''m being mild to this guy¡­'' His eyes trailed to Sango''s goons.


    All of them also looked a bit on edge.


    ''The Conquest starts in about two days, but it''ll officially be announced tomorrow. I don''t want to draw any more attention than I already have.''


    Judging from Sango''s Stats, he was among the stronger humans in H''Trae. Rey had no doubt that he was among the strongest Adventurers in the Adventurers City.


    ''Rebal mentioned a Barbarian being in Top 10 rankings, so I guess it''s him.''


    Due to all of these factors, Rey had tried his best to be courteous to the man while also refusing to use any overt Skills that didn''t suit his ''Jet'' persona.


    But¡­ this was getting a bit annoying.


    "I''m not sure why you''re here, but does it have something to do with the guy who''s hiding behind that wall and listening in?" As Rey said this, he nced slightly to his left.


    Anyone would see a mere wall of the tall and morous building that was the inn, but Rey knew someone watching him was behind the walls.


    The moment they heard the question, the faces of Sango and his minions told Rey all he needed to know about his suspicion. The presence behind the wall was faint, so he wasn''t sure if the guy was Sango''s subordinate, or someone else.


    ¡ªPerhaps a third party.


    ''But now, at least I know for sure that they''re affiliated.'' He smiled, taking one more step forward.


    "Fine¡­ you got me." A sudden voice pierced the air the instant Rey moved, causing him to stop dead in his tracks.


    Almost like a ghost, a certain young boy walked out of the walls as if the whole building was nothing but a hologram.


    No, that wasn''t quite it.


    It wasn''t the building that seemed incorporeal¡ªor rather, intangible¡ªit was the boy that emerged from within it.


    He was short for an Adventurer, about 5''6 ft tall, having a cute face that was not fitting for the rough profession that he was under.


    Thed donned a ck jacket, with blue and white stripes designing his casual outfit. He wasn''t wearing any real gear, and the only Enchanted Item he really had on was a tiny katana-


    looking de that was worn like an ornamental ne.


    "Sorry for sneaking up on you like this. I just wanted to get a good look at you before introducing myself." He gave a confident, yet humble smile as he stretched out his hand for a handshake.


    The 6 Star badge on his chest made it clear what his status was, and despite his short build, everyone who saw him had the same look of respect.


    "My name is Sherlock. It''s a pleasure to meet you, Sir Jet."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Who predicted this oue or confrontation? It''s nice to see our boy once again.

 Chapter 417 An Adventurer Called Sherlock [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 417 An Adventurer Called Sherlock [Pt 1] </h4>


    Rey was speechless.


    His jaw nearly fell as he looked at the boy in front of him with immense shock. He probably hadn''t been this surprised in all his life.


    ''There''s no doubt about it¡­''


    The boy''s dark brown hair, his small stature, his cute face, and his barely mature voice; they were all the same as someone he used to know.


    ''Noah¡­?!''


    Adrien had told Rey that Noah became an Adventurer, and while he had the intention to search for Noah at some point, he didn''t think it was a priority.


    After all, judging by Noah''s personality alone, he wasn''t expecting him to be some sort of bigshot.


    ''Yet he''s one of the 6 Star Adventurers in this city¡­?'' Rey cast a nce at the badge.


    To say he was shocked would be an understatement.


    "My name is Sherlock. It''s a pleasure to meet you, Sir Jet." He stretched out a hand to greet Rey¡ªor rather, Jet¡ªwhich left thetter even more stupefied.


    ''He didn''t hide his name? Well¡­ I shouldn''t be too surprised.''


    Noah didn''t hide his identity either. He looked like a kid, and he owned that fact.


    ''This is the biggest surprise I''ve ever received.'' Despite having these thoughts, Rey remained stoic in his demeanor.


    He merely gripped he handle of his suitcase harder and stretched out his hand to return the nice and considerate gesture that Noah sent his way.


    It would be social suicide to dy or reject epting a formal greeting given by a well-known Heroic Rank Adventurer¡ªone who also happened to be his senior.


    "Thank you." He managed to say, surprised by just how firm Noah''s grip was.


    In contrast to what his build and face depicted, it seemed like he had a more confident and strong side to himself.


    ''You''ve grown, Noah¡­''


    Of course, that wasn''t the only thing that made Rey think that to himself.


    One peek at his Status Window was all he needed to know for a fact that the Noah that left back then wasn''t the same one that stood in front of him.


    They were like night and day.


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Noah Sherlock.


    - Race: Human (Otherworlder)


    - ss: Great Thief (B-Tier)


    - Level: 49 (75.13% EXP)


    - Life Force: 47 (+10) [+70]


    - Mana Level: 50 (+10) [+100]


    - Combat Ability: 60 (+15) [+75]


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Phase]. [Projection]. [Shadow Magic].


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Martial Control]. [Great Sense].


    - Alignment: Neutral Good


    [Additional Information]


    One of the most revered Adventurers?in the city, but also an Otherworlder with a past rtionship with Rey and Ralyks.


    He now seeks to carve his own path.


    [End Of Information]


    ''All his Stat Points are over a hundred, if I count his ss privileges and his Item contributions.''


    Among the humans, having three-digit Stats made you incredibly powerful, so merely seeing Noah reach such a level proved to Rey that the guy had rightfully earned his position as a Heroic Rank Adventurer.


    ''He''s slightly stronger than Britta¡­''


    If you put Skills into ount, then Britta had more destructive power, but ultimately Noah would win due to the problematic nature of his abilities.


    ''He can phase and use [Shadow Magic]. Not to talk of [Projection], which can be super annoying¡­''


    All in all, these were incredible ability-sets to have.


    The onlyint Rey had was about his incredibly low Level. Everyone else who stayed behind had at least twice Noah''s Level at this point.


    ''I''m surprised he was able to Level Up so much, though. Especially considering how he is¡­''


    But, perhaps it wasn''t so strange when they were literally in the best Leveling Ground in the entire Alliance¡ªthe Adventurers City itself.


    ''He still has the Midnight de that I got for him from the Karinc Group, it seems¡­'' Rey smiled.


    There was no way a single Item was buffing him to this degree, so Rey assumed Noah had the rest of his Enchanted Items hidden somehow.


    ''Not bad. So even when you''re casually dressed, you''re still on guard.'' Rey grinned and slowly nodded to himself.


    He didn''t feel any surge of emotions, unlike what he feared to have. Just by looking at Noah, he had a moment of satisfaction and mild happiness, but that was it.


    ''It doesn''t seem like he recognizes me, though I can''t be very sure yet¡­''


    "If you don''t mind, Sir Jet, I would like to speak with you and your partner for a moment. I promise, it won''t take too long." Noah Sherlock said with a reassuring smile.


    There was no malice behind his words, but Rey still found it a little strange hearing him speak.


    ''It seems like he''s a lot more confident than before.''


    That was most likely due to being recognized by the natives of H''Trae as someone who was strong.


    ''Considering how we Otherworlders get strong faster, even with one Level Up, I can see why he got some special treatment.''


    He had a B-Tier ss, he had five Skills, two which were most likely B-Tier at this point. He had good gear¡ªat least, the de he had was of high quality.


    Everything about him seemed special to the ordinary people of this world.


    Of course, just the humans.


    "Hm. What do you desire to speak about?" Rey answered in his standard Jet response, wondering if Noah indeed recognized him and was cryptically trying to pass that message across.


    ''He only knows my alter ego is Ralyks, and he isn''t familiar with any of the Skills I have disyed. He also doesn''t know about Esme, so he probably doesn''t think I''m Rey.''


    Once again, however, Rey couldn''t be sure.


    "Quite a few things, one of which is to apologize for the wrongdoings of my Party Members."


    Rey smiled and shrugged upon seeing Noah bow a little to him.


    ''He''s be a leader too, huh? Who would have expected such an oue¡­'' Despite not gushing with emotion, Rey felt a warm sensation that filled his chest as he looked at the boy.


    "So what do you say? Would you like to join me for a drink?" One more look at Noah''s friendly smile told Rey that he couldn''t even refuse if he wanted to.


    And he didn''t want to refuse.


    "Sure. Let''s go."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 418 An Adventurer Called Sherlock [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 418 An Adventurer Called Sherlock [Pt 2] </h4>


    The pubs within the Adventurers City were usually chock-full in the evening, since this was when most Adventurers returned from their daily tasks.


    Many wanted to rx and enjoy the evening atmosphere while sipping some ale, while others desired to blow off steam by ranting about their experience to any who would listen.


    It was a nice mix of varying minds who desired different things.


    As a result, most pubs ended up being chaotic¡ªtheter the evening got, the worse it became.


    However,pared to the usual nature of such an establishment, the ce where Jet, Lux, and Sherlock chose waspletely silent.


    Perhaps the absence of any other Adventurer¡ªor any other living soul, save for the staff in the establishment¡ªcould exin the cause of the decorum. It was a strange sight, seeing a pub so empty despite it being evening.


    However, when considering the status of the three Adventurers who upies the pub, this urrence couldn''t be seen as overly strange.


    "This is my favorite pub. It''s usually very, very loud, though." Noah began, his friendly smile easily breaking the tension that existed among the three of them.


    "I suspected you wouldn''t be veryfortable with so much noise, so I booked it ahead of time."


    That exined why there was no one else in the room.


    "Perks of being a 6 Star, I guess. I don''t think any other Adventurer would have gotten away with it, even if they had the money to pay." Noah added as he chugged down the foaming liquid on his massive jug.


    Rey watched the boy gulp down its contents, and after a few seconds, he mmed the jug down and gave a heavy sigh.


    "Haaa! Nothing beats a good drink after a long day!"


    His beaming air of optimism was contrasted by the somewhat gloomy atmosphere that surrounded the other two.


    "You¡­ drink?"


    "Hm? Why do you ask? What kind of Adventurer doesn''t drink?" Noah retorted in surprise as he looked at Jet¡ªor rather, Rey.


    "You''ve not touched your ale, by the way. Hope nothing is wrong. I promise, you''ll like it very much."


    Rey felt a bit conflicted as he looked at the drink on his side of the table. It would indeed be rude not to refuse to drink anything, but he wasn''t much of a drinker.


    It wasn''t like he hadn''t tasted alcohol before, but¡­


    ''¡­ I really don''t like it.''


    The smell alone made Rey sick to his stomach, and he really couldn''t stand the taste. He would pick actual juice or fruit drinks to alcohol any day.


    ''I just don''t see the appeal in taking alcohol, especially when it has such a bad side effect.''


    Perhaps this was just his teenage brain speaking, but wasn''t Noah also a teenager¡ªa more fragile-looking one than him too.


    ''When did he start chugging down alcohol like a champ?''


    Was it really a prerequisite for one to constantly drink alcohol if they were an Adventurer? Rey didn''t want to believe it.


    "Want to know a secret?" Noah said with a somewhat naughty smile.


    He had a somewhat mischievous gleam in his eyes, enough to spark Rey''s curiosity in whatever he was about to say.


    "I¡­" Noah brought his face closer and used a hand to block his mouth. "I actually don''t like alcohol very much."


    ''RIGHT?!'' Rey''s eyes widened as he beamed at the boy in front of him.


    "It''s so bitter and it tastes so weird. I hear it gives you a certain buzz, but considering how people get drunk, puke all over, and pass out so often after taking this stuff¡­ I don''t think it''s worth it."


    Rey couldn''t help but nod and agree at that point.


    "I agree. I personally prefer high-quality fruit juice." Rey responded, trying to sound as manly and elegant as possible.


    "Indeed! I totally agree!"


    Noah''s nod and his smile also showed that he was trying to sound like some kind of informed gentleman. In actuality, they were just being kids.


    Lux just sat there and watched in silence as the two interacted.


    "Alcohol is so blehh!"


    "Haha! Indeed, indeed! You are quite the enlightened one, Sir Jet." Noah''s eyes gleamed with respect.


    Unfortunately, Rey couldn''t do the same to Noah.


    After all, despite saying he didn''t like alcohol, he ended up sullying his throat with the burning sensation of such disgusting-tasting liquid.


    At some point, Rey couldn''t contain his curiosity and ended up asking the question on his mind.


    "Why¡­?"


    "Why what?"


    "Why do you drink alcohol¡­?"


    "Ohh¡­" Noah''s face fell a little, but he quickly picked it back up. "Because I have an image to uphold."


    Rey raised a brow and waited for more boration on that.


    Thankfully, he didn''t have to wait very long.


    "As you can clearly see, I have a small stature, and my face isn''t the most intimidating. Other than my strength, many wouldn''t really consider me a proper Adventurer¡­"


    Noah''s smile only widened more as he spoke, almost as if he was resolute in his desire and intention to overturn those perceptions.


    "That''s why Ie to this pub regrly. It''s why I drink alcohol. I maintain my image as a strong, but rtable Adventurer."


    As a result, he could truly be ''one of them.''


    "Besides, alcohol really does nothing to my body. One of my ss Privileges grants me high resistance against poisons and toxins, so other than the terrible taste, I have nothing to worry about."


    Rey''s eyes widened upon hearing the information. ''Ohh! That''s super convenient!''


    Once they finally resolved their discussion on alcohol, the food arrived and everyone dug in. Just as Noah said, it was amazing food.


    ''The food in the Royal Capital is far better, but this has a unique feel to it. Local and¡­ slightly gamey.'' Its unexinable vor worked to its advantage, as Rey enjoyed every bite of the steak and sd to go with it.


    Once everyone was done eating, making slight jokes and jabs in the process, they finally had to move to the more serious issue.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I''ll probably be toozy to give a note inter chapters, so¡­ yeah.

 Chapter 419 An Adventurer Called Sherlock [Pt 3]

    <h4>Chapter 419 An Adventurer Called Sherlock [Pt 3] </h4>


    "Sir Jet¡­ I would like to officially apologize for any inconvenience my Party Members caused you, as well as congratte you joining the ranks of the strongest Adventurers in this City."


    Noah Sherlock''s expression was serious as he gazed upon the man in front of him.


    He didn''t know who Jet was, or how he got to the level that he did, but there was one thing he knew about him.


    ''He''s strong. The same applies to the girl that''s his partner.''


    As one of his ss Privileges, Noah had something like a sixth sense that informed him of how dangerous a person or situation was.


    Something like a Thief''s Intuition that told him whether a risk was worth the reward.


    ''I''ve encountered many Adventurers in this city, and I''ve met all the strongest ones, so I kno my ce in the pecking order.''


    The Guildmaster was definitely stronger than him, but Noah felt like he could probably win under the right circumstances.


    The same applied to pretty much any strong foe he encountered.


    ''But¡­'' He narrowed his eyes as he gazed at the two who sat in front of him.


    Jet and Lux were the first Adventurers who made him feel like he stood no chance at all against them.


    They felt like an incredibly tall mountain whose peak was too high for him to set his sights on; or perhaps a deep trench whose depths were impossible to decipher.


    Either way, Noah quickly recognized he was way out of his league here.


    ''He really reminds me of Rey. They both have such amanding presence¡­'' Noah smiled to himself.


    Unfortunately, there was no way they could be the same person.


    ''Rey is supposed to be in the Royal Estate. They''re probably still dealing with the Royal Dungeon and preparing for the war.''


    He had heard some news about what had been going on in the Capital, but other than the downfall of the Criminal Underworld¡ªwhich probably had nothing to do with the Otherworlders¡ªthere really wasn''t anything happening there.


    ''I hope he''s doing well, though¡­'' Noah returned his gaze to Jet, though somehow his eyes kept going towards Lux.


    ''She has been silent for most of the conversation. I haven''t heard her say anything once, except for a few unintelligible whispers and chuckles.''


    Noah was d to see herugh to some of his jokes, but more than anything he wanted her to talk to him.


    Why? Well¡­


    ''She''s so damn gorgeous!''


    Since they were indoors, Jet and Lux had taken off their respective hat and hood, revealing their incredibly attractive faces.


    They were both beauties that rivaled¡ªno, perhaps even surpassed Adonis.


    Noah even felt the confidence he had fought so hard to build up nearly crumble just by looking at Jet for a few seconds.


    Many had told him he was attractive, but it was mostly in the ''cute'' sense. Unlike Jet, who had the perfect blend of masculine beauty and a dash of cute aesthetics¡­ Noah couldn''t boast of any such feat.


    The only thing he used tofort himself was the knowledge that he wasn''t the ugliest guy around.


    In fact, on the spectrum of attractiveness, he was definitely on the high end.


    ''I wonder how someone like Rey would feel if he saw this guy.'' Noah nearly snickered at the thought.


    Despite Jet catching his attention, though, the one his eyes really focused on most was Lux¡ªthough he did his best not to stare too much.


    Her beauty was ethereal.


    ''How can someone be so pretty and strong at the same time?'' Adonis came to his mind, but he quickly shrugged the thought off.


    Noah already knew that Jet and Lux were siblings¡ªhaving done his research before approaching them. As such, he knew there was a chance that she was single.


    Unfortunately, his confidence had been too wounded that night to try anything risky.


    ''Most girls in this city don''t care about looks as long as you have power and money.'' Noah thought to himself.


    Status reigned supreme here.


    In that respect, someone like him¡ªwho was one of the richest and most powerful Adventurers in the City, with good looks to boot¡ªwas a rare treasure in the whole city.


    He couldn''t think of ady who wouldn''t at least give him a shot


    ¡ªwhether they were an Adventurer or a civilian.


    Noah wasn''t blind. He could see how many females looked at him, ogling his entire body with their eyes.


    A few even mustered the courage to hit on him.


    As ttering as it was to be desired by so many, though, Noah found himself slightly growing irritated of the never-ending attention.


    ''Things are different now, though¡­''


    The girl he had set his sights on was of the same Rank as him, and merely judging from her looks and equipment, she wasn''tcking any money.


    Plus, with looks like hers and her brother''s, she definitely wouldn''t settle for just anyone.


    All of these factors made Noah more nervous than he would normally be.


    ''Damn! I feel like a virgin again!'' He nearly cried out, though he managed to control himself by taking constant, deep breaths.


    "Thank you for your congrattions. As for the incident the other day, I can understand that it was done with good intentions."


    Noah''s gaze swiftly left Lux as he heard Jet speak.


    Surprisingly, the man had stretched out a hand to shake him. "I hope we can both get along as colleagues."


    "Y-yeah! I hope so too¡­" Noah managed to speak, secretly hoping that Jet didn''t just catch him staring so intensely at his sister.


    "If you don''t mind, I would like to ask you a few questions. Since you''re my senior here, I hope it won''t be too much of a bother."


    "Of course not! Ask away." Noah responded with a bright smile.


    ''Maybe¡­ maybe if I get close enough to Jet, he could properly acquaint me with his sister.''


    Noah wasn''t sure how this whole thing would go, but¡­ it was worth a shot.


    ''I need to have him on my side at all costs!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I know I said I wouldn''t apologize, but I''m really sorry for this slow pace. The story seems to write itself at this point.


    Still, I hope you enjoyed Rey''s interaction with Noah and liked to see things from thetter''s POV.

 Chapter 420 An Adventurer Called Sherlock [Pt 4]

    <h4>Chapter 420 An Adventurer Called Sherlock [Pt 4] </h4>


    "Haha! I see, I see!"


    Noah wasughing louder than he should have.


    He knew that well.


    However, he had to make it seem like he was having a very good time. He wasn''t forcing things, though, just adding a bit more effort.


    In order to get on Jet''s good graces, he thoroughly exined a lot of things about the Adventurers City to the two of them¡ªas much as he knew, anyway.


    Noah had only been here for about three weeks, and he became a Heroic Rank Adventurer just two weeks ago.


    The circumstances behind his promotion was a bit different from the standard, but he also killed an A-Tier Monster and got recognized for his aplishments.


    "I''m sorry about Miss Britta, by the way." Noah smiled widely, vividly remembering his own experience with the stern woman. "She''s really very difficult, isn''t she?"


    "Well, somewhat. She was pretty insufferable." Jet responded with a slight chuckle.


    "Haha! Don''t hold it against her. She''s pretty reliable once you get to know her, though many would consider her rude."


    Either way, being nice wasn''t a required quality for an Adventurer. The most important thing was theirpetence in their duties.


    "She gets the job done, so she''s a prettypetent Adventurer." Noah found Jet and Lux nodding too, so he was relieved to see that they agreed.


    ''Since there is such a short supply of 6 Star Adventurers, and even very few 5 Stars care to be supervisors, she ends up being the only one who supervises the very difficult Tests.''


    It was a heavy load to be ced on one person, so Noah understood why she acted the way she did.


    ''Most Adventurers would rather explore Dungeons and get stronger than to watch a bunch of newbies try to pass an exam.''


    Even he felt the same way.


    ''I''m pretty sure they''ll want me to begin supervising at some point, but since I''m still somewhat fresh, I''ll be excused for now.''


    Noah felt like he wouldn''t mind doing it once in a while, but if it became a regr thing¡ªlike it was for Britta¡ªhe might have to dip.


    "How many A-Tier Monsters did you kill in your Test?" Jet suddenly asked, instantly changing the tone of the conversation.


    There was some kind of a serious vibe that Noah didn''t fully understand. Still, he made sure to answer as honestly as possible.


    "One. I was a lot weaker back then than I am now." He smiled and shrugged. "How about you, Sir Je¡ª?"


    "Just call me Jet."


    "Fair enough. And is it alright for me to call you Lux, instead of Lady Lux?" Noah asked thedy who sat adjacent him.


    "It''s fine. You can address the both of us normally."


    Noah nearly pulled his hair out when he heard Jet respond instead of the damsel he was addressing.


    ''Come on, man! I''ve been nice enough. Even if you don''t want to help me out, you can''t do me this dirty.'' Of course, theseints were only heard by Noah in the far recesses of his mind.


    Lux nodded at his question, though, which at least made him smile a little.


    "A-anyway, Jet¡­ how many A-Tier Monsters did you kill?"


    Since Noah had been waiting for Jet within the Inn, he couldn''t go and confirm from the Guild. As a result, he didn''t know the exact number.


    ''Judging from the faces of the other Adventurers who trailed behind him, it must have been quite a lot.'' Noah reasoned.


    One of his Party Members, who was watching the two of them from a considerable distance, even told him about their triumphant entry into the city, and just how heavy the sack both Jet and Britta carried.


    Of course, he was also informed of the captured Monster.


    ''My spy wasn''t sure if it was an A-Tier Monster or not, but¡­ it probably was.'' The fact that they bothered to capture a Monster meant it had to be special.


    That was his own theory, though.


    ''Lux was the one who captured it, so I know she''s disyed power that is least stronger than an A-Tier. What about him?''


    "I killed about forty."


    "E-eh? Did you say¡­ four?"


    Four was already an absurd number. Noah wasn''t sure he could handle so many at once if they charged at him head-on.


    "No. Forty." Once Jet confirmed the figure, Noah felt like it was a joke.


    He waited for the punch line, but it never came. "Y-you really¡­ killed forty?"


    Jet nodded.


    ''The hell? How is that even possible?'' Noah felt his eyes widening as he felt stupefied.


    There was no reason to doubt Jet''s words. If they were false, he could easily confirm that from the Guild. It would soon be made public knowledge, anyway.


    ''I doubt he would want to smear his reputation like that.'' Noah smiled to himself. ''Besides, there''s no real reason to lie.''


    Even if Jet wanted to make a false ount, he wouldn''t have gone for such an absurd.


    ''It''smon sense to make your lie as believable as possible, right?''


    "I-I could probably handle three A-Tier Monsters on my own now¡­" Noah didn''t even know why he was saying this.


    Compared to Jet''s numbers, his was not impressive in the slightest.


    "That''s interesting. Britta gave the same response." Jet responded. "You''re pretty impressive."


    Noah felt like Jet was making fun of him, but his serious tone and honest face made it difficult for him to truly ept that.


    "Haha! Not as impressive as you. I even heard you captured and brought back an A-Tier Monster."


    What kind of people were these two? Where did they pop out from?


    Noah had no idea.


    ''I''ve lived here long enough to know that this kind of strength is not normal.''


    The only reason he was so strong, despite being so young, was due to being an Otherworlder. These two weren''t.


    ''There can''t be any Otherworlders besides us. And if there were, they wouldn''t look so young¡­ right?''


    Since Noah couldn''t know for sure, he decided to keep the thought to himself.


    "By the way, Sherlock¡­ I''ve been meaning to ask this question for a while now." Jet''s voice served as the perfect distraction from his thoughts, so he decided to hop into the next line of conversation.


    "Yes? What is it?"


    "Why did you be an Adventurer?"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 421 Desire To Change

    <h4>Chapter 421 Desire To Change </h4>


    "Ahh, that¡­"


    Noah''s face fell a little, and something akin to a sad smile added to his clouded countenance.


    His tale wasn''t particrly a sad story. Many Adventurers in the City had more tragic experiences to share.


    However, for Noah, a sixteen-year-old teenager who had been living a pretty mundane life on Earth until three months ago, his story was just as heavy.


    "I think¡­ I realized that I had no other choice but to be strong." His smile broadened as he uttered those words.


    Many would agree with him, but most were probably going to miss the point. No one could really understand the depths from which he uttered those words.


    People desired to get stronger for various reasons.


    Some wanted wealth.


    ''I already have more than enough money to retire to some countryside and live the rest of my life without worrying about sustenance.''


    Some craved power.


    ''I have enough strength to be in the one percent of humans in this world.''


    Some lusted after influence.


    ''I find attention annoying, and most of the time¡­ I like being left alone.''


    Women.


    ''I don''t think most of them are anything special.''


    Thrill.


    ''Nothing about fighting Monsters thrills me. It''s a dangerous job.''


    Noah didn''t qualify for most of the reasons why most people desired to be Adventurers. He wasn''t like the average Adventurers, and he didn''t rte to most of the things they valued.


    Things like the ideal of freedom were lost concepts to him.


    While he admired the sentiment, he found the whole thing too abstract and a little childish. In any pragmatic setting, there had to be established rules.


    Restrictions molded society.


    The only reason why the Adventurers were still coexisting pretty well within the City, despite theck of solid rules and sufficient regtions, was because there were already unspoken rules that existed within the Adventurer Culture.


    As much as they tried to deny this fact, it was true.


    As an outsider, Noah could see patterns in their behavior which informed him that there were unwritten regtions that bound everyone together.


    ''That''s why they''re still together.''


    If those rules didn''t exist, or maybe the poption of this city grew to an absurd degree¡ªto the point where control became difficult¡ªthen the cracks would begin to show.


    ¡­ The status-quo would crumble.


    And so, the true reason Noah chose this path¡ªdespite a lot of easier options¡ªwas due to a much more primal and selfish purpose.


    It was engrained within him; to the point where he could not escape or deny it.


    "I wanted to change."


    For a moment, there was silence in his tone.


    "What?" Jet''s inquisitive voice caused Noah to smile even more. Of course, no one would get it if he just said it like that.


    "I used to be a very weak and cowardly person. I hid behind stronger people and always looked for ways to benefit without taking the most risks."


    For the most part, he hadn''t gotten rid of thetter part of his statement. He didn''t think he needed to, considering how that was the hallmark of pragmatism.


    Less risks, more reward.


    The problem was with the former.


    "I think I hated myself." Noah''s solemn tone oozed through the still atmosphere.


    "I had a friend before moving here. Before we became friends, I used tofort myself by thinking he was more pathetic than I was. He was average in every way, and I always told myself¡ª


    anytime I felt shitty or sad¡ªthat at least there was one guy who was worse than me."


    There was a reason Noah spoke in past tense.


    "I came to realize that the guy was secretly a lot better than I realized. He was stronger, smarter¡­ better. He was better than me, than most people around us." A little smirk formed on the boy''s face.


    "I liked that."


    "So what happened to this friend of yours? Why did you part ways?"


    Noah shrugged as he rested his back on the chair that he sat on. "I wanted to run away. That guy was a monster who wanted to keep getting strong, and I knew he would drag me with him. I wasn''t ready for that."


    Jet chuckled a little, and Noah did the same.


    He didn''t know why he was revealing so much about his past to such a stranger, but somehow¡­ he felt like going on.


    He didn''t want to stop.


    "I left the Capital and initially wanted to travel South, since things are a lot safer there than in the North. But apparently, all thend there has been taken."


    It was no surprise, considering how most people wanted to be as far away from the war as possible. If anyone could afford it, they would instantly leave for the South.


    Sure, the cost of living there was ridiculously high. Many would consider the quality of life incredibly low for the amount they were paying.


    But, at the very least, they were alive.


    "I decided to settle down in any quiet town close to the Adventurers City, since having Adventurers nearby would guarantee some kind of safety."


    That was when Noah began his journey to the North.


    "My journey was cut short when I encountered a couple of Adventurers fighting a group of Monsters." Noah remembered the entire scene as if it was just yesterday.


    He had been told of a shortcut by a traveler, so he passed the route and ended up getting lost.


    That was when he stumbled on the fight.


    His first instinct was to hide¡ªthen the next thing that came to his mind was to run.


    But¡­ he found himself refusing to do so.


    Right in front of his eyes was a Monster he knew he could defeat if he truly tried. It would be difficult and dangerous, but Noah knew he would win.


    At that moment, he felt something awaken within him.


    ''What if¡­ I fight that thing?''


    It wouldn''t cost him anything. He would probably gain some money and thanks for his efforts too.


    However, that wasn''t his main incentive for doing so.


    Right there and then, Noah simply wanted to change who he was.


    "I didn''t want to be that cowering bastard anymore."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 422 Making The Change

    <h4>Chapter 422 Making The Change </h4>


    Back then, Noah had three choices.


    Stay and hide.


    Run and escape.


    Charge and fight.


    His instinct had been to hide, and his next thought was to run as fast as he could¡ªas far away as he could.


    But¡­ he wasn''t listening.


    ''I-if I can win. Then¡­ I can try, right?''


    His entire being despised violence. He wasn''t very strong too, and his Skills were mostly useful for evasion and defense.


    Yet¡­ why did he want to fight?


    ''Ahh¡­'' He realized it at that moment. ''¡­ Is this your doing, Rey?''


    Noah realized how dissatisfied he felt¡ªwith himself, and with the scene ying out in front of him.


    He had felt this way throughout his journey away from the Capital.


    Despite that gnawing feeling, he constantly told himself that he made the right choice leaving his only friend behind so he could run away from responsibility.


    However, when he stood there, hidden from everything in the world, Noah was finally able to confront himself.


    ''I don''t like this¡­ this version of me.''


    The time he had the most fun, and felt most fulfilled, was when he was pretending to be some kind of powerful subordinate of Ralyks.


    He liked the way people looked at him. Their respect, admiration, their fear¡­ it made him feel warm inside.


    It wasn''t even like he sought their validation.


    He wanted his own.


    "So, I decided to fight." Noah shrugged smiled, narrating the experience as if it was no big deal.


    He stealthily charged at the first Monster and gave his all into generating the perfect surprise attacks.


    He used all the Skills in his arsenal to fight, and he pushed himself a lot more than he ever had.


    "Faster."


    He hastened his movements.


    "Stronger."


    He strengthened his muscles and increased his force.


    "Smarter."


    He read the Monsters and came up with perfect counters at the spot.


    "Better!"


    He repeated the process¡ªover and over again¡ªuntil he ended up killing all the adversaries.


    "I changed a bit of myself that day. I was able to be a little like the man I pretended to be." Noahughed as he began to conclude his story.


    "After seeing the Adventurers in action, I realized my original perception of them was a little too generous. If I could defeat Monsters that Adventurers couldn''t, then it was possible for me to be an Adventurer."


    He followed the Adventurers back, and after the joint testimony of the people he saved, there was no need for him to even take a Test.


    Noah had be an Adventurer, registered as Sherlock.


    "The rest is history. I joined one of the most influential Parties, managed to defeat the leader, and became the leader myself."


    In more ways than one, Noah changed. He found himself trying out new things, exploring everything he previously ran away from.


    "Day after day, I keep changing in hopes that one day¡­ I will be like that ideal image I pretended to embody."


    "The errand boy of your friend?"


    "Well¡­ no, not that part." Noahughed out loud once he heard thatparison. Jet''s words weren''t wrong, but they didn''t properly embody what he strived to be.


    "I want to be a better human being. Someone stronger, smarter, better than I used to be."


    He wanted to be like his friend.


    "Sorry for the long story, but that''s pretty much it."


    *********


    ''The hell¡­?''


    Rey was shocked by how much Noah had matured as a person. ''So his change was a lot more than what I saw on the surface.''


    In a way, he felt a bit intimidated.


    As happy as Rey felt for Noah and his personal growth, he couldn''t help but feel challenged in a sense. Perhaps he didn''t want to get left behind, or he felt like he wasn''t as mature as his friend was.


    Rey didn''t understand it himself, but he felt a tinge of envy.


    ''I guess this is pretty normal. Still¡­''


    People wanted their friends to do well. However, no one wished for their friends to do better than them.


    It was human nature, and Rey was the embodiment of that principle.


    "I''m happy you were able to change. That was a pretty inspiring story." He said, meaning every word of it.


    Yet, something about his tone rang hollow.


    "Thank you. I would have loved to ask why you became an Adventurer, but it''s gotten prettyte and I don''t want to take up too much of your time."


    "Ah, how right you are." Rey responded,ughing in his gentlemanly tone. "I enjoyed every moment of it, though."


    "Likewise. Still, I would feel guilty if I kept you any longer than I already have."


    The parties from both sides rose to their feet, and Rey ended up shaking Noah once again. He also watched as Noah shook Esme¡ªa little too much, in his honest opinion.


    "You''ll have to leave without me, Jet and Lux. I need to have a discussion with the owner of this establishment."


    "I understand, Sherlock."


    After exchanging pleasantries for thest time that night, Rey parted ways with Noah and left the pub with Esme trailing behind him.


    The moment they exited the ce, the first thing that caught Rey''s eyes was the group of Adventurers who were kowtowing close to the pub''s entrance.


    ''The heck?!'' Rey instantly recognized them as Sango and his five stooges.


    ''How long have they been waiting here in that position?''


    It was already pretty dark outside, and there were no Adventurers in sight¡ªprobably due to being chased off by Noah''s Party.


    Rey couldn''t imagine it being veryfortable for them to maintain such a posture for very long, but since they were Adventurers, perhaps it wasn''t as bad as he imagined it.


    Still¡­


    "WE ARE VERY SORRY FOR DISRESPECTING YOU!" All of them yelled at the top of their lungs.


    It caused him to stifle a chuckle.


    ''Noah has gotten pretty harsh. To think he''d make his subordinates to this just to appease me.''


    This was yet another change that amazed Rey.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 423 Confessions Beneath The Moonlight

    <h4>Chapter 423 Confessions Beneath The Moonlight </h4>


    "Shouldn''t you be in a hurry? You have to pick up some people, right?"


    Esme''s voice echoed in Rey''s ears as they neared their Inn. Despite hearing it, Rey hardly reacted or changed the steady pace at which he walked.


    "It''s fine." He simply responded. "I sent a Duplicate a while back."


    "R-really? I didn''t notice!" Esme expressed surprise, to which Rey chuckled and shrugged.


    "Yeah. I did it pretty quickly. Hid it well too."


    With his wide array of Skills, it wasn''t a difficult thing to do. In any case, the only reason he was able to talk to Noah for so long despite his busy schedule was due to that arrangement.


    "I wanted to pick them up myself, but I guess ns change." He smiled softly, shrugging again.


    Something about the atmosphere felt moody for some reason. Rey didn''t even know why, but he suddenly felt a lull within him.


    Perhaps a moment of silence was what he needed.


    "Friend of yours?" Unfortunately, Esme wouldn''t let him have that.


    "Yeah. You could say that."


    Rey didn''t think he treated Noah as well as he should have treated a friend, but he genuinely considered him one.


    After all, he was the first and only person who he revealed his secret to.


    "Has he seen your face behind the mask?" Esme''s question made Reyugh a little.


    He replied still.


    "For him, and the people we had inmon, the mask was my secret."


    It was pretty ironic how the opposite was true for Esme. Regardless, he could say that Noah was the only one who knew both sides pretty well.


    ''Back then, I didn''t think Ralyks would up ying such a big role. If I had known that, would I still have exposed my identity to him?''


    Rey wasn''t sure. All he knew was that Noah was incredibly useful at the time, and it would have been difficult to achieve the things he was able to without his help.


    Difficult, not impossible.


    "And you''re sure your secret is safe with him?"Esme probed even more.


    "You met him. What do you think?"


    "I think he talks too much." Her response was blunt, but the smile on her face showed fondness towards that kind of behavior.


    Rey noticed that, but he chose to ignore itpletely.


    "I don''t think he''ll spill my secret. Besides, I could alwayspel him to forget it."


    "Really? Then why didn''t you just do it back then? It would have been the safest bet, right?" It felt like Esme was driving at something, but Rey wasn''t in the mood for it.


    And so, he ignored the subtexts that existed underneath her words.


    "There''s no need to go that far. I n oning clean to the rest of my friends once this entire Dungeon thing is resolved."


    "Really? What does that have to do with this situation, though?"


    "The only reason I care about my identity being exposed is because I don''t want them¡ªno, her¡ªto think negatively of me." Rey sighed, finally stopping in his tracks.


    The moon''s dim glow did a poor job at capturing his face, but thankfully the nearby lights that decorated the city were able to shine their light on it.


    He appeared tired.


    "I think I''ve had enough of the secrets. It''s also going to get problematic exining why Ralyks won''t participate in the war despite his power."


    "You mean ''your'' power."


    "You know what I mean¡­" Rey sighed in exasperation, to which Esme just chuckled at.


    "In any case, it''ll be better for everyone if I just told them the truth. I don''t want to limit my strength on the front lines where actual lives are at stake."


    He could see Esme nodding and smiling at him, so he quickly added something else. "That doesn''t mean I''ll show you my face, though."


    "Ce on!"


    "Pfft! You look cute when you pout like that." Rey teased.


    "Well, I can''t say the same about you since I DON''T EVEN KNOW what you look like."


    "I know I won''t be cute." Rey shrugged. "So there''s no need to say it."


    Esme sighed, obviously very deted after hearing what Rey said. She clearly didn''t want to push too much, and Rey really liked that.


    "So the friend he was talking about, that was you, right?" As usual, Esme changed the topic to something morefortable to talk about.


    Rey didn''t know how she was so skilled at conversing, but he liked that aspect of her as well.


    "Yeah. I was really surprised, to be honest." Heughed slightly, staring high into the starless sky. "I didn''t think I made such a strong impression on him."


    "¡­"


    Esme chose to remain silent, allowing Rey to soak in the quietness around him. It allowed him to think really clearly.


    "I really wanted to tell him, you know? I wanted to tell him that I was Rey, his friend from back then¡­"


    "So why didn''t you?"


    As her soft, barely audible answer danced in his ears, Rey parted his lips and let words apany the cool mist that proceeded out.


    "I¡­ He looked happy. He looks like he''s growing nicely, and this new life suits him. I think¡­ if I showed up like this¡ªout of the blue¡ªit might sort of ruin that."


    "I see¡­"


    "Yeah¡­"


    The both of them remained still, Rey looking at the nk sky while Esme stared at him with glistening eyes.


    They stood there in silence for an unknown period of time.


    But, someone finally spoke.


    "He likes you, you know? Noah¡­" Rey slightly nced at Esme as he muttered those words.


    "I know."


    Herresponse was brief, apanied by a light shrug and a knowing smile.


    "And?"


    "And what?"


    "Do you like him back?" These words followed each other in quick session, but after this question, there was a long pause.


    "Do you like Britta?"


    "Huh? What does that have to do with the question I asked?"


    "I mean, she likes you."


    "Does she? I don''t think so."


    "Sure¡­ keep saying that."


    "Just answer my question." Rey said, slightly raising his voice.


    He didn''t realize this, but his cheeks were a little red as he stared intensely at Esme''s clear blue eyes.


    However, rather than answering honestly¡ªas she normally would¡ªthe Half Elf pulled back, cing both hands behind as she yfully walked away.


    "H-he¡ª!"


    "I''ll tell you when you show me what''s hidden underneath that mask."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Haha! This chapter was extremely fun to read.

 Chapter 424 The Otherworlders Arrive

    <h4>Chapter 424 The Otherworlders Arrive </h4>


    ~VWUUSH~


    A swirling blue portal, like a vortex imprinted in midair, appeared a short distance from the Southern Gate of the Adventurer City.


    For a moment, it merely stood still, merely illuminating the night with its bright hue and causing the air around it to tremble.


    Then, silhouettes began to emerge from within it.


    Nine humans, along with a rabbit, marched out of the spatial rift. There was purpose in their aura, and their footsteps interrupted the silence that filled the barren path.


    Once they all came out, the warbling space copsed on itself and vanished from sight.


    In no time at all, the darkened path returned to the way it was, save for the ten strangers that now stood there.


    "I can''t believe Sir Ralyks just dropped us off without even bothering to show us around." The first to speak was, of course, Justin ke.


    His face dragged around as heined, pointing towards the entrance of the city that stood at least a hundred meters away from them.


    "The least he could do was transport us straight to the entrance."


    Everyone ignored Justin''sints. They knew the true reason why he wasining, and that was because Ralyks didn''t respond to any of his jokes.


    Even when he was being serious, he was treated coldly.


    Of course, the same applied to everyone, but it seemed Justin took it personally.


    The only one who reacted as strongly as he did¡ªperhaps a bit more extreme¡ªwas Belle Vanitas.


    "H¡­ h¡­ Sir Ralyks, why were you so cold to me?" Her muffled whispers quietly echoed in the night. "Even after we haven''t seen for so long¡­?"


    Everyone ignored her too.


    Belle had been sobbing like this for a while now, and since she showed no signs of stopping anytime soon¡ªdespite the initial attempts to pacify her¡ªthey all gave up on the cause.


    A few students still shot her concerned looks, but most just paid attention to the task ahead of them.


    "Sir Ralyks was probably busy. He has a lot on his te, and he did previously mention that he was going to be investigating some matters." Adonis had to speak up and address everyone, even though he already did so before they appeared here.


    "So please, let us all cooperate and behave ourselves well."


    None of the Otherworlders were aware of this, but the real reason ''Ralyks'' didn''t speak to them was because he was a mere duplicate hurriedly charged with bringing the students to the Adventurers City after a specified period of time.


    Before transporting them to the checkpoint, the duplicate was to spew out exposition about the Adventurers City, as well as to once again guide the actions they were to take once they arrived.


    Once it was done with the task, the clone transported them to the city and vanished itself.


    "Hm. Even if he was busy, I feel like he should have at least lodged us somewhere." Alicia spoke up, her tone hinting a little concern.


    "EXACTLY! Alicia gets it!" Justin yelled out, though he was ignored yet again.


    "Isn''t it a bit irresponsible on his part, as an adult, to just drop us off in a City we''ve never been to before? What do you think, Rey?"


    "Ipletely agree with you, Alicia." Rey responded to the inquiry with a sharp, almost prenned tone. "It''s prettyte. It''s not safe for us to be out sote at night without adult supervision."


    In a way, Rey just rephrased everything Aliciained about, yet somehow managing to make it worse.


    "T-that''s not really what I¡­" Alicia slightly pped her palm on her face and sighed.


    Rey hadpletely missed the point.


    "We''re adults in this world, Rey, Alicia. Sir Ralyks was generous enough to save us days of travel by transporting us here despite his busy schedule." Adonis spoke up, finally gaining everyone''s attention once again.


    "We should be grateful to him and focus on the mission we have been tasked with."


    Once again, none of them realized just how wrong they were in their line of reasoning.


    Who could me their ignorance, though?


    The real reason ''Ralyks'' didn''t transport them so close to the City, or lodged them into an inn, was because the man behind the mask didn''t want his face to be seen in the Adventurers City.


    Chances were high that he would be exposed as a fraud once the Otherworlders noticed that no one was paying him any mind, despite supposedly being a strong Adventurer.


    Even if he could escape such usations by iming to be in disguise, Rey didn''t want to take the risk of drawing attention to Ralyks¡ªespecially when he wasn''t in full control of the version he sent to fetch everyone.


    Besides, he was still unsure if Adrien was pulling the strings from the shadows.


    For the safety of his n, it was better to dissociate Ralyks from the Adventurers City, instead cing the focus on Jet and from the shadows.


    For the safety of his n, it was better to dissociate Ralyks Lux.


    "Just as nned, we will have to change our names and faces before entering the city."


    The reason for that was simple.


    Since they would soon be officially recognized as the champions of mankind and heading to the front lines, they couldn''t be seen as Adventurers.


    As such, no one in the Adventurers City, not even the higher-


    ups, could know of their true identities.


    Even if the Guildmaster and his posse were in support of the alliance now, there was no knowing how things would be in the future.


    In order to y it safe, they had to take on different monikers and disguise themselves using the ultra-rare sets of rings that could cast a disguise on the wearer.


    The set of nine rings was a courtesy gift from the Reaper Group, a newly established business that desired to forge a rtionship of interest with the Royal Council.


    Of course, many considered this incredibly convenient and guessed Ralyks was behind it. However, without proof¡ªand with the need for the rings¡ªthey quietly epted the presents.


    "Alright everyone. Let''s go!"


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Haha! I wonder if Noah will end up bumping into the old team, or maybe Esme meeting Rey in his new disguise. It''s gonna be so much fun.

 Chapter 425 The Inn Incident [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 425 The Inn Incident [Pt 1] </h4>


    The Adventurers City wasn''t particrly known for its beauty.


    It resembled a simple town, though there was an abundance ofrge buildings within its territories. This was to amodate for the many residents that chose to live there.


    Since Adveturers often spent their time away from the house, sometimes even traveling out of the City for Quests, many of them preferred to lodge in Inns rather than rent a ce of their own.


    There was also the option of buyingnd, or a house, but it was very rare to see Adventurers opt for this option.


    Not only wasnd in short supply, since most people didn''t care to sell their properties, there was no real reason for an Adventurer to be tied down to a property they would never use.


    The only ones who would consider this option were Adventurers who had families, but even they preferred renting a house to buying a property.


    At the very least, there was the chance of changing locations if one went with the former.


    In any case, the allure of the Adventurers City wasn''t in its external appearance, which was probably why the Otherworlders who now walked down the street of the big city didn''t feel much of an electrifying sensation.


    They appeared more lost than excited.


    "Are you sure you know where to go, Adonis? Maybe we should just ask around?"


    This question came from Eric, rather than the usual bbermouth Justin. Thetter had long taken the hint and was now sulking silently.


    "I''m sure." Adonis responded calmly, not looking back to see Eric''s frustrated face.


    Unlike most of his ssmates, Eric actually wanted to properly explore the Adventurers City since he had always been an avid fantasy fan.


    He felt it was a shame they weren''t being given the opportunity to split and explore on their own.


    ''I want to talk to some Adventurers and get a feel of this ce!'' Eric flexed his sses and felt his nerd spirit being set aze.


    He was the only one who thought like this, though.


    Everyone else couldn''t wait for Adonis to lodge them in an Inn, considering how ufortable they felt to be walking outside at night.


    The Adventurers City was no slum, by any means, butpared to the Capital it was sorelycking. It was easy to spot some safety and health vitions, both of which would never fly in the Capital, in many areas of the City.


    Plus, the stares they received from passersby was a little unnerving. Adventurers had a certain re that made them appear threatening, so it wasn''t strange for them to cast them on people¡ªeven if they were total strangers.


    The students weren''t particrly threatened by those res. They were pretty confident that they could take on most of the Adventurers who shot them looks.


    The fundamental problem was the fact that they were inexperienced.


    None of them had ever left the Capital. Even when they explored the town back then, they never strayed too far from the central marketces and morous hubs.


    They certainly never stayed outte either.


    All of these rules were broken at once, and with so many new experiences shing upon one another, the teenagers wanted nothing more than to find their rooms and rx.


    They never thought they would miss adult supervision so much.


    Fortunately, Adonis knew exactly where he was going. In a few minutes, they arrived at their destination¡ªa prestigious-looking building by the standards of the city.


    Compared to what the students were used to, the architecture was a little shoddy, and the overall design could use some improvements.


    Beggars couldn''t be choosers, though, so they simply swallowed any kind of criticism they had and trailed behind their leader.


    "Excuse me, Miss. I''d like to lodge a Group Room for my party." Adonis approached the receptionist with such ease and confidence, almost as if he had done this a million times.


    Honestly, most people in the shoes of his ssmates would have disyed shock¡ªconsidering how they were all strangers in this ce.


    However, everyone present was already used to Adonis being this way.


    He always knew just what to do in every situation, and his ability to act on the spot was unrivaled. After disying this skill so many times on Earth, and even when they were transported to this strangend, many people weren''t surprised any longer.


    The guy was just a genius.


    "What Capacity would you like? We have¡ª"


    "Maximum Capacity." He said, cutting her short, though not in a rude manner. "Is that avable?"


    "Yes. That will be 10 Bronze Coins a night, plus free breakfast in the morning."


    Many students marveled at the price of their residence for one night. They expected it to be a lot more expensive, considering what they were used to in the Capital.


    Even the cheapest Inn cost a little more than what they were getting for a room that had maximum capacity.


    They even added free meals for everyone to the mix.


    Considering how the Adventurers City was as much a hub of activities as the Capital was, and it generated quite an ample sum of national revenue, one would have expected things to be expensive here.


    But, they were ridiculously cheap.


    That just went to show the disparity that existed the further South one went in the map. Since the Adventurers City was up North, the cost of living was¡ªas expected¡ªrtively low.


    "Thank you, Miss." Adonis slightly bowed his head in courtesy and paid the money.


    The youngdy behind the counter instantly blushed, and even the others who weren''t attending to them started whispering to themselves while giggling.


    Once again, the students were reminded of just how charming Adonis was.


    Perhaps it was because they saw him so often, they had gotten desensitized to his captivating handsomeness.


    Even with his disguise, which only aged him up to a mature age, he looked very splendid.


    "Come on, guys." Adonis turned away from the desk and dangled the keys in front of his ssmates. "Let''s go."


    A few students exchanged knowing stares and threw their hands in the air whileughing to themselves.


    "As expected of our Hero¡­"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I feel really guilty for dragging the story on like this, but this so much fun for me. Please indulge in it a bit more (for those who want to see a much faster pace).


    Once we start the free-fall, there''ll be no brakes.

 Chapter 426 The Inn Incident [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 426 The Inn Incident [Pt 2] </h4>


    "Oi, oi, oi¡­ did you see it, though?"


    As the nine students walked away from the reception, they couldn''t escape the loud noise generated by the conversation of nearby Adventurers.


    It was rare to see grown men gushing so much, but that was simply a testament to the exciting topic they were talking about.


    "Of course! You weren''t there, right?" A bald man, easily the tallest in the group, grinned very widely as he addressed a morenky man in the group.


    "Yeah¡­ I was on a Quest."


    Thenky man''s t response made it clear how he regretted his decision to go.


    His Quest probably ended up a bust as well.


    "The thing was huge, I tell you!" Another person in the group of five eximed.


    "Right? Insanely huge! That was my first time seeing an A-Tier Monster in my life."


    "Can''t believe they caught something like that."


    "I suppose that''s the level of Heroic Rank Adventurers, after all. Commons like us can''t begin topare."


    "Dude, speak for yourself. I''m taking the Veteran Test next week, so don''t lump me in with the likes of you."


    "You said thatst month and ended up failing. Pfft!"


    "Shut up! This time will be different!"


    The students ignored the bald man''s reddened face as they walked past the group and made their way up the stairs.


    "¡­ Those two were exceptional. It''s reassuring to see we have two new Heroic Rank Adventurers."


    Adonis, who led the group, halted for a moment after those words echoed out from one of the Adventurers.


    However, it wasn''t long before he continued ascending.


    A few of his ssmates noticed his hesitation, but most of them were too tired or engrossed in their own conversations to care.


    To them, it wasn''t particrly interesting to hear low-ranked Adventurers make small talk.


    ********


    A Group Room.


    Just as the name implied, it was meant to house more than one person. Of course, depending on capacity, the number of upiers could range from a measly two to more.


    Maximum Capacity meant the room could upy ten people, so it suited the nine students perfectly.


    Well, that was what they initially thought.


    But¡ª


    "H-hold on¡­ we''re actually staying in the same room?" Belle spoke up in shock.


    She wasn''t the only surprised person, though.


    Literally all the students¡ªsave Adonis and Eric¡ªlooked stunned by what they were witnessing.


    They were all expecting a simr arrangement as what they were used to in the Royal Estate, though, of inferior quality: A general parlor, and rooms dedicated to each of them.


    That wasn''t at all what they ended up getting.


    Beds were ced in a tidy row, with more than enough room for a person to fit in the space between each one. Then, there were two study desks at the respective corners of the room.


    There were three doors that led to the closet, the bathroom, and hopefully a second bathroom.


    Sure, the room was quite massive¡ªespecially if they measured it by the standard of an Adventurer¡ªbut it didn''t hold a candle to what they were used to.


    It was, in simple terms, regressively degrading.


    "Calm down. It''s just for one night." Adonis sighed, gesturing for everyone to settle in. "We''ll be going our separate ways tomorrow anyway."


    The n was to be assigned different Parties to join for the Conquest. And so, just as Adonis implied, they were better off managing the shared space for the night.


    "I hope none of you snore!" Belle shrieked as she walked in, and while many people sighed and had neutral expressions on their faces, a few hid their guilty looks.


    Adonis smiled, shrugging off casually as he proceeded to the door.


    "Where are you going?" Alicia asked the moment she observed his attempts to leave the room. "We''re supposed to be settling in, right?"


    Her amber eyes carefully looked at him as he slightly shrugged.


    "Just want to figure a few things out."


    "You''re going to look for those Adventurers from earlier, right?" She probed even further.


    "You got me."


    At this point, their conversation had gotten the attention of practically everyone in the room.


    "What''s the point? You could just find that out tomorrow." Belle said with a whiny voice.


    "They''re low-ranked Adventurers, right? Even if you want to scout for information, aren''t they a bit unreliable?" Trisha added.


    A few others gave their two cents, so it fell on Adonis to respond.


    "You''re taking this a bit too seriously, guys. I''m just curious about what they were talking about. Nothing more than that¡­" He smiled, slightly raising his hands to show how casual his efforts really were.


    "You sure you don''t want to go link up with that receptionist?" Justin finally spoke, his eyes gleaming with excitement.


    "Broooo! I was literally thinking the same thing!" rk added.


    They both made a high-five and literally had stars in their eyes as they turned to Adonis, shooting him a thumbs up.


    "Nice one, man!"


    "Urgh, you guys¡­ that''s creepy." Alicia sighed as she shook her head. "She''s like twice our age."


    "EVEN BETTER!" Justin raised his voice, but was quickly met with a jab from Trisha.


    "You guys are gross¡­"


    "Guys? What did the rest of us do?" Billy and Eric practically said the same thing, their voices ovepping each other.


    All through this, the only non-human in the room¡ªthe rabbit¡ª


    was already fast asleep on her bed.


    Adonis watched his ssmates through all this and gave a nervous smile throughout.


    Perhaps it really was for the best that they split up.


    "Anyway, it''s fine. I wasn''t stopping you from going or anything." Alicia said, finally walking away from Adonis as she approached the bed closest to her Familiar.


    "Yeah. Thanks."


    "Hey, can Ie with?" Eric jumped from his bed and rushed towards Adonis, who pretty much gestured that he didn''t mind at all.


    "Well, we''ll be right back."


    The two exited the room, closing the door shut as they returned downstairs.


    Both of them had a somewhat simr expression on their faces, which exposed the thought that they shared.


    ''I hope they''ve not left yet!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Hope you enjoyed the chapter. I promise, this event is very much rted to the overall plot.


    Trust the process¡­

 Chapter 427 The Inn Incident [Pt 3]

    <h4>Chapter 427 The Inn Incident [Pt 3] </h4>


    "Don''t you find it funny that they''reining about the room?"


    As Eric and Adonis made it down the stairs, the boy in sses brought up the topic while smiling yfully.


    "I wonder how they would?react when we finally begin the Conquest and they have to spend a week in the Dungeon." He added, chuckling.


    There were nofy beds or proper furniture in a Dungeon.


    No bathrooms either.


    "They''ll probably have to sleep very close to their Party Members¡ªtotal strangers. If they''re reacting like this to a joint room with people they know¡­ it''s hrious to think about what will happen eventually."


    Eric was trying to break the awkward silence between him and Adonis. They had spoken a few times in the past, so he knew Adonis was a cool dude, but something felt off about him this night.


    It almost felt like he wasn''t really himself.


    "You really know your stuff, huh?" Thankfully, Adonis responded back, smiling as warmly as he always did.


    Ericughed a bit nervously as he used his finger to itch a side of his face.


    "Yeah. I might have read a few books and yed a few games rted to fantasy."


    "Haha! Is that so? Well¡­ you can''t me our friends for acting this way." Adonis smiled at Eric.


    Despite saying that, Adonis'' curled-up lips grew broader and he winked at Eric. "Though it will be funny to see their reaction, wouldn''t it?"


    "Right?"


    Both boysughed as they kept their eyes out for the group of Adventurers that were discussing with one another previously.


    Thankfully, the were found without much effort.


    "Hello there." Adonis approached them without caution or hesitation, a move that Eric felt a bit nervous about doing.


    Despite his curiosity, he wasn''t the type to boldly start off conversations with strangers¡ªespecially if they were in a group.


    He was a tad shy, to be honest.


    "Ohh? I haven''t seen your face around? New here?"


    "Yes. My friends and I just arrived yesterday. We came from the countryside to be Adventurers in search for freedom and fortune."


    "Hahaha! Is that so? Well, that''s good! Yes, it''s good to have dreams!"


    The conversation swiftly flowed in that direction, and Eric watched everything y out as smoothly as butter.


    ''The heck? Do you have some kind of charm superpower or something?'' He stared hard at Adonis, his entire face oozing disbelief.


    In just a few seconds¡ªnot even up to a minute¡ªthe boy was alreadyughing with everyone else in the group. They acted like they had known him forever, and this surprised Eric a little bit.


    ''I knew he was good, but not this good¡­''


    Adonis had just disyed some next-level charm that pretty much made him an antithesis to socially awkward guys like Eric.


    The only reason he started talking out a lot recently was because he had gotten a lot closer to the people around him.


    They literally yed Monsters together, so it wasn''t an understatement to say that they were pretty much all friends.


    Besides, he considered them Party Members, and knowing the importance ofmunication in a Party, he decided to be more expressive.


    Thanks to that, Eric could say he had gotten rtively close to his ssmates.


    But¡ª!


    ''Adonis seems to be closer to these people he just met a minute ago than I am with most of my ssmates.''


    It was that ridiculous.


    "I was passing by and I heard some pretty interesting things you said." Adonis finally brought up the topic he was curious about, causing Eric''s ears to perk up so he could pay more attention to the conversation.


    "You mentioned two Adventurers bing Heroic Rank today. What''s that all about?"


    Eric studied the surprised looks on the faces of the Adventurers they were speaking to.


    "You really don''t know?" One of them asked with a particrly exaggerated raised brow.


    "W-well, my friends just arrived this night. I missed the whole thing, but I''ve been seeing how lively everyone is since I got here." Adonis itched his head andughed warmly.


    "Is it always this lively at night?"


    They shook their head and smiled¡ªperhaps at Adonis'' ignorance, or his feigned naivet¨¦. Either way, he had baited them, and now they were more than willing to spill.


    "Well, I don''t know all the details, but apparently¡­ these two Adventurers¡ªJet and Lux¡ªcame here today."


    "D-did you just say Jet and Lux?"


    "Y-yes. Do you know them?" The Adventurers asked with raised brows.


    "N-no¡­ not really. Just heard of them a little." Adonis murmured. "Forgive my interruption. Please continue."


    The Adventurers nodded their heads and proceeded with their words.


    They exined what they heard about concerning what happened the previous day; with Jet and Lux proceeding to the Adventurers Guild upon arriving in the City.


    They went on about how they requested to take on the Test of the highest order¡ªthat is, the Heroic Rank Test.


    Then, how they defeated Sango, one of the strongest Adventurers in the City.


    The main gist happened earlier in the current day, though, when the two Adventurers returned with their examiner with a captured A-Tier Monster, as well as sacks filled to the brim with unknown treasures.


    It was crazy listening to them speak. Some of their words were vague and confused at best, and a few times they would make mistakes in the narration, only to be corrected by a fellow.


    Needless to say, the information they provided was very flowed.


    ''Trisha was right¡­'' Eric sighed to himself. ''These guys are too low-ranked.''


    They probably heard secondhand¡ªperhaps even thirdhand¡ª


    ounts of what happened and were passing it off as if they saw everything with their very eyes.


    This, of course, was so they could look important and propped-


    up in the eyes of a newbie, but Eric personally thought it was pathetic.


    ''We should have waited to talk to a more reliable person.''


    "I see. Thank you." Adonis bowed his head in appreciation as he graced everyone with his brilliant smile.


    "I have to be on my way now. See you allter."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 428 The Inn Incident [Pt 4]

    <h4>Chapter 428 The Inn Incident [Pt 4] </h4>


    The journey back upstairs was less awkward.


    Eric and Adonis discussed what the Adventurers spoke up, taking turns to examine what was true, false, or exaggerated in the entire conversation.


    Adonis personally didn''t care too much for that, as he told Eric not to take the whole thing too seriously. They ended up talking to a few Adventurers and made some connections whole having fun.


    That was all that mattered.


    Eric couldn''t help but agree with Adonis. They finally retuned to the room, and they found all the students on the bed, all of them unable to sleep.


    They were already dressed casually and had undone their disguise.


    Many would question the intelligence behind such a move, considering they could be spied upon when inside the room. However, there was no sign of Image-Capturing Magic or Technology around.


    Adventurers enjoyed their privacy and freedom, and since they did some pretty private things in the inns they stayed at, establishment owners knew better than to install something that would intrude on their private business.


    Such Magic was rare too, and incredibly expensive.


    "You''re all still awake? What''s the matter?" Adonis looked around to observe the faces of his ssmates.


    "You all look gloomy."


    It was no surprise that they were this way, but Alicia decided to exin, all while staying close to her pet rabbit, Snow.


    "Well, we have a lot on our minds, you know?"


    For one, they had to pass the Adventurer Test the next day if they wanted to be recognized as such. Despite being assured that it wouldn''t be a big deal, most of the students couldn''t help but look forward to it.


    However, the major thing that that held people awake was quite obvious.


    "Seems weird that we''ve been left here all alone without adult supervision." Alicia said with a slight smile.


    It felt like going on a field trip without the school staff, or like traveling abroad without knowing anyone at all upon arrival.


    Most of the students still had the jitters that apanied such experiences.


    There was no way sleep coulde.


    "Well, I understand how overwhelming this entire situation is¡­" Adonis walked into the closet,ing back out in the blink of an eye in a casual outfit.


    No one could exin how he was able to change so quickly, so they just pretended not to have seen anything.


    "But we''ll be fine. We have each other, and we''re plenty strong and mature now." Adonis gave his signature charismatic smile and beamed brightly.


    "I''m sure we can handle anything thates our way."


    Most of the students beamed at this, except maybe Belle¡ªwho was still not over the fact that Ralyks treated her so coldly.


    "Hey! Since this is the first time we''re in a room together, why don''t we y a game?" Justin jumped from his bed and made the suggestion.


    Many people needed to relieve the tension, so they didn''t react aversely to the idea.


    "Truth or dare! What do you say, everyone?"


    The blushing look on Justin''s face showed he had some pretty nasty intentions with this suggestion, but it was honestly a fun game that they all considered ying it.


    Of course, they had to defer to their leader to see what he thought of the idea.


    Adonis chuckled as he stepped forward. He gave a thumbs up and raised his eyebrow a few times in a semi-naughty manner.


    "Count me in!"


    Many expected Adonis to be the mature guy in the group¡ªthe closest thing to an adult¡ªbut even he wasn''t immune to fun.


    He wasn''t a wet nket, and honestly that added to his charm.


    "Alright!" Justin beamed, being the most excited out of everyone.


    "Gather around, everyone. Let''s get this party started!"


    ***********


    It was a fun night while itsted, but eventually everyone went to bed.


    Well, almost everyone.


    Adonis was still awake, his eyes stuck facing the ceiling in the room as he struggled to think.


    Amidst the loud snores that Billy made and the "Sir Ralyks¡­" that Belle whispered while she dreamt, it would have been a difficult¡ªnigh impossible¡ªtask for most.


    But Adonis was different!


    He zoned his mind away from all the distractions and focused on the voice that came from his own mind.


    ''Jet and Lux, huh¡­?''


    He had certainly heard of those names before¡ªbut not in this life.


    It was in the original timeline.


    ''They were the ones responsible for the Adventurers City Massacre¡­'' Adonis'' thought trailed.


    There was no conclusive evidence on that, but they were the most likely suspects based on all the events that aligned up until the Massacre.


    Back then, the Dead Zone¡ªa haven for Monsters¡ªbegan to show strange activity, and it unleashed an impossible horde of Monsters on the city of adventures.


    The result? The massacre ended up wiping out nearly ny percent of the Adventurers in the City, leaving only the ones who were either strong enough to survive, or cowardly enough to run.


    By the time Adonis and his ssmates were dispatched to help the City, it was already toote.


    The ce was in ruins¡ªan empty shell of what it once was.


    ''It was a bloody sight. I still remember it so vividly¡­''


    The worst part about the incident was that the Adventurers City had encountered yet another tragedy before this massacre.


    The Grand Cmity ss Dungeon.


    ''The Conquest ended in failure, and a lot of the Adventurers who went in ended up losing their lives.''


    Among those who didn''t, had to retire from Adventuring due to too much trauma or irreversible damage caused by Miasma Poisoning.


    That in itself was horrible.


    Of course, Adonis hoped to change that horrid future, which was why he and his ssmates were here in the first ce.


    ''People will still die. I can''t help that.'' Adonis sighed. He wished there was a better way to go about the situation, but his limited experience couldn''t afford him to make any radical changes.


    Still¡­


    ''I''ll save as many people as I can!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 429 Memories Of The Massacre

    <h4>Chapter 429 Memories Of The Massacre </h4>


    The Adventurers City Massacre.


    Everyone called it the work of absolute evil due to how gruesome the event was.


    It all started with The Dead Zone, which was consistently regted, disying abnormal signs.


    One or two Monsters would escape from the forest and attempt attacking the City. This happened within the interval of days, so while it was worrisome, it wasn''t particrly a threat worth taking very seriously.


    Every time the Monsters tried to assault the City, they were killed. Usually, there would be no casualty. However, in the worst case, a few people would be injured.


    Still, no one expected it to lead to a tragedy; especially since it was only a few months after the Grand Cmity ss Dungeon Incident, and people were still healing.


    There were ns tounch a full-sweep on the Dead Zone at the end of the year, but that was still months away.


    They still had time¡­ or so they thought.


    No one expected the carnage that came next¡ªthe huge influx of Monsters that defied human exnation.


    The City was swarming with C-Tier Monsters. Several B-Tier Monsters also made their appearance, and finally¡­ the A-Tier monstrosities showed up as well.


    They surrounded the city, exhibiting overtly intelligent behavior that Monsters weren''t known for. Everyone was trapped, almost as if the entire city was in a birdcage.


    There was no escape.


    The only reason there were survivors was because the Otherworlders showed up when they did.


    This was their debut mission, and they were wee with the horrid sight of carnage¡ªa sight they would eventually get used to once they reached the front lines.


    The Otherworlders were able to defeat the Monsters after a ton of effort, and while the city suffered a great loss that day, it wasn''tpletely wiped out.


    And then, once the dust settled¡­ the same question echoed in everyone''s mind.


    "Who could have done this?"


    The answer was unanimous. Everyone chose the most likely suspects; two strange Adventurers who arrived in the city about a day after the first attack from the Dead Zone.


    They registered as Adventurers and easily passed the Heroic Rank Test. They also disyed a lot of suspicious activities¡ªespecially in rtion to the Dead Zone.


    No one knew who they really were, and since their arrival coincided with the destruction of the city, ming them was the only natural conclusion.


    What cemented the case was the fact that, after the massacre, theypletely vanished.


    No one found their corpse, which meant they were still alive somewhere. Without a doubt, they were the ones involved in that incident.


    But why¡­?


    Why would anyone do such a wicked thing to their fellow man?


    Well¡­ what if they weren''t human, to begin with? It was only untilter that Adonis and his allies discovered the existence of something that they never thought was possible.


    ¡ªDragon Spies!


    After this discovery, years after the Massacre Incident, the actions of Jet and Lux suddenly made sense.


    They were both Dragon Spies.


    That would exin their absurd strength, their malevolent decisions, and the fact that they couldn''t be found after causing such tragedy.


    ''And now¡­ they''re here!'' Adonis thought to himself, his deep frown impossible to hide.


    The two despicable vermin that ruined so many lives hade to wreak havoc, once again. Merely thinking about it caused heat to rise in Adonis'' chest.


    Still, something wasn''t right.


    ''They''re early. Too early¡­''


    The Grand Cmity Dungeon Conquest hadn''t even started yet, so what were doing in the City so early?


    ''Damnit! Is this the Dragonfly effect again?'' Adonis thought to himself. ''I thought, at the very least, the Adventurers City wouldn''t be affected by anything yet.''


    It seemed his hopes had been dashed before he even realized it.


    Despite all the discrepancies, however, core facts remained the same. The people from the previous timeline were the same in this timeline.


    ''Adam was the mastermind, right? And for the most part my ssmates are how I remember them.''


    Of course, there were a few exceptions to the rule.


    One of them was with Billy being a far more depraved person than he appeared; even in the past.


    ''Then there''s Rey, who''s considerably a lot weaker than he was back then.''


    Thankfully, Rey had been making a lot of improvements and that was very exciting to see. If things went well, it was indeed possible for him to attain his prime.


    ''I hope that happens. After all, it''s my fault that he isn''t at that point now¡­''


    For Adonis to rise as a Hero, most people had to take the back seat in poprity. As such, it was likely that Rey''s Karma Points were somehow lower due to his interference.


    ''I''m a bit too anxious to ask him, but wasn''t his Karma Point around 60 in the past?''


    It must have really gone down if he ended up with the cards he ended up being dealt with at the start.


    ''I-In any case¡­'' Adonis took his mind off Rey and focused on the primary issue at hand.


    ¡ªJet and Lux!


    ''How do I deal with them?'' A bead of sweat fell from his face.


    He didn''t know how strong they were, so if he charged in recklessly, there was a chance that he could end up stirring the ho''s nest.


    ''I''ve grown to the point where I''m confident in my ability to handle any Dragon Commander by myself.'' His thoughts trailed.


    Unfortunately, if a Dragon General or Dragon Lord showed up, things would get astronomically more difficult.


    ''Depending onpatibility, I could end up trading a few blows with a Dragon General¡­ even if victory is not guaranteed.''


    However, Adonis knew¡­ when it came to a Dragon Lord, it was impossible for him to win.


    Not with how he currently was.


    ''If my opponents are Dragon Generals who are stronger than I am, then it''ll be overkill for me to fight two.''


    He never saw Jet and Luxin the past, so he couldn''t have even seen them in action.


    As such, Adonis was left in the dark once again.


    ''What¡­ what should I do?!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 430 Adventurer Registration [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 430 Adventurer Registration [Pt 1] </h4>


    Adonis slept in a very confused state that night.


    He still had no idea what he could do to prevent whatever catastrophe that Jet and Lux nned on causing, but he certainly had no intention of leaving them be.


    In the worst case, he would attempt to expose them for who they were in secret, and then catch them off guard byunching a surprise attack with his ssmates.


    ''I''m still not sure how it''ll go, but¡­''


    The safest option would be to call Ralyks, but Adonis had no way to contact him.


    ''I''m sure Sir Ralyks is as strong as a Dragon General¡­ no, definitely stronger.'' Adonis narrowed his eyes as he felt his brows crease.


    He didn''t see Ralyks winning against a Dragon Lord, but he also didn''t expect a Dragon Lord to disguise themselves as Adventurers.


    It was even a big stretch to say that they were Dragon Generals, but that still existed in the realm of possibility.


    ''In any case, I can''t hesitate on this matter.'' Adonis decided to himself in resolve.


    After all, even if he was unsure of most of the details about the duo, he was guaranteed one thing.


    ''They are the enemy!''


    ***********


    [The Next Day]


    The group decided to take turns going to the Adventurers Guild in an attempt not to be seen as a Party by Adventurers.


    Their goal was to be recruited into separate Parties, so it would be problematic if the Adventurers already associated everyone as a unit.


    As such, each individual had to proceed to the Guild, take their Adventurers Test, ande back out. It was that simple.


    ''That''s why I chose the Inn closest to the Guild.'' Adonis smiled to himself.


    In the previous timeline, after the Massacre, he and his friends remained in the City for a few weeks. It was then that Adonis was able to learn most of what he knew about Adventurers and Adventuring.


    ''It''s also why the n is this way.''


    Each student, with Adonis as the exception, would opt to take Tests within the 3-5 Star range, with Adonis taking the 6 Star Test.


    Of course, just based on their level and capabilities, Adonis had no doubt that every single one of his ssmates had long surpassed the criteria for bing a Heroic Rank Adventurer. However, they weren''t here to show off.


    ''If we have too big of a rank, it would cause more unnecessary chaos in the City. Plus, we probably won''t get any offers to join a Party since Adventurers would distance themselves from us.''


    That wouldpletely defeat the goal.


    ''The only reason I''m taking a 6-Star Test is so I can pull my weight by joining the strongest Party.''


    Everyone else could join any random Party they liked.


    As Adonis was engrossed in thought, ssmate after the other trailed inside or proceeded outside the room.


    They all did this after breakfast, of course, so it wasn''t particrly a chore.


    Once they were all done, it was finally his turn.


    ''Alright! Let''s get this over with.'' Adonis smiled as he proceeded out of the room and walked quickly down the path that led to the biggest building in the city.


    It didn''t take long before he arrived at his destination.


    ~CREAK~


    As he opened the door and allowed the stifling air of the Reception to wash over him, he felt a bit of nostalgia.


    He nced to his far left and noticed the ''Big Board'', with quite a few Adventurers already standing there and looking at the Quests presented there.


    ''Pfft! Nothing has changed, I see¡­''


    He allowed his nostalgia to guide him to the desk of a particrly fair woman. The tag on her chest read ''Lyvia''.


    ''That''s strange. I don''t see Burke¡­'' Adonis quite remembered thedy that upied this spot from his past life.


    She was quite popr among the Adventurers, considering how she had been working in the same position for over ten years.


    "Sorry, do you know where Miss Burke went?" Adonis asked in the most polite tone he could muster at the fairdy.


    She gave him a smile and slightly shook her head.


    "Oh, she got promoted yesterday. She''s pretty much our boss now."


    "Ahh¡­ I see." Adonis said with a slightugh. "Thank you fo¡ª"


    "I envy her, though. Don''t tell anyone I told you this, but I think the reason she was able to shoot up the ranks so quickly was due to thest customers she attended to."


    Adonis didn''t really want to continue the conversation, but he was too nice to shut thedy down¡ªespecially when she leaned forward and whispered words to him as if they were somehow conspirators.


    "Who were thesest customers?" He asked half-heartedly, not expecting anything special.


    The next words that he heard instantly caused his eyes to widen.


    "Jet and Lux, the new 6 Star Adventurers who took this City by storm.''


    Over the course of one night, their names had be so widespread that they pretty much achieved celebrity status in such a short span of time.


    "If only they hade to my desk that day¡­" Lyvia mumbled. "She was even getting lots ofints before being promoted¡­"


    Adonis filtered out all the unnecessary words that were bouncing around his ears, focusing on the crucial information he had just heard.


    ''She got promoted thanks to them? That''s ridiculous. The Guild doesn''t function that way¡­''


    The more likely reason was due to being qualified for a much higher position¡ªhaving worked there for over ten years¡ª


    though Adonis still suspected that her involvement with the two somehow prompted her to take the extra step.


    ''She never took any promotion back then. Did they make her do it?'' Adonis wondered.


    Perhaps they wanted someone in a higher position of power so they could have ess to more information.


    ''No¡­ Dragons don''t work that way.''


    They didn''t trust humans that much, and they certainly wouldn''t go after someone as ordinary as Burke. Her position wasn''t even that important.


    ''I guess there''s only one way to find out.'' He inhaled deeply, finally resolving to silence the girl that kept rambling in front of him.


    "Can I meet with her?"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 431 Adventurer Registration [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 431 Adventurer Registration [Pt 2] </h4>


    "Hello, young man."


    Burke was seated behind a more distinguished desk, her chair also looking morefortable, then the one she used to upy a few days ago.


    She had her own office on the First Floor, and her job was a more specialized version of the receptionist''s duties.


    High-profile cases went to her, and she approved. She also dealt with top-ss Adventurers who couldn''t bother standing in front of an ordinary reception.


    Based on her ten-year experience, it was something she could do pretty easily¡ªand she did her job wlessly well.


    She enjoyed it too.


    Burke had her own space, and since she wasn''t as busy as before, she had more than enough time to think.


    "Hello. May I have a seat?"


    "Please do." Burke smiled, her eyes gleaming behind her sses as she saw the handsome blonde walk towards her.


    He had a serious look on his good-looking face, and Burke couldn''t help but fawn over all of his manly features.


    Jet was a lot more good-looking, just going off her memory of him, but this blonde was incredible in his own right.


    "My name is Sebas. I''m to take the Heroic Rank Test, so I was told to meet you to sort out my details."


    "Oh? This is quite the season." Burke chuckled in pleasant surprise as she opened her drawer to bring out a form. "Have you gone through initial registration already?"


    "Not yet. The person attending to me said I can do everything here."


    "Yeah¡­ I suppose."


    Burke brought out a few more papers and ced them on her desk.


    "Fill these." She said with a broad smile stered on her face while keeping her gaze on him.


    Not long after, the Sebas fellow obeyed and gradually did so. One look at his pristine handwriting told her that he was a distinguished fellow.


    She didn''t realize it when she licked her lips.


    "So¡­ a Heroic Rank Adventurer, huh?" Burke said with a rxed grin. "Any reason why you want to go so far so quickly?"


    "Well, I am not the only one who has done this, right?"


    As Sebas asked, she slowly shook her head. "But only one man has been able to seed on his first ever Test."


    "Well¡­ I look up to that man."


    Sebas'' determined face and dreamy smile caused Burke''s heart to skip a beat. She found herself grinning a little stupidly as she nodded.


    "That''s not a bad thing. Jet is a pretty admirable man¡­"


    After all, if it wasn''t for the epiphany she received after her encounter with him, she wouldn''t have had the courage to seek out more.


    The reason she remained as a base receptionist was to meet as many men as possible in her line of work. However, after realizing that she was just wasting her time, and the man she met weren''t the ones she desired¡ªneither were they the ones who desired her¡ªshe chose to change.


    ''I don''t meet as many people in this position, but that''s a good thing.''


    She could filter out all the useless men from her life, hence making more time for the men who were truly decent candidates¡ªlike the one in front of her.


    And because she now had a position of authority, they wouldn''t be able to look down on her.


    "Indeed. I heard you were the one who filled out his form. Also Lady Lux''s." Sebas said with a nod.


    "Yeah. It was a memorablest moment in my previous work station."


    "If you don''t mind, while I fill this form, could you tell me more about Sir Jet?" He asked.


    The man really had a brilliant gleam in his beautiful eyes. How could she refuse him when he spoke to her like that?


    "Well, what do you want to know?" A broader smile appeared on her face. "Besides, since you want to take to take the Heroic Rank Test, you n on passing, right?"


    "Of course."


    "Then wouldn''t it be better to ask him yourself, once you be a Heroic Rank Adventurer?"


    Sebas looked a bit shy once she mentioned that, so she instantly knew what was going on.


    ''You want to know more about your hero before meeting him, huh? What an adorable man¡­'' He was just her type.


    "Well, where to start." Burke grinned, interlocking both fingers as she parted her lips.


    "Jet is¡­"


    *********


    A lot of irrelevant information was added to the mix, but Adonis pretty much got the gist of things.


    ''This woman doesn''t really know anything.''


    It seemed like he had wasted most of his time learning things that were unnecessary, or irrelevant in his investigation of the two evils that threatened the city.


    ''The only useful thing I got was their appearance, but I could have gotten it from anywhere.''


    The girl seemed pretty identical, for the most part, but the man waspletely different from the descriptions of Jet from his past life.


    ''He has a pale skin and handsome face this time? In the past he had a horrible scar on his face, with a menacing aura.''


    Their attires were also different¡ªand this applied to Lux as well.


    ''He''s dressed as a gentleman now, but he was more like a Dark Mage back then. As for the girl, while her appearance and attire''s design was mostly the same, she was dressed in all-


    ck as well.


    ¡ªSame as Jet.


    ''Maybe they''re different Dragons this time. It would exin why they''re early an look different.''


    But what could have sparked such a change? If Adonis had to guess, it would be the appearance and death of the Dragon Commander in the Capital.


    The Alliance was still yet to face the consequences of doing such a thing, so Adonis had assumed that the Dragons were unaware of such a thing happening.


    But now¡­ he wasn''t so sure.


    ''The effects have begun to ripple, huh?'' He thought to himself as he finally finished writing on all his Forms.


    ''What a mess.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 432 Unexpected Welcoming

    <h4>Chapter 432 Unexpected Weing </h4>


    "So, I''ll have to return tomorrow for my Test, right?"


    Adonis was already standing to his feet after filling all his forms. He could tell that thedy in front of him was interested, but he just wasn''t having it.


    It was better for him to spare them both the embarrassment and leave as soon as his business was concluded.


    "No. There''s no need for that." Burke answered, rising to her feet as well.


    ''H-huh? Don''t tell me¡­!''


    "You must have heard, right? That an A-Tier Monster was captured by those two."


    Adonis tried to hide his surprise, but it was too much to be contained. He had indeed heard about it from the group of Adventurers he spoke to the previous day, but he thought that was an exaggeration on their part.


    They seemed to disagree on so many details about the Monster that he assumed they heard the news from someone who, perhaps, also heard it from another.


    It seemed like unreliable information at best.


    ''So it was true? They actually captured one?'' A bead of sweat appeared on his forehead.


    "Why¡­?"


    Burke heard his whisper and chose to answer him, despite it merely being rhetorical. "Why else? For the purposes of the next Heroic Rank Test."


    Hearing that only further confused Adonis.


    The actions of the two didn''t seem like what Dragons would do. Why would they ever think of contributing to the cause?


    ''Unless¡­ could the Monster be a trap?'' The only for him to find out was to actually see the thing.


    Lucky for him, he was going to be taking the Test that day.


    "That means I can take the Test now, right? Will you take me there?" Adonis asked.


    "No. Just wait here while I call your supervisor." Somehow, Burke''s tone seemed a lot more distant and cold than charming.


    She must have taken the hint that he simply wasn''t interested.


    Adonis nodded and waited on his chair, wondering on a few things in his solitude.


    ''The Conquest will most likely begin tomorrow evening.'' He began, rubbing his chin as he considered a few things.


    The students had to meet the Guildmaster who requested for them before them, so Adonis nned on making it today¡ªprobably after he was done with his Test.


    There, they would exin their n to him and hope it coincided with the ns of the Conquest that they already drafted.


    More likely than not, they would officially announce Lux and Jet as Heroic Rank Adventurers before the current day ran out. If that was the case, then by passing the Test, he would also join them for the announcement.


    ''That will probably be the first time we meet¡­''


    As Adonis was still on this train of thought, the door behind him opened, meaning it was finally time for him to take the Test.


    "Thank you so much, Miss Bu¡ª"


    Adonis stopped mid-sentence as he turned and stared at the most unexpected sight he could imagine.


    Yes, Burke was the one who opened the door, and she entered the office soon after, but the people who stood at the entrance were the ones that surprised him the most.


    There was his Test Supervisor, Britta, but two others also stood there.


    ''Are they¡­ Jet and Lux?'' Adonis'' eyes nearly bulged as he saw them looking at him with calm demeanors on their partially covered faces.


    He felt a lump in his throat, and somehow his instincts warned him of danger.


    ''T-they''re here? How are they here? Why¡­?!''


    Did they already catch a whiff of him and nned to eliminate him by using the element of surprise? Were they nning on holding Britta and Burke hostage?


    ''How much do they know about us? About the n¡­?!'' As sweat began to appear on Adonis'' face, he heard a voice wake him up from his dazed state.


    "I suppose he''s a bit overwhelmed, seeing his hero in person. Forgive his discourtesy."


    The moment Burke said this, Adonis snapped out of his shock and quickly made an attempt to improvise.


    "I-I am¡­ honored to meet the strongest this City has to offer."


    He swiftly bowed his head, hoping that would at least hide the nervousness that pervaded his face.


    "Oh? He''s a lively one." Brittamented with a slight chuckle.


    ''That''s odd. Britta was a very bitter and strict woman, ording to my memory of her.''


    She reportedly lost one of her arms in the Dungeon Conquest, and so she was forced to retire as a full-time Adventurer as a result.


    She remained a supervisor, though, but she was known to have a very bad temper.


    Even before she lost her arm, everyone imed that she was still very rude and mean. As such, even at this moment, she wasn''t supposed to be so pleasant to be around.


    Seeing herugh so wholeheartedly should have made Adonis still very rude and mean. As such, even at this moment, she wasn''t supposed to be so pleasant to be around.


    happy, but he couldn''t help but slightly stare at the two shady characters behind her who most likely caused the change.


    ''First Burke, and now Britta¡­ they''re causing so many changes.''


    This would only distort reality more, creating more inconsistencies. Adonis felt both worry and fear at this point.


    Especially after a dark possibility manifested in his mind.


    ''Could It be¡­ do they know of my identity?'' If they knew that he had lived the future and was on a mission to change it, could they be trying to stop him?


    By creating more contradictions like this, Adonis would lose all predicting power in no time.


    ''If that''s the case, then they''re more dangerous than I imagined.''


    "Well, it''s not every time we get to meet our heroes. Be grateful, Sebas." Adonis raised his head to see Britta smiling at him.


    "Once they heard that their biggest fan was here to take the test after being inspired by their achievements, these two decided to watch your Test with me."


    More sweat dripped from Adonis'' face that very instant.


    ''They''re trying to monitor me? Do they want to get a good grasp of how powerful I am?''


    If that was the case, then this entire thing could be a trap.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I hope this misunderstanding isn''t too annoying for you. I personally find it ridiculously funny.

 Chapter 433 Nonexistent Mind Games

    <h4>Chapter 433 Nonexistent Mind Games </h4>


    ''Why is Adonis pretending to be a fan? Was this part of the n?''


    Rey felt confused as he stared at the flustered expression of the Hero who stiffly stood before him.


    ''He''s really good at acting, though. I feel so much respect and intimidationing from that stare of his.''


    It was nearly convincing to Rey, in all honesty.


    All of this was a surprise to him. He only came to the Guild with Esme since they were told toe for their official recognition ceremony.


    It was going to be hosted from the Guild and broadcast to the entire city.


    Rey personally felt like all of it was unnecessary, since pretty much everyone already knew who Jet and Lux were, but he also understood how big of a deal it was for two new Heroic Rank Adventurers to pop out of nowhere.


    ¡­ Especially with the emergence of the Grand Cmity Dungeon.


    ''I even heard some people trying to draw connections between our arrival and the Dungeon''s appearance¡­ as if that even makes sense.''


    Their actions also made him feel ridiculous for suspecting Adrien being behind the Dungeon''s appearance.


    Paranoia was indeed a deadly thing.


    ''After studying a bit more about Dungeons to refresh my memory, I no longer think he made this one appear.'' Reyughed at himself.


    He still suspected that Adrien was lurking around somewhere, though.


    He just didn''t know where and why.


    "I''m ttered, but I really am not worth idolizing¡­" Rey spoke up, gazing into the distance as if he was speaking deep words.


    "At least, not until I fulfill my dreams¡­"


    With those whispers echoing within the room, Britta and Burke both nodded with smiles on their faces.


    That told Rey his performance was exquisite.


    "Your dreams¡­ huh?" Adonis'' tone was low, and his voice trembled as if he was under some kind of pressure. "What is your dream, really?"


    ''E-eh? Why is he asking me that? Shouldn''t he already know if he ims to be a fan?''


    Rey was at a loss for words, but he pulled himself together and strengthened his persona to the max.


    "You¡­ already know, don''t you?"


    After a moment of silence, Adonis made a slight re. His face seemed to echo resolve, and he nodded slowly.


    "Yeah. I know."


    Rey also nodded. He still wasn''t sure why Adonis decided to act like this, but he didn''t n on raining on the boy''s parade.


    ''To every man his own, I guess¡­''


    And as for his decision toe watch the exhibition, Rey was simply bored waiting for the Guildmaster, so he decided to buy time by watching Adonis fight.


    Besides, it would raise his social points as Jet if he decided to personally witness his fan''s ascent to power.


    ''Adonis will be a 6 Star Adventurer for sure. All of this is just ceremony.''


    Now that he thought about it, Adonis probably wanted totch on to the growing poprity of Jet and Lux. If that was the case, then Rey didn''t want to get in the way.


    ''I''ll do my best to prop you up, don''t worry!'' He gave an internal thumbs up.


    "Well, since we''re all here¡­ let''s go to the Test Center, shall we?" Britta beamed at everyone.


    And so, with a nod, everyone departed.


    Well, everyone except Burke.


    ''Did she get promoted or something?'' Rey''s thoughts trailed as he walked away with the rest, ignoring the wide smile she constantly gave him.


    ''Good for her, I guess.''


    **********


    [Moments Later]


    The Test Center sounded like a fancy name, but in actuality, the ce was just an auxiliary building attached to the Adventurer''s Guild main building.


    It existed in the samepound, at the backyard.


    The building was separated intopartments, and it was designed like a maximum security prison. Considering the fact that dangerous Monsters were kept in this ce for candidates to y, it was the least they could do.


    The doors, walls, ceiling¡ªliterally everything¡ªwas reinforced with Orichalcum, with some Adamnatite alloycing some more dangerous and important areas.


    The particr room where Adonis stood in was thergest of all; the only ce that could possibly match the scale of the battle that was about to take ce.


    It was coated, from all sides, with a special Orichalcum-


    Adamantite Alloy that made the ce as sturdy as any establishment could afford to.


    The spectators were three 6 Star Adventurers, and they stood at the farthest corner of the room as they watched Adonis prepare himself.


    The spectators were three 6 Star Adventurers, and they stood at the farthest corner of the room as they watched Adonis There was no safety guide or protection for them. Considering how supervisors assigned to Tests that reflected their capacity, they didn''t need any kind of special barrier.


    Not only would it add more cost to the Guild''s budget, but a functional safety barrier could potentially get in the way ofthe supervisors helping out candidates whose lives were in danger.


    Supervisors weren''t obligated to help, and the Guild wasn''t liable for any harm caused during the Test¡ªit said so on the form¡ªbut it was still standard ethics for Supervisors to assist those who had given the Test their best but were in danger.


    Being able to freely act, without a barrier stopping a supervisor, was far more optimal.


    ¡­ Cheaper too.


    "Are you ready?" Britta''s voice echoed out loud as she looked at Adonis'' anxious face.


    Some of the flickering lights above the room added unneeded tension to the moment, creating an air of eeriness.


    "You can still pull out if you want to.


    Adonis sensed concern in Britta''s voice, and he guessed she must have noticed his unease. However, the reason for his current state wasn''t due to the Monster that stood behind the thick door a distance from him.


    It was due to the two who stood next to her and watched him with dark intent.


    ''No matter what happens, I can''t give them what they want.'' Adonis inhaled deeply, preparing himself for the challenge.


    ''I can''t show them my full power!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I swear, this stuff is just hrious to me.

 Chapter 434 Facing The Serocis [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 434 Facing The Serocis [Pt 1] </h4>


    "I''m ready."


    Adonis raised the sword he had taken on his way to this room.


    The Guild provided many items and equipment for those who desired to take Tests, though using them was optional.


    The items were also pretty basic, so no one taking any advanced test really bothered with them.


    Still, with Adonis not having a sword of his own, refusing to even think of bringing out his Divine Sword, this was his only choice.


    ''It should do the trick.'' He told himself, taking a battle stance as he narrowed his gaze on the massive door before hm.


    Once it was open, the Monster would charge out¡­ and then came the tricky part.


    ''I have to try my hardest to hold back, just enough to defeat the A-Tier Monster. That way they can underestimate me as much as possible.''


    Adonis would never give them what they desired.


    "Very well. I shall now release the A-Tier Monster." Britta said, reaching for a lever that was right beside her.


    ~CLICK!~


    The gigantic door began to tremble, almost mechanical in a sense. And then, the ground beneath it opened.


    That very instant, the hinges loosened and the b of metal that covered the entrance swiftly descended into the abyss.


    Before even a second passed, a massive creature charged out of the dark room where it was held and wildly made its entrance.


    "GRUAAAAHHHHH!!!"


    The creature''s body resembled a lion, albeit ckened by its dense hide. It had three scorpion-looking tails, and its six eyes were red with fury.


    ''Serocis, huh? This is a tricky one, even among A-Tier Monsters.'' Adonis stole a nce at the dark gentleman who folded his arms and watched him keenly.


    His suitcase was right beside him, as was his partner, Lux.


    ''Did they pick this one intentionally?''


    There were many questions bubbling up within Adonis'' mind, but something told him that the ferocious beast he faced wouldn''t give him any chance to mull over them.


    He strengthened his stance and looked at the creature with untainted resolve, his de shimmering with the flickering lights.


    "Come!"


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    The Serocis charged at Adonis with primal force, but he refused to back down.


    Not while he had his goals to fulfill.


    ''A Serocis is simr to the Manticore myth back on Earth, with a few adjustments.'' Adonis'' thoughts trailed as he waited for the thing to near him.


    Not only was it much taller¡ªabout four meters¡ªthan in the myths, it had three tails instead of one.


    ''The strongest ones have up to five, but those are rare.''


    Adonis prepared himself as he let energy surge through the rest of his body. He promised himself he would not go all-out, but it was very difficult to quell his fighting spirit when a threat was right in front of him.


    Perhaps this was simply instinct¡ªthe result of spending years in a world filled with nothing but chaos and despair.


    Still, Adonis calmed himself and resolved only to use one of his powers.


    ''[Grand Light Magic].''


    ~BOOOOOOM!~


    The ground nearly shattered as the creature sent its ws charging at Adonis, and he responded with a sh of light.


    The resultant force caused everything to quake, even the bodies of the spectators.


    However, this was simply the beginning.


    ~WHOOSH!~


    Adonis fluidly moved his body away from his position, just in time to avoid one of the Serocis'' stingers.


    It was a close call too¡ªor at least it appeared to be.


    He leapt to the side of the Monster, once again avoiding the next sting attack. Increasing his pace, he twisted his body as he made to sh the Serocis'' hide, but thest stinger caught his de.


    ~CLANG!~


    "Guh!" The density of the stinger caused some recoil on the de, which forced Adonis'' hand back.


    If it wasn''t for the golden light that shrouded his weapon''s body, it would have definitely shattered into pieces.


    That was just how strong the stingers were.


    ~BOOOM!~


    Once again, Adonis evaded the assault of the stingers that attempted to catch him while he was defenseless.


    Thankfully, the Light Element was pretty fast.


    Any other Elemental Attribute, and he would have had to task his body a little more.


    "GROUGHHHHHHHH!!!" The Sercis let out a mad cry, causing the room to be filled with an intimidating roar.


    This was some sort of ''debuff'' move that caused a rapid decline in its opponent''s Stats by inflicting the Negative Status Condition of ''FEAR''.


    Fortunately, this only worked on fodder, and any candidate who desired to take the Test, in the first ce, wasn''t expected to fall under such a cheap move.


    Of course, that wasn''t all the Serocis had to offer.


    It was just a prelude to the main thing.


    ~FWUUUUSH!~


    The mouth of the Serocis suddenly began to suck in an absurd amount of air. It was most likely going to release one of the deadliest Skills in its arsenal.


    ''[Greater Air st]''


    ~VWUUSH!~


    Adonis barely dodged the first st ofpressed air, causing the attack to hit a nearby wall.


    ~BOOOM!~


    Despite how reinforced it was, the pressure made a small dent on its surface. If it was any other wall, the whole thing would have been blown away.


    One needed not imagine what would happen if such an attack had direct contact with a human.


    ¡­ Not even their bones would remain intact.


    "Fuu¡­" Adonis exhaled deeply, intending on increasing his pace a little more.


    He also nned to increase the strength behind his blow¡ª


    especially since he now had a proper understanding of how strong the thing was.


    ''Come on!''


    ~BOOOM!~


    Adonis raced, his body bing a blur of golden light as he dodged the several sts that were sent at him.


    His eyes glowed with incredible vigor as he leaped away from his position an charged at the Serocis from the side.


    As expected, it raised one of its stingers to eliminate him.


    However¡­


    "Wrong move."


    ~SWISH!~


    Adonis became a swirling torrent as he twisted in the air, generating enough momentum to slice off the stinger.


    In that swift motion, he obtained his first small victory.


    "Two to go!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Haha! This was a pretty fun ride. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. My author notes have been sparse because I''ve been writing so much at once.


    Once things slow down, you''ll see more of me!

 Chapter 435 Facing The Serocis [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 435 Facing The Serocis [Pt 2] </h4>


    "GUWAAAHHHHH!!!"


    The pained screech of the Serocis pierced the air.


    It was deafening¡ªunbelievably so. The ground rattled as a testament to its agony, and the air shook in response to its cry.


    It was obvious that this creature had never experienced a sensation this vile.


    Corrosive saliva dripped from its open jaws, and it instantly snapped at Adonis, rushing towards him to rip his body to pieces.


    "re!" Adonis yelled.


    Instantly, the area was engulfed with blinding light, enough topletely stun the Serocis. Of course, that meant the golden-hairedd couldn''t properly see as well.


    Still, even if you didn''t ount for his array of Skills, he had memorized the position of the beast and predicted the trajectory it would take.


    Thanks to this, he bounced off the air with yet another spin and coated his de with more intense light.


    ~FWISH!~


    In yet another perfect strike, Adonis cut down yet another stinger.


    "G-GUROOOOAAAHH!"


    At this point, the emotions of the Serocis shifted from pain and rage to pain and fear.


    It darted back, its instinct instantly telling of a horrid fate that awaited if it advanced without any assurance of sess.


    ~FSHIII~


    Hot steam rose from its seared injuries as the remnant heat caused by burning light kept the fresh wound stinging.


    Once the light dulled, Adonis and the Serocis returned to normal view.


    The two severed stingers of the Monster upied the floor close to the human, while the Serocis was surrounded by its vile blood and pungent drool.


    Both sides were unmoving, clearly wary of the other in some way.


    "Haaa¡­ haa¡­" Adonis made heavy breaths, obviously trying to show his exhaustion.


    Whether this was to deceive the Monster or the enemies hidden in in sight¡ªperhaps both¡ªwas not clear.


    Still, it seemed to do the job for the creature.


    Its crimson eyes widened, all of them turning bloodshot as it growled with newfound fervor.


    ''Finally showing yourst card, huh?'' Adonis thought to himself with a silent grin.


    The Serocis had a bunch of passive Skills, but its two most fatal attacks were the Greater Air sts and the next move it was preparing.


    ''Here ites!''


    Adonis readied himself, hunching over as he strengthened his legs for yet another race.


    ''I should be concluding the fight soon. That way, I can show that I have limits. Or¡­ should I try to drag things out a little more?''


    Before he could make that choice, the crimson eyes of his opponent shot out intense sts of energy.


    ~FWOOSH!~


    They pierced the air, making way for their target in no time at all.


    Adonis, who was already expecting this, instantly darted away from his previous position.


    However¡ª


    ~FWOOSH!~


    ¡ªYet another st charged his way.


    ''From another eye, huh? Guess it''s learning pretty well¡­''


    The Serocis'' [Grand Eye st] was an A-Tier Skill for one solid reason¡ªnot even ounting for the its superior destructive powerpared to the [Greater Air st].


    Its range!


    Other than the fast and streamlined way a single st of crimson energy could go, the Serocis had six separate eyes, which meant it could fire off six separate sts to varying locations¡ªall at the same time.


    The previous st consisted of only two eyes, and now that Adonis evaded them, he had fallen for the Monster''s trap.


    ''Judging from the movement of its eyes, it''s about to fire one to my left, another to my right. One will be aimed above, just in case I try to evade the current st heading towards me.''


    For a Monster, that was some quick thinking!


    ''It already recognizes that I''m fast enough to evade its strikes, and it sees me as a big enough threat to use its ultimate move on¡­''


    It was rather unfortunate for the Monster that Adonis wasn''t even trying at all.


    ''Now then, my choice will be¡­ to take it head-on!''


    ~CLANG!~


    Adonis swung his de, coating it with dense light until the entire thing glowed golden. The shy weapon directly shed with the crimson ray, instantly sending a surge of power flying in multiple directions.


    The result?


    ~BOOOOOOM!~


    Adonis was blown away as a consequence of the shockwave, his body suffering from the recoil of taking such an attack to the face.


    Well, that was how he made it seem like.


    "G-gahh¡­ haaa¡­"


    He struggled to rise, squinting his eyes as he disyed symptoms of pain.


    His simple attire had been ruined, and several burn marks were evident on his body. Even the de that he tightly clung to was finally broken.


    By all categories, he was in an extremely tight spot.


    ''Perfect!'' He grinned internally, still breathing heavily as he staggered slightly.


    The Serocis was watching all of this with cautious notice, its crimson eyes shing with malevolence.


    It was clear that another round wasing¡ªand fast.


    "You can give up now if you want to!" A concerned voice echoed out. "You''ve done enough!"


    It came from Britta.


    ''It''s really weird seeing her all kind andpassionate¡­'' Adonis chuckled internally, casting his gaze on the calm faces of the two others in the room.


    They didn''t seem concerned or worried at all. They just stared calmly¡ªalmost as if they were waiting for something.


    ''I think I''ve shown them just enough of where I stand in the ranks.'' He smiled widely, almost like a crazy person.


    "Never! I''ll never give up!" Letting out a throaty scream, he let light explode from all over his body as everything began rushing to his broken de.


    Britta''s face depicted nothing but absolute surprise. She must have been so amazed by his fiery spirit, considering how Adventurers so fearless came in short supply.


    Even Jet and Lux seemed amazed by his gumption.


    ''Great! Everything is set now¡­'' Adonis returned his sights to the enemy he had to beat.


    In no time now, the barrage of destruction would resume, and he would somehow have to close the distance between him and the Monster tond the finishing blow.


    It was going to be a bit troublesome, given his current situation, but was he going to lose?


    No¡­


    ''I''ll win!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    It''s been a while since I wrote a fight that wasn''t so one-sided. It''s one of the things I love about this Arc, especially going forward.

 Chapter 436 Facing The Serocis [Pt 3]

    <h4>Chapter 436 Facing The Serocis [Pt 3] </h4>


    ''Damn¡­ Adonis is really good at acting!''


    Rey was genuinely shocked by how amazing the Hero was in pretending to be so weak.


    ''I really need to take some notes.'' He thought to himself, nodding silently as he did his best to maintain a stoic demeanor.


    All of Adonis'' movements seemed so calcted to represent a certain ceiling of power that he couldn''t surpass. Rey was impressed by such sophistication¡­ such intricate level of detail.


    Adonis had really mastered the craft.


    ''But why? Why is he going to such lengths?''


    Rey couldn''tprehend it. ''Shouldn''t he be trying a bit more so he can get the attention of Jet and Lux?''


    Surely, if he was ying this ''fanboy'' card, and pretending to have been heavily inspired by Jet¡­ then shouldn''t he be showing a lot more power?


    ''At the very least, he must already have an idea of what Jet aplished. I can''t think of any other reason why he would choose this route if he had no idea how popr Jet and Lux are, and why they are so famous right now.''


    Their power was phenomenal¡ªout of this world.


    Compared to that, Adonis was disying the strength of an unpolished gem¡ªsomeone who barely made the cut of a Heroic Rank Adventurer.


    ''Well¡­ I hope you know what you''re doing, man.'' Rey had no intentions to rain on Adonis'' parade, so he decided to just watch and observe in silence.


    ''Britta seems impressed, and I guess he really embodies that Adventurer spirit.''


    In contrast, Esme seemed bored of the whole thing.


    It looked like she just wanted to use a Skill and kill the Monster, instantly getting rid of the problem for everyone.


    Well, she couldn''t.


    ''Looks like the fight ising to a close, though.'' Rey felt a tinge of relief as he saw Adonis charging towards the stationary Monster.


    One of the requirements for using the Skill [Grand Eye st] was to be stationary. The rewards were worth it, though, as it allowed the user to shoot out sts from any ocr organ of the body.


    ''If Ibine the Skill with a shapeshifting Skill and created many eyes, I could cause a lot of damage¡­''


    It was going to be gross for sure, but with [Mimic], or maybe even [Shapeshift], couldn''t he create several tiny eyes and create and send several shots flying at the same time?


    ''That''s seriously OP, especially if I consider how my defenses wouldn''t let my enemy touch me even if I stay still¡­''


    It was awesome¡ªno, beyond awesome!


    ''Is Ater really serious about me not being able to take on a Divine Beast¡­?'' Rey wondered.


    He didn''t want to do anything behind his trusty Familiar''s back, but it would be a lie if he said he wasn''t tempted to try [Divine Beast Summon] at maximum power, just so he could see its effects.


    ''I''ll just be patient. At least wait until the eggs hatch¡­''


    ~BOOOM!~


    The tremors emanating from Adonis'' location caused Rey to raise his gaze and see what was happening.


    Apparently, the Monster concentrated all of its st on a single location¡ªall so it could kill the pesky Adventurer.


    Unfortunately, it failed.


    ''Adonis, you rascal¡­'' Rey grinned widely as he watched what the blond boy did.


    All of his light was focused on the tip of his broken de, and he used that to literally sever the intense st into two.


    ''Even if he appears weak, this kind of resourcefulness and skill is exceptional!''


    Even Brita recognized that much.


    It showed just how much control Adonis had over his [Grand Light Magic]. If someone told Rey that Adonis had reached the highest level of mastery of the Skill, he wouldn''t even doubt it.


    ''What a beast¡­''


    Rey nearly chuckled, his widened eyes taking in the damaged ground surrounding Adonis.


    It burned bright red, all thanks to the deadly heat that was deflected.


    And now¡­ it was time for the finishing blow.


    *******


    Adonis roared, feeling his throat ache a little thanks to his constant battle cries.


    It seemed this body of his wasn''t ustomed to the rigors of war. He knew that would eventually change, but for now his pitch had reached its limit.


    ''Time to end this!''


    The final stinger of the Monster charged at Adonis in attempt to buy enough time for it to recover from the [Grand Eye st]''s cooldown period.


    Of course, Adonis was sure that the Monster wouldn''t mind an oue where the attack happened to kill him.


    ~WHOOSH!~


    Deftly moving his boy, Adonis ensured that wasn''t a possibility, using the chance to generate a spin and slice off thest of the creature''s lethal tail.


    ''All three taken care of!''


    Rather than let out a sharp cry of pain, the Monster stifled its screams and used the chance to suck in air and release it at such a rapid pace.


    ''Ahh¡­ nice one!'' Adonis grinned.


    The Serocis used its stinger as a sacrificial pawn so it could catch Adonis at point-nk range. It was a brilliant move, and such a tactic would have meant the end for any Adventurer.


    Even Heroic Rank Adventurers would be in trouble.


    But, Adonis wasn''t a mere Adventurer¡ªHeroic Rank or otherwise.


    He was the real deal.


    ¡ªA true Hero!


    ~WHISH!~


    He flung his light-coated de towards the Serocis, instantly cutting through thepressed air right before it was released.


    This, of course, caused an explosion that fractured the jaws¡ª


    definitely also injuring the throat as well¡ªof the desperate Monster.


    The resultant impact forcefully caused the Serocis to stagger away from its position, instantly ending the Skill''s effects.


    "G-GUREEUGH¡­!"


    Adonis made a wide toothy grin as he soaked in the frustrated and agonized moans of the damaged creature.


    ''You were so close to release, weren''t you?'' He prepared his whole body for one finalunch, concentrating light on the sole of his feet for maximum output.


    ''Don''t worry, I''ll end it now¡­ your suffering!''


    As the Monster was still recoiling from its pain, Adonis sted off and charged at it with unstoppable power.


    ''Full thrust!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Sometimes we forget how much of a badass the Hero is. Chapters like this are my way of appreciating him.


    Remember the time when you all thought he was the bad guy? Pfft¡­

 Chapter 437 Heroic Rank Gathering [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 437 Heroic Rank Gathering [Pt 1] </h4>


    Thatst blow did it.


    ~BOOOOM!~


    In a rush of wind and unstoppable force, Adonis sprang forth like an ascending meteor. His body became shrouded in brilliant light as he charged straight for the beast.


    He ripped into the beast''s mouth and burst out through the other end, searing its body with enough pressure to cause blood to ssh all over.


    By the time he made his triumphant exit, it was already toote.


    ¡­ The beast was dead.


    Blood spilled all over the ground as Adonis stood over the creature''s corpse, his tired body hunched over a little in an attempt to disy exhaustion.


    Despite how wretched he looked, covered in the vile blood of the enemy, he smiled in victory.


    "I did it¡­" He muttered, still feeling the sting of the battle¡ªor, at least pretending to.


    Everything was perfectly set up to lead to this moment.


    "I really did it!"


    *********


    "You really surprised me, Sebas." Britta beamed, calling Adonis by his code name.


    She handed a potion over to him to help him recover from his injuries, but he rejected it and professed that he would be fine after a long rest.


    However, after her insistence¡ªespecially with how wretched and borderline miserable he looked¡ªhe finally agreed to the potion.


    As he took it, Adonis of course felt nothing.


    The potion''s quality was too low to really do anything to him, and his injuries weren''t really caused by the Monster, but through injuring himself with [Grand Light Magic].


    He activated his Passive Healing ability, however, and he was good as new in no time.


    After the entire fight, the entire arena which was supposed to be the strongest center now looked like a mess.


    Melted walls, and shattered floors all filled the area, and it seemed like whoever would clean up the Monster corpse and wipe off the blood was in it for a chore.


    Still, that was the problem of the Guild''s nonbatant staff. As such, Adonis took his mind off it and focused on the more pertinent issue.


    One of which was currently staring at him.


    "You did well, Sebas. I could see it, your potential, as I watched you do battle."


    As Jet made this statement, Adonis'' eyes nearly bulged.


    ''Potential? Does he have some sort of appraisal Skill?!'' He felt his heart race as he wondered if everything he did was in vain.


    To make matters worse, Jet proceeded with yet another statement.


    "Your true power¡­ remains hidden. I sense great powers within you. Keep up the good work."


    Those words sealed the deal for Adonis.


    ''He knows something! Does he know my true power? Maybe he realized I was faking it¡­'' His heart pounded tremendously.


    If that was the case, then it meant Jet was a lot more formidable than he imagined.


    He cast his gaze at Lux, who was just silently watching him without saying a word. In a way, she was even creepier than Jet.


    He couldn''t guess what was on her mind at all.


    "Well, since we''re done here¡­ shall we leave?" Britta broke the tense silence, and everyone had to agree at that point.


    "Y-yeah¡­"


    *********


    ''Why does he look so gloomy?'' Rey wondered to himself as all three of them sat¡ªalongside Britta¡ªas they waited in the Guildmaster''s office.


    Since Adonis had made the cut, he was also going to be introduced as the newest Heroic Rank Adventurer alongside Jet and Lux.


    ''I already knew this would be the oue.'' He nodded slowly. ''That''s why I thought Adonis would try to be more proactive in his fight so he can properly match up to expectations.''


    Of course, that didn''t work out the way he thought.


    ''I even tried to prop him up a little by making him seem stronger than he disyed, but I guess he didn''t like that either.''


    At this point, Rey decided it was better to prevent any kind of zing and just leave Adonis to his ns.


    "I really apologize for the Guildmaster being sote." Britta broke the awkward silence within the room in no time.


    The room they were currently upying was at least five timesrger than Burke''s office, and rightfully so.


    It belonged to the man at the helm of authority within the Adventurers Guild¡ªand by extension, the entire City¡ªthe Guildmaster.


    Several skulls, horns, or special body parts of animals were hung on the walls in the office like they were some kind of trophy, and the 6 Star Badge of the Guildmaster was on the table, collecting dust.


    It had to have been a while since he reached that rank, and back in his Adventuring days, it must have been a big deal.


    As Guildmaster, however, he really had no use for it.


    The furniture in the room wasn''t particrly exceptional, but it was decent enough¡ªsame as the designs and interior decoration.


    Despite being the most powerful man in the city, it seemed he didn''t really crave the luxury.


    ''I kinda like that¡­'' Rey smiled and nodded.


    "How often does this happen?" Adonis asked Britta. "The Guildmaster beingte and all."


    She sighed and shook her head in response.


    "Every damn time!"


    "I see¡­" Perhaps it was just Rey''s imagination, but he saw Adonis smiling as soon as he heard that.


    "That''s good to know." He added.


    ~FWIP!~


    The door behind them all flung open, and everyone turned¡ª


    expecting to see the Guildmaster walk in¡ªbut it was someone else entirely.


    "Ahh¡­ looks like I''m thest one to arrive."


    The voice sounded charming and free, though a bit more mature than what his appearance represented.


    It came from a rtively short and young-looking Adventurer whose 6 Star Rank spoke for itself and reinforced how one shouldn''t judge a book by its cover.


    "Ahh, I forgot you''d being too, brat." Britta said as she stared at Noah."


    "The name''s Sherlock!"


    Despite the ensuing drama, Rey was more concerned with the expression Adonis had on his face.


    ''He''s seeing Noah for the first time in a while¡­'' He smiled.


    ''I wonder what is going on in his mind.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 438 Heroic Rank Gathering [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 438 Heroic Rank Gathering [Pt 2] </h4>


    Noah Sherlock.


    He really wasn''t anything special, and Adonis didn''t really know too much about him.


    He was one of the earliest to desert the team, and he never really learned anything more about him after that.


    So how¡­ how in the world did this happen?


    ''He''s the other 6 Star Adventurer in this City?!'' Adonis fought to hide his surprise, and he wasrgely sessful, for the most part anyway.


    He would never have imagined Noah going that far, so this was yet another irregrity in the timeline that he didn''t ount for.


    So many changes, yet Adonis found it difficult to trace the nexus event.


    There had to have been an initial cause, else things would span in an infinite regress¡ªwhich wasn''t possible.


    ''He looks capable now.'' Adonis closely observed Noah and realized just how much the boy had changed.


    Noah''s donned a long dark brown trench coat, wearing a light piece of metal armor underneath, along with a dark shirt, with matching trousers. His dark brown belt was tightly strapped around his waist too.


    He had dark brown boots, and while his outfit was baggy enough for him to hide most of his Enchantments, Adonis could see quite a few.


    For example, he had an earring on one ear, two rings on his hand, and then there was the ne that hung around his neck, with a sword dropping at the center.


    All in all, Noah looked the part of an experienced Adventurer, even though it couldn''t have been up to a month since he became one.


    ''Was he that strong when he left? I don''t think so¡­''


    If Adonis had to guess, he would say Noah was carried by gear. However, to get good equipment, one needed a lot of money.


    Where did Noah see the money required for so many equipment?


    "So you''re the neer, huh? Nice to meet you." Noah smiled as he approached Adonis, disying a level of confidence he had never seen the previous Noah disy.


    Adonis had to stand to his feet and epted the boy''s outstretched hand. As both of them shook hands, Noah beamed brightly while he pretended to be slightly nervous.


    "My name is Sherlock. Let''s get along as fellow Heroic Rank Adventurers."


    "My name is Sebas." He responded with a strained smile. "I hope you treat me well."


    "Hehe! Leave it up to me!"


    As Noah made this statement, in form of a joke, he chuckled a little. To say Adonis was surprised by all of this would be a massive understatement.


    He simply took everything in with intense shock.


    "Pfft! Leave what to you? Shouldn''t it be the other way around?" The moment Noah heard Britta''s sarcastic remarks, he turned towards her and fumed.


    "Let the matter die, woman!"


    "Why should I? I''m just stating facts, you know?" Britta responded with an even bigger smirk.


    "Your Party members even had their asses handed to them recently. I wonder how you still have the confidence to show your face around."


    "You seem to forget who they were up against."


    "Doesn''t matter. I''m sure it''s because of your ipetence as a leader¡­" Britta folded her hands and looked away.


    "Why you¡­ ahh, I see what you''re trying to do."


    Noah was about to approach thedy, but he held off from doing so. Instead, he smiled and pped his hand on his face.


    "I have no idea what you''re talking about."


    "Don''t pretend. You''re trying to rile me up so we can fight, right?" He sighed, shaking his head.


    "I won''t fight you, though. There''s no need."


    "Tch¡­" Britta clicked her tongue in dissatisfaction andpletely cast her gaze away from Noah, finally allowing the boy to cast his gaze in another direction.


    "Jet, Lux¡­ it''s been about a day, hasn''t it? Sorry for not greeting you earlier."


    He beamed as he approached them, and they stood in order to shake his hand and offer their greetings.


    "It''s no problem. Nice seeing you again." Jet responded in his usual gentlemanly tone.


    "¡­"


    As usual, Lux said nothing, but her slight nod and firm handshake sent the same message as her professed sibling.


    "Welp! The Guildmaster iste again, isn''t he?" Noah copsed on an empty chair the moment he was done with the greetings.


    "I suppose I shouldn''t even be surprised at this point."


    The reason why Noah was present was for the same reason that Britta was. It was a tradition in the Adventurers City that whenever a new Heroic Rank Adventurer was to be announced, the current ones had to be present.


    This was reminiscent of the ''passing on the torch'' concept, except in a more colloquial manner.


    Since the Heroic Rank Adventurers were recognized as the strongest in the Guild, it only made sense that they would share a sense of camaraderie with one another.


    As such, everyone that gathered in the room were unofficially recognized to be the closest ofrades.


    That was the effect of strength.


    "Sorry I''mte¡­" Without any sign of the door opening, or any sound of footsteps, the Guildmaster made his entry.


    As he spoke, he walked past the seated Adventurers so he could get to his position behind the desk.


    All the Adventurers disyed some measure of shock once they heard his voice. None had sensed his presence prior to the time he spoke, causing them to react that way.


    Even Adonis looked a bit puzzled.


    ''I''m sure my Passive Skills are all active. Why couldn''t I detect him?'' He wondered. ''It has to do with his Skill, doesn''t he?''


    Judging from how effective it was on even him, it had to be an A-Tier Skill, at the very least.


    ''I never met the Guildmaster in the past, since he died in the Dungeon Conquest, but¡­'' Adonis cast his gaze on the man who now sat before them.


    He had an aged face¡ªone that showed him to be in histe fifties or so¡ªwith very low gray hair and a bushy beard. The man had an incredibly well-built body, all hidden behind his dark overall suit which resembled a priest''s garment.


    As he took his seat, his hulking frame rested on the chair and he stared at all of them with his narrow, icy-green eyes.


    ''¡­ He''s pretty huge.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 439 Heroic Rank Gathering [Pt 3]

    <h4>Chapter 439 Heroic Rank Gathering [Pt 3] </h4>


    "I''ll get straight to the point."


    The Guildmaster closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. His deep tone perfectly represented the mature features that were vividly outlined on his face.


    "Congrattions on joining the highest echelon in this trade we call Adventuring."?He said, looking at the three neers.


    ¡ªJet, Lux, and Sebas.


    In his eyes, all three were splendid. They would make for good candidates to seed him once he no longer upied the position of Guildmaster.


    ''I''m not growing any younger. Someone will have to step up eventually¡­'' He often said this as a joke, but he genuinely meant it.


    He¡ªRichard Lysth¡ªwas not as strong as he was in his prime.


    After reaching the pinnacle of strength, the only ce you could go was down. As such, his abilities were already showing a rapidly growing rate of decline.


    He didn''t think he wouldst another decade before he had to permanently retire from this position.


    ''To do that, though, I need a capable sessor.''


    Before the advent of the three neers, he only had Noah and Britta, and just a month ago¡­ there was only thetter.


    The numbers had increased so much in such a short span that he couldn''t help but be relieved.


    ''Is this some kind of sign?'' Richard thought to himself with a wry smile. ''It seems my time as Guildmaster ising to an end sooner than I imagined.''


    He just had to choose his sessor before then.


    ''I can''t choose any of the Vice Guildmasters, so it has to be one of these ones.''


    The operations of the Adventurer Guild was too vast for just one or two people to properly manage. As a result, there were five Vice Guildmasters in total.


    Two belonged to his faction, and they wholeheartedly agreed with his decision to seek an heir outside the administrative system of the Guild.


    However, the other three didn''t like the idea at all.


    They insisted that whoever would run the Guild after the Guildmaster retired had to be a qualified person who was already in the Guild''s framework.


    The ''qualification'' for such a position was¡ªunsurprisingly¡ªbeing a Vice Guildmaster.


    Their reasoning wasn''t unfounded, though. Based on the records of the Adventurers City, this had always been how things were.


    The role of Guildmaster wasn''t one that could be handled with muscles alone, but brains. As a result, Vice Guildmasters were traditionally chosen to fill up the position of their predecessors.


    ''But¡­ times have changed.'' Richard sighed internally.


    With the war against the Dragons reaching a crescendo, and the appearance of more skilled Adventurers and deadlier Dungeons, it was obvious that the world was marching forward.


    The Adventurers Guild¡ªno, the entire City¡ªhad to do the same.


    ''They don''t seem to realize that strength is bing extremely crucial in the current world. It is the most valuablemodity at the moment.''


    Of course, that didn''t mean brains were useless. However, any true Heroic Rank Adventurer had to have the spirit of Adventuring embedded in them, coupled with the instinct of a truly strong person.


    Weak men like the Vice Guildmasters didn''t understand it, but once humans reached a certain level of strength, they saw the world a lot differently.


    That was what Richard was after! He desired a champion that could lead the Adventurers City into a new path that would allow them to thrive in the changing times.


    ''But those fools don''t see it.'' He nearly sighed again. ''They cling onto the old ways without consideration for the future¡­''


    They were the same people who kept opposingpliance with the United Human Alliance and also reinforced the narrative of hatred in the minds of many Adventurers towards the Alliance, all while thetter fought the war on everyone''s behalf.


    ''I had to request the assistance of the Royal Council for this Grand Calmity ss Dungeon behind their backs. Other than the two in my faction, no one else knows about this¡­''


    And he would like to keep it that way.


    Richard cast his gaze on each and every one of the people present and nodded to himself.


    ''Perhaps I should finally make a choice in the uing Conquest.''


    He would choose an heir and groom the person to take on his role. Of course, that meant teaching him the rules of administration and qualities of leadership.


    ''All for a better future¡­''


    "Huu¡­ I have something important to discuss with you all." Richard said, calmly ensuring everyone was paying attention before proceeding.


    However¡ª


    "Tell us why you were sote, Richard! You can''t keep doing this!" Britta yelled out.


    "As much as I hate to agree with the spiteful woman, she has a point, you know? What took you so long?" Noah asked, folding his arms and exhaling with a bit of annoyance.


    Richard instantly felt trapped.


    The new Heroic Rank Adventurers said nothing, but merely judging from their silent gaze, it was obvious that they desired answers.


    "Ahh¡­ well¡­"


    He took his time studying the faces of everyone present and decided to proceed with caution.


    "I went to the Grand Cmity ss Dungeon to observe it again."


    He wasn''t lying.


    Richard had a policy about honesty that he never broke. As a result, he was able to get the trust and respect of everyone around him.


    Honesty really was the best policy!


    "Yeah, no shit! There''s no way observing it would have caused you to be sote!" Britta yelled with narrowed eyes.


    Richard gulped.


    "Come on, just give it to us straight." Noah sighed. "We can handle it."


    Beads of sweat formed on his face as he sighed and decided toe out with it.


    Honesty was the best policy, except in situations like this.


    "I¡­ got lost." As he said this, there was a moment of silence dedicated to his statement.


    It didn''tst for very long, though.


    "Again?"


    "What the hell, man?!"


    "I can''t believe this!"


    "Right? Every time! Just go with a staff or something!"


    "Exactly! EXACTLY!"


    Richard couldn''t help but sit still and ept everything thrown at him with a smile on his face.


    ''I''m sorry, everyone. It''s my fault¡­ haha¡­''


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 440 Heroic Rank Gathering [Pt 4]

    <h4>Chapter 440 Heroic Rank Gathering [Pt 4] </h4>


    "A-ahem, anyway¡­ back to the topic at hand."


    After the two prominent Adventurers had chewed Richard Lysth for a considerable length of time, and had gotten their fill, he could finally proceed with his pertinent discussion.


    "First things first, after this meeting, all three of you will be publicly dered as Heroic Rank Adventurers."


    They already had their badges, but this was an unavoidable ceremony.


    "Now, for the important issue for discussion. I already briefly spoke to Britta and Noah about it the other day, but with all five of you here¡­ I''d like to talk about the Dungeon Conquest."


    Even though it would be impossible for none of the parties present to not have heard of the Grand Cmity ss Dungeon already, Richard reiterated it for all to hear.


    There were various kinds of Dungeons, ssified in the order of difficulty; Normal ss, Special ss, Chaos ss, Disaster ss, Cmity?ss¡­ and the final one¡­ Grand Cmity ss.


    The Royal Dungeon in the Capital was estimated to be around the level of a Disaster ss Dungeon, as most top-ranked Dungeons were.


    Cmity ss Dungeons were rare, but there were quite a few of them. They had a simr status as Dead Zones, so most Adventurers never passed the first couple of Floors to grind Levels.


    With the appearance of the first Grand Cmity ss Dungeon in over three centuries, it was pertinent to make a swift decision regarding it.


    "Nearly a thousand Adventurers have already ventured inside as we speak. None of them have been heard from since. It''s safe to say that it''s a very dangerous mission."


    Of course, the Adventurers who ventured in could be considered fodderpared to the likes of Heroic Rank Adventurers. They were simply desperate for some kind of benefit and wished to try their luck.


    No high-ranked Adventurer worth their salt would be so careless.


    "In order to maximize the benefits of this Grand Cmity ss Dungeon, and prevent any further unnecessary deaths, it''s better we organize a Dungeon Conquest where we go in massive numbers and take on the Dungeon."


    In order to ount for the number of participants, and to ensure it wasn''t too crowded, Richard would have rmended that only five thousand of the mostpetent Adventurers participated, but that wouldn''t work.


    A lot of new blood would want to join as well.


    "We can''t stop the people that desire to try their luck, so we can only ensure that the mission yields the highest amount of results."


    Richard already did the numbers, and he estimated that about nine thousand to ten thousand Adventurers would participate in the Conquest.


    ''There''s safety in numbers¡­ even though most of those numbers are fodder.''


    As a general rule, Dungeon exploration was a selfish task¡ªevery man for himself. That meant the participants were responsible for their lives.


    Party members only assisted one another because not doing so would be detrimental to their own survival. It was a harsh truth about the trade, so even if the fodder were to join the Conquest, no one would be too distracted by them.


    There would be no such thing as them being ''slowed down,''


    Anyone who couldn''t keep up would be abandoned. Those who were weak would naturally be culled.


    "Is that really alright? I mean, wouldn''t that reduce the overall number of Adventurers in the City?" Sebas asked with a raised brow.


    In response to this, Richard and the two older Adventurers cracked a smile.


    "You''re right. But it won''t get to that point." The Guildmaster answered.


    "How so?"


    "The Dungeon is always open for those who desire to leave. I actually stepped in myself, and I watched others do the same. The doors remain open regardless."


    Since that was the case, once the weaklings realized how helpless they were, and that they couldn''t possibly keep up with the strong¡­ they would dip.


    Such was the nature of the weak.


    "They just have to witness it with their own eyes or they''ll keep trying. The goal is to make them experience enough despair to stay away."


    Of course, this n would still have casualties, but they were necessary sacrifices. These people chose their path, despite knowing what kind of Dungeon it was, so they had to be prepared for the consequences.


    "And what will you do about the Miasma?" Jet asked, his arms folded


    "Well, it hasn''t been confirmed to be Miasma since that is really rare and cane in various forms."


    "But what if it is?"


    As he pressured the Guildmaster, the older man knew he would have to answer the question.


    "We''ll make add that to the announcement, telling people the details and possibilities of Miasma. If they don''t want to get Miasma Poisoning, then it''s up to them to take the appropriate measures."


    The Adventurers Guild wasn''t some sort of parent, so they weren''t responsible for the Adventurers in the City. In the same vein, the Adventurers didn''t really answer to the Guild.


    Other than activities involving the Guild, Adventurersdidn''t need to have any kind of interaction with the body.


    All they had to do was pay their dues, and the symbiotic rtionship continued.


    "Miasma Poisoning is very rare and difficult to cure¡ªespecially in severe cases¡ªbut it''s pretty easy to prevent."


    Since the poisoning urred when Miasma¡ªthat is, corrupted Mana¡ªentered a person''s body and interfered with the natural flow of Mana within them.


    If a person had a higher amount or density of Manapared to the Miasma that invaded the body, then they were safe.


    The Miasma would simply be purified by their internal Mana, the same way the Immune System protected the body from germs and diseases.


    However, just as with the Immune System, the problem arose when the resistance level of an individual wasn''t as strong as the infection.


    If that happened to be the case, they would fall sick.


    There were, however, ways to prevent this situation from happening.


    "If they take the proper measures, then we should be fine."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 441 Heroic Rank Gathering [Pt 5]

    <h4>Chapter 441 Heroic Rank Gathering [Pt 5] </h4>


    "As long as they wear masks to protect themselves from inhaling the Miasma, they should be good."


    Some eyes were sensitive to Miasma, so it was better for the mask to cover their facespletely. That way, they could protect most of the openings that allowed stuff into the body.


    "Wearing basic Adventurer wear should also protect the body, though Miasma is only dangerous to a person''s health if it is taken into the system, where the Manawork really is."


    It had such a simple prevention method, yet Miasma Poisoning was one of the most difficult things to treat. Of course, depending on the severity of the poisoning, the difficulty could go down a few notches.


    The reason for it being soplex was due to the Mana Network being corrupted.


    In a simple case of Miasma Poisoning, simply ingesting a potent Mana Potion to boost your Mana by introducing new and fresh energy to the body would cure it. However, depending on how far the corruption went, it would only serve to make the matter worse, as the Miasma would simply corrupt the foreign Mana,pounding the issue even more.


    Eventually, the entire body would be corrupted, and since the human body wasn''t built to handle Miasma, such a person was bound to die.


    Even those with Miasma-rted Skills experienced side-effects from using them due to the weakness of the body itself.


    Perhaps, in the future, the human body would adapt to Miasma, but since the stuff was so rare, that didn''t seem like a prospect that would happen anytime soon.


    "I''ll make a few rmendations to the audience, so the Guild should have done its due diligence in that regard. Is that fine?"


    Jet nodded upon hearing the words of the Guildmaster, and so the discussion continued.


    "For this Conquest, I want the Heroic Rank Adventurers to form a separate Party from the rest." Richard said, his tone as serious as possible.


    As one would expected, the audience was a bit surprised to hear this.


    "We''re going to lead the front lines, hence taking on the first blows and facing the biggest risks."


    Thinking about things objectively, this would drastically reduce the mortality rate of the other participating Adventurers.


    If the Heroic Rank Adventurers were to lead the charge, that would take a lot of heat off the rest.


    "Will the others ept this, though? I mean, it might look like we''re hogging all the good stuff to ourselves." Sherlock asked, his tone as casual as his expression.


    "It doesn''t matter what they think. Even if they try to whine about it, the truth is that they would do the same if given the opportunity." Britta responded with a cold tone.


    "Britta is right. Besides, considering the risk we''re taking by taking the front, it would be foolish for them to try to raise such criticisms."


    "Okay. Fair enough." Sherlock said with a mild shrug.


    "So, what do you say? Is that an agreement? All of us forming a separate party."


    For a moment, there was silence. Jet nced at Lux, and the two nodded at each other. The others also took a moment to consider it.


    Then¡ª


    "I don''t mind. Sounds fun." Sherlock grinned with excitement.


    "I would also like that very much." Sebas added with a smile. "It would be a great privilege fighting alongside you all."


    His words of reverence felt a bit misced and overly formal, given the mood, but since he was a newbie, everyone understood where he wasing from.


    "It''s not a big deal. No one should steal my kill, though." Britta said with a slight frown on her face.


    She especially red at Noah, most likely due to an incident that she just happened to remember at the moment.


    "We agree to that." Jet spoke on behalf of him and Lux, and thetter''s nod was proof of her agreement.


    With all five of them in agreement, Richard nodded and smiled with satisfaction.


    "That''s good. Now, I''ll exin the formation in more details to you¡­"


    *******


    [Moments Later]


    The meeting finally ended, and it was finally time for the ceremony.


    All the Heroic Rank Adventurers ascended the stairs until they reached the very rooftop of the Guild Building.


    It had a barricade surrounding the t surface, and from the top of this massive structure, one could see pretty much every facet of the city.


    That is, if they stayed at the edge.


    If all the denizens had superhuman vision, they could also all witness what was happening at the edge of the building''s peak.


    "Alright now¡­" Richard stepped on a particr tile in front of him, causing something like a thin pir to rise from beneath the ground.


    It resembled an Enchanted Item, because it was one.


    "It''s imbued with Sound Magic, so it should amplify our voices. Also, it has Image Capturing Magic, so it''ll project our image to the sky."


    While Richard was exining, the Item warbled and began to scan the area. It needed about a minute of calibration to begin its function, so everyone waited patiently for the time.


    Excitement was rife in the air, especially on the part of the older Adventurers.


    It was very rare to see a Heroic Rank Adventurer, though the fact that they had done this very thing just two weeks ago still felt surreal.


    Sherlock had be such an integral Adventurer that it felt like he had been around for longer.


    ~FSHIIIIIII!~


    Finally, the pirpletely came to life, beaming with such radiance that it instantly shrouded the bodies of the six Heroic Rank Adventurers present.


    This was a scan to fully capture their image.


    Before long, a massive projection shot up to the sky, instantly drawing the attention of everyone who was going on with whatever business they had.


    No one could resist the urge to look up and see the real-time projection of the Adventurers on stage.


    Then¡­ the roaring sound came.


    "THE TIME HAS COME, EVERYONE!" It came from Richard, and his excited voice reverberated across the city.


    "I PRESENT TO YOU¡­ THE NEW HEROIC RANK ADVENTURERS!"


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Well, this was fun. Loads of dialogue and information dumps¡­ though I know you''re used to it by now.


    Hope you enjoyed the chapters!

 Chapter 442 Meeting With The Capital Delegates [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 442 Meeting With The Capital Delegates [Pt 1] </h4>


    Needless to say, the entire presentation went splendidly.


    The Adventurers cheered on for the strong ones that would stand at the charge in the march for freedom and adventure.


    Some were envious.


    A lot were inspired.


    Few were unbothered.


    However, there seemed to be a general consensus among the ones who raised their heads to gaze upon the mighty ones.


    Each of them¡­ were worthy of their respect.


    They were the strongest!


    ********


    [Moments Later]


    Richard rested his head on the back of his chair, inhaling deeply as he sat behind his desk and contemted the events that would ur the next day.


    After the announcement of the new Heroic Rank Adventurers, he also mentioned news about the Conquest.


    As expected, the reaction was wild.


    ''I intentionally made sure rumors spread before today, but it seems like a lot of people were still pretty hyped up about it.'' He smiled to himself.


    ''Well, it was an official announcement, after all.''


    As he remained in his office, embracing the silence that surrounded him, a knock echoed from the door at the far front.


    ''Hm?'' He wondered as he slightly opened his eyes.


    Richard didn''t have any other appointment that day¡ªnot officially, that is. As a result, he was able to quickly deduce the identities of the ones who stood in front of his door.


    Straightening up his posture, he cleared his throat and parted his lips.


    "Come in."


    The door creaked as it slowly opened, revealing nine people who slowly trailed inside. To his surprise, a white creature with long ears also hopped in with them.


    Any normal person would consider it cute, but Richard instantly recognized the creature''s strength.


    ''It''s strong!'' Was all he thought about as he watched the creature hop forward.


    As for the nine who walked in, Richard did not recognize any of them except one. He was the first to enter, and he seemed to be the leader of the bunch.


    The moment Richard saw him, he smiled.


    "So you were sent from the Capital, eh? That''s actually a surprise¡­"


    The man before him was Sebas, and the eight other individuals behind him had to be the backup that the Royal Council was providing the Adventurers.


    ''They said they were sending their elite team, but they didn''t specify a number.'' He thought, narrowing his gaze on them.


    Nine wasn''t a particrly high number, but he could tell that each of them was capable. So capable, in fact, that he couldn''t estimate their level of power.


    ''They''re all as strong as Sebas¡­ no, is that even an appropriate way to gauge their abilities?''


    Sebas the Adventurer just barely made the cut for Heroic Rank ording to what Britta told him, but just from their short meeting, he was able to tell that the man was hiding his strength.


    ''I thought he had reasons, but to think he was from the Capital¡­''


    Richard didn''t think there would be any others from the Capital who were as skilled as Brutus and Lucielle.


    ''So they were hiding these cards, huh? Interesting¡­'' He smiled internally.


    Each of them was stronger than your average Heroic Rank Adventurer, and he still didn''t know the true depths of their strength. That meant they potentially had fourteen 6 Star Adventurers in the raid.


    ''If I count that creature, the number jumps to fifteen.'' Richard nearly beamed.


    It was anumber that far exceeded his expectations.


    ''If only those stubborn fools could see this!'' By fools, he meant the three Vice Guildmasters that were in the opposing faction.


    ''They''re still clinging to their outdated ideology and swimming in animosity towards the Alliance because of the past¡­ all while the people they reject are amassing more and more power.''


    If the Adventurers City allied with the rest of the Alliance, Richard was sure they could achieve so much more.


    Sadly, politics was a lot moreplicated than that.


    "May we have our seats?" Richard snapped out of his thoughts as he heard this question, to which he responded in the affirmative.


    The Guildmaster''s office was notcking in sofas and chairs, so even nine people could get veryfortable.


    The room was also considerablyrge, so it didn''t seem too crowded.


    "I really appreciate the Royal Council for responding to my request. I know things haven''t been very smooth between the Adventurers City and the Alliance, but¡­ well, thanks."


    crowded.


    "I really appreciate the Royal Council for responding to my Richard rose to his feet and approached the group that sat before him. Despite being the Guildmaster, he made an effort to shake every single one of them.


    When he approached a certaindy in the group, he noticed how the long-eared creature was sticking close to her, and so chose to proceed with caution.


    ''She must be a tamer. Where on H''trae did she find such a beast?''


    He did his best to conceal his shock and under an awkward smile as he made it past everyone in the group.


    A few stood out to him instantly¡ªlike Sebas, the woman with the familiar, an ebonydy with well-defined muscles beneath her tight outfit, and the incredibly buff man that sat a little close to the woman with the white beast.


    They seemed like the strongest, just going off physical appearance alone, but Richard was well aware that looks could be deceiving.


    "We would like to officially introduce ourselves now, if you don''t mind." Sebas said very cordially as the Guildmaster returned to his seat.


    "Please do, please do."


    It was really amazing how much Sebas'' personality had shifted from the eager newbie to the more mature leader of an elite force.


    ''They look to be in their thirties, so I suppose they''re in the prime of their lives.'' Hesmiled, reminding himself of his own glorious days as well.


    ''But, that is all in the past.'' Richard smiled wryly as he heard their introduction.


    It turned out thedy with the white beast was called Sally. The buff guy''s name was Byron, and the ebony woman was Tetra.


    "Well, I look forward to working with you all."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 443 Meeting With The Capital Delegates [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 443 Meeting With The Capital Delegates [Pt 2] </h4>


    ''This kinda sucks¡­''


    The discussion between the students and the Guildmaster was simply a rehash of the details shared among the Heroic Rank Adventurers, so there wasn''t really anything new for Rey to gain from the whole thing.


    ''I''m sure Adonis feels the same way¡­'' After all, they were both present for the previous meeting.


    However, unlike Adonis, he couldn''t afford to zone out or look uninterested. These were all pretty important and epic things that the Guildmaster was talking about¡ªenough to elucidate reactions from anyone present.


    And so, to y his part¡­ he had to react.


    ''Even if I n on revealing my Ralyks persona eventually, the same doesn''t apply to the Jet one.'' He couldn''t afford to act anything less than surprised.


    It was also the major reason why he chose to participate in this meeting instead of just sending a duplicate.


    ''Aliciained about my weird behavior when I swapped back early this morning. I''m guessing the duplicate isn''t very good at replicating my behavior.''


    At least, he could make up excuses and get away with acting unnaturally during casual moments, but in a serious event like this¡­ he couldn''t afford to ck off.


    "Are you sure the Miasma Poisoning issue will be properly taken care of during the Conquest?" Alicia asked a valid question.


    If she was present during the Heroic Rank Meeting, she wouldn''t have needed rification. But, her ignorance on the issue forced the Guildmaster to reiterate some things.


    ''Urgh! This is so frustrating¡­''


    It sucked to listen to the same boring thing twice, especially when he could have been hanging out with Esme as a better alternative.


    "How about checking their equipment before allowing them to participate in the Dungeon? That way we can ensure that only those who won''t be susceptible to the Poisoning make it inside."


    Once again¡­ a brilliant question.


    But, Rey felt tempted to shake his head at the sheer level of ignorance she was disying.


    ''I know it''s not her fault, but it''s pretty obvious she doesn''t really know a lot about Adventuring and Adventurers.''


    He felt bad for thinking that way about Alicia, especially given his high regard for her. He would have probably been the same way if he didn''t experience a lot of things as Jet¡ªincluding having Noah exin a lot of the Adventuring stuff to him.


    ''Not to talk of my conversation with Rebal beforeing here¡­'' All of those really helped him in adjusting to life here.


    ''Ahh, now I feel worse.''


    To drown out his thoughts, he forced himself to listen to the rest of Richard''s response.


    "¡­ Besides, it''s impossible to fully inspect nearly ten thousand Adventurers before we begin the Conquest. I understand your concerns, but they know what they''re getting into."


    Alicia finally gave up and nodded, causing Rey to sigh in relief.


    "In any case, from what you have told me¡­ you n on joining Parties in the Conquest, is that right? Have you decided on the ones to join, or do you need me to rmend some to you?"


    Much to the Guildmaster'' surprise, though, they refused his offer.


    "We were already approached by Adventurers and we''ve joined Parties. Thank you for the offer, though."


    "Ahh, I see¡­" The man chuckled as he smiled slyly. "You''re very thorough, aren''t you?"


    He seemed impressed that they had already embedded themselves into the Adventurers City without any of his assistance in the slightest.


    "I have a question, Guildmaster." Someone raised her hand, and the moment Rey heard the voice he had a bad feeling.


    It was Belle¡ªgoing by Fiona in her disguised form.


    "Yes, Miss Fiona. What is your question?"


    Rey didn''t know why, but his heart began to race in dark foreboding. He sensed something deadly about to erupt, but he didn''t know what it was.


    This feeling was different from [Danger Sense]. It felt more intuitive¡­ more natural.


    It was¡ª


    "Do you know who Sir Ralyks is? Where can I find him? Is he around? Do you have any idea about the investigation he went on?"


    As she bbed on, several groans echoed from the audience.


    Belle hadn''t properly spoken since the night that they lodged into the Inn, and since then she had been acting all mopey and glum.


    To think the first coherent words she would make after so long would be on the same issue! Many people were fed up, Rey most of all.


    ''This girl should just let it rest.'' He thought to himself, feeling a surge of anger towards the main culprit behind all of this drama.


    ''Ater¡­ just you wait.''


    He gritted his teeth and held his breath while waiting for the Guildmaster, who cocked his head to the side, to ask the most obvious question.


    "Who¡­ is Sir Ralyks?"


    Everyone and their mother already knew that Ralyks was an alias that was being used by an anonymous person. The only thing they knew about him was that he was an Adventurer, and that was because he said that.


    If his identity was so easy to decipher, then the Royal Council would have done so already.


    ''Belle is even aware of this, so why is she asking?!''


    Perhaps the girl was just that desperate to talk to Ralyks, making her too hopeful¡ªalmost to the point of being delusional


    ¡ªthat somehow the Dark Adventurer''s identity would be revealed to her if she just asked.


    Well, she was in for a rude awakening.


    "W-well, I mean¡­ he is¡­ erm¡­ ah¡­ never mind."


    Thankfully, this episode of Belle didn''tst very long, and while the atmosphere was a little tainted by the weirdness for a while¡­ it didn''tst very long.


    "A-anyway, thank you all so much for answering our call." The Guildmaster rose to his feet, a subtle sign that told everyone present that they had overstayed their wee.


    Much to Rey''s relief, everyone was able to take the hint, and they all rose up to leave.


    "It''s fine." Adonis responded with his usual charm, his aura finally killing off thest vestige of awkwardness in the air.


    "Save the thanks for after the Conquest is sessful."


    *


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    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 444 An Issue Of Priority

    <h4>Chapter 444 An Issue Of Priority </h4>


    "Huu¡­ I forgot to ask how they managed to get here in the first ce."


    As Richard copsed back on his seat, he muttered words to himself while allowing the faces of everyone he just met to burn into his memory.


    This way, he wouldn''t be able to forget them no matter where they met in the future.


    ''They''re all strong and capable. That man especially¡­ Sebas¡­.'' Richard pictured the handsome man in his mind.


    ''He has the aura of a leader!''


    More than anything, Richard desired to pick him as his sessor. He could already tell that the man was more than capable of it.


    ''Should I talk to him about it? Try to make him a sweet offer, maybe?'' He shook his head as his wry smile widened.


    "Nah, that would definitely piss off the Royal Council. I shouldn''t try to poach such an asset of theirs¡ªespecially when I''m trying to establish good rtions with them."


    Still, it was such a shame.


    ''Having someone like that to bridge the gap between Adventurers and the Alliance¡­ wouldn''t that be something?''


    Richard decided to stop thinking about it, else he would be tempted to throw caution to the wind and ask the man anyway.


    ''I suppose my options have now been cut down to four potential candidates.''


    Out of those four, he already singled Lux out due to her passive attitude. Britta was also very hot-headed and brash,cking a lot of the emotional maturity that made a great leader, so she was out as well.


    ''I mean, there''s a reason why I still didn''t consider her for the position when she was the onlypetent around.''


    That left two real choices; Jet and Sherlock.


    ''Sherlock is still too young, but he has a lot of potential. If I start early, I could groom him into a capable leader.''


    However, considering how uncertain life was¡ªespecially the life of an Adventurer¡ªRichard wasn''t sure if he would have enough of it to properly mold the boy.


    ''I suppose that leaves Jet as the optimal choice¡­''


    Sure, the man was enigmatic, but he was already well-received by most of the Adventurers. His fame and power was nothing to sneeze at.


    ''Plus, he has the will of Zephyr in him.'' Guildmaster Richard nodded as he remembered how he heard the loud deration of thed''s dreams.


    ''I suppose the final decision will be made after the Conquest.'' He smiled widely and felt himself drift into unconsciousness.


    **********


    [Meanwhile]


    "You''re back, huh? That was quick¡­"


    As Rey opened his eyes, he found himself staring at Esme''s face.


    It was so close to his¡ªabout only an inch or two apart. The moment he finally processed what was happening, he became so startled that he nearly jumped out of the room that his current body upied.


    "The hell?! What did you do that for?"?Rey yelled, already creating some distance between himself and the girl who simply stared at him.


    "H-how long have y-you been standing there for?!"


    His face was very hot, and the dark mask covering it didn''t help in the slightest. He also found himself stuttering, which further showed how flustered he was.


    "Not too long ago." Esme shrugged, almost as if the whole thing wasn''t that big a deal. "I got bored waiting and wanted to see if I could remove the mask and take a peek."


    She sighed and walked towards her bed, copsing on it in one swift downward motion.


    "Y-you what? And you''re admitting it just like that?"


    "Why would I lie about something like that? I''ve been begging you to show me for some time now, yet you won''t."


    "S-still! Why am I even flustered? It''s not like you could have seeded!"


    "Oh? You sure about that?" Esme made a smug look, rubbing her hands together. "I think I was pretty close back there. You just had to show up."


    The truth was, Rey''s original body never left the room. Instead, he simply shared his senses with his duplicate through their connection.


    Unfortunately, anytime he did this, his main body couldn''t really do anything. He only had one mind, after all.


    "I''m have tons of passive protection, so you wouldn''t have been able to pry open the mask no matter how hard you tried!" Rey said, folding his hands.


    Despite saying that, a creeping fear popped into his mind. ''What if she found a way around that?!''


    "I think I could have found a way around that." As if reading his mind, Esme replied with a smirk.


    Her unfounded confidence was driving him crazy.


    "Well, joke''s on you. You''re not even sure it''s my real face that''s under the mask right no¡ª"


    "It is."


    Esme''s swift response had an aura of seriousness about it despite her smile. She seemed to have a sense of certainty.


    It scared Rey.


    "Pfft! That''s¡­ there''s no way you could know for sure."


    "Well, I just do. I have no doubt that the face speaking to me from behind the mask is your true one."


    Rey felt his heart nearly jump out of his chest.


    ''S-she''s not wrong. But¡­ how can she be so sure?'' He couldn''tprehend it.


    "What makes you say that?"


    For a moment, Esme said nothing. She ced a finger on her chin and looked at the ceiling for a moment, thinking about the question as if the answer was far away.


    Then, forming a wider smile than before, she gave a big shrug and threw her arms up in the air.


    "I don''t know, Rey." She let out a slight giggle as she did so.


    Rey thought it was quite cute¡ªno, a lot more than that.


    "I just feel like you could use whatever face you want to talk to me, without the mask on, yet for some reason¡­ you always use it when we''re alone."


    Rey swallowed hard as he continued to hear her words.


    His heart seriously raced because he knew she was arriving at the truth.


    "Maybe I''m wrong, but I believe it''s because you prefer being around me with your real face."


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Wholesome friendship right there. Esme deniers and haters will cook up something, but we all know she''s a good character.


    I mean¡­ I hope we all know that.

 Chapter 445 A Little Bit Of Venting

    <h4>Chapter 445 A Little Bit Of Venting </h4>


    Esme wasn''t wrong in the slightest.


    Rey already realized it, but he really felt like he could be himself around her.


    The first time he transformed to his true self, only with the mask on, in front of her, it was such a subconscious action that he didn''t even realize it until she asked if it was really him underneath the mask.


    He had just gotten sofortable around her.


    ''Well, I guess she can see right through me¡­'' His smile was hidden under the dark mask, unseen by the girl in front of him.


    Before the silence continued for too long, Esme raised up another topic thatpletely shifted the mood of the conversation.


    "Why did you get back so early, though? The meeting didn''t take very long, I''m guessing."


    As she asked this question, Rey instantly remembered the entire thing that happened in the Guildmaster''s office¡ªincluding how frustrated he felt back then.


    "It didn''t take long? Are you kidding? It took too long!" His back fell on the bed as he whined, not seeing the smile that Esme gave him as she rested her head on one hand.


    "That bad, huh?"


    "Yeah! The worst part was that I had to act engaged or things would seem off." He added, sighing to himself.


    Whenever he was with Esme, this pathetic side of himself just managed to ooze out and he felt like he could vent all he wanted.


    Though, sometimes, Rey wondered if he wasn''t being excessive.


    "Well, if it took so long why are you back so soon?" As soon as he heard that question, Rey thought back to when he stopped the sensory sharing experience the moment they left the Adventurers Guild.


    From that point on, his duplicate''s body was on autopilot.


    ''Alicia is definitely going to chew me outter!'' He thought to himself, nearly clenching his teeth in obvious guilt.


    In Rey''s defense, though, he had serious matters to discuss with Esme regarding their ns going forward, unlike the more casual conversation he would have had with Alicia.


    In essence, he was choosing business over pleasure¡ªa truly disciplined move.


    Yes¡­ that was his true reason!


    "In any case, we should get to the serious stuff, Esme." Rey said, returning to an upright sitting posture.


    "Alright, alright."


    The mood in the room turned a little tense as both parties looked at each other with tension in their eyes.


    "About the Guildmaster''s n to¡ª"


    "Pfft¡­"


    "Hm? What''s so funny?" Rey asked, wondering why Esme just burst outughing.


    "Nothing, sorry. I''m so sorry, carry on."


    At this point, Rey''s curiosity got the better of him. He just had to know what caused her tough like that¡ªespecially when they were having such a serious moment.


    "Just say it."


    "No, it''s really nothing."


    "Just¡­e on, don''t be like this. Say what made youugh."


    "I told you, it''s really nothing."


    "If it''s nothing, then say it!"


    "No! Don''t worry about it. Let''s continue the talk."


    "Esme!"


    "About the Grandmaster''s n to¡­ go on."


    "It''s Guildmaster! Also, just spit it out."


    "Yeah, yeah¡­"


    "Come on!"


    "We''re running out of time, you know?"


    "¡­."


    After more back and forths, the room finally quieted down. Despite not using any Skills or even moving from their positions, the two had just engaged in a fierce battle.


    The winner was, of course, Esme.


    ''She didn''t tell me till the very end. Damn¡­'' Rey gritted his teeth as he swallowed his wounded pride to continue his earlier statement.


    It would be a lie if he said he wasn''t still curious about the source of herughter, but he decided to ignore the nagging feeling for more important stuff.


    Business over pleasure, after all¡­


    "Anyway¡­ about the Guildmaster''s n to have us together with the other Heroic Rank Adventurers, it''ll affect our initial ns a little."


    Their original n was to function as a Party of two and grind in the Dungeon, as independently as they could.


    If possible, they would cut off from the rest of the group just for the freedom to kill as many Monsters and raise Esme''s Stats.


    "This new n will have to restrict us, as well as the EXP gained from the entire expedition." Rey sighed.


    He really wanted to refuse the Guildmaster''s n, but there was really no good reason he could give to justify it.


    ''It''s a solid strategy, and it will yield the overall best results for the collective.''


    Rey had operate under the confines of the persona he had generated, so he couldn''t give any response contrary to the ideals he represented as ''Jet.''


    ''The fact that everyone agreed with the n shows just how effective it is.''


    If he and Lux became the sole contrarians, it would go against everything he had been building up from Day 1.


    ''And I can''t have that, now can I?'' He sighed.


    "I don''t think it''s a really bad arrangement." Esme''s voice woke him up from his internal analysis.


    "Besides, if the whole thing bes a bother, we can always find a way to separate ourselves from the rest, right?"


    As expected, she looked at the bright side of things.


    "Well, yeah¡­ you''re not wrong." Reymented, his face still depicting contemtion. "If the current arrangement is detrimental to your growth and my ns, we''ll stop going along with it."


    He could think of a bunch of things he could do to achieve that end.


    "If things go well, it could even end up contributing to your epic grand n." Esme said with a slight chuckle.


    "You really think so?"


    It seemed Rey missed the sarcasm there, but it wasn''t of primary concern.


    "Well, we can only wait and see."


    "I suppose you''re right¡­" After Rey said this, the two were silent for a while.


    Then¡ª


    "Anyway, I was wondering¡­" Esme began, though in a slightly low tone. "¡­ If we could go on some kind of tour through the ci


    ¡ª"


    "Ah¡­ I gotta go now! We just got back to our rooms and Adonis wants to have a secret discussion with us."


    Before Esme could finish, Rey already zoned out, leaving his body in apletely frozen state.


    The Half Elf girl stared at it for a while before shaking her head and sighing.


    "Never mind¡­"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Now, this is a really controversial take, but let''s address it quickly.

 Chapter 446 The Most Unexpected Offer

    <h4>Chapter 446 The Most Unexpected Offer </h4>


    Adonis'' discussion with his ssmates was pretty brief.


    This was because they all had to meet up with their Party Members immediately after, and they probably weren''t going to see each other until the day of the Conquest.


    Even then, with an expected turnout of almost ten thousand members, it was possible that they wouldn''t even see each other until muchter.


    He understood all of this, so while he tried to be as concise as possible, he also did his best to carefully observe the emotions of everyone present.


    Thankfully, everyone seemed to be present in the room¡ªphysically and mentally.


    So far, they had reiterated the strategies they would employ, and afterwards Adonis allowed each student to talk about the Parties they ended up with.


    Some seemed fun, others seemed a bit iffy. It didn''t matter how strong or weak the members were, though.


    Their personalities were also not really important.


    The goal was to train everyone on how to properly handle being in a team filled the strangers.


    People were different, so it was perhaps even better for those who had more diverse members in their Parties.


    ''Even weak Parties will serve a good purpose and will depict a proper ount of what the battlefield is really like.''


    Adonis truly felt like everyone was on the path of growth for this Conquest.


    ''The event will probablyst a couple of days, even if we hurry. After all, we have no idea how the interior works.''


    Worst case scenario, they could be in there for a week.


    ''The goal is to stick together and leave once the time limit has been reached¡ªwhether or not the Boss is defeated or not.''


    No one knew what happened to those who remained within a Dungeon once it vanished, and they certainly weren''t willing to find out.


    At the very least, Adonis wasn''t.


    "Thank you all for your time, everyone." He smiled at the audience in front of him, nodding with pride and personal resolve.


    "Let''s all do our best!"


    **********


    ''Haaa¡­ it''s finally over!'' Rey smiled to himself.


    He had left a pretty engaging conversation with Esme to arrive on time. Thankfully, he didn''t miss anything important.


    ''I think Esme was saying something before I had to connect here.'' It could have been his imagination, but he had to make sure just in case.


    He didn''t want to be rude, after all.


    ''I think I''ll head back now and find out for su¡ª''


    Before he could finish, though, a hand waved in front of him. It instantly broke him out of his thoughts.


    "Rey, you there?" Alicia''s familiar and warm voice echoed in his ears, causing him to look in her direction, almost in surprise.


    "Yeah! Why would you even ask that?"


    He made a slightugh, and she shrugged slightly. "I don''t know. I guess you just seem absenttely. Are you fine?"


    He felt a little guilty once he heard those words.


    The truth was that he indeed was absent¡ªliterally. His clone was the one who was present, so she wasn''t particrly wrong.


    "Yeah, I''m fine." He responded, hiding his nervous smile. "I''m probably just thinking a lot about this city and different it is from what we''re used to."


    "Yeah! I know, right?"


    Alicia''s bright smile warmed his heart so much. He had almost forgotten how fun it was to just sit beside the girl and converse with her.


    The suppressed guilt he hid away began to eat at him even more.


    "What about you, Alicia? Are you fine?"


    Alicia''s face clouded a little upon hearing the question.


    Thankfully, it didn''tst for too long.


    "I''ll be fine. The meeting with my Party Members isn''t for another hour or so. What of yours?"


    Rey felt like there was a lot that Alicia was glossing over, and he intended on getting to the root of it, but first¡­ he decided to answer her question.


    "Same here."


    "Really? That''s perfect then!" She bounced to her feet, beaming with some unknown energy whose origin remained a mystery to him.


    "Since we won''t be doing anything until then, why don''t we explore the city together?"


    "¡­ Eh?"


    The surprise on Rey''s face was indescribable.


    He never saw iting¡ªAlicia''s offer, that is. The truth was, he had been so busy with his ns and double lives that he hadn''t really thought about leisurely activities.


    ''I already scouted the whole city in my free time in my search for Adrien too, so I am pretty familiar with everything here.''


    There was no real reason for him to desire going through another tour again. Just like the meeting earlier, wouldn''t it be another boring repeat of an experience he already had?


    Well¡­ Rey''s heart didn''t seem to be thinking that at all.


    His cheeks would have flushed in embarrassment if this was his body, but thankfully his sensory connection only went so far.


    "What do you think? You said it yourself, didn''t you? It''s a lot different from what we''re used to." Alicia''s smile widened. "Wanna check it out?"


    Rey didn''t even believe she had to ask him that question.


    "T-that sounds like a wonderful idea!" He jumped to his feet before even realizing it.


    ''I''m such an idiot¡­'' His thoughts trailed as he looked at the face of the girl he loved with his heart.


    ¡ªThe one who saved him from crippling loneliness.


    ''I''ve not been paying her enough attention. ''


    Rey''s smile deepened as he arced his arms, inviting her to grab a hold of them. He saw it in a show once, and he felt it was a pretty gentlemanly gesture, and to be honest, he just did it for jokes.


    Much to his surprise, Alicia grabbed a hold of his arm and drew her body close to him.


    ''Ahh¡­'' Rey instantly felt a wave of her nice scent upy his senses as her hair brushed upon his skin.


    It felt good.


    "Alright then, Sir Rey¡­"


    Alicia''s giggles filled the room as she blushed slightly.


    "Please lead the way."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Pick a side, take a stance! The Waifu Wars continue, and we all know who the current contenders are.


    Who do you think suits Rey better as the Female Lead? And why¡­?

 Chapter 447 Night Before The Conquest [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 447 Night Before The Conquest [Pt 1] </h4>


    The n was to spend an hour exploring.


    But, due to their long conversation, the incredible amount of fun they were having, and just the reluctance to leave each other¡­ the two ended up spending nearly four hours together.


    It was already getting dark at this point, as the evening had aged into night.


    Rey walked side by side with Alicia, as they found themselves under the night sky, enjoying the cool ambiance of the world around them.


    None of them said anything. They were just soaked in the world around them as they felt the warmth of their hands.


    Yes, they were holding hands.


    Even Rey didn''t know when this started, but they just happened to do so. So far, their activities had included a lot of sightseeing and eating tons of local delicacies.


    They didn''t taste as good as the Royal Estate meals, but just as Rey noted during his time with Noah, the food in the city had a certain vor that made it stand out to the senses.


    Nheless, they had tons of fun.


    ''Is this a date?'' At some point Rey had to ask himself.


    He looked at Alicia and observed her smile. She seemed happy¡ªvery happy¡ªwith him. Didn''t that mean that she liked him?


    ''But what if it''s just as a friend and I''m overthinking it?''


    If that was the case, then he would ruin their friendship by confessing to her. That had been what was holding him back for so long.


    Well, that and his secret as Ralyks.


    ''I can''t keep running from my feelings. I''ll confront them once I reveal myself as Ralyks and tell her the truth!''


    He was still scared about what her reaction was going to be. However, since he really believed that he had to be honest with the person he really loved¡­ he just had to take the leap and hope for the best.


    ''I''ll tell her about it in private first. Then, I''ll reveal it to everyone else¡­'' It would be when Lucielle and Brutus arrived, so he wouldn''t have to exin himself again.


    Even now, he got goosebumbs about the whole thing.


    "Hey, Rey¡­" Alicia''s voice broke him out of his thoughts, and he looked at her with his most attentive face ever.


    "Yes?"


    "I¡­ well, this was a lot of fun." She muttered, her eyes glistening as she turned to look at him. "I had a lot of fun."


    "Me too¡­"


    Somehow, Rey felt like there was a lot more that Alicia wanted to say. He desired to ask, but something told him to hold off and be patient.


    And so, he was.


    He waited to see what she would tell him, his eyes beaming as it reflected hers.


    "To be honest, I was a little worried before. About you, and about¡­ us." Something about how Alicia said he ''us'' made Rey''s heart nearly skip a beat.


    Still, he creased his brows the moment he heard such a dark revtion.


    "Worried? Why?"


    "Well, is that even a question? You''ve been acting pretty distanttely. It''s like one moment you''re here and the next moment you''re not."


    It was really at that moment that Rey realized just how much of an effect his absence had affected his rtionship with Alicia.


    "I know this makes me sound needy and stuff. I hate how gross that makes me, which is why I didn''t want to say anything for the longest time¡­" She sighed, shrugging and throwing her hands up.


    "I didn''t want to say anything before, but then after tonight, this time with you, there''s just such a difference that I wonder why you were acting that way before."


    Alicia went on to talk about the instances when he acted weird, and when Rey heard some of those things, he wanted to kill himself.


    He literally wished the ground would swallow him that very moment.


    ''I did all of those things? The heck?!'' He already knew his duplicate was a poor imitation of him, personality-wise, but this was just next-level bad.


    "I know it sounds a bit cringe, but I want us to have more moments like this, you know? Ahh, I hope I''m not ranting too much or anything. I just¡­"


    Alicia paused a little before looking away¡ªat the ground¡ªand then back at Rey.


    "¡­ I missed you."


    Once Rey heard that, he felt something in his heart tell him two things.


    One was that he was such an insensitive idiot for not paying enough attention to Alicia. They were close friends, yet he just left her with a clone of him to deal with business.


    That was just next-level despicable.


    However, apart from the self-loathing, there was something else that oozed within him. It was impossible to ignore the chemistry in the air that night, and Rey felt like the mood was just perfect.


    It was a quiet night, and they now sat at a secluded corner, just the two of them, under the darkness of the sky.


    ''Should I¡­ go for it?'' He saw her moist lips and gulped instantly.


    They seemed to call him nearer, and he just couldn''t refuse the instinctive act of man.


    ''What am I doing? I''m going to make her mad! She''s going to hate me! She''s going to p me and walk away!''


    All those thoughts yed over in his mind as he drew closer.


    Much to his surprise, though, Alicia also seemed to be drawing closer.


    It wasn''t just his imagination! Her body arched close to his, and her lips also seemed ready for his own.


    ''I-is this it? Does this mean¡­?!''


    Rey threw aside all his hesitation and decided to risk it all in this gamble. His heart felt like it would explode at any moment, but he endured and pulled closer.


    He didn''t even care that this wasn''t his real body.


    Rey just wanted her.


    Then, before he realized it, the distance between both of their faces was near non-existent.


    Any moment now, and¡ª


    "Oh? Is that you, Rey?" A loudvoice echoed from behind the two of them, instantly halting their motion.


    "Alicia too? What are the both of you doing alone here? Without your disguises too."


    Both of them already recognized the voice, and as the person drew closer, the mood was instantly ruined.


    Rey couldn''t help but grit his teeth and sigh.


    ''Justin¡­ you idiot!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Keke... looks like another opportunity missed.

 Chapter 448 Night Before The Conquest [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 448 Night Before The Conquest [Pt 2] </h4>


    The night was awkward after that.


    They had to speak to Justin, who was just returning from his meeting with his Party Members when he saw them in that corner.


    As expected, he poked jokes at them and tried to probe further into what they were doing alone in the dark, but none of them answered honestly.


    Thankfully, Justin only caught about a second of it, so he couldn''t make any concrete case.


    "Well, I hope your Party meeting went well. I''m supposed to rendezvous with them at our Group Roomter, so I''m just whiling the time away exploring the city." He exined with a casual smile.


    It might have been casual information from his perspective, but both Rey and Alicia received a rude awakening the moment he said this.


    ''THE PARTY MEETING!''


    The hadpletely lost track of time, and now the meeting was probably over.


    Justin, being the perceptive guy that he was, observed their shocked expressions and cocked his head slightly.


    "You guys okay?"


    "Y-yeahh¡­" They both muttered, their heads hanging in disgrace.


    Who would have thought that Alicia¡ªthe stern and disciplined one¡ªand the Extra¡ªwho didn''t cause trouble for anyone¡ªwould be the ones to default in the n?


    Their heads were still spinning as to the consequences of their actions when Justin waved them goodbye.


    "Welp! I gotta go now! You people can continue what you were doing back the¡ªouch!"


    A slight jab from Alicia sent him hopping away, hurriedly waving as he ran off in both pain and fright.


    "See you guys at the Conquest!"


    As both Rey and Alicia heard hisst words, they sighed simultaneously. Rey''s sigh was louder, though.


    ''There''s no way we can continue now¡­''


    Not only was the mood not right, but they had to deal with theirteness to their respective Party Meetings.


    Rey didn''t know about Alicia, but he would be lying if he said he wasn''t aware that time was passing and that he was supposed to be in his Party Meeting.


    However, because of his time with her, he kept pushing it aside. He couldn''t even use his Skill to create another duplicate to take his ce, since that meant he would be momentarily disconnected from his current clone.


    He didn''t want to do that with Alicia¡ªespecially in theter parts of their evening together.


    In the end, he messed up.


    "W-well¡­ I guess we better get going to our Party Meeting¡­" She muttered, causing Rey to slightly nod.


    "Mine is in that direction."


    "Mine is over there."


    Both of them pointed to separate ces, which clearly meant they would have to part ways at that particr spot.


    The wise thing to do was to dash off, not wasting any time at all, but something about the atmosphere caused their feet to be nted in the ground.


    "So¡­ I guess we won''t see each other till the Conquest. Maybe even until after."


    "Yeah. We won''t be able to talk until after."


    They both stared away from each other in silence, feeling the awkwardness creep in on their skin.


    Perhaps it was just reluctance, but it seemed like neither of them wanted to be the one to say goodbye.


    ''Damn¡­ how do I¡­?'' Rey swallowed his saliva and clenched his fist.


    It wasn''t right that they were still dying despite how precarious their situation was. Before he could be the bigger person and tell Alicia goodnight, though¡­


    "I should go now. Bye Rey!"


    ¡­ She ran off, almost as fast as the gust of wind.


    "B-bye¡­" He slightly raised his hand while mumbling.


    Rey remained like that for a while, soaking in the disappointment that now filled his body at a massive rate.


    ''I was so close¡­'' He closed his eyes, clenching his fist while his upper and lower teeth grated against each other.


    ''What will happen now? Will we forget this moment? Will we try it again?''


    Rey wasn''t sure.


    There was one thing he couldn''t deny now, though, and that brought him incredible relief.


    ''Alicia¡­ I''m pretty sure she likes me!''


    It made him so happy that he could scream at the top of his lungs in victory.


    And that was exactly what he did.


    "WOOOHOOOOOOOOOO!!!"


    Sound Magic blocked anyone else from hearing his thunderous shout of triumph, so he didn''t really care how loud he was.


    Rey just felt so happy!


    ''I''ll definitely confess to her when we get back.''


    He would have preferred doing it after the Conquest, but that time wouldn''t be appropriate considering how many moving pieces there would be after everything was over.


    ''We''ll be pretty busy. Plus, the most vital reason is the casualties¡­''


    People were going to die in this Conquest, and he wasn''t going to save them. No, it was more like he couldn''t.


    They chose the path that they desired, so it wasn''t like it was his fault at all.


    ''If I want to cause no casualties, I could just try clearing it myself. Well, maybe with Esme by my side.''


    But would that really be the best solution? Was that what the Adventurers wanted, or even needed.


    The answer was no.


    ''A lot of them are going to die, but they wouldn''t have it any other way.''


    Rey wasn''t saying that Adventurers were suicidal who simply desired to die. No, they were simply risk-takers who chose¡ªfor various reasons¡ªto walk down a path that could lead to their demise.


    ''We all die someday. It''s just a matter of how and when¡­''


    He couldn''t allow himself to be overly concerned with the mortality of the Adventurers in this Conquest, especially since more were going to die after he was gone from the city.


    ''Let''s just stick to the n¡­'' Rey began walking away. ''¡­ And everything should be fine.''


    A few more steps forward and he stopped dead in his tracks before swiftly realizing something.


    ¡­ Something he hadn''t thought of before.


    Swiftly cupping his two hands around his mouth and nose,he heavily poured out his breath and smelled it.


    ''No bad breath? Whew¡­!''


    After sighing in relief, he continued down his path.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Next chapter, the Dungeon Conquest finally begins. I''ve been waiting for this for so long.

 Chapter 449 Day Of The Conquest [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 449 Day Of The Conquest [Pt 1] </h4>


    [Day of The Dungeon Conquest]


    [Location: West of the City, Entrance Of The Grand Cmity ss Dungeon]


    "YEAAHHHHHHHHH!!!"


    The evening was bursting with life was every Adventurer in the area roared with incredible vigor.


    Thousands upon thousands of Adventurers could be seen, all in their respective gear, as they roared with both exhration and determination.


    The time had finallye¡ªthe climax that had been building up for the past few days.


    Everyone''s face, the ones that weren''t hidden underneath helmets, masks, or hoods, depicted excitement.


    Many had greedy looks in their eyes. Some appeared scared, while others just slightly unnerved.


    Some Adventurers knew they were not qualified to enter the Dungeon, but held onto the hope that as long as the top-ss Adventurers were present, they could just leech off them and enjoy whatever leftovers they could get.


    They were especially d to see that the Heroic Rank Adventurers were standing right in front of everyone¡ªleading the march to collective prosperity.


    The Scavengers were also present, though they preferred to stay at the rear.


    Their approach was to wait and see just what kind of reward they could benefit once everyone had gotten their full or becamecent.


    It astronomically reduced the risk on their end, and as long as they held out for long enough, they could gain a lot of spoils¡ªall without hardly lifting a finger.


    Just as Guildmaster Richard estimated, the number of Adventurers in the vast western desert was almost ten thousand.


    A total 9,870 Adventurers were present for the Conquest¡ªnearly twice the number that showed up during thest one of such a kind that took ce three hundred years ago.


    Not only did they have more members, but the number of Heroic Rank Adventurers was also astronomically higher.


    All in all, they had surpassed their ancestors.


    It was their duty to see this though to the very end and make them proud.


    ***********


    "Looks like some people didn''t listen and get their face masks¡­" Sherlock said with a sigh.


    He stood among the rest of his peers, the Heroic Rank Adventurers. It felt a bit odd, seeing as he was the shortest among them, but he chose to ignore the fact and hoped everyone also did the same.


    Thankfully, no one brought it up.


    "They must be confident of their tolerance level. I mean, look at us." Richard smiled at Sherlock. "We''re also not wearing any."


    "That''s because we''re stronger, obviously." Britta sighed.


    The quality of their Mana was a lot greater than Miasma that would be drifting in the air, so there was really no chance for them to be poisoned with such a method.


    Besides, even though none of them went out and said it, all the Heroic Rank Adventurers had masks among the load they carried. Not only that, but they had Mana Potions of all kinds so they could treat Miasma Poisoning if it ever happened to them.


    Of course, given the limited amount they carried, it was doubtful that they would share their goods with careless Adventurers.


    "I suppose this is a good opportunity for peddlers to make some money." Sherlock shrugged. "I even saw a bunch of them on my way here."


    It wasn''t strange for peddlers to enter Dungeons, especially if it was arge scale operation like a Raid or Conquest.


    That way, they could sell their goods at absurdly high rates. Depending on the difficulty of the Dungeon, and the desperation of the Adventurers inside, their rates could go from three times more than the usual market price to up to ten times.


    The Adventurers involved would have no choice but to buy those items¡ªwhether it be Potions or Enchanted Items¡ªdue to their precarious situation.


    That alone made it a profitable venture; enough for peddlers to risk their lives by entering dangerous Dungeons¡­ just to make a lot of money.


    "Well, there''s no need to focus on those behind us. It should be the opposite, don''t you agree, Jet?"


    As the Guildmaster''s words echoed amongst the strong, everyone cast their gaze on the man in his dark coat and gentlemanly hat.


    Even now, he held his briefcase like a traveling businessman, and he gave off an air of formality.


    More importantly, he had remained quiet for most of the conversation.


    Until now.


    "I wouldn''t say I agree, but¡­ I do know one thing." Jet nced left and right, ensuring his eyes met every single one of hisrades.


    Then, he stared ahead, at the massive entrance of the Dungeon.


    "A Dungeon does not discriminate between the strong or weak. If we don''t focus on the task at hand, we could be the ones to die."


    His words had a grim tone attached to them as he spoke the grim truth.


    There were cases of strong Adventurers dying in Dungeons, just as there were circumstances where weaklings were ughtered.


    Most Adventurers, strong or weak, perished this way.


    As a result, the hubris of the strong was something that had to be cut off as soon as one possibly could.


    Within a Dungeon, there were unknown creatures that lurked in the dark.


    Human understanding could notprehend them, just as they could not understand the nature of their home.


    Till today, Dungeonsrgely remained a mystery.


    "I have a question for you all." As tension rose in the air, and the moment of reckoning drew near, Jet''s calm voice once again echoed out.


    "What do you think is the most primal aspect of man? Our most base nature?"


    The faces of many disyed surprise. Still, some attempted to answer, giving a unanimous answer that most would agree with.


    "Fea¡ª"


    "Many will call it fear, but I disagree." Jet added, his voice somber and dark.


    "Man''s most primal nature is ignorance; a nk te that knows nothing about the world or how it works."


    Even babies had this integral, base nature of man.


    "But, how then do we get to fear?"


    The answer was simple. It existed in the process in-between


    "Ignorance breeds curiosity¡­ the desire to know more about the world¡­ to understand how it works."


    But it didn''t stop there.


    "Curiosity breeds knowledge. And that knowledge¡­" Jet cast his gaze on the Dungeon with intense eyes.


    "¡­ It leads to fear."


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 450 Day Of The Conquest [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 450 Day Of The Conquest [Pt 2] </h4>


    Fear of the UNKNOWN.


    It is a popr term coined by those who lived in the world.


    But how true is it, really? Do humans really fear the unknown?


    What of children¡ªbabies, even?


    They know nothing, yet fear is such a distant emotion for them.


    For most, fear is taught¡­ alongside pain, in a way to determine the difference between right and wrong.


    ¡­ Good and evil.


    The fear of the unknown does not exist.


    Ignorance never breeds fear¡ªat least not directly. Instead, it is the catalyst for a process that eventually leads to fear.


    When wee into the world, we know nothing.


    We fear nothing.


    But, we grow curious. Then, we learn. We receive the taint of knowledge, which then brings us to a particr point.


    The point where we know that there are things that we do not know¡ªblots in existence that hide forbidden truths from us.


    This is what breeds fear.


    And so, as they stood before overwhelming gates that lead to a ce none of them understood, the Adventurers weren''t scared because of their ignorance.


    No, they were frightened because they had knowledge.


    They knew what had happened to their predecessors who took on this impossible task. They knew how fatal Miasma was. They knew what it meant to feel pain¡­ to suffer¡­ to watch others die, and to nearly die themselves.


    That was what caused the fear to sprout.


    They were not innocentmbs being led to the ughter, neither were they babies who embodied ignorance.


    If they were, none of them would flinch at the slightest sign of such terror.


    But, these men and women who braved themselves for the darkness toe were aged.


    And so¡­ they couldn''t escape the fear.


    **********


    ~CREEEAAAK!~


    The loud noise caused by the massive gates opening caused everyone''s excited faces to turn grim.


    No one smiled any longer¡ªnot one.


    The repulsive energy the leaked out from within the ce caused many to shiver. Still, they braced themselves.


    They didn''te this far for nothing.


    The massive entrance was almost fifty meters in height alone, and it was so wide that a hundred people could walk in, side by side, without any difort.


    The overwhelming Dungeon itself was already a massive fortress, so it made sense for its entrance to be so eerie.


    Then¡ª


    "We will now begin the first Grand Cmity ss Dungeon Conquest since three hundred years ago!" Guildmaster Richard''s voice filled the air.


    Everyone tightened their hold on their weapons and readied their trembling legs.


    It was toote for those having second thoughts to turn back now.


    The crowd of ten thousand was about to march forward at the signal of the Guildmaster. It would be an unstoppable stampede.


    "CHARGE FORTH!"


    As the voice sprang forth, a thunderous yell from the crowd dominated the space and everyone rushed forward in a straight march.


    For glory¡­ for power¡­ for wealth¡­ for freedom.


    It didn''t matter what their motivations and inclinations were at that moment.


    All that mattered was the Dungeon in front of them, and the sole life they had to live.


    ********


    ''The Miasma is bearable¡­''


    Rey thought this as he and his team stepped into the massive hall of the Dungeon''s ground floor.


    It was toorge that massive felt like an understatement in describing it.


    Purple mes burned eternally atop vials that hung on the walls, so it wasn''t entirely dark. Yet, the looming shadows around could not bepletely vanished.


    It created an air of unease as Rey carefully observed his surroundings.


    The distance between the ground and ceiling was about a hundred meters, and the entire space around felt overwhelmingly big¡ªeven for the size of fortress around them.


    ''I suppose this is the same weird phenomenon that goes on in energy-dense areas.'' Just as with the 99th Floor of the Royal Dungeon, where the concept of time was distorted, it seemed this one affected the space around.


    Or perhaps this was simply the influence of some kind of Magic or Skill.


    Rey couldn''t tell.


    In their hundreds, the Adventurers trailed in, having more than enough to upy the room, and their numbers didn''t even exceed the first half of the room''s total space.


    The tiled floors seemed to be made from some sort of ck stone, and the ancient walls seemed to consist ofrge bricks that seemed aged.


    It looked like an abandoned castle of sorts, with an unbelievablyrge flight of stairs standing an impossible distance from them.


    A non-functional chandelier eveny suspended on the ceiling.


    ''This structure looks different from most Dungeons I''ve studied about. I know it''s a Grand Cmity ss, but still¡­''


    Unlike most Dungeons that seemed to form naturally¡ªperhaps through caves and caverns¡ªthis one seemed a little odd.


    It looked like a house¡ªor more specifically, a mansion.


    There didn''t seem to be any concept like ''Floors'' in this ce, and even though Rey was spreading his senses around to confirm this, he felt nothing.


    ''The Miasma is interfering with my senses, but I can still perceive things.''


    Regr Dungeons had Floors, and the ground floor was usually considered the easiest. Depending on the kind of Dungeon, the lower or higher you went meant the difficulty increased.


    ''But this¡­ what exactly is this?''


    A Dungeon with no Floors, having a structure like a castle meant one thing.


    ''There are several rooms here, with upper and mid regions. I''m guessing each room is like a Floor, but since they''re so random, it''s sort of impossible to tell which is more dangerous than which.''


    To put that into perspective, they could end up skipping a Floor 2 and enter a Floor 9. If that happened, it would be too overwhelming and a ughter was bound to happen.


    ''Someone definitely built this Dungeon. Maybe there''s some sort of clu¡ª?''


    ~BAM!~


    The loud noise of the gates shutting tight echoed in the air, causing many to leak out gasps while staring behind them.


    At that very moment, bright purple light rose from the other side of the room, revealing a hidden darkness that upied the depths of the ground.


    Before they realized it¡­ something was beginning to emerge.


    ¡ªSomething evil.


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 451 Grand Calamity Class Dungeon [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 451 Grand Cmity ss Dungeon [Pt 1] </h4>


    ''A dark hole under the ground, huh? Looks like Necromancy.''


    That was the first thought on Rey''s mind as he saw the bright purple light shine bright and felt an emergence from underneath the floor''s surface.


    He had seen Ater use the Skill before, so he understood how it worked.


    "BRACE YOURSELVES, EVERYONE!" Richard''s voice reverberated amongst his fellows, and the many that stood behind him.


    "FIRST WAVE INCOMING!"


    The Adventurers, at least the sensible ones, tightly clutched their weapons and spread themselves out. They took battle stances and readied themselves for the iing horde.


    Those who could used Buff Skills began to activate them, and the Magic Users swiftly chanted out their Spells.


    The air of tension did not vanish, and with loud noise radiating all over, many did not hear the pulsating sounds emanating from the ground.


    They felt like chattering¡ªlots of chattering.


    The disgusting sound of bone grating upon bone, almost as unpleasant as metal scraping metal.


    Those at the forefront heard the sounds clearly, though, and they prepared themselves for the challenge.


    Then¡ª


    ~SHWUUUUUUUU~


    ¡ªThe creatures from beneath began manifesting.


    They had darkened white bodies, their forms a grotesque and twisted representation of false life.


    Skeletons, animated ones, faced the Adventurers, all of them having some kind of purple glow within their empty sockets.


    "T-that is¡­!"


    "No way!"


    "Incredible!"


    Miasma was associated with Necromancy, so this sight did not surprise anyone.


    It was the sheer number that made their eyes widen.


    The Skeletons were at least thrice¡ªno, perhaps four times¡ªas many as the Adventurers that stood opposite them.


    Some looked like ordinary bony Undead, but others were different.


    About one-tenth had normal armor, obsidian ck in color. They also had swords or spears in their hands, making them standard soldiers.


    Another one-tenth had robes on, and while they had no weapons equipped, it was clear that they had no use for one. Their ttering teeth made it clear who they were and what they were doing.


    These were Caster Skeletons.


    Yet another one-tenth was dressed with light armor, having arrows in the quiver behind them, as well bows in their dominant bony hands.


    These were Archer Skeletons.


    Then, there was thest variant¡ªsmaller in number than the rest¡ªyet having a much more dangerous vibe as mere individuals.


    They had incredibly bulky armor, and their weapons were a lot bigger than the rest.


    You could only count about ten of them, and each had distinct weapons that they wielded.


    One had a halberd, while another had a long sword. The one beside it had a bastard sword, while the next one had a spear.


    It went on like that.


    These were clearly Skeleton Knights, at least B-Tier Monsters.


    "To think we''d encounter B-Tier Monsters on just the ground floor¡­" Someone whispered, though no one knew who it was.


    In essence, the entire army of Skeletons was about 36,000 in number.


    3,600 of them were Soldiers.


    3,600 of them were Casters.


    3,600 of them were Archers.


    All of these were C-Tier Monsters, just for rity sake.


    10 of them were Skeleton Knights¡ªB-Tier Monsters¡ªand the rest were mere Skeletons, which fell in the D-Tier Category.


    Some thought they belonged in a lesser rank, due to their low offensive abilities.


    However, since Undead were rare toe across, and they didn''t feel pain, exhaustion, and couldn''t really die unless you performed specific actions¡ªin the case of Skeletons, crushing their head¡ªthey were ranked higher.


    On the side of the Adventurers, there was no real count done to determine their Ranks, but there were only about a hundred Master Rank (5 Star) Adventurers in the City, and about a thousand Expert Ranks (4 Star).


    Veteran Ranks (3 Star) were a few thousand, but the majority of Adventurers belonged to the Common and Novice Ranks (2 Star and 1 Star respectively).


    In essence, when looking at the total number of Adventurers in the City, and the ones that made it to the Conquest, it was easy to see how clearly outnumbered they were.


    ''Based on what I can sense, only about three thousand of us are going to be of much use in this fight¡­'' Rey sighed to himself.


    The rest were fodder, but that didn''t surprise him.


    ''Older and more experienced Adventurers tend to me more cautious, and they wouldn''t throw their lives away on a mission that they aren''t guaranteed to win.''


    The people that would readily sign up for this sort of thing were ignorant Adventurers or those who were desperate to make a name or fortune for themselves.


    Well, arrogant bastards existed too¡­


    ''In any case, the stage has been set.'' Rey smiled, dropping his briefcase to the ground.


    ''I could easily kill all of them on my own, but¡­ I guess we have to stick to the n.''


    The briefcase opened on its own, and just by stretching his hand downward, the de within flew to his grasp.


    After that, the briefcase disappeared.


    "Cool sword." Noah''s voice echoed from beside him.


    Rey nced to his side and saw that Noah had already taken the miniature de off his neck. It now floated above his hand, brimming with so much energy it felt like the thing would explode.


    "I could say the same about yours." Rey added as he witnessed the floating de manifest even more power.


    "Yeah." Noah smirked, ignoring themotion in front of them both. "A friend gifted it to me."


    For a moment, there was silence.


    Then¡ª


    "Watch this¡­"


    In a single second, the de grew in size, bing a katana that he swiftly wielded in no time.


    "Cool." Rey smiled at him.


    "Cool."


    Noah''s de had three effects, and Rey still remembered them till date.


    One was to grow and shrink in size in a mere second.


    There were two other abilities it possessed.


    ~FSHUUU¡­~


    The de turned invisible, even the energy escaping from the senses.


    ''The second function¡­''


    As soon as he did this, though, the Skeletons started moving, so all attention had to go to them.


    ''Here theye!''


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I wonder how strong Noah is,pared to the other Heroic Rank Adventurers of this City.

 Chapter 452 Grand Calamity Class Dungeon [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 452 Grand Cmity ss Dungeon [Pt 2]</h4>


    "First attack iing. Brace for projectiles!"


    Just as Richard predicted, the Skeleton Archers initiated the attack by firing their arrows high up.


    ~WHISH!~


    Whistling sounds filled the air as the thousands of arrows ascended, only to swiftly descend with even greater force towards the group of Adventurers.


    Arrows could be defended against as long as you had the right Skill, armor, or some other sort of defense against it.


    Evasion was also possible.


    However, a volley of such magnitude was bound to take a lot of lives¡ªespecially since it covered such a wide area.


    At least, that was how it was supposed to go.


    "Lux¡­"


    With a single word from Jet, the white-d Adventurer nodded and finished chanting her Spell within a second.


    Her hands rose up, and a sudden torrent of wind exploded from beneath her.


    ~VWOOOOOOOMMM!~


    With just a single spell, she easily stopped all the arrows, suspending them in the air.


    Every Adventurer behind the Heroic Rank Adventurers gawked in both awe and disbelief as they witnessed the amazing sight with their very eyes.


    Not only was it incredibly difficult¡ªif not impossible¡ªfor a single Spell in such a short time to stop thousands of wide-spread projectiles at once, it just couldn''t be done by a single human being.


    Perhaps thebined Magic of a group could achieve such an effect, but not a single Mage.


    The only person who would be considered capable of such a feat would be Grand Mage Lucielle, and that was because she was probably the only human in H''Trae with an A-Tier Skill and an A-Tier ss at the same time.


    She was an anomaly¡ªa genius beyond anything the world had ever seen.


    Many considered her the seconding of Jet Zephyr, but since the former dealt in Magic, and thetter was predominantly a Warrior, it was difficult topare the two.


    Still¡­ no other person but Lucielle could have done that. If Lux was capable of such, then there was no longer any doubt about it.


    She was on the same level as the Grand Mage of the Alliance!


    "I suppose it''s time for our counter." Jet muttered, taking his gaze off Lux as he looked ahead at the Skeletons.


    "This will be the signal for battle."


    Lux pointed both of her raised hands towards the Skeletons, and the suspended arrows suddenly began to move. They shifted and turned by themand of the winds.


    In no time at all, all 3,600 of them faced the Skeletons.


    "Fire."


    The moment Jetmanded this, Lux caused her hands to fall.


    And then the arrows followed.


    ~WHOOOOSH!~


    They rained down on the Skeletons, crushing their white bones in an instant.


    Of course, a mere three thousand arrows would do nothing to an army of over thirty thousand. The soldiers could fend off the arrows, and their armor was also a solid defense. Casters were more vulnerable, but if they could defend themselves with basic Magic, they would be fine.


    The Archers were probably fast enough to evade, and the Skeleton Knight weren''t even going to be affected at all.


    Plus, since the arrows were shot randomly, most of the damage wouldn''t be fatal.


    Sure, some Skeletons would lose their limbs, and have several bones broken, but as long as their head was intact, and their mobility wasn''tpromised¡­ they could still fight.


    But so what?


    The descent of arrows wasn''t meant to be an attack.


    It was merely a signal.


    The true storm was only about to begin!


    "ATTACK!"


    In a ferocious roar, the Adventurers charged forward, behind the Heroic Rank Adventurers that raced ahead¡ªwith the exception of Lux.


    Her task was to intercept the arrows and redirect them towards the enemy, hence dealing with all ranged attacks that could dwindle their numbers.


    "Master Rank Adventurers, take care of the Casters first. If they use Joint Magic, it could be dangerous!" Richard yelled to the top of his lungs.


    "Expert Ranks should support them, while Veterans should take care of the Soldier Skeletons."


    The Archers had little use in directbat, so they weren''t an immediate threat. Besides, whatever attack they threw would be intercepted by Lux.


    "The rest of you¡­ earn your keep and attack the Skeletons."


    By some miracle, the stampede did not drown the voice of the Guildmaster. All the Adventurers heard his words and responded with determined nods.


    "Let break them into apart!"


    "YEEAAAAAHHHHHH!!!" The echoes of conquest fueled the electrifying atmosphere, instantly granting a rush of power to those who were ready.


    Now, more than ever, the Adventurers truly felt only one emotion.


    ¡ªThe desire to fight!


    ***********


    ''Well, this is going well¡­''


    The Adventurers were motivated to fight, and so there was hardly any hesitation in their movements as they rushed at the enemy.


    There was more than enough room to fight too, so that was an additional advantage.


    ''The Skeletons are slow, so even weaker Adventurers cannd a couple of hits and gang up on them¡ªone at a time¡ªuntil they win.''


    The problem was time.


    ''Our numbers are just so much smaller than the opponent''s. Even if we keep whittling down their numbers like this, they''ll eventually get the upper hand.''


    Adrenaline was effective, but it onlysted for so long. After its effect was over, the bacsh would arrive.


    ''They''ll tire themselves out at the rate they''re going now, and once they slow down considerably¡­ the pendulum will swing in the favor of the Skeletons.''


    Undead felt no exhaustion or nutrition, which meant they could keep fighting forever.


    This tenacity of theirs was what made them very difficult to handle.


    ''At the very least, they don''t have to worry about the projectiles.'' Rey smiled wryly, wondering just how many casualties would have been made if Esme didn''t save them.


    It made sense that he was relieved about that, though heughed at himself.


    ''Even though I told myself I wouldn''t bother with them¡­ haha, I guess I just can''t stand watching people die.''


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I guess he still has his humanity...

 Chapter 453 Grand Calamity Class Dungeon [Pt 3]

    <h4>Chapter 453 Grand Cmity ss Dungeon [Pt 3]</h4>


    Just as Richard ordered, the Adventurers were working on tight formation.


    Novice and Common Adventurers were busy fighting against the ordinary Skeletons, while Experts and Masters handled the Mages.


    The Veterans had the middle-ground and dealt with the Soldiers.


    As for the Heroic Rank Adventurers, their task was already obvious¡ªdefeating the Skeleton Knights.


    There were a total of six Heroic Ranks, but with Lux taking care of the projectiles, that left only five. No one bothered saying anything to each other, but there was an implicit agreement among them that they would simply take two each.


    And so, they marched forward.


    ~BOOM!~


    They easily cleared the Skeletons¡ªno matter what variant they were¡ªin their paths while racing towards the main enemies they had to beat.


    Usually, fighting against B-Tier Monsters was something Heroic Rank Adventurers had no problem doing. There were certain tricky ones that could cause trouble, but they were still not too much of a threat.


    However, when it came to Undead, especially Skeleton Knights, things were a little tricky.


    Monsters usually never wielded Items, and even though some were intelligent enough to use weapons, they usually weren''t enchanted.


    But¡­


    Undead¡ªespecially humanoid ones¡ªwere prone to be equipped with Items. The stronger the variant, the higher the chances that they were wielding some incredibly powerful Items.


    That strongly applied to the Skeleton Knights.


    Depending on the kind of Enchanted Items, and how many were being wielded by one Skeleton Knight, it could be considered an A-Tier Monster.


    It was the same way a human with B-Tier Skills and capabilities could end up as a Heroic Rank Adventurer¡ªtechnically an A-Tier entity.


    The supplementary power provided by Items yed a very vital role in battle, and just by a single nce, it was clear that the Skeleton Knights were equipped with some high-quality Items.


    Their weapons gleamed with danger, and the bulky armor they wore was immacte.


    They were coated in all-ck, which sharply contrasted the fading white of their bones, while matching well with the purple sparks in their sockets.


    Still, whether B-Tier or A-Tier, it didn''t really matter to the Heroic Rank Adventurers.


    They were capable of handling any¡ªespecially if it was a one-on-one battle.


    At most, each would fight two at the same time, which wasn''t really feasible considering how spread-apart each Skeleton Knight was.


    Perhaps if it was a massively overpowered A-Tier Monster, even one would be an issue. But, a Skeleton Knight was nothing!


    ¡­ Not to Adventurers of such caliber.


    *******


    ~CLANG!~


    The invisible katana of Noah Sherlock easily parried the blow of the Knight that thought it had a clean shot, causing it to stumble back as a result of the recoil.


    ~ZZZTTTZZZ!~


    A burst of lightning soared from his de, and he threw it like a javelin towards the head of the Monster.


    ~WHOOSH!~


    In no time at all, they were separated. Smoke rose from the corpse, and the smell of cooked bone filled the immediate surroundings.


    "Heh!" Noah stretched his hand out, and his de returned to his grasp in no time at all.


    His Katana [Night de] had three special functions:


    Shrink and Grow


    Turn Invisible


    Always return to the wielder.


    These three effects were further amplified by the other Enchanted Items in his possession¡ªone of which was a ring that infused the Lightning Element on anything he wielded.


    He had a bunch of other Items that dealt with other Elemental Attributes, so his de would remain as versatile as it could possibly be.


    Also, since there was such a thing as an Equip Limit, Noah used a smart workaround to subvert his limits.


    ¡ªItem Supplementation!


    By supplementing an Enchanted Item with other Items, making it essentially one Item, you could wield that one Item and it counted as one.


    Of course, matters ofpatibility were a big factor in this, and it didn''t always work, but Noah was able to pick and choose the best kinds of Items that suited him most thanks to the vast amount of money he had.


    ''It''s I good thing I went to Karinc and shopped as much as I could before leaving the Capital.''


    He could always swap out Items too, thanks to having a few Spatial Rings in his possession.


    Anytime his Item ran out of Mana, he could always refill it with supplementary Items or refined Mana Stones.


    If an Item wasn''t being useful in a certain situation, he could swap it out for better or more useful equipment.


    The Items in his arsenal was versatile.


    That was his true strength¡ªthe real reason he felt confident enough in his ability as a Heroic Rank Adventurer.


    Or rather, that used to be the case.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!~


    The loud eruption that came from the distance caused Noah to abandon most of his confidence.


    The sheer scale of the attack was unbelievable, and it swallowed everything within it in that explosion of light.


    It came from a single person.


    "Jet¡­" Noah mumbled to himself as he gazed at the streaks of purple that zoomed all around and about.


    Everywhere the purple streak of light went, destruction followed.


    "¡­ What a beast."


    Compared to Jet''s Chaos de, which easily cleared so many enemies with a single swing, Noah felt like his own Night de was junk.


    He had never thought of his katana in such a way, but any man would feel the same if they caught just a single ce at Jet in action.


    He had long defeated his quota of Skeleton Knights, so he was just assisting the battle by getting rid of most of the mobs by himself.


    Noah was sure that about a hundred Skeletons were ughtered by just a single swing of his de.


    They didn''t even offer any kind of resistance.


    "Now it feels weird calling myself a Heroic Rank Adventurer like him¡­" Noah chuckled, finding the despair of the situation mildly amusing.


    Right in front of him was the disy of pure power, and he didn''t want to miss out.


    ''I suppose I''ll have to try a lot harder too.''


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 454 Grand Calamity Class Dungeon [Pt 4]

    <h4>Chapter 454 Grand Cmity ss Dungeon [Pt 4]</h4>


    ''Alright. I''ve taken care of most of them on this end, so I think I''ll go for the Archers next.''


    Rey''s thoughts were a constant flowing stream, the same as his body, as he darted towards the direction of the Skeleton Archers in the rear.


    His de was in his hand, and he could easily extend it to cut even more Monsters, but he wasn''t doing that.


    They weren''t worth any EXP to him, so he left them for the fodder who badly needed it.


    Even his two Skeleton Knights were killed by Esme through her use of?the Lightning Elemental attribute, though he made it seem like it was him.


    ''The goal is to make her stronger. It would be better if she was actively participating in the fight, but¡­''


    Esme had to stay on defense. If she didn''t, so many people would die.


    ''That''s why I better handle all the Archers. At least, somehow disable them so she can finish them off and then join the fight full-time.''


    There were over three-thousand Archers. He could easily cut them all down in seconds if he used the full power of his [Ascended Godspeed], but for the sake of keeping his power in check, he chose to go with about three minutes.


    "Huu¡­ let''s go!"


    ~ZZZTZZZZZ!~


    He began his race, cutting their limbs so they couldn''t fire arrows, and their legs, so they couldn''t walk.


    EXP went to the one who had thest kill, so all Esme had to do now was strike their heads, and all the EXP would be as good as hers.


    ''I doubt C-Tier Monsters would do much for her, but in such arge quantity, it should be fine.''


    ~WHOOSH!~


    His blurring body raced past even more Skeleton Archers, disabling them just as easily as before. Other Adventurers were already showing signs of exhaustion, but he really didn''t feel anything.


    ''I''m tempted to end things quickly, at least for their sakes, but no.''


    There was a good reason for his caution, even amidst the chaotic state of the current battle.


    ''I can''t discount that Adrien is watching all of this. I can''t give him any reason to think I''m Ralyks, or Rey.''


    For all he knew, Adrien Chase could be anywhere.


    He could be looking down on everyone, watching from a much higher Floor, while all the Adventurers struggled with the mobs.


    There was nothing stopping them from being his Undead soldiers, though Rey highly doubted that, given their overwhelming number and the existence of the easier exnation of them being Dungeon spawns.


    The fact that this was a strange Dungeon¡ªdown to itsyout¡ªeven caused Rey''s previous suspicion of Adrien being responsible for the entire thing, but he quickly dismissed the thought.


    ''I can''t afford to give him too much credit. It would influence my actions too much.''


    Overestimating someone was just as dangerous as underestimating them.


    ''For all I know, he could be pretending to be an Adventurer.''?Hiding in in sight was a brilliant tactic that he was sure Adrien could utilize.


    ''Plus, It''s not like I can just check every single person''s Status Window.''


    That would be nearly ten thousand screens of people who were running around. No matter how diligent Rey was, he didn''t think he was capable of such.


    ''It could even be a waste of time, as he could send a proxy or be controlling people to do his bidding.''


    That meant he would have to ount for Negative Status Conditions when looking at every single person''s Status Window, not just stopping at their names.


    It was too much! Especially when there was the existence of other possibilities that could be employed.


    Hiding in in sight was just one of many means of observation.


    Rey found it unwise to waste his time on that one route, considering how it could lead him to a dead end.


    ''He''ll reveal himself in due time. I just have to wait.''


    Three minutes were over in no time, and once he was done with all the Skeleton Archers, he yelled out.


    "LUX!"


    She nodded in response, stretching out her hands to control the arrows that were suspended in the air, all in front of her.


    They weren''t just 3,600. No, that would be the number of just one round.


    The Skeleton Archers were automated¡ªsame as pretty much every other Undead in the floor¡ªwhich meant they had no ability to learn or make decisions of their own.


    They couldn''t adapt, so they never broke out of their pattern and kept firing arrows at set interval.


    Perhaps if they had a mind, they could have changed their targets a little¡ªmaybe firing a bit lower, so they could reach their targets who were now closer.


    The smartest option would be to stop firing entirely, especially after the first few rounds of being intercepted.


    Unfortunately for them, they had no such capabilities.


    They performed their actions faithfully, and thanks to that, there was an absurdly high number of arrows floating in the air¡ªall of which now turned in their direction.


    So far, Esme had intercepted nine rounds of arrows.


    That was 32,400 arrows in total.


    ~WHOOOOSH!~


    The rain of destruction descended upon the helpless Archers as their bodies were rendered into broken shards.


    Not only were the arrows to fast and powerful, thanks to the force of wind behind them, but their numbers were too overwhelming for a mere 3,600 to escape.


    To make matters worse, they were also immobile.


    Their demise was inevitable.


    ~BOOOOMM!~


    *********


    The hard fought battle came to a close with the victory of the Adventurers.


    Itsted a little over an hour, an impressive figure considering the numbers of the enemy. Most of the time was spent in the first half of the fight, but the close was just a speedrun.


    Once the Heroic Rank Adventurers were done with their allotted enemies and joined the battle, it was pretty much over.


    Still, every single Adventurer had to admit it¡ªwithout any argument or dissent.


    The stars of the battle were none other than Jet and Lux.


    There were simply phenomenal!


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    It was a little drawn-out, but what did you think of the battle?

 Chapter 455 Grand Calamity Class Dungeon [Pt 5]

    <h4>Chapter 455 Grand Cmity ss Dungeon [Pt 5] </h4>


    ''About a hundred died still managed to die, huh?''


    Rey sighed as he stared at the aftermath of the battle, feeling the eeriness in the air around him.


    The dead bodies of the Adventurersy strewn on the ground, most of their faces depicting the debilitating fear or shock they faced as they died.


    Some had their bodies butchered, others simply died due to a lot of blunt force. A lot of it was alsopounded by the Miasma Poisoning.


    Despite all the measures taken, though, it seemed casualties was inevitable.


    ''Nothing I can do about that, I guess.'' Rey shrugged, ncing to hisrades behind him.


    Most of them had relieved expressions on their faces. Who could me them?


    ''Logically speaking, this is the best case scenario that could havee about...''


    Having only a hundred die was a far better oue than the thousands who would have been otherwise ughtered by the barrage of arrows and the overwhelming numbers of the enemy.


    Even the fodder, as long as they were lucky, were able to somehow survive despite most being incredibly useless in the battle.


    Back to the issue of the corpses, a bunch of Magic Users were already casting Fire Magic on the corpses, as instructed by the Guildmaster.


    They had to burn the corpses to reduce the risk of theirrades transforming to Undead due to exposure to Miasma or some unknown Spell.


    ''Let''s focus on other matters for now¡­'' Rey closed his eyes and sighed a little. ''We should be fine.''


    *********


    "As you can clearly see, this Dungeon is incredibly dangerous and not for the weak at all. The strong have no time to worry about you, and the weak have no choice but to die."


    Right there and then, Guildmaster Richard spelled out the true nature of the Dungeon to the Adventurers who stood before him.


    It was a wonder how his voice managed to reach so far away despite him being aged, and the space being sorge. Nevertheless, his voice traveled into the ear of every single man and woman in the room.


    "Adventurers less than Veteran Rank are advised to turn back here and return. Only death awaits if you go on."


    Everyone could see for themselves that the Grand Cmity ss Dungeon was no joke, and so they no longer had to take the Guildmaster''s words for it.


    They could clearly see how their lives were at risk.


    ''Even for us strong Adventurers, it''s still quite difficult.''


    Richard could only imagine how the entire battle would have gone if their total number was even less than they were at the moment.


    ''If we only ount Veterans and higher, we''d only be a few thousand at best.''


    About three-four thousand.


    No¡­ they would most likely be less.


    ''The weaker Adventurers definitely had their uses in the just-concluded battle. A lot of them were useless, but they still managed to defeat one or two Skeletons, and hold the fort until we were done on our end.''


    What would have happened if they weren''t present? The heat would have been greater, no doubt.


    ''How exactly does this Dungeon operate? The Undead army from earlier¡­ would it have spawned differently if we were fewer in number?''


    Richard didn''t know. And as long as he couldn''t say anything for certain, he had to go with what he currently understood about the Dungeon and arrive at a conclusion.


    ''The possibility is high that there would be even more casualties as we go forward, but¡­ I''m reluctant to let the weak ones go now.''


    What if they encountered yet another horde as they advanced? Perhaps an even bigger army than the one they just faced.


    It would be crazy to face them with only a little over two thousand members.


    ''At the very least¡­ no, I shouldn''t think like that.'' Richard shook his head and sighed.


    ''The upper areas should be crawling with far stronger Monsters, so even if there''s an army, they won''t be able to keep up.''


    The Adventurers would just end up dying for nothing.


    "The door is right behind you! Please depart now while you still can!"


    Despite Richard saying this, the Adventurers remained standing. A bunch of them showed hesitation, but for the most part, none of them seemed willing to move.


    ''Ahh¡­ I see now.'' Richard thought to himself as he stared at the crowd.


    The fear in their eyes were inadequate. The tremors from their bodies were insufficient. The wounds that had been inflicted were minimal.


    ''These people¡­ they still want to continue despite everything!''


    The experience just now frightened them a little, sure, but it did nothing to quell the resolve they had before entering the Dungeon.


    ''It looks like my n failed.'' Richard smiled wryly, turning in the direction of the prime reason why things ended up this way.


    ''Jet and Lux, especially thetter. Their existence grants these people confidence.''


    Despite him saying that the strong wouldn''t protect the weak, it was no lie that Lux shielded everyone from harm during the fight. She blocked tens of thousands of arrows for their sake.


    Those barrages would have been very difficult to deal with, and it would have led to at least a couple of thousand Adventurers dying.


    The fact that she could protect them then meant they were counting on her to do the same again.


    ''As for Jet, the fact that he could handle so many Monsters at once, and at such a sheer scale, shows how they ought to be safe from incredibly powerful enemies if those appear.''


    Jet and Lux could always take care of the overwhelming dangers while they worked their way up and reap as many benefits as they could.


    A number of them would still die, but for the lucky ones, they would end up being incredibly rich and more powerful.


    That, to the weak ones, was more than enough reason to keep going.


    ''What a problem.'' Richard frowned a little.


    ''Thanks to their lives being spared, they have be willing to throw it all away again.''


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Sorry for the dy in upload!

 Chapter 456 Grand Calamity Class Dungeon [Pt 6]

    <h4>Chapter 456 Grand Cmity ss Dungeon [Pt 6] </h4>


    ''I messed up!''


    Rey could already sense the expectations of the audience directed towards him and Esme--specifically Esme.


    ''Because of our actions, most of them aren''t turning back.''


    There just wasn''t enough casualties or despair to drive the weak away. For that very reason, many of them thought they had a chance.


    ''But was I supposed to? Watch as all of them got wiped out?''


    If he did that, the number of casualties would have exceeded what the Guilldmaster had projected in his grand n.


    Pretty much anyone who was a Veteran would have died.


    ''That would be an extremely negative blow on the entire Conquest. The Veterans might have chosen to leave at that point.''


    Even after the Conquest was over, the deaths of those thousands was bound to negatively affect the Adventurers Guild.


    ''The Guild earns a certain percentage from the Quest Rewards that Adventurers get directly from them. Also, Adventurers pay taxes too...''


    The entire Quest system would also bepromised since there would be a severe shortage in the number of low-ranked Adventurers to take on low-ranked jobs.


    Higher-ranking Adventurers would never want to want to take on those jobs since the pay would pale inparison to the Quests that existed normally in their purview. Not only that, but their pride as higher-ranking Adventurers wouldn''t let them stoop so low.


    If this imbnce festered for long enough, many more problems would rear its head.


    ''The only way the Guild canbat things by then is to raise the reward of those missions on order to make them appealing to the top Adventurers.''


    It would solve the immediate shortage problem, but what of in the long run? Not only would the Guild be losing a lot of money due to this additional incentive they were providing, Adventurers would see that they could earn a sizeable sum with less risk by going for low-ranked Quests, so they would stop doing more challenging and dangerous ones.


    That would, in turn, make the high-ranking Quests suffer a severeck of manpower.


    ''The only tobat things at that point would be to increase the incentives on the high-ranking missions as well, which will just bring about the same issues and continue the vicious cycle.''


    Rey, of course, considered all of these factors--along with the fact that he didn''t want any unnecessary deaths--which was why he intervened in the fight.


    Or rather, he told Esme to.


    ''I wonder what she would have done if I didn''t say anything. Did she also consider the long-term effects of their deaths, or was she willing to adhere to the original n?'' He had no idea.


    What he knew for certain, however, was that his deep consideration now had severe consequences since the weaklings were now deciding to stay.


    ''If I had [Absolute Mental Control], I would be tempted to use it on these people, but sadly I do not.''


    He did have [Compulsion], but that was an A-Tier Skill, and it only worked on one target at a time. Rey figured it would be weird, and even incredibly unrealistic, if he went around and used the Skill on every single Adventurer.


    Many would pick up on it quickly.


    ''Besides, I really shouldn''t use any Skill beyond my persona''s skill-set.'' He told himself.


    It just seemed like they would have to endure and carry as many as they could onto the next stage, and probably the one after that.


    ''I can''t let them all dieter on after bothering to save them here...'' He sighed and shrugged.


    While Rey couldn''t me the Adventurers for seizing the opportunity of a lifetime by relying on the more powerful to protect, something about the situation left a bad taste in his mouth.


    It felt as though they were using his kindness against him, and they were being pathetic leeches who simply wanted to gain all the benefit while making others work extra for them.


    ''Esme had to pause her Level-Up grind for these people, yet they expect her to do it again and again while they gain EXP¡­''


    It felt so annoying that Rey was tempted to speak his mind in front of everyone present. He wanted to thoroughly rebuke the crowd and, even if it was by force, make them leave the Dungeon.


    But¡­


    "It''s fine. Let''s just keep up with it for now."


    ¡­ Esme''s voice came from beside him, like a soft whisper entering his ears.


    He turned in her direction and found her smiling softly while nodding. It was at this moment that he realized that Esme must have also been thinking about the issue, and she noticed his displeasure on the matter.


    ''Calm yourself, Rey. Don''t get too worked up.'' He told himself, allowing his racing heart to mellow out.


    "I''m fine now. Thanks." He smiled at her, and she nodded, pulling out a thumbs-up.


    He chuckled almost immediately. ''I shouldn''t have thought her that¡­''


    "Well, since everyone has decided to continue the Conquest¡­" Richard''s voice brought Rey back to reality, and he gazed at the older man ahead.


    To his surprise, the Guildmaster looked in his direction. He made a sympathetic look, and Rey shrugged almost instantly.


    ''Let them do what they like.''


    That was his final conclusion.


    Whether he chose to save them or not depended on the situation.


    "¡­ We shall now advance forward!"


    ********


    After picking up the loot and storing them, the group returned to formation and began to march towards the massive stairs.


    The ground floor didn''t seem to have any doors or openings that led anywhere, so it was presumed that they had to ascend. Of course, it was possible that there were secret entrances around, but given the fact that they were still unsure of the other areas of the Dungeon and how long it would take to clear them factor, they didn''t have the time to check.


    Rey and Esme stuck close together, since they were partners, but they still didn''t stray too far away from the rest of the Heroic Rank Adventurers at the front.


    With everyone''s heart hardened for the challenge toe, they could never have predicted what came next.


    ¡­ None of them could!


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I recognize that it was a lot of info thesest two chapters, but bear with me. And for those who like the story the way it is, I genuinely appreciate you guys.


    Thank you all for everything, and I hope you enjoy the chapter.

 Chapter 457 The Mass Teleportation Incident [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 457 The Mass Teleportation Incident [Pt 1]</h4>


    The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.


    That statement, or quote, could not have been truer for the Adventurers who marched forward, unaware of their fate.


    The man who led them, Guildmaster Richard, stood at the forefront of the entire group, with the rest of the Heroic Rank Adventurers a step or two behind him.


    Everyone else carefully moved in ordance to the ones who led them¡ªlike sheep,mbs to the ughter. Their measured movements meant nothing.


    The moment the Guildmaster ced one of his legs on the stairs, making the first attempt to ascend¡­ everything changed.


    ~VWUUUSSHH!~


    That single step forward caused a torrent of energy to instantly engulf the room, and a massive Magic Circle, unlike anything the world had ever seen before, instantly shone from below the unsuspecting Adventurers.


    All of this happened in a mere instant that no one had any chance to react.


    Before their bodies could fullyprehend the surge of energy, or their eyes fully capture the intricate patterns of the giant Magic Circle, it was toote.


    ~SHIIINGGG!~


    The bright purple light that glowed from theplicated lines and drawings in the forme burned bright, drowning everything within the room in its power.


    Just from that single step, every single soul in the area was affected, and their bodies all vanished at once.


    Their journeys, to whatever destination that the light took them, was all started by the Guildmaster''s step.


    And, in a twisted way to keep the poetic statement true, the old man has also vanished as well.


    Everyone was gone.


    Well¡­ almost everyone. For amidst the remnant mist from the incredible energy that just burst forth, there were two who stood beside each otherpletely unaffected by the discement.


    One had a ck hat, with his suitcase in hand, while the other wore a white hooded cloak with blue and gold designs strapped around her Adventurer Outfit.


    Yes, the only ones left in the vast room¡ªstanding right in front of the stairs¡ªwere Jet and Lux.


    Or rather, Rey and Esme.


    *********


    "W-what just happened¡­?"


    Esme''s confused voice echoed in the air as she looked around her in shock. One second, she was looking at the stairs, surrounded by people in all directions, and now she was all alone with Rey.


    The Guildmaster was gone. The Heroic Rank Adventurers were gone. Everyone¡­ was gone.


    Why¡­?


    "There was a forced mass teleportation. I could only briefly experience it all, so it makes sense that you don''t understand."


    From the way Rey was speaking, it was clear that he was bothered. No, more than that, he was worried.


    "Forced teleportation? Everyone was taken away? To where?"


    "I don''t know!" Rey slightly yelled, a lot of suppressed frustration bursting out through his voice.


    It startled Esme for a moment, and he realized that almost instantly.


    "S-sorry¡­"


    "No, it''s fine. I just want to understand what happened."


    To Esme, she indeed felt a surge of energy around her, and it seemed like a sh of light shed before her eyes, but that was pretty much it.


    The sensation didn''t properly register in her brain since it was too fast to capture. Her Level and Stats were pretty much on the high endpared to other Adventurers, so she found it a little worrisome that even she could only see so much.


    No one could have reacted to a sh that fast.


    No one but Rey.


    "We would have been transported as well, but thankfully, I activated my [Absolute Spatial Domain] and it worked just in time." Rey sighed. "You were the closest to me, and the only one I could cover in such a short period of time, so I did that."


    Despite being the only one to act, and the fact that he was able to save her, Rey didn''t look very satisfied.


    "If I wasn''t so flustered, I would have first of all activated my Buff Skills and given myself increased perception of everything."


    With [Ascended Godspeed] he could have been more than fast enough¡ªboth physically and mentally¡ªto save everyone.


    Not only did he get this Skill bybining all of Snow''s Skills into one, he also fused all of Fernand''s Skills¡ªparticrly regarding the ones that improved his perception and speed.


    All of those,bined with Rey''s incredible Stats, would have made him capable of acting a lot faster.


    "I was just too slow in my judgment. It all happened so fast that I instinctively reached for [Absolute Spatial Domain]..."


    "I-I see¡­"


    Esme''s voice was a little low, and she didn''t know what to say to Rey at the moment.


    She could tell why he would be frustrated.


    ''His friends were among the ones who were teleported away¡­ including the girl he has feelings for.''


    None of them were sure where they went to, but Esme could make a pretty good guess.


    ''They''ve probably been scattered around the Dungeon.''


    This wasn''t particrly the first time a Dungeon Trap was seen transporting people to separate locations within the same space. Nothing of this scale had ever happened before, but based on precedent, it was sensible to assume that they were taken to another part of the Dungeon,


    ''I''m sure Rey recognizes this as well¡­''


    Chances of his friends and his special someone being harmed by the teleportation were low. However, it was a different situation when considering the aftermath.


    Everyone was randomly transported to various parts of the Dungeon¡­ but where?


    What if they were taken to the most difficult areas, and worst of all, they were isted? Would even a strong individual be able to survive.


    ''What if that happens to Alicia¡­?''


    Esme realized that Rey must have been having these thoughts, and they had to be driving him crazy.


    That was why she couldn''t help but be silent for a while.


    "This Mass Teleportation¡­" Rey finally spoke up, looking at Esme with eyes reminiscent of someone boiling with pure rage.


    There was no semnce of kindness or concern on his face, and only vestiges of anxiety could be seen there.


    There was only the disy of wrath.


    "¡­ I think Adrien is behind it!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 458 The Mass Teleportation Incident [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 458 The Mass Teleportation Incident [Pt 2] </h4>


    Rey was pissed.


    No, that felt like an understatementpared to what he was feeling at the moment.


    His friends and allies were all gone, and he couldn''t do anything to save them. All his ssmates were also caught up in it.


    ''Alicia too¡­ DAMNIT!''


    The rage swelling from within him felt like it could explode him from within.


    He hated how he was feeling. He knew he was being extremely insensitive to Esme, who was most definitely still confused about the whole thing.


    But¡­ he couldn''t stop mulling over everything.


    ''What was that, though? A Dungeon Trap?'' Rey wondered to himself.


    If that was the case, then it made a lot of sense. This would be the first time something of this scale had happened¡ªsince such traps usually only transported one person or a small group¡ªbut that didn''t discount the possibility of a much bigger trap.


    This was a Grand Cmity ss Dungeon, so something of this scale had to be expected.


    Yet¡­ Rey wasn''t satisfied with that exnation.


    If it was a trap, then that meant there was no rhyme and reason to its effects. The Dungeon just reacted to their presence and used one of its defense mechanisms.


    in and simple. But¡­


    ''It can''t be that simple!'' Rey found something gnawing at his heart.


    He was tempted to leave things as they were, instead focusing on saving everyone, but he couldn''t ignore an exnation that was rising from within his depths.


    ''Adrien! Maybe he¡­ no, not maybe. He has to be the one behind this!''


    Everything that had happened thus far couldn''t have just been coincidences. Rey had tried his best to consider how they could all be natural, but this was thest straw.


    Perhaps he was seeking out patterns where there were none.


    Maybe he just felt so frustrated that he needed some ''living'' entity to vent on, rather than the automated ''Dungeon Defenses.''


    It was even possible that he was being illogical and unreasonable.


    BUT¡ª


    "This Mass Teleportation¡­ I think Adrien is behind it!"


    ¡ªRey didn''t care any longer. He already knew Adrien was behind this, one way or the other, so something of this scale could also be attributed to him.


    "What do you mean Adrien?"


    Despite faintly hearing Esme''s question, he was too immersed in his thoughts to offer a coherent response.


    ''But why? What could he gain from doing this?'' Rey gnashed his teeth as he considered the possibilities.


    ''Is this just one of his games? How will this benefit anyone? How will it help the cause?!''


    No, perhaps this was never about benefiting humanity.


    This was merely just Adrien selfishly doing what was going to be beneficial to just him.


    ''Even if thousands die in the process¡­''


    There were no Floors here. Just rooms that Rey considered ''Zones.''


    ''If Alicia, or anyone I care about, gets trapped in a Zone that is a lot more dangerous than they can handle¡­ maybe a Boss Room or something, then¡­''


    His heart thumped loudly as his eyes turned bloodshot. With his fists clenched, the air around him began to quiver.


    Everything shook tremendously.


    "¡­ I''ll KILL him!"


    At this point, his gaze happened to reach Esme, whose face seemed to be pale with hints of fear and disbelief.


    Her body was vibrating, almost as if it was being shaken by an invisible force.


    ''H-huh¡­? What?''


    At that moment, Rey snapped out of his dark thoughts and stopped the intense bloodlust that was being released from him without his knowledge or control.


    Once he did so, Esme gasped very loudly, almost as if she had been deprived of air for so long. She copsed to the ground and fell on her knees, gasping even more.


    Rey saw this, and his raging heart instantly melted.


    "I-I''m sorry, Esme!" He swiftly apologized, rushing close to her until he knelt.


    Before he could reach her, she raised a hand and stopped him.


    "I-I''m fine. Don''t worry¡­" She slowly raised her head, and streams of tears were falling from her eyes.


    That went on to break Rey''s heart.


    "I''m so¡­ so sorry."


    "I know you are. But¡­" She ced her two hands on his shoulder, gasping for more air while panting very loudly.


    "¡­ Don''t you ever do that again!"


    Her gaze seemed dangerous, almost like she was warning him.


    Rey had never seen Esme so mad at him before, but it seemed like she genuinely was upset for his action; something that hepletely understood.


    "Do you understand?"


    Rey slowly nodded his head, causing her to sigh very loudly.


    Esme raised herself up, though staggering a little once she stood. Her pale face had recovered, and she wiped the tears on her face away.


    "My philosophy makes me consider anyone who may hurt me an enemy. You''re dangerous, Rey, and I already knew that¡­" She looked at him as he picked himself up from the ground.


    "But I never considered you a threat to me. That''s why I don''t see you as an enemy."


    Esme''s moist eyes that glistened with clear blue felt like diamonds carved from the sky. It felt exquisite, yet distant.


    "I don''t want that to change, Rey. I don''t want to think of you as an enemy, or someone who could hurt me."


    "I''m not an enemy, don''t worry! And I won''t h-hurt¡­ you." Rey instantly recognized how false his words seemed in light of his recent actions.


    Yes, he didn''t know what he was doing. However, if there was a chance that an unconscious action of his could hurt her, didn''t that make him dangerous?


    "That''s why I said don''t do it again." She said with a small sigh. "I know you didn''t mean that."


    "Y-yeah¡­ thanks."


    Rey''s head shamefully hung on his shoulders as more worrisome thoughts burdened him, almost to the point of being overwhelmed.


    Then, he felt a warm hand rest on his shoulder.


    "There''s no need to oveplicate things with useless thoughts. Whether or not Adrien is behind this, the most important thing right now is saving everyone."


    Rey raised his head and saw Esme''s smile. That look she gave him, devoid of fear and full of hope¡­ it saved him.


    "So are youing with me or not?" Esme stretched out her hand and nodded invitingly at him.


    There was no way Rey could refuse now.


    "Yeah! Let''s go!"


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 459 The Mass Teleportation Incident [Pt 3]

    <h4>Chapter 459 The Mass Teleportation Incident [Pt 3]</h4>


    [Moments Earlier]


    ~VWUUUSH!~


    Adonis found himself standing in a vast, dark room.


    Just a moment earlier, he was standing among the upper echelon of Adventurers, only for an overwhelming amount of energy to surge forth and a Magic Circle appear.


    He had seen the Magic Circle clearly, and at that moment nothing but sheer surprise took over his body.?His instincts told him to run¡ªescape to the farthest of locations¡ªbut there was nowhere to run to.


    He could only stand there, helpless, as he looked to the people who stood beside him.


    The only people capable of making any movements besides him¡ªJet and Lux.


    Sure enough, there was movement from their end¡ªfrom Jet, at the very least.


    He could see a surge of energy emanating from him; the Spatial kind.


    The air around him warped, and the intense energy that filled his and Lux''s surroundings seemed too unreal for mere humans to achieve.


    ''I''m sure that was at least an S-Tier Skill!'' Adonis furrowed his brows.


    Unfortunately, he couldn''t read any of the finer details, or even act in any capacity, before he got transported to the dark room where he currently upied.


    ''Damnit¡­ I was too careless!''


    Clenching his fist, Adonis felt rage swirling from his insides.


    ''To think those Dragon Spies would use such arge-scale Spatial Magic¡­ I never imagined such a scenario.''


    Jet and Lux had behaved well for the most part, even assisting the Conquest tremendously. Their acting was so convincing that he would have bought it if he wasn''t so sure about the events of the future.


    But, they did enough to let his guard down.


    ''I wasn''t expecting that they would make their move so soon.'' Gritting his teeth, Adonis admitted that to himself.


    It was his mistake.


    There was a chance that this was a mere Dungeon Trap, since that wasn''t unheard of¡ªthough nothing of this scale¡ªbut after seeing the evidence of Spatial Magic around Jet and Lux, there was no way he could consider any other exnation.


    Even if he didn''t catch them in the act, they would have still been his primary suspects. After all¡­


    ''This never happened in the previous timeline. There was no Mass Teleportation reported by the survivors.''


    This was a new development¡ªanother alteration to the timeline.


    ''And what else is a new development? The participation of those two in the Conquest!''


    These elements gave his conclusion perfect coherence, with everything tying itself up in a catastrophic string of logic.


    ''Yeah. There''s no doubt on my mind.'' His frown deepened as he stepped forward.


    It had to have been them!


    ''To what end, though? What do they hope to achieve?''


    Adonis felt foolish for even thinking to ask himself that question. They were clearly nning on exterminating everyone¡ªincluding him¡ªin this Dungeon.


    "Violence and destruction are the two basest characteristics of Dragons." Adonis spat in rage and disgust.


    Rising above those feelings, however, was concern¡ªspecifically towards hisrades.


    Of course, he was worried about everyone else, but when considering the grand scheme of things, his ssmates were the most important.


    Not only were they the closest to him, but they were the biggest threats to the Dragons, and humanity''s only hope in its fight against them.


    It wasn''t just him, but the world, that needed them to be safe.


    "Right now I have two missions¡­" His eyes glowed golden and his energy began to spark all over his body.


    "First, save as many people as I can¡ªespecially my ssmates."


    Adonis unsheathed the de strapped around his waist and coated it in condensed light.


    "Second, I''ll eliminate those two."


    Adonis could no longer risk it and wait. Jet and Lux were both immense threats to humanity, as well as immediate threats to the Adventurers and his friends.


    For the sake of everyone, he had to kill the both of them.


    "¡­ And fast!"


    ***********


    [Meanwhile¡­]


    ~SWOOSH!~


    Richard swiftly moved, much faster than most youths could even dream of imitating, as he shed through a horde of Undead Monsters¡ªGreater Zombies¡ªwho swarmed around him.


    ''The hell¡­!''


    The world around him was dimly lit thanks to the small fierymps that were hung on the four corners of the rtively vast room.


    It wasn''t nearly asrge as the Ground Floor, but the ce was still absurdly huge, with old stones making up the floor, walls, and ceiling¡ªjust as in the Ground Floor.


    Richard had no idea how he appeared here, but the moment he did so, he was bombarded with the joint assault of the Greater Zombies that lurked in the room.


    His instincts told him to fight. Even if he couldn''tprehend what was happening, as long as he didn''t want to die, he had to keep fighting.


    As he swung his de and allowed invisible shes spread around the area, causing incredible damage to his targets, he couldn''t help but grit his teeth and wince.


    With heavy breaths, he jumped from the crowd and used his only Magic Skill [Stone Magic], to sink the ground beneath him so that the Zombies would get stuck there.


    Fortunately for him, [Greater Zombies], while being B-Tier Monsters, had no Active Skills. They just had incredible vitality and troublesome regenerative capabilities.


    Their strength was also nothing to discount.


    Thankfully, though, his [Stone Magic] attack was sessful, and just as one would sink into wet cement, the dozens of Greater Zombies fell right in.


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    Twisting in the air, he found a way to avoid the sinking ground andnded just a few meters away from the only exit door in sight.


    ''I should escape now. There''s no point facing so many of them at once!''


    It was better to leave the room and hopefully regroup with another, or multiple Adventurers¡ªhopefully Heroic Rank ones.


    ''I was probably forcefully transported here. Those stairs¡­ it has to be a Dungeon Trap!''


    The Guildmaster sighed, almost mortified that he had been so careless.


    ''I didn''t even sense anything or notice it.'' His thoughts trailed as he approached the exit and pushed his hand towards the door.


    ''I just found myself he¡­ re¡­?''


    As soon as Richard touched the door, his body froze and the entirety of his mind trembled.


    ''T-this¡­" His eyes bulged as tears of blood proceeded out of them.


    ''W-what is THIS?!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 460 The Mass Teleportation Incident [Pt 4]

    <h4>Chapter 460 The Mass Teleportation Incident [Pt 4] </h4>


    The Mass Teleportation Incident transported an approximate number of 9,700 Adventurers to multiple Zones within the Grand Cmity ss Dungeon.


    Within this massive structure, there were hundreds of Zones¡ªnearly a thousand of them. Counting the corridors and other areas that would not qualify as a Zone, there were probably a few thousand potential locations for the victims to appear.


    ounting for the number of victims, which was much higher than the avable locations, it was inevitable that some people would end up getting transported to the same location.


    This selection, as was the case with the entire Mass Teleportation, was totally random.


    That meant Party Members were split up from on another, and Solo Adventurers were forced to be among people whom they would normally not interact with.


    Weak Adventurers were mixed in with strong ones.


    Strong Adventurers were stuck with ipetent buffoons.


    To make matters worse, each Zone was a different area based on the random difficulty of the Dungeon, so weaker Adventurers could be summoned to extremely dangerous Zones, while powerful ones could end up in the most uneventful ce.


    This randomness¡­ it was fatal for the Conquest.


    Merely a few hours after the Mass Teleportation Incident urred, nearly two thousand Adventurers had already died.


    Based on that number, and the progressive difficulty of survival in such a horrid ce, it was only a matter of time before everyone was wiped out.


    Everyone¡­ without exception.


    **********


    ''We''ve been lucky so far¡­'' Thought Jake, as he walked alongside members of his newly formed Party.


    None of them had no choice but to work together if they didn''t want to die.


    Their teamwork still left a lot to be desired, but they had somehow managed to survive this long despite most of them being Common Rank Adventurers.


    Only Jake and one other were Veterans, and that wasn''t nearly enough to survive in such a dreary ce.


    As his dark hair sat on his worried face, and his brown eyes flickered, he swallowed hard. He couldn''t help but worry that this ''Luck'' that his Party had would soon run out.


    The air in the dungeon hung heavy with an oppressive stillness, broken only by the distant echoes of the adventurers'' footsteps.


    Jake and his Party walked through the narrow corridors, their armor clinking softly with each step. The torchlight flickered, casting eerie shadows that danced along the cold, damp walls.


    As they turned a corner, the torchlight revealed a chamber bathed in an otherworldly glow.


    A congregation of skeletal figures emerged from the shadows, adorned in tattered robes and brandishing ancient staffs.


    ''M-Monsters!'' His eyes bulged.


    And these weren''t mere Monsters too¡­


    Undead mages, their hollow eye sockets glowing with an ethereal light, began chanting in unison.


    ''N-no¡­''


    The atmosphere thickened with an intense energy that sent shivers down Jake''s spine.


    The adventurers drew their weapons, a mixture of anticipation and fear etched on their faces.


    The leader, a seasoned warrior named Sir Rnd, barked orders to the party.


    "They''re just Caster Skeletons, and not too many of them. Attack quickly before they''re done!"


    Casters had less defensive capabilities, so even if they were C-Tier Monsters, even a Common Adventurer could beat one, if he acted quickly.


    Added to the fact that they had all Leveled Up a few times already, they were a lot stronger than before. They could have already surpassed the previous assessment given to them by the Guild.


    And so, with all of this in mind, the sh between the living and the undeadmenced.


    Jake, a skilled Rogue with agile movements and a keen eye, darted between the swirling signs of Spells and skeletal Casters.


    ~WHOOSH!~


    His dual daggers glinted in the dim light as he struck with precision, dispatching the weaker undead with swift, calcted moves.


    Everyone followed suit and dispatched the Casters before they could finish their Spells.


    All seemed well.


    But¡­ Jake couldn''t shake off the negative feelings within him.


    That feeling of dread that told him that all was not well. Perhaps it was his instincts, or just paranoia.


    The Dungeon proved it to be the former.


    ~WUUUUSH!~


    Just as the Party was about to advance, the true threat emerged from the back of the chamber¡ªa towering figure in a tattered cloak, a Lich.


    Jake''s eyes, just as with everyone else, widened beyond what should be considered normal.


    ''A-A Lich¡­?!''


    It had just emerged from the darkness on the ground, and even now the ck energy swirling around him overwhelmed the room.


    A Lich, just like a Death Knight, was an A-Tier Undead¡ªthe epitome of Necromancy.


    ~ZZZTTTZZZZ~


    The Lich''s skeletal fingers twitched, and arcane energy crackled in the air.


    A wave of Dark Magic surged through the room, freezing the adventurers in their tracks.


    There was no need to cast a Spell, or to wait for dyed activation.


    The effects were instant¡­ and they were brutal.


    "G-guh¡­!" Sir Rnd''s eyes widened as he fought against the invisible force, but it was futile.


    The undying magic gripped the party, rendering them immobile.


    More Undead Mages closed in, seemingly out of nowhere, casting spells that sapped the life force from the adventurers.


    Desperation gripped Jake as he sliced through the skeletal horde, but the relentless assault continued.


    Sir Rnd, his once-proud armor now tarnished and weakened, fell to his knees as the Lich''s malevolentughter echoed through the chamber.


    "Heon dhadh oouend wiwu wu!" the Lich hissed, its voice resonating with the weight of darkness.


    No one understood a single word it said¡ªnot that they could, even if they wanted to.


    Jake surveyed the battlefield and found out the truth.


    Hispanionsy motionless, drained of life. All of them, without exception, were dead.


    "Eeeeek!"


    Just as he had suspected, their luck had run out.


    Fear wed at him.


    "Uuuu¡­ uwaaaahhhhh!"


    He was beginning to regret his decision to continue with the Conquest despite his instincts telling him otherwise.


    ''I should have gone! I should have left when I had the chance!''


    Just how many people had these very thoughts in theirst moments? How many felt the regret and pain that Jake felt now?


    Probably all of the Adventurers who died after the Mass Teleportation. Even Jake''s allies, before their inevitable demise, must have also felt it.


    The raw¡­ overwhelming feeling of regret.


    Yet, despite these rabid emotions and rabid sensations, a fire burned within.


    He had to survive, if only to carry the memory of his fallenrades.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Sorry for the random character insert... haha

 Chapter 461 The Mass Teleportation Incident [Pt 5]

    <h4>Chapter 461 The Mass Teleportation Incident [Pt 5]</h4>


    "Rahhhhh!!!"


    With a burst of agility, Jake lunged towards the Lich.


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    His daggers gleamed as he struck at the ancient creature, but the Lich effortlessly parried each blow with its bony hands.


    ''N-no¡­!'' His widened eyes leaked out tears.


    What exactly was he expecting? That he could win against the likes of an A-Tier Monster?


    No¡­ that was impossible.


    The undead mages closed in, surrounding Jake with an imprable wall of death.


    Yet, despite it being so far out of reach, why didn''t he want to give up? Was this because of his desire to live so badly?


    Or was it the pride he had as an Adventurer¡ªas a human who craved FREEDOM!


    "[Slither]!"


    Channeling his rogue Skill, Jake vanished into the shadows, evading the grasping hands of the undead.


    He reappeared behind the Lich, aiming for a swift strike to its spine.


    "DIEEEEEE!!!" The daggers pierced through its ethereal cloak, but the Lich merely chuckled.


    "Loihjn edhndie," it sneered, turning to face Jake.


    Undead mages unleashed a barrage of spells, forcing Jake to dance through the chaos.


    He dodged and rolled, narrowly avoiding the deadly magic that crackled in the air.


    Jake didn''t know how he was still moving, despite all the odds. As a Rogue, he was indeed the fastest of hisrades, but there was no way the Lich didn''t have any means to capture him.


    There was a chance that he was simply being toyed with by the Monster, but Jake didn''t care.


    Exhaustion wed at him, but the Rogue pressed on.


    In a final desperate gambit, Jake channeled his remaining strength into a flurry of attacks.


    "URAAAAHHHHH!"


    The Lich''s defenses seemed to waver, but that was only an illusion that Jake desperately wanted to see.


    In that moment, he already knew he had lost.


    ~VWUUUM!~


    The undead mages closed in, casting a binding spell that snaked around Jake like ethereal chains. He fought against the magical restraints, his muscles straining with the effort.


    ''I-It''s no use¡­'' His blurry vision looked around and saw just how outnumbered he was.


    This truly was the end.


    The Lich raised its staff, preparing a devastating finishing blow.


    Jake''s heart raced, knowing he stood at the precipice of oblivion. As the dark magic surged towards him, the rogue closed his eyes, bracing for the inevitable end.


    Then¡ª


    "Chaos de¡­ STRIKE!"


    In that moment, a deafening resounded in Jake''s ears as the destruction of several bones instantly filled the air.


    Almost as soon as the voice roared, a powerful wind blew and instantly sent every other bony construct around Jake into the realm of destruction.


    All of it happened in the span of a few seconds.


    By the time Jake opened his eyes, the Monsters were no more. Only one man and a woman stood in front of him, as well as bunch of other Adventurers behind them.


    He recognized the two¡ªwho wouldn''t?


    There were the rising stars of the Adventurers City¡ªJet and Lux!


    *********


    ''Found another one. Looks like I was a bit toote for the others, though¡­''


    Rey looked around the room and saw the corpses of about five people. They looked barely humans, as their skins seemed to have somehow fused with their bone and be darkened with decay.


    They were mere husks of their former selves, and if left alone, they were doomed to be Undead.


    Rey turned back and looked at the couple hundred Adventurers that stood at a safe distance and watched him.


    "Anyone with Fire Magic, please use it on these corpses." Rey didn''t need to exin any further, as Adventurers already knew what he implied.


    A few Adventurers stepped forward for the role, so he looked away and focused on the Adventurer he had just saved.


    ''He looks just a bit over twenty. If I had just been a littlete, he would have died¡­ just like that.''


    This wouldn''t be the first time he had saved people in this Dungeon when they were on the brink of death. It had happened several times already.


    Ever since the Mass Teleportation Incident, he and Esme had been traveling from one Zone to another, trying to find and save as many people as possible. Of course, they had to save a lot of them at several instances, so there was also that.


    ''The problem is that I''ve not found any of my friends, and the people I save end up sticking to me¡­''


    Even now, as he looked at Jake¡ªlearning his name and details thanks to [Absolute Appraisal]¡ªhe could barely contain his disappointment that it wasn''t his friends he encountered.


    Till now, he hadn''t found Alicia, Adonis, Noah¡­ anyone of interest to him.


    ''Just these weaklings that keep clinging on to me like parasites!'' Rey knew his thoughts were unkind, but he couldn''t help it.


    The Adventurers were slow, weak, and overly frightened. Their fragility and overdependence on him was truly infuriating, but he had to endure.


    ''To make the work faster, I already sent my other duplicates to other Zones to look for everyone.''


    He made sure his clones were disguised as random strong-


    looking Adventurers, so there would be no connection made to him.


    The n was to make them seek out survivors, bring those survivors to him, and then they would go and seek out even more survivors.


    That way, the search would go on faster.


    ''It''s been nearly a day since we got separated, and I can already see the exhaustion on these people''s faces¡­''


    Rey knew he would have to set up camp soon, and the thought of that annoyed him even further.


    ''Endure, Rey¡­ endure!''


    He returned to his Jet persona and knelt before the pathetic-


    looking Adventurer before him. Jake was still shivering, obviously not recovered from the trauma he had just faced.


    Rey''s eyes glowed brightly as he used [Compulsion] to make all of that go.


    "Are you alright? Can you stand?" He asked, stretching his hand while nting a calm smile on his face.


    "Y-yes¡­" Jake looked surprised that he could move properly.


    He soon rose to his feet, bowing several times as thanks to Rey¡ªor rather, Jet. As one would expect, he waved it off and smiled at the man.


    "I''m just d you''re fine."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Seems like Rey is slowly losing it. That hold he has¡­ it''s slowly beginning to loosen.


    Me likey!

 Chapter 462 Stranded [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 462 Stranded [Pt 1]</h4>


    [A Few Days Later]


    "Huu¡­"


    Noah Sherlock stood at the forefront of his previously small, nowrge, group. His grip was tight on the hilt of his katana, the Night de.


    Around him, the air crackled with tension as the group navigated through thebyrinthine corridors of the Grand Cmity ss Dungeon.


    The Mass Teleportation Incident had scattered them, separating friends and allies in a chaotic jumble of fate.


    With each step, Noah could feel the weight of responsibility pressing down upon him.


    As a Heroic Rank adventurer, it was his duty to lead his group through the perils of the dungeon and ensure their survival. But the odds were stacked against them, with weaker adventurers mixed in among their ranks and the ever-present threat of powerful undead monsters lurking in the shadows.


    ''With the constant threats everywhere, we''ve hardly slept. Everyone is exhausted¡­''


    Even though the rest still managed to get some shuteye, he could not. He had to protect the hundred or so Adventurers with him, no matter the cost.


    The only good news about all of this was that he managed to Level Up a lot. Still, with the constant stress weighing him down, he felt weaker rather than stronger.


    Noah nced over his shoulder at the exhausted faces of hispanions. Their strength and morale were pretty much worn thin by constant battles and relentless danger.


    But there was no time for rest or respite, not when the survival of every member of their group hung in the bnce.


    ''I''m probably the youngest here, yet¡­''


    Drawing upon his skills and three weeks experience, Noah steeled himself for the challenges thaty ahead.


    With a silentmand, he activated one of his Enchanted Items, allowing him to move with supernatural speed and agility.


    ~WHOOSH!~


    Shadows danced around him as he led the charge, his de shing in the dim light of the dungeon.


    After scouting ahead and returning, he led his group forward.


    Their journey brought them to a vast chamber, its walls adorned with ancient runes and symbols of mysterious power.


    But, this Zone they found themselves in was no sanctuary.


    The air reeked of decay, and the ground was littered with bones of fallenrades. Even with the forbidden beauty all around, it was still a house of death.


    As, other than the dead bodies on the ground, lurking in the shadows were the undead horrors that would haunt anyone''s nightmares.


    Zombies¡­ lots and lots of them.


    Most of them were the average kind, but Noah could spot a couple of Greater Zombies in the mix.


    ''Looks like another round of battle¡­'' He sighed.


    Noah''s hand tightened around the hilt of his katana, the [Night de]. Its gleaming edge held the promise of salvation for those who followed him.


    His cloak billowed as he stepped forward, a lone figure determined to defy the chaos that threatened to consume them all.


    "Listen up!" Noah''s voice cut through the grim atmosphere. "We''re in this together. No matter who you were before, we''re a team now. Stick close, follow my lead, and we might just survive this hell."


    The weary Adventurers nodded, drawing what strength they had left. Noah could see the fear in their eyes, the uncertainty of their fate etched on their faces.


    ''At the very least, discounting the ones I can handle by myself, our numbers are superior. If three or four charge at one each, we should be fine.''


    He prepared his tired muscles and made sure to memorize the positions of the B-Tier Monsters in the crowd.


    After only a few seconds of doing so, he was ready.


    "Leave the Greater Zombies to me!"


    Then, with a wordless battle cry, Noah charged into the fray, his de cutting through the air with deadly precision.


    The Night de hummed with power as he unleashed a flurry of strikes, each one imbued with the elemental attributes of his enchanted items.


    Fire and lightning danced along the de, granting greater damage to the enemies.


    But even as Noah fought with all his skill and strength, he could feel the tide of battle turning against them. The undead were relentless, despite their numbers being considerably smaller.


    The Adventurers were still having trouble dealing with them, even with their advantage.


    ''For real?!'' He sighed to himself. ''Guess I have no choice now!''


    Noah''s [Shadow Magic] surged to life, tendrils of darkness coalescing around him as he summoned constructs from the depths of his own shadow.


    With a flick of his wrist, Noah sent the constructs hurtling towards the troublesome horde.


    The shadows twisted and contorted, taking the form of spectral warriors that shed with the undead in a whirlwind of steel and darkness.


    The Greater Zombies stumbled under the onught, their decayed flesh no match for the ethereal des that cut through them like butter.


    ''Damn, my Mana¡­'' He winced, slightly feeling lightheaded as a result.


    Noah already knew that mere shadows would not be enough topletely stop the tide of undead that threatened to overwhelm everyone, but with that move, his allies could take on the rest.


    ''Now, to focus on my own task!'' His eyes narrowed on the enemies he had to face.


    With a swift motion, he hurled his Night de into the fray, the enchanted de slicing through the air with deadly precision.


    ~WHOOSH!~


    The de found its mark, cleaving through the ranks of the undead with a satisfying thud.


    As the Night de returned to his outstretched hand, Noah unleashed a barrage of shes and thrusts, his movements a blur of speed and precision.


    The Greater Zombies fell like wheat before the scythe, their rotting corpses no match for the skill of the Heroic Rank Adventurer.


    But the battle was far from over. The undead horde suddenly seemed to increase, and Noah could already guess how.


    ''The corpses¡­ they''ve be Undead!''


    With a much greater number than before, the Zombies seemed to be even more threatening.


    But, he couldn''t stop.


    ~VWUUSH!~


    Noah''s heart raced as he fought on, his de dancing with the fury of a man possessed.


    ~SWiISH!~


    The shadows twisted and writhed around him, their dark tendrils snaring the undead and dragging them into the abyss.


    ~WUUUM!~


    With each swing of his de, Noah felt the weight of the enemies pressing down on him. But he refused to yield, refused to sumb to the despair that threatened to engulf him.


    ''I''m reaching my limit¡­''


    He never imagined going down in the Dungeon. Even now, the idea of dying wasn''t something he readily embraced.


    But somehow¡­ Noah felt good.


    He felt happy, being able to fight and defeat so many enemies while everyone had no choice but to rely on him.


    This version of himself¡­ it was close, a lot closer, to the ideal he sought after.


    And so, he didn''t bother worrying about dying, or fearing for what would be of his life if he made a single misstep.


    Noah just kept swinging his de, living in the bliss of the moment.


    *******


    [Moments Later]


    "Haa¡­ haa¡­"


    As thest of the Greater Zombies fell, Noah stood amidst the carnage, his breath ragged and his muscles aching.


    But there was no time to rest, no time to savor his victory. For danger still lurked in the shadows, waiting to consume him, and everyone else, once more.


    With a weary sigh, Noah tightened his grip on the Night de and pressed forward.


    Once again, just like before, he was able to win.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Still like Noah''s development, I won''t lie. Let''s hope nothing bad happens to him...

 Chapter 463 Stranded [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 463 Stranded [Pt 2] </h4>


    A week had passed since the start of the Grand Conquest, and almost the same amount of time had passed since the Mass Teleportation Incident.


    So much had happened since then, and Rey, sighing as heavily as he possibly could, didn''t want to start thinking about it.


    Unfortunately, he didn''t have any choice in the matter.


    "Let us begin our Emergency Meeting." He said, looking around him to observe the faces of thepetent Adventurers he had in his camp.


    About six Master Rank Adventurers, Esme, and Noah Sherlock--who they just met the previous day--were the people present for the meeting.


    Everyone else was asleep, and rightfully so. It was clear that exhaustion had reached the maximum limit.


    Unfortunately, that wasn''t even the peak of the problem.


    ''After spending a week, scouring this entire ce--even with the aid of my duplicates--and yet not making any progress locating the Boss Room or the Entrance, I no longer have my doubts...'' Rey''s thoughts trailed as he gazed emptily into space.


    ''The position of Zones in this entire Dungeon is changing.''


    The rest had noticed it too, though a lotter than him. For one, they ended up encountering the same corridors or Zones a couple of times despite already passing and marking them.


    Also, even with the Dungeon being so massive, it couldn''t have an infinite amount of space and Zones. Yet, it seemed impossible to make any real progress.


    They were trapped, in every sense of the word, and there didn''t seem to be any way out.


    ''Even if they''re not at prime power, my duplicates have used [Ascended Godspeed] to try to find the exit, but they never find it.'' Rey felt his heart tighten.


    He even tried using Teleportation, attempting to return to the ground floor, but his Spatial Magic identified a particr ce he had been based on its location.


    And so, anytime he tried to teleport there, he just ended up in a random Zone.


    That was irrefutable proof that space was shifting, and constantly.


    ''Other than Noah''s party, we''ve not encountered any group in days. It''s safe to say that we''re not far away from the rest, since the Zones keep changing...''


    That left just two options.


    Either the others were dead, or they were also in an organized group, trying to navigate their way through the Dungeon. It was obvious which option sounded the most appealing.


    ''Adonis should have rallied everyone on his end, so maybe they''re with him.'' Rey had good reason to believe this, but sometimes a gnawing feeling would tell him that he was just engaging in wishful thinking.


    ''Even if the others are still a bit inadequate, Adonis is strong and fast enough to handle the Undead in this Dungeon. I should give credit to the rest as well...''


    The fact that he hadn''t encountered a single one of his ssmates simply meant that they were together.


    ''It''s a lot harder for two groups to meet up among over a thousand shifting locations than it is for multiple ones...'' That was Rey''s theory, and he hoped it was correct.


    "Today was supposed to be thest day of the Conquest, which means the Dungeon might be gone once the day is over."


    As Rey began, he stared into the unkempt faces of?his allies. Their gaze was lowered, but their expressions were hardened.


    All of them knew this much.


    "There''s a chance we might get stuck here forever if we don''t find the exit today." Rey said, though this was a lie.


    He could easily leave the Dungeon by opening a portal to a stable location that he had been to.?With this ability, he could even take everyone with him.


    ... But what of the rest?


    As long as he couldn''t find Alicia and the rest of his ssmates, Rey couldn''t simply escape from this ce with the people he had now.


    ''Though that might be inevitable¡­''


    "The food supply has run short, even with the quota management system we employed. After onest round, there''ll be nothing to go around." Another person spoke up.


    She was one of the Master Rank Adventurers, and the one in charge of food distribution.


    "Thanks for bringing that up, Beverly. I suppose we''ll address that too." Rey strained a smile as she nodded back at him.


    He had more than enough resources within his [Grand Inventory], so he wasn''t really worried about anyone starving. Even if he didn''t want to share, he could just send everyone back to the outside world and let them get food themselves.


    In all likelihood, they really weren''t stranded¡ªat least, in Rey''s perspective.


    ''The real issue is the Miasma, and how it''s causing weakness among people. They don''t know this, but I constantly purify the air so they can have an inflow of Mana into their system¡­'' Rey rubbed his chin as he looked around him.


    If it wasn''t for this intervention, most of the Adventurers would have died already.


    Rey wasn''t expecting some sort of thanks for his deeds. After all, there were ways he could be a lot more benevolent in, which he chose not to be.


    But, none of those were his concerns.


    ''The only problem on my mind right now is how to link up with the rest!''


    That was the one thing Rey couldn''t do¡ªthe single problem he was yet to solve¡ªand it drove him crazy.


    He became more and more convinced that Adrien had to be behind this somehow.


    ''This is like a puzzle. He wants me to figure out the game, doesn''t he?'' Rey gritted his teeth.


    ''But I don''t get it!''


    An aura of frustration nearly surged from him, but one nce at Esme caused him to calm himself.


    ''If, by the end of today, we make no progress, then I''ll just send everyone back outside and do this myself.''


    By everyone, he meant Esme as well.


    ''Whatever your n is, Adrien, I don''t care.'' His eyes burned bright as the picture of the boy in the white mask appeared in his mind.


    ''You should have just left me and my friends out of it!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Seems like a lot, right? What do you think is going on?


    Any theories?

 Chapter 464 Stranded [Pt 3]

    <h4>Chapter 464 Stranded [Pt 3]</h4>


    The meetingsted for about an hour.


    Within that period, all the issues that gued the Adventurers were raised, but most of them could not be resolved.


    In the end, the only thing that could really be done was finding a way out of the current situation. As a result, the Adventurers ced their faith in Jet and Lux as they continued marching towards progress.


    They traversed various Zones¡ªfrom incredibly ancient catbs, to the more pristine halls of death. They encountered various kinds of Undead as well.


    Specters, Ghouls, Animated Corpses, and several Monster Corpse variants; all of whom were taken care of by Jet and Lux.


    Even though they had a third Heroic Rank Adventurer on their side¡ªSherlock¡ªhe had been leading his own group for days without rest before meeting the bigger group, so he spent most of the time resting.


    Besides, even if Sherlock wasn''t exhausted, merely watching how the duo swiftly eliminated the enemies, it was easy to see how he would only hold them back.


    After spending hours like this, they finally arrived in front of yet another entrance.


    Everyone held their breath as they watched their leaders draw near to the massive stone door.


    No one could predict what came next.


    **********


    ''This¡­'' Rey felt an odd sensation as he stood in front of the colossal double door before him.


    The dimly lit area around him felt eerie, but Rey ignored everything.


    He ignored the few thousand people that anxiously stared at his back, murmuring words to one another. He ignored the incrediblyrge hall that they upied, and the motionless bodies of the Greater Zombies that upied the ground.


    The entire arena felt like it had experienced an earlier battle, but since Rey saw no corpse, and he still saw Undead present, he figured the person either escaped, or the Monsters spawned there after a set period of time.


    He removed his thoughts from them, though.


    The air felt musty, tense as well. But Rey didn''t pay any mind to those details.


    All of his attention was on the door in front of him¡ªand whaty ahead.


    ''The Miasma density beyond this door is incredible. Just touching this door alone, I can feel so much impurity seeping through.'' Rey narrowed his eyes, feeling the warm, disgusting sensation on his hand.


    The only reason why he wasn''t experiencing any negative effects was due to his Passive Skills and incredible Stats.


    Any other person touching the double door was bound to instantly be afflicted with Miasma Poisoning just from skin contact.


    It was that intense!


    Yet, that wasn''t all Rey noticed.


    ''The pressure inside is so intense that I can''t properly utilize my sensory capabilities¡­''


    It felt like space was so twisted inside.


    ''There''s no doubt about it. This is the Boss Room!'' Rey nearly leaked out a smile, but he suppressed his amusement.


    ''At longst, we''ve finallye this far!''


    He slowly turned back and looked at the Adventurers who looked at him with curious stares. They were clearly expecting a verdict from him.


    "It''s dangerous up ahead. I believe up ahead is the Boss Room."


    Gasps of shock filled the area, and everyone instantly disyed worry. Their weary faces showed fear, but Rey quickly spoke up to assuage them of their worries.


    "I understand your concerns, but we can''t miss this opportunity. If we dy for too long, the Zone might shift."


    As soon as he said this, the aversion of the Adventurers slowly began to dissipate.


    "We have to go together, or else the Zones might shift while some of us are inside." He added.


    The moment they heard this, they gained their motivation to move forward.


    In the meeting that was conducted earlier that day, there were only two solutions to the current problem the group faced.


    One was finding the exit and leaving the Dungeon.


    This was easier said than done, since no one had been able to locate the Ground Floor since the Mass Teleportation Incident, and many even suspected that it probably didn''t exist anymore.


    Then, there was the second option.


    ¡ªSubjugating the Dungeon Boss!


    If they killed the Boss, there was a chance that this whole nightmare would end. Even if they wouldn''t get teleported of the Dungeon, they could at least stop the Zone shifts.


    There was no evidence that this would be the case, but people were just desperate to believe something.


    As such, they clung to that hope.


    ''To y my role well and stick to the final bits of the n, I need an audience¡­'' Rey''s eyes scoured among the thousands on his side.


    They were an approximate of 3,200.


    ''I suppose they''ll suffice for the job.''


    He only had to think of a way to preserve them from the intense Miasma beyond the walls of the Dungeon, and he already thought of the best exnation.


    "Stick to me, everyone. I will now use the sacred power of my Chaos de. It can only be used once in a year, so I haven''t been able to use it until now."


    Rey brought out his special weapon from his briefcase, thrusting his hand into the air as the de''s tip faced the sky.


    "Sanctuary!"


    Everyone marveled in awe, waiting for what would happen.


    Then¡ª


    ~VWUUUM!~


    A bright white light seared through the air, instantly creating a dense membrane that shrouded everything within the vicinity of the wielder.


    In no time at all, the thousands of people were encased within a wide-spread field that protected them from the external world.


    This, ording to Jet, was called [Sanctuary], a hidden effect of his Chaos de.


    It was a lie, though.


    ''I just used my [Absolute Perfect Defense] Skill to protect everyone, but made it seem like it came from the de.''


    By also giving an excuse about the cooldown period, he would ward off any suspicion about his use of this power.


    ''I can also make it seem like a very powerful barrier, so they won''t be too scared in the Boss Room.''


    With a wide smile on his face, Rey opened the door and stepped into the room.


    ''They just need to keep their eyes on me!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 465 Where The Guildmaster Went [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 465 Where The Guildmaster Went [Pt 1]</h4>


    ''Impressive¡­''


    The hall they stepped into was unspeakably huge¡ªat least twice as spacious as that of the Ground Floor.


    Rey felt like a tiny speck of dust in the overwhelminglyrge expanse. It nearly reminded him of when he and his ssmates first arrived in the Domain of God and were weed by Seraph.


    That ce was muchrger¡ªnot even by a small margin¡ªthan the room he was currently in, but the mere fact that he was reminded of the Domain of God just by stepping inside proved how incredible the sheer scale of the ce was.


    It wasn''t just big too. The entire room had a pristine sense to it, despite looking ancient.


    Unlike the other Zones that looked unkempt and abandoned, this ce seemed tidy and well-kept¡­ all things considered.


    You would expect that it would be next to impossible to keep such arge hall clean at all times, but just one look at the immacte grandeur of the room spat in the face of that.


    It had marble-like flooring, with a dark purple glow reflected on it from the chandeliers that hung from the ceiling.


    The room was well-lit, with several candles the size of torches hanging all around the walls. Stained ss decorated the walls with their outstanding art, and the ceiling had murals that seemed ethereal etched upon them.


    There was something holy and sublime about the hall''s appearance, despite the corrupted Mana that pervaded the air and everything about it.


    Only one thing ruined this sight, though.


    A couple of meters¡ªat the most ten¡ªfrom where Rey and hisrades stood, there was a figure thaty on the floor.


    It looked like a human, but its naked and emaciated form looked more like a miserable Undead than an actual flesh and blood man. The entire corpse was wrung dry of life, shriveled up until even its bones seemed too tiny to be considered possible.


    This ''thing'' couldn''t be called a human, and anyone who saw it would have thought the same.


    But¡­ everyone who witnessed the body from their distance could not just dismiss it.


    Most who saw it froze and shuddered at the sight. Some covered their mouths in disbelief, while others merely looked away.


    All of them had one thing inmon.


    They recognized the outfit that the mere husk of a man donned. The Equipment, despite looking so aged, was too conspicuous for anyone to forget.


    Then, out of the silence that dominated the entire space, someone asked the question that many were too afraid to utter out loud.


    "T-that¡­ Is that the Guildmaster?"


    Yes. Yes, it was.


    The hair on the shriveled corpse''s face greatly resembled that of Richard, even if the outfit gave it away.


    All of them knew the truth.


    "H-he''s¡­ dead¡­?"


    "H-how¡­?"


    "Miasma Poisoning? But to this extent¡­"


    "Guildmaster¡­."


    Rey heard all of this noise but remained silent.


    Rather than let his mind be filled with so much noise, he narrowed his eyes and observed the corpse from a distance.


    ''His body is literally oozing with Miasma. If he went in through that entrance, chances are that he got infected before even entering.''


    But that didn''t make any sense? Why would Guildmaster Richard choose to enter such a Miasma-dense zone after getting infected just from touching the door that led to the ce?


    ''It makes no sense, unless I take into ount the Greater Zombies I yed in the other room¡­''


    Guildmaster Richard was strong, but he probably found the several Monsters too much for him, so he decided to escape. That exined the damage that Rey observed in the room.


    ''But that doesn''t exin why he would enter such a ce when he knows the inevitable results.''


    If he were the Guildmaster, and he had to pick his poison, Rey would prefer duking things out with the Greater Zombies.


    At the very least, he could stand a chance against enemies that he could see. Plus, killing a couple would probably give him a Level-Up and boost his ability to keep fighting.


    That was a lot more preferable than dying in the most painful way possible; powerlessly feeling as your body got overrun with corruption, causing your body to cease all function and copse in on itself.


    Rey could imagine the worst kinds of death, and that was definitely among them.


    ~SWOOSH~


    In a gentle flow of wind, the Guilmaster''s corpse floated towards the group of Adventurers, as his body was supported by what resembled a bed of clouds.


    It wasn''t Rey''s doing, however, but the work of the girl who stood closest to him.


    "Thanks." He turned and smiled as Esme.


    She nodded in response to him, allowing the Guildmaster''s body to drop in front of Rey¡ªright before reaching the wall of[Absolute Perfect Defense].


    ''If the bodyes into contact with my defense, it''ll be purified instantly.'' Rey grimaced, staring hard at the corpse one final time.


    ''The amount of Miasmaing out of his body is unbelievable. If it bes an Undead now, it''ll be a very strong one.''


    A corpse turning Undead could be due to one of two reasons¡ª


    overexposure to Miasma over an extended period of time, or a Necromancy Spell.


    Both of them were equally rare and unlikely to happen in real life, so not much was known about the phenomenon.


    But, from the little that was known, the amount of Miasma that a corpse was able to take in before bing Undead¡ªwhether by natural means or Necromancy¡ªdetermined how strong they would be as Undead.


    In some cases, it could even determine the kind of Undead they became¡­ though there could also be factors surrounding this that hadn''t been studied yet.


    ''His body has been soaking so much Miasma, yet he hasn''t turned yet.'' That felt strange to Rey.


    After a set period, and a certain threshold of Miasma injection, had been reached, Undead would naturally sprout out.


    ''The fact that it hasn''t happened yet means one thing¡­'' Rey looked around him as he knelt and observed the body of the corpse.


    ''¡­ This is someone''s doing.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Do you all smell a rat? Cus I do... hehe!

 Chapter 466 Where The Guildmaster Went [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 466 Where The Guildmaster Went [Pt 2]</h4>


    Right now, there were two potential causes as to the situation with Richard''s corpse.


    One was that the Boss Monster caused it.


    ''If the Boss is a Necromancer, then it only makes sense that they could do something like this.''


    Monsters weren''t usually very intelligent, but there were exceptions. Plus, since the entire setup of the Dungeon was so special and resembled the kind that housed intelligent life, the possibility couldn''t be discounted.


    But, Rey couldn''t see a Boss Monster around, which meant this was probably not the Boss Room. If the Boss really was behind this, it wouldn''t just leave the corpse lying around.


    ''That leaves me with the second option.'' Rey stood to his feet as his eyes narrowed as a gleam of anger shed inside.


    ''Adrien Chase!''


    Adrien was a necromancer, and since his involvement in this entire Grand Cmity ss Dungeon Conquest was pretty much a certainty, he was a more prime suspect.


    Once again, Rey couldn''t think of any way in which Adrien could benefit humanity from this entire ordeal. From his guess, this was probably a breeding ground for Adrien to fully test out and advance his Necromancy Skill.


    ''He''s not beyond using others to achieve his goals anyway¡­'' Rey sighed, covering his eyes for a moment so that he could think.


    After a few seconds, he walked forward, leaving the white barrier that protected everyone else.


    Many people gasped, but their worried faces soon dissolved once they found himpletely fine despite standing amidst the immense pressure of Miasma.


    "I''m tired of this farce¡­" He whispered, suddenly releasing a burst of Mana in a split-second.


    Almost at once, the corruption within the entire room vanished from sight.


    He did this so quickly that no one in the audience could possibly suspect that he was responsible. Plus, since they were all inside the barrier of [Absolute Perfect Defense], they probably couldn''t even tell the difference anyway.


    "When will you reveal yourself this time?"


    Rey asked no one in particr this question. He just looked at the sole taint in the room, the corpse of the Guildmaster, and knelt before it once again.


    ''I don''t really know you, nor do I feel particrly sad that you died¡­'' His honest thoughts flowed as he felt his heart tighten.


    ''But, you didn''t have to die.''


    None of the people that would have perished in this Dungeon had to die. Yes, protecting them would have been a frustrating chore for him, but he would have still done so.


    ''I would have stuck to the n until the very end and wrapped everything up nicely.''


    Yet, Adrien had to ruin all of it!


    "At the very least, let me put you out of your misery¡­" Rey stretched his hand towards the Miasma-filled corpse.


    Then, at that very moment¡ª


    ~FSHUUU!~


    ¡ªA massive door appeared and opened up from the other side of the hall.


    Rey paused and looked ahead, his eyes widening a little, considering how he never saw or detected a door there before. That meant only one thing.


    ''Another Zone shift, huh?''


    However, that wasn''t the only surprise he was met with.


    As soon as the door opened up, he was bombarded with the sight of a shimmering golden barrier, and a bunch of people inside it.


    A certain golden-haired man stood at the front of the crowd that trailed behind him. Many would recognize him as Sebas, but Rey knew who he really was.


    He could see Britta close to him, as well as the faces of the Master Rank Adventurers near the Heroic Rank duo.


    Then, right behind them, though scattered in many locations, the mature faces of his ssmates could be spotted.


    All of them, without exception, were seen by him.


    ''A-ahh¡­'' Tears nearly filled his eyes as he stared at them with shock clearly imprinted on his face.


    Just as he believed, they were all together¡ªsafe.


    "Just what do you think you''re doing?" Adonis suddenly raised his voice as he stepped out of his golden barrier, his brows furrowed as he red at him intensely.


    ''H-huh? What''s going on?''


    The look of utter repulsion and enmity on Adonis'' face told him that something was off here. He could even sense a strong killing intent rushing from him.


    ''Right now he sees me as Jet, so why is he acting this way? Shouldn''t he be relieved to see me, or at least everyone else?''


    Despite all of his confusion, Rey decided to answer as honestly as possible.


    "What are you talking about? I''m investigating the¡ª"


    "Guildmaster Richard?!" Adonis'' voice rose into the air, instantly causing a lot of tension to rise all around. "What did you do to the Guildmaster?!"


    ''What did I do? I don''t get it¡­'' Rey nced at the Guildmaster''s corpse, and while it was true that his hand was close to the shriveled husk, and Miasma was oozing out of the thing, he really wasn''t doing anything.


    Now, it was possible to make a mistake and assume something else based on how the whole thing looked like¡ªespecially with no prior context on the matter¡ªbut Rey didn''t see why Adonis was reacting so negatively all of a sudden.


    It almost felt as if Adonis already had a conclusion in mind, and he projected that onto the scenario that Rey was a part of.


    ''I guess the tension must have gotten the better of him. It''s been a long week, after all, and he probably has a lot on his te.''


    The people on their end were probably starving due tock of resources, and knowing Adonis, he probably gave up his share to make sure more mouths were fed.


    He was probably just overreacting due to the irritability that came with hunger and sleep deprivation.


    ''Yes, that''s right¡­ he''s not really himself.'' Rey smiled as he shook his head, slowly rising to his feet.


    "My friend, it seems you¡ª"


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    In a sudden sh, Adonis closed the incredible distance between himself and Rey, sending a powerful blow charging towards him.


    He had to block it with his briefcase, but the aftershock forced his body to slide backwards as a result.


    "Don''t call me your friend¡­" Adonis'' aggressive tone filled the room as his golden eyes shed bright.


    "¡­ Filthy Dragon Spy!"


    Rey''s surprised face was no longer contain the disbelief, and his parted lips had to let out the only word he could mutter.


    "H-huh¡­?!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    A fight between Rey and Adonis, at longst! Well, not really¡­. More like Jet vs Sebas.


    This should be really fun.


    Hehehe!

 Chapter 467 The Confrontation

    <h4>Chapter 467 The Confrontation</h4>


    [Moments Earlier]


    Adonis was livid the moment he saw Jet beside the Guildmaster.


    He didn''t want to imagine it, but upon recognizing the corpse''s attire, and the fact that Jet was standing right next to it, it was obvious who the culprit was.


    The Guildmaster''s corpse was also oozing an incredible amount of Miasma despite there been nothing of the sort in the air around them.


    That meant someone infused such an incredible amount on him.


    ''I see no one strong enough to do that here. Jet is standing next to the corpse, so it has to be him!'' Such was Adonis'' thought process.


    In essence, this particr Dragon Spy not only had ess to Spatial Magic, but also Miasma; he was an incredibly powerful indeed.


    When Adonis'' rational mind questioned him about the possible motives of the Jet in this instance, he shrugged the question off.


    There was no need for him to think of some twisted motive of a Dragon.


    ''He wanted to make him an Undead, that''s for sure. The amount of Miasma oozing from that body isn''t normal for a natural process.'' Adonis could clearly tell.


    Someone was controlling the entire thing, and who else could it be but the malefactor before him?


    ''It''s still surprising that he would do such a thing in front of witnesses.''


    Adonis gritted his teeth as he lifted his gaze and stared at the crowd behind Jet. They seemed to be over three thousand, quite a bit more than his own group of two thousand.


    If this was everyone, then that meant only a little over half had survived the Grand Cmity ss Dungeon and made it this far.


    ''They don''t seem apprehensive of them at all. And that is that white shield around them? It looks simr to mine, but¡­ it feels different.'' Adonis creased his brows as his gaze met Lux, who stood right in front of the group.


    ''Is this her doing? Is she somehow taking everyone hostage?''


    No, it didn''t look like it¡ªespecially thetter.


    ''They don''t look anxious. Ever since our arrival, their faces have brightened up considerably¡­'' Adonis could observe the faces of the crowd, and there was none of fear or fright.


    Hostages wouldn''t act like that. Unless¡­


    ''They don''t know that they are hostages. If that''s the case, and Lux is keeping them as coteral, then I''ll have to think of a way to break them out while dealing with Jet.''


    Adonis nced behind him and looked at Britta, who nced at him with a worried look, but he nodded slowly.


    ''I''ve exined the whole thing to Britta and the higher-up Adventurers. They didn''t believe me at first, but after presenting thorough evidence, and them seeing this with their own eyes, I''m sure they are now fully on my side.''


    If need be, they could of some assistance, but it was probably best they remained behind him. If the Dragon decided to go all-out, it could be fatal for them¡­ and that was thest thing Adonis wanted.


    ''The Adventurers City has lost too many lives already. I can''t let more skilled humans sacrifice themselves in vain.''


    If it came down to it, he would have to increase his output in order to match the Dragons. Plus, he still had reliable allies that could help.


    ''Everyone is on standby, waiting for my signal. The moment it disys more power than I can handle with my disguise, they''ll pitch in and assist.''


    That wasn''t all too.


    ''I don''t want to resort to it, but if worstes to worst, we''ll have to expose our identities. If that''ll allow us to fight on equal or superior footing with these things¡­ then I suppose it''s inevitable.''


    The only problem right now was the absence of Rey on their side, which meant he was in Jet''s group. Adonis couldn''t see him, but considering how bountiful the crowd was, he was most likely just among them in some capacity.


    ''If the situation calls for it and we all attack Jet, Rey should be able to pick up on it and join us. Noah could also do the same.''


    It would even be most effective, since the Dragon Spies couldn''t wouldn''t be expecting attacks from their camp like that.


    ''Even this confrontation is throwing him of. I can sense it¡­''


    He could see the act of innocence on the part of the Dragon Spy, Jet, so it seemed like he wasstill trying to keep his disguise.


    ''Too bad I see right through you!'' Adonis growled as he made some statements to the Dragon, stalling for a bit more time so he could think of what to do about the hostages.


    ''I still have the advantage of him underestimating me and not knowing my full capabilities. If I surprise him by slightly amping my power, and then systematically using more powerful attacks at strategic moments, then¡­'' A slight smile tugged at his lips, though no one could see it.


    His face was merely a mask of rage.


    Adonis was still thinking when he heard a particr statement from the Dragon Spy that sparked uncontroble rage within him.


    "My friend, it seems you¡ª"


    Fiery anger burned inside Adonis, and the burst of fury sent him dashing away from his position as he charged at Jet like a missile.


    ~WHOOSH!~


    His body was instantly coated in light, and the pressure of the wind caused his hair to fly backwards. In no time at all, he was right in front of the target.


    Clenching his fist, Adonis sent a powerful blow¡ªmuch stronger than what he was meant to disy¡ªto the enemy.


    He could sense the shock on Jet''s face, and he could see the downright confusion he disyed.


    ''You didn''t expect me to be this strong, did you?!'' Adonis grinned inside as he thrust his fist.


    But¡ª


    ~BOOOOOOM!~


    ¡ªIt hit the briefcase of the Dragon Spy right before reaching his face.


    As he watched the enemy slide away, Adonis clenched his fist and readied himself for directbat.


    "Don''t call me your friend¡­ filthy Dragon Spy!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    The fight between these two shall be legendary!


    At least, I hope so¡­

 Chapter 468 Sebas Vs Jet And Lux [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 468 Sebas Vs Jet And Lux [Pt 1]</h4>


    The shock of Adonis'' initial strike echoed in the air, sending a thunderous noise reverberating across the space.


    Many eyes widened in shock upon seeing this, two of which belonged to Rey.


    ''That blow was incredibly strong. It would have caused a lot of damage to my Jet persona.'' Rey was recoiling in confusion as he stared at Adonis.


    ''What the hell? Why is he being so aggressive? And calling me a Dragon Spy?''


    It made no sense to him!


    ''Maybe he''s hallucinating now?'' Rey looked behind Adonis, hoping at least someone in his group could see what was happening here, but everyone had their arms folded and stared at him.


    ''E-eh?!''


    No one reacted surprised or even worried that two Heroic Rank Adventurers were fighting. It was nearly creepy the way they looked¡ªespecially at him.


    Their stern expressions told him that they were not on his side.


    ''Why? Could it be¡­ some sort of mind control?'' Rey tried to use his [Absolute Appriasal], but the moment his eyes glowed, Adonis charged at him with another powerful strike that would be dangerous if he was still following the ''Jet'' narrative.


    He still didn''t understand what was going on, but he couldn''t give these people more reasons to suspect him.


    ~BOOOOM!~


    Adonis'' punch was strong enough to break the clear marble tiles that served as footing instantly causing the ground to tremble. The only way Rey could avoid it was by evading to the side, and even that was a close call.


    ''He''s much faster than he disyed as Sebas. How is that even fair¡­?!''


    If he was forced to stick with his persona, why was Adonising out of it and getting noints? Fortunately, he was about to find out using [Absolute Appraisal]!


    ''Let''s search for any negative Status Conditions.''


    Rey checked a few random people at once, but what he saw shocked him¡­ almost as much as the next attack that neared his stomach in the form of a kick.


    ''A-ah¡­ looks like I''ll have to take this one on!''


    Rey felt the force of Adonis'' straight kick thrust on his stomach, feeling his body rise from the ground and fly a distance away.


    He loosened control and allowed himself to hit the nearby wall, sending debris flying everywhere.


    ~BOOOOOM!~


    Slightly buried by all that smoke and rubble, Rey''s face was the very personification of confusion.


    ''They''re not hallucinating? What''s going on here?''


    He couldn''tprehend the reason behind their weird behavior if they weren''t being affected by some kind of shared hunger or exhaustion induced hunger.


    Unless¡­!


    ''Is this Adrien''s doing? Did he somehow alter their memories? Is he controlling them the same way he did with Scy and the others back then?''


    If that was the case, then?there was no use looking at their Status Windows or trying to reason with them. They were being manipted to act a certain way, and he didn''t think trying to convince them would prove anything.


    ''Damnit!'' Once again Rey felt a disgusting amount of rage rise within his chest.


    He didn''t like feeling like a piece in someone else''s game. Right now, it felt like he was dancing in the palm of Adrien''s hands, and he hated it to the core.


    He preferred being the yer, and not the piece. However, the mere fact that he still couldn''t decipher Adrien''s intentions showed just how ipetent he was¡ªor at least inferior,pared to Adrien¡ªin mind games this intricate.


    Rey was out of his league here, and he felt it.


    ''My ns as Jet, all of it ising apart with this confrontation!'' He growled, slowly rising out of the rubble.


    The way he saw it, there was really no way out than to reveal his power and put an end to this scenario once and for all.


    ''[Absolute Mental Control] would have reallye in handy right about now¡­''


    However, he had other means which he could use to ensure that he could get away with a bunch of things.


    ''[Phantom Illusion] is one of them¡­'' Rey wasn''t as skilled with illusion as Ater was, but he wasn''t a novice either.


    ''Things could get a little problematic if Adonis takes this fight more seriously, or if our ssmates join in.''


    Right now, it felt like it was him against the world.


    ''I guess I have no choi¡ª!''


    "HEY, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!"


    "WHY ARE YOU ATTACKING SIR JET?!"


    "SIR SEBAS, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? THAT IS SIR JET YOU''RE TREATING LIKE THAT!"


    "STOP IT! STOP IT!"


    "LEAVE SIR JET ALONE!"


    The loud voices of the thousands of people that Rey saved began to echo forth within their dome of light. Rey heard their loud voices and felt a certain stirring within him.


    He knew he wasn''t really the "Jet" that they thought he was, but their joint voices regarding the current situation made him feel a little better.


    ¡­ A little less alone.


    "You all are being brainwashed by that¡­ that thing! He is not what you think he is! He is a Dragon Spy!" Adonis pointed towards Rey, who just got up from the damaged area of impact.


    His gaze was filled with such rage and bloodlust that Rey began to shiver a little.


    The level of hate that Adonis disyed felt too raw¡­ too real for a mere hallucination or illusion. Rey could see that Adonis genuinely, with all his soul and mind, believed Rey to be the enemy.


    In such a case, nothing could possibly convince him.


    "D-DRAGON SPY? NO WAY!"


    "SIR JET WOULD NEVER BE SUCH A THING!"


    "YOU''RE MISTAKEN, SIR SEBAS! PLEASE STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING!"


    "SIR JET IS INNOCENT!"


    "HE HAS BEEN HELPING US AND SAVING US ALL THIS TIME!"


    Despite all of these pleas, Adonis shook his head and walked forward. He didn''t seem to care for their words since he considered them "brainwashed."


    As he took one more step forward, though, a figure in white stepped right in front of him and halted his footsteps.


    Many knew her as Lux, but this was Esme in all her glory. For the first time ever, she parted her lips to speak in front of everyone.


    It was nothing short of an ominous warning; one that made even Rey tremble.


    "Don''t take another step¡­ or you''re dead."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 469 Sebas Vs Jet And Lux [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 469 Sebas Vs Jet And Lux [Pt 2] </h4>


    The tension in the air was palpable.


    As Sebas¡ªthe man who had just kicked Jet several meters away with speed that transcended what the human eyes could keep up with¡ªstood before Lux, partner of the dark gentleman, everyone was silent and watched.


    Sebas was undoubtedly stronger than most Adventurers, and even now, he was incredibly strong. However, just by hearing the murmurs among the group within the white barrier, it was easy to see what the people thought.


    "W-was he always that strong? He beat Jet just like that!"


    "Don''t be stupid! Sir Jet has been fighting and protecting us all this time. Of course, he''s going to be exhausted."


    "Yeah! If he was at full power, he''d never lose!"


    "A-ahh¡­"


    "What day did you join?"


    "Day 4."


    "No wonder. I''ve been here since Day 2, but I know people who were with him from Day 1. The man is a beast, and he takes no rest!"


    "F-for real?!"


    "Yeah! The other side must have a lot more Master and Veteran Rank Adventurers, and less members too. It must not have been as burdensome as it was with us¡­"


    "And Sir Jet carried most of that burden¡­"


    This was what the audience thought as they looked at the fight between Sebas and Jet.


    And so, the moment they witnessed thetter''s partner step up, they nearly went insane due to the tension alone.


    She even spoke, and while it sounded mesmerizingly feminine, the threatening tone she used caused everyone to shiver.


    Her "¡­ you''re dead" carried a lot of weight that it hardly felt like a bluff.


    Lux didn''t have a lot of offensive feats, but her defensive and restrictive attacks were second to none. She seemed like the perfect counter for Sebas'' tyrannical assault.


    "Go get him, Lady Lux!"


    "Show him who''s boss!"


    "S-someone should really go check on Sir Jet¡­"


    A few eyes turned to the man who stood among the rubble. He still seemed dazed, so the exhaustion had to be catching up to him.


    Many were frightened to step out of the protective dome, all things considered, so they could only make supportive statements from the sidelines.


    However, one man stepped forward and left the confines of the barrier.


    "I''ll go." Heroic Rank Adventurer, Sherlock, said those words and walked away from the rest.


    Many saw his back and nodded in respect.


    Just like the other Heroic Rank Adventurers who were doing just fine despite the dangerous atmosphere that should have surrounded them, Sherlock didn''t seem to be under any kind of distress.


    He simply walked towards Jet while Lux blocked Sebas'' path.


    ***********


    ''What the hell is going on?'' Noah asked himself as he approached the man known as Jet.


    He indeed looked a bit disheveled; more shaken than actually damaged. He didn''t seem to be in any kind of intense anguish, yet Noah couldn''t help but worry for him.


    "Are you okay?" He said, drawing closer in concern.


    "No. Not really¡­" Jet answered, huffing a little as steam began to emerge from his lips.


    ''I guess everyone''s suspicion was correct. He''s pushed himself a little too far and now he''s suffering the bacsh.''


    Noah could not, for any kind of absurd reason, believe this man was a Dragon.


    ''From everything I''ve learned and been told about them, and just from my personal standpoint, he can''t be one!''


    If this usation hade before the start of the Conquest and the Mass Teleportation Incident, perhaps he would have been inclined to believe it.


    After all, Jet was absurdly strong and incredibly mysterious.


    But after seeing the man''spassion and dedication to the cause of saving lives and preserving the ones that had already been rescued, he could not believe it.


    This wasn''t something anyone could fake.


    "Sherlock, I need to march forward to fight." Jet''s voice came as a trembling whisper.


    "W-what? No! No you can''t! You''ve reached your limit!"


    The fact that Sebas had more than enough power to attack at such a pace that even he found it difficult to follow meant that the man had been hiding his strength all this time. Adding all that to Jet''s current state, and Noah could only see it was a poor decision.


    "Lux can''t do it on her own. I don''t want to burden her¡­ like that."


    Noah felt his heart ache as he heard that. He understood this man''s ideals, and he truly wished he was more useful at this moment.


    But even if he added himself to the mix, he would only hold Jet back.


    "Right now, I''m releasing the seal that I ced on myself all those years ago." More steam proceeded out of Jet''s lips as he finally regained a proper posture.


    "S-seal? Why did you seal your power in the first ce? If you release all of it now, what will happen to you?"


    Jet chuckled sadly and looked at Noah with a distant gaze. "You''re a smart kid."


    The moment Noah heard that, he knew what wasing.


    ''If it came at no steep cost, he wouldn''t have kept it sealed. If he uses that kind of power now¡­ he''ll most likely die!''


    More pain seared through the boy''s chest, but he endured.


    "They must be under some kind of illusion or delusion. I believe I can snap him, and everyone else out of this."


    Even now, Jet only thought about others. He held his de, risking his entire life in the process, just to save everyone.


    How could such a man bebeled as vile a being as a Dragon?


    "I''ll leave the protection of everyone to you." Jet said with a resolute smile, taking a step forward.


    "Can I count on you?"


    As Noah gazed upon Jet, watching as the older man turned his head back just to ask him those final words with a smile on his face, he felt beads of tears slowly ooze out.


    "Y-yeah! You can count on me!"


    Upon hearing that, Jet nodded slowly and tightened his grip on the Chaos de.


    "Thank you."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 470 Sebas Vs Jet And Lux [Pt 3]

    <h4>Chapter 470 Sebas Vs Jet And Lux [Pt 3]</h4>


    While Jet was preparing his resolve, the confrontation between Sebas¡ªor rather, Adonis¡ªand his other enemy, had taken a heated turn.


    Despite Adonis trying to march forward, he felt something blocking him.


    ''A nk Wall, huh?'' It was a high-level Wind Spell that essentially created an imprable barrier between them and the target.


    This barrier was an invisible veil, undetectable by the eyes, and no matter how fast and strong a person moved, the inertia and friction that the barrier generated, due to an opposing sh, would stop you dead in your tracks.


    Lux was, in simple terms, blocking Adonis'' ess to her, and the thing behind her.


    "Incredible defense. But it has one fatal weakness." Adonis smiled, his eyes glowing with golden vigor as two brilliant des of light suddenly shed behind Lux.


    "It doesn''t prevent the activation of Magic beyond the reach of its range."


    Activating Spells that operated far from a Magic Caster was difficult, since it required an incredible amount of Mana as well as great skill to manage said Mana.


    And so, it came as a surprise¡ªnot just to Lux, but to the entire group of Adventurers watching¡ªthat Adonis managed to pull it off.


    ¡­ All without chanting a single Spell!


    ~FWUSH!~


    The twin des charged towards Lux, and she swiftly moved, using her Wind Magic to slice through the constructs, shattering them into pieces.


    However¡­


    ''Another weakness of nk Wall is that it requires immense concentration!'' Adonis'' eyes shed as he charged at Jet.


    ''I should swiftly finish him off before dealing with the other.''


    Adonis didn''t know why Jet wasn''t using his full power, even after being exposed. Even if he still wanted to preserve his identity, no Dragon would subject themselves to such disgrace from a human.


    At least¡­ not willingly.


    ''He must have exhausted a lot of his energy during the Mass Teleportation and also shifting the Zones.'' After deliberating on things for so long, that was the conclusion that Adonis came up with.


    That meant, at this particr moment, Jet was incredibly vulnerable.


    ''I''ll end it fast!''


    ~WHUUSH!~


    Before Adonis could reach the lone Adventurer, an incredible wave of wind charged towards him, forming concrete chain constructs that held him in all parts of his body.


    ''Tch!'' He clicked his tongue as he felt the constraints wrap around his neck as well.


    "I warned you¡­ that you''d die if you stepped forward." Lux'' eyes seemedpletely bloodthirsty, and that instantly triggered something within Adonis.


    ¡ªAn instinct he had been suppressing for the sake of pragmatism.


    "Me? Die?!"


    ~VWUUUUUMM!~


    An intense surge of golden power poured out of him, instantly ripping apart the Wind Constraints that held him down.


    "Don''t make meugh!"


    Adonis yelled, instantly causing the space around him to tremble.


    ''I''ve had enough of these two¡­'' His thoughts trailed as he turned away from Jet and set his eyes on Lux.


    ''It doesn''t matter the order.'' Adonis'' scary eyes showed only one thing.


    ¡ªThe desire to kill.


    ''Most of her power must be going towards the barrier she''s using to keep everyone hostage, as I don''t sense much power from her.''


    In terms of priority, perhaps it was better to deal with Lux first.


    At the very least, she wouldn''t be able to use the people as leverage. Adonis still had no idea why she was yet to pull out that card, but that didn''t matter at the moment.


    What mattered was¡­


    ~WHOOSH!~


    ¡­ ying these Dragons!


    In an instant, faster than even Lux seemed to be able to keep up with, Adonis appeared before Lux, swinging his light-coated de towards her neck.


    A few more inches, and he could make contact and slice her head off.


    But¡ª


    ~CLANG!~


    ¡ªA second de appeared, instantly blocking the sh that would have ended Lux''s life.


    The de seemed toe out of nowhere, and it had no one wielding it, which greatly puzzled Adonis.


    Before he could fully react to the situation, and deal with the recoil, he felt a powerful st of wind push him back.


    ~WHOOM!~


    His body helplessly flew far from Lux, but he hardly felt any damage.


    Further confusion filled Adonis'' thoughts at that moment. Why did Lux, despite having him in range, use such an attack with hardly any destructive power?


    ''H-huh¡­?'' All of sudden, he felt power building up right behind him.


    It was at that moment that he realized the direction that he was sent to. It wasn''t random, and it wasn''t arbitrary.


    Lux had pushed him away from her and towards her partner.


    The result¡­


    ~BOOOOOOOOOM!~


    ¡­ Was fatal!


    Adonis felt pain¡ªtrue, raw pain¡ªsear through his body.


    This was the first time in very long that he felt this sort of agony, and it struck him right at his back.


    "Guh!" He spat out saliva as his eyes turned white for a moment.


    The force of the hit caused his body to helplessly flip forward. The light that surrounded his body¡ªacting as both an offensive and defensive coat¡ªshattered almost instantly.


    He felt disoriented for a moment, down to the point of confusion.


    ''H-he''s¡­ stronger?!'' Before Adonis could conclude this thought, or fully understand what it meant, he felt another wind bombardment.


    This time, it was a flurry of attacks targeting multiple parts of his body, specifically his limbs.


    "G-gaahh!"


    In that moment, the de that appeared to protect Lux floated away, in the direction that Adonis was justing from.


    ~VWUUSH!~


    A powerful surge of energy suddenly manifested behind him.


    "Chaos Judgment!"


    Jet''s voice peaked, and following that deration was the descent of his brandished de and the destructive energy that followed.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    The entire area was engulfed in the spectacle and devastation that the brilliant burst offered.


    In that moment, Lux and Jet regrouped, and Adonis alone was at the center of the eruption. He suffered the hit from point-


    nk range, feeling his body take more damage than he could have ever imagined.


    These two, Jet and Lux, just like him¡­ had been hiding their strength all along!


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Just for rification, Adonis knew they were hiding their strength from the humans, but heter thought they were weakened and so he could beat them with rtively more ease.


    Theirst attacks showed he was wrong.

 Chapter 471 Sebas Vs Jet And Lux [Pt 4]

    <h4>Chapter 471 Sebas Vs Jet And Lux [Pt 4]</h4>


    Steam scattered all around the area, and the shattered marble tiles was the least of anyone''s concerns.


    The eyes on both sides only looked at the parties who stood opposite each other.


    The first¡ªJet and Lux¡ªhad resolute expressions on their faces as they faced off against the more enraged Sebas.


    The air was electrifying, and many just shivered at the sight of the two sides battling. While many wanted to stop the conflict, there wasn''t much anyone could do in a battle between Heroic Rank Adventurers.


    After a couple seconds of silence, with both parties staring at each other, Sebas made his move.


    ~FWWUUSH!~


    His body became coated in condensed Light Magic, and the area around him trembled as a result.


    Even debris began floating all around him as a recognition of his majesty.


    He discarded his old de and created another by condensing light. This weapon was concentrated Mana personified, and it oozed with sheer destructive capabilities.


    Without waiting for any notice, he dashed forward, his wielded de in hand.


    ~BOOOM!~


    The ground shattered upon his departure, and like a sh of golden light, he instantly traversed the distance between himself and the two parties.


    Once again, Lux attempted to use her nk Wall, but Sebas easily countered by making several light constructs all over the vicinity.


    There was no way the nk Wall could protect them from all directions.


    However, instead of Lux losing concentration and halting her defenses, Jet went ahead andunched himself into the air, swiftly destroying all the constructs in a whirlwind of ferocious power.


    Thanks to this, Sebas was stopped at point-nk range, unable to take a single step forward to y his enemies.


    Before he could make his next move, Lux pushed her hand forward, creating a pulse of concentrated wind that pushed Sebas from his torso.


    "Ack!" Unlike thest push, this one was incredibly dense and painful, forcing him to even cough up blood.


    As a result, his body was propelled backwards.


    While in midair, Jet appeared right overhead¡ªcovered in purple lightning¡ªwith his de raised and energy dancing around it.


    "Tch!" Adonis sent a pure light st above him, bursting through the air and consuming his foe.


    However¡­


    A shield of wind shrouded Jet, most likely the courtesy of Lux.


    Thanks to this, he was able to advance in his attack and send another burst of powerful attack flying towards Sebas.


    ~BOOOOOOM!~


    This explosion, in midair, caused a lot of riot in the area.


    Both sides experienced pressure rushing from the point of impact, and once again¡­ Jet slid back and returned to his position with Lux.


    Sebas, on the other hand,nded on his knees as smoke rushed from all over his body.


    He wasn''t lethally damaged, but it would be a lie if anyone said he didn''t take any damage from the just concluded strike.


    But, just a second after his fall, he rose to his feet and wiped the grime on his face.


    "Had enough?" Jet asked, his frown deepening as he stared at Sebas'' unyielding form.


    "Not even close!"


    At that moment, all the minor and major injuries on his body began to vanish, and his ragged breaths turned normal.


    He was all better in no time.


    "I''ll be going all-out now¡­" He whispered, enough for the two to hear.


    "Is that so?" Jet asked with a furrowed brow. "Then I will do the same."


    They both tookbat stances, holding their des with incredible skill. It seemed unfair that this was a two against one contest, but no one wasining.


    Sebas began the conflict, and he seemed to be stronger and faster than the individual abilities of the two opposing him. It was only through teamwork that they were able to keep up with, and even damage, him.


    ~BWUUUUSSHHH!~


    An almost explosive noise rushed through the area, all of it caused by the sheer amount of Light that was bursting from Adonis at that moment.


    On the other side too, Jet caused the shes of purple lightning to increase about three-fold. The aura around his de also felt alive, as it intensely wrapped itself around the Chaos de.


    Both sides had both gotten a solid boost, and they were ready to charge at each other.


    Naturally, Lux remained the supporter of her partner.


    ~FWOOOSH!~


    The first attack came from her, as sheunched several chains made from her Wind Magic. They were innumerable, and moved too fast for the human eye to capture.


    The reason behind her attack was unknown to those who watched, but they surmised that she simply wanted to restrict Sebas'' movements or slow him down so that her partner couldnd his own hit.


    However¡­


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    ¡­ None of those attacks even reached Sebas in the slightest.


    He dodged every single one, rushing towards them with the palpable intent to kill.


    Jet made his move at this point, closing the already shrinking distance between the two of them.


    Crackles of energy filled the air as they both sent their des crashing upon the other.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    The earth around them broke into pieces, creating a massive crater where they shed. Unfortunately, the intense power from Sebas'' side was stronger, and so Jet was pushed back, giving the man of light a chance to strike.


    However, at that point, several constraints of wind rose from underneath him and restricted his movements.


    It seemed Lux was waiting for the time when he was least mobile to strike, and all the initial chains were mere distractions.


    With Sebas'' movements restricted, but notpletely stopped, his actions became just a little slower, allowing Jet the chance to counterattack.


    But¡ª


    ~WHOOSH!~


    A sudden silhouette rushed from Sebas'' camp, darting swiftly towards the only vulnerable party in the fight.


    The world took pause as all eyes fell on Britta as she charged at Lux.


    Her de was unsheathed, and her eyes were filled with the resolve to end the woman''s life.


    It was checkmate.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 472 Heroic Intervention

    <h4>Chapter 472 Heroic Intervention</h4>


    It was checkmate.


    Lux'' Magic was potent and versatile, but for her to match the kind of power that Sebas was unleashing, she had to pour all of her Mana to restrain him¡ªalbeit barely.


    As a result of that, she had no proper defense in ce around her.


    With Britta''s swift motion, and the deadly power she wielded with the de, Lux''s survival without a defensive barrier was zero.


    Britta was an Elite Swordsman, which made her practically invincible to most when it came to the de. Her Skills her buffed her physical state and attacks to an absurd degree. Plus, since she was a Heroic Rank Adventurer, her Stat were not to be discounted.


    If anyone could kill Lux as she was now, it would be her.


    However, this wasn''t the only reason why the current situation was a deadlock.


    Even if Lux was fast enough to focus on her own defenses to stop Britta''s attack, she would have to ignore the constraints that currently stopped Sebas fromnding a fatal hit on her partner¡ªwho was just initiating a process of counterattacking.


    If she stopped the Constraint now, Sebas¡ªthe much faster and stronger one¡ªwas bound to deal the first strike and probably finish Jet off.


    Everyone knew what kind of state Jet was in, so it was very possible for a point-nk explosive assault from Sebas to end his life.


    Hence, a difficult situation.


    No matter what choice Lux made¡ªif she could even make any, given the suddenness of the whole thing¡ªone of the two would have to die.


    The only question was who?


    *********


    "Rahhhhh!"


    Britta''s voice pierced the air as her de she made a powerful horizontal sh. Her target was Lux''s head, and based on the trajectory of her swing, she wasn''t going to miss.


    All her Skills were active, with the exception of [Night Vision].


    [Greater Full Sense], [Greater Full sh], and [Mortal Enlightenment]; all working in sync to connect this one, vital attack.


    ''I¡­ I still don''t want to believe it.'' As Britta''s de neared Lux''s neck, and she saw her surprised expression, her thoughts trailed.


    When Sebas first told her about all of it, she found it ridiculous to believe. It took a lot of convincing to bring everyone to his side, but she was thest toe around.


    How could she have epted that Jet and Lux¡ªthe two Adventurers who saved her life and inspired her to be better¡ªwere Dragon Spies?!


    ''No¡­ that can''t be!'' She had thought to herself back then. ''There has to be another exnation!''


    That was what Britta kept telling herself.


    Even when Sebas admitted to being an expert who had been tracking the two of them for a long period of time, and connected so many dots that it made sense¡­


    She still wanted to believe them.


    Even when she agreed to help bring them in, at least to find out the truth, she still believed that Sebas was mistaken, and that those two weren''t¡­ that Jet wasn''t ¡­ a Dragon.


    But, after seeing the Guildmaster''s corpse and the culprit casually handling the situation, all her hopes were dashed.


    "Richard¡­" She had whispered to herself the moment she witnessed all of it.


    Guildmaster Richard was like a father to her. Back when her weak father died, he became the pir she could lean on.


    Of course, she eventually outgrew him and became rebellious, but still¡­ Britta loved and respected him dearly.


    Seeing his corpse being desecrated like that took her over the edge.


    All the excuses she had in her mind¡ªconcerning Jet, and his partner Lux¡ªwere slowly abandoned.


    Much to her shame, it still took her time to pull together enough resolve to do what she was about to do. It was disgusting how she couldn''t even find the strength in her to avenge the death of her father figure.


    ¡­ At least not immediately.


    While she was struggling to make the choice, Sebas held the fort.


    It made her even more angry at herself.


    Why? Why couldn''t she just abandon these feelings and march forward?


    Why¡­ even now, after witnessing all of it, was she yet topletely drop all hope for the man d in ck?


    Why was she remembering the time she spent in his embrace, and the warmth of his touch?


    Britta¡­ was mad at herself.


    Even though Jet was a monster underneath, she could not let go of her feelings for him.


    Perhaps that was why she went for Lux.


    After seeing the current state of things, her instinct took over, and the resolve she couldn''t find before suddenly took control of her body.


    She activated all her Skills and relied heavily on her ss Privileges.


    Everything¡­ just so she could seed.


    That was how she was able to close the distance between her and Lux, and that was why¡ªas the de was about to slice off Lux''s neck¡ªshe felt a sting in her heart.


    ''This¡­ is the end¡­''


    ~CLANG!~


    The sudden impact that stopped Britta''s de caused her body to tremble in recoil.


    Her eyes bulged wide open as she looked at the weapon that stopped her attack, and the man who wielded it.


    He had brown hair, a portion of it tied behind him with a band. His eyes were crackling with dark green energy, and his katana was brimming with incredible energy.


    "S-Sherlock!" Britta gritted her teeth as she saw her colleague defend the enemy of humanity.


    "Sorry, Britta¡­ I can''t let you do that."


    Noah''s smile was sad, but his eyes burned bright with resolve. Despite the fact that she had used all her strength in that attack, he was able to stop it in a split-second.


    The surprise that came with his interference caused Britta''s racing heart to nearly explode.


    "¡­ Move." She whispered, her re deepening.


    Britta had always wanted to fight with Sherlock to see who was stronger at full power. However, she never expected such a sh toe in this form.


    It seemed Sherlock sensed her thought, since he smiled in a half yful and half serious fashion.


    "Make me!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    The plot thickens. Who do you think is stronger between Noah and Britta?

 Chapter 473 Sherlock’s True Power [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 473 Sherlock''s True Power [Pt 1] </h4>


    As all the Heroic Rank Adventurers littered the battlefield, the tension that pervaded the air became so vivid that everyone could feel it.


    It was a massive space, but somehow both sides felt as close to the conflict as one could possibly get.


    The group within the white dome, ignorant but hopeful, were in full support of Jet and Lux.


    Now that Noah had joined the fray, he too had their support.


    The other side, shrouded by a golden barrier, already knew who the enemies were¡ªJet and Lux¡ªand they also knew that they had to die.


    With these two sides having their representatives in a three against one deadlock, the battle was about to get even more chaotic.


    And everyone waited in anticipation to see who would win, and more importantly¡­


    ¡­ Who would lose.


    **********


    "Stay out of this, Sherlock!" Britta growled as she red intensely at the young man who stopped her.


    He was barely an adult, yet he had enough strength to stop her attack.


    ''I can''t believe it¡­'' Her thoughts nearly trailed off, but she pulled it back to the current conflict.


    "I''m sorry, but I can''t!"


    His smile, despite how tense the battle was, pissed her off. The ignorantd had no idea about the stakes of the battle, yet he was defending them?


    Why?!


    "Listen Sherlock, those two are¡ª!"


    "Dragons? Yeah¡­ so you people say." He responded casually. "You, Sebas, and everyone on your side seems to believe that they are the enemy."


    Britta was so filled with anger that she felt like exploding.


    ''It''s not like I started out believing it, or that I wanted to¡­!'' She just had to look at the evidence and go against her bias.


    Only then was the truth revealed to her; the dark, ugly truth.


    "Sherlock, you¡ª!"


    "I''ve been with them for only a day or two, and I''ve seen the kind of people they are, Britta. Those who have been with them for longer were even able to see more." He responded, his eyes burning with determination.


    "You say they are Dragons, but surely you must have seen it too¡ªtheir kindness and warmness."


    Britta was once again reminded of the embrace she shared with Jet, how he saved her from the Monsters like she was a damsel, and how he wreaked righteous judgment on the vile creatures that would have killed her.


    She owed him her life, and before she knew it¡­ her heart as well.


    But¡­


    "N-no. They''re just deceiving us¡­ they''ve deceived you, them¡­ they deceived me." Britta mumbled, her grip on the de growing weak.


    Then, Noah''s voice came¡ªsoft, but strong.


    "Do you really believe that?"


    The question caused Britta''s resolve to waver. The strength that she had tried so hard to maintain for so long began to crumble.


    "I¡­ I¡­"


    Her hands shook even more, and more of her grip loosened.


    "I¡­"


    "BRITTA, I NEED YOUR SUPPORT NOW!" The panicked voice from Sebas suddenly woke her from her hesitation, and before she even realized it, her tight grip returned.


    "I¡­ believe it!"


    She put her weight behind the attack, and Sherlock swiftly twisted his body to remove some of the force.


    The result was a repulsion effect that forced both sides to slide a few meters away from each other.


    "Is that so? Such a shame¡­"


    "The true shame is you supporting vermin like them over your own race."


    "Haha¡­" Sherlock brandished his katana and took a battle stance.


    ck energy began to dance around him, with shes of lightning crackling all over himself and his de.


    Sherlock didn''t bother making his katana invisible since Britta''s [Greater Full Sense] would be able to detect it, so he opted for the more direct approach.


    As Heroic Rank Adventurers, petty tricks and underhanded moves would hardly make the cut. In this level ofbat, both parties simply had to go all-out and use everything in their arsenal.


    The one with the greater Skill and Power would be the victor.


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    Britta took the initiative and charged at Sherlock, her de ready to deal multiple shes at once.


    To her knowledge, Sherlock didn''t have a proper defensive Skill that would give him an edge in his fight against her.


    Well¡­ she was wrong.


    "I believe you''ve never seen me at full power." Waves of shadows suddenly swept all around Sherlock, instantly wrapping him in a cocoon that protected him from her assault.


    "So it makes sense that you don''t know what my Skills are."


    Sherlock relied mostly on his Items, and while he was known to use Shadow Magic in a lot of proficient ways, he was never really seen utilizing more than that in his battles.


    At the very least, that was how it seemed.


    "But, maybe I''ll show you a glimpse." Sherlock''s voice suddenly came from behind Britta, forcing her to turn back in a jiffy.


    Yet, she saw nothing.


    Then¡ª


    ~BOOOOOM!~


    ¡ªA powerful explosion of both darkness and lightning charged forth, mming against her in her confused state.


    "Ack!" Spitting out drool, Britta found herself flying a few meters into the air.


    Her mind was beyond boggled.


    ''W-what just happened¡­?!'' Her [Greater Full Sense] told her that he was indeed behind her, but when she turned, she saw nothing.


    Then, while she was trying to reconcile her sight with her senses, she was hit with a powerful barrage.


    ''D-did he turn his entire body invisible?''


    While she was having this thought, she suddenly saw a brilliant sh of explosive power above her.


    Turning towards the brilliant disy overhead, she saw Sherlock raising his de to send a powerful attack her way.


    ''H-he got up there so quickly? How? Teleportation?!''


    Once again, Britta''s perception was thrown into a state of confusion. While her eyes saw Sherlock and the dangerous power he was about to unleash on her, her [Greater Full Sense] showed her nothing.


    In that split-second, she had to decide which one to follow, and before she could even decide, her reflex kicked in, and she instinctively blocked the attack from above.


    But¡­ that was the wrong move.


    "I''ve got you¡­ " Sherlock''s voice came from beneath her, and so did several shadow tendrils.


    "¡­ Britta!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I''m sure you all have an idea as to what exactly Noah did in that situation.


    Let''s hear it!

 Chapter 474 Sherlock’s True Power [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 474 Sherlock''s True Power [Pt 2]</h4>


    Noah''s three Exclusive Skills didn''t seem so special at first nce.


    [Phase], [Shadow Magic], and [Projection].


    With the exception of some moves that could be done with [Shadow Magic], they were mostly useful for defense and evasion.


    However, after honing his abilities and properly practicing with these Skills, Noah could properly use them for offensive moves.


    When he started his fight with Britta, he used his [Shadow Magic] to defend himself, while using [Phase] and a bit of propulsion to slip through the ground and appear behind her.


    Then, he used his voice to call her attention to him. This, along with the effects of her [Greater Full Sense], allowed her to locate his position, even though she never saw him leave his ck cocoon.


    Even if she suspended disbelief for that moment, due to the directive of her senses, Britta encountered another dilemma when there was no visual representation of what she was sensing.


    This was thanks to [Projection]. It was only a visual illusion, but it worked wonders to confuse Britta''s senses for a moment.


    ¡ªEnough for him to attack her and send her flying.


    Of course, the only reason he couldnd a hit on her despite her senses¡ªeven with her confusion¡ªwas due to his impressive Stats.


    If he was much slower than her, she would have reacted and evaded his blow.


    However, since they seemed to be pretty much on the same level of power and speed, he was able to dominate her by imposing a dyed reaction on her end.


    But, that wasn''t all!


    Taking advantage of his visual illusions, he created a bright and noticeable light show that easily caught her attention and distracted her¡ªeven if only for a few moments¡ªfrom his brewing attack below her.


    Thanks to this, he was able to hit her a second time.


    It was very easy to confuse a person by providing different information to their respective senses.


    Even such a person would eventually recover, damage could already be done.


    That was Noah''s special advantage¡ªhis true power!


    ***********


    The shadow tendrils charged at Britta with immense speeds, but she quickly moved, swinging her de to cut down everything in sight.


    Several tendrils passed through her sh and neared her face¡ªthreatening to blow it away¡ªwhich caused her to hesitate for a moment again.


    This move gave Sherlock the window to strike her a second time with the dull side of his de, sending her crashing to the ground.


    ~BOOOOM!~


    Smoke rose from the ground, and with several shattered pieces of rocks and marble upying the area around Britta, she bitterly stared at the ground in confusion.


    ''What the hell is happening?!''


    At first she thought he turned himself invisible, but then he had teleportation, or was it duplication? What was he doing to her?


    She saw something and sensed something else, so perhaps he was messing with her sensory capabilities.


    Even though the answer was pretty simple¡ªVisual Illusions¡ªBritta could not arrive at such a conclusion with the limited information she had.


    It was indeed one of the options, but there were so many others.


    ''I could close my eyes to escape the illusions, but what if it is my senses that are being affected, and not my eyes?''


    That would mean that her [Greater Full Sense] was unreliable, since the Skill merely improved her sensory abilities to several degrees.


    ''He could have a duplication Skill, as well as teleportation, which exins how he can switch so quickly and also move very fast. Or is that just an illusion?''


    Britta was confused to the core, but before she could properly address the confusion, Sherlock charged at her once again.


    ''I''ll do it! I''ll follow my senses this time and see where that leads me.'' Britta tightly gripped her de and readied herself for the assault.


    Several shadow constructs charged forth, but Britta decided to ignore them.


    ''My senses aren''t picking up anything!''


    The shadows slipped through her, confirming one of her many theories, that they were mere physical illusions.


    Then, she went ahead to strike him.


    He easily parried her strike and went for a counter, which she was also prepared for.


    As she watched his blurry de descend upon her in a downward vertical strike, though¡­ something felt off.


    The pressure of the strike was real, and she could indeed sense the presence of something.


    But¡­ it felt off.


    Still, Britta blocked the attack, only for her wrist to be sliced through almost instantly.


    "E-eh¡­?"


    Her de fell out of her hand immediately, with blood spurting out of her open wounds.


    ''What just happened¡­?!'' Her eyes widened as she saw Sherlock''s kick nearing her face.


    Despite the pain from her wounds, Britta quickly responded and moved her body so she could dodge the kick by pulling away, leaving his reach.


    It worked¡­ but!


    ~BAM!~


    His heel was nted on her face, sending her crashing to the ground yet again.


    At this point, Britta couldn''t exin anything.


    She was just too confused, as well as tired.


    "Can you still stand?" Sherlock''s voice echoed as he stood right in front of her.


    Britta tried, but her body felt weakened. Even if she could, her de was far away, and several shadow tendrils surrounded her, threatening to drill holes into her.


    Some were real. Some weren''t. However, it was difficult for her to really tell between the two since the shadows keep moving and ovepping with one another.


    It was at this moment that Britta had an epiphany.


    She realized her mistake.


    "Your de¡­ it was invisible from the start, wasn''t it?" She muttered, covering her face in shame. "You merely made it look visible using that illusion of yours."


    Back then, when she parried his de, yet felt something was off, that was because it wasn''t his de she parried.


    Perhaps it was a shadow construct or something, but it wasn''t the Night de.


    Sherlock then swung the de in quick motion, while she was still disoriented and in a fixed position, to cut through her wrist.


    "The kick too. Your real body and the illusion slightly ovepped, making it seem like your reach was only so far when it was probably a meter longer.


    These were small differences, tint details that seemed inconsequentialpared to shy moves, but in their fight, those were the determinants of victory.


    "I''ve lost, Sherlock¡­" Britta sighed, tears falling from the hands that she covered with her bleeding hand.


    "It''s your victory."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    That was quite a ride, right? I hope you enjoyed the chapter and the fight.


    Looks like Noah was superior, after all.

 Chapter 475 End Of The Line [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 475 End Of The Line [Pt 1]</h4>


    "I''ll have to apologize to Jet for not listening to his final words."


    Noah sheathed his de as he heaved a sigh, a bit of mist leaking out of his lips. He cast his gaze on Britta, who remained silent as shey on the ground.


    It would be a lie if he said he didn''t feel bad for her.


    Not only had she lost to him, but her entire resolve¡ªthe strength she painstakingly mustered so she could raise her de¡ªwas rendered useless by him.


    "You shouldn''t feel too bad." Noah mumbled as he stared off into the distance.


    Despite Britta bleeding, he didn''t pay much attention to her. He already knew she wouldn''t die or suffer permanent damage from her injury.


    He also had some attention on her, so she wouldn''t be able to catch him by surprise.


    ''Not that it would happen, though¡­'' One look at Britta was enough to tell Noah that her will to fight was gone.


    He had utterly broken her fighting spirit.


    "I don''t need your pity." She whispered in response.


    Noah sighed and shook his head the moment he heard this. "That''s not why I said it, though."


    He raised his hand and pointed his finger in a particr direction that was a short distance from where they were.


    The battle between Jet and Sebas was reaching an explosive climax, and as Noah saw the brilliant disy of destruction, he couldn''t help but chuckle.


    "They make our fight look like child''s y." Hemented, now turning back to see Britta.


    "I know you must have your reasons for suspecting Jet and Lux, and I don''t think you''re being irrational in your stance."


    He heaved a heavy sigh and shrugged.


    "It''s just¡­ I also have my reasons for trusting him."


    Noah began to walk away from Britta, his sights set on the white dome that he was tasked with protecting.


    "You¡­ were?you this strong back then?" Britta''s voice suddenly echoed, causing him to stop dead in his tracks. "When I constantly challenged you, were you already so strong?"


    Noah''s smile broadened and he shook his head.


    "No. I leveled up considerably during this Conquest. I expected you to have done the same, but in all likelihood, your group must have avoided danger to preserve energy and reduce risks."


    There was also the chance that their group didn''t encounter as many Undead as Noah and Jet''s respective teams.


    Britta nodded at Noah, and then¡ªfor the first time ever¡ªshe offered Noah a genuine smile.


    "Well¡­ you''ve gotten really strong, Sherlock."


    Noah chuckled and shrugged. He didn''t have the heart to tell her that he wasn''t even in top form thanks to the whole marathon within the Dungeon, and how most of his Enchanted Items had run out of power.


    ''It would just make her feel bad¡­'' And so, keeping that secret to himself, Noah resumed his departure.


    Beforepletely leaving Britta''s presence, though, he uttered words that came raw from his very depths.


    He wasn''t smiling, neither was his tone casual.


    Noah meant every word he uttered, and the way he turned his head back and gazed at Britta while saying them expressed them perfectly well.


    "I''m going to get much stronger. You just watch me."


    And, without saying anything more, Noah Sherlock returned to the inner walls of the white dome.


    After all, he had one more duty to fulfill.


    ''Sir Jet¡­ whatever happens, I will not forget my promise.'' Clenching fist with resolve, he burned the rest of the unfolding fight into his eyes.


    ''I will protect everyone!''


    **********


    [Meanwhile¡­]


    "Huff¡­ huff¡­"


    Adonis was breathing heavily as he stared at the man who stood opposite him.


    Just like him, Jet was also panting. They both looked extremely exhausted, way past their limits. However, this was only how it appeared on the surface.


    ''This situation is getting a bit difficult.'' Adonis narrowed his gaze as he looked at the opponent.


    ''I can''t use my Divine Sword, and while I''m utilizing most of my Skills at the moment, I have to restrict myself to a particr set so I don''t get recognized as the Heroter on.''


    Also, he had stopped holding back with his Stats, so he should have still been much stronger than humanly possible.


    ''So how in the world is he still able to keep up with me?!''


    Adonis could recover both his Mana and Life Force by using passive Skills, and while Dragons were also notorious for having the same capabilities, Adonis found it increasingly strange that Jet wasn''t showing any signs of recovery, yet he was still fighting on a somewhat even ground with him.


    ''The sheer skill he has with the de is incredible, and hisbat application is nearly wless.''


    Even though Adonis was obviously the superior one when it came to Stats, it constantly felt like Jet was just the better fighter.


    ''Dragons are strong, but they''re not very good in Combat Application, especially in human form. They mostly rely on Magic and Skills.'' Adonis'' eyes narrowed in thought.


    Jet seemed to be the exception to that standard, though.


    Not only was he a much better fighter, but he didn''t disy any proper Magic-based abilities.


    That was too strange to ignore.


    ''Is it possible that I was wrong? Could it be¡­?'' Adonis nced at Lux, who seemed to be a more typical example of a Dragon.


    However, with both of them working so well in sync¡ªanother trait that wasn''t seen with Dragons¡ªAdonis began to doubt her identity as a Dragon as well.


    ''But¡­ the future, and the Spatial Magic¡­ and¡­''


    A creeping thought entered Adonis'' mind as he felt himself doubting all of the theories and assertions he made.


    ''What if there was another exnation? Is there something I''m missing?''


    As his heart raced quickly and his exhaustion slowly began to vanish, he noticed Jet falling on one knee¡ªa weakened mess.


    "It seems¡­ I''ve reached my limit." He whispered, a sad smile spreading on his face as he stared at Adonis.


    "This looks like the end."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 476 End Of The Line [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 476 End Of The Line [Pt 2] </h4>


    All eyes were wide¡ªsome with surprise while others in anticipation.


    The Adventurers all witnessed the fall of the mighty. Jet knelt with one leg, his disheveled and wounded body barely able to withstand the amount of energy he was disying.


    ~ZZZzzzttzzz~


    The purple electricity that shrouded his body began sizzling out, and the look on his pale face showed how close he was to passing out¡ªif not just straight up dying.


    If not for the de he nted on the ground to support him, his entire body would have definitely plunged to the ground.


    Right after his own downfall, Lux also copsed, coughing up blood in the process.


    It was clear that the two had reached their limits.


    "Can I ask you a question?" Jet muttered, nearly as a whisper, as he cast his gaze upon Sebas.


    The audience trembled as they heard his voice¡ªpreviously one that burst with life and energy¡ªnow a hoarse shell of its former glory.


    Those who supported him sped their hands together as they witnessed this; some even going as far as crying.


    As for those on the opposing sides¡­ a lot of their hardened faces began to show a bit of emotion.


    They remembered the Jet that led them through the battle on the Ground Floor, and seeing him in such a state was enough to cause their hardened hearts to tremble, even if just slightly.


    "What is your question?" Sebas asked, his face still not disying any remorse or regrets for his actions.


    A hint of surprise was locked in his eyes, though.


    "Why do you think I am a Dragon? Why do you consider me your enemy?"


    For a moment, there was silence in the hall. Then¡ª


    "I''ve known for the longest time. But, what gave it away during this raid were two major things."


    "Oh? What are they?"


    Despite shaking with his weakened body, Jet still managed to chuckle.


    "First was the Mass Teleportation Incident. I saw you use Spatial Magic of some sort before we vanished, which shows you had something to do with it."


    Jet''s brows were raised slightly, and for a moment, there was no smile on his face. He merely appeared stunned by the revtion.


    However, without even confirming or disproving the usation, he simply asked, "And the second?"


    Sebas'' brows furrowed even more as his frown deepened. "The Zone Shifts. We never saw you and your partner, as well as half of the Adventurers who joined the Conquest."


    Even counting the corpses that the group stumbled across over the course of the ten days, all of them only amounted to about half of the total number of Adventurers.


    "That means we were intentionally split into two separate areas, preventing our side from ever interacting with yours. That is, until now¡­"


    This raised Sebas'' suspicion, especially since he¡ªas Adonis¡ªalready figured that both Dragons already had a sinister n they desired to execute.


    But now¡­ it seemed like those two major reasons were a little oundish.


    Not only had Jet not used any kind of Spatial Magic since they started fighting¡ªeven when it would have been incredibly advantageous for him to do so¡ªbut the Adventurers that were separated to the Jet and Lux side were still not harmed.


    At least, most of them.


    They even had more survivors on their end than on Sebas'' side.


    It led to further confusion among the Adventurers, even those who were previously on Sebas'' side on the matter.


    Of course, Adonis himself had other reasons for suspecting Jet and Lux¡ªmost of iting from his knowledge of the future, but he couldn''t just tell everyone that.


    And so, now that the reasons he gave them was proving itself as invalid before everyone''s eyes, everyone began to have strikingly simr thoughts.


    All of them culminated into one simple meaning.


    ''Could we have been wrong about this?''


    It was possible that they misunderstood a lot of things, including the rtionship between all the events that happened and the people they were pinning it all on.


    In the first ce, the only reason they thought Jet and Lux were Dragons was because Sebas convinced them.


    They hadn''t even seen them transform¡ªnot even once.


    There was no way that a bunch of Dragon Spies would push themselves so far, even to the point of dying, just to maintain their identities.


    So¡­ maybe¡­


    "Now that we have exchanged blows, do you still consider me as one?" Jet asked, his smile returning once again.


    Despite all that Sebas had said and done to him, his voice contained no malice.


    It was just calm.


    "I''m not sure. But¡­ isn''t that what a Spy would be good at?"


    "Haha! Still on about that, huh? Well¡­ I don''t know where you got that idea from, but I''m no Dragon Spy. Neither is Lux."


    Murmurs rose from both sides of the room as the Adventurers began to discuss among themselves.


    "M-maybe he''s right¡­"


    "For real? How can we be sure, though?"


    "I think¡­ I think I believe him! He doesn''t seem like a bad guy!"


    "Exactly! And he did save so many people."


    "I don''t know¡­ really¡­"


    Sebas'' side seemed to be losing a lot of followers, and as the conflicting discourse within the golden dome became louder and more chaotic, Sebas raised his voice and stomped on the ground.


    "If you''re not a Dragon Spy, then what are you?!"


    Silence filled the room as all eyes were forced to converge on Adonis whose passionate words echoed throughout the hall.


    However, before long, they shifted to the man he spoke to.


    "I¡­ what am I¡­?"


    Jet slowly rose to his feet, his strained face showing how he pushed himself to rise above his pain and exhaustion. Until, finally, he stood upright.


    "I am one who has inherited the spirit of Jet Zephyr, who dreams of surpassing him as an Adventurer and be a new beacon of hope in this City that he helped to found."


    With a bright smile on his face, and words that resonated with every single Adventurer present, he let out his grand deration.


    "My name is Jet, and I am simply an Adventurer that fights for freedom!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    My man! PREAACHHH!!!

 Chapter 477 Emergence Of The Undying

    <h4>Chapter 477 Emergence Of The Undying</h4>


    Tears filled the eyes of many Adventurers who heard those words.


    Watching Jet stand up for the spirit of the Adventurers, despite being betrayed by the very same people that should have represented that ideal, caused the heart of many to melt.


    Even the skeptical ones among the audience could no longer maintain it.


    They were thoroughly moved!


    "W-we were wrong! We were wrong, Sir Jet!"


    "Please forgive me! To think I ever doubted you¡­!"


    "I havemitted a great sin!"


    "Sir Sebas, you are wrong! Sir Jet isn''t that kind of man!"


    More derations like this filled the air in an overwhelmingly loud surge of noise from the golden side.


    All of the Adventurers, without exception,pletely lost all suspicion towards him.


    There was no way a Dragon could replicate the kind of pride that Jet disyed as he dered his true identity as an Adventurer.


    Every Adventurer could feel it in their core¡ªthis man was genuine.


    "I¡­ I¡­" Sebas muttered, his head hanging heavily on his shoulder as he seemed conflicted on just what to do.


    It seemed he found it difficult to reconcile the Jet that he had in his head with the one that currently stood opposite him.


    "Sebas, I do not know where your deep-seated suspicion truly lie. There''s clearly more to this than you''re letting on."


    Jet began to approach Sebas¡ªhis steps measured, by evenly pace.


    At first, the Sebas showed intense apprehension. However, after watching the harmless Jet slowly walk towards him, it all fizzled out.


    The Chaos de was used to support Jet, like a walking stick, as he closed their distance. Finally, both sides stood opposite each other, practically only about ten inches apart.


    "If you truly wish to know about my sister and I, how about you ask us in a peaceful manner; perhaps in a more appropriate setting?"


    Jet raised his unupied hand and stretched it towards Sebas, going for a handshake.


    "I respect you, Sebas. You''re strong, and I can see an incredible sense of justice burning within your eyes." His smooth, calm words caused even more surprise to be disyed on Sebas'' face.


    "You don''t have to like or respect me, but I do not want us to be enemies. So, why don''t we just set aside our differences for now and look for a way to get out of this Dungeon?"


    Jet''s gesture remained unreciprocated, but he hadn''t given up yet.


    "At least, let''s do it for the sake of everyone in this room." With this smile on his face, he slightly thrust his hand forward and invited Sebas one more time.


    This time, thetter didn''t refuse.


    "Fine¡­" Sebas deactivated his light de and sent his hand towards Jet.


    They both shook hands without incident, and while there was still palpable tension in the air, it was clear that both sides were no longer enemies.


    Sherlock could see this as he stood beside Lux, supporting her with a smile on his face. Britta also watched this as she sat slightly upright.


    All the Adventurers saw the end to the terribly long battle and could all feel the warm embrace of relief.


    Finally, the worst was finally over.


    "Thank you. Now, let''s figure a way out of he¡ª"


    "HOW BORING¡­"


    The sudden voice of a certain entity instantly caused everything and everyone in the hall to experience instant suspension.


    It was almost as if everything in the world was on pause.


    Then, emerging from beneath the marble ground, like a phantom too big to properly exin, was an entity that represented pure chaos.


    Its bony body gleamed with purple energy as it seamlessly passed through the ground, and once it appeared in all of its glory, the world trembled to wee its presence.


    ¡­ Its overwhelming presence.


    Massive in height¡ªabout fifteen meters tall¡ªand glorious in form, the colossal Undead gazed upon those who could not move a single muscle upon its emergence.


    Its bony wings unfurled from their positions, and dark purple energy reced the flesh that would have made up the wings.


    This energy pervaded the skeletal figure. From its glowing eye sockets, to its sharp ws, and ultimately the incredibly dense energy that surrounded every facet of its body.


    Then, protruding from the head of this magnificent entity were horns. Not three, or four, or even five.


    There were six.


    Six horns, all burning bright intense energy that everything around trembled.


    "HAAA¡­ YOU ALL WAKE ME FROM MY SLUMBER, YET YOU''RE SO BORING." It let out its thunderous voice in a mildly annoyed manner.


    The corruption that oozed from him¡­ the dense Miasma that flowed from where he stood¡­ they were enough to overwhelm anyone.


    Those who set their eyes upon him shook in fear¡ª indescribable fear that came with an impossible understanding of who, or rather what, this entity was.


    Yes, it was a Skeletal Dragon, but no one had ever seen one with six horns.


    For the majority who stared at this being, they indeed felt the weight of fear of them. Even if they dwelled in the realm of ignorance, they knew that this was an existence far higher than them.


    However, for the one among them who had knowledge¡ªwho knew just what the six horns of the Dragon before him meant


    ¡ªhe didn''t merely feel fear.


    He experienced despair.


    ''T-that''s not even a Commander¡­ or a General¡­''


    Appearing right in front of everyone, in that decisive moment, was a being that many had only heard of but never seen.


    ¡ªA Dragon Lord!


    "WHAT A COMMOTION YOU HAVE MADE¡­" The Dragonmented, casually having its seat while staring all around it.


    "STILL, I QUITE ENJOYED WATCHING YOU SQUABBLE AMONGST YOURSELVES. WHY DID YOU HAVE TO STOP?"


    The Adventurers would have gulped several times over, but they instinctively felt like they didn''t even have the permission to do so.


    "WELL, SINCE YOU ARE ALL DONE ENTERTAINING ME, I SUPPOSE IT''S TIME FOR THE LAST USE I WILL HAVE OF YOU¡­" No one could tell the expression of a Skeletal Dragon, but everyone who gazed upon this malevolent being instantly recognized what look it was making.


    A broad, maniacal grin.


    "YOU''LL MAKE A FINE ADDITION TO MY COLLECTION."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    How many of you saw thising? Let''s be honest here¡­


    Come on! Hahahaha!

 Chapter 478 When Despair Creeps

    <h4>Chapter 478 When Despair Creeps</h4>


    ''W-What is a Dragon Lord doing here...?''


    As Adonis watched the Skeletal Dragon, overwhelming fear and intense trauma began to take over his body. More than even the rest of Adventurers around, he couldn''t stop trembling intensely.


    That was because he knew just how powerful and cruel a single Dragon Lord was.


    ''Back then¡­ we were never able to beat a single one.''


    The Dragon Lords were recognized as the unshakable pir of the Dragon Society, and so it was practically impossible for a human to beat them.


    ''I thought we''d have a few more years to get stronger before trying, but¡­ why now?''


    Sure, this was a Skeletal Dragon¡ªand Undead were usually weaker than their living counterparts, with a few exceptions.


    If a dead entity came back as a Skeleton, though, then they were most definitely weaker than their living versions. Other than the perks of having a somewhat undying body, there were no real advantages of bing a Dragon.


    ''So¡­ yes¡­ it''s going to be a lot weaker than the real thi¡ª''


    "THOSE BARRIERS WILL DO YOU NO GOOD."


    The instant the Skeletal Dragon Lord uttered those words, the golden barrier that covered Adonis'' group, and the white dome protecting the other side, instantly shattered.


    ''A-ah¡­?'' His eyes nearly bulged as he powerlessly watched everything with sweat appearing all over his face.''


    Without nearly putting in any effort at all, this Dragon Lord had devastated the effects of his [Absolute Defense].


    That meant one thing¡­


    ''It still has an SS-Tier Skill¡­ Damnit!''


    The reason why Dragon Lords were so scary and practically invincible was because they had at least S-Tier sses, as well as one SS-Tier Skill.


    In essence, they had a simr build to Adonis¡ªwho was the strongest among the Otherworlders.


    However, even with the same Tiers of sses and Skills, Adonis was nowhere close to them when it came to Stats and simple biological advantages.


    Dragons Leveled Up fast. Their limits weren''t the same as humans. They lived long lives, especially Dragon Lords, so they must have amassed a lot of EXP¡ªhence, more Stats.


    Dragons also had more Skills than any human¡ªor even Otherworlder¡ªcould dare to imagine.


    They were on another level entirely.


    ''I thought we''d have more time. If I Leveled Up more and finally advance my Hero ss to that point¡­ ording what the Oracle said¡­''


    But now, it seemed like all his nning hade to an end.


    Having a Dragon Lord appear here was pretty much game over for everyone.


    "Looks like we''ve found your culprit, Sebas¡­" Jet''s voice emerged, seemingly out of nowhere, causing Adonis to slowly turn his face to look at the man beside him.


    "Y-you¡­"


    Adonis was stunned to find the look on Jet''s face. ''H-he''s smiling?! In the presence of THAT?''


    Jet had a fearless expression on his face, something that Adonis sorelycked. At this moment, he was reminded of how he was in the past.


    ¡ªThe weak, scrawny one who always trailed behind his Master, Lucielle.


    It seemed, even after bing a Hero, nothing had changed.


    "That is the Dragon you''re looking for. The one who caused all of this¡­ and also the one that put the Guildmaster in that state."


    Adonis'' eyes twitched as he found himself going over everything that he med Jet for, now fitting it into a new context where the Dragon''s existence came into ount.


    Not everything made sense, but for the most part, he could see a difference.


    ''It has been watching us fight all this time, which means the chances of it watching us even when we were on the Ground Floor is high.''


    That meant he could have decided to use a Mass Teleport, even if he didn''t use it in the previous timeline''s Dungeon Conquest.


    ''Maybe it was asleep then, or wasn''tpelled to do so.'' Either way, it made sense.


    Also, the Zone shift could have also been his doing. He probably wanted to mess around with them, disying the true nature of a Dragon¡ªsomething Jet and Lux sorelycked.


    ''I still don''t understand why Jet was shrouded in Spatial Energy, but maybe the Dragon did it intentionally, to fool me.''


    Perhaps the Dragon expected, or orchestrated this oue.


    Why else would the Zones have shifted at the convenient time so he could enter this massive hall with his group and see Jet doing ''something'' to the Guildmaster.


    It was all the Dragon''s doing!


    "I¡­ I was wrong." Adonus mumbled, his face as crestfallen as possible. "I was so wrong."


    Due to the knowledge of the future, Adonis had unconsciously gotten some kind of tunnel vision that made him obsessively focus on central parts of something without taking the full picture into ount.


    Perhaps if he didn''t have such hubris, he would have been able to avoid the present situation.


    Adonis med himself.


    He felt like crumbling to the ground and begging for forgiveness. Even though he still knew about how the names "Jet" and "Lux" belonged to people that would wreak such havoc in the future, he still had no right to be so forward and self righteous in his approach.


    What if these people were different from, though rted to, the ones who came muchter¡ªthe true Malefactors of the Adventurer Massacre several months from now?


    The timing of their arrival, the nature of their abilities, their appearances¡­ they were all different from the ones he heard of back then.


    Yet, because he so desperately wanted to fit them into a narrative, he did just that.


    "I''m sorry, Je.t¡­" Adonis muttered, his eyes leaking out hot tears.


    The Skeletal Dragon watched all of them¡ªmost likely even the current exchange¡ªwith a disconcerted gaze. Adonis could feel the pressure of its stare from above, but he still struggled to speak, just as he struggled to breathe.


    "¡­ I was wrong about you."


    He was wrong about everything.


    "You truly are¡ª"


    "FUWAHH¡­ YOU''RE STILL TALKING?"


    A loud yawn, followed by the thunderous voice of the Skeletal Dragon Lord forced Adonis'' words to remain buried.


    "THAT''S ENOUGH OUT OF YOU ALL." As it said this, a massive spike of corrupted energy began to rush from its body.


    "TIME TO FLOAT!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 479 Otherworlders Assemble

    <h4>Chapter 479 Otherworlders Assemble</h4>


    "TIME TO FLOAT!"


    As soon as it said this, the bony jaws of the Skeletal Dragon Lord opened up, and an immensely concentrated pool of energy began to slowly converge inside it.


    It formed an orb¡ªckish purple in color¡ªthat seemed to hold all of chaos inside it.


    All of this happened in an instant, so before anyone could even think of making a move, the corrupted sphere was done forming.


    All that remained¡­ was its eventual trail into the world.


    ~BOOOOOOM!~


    The orb erupted as it descended upon the parties who witnessed the catastrophe.


    The crowd knew, by instinct, what the incredible energy that rained down on them was.


    It was Miasma¡ªenough Miasma to melt all their bodies until not even their bones were left. The best case scenario would be them turning into a grotesque sight like the Guildmaster''s corpse.


    To call that the best was, however, incredibly dubious.


    Needless to say, only certain death awaited.


    *********


    ''Damnit!'' Adonis'' widened eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as he saw the powerful beam of destruction ready to drown everyone in its concentrated corruption.


    ''I won''t be fast enough to summon the Divine Sword and stop that!''


    He had taken too long to recover from his initial shock and to pull himself together. Thetter was still not aplete process, but he had enough sense to think about the current situation that they were being faced with.


    Any moment now and everything around would be engulfed in dense Miasma.


    Whether the Skeletal Dragon was looking to kill everyone or turn them into Undead was still unknown to him, but Adonis knew just how deadly this st was.


    Even he couldn''t take it head-on.


    ''I could use [Absolute Defense], but he''ll just shatter it!''


    Plus, the greater the range of his defensive barrier, the less dense it would be. Merely at face value, the iing st seemed to be of the same caliber¡ªif not a step lower from¡ªan Absolute Skill.


    In essence, if he spread his barrier to save everyone, there was still a chance that the dome would crumble and everyone would die.


    What if he tried to save only a select few? That would surely make his shield denser, but¡­ who was he to decide who died or lived?


    How would he even go about deciding that?


    Stuck between making all of these choices, all in a split second, as the beacon of devastation approached, Adonis found himself too paralyzed to take action.


    He could only stare and shake in all his powerlessness.


    Then¡ª


    ~WHOOOOOOSHHH!~


    ¡ªThe Adventurer who was just right beside himunched himself up into the air, tightly gripping his de as the sword became massive in size.


    He was now wielding a sword that was three times over twice his size, coated in a surge of energy that anyone would deem impossible.


    Then, with a loud voice, he made his decree.


    "CHAOS JUDGMENT!"


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    The power from Jet shed with the corruption that pressed down on him. It nearly crushed his body, to the point where he even had sprays of blood gushing out from all the parts of his body.


    Still, he did not relent.


    "I can''t hold it off on my own!" Jet yelled, gritting his teeth as his energy fought to keep the darkness above.


    "Help me, SEBAS!"


    As Adonis heard this, he didn''t realize it when his body moved and his legs propelled him upward.


    Stretching out both hands, he concentrated his Mana at the center and released the greatest amount of Light that he could summon at once.


    It burst forth; an incredible beam of golden energy.


    Combating the darkness were Adonis'' bright golden hues of light and Jet''s bright white and blue radiation of energy.


    Combined together, they created a synergy that exploded upwards, quickly defeating the power that would have annihted them all.


    And so, in that moment, they were able to win.


    ~THUD!~


    Jet copsed to the ground,pletely drained, while Adonis ended upnding on the floor right next to him.


    He was on his knees, a little exhausted, but not to the point of being invalid.


    "Jet¡­" As Adonis stared at Jet, realizing from his whitened eyes and unmoving body, that he was already out ofmission.


    Thankfully, he was still breathing.


    That meant he was just unconscious, not dead.


    "¡­ Thank you."


    With a smile on his face, Adonis pushed his tired body to rise up. A look of determination yed over his countenance, and he gritted his teeth as looked at the creature above.


    "NOT BAD. BUT¡­ I COULD JUST TRY. MAYBE A LITLE HARDER THIS TIME¡­"


    Adonis didn''t smile at this statement, but he also wasn''t disying his previous hesitation either.


    His body oozed with sheer confidence, and with his resolve fully strengthened by Jet just moments earlier, he felt something rise up inside him.


    It was the strength to do more¡ªto transcend his limits.


    "You can try, but it won''t work." As Adonis said this, the Skeletal Dragon chuckled a little, though it might have as well been an earthquake.


    "SUCH CONFIDENT, IMPUDENT WORDS. YOU MUST BE QUITE CONFIDENT IN YOUR ABILITIES, HUMAN¡­"


    It was only at this point that Adonis leaked out a small smile and shook his head.


    "No. Not really."


    "AND YOU THINK MY ATTACK WON''T WORK?"


    "Not if we can help it¡­"


    A brief moment of silence engulfed the room and further confusion filled the Skeletal Dragon Lord''s face¡ªthough it was a little difficult to see.


    "WE¡­?"


    All of a sudden, like silhouettes rising out of Adonis'' shadows, all eight of hisrades appeared behind him.


    Alicia, Billy, Belle, Eric, Justin, rk, Trisha, and Rey: they all stood with wide smiles on their faces.


    Even Snow stood among them, its furry hands folded as it stared at the Undead entity with determination.


    "Yes. We¡­" Adonis stretched out his hand, and something began to appear atop his palm.


    Shining brightly, along with his own smile, the object emerged.


    "We can stop you!"


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 480 Reaching A Pinnacle

    <h4>Chapter 480 Reaching A Pinnacle</h4>


    The object that emerged wasn''t the Divine Sword.


    Adonis still couldn''t afford to use that unless absolutely necessary. It wasn''t out of selfishness, but out of consideration for the grander scheme of things that woulde into y if they all managed to survive here.


    However, the item that floated atop Adonis'' palm was just as priceless.


    ''The Unknown Box¡­''


    It had the power to bring forth the full potential of a Skill, without any drawbacks, for a limited amount of time.


    Since the effects were only temporary¡ªperhaps five to ten minutes¡ªand could only be used by its user once a day, it wasn''t an invincible treasure.


    However, The Unknown Box also granted this full-potential Skill''s usage without the cost of a single ounce of Mana.


    That meant, within those five to ten minutes, whatever Skill the user chose would cost no Mana at all.


    As such, while not invincible in itself, the box granted invincible power.


    ''Right now, I only have two major options here¡­''


    He could either go with [Grand Light Magic] to improve his speed and overall destructive power, or [Absolute Defense] so that he could better protect himself and everyone around him.


    ''If I choose an offensive Skill, it''ll render me more capable of finishing the battle more quickly. But, my allies will be at risk.''


    But, he faced an equally problematic dilemma if he chose the defensive Skill.


    He and his allies would be weaker, and there was no guarantee that they would be able to defeat the enemy within five to ten minutes.


    Many would take time to contemte on this issue, but that wasn''t a luxury that Adonis and his friends had.


    And so, it didn''t even take a single second for Adonis to decide on his path.


    "I choose Absolute Defense!"


    In that instant, the cube pulsated with incredible power and shot a beam upward.


    The air itself vibrated, and everyone around felt an immense pressure¡ªalmost like an invisible power that forced them on their knees and tempted them to worship it.


    "T-THIS IS¡­?!" Even the Skeletal Dragon Lord felt the power''s influence¡ªalbeit for merely a few seconds.


    However, that moment of hesitation on its part was more than enough?for Adonis and hisrades.


    After all, by unleashing the full potential of [Absolute Defense], Adonis had now temporarily evolved his Skill into something else.


    ¡ª[Divine Defense].


    Using this, he was able to easily protect both sides with his pure and shimmering golden barrier. The walls of the barrier were phenomenally sturdier than before, and the safety they offered was beyond what words could describe.


    It was simply divine.


    "WHAT DID YOU JUST DO?!"


    Adonis merely smiled at the Dragon''s question, watching as The Unknown Box vanished from his grasp.


    "You don''t need to know." He responded, an air of confidence surrounding him.


    ~WHOOSH!~


    Powerful projectiles, too fast for the eyes to even process, instantly charged at Adonis and his allies from above.


    But¡ª


    "H-HUH¡­?!"


    ¡ªThe ten, or rather eleven, remained unharmed.


    Around each of them was a dome of bright and shimmering golden light. It radiated with such intensity that the Dragon Lord had to squint in response to its brilliance.


    This was the automated effect of the [Divine Defense].


    Plus, since Adonis was spending practically no Mana at all when it came to this Skill, he could spam as many as he liked.


    In essence¡­ for the duration of this period of grace, he and his friends were invincible.


    "We only have three minutes for this, so let''s go all-out, okay?"


    The moment he said this, every single member of the team nodded and yelled, "YEAH!"


    At that moment, the battle began in earnest.


    ~WHOOSH!~


    While the Skeletal Dragon Lord was still recoiling from the brilliance of the golden defenses, close-quarter fighters charged towards it.


    The long ranged ones¡ªtypically Mages like Alicia, Belle, and Eric¡ªstayed back and began chanting their strongest Spells.


    Snow stayed back to protect Alicia, but she would be defending the other Mages by extension.


    As for the ones who charged forth¡ªBilly, rk, Trisha, and Rey¡ªthey were rtive in speed as they rushed ahead, spacing themselves with considerable distance as they ran.


    Justin was on his own, instantly cloaking himself as he leapt far from the start position. He was to act as a scout, and also a wild card for surprise attacks or diversions.


    As for Adonis, the leader, he leaped upward, speeding past the rest so he could face his foe head-on.


    There was something about Jet''s resolve and actions that made the fire in Adonis'' heart burn brighter and brighter.


    That man, despite being faced with an opponent too strong for his means, did not give in to despair.


    He did not wallow in the murky depths of despondency.


    Instead, he rose above and charged ahead with a smile on his face¡­ which was exactly what Adonis now imitated.


    "YOU DARE SMILE¡­ IN MY PRESENCE?"


    Adonis ignored the words of the enemy and poured his bountiful Mana to his hand, concentrating everything well so he could create a powerful de.


    ''Now that I no longer need to worry about Mana for defense, I''ll pour everything into offense!''


    For good measure, Adonis activated his [Indomitable Power], further boosting his Combat Ability. With all of theseing into y¡ªhis immense Mana and overflowing strength¡ª


    Adonis felt incredible.


    "I can be as reckless as I want with my attacks, and I can be as wasteful with my Mana as it will allow."


    The Skeletal Dragon Lord could not hurt him nor his friends given the time, and since the time limit was about five minutes, he had more than enough Mana to splurge.


    "Let''s do this¡­ filthy Dragon!"


    "YOU CALL ME FILTHY¡­?!" The intimidating creature yelled in pure fury, but none of it affected Adonis any longer.


    He was no longer shackled by fear or despair.


    Part of it was due to Jet''s inspiration as well as his current invincible state, but there was also another fundamental reason.


    ''Compared to a true Dragon Lord¡­ this one is too WEAK!''


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 481 The Resistance Of Fools

    <h4>Chapter 481 The Resistance Of Fools</h4>


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    Everyone charged at the apex predator as if it was nothing but prey.


    The same people that once quivered in fear before him were the ones that now disyed such resolve and bravery.


    How was that? Why...?


    "INSOLENT FOOLS!"


    Several orbs of destruction formed all around the Skeletal Dragon Lord, and he easilyunched it towards the parties who targeted it.


    As expected, they erupted masterfully.


    ~BOOOOOOOM!!!~


    This loud cataclysmic noise was music to the Dragon''s hollow ears, no doubt, but one simple look at the battlefield was enough to show it how ineffective its attacks were.


    "Icy Blizzard!"


    "Extermination!"


    "Explosion Bombardment!"


    The Spells from the three Mages that stood at a distance echoed forth, and the effects of their Magic instantly got rid of any smoke that covered the battlefield.


    In that instant, the Skeletal Dragon Lord was bombarded with three incredibly powerful attacks--each around the level of A-Tier.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOM!~


    The effects they had on the Skeletal Dragon''s body was mitigated due to its passive defensive Skills, but it was blown back a little simply due to the force alone.


    "GUH! YOU...!"


    Before it could even respond, Adonis was right in front of it with an incredibly dense de pointed straight at the bony face of the Dragon Lord.


    "Grand Light Descent!"


    ~WHUUUUUUSH!~


    The energy descended upon the Dragon Lord''s face, bathing its entire body in the power that burned with fervent heat.


    Everyone had to shut their eyes, or maybe squint, just from the sheer scale of the golden furnace.


    But, that wasn''t all.


    The moment the light ray ended, every single close-range fighter sent a barrage of assaults at the same time, hitting the creature with their strongest moves.


    ~BOOOOOOOM!~


    The teamwork was fluid, the power output was wless, and with everyone constantly attacking without end, they hoped to bring the creature to its knees.


    But...


    ********


    ''... How foolish.''


    The Skeletal Dragon Lord watched the impudent humans who attacked him desperately, and he couldn''t help but feel the futility of their actions.


    It wasn''t particrly a breeze for it, since their attacks were still causing a bit of damage and difort.


    From its limbs, to its wings, to its incredibly long tail... they were all giving out all kinds of abilities, sending attack after the other.


    They were also incredibly infuriating, but they offered such minimal damage. Undead felt no such thing as pain, so other than the annoyance that the pesky creatures offered, the Skeletal Dragon Lord didn''t think they were a problem.


    ''The time limit was about three minutes ording to what the boy told hisrades, but he doesn''t realize that I have the [Ears Of Truth] Skill, so I know he was lying.''


    The limit was probably within the range of five to seven minutes, and the reason for the false time was to throw the Dragon off and cause it to lower its guard.


    ''That won''t work, though¡­''


    Of course, the Skeletal Dragon felt incredibly frustrated that it couldn''tnd any damage on them, but it wasn''t in any particr hurry to do so.


    If being an Undead taught him anything, it was the virtue of patience.


    ''I''ll just indulge them until they wear themselves out.'' Humans, no matter how much power they disyed, still had limits.


    Sure, these humans seemed somewhat from the several that roamed the world. Merely by looking at the abilities they were disying, as well as the damage they dealt, he surmised they had a lot of A-Tier and even S-Tier Skills in their arsenal.


    No normal human could use something like that.


    Despite having this understanding, the Skeletal Dragon Lord wasn''t particrly surprised about anything.


    ''They must be like those ones, huh? The visitors¡­'' It narrowed its eyes and began to introspect a little deeper.


    ''It makes sense, I suppose. I was wondering why the trap on the Ground Floor activated. It''s only meant to respond to strong wavelengths of energy that their kind give off¡­''


    From this Skeletal Dragon Lord''s experience, the Visitors from other worlds were usually a lot stronger than any native of H''Trae.


    ''I would know, considering how my brethren and I fought in the wars back then.''


    It all got so exhausting that the Dragon Lord, back in its prime, thought of simply ending the conflict through a truce.


    However, the words that the Dragon Emperor told it on that day shook it to its very core.


    They remained with it till this very day.


    "Our sole purpose is that chaos and carnage. This evesting battle shall never end."


    Till now, it never fully understood what the Emperor meant by that. However, it was able to know what sort of fate awaited it if it continued with its duties in the Empire.


    ''I decided to defect, but it seemed like the Emperor already anticipated my actions¡­''


    It got ambushed by itsrades, and it would have died if not for some kind of Ancient power that it found by chance¡ªone that gave him an undying body and a bountiful supply of Miasma.


    It was the Hollow Technique of the Chaos Art¡­ something like that.


    Thanks to that, even after a Millennia, it was still alive and self-


    sustaining.


    ''Anytime I wake up from my long nap and decide to have some fun, I just make this home of mine appear near some civilization and cause some damage.''


    It was still a Dragon, after all. It could not escape its nature.


    ''Humans are just ythings in the end. As long as I can have my fun with them once in a while, I''m content¡­''


    A long-drawn conflict with them was just useless and pointless.


    ''Even now, it has be boorish.'' As long as it had the Ancient power protecting it, there was no way it would ever fall.


    As such, the Skeletal Dragon Lord beamed with incredible confidence and waited for the inevitable time for reckoning.


    It was so sure of its victory¡ªso certain of its superiority.


    Until¡­ it felt its Life Force suddenly take a plummet.


    ''H-HUH¡­?!''


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 482 The Dragon Lord Of Old

    <h4>Chapter 482 The Dragon Lord Of Old</h4>


    ''H-huh? What just happened?''


    Perhaps it was just its imagination, but the Skeletal Dragon Lord definitely felt some kind of sharp decline in its overall Life Force.


    It hadn''t checked its Status Window in a while, and still didn''t feel like it needed to, so it decided to consider it a mere fluke.


    The moment it shrugged the whole thing off, though¡­ the massive drop happened again.


    "WHO¡­ WHO IS DOING THAT?!" It yelled, but no one responded to it.


    It couldn''t trace the source of the damage as well. First, it happened close to its hip, then at its stomach, then its shoulder.


    All of the areas were random, and the attacks were so fast that it found it incredibly difficult to do anything about it.


    ''What the hell¡­?'' At this point, the Skeletal Dragon Lord finally decided to check its Status Window.


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Wili''am


    - Race: Skeletal Dragon (Undead)


    - ss: Fallen Dragon Lord (A-Tier)


    - Level: 300 (99.99% EXP)


    - Life Force: 30,000/50,000 (Max)


    - Miasma Level: 27,000/30,000 (Max)


    - Combat Ability: 20,000/20,000 (Max)


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Domain Of The Lord]. [Ears Of Truth]. [Ethereal Form]. [U@#$%&d]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Absolute Miasma Recovery]. [Absolute Regeneration]. [Absolute Life Force Recovery]. [Orbs Of Destruction]. [Grand w Attack]. [Dragon Breath: Death]. [Draconic Flight]. [Draconic Power]. [Full Detection]. [Aura Of Protection]. [Runic Magic Mastery]. [Trap Magic]


    - Alignment: Chaotic Neutral


    [Additional Information]


    A selfish Dragon Lord who abandoned his imperative for a mundane life, and was rightfully punished for it.


    It seems he lives on due to some idental means, rendering him undying.


    [End Of Information]


    As always, the Skeletal Dragon Lord felt a certain depression when he stared at his Stats.


    Wili''am, as was his name, became reminded of how far he had fallen off¡ªboth in terms of his Stats and Skills. There used to be a lot higher numbers and more Skills present, yet¡­


    Then there was also the System being spiteful, as usual.


    Still, none of these caught his attention as much as a particr ring Stat that he stared at with widened eyes.


    ''M-my Life Force!''


    It had nevere this low before, and the instant Wili''am saw it, he instantly forgot about the time limit, or about his virtue of patience.


    A long forgotten emotion surfaced¡ªFEAR!


    The overwhelming fear of death!


    **********


    Wili''am was a mighty Dragon Lord in his time.


    There were nine of them in total, and while there were no real ranks among the Lords¡ªexcept for the undisputed mightiest one¡ªhe was certainly among the top five.


    His SS-Tier Skill [Domain Of The Lord] allowed him sovereign control over everything within a particr space around him.


    This space could span for miles and miles, and he was in full control of them.


    He could further divide his domain into separate areas called ''Zones'', and separately control them and their interactions with one another.


    This home of his, now known to the humans as a Grand Cmity ss Dungeon, was a perfect representation of that authority it possessed.


    Other than its SS-Tier Skill, it also had a bunch of S-Tier Skills, including;


    [Shatter], which broke apart all defenses in its vicinity¡ªeven if they were on the same Tier as it. As long as he expended more energy than the defense in question, they would fall.


    [Orbs Of Destruction], which simply reduced anything they touched to rubble and ash.


    [Miasma Breath], which transformed someone into an Undead Minion that he could control. He could also control the distribution and rate of the transformation to create variety.


    Over his years as Dragon Lord, Wili''am added so many entities to his collection of Undead Minions¡ªespecially humans.


    When he became an Undead, they were servants of him in his abode.


    Yes, he lost most of his power by bing a Skeletal Dragon. Its ss even dropped from S to A, and the overall quality of his Skills weren''t as heavy-hitting as they used to be.


    His Stats had plummeted, and he was a mere husk of his former self¡ªliterally.


    But did Wili''am regret it? Was he bitter about his decision to have an undying life and live forever; cursed to be this empty shell?


    Was it worse than the alternative of falling to his formerrades?


    The answer to all of these questions was NO!


    He was alive, was he not? And anytime he wished to leave his home, he could always do so.


    The only reason he remained was because he didn''t know if his formerrades were still alive or not.


    ''I know at least a nine hundred years have passed since my defection, but that is no guarantee that the Dragon Lords I knew and remember are dead.''


    Dragons could leave for a lot longer than mere hundreds of years.


    ''Even if they have fallen, I''m sure the Dragon Emperor still lives.''


    That entity sat at the pinnacle of all Dragons, and he was invincible¡­ even to the Dragons.


    ''He''s practically immortal. His power is unfathomable as well'' The bottom line was that, as long as the Dragon Emperor still lived, Wili''am could not dare show his face in the real world.


    Not unless he wanted to face the consequences and die.


    Life as an Undead wasn''t that bad. Sure, he hardly felt sensations such as pain, hunger, and even general stimulus, but he was still alive, was he not?


    Besides, he spent most of his time attempting to sleep¡ªwhich was impossible for an Undead¡ªand dreaming about all the epic things he used to enjoy.


    Wili''am dreamt about how food tasted like, or how it felt to take a warm bath, and how he often felt after duking it out with his rival and best friend from the past.


    ¡ªThe same one who drove thest de through his heart.


    All of those sensations and experiences were lost to him now, but he couldn''t help but daydream about them.


    Once he got tired and bored of that, he would expose his Dungeon and have some fun with the denizens of the area he happened to be in.


    Sometimes it was with Dwarves, other times Giants¡­ but most of the time it was with the humans.


    One would think he would have gotten bored of it by now, but he wasn''t.


    Despite living such a long life, Wili''am didn''t want to die yet.


    He desired to continue living¡­ forever and ever!


    But now¡­ for the first time since he was nearly killed almost a thousand years ago, Wili''am felt death draw closer than ever before.


    ''I¡­ I don''t want to DIE!''


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 483 The Unexpected Shift

    <h4>Chapter 483 The Unexpected Shift</h4>


    "LEAVE ME ALONE, YOU INSOLENT HUMANS!"


    With a p of its wings, the Skeletal Dragon Lord screeched, sending a massive gust of wind flying all around him.


    A dark surge of energy burst out of its body, though none of it affected the assaulters.


    Still, the violent winds seemed to push them back, allowing all of the assaulters to group up with the Mages.


    Even the Assassin who had been attacking from his distance was nearly blown away from his location, so he ended up rendezvousing with everyone else.


    As all nine of them, alongside the rabbit, stared hard at the flustered Skeletal Dragon Lord, they could sense its unease.


    ''I was beginning to get worried that our attacks were doing nothing, but thankfully that isn''t the case.'' Adonis thought to himself with a sigh of relief.


    It seemed the Skeletal Dragon Lord had taken heavy damage from their barrage. If that wasn''t the case, it wouldn''t be so flustered.


    The colossal creature pped its wings and ascended high above the reach of everyone, much faster than they could hope to catch up.


    Before long, it was about a hundred meters in the air, staring down on them with furious eyes¡ªthough something about its gaze also rang with caution.


    Adonis smiled to himself as he tightly clenched his de.


    ''The three minutes are now up. I''m sure it''ll try to attack us ferociously, bombarding us with all sorts of attacks.''


    If it poured all its attacks in offense, it would give them the chance to charge forward and surprise it with their strongest moves.


    ''I''ll have to use my Divine Sword for this, though¡­ just in case!''


    There was no telling if they could ever get such an opening like this again, and Adonis knew they couldn''t just keep chipping away at the health of the Dragon until their time was up.


    ''Its bombardment is bound to create a cloud of explosion, which will impede the vision of everyone present. I''ll use that as a chance to strike with all my power.''


    With everyone''s assistance, and him dealing the final blow, everything was bound to work out splendidly!


    ¡­ Or so he thought.


    ~FSH!~


    In one brief whisper, almost as if something just shed in all of his senses, Adonis found himself in apletely separate space from where he previously was.


    "H-huh¡­?" His eyes blinked a few times as he looked around him in confusion.


    The flooring in his immediate area was the same as what existed in the Boss Room, but the rest of the flooring was different.


    ''What just happened? Where am I?''


    Adonis found himself within a rtively smaller ce, filled with tons of Undead Mobs that surrounded him with malevolent eyes.


    There were tons of B-Tier and A-Tier Monsters that filled his sights; including three Liches and two Death Knights.


    All of them watched him with an evil presence, and before he could even let out another thought, they rushed at him.


    ~VWUUSH!~


    He swiftly cut down the ones that charged at him, but as his sweat sprayed, his heart began to race. The pace climbed at an abnormal rate and his thoughts were in shambles.


    ''Why am I here? Why am I the only one? Where are the others? What happened to the Skeletal Dragon Lord?!''


    Adonis didn''t understand.


    It all felt instant, like he was somewhere at one moment, and somewhere else at another.


    ¡­ Almost like the Zone shifts from earlier.


    ''D-don''t tell me¡­!'' Adonis'' eyes widened as he realized what had just happened, and why it had proven to be fatal for everyone.


    "The Dragon Lord¡­ it must have used that Skill he uses on this Dungeon!''


    He had previously thought it was a mere Dungeon Function, since he never saw the Dragon Lord use it once on them. But¡­ if this was indeed a Skill, then they were all doomed.


    ''He bypassed my defenses by simply switching the space around me with this new ce.'' Adonis suspected that the same happened to the rest of hisrades.


    ''Shit! I have to hurry!'' His mind echoed with worry and deep fear.


    All the confidence that he built up immediately copsed as he shed through the horde of Undead.


    ''The time limit¡­ once it''s up, everyone will be vulnerable, and none of us will have a chance of beating that thing!''


    More sweat prayed from Adonis'' face as he felt despair close in on him.


    ''I¡­ I can''t let this happen!''


    He could feel his heart race and tears nearly welling up in his eyes.


    He had no idea where he was and how to return to the Boss Room. He had no idea how long it would take, or if he was ever even going to be able to get there.


    If the Zones began to change yet again, and the Dragon was in control of every change, then there was no way he was ever going to escape.


    ''Am I going to be stuck here while it ughters all the Adventurers?!'' Adonis felt so frustrated.


    He felt so frustrated that tears began trickling from his eyes as he felt his entire muscles ache and his heart nearly bursting in pain.


    "NO! NO, PLEASE!"


    Screaming so loudly that the room shook, Adonis realized something.


    ''After he''s done with them¡­ we''re next, aren''t we?'' His eyes turned bloodshot as he gritted his teeth and let more hot tears flow.


    ''It''ll pick us up, one after the other¡­ killing us at its leisure.''


    There was nothing they could do to stop him! It was a mistake to even think they had a chance, to begin with.


    "I-if only¡­ if only Sir Ralyks was here¡­" Adonis sobbed, finally looking around him and seeing that all the Undead surrounding him had been defeated.


    His de of light vanished and he copsed on the floor, amidst the rotting flesh and shattered bones in the room.


    More tears fell from his eyes and he powerlessly made a soft whisper while closing his eyes.


    "He could save everyone¡­ if he was here."


    ''


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    At first, we see Adonis as one overpowered and confident character, but the further into the story we go, the more we see how inadequate he really is.


    He really is one of my three favorite characters in this book.

 Chapter 484 Rise Of A Savior

    <h4>Chapter 484 Rise Of A Savior</h4>


    "HAAA¡­ AT LONG LAST."


    Wili''am smiled as he slowly began to descend from his heights, once again staring at the empty spaces that the pesky Visitors once upied.


    "THEY''RE GONE. I''LL TAKE CARE OF THEM AT MY CONVENIENCE, BUT FIRST¡­" He looked forward, at the two groups of Adventurers who were still hiding behind their shield.


    As long as they were inside, he couldn''t affect them, but he wondered how long the barrier wouldst.


    ''Probably not for long¡­'' His thoughts trailed as he chuckled slightly.


    "THAT WAS A CLOSE ONE, THOUGH. TO THINK I COULD HAVE ACTUALLY DIED IF I TOOK A COUPLE MORE HITS LIKE THAT¡­"


    Most of the attacks they sent towards him really weren''t worth considering. They only shaved off a tiny portion of his Life Force, and he recovered them in no time.


    He could have gone and on like that for days and nothing would have changed.


    The ''hit'' that Wili''am was referring to were those ones that remained unounted for. He truly didn''t know what hit him, and just how many times they came.


    All he knew was that they were fast and too strong for his regeneration to keep up with.


    "BUT ALL OF THAT IS OVER NOW¡­" He grinned, looking at the flickering barriers that surrounded the people.


    Wili''am could sense it. In a few more seconds, their moment of grace would be over.


    ''I''ll blow off some steam with these maggots, and then I''ll take my time killing the Visitors one at a time.''


    He should have known better than to underestimate them¡ªor at least one of them. Wili''am didn''t know who was responsible for those heavy attacks, and how they were hiding their strength so well, but he was sure he would be able to identify them if he took them out one by one.


    Even if they are dangerous, they can''t kill me in a single hit. I''ll attack from a distance, and if it seems like they''re gaining the advantage, I''ll just change the setting once again.


    ''Thankfully, my recovery is fast. A few more minutes and I should be at full health.''


    Just as he had this thought, the barrier that protected the weaklings finally faded away, exposing the frightened humans to the ultimate catastrophe known as him.


    "HAHAHA! DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING INTERESTING TO SHOW ME NOW THAT YOUR CHAMPIONS ARE GONE? I HONESTLY DOUBT IT, ALL THINGS CONSIDERED¡­"


    He had taken a few glimpses here and there in-between naps, and he was yet to find something incredibly exciting among them. The most interesting thing about the whole Conquest was the sh between Jet and Sebas, but it just had to be cut short.


    ''I still have no idea why that Visitor thought the other human was a Dragon Spy, but I don''t really care.''


    "SINCE YOU ALL ELIMINATED QUITE A NUMBER OF MY UNDEAD, I HOPE YOU ARE READY TO REPLACE THEM."


    The looks on their faces told him they did not desire such a fate. If only such a choice was left in their hands.


    ''[Miasma Breath]''


    An intense concentration of the corrupt energy converged within the Skeletal Dragon Lord''s mouth, and he readied his aim¡­ even though the Miasma would perfectly spread across the vast room no matter where he shot it anyway.


    ~BOOOOM!~


    The st was shot, and it descended upon the hopeless ones without any resistance.


    The end hade.


    ¡­ Or so the Skeletal Dragon Lord thought.


    But¡ª


    "Chaos Judgment!"


    The loud yell of a young man dominated the space, and an unbelievable amount of power instantly surged from the source of that noise.


    The pure Mana shed with the corruption that charged, instantly creating an explosion that caused the entire room to tremble.


    The shockwave dominated the air, creating fireworks of ck and white.


    "HM? WHAT IS THIS¡­?" Wili''am muttered to himself as he squinted his eyes.


    Two humans stood in front of the others, their lone forms like tiny specks of dust in the damaged battlefield.


    One wore a white coat, and the other was dressed in ck. They both had an incredible amount of energy flowing around them, but without a doubt, the one with the superior volume and quality was the man.


    He had a special-looking de that radiated immense power, but Wili''am could tell that it wasn''t the de that was special.


    It was the man wielding it.


    "WHO¡­ ARE YOU?" He asked, though he already knew their identities well enough.


    The man coated in ck was Jet, and thedy was Lux.


    They were partners, and they yed a vital role in the survival of so many Adventurers. All things considered, he was strong¡ª


    enough to be considered as a Visitor.


    The otherdy was also strong, but¡­ meh, she wasn''t too impressive in his eyes.


    ''He stopped my Miasma Breath by himself? Didn''t he need assistance from the other one thatst time?''


    The power he was disying now far exceeded that of the past, so Wili''am knew he had to be capable of more things now.


    The question, however, was why?


    "WHY ARE YOU SO STRONG?"


    Jet, this brave human, pointed his de towards Wili''am in determination.


    "I will sacrifice this body of mine¡­ to defeat you. No matter what it takes¡­ even if it costs my life¡­ I will defeat you!"


    Wili''am''s [Ears Of Truth] told him that the man was telling the truth, which caused his eyes to narrow a little bit more.


    ''So he intends to sacrifice his life if it means taking me down, huh? Is he burning through his Life Force for some additional buffs? Or could it be something else¡­?''


    There had to be some kind of penalty for using such a power, or else he would have disyed it from the very start.


    Already, both Jet and Lux seemed to be in pretty bad shape, yet the former wanted to pull off something so grand, and thetter desired to assist him.


    "PFFFT!"


    The Skeletal Dragon would have made a wry smile if his face wasn''t so inexpressive. He did find the whole thing amusing, though.


    Human bravado never ceased to be a great source of entertainment for it.


    The faces of the audience brightened up as theyid eyes on their saviors. As humans would normally react when being saved, their eyes shed relief and they sped their hands together, tightly clinging to hope.


    All of it was equally amusing to Wili''am.


    It seemed like this particr Dungeon Event of his was going to go down as the most interesting one yet.


    ''Very well, then¡­ let''s see how far you can go.''


    Wili''am was curious about what the man had nned, especially after everyone else had apparently failed. If he proved troublesome, which was highly doubtful, he could always just switch his position and deal with him when the time is right.


    ''I''ll just do my best to savor this moment while itsts.'' And with that thought echoing in his mind, the Skeletal Dragon Lord spoke with absolute confidence.


    "COME! ENTERTAIN ME SOME MORE!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Thest stand is here, fes! Also, just so you know¡­ the Arc doesn''t really end here.

 Chapter 485 Final Struggle

    <h4>Chapter 485 Final Struggle</h4>


    The world was silent.


    All eyes were wide open, their gaze locked in a single direction.


    Tension was so high that only the heavy breathing and the gulping sounds of several thousand could be heard.


    The mix of both fear and hope was so palpable¡ªso real¡ªthat you could almost taste it.


    All of this intense energy, in the form of attention, was focused on just two people.


    Jet and Lux; the only Heroic Rank Adventurers who could stand up to the Dragon''s tyranny.


    ~BZZTTZZ!~


    shes of purple energy shed all over Jet''s body. His cloak instantly burned off, revealing a shirtless form of himself.


    His pale skin glowed beneath the several crackles of lightning, revealing several unknown markings and runic inscriptions on his body.


    These runes began to glow purplish blue, and they slowly spread across several portions of his body. They shrouded his pale skin, pulsating with forbidden power.


    As Jet tightly gripped his Chaos de, the weapon took on the same kind of energy.


    ¡ªPowerful, but ominous.


    He wasn''t the only gearing up for the battle, though. His partner, Lux, began to shine very brightly with light.


    It seemed like her entire body was undergoing transfiguration¡ªbing one with the very energy that surrounded her.


    This¡­ this power was no longer human.


    The power gushing out of them had far transcended anything the human mind conceive nor the human body contain.


    These two¡­ had be the very personification of power.


    "Here Ie." Jet whispered, mist leaving his lips.


    The opponent he faced¡ªa haughty, confident, and invincible Skeletal Dragon¡ªsneered at his words and gave his response.


    "YEAH! SHOW ME WHAT YOU¡ª"


    ~BOOOOOM!~


    In a blur, even for the sight of the Undead Dragon, Jet left his position, causing everything around him to shatter apart into chunks of debris.


    This debris was then carried up by Lux''s Wind Magic, raised around her like an overflowing torrent that kept rising.


    Jet dashed at the enemy through all this, his body practically a streak of purple.


    Then¡­ he dealt the first strike.


    ~SWISH!~


    Like a hot knife searing through butter, his Chaos de easily dissected both of the front limbs of the fifteen meter tall Skeletal Dragon.


    "E-EH¡­?"


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    Before Wili''am¡ªthe Skeletal Dragon Lord¡ªcould even react, Jet propelled himself upward, creating a rising vertical sh that instantly shattered apart the entire right arm of the massive creature.


    The purple aura of the Dragon did nothing to stop the damage.


    In a single attack, represented by a sh of energy, the entire arm broke into multiple chunks.


    "W-WHY YOU¡ª!"


    ~WHUUUM!~


    Right as Wili''am raised his regenerated right arm to strike his opponent, a barrage of condensed debris bullets overwhelmed his entire form.


    Each of these particles had beenpressed by Lux and her Magic, changing them from their massive sizes to the form of pellets. All of them were also shrouded by her Mana, which did well inbating the protectiveyer of Miasma that protected his body.


    Bottom line¡­ Wili''am''s second arm waspletely blown off by the powerful barrage they sent towards him.


    But so what?


    "[ORBS OF DESTRUCTION]!" The Skeletal Dragon roared, sending his voice across the entire space that he dominated.


    Severalrge spheres appeared all around him, and he sent them flying all at once.


    Some were directed at Jet.


    A couple were sent towards Lux.


    But¡­ a majority of them were sent in the directions of the groups of unprotected Adventurers.


    "NOW WHAT WILL YOU DO? FIGHT ME OR SAVE THEM? YOU CANT DO BO¡ª!"


    "You talk too much!"


    In one swift string of attacks, Jet shed at Wili''am, to the point where several chunks of bones burst out¡ªalmost like chopped-up flesh and spraying blood.


    "GUH!"


    "I can''t do both?" Jet''s voice, while low, had amanding presence that caused the damaged Skeletal Dragon Lord to feel a slight hint of intimidation.


    "¡­ Who decided that?"


    In an instant, he bounced off the air and swirled in the air, bing a great twister within a single second''s interval.


    ~VWUUUUUM!~


    The Orbs Of Destruction that spread all around all suddenly began to converge in his direction.


    "HAHAHA! WHAT DO YOU PLAN TO DO NOW? TAKE ALL THE HITS YOURSELF?" Seemingly recovered from most of the earlier damage from earlier, the Skeletal Dragon yelled in twisted delight.


    "Just shut up¡­ and watch!"


    The several orbs charged at Jet, ready to explode, when a loud deration from him echoed out.


    "Final Seal¡­ BREAK!"


    A bright light ascended high into the air¡ªpiercing even the ceiling above. In that instant, a shimmering golden barrier surrounded him from the imminent st, protecting him from all their destructive wraths.


    Just in time for the explosion too.


    ~BOOOOOOOM!!!~


    Destruction was an understatementpared to the horrific sight that filled the air above.


    It was like a bomb of unspeakable proportions had been set off, consuming the very air itself in an overwhelmingyer of purple mes.


    But¡­ despite that¡­


    "Huu¡­"


    A man stood at the center of all that destruction, his white hair now floating in the air as bright radiance swelled from within his body.


    "¡­ Let''s end this now." He muttered, his pure white eyes looking straight at the Skeletal Demon Lord.


    "PFFT! END THIS? YOU HUMOR ME!" Wili''am''sughter echoed in the air as he clutched his stomach with its two already recovered front limbs.


    From the way he looked, it was like he hadn''t taken any damage at all.


    Despite hearing such haughty words from his opponent, Jet said no more to the Skeletal Dragon Lord. Instead, he let out another whisper.


    "Lux¡­"


    Responding to this was his angel-like partner whose body was now all-white¡ªthe personification of purity.


    ~WHOOOOOSH!~


    In a sh, several chains of light rushed from her and charged at the Undead who could barely react to any of it.


    "N-NGH!"


    The Dragon''s entire body was bound by the white chains, and the purpleyers of energy were all wrapped by her constraints.


    Then, right as the Wili''am made to break out of his restraints, he felt a sudden overpowering feeling that caused him to nearly fall to his knees.


    A word poured through the air¡­ and it made everything go nk.


    "[Divine Ray]."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    We finally get to see the strongest offensive Skill that Rey''s current has in action.


    Epic stuff.

 Chapter 486 Divine Ray

    <h4>Chapter 486 Divine Ray </h4>


    The first thing that Wili''am thought when he felt the overwhelming feeling was;


    ''I NEED TO STOP HIM!''


    At that point, he knew there was only a single second between life and death¡ªa tiny fraction of time that would determine his fate.


    And so, he decided to use the most logical strategy ever.


    ''[Domain Of The Lord]!''


    He would simply turn the entire space that surrounded Jet into a Zone and switch it with something else.


    ~ZZTZ!~


    ''H-HUH¡­?!'' Much to Wili''am''s shock, it did not work.


    His almighty power, the SS-Tier Skill that only Dragon Lords and the Emperor could possess in all of H''Trae¡­ did not work!


    ''W-WHY¡­.?''


    Wili''am did not have the luxury to indulge in such confusing thoughts, though. If he couldn''t create or swap out Zones around Jet¡ªperhaps due to the interference of the power that the man was about to unleash¡ªthen he would simply resort to another solution.


    ''[Grand w Attack]. [Dragon Breath: Death]. [Trap Magic: Area Explosion]. [Rune Magic: Power Amplification].''


    He would simply spam all of his Skills at the same time.


    Using all of them at full power, all activating instantly, they would surely be enough to prevent him from using such power¡­ right?


    ¡ªWRONG!


    The moment those powers were sent towards him, a golden barrier appeared all around him¡ªincredibly simr to what the Visitor had used after activating that strange cube.


    All attacks were nullified¡ªall of them were deflected.


    None of them worked.


    Then¡­ with Jet''s Chaos de pointed towards him, and something white glowing right at the tip, Wili''am had yet another thought.


    ''I¡­ I HAVE TO GET AWAY FROM HERE!''


    If changing Zones didn''t work on his opponent, then Wili''am figured he could just do it to himself.


    He could simply switch out his position.


    However¡­


    ~ZZTZ!~


    ¡­ Even that did not work!


    "WHY¡­ WHY IS NOTHING WORKING?!" The Skeletal Dragon Lord screamed as he tried to sharply descend, unable to fully think given the time constraint that weighed heavily on him.


    However, thanks to the other constraint that held him down, he could not move.


    "LET ME GO! LET ME GO NOWWWW!!!"


    Wili''am, now stuck in midair and out of any other options, wriggled and squirmed within the chains that bound him.


    There was only one more alternative, but judging from the bright light that was already condensed at the tip of Jet''s de, Wili''''am knew he didn''t have enough time to know if it would work.


    However, in desperation, his thoughts called out for the only Skill that could possibly save him in this predicament.


    ''[Ethereal Form]! [Ethereal Form]!! [ETHEREAL FORM]!!!''


    [Ethereal Form] allowed Wili''am to transform his body into a ghost-like form, hence bing a phantom-like entity. It was almost like turning into a Specter, since it allowed its targets to pass through things.


    Unlike regr other simr Skills, like [Phase], which had many limitations¡ªsuch as the disruption of all senses when in use¡ª[Etheral Form] did not have any of those weaknesses.


    Also, unlike [Phase], which made the user still vulnerable to energy-based attacks even if they were intangible, [Ethereal Form] made the user immune to either energy-based attacks or purely physical attacks.


    Never both at the same time, though.


    Seeing as the power that was rushing from Jet was made of pure energy, Wili''am obviously went with the Energy Immunity option.


    Then, without any further announcement¡­ the one second was over.


    And so, the bright burst of light was sent forth.


    It looked like white light¡ªone so bright and intense that it was impossible to truly decipher its true color.


    To all who witnessed it, their sense of color and discernment were suspended. The overwhelming sh of spectrums and the sheer multiplicity ofplex powers that raged and flowed inside it was too much for any mind to process.


    And so, due to being indescribable, the mind could only register a nk color.


    White.


    White light rained down on the Skeletal Dragon Lord in a swift motion, much faster than the sound that was bound to follow muchter.


    It fell before the Fallen Dragon Lord could properly register another thought.


    No¡­ that wasn''t quite true.


    There was a trailing thought that flowed within the mind of Wili''am as he felt his mind and body fade into obscurity.


    Its existence and nonexistence seemed to sh and converge at a single point, and while he had that sole thought, it felt as if that was the only thought he had ever conceived throughout his meager lifespan.


    ''Ah¡­ I''m dead.''


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!~


    The white light easily destroyed everything surrounding the Skeletal Dragon Lord, like a flood of water that gushed down without end. It burst through theground and the walls, easily breaking through everything beneath even them.


    Floor after floor, the Divine Ray traveled down and devastated everything in its path.


    Nothing was spared.


    No¡­ nothing could be spared.


    The former Dragon Lord did not know this, but [Divine Rey] was not an energy or physical attack. It couldn''t even be qualified as just an attack.


    It was all of those things at once.


    All of destruction shing upon creation in a spectrum of light so intense that no one could evenprehend.


    Anyone bathed under such a radiation¡ªirrespective of the resistance they offered¡ªwas bound to meet an inescapable fate.


    ¡ªComplete obliteration!


    The Skeletal Dragon Lord was a witness to this, as was the crowd that watched this epic disy with gaping mouths.


    It felt like the dance of celestial lights, but converged within a single st.


    Nothing remained after that.


    It was just as Jet had dered it to be¡­


    ¡­ The end.


    *********


    ''And now, that''s finished¡­''


    As Rey looked down on the destruction he had wrought, a lot of thoughts flowed through his mind. He didn''t have enough time to process all of them, considering how the next phase of his n came soon after.


    ''It''s about time I wrapped this up.''


    And with that single thought, his body fell¡ªdescending to the shattered earth.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Well¡­ that Skill is really OP, all things considered. Insta-kill!

 Chapter 487 Jet’s Requiem

    <h4>Chapter 487 Jet''s Requiem</h4>


    "S-Sir Jet!"


    Noah felt tears gushing out of his eyes as his blurry vision stared at the man whose pale body was slowly fading away.


    If it was anything like what happened to Lux, his partner, then Noah was certain that the man on the ground was dying.


    Right after using her final binding Spell, Lux turned into tiny white orbs of light and faded away. And now, Jet was doing the same--albeit at a slower pace.


    He was surrounded by the thousands of surviving Adventurers who owed their lives to him. All of them had their heads bowed in both respect and grief.


    No one said anything but Noah... and the man fated to die.


    "I thought I told you... to call me Jet." He strained a smile, coughing a little after leaking out those words.


    Noah stifled a loud cry as he stared at Jet''s paralyzed form.


    "I-is there really... nothing I can do...?" He muttered, more hot and salty liquids flowing through his young face.


    "No... it''s toote for me."


    Jet''s voice, albeit hoarse and low, contained a tone of finality. There was no way to save them after unleashing the seal.


    "Lux and I already knew this much. We understood the consequences of our actions... and made the decision regardless."


    Noah wanted to say something so he opened his lips, but quickly felt a lump stuck in his throat. He could not utter the words that he wanted to speak.


    It felt like he was choking; like he couldn''t breathe.


    His body trembled as he clenched his fists, pressing his fingers on his palms until they whitened.


    Jet was a hero.


    He was the strongest of all the Adventurers--perhaps the strongest of humans who were natives to this world.


    Yet, he did the impossible.


    "Y-you really did it, Jet... you won." Noah sniffed, taking in the snot that trickled down his nostrils.


    "Yeah. I told you I would..."


    Then, Jet''s gaze left Noah and went to the woman who knelt beside him.


    "Did you see? I told you, didn''t I? That you''re going to live to see my dream and fulfill yours?"


    Britta, the toughest woman around, was also shedding tears like a baby. Her face was so crinkled up as she let out her emotions.


    The regret. The guilt. The pain.


    Everything was released in the form of salty tears.


    In the end, she was never able to confess her feelings to him. She lost her faith in him and betrayed his trust.


    Even after everything, she could still feel the gentle warmth that radiated from him as she stared into his eyes.


    "Jet, I... I wish it was me. I should be the one dead, not you... I..."


    "No, Britta." Jet raised his hand and touched hers.


    Once again, she could feel the soothing warmness that flowed from him. She sped her two palms around his weak hands and more tears flowed.


    "Jet..."


    "I want you to live. Achieve your dreams... grow strong and powerful in your own way."


    Britta nodded as she heard those words. They had only known each other for a short period, having just a few moments of interaction, yet no one understood her like this man.


    Why? Why did he have to die like this?


    "My dream... I am happy you lived to see it." Jet smiled. "You heard it, didn''t you? My deration back then."


    Britta was reminded of the first time she saw Jet. She had just seen him and his partner disgrace Sango and his men. That wasn''t the most spectacr aspect about him, though.


    It was what he had the audacity to say.


    "You said... you would surpass Zephyr and be the greatest Adventurer of the City." She sobbed as she uttered those words.


    Back then, Britta had scoffed at him.


    She thought he was nothing but an arrogant man who was yet to know his ce in the world.


    Even when she acknowledged him, she still had her doubts.


    But now... with him dying right in front of her... there was no way she could ever think that.


    "So did I do it? Was I able to surpass Zephyr?" Jet asked in a soft whisper, alternating gazes between Noah, Britta, and finally all the Adventurers that surrounded him.


    "Did I be the Greatest Adventurer in the history of this City?"


    Without any pause or moment of hesitation, everyone nodded their head in acknowledgment.


    "Jet Zephyr never conquered a Grand Cmity ss Dungeon before." Britta said with a sad smile on her face.


    "He never defeated a Dragon in all his lifetime!" Jake, one of the many Adventurers that Jet saved, spoke up with just as much emotion and higher volume.


    "He never saved so many people from certain doom!" Another dered.


    "He never sacrificed his life for the sake of everyone¡ªeven those who turned against him!" Yet another spoke up.


    One after the other, the Adventurers that surrounded Jet began to list out his aplishments.


    They sang his praises, and most importantly, they all admitted the same thing.


    "You have surpassed Zephyr, Jet." Noah said with a profound smile. "You have be the strongest Adventurer in the history of this City. In the history of the world!"


    Upon hearing all of this, and seeing how everyone nodded in agreement, Jet smiled in satisfaction.


    He closed his eyes in pure bliss, happy that his dream hade true.


    "At longst¡­" As he made this whisper, the Chaos de that was previously in his grasp, began to float in the air.


    It danced in the air,ying suspended above Jet''s body, until it moved towards Noah.


    "The Chaos de is a weapon of dreams. I have fulfilled mine, and now that my demise hase¡­ it is now up to you to wield."


    "M-me¡­?" Noah''s swollen eyes twitched as he watched the de remain suspended before him.


    "Yes. Right here and now, I choose you as my sessor¡­ Sherlock."


    The world held its breath as everyone kept their silence for Jet and his final words. He smiled, staring straight into the Noah''s young eyes.


    "Do you ept?"


    As the question floated in the air, same as the de, Noah''s heart¡ªdespite how much it hurt¡ªraced uncontrobly.


    He felt anxious, but the assurance he got from Jet''s eyes told him that it would be okay.


    Then, stretching out his hand, he reached out for the Chaos de.


    "I¡­ I ept!"


    The moment he gripped the de, Noah Sherlock felt a sudden energy surge within his body.


    The power within the weapon crackled and flowed within him, and runic symbols began to appear all around the weapon.


    "It has epted you as its new wielder. Please take very good care of this legendary de¡­ the one wielded by the Sword Saint Zephyr himself."


    Noah''s eyes nearly bulged as he heard those words. At that moment, a sudden question shed in his mind.


    "J-just what is your rtionship with Jet Zephyr?!"


    Somehow, it all felt connected. Jet''s name, his ideals, his motivation¡­ everything about him.


    It was all reminiscent of the man who started it all.


    "A-are you¡ª?!"


    Upon hearing Noah''s unfinished words, Jet gave a mysterious smile and parted his lips to deliver his final statements.


    "You really are a smart kid¡­"


    And then, after huffing out onest set of word, Jet closed his eyes and passed on with a satisfied smile on his face.


    "Farewell¡­ be free."


    Particles of light followed, and they danced into the air; fading away like the echoes his words.


    ¡­ But not the substance of his life.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    This concludes Jet''s journey, and I''m happy he had a bittersweet ending.


    Who am I kidding? I was justughing throughout the exchange!


    I hope you all had fun.

 Chapter 488 The Conquest Ends

    <h4>Chapter 488 The Conquest Ends</h4>


    The Boss had been in.


    The great heroes had fallen.


    However, if there was a silver lining, it was the mere fact that, just like before¡ªwhen the lights of Mass Teleportation shed out¡ªeveryone suddenly found themselves on the ground floor.


    The thousands of Adventurers¡ªan approximate number of 5,700¡ªmade it to the ce where it all began.


    The stony walls of the Dungeon''s door echoed with salvation, and every single soul who gazed upon it cried tears of joy and raised their hands in victory.


    In terms of loot, not many things were gained from the mission. Sure, the Adventurers were able to take many Items and ores from whatever Zones they found themselves in, but those were simply the ones lying around.


    No one had the time to actively search for treasures of mine the heck out of the Dungeons.


    Miasma was a corrosive element to humans, so naturally, any proceeds from the Dungeon would have the taint of corruption. Still, it was possible to purify Miasma-powered Items, or even wields it as it is.


    If Miasma was poisonous to humans, it was the same for Monsters who weren''t Undead.


    As such, when fighting powerful beasts, imbuing Miasma into one''s attacks was a sure way of dealing more damage and achieving victory. Of course, overexposure to Miasma was a detrimental thing, and several consequences followed.


    However, with the aid of sufficient defensive measures, that consequence could be dyed or downright halted.


    The bottom line was, despite the sheer scale of the Conquest, and the overall lives as well resources that were expended to challenge the Grand Cmity ss Dungeon, the benefits they gained was as impressive.


    No Adventurer thought about that, though¡ªnot yet, at the very least.


    Right now, the only thing on their mind was the very definition of an Adventurer; FREEDOM!


    Many who thought they would have to spend even more days searching for the exit were overjoyed. The ones who had the hidden fear that they would be trapped in there forever were happily disproven.


    No one really knew where the theory of "Defeat the Boss, and we can go home" came from, but it turned out to be true.


    As everyone stepped out of the Dungeon''s embrace, taking in the fresh breeze, rather than the stifling air within Dungeon, they couldn''t help but fall to their knees and cry.


    Grown men and women burst out in tears.


    They cried for three reasons.


    The first and most obvious reason was for the mere fact that they survived the onught that wiped out theirrades.


    The second was for thoserades who had perished within the Grand Cmity ss Dungeon. The Adventurers honored them in their hearts.


    The third and final reason for their tears and loud cries was for the man who had brought them this far; the one who saved them from death.


    Without them, they would have perished, without the shadow of a doubt.


    With an unanimous cry that ascended high into the heavens, everyone sent forth their loudest voice and let out their gratitude.


    "Sir Jet¡­ THANK YOU!"


    The Conquest was officially over, and now¡ªdespite having lost so many people, including the Guildmaster¡ªthe only thing everyone could do was move forward.


    Standing in front of everyone, like a leader braving the storm, was Sherlock. Beside him was Britta, and they both took the first steps towards the City.


    As soon as everyone saw them move, they did the same.


    It was instinctive¡ªthe response to the hierarchy that existed at that point.


    As the Chaos de remained in Sherlock''s grasp, and Britta''s resolute face giving off the very definition of strength, the Adventurers knew they were not without hope.


    Only two of the Heroic Rank Adventurers remained, but these two were no longer the same as before.


    There seemed to be an awakening within them.


    The desires emerged¡ªto grow stronger, and lead the Adventurers into their ideal world.


    ¡­ A world of freedom.


    **************


    "That was a chore¡­"


    Rey sat opposite Esme and sighed, blinking a few times just so he could adjust himself to the current state of the room around him.


    Countless rotting corpses, destroyed by Esme''s Magic, surrounded the two of them. Just from the looks of things, she had been busy in his absence.


    Rey could spot tons of Greater Undead , with a sprinkle of the Grand Tier ones.


    "Ah! You''re back already?" Esme''s voice woke him out of his observation, and he nodded in response.


    "Yeah. Everyone got out safely." He said with another tired sigh. "As for Adonis and the rest, I''ve decided to transport them directly to the Capital."


    Rey had initially suspected that there would be somesort of time discrepancy¡ªwith maybe the time in the Dungeon flowing faster or slower than in the real world¡ªbut based on what he had observed, that didn''t happen.


    The Adventurers indeed spent nearly seven whole days in the Grand Cmity ss Dungeon.


    "It''ll be hectic, having them return to the Adventurers City, especially after all the drama that they caused."


    "What drama? Wasn''t it just the guy acting as Sebas that caused a scene. I remember everyone else was lowkey." Esme responded.


    "Oh yeah¡­" Rey chuckled a little before speaking once more. "I forgot that you weren''t there for the most part."


    Right when Adonis began his rampage and wanted to reveal his identity as a ''Dragon Spy''¡ªwhatever that meant¡ªRey ended up using his illusion ability and his [Duplicate] to swiftly rece the girl.


    And so, during most of the fight, it was his duplicate that was there.


    ''I also reced my main body with a duplicate, teleporting myself an Esme to a safer location.''


    Back then, he was so confused¡ªneeding a breather and room to think¡ªso he had to resort to such means.


    In the end, that was the optimal choice, considering all that followed.


    "Well, it''s quite a long story." Rey said, rising to his feet while stretching his body.


    Esme slowly rose as well. She knew what time it was; exterminating the rest of the Undead in this ce and mining rewards.


    "Let''s talk while we move."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 489 Realization Long Overdue

    <h4>Chapter 489 Realization Long Overdue </h4>


    Rey exined everything to Esme, who listened in amazement.


    He told her about how he had to mimic her¡ªor rather, the style she adopted as Lux¡ªthough it wasn''t very difficult to do since she didn''t have much of a personality.


    As a result, juggling two duplicates and their functions didn''t prove to be too difficult. He was mostly focusing his sensory connection on Jet, while Lux was on autopilot.


    Rey went on to tell her about the appearance of the Skeletal Dragon Lord, and how he was initially worried about its emergence.


    Even after seeing its Status Window, he was still quite anxious since he wasn''t at full strength, and he also wasn''t the one in the fight.


    "I also had a couple of clones still running around, so I wasn''t at full strength."


    That was why he left the first half to Adonis and his duplicate, since he wanted to observe the battle from the sidelines.


    After the chaos, though, he finally decided to take action by returning all his duplicates¡ªwith the exception of the Lux stand-in¡ªto himself.


    The result was him at 50 percent of his power.


    With this newfound confidence, he took on the Skeletal Dragon Lord and managed to win.


    ''A lot of its abilities were tricky, but since I had seen a bunch of its Skills before our fight, I could pretty much interfere with them.''


    Of course, he didn''t tell Esme this side of things, since he was yet to tell her about his [Doppel] Abilities, but he went in great details about how he won through the help of [Divine Ray].


    ''That Skill is incredibly draining, though. I know I was only at 50 percent, but I had a lot of buffs activated.'' He nearly shuddered, remembering how his Mana Level plummeted the moment he unleashed his strongest offensive move.


    Once he was done telling his story, intentionally skipping his cringe farewell to the Adventurers, he was met with a moment of silence from Esme.


    After waiting a while, she finally replied.


    "Wow! That was¡­ wow."


    It was obvious that she probably wished she was present to see the whole thing, but Rey couldn''t take any chances. Esme was strong, sure, but if Adonis went all-out on her, she wouldn''t stand a chance.


    To eliminate that risk, which could possible cause his own identity to be leaked, he decided to do the sensible thing and swap them out.


    "Before that Dragon showed up, I actually just wanted Jet and Lux to die after facing Sebas or something¡­"


    Of course, his initial n was a lot grander than that, but after being messed up beyond the point of recovery, Rey had just about given up.


    Thankfully, the Skeletal Dragon Lord showed up as the Final Boss, and his avatar didn''t have to go out like a little bitch.


    The experience of seeing the final moments of his character was cathartic.


    "I really tied things up nicely, didn''t I? I''m sure I inspired a lot of people with my death¡­" He said with a smile and nod.


    Thanks to a bit of what he learned from Adonis and his acting back then, Rey was able to present a more visual representation of what he wanted to convey.


    ''I''m sure I nailed it.'' He mused to himself, secretly proud of what he pulled off.


    It still made him cringe a little, though.


    "So yeah¡­ all things considered, things went well." He said with a smile.


    The events took a rather unexpected turn, and while there were a lot of times when he just felt like actively giving up or throwing a violent fit, he was relieved to see things tie up in such a way.


    The Boss Fight was unprecedented, but epic nheless.


    He got a bunch of new Skills too.


    ''I can see myself bing very OP very soon. I wonder what Ater will think once he sees this new me.''


    He was even able to Level Up quite a bit.


    "You seem incredibly happy. Do you think it''s over now? What about this Adrien guy that you''ve been suspecting all this time?"


    Rey''s smile slowly vanished upon hearing Esme''s question. His face turned serious, and with a slight sigh, he let out his current thoughts.


    "I don''t think he''s involved in this. There''s a chance, but¡­ I think I was reaching a little bit."


    After seeing the Status Window of the Skeletal Dragon Lord, especially the Skills he had, he had toe to the conclusion that it was most likely the mastermind and not Adrien.


    "Even now, though, there''s still a part of me that seeks to me Adrien for all of this. A creeping feeling somewhere tells me he''s watching¡­ or that maybe this conclusion is just what he wants me toe to."


    It was scary to Rey; almost to the point where he began to second-guess every action he made.


    "Well, I think you oveplicate things." Esme said with a light smile.


    "Well, is that really a bad thing?"


    "It could be." As they walked side by side, she looked ahead of her and shared her thoughts on the matter.


    "Not everything in this world has rhyme or reason. Sometimes, things happen that are mere coincidences; not necessarily nned by someone."


    What were the chances that a Grand Cmity ss Dungeon would appear at the time it did; and that it would be one rife with Miasma.


    The Mass Teleportation Incident. The countless deaths and suffering. The separation from one''s friends and allies¡­


    All of these, while seemingly specific, could have just been a random product of chance.


    "There doesn''t have to be some force controlling everything from the shadows¡­ at least that''s what I think."


    "Yeah¡­ maybe you''re right." Rey responded with a smile.


    He already recognized his mistake, which was being so entrapped in his narrative that Adrien had to be involved somehow, that he literally projected everything that happened in the Grand Cmity ss Dungeon as his work.


    "It turned out to be apletely unrted foe." Heughed, almostical with his smile.


    Of course, this smile was hidden underneath his mask, so it remained invisible to the world.


    ¡­ Invisible to Esme.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 490 Missed Opportunity

    <h4>Chapter 490 Missed Opportunity</h4>


    "I still think it''s a waste, though..." Esmemented as she watched Rey use Magic to shove all the treasures within the room they were currently into his Grand Inventory.


    This was the Treasury, and just like the Ground Floor and Boss Room, it was incrediblyrge.


    It was definitely bigger than the Ground Floor, but not quite matching up to the Boss Room. Hence, somewhere in the middle.


    As one would expect from its name, the incredibly spacious area was packed chock-full with treasures and riches beyond count.


    ''This is another proof Adrien wasn''t involved. If he was, all of this would be gone by now.'' Was Rey''s first thought when he and Esme entered this ce.


    A lot of Miasma-filled Enchanted Items were present, all looking like well-crafted weapons.


    If the soldiers at the Front Lines were to equip weapons and Items like these, they would be unstoppable.


    ''The issue is the Miasma, and while I could purify it by washing it with Mana, it''ll sort of ruin its corrosive effects.


    The advantage of having Miasma-based weapons was the added damage. Removing that would just make it lose its luster.


    ''Well... I''ll think of thatter!'' It was with this mindset that Rey simply poured all the Items and treasures within the Treasury into his Grand Inventory.


    Thankfully, the Miasma they exuded didn''t get in the way of his Skill function. However, just in case, he created a separatepartment within his Storage Space so he could store them without any dangers to the rest of his Items.


    While still going through his process, Rey heard Esme''s remarks and turned to her.


    "What is a waste?"


    She simply shrugged, seated while folding her hands and watching him.


    "The Skeletal Dragon... you said you had a Necromancy Skill sometime ago, right? Why didn''t you ce it under yourmand or something?"


    Necromancers were known to be able to resurrect dead entities by turning them into Undead; then controlling those creatures of abomination. However, they could also control Undead that were not made by them.


    All of this was dependent on the quality of their Skill, ss, and the mastery they had over their abilities.


    So, in theory, a stronger Necromancer could subjugate a weaker Undead. As long as their Magic was stronger than what Magic the weaker Undead was under, they could even hijack control from other Necromancers.


    So why didn''t Rey take this chance to make a Dragon Lord--fallen or not--his servant?


    The answer was simple--he couldn''t.


    "I tried to do so many times, but nothing worked. I was surprised myself, considering how much weaker he was to me at full power."


    Rey had an S-Tier Necromancy Skill, and he also had [Absolute Dominion] as a perfect addition. If he used [Fusion/Fission] and perfectly mixed the effects of those Skills together, it would have been more than enough to control the A-Tier Undead.


    "Yet it didn''t work..."


    "Hm..." Esme rubbed her chin as she processed Rey''s response. "And it didn''t have any Skill that countered your Necromancy Skill?"


    "It didn''t. It only had 3 Exclusive Skills and 12 Non-Exclusive, if I remember correctly. None of them seemed out of ce, and I even used Do... I mean, I saw him use them, pretty much."


    Rey still didn''t understand why it didn''t work.


    ''I honestly didn''t care if I did it in front of everyone. If I could get such an ally, it would have been great.''


    Yes, having a huge Skeletal Dragon as a minion would be problematic in many areas.


    ''But, I have measures to deal with it.'' He sighed.


    Rey could have simply used some kind of Illusion on everyone present, while also manipting what they heard and felt with his Skills.


    "But it ultimately failed." He shrugged. "It is what it is, I guess."


    "Got any theories as to why?" Esme''s furrowed brow and her slightly concerned demeanor was a bit surprising to see.


    Even Rey¡ªdespite feeling a little frustrated that he couldn''t get his desired subordinate¡ªwasn''t as hung up on the issue as her.


    Still, he gave his response.


    "Maybe his soul was too corrupt and old, with only mere vestiges left, or maybe too much time had passed since his death. I actually don''t know much about Necromancy, so¡­ I really can''t say."


    Rey figured he would ask Aterter, so he wanted to take the whole thing off his mind.


    Once he was done with the treasury, he pped his hands and smiled. "All done!"


    The only thing left to do now was to teleport back to the Capital, leaving the Adventurers City for good once more.


    ''I''ve confirmed from the duplicate I sent outside, but the Dungeon has already vanished from the Adventurers City.''


    He could always return here to investigate more, or even make it his hideout if he wanted, but for now¡­ he was pretty tired.


    ''A lot has happened over the past week. I just want to lie down on an actual bed and sleep properly."


    Not sleeping for nearly ten days straight had taken a severe toll on him. Right now, he was also only at 50 percent since his other Duplicate was with Alicia and his ssmates back in the City.


    ''I really should swap out with it soon. I don''t feelfortable leaving my social life with that thing.'' Rey nearly chuckled.


    Besides, he also missed Alicia.


    ''I really want to talk to her. It''s been about a week since west spoke.''


    During the entire Conquest¡ªespecially after the Mass Teleportation Incident¡ªAlicia was one of the only things that upied his mind.


    Now that everything was back to normal, he couldn''t help but anticipate their next moments together.


    ''Maybe we''ll even¡­ hehe!'' He stopped himself from thinking too far, turning towards Esme, who still seemed to be in deep thought.


    ''Is she still thinking about the Skeletal Dragon?''


    "Hey, Esme. You shouldn''t concern yourself with that stuff." After saying this, a swirling portal opened in front of him.,


    "Come on, let''s go."


    "Rey¡­ that Undead Dragon¡­" As he thought, she was still on about it.


    Before he could respond to her, however, her question came forth.


    "¡­ Did it have a glitch Skill?"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I shall reserve myments... hehehe

 Chapter 491 Unexpected Calamity

    <h4>Chapter 491 Unexpected Cmity</h4>


    "G-Glitch Skill?"


    Rey''s brows furled up as he stared at Esme, obviously confused by what she was asking. "What''s that? A Skill that causes Glitches?"


    Perhaps she meant that the Skill''s name was Glitch. The answer to that was no, obviously.


    "No! Like, the Skill itself is glitching. Something like showing random letters, numbers or symbols." She responded. "Did it have something like that?"


    "H-huh¡­?" Rey didn''t know what Esme was talking about.


    This was the first time he was hearing of Skills like that.


    Did such Skills even exist on H''Trae?


    "So you didn''t see it, huh? That''s odd¡­ you even look confused about what I''m saying."


    Esme''s response only plunged Rey into more confusion.


    "Hold up. What are you sayi¡ª?"


    "I mean, I thought you would at least know of it, even if you didn''t know of its existence¡­ right?" She mumbled, mostly to herself, now pacing around the room.


    "I''m not following¡­"


    "I''ve only ever seen the glitch once too. And I used it as an exnation for you doing all those things you did, having such unbelievable powers despite not having too many Skills on your Status Window."


    At this point, Rey grew impatient and grabbed Esme by both hands, stopping her pacing.


    "What exactly are you saying here?" He stared into her eyes, pausing to look at the confused expression on her face.


    "You have a glitch Skill, Rey. So I thought that if the Skeletal Dragon had one too, it would exin why it was able to resist your power."


    "Eh? Really?"


    This was news to Rey. He had checked his Status Window more times than he could remember, but he saw no signs of a glitch Skill.


    "Yes! It''s¡ª!"


    "GAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"


    Rey suddenly screamed, his body trembling violently as he took several steps away from Esme.


    His body felt like he was on fire, and his brain felt like it would explode at any moment. This sudden sensation overwhelmed his senses.


    It consumed him from the inside out, causing his whole body to shake immensely.


    "UWAAAAAHHHHHH! GUAGHHHHHH!!!"


    As if his body was being split in two, he could feel every ligament of his body straining, and every portion of senses being fried.


    This felt like the most gruesome death ever¡ªbeing destroyed, yet perfectly fine. It truly felt like he was dying. But no¡­ this was a fate worse.


    The overwhelming sensation, raw and pervasive, felt perpetual in its infliction.


    Plus, Rey didn''t even know the cause of his suffering.


    Until¡ª


    [SYSTEM WARNING]


    [Your Duplicate Has Been Destroyed!]


    ~Stats and Levels allocated to said Duplicate will be deducted and permanently lost~


    ~Due to your remnant connection with the Duplicate, you will experience this death, but not truly die~


    ~All functions will permanently plummet by 50 Percent~


    [Recovery Process Will Commence As Soon As Possible]


    "W-wha¡­?"


    Rey''s face, pale and lifeless, could barely move as he saw what the System disyed before him.


    His tired, agonizing mind could hardly process the details.


    "¡­EY!"


    "¡­ RE¡­!"


    "¡­ REY¡­!"


    As he heard Esme''s scream, it felt like she was distant, too far away to reach.


    All his senses plunged into an abyss, and he found himself sinking as well¡ªthough only halfway through.


    His body fell to the ground after his screech, but rather than the hard, cold ground, he found a soft cushion in Esme.


    She had swiftly darted from her position and caught him, despite her own confusion on the matter. He could hardly see her worried face beyond the blurry lens that impeded his sight, despite beingpletely immobile, Rey was trembling inside.


    Having 50 Percent of you perish had to be one of the most painful experiences; and Rey had to experience it all at once.


    He had forgotten the sensation¡­ until now.


    Even now, despite the several things he wanted to say or do, only one word proceeded out of his trembling lips¡ªalmost as if he was having a severe seizure.


    "W¡­hy¡­?"


    Tears fell from his eyes as they began to close.


    As he sank into the dark realm of the unconscious, the pain began to lose its lustre. However, in those final moments of partial consciousness, a new emotion gripped him.


    ¡ªFEAR!


    If his Duplicate was killed, then that meant there was something dangerous in the Capital, and that ''dangerous'' thing was capable of killing a Duplicate of his.


    Rey always limited his Rey standin, and the strict order it followed was not to disy any power that exceeded the current level that Rey had revealed to his ssmates.


    As such, it was meant to act considerably weaker than it actually was.


    However, even that didn''t mean it was less durable and powerful. The only thing it was really restricted to was its use of Skills and optimal power.


    The fact that the Duplicate was killed meant the culprit had enough power to deplete all of Rey''s durability.


    There were only two likely culprits behind this, and Rey was equally frightened for both oues.


    ''N-no¡­ I have to¡­ h-help them¡­!''


    Whether it was Adrien or the Dragons, no one in the Capital stood a chance.


    No one but him.


    "¡­ Please."


    Rey fell into indefinite slumber, copsed entirely in the crying Esme''s arms¡­ all alone in the Grand Cmity ss Dungeon.


    ***********


    No one could have predicted this; the fact that the true cmity was not within the ancient walls of the Dungeon that they conquered.


    Instead, it happened in a bustling city¡ªfilled with life, and people.


    The Capital, known as a haven from Dragons, thanks to being situated South, far from the rigors of war, was now in mes.


    Several buildings had crumbled under the heat, and many more crashed to the ground, sending debris flying around.


    So far, over ten thousand had met their end in this catastrophe, and that number only rose as time passed.


    However, other than the natives who could do nothing but cry and run for their lives, the numbers of the saviors who faced this threat had already been cut short.


    Of the twelve brave champions that faced the catastrophe, their current state was thus;


    Three were already dead.


    Nine were severely injured.


    All would soon perish.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Now it''s time for the cmity to truly begin.


    Also, I apologize if you''ve been experiencing a sharp drop in quality this past couple of chapters.


    I''m actually sick¡­ haha!

 Chapter 492 Prelude To The Calamity [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 492 Prelude To The Cmity [Pt 1] </h4>


    [Moments Earlier]


    ~FSHING!~


    A bright light surged from the ground beneath all the Otherworlders, instantly sending them away from their respective positions before they even understood what was happening.


    In the blink of an eye, all of them¡ªwithout exception¡ªfound themselves in a wood clearing, just a bit on the outskirts of the Capital.


    The first reaction of everyone was to look around, dazed and shocked to see their environment change once again.


    "H-huh?!"


    "T-this is¡­?"


    "Isn''t this¡­?!"


    "Why are we here? Where did you guyse from?"


    They looked around, recognizing the trees, the clearing they stood on, and most importantly¡­ one another.


    The initial look of shock was reced with sighs of relief.


    Everyone was happy to see the faces of their ssmates and friends. Just the fact that they were no longer alone in the dark and dreary world of the Dungeon made them nearly leap in delight.


    The fresh breeze¡­ they breathed it in with smiles on their faces in spite of their unanswered questions.


    It was only after countless sighs of relief and tears of joy that a voice finally spoke up and addressed the issue.


    "Why are we back at the Capital?"


    The teleportation that brought them here was too fast for them to properly examine. Even Adonis was too deep in his despair to properlyprehend what was happening until it was toote.


    Bottom line... no one had any idea what could have happened.


    Still, everyone had their eyes on Adonis, expecting some kind of answer. He always knew things that others didn''t, and a lot of the guesses he made were spot-on. If anyone could decipher the current situation, it had to be him.


    "I¡­ I don''t know." Adonis simply whispered, his tone as sullen as his face was crestfallen.


    His entire demeanor felt devoid of any life or energy¡ªthe kind that Adonis was known for no matter the situation.


    That resolute face was nowhere to be seen now.


    His response caused a heavy atmosphere to fall on the group. They remembered the enemy they had been facing until they all got separated, as well as the enemies that Adonis had fought andbeled Dragon Spies.


    None of the Otherworlders really understood why Jet and Lux were being suspected by Adonis, since many other exnations could be used to rece the instances he gave them.


    However, they trusted him as their leader and listened to his words.


    It was no secret to say that didn''t end well.


    Anyone could see how that embarrassing and fatal mistake could make Adonis doubt himself and hesitate in making another assertion, so they didn''t push the issue any further.


    Still, the tension remained.


    Many of the Otherworlders had already plopped to the ground to rest a little. After all, they were plenty tired from having used up so much energy and practically all their physical abilities to fight the Undead Dragon.


    The worst part was, even after they were all transported away from one another, they found themselves swarmed with hordes of enemies.


    There was no time to rest, as each person had to constantly fight for their dear life.


    Now tired beyond what words could properly exin, the Adventurers hoped to catch their breaths and understand the current situation before departing to the Capital.


    "I have two theories." Alicia spoke up, finally speaking after nearly a few minutes of silence.


    All eyes fell on her, as well as her Familiar who wouldn''t stop hugging her. They had been separated by the Undead Dragon back then, so it only made sense that the rabbit would be very clingy upon their reunion.


    While it was incredibly cute to see, though, most of the students were more focused on Alicia''s important opinion.


    "One is that Sir Ralyks must have transported us here. Maybe he used some sort of dyed Spatial Magic that would bring us back here after a specified period of time."


    The rings that they used for disguise could have been a conduit, or maybe he used another means. The man had such a wide array of Skills that it was practically impossible to limit him in many regards


    Many of the Otherworlders nodded in response to this theory. It made a lot of sense, and it was also probably what happened


    ¡ªconsidering Ralyks and his personality.


    "What''s the second theory?"


    "That the Adventurers somehow managed to defeat the Skeletal Dragon. Jet and Lux most likely helped, and since we had done considerable damage to it¡­ they were able to finish it off."


    This theory had a lot of things going for it, especially its merits.


    "If that''s what happened, we should expect that the Adventurers also got transported away and the threat was vanquished." She added.


    It sounded nice to hear, and many of the students really wanted to believe it was true.


    "That''s na?ve¡­" Adonis responded, his words like freezing water sshed on the flickering mes of hope.


    "Do you really think they had a chance at beating that thing? Even after what it did to us, do you think they had a chance?"


    "I-I mean, maybe using the Zone Shift tires him out, so he couldn''t do it for a while after separating us¡­" Alicia tried to respond, but she found Adonis shaking his head in disagreement.


    "It''s foolish to think that. The Zone Shift was happing for those seven days straight. Why would it be exhausting for it to do something that has been going on for so long?"


    "W-well, maybe the other Zone Shifts were the Dungeon''s function, and what he did was a product of his Ski¡ª"


    "No! You''re wrong. You''re being too optimistic here!" Adonis said with a raised voice, a deep frown evident on his face.


    "Maybe you''re being too pessimistic."


    "I''m not! I''m being realistic! There''s no way they could have won against that thing. You''re only making excuses because you don''t like the idea that they''re all dead!"


    "At leastI came up with two theories. You didn''t contribute anything, so what gives you the right to criticize me?"


    "I''m just saying the tru¡ª!"


    "That doesn''t give you the right to be an insensitive jackass!"


    "Me? Jackass?!" Adonis growled as he rose to his feet, his eyes burning with aplicated emotion of rage.


    "I''m only saying what everyone is thinking! All of them¡­ those Adventurers¡­ they''re all dead!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    My boy is losing it. Can''t me him, but still¡­ damn!

 Chapter 493 Prelude To The Calamity [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 493 Prelude To The Cmity [Pt 2]</h4>


    Silence enveloped everything as Adonis shouted out his thoughts.


    No one spoke a word.


    They all just stared at him--everyone having distinct, yet simr expressions on their faces.


    There was mutual disbelief. None could believe that the Hero, the most upright guy they knew, would ever utter such words.


    ... And do so in such a crass manner as well.


    Many faces fell after hearing those words. The students who tried their hardest not to think about it found themselves breaking down.


    No one could deny the truth.


    Adonis was right. Everyone here already knew that the likelihood of any human fighting such a creature of unrivaled power was nonexistent. Even Jet an Lux stood no chance, based on what they saw.


    The Adventurers were more likely dead than alive.


    "Adonis... what the hell are you saying?" Tears began to fall from Alicia''s eyes as she looked at the rage-filled face of the boy before her.


    He looked angry, but there was no one around who his anger was directed to. The anger was directed only at himself, and when he could not take it anymore, he let it out to those he called friends.


    "I--" Adonis wanted to say something, but Alicia was much faster.


    "Look around you! Look at your ssmates. The people you lead. Do you think we''re oblivious to the more likely theory?"


    As Adonis heard this, he moved his eyes around and observed the disturbed expressions of all his ssmates. Most were hurting, and others looked miserable.


    A few were even crying.


    "We all joined the Conquest to grow stronger, but also to help the Adventurers. We did our best, but all of us failed." Alicia said, her own face also growing crestfallen.


    "In the end... even after everything... we could not win."


    This was nothing like the Royal Dungeon Incident, when Ralyks came and saved everyone, and it certainly wasn''t like their Dungeon Raid, where he constantly watched over them.


    The Conquest was their first ever independent mission, and they failed.


    "Do you really think we have no idea how much we messed up? That we screwed up, and people are going to die as a result?" Alicia took a few steps forward, anger now evident in her eyes as hot tears flowed out.


    Everyone''s bitter face reflected just that--the weight of failure that hung on their shoulders.


    They were just teenagers, yet had to carry the lives of thousands on their shoulders. Living in H''Trae had made many desensitized to the heavy burdens they carried, considering it as normal, but Alicia could not.


    As someone who desired to return to Earth, she knew full well that she was only sixteen, soon to be seventeen.


    She was an adult in this world, but she didn''t consider herself one. None of them were adults, no matter how they tried to pretend otherwise.


    "It is at times like this that you''re meant to offer words of support and encouragement... not spilling out more depressing stuff for us to swallow."


    At this point, she was right in front of Adonis, only a few inches from his face.


    "I don''t care that you''re our friend, our leader, or the goddamn Hero. Nothing gives you the right to say shit like that at this point in time."


    "..." Adonis'' head hung shamefully as he faced the ground.


    He clenched his fist and gritted his teeth as he heard what she said. Nodding as he sniffed slightly, he muttered.


    "You''re right. I''m sorry."


    The moment he said this, Alicia hugged him tightly, allowing his sunken head to rest on her shoulder.


    "I know you are, idiot." She whispered, crying as she smiled as well.


    Everyone was hurting, but the one who was experiencing the most pain was Adonis. No one in the room could deny that fact.


    And so, the moment Alicia hugged Adonis, everyone began to leave their positions and draw close to the two. Before they realized it, they hugged each other¡ªall with bittersweet smiles on their faces.


    "I''m sorry, guys¡­ I shouldn''t have said it like that." Adonis'' words were stifled as he did his best to hold back his tears.


    Everyone was there tofort him¡ªand one another¡ªas they kept up their group hug.


    "We get it, man." Justin spoke up, his smile not as wide as it usually was. "We got you."


    Then, rk spoke up.


    "It hurts me too. I get it, Adonis."


    Billy muttered his own words. "You''ve been a great leader. There''s no need to take all of this on alone."


    "Yeah. Don''t me yourself." Alicia nodded in agreement.


    "Yeah¡­" Trisha murmured.


    "We did our best. It just wasn''t enough. That''s not on you, or on us. Life''s just fucked up like that sometimes." Eric sighed.


    This time, he did not flex his sses. Instead, his arms were wrapped around the group.


    "Sir Ralyks might have saved them as well¡­"


    The feminine voice that uttered that needed no introduction. The moment she said this, though, the gloomy mood in the air lightened slightly.


    Somehow, her words seemed to resonate with a lot of the people who now smiled and muttered in unison;


    "YEAH¡­ MAYBE HE DID."


    As they gradually let go of the grief and guild that gued them, embracing the possibility that their savior could have also saved the Adventurers, a certain voice echoed in the air.


    "Hey, what''s that?" It came from Rey, and he was pointing at dark clouds that seemed to gather in the distance. "Is it about to rain or something?"


    Rey''s choice of words, as well as his off tone tainted the mood among the students. Many would have groaned and red at him if they didn''t look in the direction that he pointed to.


    Sure enough, there were eerily thick clouds that floated in the distance.


    Something about its growing darkness seemed malevolent, and the intensity¡ªeven from where they stood¡ªseemed chilling.


    They felt it, cold chills running down their spine and spreading throughout their body. Was this merely rain, or was a storm brewing.


    Despite all of these eerie signs, there was something else that made the students look at the faraway sky in concern.


    "Isn''t the Capital located in that directio¡ª?"


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Alright! Now things are getting fun. I hope you''re all excited.


    Hehe¡­

 Chapter 494 Prelude To The Calamity [Pt 3]

    <h4>Chapter 494 Prelude To The Cmity [Pt 3] </h4>


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    The earth beneath the students rumbled as a sh of lightning descended from the darkened clouds.


    It was so far away¡ªperhaps a couple thousand meters or so¡ªyet the impact of the strike caused a violent quake where they stood.


    Everything happened instantly too, causing every student to get startled.


    "A-ahh¡­!"


    "What was that?!"


    "A dark cloud? A lightning strike? The Capital?"


    Many students were already on the ground, having been knocked over by the tremors and their intense surprise once they heard the noise.


    Still, they couldn''t help but gaze in the direction where the lightning struck.


    Then, before they could process their thoughts, or answer their questions¡ª


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    ¡ªAnother st of the same lightning struck once more.


    The ground did not respond to kindly, and it shook even more than it didst time, causing nearly all the students to fall.


    Adonis and Billy were the only ones who remained standing, and Adonis'' distracted face as he stared at the Capital said it all¡­


    "Smoke."


    ¡­ The horror that was toe.


    Right in front of them, the right distance away, dense pirs of smoke began ascending to meet the dark clouds above.


    All of this vivid imagery burned into the minds of the students, and there was no longer any confusion or ambiguity.


    "The Capital is under attack!"


    They didn''t know the enemy, but was there really a need to?


    Their home¡ªheadquarters of their operation, and the heart of the United Human Alliance¡ªwas under attack.


    "We need to go¡­ NOW!" Adonis turned to his ssmates, but found a different expression on their faces than what he expected.


    Rather than the optimistic and resolute faces¡ªthe kind that they had disyed before leaving for the Adventurers City¡ªonly dread could be seen now.


    The students were scared as they stared off into the distance.


    Some of them were trembling, their lips shaking as their bulging eyes struggled to stay open.


    "I-I don''t think¡­ I want to go anywhere."


    To everyone''s surprise, the one who spoke out loud was Eric. He was one of the most adventurous of the group, but the look in his eyes said it all.


    "W-what if it''s another Dragon? I¡­ can we win?"


    Thanks to the horrible experience that everyone faced in the Dungeon, the moment they heard the questions of Eric, their faces showed even greater fear.


    "The Capital¡­ if it''s under attack¡­ we¡­ can''t we just escape?" Even though Eric said this, the look on his face and the tears in his eyes made it clear that he didn''t like it.


    The boy didn''t want to abandon all those innocent people¡ªnot again. He couldn''t bear it on his conscience.


    But¡­ he also didn''t want to die.


    Before he was transported into the forest and reunited with everyone, he was surrounded by tons of Death Knights and Liches. His Mana Level was running low, and he saw his life shing before his eyes.


    ''I don''t want to die!'' Those were his thoughts back then.


    He had finally been summoned into this amazing new world, one where all of his fantasies were real. He had Magic, reliable allies, and a mission to save the world.


    He was relevant to the world, and he wanted to continue being so.


    Eric slept every night and dreamt of all the adventurers he would have with his friends, all the ces he would visit with them¡­ and how his life would turn out after he was finally done with his grand mission.


    Perhaps he would take over Lucielle''s position as the Grand Mage of the Alliance. He could settle down, have a few kids of his own, and tell them all the crazy stories of his wild adventures.


    But¡­ if he went in the direction of those dark clouds¡­ something told Eric that those dreams of his would note true.


    "I don''t want to die, guys¡­ I don''t want any of us to die." He sobbed even more as he looked at everyone.


    Eric knew he looked pathetic, but he just couldn''t control his instincts. He didn''t want to lose everything he had gained so far.


    ''I don''t want that. Please¡­''


    "I also don''t want to die." Adonis said, a sigh escaping his lips as he looked at the group in front of him.


    Most of the faces that stared back at him had simr frightened expressions on their faces, though not as pronounced as Eric''s.


    But he understood it, regardless. Everyone was thinking the same thing.


    ¡ªWhat if there is a Dragon waiting for us at the Capital?


    If all their encounters with Dragons taught them anything, it was the fact that they were absolute.


    Dragons were supreme¡ªthe apex predators of the world. Against such entities, what could they do but lose?


    Adonis knew all of that, but still¡­


    "I don''t want any of us to die, but¡­ I have to march forward."


    One would think that, after facing despair, Adonis would be able to understand and ept the position of cowardice. And while the former was true, thetter remained far removed from his mind.


    After all,pared to this despair that he currently faced, the one that waited for him if he chose not to march forward was far worse.


    And so, unable to ignore the horrors that would eventuallye, Adonis walked ahead.


    "You can all retreat and save your lives. But¡­ I will go ahead." As he walked forward, Adonis clenched his fist and tensed up his body so he wouldn''t shake.


    ''At this point, it''s safe to say that the future ispletely changed. If I am to survive this, then I can no longer rely on my knowledge of the future¡­''


    Swallowing hard and breathing heavily, he prepared his legs to dash away. But¡ª


    "Where do you think you''re going, leader?"


    "Leaving the rest of us behind? How rude¡­"


    "I''m not leaving you alone to handle everything on you own."


    "Kwii kwii."


    "Count me in! I won''t ignore those in danger."


    "It''s what Sir Ralyks would do!"


    "Let''s do this!"


    Adonis turned back to see all the Otherworlders, with the exception of Eric and Justin, standing right behind him.


    "You guys¡­"


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 495 Prelude To The Calamity [Pt 4]

    <h4>Chapter 495 Prelude To The Cmity [Pt 4]</h4>


    "You guys¡­"


    Adonis'' eyes grew moist as he watched all the smiling faces of hisrades. Beneath their acts of bravado, he knew they were scared.


    He was too.


    ''We''re all exhausted, and the Mana in our Enchanted Items are depleted. We also don''t know who the enemy is¡­''


    In all honesty, Adonis wasn''t assured of his survival if he went alone. Most likely, he was going to die.


    But¡­ with hisrades backing him up, he felt like he had a chance.


    "¡­ Thank you!"


    ***********


    "Won''t you go with them¡­?"


    Eric slightly nced at Justin, who sat beside him on the dirty ground of the woods. He was the only one who stayed behind, while the others had long departed.


    "Nah! I won''t leave you by yourself." Justin responded with a slight smile.


    "W-what? Why?!"


    "Because then you''ll be forced toe with us. That''s the kind of scaredy-cat you are." Justin winked as he gave another brilliant smile.


    Eric''s face fell as he stared at the ground in both shame and mncholy.


    "I¡­ I don''t understand them." He whispered. "Aren''t they scared that they''ll die? If it''s a Dragon and it wipes them all out, it''s over!"


    Justin nodded at all of Eric''s words, most of smile already gone.


    "I just¡­ I don''t want to lose all these precious memories. I want to make more of them. I know this world isn''t all fun and games. I know danger awaits at so many corners, but I also know that there are dangers we can choose to avoid."


    He buried his face under his arced his forehead resting on his two hands.


    "Does that make me selfish? Am I a bad person for just choosing to live?"


    Eric knew that there was a chance that the enemy wasn''t a Dragon. It could be some natural disaster, or powerful Monster. The Capital may not even be in any danger at all.


    There were several things that could be true. But¡ª


    "We have all been weakened considerably. Weck no means to escape once we face the enemy. Out Items have mostly run out of power."


    All in all, they were in their most vulnerable state.


    "If we were to encounter a powerful opponent now, it will be the end. And I can''t help but think that there is a powerful enemy waiting for us over there."


    Once Eric was done speaking, he let out a deep sigh, waited a few seconds, and then slowly nced at Justin.


    "Why aren''t you saying anything?"


    Justin shrugged, nkly staring at Eric as he parted his lips. "What else is there to say? You''ve pretty much said it all."


    Eric set his distracted gaze forward and set it on a distant tree.


    "You already know I have a girl back home. I have my family and friends too. I don''t want to die knowing I didn''t at least tell them all the wacky shit I''ve been through in this world."


    Eric let out a smallugh, causing Justin to smile a bit more.


    "I don''t think any of them want to die. They just¡­ don''t want those who are currently in the Capital to die."


    All of what Justin and Eric felt¡ªtheir strong will to live¡ªwas also imprinted into the hearts of every single human being.


    The denizens of the Capital were no different.


    "Fathers. Mothers. Children¡­ Lovers. Siblings. Friends¡­" Justin stared into the distance, watching as the thick pirs of smoke kept rising.


    "The Capital has all of those kinds of people. Several, just like me, have stories to tell their families. Some probably want to go on crazy adventures and explore the world, just like you."


    In the end, they also had dreams and goals.


    "I think Adonis and everyone else simply didn''t want them their dreams to die."


    Eric slowly turned from the tree and cast his gaze on Justin.


    "That''s pretty dumb¡­"


    "Yeah¡­ I know." Justin smiled, closing his eyes as he crossed his legs. "But I guess that''s what makes us human."


    Eric bit his lip as he heard those words, closing his eyes as well. He felt the soft breeze on his face, and the sweet herbal smell of the forest.


    Staying here, watching from the distance, it was a lot better than racing to fight a battle that he wasn''t sure he could win.


    That was practically suicide, and he refused to partake in it.


    "I suppose that makes me inhuman." Eric mumbled, rxing his body so he could recover his strength even more.


    This was curtly interrupted with a deep voice.


    "No."


    It sounded like Justin, but the aura of seriousness around it made Eric nearly think it belonged to someone else.


    "You''re definitely human." Justin stated said as Eric turned to look at him.


    "¡­"


    For a moment, they both stared at each other and a fleeting sense of tension danced in the air. However, Eric quickly rested once again and closed his eyes.


    "Of course, I know that. It was just a wittyment."


    "¡­."


    "Why so serious¡­?"


    Eric''s voice trailed in the peaceful world that surrounded them. But that peace onlysted for a few fleeting moments.


    Then came destruction.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    ***********


    As the city burned in mes, five figures floated in the sky and watched the entire scenery from their high estate.


    They had wings behind them, but they had humanoid appearance¡ªwell, almost human.


    Horns protruded out of their heads, most of them possessing three of them. They were also dressed in ck robes; almost like uniforms.


    A golden badge decorated the right portion of their chests, and the image imprinted on it was that of a rising dragon.


    Four males, and one female; thetter being at the center and slightly ahead of the rest.


    This wasn''t the only difference she had with the rest, however.


    "Well, what do you think, Lady Kar''en? Does it suit your tastes?" As one of the voices behind her asked this question, the echoes and throes of the perishing humans reached the ears of the Dragons.


    The one they called Lady Kar''en turned to look at one of her subordinates, a broad smile on her beautiful face.


    Her four horns gleamed brightly underneath the setting sun.


    "I think it''s a littlecking."


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 496 Calamity Upon The Capital [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 496 Cmity Upon The Capital [Pt 1] </h4>


    The once-grand capital cityy in ruins, a sprawlingndscape of devastation and despair.


    Smoke billowed from the charred remains of once-proud buildings, casting a dark pall over the cityscape. mes licked at the rubble-strewn streets, hungrily consuming everything in their path.


    The air was thick with the acrid scent of burning wood and stone, mingling with the metallic tang of blood. The cries of the wounded echoed through the ruins, a haunting representation of pain and suffering that seemed to permeate the very air itself.


    Everywhere one looked, there were signs of destruction. Buildingsy crumbled and broken, their shattered facades serving as grim monuments to the horrors that had befallen the city. Debris littered the streets, blocking off once-familiar thoroughfares and trapping survivors in their makeshift tombs.


    Amidst the chaos, the charred remains of what was once a bustling marketce stood as a stark reminder of the city''s former glory. The stallsy overturned, their wares scattered and trampled beneath the weight of destruction.


    The smell of burning spices and roasted meats mingled with the stench of death, creating an unsettling tableau of destruction and decay.


    In the distance, the ominous silhouette of a dark cloud loomed overhead, casting a shadow over the devastated cityscape. It seemed to pulse with malevolent energy, a harbinger of further destruction yet toe.


    And, the figures who loomed there¡­ the malefactors of this tragedy¡­ they simply stared down on the chaos.


    All, without exception, donning a smile on their faces.


    ***********


    "Humans. Look at them sprawling around like Maggots¡ªpathetic in every way."


    Kar''en uttered those words as she stared down on the desperate men and women who were clinging to life despite the catastrophe that had befallen them.


    "You would think we, as a superior species, would have matured beyond the need to show these creatures any attention. That, after establishing our dominance in every way, we would have eliminated them by now¡­" She said, as a wide smile began creeping up on her face.


    The grin was unnatural, It covered most portions of her face¡ªa literal grinning from ear to ear. It made her humanoid form appear monstrous.


    "Yet, it seems there''s something about trampling these insects that brings us so much satisfaction." Licking her lips, she narrowed her gaze at the innocents.


    The suffering of children¡ªparticrly infants¡ªbrought her the most satisfaction.


    Kar''en wanted to see more of it.


    "Lady Kar''en, we shouldn''t forget the details of the mission." One of the men behind her said with a slight bow.


    In the Dragon Empire, the hierarchy existed¡ªperhaps in one of the strongest ways. In their civilization, it was easy to determine where the other party scaled in the pecking order.


    Their horns told all the story.


    Four to Five Horns were Dragon Generals. Five to Six Horns were Lords. The Seventh belonged to one; the undisputed strongest of the Dragon Lords.


    Then, standing at the apex was the Dragon Lord who had nine.


    A Horn represented power. Just as Fairies boasted of their strength through the color and beauty of their wings, and the Elves did through the intensity and fragrance of their scent, Dragons had horns to prove it.


    Maturity and strength were measured in horns, giving rise to an inevitable hierarchy where those with the highest number of horns reigned superior.


    And so, even if he looked much taller and physically stronger than Kar''en¡ªat least, in humanoid form¡ªthe one known as Amu''ra bowed to Kar''en and spoke in the most reverent tone.


    "Of course, I haven''t forgotten about the task. There''s no need to be so tense and overly formal all the time."


    Everyone knew Amu''ra as the party pooper; the strict Dragon who didn''t know how to have any fun. Even if he smiled every now and then, it wouldn''t be long before he went on about serious matters.


    Still, this quality meant he was a loyal and by-the-books Dragon. He followed orders to the letter, and hispetence far exceeded most Dragons.


    Among the Dragon Commanders, he was the most powerful.


    The thundercloud that covered the capital was made by him, and he had a lot of attacks that could cover a wide distance; useful for AOE damage.


    "I-I apologize." Amu''ra said, once again bowing.


    Kar''en sighed and nearly pped her palm on her face the moment she witnessed his awkward and stiff behavior.


    It seemed he would never change.


    "It''s fine, dude. As for the Dragon Lord''s orders to investigate, we''re on it at the moment." Kar''en said with a knowing smile.


    The Dark Dragon of the ck Mountain had given Kar''en and her team a task to investigate the death of a Dragon Commander whosest recorded location was within the Alliance Capital.


    ording to him, "I find it strange that the humans have someone capable of such a feat, yet they would rather he stay in the Capital and not the front lines. Ipetent as Jer''ard was, Dragon Commanders cannot be killed by humans at their current level."


    With their team investigating, it was pertinent that they find the cause of death of one of the Dragon Lord''s many progenies.


    It wasn''t the most difficult task, considering how easy it was to deal with humans, but Kar''en thought they would have some fun first.


    "If we cause enough destruction, whoever or whatever killed Jer''ard will show up. It''s as simple as that." She said with a shrug.


    "Isn''t that a bit reckless, Lady Kar''en?" Once again, Amu''ra bowed while speaking formally.


    A rumbling sound from his thundercloud echoed in the distance.


    "Reckless? Are you scared? Don''t worry, I''ll protect you from whatever secret weapon that the humans have against us."


    Kar''en chuckled loudly, clearly making a joke of the matter.


    Unfortunately, Amu''ra did not take it that way, and ended up bowing before her in gratitude.


    ''What a square¡­'' She nearly sighed as she shook her head.


    "So, should I go with another volley, Lady Kar''en?"


    Once Amu''ra said this, she nodded to herself, d to see the Dragon Commander had quickly redeemed himself.


    Once more, Kar''en would get to see the sufferings of more innocents.


    "Hehehe! You should!"


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Mass Release is over, so we''re gonna go back to form (3-4 chapters a day)


    Enjoy!

 Chapter 497 Calamity Upon The Capital [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 497 Cmity Upon The Capital [Pt 2]</h4>


    Amu''ra raised his hand up high, ready to send another burst of lightning down to the humans.


    He shot a quick nce at them¡ªall their pain and misery¡ªand he felt nothing like pleasure from watching all of it.


    He just felt¡­ nothing.


    ''Why am I so different? Is there really some intense pleasure about killing insignificant creatures like this that I do not know of?''


    Ever since he was little, Amu''ra was different from the rest of his peers. While being incredibly exceptional and disciplined, he simply could not understand certain emotions that the rest of his race exhibited.


    The most prevalent one was the satisfaction that Dragons had upon killing those deemed to be inferiors.


    He initially wondered if it was a biological function, but after learning of their anatomy in the Draconic Empire Academy, there was no specific hormone released when a Dragon killed a human, or any other member of an inferior race.


    It wasn''t biological.


    Was it a social construct then? He strongly felt that it was, but why was the exception?


    He was raised in a culture that valued and encouraged the genocide of every other race except the Dragons.


    So why? Why did he not share their values? It wasn''t like he particrly cared for humans. They weren''t particrly impressive or interesting. Their knowledge of the world wascking, they were incredibly small, and very weak.


    They were also highly unattractive, unlike the Elves¡ªwho had a glimpse of his attention. But, after kidnapping a few and carrying out several experiments on them¡ªsuch as breeding and torture¡ªhe found that interest waning fast.


    Even the prettiest flower would grow tiring to the eyes after gazing upon it for so long. That was how Amu''ra felt about the Elves, who had now be an eyesore.


    Perhaps he would capture a Fairy next? Those ones were highly evasive, and he had never even set his eyes on one before.


    He felt a tiny spark within his cold heart. Maybe an ''interaction'' with Fairy would give him the awakening he needed.


    ''I so desperately want to feel what you all feel¡­'' He stared at all hisrades and made an internal sigh.


    Amu''ra knew what everyone said about him.


    They called him a killjoy, a tryhard, a stiff¡­ and so on. All he really wanted was to fit in with everyone¡ªever since his academy days.


    Unfortunately, that never happened.


    ''Let''s get this over with so I can go home¡­'' With his hands raised high in the air, he prepared himself to activate [Absolute Thundercloud] and blow a rtively popted portion of the city into smithereens.


    "Fall and¡ª"


    ~SQUELCH!~


    Before Amu''ra couldplete his words, he felt a de pierce him from behind, instantly striking his heart from where?he floated.


    "¡ªgurgh¡­.?!" His eyes bulged as?his face showed a mix of pain and shock.


    The Dragons around him now stared with an equal expression of surprise. Some stared at him, but their prevalent gaze was on something¡ªor rather someone behind him.


    ~SQUISH!~


    Before he could do anything else, another de was embedded into his neck, causing even more pain and shock coursing through his body.


    Dragons were resilient, but these two weapons that were lodged into his body were draining his Life Force faster than anything in the past.


    Amu''ra already knew it¡­ he was dead.


    "Ldy¡­ K-kare...n¡­ pro-omisd¡­" His fading words vanished almost as soon as they left his lips, and the des were instantly dislodged from his dead body, sending a trail of blood sshing away.


    All of this happened in a split moment¡ªevident by how the Dragons barely had any time to react.


    His eyes went nk, and regret filled hisst moments in the void.


    It seemed¡­ Amu''ra''s desires would nevere to pass.


    ***********


    "Why you¡ª!"


    All eyes were on the figure that just dislodged his des from Amu''ra''s corpse, causing thetter to descend to the ground.


    One of the Dragons instantly rushed after it, while the remaining three had their gaze on the one who perpetrated the act. It was a man coated in Light, with hair as golden as the sun, and eyes burning bright amidst the chaos.


    On one of his hands was a de of light, while on the second was a powerful and beautiful de that was indescribable.


    ''L-Light Magic? At this level?! This is Grand, no¡­ this is in the Absolute Level!'' Kar''en''s eyes widened as she red at the human before her.


    How could a human possibly possess power at such a scale?


    ~WHOOSH!~


    Right as he killed Amu''ra, he sped off, almost like a sh of light. He was too fast for Kar''en to follow, so she swiftly barked orders to the fastest member of their team.


    "Catch him, R''ashu!"


    "Y-yes ma''am!"


    ~BZZZTTZZZ!~


    Blue lightning instantly covered his body and he sped away in a burst of power, leaving two Dragons left in the sky.


    Before they could even get a breather, a barrage of powerful Magic Attacks¡ªranging from ice to fire, and even lightning¡ª


    charged at them with immense intensity.


    All of them hit their mark, sending a surge of explosion etched into the sky.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    The disy of fireworks was high enough for everyone to witness, and the shockwave spread across the entire sky. As the winds rushed with pressure, the darkened thundercloud in the sky began to dissipate, and the intense smoke that previously rose from the city slowly ceased..


    All of this seemed so spontaneous¡ªlike a miracle born out of thin air.


    However, it was not.


    This was the result of a well-coordinated effort of the ones who were the champions of humanity.


    ¡ªThe Otherworlders.


    With only seven members participating in this task, they divided themselves into two groups.


    The Assault Team and the Rescue Team.


    Belle Vanitas and Rey Skr took on the role of rescue, considering the former''s Magic Prowess, and thetter''s speed and versatility.


    Also because Rey could be a liability in a battle with Dragons.


    As for the others; Adonis, Billy, Alicia, Trisha, and rk¡­ they were members of the Assault Team.


    Their role was simple¡ªeliminate the Dragons!


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Alright! The battle has officially begun. ce your bets, everyone.

 Chapter 498 Calamity Upon The Capital [Pt 3]

    <h4>Chapter 498 Cmity Upon The Capital [Pt 3]</h4>


    "Alright! Looks like we got ''em!"


    The one who spoke loudly, but quickly realized he was shouting and hushed, was none other than Billy. He was just so excited to see thebo between him, Alicia, and Trisha work.


    After the Assault Team was created, the group was further divided into three¡ªfor the sake of the n, of course.


    The first was Adonis; who wouldunch the first strike on the enemy by catching them off-guard. This, he promised, would throw them into a state of confusion and panic, giving them the window of opportunity to strike.


    The second team¡ªtheirs¡ªwas to wait until one of the Dragons pursued Adonis, and the other one went to fetch the falling corpse, before striking the remaining two in the air.


    ording to Adonis, they were to give it everything they had.


    "They''re mostly Dragon Commanders, but one of them is a General. It would be difficult taking the General down first, but you guys can kill the Dragon Commander beside her and weaken her as well."


    That was their task, and it seemed like they executed it splendidly.


    ''The third team consists of just rk, who will find a way to hold down the Dragon who went after the corpse, and we''re meant to back him up by ambushing the Dragon, while Adonis takes care of the one that went after him¡­'' Alicia''s thoughts trailed.


    Once they were done with their tasks, they could finally deal with the wounded Dragon General together.


    It was a basic strategy, but considering how they didn''t have enough time and more numbers, this was the best route they could take.


    Right now, they were hiding at the edge of the forest, some hundred meters close to the Capital''s walls. Once they got the signal from rk, as well as recover some of their Mana, they would jump out and unleash a bombardment of attacks on the Dragon Commander that rk would be upied with.


    ''I''m concerned about him, but¡­.'' Alicia thought about rk Kant, the one on the sole third mission until their intervention.


    The idea of only him facing one Dragon Commander by himself was worrying. However¡­


    "Don''t worry. I might not be able to beat one myself, but I''m confident in my ability to take a beating!"


    ¡­ After his deration, they decided to leave that role up to him.


    ''Belle and Rey have the safest task. But, with the amount of destruction already done, and the many people needing saving, I just hope they don''t get overwhelmed¡­'' Alicia thought to herself in worry.


    Rey was a pretty bold and resolute person, so she was mostly worried about Belle who seemed very soft and emotional.


    Either way, she was relieved that both weren''t in harm''s way for most of the battle.


    ''If they''re done with rescue efforts first, they supposed toe and assist us. But, considering the scale of destruction that has been wrought in the city, I doubt they''d be done before us.''


    The goal of Adonis'' n was to end things as quickly as possible. Everyone was low on Mana, so a drawn-out battle would be detrimental to them. Most of their attack patterns relied on the element of surprise.


    And as for the Dragon General, since it would be a five against one¡­


    "Kwii kwii."


    ¡­ Correction, a six against one, they had a high chance of winning.


    "Thanks for helping us scout the area, Snow." Alicia smiled as she pet her white rabbit, a soft smile on her face.


    The little creature purred, almost like a cat, and she found that adorable. It seemed, even in the tension of battle, one could enjoy the little things like this.


    ''I wonder what''s taking rk so long, though¡­'' Alicia looked in the direction where rk''s Heat Vision was supposed to pass through, yet she saw nothing.


    "Is he really o¡ª"


    ~VWUM!~


    Before Alicia could conclude her sentence, she¡ªand everyone else with her¡ªfelt space warp behind them, and a certain overpowering entity emerging from behind.


    "¡ªkay¡­?"


    It was all a blur, but this silhouette had purplish ck eyes, with three horns; each rising from three sides of his forehead. A cold expression was imprinted on his face as he stared at them, both hands behind him.


    Then, with his mouth open wide¡ª


    "EVERYONE RU¡ª!"


    ¡ªA devastating st followed.


    ~BOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    The entire forest erupted with the overpowering explosion, and the shockwave alone sent Alicia and herrades flying away from the covering of trees.


    "Gahh!" She screamed, her eyes tightly shut as she felt one of her arms dislocated as a result of the force alone.


    One of the joints in her arm was broken, and the searing pain caused beads of tears to gush from her eyes.


    ''I have barely enough Mana for it, but I can still use [Absolute Healing] on my¡­self¡­?''


    Alicia reconsidered her thoughts once she saw Billy and Trisha beside her. They had lost an arm and a leg respectively. Everything was blown off by the st, and from their cries, and the blood that spurted out of their wounds, it was clear whose situation was worse.


    "[Absolute Healing]!" She swiftly proceeded to squeeze out every ounce of Mana she had to heal her tworades.


    It worked! They were both able to grow out their limbs, reversing the effects of destruction that had been wrought on them.


    However¡ª


    "Bleurghh¡­" Alicia found herself puking out loads of vomit, mixed in with traces of blood.


    Not only did she feel nauseated, thanks to the drain of Mana affecting her physically, but her entire body screamed at her with pain.


    She was still struggling with these feelings when she realized that there was something¡ªno, someone¡ªmissing from those who were with her just a moment ago.


    "How interesting. Healing to such a degree¡­" The deep voice of their adversary came forth as he emerged from the burning woods.


    "A-ahhh¡­!"


    Alicia''s eyes were widened as she saw the man. Not simply because of his intimidating aura or his overwhelming presence, but due to the gory remains that stained his dark apparel.


    "¡­ Snow¡­?!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Yeah, well... our first casualty is here.

 Chapter 499 Calamity Upon The Capital [Pt 4]

    <h4>Chapter 499 Cmity Upon The Capital [Pt 4] </h4>


    Despair stared Alicia straight in the eyes.


    As the marching steps of the adversary grew near, it drew closer to her.


    "Looks like I got some of the entrails of that filthy beast on my body¡­" The humanoid Dragon said, instantly setting himself aze with energy.


    The remnant white fur, one long rabbit ear, and the fluffy tail of the dead creature he spoke of was instantly consumed by the blue energy that coated his body.


    In no time at all, they became ash and flew away¡ªeven the blood of the beast.


    All of it¡­ gone with the wind.


    "S-Snow¡­?" Alicia muttered, her eyes wide open as tears fell out of them.


    Her body shuddered as her mind struggled to process the loss. In that moment, something rose from within her depths, and she opened her mouth to bring forth even more vomitced with blood.


    Her insides were on fire, and her mind felt like breaking apart.


    At that moment, Alicia remembered the blurry incident that just passed. She recollected how Snow jumped in front of the st to protect her, which ended in her death.


    "¡­ N-no¡­ S-Snow¡­" As she whispered and muttered, drool and tears flowed down her pretty face, cascading to the vomit beneath.


    "How disgusting you humans are¡­" The Dragon before them said with a smile on his face.


    His cold stare seemed to have vanished entirely once he witnessed the suffering of the people before him.


    Trisha and Billy, who had recovered to an extent, still had perplexed expressions on their faces. And as for Alicia, she was in the middle of a mental breakdown.


    All of these things seemed to amuse the Dragon, who still stared at them with disgust.


    "I know what your small minds must be wondering at this moment." Both hands were behind him as he floated a feet or two into the air.


    "What about ourrade? The one who was supposed to upy this dragon while we ambushed him from the side?"


    The eyes of the three twitched as soon as they heard those words. They had been too upied with thoughts of fear, pain, and survival, but somewhere at the back of their mind¡­ they also wondered what happened to rk.


    He was not an ipetentrade, and his capabilities were also top notch. The fact that their enemy was able to catch them off guard like this meant he must have failed somehow.


    But¡­ how?


    "Well, he should be joining us right about¡­"


    ~BOOOM!~


    Like a meteor, something descended from the sky, instantly making a crater in front of the three who knelt on the ground.


    The shockwave caused them to fly a few meters away from the point of impact, their bodies helplessly iled to the side due to the shocking descent of a powerful force.


    "¡­ Now." As the Dragon finished his statement, his gaze fell on the lump of flesh that hadnded on the ground.


    Smoke rose from the roasted body, with blood spurting out of the nostrils and mouth. His flesh looked mangled, and so many bones appeared to be broken.


    But¡­ he was not dead.


    "Such a durable guy. Even after sending him over a thousand meters into the air and rendering him unconscious with my full-powered st, he''s still not dead."


    The crash had made a huge crater on the ground, and the terrible state of rk''s body made it clear that the boy was better off dead.


    Coughs and strained breathing made it clear that he was now conscious, and the pain that was coursing through his body at the moment was nigh unimaginable.


    He couldn''t even scream since his throat had been burned and his voice was lost. All he could so was writhe in pain as he nearly choked on breath.


    "To think humans would catch us off guard. I have to say¡­ pretty impressive. I didn''t think I would have to keep my guard up when facing you people, but it seems I was wrong."


    He began to approach the group, his body floating in the air as he did so.


    "Your n could have actually worked, given the right conditions. However, it was doomed to fail from the start considering the opponent you were up against." His eyes glowed brighter than ever, and his smile widened like that of a demon.


    "My name is Ser''ith, and as a Spatial Magic user, your strategy was going to be useless to me no matter how you went about i¡ª"


    Before he could move any further, the burned-up hand of rk''s scorched body held one of his legs in a tight grip.


    His resilience, despite the pain that coursed through his body spoke volumes about his resolve.


    "R-runn¡­ p-pleasee¡­" Whispers surged from his charred lips as he slowly turned his head towards hisrades.


    Tears flowed down his closed eyes. His eyelids were now glued together after his flesh melted, so he couldn''t properly open them. Even then¡­ he pleaded desperately.


    "R-ruu¡ª"


    ~BOOM!~


    The Dragon Commander crushed rk''s face underfoot, causing thick blood and thest set of rk''s teeth to fly out.


    His face instantly became deformed as Ser''ith constantly stepped on it, changing its pasty shape with every pound.


    "You. Dare. Hold. My. Leg. YOU VERMIN?!" The Dragon Commander yelled in fury.


    Despite the heavy descent of Ser''ith''s foot, rk still held on, not allowing the Dragon to pass.


    "Die. Die! DIE!" Serith yelled, pounding on his face even more.


    His skull must have shattered many times over, and his entire body convulsed to prove just the kind of pain he was experiencing.


    This continued¡­ until rk''s grip finally loosened and his hand fell.


    "Hmph!"


    Ser''ith frowned in disgust as looked at rk''s bloodied face, spitting on it before floating away.


    "How can he still be alive even after that¡­?" He shook his head, sighing in annoyance.


    Once he finished crossing the crater, staring at the weakened three who were yet to leave their positions, his smile returned.


    "Now then¡­ where were we?"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 500 Calamity Upon The Capital [Pt 5]

    <h4>Chapter 500 Cmity Upon The Capital [Pt 5]</h4>


    Crippling fear.


    The kind that prevents your body from moving. That was what currently affected the three who watched the horrors their ssmate was experiencing to save them.


    Despite seeing his sacrifice, they could not move.


    Logically speaking, there was no use running away. Their opponent was a Spatial Magic User who could instantly appear before them no matter where they ran to.


    Plus, they were also physically exhausted after everything that had happened.


    However, those weren''t the reasons why they could not move.


    It was simply fear.


    The fear that caused one''s legs to stop working and shut down all motor functions; that kind.


    Even as the personification of inevitable suffering neared them, they could not move in the slightest. These were no longer the fearless saviors of the world, the champions of humanity, not the hope for the Alliance.


    They had reverted back to the sixteen-year-old High School Students whose biggest worries were failing tests or being bullied in school.


    How could those people handle the unstoppable march of doom that approached?


    "L-Lightni--" As Trishs tried to say something, a st was suddenly fired beside her, easily burning her left ear off.


    It destroyed the ground behind her as well.


    "Aaarrghhh--!"


    "Be silent." The Dragon appeared right before her, tightly gripping her mouth as he said those words to her.


    "The only reason you''re still alive is because I haven''t been ordered to eliminate you. If you push me, I''ll end your lives right here and now."


    His dangerously cold eyes told Trisha that he wasn''t messing around. Her shivering body could not stop its trembling, and she closed her eyes in surrender as she did her best to stifle her sobs and scream.


    "That''s more like it." Ser''ith said, removing his hand from her mouth. "Just grovel in fear like that."


    As he watched the other two; the boy who was busy worrying about the vomiting girl, he was slightly disappointed that they weren''t making a scene.


    Ser''ith wanted more defiance. That would give him the perfect excuse to kill.


    ''Or maybe I should just...!''


    "That''s enough, Ser''ith." A voice suddenly emerged from above, causing his bloodshot eyes and crazy smile to dissipate.


    He instantly gazed above and found his superior--Kar''en--and his colleague, Phil''emon, descending from above.


    As expected, they werepletely unscathed.


    "You did well capturing these three, ah, I mean four..." Kar''en smiled, looking at the crater in the distance to see the barely breathing body of rk.


    All in all, four humans who had defied the Dragons in a joint attack.


    "They''ll be useful for questioning, so it''s best we don''t kill them now." She added, cing her hand on the sighing Ser''ith.


    "I know."


    His voice was more mellow, but the dissatisfaction that oozed from his tone was obvious.


    With the three Dragons now floating before Alicia, Billy, and Trisha, the expression on their faces--especially thest two--was utter shock.


    They thought, at the very least, they had killed the Dragon Commander beside Kar''en--Philemon--and that that even the General herself would have sustained heavy injuries.


    But... neither had a scratch on them.


    "My defense Skill is both Passive and S-Tier. Even though youbined those attacks of yours and caught us by surprise, there was no chance of injuring me to start with."


    Since Kar''en was right next to him, the attacks didn''t reach her as well.


    Billy and Trisha''s faces easily depicted disbelief at the situation, with more despair clouding their faces. As for Alicia, her vacant eyes and pale face showed just how overwhelmed she was by the situation.


    The stimulus was too much that it overloaded her mind, rendering it incapable of processing any more. She merely knelt there, unresponsive to anything around her.


    "What of thest one? The one who killed Amu''ra?"


    Right as Kar''en said this, a distant shout rushed from behind them, and in a zooming crash, the body of the man in question fell to the ground.


    ~BOOOM!~


    Yet another crater was formed, this time right behind the helpless three.


    Smoke rose from the center of the scattered debris, and a certain figure slowly rose to their his feet, groaning in pain. As this happened, the fourth Dragon showed up in the sh of lightning¡ªalmost as if he teleported.


    He had spiky hair and a child-like appearance, despite the dark robe he also donned. The humanoid Dragon Commander was also missing an arm, though the thing seemed to be regenerating back at a quick pace.


    He had wounds on his body as well, but those were also recovering.


    "What took you so long, R''ashu?" Kar''en asked, her gaze still on the figure that rose from the debris around him.


    In response, the child-like Dragon itched his spiky blue hair and groaned.


    "That guy was pretty strong. If I was just the slightest bit slower than him, I would have definitely died."


    "You? He would have killed you, even in a direct confrontation?" One of the General''s brows were raised up in surprised as she turned to look at the young Commander.


    "Y-yeah¡­" R''ashu muttered. "I even had to use [Mirror Reflect] to damage him with his attack and send him crashing here."


    "I see¡­"


    As soon as the conversation ended, R''ashu was done regenerating, making him just as capable as the rest of hisrades.


    "Huff¡­ huff¡­" As the distant echo danced in the air, Adonis emerged from the smoke and dust, his glowing de in hand.


    Before any could say a word, he dashed forward, ready to sh at the enemies in sight.


    But¡ª


    ~FSHIIII~


    A transparent barrier, akin to some sort of spatial distortion, appeared in front of the group; courtesy of Phil''emon.


    "It''s useless." The Dragon Commander said with a slight smile, watching as the de crashed into his barrier.


    Adonis smiled slightly.


    The ignorant Dragon had no idea of the kind of weapon that he wielded.


    One of its primary functions was simple, yet difficult.


    ~SWOOOSH!~


    ¡­ It ignored defenses!


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    How do you see this battle ying out?


    ALSO... WOOOHOOOO!!! We finally reached 500 CHAPTERS!


    That''s so epic!!!


    Thank you all so much for your support. I love you guys so much!

 Chapter 501 Calamity Upon The Capital [Pt 6]

    <h4>Chapter 501 Cmity Upon The Capital [Pt 6]</h4>


    ~SPLOOSH!~


    Blood gushed out of the Dragon''s body as Adonis used his Divine de to cut through his barrier and sh his flesh.


    The shocked faces of everyone present, especially Phile''emon''s were exaggerated beyond measure, as all their bulging eyes focused on the young one in golden light.


    The only sounds made were the sh of the de, the pouring of blood¡­ and the screams that apanied both.


    "ARRRGH!"


    Phil''emon''s screams came a little toote, however, as just a little more pressure would be enough for Adonis to finish the job.


    As one would expect from the Hero, that was exactly what he went for.


    But¡ª!


    ~VWOOOSH!~


    A sudden gust of wind¡ªof more like a powerful repulsive st¡ªsent him flying back right before he couldplete the deed.


    The result was an explosion at point-nk range, which forced Adonis to use his [Absolute Defense] while also flying away due to the incredible impact.


    Thankfully, however, he wasn''t harmed.


    "Guh¡­" A bit of sound escaped his lips as he slid closer to hisrades who were still powerlessly kneeling on the ground.


    Adonis'' golden blond hair iled about as his determined eyes slightly lost their glow and he was forced to nce at his allies for a moment.


    Trisha had lost an ear. Billy seemed fine, but he could tell that the boy was drained of Mana, and he definitely had some fractures.


    However, the one who seemed to be in the worst state was Alicia. She seemed the most drained of Mana. Not only that, but the current nk expression on her face made it clear that she had witnessed something traumatic.


    ''Was it Snow? Did they kill her Familiar?'' That was his guess, since the rabbit was no longer by her side.


    Also seeing that rk was now a bloody and burnt up mess, lying powerlessly in a crater behind the Dragons made his heart tense up.


    All of his ssmates¡ªor at least, the ones here¡ªwere at risk. They had lost something, and it appeared as though they were about to lose even more.


    Even Adonis¡­


    ''Haaa¡­ haaa¡­ I''m nearing my limits.'' He heaved, smoke proceeding from his lips.


    Not only was his Mana Level at an all-time low, but his Combat Ability wasn''t as high as before due to his built-up fatigue and injuries.


    Yes, he was passively healing, but it wasn''t so fast anymore. There were limits to Skills and biological actions, especially if the user wore them out through overuse.


    Right now, Adonis was on dire straits.


    ''I thought I would kill that one for sure. I didn''t expect him to be so fast and sneaky¡­'' His mind trailed as he gazed upon the child-like humanoid Dragon who had the spiky hair.


    Unlike Phil''emon, who confidently remained stagnant and relied on his defenses, this Dragon¡ªR''ashu¡ªwas too slippery for a proper attack tond.


    That frustrated most of Adonis'' efforts, especially after his initial strike,


    ''I don''t think his speed Skill is S-Tier, but he must have higher base stats, race advantage, and maybe ss Privileges that allow him to keep up with me.''


    The reason why Adonis didn''t think R''ashu''s speed was S-Tier was due to the disy of a Skill that was undoubtedly at that level.


    ''His Mirror Skill¡­ that thing is dangerous.'' Adonis narrowed his eyes as he collected himself.


    ''I know I''m weakened, and the Divine de is not yet fully awakened, but for him to have redirected that attack of mine¡­''


    That was what sent him flying down and crashing so pathetically.


    ''I was cut off guard.'' Gritting his teeth, he swiftly removed his gaze from hisrades andpletely focused on his enemies.


    ''Right now, the situation is terrible. The way I see it, there''s only one way out¡­''


    Indeed, he would have to use his ss Privilege¡ªhisst card in moments like this.


    ''I don''t want to resort to this, but it looks like I''ll have to use [Limit Transcension].''


    "Status Window." Whispering under his breath, Adonis took a good look at his current state through the System''s lens.


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Adonis Levi.


    - Race: Human (Otherworlder) (Regressor)


    - ss: The Hero (S-Tier)


    - Level: 175 (56.99% EXP)


    - Life Force: 500/1,050 (+525)


    - Mana Level: 100/1,800 (900)


    - Combat Ability:1,050 /2,000 (+825)


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Divine Sword Summon]. [Absolute Defense]. [Absolute Light Magic]. [&$@?3$$!0n]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Advanced Combat Application]. [Greater Magic Application]. [Greater Mana Recovery]. [Full Sense]. [Life Force Recovery]. [Indomitable Power].


    - Alignment: Lawful Good


    [Additional Information]


    Your desire to save this world has transcended the very bounds of time itself, and now you are once again on the journey to protect those you love.


    Good luck!


    [End Of Information]


    ''As expected. It''s pretty bad¡­''


    All of Adonis'' Enchanted Items had lost their effects, and right now he had no other card to y.


    If he didn''t use [Limit Transcension], there was no way he would be able to win against three Commanders and one General.


    ''I can''t drag anyone into this anymore. I''ve caused them enough harm. They look too exhausted too¡­''


    Adonis felt regret creeping into his heart: regret for letting his friendse in this arduous journey with him, or for even deciding toe in the first ce.


    But, he quickly banished all such thoughts from his mind.


    ''I came all the way to the past to save everyone. To save as many people as I can¡­''


    It would be catastrophic if the Capital, of all ces, was destroyed by the Dragons.


    The entirety of humanity would be destabilized once that happened.


    ''It would be over by then.''


    Right now, there was still a glimmer of hope. He had to take the chance while itsted.


    Sure, it was irresponsible.


    Yes, it was reckless.


    Eric even had a point about the alternative of just running away due to their current weakened state.


    But¡­ BUT¡­!


    ''I can''t just ignore the consequences that follow my negligence.''


    As the single person who knew the future, and the horrors that awaited this world, he was the only one who could understand just how important this task was.


    His mistake was involving others in this fight.


    ''I¡­ this time, I will take full responsibility by myself.''


    And so, as he clutched his de and closed his eyes, ready to make his great sacrifice, he prepared his resolve for what woulde next.


    The Dragons were busy having a conversation amongst themselves, but he let all of that drown away.


    Right now, there was only one thing on his mind.


    ''[Limit Transcension].''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading


    Sorry for not uploading for a while. There''s a ckout in my area, so¡­ dead battery.


    I struggled to write this chapter, and I''ll write one more as well.


    I hope you enjoyed the chapter.

 Chapter 502 Calamity Upon The Capital [Pt 7]

    <h4>Chapter 502 Cmity Upon The Capital [Pt 7] </h4>


    [Moments Earlier]


    "Guarghh¡­ arghh¡­"


    Phil''emon growled as he clutched his chest, feeling the seething sensation of pain coursing through his body.


    As a Dragon¡ªespecially one that had the passive Skill of making barriers to protect himself¡ªhe hardly felt anything such as pain.


    This foreign sensation made him froth in the mouth as saliva dropped from his lips while his body spasmed.


    "It hurt¡­ it hurts so much! Argh¡­ arghh¡­!" He yelled, losing all hisposure.


    "I''ll kill that little shit! I''ll kill that bastard!"


    Phil''emon began moving his body forward, his hateful gaze on the boy with golden hair.


    He had a somewhat distracted gaze, so the Dragon thought this was the best time for him to strike.


    "Calm yourself, dude." Kar''en said with a sigh, cing a hand on his shoulder to stop him from advancing any further.


    "L-Lady Kar¡ª!"


    "I won''t repeat myself. Calm yourself."


    The moment he looked into her crimson eyes, all the rage and boiling hate fizzled out, reced by a subservient fear that caused him to nod slightly.


    "That''s much better." She smiled, finally removing her hand from his shoulder. "There''s no need to bitch about your injuries. They''ll heal in time¡­"


    While Phil''emon knew this, it was still incredibly frustrating feeling the constant pain pending the time that his wounds fully closed.


    Since he hardly got hurt, pain was unbearable for him.


    While others could take damage and still take it in stride¡ªlike how R''ashu, his Junior did¡ªhe was different.


    Phil''emon was averse to pain.


    He didn''t like the idea of getting hurt. He didn''t want it. He avoided it at all costs.


    "Damnit¡­ how did he get past my barrier?!" He growled, feeling the pain lessen as his flesh began merging back together.


    "That''s what I want to know."


    Kar''en''s voice caused him to look at her face, and even she appeared troubled. After all, she was well aware of the capabilities of his Defense Skill, so something as absurd as this must have made her cautious as well.


    "It must be an effect of that weapon of his. Maybe it ignores defenses, or it has an ability to absorb or break down Skills. The list is endless."


    "B-but for it to be able to affect my S-Tier Skill, that means it is of that level. Why would humans have that kind of weapon?!"


    Even if, by some miracle, humans were born with special talents and were able to develop their Skills and sses to the impossible height of S-Tier, there was no way to exin them having weapons of that Tier as well.


    ''Humans don''t have the technology or natural resources necessary to make such Items.'' Kar''en narrowed her eyes as she stared at the shimmering weapon that glowed with otherworldly beauty.


    ''It''s just not possible for them to have made such a weapon¡­''


    Humans didn''t have the kind of Mana abundance that Elves had, so their Mana Crystals were of subpar quality.


    Elves didn''t have the means to produce Enchanted Items, so their natural resources remained useless and dormant in theirnds.


    Fairies were mysterious, and not much was known about them¡­ but they were never associated with weapons.


    Dwarves and Giants were the true masters of technology¡ªthe former creating items of preservation, while thetter making weapons of destruction.


    However, their continent was a wastnd, so it wasn''t particrly rich in the appropriate materials.


    ''No race should be able to have an Item of such quality.''


    That was Kar''en''s conclusion as she gazed even more particrly on the weapon that he human wielded.


    "It makes me curious¡­" A small smile formed on her face.


    Every Dragon around her knew what happened when Kar''en smiled at a particr thing or person.


    The three shivered slightly as they watched her narrow her gaze and lick her lips. Their General was known as a brutal hunter¡­ and none of her prey ever met merciful ends.


    None had managed to escape her grasp as well.


    The moment this human chose defiance, piquing the interest of this cold-blooded Dragon General, it was already toote for him.


    He was a goner.


    "Ser''ith, things in the Capital seemed to have settled down a bit too much to be considered natural. I suspect that they have allies within the city''s walls aiding in rescue of some sort." Kar''en turned to the Commander by her side, who bowed lightly.


    "Bring them to me alive. If they try to resist, you can make an example out of one¡­"


    Once she said this, Ser''ith''s grin widened like that of a maniac. He perfectly understood the words of his superior.


    "Understood, ma''am!"


    In a sh of blueish purple light, he vanished from his location, leaving Kar''en with only two of her subordinates left.


    ¡ªPhil''emon and R''ashu.


    "The both of you have tasted the de of that human, so you know full well that you need to be cautious." She addressed them, though her eyes were still set on the boy before her.


    The two Dragon Commanders nodded and responded affirmatively.


    ''He seems to be almost out of energy. His overall Mana and Combat Ability is definitely inferior to ours.''


    Even if her Commanders were at risk to his power, she didn''t see how that applied to her.


    Kar''en was a Dragon General. That ced her far higher than the likes of Commanders or lesser.


    ''There''s no way he''d even be able to pose a threat to me in his current sta¡ª''


    ~VWUUUUUUSSSHHH!~


    All of a sudden, a brilliant energy burst from the human''s location, causing immeasurable radiance to ascend to the sky.


    ''H-huh¡­?!''


    The glorious light that she saw, and the power that she now felt, was indescribable.


    ''How is this possible¡­?!'' The human that she appraised just moments ago was no longer the one who stood before her.


    His hair floated in the air, and his eyes were glowing with brilliant gold. As the air around her vibrated, and the earth beneath her trembled, Kar''en realized something equally disturbing.


    ¡­ Her own body was also shaking.


    ''What is this power?''


    No¡­ perhaps that wasn''t the right question she ought to have been asking.


    ''What is this human?!''


    *


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    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading


    Time for an epic battle, I hope. Honestly, what do you think is gonna be the oue?


    Limit Transcension allowed fodder Adonis to beat a Commander, but that was a mediocre one. These are all elite ones, and there''s even a General in the mix.


    What do y''all think?

 Chapter 503 Calamity Upon The Capital [Pt 8]

    <h4>Chapter 503 Cmity Upon The Capital [Pt 8]</h4>


    ~VWUUSH!~


    An incredible surge of energy rose from Adonis as he braced his de and red at his foes.


    ''Three on one¡­'' His thoughts trailed as he tightened his de. ''No. There were four¡­ so where did thest one go? He was a Spatial Magic user, so maybe he''s going for the ambush tactic¡­''


    Adonis couldn''t overhear the conversation of the Dragon back then; whether it was due to his ownck of focus, or the way they spoke amongst each other.


    He didn''t know about Ser''ith''s mission¡­ though knowing would make no real difference.


    In the end, he still had to face his opponents.


    ''Surprise attacks won''t work on me in this state.'' All of Adonis'' senses were heightened to the max, and all his abilities had more than tripled.


    Right now, he was overflowing with such overwhelming power that he felt he could do anything¡ªtake them on even.


    But¡­


    ''I have to be careful about the General. For now, I should focus on attacking the Commanders and leaving the General forst.''


    With that thought established in his thoughts, he took his stance and rushed forward.


    ~WHOOOOSH!~


    The ground shattered behind him as a zing trail was left behind him as he charged forward.


    Adonis'' entire body became a blur, surrounded by light, as he readied his Divine de for a powerful swing.


    No barrier could stop him.


    Two of his adversaries were nowhere near fast enough to properly react to him, and thest one was incredibly stunned by his disy of power.


    ''I have a good chance now¡­!'' His thoughts burst forth as he opened his lips to release some of the power of his Divine de.


    "[MORGAN]!"


    ~VWUUUUUM!~


    That instant, powerful crackles of multicolored energy began to dance around his de, shattering the golden shell it previously had. Instead, it became a massive de of light¡ªone that stretched as high as the heavens.


    Adonis held this powerful weapon upward, his goal to simply send it crashing down¡ªdestroying the enemies in sight.


    [Morgan] was one of the seven forms of the Divine de, alongside [Avalon] and five others. These forms allowed the one who wielded them to unlock the weapon''s full power. However, since they offered a lot of power, one required power to be able to summon these forms, talkless of controlling them.


    Also, only a Hero could release these forms of the Divine de.


    Back when he fought his first Dragon Commander during the Royal Dungeon Incident, he used [Avalon] to protect himself and everyone from certain doom by purifying everything around and defeating the danger that approached.


    This time, with [Morgan], he nned on dealing a heavy assault so swift and powerful that the enemies would perish.


    ''Even if I can''t kill the General¡­ there''s no way that those two Commanders will survive this!'' Gritting his teeth, Adonis began to bring his de down once he had charged up enough power.


    ''This is the end of the line for you!''


    ~FWIIIISH!~


    The downward swing seemed to cut through space itself as theyers of multicolored light fell upon the adversaries.


    Once the attack connected, only one thing erupted.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMM!!!~


    A massive pir of light rose to the air, and a some of multicolored explosions danced all around the area in a brilliant burst of energy.


    The ground trembled, almost as if it would copse in on itself and swallow all in sight. Everything trembled, and even the trees in the forest behind the Dragons were blown away.


    The only thing left of the area was charred remains.


    Smoke ascended once the lights vanished, and other than the sole human¡ªif he could even be called that at this poiint¡ªwho was shrouded in a golden barrier and was barely breathing as a bloody pulp, everything else in Adonis'' line of sight was destroyed.


    rk had been saved by Adonis'' [Absolute Defense] at thest minute due to the explosion spreading far beyond the Hero''s intended range.


    Thankfully, he wasn''t affected by the st at all.


    "Haaa¡­ haa¡­" Adonis heaved with both relief and exhaustion as he gazed at the destruction before him.


    ''Seems like the Divine de''s energy recognizes mine, so it didn''t bypass the [Absolute Defense] on rk.''


    Despite thinking that, Adonis found himself trembling slightly as he gazed upon the damage that single strike had wrought.


    [Morgan] hadpletely decimated everything within five hundred meters from the point of impact, and the shockwave from the st also affected everything beyond that range.


    It was a stark representation of sheer destruction.


    ''That blow was a lot more powerful than I thought¡­'' Adonis thought to himself, heaving out more breaths.


    Range aside, the intensity was immense as well.


    ''But, I suppose it''s to be expected that it drains too much power. Just one hit, and I already feel this way¡­''


    The more time passed, the more [Limit Transcension] would permanently shave off his Stats. That was why he decided to avoid a drawn-out battle and swiftly end it with the strongest move he could currently conjure.


    ''Normally, my Stats would need to be over ten thousand before I can properly wield that power, but [Limit Transcension] gives me a way to circumvent that requirement.''


    That didn''t mean he wouldn''t feel some kind of bacsh from using power beyond his means, though. Still, with this move being so much stronger than he initially thought, he had no doubt that even a Dragon General would be a goner from that single hit.


    ¡­ Unfortunately, he was wrong.


    "That was a strong move." He heard the voice of the very Dragon General he thought he had beaten from above.


    "W-what??!" Instantly, Adonis raised his head and was met with the sight of three humanoid Dragons floating casually in the air.


    Not only did they seempletely unscathed, but they were smiling mockingly at him¡ªespecially the General.


    "I suppose it''s time to return the favor."


    A sudden red beam appeared from her hands at that moment, and before Adonis could say another word, the burst of energy descended upon him in a mighty st.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading

 Chapter 504 Calamity Upon The Capital [Pt 9]

    <h4>Chapter 504 Cmity Upon The Capital [Pt 9]</h4>


    ~BOOOOOOOM!!!~


    The rush of crimson energy descended like a fiery tempest, easily capable of devastating all in sight.


    Adonis instantly recognized this.


    If he used [Absolute Defense] to protect all of his friends, and also himself, it would not be sufficient to defend against the mighty assault that was toe¡ªeven with the buff of [Limit Transcension].


    He could try slicing off the energy in the air, but he had no idea where the sliced-off radiation would depart to. Either way, his friends were still at risk.


    "Tch!" Tightly grabbing his de, he made his choice.


    There was only one swift move he could make in such a precocious situation.


    "[AVALON]!"


    A brilliant burst of multicolored light instantly appeared, bursting from Adonis'' raised de. It instantly rushed to the air, covering everything like a firmament of heaven.


    Instantly, this brilliant surge of light shed with the destructive red energy that descended.


    As expected¡­ light prevailed!


    ~WHUUUSH!~


    Adonis ascended high into the air to reach his adversaries within this short window, not wasting a single moment.


    ''I have no idea how they were able to avoid that st at point-nk range, but¡­ I have to find out!''


    With one powerful swing, he sent his Divine de hurtling towards the trio. His intention was to slice them up where they stood, but the instant he did so, they all vanished from his sight and appeared much higher than before.


    "Tch! Some kind of Spatial Magic?!" He mumbled to himself in frustration, swiftly twisting his body in the air to propel himself even higher.


    Like an inverse meteorite, he rose high into the air, thrusting his de forward to destroy his foes.


    "It''s useless." He heard the voice of the Dragon General say, but he ignored her words.


    All of his strength was poured into his straight thrust, and he moved so fast that he could not stop even if he wanted to.


    The target¡­ that was all that mattered at the moment.


    Then¡ª!


    ~VWOOOOSH!~


    He was suddenly blown away by a pulse of ckish red energy, having dark hues of light that shed within the eruption of power.


    ''H-huh? This¡­ this is¡ª?!'' Adonis'' eyes bulged as he felt his indomitable approachpletely broken off.


    As swiftly as he ascended to the sky, he was sent crashing back down to the ground.


    In a sh, his swift descent created a massive crater on the ground¡ªshattering everything around the charred area.


    ~BOOOOOOOOM!~


    Following the loud echo that rose from his crash, there was silence.


    The Otherworlders who watched this fight of his were speechless; seeing Adonis disy such incredible power, yet being bested so easily by the enemies that now slowly descended from their glorious height.


    Adonis slowly rose from his deste ce, surrounded by nothing but rubble. Gold lights still shed from him, but their glow seemed a lot duller than before.


    The three Dragons floated above him, their condescending gazes directed at his lone figure. Despite all of this, though, he did not express despair.


    He only furrowed his brows and made a deep frown.


    "So that''s it¡­ your Skill¡­" Adonis growled as he watched the Dragon General smile haughtily at him.


    "You''re copying other Skills!"


    *************


    ''What a brilliant human.'' That was what Kar''en thought once she heard Adonis deduce the nature of her Skill.


    Many of her foes never figured it out until they died, yet here she was, confronted with a human who deciphered it after only experiencing it a few times.


    ''I already guessed as much after watching how he fights andposes himself. This man¡­ is adept to battle.''


    Her smile broadened as her gaze narrowed on him.


    Just as Adonis predicted, Kar''en had an S-Tier Skill known as [Copy]. It allowed her to mimic the nature of any ability she saw


    ¡ªthough it would be forcibly restricted to the Tier of her Skill.


    In essence, S-Tier.


    She could only copy up to ten Skills in total, and the mimicry of the Skill wouldn''t be perfect. Instead, it would conform to her own abilities and nature.


    "The Spatial Magic you used, you copied it from yourrade, didn''t you?" Adonis asked, his eyes narrowing on her.


    She felt her heart race with excitement somewhat.


    ''That''s right. I indeed copied Ser''ith''s Spatial Skill. With my higher Stats andbined with my other Skills, I can use his Skill even better than him.''


    That wasone of the reasons why her subordinates and even allies feared her. It was one of the things that made her incredibly dangerous.


    "What gave it away? Was it thatst Skill I used?" Kar''en finally responded to Adonis, her arms folded in absolute confidence.


    Thest Skill she used to blow Adonis away was one that she just copied from his [AVALON]. She considered it incredibly impressive, so she forfeited one of her copied Skills and added it to her arsenal.


    As a defensive Skill, it had a potency that other kinds had.


    "Just so you know, I have your [Morgan] ability too." She grinned widely, raising her hand so a massive red de appeared right in her grasp.


    The de was ten times taller than her, and it rose to the very peak of the heavens.


    "I wonder¡­" She grinned, looking down on the frowning Adonis. "... Just how much more you''re willing to show me, human."


    From the way things looked like, this was the end of the line.


    The human''s overflowing energy had dwindled drastically, and he appeared exhausted as well. Besides, even if he could escape the attack, what about the rest of his friends.


    Things were looking very bad for him, and Kar''en relished that fact.


    "Try surviving this!"


    And so, with one casual swing¡­ the de began its descent.


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Kar''en


    - Race: Dragon (Death Species)


    - ss: General (A-Tier)


    - Level: 290 (56.99% EXP)


    - Life Force: 10,900(+5,000)


    - Mana Level: 12,700 (+5,000)


    - Combat Ability: 15,000 (+5,000)


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Copy].


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Absolute Curse Magic]. [Absolute Crimson Ray]. [Grand Mana Recovery]. [Grand Regeneration]. [Greater w Attack]. [Dragon Breath: Negative]. [Grand Draconic Flight]. [Grand Draconic Resistance]. [Grand Draconic Power]. [Greater Fear Inducement].


    - Alignment: Chaotic Evil


    [Additional Information]


    One of the most talented Dragon Generals in the current generation, leader of one of the 7 Great Squads of the Dragon Empire, and a potential sessor candidate to the Death Dragon Lord.


    None of her enemies have ever survived.


    [End Of Information]


    *


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading


    I think this is the time where some of you eat your words. Do you still think Adonis stands a chance?

 Chapter 505 Calamity Upon The Capital [Pt 10]

    <h4>Chapter 505 Cmity Upon The Capital [Pt 10]</h4>


    As Adonis stood, watching the colossal crimson de approach him and his friends, he had multiple thoughts racing through his mind.


    ''Damnit¡­ I''ve lost too many Stats from [Limit Transcension].''


    He had intentionally deactivated the ability so he could monitor just how much he had lost. Needless to say, the numbers were atrocious.


    ''I could choose to use it again, but that would only further ce all of us at a disadvantage. Plus, when I consider the grand scheme of things¡­'' Adonis bit his lip as he felt a heavy weight rest on his shoulders.


    No matter how he went about this, it was troublesome.


    ''There''s no guarantee that I''ll be able topletely ward off that assault without [Limit Transcension].'' Staring at his Divine de, Adonis could see that it had returned to its original state.


    Without the crutch that was hisst-ditch ability, he was still too unqualified to use most of his power. As frustrating as it was for Adonis, he knew he had to endure.


    ''Right now, there''s no use thinking about this¡­''


    He felt the winds whipping across his dace, and every hair on his body stood as the electrifying auta of the red de fell even closer.


    ''There''s only one path to save everyone.'' Turning back, he could see Billy, Trisha, and Alicia. In front was rk.


    It was all his fault that they found themselves in this situation, and they were all relying on him to survive. There was no way he could let them down.


    "I won''t let my friends die¡­" Adonis whispered to himself, steam rising from his lips as he tightly clutched his Divine de.


    "Never again!"


    ~VWUUUUUM!~


    Energy was instantly built up and released¡ªbefore anyone could even understand what had just happened¡ªand Adonis once again took on the regalia of golden energy.


    Taking his stance, he prepared to swing his arm with his full strength, screaming with all his strength as he leaped to reach the crimson de before it got any closer to the ground.


    ''I can''t afford to use any new abilities, else she''ll just copy it¡­'' Adonis narrowed his eyes as he let the powerful energy coating his de to simply run rampant.


    ~WHOOOOSH!~


    In one rapid, but incredibly powerful swing, Adonis destroyed the giant de, sending yet another surge towards Kar''en and her team.


    As expected, she used Spatial Magic to change their positions, but Adonis was already prepared for this.


    Coating himself in his [Absolute Light Magic], he utilized his [Full Sense] Skill to detect distortions in space right before they appeared. Thanks to his currently heightened state, both physically and mentally, the moment he detected this breach, he strengthened his muscles and did what he had never done before.


    Grabbing his de like a javelin, heunched he aimed it at the target location. Then¡ª


    ''... DIE!''


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    Like a bolt of lightning, the Divine de was sparked in the brilliant evening. It sped through the distance, almost as if it didn''t exist at all.


    As space bent around it, the power of the de only magnified more and more as it approached the target.


    ~SQUELCH!~


    In that very instant, the Divine de hit Phil''emon at point-


    nk range, killing him instantly.


    That was yet another Dragon Commander who bit the dust.


    Adonis smiled at this achievement, the golden light flickering all over his exhausted body. However, before he even had the chance to celebrate¡­


    "Nice aim."


    ¡­ He heard a voice right behind him.


    It came from none other than Kar''en, and in the short moment that he used to blink, she had closed the distance between him and now floated in his rear.


    "But this is the end." As Adonis heard this, he gulped quickly.


    Yes, his Divine de would return to him. No one was capable of properly wielding it except the Hero, and it always sought after the Hero who wieLded it. As such, with the weapon already done with its task, it was on its way to Adonis.


    However, it was clear to the Hero that his enemy¡ªwho had already reached his position¡ªwas going to kill him before his Divine de returned.


    ''S-shit! I was careless!''


    As Adonis floated on the precipice of death, waiting for the Grim Reaper to cast judgment on him¡­ he began having multiple more thoughts.


    ''Is this really how it ends? Was I truly being too ambitious¡­?''


    The Capital being attacked, him choosing to save it, his friends choosing to trust and follow him¡­ and now all of this?


    All this time, he had tried to convince himself that he did the right thing.


    But¡­


    ''Did I really?''


    If he and his ssmates died, humanity was perpetually doomed. The war with the Dragons would only escte, and once they were done ying around with humans¡­ they would wipe all of them out.


    Only the Elves and Fairies had a sizeable amount of people in their ranks in the future that Adonis saw. Humanity was nearly extinct already.


    ''If we die here¡­ isn''t that future guaranteed?''


    And without any Otherworlders making the sacrifices, or leading the charge against the Dragons, there would be no way to reach the Sacred ce and return to the past once again.


    There would be no way to reset the world.


    ¡­ No second chance.


    ''I must have known that, yet I squandered this privilege given to me by those two¡­'' He closed his eyes, expecting the death that he probablu deserved.


    Dragons were ruthless and merciless. They weren''t going to spare such a big threat to their empre. And even if they did, the captive would have to suffer an even worse fate than death.


    Knowing all of this, Adonis knew the greatest mercy he could recieve at this point was his own death.


    But, right as he was about to receive rpense¡­


    "[GRAND EXPLOSION]!"


    A sudden voice echoed into the air, and a brilliant st erupted right behind Adonis.


    ~BOOOOOOOM!!!~


    The shockwave from fiery explosion sent everything flying, including Adonis, who was thankfully able to descend, with his Divine Sword rushing towards his grasp in quick session.


    "Haa¡­" As Adonisnded and raised his head to look at the explosion in the sky, he couldn''t help but leak out a small smile.


    ''... You came!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading


    Guess what time it is, everyone. Backup is here, it seems.

 Chapter 506 Calamity Upon The Capital [Pt 11]

    <h4>Chapter 506 Cmity Upon The Capital [Pt 11]</h4>


    506 Cmity Upon The Capital [Pt 11]


    ''... You came!''


    As Adonis had this thought, he saw two people suddenly appear right beside him, almost as if they had just teleported there that very instant.


    "Jeez, man¡­ you okay?" One of them said, his face depicting a wide, optimistic smile.


    As for thetter, he was short and more serious in his demeanor, he parted his lips as he adjusted his sses.


    "Be serious, Justin." As he said this, his gaze was focused on the sight above him while Justinughed a little.


    "This is pretty serious."


    The air cleared up almost instantly, causing all of the smoke to depart in almost an instant. What it revealed was the Dragon General and her slightly annoyed gaze.


    "Not even a scratch, huh? Even though I timed it perfectly¡­"


    "E-Eric¡­ Justin¡­ you two¡­" Adonis mumbled as he looked at the two of them in surprise. His two ssmates, who chose to remain behind, were now standing right beside him.


    How? And most importantly¡­ why?


    "Now isn''t the time to ask questions, Adonis." Eric''s troubled tone woke Adonis from his stunned state, and his shocked face slowly began to return to normal.


    "The enemy wasn''t even affected by my attack. I didn''t see her use any defensive Skills either. Which means she either has incredible Stats or a Passive Skill that prevents such damage from affecting her." Eric flexed his sses once again as he tightly held his wand on his other hand.


    Unlike everyone else, whose Enchanted Items had run out of power, Eric still had his wand to assist his own abilities. This was because he usually carried around spares, so even with what happened in the Grand Cmity Dungeon, he didn''t run out.


    This one he wielded was thest, though.


    "Yeah. She''s faster than me, even with [Limit Transension]." Adonis muttered as he got his head in the game.


    "Hm? What''s that?" Justin asked, drawing his face closer to Adonis.


    "It''s nothing. Nevermind. The point is¡­ she''s very strong. I appreciate you twoing, but¡­"


    Adonis stopped himself from saying anything more. Perhaps he didn''t want to sound ungrateful, or didn''t want to feed them the despair that he was experiencing.


    Either way, his negative view on their current position was clear for everyone to see.


    The Otherworlders were on the losing end.


    As they watched the childlike Dragon Commander rendezvous with the Dragon General, the trio realized they had to do something¡ªand fast!


    "Hey, you guys¡­ what the hell are you doing?! Do you expect us to save your butts by ourselves?"


    This loud voice was sent forth by Eric, and his gaze rested on the three who knelt in the far distance from Adonis and Justin.


    Their expressions made it easy to guess what had happened to them. It was why Adonis didn''t bother asking for backup and decided to do everything on his own.


    However, with the situation escting to such a degree, they needed all the help they could get.


    In response to Eric''s call, two raised their heads while thest one¡ªAlicia¡ªstill had the nk, distraught look on her fallen face.


    She didn''t even budge despite being called.


    "Get over here! There''s just two enemies left. We can work together to defeat them." Eric yelled, removing his gaze from them as he stared at the two who seemed to be conversing amongst each other.


    It was a good thing they weren''t rushing for the kill.


    "This gives us time to recoup a bit more energy¡­" Eric muttered as he sighed.


    "There''s one more."


    The words of Adonis caused a surprised expression to leak from both Eric and Justin as they stared at him for more exnation.


    "What do you mean by that?"


    "There''s one more enemy. A Spatial Magic User. I don''t know where he vanished or why he hasn''t made any appearance, but be wary of him."


    "Noted." Eric nodded, sighing even louder.


    It was clear that he didn''t want to be there. If he had a choice in the matter, he would be anywhere but his current position.


    Yet¡­ despite all of that¡­ he found himself standing alongside hisrades, facing the very foe he feared most.


    "You''ve gotten good at concealment, Justin. I didn''t even notice you were present until Eric used that Skill." Adonis murmured, slightly looking in his direction.


    "Haha! Please don''t say it like that. You were focused on the Dragons and they were also focused on you. That''s why I was able to sneak around like that."


    "Even then¡­"


    "You two! Now is really not the time for that." Eric sighed, his brows creased up in annoyance.


    He was riskinghis life, dreams, prospects, and everything else bying here. They had to take the current situation as seriously as him.


    "S-sorry." The two boys responded almost simultaneously.


    "And as for you guys at the back¡­ are you in or not?" Eric cast one more nce behind him before returning his gaze to the enemies.


    Before he could count up to five seconds, he heard the howl of wind blow right beside him.


    ~FWUUSH!~


    Billy and Trisha appeared to his left, while Adonis and Justin stood on his right. All five of them, in a straight row, as they all looked at the enemy.


    "I''m in¡­!" Trisha''s shaky voice was contrasted with the resolute expression on her face.


    "Let''s finish this quickly." Billy added, and while his gaze was distracted, the way he wielded the weapon that he summoned showed conviction.


    The other three also disyed an equal amount of purpose as they stood to face their enemies.


    The only ssmates of theirs who were out ofmission were rk¡ªdue to his severe injuries¡ªand Alicia.


    There was no time to consider them at this point.


    Right now, they could only rely on one another. That was all they had the luxury to think about.


    "Do you have a n?" Eric asked, not even turning to look at the person he addressed.


    Still, with his auxiliary vision, he could see Adonis shake his head.


    "Not really¡­"


    Eric nodded his head as he heard this. "I understand."


    Rather than despair, however, his brows furrowed even more, and something strong glistened within his eyes.


    "Leave it to me, then!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading


    Time to see what Eric can cook up. I''m hyped!

 Chapter 507 Calamity Upon The Capital [Pt 12]

    <h4>Chapter 507 Cmity Upon The Capital [Pt 12]</h4>


    [Moments Earlier]


    ~BOOOOOOM!~


    As Eric closed his eyes and enjoyed the wonderful breeze, just as he said he would, he heard the rumbles that echoed from the Capital.


    "...."


    He ignored it the first time, instead choosing to focus on his nice rest. Bing perturbed would ruin the process of recovering his Mana.


    How could he properly make his escape if he didn''t have sufficient Mana for the journey?


    As such, he did his best to shut everything out. He minimized conversations with Justin as they both remained under the canopies of the trees that surrounded them.


    None spoke a word, and Eric was grateful for the silence.


    But¡­


    ~BOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    ¡­ The explosions did not stop.


    ''That one sounded pretty loud.'' Eric, with his eyes closed, found his thoughts trailing.


    Was he worried? Did he feel concerned for hisrades that chose to head to a ce of danger, despite all the warnings he gave?


    ''M-maybe just a little¡­'' He couldn''t help but think about all of them.


    It had only been a couple of months, but he truly felt closer to them than all the other friends he ever had. They had gone on so many adventures¡ª-from Dungeon exploration, to travels, to training¡­ and many more.


    The mere thought that they could die made his heart ache.


    But, even though he felt this way, why wouldn''t his body move? The answer was pretty obvious to Eric.


    The thought that he could die made him immobile.


    ''I can''t risk it. I can''t risk it. I can''t risk it.''


    As these thoughts of his grew louder, so did the explosions. To drown out the sounds and strengthen his resolve to remain, he just kept it going louder.


    ''I CAN''T RISK IT!''


    Before Eric realized it, he was right on his feet, walking close to Justin with a grim expression on his face.


    His body trembling, and his lips quivered, yet he stared at his friend with an unblinking, wide gaze.


    "Let''s go help our friends out."


    As Justin heard this, a smile coursed through his face and he slowly opened his eyes, witnessing the face of a boy who, despite being scared, chose to throw it all away for those he deemed his allies.


    The very sight was enough to inspire Justin.


    "Okay." His smile widened as he jumped to his feet.


    "Let''s go."


    ************


    [The Present]


    "Do we all understand the n?" Eric asked, his breaths a little shallow after using Mana to use his [Grand Sound Magic] Skill in order to prevent the enemy from hearing what they were saying.


    Prior to this moment, he had heard about the nature of their adversaries, as well as their abilities.


    Adonis previously fought the Dragon Commander, so he already knew the nature of his abilities.


    "He is almost as fast as I am, even when I''m using [Absolute Light Magic] to buff myself. He can reflect your attack back towards you through troublesome mirrors. He also has Lightning-based Magic. He might have other tricks up his sleeves, but that''s pretty much the gist of it." The Hero had said.


    As for the Dragon General, Eric and Justin had been present for most of Adonis'' conflict with her, but they still listened to his exnations since the fight was too fast for them to properly grasp much.


    Her [Copy] Skill was the only real thing she had disyed, and her being a General meant that she had a bunch of other S-Tier Skills apart from that one.


    "I don''t know how many Skills she can copy and use at the same time. But if there are multiple, then we need to brace ourselves for the possibility that she can use even more S-Tier Skills."


    After all that was said and done, the Dragon General was simply an impossible foe to beat.


    Even if they found weaknesses to the abilities she disyed, there was always the likelihood that she would just show another one out of nowhere.


    Eric had read more than enough books to know how these sorts of characters had the biggest asspulls in their respective series.


    There was no real way to strategize and win.


    Of course, it went without saying that the two Dragons had immense regenerative abilities¡ªboth regarding Mana and Life Force.


    Their only disadvantage was that they probably weren''t good strategists orbatants, but they far made up for all this with brute force.


    If any of the five slipped up, it would be game over.


    After processing all of this information, Eric took responsibility and formted what he considered the most optimal n¡ª


    given their current situation.


    They were all incredibly weakened, and they were up against superior foes.


    The only thing they had to their benefit was numbers, so it was only fair that they used that to their full potential.


    Once Eric saw everyone nod at his question, his stern face became even more serious and he readied himself for what woulde next.


    Right now, he had taken on the role of the Party Leader¡ª


    fulfilling one of his biggest dreams.


    But, he wasn''t satisfied with just this.


    ''We are going to win this battle¡­ no matter what!''


    ************


    "What do you think they''re talking about?" R''ashu asked, a deep frown appearing on his face as he stared at his superior.


    His buddy, Phil''emon had perished just moments ago, and he was beginning to get a little nervous. Two of the five of them had perished already, which was absurd in its own right, but the humans didn''t seem to have given up yet.


    Instead, they seemed even more motivated to try harder.


    ''Lady Kar''en can handle herself, but what about me?'' He wondered, shuddering a little as he considered the very unlikely possibility of him dying.


    Well, he would have previously deemed it unlikely, but after the death of Phil''emon and Amu''ra¡ªboth of whom were his seniors


    ¡ªhe was beginning to lose confidence in his ability to keep up, not to talk of winning.


    "There''s no need to be so worried, R''ashu." Kar''en''s voice echoed in the air as she narrowed her gaze on the five humans.


    "I know what their n is."

 Chapter 508 Changing Tides [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 508 Changing Tides [Pt 1] </h4>


    "Let''s go!"


    As the Otherworlders scattered, Adonisunched himself into the sky with [Absolute Light Magic], and Justin flew into the air with his [Mimic] Skill, allowing bird wings to sprout out behind him in an instant.


    Trisha and Billy, normally melee warriors, were thrust into the sky and enchanted with [Flight], courtesy of Eric''s Magic.


    Of course, this [Flight] was not a very advanced kind, but it still did the job and let them float. The mobility and speed they would disy afterwards was up to their own abilities.


    Thankfully, beingbative geniuses and experts, they seemed to quickly adapt to this in no time at all.


    Eric was the only one who remained on ground, as he began chanting some powerful Magic.


    This appeared like a basic strategy, and indeed it was.


    Adonis and Justin went for R''ashu--with Justin readying his [Marite] Skill to restrain R''ashu''s movements while Adonis dealt the finishing strike.


    To properlynd the Skill, however, he would need to use [Stealth] so R''ashu wouldn''t be able to see him. This would severely cut down the Dragon Commander''s reaction time, especially if Adonis had his attention from the start.


    With thisbination of theirs, they could permanently put down the Commander.


    The problem, however, was with the Dragon General. There was no way Kar''en would sit still and allow them to eliminate the only support she had left. That was even discounting the fact that they had to deal with her.


    It was precisely for this reason that Billy and Trisha were sent in her direction.


    Still, what could mere fodder do against someone as powerful as a Dragon General? Not only did they not have any S-Tier Skills, but they were also pretty slow and weakpared to the Dragon General.


    Even if they managed to make it close to her¡­ even if they managed to reach her¡­ there was no way they could win against her.


    ¡­ RIGHT?!


    Well, the n was in full motion.


    Adonis and Justin rushed towards R''ashu, whose body was already coated in pure lightning. He readied himself to fight his foes when¡ª


    ~SHIIING!~


    A bright radiance burst from Adonis. He used his Light re to blind everyone in the area¡ªeven those who had their eyes closed.


    Justin would have been affected if not for his ability topletely remove his eyes from the equation through [Mimic].


    He used this chance to activate [Stealth], erasing his presence entirely.


    "Tch!" R''ashu growled, releasing a torrent of lightning around him so that no one would be able to get close.


    He easily got over the stun effect of the Light re, and soon set his sights on the approaching Adonis.


    R''ashu couldn''t see his partner, but what did that matter? He would just generate his strongest offensive attack!


    "[Lightning Bolt: Full Degree]"


    Appearing in his grasp, ready to be thrusted, was condensed energy in the form of a lightning bolt.


    This seemed like a long range attack for what would soon be a close-ranged battle. Something didn''t seem right, but Adonis marched on, readying his Divine de to cleave whatever was being thrown at him.


    However¡­


    "Heh!" R''ashu turned away from Adonis, aiming his bolt somewhere else¡ªwhere there was obviously no one present.


    "Gotcha!" At that moment, his eyes narrowed, and his full senses detected the faint presence of an entity sending strings of threads in his direction.


    ''Just as Lady Kar''en said¡­''


    Justin, who was counting on Adonis to distract the enemy long enough for him to bind him¡ªif only for just a second¡ªso Adonis could thrust his weapon to win, appeared stunned by the attack toe.


    "LOOK HERE!" Adonis yelled, but R''ashu ignored himpletely, already ready to fire his weapon towards his target.


    If he ignored Adonis like this, he was at risk of being killed by the Divine de. R''ashu knew that fully well, but he didn''t think that would ever happen.


    ¡­ Not while he was obeying the order of his General.


    Speaking of Kar''en, the two brilliantbatants had managed to get near her position through their sheer battle tactics¡ª


    something that Dragonscked.


    Interchanging positions andplimenting assaults in order to ward off the bombardments of the enemy had really helped them out.


    Combining the effects of their Skills led to a higher Tier oue, which allowed them to fend off what would normally be beyond their individual means. It was thanks to all of this¡ªthe swirlingbination of lightning, mes, and a flurry of uncountable des, that they were able to forge ahead.


    Now¡­ It was time for their finishing blow.


    "As expected. You humans are truly¡­ predictable." Kar''en grinned as she activated the sole Skill she needed topletely disrupt the formation of the enemies.


    ''[AVALON]''


    A dark scarlet burst was supposed to erupt at that very moment, sending all the enemies flying before they realized what hit them. If they were sturdy enough, they would merely get pushed away, and if they weren''t they would vaporize.


    Adonis was sure to get pushed away, and even if Justin was not in range due to his distance, [Marite] wouldpletely break down and R''ashu''s [Lightning Bolt: Full Degree] would hit.


    That would surely eliminate three out of the five humans. Afterwards, they would deal with the rest.


    Eric, who was still chanting, was meant to be their support¡ª


    to deliver a massive explosion on both of the targets for final effect.


    But, even his own attacks would be warded off.


    It was toote for the humans. Against Kar''en''s [Eyes Of Inquiry] that saw through all barriers, and her [Ears Of Discovery], that heard whatever was being spoken no matter how obscure, there was no way she could miss the n they made.


    She saw and heard it all; hence, it was the victory of the Dragons.


    ¡­ Or so it seemed.


    "[Absolute Interference]" The voice that rose from the ground was that of Eric, as he poured out all of his Mana to activate his new Spell.


    The result was a surging wave thatpletely turned the tides of the battle.


    ¡­ An absolute stoppage of Skills within the realm of the Absolute!


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading.


    Did you all see something like this happening? Be honest here¡­


    I hope you enjoyed the chapter.

 Chapter 509 Changing Tides [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 509 Changing Tides [Pt 2]</h4>


    Eric knew full well that Kar''en was an impossible enemy to n against.


    ''Even if we create an borate n, we still have tomunicate it to one another.''


    When it came to ''characters'' like the Dragon General, it was possible that she had some special Skill that would allow her to bypass Sound Magic, making it very likely that she would see through whatever strategy they made.


    The moreplex a n was, the more important it was to clearlymunicate it with allies.


    ''Even if we speak to each other and use English, there''s no guarantee that she won''t be able to decipher the n somehow.'' The more Eric thought about it, the more he felt like they were stuck.


    ¡­ So he found a loophole.


    He wouldmunicate only a part of the n to his allies¡ª


    the simplified format of what would happen. Since this meant they would be speaking in English, and he would be using [Grand Sound Magic], there was a chance that the Dragon General wouldn''t be able to hear them.


    However, still ounting for the small chance that she could, then Eric had to create a follow-up n that only he could understand and execute.


    ''I misdirected everyone in order to fool the enemy, but it was necessary.''


    By telling everyone he would provide ground support for both offensive and defensive moves, they trusted him and went along with the simplistic n.


    The goal was for Adonis to kill R''ashu, and perhaps wound Kar''en after. If doing thetter was too ambitious, they only had to achieve the first.


    All the pieces were on the table, so all he had to do was y his role¡ªsomethingpletely different from what he had established.


    ''In Magic, there are a lot of theories that exist. It''s difficult to understand them, much less apply them, without the necessary Skills to back it up.''


    Skills like [Magic Mastery] and [Magic Application] certainly made things easier for those who possessed them.


    Ultimately, it was a consensus¡ªeven among Mages¡ªthat one should only practice Magic in the direction of one''s Skills. After the formative years of a person, if they developed a Skill in Fire Magic, that had to be their specialty.


    In the same vein, if someone was born with an Exclusive Skill in a certain discipline of Magic, then it was better for them to pursue that path.


    Anyone could see the merit in this approach. Growth was faster if you trod the path alreadyid out by your Skill, hence polishing the gem of an aspiring Mage even more.


    Only absolute monsters like Lucielle could use all kinds of Magic and diversify into multiple spheres, and that was simply due to her special sets of abilities and ss.


    She was an outlier in the world of Magic.


    Why was Eric thinking of such things in such a critical moment like this? Well¡­ it was because he disagreed with the current approach of Magic.


    The way he saw it, one had to strive in multiple areas of Magic, and so develop Skills in them, which would in turn bolster growth and a more in-depth understanding of the discipline.


    Someone whos studied and practiced Fire Magic to gain the [Fire Magic] Skill would be far more skilled than someone who simply used his [Fire Magic] Skill as a temte and went on to further build up on it.


    Eric knew this philosophy only worked due to his own privileged status. As an Otherworlder, he had the talent and growth rate that the natives of this world didn''t.


    He was also given a solid ss from the start.


    Since he didn''t have to work from scratch, the way most people in this world did, it would be hubris to subject them to his ideology.


    So, he didn''t.


    Instead, he subjected only himself!


    ''I want to have ess to many diverse fields of Magic. I want to understand the principles behind them, using Spells that aren''t even registered among my set of Skills.''


    That way, even if his enemy could appraise him and detect all the Skills he could use, they couldn''t possibly detect all the Spells that were avable to him.


    Eric had spent thest three months in this pursuit. He already had Offense-rted Magic Skills, and tons of Misceneous-type Skills. However, he was trulycking in defense.


    His teammates already had defensive Skills, and one was also a capable Healer. He wouldn''t be doing his Party any favor by learning a Spell that was already part of an ally''s arsenal.


    No¡­ if he was to dedicate his time on a cause, it had to be something unique.


    ¡­ Something only he could do.


    And so, after working intensely for those three months, he finally did it¡ªhe was able to crack the code right before they departed to the Adventurers City.


    He thought he would get to use it during the Grand Cmity Dungeon, but every single thing that happened then prevented him from doing so.


    Even when they fought the Skeletal Dragon Lord, he could not afford to use the Spell.


    Why?


    Because it had certain conditions to it that needed to be met.


    The first and most important was an ample supply of Mana. The Spell took up an iprehensible amount of Mana to activate, and even more every second he kept it on.


    Even at full power, he couldn''t possibly use it for more than ten seconds.


    The second was more like a feature than a condition. This Spell affected only Spells and Skills in the Absolute Tier. Nothing more, nothing less.


    It also affected both foe and ally.


    Only his Magic was left preserved, since the Spell recognized his Mana Signature.


    As such, he couldn''t possibly use it in situations where his allies actively needed to use Skills, or when teamwork was most relevant.


    It was a Spell that painted him as the only yer in the game, if only for a brief moment.


    "[Absolute Interference]."


    With this Spell alone, he shut down all the Skills that the Dragons were using¡ªincluding the [Lightning Bolt: Full Degree] and [AVALON].


    Right now, the only ones who could freely use their Skills were Eric¡ªas the caster of the Spell¡ªand his allies, who were currently not using any Spells or Skills in the Absolute Tier.


    Hence, a victory for humanity.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading


    Sorry for using a single chapter to exin this Spell. It''s just one of my favorites, and it might y an important roleter on.

 Chapter 510 Sacrifice [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 510 Sacrifice [Pt 1] </h4>


    "Uarghh!"


    The way Adonis'' de swiftly sliced through the Dragon Commander caused thetter to yell out in agonizing screams.


    In one bold, swift move, he had eliminated yet another Dragon.


    ~FWUSH!~


    The final cut through space and flesh sent the childlike Dragon into the realm of oblivionpletely eliminating him and cing all focus on the sole surviving Dragon in the group.


    Unfortunately, not even Trisha and Billy''sbined attacks were able to ce as much as a scratch on the General.


    As Eric watched all of this, he smiled wryly.


    ''Damn¡­ I guess it was her Stats, after all¡­'' Based on what he was seeing, this would be a really toughst act.


    He could feel nearly all of his Mana fade away, causing him to copse on one knee as he breathed heavily.


    Adonis was currently darting towards Kar''en, the Dagon General, while Trisha and Billy were being pushed back through her sheer force.


    The result was a powerful shockwave that roared in the air while Eric''s weakened body shuddered under all of that impact.


    Then¡ª


    "That''s enough¡­" A certain voice echoed in the air, feminine but ominous. "Enough messing around."


    There was an underlying anger in the tone. A sense of exasperation, mixed with stifled frustration.


    Before Eric could properly raise his head and understand what the statement meant, the voice emerged once again; but this time, it had new words to utter.


    "[Curse Magic: Degeneration]"


    The moment those words echoed in the air, a wave of energy suddenly erupted from the point of origin¡ªthe Dragon General¡ªand flew in all directions.


    Faster than anyone could react¡­ stronger than anyone could have predicted¡­ the wave epassed everything around her.


    Then¡ª


    "Puack!"


    Billy and Trisha suddenly coughed out blood, their faces drained of all life nearly instantly. At that very moment, their bodies might have very well been paralyzed as theypletely froze up and began their descent to the ground.


    By the time Eric raised his head to see his ssmates, he saw twopletely out ofmission while thest one¡ªAdonis


    ¡ªstill charged at the enemy with his Divine de in hand.


    The Hero had a pale look on his face, but not to the extent of Trisha and Billy. Plus, unlike them, who had agonizing expressions on their blood-stained faces, his eyes still glittered with resolve as he advanced.


    ''W-what¡­?!'' Eric didn''t have the luxury of thought.


    He had to protect his ssmates from harm, which meant he would have to cast Magic despite his currently precarious state.


    ''Squeeze it out, Eric¡­ to thest drop!'' He told himself, gritting his teeth as he pointed at the descending duo, perfectly calcting the speed of their descent with the amount of Mana he had left.


    ''I won''t be able topletely stop their fall, but I can cushion it so that they don''tpletely die.''


    Eric utilized a Wind Spell, using the long-form chant to save Mana Cost and improve efficiency.


    The result¡­ was a soft wind that surrounded the two, covering them and causing them to slow down the closer they got to the ground.


    Once they nearly touched the earth safely, though, Eric''s Mana ran out, so the two were forced to forcibly hit the surface from a meter or two above ground¡ªnot a bad deal, considering the alternative.


    And, as for Eric.


    "Ack!" He puked out blood, feeling his body throb and hurt like it was on fire.


    Tears flowed from his eyes as he felt like passing out almost instantly. He trembled, biting his lip so he could endure the pain, yet it threatened to overwhelm him at every moment.


    ''It hurts¡­ It hurts!'' His thoughts kept echoing as his blurry vision struggled to make out everything around him.


    Drool, mixed with traces of blood, dripped from his lips as he tried to move.


    Billy and Trisha were safe. They didn''t look fine at all, and they seemed to be suffering, so he considered their situation a priority.


    Adonis was busy exchanging blows with the Dragon General, their sh causing an impact throughout their immediate vicinity.


    But, there was someone else unounted for¡­


    ''J-Justin? Where''s Justin?!''


    As soon as he had this thought, Adonis was blown away by an attack from the General, and she instantly reached out her hand to fire another Curse Magic Spell in a seemingly random direction.


    The result was a scream that echoed from that position, and Justin appearing right there.


    "Arghhhh!"


    He too became pale and began his descent as a bloody fountain rushed from his nose and mouth.


    Eric watched this, his heart racing as his weak body struggled to keep up.


    He didn''t have enough Magic to save Justin from the fall. Adonis was still knocked back thanks to the General''s strike.


    However, that wasn''t all.


    Eric watched as the Dragon General generated multiple spikes; most likely from the same Curse Magic. The spikes were jagged, and they shone bright red, with rusty aesthetic on each of them.


    There were five spikes in total¡ªmost likely directed at all five of the parties that participated in the n. Three were already out ofmission, Adonis seemed temporarily stunned, and he waspletely drained.


    "[Curse Magic: Arrows Of Death]." As she muttered out those words, the spikes became muchrger in size, and energy began to build up around them.


    No one needed to say any more words for Eric to recognize the kind of Spell this was.


    ''W-we''re all going to die if that hits!'' His eyes widened.


    The ominous energy rose in intensity, and finally¡­ it exploded in power.


    ~WHOOSH!~


    The five arrows of death were fired at the same time.


    They raced towards their target, all of them zooming through space while leaking the forbidden energy that was bound to poison their targets and send them to the cold embrace of death as soon as they hit.


    Demise was inevitable¡­ or so it appeared.


    ''Looks like¡­ this is the end of the road for me¡­'' Eric closed his eyes as a bead of tear fell down his eyes and his lips parted.


    "Forced Magic Activation: Absolute Interference."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I thought I''d be able to release lots of chapters today, but there''s a ckout here, so it''ll be hard once again. I''ll try my best to be consistent, though¡­

 Chapter 511 Sacrifice [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 511 Sacrifice [Pt 2] </h4>


    Forced Magic Activation.


    It was the a forbidden technique among Mages, but for some¡­ it could be considered something of a trump card¡ªalbeit a temporary one.


    Once a Mage''s Mana was depleted, they could never use Magic no matter how hard they tried. The Spell just wouldn''t activate regardless of the means.


    However, Forced Magic Activation bypassed this by inducing one critical element into the mix.


    ¡ªSacrifice.


    Just as there was a way for Martial Artists to exponentially increase their abilities by sacrificing their Life Force to grow stronger, Mages could also let go of something incredibly important to attain a temporary burst of power.


    They would have to let go of Mana itself.


    Despite what was disyed by the system, every Mage¡ªno, perhaps every human, really¡ªhad a secret stockpile of Mana within them.


    This stockpile of Mana was what made it possible for anyone to grow Magic and develop Skills and sses if they practiced over time. Many considered it a representation oftent abilities embedded in everyone, waiting to be manifested.


    It was trite that zero multiplied by zero was still zero, and that it was impossible for something to emerge from nothing. So, once a Mage depleted their Mana, where did this refill over timee from?


    From this same stockpile of Mana.


    Without it, Mages would have no way to grow any further than they already had, and they would likewise be crippled if they drained everything at once.


    In essence¡­ they would never be able to use Magic again.


    This was why Forced Magic Activation was a forbidden technique, but the Otherworlders still learned it during theirpulsory education.


    The hidden stockpile was an essential part of Magic learning, so Lucielle and their other Magic Tutors had to reference it one way or the other. They never went in-depth on it, though.


    Being the inquisitive one, however, Eric went and asked Lucielle all about it after sses.


    She did him the service of properly exining everything about thetent stockpile of Mana and Forced Magic Activation to him, just as he wanted.


    However, she told one thing after¡ªsomething like a word of warning.


    "Don''t ever use it, Eric. You''llpletely ruin your prospects as a Mage."


    As those words now echoed in the mind of the young Mage who closed his eyes and channeled that hidden power within him, more tears flowed down his eyes.


    ''I''m sorry, Lucielle¡­ but I have to disobey you.'' Sparks of Mana began to emerge from him as he focused everything on his wand.


    He ignored the jagged de that approached him at a rapid rate, instead focusing on the flow of Mana that coursed through his body.


    It was possible to eliminate only his own arrow and notpletely drain the Mana that was within him, but Eric knew he couldn''t stop there.


    He had to save everyone¡ªstop all of the arrows that emerged from the Curse Magic.


    And so, he released all the energy that he had pent-up within himself in one swift and powerful burst.


    [Absolute Interference] instantly activated, dissolving all the jagged des the moment his wave of energy was sent forth.


    "Ahh¡­"


    This release of pure, unfiltered Magic, sent the entire area around Eric into a state of absolute lull. It felt like time had suddenly slowed down, and the tension around him waspletely gone.


    Everything felt like an illusion, and the fleeting essence of Mana began to depart from him.


    He was in bliss, but he also felt something else.


    ''I won''t be able to use Magic anymore. It seems¡­ all my dreams end here.'' A sad smile yed on his face as he looked at the faces of his allies.


    Justin was still falling, so Eric decided to use hisst ounce of Mana to protect him.


    The boy in sses raised his hand, pointing his wand in the direction of the rapidly descending boy.


    Everything felt so slow¡­ so surreal.


    Eric felt like he could take his sweet time, and that this moment wouldst for an eternity.


    But he didn''t.


    "Wind Cus¡ª!" Before Eric couldplete his Spell, he suddenly felt something.


    ¡­ Something very ominous.


    ~SQUELCH!~


    He felt something pierce him from behind, ripping apart a hole in his chest.


    Eric''s surreal state could not properly process pain, or almost any sensation, so the moment he felt aplete hole dug through his chest, the first thing he did was look down.


    He saw a hand protruding from his chest¡ªalmost like that of a female, with scaly skin and massive ws.


    His entire chest was ripped open by this arm, and before he could even process why and how, blood burst out of his chest.


    "Ahh¡­" Eric realized it at that moment.


    "Annoying pest. You''re the one shutting off my Skills, aren''t you?"


    As he heard the disgruntled voice of the Dragon General, also listening to the sshing sound that his blood made as it poured on the ground before him, he understood it all.


    Dragon General, Kar''en had pierced him with her hand, causing fatal damage that not even he could hope to reverse at this point.


    His blurry vision turned to Alicia, but she wasn''t even looking in his direction.


    She waspletely lost.


    ''It''s toote, huh¡­?'' Eric had no idea why his consciousness remained despite his heart being crushed and his body losing too much blood.


    Perhaps it was because he still had some of that remnant Mana left inside him.


    With its power, he raised his trembling arm and aimed his wand at his falling friend. A brilliant light shone from the stave, instantly generating a gust of wind to cushion Justin''s descent so he wouldn''t die.


    ''I didn''t even need to chant or cast the Spell¡­'' Eric smiled.


    Who would have thought that he would attain such a level at this point¡ªright when he was about to die.


    As his consciousness faded, and the final vestiges of his Mana left his body, Eric decided on what would be his final legacy.


    Thest of his energy sparked brightly, and he whispered words only he could hear.


    "[Absolute Explosion]"


    And so, thest thing that he witnessed¡­ was his glorious manifestation of destruction as it consumed both himself and the one who killed him.


    A perfect explosion.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMM!!!~


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Ahh... alright then. Two down, one to go! I hope you enjoyed Eric''s little character Arc.


    Do you think he had regrets about choosing toe and save them?

 Chapter 512 Sacrifice [Pt 3]

    <h4>Chapter 512 Sacrifice [Pt 3]</h4>


    "ERIC, NO¡ª!!!"


    As Adonis stretched out his hand, the moment he saw that Eric had been stabbed by the Dragon General, he felt a dangerous crackle around the boy.


    Then¡ª


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    ¡ªAn overwhelming explosion surged through the area, covering all of Eric''s immediate vicinity.


    The st stopped short before reaching the positions of rk, Alicia, Billy, Trisha, and Justin. Instead, it ascended high into the heavens¡ªlike a zing pir.


    The inferno swirled around and within each other¡ªalmost like a torrent of unstoppable power.


    "E-Eric¡­" As Adonis witnessed this, the roaring heat reflecting in his eyes, he had a dazed expression on his face.


    He felt instantly ashamed of this thought, but the first thing that came to his mind once he saw the zing disy of power was awe, rather than sorrow.


    ''To think¡­ he had this much power¡­ so much potential.''


    Not all Mages had an equal allocation oftent Mana within them. This pool of dormant Mana was varied in quality and quantity; theorized to be based on the potential of a person.


    As such, various Mages harness their respective pools by casting Forced Magic Activation, yet their output would be varied from one another.


    Based on what Adonis was seeing alone, Eric could have very well reached the S-Tier as a Mage.


    But¡­ all of that was in the realm of memory.


    Once the awe wore off, the only thing Adonis felt at that point was grief.


    Tears flowed down his eyes as he watched the burning pir of mes slowly die out, reducing to mere vestiges of sparks and miniature explosions.


    "I''m sorry, Eric¡­" He was reminded by Eric''s warnings.


    "¡­ I''m so sorry!"


    If it wasn''t for his hubris, his obsessive desire with saving everyone, then perhaps this wouldn''t have happened.


    ''W-why¡­? Why did you have to die?''


    More tears flowed down Adonis'' eyes as he descended and knelt on the ground.


    Why did people have to die around him? Why was he constantly protected, even now that he had the power and means to protect others?


    ''I thought¡­ things would be different this time. I thought, after everything¡ªall those sacrifices¡ªthere would be no more¡­''


    He had amassed so much power. He had the knowledge of the future. He had worked so hard to make sure he would be able to protect everyone this time.


    ¡ªTo make sure nobody that he cared about died.


    Yet¡­ this was the reward for all his efforts.


    "E-Eric¡­ Eric¡­" More sobs echoed from him as he shuddered with cold stiffness.


    This was the battlefield. He could not afford to mourn the dead just yet. He should have known that by now.


    Adonis had seen countless wars, and he personally witnessed the deaths of manyrades who fought alongside him. This sort of thing was not meant to move him in the slightest.


    But, when he remembered the times he spent with Eric¡ª


    those moments when they talked, whether about Magic, Dungeons, or Adventurers¡ªhe could not help but feel an overwhelming weight paralyze him.


    He could not move an inch.


    "I have so many dreams, you know? But after finally arriving here, in this City, I''ve decided to make a much more concrete goal!" Adonis remembered what Eric told him when they were alone in the Adventurers City.


    Every single word echoed in his mind, taking the form of guilt that shackled him.


    "I want to explore all the 9 Great Dungeons of the world. We already conquered the Royal Dungeon, so once the war is over¡­ I''ll return here and explore the one in this city. After that, there''ll be just 7 left."


    Adonis remembered the wide smile that Eric made as he talked about those dreams of his; how he craved adventure and desired to advance in Magic.


    "I want all of us to do it together, you know? Kind of like some sort of Hero Party¡­"


    They kepting, ovepping with one another¡ªwords that Adonis had smiled and nodded at, promising their fulfillment.


    "Then, when we retire¡­ I''ll return to the Alliance and be the next Grand Mage."


    As Lucielle''s disciple in the previous timeline, Adonis had felt a little skeptical about those words. Lucielle indeed seemed unimpressive by Otherworlder standards, but she was considered the greatest Human Mage of all time for a reason.


    Seeding her was by no means a feat just anyone could achieve.


    But, after seeing Eric''s glorious eruption, Adonis realized that those words¡ªat least, the intention behind them¡ªwas no mere joke.


    Eric¡­ he had the potential to do it.


    He could have surpassed Lucielle and be the greatest Grand Mage in human history.


    ''But now¡­ all of that is gone.'' There was no longer any more tear left in his moist eyes as he stared at the charred crater that oozed smoke and tiny fragments of burnt ash.


    ''I couldn''t do it. I couldn''t do it like you, Rey¡­ Lucielle¡­''


    Just as his best friend and master did for him, he thought he could help everyone around him. He became a Hero to save the world, but also prevent the tragedy that would befall his friends.


    So why¡­?


    "Why can''t I get this right?!" He screamed.


    "Why¡­?"


    **********


    Adonis felt his mind breaking as he recollected the past¡ªor rather, a future that once was.


    He remembered the faces of his two survivingrades; Rey and Lucielle.


    "Don''t look so gloomy, my friend. We''re going to change everything!" Those were the words he was told to by Rey.


    When he heard them back then, there was a certainfort it gave him.


    Seeing his friend give such a heartwarming smile, filled with confidence and encouragement¡ªlike a hero¡ªAdonis felt saved.


    But¡­ those words were soon followed by chaos.


    ~BOOOOOOOM!!!~


    The distant explosions began to get closer to the Chamber of the Ancients, signaling the imminent approach of the enemies.


    "They''ve caught wind of us, damnit! Looks like the others weren''t able to hold them off for too long¡­"


    The pained tone that Lucielle used to utter those words made it clear what the fates of theirrades were.


    ¡­ What their own fates would be.


    Adonis, trembling and cowering in a corner, did the only thing he could do at moments like this.


    He gazed upon the face of his only friend¡ªRey Skr.


    "Looks like I have no choice¡­" He brandished his de, revealing his heroic form as he stepped away from the rest.


    "The both of you should stay here andplete the Magic."


    As Adonis watched him leave, his hand powerlessly raised to stop him, he watched as Rey stopped in his tracks and turned his head backwards to stare at him.


    The confident, heroic smile was yet to fade away.


    Something glowed deep within Rey''s eyes that resonated inside Adonis. They were the same age, yet they seemed miles apart.


    "Take care of yourself." Rey said with a smile, nodding slowly before casting a quick nce at Lucielle.


    "You too, babe."


    "You take care of yourself too. I''ll be joining you soon enough." She responded with a shortugh, her eyes still focused on the task at hand.


    "Haha! I look forward to that!"


    Back then, Adonis did not know what they meant by those words. But¡­ he was eventually going to find out.


    ¡ªThe fact that the Ancient Magic could only ept one person.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Well¡­ I guess you all saw thising too. For those who didn''t, it''s a good thing!


    Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Adonis remains one of my Top 3 characters, and seeing him suffer like this is therapeutic for me¡­ I think.

 Chapter 513 Sacrifice [Pt 4]

    <h4>Chapter 513 Sacrifice [Pt 4]</h4>


    ~BOOOOOOOOMMM!!!~


    Thunderous echoes burst from the world outside that even the safe interior of the chamber began to tremble.


    The unspeakable violence¡ªshouts and countless crackles of energy¡ªmade it difficult to believe in the sanctity of the sanctuary that enveloped them.


    Unfortunately, Adonis was not even afforded the luxury to properly think or process what was happening outside.


    No, perhaps this was a good thing.


    Being distracted by the ritual with Lucielle¡ªperhaps that was the better alternative than to continuously contemte the fate of his dear friend.


    As Lucielle''s disciple, he had learned a lot about Magic, as well as Runes, butpared to her knowledge on Magic¡ªespecially one this ancient¡ªhe could only assist her in little ways.


    Following her instructions here and there, they both worked together toplete the equation as soon as possible.


    Until finally¡­


    "I think we''re all set."


    Lucielle''s brilliant smile, as she waved her short white hair, caused Adonis'' breath to leave his lips in relief.


    Finally, they were done.


    "L-let''s call for R-Rey! We can go together¡ª!"


    "No¡­ he''s noting with." Lucielle shook her head as she ced both hands on her waist.


    The piercing gaze she gave Adonis was a serious one. The Grand Mage wasn''t joking¡ªnot that this was any situation to do such.


    "W-what are you¡­ saying? We''re abandoning him¡­?" Adonis felt his chest tighten as he even uttered those words.


    Rey had protected him all this time. He lost his eye in order to save Adonis'' life, and even right now¡­ he was risking it all to buy them time toplete the ritual.


    "We don''t have time for this. Rey is fighting! We have to¡ª!"


    "Indeed. We do not have time for this¡­"


    Before Adonis could move his trembling feet towards the entrance in an attempt to rendezvous with Rey, he felt his entire body turn numb.


    "H-huh¡­?"


    One moment he was in his previous position, and the next he found himself at the center of the Magic Circle that they tried so hard to work through.


    The entire thing gleamed with multifarious colors, but mostly gleamed with brilliant white.


    Several ancient symbols and undeciphered Runes littered the ground inyers, all of them pulsating and resonating with one another.


    The fact that Lucielle was able to augment these runes made it an impressive task that only she could have aplished.


    Sure, Adonis helped, but this was mostly due to her efforts and expertise.


    The young blonde didn''t have time to marvel at his Master''s work, though. He was still in a state of confusion¡ªparalyzed through most parts of his lean body.


    "W-what are you doing¡­? We''re supposed¡­ to be helping Rey¡­" He barely whispered as he cast his blurry gaze on Lucielle.


    "Rey isn''ting with you. The same applies for me."


    "W-what?!"


    At this point, Adonis'' eyes widened in shock. He couldn''t believe what he was hearing.


    Why¡­? What was Lucielle saying? Now that they have gotten to such a crucial juncture¡­ after sacrificing the lives of so many of theirrades¡­ why was she saying these things?!


    "It is as I suspected. The energy required for epting more than one person is too fraudulent. We can''t afford it¡ªnot even with all the Mana Cores and Crystals we brought with us."


    "W-wha¡­?"


    "Rey and I already discussed this ahead of time. It''s fine, Adonis."


    "N-no¡­"


    Seeing Lucielle give her signature smile, the kind that usually put him at ease, didn''t make her words easier to digest.


    "A-aftering all this way together¡­ you can''t just¡­ I can''t do this¡­ by myself."


    Tears began to fall from his wide open eyes as he stared at his Master''s distant smile.


    "Rey¡­ Rey should be the one to go. He''s stronger. Or maybe you¡­ you''re smarter. You know this stuff more than the rest of us! Why me? Why choose someone like me?!"


    It made no sense to Adonis! If they wanted a better shot at saving the world, then wouldn''t it be better if one of them did it instead of him?


    This burden¡­ it was too much for him.


    "I''m¡­ not good enough. I can''t do it like you can¡­"


    Sobbing and whimpering, he cried out as he looked at Lucielle. He knew what fate awaited her and Rey.


    Even now, it wasn''t like he wanted to die. No, he badly wanted to live, and a part of his cowardly self was grateful that he wasn''t going to meet his end here.


    But¡­ more than that, he felt miserable.


    "Yet again¡­ you''re saving me. I thought¡­ I thought I''d finally be able to do something for you. To help¡­ but once again, you''re saving me¡­"


    Powerlessness mixed with frustration¡ªall directed at himself


    ¡ªechoed out.


    Then, Lucielle''s voice emerged.


    "Neither Rey nor I could go due to our power being too much. If either of us were to take your ce, it wouldpromise just how far back we''d be able to travel to."


    "I-I don''t¡­"


    "You''re the weakest of us, Adonis. Your rtively weaker force makes it so that more can be changed and the world can stand a better chance in the new future that will be made."


    "A-ah¡­"


    "Remember the Dragonfly effect, Adonis. You can''t go around making silly changes that do not benefit the future, okay? That means you can''t tell anyone¡ªnot even the past me and Rey¡ª


    about this future."


    "B-but¡­"


    "There isn''t enough time to exin everything in details, but just remember everything the Oracle said about the only way to defeat the Dragon Emperor. The Hero ss and the Divine de¡­ you must obtain those two¡­"


    "B-but my Karma is¡­!"


    "I''ll be activating the Ancient Magic now. We''re counting on you¡­"


    It was at this point, for the first time, that Adonis witnessed Lucielle leak out tears from her eyes.


    Throughout their time together, she always had to be strong for everyone. Her cheery personality and happy demeanor shone light into the hearts of everyone around her.


    But now¡­ Adonis could see that mask fall off.


    She wasn''t happy at all.


    "¡­ Adonis. Please save this world."


    Upon hearing thatst request from his Master, and feeling the sacrifice of his friend in his heart, rhe weight of all the sacrifices that were made to reach this point fell upon his shoulders.


    At that moment, he no longer lived for himself.


    He lived for everyone.


    And so, with a stifled, whimpering voice, he let out his response.


    "I will!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I can see some people don''t like Adonis as the leader due to his decisions, but he was never meant to be perfect to begin with.


    He messed up this time¡­ and that''s normal.


    I just hope we get to see him somewhat redeem himself.

 Chapter 514 Sacrifice [Pt 5]

    <h4>Chapter 514 Sacrifice [Pt 5]</h4>


    "[Magic Surge]."


    A sudden st of power burst from within the Chamber of Andients, causing the entire area to vibrate and the Dragons that gathered around the struggling swordsman to be pushed back.


    In that instant, Lucielle teleported right beside the muscr man who gripped his de with sheer resolve.


    He smiled the moment he felt her presence, though he couldn''t afford to look at her face due to the intensity of the battle.


    "It''s finally done?" He asked.


    "Yeah¡­ he''s gone."


    For a moment, there was silence among the two of them.


    Then¡ª


    "How far back?" Rey asked, slightly ncing at the tear-filled face of his beloved.


    "As far as he could go¡ªto the very beginning."


    Upon hearing that, he smiled. Using his unupied hand to wipe away the tears on her face, he nodded slowly.


    His hand was rough¡ªhardened by the constant battles that had been fought¡ªbut Lucielle found sce in his touch.


    Rey Skr and Lucielle; these two stood before the horde of Dragons before them, yet their disy of affection was not stifled.


    "Thank you, Lucielle." Rey smiled as he slowly removed his hand from her face, his fingers caressing her soft skin for what would be thest time.


    His trembling voice made it clear that he was holding back the tears that would have overflowed.


    Lucielle was never allowed to show weakness in front of everyone. She was the best¡ªthe strongest in this world.


    So, the only one she could be vulnerable with was someone who could hide their own weakness and embrace hers.


    That person was Rey.


    He took on her fears, insecurities, and pain¡ªeven at this very moment¡ªand made them all his.


    "Why are you thanking me, stupid." Lucielleughed, her eyes growing moist yet again.


    "Who knows¡­"


    As Rey said this, he cast his gaze into the distance, watching as the Dragons halted in their advancement.


    It was clear that something wasing.


    ¡ªSomething ominous.


    "¡­ I guess I''m just happy to have you by my side at the very end."


    Another moment of silence echoed in their midst. But this time, it was very short.


    "I''m happy too."


    At this point, there really was no reason to fight any longer. They hadpleted their mission, and this world was already too doomed for sess.


    These two were exhausted. They had been fighting day and night¡ªstruggling to reach their goal, and now it was all over.


    With aching bones and tired souls, it was better to just let go of everything and ept their inevitable demise.


    But no¡­ not a chance!


    "You ready for onest cob?" Rey said with a smile, tightly gripping his de with his two hands.


    His single eye flowed golden, and a bright burst of gold light burst forth all around him.


    "Bet!"


    Lucielle''s grin was wide as sparks of silver lightning shed all over her and her body began to glow.


    The entity in the distance was none other than a Dragon Lord


    ¡ªa being that no human had ever managed to defeat throughout the years of war.


    Rey and Lucielle didn''t know why, but now that they were at the end of their life, they desired to break that record.


    "I love you, Lucielle." Rey''s whispers echoed in the air as Lucielle''s voice also sounded.


    "I love you, Rey."


    And then¡ª


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    ¡ªTheir mixed energy sprang forth.


    A requiem of lovers.


    ***********


    Adonis indeed returned to the past.


    However, it wasn''t what he expected. The first thing he witnessed as he tried to open his eyes was darkness.


    Sheer,plete darkness.


    Everything felt ufortably squishy, wet, and strange.


    He didn''t understand¡­ until his body was forcibly thrust out of the ce that upied him, and he found himself in a hospital room.


    It was at that point, after hearing words from the doctors and nurses, and hearing the heavy breathing of his own mother, that he realized what happened.


    Something must have gone wrong with Lucielle''s Magic Form¡­ because Adonis didn''t return merely five years ago.


    No, he had returned over twenty years into the past.


    ¡­ As a baby.


    *******


    The world seemed different for him this second time around.


    It had to be!


    A battle-hardened man, stuck in the body of a toddler, and then an adolescent¡­ it was all a strange experience for him.


    However, despite all of these distractions, Adonis never once forgot his task.


    "Save everyone. I must save everyone!"


    To do that, he drafted out his n¡ªa detailed analysis of all that he remembered of the past, and all the things he had to change.


    For starters, he had to change his appearance.


    By using his future knowledge, he was able tond his parents fortune, which made them rich enough to afford stic surgery for their terrible-looking boy.


    After he fixed how he looked, he maintained a perfect diet and kept his body fit¡ªas perfect as it could possibly get.


    Skin care, etiquette, and everything else that mattered in the superficial world of Earth.


    All of it was geared towards one goal¡ª


    "My Karma Point! I have to make it as high as possible!"


    For that purpose, he became the perfect human.


    He had to be friends with everyone. He was nice to the very bullies that tortured him in his past life, and he had to ept the many advances that were geared towards him so that no one would hate him.


    He dated several girls that he wasn''t interested in, maintained a friendly¡ªor at least neutral standing¡ªwith everyone around him.


    Everything he did¡­ for those sixteen years¡­ was so that he would have the perfect Karma Point.


    "The Hero ss¡­ the Divine de¡­"


    Those were the thoughts in his mind as he went through the torture of maintaining this facade for years.


    And then, finally, after all those years¡­ on their way back from the field trip¡­ the incident urred.


    He, as well as all of his ssmates, were transported to the Realm Of God.


    He was able to amass 97 Karma Points¡ªa near perfect score.


    With it, he got the [Hero] ss and got a discount on the [Divine de Summon] Skill.


    He had enough Karma Points to afford a few other things, which all had discounts thanks to the Hero ss.


    In the end¡­ he was able to do it!


    Adonis was able to take the first step in order to save the world.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Well, this is all you''re getting for a while about Adonis and his past. Don''t worry, there''s more¡­ but I''ll save that forter.

 Chapter 515 Weight Of Responsibility

    <h4>Chapter 515 Weight Of Responsibility </h4>


    "All of this surprises me..."


    Adonis was kneeling on the ground when he heard those words from the being above.


    It was the Dragon General, Kar''en.


    Her single pped above as a distorted spatial barrier surrounded her. She looked down on everyone with her crimson eyes, and her red hair danced with the wind.


    Despite the powerful explosion that just erupted, there didn''t seem to be a scratch on her. Perhaps there was a few moments ago, but ounting for her defenses, and the superior regenerative capabilities of a Dragon General, her unharmed appearance wasn''t too much of a surprise.


    Even Adonis, after hearing her voice, didn''t seem too shocked.


    He didn''t have the mental capacity to wonder about the million ways she could have escaped the st or recuperated from its effects.


    He was simply on his knees,pletely downtrodden.


    As for his allies, they weren''t faring any better.


    Justin, Billy, and Trisha had lost consciousness already. rk was still struggling to cling on to life, and Alicia waspletely out of it.


    Sure, the Dragon side had also suffered heavy losses, but the most troublesome foe still remained.


    Her condescending gaze and overwhelming presence told Adonis that there was no way out.


    They were done for.


    "Humans with such capabilities... I never would have imagined they existed." Kar''en went on to say.


    Adonis didn''t respond.


    "To think you could resist my Curse Magic--something on the Absolute Tier--and the rest of yourrades could put up such a decent fight..."


    The reason Adonis was only mildly affected by the Curse Magic--which soon faded away--was due to one of his ss Privileges.


    As the Hero, he was immune to most negative Status Conditions, and his body was to remain healthy at all times.


    Even in the case of curses and debuffs that were immensely powerful, their effects would be mitigated by this Privilege, and their duration would be cut short.


    If Adonis wasn''t the Hero, he too would have fallen unconscious at this point.


    "It''s too bad all your actions are for naught. In the end, no matter how hard you struggle, you can not win against the might of the Draconic Empire."


    Adonis gritted his teeth as he heard that. He wanted so desperately to reject the General''s ims and charge towards her, but what was the use?


    He would lose.


    Even with [Limit Transcension], he couldn''t possibly win against her.


    The variety of Skills that Kar''en possessed, as well as her Stats, made it an impossible task.


    ''I made a mistake. We shouldn''t havee here...''


    Adonis recognized his wrongs at that moment.


    But... wasn''t it toote?


    His goals--everything he worked so hard to achieve for sixteen years--was evaporating before his very eyes.


    ''I failed...''


    Adonis felt his grip on the Divine de loosen, and his will to fight began to dwindle.


    His old self began to emerge, and his body began to shake. The burden that he carried for so many years became too much for him to carry.


    He couldn''t stand. He couldn''t move. He could only wait... for the death that wasing for him.


    "I was ordered to capture you all, but you''re too dangerous to be kept alive." Kar''en said with a decisive tone.


    A brilliant glow of crimson began to sh from her outstretched hand.


    "I''ll simply capture that broken girl and the barely alive man over there and kill the rest of you."


    The orb of bright red was done, and the ray of destruction wasplete.


    "Now then, let''s start with you. " She set her aim on Adonis, a sadistic smile on her face.


    "Di--"


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    A silhouette suddenly appeared right behind Kar''en at that moment, causing her senses to instantly detect it.


    ''Huh...?!''


    Her eyes widened as she felt the blur''s emergence from seemingly out of nowhere.


    Still, since she was much faster than whatever went after her blind spot, she easily evaded the sh of the de that would have hit her.


    However¡­


    ~SWISH!~


    An invisible sh sliced off her wings at that very moment.


    ''¡­ What?!''


    As her mind struggled toprehend what just happened, the brilliant st that she was beginning to prepare suddenly began to spiral out of control.


    It no longer listened to hermand.


    Instead, it began to expand and grow in power¡­ almost as if it was about to¡ª


    "The he¡ª?!"


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!~


    This st of crimson decorated the sky as two figures appeared on the ground, almost at the same time.


    "Looks like we made it in time¡­ thank goodness." A gruff voice murmured out loud as the buff owner took a couple of steps forward.


    Behind him was a much smallerdy, with long white hair and crimson eyes.


    "What in the world happened here¡­?" She whispered.


    As Adonis heard those two distinct voices¡ªespecially thetter¡ªhe raised his head and gazed upon the two people who made their sudden entry.


    "B-Brutus¡­ Lucielle¡­?" As he whispered those words, they both looked in his direction.


    The Grand Mage of the Alliance, as well as the Head Warrior¡ª


    the two strongest humans in H''Trae¡ªnow stood amidst the chaotic outskirts of the Capital.


    A ce that was once smooth had be a site of devastation.


    With everyone out ofmission, Adonis was the only one to witness their return. The moment he set his sights on them, the overbearing weight suddenly began to dwindle.


    "My goodness, is that¡­?"


    Lucielle swiftly rushed to the scorched and bloody mess that was rk, while Brutus walked towards the kneeling Hero.


    "Adonis¡­ can you stand?" He stretched out his hand, not saying much else.


    The current battlefield was not a ce for needless questions or pointless conversations. They could have all of that after the crisis had been averted.


    Right now, there was only one matter of concern.


    Adonis gave a slight nod, reaching out for Brutus'' outstretched hand while smiling.


    "Yeah!"


    Staggering a little, he finally found his footing and stood upright. His Divine de instantly flew into his grasp and he wielded it with both hands, alongside the Head Warrior who also had his de unsheathed.


    "Good." Brutus smiled, casting his gaze on the dwindling explosion in the sky.


    "Let''s save the small talk forter. Right now, we have to beat that thing, right?"


    Adonis didn''t know when the rest of the burdens vanished. The sorrow and pain in his heart remained, but they seemed stifled¡ªlike distant echoes that had been blocked off by the walls of responsibility.


    Right now, he had no right to mourn or dawdle in regret.


    He had one duty and one duty alone.


    "Yeah!"


    ¡ªTo be the Hero!


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Well, it seems like we are gonna have ourselves another fight.


    How do you think this one will y out?

 Chapter 516 The Last Bout [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 516 The Last Bout [Pt 1]</h4>


    "You¡­"


    ~BWUUSH!~


    An instantsh of powerful wind surged from Kar''en, instantly parting the crimson st that surrounded her.


    The immense heat from the explosion caused smoke to rise from all over the area¡ªincluding a portion of her body¡ªbut all in all, she wasn''t badly damaged.


    Her wings, which had been cut off just moments prior, were now present once again, and her four horns gleamed under the sunset.


    "You annoying pests¡­" Kar''en growled as she stared down at the humans who refused to die and be trampled underfoot her mighty power.


    Every single time that she thought they would finally crumble, an intervention would always ur. It was fun at first, but Kar''en was beginning to get pissed off.


    ''Those two¡­ where the hell did theye from?'' She narrowed her gaze on Lucielle and Brutus.


    The former was right beside the burnt-up, bloodied rk, utilizing Healing Magic on him. As for the Head Warrior, he was standing right beside Adonis, both their stances depicting a readiness to fight.


    ''They fit the description of the strongest humans in the world. I can''t remember their names, but they''re the trump cards of the pathetic Alliance¡­''


    Despite their title, it wasn''t like they were of any major threat to the Dragons.


    None of them had S-Tier Skills, from what she knew, and their pathetic Stats wereckingpared to hers and the rest of the top-tier Dragons.


    Heck, even Dragon Commanders ought to have better Stats than these human vermin.


    ''But, if that''s the case, how were they able to catch me by surprise and even damage me?''


    Kar''en was sure that she evaded the man''s strike, yet she still managed to get hit. That didn''t make sense unless some kind of Skill was involved.


    ''And that woman¡­ she hijacked my Skill, didn''t she? How? It was an S-Tier Skill, so shouldn''t that be impossible unless she has an S-Tier Skill as well?''


    At that moment, Kar''en was reminded of the boy in sses, the one who had just perished recently. He was able to shut down her Skills, but it seemed this woman was able to take it a step further and hijack control of them.


    ''Either way¡­ they''re dangerous.'' Kar''en thought to herself as she narrowed her gaze.


    If she wasn''t careful, she would suffer for it.


    ''Then¡­'' A wide smile appeared on her face as she gazed upon her adversaries. ''Let''s stop holding back, shall we?''


    ~VWUUSH!~


    In a brilliant sh of scarlet, the humanoid before them transformed into something colossal. Her slender body and pristine form grew muchrger¡ªfar more majestic.


    Scales that shone like rubies appeared and decorated her skin. Her four horns were like pristine jewels that sprang out of her head. Her eyes glowed crimson, and steam kept rising from within her glowing mouth.


    In this form, Kar''en was at least thirty meters tall, with her massive wings pping behind her to create a powerful pressure all around. Her tail dangled like a fat, sturdy rope, and as she maintained this form, she folded her arms and gazed down on the pathetic humans who were forced to raise their heads to watch her.


    A crimson dragon, glowing like the most precious red gem in the world; that was how she looked like at that moment.


    Steam and scarlet energy kept dancing and crackling around her, all so her power became even more evident. At this point, all her passive Skills were now active, and her Stats had pretty much doubled from their initial numbers.


    In essence¡­


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Kar''en


    - Race: Dragon (Death Species)


    - ss: General (A-Tier)


    - Level: 290 (56.99% EXP)


    - Life Force: 19,000/21,800 (+10,000)


    - Mana Level: 21,300/25,400 (+10,000)


    - Combat Ability: 30,000 (+10,000)


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Copy].


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Absolute Curse Magic]. [Absolute Crimson Ray]. [Grand Mana Recovery]. [Grand Regeneration]. [Greater w Attack]. [Dragon Breath: Negative]. [Grand Draconic Flight]. [Grand Draconic Resistance]. [Grand Draconic Power]. [Greater Fear Inducement].


    - Alignment: Chaotic Evil


    [Additional Information]


    ¡­ She was currently invincible.


    "Alright, humans! Come on! Entertain me some more!" She yelled, her monstrous voice causing vibrations to echo all around her.


    Her eyes shone brighter, and so did her throat. In no time at all, she opened her jaws and poured out her Dragon Breath.


    [Dragon Breath: Negative] was a mix of sheer destruction and Negative Status Conditions. Being hit by it was the same as being doused with all kinds of curses.


    The victim would be affected by a plethora of these Curses that could even overwhelm their resistance and downright cripple them.


    Of course, it wasn''t a fatal attack¡ªbut that was because it was never designed to be one.


    ''You will all suffer! All of you!'' She grinned as she poured it down.


    "[AVALON]!" Adonis yelled, creating a counter to the breath.


    As soon as he said this, a brilliant explosion of light filled the area, causing even Kar''en to squint, and eventually close her eyes.


    She was pushed back a little, only due to the intensity of the light, but being stunned like this gave the humans the perfect window of opportunity.


    ~WHOOSH!~


    Before she realized it, they were both in her presence¡ªAdonis in front, and Brutus behind.


    ''Pfft! How pathetic!'' Kar''en grinned to herself.


    "Too slow!"


    Sheunched her own [AVALON], sending the energy flying around her so it would undoubtedly blow away the two humans before her.


    ~VWUUUUSH!~


    As the crimson wave of energy rose from her, spreading all around, Adonis'' de shot up in power and created a powerful storm of immeasurable energy that seemed to gather at a single point.


    "[LANCELOT]!"


    ~BOOOOOOOM!~


    Instantly, [AVALON] was ripped to shreds¡ªbroken apart by the single-point attack that Adonis made.


    ''H-huh¡­?!'' Kar''en''s eyes widened as she stared at the impossible sight.


    She was definitely a lot stronger now than she was just moments ago. The quality of her Skills, and the efficiency of her abilities, made it so that they would be nigh impossible to deal with.


    Yet, with just one thrust, Adonis was able to break through.


    And now¡­


    "[MORDRED]!"


    ¡­ There was an opening to strike.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Well, we''re slowly marching to the climax of this battle, so I hope you stick around for a couple more chapters.

 Chapter 517 The Last Bout [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 517 The Last Bout [Pt 2]</h4>


    Dragons are considered the strongest in all of H''Trae, and for good reason.


    Their strength, speed, power, and a multitude of other aspects, ce them above any living being in the entire world.


    They are considered unstoppable.


    As a result of this esteemed position, being blessed with some form of Passive Magic Skills from birth, the Dragons have no use for Skills like [Combat Application], or developing tactics like other weak races do.


    Their power is often more than enough to raze their enemies to the ground and decimate any who stand in their way.


    Teamwork. Strategy. Counterattacks; these are the things that these all-powerful Dragons do not possess.


    The hubris of the strong¡­ one that could prove fatal when a dire situation emerges.


    ***********


    "[MORDRED]!"


    As Kar''en heard those words, she knew yet another attack was about to unfold.


    So far, every new word that the human uttered gave rise to a new pattern of assault and a new ability.


    [AVALON] was a defensive ability, and [MORGAN] was an immensely destructive assault.


    ''It seems [LANCELOT] is for piercing and shattering attacks or defenses.'' She thought to herself, watching as the Hero grew closer.


    ''But¡­ what in the world could this new attack be?''


    Depending on what it was, defense could be ineffective against it. That meant, ording to Kar''en''s calctions, the best move to make was to attack.


    ¡­ Attack before he could cook up whatever attack he was about to unleash!


    ''[Absolute Crimson Ray]'' The bright burst of red energy appeared in front of Adonis, ready to erupt in his face.


    Then¡ª


    ~SHIIING!~


    A bright golden barrier formed around him that very instant.


    ''A-ah!'' Kar''en''s eyes widened in realization as she recognized the Skill he just used. ''I forgot he had another defense Skill other than [AVALON].''


    Her n was to either force him to use [AVALON] to protect himself, which would automatically cancel out this new attack he was about to unleash, or more preferably¡­ for her [Absolute Crimson Ray] to hit.


    Either way, she would emerge victorious from the next attack.


    ''Curse Magic doesn''t seem very effective on him, so¡­ why don''t I use something else¡­?'' Kar''en searched within the confines of her [Copy] Skill''s arsenal and found the perfect move to utilize.


    "[Gravity Crush]"


    Her grin widened as she observed both of her opponents, waiting for them to fall under the pressure of intense gravity.


    But¡­


    "Guh!" A loud groan echoed from her as she felt her body suddenly assailed by the full might of her own Skill.


    ''W-what?!'' Her bulging eyes nearly popped out of her socket as she found herself descending to the ground at an astronomical pace.


    At that very moment, Kar''en instinctively knew which direction to look at. She knew precisely the cause of the attack.


    ''It''s YOU!'' ring deeply at the Grand Mage of the Alliance, the crimson Dragon gritted her teeth in fury.


    Lucielle had both hands pointed towards Kar''en, with her eyes glowing with a strange mix of colors. The boy beside her looked perfectly normal in his naked form¡ªhealed from his burns and the squished state he was in.


    ''W-what?! She''s already done healing him?!'' The Dragon General''s eyes widened even further.


    No, that wasn''t the important thing at the moment.


    ''She hijacked my Skill''s effect again, didn''t she? That bitch!'' Kar''en didn''t have the luxury to get too fixated on Lucielle, however, considering the two warriors who were hot on her trail.


    She was tempted to use a Skill to blow them all away, but a sudden thought of caution stopped her from acting.


    ''What if it backfires¡­?''


    She didn''t want to take such a risk, considering how averse to pain or damage she was.


    And so, her instinct rang in.


    ''Let''s get away for now. I''ll take the higher ground.''


    Swiftly undoing the Gravity Skill, as well as activating her Spatial Skill very quickly, she prepared herself to teleport.


    However¡­


    ~ZZZTZZ!~


    The Spatial Magic didn''t activate at all. No¡­ more like it could not activate.


    ''What?! Did she do this too? Even though I activated it too quickly for the human mind to process?!'' Kar''en red at Lucielle once again.


    However, she was mistaken in this assumption.


    Lucielle was not the one responsible for the failure of her Spatial Magic. It was simply due to the influence of the Divine de, which warped space and prevented it from being stable enough to ensure Spatial Travel.


    As a result, Kar''en had nowhere to run to.


    "Tch!" Gritting her teeth, she decided to simply not rely on Skills and solely use her physical abilities to destroy her targets.


    Her Combat Ability was over 30,000, after all¡­ and most of it went into strength. One move from her wouldpletely squash all of her enemies.


    "DIE!" Aiming her ws towards Adonis, whileshing her tail towards Brutus, she prepared to at least push them away from herself¡ªeven if killing them was too ambitious.


    All of a sudden, the energy rushing from the Divine de ceased, creating a stable spatial temte around them.


    Then¡ª


    ~WHISH!~


    The Hero and the Head Warrior suddenly swapped ces¡ªwith Adonis now ready to receive the attack of the Dragon''s tail, while Brutus braced himself to receive the w.


    Neither were fast enough to properly evade her attack, neither were they strong enough to parry the strike.


    However¡­ they didn''t need to.


    ~WUUUSH!~


    Adonis'' [Absolute Defense] covered Brutus, causing him to be safely entrapped in apact goldenyer of protection.


    The attack from Kar''en sent the sphere flying downwards, but Brutus was saved from being absolutely mutted.


    Then, as for Adonis¡ª


    "Huuu¡­"


    The moment the tail was about to p andpletely crush his whole body, something began to flicker from his de at an immense rate.


    It was pure energy.


    ~VWUUUUUUSH!~


    The outburst of that energy created such a powerful torrent that it pushed the Dragon''s tail away, causing the massive thing to fly upward.


    The moment the tail was out of the way, Adonis was greeted with an opening that he could not refuse.


    ¡­ An opening that would probably never present itself to him ever again.


    ¡ªKar''en''s butthole!


    ''This is my chance!'' Adonis thought to himself, ready to thrust his Divine de into her rectum.


    ''I won''t fail!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    The fate of humanity rests on this one act. Let us all hope and pray for its sess!

 Chapter 518 The Last Bout [Pt 3]

    Chapter 518 The Last Bout [Pt 3]


    Adonis already knew it would be near impossible to beat the Dragon General.


    Not only was she much faster and stronger than he and Brutusbined, but she had a multitude of Skills that would render their efforts useless.


    Thankfully, with the appearance of Lucielle, a part of that problem was solved.


    "I can only stop one or two of her Skills at a time. The rest will be up to you!"


    That was what she told him through a Message Transmission Spell.


    As for Brutus, while he was incredibly strong and fast, there was no way he would be able to deal substantial damage to the Dragon General.


    "I can serve as a decoy or a fall guy, so use me as you see fit." Brutus ended up signaling to him.


    In essence, from the very start, it was only Adonis that could damage the General and eliminate her once and for all.


    But how¡­?!


    Even if Lucielle shaved off her Skills and Spells, and Brutus sessfully fulfilled his role as a diversion¡­ how was he supposed tond a decisive hit?


    ''Her scales are incredibly dense, and her flesh is bound to be impossibly tough.''


    Dragons had the most natural and unnatural kinds of defenses.


    It was why they hardly relied on Enchanted Items or Armor.


    In their Dragon Form, they were unstoppable monsters.


    ''Just how high is her Combat Ability? Around 30,000? Maybe a little higher¡­?!''


    If this Dragon had a Skill like [Combat Application], or was more adept at battle, there would be no battle to even begin with.


    Dragons were, however, usually not faced with confrontations like this, so Adonis and his allies somewhat had an edge.


    But for how long?


    ''She''ll eventually limate to the strangeness of the situation and learn to counter us. The longer this battle drags out, the more dangerous it will be for us!''


    That meant they had to end it in preferably one move.


    But what kind of move¡­?!


    ''Nothing I can do now will be able to get through the defense and grant fatal damage to her at the same time¡­''


    It was during this intense brainstorming session that Adonis was finally able to see the light!


    His mind expanded beyond the normal trail of thought, and he found himself gazing at a specific part of the Dragon he was facing.


    ¡ªThe massive buttocks of the beast!


    ''Her tail is in the way, but if I can get rid of it, I should be able to¡­ ah, yes!'' At this point, his eyes were already beaming and a wide smile formed on his face.


    ''Prating it should do the trick!''


    Even if they had the perfect external defenses, surely Dragons would be vulnerable from the inside.


    It was the same with humans. No matter how tough a creature''s skin or scales were, their internal organs had to be soft and weaker.


    For optimal pration, he would need an incredible amount of energy, so he was ready to burn through even more of his Stats in order to achieve his goals.


    And so¡­


    "Huuu¡­"


    ¡­ After seeing his enemy''s pinkish butthole spread in front of him, Adonis strengthened his muscles to the fullest, causing veins to appear all over his flesh.


    Thrusting with all his might, propelling his entire body forward, he sent his Divine de charging in.


    ''First¡­ [LANCELOT]!''


    All the umted energy instantly converged in one single point, allowing for optimal pration in his glorious charge.


    ~SQUELCH!~


    His Divine de sessfully lodged itself into the General''s butthole, causing the creature to bellow out in a twisted expression of pain.


    He must have done considerable damage to her lower regions, and the mere fact that she spasmed in shock and agony proved that.


    But¡­


    ''Not enough! This isn''t enough!'' Adonis gritted his teeth, hardening his muscles even further as he went on to pull out a little The friction caused the mighty beast to beg for mercy,pletely helpless under the mighty attack of the mighty de.


    At this point, Adonis had two options.


    ''Should I go for [MORGAN], or¡­''


    If he used [MORGAN], his de would erge and create a massive destructive form.


    That would definitely deal a lot of damage to the enemy. But, it would probably not reach all of the spots in her insides, considering how linear the growth would be.


    Adonis needed something that wouldpletely destroy her insides. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    And so¡­ with beads of sweat dripping from his face, and a fierce expression of resolve, he chose the second option.


    ''¡­ [MORDRED]!''


    ~VWUUUUUUSSSHHH!~


    A massive storm exploded from the Divine de as Adonis thrust it inside the General once again.


    "Rahhhhhh!!!" He growled, letting out his fury and thest vestiges of his power out to devastate everything within the Dragon General.


    [MORDRED] was a form that stood in direct contrast with [LANCELOT].


    While thetter one concentrated all the energy in a single spot and formed ance-like attack, the former was vastly different.


    The form known as [MORDRED] was an unstoppable storm that scattered the divine energy of the de all around the target.


    It poured out white energy, scattering its contents into everything that surrounded it.


    The power filled up the area it upied, instantly coursing through everything it had ess to¡­ until anything and everything was engulfed in its nature.


    As such, when Adonis thrust his Divine de into Kar''en, lodging its full length into her ass, the pure white energy of [MORDRED] burst out in all directions, scattering energy into all the read of her body in a single instant.


    The result?


    "GUAARRRCCKK!"


    All the openings in Karen''s body leaked out white fluids.


    Her nostrils, her eyes, her mouth¡­ everything exploded with what was supposed to be blood, but was now tainted with the brilliant white explosion that Adonis wrought.


    The internal explosion wasplete.


    ~BOOOOOOOM!~


    In a descent of destruction, the mighty Dragon General created a massive crater as she powerlessly crashed onto the ground.


    The man who stood above her,pletely conquering and dominating the fearsome creature, was the one known by all to be the Hero.


    He dislodged his de from her buttocks and raised it high into the air.


    Leftover fluids and sparks of energy flowed out, but that didn''t matter.


    The Hero was bathed in it all¡­ the glory of victory.


    "We did it¡­" Adonis dered as he looked at hisrades.


    "We won!"


    *


    *


    *

 Chapter 519 The Last Bout [Pt 4]

    Chapter 519 The Last Bout [Pt 4]


    "Uuu¡­"


    Kar''en felt pain unlike anything she had ever experienced in the past.


    All the time at the academy, all of her experiences in the military¡­ everything she had been through paled inparison to this brief moment.


    It felt like her entire body was on fire; especially the butthole that now spread wide open, bleeding white fluids instead of blood. Saliva, mixed with the white blood that burst from her lips littered the ground underneath her, and she was forced to drown in it all.


    She could hardly move her body after that attack.


    ''All my nerves¡­ my Mana¡­ everything has been disturbed.'' Her thoughts trailed as shey on the ground,pletely defeated.


    Never in her life would she have predicted such a fate would befall her¡ªone of the Dragon Generals with promise.


    She was a true prodigy, yet¡­ yet¡­


    ''I got vited like this¡­ by a human.'' Kar''en felt beads of tears fall from her moist eyes as she cast a blurry gaze on the surviving humans before her.


    In an unexpected turn of victory, they actually bested her. Despite being far weaker than she was, they interfered with her Skills, read her attack patterns, created countermeasures, and finally¡­ brought her crashing down.


    ''I shouldn''t have underestimated them¡­ these humans¡­'' It was toote now, though. Kar''en, the mighty Dragon General, had fallen into the hands of the primitive and weak humans. Unable to activate her Skills or move her body, she could only wait for her passive recovery to ur¡ªwhich the humans would never allow¡ªor wait for help.


    ''A-ah! That''s right¡­ I''m not alone!'' At that moment, Kar''en''s eyes showed a slight beam of hope.


    She remembered that there was one more subordinate that was present. ''S-Ser''th! If he arrives on time, he should be able to teleport the both of us to a safe distance!'' Her thoughts echoed.


    Kar''en highly doubted that the humans could interfere with Skills that took them by surprise. Plus, since they would have let their guard down after beating her, they wouldn''t be able to see her subordinateing.


    There was only one issue, though¡­ ''Come on, where are you?'' Kar''en shuddered, feeling the weight of the Hero on top of her.


    Any moment now, and her execution would arrive. Right now, her Life Force was incredibly low, and while she still had a lot to offer in terms of natural defenses, if they kept chipping at her health, she would perish.


    ''I don''t want to die! I really don''t want to die!'' Snot oozed from her draconic nostrils as her thoughts kept pounding in her head.


    She sent her gaze up and prayed very desperately for the aid of her only ally at this point.


    ''Please hurry ande, Se''ri¡ª!''


    ~BOOOOOOM!~


    Before Kar''en couldplete her thoughts, a humanoid figure suddenly crashed onto the ground. It was right in front of her, so she felt the shockwave from the impact, and a few of the scattered debris rained upon her.


    None of that fazed her, however, since she was currently faced with a more shocking sight.


    ''E-eh¡­? D-don''t tell me¡­'' Her blurry eyes squinted as she stared into the short distance to observe the being that had just descended to the ground.


    ¡ªIt was Ser''ith.


    "Ser''ith¡­?" Kar''en''s croak leaked out in a very hoarse voice as she stared at her subordinate''s battered and bloodied form in nigh disbelief.


    His dark outfit had been ripped to shreds, leaving mere vestiges that barely covered his genitals. His well-built body was exposed, along with the scales that covered portions of his skin¡­ though they were stained by his own blood.


    One of his wings had been ripped out¡ªno, more like blown away.


    In all honesty, based on appearance alone, Ser''ith seemed to be a lot worse off than Kar''en¡­ and that was saying something.


    The General could not believe that the most shrewd of all her subordinates would have been bested and ced in such a pathetic state¡ªespecially by puny humans.


    ''Ah, I''m not one to talk¡­'' She quickly realized her miserable situation and repented of her thoughts.


    It seemed that the only backup she wanted to rely on was useless in the end.


    "L-Lady Kar''en¡­ please offer some assistance!" Ser''ith managed to stand despite being a bloody mess, his injuries slowly healing. He looked in front of him, where his superior was, only to find her in shambles herself. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Dude¡­" Kar''en whispered, her mouth barely moving as she watched him powerlessly.


    At least, he could heal from the damage he was receiving¡ªalbeit slowly. It seemed her condition was worse, after all.


    "L-Lady Kar''en, what happened to you?!" He yelled, panic coursing through his face.


    Based on the expression of desperation he had on, Kar''en deduced that he must have been counting on her help the same way she was counting on his.


    In the end, they both ended up being ced in a tight corner with no sign of escape.


    ''What did this to him, though? I thought all the strong fighters would have gathered to fight, while the weaker ones would be on rescue¡­''


    That was precisely why she sent only Ser''ith to deal with the situation.


    "W-where is R''ashu? With his help, maybe I can stand a chance against her¡­!" Ser''ith looked around him in a panic.


    "He''s dead." R''ashu''s face further paled the moment he heard the news from Kar''en. All the life from it seemed to bepletely drained.


    "Are you seriou¡ª?!"


    ~BOOOOOOM!~


    Before he couldplete his question, another humanoid figure came crashing down, though this one stuck a perfectnding.


    A small crater formed around the girl that just appeared, with swirls of wind dancing all around her body. She had blond hair, with a somewhat petite form.


    The moment she appeared, Ser''ith froze in fear while staring at her in horror.


    ''So she''s the one who put him in that state¡­'' Kar''en took a careful nce at the human girl, getting a better glimpse of her as the smoke around began to fade.


    ''Ah¡­ I can see why.''


    *


    *


    *

 Chapter 520 The Last Bout [Pt 5]

    <h4>Chapter 520 The Last Bout [Pt 5]</h4>


    Belle Vanitas was filthy.


    She was covered in blood and bruises, and she even had slight burn marks on her body.


    Her dress was tattered, revealing an ample amount of skin and underwear. However, despite this crass appearance, she still looked incredibly intimidating.


    Her long hair floated in the air as a deep, crazed scowl was seated on her pretty face. She had the gaze of a madwoman, and the tears that flowed down her face added ayer of sadness to her rage.


    "You¡­" She muttered, her gaze directed at the trembling Ser''ith. "... Where do you think you''re running to?"


    As she took a step forward, the ground rumbled.


    "You think you can just run away after what you did?" Her eyes glowed dark pink¡ªalmost purple¡ªas she deepened the re on her enemy.


    Despite being surrounded by her unconscious allies¡ªlike Justin, rk, Billy, and Trisha¡ªand the conscious ones like Adonis and Alicia; even seeing new faces, like Brutus and Lucielle, while missing a few like Eric and Snow¡­ Belle paid them no mind.


    Her gaze was only on the Dragon Commander in front of her.


    "I''ll kill you¡­ MOTHERFUCKER!"


    **********


    Ser''ith?trembled as he heard the human girl utter those words.


    He knew, since it had been ingrained deep inside his body, that she was capable of those very words.


    ''H-how humiliating. This is¡­ this is not how things are supposed to go!''


    He was the one meant to be dishing out the threats and looking down on his adversaries. In fact, he had done just that during their initial encounter.


    ''When I saw them rescuing those people, I thought for sure that they were easy prey.'' His body trembled as he remembered how he approached them from his high estate.


    He was still very bloodthirsty back then, so he was looking for any excuse to kill someone¡ªor something. He would have killed the powerless denizens of the city, but what was the fun in that?


    Killing defenseless small fry wasn''t going to give him the satisfaction he craved.


    Instead, the re of the two humans who stood against him¡­ now that was what he lived for!


    He wanted to crush them so badly.


    ''I-I killed the male brat. But that''s only because he startled me!'' Ser''ith regretted that decision now, but it wasn''t like he did it out of pure satisfaction either.


    Yes, he was looking for any excuse to kill, but he hadn''t even decided who to execute when the boy acted up and tried to use Skills that were at least in the Absolute Tier.


    ''He tried to contact someone from beyond the city, and he was also about to use some kind of Spatial Magic.''


    Ser''ith could sense this due to his Skills of [Absolute Spatial Magic] and [Damage Precognition]. Thetter was a Passive Skill that only kicked in when real danger was about to approach, so he would be able to glimpse five seconds into the future.


    That was how he was able to tell that thed wanted to contact someone. He would have used Spatial Magic or something of the sort to bring the person or thing over, and that would have been dangerous.


    It was a reflex action¡­ killing the kid.


    He unleashed the full power of his Dragon Breath and burned him to crisps. He also ensured all of that damage was suffered by him in high intensity by ensuring he was entrapped in a closed space.


    All of that¡­ just to prevent the worst-case scenario that his [Damage Precognition] sensed.


    Back then, Ser''ith was a little curious as to what the human could possibly summon that could damage him. However, he decided to take action before thinking about it.


    After all, one of hisrades had just been killed by a human just earlier. It was an ambush, sure, but the death was real nheless.


    Besides, [Damage Precognition] had never been wrong before.


    Unfortunately for him¡­ by killing that boy, he triggered the girl who was beside him.


    ''This girl¡­ this human¡­ she''s a monster!'' Ser''ith thought to himself, shrieking as he gazed upon her bloody form.


    ''She doesn''t stop! She won''t stop!''


    His heart raced as he took a few steps back, looking around him for any alternative to the problem he was currently facing.


    ''Lady Kar''en is down for the count, and she was my insurance against this monster!'' He gritted his teeth as he felt the human''s intimidating gaze.


    ''R''ashu is fast, so I thought he would be able to help me deal with her¡­ but he''s dead?!''


    Phil''emon wasn''t around, so it was safe to say that he was dead too. Still, even if he was present, he wouldn''t have been of any help.


    ¡­ Not against this one.


    ''I don''t know how she does it, but her attacks alwaysnd, even if I teleport or use Spatial Magic to warp space.''


    It was almost as if her power ignored distance.


    Plus, she always seemed to track him down no matter where he teleported to. Sure, he was able tond some hits in the beginning¡ªhence the reason why she looked so disheveled¡ª


    but she quickly limated to his attacks and started dishing out counters.


    ''Her attacks are invisible, and they hit with scary precision. They''re also too fast!''


    It got so bad to the point that Ser''ith couldn''t activate his Spatial Magic any longer. The moment he tried to, he would get hit by a powerful barrage that wouldpletely ruin his actions.


    ''Spatial Magic requires incredible concentration. She''s constantly overwhelming me, preventing me from using it properly.''


    There was nothing in his arsenal that he could use to diffuse her. If he had a partner, sure, they could tag her and emerge victorious.


    But alone? He stood no chance at all!


    ''Is this all because I killed that guy? Was he her lover or something?'' Ser''ith didn''t know the nature of their rtionship, but he knew something for sure.


    Staring deep into Belle''s murderous eyes, and seeing how the overflowing energy around her kept undting, he was well aware of his impending fate.


    ''I''m going to die at this rate!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    How do you think Belle got so strong? Or why do you think she was able to win?

 Chapter 521 Heretic Mage

    <h4>Chapter 521 Heretic Mage </h4>


    ''Sir Ralyks¡­ it''s all because of you that I''m alive right now¡­''


    Belle''s thoughts were lost in the storm that was her rage and grief. As she stared down the person she desired to kill, most of her thoughts were stifled by noise.


    ''If not for the ring you bestowed to me¡­ I would probably be dead right now.''


    Her ''[Enchanted Ring Of The Caster]'' was something special, after all. Not only did it boost the Magic Power of the target by an unfathomable degree, but it also doubled the attack potency of any Spell used.


    Thanks to these attributes, Belle was able to keep using high-level Magic and not run out of Mana like she would have otherwise.


    ''Thank you, Sir Ralyks¡­'' As her thoughts trailed, she raised her hand and pointed it in the direction of her foe.


    There was no real need to point her hand towards him, as her Spells would follow hermand regardless, but Belle felt her body moving on its own.


    The prime reason for her Spell''s efficiency and power, apart from the immense advantage that her ring offered her, was the nature of her ss.


    [Heretic Mage] was a ss that focused mostly on offense.


    One of her ss Privileges was the automatic imbuement of a ''sure-hit'' effect on any Magic Spell she used. That way, regardless of defenses, it would automatically travel and hit the enemy.


    If you added that to the nigh-infinite Mana and ''double power'' that her ring provided, as well as the high-level Magic Spells she had in her arsenal, it wasn''t a surprise that she was able to keep up with the enemy that she fought.


    It was difficult at first, but she was able to keep up with the Dragon Commander and turn the tables around.


    This was also not too surprising since, other than Adonis, she had the highest Level among the Otherworlders.


    Despite all of these abilities that she possessed, it was even a surprise that she would be ced in charge of rescue rather than assault. With her power, the Otherworlders would have stood a much better chance fighting the Dragons.


    That was her rationale, and the reason why she opted to join the assault team.


    But¡ª


    "No. Our main mission isn''t to defeat the enemies, but to save as many people as possible. Your task is far more important than ours, and we need someone strong enough to carry most of that burden alone."


    ¡ªThat was what Adonis told her.


    She would take the lead in the rescue operations, as the person with the most Mana of the bunch. Rey would simply be her assistant¡ªa footsoldier in the cause.


    Belle could definitely understand Adonis'' rationale. He, as well as the other Otherworlders were already plenty strong. However, their skill-sets were very limitedpared to hers.


    Only she could summon a tidal wave of water to douse the mes around her, while also using her winds to carry as many people to safety.


    In terms of versatile Magic, she was the best.


    Even if she was also incredible at offense, herpetence in Magic made her the prime choice in rescue, so she epted the role without making a fuss.


    But now¡­


    "I couldn''t care less if they die or not¡­" Belle growled, forgetting about the rescue operation that she had put on hold for her vendetta.


    None of those nameless and faceless people mattered to her at this point.


    "You killed Rey, you bastard! You killed my friend¡ªthe one person that Sir Ralyks told me to look out for the most!"


    Belle''s tears overflowed even more as she shuddered at the thought of what Ralyks would say or do to her in response to this gross failure on her part.


    ''He''ll be so disappointed in me. He might not talk to me again. He will hate me for sure!''


    More than anything, Belle didn''t want to be seen as ipetent by Ralyks. He was the one that she wanted to stand beside one day.


    To do that, she would have to prove herself.


    Belle already knew that, and she worked incredibly hard to gain his recognition and attention.


    But now¡­ all of that was ruined.


    "Because of YOU¡­!"


    A single pulse rushed from her hand, and it instantly traveled to her target, crushing his face with a powerful press of wind.


    "Guark!"


    Blood gushed out of the Commander''s face as he crashed on the ground, falling weakly on his knees as he stared fearfully at Belle.


    Personally, she couldn''t care less about his pain or fear.


    She didn''t think anything of it. Right now, all she wanted was to inflict as much damage to the enemy and hope that he could somehow restore Rey''s life to him.


    ''He can''t be dead. I can''t let him die¡­ I can''t¡­ he can''t¡­!''


    Her eyes widened even more as she kept sending shockwave after shockwave at her adversary.


    Each hit caused rubble to fly in multiple directions, crushing the charred earth even more than usual. Slices of wind cut through the enemy''s wings as they regenerated and he tried to escape.


    His flesh was crushed.


    His bones were grinded.


    His blood was spilled.


    Over and over¡­ and over again.


    "Bring him back¡­" Belle whispered. "Bring Rey back¡­"


    After dealing multiple strikes, to the point where the Commander was unrecognizable from his previous, glorious estate, she screamed at the very top of her lungs.


    "BRING REY BACK, YOU FILTHY PIECE OF SHIT!"


    As her voice echoed throughout the area, everyone around her were finally able to hear the incoherent words she had been mumbling for some time now.


    Their eyes widened upon hearing the news.


    However, no one said anything. Perhaps they were too scared or startled to speak.


    Until¡ª


    "W-what did you say¡­?" A certain brte raised her head for the first time in so long, her swollen eyes wide with disbelief as she mechanically turned to Belle.


    Alicia, still kneeling, moved her trembling lips, staring hard at her ally.


    "... What did you say about Rey?"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Well, tragedy hits just when victory is achieved. This certainly sucks, doesn''t it?


    I wonder if this fight is truly over, though¡­

 Chapter 522 Groveling

    <h4>Chapter 522 Groveling </h4>


    Stifling silence hung in the air.


    Everyone present, both the Dragons and Otherworlders could feel the palpable tension that spread itself through the expanse around them.


    That single question, "... What did you say about Rey?" brought dread to the atmosphere, and all awaited the inevitable answer from the lips of the bloodied mess of a girl who stood amidst the torrents of wind.


    Belle turned to look at Alicia''s despairing face, and at that moment¡­ all her rage-fueled strength began to sizzle out.


    The pain in the eyes of the brte resonated within her as well, and her tightly clenched jaws loosened to allow for tremors.


    "He¡­ h-he¡­" More tears began to flow down Belle''s face.


    They were hot and bitter, bountiful as they descended down her pretty eyes. Her weak body soon followed the trail of tears as she knelt on the same ground they struck.


    "Rey is dead!" Belle cried out, her voice ascending as high as the heavens itself.


    As she let out the words, releasing all the pain and sorrow into the world that watched her, all of her allies watched in shock.


    Adonis'' eyes widened with disbelief. His countenance made it so obvious that he could not believe what he heard.


    Devastated would not begin to begin to describe how he looked.


    Lucielle and Brutus both had shocked and pained expressions on their respective faces. The news about the deaths of one of their wards was, as expected, bone-chilling.


    It was fortunate that the other Otherworlders could not hear the horrid news. However, none of that mattered in the face of the one person that this revtion affected most.


    ¡ªAlicia White herself.


    As soon as she heard that Rey was dead, something in her heart snapped into two¡ªlike a feeble twig. Then, like a ss made of fickle ss, her mind broke into pieces.


    "Rey¡­ died¡­?"


    With those mere words, serving as silent whispers, her face clouded up and her brilliant amber eyes darkened; almost like an eclipse had urred.


    Then, the tears came.


    They overflowed, bursting out like a dam that had long passed its limits.


    Alicia said no more. She simply knelt there, her tears saying all that went on within her fractured mind.


    The only voice that could be heard in the tense, tragic scene was Belle''s, as she raised her voice and cried at the top of her lungs.


    Adonis and the others also had downcast faces, but nothing couldpare to the raw pain that the two girls disyed; one by bawling her eyes out, and the other by just standing still and letting the river flow.


    The Dragons knew better than to ruin this moment. Any wrong move from them would be met by a swift strike from the grieving humans.


    The single look of pure pain and anger mixed on Adonis'' face was enough to show that.


    Their best bet was to wait and rekindle their strength¡ªat the very least, until they would be able to escape their current predicament and report to the Lord.


    The humans mourned, and the Dragons waited.


    However, neither side could have expected what happened next.


    "I decided to leave my dreary abode, yet what do I find here?" A voice that no one had ever heard before suddenly rang in everyone''s ears.


    It was loud.


    It was deep.


    It wasmanding.


    "This ce looks even more boorish than the pce. I wonder why¡­" The owner of the voice stood at the center of the chaos, almost as if he had been there all along.


    He had flowing ck hair, with hues of dark purple and blue gleaming from its glossy surface. A cleanly cut beard graced his smooth chin as his mature facey bare for all to see.


    This man had a long, exquisite robe. The kind of apparel that only royalty would be allowed to wear. It had none of the unnecessary jewelry and excessive designs that often bloated the attire of human nobility, yet something about his form seemed more pristine.


    He had a single obsidian ne that gleamed with otherworldly beauty, and his pure ck attire had purplish blue designs that made it stand out beneath the glow of sunset.


    The whites of his eyes were doused in ck, and his irises were a fine blend of blue and purple.


    Perhaps a hint of indigo too.


    Then, decorating his head, as if they were crowns born from his natural skin, were six horns.


    "Did someone die or something?" The man was smiling, clearly chuckling at his joke as he floated about a meter in the air.


    Both hands were behind him as he observed his surroundings.


    The filth and debris were all fed into his senses as he took a swift look around.


    He saw the humans. He witnessed the devastation. Then, he cast his sights on the true reason he was there at that moment.


    ¡ªThe Dragons!


    "L-Lord Ob''elisk!" The voice of Kar''en rang out loud in a way that none of the humans had ever heard before.


    Her tone was filled with only one thing.


    ¡­ Pure reverence.


    Who could me her? For she was in the presence of one of the 9 Dragon Lords¡ªThe Dark Dragon Of The ck Mountain.


    Before such an entity, who was she? Who was her subordinate?


    They were but mere specks that could do nothing but bow their heads and grovel before his magnificence.


    "L-Lord Ob''elisk¡­?!" The stupefied face that Ser''ith made was only due to his ignorance.


    He had neverid eyes on the Dark Dragon Lord before, so he was a little shocked by the suddenness of his arrival.


    Thankfully, his instincts had kicked in and forced his body to grovel before the mighty one before his mind even processed what was happening.


    That very moment, the creatures known as invincible showed greater awe and reverence to a more supreme entity.


    "Well, this is indeed an unexpected turn of events¡­" The Dragon Lord turned away from the weaker members of his race and finally returned his attention to the still humans who watched in absolute silence.


    For a few seconds that seemed tost an eternity, Lord Ob''elisk watched them.


    Then¡­ he spoke.


    "Which one among you killed that offspring of mine?"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Well¡­ I suppose the climax is reaching us very closely. Where do you posit that the Otherworlders will go from here?

 Chapter 523 Overwhelming Power

    <h4>Chapter 523 Overwhelming Power</h4>


    ''We''re doomed.''


    Those were Adonis'' only thought when he gazed upon the Dark Dragon Lord.


    The being''s overwhelming presence, his immacte attire, hismanding expression; all of it oozed the same thing.


    ¡ªPower.


    Sheer, unbridled power!


    Adonis, with his Divine de, and his allies, were nothingpared to this supreme entity¡ªone that could even be revered as a deity.


    Dragon Lords were not like the rest of their kind. They were several levels above them, which was why they were often treated like gods.


    Even Adonis, despite his sheer willpower and hatred towards the Dragons, found his legs shaking. His knees were tempted to buckle and crumble to the earth.


    It took all of his strength to remain upright and still.


    The screaming Belle fell quiet the moment the Dragon Lord appeared, so the entire expanse was as silent as a graveyard.


    Not even the strained breathing of everyone could be heard.


    They all had to be quiet¡­ and look to the one who held their lives in his hands.


    "I asked a question, but it seems like no one is willing to respond." The Dragon Lord itched his ear a little, scanning the audience a little before sighing.


    "Look, you people should just rx a little, okay? I didn''te here to fight or anything. If I did, you''d all be dead by now."


    The Lord was right.


    Yet, the way he said it so casually made Adonis'' heart squeeze in pain. The weight of powerlessness was heavy on him, but he could still say nothing.


    "You can rest assured that I won''t harm the rest of you. I''ll take my leave as soon as I''m done satiating my curiosity, so don''t worry." He added, scanning the audience once again.


    "So who did it? Who killed¡­ ah, what''s his name again? Jerardino? Jerado? Erm¡­?"


    He turned behind him to look at the Dragon General, using his facial expression to signal them so they could help him out with the answer.


    "I-It''s Jer''ard, my Lord¡­" Kar''en did her best to whisper it, but everyone in the devastated grounds still heard her response.


    The shameless Dragon Lord pretended as if that wasn''t the case and snapped his fingers the instant she told him the answer.


    "Jer''ard¡­ yes. That''s his name. He was a miner, and hisst recorded location was within your Capital, so I want to know how he died." He said, a small smile forming on his face.


    "So who killed him?"


    Adonis'' mind was clouded by grief, pain, and fear, but there was no way he would fall for such an obvious front from a treacherous Dragon.


    The smile of the Dragon Lord was calm, kind, and even somewhat friendly. It seemed so genuine that, despite his overwhelming presence and might, one could probably believe his words and sympathize with his intentions.


    But¡ª


    ''I''m not buying it!'' Adonis'' mind echoed as he gritted his teeth.


    Dragons were the pinnacle of evil in this world. They desired nothing but chaos, and they took pleasure in inflicting as much of that chaos on those they deemed inferior to them.


    There was no way a Dragon Lord would try to sympathize with a human, or think of sparing them upon meeting with them.


    Dragons were brutal and merciless; and this one was no exception.


    ''He''ll get the information he desires, and then he''ll annihte everyone and everything that exists in his line of sight.''


    No one would be spared from his power.


    "I can see that you distrust me quite a bit, and I understand why¡­" The Dark Dragon Lord''s voice suddenly echoed in the air, instantly suspending Adonis'' thoughts.


    "But you''re really overestimating yourselves if you think I would make a personal effort to eliminate you." He sighed. "Where''s the pleasure in that?"


    Adonis felt his teeth clenching against each other as he made a deep scowl.


    The Dragon Lord looked at him in particr and broadened his smile. "Even now, despite seeing such tant disrespect and sensing such deep animosity from you, I still refuse to take your lives."


    Yes. He made it a point that he could kill them at any time.


    Their lives were literally in his hands.


    "I just don''t want to. It''ll be too nd to do so now, especially since it serves no real purpose."


    In essence¡­ they were not worthy to die by his hands.


    "..."


    None of the humans said anything. They all just watched in silence.


    Perhaps they didn''t want to tell on Ralyks, their savior, and put a bounty on his back. Maybe they simply didn''t want to cooperate with this utterly malevolent entity that stood before them.


    Or, the most likely reason, that they were simply too terrified to speak.


    "Why don''t I give you some time to process my question ande up with an answer?" The Dragon Lord sighed, huffing a bit of air as he turned away in dejection.


    He floated off from the humans and went to the side of the Dragons, his backs turned against the purported enemies.


    But, both the human and the dragon side knew that they were no real threats to him.


    "Once I''m done talking to these two, I''lle for my answer." He waved, and then in the blink of an eye, all three of them vanished.


    ~VWUSH!~


    Slight crackles of purple lightning and energy danced around the area where the three Dragons previously upied. Now, it was empty.


    The only ones left on the devastated grounds were Adonis and the rest of the humans.


    Then, almost as if they finally remembered to breathe¡­ the world around them became filled with heavy sighs of both relief and exhaustion.


    Once the overwhelming pressure was gone, the humans were finally able to move their bodies and turn to each other.


    All of them were frightened.


    "W-what do we do now¡­?" For some reason, they all turned to Adonis the moment the question was raised.


    Brutus, Lucielle, Alicia, and Belle¡­ all of them stared hard at the Hero for an answer. He always knew what to do, and what was going on, after all.


    However, for the first time ever, Adonis fell short of their expectations and cast his gaze on the ground.


    "I¡­ I don''t know."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Do you think the Dragon Lord is lying about sparing them or not?

 Chapter 524 The Only Solution

    Chapter 524 The Only Solution


    No matter how one looked at it, humanity was screwed.


    Now that a Dragon Lord had arrived here, there was no hope for survival in the slightest.


    Even if they managed to fend off the Dragon Lord¡ªan impossible feat on its own¡ªthis would only alert the other Dragon Lords, which could inevitably spiral into a more devastating situation.


    "If we tell the Dragon Lord what he wants, there''s a chance he might leave us alone, right? Why don''t we go with that?" Lucielle spoke up, her voice oozing with concern.


    The bright smile she usually had was gone, and nothing but pure seriousness remained.


    She was staring at Adonis, as was everyone who had gathered in a circle. The bodies of their unconscious allies were stillying on the ground, and while Lucielle managed to give them emergency potions, they were yet to gain consciousness.


    Only Brutus, Belle, Alicia, Adonis, and the Grand Mage herself, were gathered around in the circle; discussing their next move.


    Well, it wasn''t more of a discussion and more like haphazard suggestions.


    "That won''t work." Adonis sighed, shaking his head slowly.


    No matter what suggestions were made, he always shot it down with a valid point thatpletely rendered it non-feasible.


    "Even if he spares us, which I highly doubt, you can be guaranteed that he''ll send a horde of Dragons to burn this ce to the ground."


    None of the denizens of the city¡ªthem included¡ªwould even have any time to recover.


    "We could escape within that moment of grace, couldn''t we? There are secret paths that¡ª!"


    "The Dragons aren''t stupid. They are sure to prepare for that." Adonis responded, shaking his head even further as he gritted his teeth. "All of this¡­ it all started with the emergence of that first Commander."


    If only they never met that thing, none of this would have happened.


    "Are you ming Sir Ralyks right now? Are you saying all of this is his fault because he killed that Commander?" Belle swiftly spoke up, her brows furrowed very narrowly as she red deeply at Adonis.


    "Should he have let the Commander run rampant and kill all of us?!"


    "T-that wasn''t what I¡­ haaa, just forget I said anything." Adonis made a big sigh, regretting his choice of words.


    Thankfully, Belle was appeased by that, so she kept quiet.


    "What now? What can we do to ensure the best of results?" Brutus'' deep voice interrupted the tense atmosphere, and he cast his gaze specifically towards the Hero.


    "You have something in mind, don''t you?" For a moment, Adonis said nothing. He just let his thoughts marinate a bit, soaking in the tense situation and the inevitable return of the supreme adversary.


    But, after a few seconds¡­ he opened his lips and let out what he considered the only way out.


    "We have to fight and win against the Dragon Lord."


    The moment he said this, Adonis was greeted with surprise. One would think that he, more than anyone else, would know how impossible of a task that was.


    It was insane, if not suicidal, to think of such a thing as the only feasible solution.


    "What do you mean? Can you borate?" Brutus, rather than judging him or wallowing in the impossibility of the suggestion, went on to ask.


    There was no way Adonis would have said something so absurd without a reason. Every person in the room knew that, which was why they did not instantly speak against his words.


    They simply waited for an exnation.


    ~VWUSH~


    In a sh of energy, something emerged from Adonis'' outstretched hand. It was a dark cube, one that pulsated with a forbidden power. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡ªThe Unknown Box.


    "This is the only thing that can help us out now." Adonis muttered, staring at the item which floated above his palm.


    The box bounced steadily in the air, warbling with invitation as everyone stared keenly at it.


    "It allows its user to temporarily awaken and use the full potential of a Skill, without any Mana Charge or drawbacks¡­ once per day."


    Adonis had used this in the Grand Cmity ss Dungeon, so the Otherworlders could already testify to its power.


    "There''s something else about it, though¡­" Adonis furrowed his brows as he continued. "... This item isn''t restricted to only one wielder."


    The moment everyone¡ªparticrly the Otherworlders¡ªheard this, they gasped.


    "H-hold on, are you saying we can use it as well?" Belle asked, her nearly bulging eyes staring at the item.


    "Yes." Adonis nodded. Despite admitting to this, though, his expression remained more grim than optimistic.


    "There''s a catch, isn''t there?" The sudden question caused everyone to tremble in surprise. They were stunned by what was asked, sure, but more surprised by the one who asked it.


    The group instantly stared at Alicia, who had remained quiet until now. "How did you guess?" Adonis asked, his lips forming a sad, wry smile.


    "You would have suggested its use earlier, when fighting the Dragons¡­ no, even before then. During the Grand Cmity Dungeon."


    The fact that Adonis never suggested the use of the Unknown Box¡ªnot even once¡ªshowed that there was something about it that made the Item undesirable to use.


    "Am I wrong?" Alicia stared coldly at Adonis while asking.


    There didn''t seem to be any particr emotion in her eyes at all. It just seemed dull and somewhat dark.


    It caused Adonis to shiver a little, but he shook his head regardless.


    "No. You''re spot on, actually." After speaking to her, he turned to everyone else, sighing as he revealed the problem with the cube.


    "It''s a cursed item. Using it will cast a random curse upon the target¡ªone that is permanent." Shock coursed through those who heard this, but Adonis was not done.


    "The curse varies. It could be something as simple as being allergic to a certain food, or being crippled forever. It''s random, but the effects are permanent."


    "B-but why would Sir Ralyks give you such an Item if its so cursed?!" Belle raised her voice as she stared at the item with newfound caution.


    "Because my Hero ss prevents curses from working on me. Most curses won''t affect me, and the few that do wear off eventually." In essence, only Adonis could properly use the Unknown Box.


    *


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    *

 Chapter 525 Eerie Execution

    Chapter 525 Eerie Execution


    The dreary quiet that enveloped the expanse seemed tost an eternity.


    A choice had to be made among those who were still conscious, but it was not an easy one to make.


    "I didn''t say anything before because I didn''t ever want you people to use it. As the future of humanity, if any of you sumb to a curse that permanently damages you, or removes you from the fight, then¡­ our chances of victory in the long run will be greatlypromised."


    As Adonis said this, a slight scoff echoed from Alicia.


    "So why suggest it now?"


    His face fell even further as he clenched his fist, bracing himself to answer the question.


    "The circumstances have changed. The way I see it¡­ there''s really no way out this time. Humanity is doomed either way, so it''s best we go all-out and fight to the bitter end." n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    It would be foolish not to use everything at their disposal at this point.


    "If you each upgrade your abilities to the fullest, that will ce it at the epitome of SS Tier, which should allow us to obtain victory." Adonis added, staring at each person among the audience.


    Alicia''s Healing would prevent them from dying as they made their attack. Belle''s Wind Magic, coupled with her Heretic ss Privilege would give them the offensive advantage. Lucielle''s power to hijack or jam the Skills of her enemies would be a perfect counter to the Dragons, and Brutus could be their vanguard and hold off the Lord.


    Alicia''s Healing would prevent them from dying as they made their attack. Belle''s Wind Magic, coupled with her Heretic ss Privilege would give them the offensive advantage. Lucielle''s power to hijack or jam the Skills of her enemies would be a perfect counter to the Dragons, and Brutus could be their vanguard and hold off the Lord.


    "I''ll have to use Limit Transcension again so I can assist in the battle. It''ll greatly drain my Stats, but if I manage to kill the Lord, then I should be able to regain all of it."


    That was the most optimal solution at the moment.


    "But what of the aftermath? What will happen after we kill the Dragon? Won''t the other Lords be alerted by that? Wouldn''t that cause even more cmity to befall us?"


    This question from Lucielle caused Adonis to nod his head and bite his lip slightly. It seemed he was out of words to say.


    "Even if they are alerted, I''m sure the death of a Dragon Lord will cause them to exercise more caution in whatever next step they want to take. That should buy us more time to evacuate the city or at least prepare for another attack."


    Once again, everyone was surprised by Alicia''s words. Even though she spoke in a dead,pletely emotionless tone, her voice rang with mechanical logic.


    "I agree with Adonis. This seems to be the most optimal choice for survival."


    At the very least, if they managed to kill the Dragon Lord, they would have a day or two before a full-blown invasion happened. "If that''s the case, we can simply use the Box again and unleash our full potential."


    "B-but the Curse¡ª!"


    "Would you rather be cursed¡­ or be killed?" Alicia''s words echoed harshly as she stared coldly at Lucielle.


    The Grand Mage backed off, and decorum took charge.


    Then, as if out of nowhere, Belle''s tiny voice echoed something that all of them must have considered at least once, but no one was able to say.


    "S-Sir Ralyks¡­ mighte to save us¡­"


    Judging by the devastation around them, and the chaos that had already been wrought by the Dragons, coupled with no signs of salvation from anywhere, it was safe to say that the Dark Adventurer was not present.


    "I think it''s best not to rely on Sir Ralyks." Adonis smiled as he looked at Belle''s teary eyes.


    "B-but¡­ where is he now?"


    As she sobbed, Alicia sighed and looked far into the distance.


    "He might be dead too."


    Her words caused Belle''s widened eyes to bulge even further, and tears flowed from them as she considered the possibility of those words.


    "What? Why would you even say that?" Adonis swiftly snapped at Alicia, but she disyed no remorse for her words.


    Instead, she simply shrugged and muttered a half-hearted response.


    "Just a hunch."


    Once again, silence echoed among the gathered students. No one uttered a single word as they kept interchanging nces among one another.


    Then¡ª


    "I should be the first to use the Box. With it, I can heal all of you and return your bodies to optimal status. I can also heal everyone else and get potential backup." Alicia stood to her feet, stretching her hand towards Adonis as she maintained an upright posture.


    Still, there was no emotion in her eyes.


    One by one, everyone rose to their feet, including Adonis who kept staring at Alicia with hints of worry and concern.


    "A-are you sure¡­?" Her n made sense, and it was indeed optimal for her to go first. But this bravery of hers also meant that she would be the first to be affected by the curse once the effects of the Box was over. Most people would be terrified of that.


    "Don''t worry about me." Alicia made a hollow smile as she stretched her hand even further to him. "I''m fine."


    Adonis handed over the box to her, and it began to pulsate with a somewhat ominous power the moment the transfer was made.


    "Remember not to use it until the Dragon Lord shows up. We need to conserve as much time as possible before¡ª!"


    ~VWUUUSH!~


    In the blink of an eye, the trio of Dragons returned, all of them looking good as new.


    They all had humanoid appearances, with the General and Commander respectively keeping their heads bowed as the Dragon Lord stood before them.


    He still had a calm smile on his face, with both hands ced behind him and a gentle aura surrounding his stifling presence.


    "So, have you made your decision?" He asked.


    Adonis and the rest of the humans gulped. It was now Alicia''s cue to unleash the power of the cube and then pass it to Lucielle, who would shut off the Lord''s Skills.


    Afterwards, Belle and Brutus would take their respective turns and attack, while he joined the fray. That was the n. However¡­ "Sorry, Adonis¡­" Alicia''s voice coldly rang in the air as she grabbed the box with both hands and stared at it with eerie intent.


    "... But I''ll be doing this on my own."


    No one understood Alicia or what she meant by that, but they could already sense the ominous effects of her words.


    However, to her, she saw something else.


    ''I¡­ I can''t let this happen¡­''


    Two of her friends were dead¡ªfirst Snow, then Rey¡ªand now there seemed to be certain death waiting for everyone else.


    Even if they didn''t die, they would get cursed with permanent effect; and that was all for a temporary boost in power.


    Were they even guaranteed to win, even with the upgrade? No.


    Their experience within the Grand Cmity ss Dungeon already showcased that splendidly. In essence, more people were most likely going to die or suffer for a cause that was not assured.


    Alicia could not ept that.


    So, if that was her line of thought, why then did she agree to the n? Well¡­ ''It was all for this moment¡­''


    Before Adonis¡ªas well as everyone else¡ªcould say or do anything, the voice of the girl echoed out with thunderous power.


    "[Divine Beast Summon: Divine Tier]."


    *


    *


    *

 Chapter 526 Dark Dragon Lord

    <h4>Chapter 526 Dark Dragon Lord</h4>


    [Moments Earlier]


    "M-My Lord¡­ what exactly do you n to do with those humans?"


    Kar''en, as well as her subordinate, were bowed in the presence of the Dark Dragon Lord, but after getting his permission to raise their heads, they both cast their gaze upon him.


    They still remained on their knees, though.


    As Kar''en''s crimson eyes reflected the immacte form of her superior, she felt tremors within her body. Merely speaking to him gave her shivers.


    Despite belonging to the same species as the Death Dragon Lord, and one of those recognized as viable candidates to seed him, she still revered the Dark Dragon Lord as her true master.


    She had trained under his guidance for the longest time, after all.


    "Hm? What do you mean? I already said I would let them go, didn''t I?" Lord Ob''elisk replied, almost acting surprised by the General''s questions.


    "J-just like that¡­?"


    The Dragon Lords were mysteries, even to the members of their race. As such, it was very difficult to decipher the true emotions and intentions of one, even if they outwardly disyed a particr trait.


    The Dark Dragon Lord was known to be detached and ruthless, yet here he was talking about sparing the insignificant humans.


    ''Lord Ob''elisk doesn''t even care much for any of his offspring, especially if they''re weak. That''s why he did not even hesitate to take me under his wing despite not being from his lineage¡­''


    As long as one waspetent, they had the attention of the Dark Dragon Lord.


    "I-I don''t understand¡­"


    "You don''t need to. It''s just going to be a waste to eradicate them now, after all." The Dragon Lord said with a slight shrug.


    "Besides, we can eliminate them at any time. There''s nothing wrong in waiting a little while longer to fatten up thembs a little longer."


    "I-I see¡­" Kar''en sped her hands as she heard her Lord utter those words.


    Once again, she was reminded of his ruthlessness and detachment from any life he deemed inferior.


    Her eyes glistened and she nodded in respect for his words.


    "By the way¡­ the both of you should have this." With a snap of his fingers, Lord Ob''elisk caused two potions within special-looking vials to appear in front of each kneeling Dragon.


    The purplish liquid within the vial sloshed within the ss-likepartment, and while it glistened with allure, a certain danger oozed from within it.


    "M-My Lord¡­?"


    As Kar''en eyed the floating potion in front of her, she couldn''t determine whether it was poison, or some other kind of concoction. The look on Ser''ith''s face showed that he too was faced with the same conflict.


    "They''re Recovery Potions. Stop being overly dramatic and consume them." Lord Ob''elisk sighed, almost pping his hand on his face while shaking his head.


    He didn''t say any further, but his expression alone showed how disappointed he was that they thought he would feed them poison.


    ''Why would I even do that?'' He almost opened his lips to say. ''You''re my subordinates. Plus, I could just kill you myself if I wanted you dead¡­''


    He restrained himself from speaking any further, though, considering how these two would probably misconstrue his words to suit whatever perception of him that they had in his head.


    ''It seems my very presence here has sparked a lot of misunderstandings¡­'' He sighed internally, turning away from the two who had already begun to consume the contents of the vial.


    As they did so, their bodies glowed, and they began to recover their Life Force, Mana Levels, and Combat Ability.


    His Potion was very potent, after all.


    ''I wouldn''t havee here if it was left up to me, but¡­ apparently, the Emperor caught wind of my secret investigation and told me to ensure the heart of human civilization was still left standing¡­''


    That meant he had to make sure the Capital didn''t suffer any major damage or fall.


    ''I have no idea what the Emperor is thinking, and why this battle needs to be dragged out for so long like this, but¡­ frankly, I don''t really care.''


    When Ob''elisk thought about something for too long, he had one solution that always worked for him.


    ''I can''t wait till I''m done here so I can go back to sleep.'' Right now, that was the only thing on his mind.


    He was even feeling a little sleepy as he stood.


    ''The Emperor wants to spare the humans, so I have to obey. The reason I showed up was to stop the whole investigation personally, and also to personally see how much human civilization has grown.''


    It had been a couple decades or so since hest came out to check the humans out¡ªor even left thefort of his castle at all¡ªand it seemed not much had changed about them.


    Their civilization looked pretty much the same.


    ''Well, it''s a good thing I came when I did. I initially thought I would have to stop my minions from killing more humans, but it seems it was the other way around.''


    Ob''elisk couldn''t have anticipated what he saw with his eyes. The humans actually had the upper hand in the fight.


    ''They''ve killed three of them already, and these two would have surely died if I didn''t show up.'' He cast his gaze on Kar''en and Ser''ith¡ªboth of them lookingpletely rejuvenated thanks to his Potion.


    ''Well, none of that matters now. All I need is to get the name of the guy who killed my offspring and kill him, at least to save some face.''


    He didn''t really care for revenge, but he couldn''t afford to show up after so long and not do anything. That would reduce the perception of Dragon Lords in the eyes of humans, and he was sure the Emperor would scold him if that happened.


    ''At the very least¡­ I should just kill my child''s murderer. That''s more than enough justification, right?'' With that in mind, he nodded andpletely turned to his subordinate.


    They were already on their feet, saluting and ready for action. It was moments like this that reminded Ob''elisk that his subordinates were at least somewhat sensible.


    "Okay, let''s return."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    This was a prelude chapter, to take a brief break from the tension fromst time. Now, it''s time we jump right back in.

 Chapter 527 The Present Calamity

    Chapter 527 The Present Cmity


    [The Present] n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    As the voice of the Grand Tamer sprang forth, a miracle was born into the world.


    The ground split wide open, and the cloudspletely parted; all to wee the arrival of a being that transcended the knowledge and power of everyone present.


    The witnesses stood frozen, almost as if they were stuck in time, as a brilliant circle formed on the ground. Runic inscriptions decorated the Magic Circle, with severalyers ovepping and mixing with each other in a perpetual dance.


    A brilliant light shot up to the vast sky as the Circle''spletion was reached, and a massive dome of incorporeal energy instantly covered the entire area.


    Then, from within the swirling blue void that existed within the Circle, something began to emerge.


    ¡ªSomething unnatural.


    The being was covered in scales from head to toe¡ªsilvery blue scales that were bathed in the white color of the Magic Circle it upied. It had a muscr form, as well as a massive gait of about three meters.


    It had two incredibly massive hands, and its stumpy legs seemed to made up of nothing but muscles underneath those scales.


    A tail pped behind it, also covered in scales, and jagged spikes rose from behind the beast¡ªas if protruding from its spine. It had a bald head, with only one horn, tall and majestic, rising from the center of its forehead, as its eyeless face was raised.


    It had a terror-inducing maw, however. Like the teeth of a shark, though several times multiplied within its seemingly bottomless mouth, the terrible jaws of the beast opened a little, releasing drool-like saliva to the ground.


    Hunching a little, like an exhausted creature who had a heavy weight on their back, the beast let out a steamy breath as it made its appearance.


    It was here, in its full majesty¡ªa creature of abomination and horror.


    A Divine-Tier Beast.


    "Haaa¡­" More steam proceeded from its lips as the barrier around the circle ensured it remained right inside it.


    Usually, any Summon would be restricted from ever leaving the confines of the Circle until the Summoner or Tamer deemed it so. This was in order to protect the one who called forth the beast, giving them time to hurry to safety, or to bond with the creature.


    As such, no creature could ever defy the binds of the circle that surrounded it.


    Unless¡­


    ~ZZZTTZZZ~


    ¡­ They were like this one.


    The muscr body of the beast passed through the barrier, instantly causing the thing to melt as it came into contact with its scaly skin.


    A gust of wind would have offered more resistance than the barrier that was supposed to trap it.


    Then, as its two monster-like feet touched the bare ground, finally escaping the grasp of the Magic Circle, the brilliant disy of white light finally ceased.


    The Circle vanished, revealing the true form of the Divine Beast.


    Its silvery-blue scales made it seem more like a fish than a reptile. It also had gill-like openings on its very muscr neck, and tattoo-like markings that covered its entire body¡ªespecially its back.


    Once its appearance was fully known to those before it, they were finally able to move.


    "N-no¡­ you didn''t¡­" Adonis whispered, almost whimpering as his eyes took in the monstrous thing that stood a few steps away from him.


    Lucielle, Belle, and Brutus had no idea what kind of creature they were looking at, but they instinctively knew at that moment.


    ¡­ This thing was dangerous!


    They remained frozen in their respective positions as the Divine Beast walked ahead, moving past them without bothering to pay them any mind.


    Its eyeless face seemed to be focused right head, towards the three Dragons that stood in the distance.


    And what were their reactions?


    The Dragon General and Commanders had simr reactions to the rest of the humans. They were terrified of the existence that just manifested before them.


    ¡ªThe one that was marching towards them.


    As for the Dragon Lord, he had a far moreplicated expression. Yes, something akin to fear was embedded deep within his eyes, but there was something else.


    ¡­ Something more primal.


    "Y-you¡­" The Dragon Lord growled, his calm and collected maskpletely shattering that very instant.


    "WHAT ARE YOU?!"


    Panic mixed with an instinctive desire for survival filled his face.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!~


    An immeasurable burst of purple energy exploded that very instant, all rising from the Dragon Lord. Without hesitation, he began to initiate his full transformation.


    His wings grew muchrger, dark scales began covering his flesh. His horns grew much bigger, and his body was about to follow suit.


    Then¡ª


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    Faster than a bolt of lightning, or the blink of an eye, or any other means of sensory function that any living entity could possibly achieve, the silhouette of the Divine Beast rushed towards the Dragon Lord.


    What happened after that was a blur¡ªeven for the Dragon Lord.


    The Divine Beast had the head of Ob''elisk trapped between both of its huge, scaly and webbed palms. Somehow, the Lord seemed a lot smaller than normalpared to the two colossal things that pressed against him from both sides.


    "[D-Divine¡ª]!"


    Before the Dragon Lord could utter his Spell, or Skill, or whatever attempt at resistance that was supposed to preserve his life, his head was instantly squashed by the Divine Beast.


    ~CRUNCH!~


    The sound of his shattering skull echoed in the air, like a ''pop'' that exploded within the fraction of a second.


    After that¡ª


    ~SPLOOSH!~


    His purple blood burst out of his mashed head, with every drop oozing out of the squished flesh and squeezed innards. The jellies from his eyes mixed in with the mucus, sweat, drool, and tears¡ªall of them merging with the blood to create a disgusting blend of gore.


    The putrid smell of the Lord''s entrails were yet to spread into the air, but those who were closest to him could already sense it.


    Some of their Master''s body parts hadnded on them already, and they were yet to fullyprehend what was actually going on.


    "A-ahh¡­"


    Their eyes only began to slowly widen once the corpse of the Dragon Lord descended on the ground, sshing in the filth of its own entrails.


    First, Kar''en recognized¡ªwith her blurry vision¡ªthe horrifying image of the bloodied corpse belonging to the Lord she served all her life.


    Her body trembled, and once she had reached the precipice of what she could possibly handle, her lips parted wide open for a scream.


    "AAAARRRR¡ª!"


    Before she couldplete it, the Divine Beast grabbed her by her head, its webbed hands covering the entirety of her mouth before she could make another sound.


    Then¡ª


    ~SQUISH!~


    ¡ªShe also died without any regard or hesitation from the Beast.


    "U-uarrghhh!" Ser''ith, the instant he was able to process the deaths of his two superiors, instinctively activated his Spatial Magic.


    But¡ª


    ~ZZTTZZZ¡­TZZZ~


    ¡ªSomehow, it wouldn''t work.


    It almost felt like some overpowering force filled the air, preventing space from tearing up and heeding to hismands. This immense energy that saturated everything around made Ser''ithpletely powerless before the Beast.


    Since Spatial Magic wasn''t working out, he attempted to fly away, both wings pping powerfully as he initiated full speed instantly.


    But¡ª


    "Ack!"


    One of his wings was caught¡ªquite easily¡ªby the Divine Beast.


    "Eeek!"


    Its massive hands brought Ser''ith closer to him with ease, and before the Commander could resist, or even cry out for mercy, the maw of the creature spread wide open.


    "S-Spare m¡ª!"


    ~CRUNCH!~


    The Divine Beast crushed Seri''th with its powerful jaws, easily decapitating his head and sending the rest of his body limp that very instant.


    Blood gushed out of his gaping neck as he died, and his body was flung lifelessly on the ground, joining the other two in gory harmony.


    Death¡­ a painting of death was created, with the Divine Beast its brilliant architect.


    "Huuu¡­"


    Steamy breaths escaped its maw, as the bloody stains on them were instantly purified, turning into white crusts of dust and fading away that very moment.


    All that happened urred within only a few seconds, and the Dragon Lord, Dragon General, and Dragon Commander¡­ all of them perished within such a short span of time.


    "Haaa¡­"


    The Divine Beast, its magnificent body glistening under the brilliant sunset, as well as the incorporeal dome that spanned at least a mile from where it stood, leaked out a steamy sigh.


    This dome was not the function of a skill, neither was it Magic.


    It was simply the product of the excess energy that the Divine Beast exuded. Its mere presence caused power to saturate the entire sphere where it upied.


    None could deny, as they set their sights on the creature of raw and primal destruction¡­ that it was the most powerful entity they hadid eyes on.


    ¡ªA true cmity upon this world.


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Dagon.


    - Race: Deity (Fallen)


    - ss: Divine Beast (SS-Tier)


    - Level: 1 (70.53% EXP)


    - Life Force: 300,000


    - Mana Level: 250,000


    - Combat Ability: 150,000


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [0@#$$%^^!)#G]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): NIL


    - Alignment: Neutral Evil


    [Additional Information]


    A fallen deity hailed as an embodiment of chaos and destruction. Now a mere vestige of its former self, reduced to a mindless creature with no real sense of reason, this entity follows only its basest instincts.


    It is a true monster.


    [End Of Information]


    *


    *


    *

 Chapter 528 Dagon

    Chapter 528 Dagon


    Silence.


    What else would exist after the sight that had just been force-fed to the people who had just watched such a horror take ce?


    Adonis, Lucielle, Brutus, and Belle¡­ they all stared very frighteningly at the Divine Beast¡ªFallen Deity Dagon¡ªwho had easily destroyed their enemies for them.


    There was, however, one question on their mind after seeing this.


    ''Are we next?''


    As if to answer their question, Dagon cast its gaze on the humans before it. It had no eyes, but it could perfectly perceive everything around it; probably even better than those who had perfect sight.


    None of the humans concerned it in the slightest. There was only one that had its full attention at the moment.


    ¡ªAlicia White, the one who summoned it.


    "Grrrr¡­" Dagon growled, taking a step forward as it began to approach the Grand Tamer.


    It had no real mind of its own, now nothing but a creature of pure instinct, so there was no real intelligence or calcted motives behind its actions.


    The only reason it marched forward was due to an instinctive directive.


    ''KILL THE TAMER!''


    Dagon was incapable of rational thought, but its instincts told it that if the Tamer lived, then there was a chance that it would be captured and held captive by a power it could never hope to resist.


    No one desired to be subservient to another¡ªespecially an entity weaker than them.


    As such, Dagon marched forward with obvious animosity oozing from it as it growled.


    Its prey was unmoving, so it didn''t bother exerting any real power.


    It seemed the prey understood her fate.


    She was going to die by its hand, and just like the fallen lizards that had perished moments before, her fate was sealed.


    The only problem were the sacks of meat who stood in front of her, supposedly trying their hardest to protect her from its grasp.


    There were four of them in total, none of them posing any real threat to it. As a result, it didn''t really exert itself and kept marching forward.


    Then, it reached their presence.


    "[Divi¡ª]!"


    ~WHAP!~


    A single p from Dagon caused the blond one to fly away, instantly knocked unconscious by the light sleight of the Beast''s hand.


    The next two were dealt in simr fashion, this time Dagon raising both hands to push them away in swift motion. Just like before, they were sent flying like canons, despite the creature not putting any real strength in its attack.


    To the being, they were nothing but mild hindrances that could easily be shifted aside for its goal. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    All it desired was the Tamer''s life.


    Thest one that stood before it was a blond girl¡ªpetite and cute¡ªand she looked incredibly frightened just standing before it.


    Something about this girl seemed¡­ different. Dagon could sense something inside her, like a mark that had been ced by a high entity simr to itself.


    No¡­ this one was different.


    Either way, by process of instinct, Dagon didn''t hit the girl. Instead, it carried her by the head¡ªgently, of course¡ªand ced her behind him so she wouldn''t get in the way of its task.


    She was shivering throughout, probably scared that the Beast would crush her head like what he did to the Dragons. Well, it didn''t.


    The girl copsed on the ground, probably passed out, once Dagon took its attention away from her, now staring only at its prey.


    "Grrrr¡­" It growled in a low tone, its hulking stature standing majestically before the one who would soon perish at its hand.


    "I knew this would happen¡­" The Tamer whispered, not that Dagon could understand whatever she was uttering.


    It just wanted to kill her.


    "At the very least, with this¡­ only I have to die."


    Dagon raised its hand, ready to crush her head and have her perish in the most convenient way possible.


    "No one needs to be cursed. The enemies will be defeated. And¡­ I''ll finally be reunited with Rey and Snow, wherever they are." The smile on her face perplexed Dagon for a moment. It didn''t have a mind to properly process emotions such as this, but it still stunned him for a moment.


    The others whom it killed depicted fear and terror, yet this one was showing apletely different emotion.


    How odd it was¡­


    "The death of a Summoner severs the tether that binds the Summon to the location they appear in. Once I die¡­" Alicia looked at her fallenrades and smiled. "... They will be safe."


    Dagon would return to the ce he emerged from, and¡ªeven if it would be for a brief moment¡ªthere would be peace.


    That was her final gift to humanity; the sacrifice she was willing to pay for a world she despised.


    "Do it¡­ kill me." Dagon didn''t need her permission to execute her. He would have done so anyway, and that was evidenced by how its hand moved towards her.


    Then¡ª


    ~SQUELCH!~


    Another obstacle interfered with Dagon''s actions,unching their body to protect Alicia¡­ just in time to save her from being crushed.


    The blood that sprayed out belonged to this new obstacle who jumped right in front of her.


    He was a teenage boy, muscr for a human. His back faced Dagon, so his face was staring at the Tamer whom he just saved with his sacrificial act.


    "I¡­ I guess¡­ I was able to do¡­ something right in the end¡­" The boy whispered, soon coughing out blood from his tired lips.


    A massive, bloody hole had been created on his torso, with Dagon''s hand sticking right out of it. Needless to say, the human was a walking corpse at that point.


    "B-Billy¡­?" Alicia whispered, her eyes widened as she watched one of her allies, one who was supposed to still be unconscious, save her from her expected end.


    "Y-you¡­ no¡­ why did you¡­ you shouldn''t have¡­" Her whispers were cracked, and tears flowed from her eyes as she watched blood ooze from his body.


    "I-I''m sorry. I went ahead and imposed again, didn''t I¡­?" He whispered, a pained smile on his face as he stared at the girl he saved.


    The truth was that Billy''s was awoken by Alicia''s voice. He barely heard what she was saying, but when he opened his eyes, his blurry vision caught the monstrosity known as Dagon standing in front of her.


    At that moment, he only thought of one thing.


    ''Alica! I have to save Alicia!''


    Whether this was rooted in his obsession or not was of no consequence to Billy. In that decisive moment, he simply desired to protect the girl he cared about. Hence, he pushed his aching body to its limits and sent himself hurtling right in front of her¡­ causing him to get impaled by the beast in her ce.


    "I just¡­" He muttered, his tired eyes looking at the girl.


    His sight was blurry, so he could hardly make out her features. Was she crying for him? Was she sad? Was she relieved? He couldn''t really tell. But¡­ somewhere within him, he was d that he was able to help¡ªto be of some kind of use to her, instead of causing her trouble.


    "My body¡­ moved on its own. I guess it''s because I¡ª"


    ~SPLOOSH!~


    Billy''s body instantly exploded into an eruption of blood and flesh as Dagon used his second hand to swipe him away.


    The pressure alone was enough to cause his entire flesh to burst.


    His words remained unfinished, and the contents of his heart remained unheard. The only thing left of Billy¡­ was the rain of entrails that followed his death.


    *


    *


    *

 Chapter 529 March Of Death

    <h4>Chapter 529 March Of Death</h4>


    Death.


    It''s such a frightening thing.


    It fuels its victims with desperation as they attempt to swim against the inevitable tide of tragedy that rushes against them.


    This unstoppable march¡­ it never ends.


    Scary, is it not? Enough to turn knees weak, and body limp.


    Well, an embodiment of this very concept now stared down at a girl¡ªa teenager who was no more than sixteen¡ªright after taking the life of herrade.


    The smell of blood and gore filled the air, creating an acrid odor that would cause any to crinkle their nose and leak out a tear or two.


    This overwhelming sensation, and the bleak atmosphere caused by the shadow cast by the creature of chaos, finally began to register in the broken mind of Alicia White.


    It was at this moment that she fully understood the terror of death.


    Her response.


    "ARRRRRRGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"


    A loud scream, akin to the cry of a powerless cur, filled the air, as tears fell down her eyes.


    Who was she crying for?


    Her fallen friends? Billy? Herself? Perhaps all of the above¡­


    Either way, there was only so much strain that a human mind could take. After that single cry, Alicia could no longer bear the overbearing weight that constantly tasked her brain and body.


    As such, she passed out right there and there.


    As her lids closed shut, her kneeling body began to descend to the ground. To anyone watching, it would have been a swift fall to the cold earth, but¡­ to the Beast that observed the slump, he witnessed it with much time to spare.


    Once again, it thrust its hand towards Alicia''s falling body, nning on wrapping its palm on her face and crushing it in one try.


    That would be the end of everything.


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    In swift motion, much faster than before, it lunged its hand towards Alicia.


    At this point, everyone was unconscious. No one would be present to stop this execution; not that they would be able to do anything but serve as witnesses even if they were awake.


    The inevitable march of death hade¡­ and Alicia was chosen as its new prey.


    ~CRUNCH!~


    The sound of cracking bones, or breaking scales, echoed in the air.


    It was loud, but also gradual and subtle¡­ like it happened over time, all encapsted in a mere instant.


    "Hey¡­"


    The voice of a young man followed the sound of the breaking scales and cracking bones.


    He was currently holding onto the girl who had fallen, her unconscious body resting on his broad torso, with her head findingfort in the warm embrace of his unupied hand.


    His dark cloak fluttered, and the ck mask that he donned reflected the sunset. With one hand, he held onto the slumbering girl, and with another, he tightly grabbed the wrist of the Beast in front of him.


    "... Back off!" His deep, dark tone burst forth, and his crimson eyes shed brightly once he made this powerful deration.


    For a moment, there was tense silence¡ªrightfully so, too.


    No one had ever been able to stop Dagon since its arrival in this world. If they did, they would easily pay the price with their lives. However, not only was this dark-coated man in the mask fast enough to react to its swift movement, he was strong enough to stop its attack.


    It caused the Divine Beast to pause for a moment, feeling its silvery-blue scales crack under the incredible strength of the man of darkness.


    "What the hell are y¡ª?!"


    ~WHAM!~


    Before the masked man could say anything more, Dagon moved its other hand at full speed, sending it flying towards the intruder.


    The result was devastating.


    ~BOOOOOOOM!~


    The masked man was sent flying, his body flung across the area as if he was nothing but a ragdoll who could hardly react to or resist the overpowering current of force that Dagon unleashed.


    Dagon failed to calcte one thing, though¡­


    "Grrrrr¡­."


    ¡­ The prey that it desired to eliminate had been flung away with the man that held her.


    The Divine Beast was fast enough to see what had happened. The man surely let go of his other hand and tried to block the iing assault as fast as he could, but Dagon was much faster, so it ended up sending him flying deep into the woods.


    Dagon knew the man wasn''t dead, though.


    The sensation it felt once impact was made¡­ was different from the usual kind. Usually, those who were hit by Dagon''s full speed would turn into paste before its hand even touched them, but there was no such sensation here.


    Dagon definitely felt the impact.


    "Grrrrrr¡­"


    That meant the man was still alive¡ªand most likely its prey as well.


    It couldn''t have that.


    ~VWOOOOOSH!~


    A bright ray of light shed from within the forest, destroying everything in its path as it approached the Divine Beast.


    Recognizing it as a deadly assault, Dagon quickly moved out of the way, but not without the st scraping a part of its scales.


    "GUARH!" It yelped, grabbing its hand to feel its scales and a part of its flesh shaved off by the brilliant white light.


    This was the first time since its arrival that it had felt pain.


    And, the architect of that fear, was walking towards him¡­ on the ruined path paved by the brilliant white light.


    The man had Dagon''s prey in his arms, cradling her like one would a baby. He was also walking slowly towards it.


    Dagon felt challenged.


    Its primitive instinct didn''t understand most things, but there were certain emotions that even wild beasts felt. Pain. Fear. Intimidation¡­


    ¡­ And a desire for vengeance.


    Dagon turned towards the approaching man, also beginning his own slow march towards the much smaller being that kept advancing forward.


    Both man and beast took steps forward, until they closed the distance between them and were right in front of each other.


    "Huuuu¡­" Dagon leaked out misty breaths as it stared down at the masked man.


    The masked man raised his head to look upon Dagon''s frightening self.


    Both stood there in silence for a moment, perhaps waiting for the other to make their first move.


    Dagon didn''t hesitate in the slightest.


    ~WHUUSH!~


    It sent its two muscled hands charging towards the man in swift motion.


    A brilliant golden barrier instantly appeared to stop it, but the Divine Beast easily broke past it¡ªthe same way it did with the Summoning Circle that tried to bind him.


    "Wha¡ª?!"


    The sound of the human leaked out, but Dagon paid no mind to him. He simply moved too fast for the sound to make any real sense.


    In a fraction of a moment, it was going to reach for his head and crush it; just like what it did to the Dragon Lord.


    ~FZZT!~


    A slight buzzing sound echoed, almost like a glitch, and the human vanished from his position. He appeared a few meters away from Dagon, still carrying the unconscious girl in his arms.


    "GRRRRR!"


    In a sh, moving its legs in quick motion, Dagon easily closed the distance between itself and the human once again¡ªseeing it as a pesky bug that wouldn''t just stay in one ce and die.


    With nowhere left to run¡­ the human could do nothing but die!


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I mean, we all expected Sir Ralyks to show up and save the day. It''s that kind of story¡­ or is it?


    Hehe¡­

 Chapter 530 Awake

    Chapter 530 Awake


    [Moments Earlier]


    "U-urgh¡­"


    Rey felt a mild headache as he woke up from the realm of unconsciousness. The headache soon vanished, however, same with thest vestiges of pain that coursed through his body. It seemed all his Passive Skills were doing their work.


    "R-REY!" The loud, relieved voice of someone familiar burst out as he felt the weight of someone fall on him.


    It took a few seconds, but after Rey finally limated to everything around him, he was able to recognize the youngdy whom he currently had in his embrace.


    "Esme¡­" He muttered, his lips moving a little sluggishly.


    The moment Esme heard this, she left his embrace and looked him straight in the face. Her two hands were still holding him, but they trembled a little as she stared at him.


    Her moist eyes, and the relief that permeated her face told Rey that she must have been incredibly worried about him.


    He understood that well.


    "Thanks for looking after me, Esme¡­" Rey muttered, slowly rising to his feet as he held his head while closing his eyes.


    Memories of thest thing that happened to him flooded his mind at that moment. He remembered the intense pain he felt right as he began losing consciousness, as well as the System''s message to him moments before everything went dark.


    "I remember¡­" Rey whispered, his face slowly darkening as he began making aplicated expression.


    His eyes widened as soon as his mind processed everything¡ªthe implications of what urred to him¡ªas quickly as it could.


    "What happened, Rey? Why did you suddenly¡ª?"


    "They''re in danger! All my friends are in danger!" Rey yelled out loud, turning to Esme with a panicked reaction.


    "A-ahh¡­!"


    "Status Window!" He said hurriedly.


    [STATUS WINDOW] - Name: Rey Skr.


    - Race: Human (Otherworlder)


    - ss: Anomaly (A-Tier)


    - Level: 70 (00.00% EXP) - Life Force: 73 (+231) {+900}


    - Mana Level: 120 (+231) {+950}


    - Combat Ability: 103 (+231) {+990}


    - Stat Points: 75


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Doppel]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Fusion/Fission]. [Merger]. [Dead Calm].


    - Alignment: Neutral Good


    [Additional Information]


    You are an irregrity to the world. Achieving the unbelievable, shaking the bnce of reality¡­ you seek to overturn what is and isn''t.


    Will you seed? Or will your failure be miserable?


    [End Of Information]


    "D-damnit¡­"


    It was just as he feared. "I really lost half of my Levels¡­"


    Rey clenched his fist as he felt a wave of frustration shroud him. Rather unfortunately for him, he didn''t even have the time to process what just happened.


    "Y-your Levels? Why? How? I don''t under¡ª"


    "How long was I unconscious for?" Rey interrupted Esme, not having enough time to properly address her confusion.


    Thankfully, despite beingpletely disoriented by Rey''s bombardment of new information, Esme didn''t hesitate to answer his question.


    "I wasn''t really paying attention to the time, because I was worried about you, but¡­ I''d say about an hour or so. It hasn''t been very long."


    "An hour? That''s too long! I could be toote! What if I''m toote?!" Rey began to mumble to himself, looking at his Status Window again.


    He violently itched his head, as if slowly growing insane. His widened eyes reflected the deep conflict and fear that ravaged his body.


    ''For my duplicate to have died, it means there''s some kind of threat in the Capital, where I transported them to.''


    A lot could have happened within an hour.


    ''W-what if¡ª?!''


    "Rey! If your friends are in danger, you should be on your way now." Esme''s voice suddenly woke Rey from his indecisive bubble.


    His eyes shed in shock as he heard those words from the Half Elf.


    The decisive smile she had on her face, the nod of encouragement that she gave him, and the glistening sparks within her blue eyes¡­ all of those things snapped him out of the flurry of confusion that would have swallowed him whole. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "A-ahh¡­ thank you, Esme." Rey said with a slightly worried, but more resolute expression on his face. "You''re right!"


    "Should Ie with? I could help out¡ª"


    "No! No, you stay here¡­" Rey raised his hand to stop Esme, his voice reverberating in the air as panic spread from his tone.


    "I-I have no idea what we''re dealing with here, so it''s best you remain here. Sorry¡­"


    "I understand."


    Upon seeing Esme''s smile, Rey smiled back. His heart was pounding, and his body was trembling, but he put everything under perfect control.


    "First¡­"


    In a mere instant, his Ralyks attire appeared on his body, with the mask covering his face.


    ''I have no idea what happened in the capital, or what''s going on at the moment. The safest option is for me to use this persona.''


    Rey realized that he would probably have to go all-out in the uing conflict, so he had to be ready.


    "Second¡­"


    ~VWUUUUUUUUUUUSH!~


    Rey activated all of the Buff Skills at his disposal, making sure they all functioned at maximum power right before he arrived.


    He didn''t want to be caught off-guard, after all.


    ''Better safe than sorry! I could be overreacting, but I can''t afford to let my guard down at this point¡­''


    Once he was done activating all his buffs, all three of his numbers jumped incredibly high.


    - Life Force: 60,000 (+231) {+900}


    - Mana Level: 90,000 (+231) {+950}


    - Combat Ability: 70,000 (+231) {+990}


    ''This should be more than enough for any enemy I could possibly hope to face¡­'' Rey thought to himself.


    If he hadn''t been so badly affected by the death of his clone, the numbers would have been much higher, but he didn''t have the time to mull over the little details like this.


    "Alright¡­ let''s do this!"


    Closing his eyes, he activated his Spatial Magic Skill, instantly allowing himself to be transported to thest known location of his clone.


    However¡­


    ~ZZTTZZ!~


    ''H-huh¡­?''


    Something interfered with the Spatial Magic, and while he was indeed warped away from the Grand Cmity ss Dungeon, he found himself in apletely different location.


    ''H-huh¡­?!''


    Rey was thousands of feet in the air, feeling the winds brush past his face as he fell to the Capital right beneath him.


    ''W-what¡­ what the hell?!''


    His eyes widened as he saw the City in smoldered mes. A portion of it waspletely destroyed, and other sides had been destroyed by massive debris or the spread of fire.


    Thankfully, it didn''t seem like the damage would extend any further, and there also wasn''t anyone close to the site of destruction.


    Despite the horror of this sight, Rey found himself more distracted by the wave of dense energy that covered a portion of the Capital, as well as areas in its outskirts.


    ''Is this what affected my teleportation?'' That was the most likely answer.


    He narrowed his eyes as he tried to pinpoint the source; which was when he witnessed the gory sight of Billy''s death.


    The way the monstrous beast¡ªwhatever it was¡ªeasily destroyed Billy with the sleight of its hand¡­ Rey let it all burn into his mind.


    He saw Adonis and the rest of his ssmates scattered all around. Eric was nowhere in sight, but the current situation was so overwhelming that Rey thought he would be around somewhere. Lucielle and Brutus were also present.


    ''They''re all unconscious. Except¡­'' His eyes widened as heid eyes on Alicia, watching as the Beast raised its hand to strike her.


    ''No¡­!''


    ~ZZTZZ!~


    ''... No way!''


    ~KKZZZTTZ!~


    Rey pushed past theyers of energy and focused his energy, more than he had ever done before.


    ''[Domain Of The Lord]''


    In that instant, space shifted, and he found himself instantly appearing right where he desired; holding Alicia in his arms as he stopped the Beast frompleting its task.


    ''Haa¡­ haa¡­!'' His thoughts echoed in relief as he red at the monstrous creature in front of him.


    "Hey¡­" With a deep tone, and the powerful aura that he exuded, Rey furrowed his brows and gave a deep frown.


    "... Back off!"


    [System Notice: Enemy stronger than you has been detected]


    ~[Natural Enemy] will now be activated~


    {Effect: When facing someone much stronger than you, your Stat Points will double}


    ~Good Luck!~

 Chapter 531 Divine Battle [Pt 1]

    Chapter 531 Divine Battle [Pt 1]


    ''What the hell¡­?''


    As Rey stared at the Beast in front of him, he felt a massive surge of fear press upon him.


    Even when he activated [Dead Calm], which allowed his previously unfocused mind to be much sharper than usual, he still felt vestiges of fear rush up to him.


    ''How strong is this thing?!'' Rey found himself asking, his thoughts as precise as possible.


    Right now, he was the strongest he had ever been. His Stats had reached six digits, and he could feel himself overflowing with so much power.


    Yet¡­ for some reason, he still felt inadequate¡ªdwarfed by the creature that stood before him, ready to cut him into pieces.


    ''Its fast!''


    In swift motion, Rey used [Domain Of The Lord] to switch his position from where the scaly monster stood.


    But¡ª


    ~SZZTZZ!~


    ¡ªHe was met with a buzzing interference, followed by a forceful activation of his Skill, which allowed him to switch positions with the furthest zone avable.


    Just about five meters away from the enemy.


    ''Again? It''s affecting the activation of my Skill that I can''t go beyond five meters!''


    Rey felt himself growing ever so desperate, clenching his teeth as he red at the creature in front of him.


    ''How is this happening? What is going on¡­?''


    From Rey''s observation in the short while since he first encountered the Beast, he had observed a few things.


    ''I can''t actively use any Skill below SS-Tier. The energy around is too saturated for the function to be properly activated.''


    Of course, Buffs were an exception since they affected his own body. However, if it was a Skill that required some form of external manifestation, they would be rendered invalid before theirplete activation.


    ''I only have 9 Divine Tier Skills, and even those don''t seem to be very effective against this thing.''


    For one, his [Domain Of The Lord] suffered heavily from the presence of the Beast. His [Divine Ray], while effective against the monster, was something it could evade.


    ''I didn''t even bother charging it up, since that would take more time, yet it was able to avoid the hit. How fast is it?!''


    Once again, Rey had to switch positions again, else the monster would catch up to him again and probably deal heavy damage on him.


    Speaking of damage¡­


    ''My body still slightly aches from that strike it gave me earlier¡­'' Rey found his thoughts trailing as it stared at the monstrosity that relentlessly chased him.


    ''It''s undoubtedly stronger and faster than I am¡­ even with [Natural Enemy] being active.''


    Rey already tried to use [Absolute Appraisal], but¡ªjust as he suspected¡ªit didn''t work on the thing. After thinking hard about it, with what little time he had to actually think, he could only arrive at one conclusion.


    ''This is a Divine Beast, isn''t it?!''


    Using [Domain Of The Lord] allowed Rey''s senses to spread through the areas that surrounded him. He had long noticed the three corpses of the Dragons lying on the ground, as well as the unconscious bodies of his ssmates.


    It was thanks to this that he was able to tell that they were all alive¡ªthough some were barely clinging to life.


    ''If I don''t act quickly¡­ things could end up escting beyond control!''


    As such, Rey decided on the best approach he could think of, considering the current circumstances.


    ''Alright! Let''s do this!''


    With a single thought, he shifted Alicia''s position from his hand to the floor behind him, then, strengthening both of his hands, he pushed his body forward and charged towards the creature that also rushed towards him.


    ''[Perfect Divine Defense] doesn''t work against it. It must have some kind of ability that allows it to bypass defenses¡­ or maybe it was just interfering with the Skill''s effects again, same as with [Domain Of The Lord].''


    That meant Rey''s only defensive Skill was useless in this situation. Evasion was the only way he could avoid damage, and even that had its limits.


    ''Every use of the Skill drains my Mana considerably. If I keep this up, I''ll start losing more Mana than I recover.''


    That was the problem with the use of Divine Tier Skills.


    ''[Divine Ray] is the best way I can really see myself damaging it, but¡­ it''s not the only option!''


    A sudden burst of wind rushed from Rey''s position as the entire area around him crackled with power.


    ''[Divine Elemental Magic: Almighty Wind Gale]''


    With the power of [Divine Elemental Magic], he had a more versatile approach in dealing with the opponent. Also, with [Divine Magic Supremacy], he didn''t need to chant any Spell or wait for activation.


    Whatever Magic he used would not only be stronger than normal, but their effects would be instant.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOM!~ Rey''s ''Almighty Wind Gale'' forced the Divine Beast high into the air, propelling him up like a rocket ascending at light speed.


    ~VWUUUUSH!~


    The creature''s ascent caused everything around it to tremble, but Rey stood his ground as he watched the whole thing happen. He also surrounded his allies with the golden lights of his [Perfect Divine Defense].


    With his gaze resting on the floating creature¡ªwho was still fighting against the invisible forces of wind, like the mindless savage that it was¡ªRey stretched both hands into the air, allowing golden shes of lightning to dance around them.


    ''[Divine Elemental Magic: Perfect Lightning Descent].''


    ~RUMBLE!~


    Everything vibrated for miles, as an instant burst of golden lightning descended from the sky, right above the Divine Beast.


    It fell, shing with the creature within a heartbeat¡ªno, much faster than that.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    The beam of golden lightning struck the ground, easily creating a massive crater that spanned hundreds of meters from its point of impact.


    The entire forest was ruined by the shockwaves, debris, and plumes of smoke that scattered everywhere. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Thest of the trees were blown apart or burned away, leaving a barrennd in sight.


    ~TTZZTZ¡­~


    shes of golden lightning, remnants of the attack, still filled the trembling air, as Rey lowered his hands and heaved a steamy sigh.


    "Now¡­ for everyone¡­" He turned to his ssmates, a gleam of determination in his eyes.


    ''I know that probably isn''t enough to finish the job. I''ll have to act quickly and transport everyone away from here¡ªas far as I can.''


    Now that the creature was far away from Rey, he found that he could use [Domain Of The Lord] a lot better¡ªthough not to its full capacity yet.


    ''I see. So the closer it is to me, the more my powers get disrupted.'' Rey thought to himself.


    He didn''t have time to dwell on analytics, though. There was no telling when the monster would rise out of the rubble, so time was of the essence.


    ''The Royal Estate still has that barrier surrounding it. Andst I checked, the influence of that incorporeal dome of saturated energy didn''t reach that point¡­'' His thoughts trailed as he narrowed his gaze.


    He had already seen and memorized theyout of the city from his position in the sky, and once he activated his Skill, he would be able to detect everything around him in great detail.


    ''Sending them there is pushing the limits of what I can do right now, but I should be able to achieve it.''


    Rey poured out a vast amount of Mana, focusing it on those he desired to save¡ªAlicia, Adonis, Lucielle, Brutus, Belle, and Justin.


    He still didn''t sense Eric, but [Dead Calm] didn''t let him worry about it.


    As for Snow, he already figured she was dead. Why else would Alicia try to use her [Divine Beast Summon]?


    He also saw Billy die, so that meant everyone else was ounted for.


    ''[Domain Of The Lor¡ª]''


    ~WHOOOOOOSH!~


    In a sh, even by Rey''s standards, the Divine Beast suddenly appeared before his eyes.


    At that moment, time seemed to slow down, and Rey''s body could barely move. The only one who seemed to be moving perfectly was the Beast itself.


    And¡­ its maw was wide open¡ªready to devour.


    *


    *


    *

 Chapter 532 Divine Battle [Pt 2]

    Chapter 532 Divine Battle [Pt 2]


    For the first time in forever, Rey felt the fear of death.


    It was so raw and vivid, as he watched the Divine Beast close in on him with its mighty jaws and overwhelming presence.


    Then¡ª


    ~FWISH!~


    In one swift translocation of space, he was able to shift a few meters backwards,pletely avoiding the fatal strike from the mindless beast.


    "Haa¡­ haa¡­!" Rey''s widened eyes, moist from the fear, gazed upon the Divine Beast as he breathed heavily.


    None of his ssmates were in sight, which meant their transportation was sessful. Lucielle and Brutus were also not present.


    ''Good! That''s good!'' Beads of sweat appeared on Rey''s face, and his throat slowly began to itch. He swallowed the saliva that had formed inside as he kept his gaze on the terrifying monster in front of him.


    ''This thing¡­ it''s too dangerous!''


    The more he observed it, the more Rey could see Ater''s point about challenging a Divine Beast. Not only did it have better Stats, but most of Rey''s Skills wouldn''t even do anything to the thing.


    ''Fighting it head on is impossible. It''s far stronger and faster.''


    The reason Rey could keep up somewhat was due to the spatial maniption and awareness that [Domain Of The Lord ] offered him. It was almost like precognition.


    Adding that to his experience fighting Monsters, his battle prowess, and intelligencepared to the mindless creature¡ªhe was able to somehow hold his ground.


    That wasn''t enough, though.


    ''The only way I can win is to somehow use my number of Skills, and even with them¡­'' Rey clenched his teeth as he tried his best to breathe normally.


    [Dead Calm] had never been under as much strain as it was right now.


    ''Come to think of it¡­ I''ve not seen it use any Skill. Or maybe it has Passive Skills that I haven''t noticed. If I can use the same Skills, then I can stand a chance here¡­''


    Before Rey could check out his Skill List, however, he noticed something.


    ''H-huh?! Where is it looking?'' The Divine Beastpletely removed its attention from Rey and turned in a particr direction.


    He already knew, just from a single nce, the location of significance that existed there.


    ''The Capital? No¡­ the Royal Estate?!'' With his eyes popping out of his eyes, Rey remembered what he witnessed prior: the Beast targeting Alicia before he came to save her.


    ''Is it targeting her because she summoned him? A-ah, could it be¡­!'' Rey had read quite a bit about Summoning Magic and Taming, and in it were recorded behavior of summoned creatures.


    If a creature was summoned through a Taming Skill, its first instinct would be to attack the Tamer¡ªthough this depended heavily on the malicious nature of the Summon.


    That was because a Tamer could potentially bring the creature into subservience and force it into bing a loyal subordinate.


    This was why Magic Barriers usually came along with Familiar Summoning.


    ''I mean¡­ Ater would have also done the same to me if it wasn''t for that barrier.''


    Rey would have wondered why Alicia allowed such a creature out of its cage, or even summoned it at all, if he didn''t see the Dragon Corpses or the destruction within the city.


    Chances were¡­ it was a desperate attempt to save everyone.


    ''This is all my fault. I¡­'' Before Rey could think any further, however, he noticed the Divine Beast pressing itself on the ground.


    Its weight alone caused the area to tremble, and everything around it began to leak out cracks.


    ''No, you do¡ª!''


    ~BOOOOOOOM!~


    The Beast took off before Rey could evenplete its thoughts, ascending high into the sky as it charged towards its intended destination.


    ''Divine Light Whip!''


    Rey swiftly summoned a long string of golden light, one end wrapped around his hand, while the other already swirling around the body of the escaping beast.


    ''You think I''ll let you leave?!" His thoughts roared as he nted his heel on the ground and pulled with all of his strength.


    He was sure now¡­ the Beast''s target was Alicia.


    ''Taking her to the Royal Estate made it change focus to that location. It''s currently distracted, which means I''ll be able to¡ª!''


    Much to Rey''s surprise, the intense rope of light that was supposed to tightly constrain the enemy began to melt off.


    ''E-eh¡­?!''


    Like butter on a hot surface, the golden rope loosened and softened, all in an instant, causing the Divine Beast to freely proceed with itsunch¡ªeven kicking away at the air so it could resume its ascent.


    Rey was so d it couldn''t fly, but its sheer speed alone made it impossible to catch up at this rate.


    ''Unless¡­!'' His eyes shone brilliantly as he utilized his [Domain Of The Lord], swiftly changing his location with another ce in the air.


    Thankfully, since he was a distance away from the monstrosity, his Skill worked wlessly, and in no time at all, he was right above the city.


    He didn''t have time to rejoice, or even breathe, however, considering how the Divine Beast was currently charging towards him like an unstoppable meteor.


    ''[Divine Ray]!'' Rey swiftly pointed both hands ahead and allowed the pure white energy to coalesce into a pure beam of unstoppable light.


    The result?


    ~BOOOOOOOOOM!~


    The st of light showered on the Divine Beast, sending it back down to where it came from.


    ''A-ahh! That was close!'' Rey, once again, could not rest. The moment he brushed the sweat off his brow, he hurtled himself downward, preparing another Divine Rey in one hand as he let it charge.


    ~WHOOSH!~


    As he charged downward, he noticed the Beast rush past him in the form of a blur. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    He would have missed itpletely if he hadn''t focused all his senses on the creature in an attempt to better read its moves.


    ''No you don''t!'' Rey grabbed the Divine Beast''s tail in a hurry, using all his strength to pull and spin in the air.


    "You''re not¡­"


    After spinning for a second or two, nearly creating a hurricane that would blow apart the city beneath him, he flung the Beast high into the air.


    Then, he pointed his open palm towards it.


    "... Getting anywhere near her!"


    ~VWUUUUM!~


    The massive roar of Rey''s [Divine Ray] parted the air, and destroyed everything in its path as it rushed towards the helplessly flying monster.


    As expected, it made impact.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    A shockwave of power burst through the area for miles, at the very least, causing everything to tremble under the pressure of such a powerful attack.


    "Haa¡­" Rey could feel the drain of Mana on him, with beads of sweat even forming on his face and his parched throat seeking a source of refreshment.


    As he hovered above the capital, watching as the figure he struck descended on the barren ground that he had caused from his Lightning Magic attack from before, he narrowed his gaze and strengthened his sight.


    ''What now?'' He wondered, looking at the falling creature while also opening his Skill Tab.


    In both instances, he was met with shock.


    For one, under his Skills within [Doppel], he found the most unexpected result.


    [New Skills: Please Select Their Categories]


    ~Nil~


    [Total Skills: 75]


    ''N-no Skills¡­?!'' As his eyes were still recoiling from the bone-chilling revtion before him, he heard a powerful cry that was equally as horrifying.


    "URRRROOAAAAAHHHHHH!!!"


    The roar emerged from the barrennds, and the one who sent it out was none other then the standing Divine Beast.


    ¡­ Ready for yet another round of battle.

 Chapter 533 Divine Battle [Pt 3]

    Chapter 533 Divine Battle [Pt 3]


    "UROOOOOAAAHHHH!!!"


    Dagon''s roar shook the heavens and terrified the earth. Its cry emerged from the very depths of its beastly lungs, and its body shook violently as it let everything out.


    Saliva danced out of its gaping mouth as this echo burst forth, and the surrounding rubble¡ªeven the ground beneath his feet¡ªscattered apart and were crushed, due to the pressure alone.


    In mere seconds, Dagon stood at the center of a massive crater of its own making; one spanning hundreds of meters.


    Then, it cast its attention to the being that stood high in the sky.


    For a while now, Dagon had been distracted¡ªno, held back¡ªby two major things that caused its movements to appear sluggish andck any precision.


    One was its instinctive drive to kill the Tamer.


    That, more than anything, was its drive. Even now, as its body boiled in violent rage towards the obstacle before it, the demise of the Tamer was the major desire its primitive mind had.


    As for its second distraction¡­ that had to do with the ''mark'' that it sensed within the opponent. It was simr to what it sensed from the blond girl earlier, but this felt a lot stronger.


    At the very least, they were both ced by the same entity.


    "GRRRRRRRR¡­."


    The very fact that it sensed this warding mark made it hesitate in slight, but important ways. It was distracting, to say the least.


    Due to these factors, Dagon had not been operating at full strength. But now¡­?


    "GRRRRRRRRRRRR¡­.!"


    Its body was steaming hot, and its silvery blue scales began to shed, losing all of the blue parts to transform into an entirely silver entity.


    The sole horn on its bald head ascended a few more inches high, the spikes behind it grewrger, and its entire muscled form began to grow much bigger and denser. From three meters, it became five meters tall.


    It also stood upright, releasing itself from the hunching gait it once had. At this point, all the damaged silvery blue scales had been shed, revealing only pure silver to shroud its massive form.


    Right at that point, Dagon evolved.


    "HUUUUU¡­" As it let out this deep breath, it noticed the obstacle was preparing yet another st aimed at it.


    Thest ones hurt Dagon a lot, even going as far as shaving off its Life Force, so it became averse to the sensation. Sure, its scales were tougher now, but its survival instincts told it to evade regardless.


    Then¡ª


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!~


    ¡ªThe brilliant lights of judgment descended.


    "GRAAAAHHH!" Dagon charged forward, its limbs wing their way on the ground as it began to race ahead.


    It was able to escape the brilliant ray of light, albeit barely, and began closing in on the obstacle.


    ~VWUUUUUUM!~


    The ray followed behind it, attempting to close the distance and burn through its scaly flesh with its overwhelming power.


    But Dagon was fast¡ªmuch faster than the light of destruction.


    In mere moments, it returned to its site of summon, easily lifting itself into the air with a single leap.


    ~BOOOOM!~


    The ground shattered as it ascended high into the sky, diving straight towards the one who was sending the light his way.


    As Dagon got closer, its instincts quickly kicked in.


    ¡ªThere was a second one!


    The human obstacle sent his second hand towards Dagon, sending the coalesced beam of light charging at point-nk range.


    If it had been the Divine Beast of the past, it would have gotten hit and found himself sprawling on the ground once again, but Dagon was no longer the same as it was before.


    It had be much stronger; both in body and in mind.


    Before, it saw the human as a mere obstacle¡ªa distraction from its main goals¡ªso it never really gave it everything. Plus, the marking kept warding it away.


    However, Dagon no longer cared about any of those things.


    It had changed its assessment of Rey¡ªespecially after that previous st that sent it flying so far away. Right now, it was going to ignore the obvious warning sign that existed within the boy and aim for his life anyway.


    Yes¡­ right now, Dagon saw Rey as a threat.


    And for a Beast like itself, there was only one action that could be taken when a threat was identified.


    ¡­ Eliminating it!


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    Dagon dodged the st at point-nk range, quickly reaching out for Rey''s hand and ripping off that very moment.


    "Gaaahhh!" It heard the human scream, but that was nothing.


    Dagon grabbed Rey by the head and easily crushed its ck mask, hoping topletely destroy his skull as well.


    However, Rey sent a powerful wave of Wind Magic flying towards the Beast, one that would have blown it away in the past.


    And, it worked¡­ somewhat.


    Dagon felt the impact and was stunned, flying away a few inches, before grabbing onto Rey''s second hand and using it as a tether to propel itself towards prey.


    Rey''s second hand was torn apart in the process, and Dagon was able to close the distance in a single moment.


    Then, it felt a shift in the world around it.


    Dagon recognised what was happening at that moment. Whatever Rey was about to do, it would involve him teleporting away to create some distance between them.


    That was another annoying trick that the human had¡ªone that this Divine Beast could no longer tolerate.


    And so, like a jet at full speed, Dagon kicked the air behind him and rushed towards Rey right as the Zones were about to shift.


    Needless to say, the human''s efforts ended in failure.


    ~WHAM!~


    Dagon grabbed Rey''s bloody face right before he could seed, causing the entire Zone change to be aborted.


    There was a reason why Rey never used the [Domain Of The Lord] Skill directly on Dagon. ¡ªHe couldn''t.


    Dagon had nigh immunity to Skills and Magic, so none of those worked directly on it. The closer it got to the source of the power, the more those effects would be affected. And, if it made physical contact with that source, any power activated would be aborted.


    No one in the world knew this, but this was a manifestation of Dagon''s Null Art¡ªan Ancient MajiK that became nothing more than an instinctive part of itself. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Rey, or anything he could muster at this point, did not stand a chance.


    ~WHOOOOOOM!~


    Dagon flung Rey''s body towards the dome-like barrier that stood at the highest point of the city.


    That was where its prey was.


    With his body helplessly flung towards that direction, the Divine Beast dived downward, raising both of its hands in the air as it sent its knees crashing on Rey''s chest.


    "Guark!" Blood spurted out of his lips, but that was none of Dagon''s concerns.


    The boulder-like fists, sped together in destructive harmony, fell upon the boy''s face.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    The shockwave that resounded in the air spread for miles, and the resulting impact caused Rey to fall faster than ever, easily creating a hole in the Magic Barrier that protected the whole estate.


    As Rey fell, Dagon followed, something blue-like glowing in its throat.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    Rey''s descent caused a massive crater at the point of his descent, and while he struggled to get back up despite his severe injuries, Dagon crashed right on his stomach, causing him to cough out even more blood mixed in with saliva.


    On this site of destruction, Rey was on the ground¡ªfallen, and absolutely beaten¡ªand the Beast stood triumphantly atop its body.


    There was only one thing left for Dagon to do.


    ''ELIMINATE!''

 Chapter 534 Divine Battle [Pt 4]

    Chapter 534 Divine Battle [Pt 4]


    ''Am I... going to die here...?!''


    When Rey first woke up from his slumber and desperately arrived in the Capital, his motivation was to save his friends and the humans he resolved to protect.


    He never really considered the possibility that he would ever find himself in this kind of situation; one where he was so powerless.


    ... So weak.


    Forget about saving others, he couldn''t even protect himself.


    Even though things hardly ever went ording to n, he always saved the day somehow. He protected the entire Capital from the Dragon Commander''s assault. He helped take down an entire Criminal Organization, and he conquered a Grand Cmity ss Dungeon.


    He was able to defeat an Undead Dragon Lord, and while he wasn''t quite sure about the height of power he had reached, Rey felt confident that he could possibly take on a Dragon Lord very soon.


    Perhaps that was all his hubris at y.


    Maybe he truly didn''t realize that his undeserved power-while incredible-was not perfect.


    [Doppel] didn''t make him invincible.


    The arrogance of the strong... despite his best attempts at trying to ensure he never fell for its temptation, Rey didn''t realize when he started slipping into it.


    It was a subtle process... one that he fully disyed by hisckluster approach in obtaining more strength, and his careless use of his abilities.


    ''I messed around too much...''


    Why? Why did he y along with so many charades, when he could have been actively pursuing strength-the goal he had set for himself from the start?


    He grew so concerned about others--his ssmates, Esme, the Adventurers-that he failed to realize that he was too weak to afford that luxury.


    A sinking man can not afford to save another who drowns.


    Just because he had acquired some power-elevating himself above those who were around him-he had be less concerned about the power he so hungrily sought after at the very beginning.


    Perhaps this was all wrong too...


    Maybe he indeed tried his hardest and the emergence of such a threat was not something he could have ever anticipated.


    He did his best to make sure everyone was strong enough in order to avoid a situation where-in his absence-everyone who mattered would perish.


    Should he not have focused more on the development of his allies even more? If he had been a bit more selfless, then they wouldn''t have had to resort to [Divine Beast Summon] against the Dragons.


    If they were just a little stronger... if he was only a bit stronger...


    Rey didn''t know the right answer, and to be honest... there was no room to contemte on it.


    ''I-It hurts...''


    Both of his arms had been ripped out, and he wasn''t even regenerating properly. Most of the bones in his body had been shattered, and he could feel some of his ribs poking his internal organs.


    He gurgled blood in his burning throat, and his chest felt so hot. Everything hurt.


    It didn''t stop hurting.


    It felt like hell, justying on the floor, watching the colossal being standing right on top of him.


    ''Ahh... ahh... it hurts... ahhh... p-please...!''


    Tears began to fall from Rey''s eyes as he felt the pain sear into all parts of his body. His brain was overloaded with this nightmare, and there was nothing his helpless body could do to stop it.


    Then, Rey''s blurry gaze witnessed the brilliant glow that began to pulsate from the throat of the Beast.


    At that moment, Rey knew his end was nigh.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "S-Sir Ralyks...!"


    "...lyks!"


    "Ra...ks!"


    He could hear the distant screams of those he tried to save, all of their voices oozing shock and desperation.


    It seemed they had all regained consciousness-most likely due to the [Absolute Healing] he infused with [Perfect Divine Defense] after sending them away from the range of the Divine Beast''s disruptive zone.


    But... what was the point?


    Rey''s execution drew near, and he was currently too weak and scared to do anything to stop it.


    Once Dagon was done with him, there would be even more casualties. Best case scenario, only Alicia would perish. Worst case... everyone was going to die.


    All of his power-all that progress he had made-it would all be lost.


    "G-guys..." He managed to leak out a sound despite the blood that remained stuck in his aching throat.


    Rey''s entire head pounded uncontrobly, and his heart raced.


    He didn''t want to die. He didn''t want to lose. Yet... here he was; doing the very thing he swore never to experience.


    "... I''m so sor-"


    ~BOOOOO0000000000000OOM!!!~


    Before Rey could render his tear-filled apology, the brilliant st from Dagon washed upon him like an uncontroble wave.


    It destroyed his body in an instant.


    Nothing but blue vestiges of ash was left once the destructive echoes of the Divine Beast were sent forth. All of Rey''s body was disintegrated-reduced beyond even dust.


    The only thing left on that crater... was Dagon.


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Dagon.


    - Race: Deity (Fallen)


    - ss: Divine Beast (SS-Tier)


    - Level: 2 (21.83% EXP) 2


    - Life Force: 300,000


    - Mana Level: 250,000


    - Combat Ability: 150,000


    - Stat Points: 10,000


    - Skills (Exclusive): [0@#$$%^^!)#G]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): NIL


    - Alignment: Neutral Evil


    [Additional Information]


    A fallen deity hailed as an embodiment of chaos and destruction. Now a mere vestige of its former self, reduced to a mindless creature with no real sense of reason, this entity follows only its basest instincts.


    It is a true monster.


    [End Of Information]


    The eyes of all went wide the moment they witnessed the demise of the undefeatable warrior.


    The Dark Adventurer-invincible champion of mankind-fell that very day, under the dimming ray of the sunset.


    Not even bones, or ashes, were left of him.


    Adonis, as well as his allies, all of them locked within the confines of the [Perfect Divine Defense], watched as theirst hope perished before their very eyes.


    His death was brutal, and the aftermath was equally as horrific.


    "GRRRRR..." Once Dagon was done with him, it cast its gaze ahead and stared at the clustered humans-powerless and weak to do anything against it.


    They were next.

 Chapter 535 Divine Battle [Pt 5]

    Chapter 535 Divine Battle [Pt 5]


    What does death feel like?


    Those who know the answer to this question are not present with us, so it remains a mystery.


    How swift is it? How painful is it? No one alive can say.


    However, the fear of death is enough to give people incredibly urate descriptions on how dying feels, or would feel like.


    Perhaps a light at the end of the tunnel... or some sort of eternal void.


    That wasn''t what Rey felt as he supposedly sank into the world of the abyss-entering the grasp of death.


    Rather than a world engulfed in sheer darkness, or some sort of afterlife that would im his dear soul, there was something else.


    It was a panel, spread out before his nonexistent eyes.


    [SYSTEM NOTICE]


    ~You have suffered a fatal attack~


    ~[Near-Death Effect] will now be activated-


    {As long as you don''t die immediately, you can recover from a fatal attack-can only be used once a day}


    [Initiating Recovery...]


    Dagon stood in front of the brilliant golden barrier that protected the humans-particry its prey-from its grasp.


    Its massive stature cast a dark shadow on the group, and its maw twisted to form a terrifyingly toothy grin. It had just elimited the strongest mankind had to offer, so it didn''t particrly consider any of these ones to be threats.


    The humans huddled together in a group, staying as far away from the creature as the barrier would allow.


    Then-


    ~ZTTZZ~


    -The creature of terror took a step forward, entering the golden haven that was supposed to have warded off all danger.


    The barrier melted, like butter would when confronted with heat.


    It seemed so easy for Dagon. Its silver scales merely glittered as the barrier crumbled before its might. Before long, its huge body was within the barrier-along with all the humans.


    As soon as this happened, the golden haven vanished from sight, dissipating into nothingness.


    Nothing could withstand Dagon... nothing at all.


    "Huuu..." Dagon stared at Alicia with its absent eyes, its wide grin stretching even more like the monster that it was.


    Now that it hadpletely gotten rid of its obstacle, it was finally time to kill its prey.


    But-


    ~BOOOOOM!~


    A sudden explosion of light erupted from right behind the Divine Beast, causing it to stop dead in its tracks.


    The light was pure white, and it shot right above into the skies overhead.


    Everything around trembled, and the grounds shook in response to the birth of this mighty power-or rather, the being that was emerging from within it.


    "G-GRRRR...?!" Dagon slowly looked back, its grin vanishingpletely as it became struck with confusion.


    It was sure that the enemy had been eliminated. It was certain that there was not a single remain of its adversary. So why?


    How was this possible...?


    Right behind it, about a few meters away, was a naked human who stared down at it with a look ofplete animosity.


    The young man''s frown triggered Dagon. Its own monstrous face also frowned as it instantly cast all of its attention from the initial target.


    Something was overriding its previous disposition.


    At first, killing the Tamer was its primary goal, while destroying the human who stood in its way was only secondary. But now, the whole thing had been reversed.


    Killing this one came first.


    "GRRRRRRR..." Dagon kept growling as it left the vicinity of the gasping, shocked humans, moving towards the still opponent.


    From behind it, he could hear a lot of murmurs from the insignificant worms, but none of those mattered to it.


    Its tailshed on the ground, easily creating cracks and potholes wherever they struck.


    In no time at all, it arrived right in front of the enemy.


    ... Rey.


    Somehow, he seemed distracted. As if nkly staring at something right in front of him, and not the Divine Beast that overwhelmingly overshadowed him.


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    Before Rey could even act at all, Dagon sent a powerful blow towards him.


    ~BOOOOM!~


    It connected, creating a powerful shockwave that seared through everything around them. The entire area was destroyed as a result of the force that the blow generated, and the shivering humans were blown away by the strike.


    The earth around them broke into pieces, and the buildings that were close-by were left devastated.


    However, amidst the dust cloud that tose from the point of impact, two silhouttes remained standing-one massive and the other smaller.


    ... Much smaller.


    "Ow..." Rey mumbled as the hot fist of the Divine Beast still remained stered on his slightly shifted face.


    The earth directly beneath his feet had caved in significantly, but his heels were nted very deeply on the ground so his body hardly bidged.


    His neck was turned to a side, but his eyes were still on the Divine Beast.


    Then-


    ~WHOOOOOSH!~


    In a much swifter manner, Rey sent his own blow from his right fist, coating it with white-colored light.


    The result...


    ~BOOOOOOOOOM!~


    ... Was far more devastating.


    Dagon was forcefully sent flying high into the air as a result of the uppercut that Rey dished out, causing even more of the


    surrounding area to get razed down.


    As soon as it ascended high into the sky, Rey was finally able to take a deep breath, spitting out blood-filled saliva from his mouth.


    His face hardly showed it, but the pain from that hit was still incredibly disorienting.


    But... he held it in.


    ''I can''t afford to make another mistake again! His thoughts trailed as he gazed up, seeing Dagon still ascending high into the sky.


    ''If I get careless, I''ll die... and for real this time!


    The only reason he was able to survive Dagon''s point-nk and insta-kill attack was because he killed himself before the attacknded.


    Back then, Rey remembered his ss Privilege-one that guaranteed his recovery as long as he didn''t die instantly.


    Dagon''s attack would have done him in with one blow.


    Upon recognizing this, Rey decided to use his own Skills to inflict damage on himself, hoping that would somehow create a loophole in the System.


    It was quick-thinking on his part, something he could never have been able to do without the help of [Dead Calm].


    Right before Dagon sent out its devastating breath, Rey squeezed out the remnants of his Mana and coated himself in mes from [Divine Elemental Magic]. The mes shed with Dagon''s st, mitigating the blow while roasting him until he reached that treshold.


    Once it came, his body waspletely consumed by Dagon''s attack... but not before the [Near-Death Effect] came into y.


    That was the only reason why he survived.


    ''And it seems I got a new Skill for my troubles...'' Rey thought to himself, still readying himsef for the battle that was about to ensue. {Skill Details}n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    [Sacrifice]


    Tier: S


    Ability: By offering your Skills, you can gain additional Stats. Once a Skill has been sacrificed, you can never get them again. 5


    [End Of Information]


    ''I''ve already sacrificed ten Skills, and that puts me on the same level


    of strength as that thing, but it isn''t enough if I can''t get past its defenses and healing factor...''


    Humans were weak. They had limits, and their natural features were very mundane,pared to that of Monsters and Beasts.


    ''Beating it up isn''t enough...'' Rey thought to himself as he stared into his Status Screen, looking at the most viable solution to his current problem.


    ''I have to use the [Unknown Box] Skill:

 Chapter 536 Divine Battle [Pt 6]

    <h4>Chapter 536 Divine Battle [Pt 6]</h4>


    [The Unknown Box] Skill¡­


    Rey was able to obtain it by a stroke of luck after watching Adonis use it against the Skeletal Dragon Lord.


    Yes, it was through the lens of his clone, but since his [Doppel] worked regardless, he was able to take the ability that the Box itself offered.


    ¡­ The power to upgrade any one Skill to its full potential for a limited amount of time.


    Rey''s current gaze was on the ascending Dagon when he figured he would have to use this Skill if he wanted to stand a modicum of a chance against the Divine Beast.


    ''It''s more affected than physical attacks, so [Sacrifice] would have been the better option. But¡­'' Rey clenched his fist and strengthened his muscles.


    ''I need something to finish it off decisively!''


    Dagon had incredible regeneration, and its Life Force was too high for Rey to possibly kill in one hit. Inparison, Rey''s life force was much lower, so if it came down to a head-on battle, he had a much lower chance of victory.


    There was only one Skill that had been shown to do major damage to Dagon; his [Divine Ray].


    ''Which is why I should use [The Unknown Box] on it.'' That was Rey''s initial thought.


    However, after considering the speed and abilities of Dagon, as well as his own weakness, he thought against it.


    ''[Divine Ray] is already in the SS Tier. I''m not even sure if it has a higher form. It would be a waste if that wasn''t the case.''


    [The Unknown Box] had to follow the same rules as the Item it spawned from, which meant Rey could only use it once a day. Unless he actually used [Merger] to¡ª


    "That''s it! I have to use [Merger]!"


    ~BOOOOOOOM!~


    The moment Rey said this and beamed, the colossal Divine Beast kicked the air above it, creating a powerful wave that resounded across the area like thunder.


    Rey watched as it powerfully thrust itself back to the ground, readying its fist for it once it drew near.


    Heunched his fist, and Dagon did the same¡ªboth shing to create a ferocious storm around them.


    More buildings were devastated, and the fields were reduced into dirty patches ofnd. Once again, space became unstable, and the distorted waves of power filled everything around¡ªboth the energy of Rey and of Dagon.


    "Guh!" Rey felt a recoil after receiving the Beast''s hit head-on.


    ''It''s a lot tougher thanst time!''


    Before he could pull himself together, however, the Divine Beast utilized its tail and wrapped itself around Rey''s much smaller body.


    "W-wha¡ª!"


    ~WHOOOOSH!~


    It swung the boy away, sending him flying away from the confines of the Royal Estate. Rey, despite trying his hardest, could not resist the incredible force that thrust him away.


    At least, not immediately.


    He violently flipped in the air, unable to even get his bearings right, as all of his internal organs jammed against one another. Finally, after sacrificing a few more Skills and utilizing his excess energy to control his movements, he was able to stop.


    But¡ª


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    ¡ªDagon appeared right in front of him as he did so, dishing out a blow that sent him crashing down in one swift descent.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOM!~


    A powerful dist cloud rose into the air as the crash caused the surrounding buildings to shatter into a million pieces.


    Almost as if an earthquake was ongoing, the ground trembled, and cracks appeared in multiple parts of the city. All of this, in a city that had already suffered earlier attacks from Dragons.


    "Urgh¡­" Rey groaned as he rose from his crater.


    However, as soon as he did so, Dagon''s heavy body fell on him, forcing him back to the ground. The beast dug its ws into Rey''s body, pushing him to the ground, so it shattered even more.


    "Gahhh!" Rey sent a powerful pulse forward, pushing Dagon a few steps away.


    However, not long after that, the Beast regained its momentum and rushed towards Rey once again. In response to this, he did the only reasonable thing possible.


    ¡ªHe ran.


    ~WHOOOOSH!~


    His legs moved swiftly until he found himself floating through midair, escaping the wrath of the mindless creature who chased ferociously from behind.


    Rey watched as the monster crawled like an animal, gaining on him like the blur that it was.


    ''Damnit¡­ I was wrong!''


    As Rey stole constant nces at the Beast who violently trod the ground to catch him, he gritted his teeth and felt beads of sweat falling down his face.


    ''It''s still stronger. Or, at the very least¡­ much faster!''


    No¡­ that wasn''t quite it. At a point, Rey had been on a simr level of speed as this creature. But, that suddenly seemed to be changing.


    Why was that?


    ''M-my Skills! The buffs are running out¡­!''


    In essence, unlike Dagon who was operating on its peak physical a hundred percent of the time, Rey had to rely on his multifarious buffs for assistance.


    ¡­ And those buffs were slowly fizzling away.


    ''Why? Their duration shouldn''t be over yet. Could this be another interference from this bastard?!'' He gritted his teeth even more as he navigated his way through the buildings that stood in his way.


    At first, he made sure to avoid buildings so as not to destroy even more public property, but right now¡­ Rey was desperate.


    He broke through houses and structures, just so he would avoid Dagon''s wrath.


    As one would expect, his efforts were in vain. After a couple of seconds into the chase, Dagon finally caught up to him.


    ~FZZT!~


    Rey was able to use [Domain Of The Lord], albeit barely, to escape the Beast''s clutches, as soon as it tried to grab a hold of him.


    Appearing about three meters above Dagon, he ascended upward, trying his hardest to escape once again.


    Since he had a Flight Skill and Dagon did not, he figured he would have a much higher chance of escape if he went this route.


    And so, he charged up.


    But¡ª


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOM!~


    Dagon burst through the ground beneath him, causing everything to cave in as it shot high into the sky within barely a moment.


    The buildings¡­ and people¡­ were all reduced to shreds as it made its swift ascent.


    Rey never stood a chance.


    "Guh!" It grabbed Rey by the throat and used its tail to whip away his two hands when he tried to struggle.


    "S-stay away!"


    Rey wasn''tmanding this. His horrified tone and terrified expression made that incredibly clear.


    He was begging!


    Dagon didn''t listen, however.


    It kept its hold on Rey, while using its second hand to constantly pummel the boy as they made a freefall in the air.


    ~BOOOOOOOM!~


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOM!~


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!~


    The sounds only got louder as more of the Beast''s fistnded on Rey''s softening body. By the time they neared the ground, Dragon stopped the beating and pointed Rey''s face the ground.


    "P-please¡ª!"


    ~BOOOOOOOM!~


    It sent Rey face to the devastated earth, forcing him to eat dirt. The impact caused even moreyers of devastation, and Rey found his body helplessly bouncing off the surface of the earth once hended.


    Dagon didn''t wait for him to recover before grabbing his hair after itnded on the ground in a ferocious manner.


    "GRRRRRIIIAAAA!"


    It raced across the city, scraping Rey''s bloody face on the ground. This continued for a long period, with his body only spasming once it reached a particrly bumpy path.


    Once Dagon was finished, it thrust Rey forward, sending him crashing back to where they were justing from¡ªthe Royal Estate.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!~


    The Rey that fell there was a bloody mess, with his ssmates all huddled together to watch his barely breathing body.


    All of them opened their lips to whisper the same word.


    "R-Rey¡­?"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Sorry for yesterday. I feel a lot better now, so I''ll try to write a bit more.

 Chapter 537 Divine Battle [Pt 7]

    Chapter 537 Divine Battle [Pt 7]


    It first happened when Ralyks died, and then re-emerged from the dead.


    All of the Otherworlders, as well as the Kingdom''s Strongest, were relieved to see the re-emergence of their champion.


    They prayed¡ªhoped¡ªthat he would emerge victorious this time.


    Dagon was not an opponent any of them could even think of beating. It was an entity that far surpassed the capabilities of a Dragon Lord¡ªan entity beyond reason.


    Ralyks was their only option for victory.


    But¡­ the one who emerged from the depths wasn''t Ralyks at all. It was a much shorter, less attractive version of the man they all revered.


    He had dark hair, sure, but his in face and slightly above average stature gave a much different vibe from the Dark Adventurer.


    What''s more¡­ he resembled a ssmate of theirs¡ªone who was supposed to be dead.


    At that moment, the audience was no longer looking at Ralyks. Instead, their gaze was on the most unexpected man behind the mask.


    ¡ªRey Skr!


    And so, as the tremors continued throughout the fight between Rey and Dagon, they tried to reconcile what they saw with their pre-existing notions.


    "B-but how¡­?" One asked.


    ~BOOOOOOOOM!~


    "R-Rey is dead, right? Why is he¡­?"


    ~VWUUUUUM!~


    "Why does Sir Ralyks look like Rey? T-that makes no sense¡­"


    ~BOOOOOOOOM!~


    "What is going on exactly? Is that really him?"


    Confusion ran amuck among the students and their teachers, with eyes wide and faces worn thin. They were all too exhausted to join the battle, and even if they were at top form, their weakness made it impossible to contribute in any meaningful way.


    They were meant to be spectators only.


    Much to everyone''s concerns, the only one who was still unconscious was Alicia. Perhaps it was because of the Summoning, or some other reason beyond that, but she hadn''t yet opened her eyes.


    Lucielle was currently using Magic on her, while the rest were charged with protecting her if things ever went awry.


    They were all going to be cannon fodder if that were to be the case, which was why they had so desperately prayed for Ralyks to win.


    But¡ª


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOM!~


    They saw his body flung in front of them, almost like a ragdoll, and once again¡­ they were met with Rey''s bloody face and battered body.


    He was naked, with scars and bloody markings all over his body.


    The amount of damage evident through his body was indescribable. It was a miracle that he was even breathing after everything.


    "R-Rey¡­?" As they whispered this, the hulking form of the creature descended on the scene.


    The instant they saw this, all fell silent.


    Adonis was frozen rock solid as his eyes witnessed this sight. A million thoughts were going on in his mind, but he couldn''t focus on a single one.


    He just nkly stared as the scene unfolded.


    The expressions of everyone else was the same; a blend of surprise, fear, and hope.


    All of them, without exception had trembling hearts¡ªone that gazed upon the bloody one and desired for him to rise again.


    ¡­ He didn''t.


    *************


    "G-guhh¡­" Rey groaned as his swollen eyes opened slowly.


    His vision was blurry, and much to his surprise, his allies were the first things he saw when he opened his eyes.


    He could barely pinpoint the expressions on their faces, but he raised his hand, slowly and groggily towards them.


    ''S-someone¡­'' Tears were forming in his eyes, mixing with the blood that upied his battered face.


    ''... Please help me.''


    His lips were too busted to move. He could run no longer, not after his legs had been broken by the enemy more than a few dozen times.


    He found it difficult to breathe, and even moving his hand was all he could manage.


    ''I''m scared¡­''


    His head hurt so much that he felt it would explode at any given moment. His naked body scraped upon the rough earth, rubbing on the countless bruises and marks that had been dealt to him.


    ''It hurts¡­''


    No one could hear these thoughts. No one but Rey.


    Only he could feel the experience the hellish sensations that kept on torturing his body despite his pleas for them to stop. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    He wanted to run away¡­ to save himself.


    He wanted someone to save him.


    But it was toote for that at this point. He couldn''t save the people in front of him, just as they couldn''t save him.


    In this current moment, they all shared the same quality.


    ''W-weak¡­'' His thoughts trailed as he felt the dark shadow of the Divine Beast behind him. ''I''m¡­ so weak¡­''


    He felt his body slowly raised in the air, with pain shooting into his brain from his head. The Divine Beast pulled him by the hair, almost as if he was nothing but a filthy rag. Compared to the shimmering silver form that Dagon had, Rey could indeed be mistaken for something that dirty and unclean.


    He simply hung lifelessly, like a coat on a rack, slowly dancing in the air like a pendulum.


    "GRRRRRR¡­" Dagon''s growl seemed to hint at amusement, but Rey''s barely listening ears couldn''t process emotions right now.


    All he heard was the growl of a monster¡ªone that signified his demise.


    ''S-Sacrifice¡­ must use Sacrifice¡­'' His thoughts trailed as his brain pounded and his vision blurred.


    If he didn''t do anything now, he would die.


    His Status Window opened, and he could hardly see the content that was ced in front of him.


    ''If I die now¡­ that''s the end. I have to avoid that at all costs¡­''


    Even if it cost all of his Skills¡­ even if he had to lose everything he worked so hard for all this time¡­ he didn''t mind if that would provide him with the chance to survive.


    [System Notice]


    ~You have chosen the Skill [Merger] for a temporary upgrade using [The Unknown Box]~


    {You can now ''Evolve'' Skills with minimal time required and a higher sess rate. Would you like to choose the Skills to upgrade, or will you leave it to the automatic function avable to you?}


    [NOTE: It is preferable to use the automatic method]


    As Rey saw this, also with blurry vision, he also heard the voice of the System tell him all of this in his head.


    ''N-no¡­ not [Merger]. I don''t have enough time. I''m about to die here¡­''


    He needed Stats to survive.


    [System Notice]


    ~Too much time has psed, hence the automatic method has been chosen for optimal results~


    {All Skills will be temporarily disabled for the [Merger] process to fully take ce. Please patiently wait for a moment while your Skills are recalibrated}


    ''N-no¡­ NO! SACRIFICE! GIVE ME SACRIFICE!''


    Unfortunately, it was toote at that point.


    Rey was left all alone, dangling helplessly in the air, with no Skills left to assist him.


    His Buff Skills dissipated, leaving him with the meager Stats that he had at the start. With nothing but painpletely overwhelming his body, Rey felt tears roll down his eyes as he finally wished to die.


    ''I don''t want to die¡­ I don''t¡­ but¡­''


    Living was hell.


    The fear of being in front of such a monstrosity, with no power to resist at all, it consumed him whole.


    ''I¡­ It''s over.''

 Chapter 538 Divine Battle [Pt 8]

    Chapter 538 Divine Battle [Pt 8]


    Rey hung nigh lifelessly as he took one final nce on his allies before Dagon turned his body so he could only see its hideous face.


    Once it saw the beastly grin on the creature''s face, Rey already knew there was no hope.


    No¡­ he already knew that, but¡­ something within him just snapped.


    ''You were right, Ater¡­''


    If only he had him by his side at this moment, perhaps the fight would have gone a lot differently.


    ''No. What would he have done? There''s no way an S-Tier would beat an SS-Tier¡­'' Rey''s thoughts trailed as he closed his eyes.


    Throughout the battle he had considered summoning Beasts to fight, but it wouldn''t have worked either way. Even if the space around them was stable, and his Skills weren''t being affected, all of his Summons would be Level 1 Fodder who would never be able to match the Divine Beast.


    If he summoned a Divine Beast, it would only escte the problem, since both creatures would desire to kill Rey¡ªfor various reasons, but still¡­


    Rey couldn''t control a Divine Beast, so it was useless.


    In the end, there was no one to save him at this precarious hour.


    ''It''s all my fault¡­'' He felt his body grow numb and cold, and the rate of his heartbeat slowed down considerably.


    It seemed, without the buffs aiding him, he was going to die without the Divine Beast even lifting a finger.


    "GRRRRRRR¡­."


    ¡­ Not that the horrid creature would allow such an end.


    Dagon raised its second hand, its ws gleaming dangerously as it licked its scaly lips while staring intensely at Rey.


    It desired to end Rey''s life itself, and would most likely gain another Level as a result. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ''It''s over¡­'' This was far from the future that Rey envisioned for himself, but it was indeed what he was dealt with.


    Sadly, he was going to die.


    ~SQUELCH!~


    **************


    Dagon''s ws went through Rey''s chest, his weak body offering no resistance at all. It ripped out his heart, causing blood to gush out in the process.


    The crimson stains on the Divine Beast turned into nothing but particles and were burned away, while the rest of the liquid sttered on the ground.


    Once again¡­ it Leveled Up.


    The Divine Beast, now Level 3, let Rey''s pathetic corpse go, watching as it copsed into the puddle created by his blood.


    Needless to say, there was no resistance.


    The bodynded on the bloody mess on the ground, and it remained therepletely motionless.


    Dagon''s instinctive desire was fulfilled. It had killed off the threat, and now it would finally recieve its just reward.


    ¡ªKilling the Tamer!


    The initial mission returned to the forefront of its mind, and this prompted it to move towards the cluster of helpless humans that watched it with fear for their impending doom.


    The sheer bloodlust rushing from the Beast was unreal. It made everyone weak in the knees, shivering in the face of such impossible adversity.


    Something told them it wouldn''t be like before¡­ and they were correct.


    The powerless humans were right to be afraid.


    In the past, Dagon would have ignored them and simply gone for the prize. But, after all the trouble it went through with one human, its assessment had beenpletely flipped.


    Its neutral disposition towards the entire race was different now.


    ''KILL ALL HUMANS¡­''


    That was its current imperative, and it desired to fulfill all of it to the letter. But first¡­ the Tamer.


    It took a few more steps forward, hoping someone or something would stand in its way so it could tear them to pieces. Dagon had already decided to kill all of them on its way to the Tamer, who was still unconscious at the rear, but it still wanted some amusement from them.


    It wanted to see them struggle until they met their inevitable end and died¡ªlike how Rey did.


    However, none of them could move a single muscle.


    ¡­ Not before its divine power.


    Then, right as it raised its ws, ready to mow them all down where they stood¡­ ~VWUUUUUUUUUUUM!~


    A certain vibration coursed through the air, forcing the world around it to tremble. Two distinctly colored lights rose into the sky¡ªone red, and one blue. Like pirs, they pierced into the heavens, causing rumbings to resound in the sky.


    Dagon instantly halted its movements as he turned to face the cause. It red, very intensely, at the two brilliant creatures that hovered above the corpse.


    The creatures looked simr in every way, except for their colors. They seemed to be made entirely out of mes, and they had the form of birds.


    Their wings majestically spread out, and their fiery feathers gleamed brilliantly under the setting sun. Their brilliance was impossible to ignore¡­ and the heat they offered instantly banished the cold of the evening.


    Dagon felt something within it tremble slightly.


    It had only felt this sensation once¡ªback when it cast its gaze on those Dragons earlier. Something about the Dragons felt threatening, so it made them its first priority¡ªeliminating them before going after the Tamer.


    This felt simr too¡­ with those two creatures who floated magnificently over a corpse.


    Within a moment, though, that all changed.


    "Kiyuu!"


    One of the two¡ªthe blue one¡ªechoed out something, and then it burned brighter than ever.


    Its brilliance caused even Dagon to brace itself, taking a step back as it watched this disy of pure, primal energy.


    Then¡­ just as the brilliance reached its precipice, the blue bird exploded.


    ~POOF!~


    The explosion was small, considering the scale that its brilliant light covered. Even Dagon was left confused.


    But¡­ as soon as it exploded, its glittering ashes fell on the corpse beneath it. Then, the true miracle urred.


    ~FSHUUUUUU¡­~


    A world of steam suddenly manifested as they made contact, and energy coalesced into the fallen man.


    Then¡ª


    "Haaa¡­"


    ¡ªThe man slowly rose, all of his wounds and markspletely gone.


    The smoke parted, revealing his new form.


    His body glowed gloriously, and his naked form showed nothing but immacte perfection. His in face had an allure to it, and every aspect of his body seemed carved by absolute wonder.


    This boy''s average form was maxed out to the fullest.


    Blue sparks danced around him, and almost as soon as he rose to his feet, the crimson bird flew to his shoulder, perching itself perfectly there.


    ~VWUUUUSH!~


    That instant, a powerful force echoed from where they both stood.


    All of the power that was pushed out immediately returned, coalesced to form a regalia that he donned in a mere moment.


    Garbed in a brilliant crimson cloak, adorned in darkness and golden marks of perfection, the boy''s naked body was covered in a magnificent outfit.


    His skin began to burn brightly as well¡ªan azure colored me that finely contrasted the crimson robe it had on.


    In a sense, it had taken on the nature of the blue-colored bird, while the red one also blessed him with its power.


    "I see¡­" As he parted his ming lips, Rey''s voice came in a warbling whisper.


    He stared at his open palm for a while, feeling the flow of energy dancing inside him¡ªoverflowing like never before.


    "So you gave up your life for me¡­" Clenching his fist in resolve, he cast a quick nce at the other bird who was perched on his shoulder.


    A smile formed on his face as a determined gaze shifted straight ahead.


    "Thank you."

 Chapter 539 Divine Battle [Pt 9]

    <h4>Chapter 539 Divine Battle [Pt 9]</h4>


    There is a certain creature known as the Phoenix.


    Legend has it that this magnificent creature is not only incredibly powerful, but also immortal. By burning up itself, it reemerges from its own ashes; a brand new creature.


    Well¡­ the legends aren''t particrly wrong.


    However, the Phoenix also has the power to grant this power to another¡ªthe one it considers worthy.


    Rey was chosen by one of such¡ªseed of the Azure Phoenix.


    ***********


    Dagon growled ever so louder as it set its nonexistent sight on the enemy.


    Rey was covered in blue mes, while also coated with a fiery red cloak. His body burned bright, like mes that would never be extinguished, and his eyes reflected the overall state of his body as he stared back at the Divine Beast.


    Once again, they would confront each other; each side desiring nothing more than the destruction of the other.


    ~WHOOSH!~


    Without dying in the slightest, Dagon rushed towards Rey¡ªeasily closing the distance between them¡ªand thrust a powerful blow his way.


    ~FSHUI~


    Like a flicker of fire from a candle-light, Rey danced away from harm''s way, appearing right beside the fist that sent the blow forward.


    Dagon bent its neck in confusion, surprised by the swift and unpredictable evasion.


    ~WHOOOOM!~


    After sending another blow to its side, knowing fully well that it would hit Rey merely based on how fast it was going, as well as the intensity of its attack, Rey still evaded the assault by flickering and appearing at the other side.


    "GRRRRRRRR!!!"


    Dagon gritted its teeth, the frustration slowly bing more evident in its countenance. Veins popped out of its scaly face as its muscles bulged even more than usual.


    In no time at all, it entered into a frenzy.


    "RUARHHH!"


    ~BOOOOOOOOOM!~


    It struck the ground, but Rey evaded the assault, taking a couple of steps back for good measure. However, Dagon easily closed the distance and struck again.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    More of the ground was shattered, and the surrounding structures took another solid blow from the impact. Yet¡­ Rey seemed fine.


    Dagon could not understand.


    It was faster than Rey; stronger too. Every hit was supposed tond as usual, yet for some reason, he would dodge it at thest minute.


    As a being of no intelligence, Dagon couldn''t processplicated stuff. Instead, it simply decided to work faster than normal.


    "HUUUU¡­" More veins appeared through its body, and it let out steamy breaths.


    Then¡ª


    ~BOOOOM!~


    Everything around it shattered into pieces as it charged forward, hoping to destroy Rey by a single strike.


    A powerful punch was thrust forward, capable of blowing a hole through several buildings with ease. Destruction was coalesced into that fist, and it sought a solid target to hit.


    But¡­


    ~FWUSH!~


    Rey swiftly dodged the attack, held Dagon by the very hand that it sent out, and then used the creature''s own force against it.


    In one set of deft movements, he was not only able to dodge the attack, but he carried Dagon and mmed him on the ground¡ªusing all the generated force as momentum.


    ~BOOOOOOOM!~


    Once Dagon fell, creating another gaping crater on the ground, Rey raised his legs and tried to stomp on the creature''s head, but Dagon evaded it very quickly and used its tail to swoop Rey down as well.


    This worked, and just as Rey stumbled and fell, Dagon rose and attempted tond a strike.


    "No, you don''t!"


    Twisting his body in the air, he was able to avoid¡ªalbeit only barely¡ªDagon''s assault, while also spinning to create a powerful kick on the creature''s stumpy neck as a counter.


    ~WHAM!~


    The kicknded perfectly, causing the monster to stagger a few steps back. However, it almost instantly recovered and went after Rey once again.


    Sending blow after blow, Rey would avoid them with precision, the ferocious strikes only barely missing their mark.


    This dance continued for a few more seconds, with Rey avoiding attacks, dealing counters, and then returning to avoiding attacks.


    Dagon''s blows were devastating and raw, but they never once connected with Rey. As for the attacks that thetter offered; they were precise, and while theynded, nothing of note changed after the strike.


    Dagon would heal very rapidly, rendering the struggle nigh futile. It almost seemed like Rey was yet tond any real hit on the creature.


    ''Damnit¡­ my Stats are just too low!'' His mind sharplymented as it grabbed Dagon by the tail and managed to m him on the ground.


    He then whisked the Divine Beast once again, flinging him to a nearby wall, destroying the whole thing in the process.


    "Haa¡­ this is impossible!" Rey muttered as he narrowed his gaze on Dagon.


    As he expected, the thing was still perfectly fine.


    ''The azure mes help me with defense by healing me and also automatically shifting my body away from preconceived harm. The crimson cloak helps me with amping my stats, which allow me to dish out a decent counter.'' His thoughts trailed as he slowly exhaled steamy breaths.


    ''But this isn''t enough!''


    If only his Stats were higher, or the Phoenixes had a muchrger Level, things would have been a lot different.


    ''I still have no idea how they were able to leave my Inventory, and why they automatically bonded to me despite being out of the cage. The System didn''t even tell me anything¡­''


    However, he was lucky they were helping him.


    ''The only problem is¡­ I don''t know how long this stuff willst. I can''t use any of my Skills as long as this Merging thing is happening, so there''s no way to win right now¡­''


    [Merger] usually took a while to fully fuse Skills, especially depending onpatibility and Tiers. Sometimes it took hours; time that Rey didn''t have at the moment.


    ''Since [The Unknown Box] Skill has been applied to it, the process most likely wouldn''t take that long, but still¡­'' Rey gritted his teeth and strengthened his fist, ready for another round with the Beast.


    ''I have no idea how much longer I canst.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Shorter chapter today, I know. I''m sick again, but I will do my best to write three as per usual.


    Once I recover fully (first week of next month), there''ll be a mass release.

 Chapter 540 Divine Battle [Pt 10]

    Chapter 540 Divine Battle [Pt 10]


    -B000000000000000000M


    The battle once again broke into the city square, with Dagon destroying everything in sight as it howled like an insane Beast.


    The frustration of not killing its prey was getting to it, causing the creature''s mind to go mad.


    Devastation spread about, with Dagon flinging buildings at Rey, as well as sending several sts from its mouth towards him¡ªall of which were skillfully avoided. 3


    "GRRRRRRRRR!!!" Dagon was trembling with annoyance at this point.


    Its primitive mind could notprehend why Rey was still alive, so it went on a full-on frenzy.


    -VWUUUUUUUM!~


    He set the Capital on fire with its st, killing any human it set eyes on. Anything to sate its wrath was exploited, and through it all... Rey kept intervening.


    Rey''s attacks stung at best, but Dagon always recovered in a second or two. The frustrating part was that the Monster could not hit him as quickly as he could do to it.


    ''WHY?!''


    The thought seemed to echo in Dagon''s primitive brain as it red hard at Rey.


    Hundreds, if not thousands of corpses were already left at its wake, and this new fight had only been on for barely three minutes.


    So many people were dead, and many more would die before Dagon was satisfied. Their lives were meaningless, since the horrid beast only desired Rey''s life.


    In a sense, he was to me for the deaths of all the innocent residents who lost their lives.


    ~WHOOOOSH!~


    Once again, Dagon raced towards Rey, racing towards him like an animal. It scratched away at Rey, hoping the long reach of his ws would at least tear of a limb from the brat.


    Rather unfortunately... it didn''t!


    Next, Dagon sent its wide and deadly maw snapping forward, desiring to rip Rey in half.


    Once again... its attempt was unsessful.


    It thrust out its tail, but Rey stepped to the side and avoided the piercing attack, while Dagon sent its horn shing at Rey, hoping to slice open his throat.


    It failed this time. But-


    "Squak!"


    -A pained scream echoed from the bird that stood on Reys shoulder as the attack slightly grazed it.


    Rey instantly leaped away, while Dagon paused for a brief moment. Its beastly mind needed time to process what had just happened¡ª what it just heard.


    One further nce at Rey, feeling all the energy and vibrations in the air, Dagon felt itself arriving at a simple conclusion; the solution for its current troubles.


    -Kill the bird!


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    It charged at Rey, who seemed to have also noticed Dagon''s motives. The human raced away, flying into the air in a blur of red abd blue light.


    Dagon followed, gleaming silver under the dark orange ambiance of the sky above. Thetr evening was greeted with the sight of two kinds of light chasing each other, with the silver one gaining at a consistent rate.


    Rey, in his ming form, sent ming constructs to carry buildings and other nearby structures, throwing all of them towards Dagon. His goal must have been to distract Dagon or slow it down in some way.


    ... That failed miserably.


    "GRRRRRRUUAAA!" Seeing so many obstructions in its path only made it more determined to get Rey, so it bounced off the tforms that it evaded, using them as more stable footholds to propel itself even further.


    Once that happened, its speed doubled, and it easily broke through any other obstacle that was thrust in its path.


    ~WHOOOOOOSH!~


    Much faster than a mere blur, Dagon instantly closed in on Rey and sent its ws ahead, piercing the crimson bird from behind.


    "N-NO-!" Distracted by the sound of squished flesh and spurting blood, Rey yelled out and turned back to react to the injury of his new Familiar.


    However, before he could do any more, Dagon''s tail whipped across his face, sending him crashing down.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    Rey fell to the ground, with the bird still hanging on Dagon''s ws like a kebab.


    "S-skwa...k..." As the crimson bird trembled under the mighty grasp of Dagon, it felt itself unable to move of its own ord.


    It couldn''t use its natural abilities of regeneration, or me transformation. Not even teleportation, since that would save its life.


    The Null Art that oozed throughout Dagon''s body made all of that impossible.


    "S-squa....kk..."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ~SQUISH!~


    In one swift action, Dagon crushed the bird, causing steaming hot blood to burst out. It decorated Dagon''s hand for a moment, before drying up and vanishing from sight.


    Like vestiges of dust, they scattered away, along with the ming remnants of the bird''s corpse.


    "HUUU..." Dagon then descended to the ground, creating a cloud of dust upon its descent.


    With the two ming birds gone, there was only one more prey it had to deal with before the Tamer. Much to its satisfaction, the prey was just recovering from the hit that was dished out to him.


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    Dagon charged towards him, its jaws wide open as it leaked out a beastly grin. Saliva drooped from its gaping maw as its tongue licked its scaly lips.


    Its desire wasid bare, and it reached out to crush the human. But-


    "No..." Rey sent out his hand to stop Dagon''s blow, focusing all of the azure energy that surrounded his body on a single hand.


    ~BOOOOO0000000000000OOOOM!!!~


    A shockwave was scattered throughout the entire city, and the nearby buildings-the ones that hadn''t already been demolished- were instantly obliterated.


    Dagon''s shocked face was reced by an even greater primal desire to win, so it sent its second fist forward, aiming at Rey''s head in order to blow it away.


    ~WHOOOOSH!~


    As the Divine Beast''s attacks closed in on Rey, it saw tears descend from his eyes.bender


    Something about that brought it satisfaction.


    After all, most of those whom it ughtered had tears in their eyes as they begged to be spared. It mercilessly killed them regardless, so seeing this happen before its eyes only made the kill all the sweeter.


    What Dagon didn''t know was the prior to this attack-right when Rey had fallen to the ground-he had gotten a notification.


    [System Notice]


    ~All Skills have been updated, while the excesses have been offered to [Sacrifice] per your previous request~


    {Would you like to revert this decision? If you do not revert it now, these results will be deemed epted}


    Right there and then... Rey had to respond with the only answer he could.


    "No..."


    And that was right as he stopped Dagon''s attack.


    The shockwave that burst away from the two shing wasn''t simply due to the power of one side. No... both of them had contributed an evenly proportional force.


    As such, once Dagon''s second fist emerged, something instantly shielded Rey, casting some sort of blockade that sent the Beast''s fist flying backwards.


    As this was happening, Rey whispered very silently.


    "Status Window..."


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Rey Skr.


    - Race: Human (Otherworlder)


    - ss: Anomaly (A-Tier)


    - Level: 70 (00.00% EXP)


    - Life Force: 3,000 (+231)


    - Mana Level: 9,000 (+231)


    - Combat Ability: 5,000 (+231)


    - Stat Points: 10,000


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Doppel]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Merger]. [Dead Calm].[Sacrifice]


    - Alignment: Neutral Good


    [Additional Information]


    You are an irregrity to the world. Achieving the unbelievable, shaking the bnce of reality... you seek to overturn what is and isn''t.


    Will you seed? Or will your failure be miserable?


    [End Of Information]


    "I see..." Rey whispered as he gazed upon the new Status Window that was spread out before him.


    "I still don''t have monstrous Stats, so this new way I feel must be due to my skills."


    More tears fell down his eyes as he sniffed a little.


    Dagon had mistaken these for an expression of despair, but the Divine Beast dod not really understand why Rey was crying.


    These weren''t tears of sorrow or pain.


    They were of joy.


    "[Skill List]." He whispered, ignoring the constant pounding that Dagon gave his trembling barrier.


    There had to be a limit to the defense that it offered, but at the moment Rey didn''t pay it any mind. Cracks appeared here and there, but it seemed sturdy enough to take a couple more hits without a problem.


    Finally having a chance to catch his breath, he looked at the new list before him.


    [ALL SKILLS]


    {Original Skills}


    Doppel (SSS-Tier)


    Merger (S-Tier)


    Dead Calm (A-Tier)


    Sacrifice (S-Tier)


    {Doppel Skills}


    [SS-Tier]


    Divine Weapon Creation (Active)


    Perfect Divine Magic (Active)


    Divine Power Ascension (Active)


    Perfect Divine Ray (Active)


    Divine Magic Supremacy (Passive)


    Perfect Domain Of The Divine (Active)


    Perfect Divine Defense (Active)


    Perfect Divine Resistance (Passive)


    Perfect Divine Immortality (Passive)


    Perfect Divine Regeneration (Passive)


    Perfect Divine Appraisal (Active)


    Perfect Divine Martial Supremacy (Passive)


    Perfect Divine Growth (Passive)


    Perfect Divine Form (Passive)


    Perfect Divine Adaptability (Passive)


    {Total: 15}


    [Active Skills: 7]


    [Passive Skills: 8]


    [END OF INFORMATION]


    As Rey witnessed all of this, his eyes widened a little.


    From over sixty Skills, everything had beenpressed into fifteen. However, all of these were not only in the Divine Tier, but they had also reached their state of perfection.


    It was why even Dagon was having trouble with his defensive barrier.


    "Haaa..." Thest drop of tears fell from Rey''s eyes as he set his sights on the Divine Beast in front of him.


    "Time for payback."

 Chapter 541 The Final Run

    Chapter 541 The Final Run


    Back when Rey was on the verge of death¡ªfacing an enemy he could never hope to beat, the System had to determine the best course of action for him.


    He had a lot of good Skills¡ªuseful ones even.


    His Necromancy, Shapeshifting, Flight, and a bunch of really useful Skills that woulde in handy in several important scenarios.


    But¡­ none of them would ensure his survival.


    Not even the Divine Beast Summon, or any of the other overpowered Skills in his arsenal.


    As such, during the assimtion process done by the [Divine Merger] interface, it automatically selected the results that would lead to its host''s best interests.


    An oue that would ensure undisputed victory on the part of Rey Skr.


    It was due to this that the 15 Skills were formed.


    [Divine Weapon Creation] used the [Divine de Summon] as well as Rey''s other Skills, such as [Grand Enchanted Weapon Summon], [Grand Item Equip], and a bunch of others for truepatibility.


    Then, [Perfect Divine Magic] merged all of Rey''s Active Magic-rted Skills andbined them with the [Divine Elemental Magic] to form an ultimate Magic-Based Skill.


    [Divine Power Ascension] and [Divine Magic Supremacy] were already present in his arsenal, so they weren''t tampered with. Perhaps they would have be perfected, but there weren''t enough Skills with directpatibility to them that would ensure a sess.


    As for the [Perfect Divine Ray] and [Perfect Domain Of The Divine] Skills, the opposite was true. While they were already in the Divine Tier, using a lot of highlypatible Skills¡ªoffensive Skills for the former, and Spatial Skills, like [Grand Inventory] and [Absolute Spatial Domain] even sacrificing [Grand Elemental Summon] for thetter¡ªthese new Skills was created.


    [Perfect Divine Defense] had a simr story, while lower Tier Skills were promoted by adding a bunch of Skills to the mix. Examples of those were [Perfect Divine Resistance], [Perfect Divine Regeneration], [Perfect Divine Appraisal], and [Perfect Divine Martial Supremacy].


    New Skills were also formed from scratch, using the rest of the Skills, as well as the current experiences as a threshold for their growth.


    New Skills, like [Perfect Divine Immortality], [Perfect Divine Growth], [Perfect Divine Form], and [Perfect Divine Adaptability] would ensure that the host¡ªRey Skr¡ªwould not perish as long as his Soul was still kept intact.


    He could also continuously grow without a ceiling.


    All of this was done by the [Divine Merger] before it downgraded back to its previous Status. The leftover essence of the Skills were fed to [Sacrifice], and were in turn churned out as Stat Points for Rey to use at his disposal.


    This would improve his muchcking base Stats, once again ensuring he wouldn''t suffer needless pain and humiliation in a battle of mere Stats with most entities.


    Since Rey could not cast [Doppel] on himself, there was no way to recover the [Divine Merger] Skill, and with [The Unknown Box] Skill gone¡ªa part of its essence even fed to [Sacrifice], he would never have ess to it again.


    Perhaps if he kept using [Merger], a natural evolution could ur, but the chances of that were very slim.


    That said, was there really any need for concern?


    At this point, Rey Skr possessed fifteen SS-Tier Skills all to himself, breaking the record among the natives of H''Trae for one with most Divine-Tier Skills.


    A new ss was inevitably going to awaken within him, and his power would soar even higher than ever.


    Perhaps this was providence; a reward for his suffering.


    Whatever case this would be, it only meant one thing¡ªespecially to the Beast that Rey currently faced.


    ¡ªRey''s divine victory.


    ***********


    "Where do I begin?" Rey muttered as he watched Dagon throw a flurry of punches towards Rey, trying his hardest to reach him.


    The cracks that appeared all over the dull-colored barrier didn''t make Rey anxious. Instead, he moved closer to Dagon and undid the barrier.


    That very instant¡ª


    ~WHUUUUUM!~


    ¡ªDagon threw its most powerful blow yet towards Rey, hitting his head in a powerful burst of impact.


    ~BOOOOOOOM!~


    Rey''s neck easily twisted, and his entire sh became mangled from the blow. However, in just a moment, it all reverted back to normal.


    "Ahhh! So this is immortality! I should have definitely died from that!" Rey grinned excitedly, not even feeling an ounce of the pain that should have coursed through his body.


    Most people would have cried out at the horror, but Rey felt none of those things.


    He didn''t feel anything about the corpses that littered his sight, nor about the horrors that he had just experienced. He didn''t remember the two Familiars who perished for his sake, neither did he remember the people he swore to save.


    Right here and now, the only thing that filled Rey''s mind was power.


    "More¡­ what more can I do?!" He bellowed out, staring at Dagon with wide eyes.


    "GRRRRRRRR!"


    The Beast tried to sh at Reyy with its ws, but an invisible surge of wind sent it flying high into the sky¡ªmuch faster than it could even process.


    "Hahaha! Come on! Try harder!" Reyughed, his eyes now bloodshot like one who teetered at the edge of insanity.


    "I''m right here!"


    Upon hearing what felt like taunts, Dagon roared, sending mighty waves of power crashing into the air around him. It kicked the air behind it and charged towards Rey like an unstoppable meteor. However, as soon as Rey slightly raised his hand, Dagon ceased motion¡ªalmost as if he was stuck in a single frame of time.


    No¡­ that wasn''t right.


    "Interesting! So if I keep swapping out zones using my Domain, I can create a seemingly infinite distance between myself and you. It''s the weirdness of space, but what are you going to do now? You can''t reach me, ri¡ª?"


    "GRRRRAAAAAA!!!" Dagon''s Null Art burned even brighter as its silver scales shattered apart, revealing a muscled mass of pure white skin.


    It broke through the seemingly infinite distance, bypassing what should have been impossible.


    All of this was simply due to its ability to nullify the effects of Rey''s Skills.


    "A-ah, I see. No good, huh?"


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    As Dagon crashed on the ground where Rey was supposed to be, thed was already floating in the air, his arms stretched forward as he stared down at Dagon with cold eyes.


    "Maybe if I master it a little more. Or if I have better Stats¡­ that won''t happen again.


    Dagon growled in desperation, raising its head up as it opened itsrge maw, preparing to fire an intense st at Rey.


    "You know¡­ it''s funny¡­"


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    The azure st was sent forth, causing everything around to vibrate at an abnormal rate.


    Dagon began to sink into the copsing earth, as it was unable to handle the full feedback of the power the Beast exuded.


    Still, even with such an overwhelming output, the barrier that surrounded Rey was able to fully deflect it.


    "I used to look at you with fear and horror. The pain and despair from back then¡­ why don''t I feel any of it?" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Several golden sparks appeared all around Rey, and in a sh, several golden des¡ªDivine Weapons¡ªwere sent flying towards Dagon.


    Faster than blurs, they charged at the Divine Beast, impaling it on all sides of its body.


    Its arms, legs, stomach, chest, and even neck; all of them were impaled with these swords, breaking apart the very ground that Dagon stood on to create a gaping hole in the ground.


    "Have you be so weak¡­ or have I transformed into something strong?" As Rey said this, he turned his palm towards his face and keenly gazed upon it.


    Then, something began to form in front of the outstretched palm.


    It was abination of all the colors imaginable to man, coalesced into a nk fabric of untold destruction.


    "GRRRRRIIIIIAAAAAAAA!!!" Dagon kicked the air behind it so that it wouldn''t fall into the massive crater beneath it. With its sheer willpower and contracting muscles alone, it sent all the Divine des that were lodged into it flying away.


    The light kept forming on Rey''s palm. It was so small, yet all of the lights in the heavens seemed to vanish, and everything for miles seemed to shiver in response to the power being formed.


    Even the almighty Dagon¡ªinvincible Divine Beast of old¡ªwas not immune to this.


    Its instincts, which had told it several times to kill Rey and everything in sight began to say something else.


    ''RUN! RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN!''


    Dagon obeyed its instincts and began to flee. Like a wild beast of the forest, it went on all fours and began to run away.


    Its ws scratched the surface of the earth, creating marks that propelled it even further away from the enemy.


    ''T-TAMER! KILL THE TAMER AND ESCAPE!'' Dagon made its way to the Royal Estate, hoping to eliminate the Tamer and undo its summoning. How it knew that was immaterial.


    It was all instinct.


    The moment it leaped forward, hoping to swiftly aplish its mission, a figure was already waiting for him ahead.


    It was Rey, and right now, his palm was wide open¡­ with the fingers pointed at Dagon.


    With an expressionless face, and a stoic tone, his voice emerged.


    "[Perfect Divine Ray]."


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMM!!!~

 Chapter 542 The Moments Before

    Chapter 542 The Moments Before


    [Moments Earlier] n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Alicia slowly opened her eyes.


    Everything was so loud, and the world seemed to be copsing on itself. As everything trembled and rumbled, she was slowly pulled out of deep slumber.


    Casting her blurry gaze to the darkened sky above, she was met with a bombardment of voices from all her ssmates and teachers.


    "Alicia!"


    "You''re up, Alicia!"


    "Are you fine, Alicia?"


    "Take it easy! How do you feel?" She remained still despite being overwhelmed by all of these questions. The faces of her ssmates began poking into her field of vision, blocking her view of the evening sky.


    ''I''m still not dead, huh¡­?'' Her thoughts trailed as she tiredly blinked, fighting back the urge to cry once again.


    "I know you''re just waking up, but I need to ask you something¡­" Adonis'' voice echoed in the air as he drew closer.


    "Hmm¡­?" Tilting her head slightly, ignoring all the chaos and devastation thaty in the background, she looked at the Hero''s troubled face.


    "Did you know¡­ about Rey? About his power and¡ª?"


    "R-Rey¡­?"


    Painful memories began to surface, and she began to feel the urge to close her eyes once again¡ªperhaps forget all about what she knew.


    ¡­ What had just happened.


    "R-Rey is¡ª"


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOM!~


    A sudden explosion caused everything to tremble, and the grounds ominously shook, causing everyone who was standing to fall straight to the roughened ground.


    "Again?" Someone in the crowd muttered.


    "That one seemed a bit closer thanst time, don''t you think?"


    "I''m scared¡­ I''m so scared¡­" As everyone among the audience gave mixed responses, Adonis sighed and looked at the two strongest denizens of the Alliance.


    Brutus and Lucielle returned hs gaze, and their expressions oozed concern as well.


    "Are you sure we shouldn''t retreat to the bunker?"


    "It''ll be much safer there than to stay out in the open like this. I''m sure the Councilors are already there¡­"


    Adonis sighed and shook his head.


    "That thing is after Alicia. Going to the bunker would only lead it to that ce. That would endanger even more lives, and fighting in an enclosed space would offer us a disadvantage¡­" "F-fight?" Lucielle raised her brows as she trembled a little. "You''re thinking about fighting that thing?!"


    "If Rey doesn''t seed, then we have to¡ª"


    "Adonis, that thing is too strong for us to handle. You can hear the sounds. I''m sure half of the city has already been destroyed at this point."


    Adonis shook his head as his resolute face clung to his convictions.


    "We can go with the same n as before. Using The Unknown Box to awaken all our powers and win. We have more numbers now, so we should be able to do it." Not counting Alicia, there were currently five Otherworlders on standby. Adding Lucielle and Brutus, that meant there would be a total seven who would go against the Divine Beast.


    Surely, their chances were great.


    "I agree with Lucielle on this. I don''t think we can win, even with that ¡ª"


    "So what do you want us to do?! Abandon ourrade? I can''t ept that! She''s one of the heroes who will save the world! I¡­ I can''t¡­ likest time¡­ I¡­ this world¡­" For the first time ever, Adonis was seen stuttering.


    His charisma seemed to evaporate into thin air as an obsessive air surrounded him. With widened eyes, he seemed to plead his case.


    Many who saw this were shook to their core.


    The response he gave caused the faces of the group to grow downcast. Some might have thought to abandon Alicia and simply save their own skins in the bunker, but no one was bold enough to make the suggestion.


    Still, it seemed to be a much more feasible n than fighting the monstrosity that was Dagon.


    "That thing killed the Dragon Lord very easily. It eliminated two other Dragons with just about the same level of ease¡ªthe same ones you were struggling with not too long ago." Lucielle said with a stern sigh.


    "B-back then we didn''t have¡ª!"


    "Rey or Ralyks, however you put it, has disyed a lot of Skills and abilities from what I am told. If none of those have been effective on this creature, I don''t see what we can do¡ªeven if we end up unlocking the full potential of our Skills."


    "Lucielle, listen¡­ I¡ª!"


    "That''s not even discounting the curse that you mentioned earlier. The duration of this upgrade is also something that bothers me. All in all, Adonis¡­ I do not think this is a good n." Lucielle moved closer to the trembling Hero and ced her hand on his shoulder.


    "I know you want to save everyone. I admire that about you¡­ but that won''t be possible this time." As she uttered those words with a sad smile, her crimson eyes glistened with sincerity. She spoke from her heart, and those words seemed to break down the walls that Adonis raised.


    "I¡­ but there''s no other¡­"


    "Don''t be so quick to judge. There could be a solution." She winked at him, removing her hand from his shoulder as she went back to Brutus'' side.


    "What do you¡ª?"


    "Give us the box. Everyone else should go to the bunker for safety. I''ll use a Spell to transport Alicia somewhere faraway¡­ out of the reach of the thing."


    Out of everyone present, only Lucielle could use Spatial Magic. The scale at which she could use it, however, was limited. If she had [The Unknown Box], she could achieve a long-distance Teleportation Spell¡ªone that was untraceable too.


    "It might take some time, but Brutus can protect me in that case. Even if it''s for a few seconds. The sooner we start, the safer it''ll be for all of us."


    With that n, only the Head Warrior and Grand Mage would be in danger. Plus, if they hurried, then they could also go to the bunker.


    "It''s a good n, isn''t it?" Lucielle smiled brightly. Of course, she would have to bear the brunt of the curse¡ªwhatever the effect would be¡ªbut at the very least, the casualties would be minimized. Only the Grand Mage would have to suffer.

 Chapter 543 Singularity

    Chapter 543 Singrity


    All the Otherworlders were reluctant to ept Lucielle''s solution, but based on the circumstances, and the thought of the greater good¡ªnot to talk of their innate desire for self-preservation¡ªthey had no choice but to agree.


    Only Adonis seemed the most hesitant at the idea, but even he seemed like he would cave in.


    "I think this is the best option at the mome¡ª" Lucielle was about to say more, perhaps final words to convince the Hero, but was interrupted.


    "You guys¡­" Alicia''s low voice caused everyone to slowly look at her.


    What they saw caused their eyes to widen and their expressions to morph into that of horror. They had considered a couple of oues, but not this.


    "... You''re ignoring the most obvious and effective strategy¡­" Alicia was holding a dagger, her two hands trembling as she ced it dangerously close to her neck. She was breathing very heavily, and perspiration glistened on her soft skin. Still, the resolute gaze she gave made it clear she wasn''t messing around.


    "Let me just die. Everything will be over once that happens."


    Adonis was the first to speak, taking a step forward as he yelled at the top of his lungs.


    "Alicia, don¡ª!"


    ~WHOOOOOOOOOSH!~


    All of a sudden, a dark shadow was cast on the group, the shape of a monster. No one was fast enough to see it, since their eyes were on her, but since her gaze was high above, she could witness the emergence of the beast. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The Divine Beast had returned¡­ and it desired her life.


    Fear captured her as she witnessed the horrifying beast. It looked a lot taller and more brutal than ever before.


    Its pure white flesh and incredible muscles seemed to swallow up the entire sky. The beastcked eyes, but she could tell that it was looking straight at her.


    Its two ws were outstretched as it leaped in her direction, though it was still high up in the sky. Once it began its descent, it was all over.


    Alicia knew, at that moment, that her life hade to an end.


    Her weak hands let go of the de, and she awaited the brutal end that she felt was deserving.


    ''How many people have suffered¡­ have died, because of me?''


    She brought this monster into this world, and it had caused so much destruction in the short time that it existed here. Every second that she lived was only going to bring more people harm. More innocents would suffer¡­ and she didn''t want that.


    ''I have so many regrets. So many things I want. I want to go back home. Maybe if I die here, I''ll return. Maybe Rey is waiting for me back on Earth¡­'' Using those words tofort herself, she let her fears lie still.


    The dagger fell from her grip, very slowly, as the Divine Beast kept descending. It would most likely reach her before the de touched the ground, but she didn''t mind.


    At the very least, her end would be swift.


    Just as Alicia was about to close her eyes and say farewell to this world, she saw something¡ªa certain silhouette that floated in the corner of her eye.


    ''H-huh¡­?''


    It seemed like the person had always been there, but she just hadn''t noticed until now.


    He was naked, standing majestically in the air as he had his palm outstretched, fingers pointing at the Divine Beast that charged towards her.


    His form was immacte. His dark hair seemed much longer than she remembered, and his perfectly chiseled body gleamed divinely under the diminishing sun.


    Alicia only had a glimpse, but she could recognize that face from anywhere.


    "R-Rey¡ª?"


    Before she couldplete whatever words she wanted to utter with her lips, the pure white light that floated atop his palm instantly created a brilliant beam that charged forward.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMM!!!~


    Everything vibrated, and Alicia felt the tremors even at the deepest recesses of her body. It was all shaking in response to the bright light.


    The ray swallowed up the Divine Beast,pletely immersing it in its powerful embrace until there was nothing left. However, that wasn''t all.


    The light traveled a further distance, going as far as miles upon miles, destroying whatever was in its path. Alicia couldn''t have known this, but the several tall mountains that were high enough to receive the st were easily obliterated by the st.


    It all happened in an instant too¡ªat a speed mere humans could neverprehend.


    By the time her dagger reached the ground, the creature of her nightmares was gone. It had been eviscerated in totality.


    "Is that you¡­ Rey?"


    "Yeah. That''s Rey. He''s alive." Someone said beside her, but everything was getting too blurry to make it out.


    "He was Ralyks all along. Can you beleive it?"


    "Seems you didn''t know¡­"


    "In any case¡­ it''s time for you to have your slumber now."


    "... FOREVER."


    As the voice echoed in Alicia''s head, she found her eyes shutting tight without a will of her own, and her consciousness fading along with her sight.


    "I see¡­" Was thest whisper she made before her eyes closed for what would be an eternity.


    She fell to the ground, like a lifeless puppet whose strings got snapped off.


    Everything became darkness, and momentster¡­ they turned into light¡ªa nk void for her to spend an eternity in.


    That was her Curse.


    **************


    [Congrattions! You Have Advanced To A New ss]


    As Rey floated in the air, watching longingly as thest fraction of his [Perfect Divine Ray] vanished from the world, he saw the System tab in front of him.


    Despite seeing this, he felt no surge of excitement. He felt it was only natural, considering all that had just happened.


    ¡­ All he just had to suffer.


    "ss details." He muttered, his expression still as stoic as ever.


    [ss Information]


    - Name: Singrity


    - Tier: S-Tier


    - Cause: You have done the impossible, defying the bnce of this world and forever changing its nature. Your existence is an aberration, and your power has reached a frightening degree.


    This world''s very fabric is forever altered by your existence.


    {ss Privileges}


    ~ 50+ Subsequent Stat Points for every Level Up.


    ~Perfect Resistance to Appraisal and any other ability of the sort.


    ~ Equalizer Effect can be activated (When facing someone much stronger than you, a bncing effect wille into y)


    ~Immunity to Curses or all Ailments and Negative Status Conditions in the world.


    ~Soul Preservation is in Effect. Nothing in this world can kill you, as the world itself offers you guardianship.


    ~[$@@%] Effect can now be avable to you (You can only use it once).


    [End Of Information]


    The usual exhration that Rey would normally have hadpletely vanished. He simply stared straight at the screen and read its contents word for word.


    ''So I can''t die, huh? How convenient¡­'' Rey could only wonder why this was given to him.


    If only he had something that would allow those around him not to die. Perhaps that would have been a lot more helpful.


    ''Those around me¡­ ahh¡­!'' Rey''s eyes popped wide open as he looked beneath him to see his allies huddled together, surrounding Alicia''s unconscious body.


    "Ah! Alici¡ª!"


    [System Notice]


    ~Too Many Changes Have urred Within You, So Time Is Needed For Full limation~


    {You Will Now Enter A State Of Hibernation}


    ''N-no¡­ I have to¡­!''


    Powerlessness once again took over Rey''s body, and he found himself descending to the ground.

 Chapter 544 Assignment Of Tasks

    Chapter 544 Assignment Of Tasks


    As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting hues of orange and pink across the sky, the once magnificent capital cityy in ruins. The towering spires that once touched the clouds now crumbled, their jagged edges silhouetted against the fading light. Smoke still billowed from the wreckage, carrying the acrid scent of destruction through the air.


    Amidst the devastation, a figure descended from the sky with a grace that belied the exhaustion evident in every movement. Rey, his naked figure cloaked in nothing but remnants of his energy, descended slowly, almost as if defying gravity itself. His breath came in ragged gasps, each step a struggle against the weight of fatigue and desperation.


    He tried to cling onto consciousness, all to no avail. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    However, as he neared the earth, his eyes about to close shut forever, he felt a presence suddenly envelope him, and two warm hands suddenly grabbed a hold of him.


    As the hands held him, the rest of his descent was smooth. He felt no pressure, no weight, and no pain. It was a sweet flow that caused him to smile a little.


    After all, he knew who had just showed up.


    "Good job, Master." The voice echoed in his ears, and as Rey managed to pry his eyes open, he caught a blurry glimpse of the red-haired man in the suit.


    "Ater¡­" He murmured, unable to finish the rest of his words.


    Thankfully, thanks to their bond, there was no need for unnecessary conversation between the two of them.


    "I understand, Master." The fleeting voice sounded gentle and understanding.


    Rey''s smile deepened as he finally shut his eyes, feeling himself slip into the inevitable darkness that awaited him.


    "... Leave the rest to me."


    After that, everything went nk for Rey.


    **********


    "..."


    As Ater gracefully held Rey in his arms, cuddling him as one would a child, hended on the ground, his ck shoes cking against the hard, damaged ground.


    His ebony skin gleamed under the darkening sky, and his handsome face seemed forlorn. He kept looking at his sleeping Master,plicated emotions ying all over his face.


    "Forgive my ipetence, Master. I should have arrived much sooner." He whispered, though his voice wasn''t all mncholic.


    After those words came a smile, with his blood-red eyes glowing brightly.


    "You exceeded my expectations, though. I didn''t think you could, but you actually managed to beat that thing¡­"


    Ater knew how powerful Divine Beasts were. He had warned his Master against ever summoning them, but who would have thought he would have to face one so early?


    ''It was too early, but¡­ I suppose the results speak for themselves.''


    The entire city was in ruins, and a few of his Master''s friends even perished in the whole conflict. The arrival of the Dragons was inevitable, but it was surprising to see them arrive so soon.


    ''What a blunder on my part. It seems I was too focused on the bigger picture that I forgot to ask Master about little details like these¡­''


    Ater made a deep sigh, releasing steamy breaths from his lips as he once again looked at the sleeping Rey.


    "In any case, I''m d you''re okay."


    Once he was done engaging in his sentiment, he cast his gaze on the humans who were a distance from his position and were approaching him at a cautious pace.


    ''A disappointing bunch. Hm¡­?'' As he observed them, he noticed the sleeping Alicia.


    She was being carried by Brutus, while the rest huddled together, with Adonis leading the march as they neared him.


    ''That girl. She''s been cursed, huh?'' "Who are y¡ª?!" Adonis quickly spoke up, but before he could say any more, Ater raised his hand and stopped any further words from being uttered.


    "There''s no time for squabbles. Master has left me in charge of you all, so you''ll listen to all mymands and act ordingly."


    Surprised gasps filled the faces of those he addressed, but Ater''s calm face didn''t disy any form of emotion. He was neither intimidated, neither was he condescending.


    He was simply acting ording to what he deemed necessary.


    "W-who do you think you are, talking to us like that?" Belle raised her voice, appearing right out of the small crowd.


    As her blond hair swayed, she pointed at him and yelled once again. "Let Rey go! And introduce yourself we¡ª!"


    "Oh? How pathetic must you be to have forgotten so easily. Humans are indeed very fickle, aren''t they?" As he said this, Belle shivered slightly.


    "Master ordered me not to use any of my powers on his allies, which is why I''ve restrained myself thus far, but your foolishness offers a temptation that makes my adherence difficult." He cast his gaze on everyone, one after the other.


    Then, after a moment of silence, Belle let out a small whisper, almost in surprise and fear.


    "S-Sir Ralyks¡­?"


    "Indeed." Ater sighed, running fingers through his hair as he carried Rey on one hand. "Now that you know that much, there are more important things to address."


    "B-but I don''t understand¡­" Adonis mumbled, but he was ignoredpletely.


    "The city is in ruins, and there are many lives that are in danger as we speak. Some can still be saved, so we ought to get right on that."


    As he said this, everyone straightened up. No one could disregard him or ask any further questions as to his identity. His confident demeanor, otherworldly beauty, and incredible power¡­ they all told of something deep and unquestionable about this man.


    "Listen to my instructions and perform them to the utmost. I do not expect a lot from you all, so I will not request the impossible." He spoke awfully bluntly, but no one could utter a single word in their defense.


    "Firstly, give me that girl. I''ll take charge of both her and Master."


    The moment he said this, a few eyes widened, and Adonis was about to protest, but Ater raised a finger to stop him that very instant.


    "I''ll be confiscating my gift to you as well. Belle, you''reing with me, as for the rest of you, your tasks will now be given."


    Much to everyone''s shock, he gave them incredibly urate and precise instructions within such a short period of time.


    Not only did he ignore the emotional burdens that they carried at that very moment, he disregarded their opinions and assigned them what he deemed to be their most optimal tasks.


    The worst part was¡­ every person''s assignment was objectively the best that could have been given to them.


    "Time is of the essence¡­" Ater said, his tonemanding authority.


    Everyone nodded. At this point, he hadpletely assumed the position of authority over them and there was nothing they could do or say to resist it.


    ''I have no idea how long Master will remain asleep for. I have to make sure everything flows as perfectly as possible within that time.''


    Ater found himself wishing he was present during the cmity. Things could have yed out a lot differently after all.


    ''That dumb beast. It couldn''t even adhere to a simple warning¡­'' He sighed.


    s, he too was busy with other assignments that would ultimately prove beneficial to his Master. Once he considered things in such a light, perhaps the death of a few thousand was of no real consequence.


    "Let us begin."

 Chapter 545 Traitor

    <h4>Chapter 545 Traitor </h4>


    Within a well furnished room, akin to the interior of a luxurious tent, a young man sat behind his desk.


    The interior was spacious and well-lit, the flickering glow ofmps casting warm pools of light upon the polished wooden floors. Rich tapestries adorned the walls, their intricate designs depicting scenes of prestige.


    At the center of the tent stood arge, intricately carved table, its surface polished to a high sheen and strewn with maps and parchment scrolls. Ornate chairs stood in front of the table, as well as behind it, their plush cushions appearing inviting to any who ventured inside.


    One chair was upied, while the second remained vacant.


    Perhaps the most striking feature of the tent was therge canopy that stretched overhead, its richly embroidered fabric literally oozing with energy.


    All of these were ignored by the grinning boy who sat on the chair, his gaze unfocused as he listened to the words that came from a certain box that sat on his desk.


    His dark hair, slightly longer than the average boy, swayed slightly as he tilted his head. His blue eyes warbled a little as he narrowed them, creasing his brow a little too.


    "How surprising. So all of that really happened..." He whispered, his bald chin resting on a few fingers that rubbed against them.


    "And how is everyone doing? Our ssmates, I mean..."


    As he asked this question, there was a brief pause. It seemed the person on the other end of this particr Communication Device was thinking about the appropriate response to give.


    After a few seconds, though, the muffled voice emerged.


    ~Eric and Billy are dead. Rey and Alicia are unconscious. The rest of us are fine.~


    As he heard this, a small smile spread all over his face. It seemed like the boy was pleased to hear what this spy of his told him.


    ''It could have been a lot worse...'' His thoughts trailed.


    "What of casualties? How many are dead?"


    ~It''s been a few days since the incident. We calcted that about ten thousand people died. That''s nearly ten percent of the total poption. That''s not even counting the many who are severely injured...~


    "Okay, that''s enough." The dark-haired boy sighed, a hand on his forehead as he closed his eyes.


    His smile disappeared, and he nodded slowly.


    "Well, I''m d you''re fine. Sorry about your--"


    ~It''s fine. More importantly, what about what I told you? About Rey being Ralyks...~


    "Ah, that..." The boy said, barely seeming fazed by what he heard. "Yeah, it''s quite a surprise."


    His expression seemed to say the opposite of what he uttered, and it seemed the one at the other end realized that.


    ~Did you already know? Is that why you told me to get closer to Ralyks, and also to watch Rey?~


    "Whatever do you mean?"


    ~Be honest with me, Adrien! I''ve been nothing but honest with you!~


    An angry voice echoed into the massive room, forcing none other than the sole person in it--Adrien Chase--to listen to all of it.


    "...." He said nothing for a while, and then a small smile formed on his face.


    It was a strange, twisted smile--one so crooked that it couldn''t belong to a mere teenager.


    "Our arrangement demands that you be honest with me. I am under no obligation to return that sentiment."


    ~I just...~


    "Are we clear on that?"


    ~Y-yeah. Sorry for raising my voice.~


    Adrien sighed, shrugging as he got even morefortable on his chair. "Nah, its cool. As long as you know."


    Once again, an awkward silence took over.


    "I understand you are on edge. After the tragedy of the Dungeon, and now what happened in the Capital. It''s a lot, I know..."


    ~Y-yeah. I just wish I could have done something. If only I-- ~


    "Then our deal would be off. You understand that, don''t you?" As Adrien said this sternly, the one at the other end responded in a stutter.


    ~I... I understand.~


    "If it brings you anyfort, you shouldn''t mourn over what happened in that Dungeon. The Adventurers there are most likely fine."


    ~They survived the Skeletal Dragon Lord?!~


    "Yup!" He said with a flippant tone, jumping to his feet as he stretched his body a little.


    Despite having such a casual manner of speaking, as well as a smile on his face, even Adrien had a few troubling thoughts of his own.


    ''It''s quite strange, all of these urrences...''


    Narrowing his gaze while rubbing his chin once again, he began having an inner discussion with himself.


    ''After my business here was concluded, I nned on going to the Adventurers City--specifically the [Dead Zone] there--for my next step. I even wanted to use Jet as my name, since it''s reminiscent of the strongest Adventurer there...''


    It came as a surprise that someone with the same name had beat him to it. This ''Jet'' character even had a partner named ''Lux'', and they both caused quite the stir in the Conquest of the Grand Cmity ss Dungeon.


    ''It''s so confusing. I have so many questions...''


    Why did Adonis refer to them as Dragon Spies? What was the goal of Jet and Lux in the Dungeon?


    ''... And why did Rey and his partner decide to don that persona?''


    If anyone would be behind the ''Jet'' persona, it had to be Rey. They thought very alike, so it wasn''t too surprising that he would choose the same name that Adrien was nning to go with.


    As for ''Lux'', that would be the partner he sensed at that time.


    ''It seems she''s also grown quite strong...'' Adrien smiled a little, wondering why so many things had to go out of sync.


    ''Still, knowing Rey, he wouldn''t have abandoned those Adventurers. They''re definitely safe, so there''s no need to concern myself too much with that.''


    ~Is there anything else you want to say to me? I need to leave soon. It''s almost time for us to reconverge with that arrogant bastard that calls Rey his Master.~


    "Just endure it for now." Adrien chuckled. "You can''t let anyone suspect anything."


    ~I will be careful. I always am.~


    ''Oh, I know you are. It''s why I chose you, to begin with.'' He smiled even broader.


    "I wish I was present to witness all of this, though. From what you''re describing, all those events seem pretty fun."


    ~Fun? You''re kidding, right?!~


    "Haha! Perhaps I am. Who knows¡­?"


    ~Are you saying you could beat it? The Divine Beast, I mean.~


    "Pfft! No way!" Adrienughed out loud. "What do you think I am? Some kind of Monster?"


    ~Well¡­ I''m not sure.~


    "It''s just unfortunate that I''m on another continent right now, so I can''t particrly show up and see things for myself right now."


    ~The important business that you have, right?~


    "Yup! In any case, I''ll be excusing you right now. Keep up the good work and make sure to put a smile on their faces for me. You''re the ss clown, after all."


    ~Yeah¡­ I guess. Everyone needs someedy at this point.~


    "... True."


    ~BZZZT!~


    Once the line disconnected, Adrien gave a heavy sigh, running his hand through his hair. There was a lot to think about, but he didn''t even have the time for that.


    "Yes? Do you need something?" Adrien''s voice echoed in the air, almost as if he was talking to some form of invisible figure.


    Then, from outside the tent, the voice of ady emerged.


    "Yes. The General wishes to see you."


    "Ahh¡­"


    Adrien swiftly moved, his youthful gait striding across the room until he came out of the exit.


    Once he did so, he was met with a beautiful sky, the clear sun, and fresh breeze¡ªall of which were dampened by the rock-


    hard ground.


    Nothing but dark, barren earth could be seen for miles.


    "Right. Sorry for keeping you waiting." Adrien turned to the woman before him, giving his most charming smile to her.


    Her stoic face showed no emotion. The three horns that protruded out of her forehead gleamed as her pink hair swayed from side to side.


    This was a Commander, and the pinkish tail behind her, alongside the wings that folded behind her were more than enough to signify her race. Adrien was used to this, so he made sure not to stare too much. Instead, he walked closer to her and nodded in all readiness.


    "Please¡­ lead the way."


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Adrien Chase


    - Race: Human (Otherworlder)


    - ss: Necromancer (A-Tier)


    - Level: 90 (78.54% EXP)


    - Life Force: 30 (+3,000) [+4,000]


    - Mana Level: 100 (+5,000) [4,000]


    - Combat Ability: 50 (+4,500) [4,000]


    - Stat Points: 445


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Skill Creation]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Inventory]. [Necromancy]. [Greater Darkness]. [Grand Defense]. [Grand Spatial Magic]. [Grand Item Summon]. [Grand Healing]. [Greater Armament]. [Full Resistance]. [Full Boost]. [Equip Limit Break]. [Deep Insight]. [Absolute Magic Utility]. [Mind Touch]. [Absolute Combat Application]. [Anticipation]. [Absolute Magic Interference]. [Divine Persona]. [Command Code]. [Greater Luck]. [Pinhio]. [Link]. [Miasma]


    [See More]


    - Alignment: Chaotic Neutral


    [Additional Information]


    A true mastermind. One who lurks in the shadows and causes others to do his bidding whileughing underneath his mask.


    His goals remain a mystery too¡­


    [End Of Information]


    *


    *


    *


    [Conclusion Of Arc 4: The Grand Cmity Arc]


    ~Notice: Please Prepare Yourselves For Arc 5!~


    [The Land Of The Elves Arc will now begin¡­]


    PS: I hope you had fun in this Arc. If so, then we should enjoy ourselves even more with the uing one¡­


    Cheers!

 Chapter 546 The Dragon Council

    <h4>Chapter 546 The Dragon Council</h4>


    There existed a massive hall at the heart of the Empire.


    The grand hall stretched out before those within, a vast expanse of polished marble and gleaming pirs that reached toward the vaulted ceiling high above. Sunlight poured through towering stained-ss windows, casting vibrant hues of crimson, gold, and azure across the pristine floor, illuminating the space with an ethereal glow.


    At the far end of the hall stood a long, intricately carved table of dark wood, its surface polished to a mirror-like sheen. Nine ornate chairs were arranged in a semi-circle before it, each one adorned with rich velvet cushions and borate carvings that spoke to the wealth and power of its upant.


    Eight of the seats were already filled, their upants seated with an air of authority and expectation. Each Lord was d in fine robes of immacte designs, having their respective colors on full disy. Their attires were embellished with jewels and precious stones that shimmered in the dappled light.


    They exuded an aura of confidence and strength, but within that bravado were expressions of solemnity.


    Opposite the semi-circle that the chairs were arranged was a much grander chair--twice asrge and thrice as fancy as the ones they upied.


    It belonged to the Emperor, but the seat was also vacant.


    Above the table, a series of chandeliers hung from the ceiling, their crystal prisms catching the light and scattering it in a dazzling disy of radiance. The air was filled with the soft murmur of conversation, punctuated by the asional grunts or chuckles from the lips of the Lords.


    Along the walls of the hall, murals depicted scenes of valor and conquest, their vibrant colors and intricate detailing a testament to the history and heritage of the Dragons.


    Shields and banners hung proudly from the rafters, emzoned with the sigils of noble houses and bearing witness to the unity and strength of the Empire.


    Despite the grandeur of the hall and the opulence of its furnishings, there was an undeniable sense of tension that hung in the air.


    The absence of the Emperor, the tenth seat at the table left conspicuously empty, cast a shadow over the proceedings, a silent reminder of the weighty matters that would be discussed in his absence.


    Then, after the long awaited announcement, the greatest of the Lords rose to his feet.


    "The Emperor won''t being, it seems. As such, we will now begin our official deliberations." The one who spoke seemed like an elderly one.


    He had an ancient look on his face, with flowing gray hair and flowing beards that matched his old aesthetic. He had a dark obsidian gown, with traces of silver and gold established around it.


    Most importantly were the horns on his head.


    There were seven of them.


    In one word, he was like an epitome of perfection--The Great Dragon Lord Of Old--one that the other Lords respected and feared.


    As for the Lords themselves, almost all of them were in attendance.


    The me Dragon Lord Of The Fiery Lair


    The Frost Dragon Lord Of The Icy Realm


    The Forest Dragon Lord Of The Deep Earth


    The Sea Dragon Lord Of Dark Waters


    The Storm Dragon Lord Of Trembling Skies


    The White Dragon Lord Of The Forbidden Valley


    The Death Dragon Lord Of The Cursed Tomb


    These seven stood at the precipice of power in the Dragon Race, each of them representing the sub-species/factions that existed within the Empire.


    The Dark Dragon Lord Of The ck Mountain was absent from the meeting, but everyone present already knew the cause.


    "The Dark Dragon Lord, Ob''elisk, is dead." The Great Dragon Lord of Old proimed, though he only said what everyone had in their mind. "This Council Meeting is to discuss about it, as well as other matters."


    As one would expect, there were several reactions amongst the Dragon Lords.


    There were some who didn''t particrly care for the Dragon Lord, some who knew him personally, and others who--despite not having any real interest in the fallen Lord--were still concerned about the implications of his demise.


    "What I don''t understand is why the Emperor ordered us to reduce the intensity of attacks on the human civilization. We''ve reduced the number of Newts and Soldiers that we send there, and it''s honestly a bit mind-boggling..." The Forest Dragon said with a sigh.


    His gruff tone echoed with dissatisfaction, and his youthful face didn''t match the rough personality he disyed.


    "I was going to ask the Emperor about that particr matter today, but it seems he chose not toe." The Storm Dragon Lord sighed and shook his head.


    He had a moreposed appearance, appearing like a gentleman with dark purple, blue, and white designs on his regal robe.


    "You two have it somewhat easy..." A certain voice echoed within the hall, and it caused all the Lords to look in the direction of the usually silent Lord.


    It was the White Dragon Lord Of The Forbidden Valley.


    She had pure white hair, with an attire that seemed to amplify her sheer beauty. Like a wedding dress, the gown she wore trailed down behind her, and she even had a veil that covered a part of her face.


    She usually donned arge hat, but since they were indoors she already disposed of it.


    "Do you know of the current situation at the Academy? The students were excited about their field trip to the human continent, and I had to cancel." Her voice trembled as she uttered those words.


    "The look of disappointment on their faces¡­ I can''t forget it¡­"


    The entire Dragon Civilization could do without humans, and if they desired, those puny existences would have been wiped from the map already.


    But, there were other uses for the pathetic creatures¡ªfodder for the growth and amusement for their young ones.


    "Those Students are our future. Just what is the Emperor thinking¡­" Thedy in white sighed with slight annoyance.


    Still, the word of their ruler was final.


    Since they had to respect and obey the hierarchy, she could do nothing but vent her frustrations to her colleagues about her students and the humans.


    At least¡­ for now.


    "Why not change the excursion''s location? I heard the attack on the Elves is going well." The Storm Dragon Lord suggested, but the White Dragon Lord sighed.


    "You think I haven''t tried that? I''ve done my best to reach out to the people there, but they keep telling me that the current situation isn''t appropriate for the kids, and they haven''t ''cleaned up'' well enough¡­ whatever that means."


    One would think the Dragon Lords, the most powerful of their Species, save for the Dragon Emperor, would show more pristine and restraint.


    But no; they seemed just like ordinary people, save for the six horns that protruded from the heads of each of the seven.


    "All of this just had to happen when we''re about to begin our second invasion on the Southern Continent¡­" The me Dragon Lord, a fiery-looking man sighed, pping his hand on his face.


    "Why did that Ob''elisk guy have to go and die anyway? It gives us Dragons a bad rep¡­"


    A moment of silence echoed in the air, and afterwards¡­ yet another unexpected Lord spoke up¡ªhis deep voice causing the air to tremble slightly.


    "I''ve been thinking about something¡­" These words were uttered by the Death Dragon Lord Of The Cursed Tomb.


    He had apletely ck attire, with a pale face and apletely bald head. A hood would normally cover his face, but since this was a meeting, he had his face exposed.


    A gleaming ck jewel sat at the center of his forehead, and his horns appeared particrly twisted.


    A somewhat sinister look decorated his face too.


    "A Dragon Lord was killed in the human settlement. And even though we do not yet know how that could have happened, this is the first time anything of the sort has happened in centuries."


    Once the Death Dragon Lord brought these things to their remembrance, all of the Dragons in the hall grewpletely silent.


    They stared at him, some now justing to the realization of what his words meant.


    "Humans. Elves. Fairies. Dwarves. Giants¡­. None of them have managed to disy that level of resistance to us before."


    Well, until now.


    "This sets a bad precedent; an ominous one in fact."


    Surely, all the Lords recognized this to some level, which was why there was a growing agitation and confusion towards the decision of the Emperor regarding the humans.


    ording to his decree, the Dragon Lords were not to step foot in the Western Continent, and they were also not to send more than two of their direct subordinates to attack. Finally, the Capital was off-limits when it came to assault.


    The humans had to be preserved in the long run, so protecting them was understandable, but this had gone too far.


    Especially after a Dragon Lord had just perished.


    "I fear for the future of our kind." The Death Dragon Lord said as he closed his eyes.


    The White Dragon Lord, as well as the other participants in the meeting all stared hard at him as he moved his lips to render hisst words for the meeting.


    "There mighte a time¡­ when the Dragons are no longer invincible in this world."


    *


    *


    *


    [Wee To The Land Of The Elves Arc]


    ~You all know the drill by now. Buckle in tight and let things y out well. It''ll be difficult to top what happened in thest Arc, but I''ll try my best!~


    [Hope you enjoy¡­]

 Chapter 547 Open Eyes

    <h4>Chapter 547 Open Eyes</h4>


    "U-urh¡­"


    Rey''s eyes slowly flicked open as he grunted in a slight whisper.


    His body felt a little stiff; almost as if he hadn''t moved it in weeks. His vision felt a little blurry at first, but it soon limated to the light, and he opened them wide.


    As he parted his lips, he soon became capable of sensing his surroundings.


    ''I am¡­ where is this?'' He expressed slight surprise as he sat up on the magnificent bed that he was currently on.


    ''It''s so soft¡­ and it smells so sweet.''


    Rey could see that an invisible barrier surrounded the bed¡ªalmost like a veil that covered the entire perimeter. He sensed particles of energy dancing in the air as well, and they had rejuvenating properties.


    ''Whoever put me here must have done so with good intentions, then¡­'' His thoughts slightly trailed as he shifted to the side of his bed and nted his two feet on the tiled ground.


    It felt¡­ warm.


    Rey looked above him, finding the entire room to be one of immacte beauty. It was pure white, with golden designs etched all over the walls and ceilings.


    The beauty looked royal. Everything¡ªfrom the extravagant chandelier, to the paintings on the walls, and even the carpets and well-designed tiles, apanied by the sparse furniture in the room¡ªoozed pristine.


    He felt a little overwhelmed, just taking everything in.


    "Huu¡­" After taking a deep breath to calm himself, he lowered his head and focused on his body.


    Rey was tempted to stand, but he decided to postpone it until he could properly recollect his thoughts and understand his situation.


    ''What am I doing here exactly¡­?''


    He reached into his memories to find out everything that he could¡ªabout himself, and his current situation.


    ''My name is Rey Skr. Average nobody on Earth who got transmigrated here with my ssmates and was blessed with great power.''


    He remembered his ascent to power; the journeys he led, the secret identities he created, the people he fought¡ªand killed¡ªand the allies he made on the way.


    He also remembered the loss he suffered.


    ''I nearly died back then, but¡­ yes, that''s how¡­ and, ah, I lost consciousness¡­ right as Ater arrived.''


    Rey ced his hand on his chin as he soon became up to speed with everything that had happened to him.


    Well, the only things that he was conscious of. He still wasn''t certain about a lot of things, but there was only one ce to start from.


    "Status Window." He muttered, almost instinctively.


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Rey Skr.


    - Race: Human (Otherworlder)


    - ss: Singrity (S-Tier)


    - Level: 201 (10.03% EXP)


    - Life Force: 3,000


    - Mana Level: 9,000


    - Combat Ability: 5,000


    - Stat Points: 16,650


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Doppel]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Merger]. [Dead Calm].[Sacrifice]


    - Alignment: Neutral Good


    [Additional Information]


    You have done the impossible and stand at the precipice of power. As such, you now possess the interest of this World.


    [End Of Information]


    As Rey took all of this in, he leaked out a small smile and nodded.


    ''Looks like everything is intact. I didn''t just dream them up or imagine what happened¡­''


    The feeling of dying twice, and nearly dying again was etched into his body¡ªstuck in the deep recesses of his mind.


    The fear from back then still gued him. While he had a calm facade, apanied by a steady heartbeat and a fully stable body, he could feel the sensation lurking within his heart.


    The ever-present feeling of danger and unease.


    The Divine Beast had scarred him greatly, and while there were still a lot of thoughts to unpack, Rey thought it was best to unpack things one by one.


    ''Starting from this right here¡­'' He looked at the Additional Information in his Status Window and narrowed his eyes.


    ''So I have the interest of this World, huh? What is it? Some sort of sentient being¡­''


    Rey closed his eyes and sighed.


    Based on all he had experienced, he already knew there had to be other worlds that existed out there. Beasts like Dagon and Ater came from a world different from H''Trae, and he came from Earth.


    He didn''t know exactly how many worlds were out there, so he decided not to think too much about it.


    ''Is it possible that this power I have¡­ everything that makes me special¡­ is only exclusive to this world?''


    When Rey thought about Dagon, or Ater, he couldn''t help but imagine the kinds of creatures that could exist out of the reach of his current ne of existence.


    The same way aplished Martial Artists on Earth would feelpletely powerless when confronted with the Warriors from H''Trae¡­ it was possible that the powers within H''Trae would pale inparison to another world.


    What would that mean for a Singrity? For the strongest of the humans, or even the strongest of H''Trae.


    ''Could it be like a multiverse? Maybe¡­ maybe not.''


    Suddenly, even the pursuit of strength¡ªsomething as simple as that¡ªbecame aplicated burden on Rey''s mind.


    When he first came here, he had the sole desire to be very powerful. Never to getcent and reach the pinnacle of strength so he wouldn''t be threatened: that was his goal!


    But now¡­


    ''I-I don''t know anymore.''


    Even though he was barely able to beat Dagon, what if there was something stronger? What of the Dragons? Where exactly did he fall under in the grand spectrum of power?


    ''I don''t know anymore¡­'' A small sigh escaped his lips as he gazed emptily into space.


    The silence that filled his room continued only for a moment before Rey decided that he had gotten enough of moping around.


    Parting his lips, he called out for his Familiar.


    "Ater¡­"


    ~VWUSH!~


    In an instant, a dark silhouette appeared in front of Rey, opposite the corner of the bed where he chose to sit in.


    Within the darkness emerged a handsome young man in an all-ck suit. With red hair swaying, revealing his crimson eyes, the man bowed slowly¡ªshowing his full courtesy and allegiance to Rey.


    "Wee back, Master."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    And so it begins. I have quite the ns for these two (individually) in this Arc. Who knows what could happen¡­ hehehe¡­

 Chapter 548 Master And Familiar

    Chapter 548 Master And Familiar


    Ater felt his heart race as he looked at his Master''s calm, smooth face.


    It had only been a brief moment since his Master fell into his slumber, but for the Familiar, it felt like an eternity. He had set up this room from scratch, using only the finest of materials at his disposal to make the ambiance worthy enough for his Master.


    It still felt too shabby for his tastes, but Ater had to attend to the other assignments that his Master wanted him to handle, so he hoped that he would be forgiven for his inadequacies.


    For his Master''s protection, he made sure to erect a barrier that was invisible to the eyes of most. Regarding his Master''s sustenance, particles of energy¡ªcontaining nutrition that would energize the body¡ªfilled the interior of the barrier.


    His Master was never going to starve or go malnourished under his watch.


    In terms of hygiene, Ater made sure to personally¡ª


    "You look tired, Ater. Have you been working yourself very hard?" Rey''s voice interrupted the Familia''s thoughts, causing him to nearly break down in tears.


    "M-Master¡­!"


    If not for his mandated elegance, for the sake of his Master''s image, he would have broken down in front of Rey andpletely disyed his full emotions.


    But¡­ Ater would never slight his Master that way. Being thepetent and capable Familiar that he was, he simply bowed once more, before straightening his posture to give a refreshing smile.


    "Ah, I am fine. Being in the presence of lowly vermin just drains me and of life."


    "R-really? Is it that serious?!" Rey gasped in shock. "I guess I burdened you too much¡­"


    "It''s just a figure of speech, Master. Haha, I''ll be fine, so don''t mind me."


    Just one look at Rey told Ater that his Master was more than fine. He was literally glowing, his body carved like perfection.


    His in face ensured that the rest of his body disyed their full glory.


    ''I was alerted the moment he woke up, but since I figured Master would desire some time alone, I let him have his time alone.''


    It pleased Ater that Rey called for him not too long after he woke up, though.


    "Alright then. Thanks. Ah, also¡­ please refrain from calling humans lowly vermin in their presence. I don''t personally mind, but¡­"


    ''It''s a little toote for that.'' Ater''s thoughts trailed as he struggled to maintain hisposure.


    Still, he nodded in recognition. "Understood, Master."


    Ater found his smile broadening the more he looked at Rey, and it seemed thetter caught on to this. He shot the Familiar a suspecting look, but Ater didn''t mind at all.


    ''Master is yet to recognize how much he has changed. This is so much fun!''


    Like a giddy child who knew a secret but was waiting for the others to recognize it, Ater decided to bottle everything in; masking everything with his calm smile.


    "There''s a lot we need to discuss. I have a lot of thoughts, and questions, concerning what happened¡ªespecially after I fell asleep¡ªbut for now, I need to ask you something." Rey said, catching the attention of the loyal Familiar.


    "Yes? What is it, Master?"


    "Why¡­ am I naked right now? Also, why do you keep looking at my body like that? It''s seriously creepy."


    "Those are two questions, though."


    "You get the point!"


    "W-well¡­ I mean, I just thought it would be better this way." Ater said with a nervous smile.


    The truth was that Ater had no real excuse for his actions. The particles that provided Rey nourishment could pass through clothing. The cleaning method that Ater used could also allow Rey to be dressed¡ªperhaps only in underwear, but still¡­


    In fact, wearing an attire¡ªparticrly an enchanted one¡ªwould offer Rey additional protection in case the barrier failed.


    When considering all these factors, it was a mystery why Ater didn''t choose that route.


    "Better, huh? Okay then¡­" Rey said with a sigh. "I guess I''ll trust you."


    ''Whew!'' Ater sighed in relief.


    "I wonder why I still have a connection to you, though. With most of my previous Skills gone, I assumed you wouldn''t be in my control any longer." As Ater heard Rey''s words, he felt a little sting inside him.


    "M-Master,e on. You can''t just reduce our bond to a Skill." He whispered, clutching his chest a little tightly.


    "Really?"


    "Yeah. I mean¡­ I made a pact with you down to our very Souls. I am yours, just in the same way you are mine."


    That was why Ater was able to sense when tragedy struck his Master. He left all his business and immediately rushed back to his Master''s side.


    "Don''t say it like that. It''s weird." Rey sighed, cing his hand over his face while shaking his head.


    It almost seemed like he was embarrassed.


    "Really?"


    "Yeah. If people heard that, they might start getting ideas."


    "Hm? Okay then."


    "Thank you, Ater. So if I get you right, you''re still my Familiar since we were bound together by the Soul."


    "That''s right, Master!"


    "Is that the case with all Familiars?"


    "Well, I''m not sure." Ater shrugged. "I doubt it, though."


    The Familiar deeply believed that what he had with his Master was special. Not many other Familiars could have the same kind of bond.


    "What about those Pheonixes? I didn''t even bond with them, yet¡­"


    "There are some kinds of creatures who take a liking to an entity and attach their souls to that entity¡ªeven without some sort of mutual agreement."


    "Really?"


    "Yeah. I would also do the same even if we weren''t bound like this."


    "Pfft! Says the guy who wanted to murk me when I first summoned him. You think I''d believe that?"


    Once again, Ater felt a sting in his heart, clutching his chest tightly as he held back the tears that would have leaked out.


    "T-that was before I recognized your greatness, Master!" He yelled out. "I, Ater, would never leave your side after experiencing your power."


    It seemed Rey didn''tpletely trust him, but Ater was being as sincere as he could be. His kind was known to be incredibly deceitful, and he was the very personification of the most evil kind of alignment.


    But¡­ he genuinely desired to serve Rey.


    "What power? What greatness? I could barely even stop that Beast¡­" Rey suddenly spoke, his voice mncholic and his face crestfallen.


    A different atmosphere took over the room, and it was clear that his Master had a lot on his mind.


    Ater maintained his smile regardless.


    ''You don''t see this now, but your true power does not lie in the present or past. It is in the future¡­'' He narrowed his gaze on the somber boy. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ''Within you is a seed. Perhaps the answer that I seek. That Skill you possess¡­ it could prove instrumental in allowing you to see the true nature of this world.''


    Ater felt his heart racing as impatience nearly swallowed him whole.


    ''Just a bit longer. Once you reach the SSS-Tier in ss, you''ll finally be ready. Until then, I will do my best to guide and support you.''


    Rey finally emerged from his sullen mood and looked at Ater''s constant smile, reflecting the expression on his own face.


    "Thank you very much, Ater."


    "For what, Master?" He asked, his face disying slight surprise.


    Never before had he received a word of thanks from a Master¡ªnot once.


    The feeling was sublime.


    "For everything. Thank you¡­ for being by my side."


    At this point, Ater could no longer hold back his tears. They streamed down his face as he looked at his Master''s smile with pure bliss.


    ''No, Rey¡­ thank you.''

 Chapter 549 Speculation Of Power

    Chapter 549 Spection Of Power


    "I see¡­ so that''s why I fell into sleep."


    Rey''s expression was stoic as he uttered those words. He stared at Ater, who remained standing before him. Thetter had just finished exining the cause for Rey''s sudden fall into unconsciousness.


    "Well, now that Master is awake, it means your body has fully limated to the power you gained. Do you feel any different?"


    This question was met with a slight shrug, after which Rey shook his head.


    "No. It feels like I''ve always been like this." He murmured. "Does that make any sense to you?"


    Usually, when one receives a bunch of Divine Skills¡ªboth Active and Passives¡ªyou would expect certain changes with them.


    Perhaps the ability to sense thews of the world, or some kind of difference in their perception and rtion to everything around them would be visibly altered.


    But Rey felt nothing like that.


    Sure, his sensory abilities had been maximized to an incredible level, and his body felt free andpletely his own, but other than that¡­ he felt pretty much the same.


    "Have your Passive Skills been toggled on yet?"


    "Oh, let me check¡­" Rey went to his Status Window and realized, much to his embarrassment, that they were not turned on.


    Everything he was currently experiencing was merely a result of his Base Stats.


    ''I have eight Passive Skills, all of which are SS-Tier.'' He rubbed his chin, going through each one.


    This was the first time he had more Passive than Active Skills, but considering their effects, he wasn''tining in the slightest.


    ''I have [Divine Magic Supremacy], [Perfect Divine Resistance], [Perfect Divine Immortality], [Perfect Divine Regeneration], [Perfect Divine Martial Supremacy], [Perfect Divine Growth], [Perfect Divine Form], and [Perfect Divine Adaptability].''


    Most of them functioned exactly as their name depicted. The Magic Supremacy and Martial Supremacy Skills granted him the perfect body and mind to instantly activate and perform any Magic Spell or Martial Arts Technique.


    Of course, he''d have to learn them and their functions, but a mere nce would be enough for him to replicate their effects. ''Coupled with my other Skills, it''s possible to even make Spells or Techniques of my own¡­''


    Then, there was [Perfect Divine Resistance], which essentially made it so that his body wouldn''t be affected by any Negative Status Condition. ''But, considering how this is basically ovepping with my ss Privilege, It''s pretty useless. I''ll have to feed it to [Sacrifice]ter.''


    [Perfect Divine Immortality] made him pretty much immortal, which was also ovepping with another ss Privilege. That meant this would be another [Sacrifice] candidate.


    ''I need as many Stats as possible, so any useless Skill of mine will have to go towards that cause¡­''


    What bothered him about this choice was that his ss could eventually change and he would lose ess to the Immortality and Resistance Skills forever.


    What if his new ss didn''t have those perks? After all, his older sses had Privileges that didn''t carry over when he got a higher one.


    ''I only have this ss and its Privileges because this world apparently has an interest in me. What if it stops developing that interest? Then what?'' When Rey considered these things, he began to rethink his earlier decision.


    ''Maybe I''ll just wait a little longer. If I''m in dire need of more Stats, I''ll feed them to [Sacrifice].''


    His other Skills¡ª[Perfect Divine Regeneration], and [Perfect Divine Growth]¡ªinvolved a higher form of regeneration and growth, which he considered pretty neat. ''Since I have perfect regeneration, isn''t it safe to get rid of the immortality Skill? It essentially does the same thing.'' Rey thought to himself.


    As long as he didn''t die in a single hit, he would fully recover. It was also a Passive Skill, so while it took Mana anytime he wanted to use it, there wasn''t a particr limit to its activation.


    ''I still have my ss Privileges too¡­'' As if to further convince him, he noticed the effects of [Perfect Divine Form] and [Perfect Divine Adaptability], both of which further rendered him unkible.


    ''I have a divine form that essentially improves all my bodily functions and senses. I can detect all the energies around me and can fully augment my body as I desire it. I''m more durable too. In essence, I possess a perfect body; as perfect as it can get anyway¡­''


    As if that wasn''t enough, [Perfect Divine Adaptability] made sure he would always grow past any sudden adversity that his other Skills failed to ount for if given enough time.


    ''All I need is to survive it once, or to even be inflicted by it for a second or two, and my body will immediately adapt to it.''


    It felt amazing how unkible he had be.


    ''Adding that to my ss Privileges, which¡ªrealistically speaking¡ªare probably not going anywhere anytime soon, I probably have nothing to worry about feeding the Immortality and Resistance Skills to [Sacrifice].''


    The rest could stay, though, since they had a wider range of utility.


    ''The fact that I lost most of my more versatile Skills and got these ones that have an emphasis on my survival means [Divine Merger] really didn''t want me to perish, huh?''


    Considering the nature of his fight at that time, he could understand why he was granted these particr Skills.


    He also hadn''t gotten his new ss yet, so they wouldn''t have been wasted back then.


    ''Well¡­ that''s in the past now.'' Rey used his fingers to select the Skills he desired to feed into [Sacrifice], and they instantly vanished from his list.


    ''I only have 13 Skills now, huh? And how many Stats did I gain from this?''


    [Stats Calcted: You have obtained a total of 30,000 Stat Points for your Sacrifice]


    ''That seems a little too low, considering they''re two Divine Skills¡­'' Rey thought to himself, but he restrained his face from depicting any sign of concern.


    ''Could it be that [Sacrifice] grants less Stat Points the more I use it? Maybe¡­ maybe not.'' None of that mattered at the moment, though. There would always be opportunities to test out more of his theories, but now that he had taken the first step, what remained was to finally incorporate his new Stats with his Skills.


    ''I now have a total of 46,550 Stat Points at my disposal. How do I spend them?''


    There was no real point in cing any in his Life Force, considering his array of Skills and ss Privileges that pretty much dealt with all his problems regarding that area.


    ''But¡­ myst opponent was able to interfere with my Skills to an extent. I have no idea what will pop up next, so I should still invest in it.''


    With that in mind, Rey added 10,000 Stat Points to his Life Force Stat, and then ced a whopping 20,000 into his Mana Level Stat.


    ''For some reason, I don''t have a Mana Recovery Skill. Divine Skills really consume a lot of Mana to use, so I''ll need as much as I can get.'' n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    He ced the rest in his Combat Ability Stat, sessfully spending all of his Stat Points.


    ''It''s funny how I was so d to see a few hundred Stats in my System Window. But now¡­'' A small smile formed on his face as he looked at the screen before him.


    - Life Force: 13,000 - Mana Level: 29,000 - Combat Ability: 21,550


    - Stat Points: 0


    ''... Now I''ve gotten a lot stronger.''


    When the next enemy came, he would be more prepared¡ªno matter what.


    ''Now that I''ve sorted that out¡­ I can finally address the things that have been on my mind since I woke up.'' Rey raised his head and looked at Ater with a narrowed gaze.


    "Exactly how long was I asleep for?"

 Chapter 550 A New Perspective

    Chapter 550 A New Perspective


    "Two months? Are you serious?!"


    Rey''s eyes were wide open as he heard those words from Ater. He had expected a few days-perhaps one or two weeks tops-but this new revtion was aplete subversion of his expectations.


    "Well, two months and about three weeks, but yes..." Ater added, a strained smile nted on his face.bender


    The seated boy''s eyes turned even more bloodshot as his Familiar added more fuel to the fire.


    "That means I''ve spent over six months in H''Trae, and... wait, that''s not the most important thing right now!''


    He didn''t have a sense of urgency before, since he wanted to take his time to fully unpack and process everything that had happened to him, but now?


    Now he could feel his heart racing like crazy.


    Jumping to his feet in an instant, he didn''t waste any time before activating all of his Passive Skills in order to gear up for what woulde next.


    The moment he did so, though-


    "A-ah..."


    -Everything around and about him changed forever.


    At first, it felt like something was surging through his body, like currents of electricity, fused into his very being. He soon found those to be the cells within his body.


    He was connected to everyst one.


    His mind expanded beyond what he previously perceived as normal, and he was perfectly with sync with every facet of his body.


    Not only did he feel much stronger than before, but his perspective on everything within and without waspletely altered.


    Rey could see the world from a 360 degrees angle, havingplete awareness of his surroundings-and this was without his Domain Skill activated.


    He felt everything-from the tension of the air, to the particles that floated around him. Every detail in the room was burned into his memory and perfectly registered, and he processed everything within a tiny fraction of a moment.


    The further away things were, the less details he had of them, but everything within the room waspletely assimted into his mind.


    It felt like a whole stream of knowledge was imparted into him, and that was only the beginning.


    "These particles in the air... they''re Mana?''n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    He could not only detect every strand of Mana, as if they were visible elements of reality, but he could also detect their flow, trajectory, and origin.


    Even when he closed his eyes, he perceived apletely different world-one where there was ckness, but the outline of everything around him still remained. He could perfectly sense things, but it felt different.


    It wasn''t worse... just different.


    The difference between his two senses were like night and day-sort of like infrared and normal vision. The contrast that they both offered gave him a new and different perspective of the room around him.


    ''I should get used to them somehow...''


    "Master... if I may speak, could you perhaps be in need of something like this?" Upon hearing Ater''s voice, Rey raised his head.


    He realized he was holding onto his forehead while constantly narrowing his gaze-as if trying to find a bnce between both aspects of his senses.


    Upon looking at Ater, however, he was presented with a solution.


    "T-that is...!'' Rey''s eyes slightly spasmed as he looked at the item that Ater gracefully presented to him.


    It was an eyepatch-a well-made one at that.


    The eyepatch was jet ck in color, but what was strange about this item was the way its color remained constant in Rey''s confused eyes.


    Anytime he blinked, the colors around would contrast and sh, driving his senses into a constant state of confusion. The reason was due to the contrasting nature of both kinds of senses, and also due to his inexperience in managing them.


    Having everything all at once wasn''t particrly ideal for him, and he found it difficult to strike a bnce.


    But, out of everything around, the eyepatch was the only thing that had a constant color.


    "What is that?" Rey asked, slightly wincing as he grabbed the item.


    "Something I happened to find somewhere. It has no Mana at all, and it''s made of apletely different material from what you should be able to see through."4


    ording to Ater, the eyepatch would block one eye from being able to see through anything, which would render it into a constant state of the no-sight sense.


    His open eyes would then take on the present-sight sense.


    "Master can augment his body so he doesn''t need to blink in his right or left eye. As for your other eye, you can use this eyepatch to cover it, so it constantly remains in dark mode."


    "Dark mode, huh? I see what you did there..." Rey muttered as he stared at the eyepatch again.


    Dark Mode and Light Mode-referring to when he shut his eyes and when he opened them respectively-would coexist at the same time, ording to what Ater proposed.


    "But wouldn''t that make things worse? They''ll sh, won''t they?"


    "Why don''t you try it out first?" Ater said with a knowing smile, almost as if he wanted to surprise Rey.


    Ignoring his surprise at the fact that Ater knew about the specifics of his Skills and how they affected him, Rey decided to trust his Familiar.


    So... he wore the eyepatch.


    "W-whoah...!"


    Much to his surprise, the shing problem was gone. Not only could he see the world in Dark Mode, but strangely enough, he could also see it in Light Mode.


    It was a perfect blend between the two.


    It made no sense to Rey, so he looked at his Familiar for an exnation.


    "You''re still very inexperienced when ites to adjusting your Divine Senses to this world, so the best thing is to mitigate the effects of both by allowing them to ovep."


    As a result, Rey''s sight had returned to what would be deemed ''normal'' for the most part.


    "You can take your time to slowly limate to this state of things. Then, at moments, you can alternate between Light and Dark Mode by shutting off your vision or ensuring both your eyes do not need to blink."


    Once again, the level of detail by which Ater spoke showed some expertise in the matter.


    "How do you know so much?"


    "Pardon my impudence, Master. But, I genuinely do not remember." Ater replied. "I must have had the experience in a previous world."


    "Eh?" Rey slightly tensed his gaze on Ater as he heard this exnation.


    It did seem a little odd, but after recognizing all that he had done to exin and even solve Rey''s ailment, it made no sense for Ater to be lying.


    Plus, they were connected by the Soul, so there was no doubt about how genuine he was being.


    "Alright. I believe you." He sighed, shrugging a little as he smiled. "There''s a bunch of stuff I don''t understand and I would like to know, but let''s take it one step at a time." "Thank you, Master." Ater bowed his head even lower. After shaking his head a little, heaving a little sigh, he walked past Ater and tapped his shoulder.


    "Enough with that. I really should get down to business."


    His dark hair swayed ever so slightly as clothing began to appear all over his body. He instantly donned a long dark coat, with a ck attire and matching trousers. His shoes were of the same color, perfectly blending well with his dark hair while contracting his slightly paler skin.


    His outfit had traces of red lined around them, however, and this intricate design made both dominant colors pop out.


    "Where do we start?"


    "Well... I left a certain friend behind in a particr Dungeon for nearly three months..." Rey said as he turned back to see Ater smiling at him.


    "Let''s hope she doesn''t skin me alive for the dy."


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Well, at the very least he remembers Esme. I wonder if you''ve all noticed anything strange about Rey yet...

 Chapter 551 A Brief Search

    Chapter 551 A Brief Search


    With Rey no longer having any real Spatial Skills at his disposal, getting to the Grand Cmity Dungeon would be a hassle.


    He would have to locate the ce somehow, and with the obscure nature of the entire structure, that was going to prove to be an extremely difficult task.


    ¡­ At least, that was how it was supposed to be.


    ~VWUUSH!~


    With a mere outstretched hand, and a thought invoked in his mind, a swirling purple gateway appeared right in front of him.


    ''Looks like the Spell activated; which means it''s going to lead to my determined coordinates.'' He said with a smile as he stared at the portal


    ''Having [Perfect Divine Magic] and [Divine Magic Supremacy] really is useful¡­'' Not only did he have ess to a variety of abilities that would have previously been represented as Skills, but he could cast them without much effort thanks to the effects of his Passive Skill.


    ''I can probably still do stuff like Summoning, Healing, as well as other neat tricks. That makes this Magic my most versatile ability at the moment.''


    Yes, using Magic had its downsidespared to Skills. For one, each Skill already had a specialized function, so there was no need to sort through its multifarious functions in order to get just one effect.


    Activation of Skills had to be a lot faster and direct. However, since they took more space in the limited slot of Skills he was allowed to have under [Doppel], Rey felt having one umbre Skill more than made up for the non-specificity of Magic.


    ''Also, using Spells has been somewhat mitigated thanks to [Divine Magic Supremacy]. If I had to start chanting Spells or learning their intricacies before using all the abilities I previously had as Skills, this would be a nightmare.''


    Thankfully, having both Active and Passive Skills rting to Magic made his use of it as easy as possible. It also helped that they were in the Divine Tier, so there really was no ceiling on what he could or could not do with Magic.


    ''Since I have enough Mana to use it, then there really is noint here¡­'' He found his lips slowly curling to form a smile.


    The glowing portal that stood in front of him was a testament to his current reasoning. His exposed right eye reflected the purple light, while the ck eyepatch shielded his left from any of the radiant disy. Ater stood right behind, watching his Master''s disy of power.


    Based on how he fidgeted, it was clear that Ater was trying his hardest to render an apuse to his Master for swiftly grasping his sudden switch from the use of Skills to Spells.


    "Let''s go." Rey said, slightly turning his head to look at Ater.


    Thetter instantly nodded, and they both stepped into the purple portal, instantly leaving the pristinefort of their room to a dreary and ancient Mansion.


    ~VWUM!~


    The transition was instant, and the scenery transitioned into the ground floor of the Grand Cmity ss Dungeon.


    "Looks like we''re here¡­" Rey said with a sigh as he looked around him.


    "I was briefed about everything that happened, so I should have expected this much. It seems your ssmates weren''t exaggerating at all when they spoke about its size."


    Rey flinched a little when he heard Ater mention his ssmates, but he quickly recovered while maintaining his stoic demeanor.


    "Yeah. It''s quite massive, isn''t it?"


    The ancient stone walls, incredibly high ceilings, and long flight of stairs¡ªall of which greeted their sight¡ªseemed a little too dreary forfort.


    "It almost feels like a new experience¡­" Rey muttered as he stepped forward, looking around him with misty breaths escaping his lips. "Maybe it''s because there aren''t thousands of people behind me."


    "Perhaps the Rey who stepped in here thest time isn''t the same one who is here now." As Ater added those words, still standing still behind him, Rey found himself chuckling a little. "Well, you''re not wrong." He muttered.


    His sight made him aware of everything around him, so he could see everything in a sense. The walls, their texture, their moldy scent, the properties that made them up¡­ he could sense them as he took everything in. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ''It feels bigger¡­'' Rey closed his two eyes, allowing the darkness to shroud the brilliance of the world around him.


    In Dark Mode, he viewed everything as mere outlines, so he could easily see the structure of everything without being distracted by the details of their properties.


    He could also see through barriers andyers, so he could see the upper rooms, and the surrounding areas.


    He couldn''t detect Esme''s presence despite spreading his perception as far as he possibly could.


    ''Looks like the whole structure is bigger than my base sensory range.'' He made a wry smile, opening his right eye to return his sight to Normal Mode.


    "Then¡­" His Mana bubbled up as he activated the sole Skill that could assist him in such a predicament.


    It almost felt like providence¡ªhow he now had to rely on the very Skill he obtained from this ce.


    "[Perfect Domain Of The Divine]."


    The moment he activated this Skill, what felt like a pulse of invisible and intangible energy radiated from Rey''s position, instantly consuming every facet of the Grand Cmity ss Dungeon.


    It was so easy and effortless; reaching into the deep recesses of this ce that had thousands of rooms and corners.


    ''I can go even further, but¡­ there''s no need to.'' Since Rey could sense literally everything within the Grand Cmity ss Dungeon, he could tell that there was no one present in it¡ªfriend or foe.


    The whole ce seemed to have been cleaned up as well.


    Rey did notice one thing, though, and by instantly swapping out zones, he was able to send himself and Ater right to the location where he left Esme.


    "She isn''t here¡­" Ater''s words echoed in the air as Rey looked in front of him, at the writing on the walls that caused his heart to skip a beat.


    Once he was done reading the writing for the umpteenth time, a small smile formed on his face, followed by a bead of sweat.


    The writing read: ~I AM COMING FOR YOU!~


    "Yeah¡­" He muttered, chuckling as he felt a peaceful sensation wash over his heart.


    Something told him Esme was probably fine.


    "... Let''s go back."

 Chapter 552 Consequences Of Privilege [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 552 Consequences Of Privilege [Pt 1]</h4>


    ''I''m worried...''


    Rey''s face still had the same stoic demeanor as he had been disying since he got a grasp of what was happening around him. His heart was still, and he didn''t look the least bit concerned about anything.


    Not about his ssmates, Esme, or the other person he couldn''t afford to think about at the moment.


    His mind was still, and his body acted ordingly.


    But somewhere within him--perhaps one could call it his soul or conscience--Rey knew he was being dishonest.


    ''A decent perk of this new body is that I feel fully connected to myself, so I can choose to halt natural reactions that may cause me to lose myself. But, I suppose that is also quite disadvantageous...''


    After all, he was more connected with himself more than ever, so he knew this was all false.


    Still, he couldn''t afford to let it go.


    ... Not yet.


    ~VWUSH!~


    Rey opened a portal and gave one final nce around the Dungeon, using his whole senses to even check the areas around the building.


    He found no one present, though.


    ''It''s been over two months since I fell asleep. I don''t know when she left this ce, but... isn''t that more than enough time to reach me if shees at full speed?''


    These thoughts echoed in his head, nearly tempting him to begin an active investigation for Esme. But--


    ''No... no wait...''


    Rey stopped himself as he held his head while sighing.


    ''What am I doing right now? What am I thinking? I shouldn''t be too impulsive. Let''s try to get a full grasp on everything that happened first...''


    He winced a little, realizing quite a few of his previous actions had been a lot more sporadic than now. His choice with [Sacrifice] as soon as he woke up was one.


    ''I''m beginning to regret that one. But... I made the right choice, didn''t I? Or did I? I...'' For a moment, he stared at Ater, who simply looked back unassumingly.


    ''Should I... no, no wait.'' He slightly held his head and sighed once again.


    Rey felt a conflict somewhere within him.


    However, before the overflowing feelings--fear, anxiety, pain, sadness, worry, regret, among many others--overwhelmed him, they were instantly suppressed.


    In an instant, he felt nothing but a slight wave of relief that made him a lot less tense than before.


    ''What''s going on?'' Rey wondered to himself as he narrowed his gaze.


    ''[Dead Calm] isn''t even active, yet why am I like this? Is this some kind of subconscious wall?''


    "Give me a moment, Ater..." He raised his hand and the portal he created instantly vanished.


    "Something isn''t right."


    Ater nodded and remained silent, watching his Master as he figured it out on his own.


    "Status Window." Rey muttered, letting everything pop up before him.


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Rey Skr.


    - Race: Human (Otherworlder)


    - ss: Singrity (S-Tier)


    - Level: 201 (10.03% EXP)


    - Life Force: 13,000


    - Mana Level: 29,000


    - Combat Ability: 21,550


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Doppel]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Merger]. [Dead Calm].[Sacrifice]


    - Alignment: Neutral


    [Additional Information]


    You have done the impossible and stand at the precipice of power. As such, you now possess the interest of this World.


    [End Of Information]


    ''Something is off...'' His eyes narrowed as he looked at his Stats.


    ''Why has my Alignment suddenly changed? It wasn''t like that moments ago!''


    As soon as Rey began to have worrying thoughts, something within him had it all suppressed in an instant.


    ''What the hell? What''s doing that?!''


    It wasn''t him! Yes, he hadplete control over his body, and he indeed ensured he would remain calm at most times. But, he needed to actively perform this trick on his body, which made the passive effect of [Dead Calm] still useful.


    But this¡­ this was a different sensation. It didn''t seem to stem from his body, but something like his mind¡ªperhaps even deeper.


    "I don''t get it. Is an external force affecting me? I''m supposed to be immune to¡­ negative¡­ hold on¡­" Rey''s eyes widened as he instantly had a gnawing suspicion.


    One nce at Ater''s unassuming smile, seeing as he nodded slowly, told Rey that he was onto something.


    "ss Privileges." He managed to say before yet another wave of relief washed over his body.


    Everytime it happened, a subtle change urred within Rey that he wasn''t aware of. Only when the constant changes built up did the slow transformation be much clearer.


    Rey could see it now: he was bing less like himself.


    ¡­ Less human.


    ''And it''s all because of this.''


    [ss Information]


    - Name: Singrity


    - Tier: S-Tier


    - Cause: You have done the impossible, defying the bnce of this world and forever changing its nature. Your existence is an aberration, and your power has reached a frightening degree.


    This world''s very fabric is forever altered by your existence.


    [ss Privileges]


    ~ 50+ Subsequent Stat Points for every Level Up.


    ~Perfect Resistance to Appraisal and any other ability of the sort.


    ~ Equalizer Effect can be activated (When facing someone much stronger than you, a bncing effect wille into y)


    ~Immunity to Curses or all Ailments and Negative Status Conditions in the world.


    ~Soul Preservation is in Effect. Nothing in this world can kill you, as the world itself offers you guardianship.


    ~[$@@%] Effect can now be avable to you (You can only use it once).


    [End Of Information]


    "Do these human feelings qualify as Negative Status Conditions? Is that why they''re being suppressed?"


    His worry about Esme, his concern for his ssmates, and the overwhelming cluster of emotions that threatened to break loose within him.


    All of them were recognized as harmful by the System, so they were being blocked off.


    "What''s the deal with this Ater?"


    "This is for the best, Master. You no longer need to be concerned about those vermin, so you can set your mind on the more important matters."


    The moment he heard his ssmates being referred to in such a derogatory manner, he felt a surge of annoyance rise up within him.


    But, that was instantly fizzled out, reced by relief.


    ''I can''t get angry too? What the hell?'' Before, he had chalked it up to his desire to calmly assess the situation one step at a time, but now Rey recognized his situation aspletely different.


    "The System is regting my emotions. How is that ever a good thing?"


    "Emotions tend to get in the way of good judgment, Master. If you are unshackled by them, perhaps that would yield the more optimal result."


    "No. You''re wrong!" Once Rey raised his voice, he was suppressed once again. "Damnit!"


    "Are you alright, Master?"


    "I''m not, damnit! It k-keeps¡­ interfering¡­"


    Even the fear that Rey was supposed to feel, as he watched vestiges of his personality slip away, was absent.


    His heart wasn''t racing quickly, and his mind was perfectly calm.


    "Just how many emotions would it deem to be Negative? Why qualify emotions as Negative Status Conditions to begin with?"


    "Perhaps it''s because you are more in sync with your entire self now. Surely, even the System recognizes how detrimental your emotions can be to your development."


    Rey''s eyes widened as he looked at Ater''s mask of a face. Somewhere within him, he began to ask a very fundamental question.


    ''If Ater is an advocate for this, then does that mean he''s the same?


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    What do you think about this development? Do you think Ater is right?

 Chapter 553 Consequences Of Prvilege [Pt 2]

    Chapter 553 Consequences Of Prvilege [Pt 2]


    When considering things logically, humans are often bound by emotion.


    Feelings of lethargy, or mental fatigue¡ªperhaps depression and other negative states¡ªtend to get in the way of productivity.


    Objectively, humans could function for twelve straight hours¡ªbeing productive throughout, as long as they had the sustenance and the barest minimum of rest to keep them going.


    Eight hours of sleep, then four hours embedded in chunks between the twelve hours of constant productive work. These four hours would include feeding, excretion, resting, and the likes.


    Every day. All day. Humans could achieve so much if they dedicated twelve hours of their time to their task. But¡­ that is rarely the case with people.


    How much smarter would the average student be if they constantly dedicated twelve hours to their studies for the years they spent in school?


    But, more often than not¡­ they do not do this.


    How much more money would be made by the average man if he chose not to take time off work, or indulge in needless breaks?


    They simply can not help this, however.


    Because inbuilt within humans is the poison of emotion, that makes it impossible to be productive a hundred percent of the time. There''s always something that interferes with the constant stream of productivity. Positive or negative¡­ they still interfere with the necessary activities.


    Students engage in pointless discourse, y games, watch movies, and fret over those they cultivate feelings for.


    Workers get burnout and mental fatigue, even if their physical self is in a perfect state, if they monotonously focus over a single task for too long.


    These shackles of emotions, especially the more negative aspects, make them overall harmful to productivity.


    As such, they ought to be culled.


    To make the ideal person¡ªone who would be perfectly aligned to their goals¡ªuseless feelings would need to be eliminated.


    ¡­ Permanently.


    ****************


    "Is that really how you feel, Ater?"


    "Like I said, Master¡­ feelings are irrelevant when ites to this matter."


    As Rey stared down on Ater, constantly having his rising feelings being suppressed by the system, he finally loosened his clenched fist and sighed.


    "No¡­ you''re wrong."


    Rey turned away from Ater, but that didn''t mean he couldn''t see the expression on his face.


    "What do you mean by that, Master?"


    "My emotions y a key role in how I function." Rey sighed, raising his head as he stared at the ceiling.


    It was why he tried his hardest not to rely on [Dead Calm] too much.


    "My fear of the future and my anxiety allows me to critically examine everything around me to make what I deem to be the best decision."


    It didn''t matter that the process would take longer than a more automated version of himself. He would be able to act on what he thought was best after examining all the possibilities presented to him.


    That was his preferred method of operation.


    "Before I took my first life in this world, I had a long series of deliberations, and then I finally made that choice."


    Yes, he used [Dead Calm] to make it easier to kill, but the choice was made before the Skill was activated.


    As such, he bore all responsibility for his actions.


    "Regret and Pain¡­ my aversion to those allows me to think a lot of my actions through before I engage in them. They also allow me to learn from my mistakes and make better choices."


    Whenever his ns went belly-up, he would feel the pain that came with it and prevent such a thing from happening again.


    "Losing ess to those emotions will make me act without consequence." Rey could already see the signs.


    His decision to feed two of his Skills to [Sacrifice] was indeed something he was beginning to regret, but even that emotion was slowly slipping from his grasp.


    ''Perhaps it would have ultimately been the best decision, and this suppression made me get to it faster, but¡­ I would have thought things through a lot more if I was myself.''


    Something about the System controlling his emotions, even without his consent made the whole process seem wrong.


    "At some point, I''ll stop being myself. My worrying, scared, insecure¡­ but also critical, skeptical, and caring self¡­ they''ll be gone."


    What would be left could only be described as a machine¡ªa hollow version of himself.


    "I don''t want that. And I don''t think you want that either."


    For a moment, Ater remained the same. He didn''t say anything, but keenly stared at Rey with ssy eyes and a mask-like expression.


    Then, he raised his brows and asked:


    "Why do you think that?"


    Rey smiled as he heaved a sigh, his dark gaze piercing Ater''s crimson one.


    "Because I would no longer be the Master you swore loyalty to."


    Upon hearing this, Ater quickly broke into a smile and nodded, even going as far as rendering a round of apuse to Rey.


    "What a splendid answer, Master!" He beamed brightly. "You never cease to impress me!"


    "E-eh¡­?" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Rey''s eyes widened slightly as he looked at Ater''s surprisingly pleased expression. He expected some other kind of reaction, not this.


    "I thought you were on board with the whole emotional suppression¡­"


    "No way. I feel all kinds of emotions, Master! I''m not some kind of heartless Monster. Whenever I cause chaos and cmity¡­ I revel in the satisfaction that brings me."


    Once again, Rey was reminded of the kind of entity he was speaking to; a Chaotic Evil Beast.


    "Haha¡­ is that so?" He strained a smile.


    "O-of course, I derive my greatest sense of fulfillment from serving you, Master!" Rey nodded, still not removing the forced smile on his face. It almost seemed like he didn''t believe Ater.


    "So why were you trying to convince me otherwise? Why were you advocating for this suppression as if it''s the best option?"


    Ater''s smile slowly vanished as he adopted a more serious demeanor.


    There are two reasons for that. The first and most obvious is that I wanted to test your resolve and make you face the emotions that you are subconsciously trying to avoid."


    Ater was no fool.


    He had been observing Rey since he fell asleep, and even after he woke up, so he already knew how Rey didn''t want to address the tragedies that had befallen the city.


    "Your first instinct was to check your Status Window, and to distract yourself with thefort of your strength. That was not something the System prompted. It was an action you enacted of your own free will." He started.


    The System wasn''t controlling Rey''s actions, but merely regting his emotions. Yes, some of those actions would be a direct consequence of his emotions¡ªor absence thereof¡ªbut certain choices were Rey''s burden to bear alone.


    "Your decision to use [Sacrifice] is something I didn''t know of until you mentioned it, and it indeed points to the w of the System''s methods. It''s something I disagree with wholeheartedly¡­" Ater''s smile returned, and he nodded at Rey.


    "Emotions are necessary for growth, Master. They''re the catalyst for change. It makes me happy that you recognize that."


    The positive feeling that Rey got from Ater''s words were, thankfully, not suppressed by the System.


    He wanted to say something¡ªperhaps a word of thanks¡ªbut before he fully opened his lips, Ater continued speaking.


    "The second reason is because I suspected it was probably best for you to see some positive aspects of this Suppression. After all¡­" Sighing, he stared seriously into Rey''s eyes, a sullen expression guing his face.


    For a moment, tense silence took reign. It didn''tst long, though.


    "... You can''t do anything about your ss Privileges."

 Chapter 554 Gift Of The World

    Chapter 554 Gift Of The World


    A person''s ss is tied to their identity¡ªin essence, their role in the world.


    Commoners were hardly worth anything; coteral who were meant to fill up the space in arge world. In essence, they were Extras by default.


    The higher the Tier of one''s ss, the higher the value attributed to them. ¡­ And with this valuees Privileges.


    These Privileges are not innate abilities, but special treatment granted to the person by the World. Just as billionaires back on earth were granted some special authority and benefits by governments and the people around them¡ªall due to the legal tenders in their possession¡ªthis world of H''Trae rewards those it deems to be worthy.


    It isn''t something you can reject or change. For powers like [Limit Transcension], a choice can be made to use this power or not. But, for characteristics that the ss provides, there is no way to evade it.


    It was simply the free gift of the World.


    ***********


    "So¡­ I''m stuck with this?" Rey asked as he raised his brow, looking at Ater who shrugged and sighed at the same time.


    "Pretty much."


    Just as Rey could not change the number of Stats he would be getting from every Level Up, he couldn''t alter the properties of his other Privileges.


    That included the one he dreaded most:


    ~Immunity to Curses or all Ailments and Negative Status Conditions in the world.~


    "On the bright side, Master is pretty much protected from all kinds of harm, but the downside is that you''ll stop being yourself¡­"


    "Then there''s no bright side!"


    "..." Ater rubbed his chin, almost as if thinking about what to say, but a smile radiated from his face as he finally responded.


    "Let''s try to be optimistic, okay?"


    "Y-you¡­!"


    Before Rey could get upset, his feelings were suppressed again. He was already getting used to the constant shift in his emotional state¡ªalmost as if his current self was limating to what the System was doing.


    It wouldn''t be long until he waspletely desensitized to it.


    "The good news is that the System should already have a threshold and a standard for what it deems to be a Negative Status Condition. As a result, you should try your best not to go over that limit." Ater responded.


    Indeed, Rey also noticed that his more basic emotions were still intact. It was only when he felt something sudden or intense that the suppression kicked in.


    "I guess I''ll actively do my best to keep my body and mind under check so the System doesn''t do it for me." "Precisely. That should slow down the erosion." Ater''s choice of words should have been quite frightening for Rey. After all, this meant he was slowly losing himself due to the System''s interference, but¡­ "Calm. Gotta stay calm." Rey told himself.


    Worrying about things would only make matters worse. He had to stay under the radar while also trying his best to use his logic and emotions to figure out a solution.


    "Is there a solution?"


    "Maybe get another ss. Though, I reckon some kind of control will still be ced on you if the ss is somewhat simr to this or better." n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Rey felt a frown forming on his face.


    "Does that mean that Adonis'' Hero ss is also¡ª?!"


    "Not really. That is a special case indeed¡­" Ater said with a dismissive smile on his face. Upon hearing this, Rey smiled in relief.


    ''So that means Adonis didn''t have to deal with this. That''s good to know.'' Feeling this good sensation wash over him, Rey didn''t feel any suppression take ce. He realized that the System probably didn''t see relief as something Negative.


    ''As long as my mind isn''t in distress, it won''t kick in, huh? That''s both bad and good.''


    If he could feel good sensations but not bad ones, that meant his emotional perspective would be somewhat skewed. But, the good side was that he hadn''tpletely lost his feeling of empathy.


    ''At least I can still enjoy some good things in life¡­'' The issue now was figuring out how to get rid of this current ss of his and get something that would allow him to be a much moreplete person.


    Yes, Rey appreciated the power that came with having an S-Tier, but the consequences were too great.


    He couldn''t bear it.


    "Do you have any idea how to get a new ss that has good Privileges but doesn''t control me like this?" In the end, he had only Ater to turn to for help.


    Once again, Ater ced a palm on his chin, deep in thought about the question proffered to him.


    "I''m not sure of the conditions necessary, so it''s hard to say. The people that design these things make it quite difficult for an urate guess to be made about stuff like this¡­"


    "H-hold on¡­ the people that designed these things? You mean Seraph and the whole Domain of God thing?"


    "Seraph? Pfft¡­ no, not her."


    "E-eh?"


    "My memory is a bit foggy on the details, but I know it''s best to simply go with the flow for now. Your mission is to save this world, right?"


    Rey nodded his head very slowly.


    "Then let''s focus on that for now. One task at a time, right?"


    "Y-yeah¡­"


    "You should be able to see and understand more after that isplete. I don''t know much either, and I am not sure if I can trust these memories of mine all that well."


    All of Ater''s words rang true within Rey, so thetter knew he wasn''t lying to him.


    "I understand." Rey smiled and nodded. "Let''s take it one step at a time."


    A portal opened in front of Rey, leading back to the room where he woke up in. As the purple distortions shone brightly and reflected on Rey''s body, Ater stepped forward with a question.


    "So, what is the first order of business?"


    His entire emotions were in check, so Rey''s stoic face turned to meet Ater¡ªhis single eye brilliantly shining with light.


    "Well, it''s been nearly three months since I went to sleep¡­" There was a lot to unpack, and if this was how much his own body had changed, Rey knew there was no way everything could have remained the same.


    "... I''d like to hear all about everything I''ve missed."

 Chapter 555 The Changes He Missed [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 555 The Changes He Missed [Pt 1]</h4>


    Rey sat on his bed in silence, his gaze directed at the floating Ater who sat in midair.


    He hadn''t forgotten that his Familiar could do that, but something about seeing him get sofortable in the air seemed bizarre every single time.


    Still, other than a slight smile of amusement, he didn''t disy any other emotion. His exposed eye simply stared nkly as he made himselffortable on the luxurious bed that Ater had prepared for him.


    ''It''s just like Esme''s bed. How did he know that I prefer this¡­?''


    Right now, Rey was in a ck long-sleeve shirt, with dark trousers covering most of his legs. He was barefoot, though, so his feet and hands were exposed as he sat and waited patiently.


    "So¡­ you can start now."


    Rey had prepared his heart. He made sure to remain calm no matter what news he heard, though he already knew it would be impossible for him to fully suppress everything.


    ''I just need to try my best to calmly analyze everything I he¡ª''


    "Alicia is currently under aa. She hasn''t been able to wake up since she fell asleep due to the Curse."


    "Curse?" Rey raised an eyebrow. "Alicia also went into a deep sleep?"


    Was it because of her use of the [Divine Beast Summon] Skill? She didn''t have enough Mana to pull off summoning an entity like the one that emerged back then.


    ''That means¡­''


    "She used The Unknown Box that I gave Adonis. As a result, the after-effect of using such an Item¡ªa random curse¡ªbefell her."


    "A curse? There was a curse attached to it? I didn''t see it when I used my Appraisal on the Item, though¡­" Rey was trying his best not to let his feelings of worry and anxiety overflow.


    Of course, he was very concerned about Alicia. If this was indeed a curse, and she had been asleep for so long, then her current condition was beyond worrying.


    He was even feeling hints of fright.


    But, through it all, he had to swallow the negative emotions and handle things as calmly as possible.


    If he didn''t, the System would do it for him.


    "Certain Curses aren''t normally registered under standard Appraisal effects. They apply more like cause and effect; the natural consequence of an action."


    Just as Rey could not perceive the Curse that was bestowed on the members of the Karinc Group at the time, even though they would perish if they did not make it to the Dark Gathering, he couldn''t see the effects of Curses that were yet to be active.


    "If they had neglected the Dark Gathering, and the Curse began to affect them negatively, that''s when the Negative Status Effects would have popped up¡­"


    "Precisely." Ater responded. "Curses function in a very distinct manner from Magic, since the more subtle ones take root without any recognition."


    "I see¡­"


    "But that shouldn''t be a problem for you now, Master. I''m certain all of your abilities have been heightened to an incredible degree, so you should be able to perceive things that you were previously unable to." Ater said with a knowing smile.


    "Is that so¡­?"


    "Yes. It wouldn''t be surprising if you can finally detect the Curse on this object."


    Out of nowhere, Ater brought forth the Unknown Box. His smile broadened as he raised his brow, looking at Rey with a prompting gaze.


    Rey took a moment to properly understand what he was looking at before even saying anything.


    "It looks¡­ different."


    In the past, Rey only perceived a box that warbled; one which had incredible power. But now¡­ he was seeing somethingpletely different.


    "It''s giving off an ominous vibe."


    "Indeed. I made this Item myself, to see the limits of what I could create in this world."


    "You¡­ made it?"


    "Indeed. Though, it seems this is my limit. The w of this tool has far too many downsides to be considered truly viable."


    "But¡­ since I''m immune to all Negative Status Conditions and Curses, that means I can use it¡­ right?"


    "Hm? What for, though?"


    Rey sighed as he looked at Ater, unsure of how to answer the question. He already had the Skill of the Item at his disposal, but after [Sacrifice], that was gone.


    "I can''t use the Skill any longer. So if I had the Item¡­"


    "You don''t need this defective thing, Master. Pretty much all of your Skills are already at the maximum level. Besides, it only has a few more tries on it anyway." Ater responded with a nonchnt demeanor.


    "I''ll figure out some use for it, though, so do not worry."


    "Oh? I see¡­" Rey muttered. "Can you make a simr Item like that, though? Something that can perhaps alleviate Alicia''s Curse?"


    "..." Ater narrowed his gaze as he looked at Rey.


    Tense silence simmered between the two as the Master waited for his Familiar to give a response.


    "No. I deal with Chaos, so it''s pretty much impossible for me to possess powers that can positively affect entities¡­ at least, not without even more consequences."


    "Tch¡­" Rey clicked his tongue as he closed his eyes.


    He took a few seconds to process all the information he had received, searching for several alternatives in his head.


    Aftering up with a few, he calmed himself down and let go of the remnant vestiges of anxiety and guilt that threatened to swallow him whole.


    ''It''s all my fault that she''s like this. But¡­ I can''t focus on that now.'' Tightening his fist, he decided to focus on a solution rather than dwell so obsessively on the problem.


    "After this conversation, I''ll have to see her for myself¡­" He whispered, a slight glimmer of light shing in his eye.


    ''If it''s me, I should be able to do something to fix her.''


    Since that was somewhat partially addressed in his mind, Rey returned his focus on the topic at hand¡ªthat is, the changes that had urred in the months of his absence.


    Alicia was just one key change, but what of the others?


    "How about my other ssmates? Adonis and everyone else."


    "About that¡­" Ater seemed a bit more serious as he began to speak on the matter.


    "Adonis mysteriously vanished a week after the incident, and there has been no sighting of him since then."


    ''W-what¡­?!'' Rey''s eye widened as he heard the shocking news.


    "He''s gone, Master."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Well, there goes the first round of news for Rey. Let''s brace ourselves for more.

 Chapter 556 The Changes He Missed [Pt 2]

    Chapter 556 The Changes He Missed [Pt 2]


    "I don''t understand¡­" Rey murmured, stroking his chin as his narrowed eye depicted hints of disbelief.


    "Adonis would never bail on the group."


    Rey knew he was very cynical and distrusting most of the time. He found it difficult to trust most people¡ªespecially after all he had experienced. But, there were a few people who managed to break through that wall of his.


    Adonis Levi was one of those people.


    ''He genuinely wanted to help this world. He''s always had that personality since we were in school, and he still hasn''t changed¡­ at least, not by much.''


    Sure, he was dealing with some issues of inadequacies, but Rey always knew he would ovee them. No matter what, it made no sense for him to escape.


    "Perhaps I ought to inform you of the incidents that led up to your battle and eventual copse in the Capital." Ater offered. "That way, you can get the full perspective on everything."


    Right now, Rey was extremely limited by the information he had.


    He didn''t know anything about the struggles of his ssmates before his arrival, or the aftermath of his battle with the strongest foe he had ever faced.


    This absence of sufficient information was bound to skew his understanding of the current situation; hence, influencing his judgment on them.


    Since Ater had been taking care of things for nearly three months, he would have gotten the full story, making him the perfect person to inform him of the details.


    "I think that would be good." Rey nodded.


    And so, without any further tangents, the Familiar began to divulge everything.


    ¡­ The cmity that befell the Capital.


    ***********


    ''The hell?''


    With a bulging eye that seemed like it would explode at any given moment, Rey listened very attentively until the conclusion of Ater''s exposition.


    ''I knew Billy was dead, and I suspected that Snow died too. But Eric? Him too?''


    Just like with most of his ssmates, Rey wasn''t particrly close with Eric. They hardly spoke to each other, though they had a few things inmon.


    ''We both loved this world. I liked that about him.'' Rey cast a sad smile as he sighed, finding yet another reason to me himself.


    ''Unlike me, he was a very smart guy too. Even when we were in school, he usually got near perfect grades.'' Sure, he acted smug a lot of times, but Rey never really disliked him. Eric wasn''t among the people who mocked him, and while they werepletely different, they had very simr sets of ideals.


    For that alone, his death seemed a little more impactful than the demise of Billy and Snow.


    If that was all, then perhaps Rey could rest easy.


    Unfortunately¡­ that wasn''t the case.


    ''Nearly twelve percent of the poption died in the entire incident. Thirty nine percent were badly injured, with a good number of them in critical state.''


    Some Capital denizens died after the cmity was over, which extended the number of casualties to a whooping twenty-three percent of the poption.


    ''That''s tens of thousands of people¡­ all of them dead.'' Rey couldn''t allow himself to feel guilty, even if he wanted to. Still, he found it disrespectful to the dead that he couldn''t even cry for their sake.


    Sure, he could manipte the nds in his eyes to secrete tears, but that would not be genuine.


    He wanted to feel bad.


    So many deaths; so much catastrophe¡­ and yet he had to feel nothing.


    "I hope you do not me yourself, Master. Even if you had arrived early¡ª"


    "More people would have been saved, at the very least." Rey whispered, his head downcast as he squeezed his fingers against each other.


    Emotions had to be bottled in, but merely going through the casualties¡ªas well as the consequences of the demise of all those people¡ªwas enough to conjure such a reaction out of Rey.


    "I''m not saying people wouldn''t have died. Based on the nature of the invasion, it would have cost lives either way. But¡­ I could have saved even a couple thousand more people."


    "...." Ater said nothing, simply staring at his Master.


    "It was due to my hubris. After killing that Commander, I should have known the Dragons would make their move eventually. For the first week or two, I steeled my mind in preparation, but they never showed up. So¡­ I somehow wrote it off without realizing it."


    Even if they had shown up during those two weeks that he expected them, would he really have been able to stop them?


    Four Commanders and a General¡ªif it was left to the version of him from back then, how would he have fared?


    ''Not to talk of a Dragon Lord showing up¡­'' Rey shook his head andughed at himself. ''I would have lost badly.''


    ''Yet I spent my time worrying about Adrien''s maniptions, ying a silly game in the Adventurers City¡­''


    He should have stuck to the goal he had from the start.


    ''Grinding¡­ I should never have stopped grinding.'' He thought to himself, staring at his two hands.


    ''I''m not as strong as I can possibly be. So there''s no reason for me to stop now.''


    "I admire your resolve, Master, but you still shouldn''t me yourself. The enemies are to me for putting you in such a position, so you should focus your rage on them."


    Rey chuckled in response to those words. "Is that what you did?"


    "Pardon me?"


    "I mean, I''m sure you also had the same thoughts I''m having. If you had arrived earlier, perhaps these things wouldn''t have happened the way they turned out."


    "Well¡­"


    "Of course, I know you had important business to attend to, and we''ll get to that eventually. But¡­ didn''t you have those thoughts of regret?" Rey asked, a broad smile ying on his face.


    "It would be a lie to say I didn''t. Things would have been quite different if I had been present at that moment."


    "So you''re saying you could have defeated that thing? If you were present, that is."


    "Haha¡­ it would be a rather difficult fight." Ater scratched his haid, causing the crimson strands to dance in the air.


    He had a yful smile on his face, though.


    "But would you win?"


    For a moment, the atmosphere soaked up silence. Rey cast a piercing gaze on Ater, while thetter finally ceased his joking look and took on a more serious demeanor.


    "I¡­ am not sure." He finally responded. "I still have no clue what manner of Beast that was, or what power he used against you in the fight."


    "..." Rey remained silent as he watched Ater go on.


    "Since it''s a Divine Beast, though, I''d expect it to be stronger than I am. I''m very weak, after all."


    "... But would you win?" The question echoed once again.


    "I would." The tension evaporated in the air as Rey nodded as he stared at Ater.


    "I could tell somehow. After all, now that my perception of everything has changed, you look entirely different in my eyes now." "Oh? How do I look to you, Master?" Ater asked with a brilliant smile.


    "Well¡­" Rey''s narrowed eye glowed brightly as information about Ater popped up in an instant.


    [STATUS WINDOW] - Name: Ater (LQ#i&3r)


    - Race: Bakeneko (Unknown)


    - ss: Absolute Summon (S-Tier)


    - Level: 101 (09.12% EXP) - Life Force: 1,000 (500) [insert]


    - Mana Level: 1,500 (750) [insert]


    - Combat Ability: 2,500 (1,250) [insert]


    - Stat Points: 10,000


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Shapeshift]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Dark Magic]. [Magic Supremacy]. [Possession]. [Compulsion]. [Illusion]. [Undead Summon] [A$!!?£¤\>.€¡ê\K].


    - Alignment: Chaotic Evil


    [Additional Information]


    An unknown entity whose true form remains a mystery, but takes the form of a cat. It is a great trickster with malevolent desires. It is a wicked entity.


    Stay away from it. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    [End Of Information]


    "... I don''t understand it myself."


    ''I can now see the glitches that Esme was mentioning back then. I guess it''s because of my upgraded Appraisal, but what about Esme''s case?'' Rey wondered to himself.


    Before he could fully process things, however, Ater interrupted his thoughts.


    "Well¡­ I did tell you, Master, that I was the only Familiar you really need." He puffed his chest out and smiled proudly. "And I still mean that!"


    "Without those two Summons I would have died, though¡­"


    "A-ah, well¡­ they''re exceptions." The floating Familiar chuckled nervously.


    Upon bringing up the Phoenixes, Rey swiftly remembered something else¡ªthe final Familiar that he summoned back then.


    "Now that I think about it, the purple egg should have hatched now, ri¡ª?"


    "Master, with all due respect¡­ We should stick to the topic at hand. One thing at a time, right?" Ater swiftly interrupted, smiling as sweetly as possible.


    Rey felt an awkward tingle on his skin, and he could see the slight unease that twinkled in Ater''s eyes as he stared at his face.


    "Fine then¡­ let''s go back to Adonis." He sighed, his thoughts on the other things mellowing out as he focused on the Hero''s disappearance.


    "What''s this you say about a letter?"

 Chapter 557 The Changes He Missed [Pt 3]

    Chapter 557 The Changes He Missed [Pt 3]


    The day that Adonis was confirmed to be missing, they found a letter in his room.


    The thing seemed to have been written in a hurry, and it was addressed to everyone¡ªhis ssmates, the Royal Council, and all who cared to see.


    It was:


    ~I am deeply sorry it has to be this way, and that it took me so long to see, but I finally realize my mistakes.


    I thought I could help everyone, and save this world, but my calctions were wrong. I made so many errors, and those miscalctions cost us so many lives.


    I can see those mistakes now¡­ and I know I have to rectify them.


    Don''t bother searching for me. You won''t be able to find me. I now recognize that for me to truly save everyone¡ªeven those who have fallen¡ªI need far more strength than I currently possess.


    A journey beckons to me. It will be fraught with danger, but I shall ovee. I shall survive and return once again; a much more experienced and capable Hero.


    Do not fear¡­ Rey, Lucielle, everyone. You no longer need to worry about me or yourselves. Even though I will shoulder this responsibility alone, it will yield the best of results.


    Wish me good fortune. I will save you all!~


    **********


    "H-huh¡­?" Rey found the gears in his head turning as he read through the contents of the letter.


    He was stunned by what he was reading¡ªwhat appeared to be some sort of childish manifesto from Adonis.


    "Is he stupid? How can he think to do this alone?" Those were the first words that Rey uttered after seeing the letter''s contents. It was a rhetorical question, considering how he was well aware of Adonis'' intelligence.


    ''He''s always been the most intuitive out of all of us.'' Rey itched his head as he re-read the message on the paper in his hands.


    ''Even after seeing everything that went down, he really wants to go at it alone?''


    In the end, he could not resonate with the Hero''s reasoning. The most logical solution to the matter at hand would be for everyone to recoup their strength and figure out a way to ward off the inevitable external aggression toe.


    "And what''s this BS about us not worrying about him and ourselves? If an invasion happens now, what are we supposed to do?''


    Should they just fold their hands and wait for his ''return''? Rey shook his head, handing the letter back to Ater after reading it one final time. "What do you think he means by this letter? Do you have any idea where he went, or where he''s going?" He asked.


    "I have no idea where he''s headed to, or where he is at this moment, Master." Ater said with a slight bow. "As for the meaning of this letter, it is possible that he feels somewhat responsible for what happened in the Capital and desires to atone."


    "Atone? By running away from the problem?"


    "Most likely, he''ll be running towards the problem¡­" Ater said with a smile.


    "Wait¡­ you mean the Northern Continent? The Dragon Kingdom?!"


    "Draconic Empire, actually. It''s merely a guess¡ªan observation on my part, if you may." The way the Familiar shrugged in nonchnce made Rey slightly agitated.


    Ater never really seemed to take most things seriously.


    "Even after my power was exposed¡­ he still chose to leave? Is it because I was unconscious?" The teenager muttered, a crestfallen expression on his face.


    "...." "I don''t get it, honestly. With Alicia in hera, and everyone in the current state they''re in¡­ I expected Adonis to at least¡­ be there for them." To leave everyone and everything behind¡­ it didn''t seem like something the Hero would do.


    ''I guess I didn''t know him as much as I thought I did.'' Rey smiled sadly, once again interrupted by Ater''s deep voice.


    "He isn''t the only one that left, though. Trisha also went to the Adventurers City just a few days ago. She said she was done with the training she could receive here, and she wanted more practical experiences withrge monsters over there."


    Apparently, even after the appearances of the Dragons and the Divine Beast, Rey''s ssmates had yet to lose their courage.


    They didn''t plunge into despair or quit the mission.


    "rk and Justin have officially joined the military and are soon going to conclude their training with Brutus. Once that''s done, they''ll be heading to the front lines."


    They weren''t the only ones who were busy, though.


    "Belle is currently an Apprentice under Lucielle, and she''s also almost done with her Magic Training. Once all of them are done, they''ll pick up Trisha on their way to the front lines and head straight to the battlefield."


    All of this information bombarded Rey as he still tried his hardest to process the information he was receiving.


    Of course, mentally processing it was incredibly easy for him, but the emotional weight of everything had to be addressed very slowly in order not to rush past the significance of the events that had taken ce.


    If he treated the matters too heavily, the System woulde in, but if he dismissed them too swiftly, he would miss out on the true meaning behind their actions.


    As such, he had to constantly chew the details he was receiving in order to understand them well.


    ''How strenuous¡­''


    "How long before they head to the front lines?" Rey finally asked after a few seconds of silence.


    "Less than a month."


    "Ahh¡­ I see." Rey didn''t seem very surprised. In fact, he was more surprised that they could have waited that long despite what recently happened in the Capital.


    "I assumed the Dragons would be breathing down our necks, but the fact that Brutus and Lucielle could have stayed back for so long means that the situation at the front lines isn''t as severe as I imagined."


    "It was severe. But, surprisingly, the attacks dwindled significantly after the cmity that befell the Capital."


    "For real?" Rey was met with another surprising news.


    He wasn''t expecting this one.


    ''Why would they suddenly stop, especially after the death of a Dragon Lord?'' Rey expected a full-blown retaliation from the Dragons, but there was no such thing.


    "Perhaps they''re being a lot more cautious with the humans; taking time to amass their forces to prepare for an all-out war. In any case, we should also begin to make preparations on our end." Ater said with a slight nod.


    Rey nodded back at him.


    "You''re right. Since we have the window of opportunity to prepare, we should get ready for war."


    He didn''t let the grim state of things bother him that much, though. If things had gone ording to n, everyone would have been in the front lines at this point.


    Rey knew he didn''t have the luxury of worrying too much about auxiliary issues¡ªnot when there could be an overwhelming crisis brewing in the background.


    ''Sorry, Adonis¡­ but I can''t deal with your desertion right now.'' Rey heaved a sigh.


    There was too much to worry about at the moment. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Is there any good news, at the very least?"


    Ater beamed as the question was asked.


    "Well, the Capital''s reconstruction is almost finished. We should be done before your ssmates depart for the war."


    ''E-eh? That quickly?!'' Rey''s eyes nearly bulged.


    Most of his fight with the Divine Beast was a blur, but he hadn''t forgotten the destruction that was wrought as a result.


    It was too much to be fixed within a few months.


    ''What in the world did you do, Ater?''


    "Also, the Royal Council finally made the existence of the Otherworlders known to the public." All of Rey''s previous thoughts were put on hold once he heard this.


    After all, this revtion only meant one thing.


    "Everyone knows who you are now, Master."

 Chapter 558 By Her Side

    Chapter 558 By Her Side


    After the Capital fell; first at the hands of the Dragons, then to the might of an unstoppable beast, the denizens fell into despair.


    Humanity was reminded of its ce¡ªthey were nothing but weak meat waiting to be harvested.


    The destruction of thergest city in the Alliance caused many to lose hope. The failing economy was the least of their worries, as security and stability became what everyone desired.


    Those who had some means desired to move South, while the impoverished majority had nowhere else to go¡­ but they were bound to try anyway.


    In this cesspool of horrors and uncertainty, a beacon of hope was necessary.


    Which was why the Alliance finally made their move and announced the arrival of the Otherworlders.


    They revealed how the Otherworlders were the ones who stopped the Dragons, and also that the strongest of them all had defeated the Divine Beast.


    That public announcement, with the remnant Otherworlders standing on stage in front of the Capital''s denizens, shook the popce.


    It was able to rekindle the dying mes of hope that humanity had in their survival.


    All hope¡­ was not yet lost.


    ********


    In a nk, vast room, a girly on a bed.


    She was covered in a thick nket, and the bed she was in seemed to swallow her while with its sheer size.


    What seemed to be a veil of thinyered fabric covered her from all sides, all dangling from the ceiling of her bed.


    Sparkles of energy danced around her, like miniature stars, and herplete white attire made her almost seem like a lucky bride on her wedding day.


    She even had a ring on her finger, disyed thanks to her posture; with both hands on her stomach as shey peacefully.


    This girl was no bride, though, neither was she lucky.


    Her long brown hair was scattered all over the bed, and her eyes were tightly shut due to her slumber. With how she barely moved her body, though, one would think she was dead.


    But no.


    She was very much alive; the fact that she was still breathing, albeit very slowly, proved it.


    Alicia White had only fallen into an eternal slumber.


    "I''m sorry¡­"


    The voice that echoed within the room came from the boy who knelt next to her bed.


    His right eye rested keenly on her as the other one was covered by a ck eyepatch.


    Something moist formed, glinted within his eyes, but that was all that happened. No tears flowed, even as he tightly held the white nket atop the bed.


    "I know me saying this changes nothing. You probably can''t even hear me. I just¡­"


    He forced his heart not to race, and he used all his strength to ensure none of his physiological reactions passed the breaking point.


    Rey feared what would happen if he allowed it.


    ''I''m so sad, but¡­ I can''t allow myself to be.'' He so badly wanted to cry, but he already knew the tears wouldn''te.


    Rey, at this moment, was in agony.


    "If I hadn''t been so cowardly, you wouldn''t have been forced to do this."


    After Ater told him everything, Rey had to analyze everything by himself.


    After their discussion, he asked for some alone time and decided to finally visit Alicia.


    Just as Ater said¡­ she was still asleep.


    Her body still looked perfect. She had immacte skin, and incredible beauty. Rey couldn''t see her amber-colored eyes, but he already knew they were guaranteed to be amazing too.


    His vision trailed all over her body until he spotted the ring on her finger¡ªthe very ring he gave her back in the Library.


    ''I¡­ fuck¡­'' n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Rey tightened his face as he squeezed his his hands eveb tighter on the sheets. His heart felt like it would burst, but he kept everything under control.


    ''What were you thinking about when it all happened, I wonder¡­'' He sniffed, looking at her with a teary eye.


    ''When I was dered dead, when Snow died, when the Capital went up in mes¡­ what was going on in your mind?''


    All the guesses Rey made just caused him to feel all the worse.


    ''I didn''t want things to end this way. You might even hate me now. But¡­'' With a single blink of his eye, all the signs of tears vanished, and a determined gaze appeared in its stead.


    "I''ll fix this. I''ll bring you back."


    With both [Perfect Divine Magic] and [Divine Magic Supremacy], Rey had ess to any and all kinds of Magic.


    For Magic that were previously assigned as Skills to him, he could now use them even without their corresponding Skills.


    However, for new and unknown Magic, he would have to learn about them¡ªat least, to some degree.


    However, there was something else.


    Based on his pre-existing knowledge of Magic, his experience witnessing its use, and the powers at his disposal, Rey was not only capable of using Magic without chants or dy¡­ he could also somewhat create his own Magic.


    ''All I have to do is visualize its effect¡­ to do what I want it to do.''


    Rey already practiced this in his room, by creating all sorts of models with Wind Magic despite having no knowledge of the Spell prior to activation.


    By visualizing the effects he desired, he could mold his Mana into the desired result and practically make a Magic Spell from scratch.


    And now¡­


    ''I''m going to make a Healing Spell that will cure you of this ailment.''


    Since his Magic was on the Divine Level, there was pretty much nothing that could resist it. Perhaps another Divine Tier could, but [Perfect Divine Magic] would still have some effect for sure.


    As a result, Rey was at least confidence of systematic progress even if he couldn''t heal her all at once.


    ''Visualize what you want¡­'' He removed his eyepatch and allowed his full vision in Light Mode to take over.


    With this, he could see everything in the room at full capacity.


    Mana Flow, Patterns, their Origin, Destination, and the excess particles¡ªeven the ones invisible to him before.


    Perceiving all of these allowed him to look at Alicia in apletely different light.


    Her entire body was shrouded in some kind of darkness: it looked dreadful and horrid.


    ''Why would Ater give Adonis something that could potentially lead to this result?''


    Rey was tempted to me his Familiar, but he desisted from it. Adonis was incredibly resistant to curses, so using the Item would have had no downsides for the Hero.


    ''Enough about that.'' He narrowed his eyes as he sighed shallowly.


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Alicia White {Cursed}


    - Race: Human (Otherworlder)


    - ss: Absolute Tamer (S-Tier)


    - Level: 112 (34.90% EXP)


    - Life Force: 110 (+110) {Sealed}


    - Mana Level: 210 (+310) {Sealed}


    - Combat Ability: 200 (+200) {Sealed}


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Divine Beast Summon]. [Absolute Healing]. [Greater Ice Magic]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Quick Casting]. [Mana Sense]. [Mana Eruption]. [Intimidation]. [Instruction]


    - Alignment: Lawful Good


    [Additional Information]


    A pet-lover who desires to return home, but can not afford to see others in a state of distress. Her Skills and ss are in perfect synergy with her.


    Negative Status Condition: Permanent Sleep


    Cursed Level: Extreme


    [End Of Information]


    ''Let''s begin!''

 Chapter 559 Curse From The World

    Chapter 559 Curse From The World


    ~BWUUSH~


    Echoes of wind danced all around the room, as torrents swirled all over Rey.


    Green light sparked, followed by bright white, and eventually gold.


    All this energies kept evolving, until they finally reached the level that Rey desired¡ªHealing Magic that was on the Divine Tier.


    ''I no longer have my [Absolute Healing] Skill, but this is much better¡­'' He smiled as his hands flowed with bright golden light.


    They seemed to invigorate everything around them.


    Sparks of white still danced around the golden re, and before he realized it¡­


    "Haha¡­ yes!"


    ¡­ Rey was chucking to himself.


    ''This is it!'' With widened eyes, his irises reflecting the golden light on his palms, he neared Alicia''s sleeping body.


    ''This should do it!''


    He was well aware that Ater was much stronger than he previously gave him credit for, but there really was no way an imperfect item that he created would be able to resist the Healing Magic birthed by his two Divine Skills working in tandem.


    Without wasting any further time in thiught, Rey pushed his hands forward and touched Alicia with them.


    The darkness surrounding her tried to resist, but he was most definitely stronger.


    His power made it through, and the golden surge of light made its way all around her body.


    In a single moment, she was brimming with golden light.


    "Haa¡­" Rey''s eyes widened as the bright glow remained evident in his eyes.


    He watched as his Magic did its wonders and waited for her to flick her eyes open.


    But¡ª


    [System Notice]


    ~Healing Magic failed: Target''s Curse can not be healed by Magic~


    [Would You Like To Try Again?] n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "H-huh?"


    Rey''s eyes slightly widened as he saw the panel open up in front of him.


    Exactly at that moment, the golden light that had been surrounding Alicia was engulfed by the darkness, causing it to vanish forever.


    He failed.


    Before Rey could even think about it, or process the implications of what he had just seen, his lips practically moved on their own.


    "Try again."


    Once more, the golden light appeared. It went through the same process and covered Alicia from head to toe.


    But¡ª


    [System Notice]


    ~Healing Magic failed: Target''s Curse can not be healed by Magic~


    [Would You Like To Try Again?]


    ¡ªHe received the same rude awakening.


    "Try again."


    The same thing happened.


    "¡­ Again!"


    Nothing changed.


    "Try¡­"


    No matter how hard he tried, or how many times he used his Healing Magic, it didn''t work.


    ¡­ Until finally, he nearly ran out of Mana.


    ''Why isn''t it working? I''m missing something, aren''t I?''


    For all he knew, [Absolute Healing] as a Skill couldn''t cure Curses.


    He faced that problem against the Dark Undertaking.


    That was why, in making his own Healing Magic, he factored that and made it so that his method would cure all negative status conditions and even alleviate curses.


    The fact that his Magic activated meant those conditions had to have been fulfilled.


    Yet¡­ why wasn''t it still working?


    "A-Ater¡­ what''s going on?" Rey finally had to utter, after trying hard to think of something to no avail.


    ~WHUSH~


    A swirling dark mist appeared behind Rey, and instsntly Ater emerged with a solemn look on his perfectly carved face.


    "Curses are internal manifestations of the world''sws, Master. Healing Magic, no matter the tier, won''t work on it."


    Laws such as Gravity and Time existed, and with Magic¡­ thosews could be harnessed and bent to the whims of the user.


    But that didn''t change the fact that thosews remained.


    Another kind of Magic¡ªsay Fire Magic¡ªcould not  interfere with thosews, but would have to operate within the bounds of it.


    "Curse Magic exists to somewhat shape the invisible and downright dangerous nature of thatw, but it''s impossible to dispel it with Magic like Healing." Ater said.


    Somehow, the exnations only made Rey feel all the more frustrated.


    "You created the item, didn''t you? Why can''t you dispel the curse yourself?"


    "I indeed made the item, but the curse wasn''t mine."


    "What?"


    "This world inflicts a curse as a consequence of certain things. It usuallyes as a result of breaking certain bounds; like the naturalw of existence¡ª"


    "I don''t understand a thing you''re saying!" Rey growled as he turned back to look at Ater.


    His overflowing anger was instantly removed¡ªmost definitely by the System¡ªleaving him with nothing but a re that had lost its luster.


    "In simple terms, it''s simr to how gravity dictates that whatever goes upes down. In terms of curses, when you do something unnatural, a negative consequence follows."


    It was the same way overusing a Skill would end with a negative status condition of exhaustion. Or by overstraining one''s muscles, a ligament could tear.


    Commit a crime, and you would get punished.


    These were examples of the consequences that followed extreme actions.


    A natural way of life.


    In that same vein, by forcefully reaching the very heights of a Skill, one would have to be cursed as a response from the world.


    "It''s like cheating and getting scolded at the aftermath."


    Adonis could avoid it due to his Privilege as the Hero. Rey could also do the same since he had been granted simr Privileges by the World.


    But¡­ not Alicia.


    "What if I had a Skill? A Curse Magic Skill¡­ maybe it could work."


    "I doubt it. It would be different if someone cursed you with Magic, but this is pretty much a curse thates from the world itself."


    It was simr to how ss Privileges could not be altered unless someone changed their ss.


    "Though¡­ if you had a Curse Skill, that would be different." As Ater said this, he rubbed his chin.


    "Curse Skill? Isn''t that what I just said?"


    "No. Curse Skill and Curse Magic Skill are different."


    "Huh?"


    At this point, Rey was slightly confused.


    He looked at Ater in a strange way, as though expecting an exnation from him.


    As expected of the Familiar, he picked up on this very quickly.


    "Magic is a product of sentient understanding and evolution. Humans, Dragon¡­ they learn Magic which is how they understand thews of the world and how to bend it to their whims. Once they reach a certain level of proficiency, a Skill is unlocked. Sometimes, they are naturally born with this ability as well¡­ so you''d get something like [Wind Magic] or [Curse Magic] as a Skill."


    So far, Rey perfectly understood.


    Frustration still tugged at his heart, and he found himself slightly distracted by Alicia and his concern for her.


    Still, he paid attention.


    "Skills in themselves are not sentient dependent, and they are simply given by the world. They''re simr to privileges in a way, and so they''re not limited to the sentient capabilities."


    "I¡­ don''t get it." Rey muttered.


    "For example [Divine Beast Summon] is a Skill in itself, and it''s not Magic. It relies on something beyond the reach of Magic, since it summons creatures from another world. [Divine Sword Summon] is another example. These are all Skills that transcend the limits of what Magic can do."


    Rey began to rub his own chin before realizing it.


    "So¡­ there''s a difference between [Fire Magic] and [Fire] Skill?"


    "Yes. Other than the fact that you''d need to cast a Soell to generate the first, unless you have a Skill like [Magic Application] or [Magic Supremacy], and you are restricted by those Spells, the [Fire] Skill allows free rein over fire, depending on Tiers. It''s basically a pass given by the System to use that which is within its bounds."


    "I see. So a [Curse] Skill would allow me to interact directly with the Curse that''s afflicting her, while [Curse Magic] would only be able to affect Curses within the bounds of Magic itself."


    "Correct. You learn fast, Master."


    Rey couldn''t feel happy for his achievement even if he wanted to. He still didn''t understand the details of what Ater was talking about, and frankly¡­ he didn''t have the strength to.


    All this time, he thought he was only dying the inevitable so he could prepare his heart when he finally met and woke Alicia up.


    But now, he realized he couldn''t do it¡ªat the very least, not as he was.


    ''I''m such a joke¡­'' He smiled at himself as he removed his hand from Alicia, still seeing the darkness overshadow her.


    He covered his his eye with the eyepatch, causing his vision to return to Normal Mode.


    With that, he could no longer see the depressing sight of the girl he loved being consumed by darkness.


    "Is there really no way to wake her up now? Anything I can do at all¡­?"


    "Well¡ª"


    Before Ater could say any further, both he and Rey sensed something beyond the door of the room, and they instantly knew what it was.


    Ater stared at Rey with curious eyes, as if asking him;


    "What will you do now?"


    Rey sighed and rose to his feet, still remaining by Alicia''s side, as the doors were pushed open and the people outside were granted a view into the vast expanse.


    It was the first time in months that Rey had seeen them, and he could feel the building tension as he rested his gaze on the group that stood outside the room.


    ''Justin, rk, Belle, Lucielle, and Brutus¡­'' All of them had surprised expressions on their faces, and rightfully so.


    This was also the first time in months that they were seeing him.


    ''¡­ It''s been a while.''

 Chapter 560 Reactions [Pt 1]

    Chapter 560 Reactions [Pt 1]


    "REEEYYYYY!"


    The tense silence was easily broken by Lucielle, Grand Mage of the Alliance, as she charged forward, her crimson eyes shining brightly while she did so.


    In a single breath, she was already away from the rest of the group, her robe trailing behind her.


    "It''s so great to see you! How long has it been now? Three months? You look so much different from before? Did you grow taller? What''s with the eyepatch?"


    She kept bombarding Rey with questions as she circled around him like a shark, her silver-white hair dancing in the air as she did so.


    As Lucielle did all of this, Rey found himself standing still¡ªalmost like a statuepletely bamboozled by Lucielle''s reaction to seeing him.


    The rest¡ªBrutus, rk, Justin, and Belle¡ªwere still transfized in their position. Just from looking at them, it was clear that they hadn''t yet recovered from the shock.


    But not Lucielle.


    She looked giddy as a child, with slight tints of pink on her face as her wide eyes ogled Rey from various angles.


    She kept bombarding him with questions, but Rey could not even answer a single one. Before he fully processed one, two more would appear.Plus¡ª


    ''It''s a bit overwhelming having her so close to me. Why does she smell so good too?''


    ¡ªRey could feel his perverted thoughts rising.


    Lucielle was in her early twenties, and she was by far the prettiest human he had met in this world. Her cheery personality, and the way she didn''t seem to care about boundaries also made it difficult to keep a straight head.


    Of course, with Rey being a lot more in control of his body, he was able to suppress all of his carnal reactions towards her. His outward disy did not, in any way, reflect what went on in his head.


    And, even though he was captivated by her beauty and¡­ well, proportions¡­ due to her sudden action, he soon got a firm grasp of his thoughts and calmed it all down.


    ''Still¡­'' Rey felt her poking his body with her fingers. ''... I''m not the only one that finds this weird, right?''


    Lucielle poked his arm, chest, back, cheek, leg, and forehead¡ªalmost as if she was examining his body in every way. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Amazing! This is¡­ you are¡­!"


    It finally got to a point where Rey couldn''t take it anymore, so he lifted both hands and held her from both sides of her shoulders.


    "Rx, Lucielle." He mumbled, still finding it a bit strange that she was staring at him so intensely.


    Since Rey was average, he hardly got the attention of pretty girls¡ªespecially back on Earth. Even upon arriving in this world and forging connections with manydies who were top-tier in their own right, none of them ever looked at him the way Lucielle was.


    ''She''s too close. And those eyes¡­ just what is going on in her mind?'' In all honesty, it seemed Lucielle had more perverted thoughts than he did, merely based on how she was behaving.


    That was weird, considering how little he had interacted with Lucielle sinceing to H''Trae.


    Other than Magic Training, which he did his best to remain lowkey in, he never really spoke to her directly. Well, he had some interactions with her as Ralyks, but even then¡­ they were somewhat distant.


    ''So what''s with this change in personality? And also¡­'' Rey realized it once he held Lucielle in ce, but he was surprised that he didn''t notice it a lot sooner.


    ''... I''ve gotten pretty tall, haven''t I?''


    His well-built arms were arched nicely, and Lucielle''s arms seemed small in his firm grip. Her slender frame, save for her chest and backside, seemed much smaller to Rey than he remembered.


    That only made sense if Rey had somehow hit a growth spurt while being asleep.


    ''I remember she was much taller than me before. But now¡­'' A small smile formed on his face as his head was bent a little slightly to look at the Grand Mage.


    "Why are you looking at me like that? It''s a bit creepy." The moment Lucielle said this, Rey snapped back to reality and swiftly let go of her arms. Thankfully, she didn''t move much after that.


    "I should be the one saying that." He let out a sigh, intentionally taking a few steps back from Lucielle. Casting a quick sideways nce at Alicia, he felt a wave of shame permeate his entire body. It seemed to him that he somehow desecrated her room.


    "In any case¡­ It''s nice to see you all again." Rey did his best to smile as he switched his attention from Lucielle to the others.


    He could still see her clearly, and she was still staring at him intently, but he ignored her.


    Right now¡­ he had bigger things to worry about.


    "Apologies on Lucielle''s behalf." The first to speak was Brutus, and he took a few steps forward as he did so.


    "She''s the kind of person who goes crazy when she discovers someone or something strong. That someone being you in this case."


    Brutus'' words reminded Rey that everyone in the room now knew his secret: that he was secretly the strongest person in the kingdom.


    He was Ralyks. He defeated Dragons, helped the Otherworlders in the Royal Dungeon, and defeated the Divine Beast that would haveid everything to waste otherwise.


    Not only had he been hiding his strength this whole time, but he purposefully made himself seem like the weakest of the group when the opposite was actually true.


    "You were amazing back then, Rey! I''ve never seen anything like what you did!" Once again, Lucielle''s voice buzzed in his ears.


    "Hey, could we have a private discussionter? I want to¡­"


    She kept on speaking, but Rey zoned out of everything she was sayingpletely. Lucielle seemed to have a burning passion for Magic and powerful things.


    ''It exins why she was closest to Adonis during training. Now that I''m the strongest, it seems her interest has shifted to me¡­'' Rey shook his head internally.


    ''Sorry, but I''m not interested in having the talk.''


    Rey couldn''t say it to her face, though, so he simply said nothing and instead turned to the three others who still stood at the door''s entrance and watched him keenly.


    "Hey, guys¡­ please say something."


    Justin, rk and Belle. Rey wasn''t close to any of these people, but they were still his ssmates.


    The three were allies with him, and he had intentionally kept his identity hidden from them. Not only that, but he actively lied to them about some details about himself¡ªlike how he felt weak and powerlesspared to them¡ªjust so he could maintain his facade.


    They all had their perspectives regarding him, and it wasn''t until the rude revtion that that perception was shattered.


    Personally, Rey still didn''t think he should have told them his identity from the start.


    Even now, after thinking very clearly about all that happened, he wasn''t sure he could have ever trusted everyone enough to reveal his identity¡ªnot after the treatment he received, and his perception of them.


    ''But¡­'' Rey''s thoughts trailed as he sighed, waiting for a response¡ªany response¡ªfrom them.


    ''... The consequences of my silence is something I deeply regret.''

 Chapter 561 Reactions [Pt 2]

    Chapter 561 Reactions [Pt 2]


    Looking at the five, they all had training attire on.


    Brutus wore light armor, the age and luster of his equipment pretty ring to an observant eye. Justin and rk wore simr-looking armor, with the former''s looking a lot lighter, while thetter had more bulk to it.


    Belle and Lucielle had some Enchanted Items on them, and Belle still had a book in her hand, which made it clear they were most likely practicing Spells. While Belle had the attire simr to a student, Lucielle wore a Mage''s cape,with her inner attire being a loose white shirt and long trousers.


    Based on everything about their appearance, coupled with the slight looks of exhaustion on the faces of the three Otherworlders, it was easy to deduce that they were just finished with training.


    Justin and rk were with Brutus, while Belle was with Lucielle. They rendezvoused and decided to visit Alicia''s room together.


    ~Theye here every day, Master. Ever since she fell asleep and was admitted here.~


    The moment Rey heard those words in his head, he felt a little startled and also slightly suspicious.


    ''Ater, you¡­ did you know they woulde here at this time, yet you didn''t tell me beforehand?''


    Rey''s initial n was to approach them after properly organizing his thoughts. However, that didn''t mean he was actively avoiding them.


    After all, once he sensed their presence approaching the room, he had more than enough time to leave. They wouldn''t have spotted him at all.


    But¡­ he didn''t.


    Perhaps that was because, deep down, he just wanted to get things over with. He didn''t want to run anymore, and he simply wanted to see how they would react to him after all this time.


    And now¡­ ''... It''s the moment of truth, I guess.''


    Rey watched as the three finally got over their shock and looked at one other. They nodded, clearly in agreement on something.


    Then¡ª


    ''Here ites!''


    ¡ªThey finally stepped forward, entering the room while walking towards Rey.


    They had serious expressions on their faces; a sharp contrast to the jolly reaction that Lucielle opened up with. Brutus had a fairly neutral expression on his face, and after apologizing for Lucielle''s behavior and dragging her away from Rey, he was silent.


    Rey was grateful for Brutus getting the Grand Mage away from him, and also for his non-judgmental gaze. His warrior-like aura remained the same, and while he had a stern demeanor, there was no anger or malice in his eyes. He simply stood in a corner, his hand tightly holding onto his colleague so she wouldn''t interrupt Rey''s interaction with his ssmates.


    They hadn''t seen each other in nearly three months, after all.


    ''ording to what Ater told me, he didn''t allow me to have any visitors during mya. It was for my safety, so I can''t particrly get upset at him¡­''


    Once Rey was done making this thought, his ssmates were already right in front of him already.


    He was already taller than Belle, and about the same height as Justin. However, rk still remained the biggest in the group.


    The resolute faces on their faces slowly began to break as Rey watched them part their lips. Everything seemed to slow down, and he prepared his heart for whatever he would hear.


    "Thank you for saving our lives, Rey." rk spoke up first, his calm tonepletely surprising Rey.


    He never expected that kind of response.


    Not from them!


    "Yeah man¡­ we would have been toast if you didn''te when you did. Thanks¡­" Justin proceeded with his own words, a whimsical smile on his face. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Once again, Rey found this to be odd.


    ''Ater, did you mess with the minds of my ssmates? Why are they being so nice to me?'' He swiftly sent a message to the Familiar who stood a distance from him and watched everything unravel in silence.


    ~Master¡­ of course not! You already told me not to.~


    Rey knew Ater was telling the truth, but that only made the situation all the more unbelievable.


    ''Why are they saying this? Eric and Billy died because of my negligence. Adonis left¡­ Alicia is in her current state¡­ and thousands of people are dead.''


    It was only human nature to seek who to me for such a misfortune.


    The Dragons were the obvious targets for the anger and scorn of the humans, but for his ssmates, Rey knew they would find it easier to fault him.


    He lied to them. He made them risk their lives. His carelessness caused so much tragedy.


    ~If I may, Master¡­~


    Ater''s words echoed in his mind, just as Rey was about to listen to Belle''s words.


    ~... For every life that was lost due to your supposed carelessness, several more were saved from your actions.~


    "You could have chosen to escape without us. You got hurt so badly¡­ and yet¡­" Belle''s eyes were surprisingly teary as she spoke.


    Rey had never seen her this emotional. He probably didn''t even know she was capable of such feelings.


    "... You fought for us and saved us."


    ''Well¡­ not really. I was practically fighting for my life for most of the battle.'' Rey thought to himself.


    Belle wasn''t strictly wrong, though. If Rey wanted, he could have indeed abandoned the Capitalpletely to save himself.


    But¡­


    ''That would mean abandoning Alicia¡­'' He clenched his fist and felt his heart tighten a little.


    There were over a hundred thousand people living in the Capital. Rey was no saint, but he understood enough about life to understand that he couldn''t just let them die.


    ¡­ Especially when he could save them.


    ''By the time I realized I was no match for that Beast, I couldn''t even escape any longer. It was after my life.''


    Rey could now understand why his ssmates were going easy on him despite how hard he messed up.


    ''I fought tooth and nail to protect the city and them. How could they me their savior who risked it all, and entered a two montha to protect them?''


    They would be the assholes if they did that.


    In a way, it was convenient for Belle and the rest to believe their side of the story.


    But¡­


    "No, you''re wrong. It''s not what you think at all."


    ¡­ Rey was not satisfied. He couldn''t be satisfied with the way things were going.


    "I didn''t trust you all, which is why I didn''t say anything about my abilities. Even when I finally decided to say something, I postponed it, thinking it wasn''t necessary."


    Then, when it became a necessity for him to reveal his true identity, it suddenly becameplicated¡ªan action that would probably make some of them dislike him.


    "The same people I previously thought of as inconsequential suddenly began to matter to me. I previously didn''t care what you thought of me, which was why I decided to remain weak in your eyes¡­" Rey clenched his fists as he looked at them.


    "But after getting to know you all more, both from the perspective of Rey and Ralyks, I guess that changed."


    He became acknowledged by them in both regards, and he also acknowledged them.


    "That''s what made it so hard¡­"


    But what did all of that matter now? People were dead, and everyone had to find out in the worst possible way.


    Yet¡­ YET¡­!


    "Rey¡­ we''re sorry for everything."


    ¡­ Why was no one ming him?

 Chapter 562 Consensus

    Chapter 562 Consensus


    Rey didn''t know this, but after the cmity that befell the Capital, his ssmates had a meeting.


    It was just between the five of them¡ªAdonis, Trisha, Belle, Justin, and rk.


    They discussed many things; including their powerlessness against the enemies and how they felt regarding that.


    Adonis apologized for his gross error and his terribly wed n that cost the lives of two of their ssmates and ended up cursing the third.


    Of course, the rest did their best to dissuade him from ming himself, but they could see how the guilt ate at him.


    They could also guess how much guilt Rey had to be carrying.


    Many were tempted to ask why his supposed clone didn''t do more to help in the situation, or why Rey wasn''t alerted of the problem, or why he didn''t arrive sooner.


    But, no one gave in to that temptation.


    All they knew was this¡­ "It''s our fault that Rey decided to keep his identity hidden."


    A lot of things made sense now. The fact that, even though he was among the first to choose a ss and Skills, he ended up with such a meager sum, and also how that corroborated with how most people perceived him.


    Karma was measured by the perception of others.


    The mere fact that no one questioned how he got such a basic Skill and a poor ss meant they all¡ªfor the most part¡ªdidn''t have good impressions of him.


    They didn''t like him; at least, not at first. It wasn''t like they made their position on him a secret either. Justin was among those whoughed at Rey when he showed his pathetic ss and Skills, and a few members of the group couldn''t deny feeling envious when Rey was chosen alongside Alicia and Adonis to have the first pick.


    All of these factors culminated into the distrusting nature that now formed within him.


    In no way were they justifying his lies and deceit, but who was really in a position to talk?


    They all had things to hide.


    Belle had her secrets. Adonis had his own. Justin did as well. rk and Trisha were no different.


    Whether they were insecurities, hidden motives, goals, or overall personality traits¡ªeveryone was keeping something in.


    "Even though he hid his power from us, we can''t deny the good he did."


    When critically examining Rey and his actions, it was clear that he meant no harm. Even though most of his ssmates didn''t really care for him, he still looked out for them.


    As Ralyks, he made them a lot stronger than they would have been.


    He gave the Alliance all the spoils and glory, and he constantly helped them in one way or the other.


    They would be fools to throw stones and me him.


    Rey clearly cared about them and the Alliance. But, the honest truth they all recognized was¡­ they didn''t care about him.


    At least, not enough.


    His actions when facing the Divine Beast was irrefutable evidence for his position.


    Over and over again, he suffered. They couldn''t even lift a finger to help, yet even though he should have died¡ªor at least been severely injured¡ªhe didn''t stop fighting.


    Rey Skr was a liar and deceiver¡­ but he was also a Hero.


    That was all.


    ***********


    It took a lot of convincing.


    There were even hints of emotion here and there, most especially from Belle.


    On one end, Rey kept ming himself for the tragedy that struck. It surprised everyone else how much he cared about them and what his actions caused.


    Perhaps that was what fueled their resolve even more to apologize to him for their earlier actions and perceptions of him.


    "Rey, I''m sorry for making fun of you."


    "Sorry for ignoring you when you were clearly in need of a friend."


    "Sorry for¡­ well¡­ you know."


    Justin, rk, and Belle all apologized to him with their heads down, which downright flustered Rey.


    Still, he showed no such reaction on his face, and he simply suppressed all the bubbling feelings that were rising from his chest.


    Usually, most people would enjoy moments like this. They would savor the sight of the very people who looked down on him finally acknowledging their wrongs and swallowing their words.


    But Rey felt no satisfaction.


    He was too busy suppressing his emotions to feed his own ego.


    "You guys¡­" He smiled at them, drawing closer to the three. "... Thank you."


    Before he realized it, all four of them were in a group embrace. Rey had seen a lot of things that had desensitized him from most events. He had killed several people, witnessed unimaginable pain, and even died twice. He had seen the wickedness of man, and he had involved himself in abominable acts.


    Even through it all, he was still a teenager.


    While his emotions were in check, so they didn''t overflow, he could still feel vestiges of it dancing in his heart.


    Relief¡­ and gratitude.


    ''They understand why¡­ I didn''t expect that.''


    After he first saw his Karma, and then witnessed how everyone treated him, he had a negative view on his ssmates¡ªno, people in general.


    Even before then, he already saw the signs, but the experience definitely decided it for him.


    But, when moments like this surfaced, he couldn''t help but think he was wrong.


    ''Maybe¡­ I was a bit too quick to judge.''


    Just as he was able to form bonds with Alicia, get along with Trisha, and still understand Adonis¡­ perhaps he could have gotten a lot closer to the rest of his ssmates.


    ''I''m not sure I could have befriended everyone, but¡­ maybe Eric wouldn''t have been a bad choice.''


    It was toote for that now, though.


    ''I can only think of the possibilities.'' A sad smile coursed through his face as he closed his eyes.


    The warmth of his ssmates¡ªno, friends¡ªkept himpany.


    Rey could see everything around him. He could see Ater''s proud smile, Brutus'' satisfied nod, and Lucielle''s overenthusiastic grin.


    Something told him that if Brutus let go of her, she would also join in the hug.


    ''A lot of people have died, but many more are still here. I can still help them, protect them¡­ save them.''


    Something rose within his heart¡ªa desire that permeated his whole body. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ''I won''t give up so easily anymore.'' Rey''s focus shifted to Alicia and he nodded within himself.


    There was a lot he remained unsure of, but one thing was an irrefutable constant.


    ''I won''t give up on you too!''

 Chapter 563 Conversation Among Friends

    Chapter 563 Conversation Among Friends


    [Moments Later]


    The group switched locations from Alicia''s room to a private suite-the new residence of the Otherworlders.


    As one would expect from the heroes that were now officially recognized by the Alliance and all of its citizens, it was pristinely designed and spacious.


    It had a base color of silver-white, with gold linings and purple fabric as designs. There were murals and structural choices that made the entire area pop out more. A glowing chandelier hung high on the ceiling, and a constant aura of royalty oozed in the space beneath it.


    Just as in their previous living quarters, there was amon parlor, with each Otherworlder having their rooms.


    Rey was shown his room, and it was at least three times bigger than what he previously had. He had to ask if this was how everyone''s room was, and they all shook their heads.


    "Mister Ater refused to ce you on the same level as everyone, so he personally took responsibility for your room."


    "I... see..."


    Rey couldn''t reallyin about the room, though.


    Not only did it have the kind of bed he always desired, but the fragrance within the space was so good that he felt like he was floating just from taking a whiff. The minimalist design, study desk, and mini-library that were positioned appropriately there were also sublime.


    It seemed Ater truly understood his tastes and made sure his room reflected that.


    As such, despite the ufortable idea of his room being muchrger than his friends'', Rey couldn''t say anything bad about it.


    It was perfect for him.


    ''No one seems to beining about it, so... I guess it''s cool...'' He thought to himself in silence.


    He could always me the decision on Ater while enjoying all the benefits his space had to offer.


    ''Though, I''m still interested in turning that Grand Cmity ss Dungeon into my fortress.


    It would just take quite the makeover to convert it into a suitable ce for him, but the idea still lingered in his mind.


    After he was shown around his room, and the entire premises in general, Lucielle and Brutus had to take their leave in order to inform the Royal Council of Rey''s revival, as well as organize an official meeting between the Otherworlders and the Alliance''s upper echelon.


    Once they left, Rey and his three friends-along with Ater- decided to settle in the parlor and have a casual discussion.


    Despite all of them having their proper seats, Ater stood behind Rey''s sofa; almost like a well-trained guard who meant business.


    Even after he was prompted to loosen up, Ater still didn''t sit with anyone. Instead, he sat in the air, right by his Master'' side. Thankfully, he didn''t have a scary expression on his face, so neither rk, Justin, nor Belle could get intimidated.


    ... Or so one would think.


    "They keep staring at Ater in a cautious manner-especially rk and Justin. Just what did this guy do to them?'' Rey wondered to himself.


    He couldn''t have them being so stiff around him too, all things considered. Not only was he more powerful than them, but his Familiar also seemed to strike fear into their hearts.


    All of a sudden, it felt like Rey was being subconsciously ostracized by his mates.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Thankfully, that didn''tst very long.


    "You know, we tried to see you, but... well, HE wouldn''t let us."


    Justin''s words contained a hint of annoyance as he spoke, but it was suppressed by the yful manner that he was known to indulge in.


    This did a lot to break the tension, and the wheels began to turn from there onward.


    rk sighed and nodded in agreement to Justin''s words, but Belle red up the moment she understood what was being implied.


    "S-Sir Ater was just trying to protect Rey! Besides, we were busy with our training and the revival of the city. It was for the best!"


    Almost everyone sighed the moment they heard Belle''s reply, but it wasn''t like she cared for their perception of her.


    There was only one person she stared at once she was done speaking.


    "Thank you, Belle. Indeed, it was all for my Master''s sake."


    The moment Ater rendered words of thanks, even going as far as shing her his smile, her face turned beet red and she quickly hid it in both of her palms.


    Once again, almost everyone sighed.


    It had be pretty clear that Belle was crushing hard on Ater. At first, they weren''t really sure that was the case, but after observing their interactions for the past couple of months, it was obvious. 2


    Ater didn''t seem particrly interested, neither did he seem to be encouraging her feelings. However, he wasn''t actively discouraging it either.


    As a result, it appeared to be a one-sided infatuation.


    "Well... it''s probably for the best that you didn''t see me until I woke. I was... ahem, not decently dressed." Rey coughed, remembering how purely naked he was when he first woke up.


    He couldn''t even imagine everyone seeing him in such a state.


    "Oh... you know we''ve seen you naked already, right?"


    ''E-eh?'' Rey''s eyes nearly bulged the moment he heard those words from Justin.


    "Yeah... back when you fought that thing. You... well, you were naked after you were first killed..."


    ''Oh fuck...''


    Justin addressed it with levity, while rk seemed a bit bashful when speaking about it. But what about Belle? What did she think?


    "Don''t look at me. I looked away before seeing anything like that." She responded, swiftly returning her gaze to Ater.


    Despite her provocative appearance, it seemed Belle was a lot purer than one would expect. Perhaps it was simply because she didn''t want to sully her eyes with the nakedness of another person.


    One could only wonder what she would have done if it was Ater that was stripped naked.


    Well, she must have wondered it, considering the fact that her face turned even redder and she shook her ehad violently despite not being asked anything.


    As she did this, and the others ignored her, Rey felt himself trying his hardest to suppress his emotions of mortification.


    ''If everyone saw... does that include Alicia?!''


    He struggled toe to terms with it, but he had to-at the very least, for his sake.


    Rey already knew he was average down there. No matter how toned his muscles were, and how in-shape he was in geenral, he still hadn''t been able to get rid of his average face and average ''equipment''.


    He knew he couldn''t be greedy; after all, he already had so much power-far more than anyone he knew.


    It would perhaps be too much to ask for if he also desired a pretty face and arge tool. Still, the idea of Alicia seeing his... his...


    ''Argh... I can''t deal with this!'' He locked those thoughts in a vault somewhere, and right as he did so, he remembered something.


    ''Trisha and Lucielle were also present. Oh damn...''


    He also chose to lock those into his mental vault. He couldn''t have them as intrusive thoughts at such a moment of his life.


    ''Let''s change topics, please! His entire being pleaded as he stared at his friends.


    ''Anything but my nakedness!''

 Chapter 564 Learning New Things

    Chapter 564 Learning New Things


    They talked about a lot of things that day¡ªgoing on and on for hours without end.


    The conversation trailed until nighttime, and the group was still engaging in interesting discourse. Talks on training, their experience working with¡ªor rather, for¡ªAter, helping out in the recovery efforts of the city, and their thoughts on the uing march to the front lines.


    It was a very stacked discussion to be had.


    "Apparently, the Dragons have slowly been increasing their forces in the Front Lines, so it''s best we return before anything serious happens." rk said with a calm tone.


    Rey didn''t know whether it was just his imagination, or the boy was looking a lot calmer than he remembered. ''Is Brutus rubbing off on him or what?'' He couldn''t help but think.


    Justin was still the same: cracking jokes¡ªsometimes inappropriate ones¡ªbut all in all, being a pleasant person to be around.


    Belle spoke sparingly, especially regarding her training with Lucielle.


    "That woman is tough when ites to training. Don''t let her cheerful demeanor fool you!" That was Belle''s verdict.


    Apparently, Lucielle was incredibly strict when it came to the practice of Magic, which was why she never really had a direct disciple. She did help train and guide very talented Mages, but none was close enough to have an intimate ''Master and Apprentice'' rtionship with her.


    Belle was chosen because she had an A-Tier ss¡ªsame as Lucielle¡ªand her power as an Otherworlder could not be ignored.


    In all likelihood, she would even surpass the Grand Mage at some point.


    "But it seems I still have a lot to learn about Magic. Either way¡­ I''m a lot stronger than I was before!" Belle concluded with a beam.


    The girl didn''t realize it yet, but her cheery attitude¡ªespecially the smile¡ªwas awfully simr to Lucielle''s. Anyone would agree that they suited each other perfectly.


    "Funny how Sir Brutus is a lot more considerate than he looks." Justinughed heartily.


    "Right?" rk agreed with him.


    For over two months, they had trained and studied¡ªeven without Adonis'' encouragement and presence.


    When Rey asked them why they still stayed and chose to work hard despite every reason not to, they all had their unique responses.


    "I want to help the people around me. To do that, I must be strong."


    "Those Dragons took Eric''s life. I''d be an awful friend if I didn''t try my best to at least avenge him by finishing what he started."


    "I guess¡­ I just want to see how far I can go. I have this power, right? It would be a waste not to use it."


    rk, Justin, and Belle all had their reasons for moving forward. Trisha and Adonis must have also had theirs, but it was a shame that they weren''t present.


    "You should definitely visit Trisha if you can. Out of all of us, she seemed the most devastated after seeing your hidden power."


    Rey smiled as he heard those words.


    ''I had a feeling¡­'' Trisha had always sort of shared a level of camaraderie with Rey, considering how¡ªdespite the both of them being weaker than those at the top¡ªthey strived to improve and grow stronger by hard work.


    ''She must have felt betrayed that I was only lying to her. I made it seem like she could be very strong if she just worked harder despite me already being a lot stronger than I let on¡­''


    ording to what he was told, Trisha left for the Adventurers City only a few days ago, so by this time she was probably just settling in there.


    ''It''s better I let things settle for a while before seeing her. Perhaps tomorrow¡­''


    Inevitably, they also discussed their opinions on the letter Adonis left before he departed from the team. Based on the reactions of everyone present, they still seemed slightly upset that he would leave without at least saying it to their faces.


    "I mean¡­ I know Adonis was the one who carried us through most of the fights, and he must have a lot weighing on him, but it''s like he always told us: We are a team!" Justin sighed, shaking his head.


    It was rare to see Justin upset, but he clearly felt betrayed by Adonis'' actions. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Eric sacrificed himself because he believed in Adonis. He believed in sticking together as friends and saving the world as its champions. Even Billy¡­ "


    These were all ideals that the Hero had imparted in all of them. But now that they had fully epted their responsibility¡­ where was he?


    Where was Adonis?


    "He probably has a n in mind¡­ but I just feel like he didn''t trust us enough to divulge it to us. Maybe he didn''t want to burden us any longer¡­"


    rk felt more disappointed in himself than Adonis; almost as if he was ming himself for the departure of the Hero.


    "Burden us any longer? Dude¡­ what do you think he did by leaving us in a damaged city? He literally left the Capital for us to take care of while he went somewhere no one knows." Justin replied, clearly annoyed by rk''s interpretation of the whole thing.


    "He did tell us in the letter not to bother or struggle any longer, and that he would take care of everything from this point on."


    "Well, he can kiss my ass." "Dude¡­"


    "What? My ass is clean, so it''s fine¡­ probably."


    Once again, the tense atmosphere went back into a more lighthearted haven.


    Rey engaged in a few more shared ideas here and there, until finally he couldn''t hold back his curiosity any longer.


    He had to ask¡­


    "Why are none of you asking about my Skills or ss? I thought you''d be curious."


    The truth is, he had been expecting that question for a while now. He even prepared a response which would be something like:


    "It''s not something I can divulge at the moment. But, yeah¡­ I''m very strong."


    Rey didn''t particrly mind telling his ssmates what he could do, but there was one major reason why he avoided doing so.


    It was a reason he had decided to suspend for the present moment.


    "Well¡­ personally, I am curious, but I don''t want to push you to say it or make you ufortable." Justin said with a slight chuckle.


    "Yeah, same here."


    "I guess it''s the same here. Besides, Sir Ater already told us not to make you ufortable and pester you when you finally woke up."


    Once Rey heard the response from his ssmates¡ªno, his friends¡ªhe nodded and smiled even more.


    "Thanks guys¡­"


    It seemed his prepared response was not needed, after all.


    "... I mean it."


    ********


    [Moments Later]


    Rey was in his room,id upon his bed, while Ater floated beside him.


    He was deep in thought, and since this was clear, there was perfect decorum in the wide expanse that surrounded him.


    Ater said nothing, simply watching as his Master brooded on the thought that echoed in his mind.


    "Hey, Ater¡­ how long have you known?" Rey finally spoke up, his voice a mere whisper as it floated in the air.


    "Since I firstid my eyes on him." "...." Rey fell silent for a moment. He was initially shocked by the discovery, but thankfully none of this showed thanks to his mastery over his outward disy.


    Despite the suddenness of it all, he acted like nothing had just happened.


    ''It certainly exins a lot of things, but¡­ I still don''t get it.'' Rey rose to his feet and stared nkly into the air.


    ''Justin is working for Adrien.''


    [STATUS WINDOW] - Name: Justin Baker


    - Race: Undead (Otherworlder)


    - ss: Ghost Assassin (A-Tier)


    - Level: 120 (64.90% EXP) - Life Force: 300 (+150) {1,000}


    - Mana Level: 200 (+100) {500}


    - Combat Ability: 100 (+50) {500}


    - Stat Points: 0 - Skills (Exclusive): [Mimic]. [Marite]. [Stealth]. [Sleep]. [Voice Mimic]. [High Perception]. - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Dash]. [SideStep]. [Ghost Mode]. [Greater Regeneration]. [Greater Mana Recovery]. [Mind Transfer]


    - Alignment: Chaotic Neutral


    [Additional Information]


    A former human who became an Undead and servant of a Necromancer. His will to live is strong, and while he is on the side of good¡­ evil is not out of the question to achieve his goals.


    [End Of Information]


    "I don''t know why I didn''t see it until now¡­" Rey mumbled, recollecting the Status Window that stood in front of Justin''s face when he Appraised all three of his ''friends.''


    He was just curious¡ªinterested in seeing how far they had advanced over the course of training for over two months.


    The other two had pretty standard ones, but¡­ Justin had two Status Windows.


    One was the type that Rey had always seen¡ªthe one where he was still a human, with less Levels, Stats, and overall information.


    But the second one waspletely different.


    It was the true Justin.


    "How long do you think he has been working for Adrien?" Rey asked, even though he already had his suspicions.


    The moment Ater responded, though, he could no longer deny it.


    "If I were to guess¡­ I''d say it was from the very beginning."

 Chapter 565 Council Summit [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 565 Council Summit [Pt 1] </h4>


    [The Next Day]


    The hallway of the Royal Council looked exquisite as always.


    Its polished floors, extravagant designs, and pristine scenery never dulled for the two months that Rey spent in hisa.


    There seemed to be quite a few changes to the design of the ce, and that was because the battle with Dagon had destroyed a portion of the main building. Still, rather than being a cause for degradation, the redesign worked in favor of the overall aesthetics of the pce.


    As Rey and his friends strolled into the inner sanctum, he recognized that there were a lot more security officers than usual, and once he asked, his questions were answered very swiftly.


    "Some influential figures are going to be present in today''s meeting, so this is a culmination of their guards and ours." The one who did the honors of replying to him was Lucielle, and she did it ever so eagerly.


    He smiled and thanked her, hoping she wouldn''t use the opportunity to try what she did the previous day.


    Thankfully, she did not.


    "You''re wee. Once we get inside, I''ll take my ce beside the Councilors. Brutus is already waiting inside, since I offered to get you all myself."


    Right now, Lucielle was leading the charge of Rey, Belle, rk, and Justin. Ater said he was busy with other businesses, so he excused himself.


    As such, the Grand Mage was the only adult in the group--at least, by Earth''s standards.


    "How kind of you..." Rey mumbled, his guard raised once again.


    ''Is she trying to get closer to me again? She must really want us to have that conversation, huh?''


    "It''s no problem. If it wasn''t me, it would have been Brutus. I just don''t like staying in that stifling ce with those old nobles and so-called important men of the Alliance."


    Her gaze trailed from him to the rest of the Otherworlders, and she kept on speaking. "They were once nobles of the Kingdoms before the war, and since they still hold sizable influence and wealth--plus, they make contributions to the cause--they are recognized by the Alliance."


    In essence, appropriate respect was orded to them despite them not being directly in control of the Alliance.


    "If they''re so important, why can''t they be selected as members of the Royal Council. Last I checked, there were three vacant seats." Rey asked, once again diverting her gaze to him.


    "Oh that..." She smiled and shrugged. "Most of them aren''t interested in the position, since they would rather live in the South, where it''s safe. They''re fine with the recognition they get from the contributions they make."


    "And what of the ones who are interested in the position?"


    "They''re ipetent buffoons." Lucielle chuckled. "I''m sure one of you could make better leaders than them."


    Some nobles had no experience ruling anything. They were born into wealth, and so they simply unted their heritage and desired more power. Unknown to them, being a member of the Royal Council often meant sacrificing all the benefits gained for the sake of the Alliance.


    It was why the now deceased members engaged in Criminal Activities in order to attain wealth. There was hardly any legitimate means to get rich, since the Alliance itself still required a lot to sustain itself.


    "Those fools don''t understand that. Well, it doesn''t really matter. They won''t be getting their hands on the seats anyway."


    Lucielle''s brash attitude as she referred to the aristocats made Rey a little amazed. He looked at the other three and found simr expressions on their faces.


    "Don''t you think you''re being a bit... I don''t know... disrespectful towards the important men of the Alliance?" He asked with a slight smile on his face.


    "What are they going to do against the Grand Mage? They need me more than I need them. Plus... they couldn''t touch a hair on my body unless I permitted it."


    Her response, coupled with the confident way she spoke, made Rey''s smile grow broader on his face.


    "You can rte, can''t you? I saw and heard of how you rted to everyone as Ralyks." Her gaze narrowed on Rey, with the crimson glow in it gleaming with suppressed excitement.


    "When you''re absurdly strong. Stronger than anyone else... there''s a lot you can get away with."


    Lucielle stopped walking, and so did Rey. The rest also followed suit, but they all looked at the two who kept staring at each other withplicated expressions on their faces.


    "Wouldn''t you agree, Rey Skr?"


    He narrowed his eye as he heard her call him by his full name. He disliked it when people did that, but somehow¡­ her words did not irk him.


    He smiled when he realized why, shrugging as he answered her question.


    "I agree."


    Lucielle wasn''t wrong. Being unfathomably strong had a lot of perks. They both recognized that aspect of themselves well.


    But¡­


    "Why don''t you simply get more then? More power, money, or whatever you desire? If you''re strong enough, why are you satisfied being the Grand Mage of the Alliance, working for weaker people, when you could be so much better?"


    Lucielle was very youngpared to practically everyone else in positions of power. It was probably because someone of her caliber couldn''t work under those lesspetent than she was.


    ''Yet she works under the Royal Council and fights humanity''s wars as her duty¡­''


    Rey also did the same, even when he was Ralyks, but he did things on his own terms. However, for Lucielle, she followed the orders of the Council and was pretty much subject to the power that be.


    "Duty is something I like to associate with power. If I''m this strong, I should at least help people out, right?" She shrugged in response.


    "But who is there to enforce that duty on you? If you choose not to perform it, who can really fault you or stop you?"


    "Me."


    "Hmm?"


    "If I''m strong enough to decide to abandon that duty, I''m also strong enough to ept it. In the end, I decide what I want to do."


    Rey''s smile broadened as he heard this. He could see her lips also curling upward.


    "Besides¡­ my duties have nothing to do with my desires. There are things I want, but they aren''t more money or more authority. I already have enough of that, honestly¡­"


    Upon hearing this, Rey felt his interest piqued.


    "So what do you want? And why haven''t you gotten it?"


    "Well, let''s just say the things I want aren''t in my reach at the moment. As for why I haven''t gotten what I want at the moment¡­" A broader smile formed on her face as she stared keenly at Rey.


    "... The guy that has it is much stronger than I am."


    Lucielle gave him a wink and then continued her march forward. Before Rey could properly assimte her full intent, she raised her hand and signaled everyone to keep up the pace.


    "We don''t want to keep those oldies waiting, do we?" She chuckled,ughing out loud as her hair swayed from side to side.


    ''This woman¡­'' Rey found himself chuckling internally, shaking his head as he advanced.


    ''... She really knows how to drive home the point.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    This conversation is important to the story going forward, I swear.


    Source: Trust me bro.

 Chapter 566 Council Summit [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 566 Council Summit [Pt 2] </h4>


    "Now presenting the esteemed Otherworlders to this honorable Council."


    The double door was opened wide, revealing the five who stood behind its sturdy and gleaming frame.


    Lucielle still stood at the forefront of the students, but with a single sh of Magic, she was instantly transported to her position beside the seats of the Councilors--with Brutus being on the other extreme end.


    There were five seats on the elevated tform, but only two were filled by Grandmaster Conrad and Councilor Vida. They looked ever so regal, d in outfits that oozed authority and wealth, and with bright expressions on their fresh faces.


    The designs around the elevated tform also resounded with privilege and power, with red curtains that popped out, and golden structures that gleamed under the bright lights offered by the chandeliers.


    All in all, nothing much had changed when it came to an audience with the Royal Council.


    Well, other than a few things of note.


    ''For one... this crowd.'' Rey thought to himself as he looked around him.


    On slightly elevated tforms--though not as high as the Councilor''s--were a crowd of people. They upied both left and right of the open space, with their sophisticated attires varying from one another--reflecting their high status.


    They all looked healthy and wealthy, and they stared at the emerging Otherworlders with fascination. Some had bellies that overflowed, while others seemed to be dressed too extravagantly.


    They even had Enchanted Items on--most likely for safety--and it wasn''t hard to see why.


    ''All of them look like they haven''t seen a bit of hardship since the day they were born.''


    Rey didn''t particrly have a negative impression on all of them, but his opinion of their kind wasn''t positive either.


    ''A lot of Scy''s customers were nobles, after all. Sure, they''ve been culled already, but something about these people with power doesn''t sit right with me.''


    Rather than properly help out with their full resources and personnel, these people preferred to remain in the South--where it was mostly safe. They also gained authority for contributing to the cause of the Alliance, as if that was something ''special.''


    ''They''re forgetting that without those contributions, the Alliance is under a greater likelihood of falling. Once that happens, all their assets will be meaningless and even their lives will be forfeit.''


    Once anyone recognized that, they would cease being entitled.


    ''It''s possible they recognize this, but they''re simply capitalizing on the desperation of the Alliance. After all, I don''t think it hurts very much to have them live out their lives in the South.''


    No... that wasn''t right.


    Rey knew how detrimental the existence of these nobles were, and how they contributed to the currently lopsided economy of the Alliance.


    ''A noble is entitled a right tond in any region he desires. It''s no surprise they all choose the South, where things are safer.''


    Since they had the resources as well as the irrevocable right tond, these nobles ended up obtainingrge parcels ofnd for their estate, which meant less property for the public.


    Due to their presence there, certain percentages of resources had to be allocated to them. Plus, higher rates of taxes and levies were inevitably issued to the regions they upied--areas where regr folk also upied.


    Withnd, as well as other resources growing ever so scarce, life in the South was practically unbearable for themon man.


    ''The good news is that some nobles end up splurging all their resources, and if they do not meet the quota of their contributions to the Alliance, they are stripped of their title. Still¡­'' Rey cast one more nce at the people who stared at him with particr interest.


    ''... It sort of leaves a bad taste in my mouth.''


    Rey was all for freedom and liberty. It was alright for people to pursue personal interests if that was what they sought. However, if a person assumed a position of authority¡ªlike a king, noble, or soldier¡ªthey had to follow the duties those positions held.


    ''That''s why I chose to identify as a mercenary as Ralyks. Lucielle seems to understand this perfectly, which is why she is performing her role as Grand Mage to her utmost despite having the power to refuse.''


    A noble''s primary duty was to the people in their territory. Of course, with the advent of the Alliance, power was centralized in the Council, with nobles having near zero authority in the decisions and action of the Nation.


    However, it was practically impossible for the Royal Council to govern everything and everyone in their vast territories, so nobles were inevitably to be chosen for important roles in the grand scheme of things.


    ''The fact that the Underworld was able to expand so much in barely a decade shows what a wonderful job they were doing.''


    Just as with the Royal Council, some nobles wereplicit in the affairs of the ck Market, ve Union, and Mercenary Gang. The severe offenders were punished with death, while those who were just conspirators or participants were stripped of their title and were either imprisoned or let off¡ª depending on the severity of their involvement.


    ''I suspect some of those involved were able to escape scrutiny, since they were able to remove any link that connected them to the Underworld.'' Rey let out a silent sigh and shrugged.


    ''Ater took over that investigation, so I''ll just leave everything to him.''


    "Yo bro¡­ they''re all staring at you." Rey felt a slight elbow jab on him and he slightly nced at the one who did it. "You''re like a celebrity now, you know?"


    The yful smile Justin gave almost made it seem like a mistake Rey made the previous night, but he knew full well not to judge people based on external depictions.


    "I guess so. Haha¡­." He chuckled, slightly nudging him back.


    ''I''ll stick to the n and make sure none of my suspicions or discoveries show from my interactions with him.''


    With that, Rey cast his gaze forward and took a couple more steps forward until he and the others stopped at the appropriate position before the Council.


    There was no need to bow, so they simply stood still.


    ''Ater will handle the rest.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I know it might seem like this chapter is shorter than the others, but this is the usual length. I''ve actually been writing more than the usual for the past couple of chapters¡­

 Chapter 567 Council Summit [Pt 3]

    <h4>Chapter 567 Council Summit [Pt 3]</h4>


    "Greetings, esteemed Otherworlders!"


    Conrad stood to his feet and moved towards the edge of the barricaded tform, all so he could get as close to the four who stood before him.


    He had a bright smile on his face, and as his blonde hair swayed, his neatly trimmed beard seemed to twitch slightly. His eyes reflected joy¡ªno, relief¡ªat the presence of the Otherworlders, especially the one who was the center of attention.


    "We wee you to our summit." He continued, ensuring his tone was both audacious and respectful.


    Going as far as bowing his head before them, he concluded his opening greeting. "Thank you foring."


    Vida was also standing in front of her seat, and she followed his cue and bowed the moment he did so. Once the other nobles saw this, they knew they had to follow suit.


    ''Arrogant fools. They have no idea who they''re dealing with¡­'' Conrad sighed, nearly shaking his head as he spotted many among the nobles who disyed reluctance when lowering their heads.


    ''Still, ipetent ones like them have their uses.''


    Sadly, the Alliance still had much use for the contributions of nobles, hence the reason why the entire system hadn''t yet been abolished. It was a way to incentivize rich and powerful people to contribute to the Alliance''s cause.


    That way, even merchants could be nobles if they paid the appropriate price.


    ''We expended a lot of resources on the rebuilding andpensation efforts, so their influence is needed now more than ever.'' Conrad took in a deep breath, letting his thoughts sink in.


    Thanks to their growing importance, they even had the gall to refuseing to the Capital despite the Council inviting them. They gave several excuses, but Conrad knew the primary reason was due to their safety.


    ''The Capital has been attacked by Dragons twice now. They didn''t want to take the risk, so they were going to remain in the South.''


    Normally, Conrad would have threatened to strip them of their Noble Status for refusing a direct invitation, acting treasonously against the Alliance, but the current circumstances couldn''t allow such a brash action.


    ''For one, their fears aren''t particrly unfounded. The safety of the Capital is indeed questionable. Plus, with their resources being relevant to us now more than ever, it''s not really a decision I''m willing to make so hastily.''


    The invitation was merely tomemorate the nearlyplete reconstruction of the Capital, after all. It was a monumental asion, after all, considering how quickly they were able to move.


    ''But, I suppose it''s not important enough for them to risk their lives over.''


    Despite their refusal toe, here they were¡ªat least ny percent of them were present, and the remaining ten percent had sent messages prior to this summit that they were simply dyed, but were on their way.


    From the way things looked, the Capital Recovery G would have full attendance of all the influential figures in the Alliance¡ªnobles included.


    ''I am still unsure why they had a sudden change of heart, but this is good.'' Conrad thought to himself, slowly raising his head.


    This was the first time the Otherworlders would be meeting the nobles, and the same also applied vice versa. There were a lot of things that could happen as a result of this interaction, but it all depended on the reaction of the Otherworlders.


    ''Now then¡­ I can only pray for the best of results.'' Conrad thought to himself, waiting for a response from the parties he just addressed.


    "What''s with the formality, Conrad." Rey suddenly said with an audacious voice. "I thought we were already past that."


    ''H-huh? Rey, you¡­!''


    Conrad''s eyes widened the moment he heard the response from the most important figure among the Otherworlders at the moment.


    ''I would have gone to see him yesterday, but Vida and I were too swamped dealing with all of these nobles and time passed before we both realized it.''


    He hadn''t had proper sleep for so long now, and the only reason he looked so fresh was due to Magic. He had to look his best in such a gathering, and it was the same for Vida.


    It was the least they could do, after all they were very useless when it came to actually protecting the Capital¡ªor the entire Alliance.


    ''The Council is no better than the nobles who hide away in the South. While Cmity befell the Capital, we were tucked away into the secret bunker underground.''


    Since their only use was the administrative affairs and decisions regarding the United Human Alliance, they had to perform their duties to the maximum.


    If that meant groveling before their saviors, he would dly do that.


    There was no room in his heart to be angry at Rey for hiding his power, considering how much help he had rendered to the Alliance on a muchrger scale.


    ''And that servant of his as well¡­ attitude aside, he''s beyond phenomenal in his execution.''


    It was only due to Ater that they were able to make so much progress in barely three months. His power and insight were otherworldly, to say the least.


    The rest of the Otherworlders helped too. Instead of giving up on saving the humans and simply saving their own skin, they all decided to double down and work harder for the sake of helping the Alliance.


    ''I still have no idea what got into the Hero, or where he went, but I believe he is also doing what he can for us.''


    Despite them losing members of their group, their resolve was much stronger than ever.


    ''Honestly¡­ they are more than deserving of all respect and honor.''


    These were Conrad''s thoughts, so it caught him by surprise when Rey suddenly acted so familiar with him despite having no reason to.


    That said, Conrad was not oblivious to his intentions. As such, he decided to y along.


    "W-well, I need to thank you for your services, do I not?" He responded, trying his hardest to sound as casual as possible.


    "You know that isn''t needed between the two of us. It seems you''re doing well, though. You too, Vida. You both look great despite the amount of stress you must be under."


    Conrad and Vida chuckled, staring at each other while exchanging meaningful nces.


    They both understood what Rey was trying to do.


    "Thanks, Rey. You also look pretty neat.."


    "Of course! I''ve been asleep for so long, it''s only to be expected." Rey replied with a casual smile.


    "You seem to have grown taller too. I almost didn''t recognize you."


    "Haha! I''ve been getting that a lot." It was Rey''s turn to chuckle, now taking an extra step forward. "Still, I must say¡­ it''s good to be back."


    ''Thank you for this, Rey!'' Conrad''s eyes beamed with gratitude as he looked at the boy''s charismatic approach to their introduction.


    ''The nobles might have their own hidden intentions and agendas, but now that they''ve seen the very man who single-


    handedly killed such a disaster being so casual with us, their regard for the Otherworlders will also extend to us.''


    Conrad had his sources who told him of a group of nobles who had already gotten their hands on people who imed to be Otherworlders. That wasn''t impossible to consider, since there still had to be a bunch of them roaming thend.


    ''Their goals for gathering them must be to have some leverage against us as the Royal Council.''


    Most likely, they would also try to bring Rey and the rest of the Otherworlders present to their side.


    But now, thanks to Rey''s performance, the chances of that were very unlikely.


    ''He really is the amazing person I remember.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    It seems, no matter the era and situation, human nature remains the same¡­

 Chapter 568 Council Summit [Pt 4]

    Chapter 568 Council Summit [Pt 4]


    [Moments Earlier]


    ''Well, I never thought this would happen so soon, but I suppose life has many surprises.''


    That was Rey''s initial thought when he observed certain individuals in the Royal Council Hall. He had been observing the additional security, even seeing General Lucy present in the hall. ''Thest time I saw her was right before the Dark Gathering¡­'' As always, her face was stern and her expression unchanging.


    Rey thought it was a little funny because they both had eyepatches.


    ''I could get some tips from her¡­'' N?v(el)B\\jnn


    It was while he was having these thoughts that he sensed a different kind of resonance from a few members of the security personnel within the room.


    Since the nobles brought their own security officers to keep them safe, it wasn''t a surprise to see the massive hall chock full of guards¡ªprivate and public.


    Among these were four individuals in particr who were impossible to ignore. Not only were they positioned very close to each other, also adorned with luxurious Enchanted Items, but they also had their faces covered in some way.


    One was a warrior, so he had a helmet atop his head. One was a Mage, and so a hood obscured their facade. The third seemed to be some kind of assassin, and he simply had a partial mask¡ªone made of bandage-like clothes¡ªcover the lower portion of his face.


    As for the fourth, he seemed like the leader, and he was dressed in quite the spectacr fashion¡ªa dark trench coat, withyers of gold decorating it in many areas. He also had a full mask that covered his face.


    What intrigued Rey about these four wasn''t particrly their outfits, but the ''vibe'' he got from them. After he awakened, his senses improved drastically. Even without focusing on Light or Dark Mode, he could still perceive many things that he previously wouldn''t.


    And so, in order to justify his interest in the four, he used his Perfect Divine Appraisal.


    ¡­ That was when he saw the key words ''Otherworlder''.


    ''Ahh¡­ I see¡­'' Once he noticed that, he began to piece a few things together. By analyzing their Additional Information, as well as their sses, while also using his own brain to fill in a few holes, he was able to tie up the links pretty quickly.


    ''Looks like my old ssmates are working for the Alliance''s nobles now.'' Rey smiled internally.


    He still couldn''t guess how many of them were operating this way, or the precise reasons why they individually chose to be subject to the snobby nobles, but he could pretty much guess thetter.


    ''I suspect they traveled to the South and garnered the favor of the nobles due to their rtive strengthpared to the people of this world.''


    Since they also had secrets of the Alliance, and they know about the rest of the Otherworlders, they would also have an edge. That made them indispensable assets to the nobles who employed them.


    ''At least they''re not ves. That''s good¡­'' Rey found himself slightly shrugging.


    ''It''s possible that the nobles got information about the rest of my ssmates and will want to bring more of us to their side.'' He had dealt with enough humans¡ªboth scummy and righteous¡ªto know how their minds worked. Still¡­ he couldn''t help butugh internally.


    ''I''m sure they''re feeling slightly mortified right about now. The guy they wrote off as the weakest of the group is now recognized as the strongest¡­ haha, I have to see the looks on their faces.''


    By using Dark Mode, he could see past any obstacle, though only the outlines of everything would be seen. In essence, a realm of ck and white where he could perceive all.


    Upon closing his eyes and looking at them one more time, he was pleased to find shocked expressions on their respective faces. He also recognized them quite well despite their obvious attempts to use Illusions on him.


    None of those worked on him, so he was able to see them as they were.


    ''Byron, Lyvia, Devin, and Cayden.'' He recognized them well. After all, they were often associated with Adam as part of his clique before thetter passed away.


    ''There should be one more. I wonder where Felicia is¡­'' Perhaps she didn''t make it, or she was somewhere else. Either way, it was quite pleasant to see his old ssmates now stunned by his rise to power.


    It felt a bit immature, but Rey reveled in it.


    ''The System doesn''t block happiness, so I suppose it''s safe to revel in my satisfaction.'' He finally opened his eyes after closing them for so long.


    Well, in his perspective it had been too long, but in actuality, barely any time had passed. He could think very quickly and act in the same regard.


    As a result, all of these actions were done by him in a split second.


    ''Well, I am curious about their adventures and the ns they have¡ªif they have any¡ªbut for now, I better give them a show.'' He grinned, almost devilishly, looking at Conrad, who was finally raising his head after greeting him and his friends.


    ''Looks like I''ll have to rece Adonis as the leader here, considering the fact that I''m the strongest.''


    Rey already learned quite a bit from Adonis after watching him address the Royal Council and his fellow students for quite some time, so he didn''t think he would have a problem replicating that magic.


    Plus, by regting his emotions and being perfectly in sync with his thoughts, he wouldn''t have to stutter or miss a beat when passing his message across.


    He simply stepped up, his face radiating the very confidence he wanted to emte, and his lips parted to bring forth the kind of words he desired.


    "What''s with the formality, Conrad. I thought we were already past that."


    Saying something like this, Rey noticed the surprise on the faces of his old ssmates grew, and that just caused him to grow even more satisfied.


    Still¡­ that was only one reason why he decided to take such a radical approach.


    ''Conrad looks surprised too, but I''m sure he''ll get it quickly¡­ what I''m trying to do.''


    Rey didn''t know or particrly like any of the nobles, but he trusted Conrad and Vida to an extent. He knew them, both ss Ralyks and Rey, and they were honest people who desired to help the Alliance.


    At least for the most part.


    ''No one is perfect, but they''re as ideal as theye. It looks like, with the presence of my old ssmates, and the tension currently permeating the politicalndscape, there could be some sort of power struggle brewing.'' Rey thought internally. ''To prevent any unnecessary conflict, it''s better we, as Otherworlders here, take a clear stance in support of the Royal Council.''


    That way, whatever ambitions the nobles had for the Capital¡ªand the Alliance in general¡ªwould bepletely paused.


    At least, until he figured out what exactly was going on.


    ''I would like to avoid taking any lives, if possible.'' Rey sighed internally, now waiting for Conrad''s response to his words.


    ''Let''s hope they take the hint and back off.''

 Chapter 569 Council Summit [Pt 5]

    Chapter 569 Council Summit [Pt 5]


    The meeting didn''t take very long.


    After their greetings, and a few casual conversations between Rey and the Council Members, the rest of the Otherworlders also joined in on the conversation.


    They followed Rey''s lead and acted very familiar with the higher-ups.


    This did two things for both sides.


    One was establishing the position of the Otherworlders, associating them with the highest position of power in the United Human Alliance. In essence, they weren''t justckeys, but actual partners with the Royal Council.


    The second, and perhaps more crucial thing, was making it so the Royal Council had a deep bond with the Otherworlders; hence warding off any scavengers who desired to poach any of them to the other side.


    Plus, since it was possible that the nobles were beginning to act very cocky and more entitled due to having Otherworlders on their side, by presenting Otherworlders on the side of the Royal Council, it would serve to caution them.


    Whenparing quality, it was clear who had the superior allies.


    Hence, it was even possible for the opposite to happen¡ªat least, in the mind of the nobles. Their Otherworlder employees could end up switching to the other side as a result of the temptation.


    That alone made the move brilliant.


    If the Nobles were smart enough, they would quickly recognize this and back off as soon as possible; that was the rationale of both Rey and Conrad.


    On that note, the meeting ended with the presentation of the Otherworlders to the Nobles, and vice versa. It was clear that its purpose was more of an exhibition, and also a formal recognition of the heroes of humanity.


    Once it was over, the Otherworlders were dismissed, and this time Brutus was the one who escorted them back to their residence.


    Lucielle stayed back with Conrad and Vida to deliver a supplementary address to the nobles present. Whatever else was discussed there was anyone''s guess.


    **********


    "Thank you, Rey. No, all of you." Brutus bowed his head the moment they entered the Otherwordlers'' residence.


    He remained at the entrance, and while everyone was excitedly proceeding in, either rxing on the parlor''s couch, or opting for thefort of their rooms, those words of gratitude made them all look in the Head Warrior''s direction.


    "You all have my gratitude." He re-emphasized his position before raising his head before the young ones.


    "Stop overreacting, Brutus." Justinughed. "We didn''t even do anything. Just showed up and went with whatever Rey had going on."


    Brutus didn''t know whether Justin was truly oblivious of the significance of what Rey did, or he was just ying dumb on purpose, but hearing what he said only made the warrior smile even further.


    "Right now, there are a lot of internal problems within the Alliance. It is none of your concern, of course, but your presence in that meeting has helped support the cause of the Royal Council." Once Brutus spoke these things, the students got a bit of perspective on what was going on behind the scenes. Still, one student in particr wasn''t satisfied.


    "Why can''t the Royal Council just get rid of those guys? They have the most power in the Alliance¡ªboth politically and in terms of force." The only blond girl among them asked. "If they''re getting in the way, why not eliminate them thoroughly?"


    Once everyone heard this, their eyes widened in surprise as they looked at her with shocked faces. Belle was the cutest thing in the room, yet the vile words that proceeded from her lipspletely betrayed her appearance.


    It seemed she recognized this very quickly, as she swiftly began to rephrase her words so they would be more ptable.


    "W-what I meant was¡­ like strip them of power and stuff. Like, if they are a threat to the kingdom¡­ cut them off¡­ from power, I mean. Ultimately, allocation should belong to the Alliance, right? They can just destroy¡­ I mean, sever the nobles from the wealth that makes them so influential, to begin with¡­ right? Right?"


    Her panicked face leaked a bead of sweat or two, and the constant gaze of everyone around her made her nearly shriek under pressure.


    Thankfully, it seemed her cute side won and everyone managed to buy her bumbling excuse for proper context.


    "Yeah¡­ I was wondering about that too." rk added. "Those nobles seem to be doing more harm than good. If it''s resources the Alliance needs, they can just tax them harder or forcibly take the resources they need for the betterment of everyone. We are in a time of war, after all."


    The rich weren''t particrly bothered in this world, especially if they paid their dues, but nobles had some responsibility to render. If they proved to be overbearing, stripping them of their title was ideal.


    Plus, since the Council had ultimate political power, the loyalty of the Nation''s strongest, and five Otherworlders who were readily on their side, they could find a way to obtain the resources they required without needing to buckle to the pressure of the nobles.


    So why? Why were Conrad and Vida tolerating these people?


    "Firstly, things aren''t as simple as your words make them seem. Actions like those cascade down and cause consequences that would be difficult to contain, even by the Royal Council." Brutus began, but then he offered a deeper sigh.


    "Unfortunately, even if we were willing to take the risk, there''s also the second restriction¡­"


    Everyone waited silently, watching as keenly as possible, to listen to the troubling reason that caused the Head Warrior to disy signs of distress.


    "Before the establishment of the United Human Alliance, there was a binding vow made among the Councilors and the aristocrats of the time, which preserved their lives and resources if they were to ever agree to the agreement."


    The only reason for the termination of this agreement would be if they were found doing something borderline illegal¡ªthat is, against the outlinedws of thend¡ªas documented in the Royal Wryths.


    So far, the nobles had done no such thing; at least, not to the knowledge of the Council. "They are an obnoxious bunch, yes, but the binding vow prevents us from taking any radical action against them, or any new noble faction that forms afterward."


    What served as a show of trust among Nations willing to band together for themon benefit of mankind had now grown to be a burden.


    "What happens when the Royal Council breaks this binding vow?" Rey finally spoke up, causing attention to shift to him for a moment. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    He had been standing right in front of his room''s door, but now he drew closer to the rest. His arms were folded as he finally halted his approach.


    Staring at Brutus with a serious demeanor, he waited for a response.


    "A curse will be activated."


    "I see. So the Grandmaster and Councilor''s life could be in danger if they break the vow?" "I doubt it''s that simple." Rey interrupted rk as he turned back to Brutus. "Those two wouldn''t risk the entire Alliance just to preserve their lives."


    Once Brutus heard this, his expression darkened.


    "There''s something else, isn''t there?" Rey''s gaze, coupled with his serious demeanor made it clear just how badly he wanted to know what was going on.


    "Tell us."

 Chapter 570 Binding Vow

    <h4>Chapter 570 Binding Vow</h4>


    [Later That Day]


    "Huu¡­"


    Releasing visible breaths from his pursed lips as he sighed, Rey dropped the book he just finished reading on his desk as he rose from the chair where he sat.


    ''It''s been months since Ist read, but it takes me a few minutes to finish a whole book now. And that''s even when I''m being slow.'' He proceeded to his bed and copsed on it, covering his face with his hand.


    ''How am I supposed to read with Alicia if I''m just faster than her by such a degree?''


    Rey knew his worries were misced. Rather than agonizing about these thoughts, he ought to think about ways to lift her curse first.


    ''Curse, huh? Who would have thought it would be such a troublesome thing¡­'' Closing his eyes, he remembered what Brutus told him and his ssmates earlier that day.


    ¡ªThe brutal consequence for breaking the Binding Vow.


    ''A curse befalling all of the Alliance¡­?Is something of that scale even possible by humans?''


    There were millions of humans living in the Western Continent. It was difficult to estimate their numbers, due to many factors, but based on thest recorded census, and the events that Rey just caught up on after reading a few books just now, he ced the number at five to six million.


    ''The Capital itself houses over a hundred thousand people. Some regions have a higher poption, and recently the South has been saturated with higher numbers than before.''


    From what Brutus said, this curse would be inflicted randomly on the people of the Alliance. Rey didn''t know the details of what that meant, and it seemed Brutus was also unsure of it.


    ''Could it be that less than the total number of people in the Alliance will be affected, but those chosen will be random, or maybe everyone will be affected.''


    He wasn''t even sure if he and his ssmates¡ªas Otherworlders¡ªwould be targeted by this Curse or not.


    ''I know I''m safe from it, but what of the others?'' It seemed like a careless deal to be made over some unity between nations, especially since it had to do with wagering the lives of unsuspecting people.


    ''Those were desperate times, so I can see how it might have seemed like a good deal back then.'' After all, the Royal Council had to unanimously act, using the resources of the Alliance at their disposal, before the Binding Vow could be broken.


    This wasn''t an easy thing to do, so as long as one person in the group wasn''t stupid, everyone was safe. Besides, even fools valued their lives, so they weren''t going to take any action that put their lives at risk.


    All in all, the entirety of humanity under the Alliance was being held hostage by the Binding Vow, and most didn''t know it existed at all.


    ''I guess this is what happens when you give someone the power to rule over you.''


    The major issue on Rey''s mind when all of these questions were asked was this:


    "How in the world were you able to make such a deal?!"


    Apparently, it was due to a device¡ªsimr to the Oculus¡ªwhich was able to record and enforce binding vows with a curse.


    ''I guess it sort of tallies with what Ater told me. Even humans can bring about powerful curses in this world if the consequence is that significant.''


    The world was the one who delivered the curse, so it would be pretty much irreversible by Rey with his Healing Magic.


    ''I really need to get a Skill that deals with this stuff.''


    But, he didn''t even know where to begin when it came to that search. At this point, Rey felt very blind and confused on what path to take.


    ''I thought the Enchanted Item that Brutus mentioned could help me, but apparently¡ªin order to preserve the vow¡ªit was divided into various parts and split among the biggest factions at the time.''


    The one that was in the Royal Council''s possession existed within the Treasury, but there was no real way to determine where the others were¡ªnot without breaking the vow itself.


    ''Technically, the curse won''t be activated if an agent of the Royal Council acts in the same way prohibited by the vow, or maybe even a third party.''


    The best option presented before him was to look for all the pieces by himself and see if they could stop the curse of the vow, while also hoping it led to some clues¡ªor preferably some kind of Skill¡ªthat would save Alicia.


    ''All of this is operating on some heavy presupposition and assumptions, but¡­ it''s my only clue at the moment.''


    ording to what Brutus told him, there were seven pieces in total¡ªone in the custody of the Royal Council¡ªwhile the others were split among the most powerful Nobles in the Alliance.


    ''Finding them should take a while, but¡­''


    ~VWUUSH~


    A dark silhouette formed close to Rey''s door, causing the boy to sit upright in order to see who was making their entry into his room.


    He instantly knew as soon as he sensed the presence.


    "Ater¡­ where have you been?" Rey asked, a slight smile tugging at his lips the moment he watched the man in ck suit emerge from the dissipating darkness.


    Ater''s red hair danced as he smiled at Rey, swiftly making a slight bow upon entry.


    "Just running an errand or two. I thought a little about a current problem, so I had to go fetch a few things."


    "A few¡­ things?" Rey raised an eyebrow.


    Right before his eyes, six shards¡ªpieces of a construct of some sort¡ªappeared right in front of Ater.


    ''No way! Is that¡ª?!''


    They floated before the Familiar, resonating with each other while being shrouded by some form of darkness. Ater raised his hand, and a final piece appeared atop it¡ªlike a core of some sort, which gleamed with dark purple.


    "This is the Dybbuk. Apparently, there was a time when¡­ ah, from that look on your face it seems you already know what it is." Ater stopped midway through exnation and made a grander smile.


    "As expected of my Master."


    "H-how did you get all of those? They''re supposed to be with various factions!"


    "Ah, so you already know that much. Indeed, and they were kept in quite obscure and precocious locations. It took me all day to gather all of them, after which I went to the Treasury to obtain the final piece."


    ''All day? This is barely evening, though¡­''


    "I hope you aren''t upset I acted in such a manner, especially breaking into the Treasury, Master. I was just following your order regarding the wellbeing of these people, which you left in my care."


    Rey could feel all sorts of emotions rush through his body, but he did his best to suppress them.


    "No, not at all." Heughed a little. "You did well."


    "Really? That''s perfect, then. I thought we could kill two birds with one stone with this item."


    ''Two birds? Is he thinking about the same thing I was considering with Alicia? If Ater also has the same idea, it must be legit!'' Rey could feel excitement bubble up within him.


    "Firstly, we''ll get rid of that annoying binding bow of the Royal Council. Then¡­''


    Just as Rey expected, Ater had thought ahead this entire time. But, what about the second? Rey already knew what it would be.


    It was¡ª


    "... We''ll finally be able to bind your Absolute Beast and make it a loyal ve."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Well, make your guesses, everyone. Which Familiar is Rey getting this time?

 Chapter 571 The Plan For Submission

    Chapter 571 The n For Submission


    Rey no longer had any [Binding], [Mind Control], or [Domination] Skill at his disposal, so it would be very difficult to get a Summon under his Control.


    Using Summoning Magic and controlling the Summons was still within his power¡ªespecially Elementals¡ªbut Beasts werepletely different.


    Beasts came from another world, and unlike Monsters who had flesh as their bodies and Mana Cores as hearts, or Elementals who were primarilyposed of natural elemental attributes and had some kind of core that functioned as a stabilizer, the Beasts were fullyposed of Mana¡ªflesh, core, and all.


    They might seem like physical bodies, but ultimately they were simply Mana given form.


    Casting Magic to control them wouldn''t work at all.


    "I guess this is where the difference between Skills and Magice into y once again¡­" Rey chuckled as he heard Ater''s exnation.


    "Precisely!"


    With Skills that specifically allow control, as long as the action fell under the purview of the Tier, there really was no limit.


    But, with Rey losing the perks of having Control Skills, he could only use Magic to achieve that end. And, as established already, controlling Beasts through Magic was quite impossible.


    "If I''m to guess, thews of this world just differ from the one they''reing from. As such, the kind of Control Magic that can be made using the Magic of this world would prove ineffective on them." Rey rubbed his chin as he analyzed the situation.


    Ater shrugged and gave a casual smile.


    "Those details are unnecessary, Master. The good news is that we have a nice alternative." Ater once again caused Rey''s attention to fall on the shards of the Dyubbuk.


    They were slowly closing in on one another, though Ater still had the core in his hands.


    "How exactly do we go about it? It''s an item for cursing and establishing binding vows, right?" Rey asked this partly because he was curious about how he would control his new familiar, but also because he wanted to see if the Dyubbuk''s function would enable him to somehow bring Alicia back.


    Ater hadn''t mentioned the possibility yet, but Rey didn''t want to give up hope just yet.


    "It''s simple. We force the creature to enter a binding vow with you, so it will be enforced by this item. Once it is done, a curse will be inflicted on the two of you. Fortunately for you, Master, you are immune to curses, so you aren''t bound to your agreement¡­"


    "But the Beast will be bound to theirs¡­ Ater you''re a genius!" Rey''s eyes widened as he nearly jumped to his feet with a brilliant smile.


    "Master, you are too kind. This is just basic logic."


    Ater shook his head, almost as if he didn''t want thepliment, but the way he squirmed after hearing Rey''s praise made it clear that he enjoyed it.


    He probably even wanted more.


    "Okay, okay."


    "May I continue, then?"


    "Yes. Go on, Ater." Rey said, now excitedly waiting for Ater to unpack everything he had nned for the process. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The brief summary of it was thus:


    Rey and Ater would have to move to a rtively remote location, where the Beast Summon would be brought out. The former and the beast would enter the binding vow right there and then. Prior to that, though, Rey would have set up a special Barrier as a Magic Circle where the Beast was to appear, so it wouldn''t be able to escape or attack him or anyone.


    Once the binding vow wasplete, Rey would reveal his immunity to the Familiar and establish dominance over it. The Familiar would be tempted to also break the agreement, but would learn the hard way that it isn''t possible.


    Plus, with Rey and Ater being stronger than the Beast summoned, they could also bully it and subject it into further servitude if it decided to be stubborn.


    "Isn''t that a bit extreme¡­?" Rey found himselfughing with slight difort as he went over the n with Ater.


    "Any fool who doesn''t see Master''s great ought to be beaten over and over again until the truth sinks into their mind." Once Rey heard this, he couldn''t argue any further.


    ''I still have no idea why Ater sees me in such high regard, but it''s best I leave things like this. I mean, there''s a lot I don''t know about him¡­ but it seems there''s a lot he doesn''t know about himself either.'' When Rey reasoned about things that way, he had a certain train of thought.


    ''Could the same apply to me?''


    Perhaps, hidden within him, was a part of himself that he didn''t know about.


    "So, are you ready for the Binding Vow with your Beast, Master?" Ater''s voice interrupted Rey''s thought, so he suspended it for the moment.


    Instead, he gave Ater a probing smile and chuckled lightly.


    "I thought you didn''t want me getting another Familiar. Are you finally admitting that I need another servant apart from you?"


    "..." For a moment, Ater said nothing.


    He looked a bit serious as he stared at Rey. Aplicated mix of surprise and slight hesitation, mixed with other things, roamed all over his demeanor.


    Then¡ª


    "While I am of the stance that mypetence will far exceed any Familiar you would summon, I also have to admit that I most likely won''t always be by your side."


    "Ater¡­"


    "There are a lot of things in the works at the moment. In order to properly secure your protection, meat shields that can hold the fort until my arrival are necessary."


    "... You¡­"


    "That is why I consider this Familiar necessary. It will be a waste not to use something as rare and interesting as the Beast in question." Ater''s smile was charming, and it oozed concern for his Master.


    But that wasn''t all that Rey saw.


    ''To think I was already thinking he would get along with the new Familiar. He only considers it as a meat shield.''


    In Ater''s eyes, he would always be the only legitimate Familiar for Rey. Whether or not the boy agreed with that or not was worth deliberation.


    "Besides, I personally desire to test out this Dyubbuk and see its effects with my very eyes. I still need to hold off on removing the curse on the Alliance until certain conditions are met, which means this is the only viable option at the moment."


    "I see¡­" Rey leaked out an amused smile as he rose to his feet.


    As expected of Ater, there always had to be some sort of caveat¡ªcertain hidden intentions¡ªbehind his every move.


    This quality of his still scared Rey, even though he was the Master.


    "So, do you have any ce in mind?" Ater asked, referring to where they would perform the entire operation. Despite the question being so sudden, Rey already had a ce in mind.


    "The Grand Cmity ss Dungeon." Within a moment, space around him and Ater warped, transporting them to the dreary hall that was the Dungeon''s ground floor.


    The overwhelminglyrge expanse greeted them, and they both looked around; as if staring back.


    "This ce would be really good as a fortress¡­" Ater murmured, to which Rey''s eyes beamed in response.


    ''Seems I wasn''t the only one who thought about it!''


    With the two being settled, and the preparations underway, a certain thought suddenly struck Rey.


    ''I no longer have my Inventory Skill, so¡­ how exactly am I going to get the Familiar?''

 Chapter 572 A Slight Hiccup

    Chapter 572 A Slight Hup


    A Skill was essentially something one earned, or it came as a privilege from the world.


    In both cases, they represented a special ability that a person possessed. Usually, Skills were meant to evolve, not disappear from a person. Since Skills were an intrinsic part of a person¡ªespecially those earned¡ªthey were a permanent addition to the individual.


    Skills, in a sense, could not be created nor destroyed.


    ¡­ But Rey was an exception.


    By using [Merger], he essentially bent the rules a little. He broke down Skills and used them to mold new ones, or more advanced versions of one.


    This, in a way, was still following the rules¡­ but teetering on the edge.


    However, theplete breaker was [Sacrifice], which caused the permanent loss of Skills, changing them to Stat Points.


    In this case, the nature of the Skill was changed into another kind of power¡ªStats.


    It was possible that Skill essence could be lost in the process, but ultimately, Skills would be converted to something else¡ªnever fully destroyed in a sense.


    Still, ording to the rules of the world¡­ Rey could no longer use any of the Skills he had fed to sacrifice. He also couldn''t use the Skills that werebined using [Divine Merger] to make his current Skill-set.


    "Tch. This sucks¡­"


    Once again, Rey found himself listening to Ater''s lectures as they discussed the current problem.


    All of this started when Rey asked Ater about what happened to his Inventory, going further to exin the whole [Divine Merger] and [Sacrifice] bit.


    The short version of Ater''s answer was:


    "Your inventory and everything inside it is gone forever."


    In essence¡­ all of Rey''s money, resources, and everything that he had kept within that space werepletely lost to him.


    It was beyond devastating to hear.


    ''The more time passes, the more I realize just what I''ve lost by giving up all those Skills of mine¡­''


    He had taken so many things for granted, as they were just a part of his life, but now he was beginning to understand their significance.


    ''I can''t even fly unless I use Magic or change the physical properties of my body somehow.''


    Flying used to be so natural to him, so looking at the slight difference in this one Skill, and applying it to a lot of others, showed just how frustrating all of this was for Rey.


    "Your power¡­ it prevents you from copying the same Skill from a target twice, am I correct?" Ater asked, staring at Rey''s anguished face. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Yeah. How did you know?"


    "I could tell. If you could indeed copy Skills from anyone an infinite amount of times, your problems wouldn''t be that difficult to remedy."


    "True. Haaa¡­" Rey heaved a sigh as he sat on the dark Dungeon floor. One of the first things he tried after getting Merger was to see if he couldbine two [Divine Beast Summon] or multiple [Divine Sword Summon] to develop an incredibly OP Skill.


    If he couldbine a lot of SS Tier Skills, he figured it was possible to create an SSS-Tier Skill.


    Not only that, but he could easily sacrifice multiple Skills to create powerful variants of Skills¡ªespecially since he could always copy them from his ssmates and those around him over and over again.


    But¡­


    "It''s the same way I can''t copy my own Skills from myself. I can''t copy the same Skill from someone I already copied from."


    In essence, if two people had the [Fire] Skill, he could copy the Skill only once per person. Hence, he would have two [Fire] Skills. However, he couldn''t ever repeat the process on either of them. If a third person with the same Skill came about, he could copy from them and get three [Fire] Skills.


    That was what Rey understood about his power; hence, its limitations.


    "I reckon [Sacrifice] is a lot graver than that, though. Based on the terms, I won''t ever be able to use the Skill I sacrifice. That probably means I might never be able to copy it."


    There was no way Rey could know for sure, since he would need to find a new target who had at least one of the exact Skills he sacrificed and see if he could use [Doppel] on the Skill.


    ''If I can no longer use those Skills, then I really fumbled with the Immortality and Resistance Skills. Damnit¡­ what was I thinking?''


    Before Rey could allow his frustration to get the better of him, he calmed himself.


    Once he let his thoughts simmer a little, he gave a big sigh and rose to his feet. As he dusted his butt, despite there being no real need to, he prepared Spatial Magic.


    "Let''s leave then. There''s no use sticking around here¡­" Rey would be lying if he said he wasn''t disappointed. He managed to lose all three of his Beast Summons, with no prospect of ever getting them back.


    The Skill to use them was also incredibly rare¡ªan Exclusive Skill that belonged to Alicia. It was practically impossible for anyone in this world to have anything like it.


    ''Seems I''m stuck with only Ater. It''s not a bad deal, but¡­ I wanted more.''


    "Why are we leaving, Master? What about the binding vow? Don''t you want to tame your new Familiar?"


    "Hm?" Rey raised an eyebrow and stared at Ater''s confused face. It was a surprise to see that the usually sharp andpetent guy didn''t take the hint this time around.


    "We can''t do that anymore."


    "Oh? Why?"


    "I mean¡­ I kept the purple egg in my Inventory, remember? All the items inside are gone, so¡­ it''s pretty much lost to me forever." Rey felt a little annoyed that he had to exin all of this to Ater.


    It felt like he was opening fresh wounds.


    ''Just take the hint already!'' He wanted to scream internally, but he was stopped by his emotion control, and also by Ater''s amused reaction to his words.


    "Oh, that¡­" Ater stretched out his hand, and a purple egg appeared right on top of his hand, with darkness coating the surface.


    Rey''s eyes nearly popped in shock. He couldn''t believe his eyes.


    "How do you have that?!" He yelled out, nearly losing hisposure. His emotions even reached the threshold, so the System had to forcibly suppress them.


    It seemed he still had a lot to learn in that department.


    "I never said you would have to bring forth the Beast from your inventory, Master. This thing has been with me for a while now; since the time it was supposed to hatch."


    Rey''s emotions were checked, so he was a lot calmer now. Still, he couldn''t shake off his confusion.


    "I don''t¡­ understand."


    Ater smiled, shrugging as he spoke calmly. "The Beast is meant to hatch next to its summoner. That is the rule. The egg was transported from wherever it was to your location¡ªsame as those Phoenixes who did the same in your battle against Dagon."


    "O-ohhh!" Rey''s eyes widened as he listened to Ater''s tale.


    "I managed to contain it before it fully hatched. If you look closely at the egg, you''ll see cracks here and there."


    Ater had been using the darkness to seal the egg and preserve it until Rey woke up. And now that the moment of truth had arrived, it was finally time to leave the rest to the hands of his Master.


    "So, I ask you once again, Master¡­ why are we leaving?"

 Chapter 573 New Beast Familiar

    <h4>Chapter 573 New Beast Familiar </h4>


    The world might be unfair, but the System isn''t.


    The way it operated followed set rules, and it adhered strictly to them. Breaking those rules, or causing deviations, were met with certain consequences.


    Curses only existed due to the fairness of the world''s principles.


    As such, any Beast that an individual summoned had to be returned to said individual. It didn''t matter their location or position.


    They would still appear before the one who called them.


    ***********


    The stage was set.


    Rey stood before a Magic Circle, his eyes keenly focused on the egg that sat at its center. The object shone with purple light, but the ck mist that danced around it seemed to suppress the power thaty dormant inside.


    It almost felt like whatever was inside wanted to explode, but the cage that restricted it forced the creature to remain within.


    "What kind of Beast should I expect?" Rey asked as he nced at Ater, who was finally merging all the pieces of the Dyubbuk.


    The Familiar grinned as he stared back at his Master.


    "Didn''t you want it to be a surprise?"


    The moment Rey heard this, he itched his head. He had obviously let curiosity get the better of him, nearly ruining the moment.


    "Yeah¡­ you''re right." Slight hues of pink appeared on his face, but they vanished almost instantly.


    ''I want this to be an amazing surprise! Like unpacking a surprise present for the first time!''


    It was a kind of thrill that one rarely had, so he desired to savor the moment. Thankfully, his loyal Familiar understood that.


    ''Thank you, Ater!''


    "Just a slight hint, though, Master¡­" Ater''s words echoed as a buzzing sound began to fill the air.


    "That Beast is very special. Its properties andpatibility with Master is incredible. I admit¡­ if I was never summoned by you, it would make a perfect subordinate."


    As those words sank into Rey''s head, his heart began to race.


    ''Ater is giving it such high praise¡­'' He suppressed all wariness and allowed slight doses of excitement seep through.


    His eyes were wide open as he awaited the promised moment.


    "I will now release my hold on the egg." Once Ater said this, the dancing ckness around the egg vanished, and the object began to tremble violently.


    The Magic Circle around it shone with brilliant white light, activating on its own once it sensed the presence of the powerful entity within its confines.


    An invisible barrier surrounded the area of significance, and all attention fell on the egg.


    ~CRACK!~


    Fissures began appearing all over the egg, causing it to tremble even more.


    Rey held his breath as his glistening eye reflected the bright radiance of the Magic Circle, and the glowing ''thing'' that was beginning to emerge from within.


    Then¡ª


    ~POP!~


    Like something finally erupting due to an overbearing pressure from within, the egg finally exploded, causing the entire area to be drowned in light.


    Rey didn''t need to close his eye, and neither did Ater. As such, they were able to witness the Beast''s emergence in all its glory.


    ''T-that is¡ª?!'' His widened eye took in everything, and his jaws loosened that very instant.


    The glistening, oily body of the creature floated in the air. Its fluid form, reflecting the light, but also disying its amazing purple form, began to disperse from its spherical form into a more chaotic appearance.


    Rey had seen something like this before¡ªback on Earth, in games and a few shows.


    "... A slime?"


    Yes! The creature''s thick, malleable form gave it away almost immediately. It was none other than an ooze which began to spray itself all over the area.


    It sshed all over the barrier, but was met with resistance.


    Clearly, it wanted to be free, but the surrounding field did not let it pass. The moment this happened, all of its slime-like appendages converged into the same ball from earlier, and itnded on the bare ground.


    ''I got¡­ a slime, huh?'' Rey took a step forward as he watched the thing with slightly narrowed eyes.


    Ater told him the creature was strong, so Rey decided to believe in those words despite every ounce of hismon sense telling him that wasn''t the case.


    ''Still¡­ a slime was thest thing I expected toe out of an egg.''


    One look at Ater''s pleased face showed that this was by no means an ident, so Rey had to assume that the slimes from fantasy worlds were exceptions.


    The slimy creature remained dormant, but the moment Rey got closer, the thing charged in his direction and sttered itself on the wall of the barrier.


    If it was anyone, they would have jumped back in fright¡ªor at least shock¡ªfrom the actions of the Beast, but Rey was different.


    He had a small smile on his face as he proceeded to do the most reasonable thing.


    ''[Perfect Divine Appraisal].''


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: None


    - Race: Symbiote Slime (Beast)


    - ss: Absolute Summon (S-Tier)


    - Level: 1 (0.00% EXP)


    - Life Force: +++


    - Mana Level: 0


    - Combat Ability: 0


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Symbiosis] [Perfect Mimicry] [Consume]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): Nil


    - Alignment: Neutral


    [Additional Information]


    The perfect canvas for those whom it binds with. As an ally, it can prove to be indispensable. As an enemy¡­ it is virtually unstoppable.


    [End Of Information]


    "Huh¡­?" Rey was amazed by what he was looking at.


    Based on Stats alone, the slimy thing didn''t seem all that special. In fact, it seemed pretty weak. However, the Life Force had a strange information that he had never seen before, and the Skills also seemed pretty decent.


    ''The Additional Information also hypes it up. I better take a good look at its Skills.''


    Now that Rey''s Appraisal was upgraded, he could see the details of a Status Window, not just the base disy. In essence, he could determine the Privilege of a ss he saw, as well as the details of the Skills observed.


    As long as the target was susceptible to his [Perfect Divine Appraisal], Rey could decipher pretty much everything the System had on them.


    "Let''s start with [Symbiosis. It sounds pretty¡ª"


    "Master, you shouldn''t dy any longer. We should begin the binding vow now."


    "Hm? What''s with the rush?" As he asked this question, Rey nced at Ater, but the moment he did so¡­ something unexpected happened.


    ~SHWUUUUUP!~


    All at once, the entirety of the barrier was swallowed up by the Slime.


    Almost as if its sticky body sucked all the energy around it, the Magic Circle''s glow was all taken in by the purple creature, and the invisible barrier that surrounded it was also sent into its jelly-like form.


    The result?


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    The slime was free!


    As soon as it gained its freedom, the purple creature thrust itself away from Rey, sending itself flying at incredible speed¡ª


    far from the two who watched it.


    "Shocking¡­" As soon as Rey muttered this, the Zones changed, and the slime found itself right where it started from.


    Ater also began to walk closer to the creature, who tried to escape once again, but still found itself stuck in its initial position.


    "I saw it¡­ this thing consumed the Mana didn''t it? As soon as it did, its Mana Level jumped to 3,000."


    Rey''s eyes glistened as he watched the relentless slime with newfound wonder.


    "Indeed. It can do a lot more if we''re not careful, so we should begin as soon as possible." Ater presented the Dyubbuuk¡ªa cube that was all-ck, save for the purple core that glistened at its center.


    Rey nodded and took the device from Ater''s grasp. He already knew not to underestimate Beasts and to trust Ater.


    "I''ll take your word for it."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    What Familiar did you expect to see? Be honest, people!

 Chapter 574 Exclusive Relationship

    <h4>Chapter 574 Exclusive Rtionship </h4>


    "Huu¡­"


    With a stable heartbeat, yet steady excitement, Rey held the Dyubbuk forward and stared at the Symbiote Slime.


    "Let''s make a binding vow, friend." He managed to leak out a trustworthy smile as he watched the sludge do its best to escape, to no avail.


    The slime ignored him, as it continued trying to run, so Rey chose to repeat himself.


    Nothing changed.


    ''Damn. How exactly am I supposed tomunicate with this thing?'' Rey thought to himself.


    Then, a certain thought came to him.


    Within the vast surrounding that they found themselves in¡ªwith the aged walls and dreary atmosphere¡ªhe chuckled, stretching his hand out to the slime.


    ~WHUSH!~


    In an instant, the Zone of the Slime instantly shifted, and it became much closer to Rey. Once this happened, Rey reached out his hand and neared the ooze.


    ''Ater isn''t saying anything, but since he isn''t disapproving then this can''t be a bad idea¡­'' Something Rey noticed about his Familiar was that he preferred letting the former figure out certain things himself.


    He only intervened when Rey was grossly wrong, or if he wanted to reveal something unknown¡ªsomething Rey couldn''t have found out himself.


    ''Right now, he''s letting me figure out how tomunicate with the Slime. Well, here goes¡­''


    The moment Rey touched the tip of the jelly-like creature, some sort of spark rushed through his body, sending every aspect of himself into some kind of overdrive.


    It was like being pricked by a needle in a finger, yet feeling the sensation throughout the body. This didn''t feel like pain, though.


    It was something different¡­


    ''It feels like power.''


    ~Hello. What do you want from me?~


    The sudden voice that echoed in Rey''s head would have caused anyone to jump in surprise¡ªperhaps even scream¡ªbut thed maintained his cool.


    He calmly gazed at the slime, which was still touching the tip of his fingers, and it seemed like time hadpletely stopped for the two of them. Their physical bodies were suspended, leaving the mind as their only means of contact.


    ''Let''s make a contract. You and me¡­ we''ll make a binding vow.''


    ~Binding vow? Is there any real need for that?~


    ''What?''


    ~I''m a Symbiotic Slime. As long as I can find a suitable host, I''ll simplytch on to them and the both of us can enjoy the benefits. There is no need for a binding contract.~


    ''Well¡­ I mean¡­''


    ~Join with me. Bond with me. You and I can be one. It''s not a bad deal¡­~


    Rey felt a smile tugging on his face, but he suppressed it. After all, Ater had predicted the urrence of this very scenario.


    Symbiote Slimes weren''t inherently evil or good. They were generally neutral about most things, and all they desired was a suitable host.


    But, thereiny the problem.


    ''You''re fickle. If a host you consider to be morepatible appears, you are going to ditch me, aren''t you?''


    ~Heyy¡­ don''t put it like that¡­~


    Rey knew this wasn''t inherently a bad thing. After all, it was the same with human beings in almost every facet of their lives.


    It only took a certain period of time for people to move on from one thing to the other. A man''s favorite wear could change if he found something better. Weapons were forsaken for a much more powerful item.


    Heck, even Rey''s Skills were sometimes tossed aside for something better.


    ~It seems you understand how it is. Let''s just keep our rtionship¡­ casual. There''s no need to sweat the small details. You won''t regret this, don''t worry¡­~


    Somehow, the voice that echoed in Rey''s head sounded seductive. All he needed to do was subconsciously ept the Symbiote Slime''s offer, and he would let the thing in.


    They would bond, but only on a shallow level.


    ''So, it''ll be like friends with benefits¡­ or a situationship?'' Rey narrowed his gaze as he considered the Slime''s offer.


    ~I don''t know what those terms mean, but¡­ yeah. I guess that sounds right.~


    It seemed its kind, while sticking to a single host, was polyamorous in nature. They didn''t mind leaving one partner for another if they considered thetter to be a more attractive choice.


    ''Now I see why Ater went to fetch the Dyubbuk.'' Rey''s thoughts echoed within him. ''There''s no way I could trust this one to stick with me forever without it.''


    ~So¡­ what do you say? Deal?~


    As the Slime transmitted this, more portions of itself began to wrap around Rey, turning darker in color as if to blend with the attire the boy currently had on.


    Rey couldn''t help but wonder what would happen if he was a much weaker person. Would the Slime need permission from any host regardless, or could it bind itself with less resistant vessels?


    Also, since the Slime was able to break its contract at any time, did that mean the Host could also do the same?


    ''That''s probably the case, but¡­ if a Host did that despite the Slime''s intentions to remain, wouldn''t that make the Slime upset? If that happens, then¡­'' Rey remembered the warning of the System concerning making the creature an enemy.


    ''So, it''s in the best interests of a Host to maintain the rtionship, while the Slime can just jump to another Host once its tired of its current vessel.''


    The power imbnce reminded him of marriage¡ªat least, the ones he happened to hear talked about back on Earth.


    His family was no different when it came to this as well.


    ~What are you waiting for? Let us be one¡­~


    Rey shook off the seductive voice in his head and gave the Slime a cold stare. "Sorry¡­ but I want an exclusive rtionship with you."


    ~W-what are you talking about now? Come on, don''t be like that!~


    Rey could feel the Slime getting more and more flustered. It even pulled back, but didn''tpletely get away.


    That told him something.


    ''I know you want me. I want you too. But, I don''t like havingpetition. You will be mine, and mine alone.''


    ~And if I refuse?~


    Rey knew this was him just bluffing, but his instincts told him he wasn''t wrong. He just had to go with his gut on this.


    ''Then the deal is off.''


    ~Are you sure about that? You won''t meet anyone else like me, though.~


    ''I think you have it mistaken. You''re the one who won''t see any other host like me.'' Rey smiled, slightly pulling his hand away.


    The Slime, however, held it back.


    ~W-wait¡­ let''s talk about this first.~


    ''What is left to talk about? You clearly can''t see value even when he''s standing right in front of you.'' To win over the Slime, he chose to employ a maniptive strategy that made it seem like he was the best option.


    ~W-who do you think you are? I''ll have many people pining over me, just you wait and see!~


    Rey wasn''t intending on letting the slime meet anyone, so this bluff was wasted on him. Still, he decided to y along.


    ''Search as high and low as you want. I doubt you''ll find someone who has an SSS-Tier Skill and an S-Tier ss¡­ who still has the potential to grow.''


    Upon hearing this, the slime''s body trembled exponentially. It reached out to Rey''s finger, wrapping itself around it while drawing closer of its own ord.


    ~F-fine¡­ you win.~


    Rey''s smile grew broader as he stared at the shivering creature who was now at his mercy.


    ~Let''s make a binding vow¡­~


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    The new change to my Authors Note will be that I''ll stop cing them on every chapter like this, but instead on the dedicated WN ce.


    I had my reasons for choosing this method, but with many of youining about it, I figured this change was necessary.

 Chapter 575 Sudden Switch

    <h4>Chapter 575 Sudden Switch </h4>


    The rest of the process was pretty simple.


    Rey and the Symbiote Slime entered a binding vow, each delivering their own conditions for the rtionship to be established.


    On Rey''s end, he gave three conditions:


    "One, never betray me."


    "Two, always obey mymands."


    "Three, do not obey any other person''smands unless I give you permission to."


    They seemed incredibly extreme, but when considering the actions or inactions of a Familiar, they all tallied.


    Even Ater followed these three to thetter, yet he was still able to express himself and take the initiative in a lot of instances. As such, Rey didn''t feel negatively about his conditions.


    Instead, he focused on the ones that came from the Slime.


    As though keeping things fair, it also had three conditions:


    "Do not ept any other Familiar."


    "Do not break our bond for whatever reason."


    "Do not starve me."


    They all seemed reasonable enough, and Rey could see himself following all of them without any need for infringement.


    ''What are the chances that I''ll get the Beast Summon Skill again? I don''t think I''ll ever get another one¡­''


    Still, even if he did meet a creature and desired to make them his Familiar, he didn''t have a Taming Skill or ss, he would have to go through this whole ''Binding Vow'' thing again.


    ''Well, I could always try to use Magic to make a creature from this world my Familiar, so that could work¡­''


    The temptation coulde, but Rey didn''t feel the need to break any of the conditions that were set for him by his Symbiote Slime.


    ''Ater told me to break one of the rules and reveal that I am immune to the curse, which will in turn cause the Slime to try the same, but it will find itself punished.''


    This was meant to disy the power hierarchy between them. By following Ater''s methods, Rey could be viewed as cruel, but he would also be feared by the Slime.


    ''I don''t think I want to take that approach¡­''


    So far, he had managed to establish a base rtionship with the Symbiote Slime. It wasn''t like he couldn''t resort to force or a show of strength if necessary, but he didn''t think that he needed it at the moment.


    ''It''s in the Slime''s best interest to cooperate, and I have nothing to lose if I do the same.'' Staring at Ater for a brief moment, he noticed him nodding with a smile.


    ''Seems he understands my intentions.''


    Rey''s current thoughts were at a deeper level of consciousness, so the Slime couldn''t read them. Plus, with Rey''s ess to his mind and body, he could always restrict some of his thoughts from being breached by the Slime, which meant he didn''t have to worry about the creature constantly prying into his thoughts.


    ''There''s no real need to be so cautious about it, but¡­ well, I can''t be too careful.''


    Even with Ater, despite having Bonded with him from the start, he found it very difficult to trust him for the longest time.


    It wasn''t until recently that this changed.


    ''I guess it just takes me time to warm up to new people.'' He smiled at the blob that now began to climb his body.


    They were done with the Binding Vow, and the consequence for breaking one of the conditions was severe pain and weakness¡ªone that could only be turned off if the culprit changed his ways, or if the other side forgave them. Breaking two conditions meant instant paralysis, weakness, and constant pain of an even higher degree than the first.


    Breaking three conditions meant death.


    Rey would never be affected by them, so he didn''t really care about how severe they were. The Slime also seemed pretty carefree about the conditions, so they both didn''t have a problem with things.


    Thus¡ª


    ~GLOP!~


    ¡ªThe ooze fused with Rey''s body, bing one with him in every sense of the word. It almost felt like diffusion, watching the slime permeate throughout Rey''s body until they spread to every nook and cranny.


    The power that Rey felt from his fingertips now became evenly distributed to his body, and it felt like he was living and breathing it.


    "Haaa¡­"


    The feeling was ethereal¡ªalmost as if he had expanded his consciousness. He felt a bubbling power inside him, feeling almost without limits.


    Then, he heard a voice inside him.


    ~Your body is amazing! I love you so much, Master!~


    ''E-eh? What''s with this sudden attitude change?'' Rey wondered as he felt the excitement of the Slime inside his body.


    Before he could properly process things, a System Panel popped up in front of him.


    [System Notice]


    [Congrattions! You have acquired a Familiar, and a secure ''Bond'' has been established between the two of you.]


    ~Please Name Your Familiar~


    ''I see. So even without the Bonding Skill, we can still create a bond recognized by the System if we use Items like the Dyubbuk.'' Rey found himself smiling.


    As for the name to give the Familiar, he already had a name for it.


    "Emil. That''s your name."


    ~Kyaaah! That''s such a lovely name, Master! Ahh¡­ this body is so nice. Tastes so good, smells so immacte. I don''t think any other body can satisfy me now. You''re the best, Master! I love you! I love you so much!~


    Rey felt very weirded out, hearing all of this in his head.


    Beasts were without gender, and considering this one was a Slime, that went double for it. Yet, the voice and personality made Rey consider the thing incredibly simr to a girl.


    ¡­ A very disturbed and weird girl.


    "Congrattions, Master. You were able to subjugate it." Ater''s voice echoed in the air as he approached Rey.


    ~Who the hell is this? You have another Familiar? But you promised¡ª!~


    ''I promised I wouldn''t acquire another Familiar. I didn''t say anything about the one I had before our arrangement.'' Rey found himself holding his head, almost as if he had a headache.


    ~You cheat! Liar! Pervert! How many more do you have, huh? How many more do you have ensnared in your trap? Did you deceive them the way you deceived me?~


    Rey sighed heavily.


    ~You said you wanted something special with me. I gave my first time to you, you know? I thought you were the only one for me! Yet¡­ yet¡­!~


    "So do you want us to dissolve our agreement now? If that''s what you desire, then¡­"


    ~Ce on, don''t overreact. I''m only being like this because I love you so much, Master. I don''t want you to¡­ well, you know.~


    "I only have Ater as my Familiar, so there''s no need for you to worry." Somehow Rey felt like he had gotten into something impossible to maintain.


    Regret lingered in his heart as he wondered why he was stuck with a clingy symbiote and not someone as understanding as Ater.


    ''Well, now that I think about it¡­ Ater gets jealous too.'' Heughed to himself.


    ~Master¡­ can I ask you for a small favor?~


    Rey could already feel a wave of exhaustioning upon him. Whatever this favor would be, he already knew it would be incredibly problematic.


    ''Yes, what is it?'' He grumbled as he replied through his thoughts.


    ~Can I call you Rey?~


    The instant he heard this, Rey rolled his eyes and sighed. He looked at Ater, and saw the Familiar shake his head.


    ''Yeah, I thought so¡­''


    It seemed Emil wanted their rtionship to get a lot deeper than Rey wanted. Sure, he started this whole thing, but there were limits for him.


    ~So do I take that as a¡ª?~


    "No!"

 Chapter 576 Perks Of The Symbiote

    <h4>Chapter 576 Perks Of The Symbiote </h4>


    "Status Window."


    As Rey muttered these words, a system panel popped open in front of him, disying exactly what he desired to see.


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Rey Skr.


    - Race: Human (Otherworlder)


    - ss: Singrity (S-Tier)


    - Level: 201 (10.03% EXP)


    - Life Force: 13,000 (+13,000)


    - Mana Level: 29,000 (+29,000)


    - Combat Ability: 21,550 (21,550)


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Doppel]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Merger]. [Dead Calm].[Sacrifice]. [Symbiosis]. [Perfect Mimicry]. [Consume]


    - Alignment: Neutral


    [Additional Information]


    You have done the impossible and stand at the precipice of power. As such, you now possess the interest of this World.


    Status Condition: Possess a Symbiote


    [End Of Information]


    "W-whoa!" Rey couldn''t help but openly disy surprise as he looked at his new and improved Status Window.


    ''Emil literally doubled all my Stats.''


    He didn''t expect that to be a feature at all, especially since she was justying dormant in his body. And, yes, Rey decided to refer to her as a female for convenience.


    ''It''s a little funny¡­ having her inside me, when it should be the other way arou¡­ Rey what the hell are you thinking?'' He shook his head, slightly disgusted with his filthy mind.


    Thankfully, Emil didn''t hear all of that.


    Rey had decided to iste his thoughts, and he also zoned out of whatever she was saying to him, so he could focus on an objective analysis of his current state.


    ''Speaking of my current State, this is interesting¡­'' He looked at his Non Exclusive Skills and noticed three additions to them.


    ''It looks like I get all of these Skills without even using Doppel, as long as I am bonded with Emil.''


    That meant, for someone who didn''t have the ability to copy Skills, or who had reached the limits of Skills they could ever have, with a Symbiote like Emil, they could get new Skills without any effort at all.


    It was a crazy feature, but it made Rey curious about something else.


    "Skill List."


    [ALL SKILLS]


    [Original Skills]


    Doppel (SSS-Tier)


    Merger (S-Tier)


    Dead Calm (A-Tier)


    Sacrifice (S-Tier)


    [Doppel Skills]


    [SS-Tier]


    Divine Weapon Creation (Active)


    Perfect Divine Magic (Active)


    Divine Power Ascension (Active)


    Perfect Divine Ray (Active)


    Divine Magic Supremacy (Passive)


    Perfect Domain Of The Divine (Active)


    Perfect Divine Defense (Active)


    Perfect Divine Regeneration (Passive)


    Perfect Divine Appraisal (Active)


    Perfect Divine Martial Supremacy (Passive)


    Perfect Divine Growth (Passive)


    Perfect Divine Form (Passive)


    Perfect Divine Adaptability (Passive)


    [Total: 13]


    [Active Skills: 7]


    [Passive Skills: 6]


    ~New Skills~


    [Consume]


    [END OF INFORMATION]


    ''Just as I thought!'' Rey felt a grin forming on his face as his widened eye took in the detail that he noticed at the very bottom of the list.


    ''I can still get the Skills through Doppel, even if they are currently Non Exclusive Skills of mine at the moment.''


    It all made sense, considering how it was possible for Rey to dissolve his contract with Emil¡ªhence losing her perks¡ªbut with [Doppel], he still had ess to the powers she offered.


    ''In the case where she perishes as well, I also don''t have too much of a loss¡­'' His thoughts trailed.


    With that now settled in his mind, he decided to have Emil use her two other Skills so he could copy them. That way, he would have them stocked in [Doppel].


    ''Speaking of her Skills¡­ I really should check out their details.'' Rey didn''t do this sooner due to the urgency of the situation back then, but since things were now settled, he figured now was the perfect time to get into things.


    ''First¡­''


    He eyed the [Symbiosis] Skill and decided to check that out first.


    [Skill Details]


    [Symbiosis]


    Tier: S


    Ability: Allows the user to take on the properties of whatever they bond to, perfectly replicating their base status and powers.


    [Limitation: Skills beyond S-Tier can not be processed, and sses are exceptions]


    [End Of Information]


    ''The hell?!'' Rey''s eye nearly widened the moment he read through the Skill''s details.


    ''So that exins why my Stats doubled. Emil literally has the same Stats as I do. And just as I have her Skills¡­ she also has my Skills.''


    Only [Doppel] was the exception, considering how it was in the SSS-Tier. That meant she didn''t have ess to the Skill''s functions, and all the abilities he had copied with it.


    ''Whew! That''s a relief¡­'' He sighed.


    If he was someone without [Doppel], and he bonded with Emil, the Slime would pretty much be as strong as he was.


    ''Well, there''s still ss to put into consideration, so maybe that will somehow close the gap.'' Rey thought to himself.


    Somehow, though, he felt an S-Tier Beast''s ss wouldn''t be something to scoff at either.


    ''Besides¡­ something still bugs me about that Life Force description.'' Rey turned to Ater, who was waiting patiently for him to finish his analysis.


    If he didn''t know something, he could just ask the Familiar who was most likely knowledgeable in that aspect.


    He didn''t want to ask Emil, though¡­


    "What does +++ mean when ites to Life Force? I don''t get it."


    "Oh that!" Ater chuckled, shrugging slightly. "Well, it basically means infinite. But not exactly."


    ''E-eh? Infinite Life Force?''


    "It''s not particrly infinite. It just means the individual doesn''t take damage, or their life force doesn''t particrly go down."


    Functionally speaking, it was the same as having infinite Life Force, which was why Ater phrased it that way.


    In essence¡­ Emil was essentially immortal!


    ''H-hold on¡­ if she takes no damage, doesn''t that mean she won''t die if she breaks our arrangement? That exins why she agreed so readily!''


    Rey felt a slight spark of anxiety within him, but he snuffed it out and chose to approach the issue in a more collected fashion.


    "Could a curse do the trick? Like¡­ kill such a being?"


    "Yeah¡­ probably."


    "Probably??!" Rey''s eye widened as he stared at Ater in disbelief.


    ~Master! You''re so mean! Why have you been ignoring me all this time? Do you really hate me that much? You hate me, don''t you? You don''t even trust me¡­ how cruel.~


    Rey was beginning to slightly feel bad for Emil, so he decided to respond to her after leaving her out of his mind for so long.


    "Hey¡­ how strong are you exactly?"


    ~Yayyy! You finally spoke to me! I''m so happy right no¡ª!~


    "Just answer the question¡­" Rey sighed, holding his forehead as he was reminded of the reason he zoned her out in the first ce.


    ~W-well¡­ I am indestructible, I feel no pain, neither am I shackled by any physical limitations like weakness or exhaustion.~


    The more Emil spoke, the more he realized that none of the conditions he set would work on her at all¡ªwell, maybe they would somehow take effect due to their status as Curses, but it seemed even Ater wasn''t sure about it.


    ~... I can also take on any shape or form you want. For example


    ¡ª!~


    ~GLOP!~


    Suddenly shrouding Rey''s body was a slimy ck property that took the form of a dark hooded cloak, covering his hands in ck gloves, and his feet with ck boots. The robe fluttered like a cape behind him, and the fabric felt all-natural andpatible with him.


    It almost felt like he was covered in himself¡ªnaked, but not really.


    Emil was made of the perfect fabric ever.


    ~What do you think, Master? Pretty cool, right?~


    Rey was dumbfounded by how amazing it felt to wear the Slime. He could go on and on about how he was freaked out by her personality, but her utility made all of thoseints seem abysmal.


    The best part about all of this was the fact that¡ªjust like Ater being able to float in the air, or humans being able to walk¡ªthis was just Emil''s natural body function, not a Skill of some sort.


    She was just built this way.


    "Yeah¡­ it''s pretty cool." He managed to mutter as he looked at his entire body.


    ''She''s amazing!''


    Yes, there was the risk that none of the restrictions he ced on her would work, but since she was so attached to him, it was more probable that she wouldn''t even betray him at all.


    ''Plus, Ater wouldn''t have suggested breaking the rules myself and letting her do the same, if he wasn''t certain the Curse would activate, or if he didn''t have another contingency in mind in case that happened.''


    Perhaps he wanted to see if the Curse would be effective, but judging from his casual reaction to all of this, Rey didn''t think he had to worry too much.


    At the very least, he could still maintain a healthy level of caution, but it would be detrimental if he marinated on doubt and suspicion for too long.


    ''Besides, there are other ways to deal with her if she misbehaves¡­''


    "Well, let''s look at your other Skills, shall we?" Rey checked out the two remaining abilities that Emil had and was equally amazed by their usefulness.


    He only had one thought after seeing them all.


    ''I made the right choice!''

 Chapter 577 Night In The Palace

    <h4>Chapter 577 Night In The Pce</h4>


    [Skill Details]


    [Perfect Mimicry]


    Tier: S


    Ability: Allows the user to perfectly transform into whatever they desire, with no ws whatsoever. This applies to both partial and total transformation, and it also pertains to organic and inorganic forms.


    [Limitation: You must have had physical contact with the target before this Skill can be functional, and the moreplex or difficult the target is, the longer the physical contact must be.]


    [End Of Information]


    [Skill Details]


    [Consume]


    Tier: S


    Ability: Allows the user to eat through any Magic or Skills, transforming them into Mana for stockpiling. The Mana obtained through this is non-renewable, and once it is used, it will not be refilled.


    [Limitation: Certain Skills and Magic take longer to be consumed, so it could take an extensive period of time topletely eat through them.]


    [End Of Information]


    **************


    "Looks like we''re done here."


    Rey ced his hand in his pockets and his faithful Emil instantly responded to his thoughts and transformed into the kind of attire he desired at the moment.


    A long-sleeved gray shirt, along with what looked like joggers. He had nice ck shoes¡ªalmost like sneakers¡ªgiving him an overall casual appearance.


    His eyepatch remained intact, however, same as his somewhat stoic face, so he still had a certain air of stillness about him.


    ~So cool, Master!~


    Emil''s voice rang constantly in his head, and it took him an incredible amount of willpower not to directly respond to her.


    ''I could tell her to stop saying these things, but that would offer a heavy restriction on her. Right now, I can''t be too imposing until I find that she''spletely on my side.''


    Besides, he could simply zone her out when he didn''t want to listen to her speak.


    ''Well, now I wonder which is worse between the two¡­'' He turned to Ater, who was calmly waiting on him.


    ''If only she had Ater''s personality¡­''


    Now, Rey knew he had struck gold with Emil. Once again, as he mentally checked through all her perks, he knew she would be very instrumental to his growth.


    He just had a fewints.


    ''I guess we''ll get used to each other.'' Rey would have to get used to hearing a constant voice in his head, and she would have to get used to being ignored sometimes.


    That seemed like a fair deal to the boy.


    "Let''s return."


    Once he said this, a tear in space opened up, creating distortions around the gaping hole that led to their destination.


    They stepped in, and as soon as they vanished from the Dungeon''s grounds, the rift closed in on itself in a swift implosion.


    ~VWUSH!~


    ************


    [Later That Night]


    Night had settled quietly over the pce, and the moon shone brightly in the sky.


    The pce lights glowed softly with a golden hue, casting a gentle light over the gardens and pathways. Due to the visit of many Nobles in the Pce''s walls, there were a lot of security officers positioned in key locations around and within the area.


    A lot of them also went on patrol to constantly create a stifling air of security.


    In one of the guest rooms in the eastern wing of the pce, certain people gathered for a quiet meeting.


    The guest room''s lounge area wasrge andfortable, with polished marble floors stretching across the space. In the center, a deep red rugy on the floor, with a low mahogany coffee table on top. The table held delicate teacups and a crystal decanter filled with a dark, rich drink.


    The walls were decorated in deep blues and golds; murals that could only be appreciated by the rich. Ornate wall lights gave off a soft, flickering light that yed across the room, creating a warm, cozy atmosphere.


    Fivefortable chairs were upied by the respective people who were meeting, and the most surprising thing about them was their appearance.


    They looked young¡­ like teenagers!


    "It seems the old farts have decided to take a break on the initial n. Seeing Rey''s interactions with the Royal Council must have thrown them off."


    The one who spoke was Lyvia, the Mage of the group. She had a smaller build than the rest, but her brazen tone and fierce expression was enough to show how much she meant business.


    In contrast to her, Byron¡ªthe Warrior¡ªhad a muchrger build, with muscles seemingly bursting out of his skin-hugging outfit.


    "I call bullshit on that. They must have been acting or something."


    "I agree with Byron." This time, the Assassin of the group spoke.


    His name was Devin, and he had a tall but slim stature, almost making him resemble a snake. His slit eyes made it appear as though he constantly had his eyes closed, and while a sly grin would definitely suit his long face, he had a slight frown on.


    "We all know how the Royal Council is. It''s strange that our ssmates would get chummy with them in the brief period we''ve been away¡ªespecially with no Adonis around to tell them what to do."


    The moment Devin mentioned Adonis'' name, the group growled and frowned deeply. After all, the Hero was the one that stole the life of their former leader.


    "In any case¡­" Cayden sighed, his appearance practically making him the only normal sized one in the group. He was prone to wearing masks when dealing with work, but since he was among fellow friends, there was no need for that.


    In fact, there was no need to hide anything from anyone in this space.


    They were all friends, after all.


    "Haa¡­ I hear you guys." A sweet feminine voice came from the fifth chair¡ªthe one everyone looked to with the most deference.


    Yes, they were all friends¡­ but there was such a concept as ''first among equals.''


    Felicia Smith represented that very well.


    Her beautiful ck hair, purple eyes, and incredible beauty made it so that many who gazed on her wouldn''t be able to resist.


    Sure, she was t as a washboard, but many hadplimented her wonderful legs and tall height. Her long ck hair swayed gently as she looked at her fellows with a stern expression.


    "I''ll talk to the old fogeys and get the full gist."


    The rest nodded, leaving everything to her. It was no secret among them that the Nobles were nning on using them as political and military tools for their selfish ns, but what the fools didn''t realize was that these young Otherworlders were just as conniving.


    They also had ns, and the Nobles would help in that respect.


    "I have noticed some weakness on their end for now. Even if I have to use my Skill on them, they''ll follow the nned approach." Felicia smiled.


    "Are you sure you want to take action now? Isn''t it too soon?" Cayden asked, raising an eyebrow. "I know you were busy scoping the ce out, so you weren''t at the summit, so maybe you don''t fully understand the gravity of the matter."


    The girl sighed, shaking her head slowly.


    "I get it, Cayden. It''s not just Rey, right? rk, Belle, and Justin also did the same. Trisha isn''t present at the moment, but it''s safe to put her in the same category."


    "T-then¡ª!"


    "It doesn''t matter, does it? Once they all fall for my Skill, it''ll all be over." She smiled, her lips stretching to the corners of her face.


    "They''ll all be mine."

 Chapter 578 The City Awaits

    Chapter 578 The City Awaits


    "Uhh¡­"


    The next day arrived pretty quickly, and Rey woke up with a slight grunt, his eyes slowly opening up to the world around him.


    The cause for his grunt wasn''t the sudden exposure to light, or any stiffness in his body. No, he had long surpassed any of those inconveniences. The cause for his expression and reaction of difort was due to one reason alone.


    ~Master, good morning! Did you sleep well? Hehe¡­ that was our first night together! Did you enjoy yourself? I know I did!~


    "A good morning to you too¡­" Rey mumbled in a monotone voice as he rose from his soft andfy bed.


    Stretching his body, only out of habit, he also yawned.


    His naked body stood immactely, properly outlining his wless form and well-toned muscles. Everything about him seemed to be maxed out¡ªfrom the biceps, to the triceps, to the distribution of muscles all over his body. He had all the proper aesthetics to go with his slim body.


    ~P-perfection!~


    "Why am I naked, Emil?" Rey mumbled.


    He distinctly remembered going to bed in nightwear, so this current look surprised him.


    ~W-well, I just thought¡­ being our first night together and all¡­ and also forfort, and, well¡­~


    Rey rolled his eyes as he listened to her meaningless ramble. In all honesty, he didn''t feel as conscious of his body as he used to. Pretty much all his ssmates had seen his naked form, and the same applied to his Familiar.


    All were yet toment on his yogurt dispenser, so he tookfort in the fact that it didn''t stand out¡ªespecially for the wrong reason.


    ~What are your ns for today, Master?~


    "Just a few¡­" Rey mumbled. "There''s going to be a G tonight,memorating the nearpletion of the Capital, so I''ll have to attend."


    Before that, he and the other Otherworlders would have to talk a walk around the city, greeting the locals and reassuring them of their safety¡ªalso going as far as thanking them for their perseverance.


    ''The party will be bothersome, but it would be nice to take a good walk with everyone.'' He smiled to himself.


    Yes, he had seen the rebuilt Capital from the sky, so he was able to tell just how much progress it had made. The city was about eighty percentplete, and nowpletely habitable without any encumbrance.


    Just a month would be enough to finish things off.


    "I''m sure we should be able to finish before going to the Front Lines." He mumbled, alreadypletely zoned out of what Emil was telling him.


    He did hear something about a "Date", but there was already so much else on his mind that he didn''t think to digest it.


    "Ater is busy again, so I can''t rely on him for this. I really should start properly searching for Esme. Maybe I should start in the Adventurers City¡­"


    Rey already had business there, with Trisha being the only one among the readily avable Otherworlders he was yet to speak to, so he figured that was a fine way to kill two birds with one stone.


    ''Alright then! I''ll head there today.'' First off, though¡­ he had to freshen up.


    ~Hehehehe! We''re going to have a bath together!~


    At this point, Rey couldn''t help but feel a slew of emotions. On one hand, he felt creeped out by Emil''s borderline unhinged disposition regarding their rtionship. On the other hand, however, he felt relieved that he wasn''t the biggest pervert he knew.


    ¡­ Not anymore.


    **************


    As always, the Adventurers City was a lively and colorful hub, bustling with energy and the vibrant mesh of many cultures. The city thrived as a melting pot, with narrow cobblestone streets winding their way between old, multi-story buildings painted in dull and harsh colors.


    Merchants lined the sidewalks, shouting out their wares¡ªeverything from exotic foods and handcrafted essories to Enchanted Items and rare, curious weapons.


    The air was filled with the scent of roasting meats, fresh bread, and a hint of incense wafting from the stalls of wandering traders or stationary kiosks. Walking through all of this was a youngdy no older than 17¡ªan adult by H''Trae''s standards, but a young one regardless.


    She had short dark hair, with her brown eyes ncing left and right as she took in the city she was yet to get fully used to. Her outfit was skimpy, by normal standards, but it was what made her mostfortable.


    With a body hogging ck tank top, having a dark brown jacket over it, as well as incredibly tight shorts and tall boots, she kept a steady pace and advanced to her destination¡ªThe Adventurers Guild.


    The tall Guild Building stood at the heart of the city, and the dark-skinneddy noticed the intricate carvings that adorned its fa?ade before stepping in. She even passed by a stone monument of two Adventurers raising their hands in the air; the new symbol of the City.


    "Jet and Lux¡­" A feminine voice that betrayed the muscles on her gleaming skin echoed from her lips as she kept moving.


    Large wooden doors, reinforced with ornate ironwork, swung open as she stepped inside.


    The interior of the guild was vast and impressive, with high ceilings supported by heavy wooden beams. Hangingnterns bathed the room in warm, golden light, illuminating the wooden paneling.


    The main hall to the left bustled with Adventurers discussing quests, gathering Party members, and sharing stories of their journeys. However, what she was after was to her right.


    ¡ªThe Receptionist.


    Thedy made her way to the front desk, where a receptionist greeted her with a friendly smile. "Lady Trisha, you''re already back from your Quest?" There was surprise hinted in her voice, but based on who she was talking to, this was to be expected.


    After all, Trisha was a recognized Otherworlder and Savior of humanity.


    In fact, right when she was walking through the city, and even when she entered the Guild Building, all eyes were on her. This wasn''t due to her good looks and enchanting body, but also due to her status in the Alliance.


    All showed her some measure of deference. "Yeah. The settlement will send word of thepletion soon, but I have a letter signed by the chief about itspletion." Trishs brought forth a parchment from the little pouch that hung around her waist.


    "You can also send agents for inspection, so¡ª" n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Lady Trisha, we trust you. There''s no reason for you to lie about a Monster Subjugation you are overqualified for." The receptionist said with an awkwardugh.


    "Hm. Okay¡­" Trisha, one of the few Heroic Rank Adventurers in the City, replied with a slight nod.


    Her stern presence remained.


    "Should I begin to process your reward?"


    "No need. Once an emissaryes from the vige, give the money to them. They''ll need capital to rebuild their settlement, and I''m sure the support from the Capital won''t suffice." "O-okay! I will do that right away!"


    Trisha was bathed in gazes of admiration by the Receptionists and many Adventurers around her. Naturally, there were those who didn''t seem too pleased by her action¡ªconsidering how constant it had be¡ªbut they kept their dissatisfaction to themselves.


    Trisha was a champion who refused to collecta dime for herbor. Instead, she would selflessly use it to help others.


    "I guess my work here is done. Do you have any other task for me, preferably something involving stronger Monsters."


    "W-well¡­ about that¡­ while you were away, someone came and made a private request for you."


    Trisha raised her brow once she heard this. "Who?"


    "He called himself Yer, and he said his situation is rather urgent." Once the receptionist said this, Trisha narrowed her gaze and deepened her scowl.


    ''What do you want now, Rey?

 Chapter 579 Silent Exchange

    Chapter 579 Silent Exchange


    Trisha walked to the meet spot with the same serious expression on her face.


    It was, as she expected, at the very Inn that she and her ssmates lodged in when they first came to the Adventurers City. Staring at the luxurious building, and then returning her gaze to the piece of paper in her hand, she confirmed the address despite having no need to.


    Upon walking into the building, all eyes fell on her, but she ignored all of them and went to the flight of stairs that stood opposite her.


    In no time at all, she was at the very top.


    Her lips were tightly knit together. Her thoughts were silent. With every step she took, the only sound she heard were the crunching ones her boots made.


    Until, finally¡­ Trisha arrived at the entrance.


    "I''ming in." She said with a normal voice before twisting the knob open and entering inside therge room.


    Silence greeted her as she stepped in, looking at the ten beds that were lined up in a straight row. Suddenly, the ce seemed muchrger than it actually was.


    Maybe it was because, unlike before, she wasn''t here with her friends. Three out of the ten in this room were now dead, and the remaining were somehow fractured.


    One was in an eternal sleep. One went on an unknown journey. Trisha was in a different city, with the rest being in the Capital.


    She stood there for a moment, taking all of it in.


    Then¡ª


    ~SWOOSH!~


    Instantly summoning her de and twisting her body so she could sh whatever presence she felt behind her, Trisha moved with grace.


    The sharp sword nearly scraped the cheek of the stationary boy before she stopped, still having a cautious look on her face as she looked at him.


    "What do you want¡­ " With narrowed eyes, her words seemed dipped in bitterness. "... Rey?" The boy who she now faced was taller than she was, with dark hair that swayed ever so gently. He had an eyepatch covering his left eye, and even with his sweatshirt and joggers giving him a casual appearance, he still had a certain presence around him.


    It was a presence Trisha couldn''t ignore.


    "It''s been a while. You don''t look surprised at all¡­" Rey said with a small grin. "Guess my name gave it off, huh?"


    "Yeah. It''s an even dumber pseudonym than Ralyks." After she said this, she noticed Rey''s expression remained he same. There was something awfully mechanical about how he remained stoic. He never blinked, and his face looked so calm.


    Sure, she was also putting up a calm front, but it seemed his facade wasa lot more effective than hers.


    ''Or maybe this is just how he is, and he was just fooling us with those expressions in the past.'' She told herself, shaking her head slightly.


    "Is this a clone of yours?"


    "Hm? No. What makes you think that?" As Rey said this, Trisha walked past him and went straight to the door.


    "Wait. I wanted us to have a talk¡­ if that''s fine with you." Rey''s wordscked desperation or pure emotion. Trisha could tell the difference between the tone he used to have from now.


    Right now he seemed moreposed. He never stuttered, and even his disy of hesitation seemed more like an attempt to articte himself urately, rather than evidence of nervousness.


    Where did this new version of Rey stem from? Confidence? Or was it something else? Trisha wasn''t sure, so she paused and looked at him.


    For what would be almost a minute she just looked at him, building up the tense atmosphere in the air. During this period, Trisha looked into his eye.


    ''Why is he using an eyepatch? Did he suffer permanent damage? Howe he has gotten so tall? Why does he seem soposed and calm? His presence too¡­ it''s different.''


    Even with all his differences she could still tell of his identity, and while she had several unanswered questions, she couldn''t ask them.


    Instead, as she opened her lips and a sigh proceeded from them, she turned away and kept walking away from him.


    "Trisha¡ª"


    "Come with me." Her voice shot out as she left the room, leaving the door open.


    Rey''s expression changed, albeit slightly, into that of relief. However, Trisha was not present to see it, neither did she listen to the soft whisper he gave under his breath.


    "Thanks¡­"


    **************


    ''She''s mad at me, isn''t she?''


    That was Rey''s thought as he trailed behind the beauty that walked ahead. He felt guilt, mixed with a bunch of other emotions, but he had to shove all of them down for his safety and sanity.


    Rather than dwell on that, he watched Trisha move with a certain rhythm that was hard not to notice.


    As Rey stared at her back, he found his eyes going lower and lower, until¡­


    ~Master, what are you looking at?~


    ''Ah!''


    His gaze instantly shifted right back up, especially since Trisha turned her head slightly to look at him. He tried his best to straighten up and even smile, but once their eyes met, she somehow seemed to enter a worse mood.


    She scowled and began to walk even faster.


    Of course, closing the distance between him and her was no problem for Rey, so he did just that.


    "So¡­ where are we going exactly?" He asked.


    "...."


    "You didn''t even look surprised to see me. I thought you''d be more stunned that I finally woke up. Everyone else was stunned by¡ª"


    "Justin told me about it when I called him the other day." The moment Rey heard this, he narrowed his gaze and sighed.


    ''That Justin¡­ I guess he just can''t help spilling stuff.''


    "Also, Grandmaster Conrad informed me that there was a chance you''de get me for the walk around the Capital and the G this night and then drop me offter." Trisha added, her gaze still focused in front of her.


    "Eh? Really? He never told me that, though." "He said your servant told him. Ring any bells¡­?" She nced slightly at him, which made Rey''s thoughts go to a single person.


    ''Ater? Was he the one who¡­ ah, I see now. Well, I suppose it''s a good idea to have five Otherworlders instead of four in the Capital.''


    "Yeah, I think I get it now."


    "It seems you weren''t informed of this before. Doesn''t feel very good to have things kept from you, does it?"


    Rey felt the burn instantly, and he decided to act on it.


    "Trisha, about that¡ª"


    "We''re here." She interrupted him, finally stopping in front of a building¡ªone that stood right behind the main Adventurers Guild structure.


    This annex was the Training Center, and also where Adventurer Exams were taken. Trisha stared at the entrance for a fair bit before proceeding inside, leaving Rey puzzled.


    ''What are we doing here?'' He wished he could read her mind, but he had no idea what was going on in her head.


    ~Master, who is this woman? Why is she bringing you here?~


    Rey ignored Emil and followed Trisha''s lead. He watched as she picked a sword from the armory, and then proceeded further down the passageway.


    He followed silently.


    Finally, after walking for a few seconds in silence, Rey and Trisha finally arrived at a wide expanse¡ªa ce that he recognized too well.


    ''This is where Adonis took his Heroic Rank Exam!'' Once again, he had to wonder why they were here. "Catch."


    As Rey heard this, he saw Trisha fling a de towards him, and he caught it with his quick reflexes.


    "What is¡­ why are you giving me a sword?"


    "Your body is fast, but your mind is slow, huh?" Trisha said, creating some distance between the both of them as she pointed her own weapon at him.


    "Take your stance, Rey." She bent slightly and adjusted her posture until it became a well-bnced battle stance.


    ''Hold on¡­ is this what I think it is?'' n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Rey''s suspicions were correct, and Trisha''s determined gaze showed that she wasn''t messing around here.


    "Let''s have a match."

 Chapter 580 Dance Of Blades [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 580 Dance Of des [Pt 1] </h4>


    "Are you serious?"


    The atmosphere was tense as silence echoed in the vast, dull expanse. The faulty lights on the ceiling flickered, radiating shes of brilliance on the two who stood beneath it.


    Trisha still tightly held her de as she stared seriously at Rey.


    The question he asked lingered in the air, and she bent a little lower, parting her lips to answer the question.


    "What do you think?" As her response¡ªanother question¡ªwafted through the air, Rey suddenly broke into a slight grin.


    Trisha felt taken aback by this. She didn''t know why he was disying such emotions in front of her. Somehow, it infuriated her.


    "You know I''m going to win, right?" He said. "There''s no point in doing this."


    "You said you wanted to talk. Well, this is what I want to do. So¡­ do you only want to achieve what you want, or will you take your stance and fight?"


    Her eyes harshly stared at him, and in response to this, he shook his head and sighed. His smile instantly vanished and he slowly began to move.


    "I''m sorry. You''re right¡­ I apologize for the dy." Slowly, Rey began to take his own battle stance as well.


    There was no hesitation in his movement, neither was there an ounce of weakness in his form. By the time he was done setting himself up, he gently ced his sword forward and didn''t lose the stoic demeanor on his face.


    "Whenever you''re ready¡­"


    Everything was set. Within the vast room that upied them, the brewing moment had finally reached a crescendo.


    It was time to explode.


    ~WHOOSH!~


    Trisha attacked first with a sharp lunge aimed at Rey''s torso. Her speed caused the very air around her to vibrate, and she moved as though she was a blur given form.


    Still¡­


    Rey deftly sidestepped the strike, his own de rising to meet Trisha''s in a sh of steel.


    ''Tch! He''s fast.''


    Gritting her teeth, she narrowed her gaze and strengthened every ounce of muscle in her body.


    The two circled each other warily, their footwork precise and their des poised. Then¡ª


    ~SWISH!~


    Trisha moved in with a series of quick, calcted thrusts, her sword a blur as she aimed for Rey''s arms and legs. Rey countered each attack with smooth parries, his wrist moving fluidly to guide Trisha''s de away from his body.


    "Guh¡ª!"


    Trisha pressed her advantage,unching a feint to Rey''s left before shing diagonally at his right shoulder.


    Rey anticipated the move, pivoting on his heel and dodging the attack with grace.


    As Trisha''s momentum carried her forward, Rey took the opportunity to counter with a riposte, striking for Trisha''s midsection.


    ''No, you don''t!''


    Trisha narrowly avoided the strike, her reflexes sharp as she twisted out of harm''s way. She retaliated with a sweeping horizontal sh aimed at Rey''s neck, but Rey ducked beneath the de and lunged forward, his sword shing with a quick thrust toward Trisha''s stomach.


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    Trisha parried the attack just in time, her de catching Rey''s and pushing it aside.


    ~CLANG!~


    The two locked swords momentarily, each struggling for dominance as they tested each other''s strength.


    "You''re strong, Trisha¡­" Rey mumbled, but she wasn''t having any of it.


    Hispliments were worthless to her.


    ''We aren''t using any special abilities, which is why it seems I have some measure of a chance. I''m sure he''s turned off his Passive Skills too¡­''


    In essence, this was a battle of pure Stats and skill.


    ''I might not be as strong as you, Rey¡­ but I''ve been practicing Martial Arts my whole life. All my experiences¡­ all my knowledge¡­ I''ll pour them into this match!''


    Trisha broke the deadlock with a forceful shove, and they both had to disengage, each assessing the other from a small distance.


    She tried to regain control of the fight with a series of aggressive attacks. She lunged, swung, and shed, forcing Rey to move quickly to evade her strikes.


    ''Why¡­?''


    Despite moving as fast as her body would allow, concentrating her full strength in every strike¡­


    ''... Why can''t I hit you?!''


    Trisha already knew the answer to that.


    Rey''s footwork was impable, his movements light and agile as he danced around Trisha''s assaults like a ballerina in a y.


    He was so smooth in his motion, as if he was one with the sword¡ªno, one with everything that was happening around him.


    It was¡­ beautiful.


    Sensing an opening, Rey went on the offensive. He unleashed a flurry of precise strikes, his de darting and weaving through the air.


    "Gah!" Trisha, caught by surprise, tried to hold down the fort, but it was toote.


    For the first time since the fight began, her defenses were pushed to the limit as she blocked and parried each attack, her breathing in quick gasps as she struggled to keep up with Rey''s speed.


    ~WHISH!~


    Rey followed up with a high sh, aiming for Trisha''s head. Trisha ducked just in time, feeling the rush of air as Rey''s de swept over her. He transitioned seamlessly into a low sweeping strike, forcing her to jump back to avoid being hit.


    "Haa¡­ haa¡­!"


    Trisha retaliated with a counterattack, aiming a thrust at his chest. He deflected the strike with ease, his sword moving in a blur as he countered with a series of powerful shes. Trisha managed to block and dodge each attack, but Rey''s relentless onught pushed her back.


    ''He''s¡­ getting faster!''


    With a final burst of speed, Rey executed aplexbination of strikes¡ªfirst high, then low, then from the side.


    "G-guh!" She tried to maintain her stance, but she coudn''t keep up.


    Trisha''s defenses began to falter under the pressure, and Rey saw his chance.


    ~SWUSH!~


    He feinted a high strike, drawing Trisha''s guard up, then quickly pivoted and struck low, his de sweeping toward Trisha''s legs.


    Trisha stumbled, her bnce lost, and Rey took advantage of the opening.


    "I win." He muttered as he sent his de flying at her.


    ~ZZZTTZZZ!~


    Suddenly, with a burst of lightning, Trisha''s entire body moved much faster than before, allowing her to evade the strike at just the right moment.


    Less like a blur and more like a sh of light, she vanished from her position and appeared at a more distant position.


    Sweat stained her face as she breathed heavily, staring hard at Rey, who remained stoic despite how intense the fight had been.


    He never even broke a sweat.


    "You used your Skills. Isn''t that sort of cheating?" Rey said with a slight smile ying on his face as he watched her wary expression.


    "...."


    Trisha took the break to catch her breath, heaving visible breaths, before finally standing upright and preparing her body once again.


    "I never said Skills weren''t allowed." Once more, she took her battle stance.


    "Oh? Is that so?" Rey narrowed his eye as he stared at her with a somewhat curious gaze.


    "Yeah. Got a problem with that?"


    "No¡­" He began to take his own stance as he pointed his de at her and resumed his stoic demeanor.


    A dangerous air surrounded him¡ªenough to make the fearless Trisha shake down to her bones. But she snapped out of it and focused her attention on the iing exchange.


    ''I can''t win.'' Her thoughts echoed as she strengthened her body even more with more Skills.


    ''But¡­ even if it''s just one strike¡­''


    The time was near, and she was finally done with her preparations, her entire self ready to resume the dance once again. Her desire was simple too.


    ''... I want to prove you right¡ªthat I am strong!''

 Chapter 581 Dance Of Blades [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 581 Dance Of des [Pt 2] </h4>


    ''She''s impressive...''


    Rey''s thoughts trailed as he looked at Trisha--or more specifically, at her Status Window.


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Trisha Lihua.


    - Race: Human (Otherworlder)


    - ss: Elite Swordsman (B-Tier)


    - Level: 147 (56.99% EXP)


    - Life Force: 180 [100]


    - Mana Level: 210 (+100) [150]


    - Combat Ability: 290 (+145) [300]


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Greater Lightning Magic]. [Greater Combat Application]. [Greater Danger Sense]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Greater Sword Dance]. [Agility Boost]. [Fortitude]. [Aura Sword].


    - Alignment: Lawful Good


    [Additional Information]


    A warrior at heart who believes in honor and strength above all. She is not one to do evil, and she punishes those who enact it. A kind soul with a burning heart, constantly seeking ways to better herself.


    She still has feelings for Rey Skr...


    [End Of Information]


    ''It''s clear she has spent her time training to improve her base stats and advance the Skills she already has.'' Rey found himself analyzing his opponent.


    He surmised that the reason Trisha went to the Adventurers City was due the variety of Monsters she could kill, and the kind of experience--other than EXP--she could gain from their subjugation.


    ''She even has newer Skills. Her Level isn''t bad either. That''s good.''


    He was d to see that she had been working incredibly hard, and that her alignment was in no way problematic. In all sense of the word, she was a reliable ally.


    Still, one thing bothered him more than anything.


    ''She still has feelings for me, huh?''


    Rey never saw this part of her Status Window before, but with it now disyed he had to mull on what it meant.


    He was no fool. Despite his previous efforts to give her the benefit of the doubt back when he listened in to the girls and their unanimous deration of their interest in him, he could no longer avoid the truth now.


    ''Trisha likes me. That exins a lot...'' He could see the frustration in her eyes, and her unexinable desire to prove something to him.


    Perhaps her interest in him had been tonic at the start, but somewhere down in the line, things began to get a lot moreplicated.


    ''And I tried to pretend like nothing was happening... damnit.''


    Rey could feel all of the guilt that apanied this discovery, though they were all muffled underneath his intense emotional control.


    As much as he wanted to drown in the bittersweet moment, he couldn''t afford to.


    ''I can''t do anything about it, sadly. Just the same way I can''t do anything about these feelings of hers.'' Rey took a serious stance and steadied his de.


    ''The only thing I can do for you right now... is fight.''


    ~ZZZTZZZ!~


    In a buzz of whitish-blue electricity, Trisha closed the distance between herself and Rey, easily appearing right in front of him faster than the blink of an eye.


    She chose to strike first, a quick lunge aimed at Rey''s side, rather than the more obvious front area.


    It was no use, though.


    ''Even without any Skills to assist me, she''s still too slow.'' Rey deftly sidestepped, bringing his own sword up in a smooth arc to parry the attack.


    ~CLANG!~


    The two des met with a sharp sh, a spray of sparks lighting up the atmosphere as they locked inbat.


    ''Her movements are impressive. The strength she puts behind every attack is amazing. I''m not strictly a Martial Artist, but due to my [Perfect Divine Martial Supremacy] Skill, I can pretty much observe attacks from an expert''s standpoint.''


    And his verdict on Trisha''s moves was that of high praise.


    ''It''s clear she has honed those Skills to the limit. She even took my advice and perfectlyplemented her Martial Arts with her Skills, creating a very deadly move set.''


    All shecked was the power.


    ''But, I think it''s only a matter of time before she bes the strongest swordsman in the kingdom.''


    She was still behind Brutus in Stats, and even though she had more Skills than him, his level of mastery was higher.


    ''Based on her growth rate, I''d give her another six months, and she should have surpassed him.'' Rey felt a bit strange giving an assessment on such issues, but he could see everything from the lens of a Martial Artist and he knew he wasn''t wrong.


    ''I''m sure Billy would have already reached Brutus'' level by now, but it''s a shame he died so early.''


    Rey felt nothing when he thought about Billy''s death. It could have been because he suppressed his feelings, or maybe because he had already dissociated his emotions from the boy.


    Either way, he only thought it was a waste that he had to die so early.


    ''Billy would have been a valuable asset to humanity.''


    ~WHUUM!~


    Right as he was having these thoughts, Trisha pivoted, her movements a blur of speed and precision as she aimed a flurry of strikes at Rey, testing his defenses with a series of aggressive jabs and shes.


    Once again, he saw all of this with clear precision.


    ''It seems she already has most of her Skills activated by now. [Greater Lightning Magic]. [Greater Combat Application]. [Greater Danger Sense]. [Greater Sword Dance]. [Agility Boost]. [Fortitude].''


    Rey could see all their effects.


    ''But no [Aura Sword], huh? Why? Does she want to surprise me with it as some sort of hidden attack?'' He wondered.


    ''Well, let''s see¡­''


    Rey met each of her attacks with calm confidence, his de weaving a web of silver as he parried and blocked.


    He countered with a swift riposte, forcing Trisha to retreat a step as she narrowly avoided the thrust aimed at her shoulder.


    ''Nice. Of course, I''m just matching her pace, but still¡­ Trisha''s reflexes are off the charts.''


    He could even feel himself beginning to enjoy the sparring session.


    ''There''s one problem, though.'' Rey stared at his charred sword and sighed. ''This weapon won''tst for long. I didn''t want to use any Skill to reinforce it, but now I''m considering that route.''


    The undeterred Trisha regained her footing andunched another offensive, this time with a sweeping horizontal sh.


    Rey ducked under the strike, his own movements smooth and controlled. He spun on his heel, his sword slicing through the air as she aimed a diagonal cut at Trisha''s midsection.


    ''What will you do now? The force is a bit too much for you to handle norma¡ª"


    ~CLANG!~


    Trisha blocked the attack just in time, pushing her own body forward while nting her foot in the ground to create some kind of stoppage.


    Rey saw her gritting her teeth as she did so, their des grinding against each other as he pressed forward.


    ''Not bad¡­ no bad.''


    Trisha impressed him every time, and he was beginning to think of multiple ways to test her.


    ''Still, this sword¡­'' He nearly sighed. ''She''s been chipping at it for a while now. Hers isn''t in the best of shape either, but I think mine will break first.''


    The two of them disengaged momentarily, eyeing each other with respect.


    "Huu¡­" For a second, she exhaled deeply, releasing a cloud of misty breath.


    The sweat on her body began to evaporate as she swiftly took her stance, though this time it seemed different from before.


    Rey braced himself for what woulde next.


    ~VWUUUM!~


    Trisha switched tactics,unching a series of rapid, precise stabs aimed at his vulnerable points. If he was slower¡ªno, even of the same speed as her¡ªhe would have been in serious trouble.


    Unfortunately for her, he was just much faster.


    Rey dodged and parried with ease, his agility unmatched. He stepped in close, aiming a series of tight, controlled strikes at her head and torso.


    Trisha countered, her sword shing as she met Rey''s attacks with a flurry of blocks and evasive maneuvers. Rey''s relentless assault forced Trisha to retreat once more, her footing unsure on the slick cobblestones. Rey seized the opportunity, pressing forward with a rapid series of lunges and shes.


    Then¡ª


    ~CRACK!~


    ¡ªHis de finally shattered.


    ''Ahh¡­ the opening she''s been looking for.''


    Trisha''s sword burst out with brilliant light, revealing the [Aura Sword] she had been hiding for her final move.


    With a downward sh that contained all of her power, she sent the de crashing down.


    "HAAAAAAAA!!!"


    Her scream was filled with so much passion, and the weapon was filled with so much energy that it seemed like she had poured all of her energy into it.


    The brilliant sparks of lightning were mixed in with the reddish aura that flowed through the weapon, creating purple dances of power that coalesced at the point of impact.


    This, truly, was her ultimate move.


    If the target had been any Monster or human opponent, they were sure to take severe damage¡ªif not die on the spot.


    Unfortunately for her, and her impable attack, she was up against Rey Skr.


    ~CLANG!~


    Her de met a hard stop as he blocked it with a ck de, easily disrupting all of her powerful energy and movement.


    The sword materialized from Rey''s body onmand¡ªthe product of Emil''s properties that easily produced a more durable weapon faster than Trisha could hit.


    "I''ll end this now." He mumbled under his lips as he stepped forward, faster than the shocked Trisha could even react.


    ''You did well, Trisha. You are strong.''

 Chapter 582 End Of The Dance

    <h4>Chapter 582 End Of The Dance</h4>


    Trisha already knew¡­


    She had realized it a long time ago. It didn''t matter how hard she swung her de, or improved her form, or desired victory¡­ she was never going to get it.


    Not against someone like Rey.


    As the boy closed in on her after parrying her final move, she felt herself descend into a haze.


    ''I thought¡­ if I hit him one time, I could prove something to myself¡­ and to him. If I managed to do it, then he wouldn''t have been such a liar.''


    All this time, Rey portrayed himself as weak but skilled. It lit a me within her that even she could be stronger if she kept at her training and adhered to his advice.


    She indeed became stronger, but the bacsh of betrayal that came from her new perception of Rey wasn''t something she could ignore. She tried to, but was unsessful at every turn.


    It seemed like Rey lied to her all along.


    ''This is the difference between those who have good Skills and those who worked hard to hone their skill.'' Trisha closed her eyes as she watched Rey''s de near her.


    ''In the end, Skills are all that matters.''


    ~WHOOOM!~


    A powerful gust of wind blew past her, and she suddenly felt something warm wrap itself around her¡ªlike a coat that covered her from the front.


    It was Rey, and he was currently embracing her.


    "Trisha, I''m sorry¡­" As he whispered those words in her ears, his calm voice caused her body to grow stiff.


    She wasn''t miraculously relieved of the anger within her, but her heart raced regardless.


    "...."


    For the longest moment, she said nothing. Perhaps she derived some sort offort from being hugged by Rey, who now had a height taller than her.


    ~CLANG!~


    Her weapon fell to the ground, causing a loud echo to fill the room.


    Trisha remained silent, though. A conflicted expression yed on her face. It was clear that she still despised Rey for his several threads of deciet, and for how he gave her a hope¡ªan expectation¡ªthat she could never live up to.


    After all, back then¡­ when Rey fought and defeated Billy, he became an inspiration to her.


    She monitored his growth from that point on with utmost diligence and arrived at a conclusion.


    ''If Rey could do it, I can too¡­''


    But that was all a lie. And Trisha hated him for that.


    "I¡­ I had feelings for you for the longest time. I liked you so much, Rey."


    "...."


    "You knew, didn''t you?"


    "... Yeah."


    Silence pervaded the atmosphere as the two of them remained still. Rey''s arms were still wrapped around her, but there was no sign that any of that was going to end.


    "You don''t have feelings for me, I already know. Your eyes¡­ are for Alicia, am I right?"


    Once again, Rey was forced to give the only truthful response to her inquiry.


    "... Yeah."


    "I''m not sad about that. In the past, I wouldn''t have let that deter me, and I''dpete for your love and attention until I won." Trisha pulled back, and Rey weakly let her go.


    She took a few steps away, looking at him with moist eyes.


    "But I no longer think you''re worth it."


    Rey''s face remined calm through it all. It almost seemed he was a brick wall, unaffected by the words she uttered.


    ''I was worried that I went too far, but it seems I was wrong.'' Her unshed tears slowly began to dry up, and her trembling heart hardened.


    "I don''t think I can disagree with you on that." Rey''s voice pierced the air, causing her heart to jump a little.


    For what seemed like a tiny moment, emotions flickered in his eye before turning cold once again.


    "I know what I did. I''d do things very differently if I could, but¡­ I never meant to¡ª"


    "It''s fine, Rey, honestly." Trisha sighed, bending a little to pick up her de. Her sweaty ebony body gleamed as her muscles went on full disy.


    She grabbed the weapon by the hilt and shrugged once she stood upright.


    "It''s toote to change anything, anyway. Plus, it would be too petty of me to get upset with you over these minor things."


    Not only was Rey responsible for arge chunk of her growth, but he also protected her and the city more than once.


    She owed him her life and so much more.


    "Even then¡­ I can''t bring myself to forgive you. I don''t know why it''s so hard to just put it all behind me and only focus on the positives, but¡­ I really dislike you, Rey."


    Trisha hade up with all kinds of excuses for him, but in the end¡­ none of those could heal a damsel''s broken heart.


    "I hope you find happiness, Rey. I just don''t want a part in it." She spoke pretty bluntly, ncing to her side¡ªthe very entrance of the room.


    Throughout all of this, Rey was still silent¡ªthe cold, brooding kind.


    Her distracted gaze spotted something there, and as she narrowed her eyes at the ce, her lips parted.


    "Trisha, I¡ª"


    "Anything we can help you with, Guildmaster?" The sudden words she uttered caused Rey to sigh and also nce to the entrance, where someone was inconspiciously hiding.


    It seemed even Rey had noticed his presence. That was no surprise, all things considered. The one known as the Guildmaster was merely hiding behind the partly shut doors of the vast hall, and he must have been eavesdropping on the entire conversation.


    "Haha! Please don''t get the wrong idea¡­" A few seconds after Trisha spoke up, and both parties focused their attention on the door, the culprit stepped out with a slightly nervousugh.


    He had a short frame that suited him perfectly. He looked like a fine blend between a child and a teenager; cute, yet having an air of maturity about him.


    His dark brown coat fluttered as he scratched his simrly colored hair. One look at him, and one would never guess he was the Guildmaster of the Adventurers City.


    "... I wasn''t eavesdropping or anything."


    Those words were met with doubtful gazes from both Rey and Trisha as they looked at him with narrowed, suspecting eyes.


    "For real, for real!" He yelled out, raising both hands in surrender.


    In the presence of these two, it seemed he was nothing more than an ordinary teenager. That wasn''t so surprising, considering the fact that they were all ssmates.


    "It''s nice to see you again, Noah."


    "Don''t pretend like we didn''t see each other just a few months ago! You think I didn''t piece everything together and realize you''re Jet?"


    "Hold on¡­ you were Jet as well?!" Trisha''s eyes widened as she looked at Rey with eyes of disbelief.


    "Well, that was actually¡ª"


    "Unbelievable! Just how many lies¡­" Trisha''s frown deepened, and Rey could only do one thing in response to this.


    He turned to re at Noah.


    "I-I thought she knew! I mean¡­ sorry about that. My bad?"


    Rey sighed and shook his head. Clearly, this entire thing had be a mess too quickly, and he honestly didn''t know what to make of things.


    ''I''m still recoiling from this whole Trisha situation, and Noah had to rear his ugly head.''


    Just moments earlier, he had been dealing with a lot of emotional turmoil from Trisha''s words. He did his best to digest everything in small doses so they wouldn''t bepletely lost, but the information was so overwhelming that he had to calm himself to the extreme.


    It hurt to see Trisha look and sound so betrayed, so he had to eliminate¡ªor at least mitigate¡ªit. If he didn''t, the System would do so for him.


    This was the main reason why, despite noticing Noah from a distance, he didn''t pay the boy much mind. He gave Trisha, or rather, hisplication with Trisha, all the attention he could.


    ''Not that it was any good. She probably hates me now¡­'' Was what he thought until he checked her [Additional Information] on her Status Window and realized nothing about it had changed in the slightest.


    Trisha still had feelings for him.


    ''I really hurt her, and yet¡­ haa, Rey, you idiot.''


    ~Master, please don''t call yourself an idiot. I don''t think you are one. You''re the most wondeful person in the world!~


    Somehow, hearing that from Emil made him feel slightly better.


    It almost reminded him of the times that his grandmother would call him handsome, giving him hope that one day¡ªin the future¡ªmany girls would begin to flock around him and see him for the great guy he was.


    ''Thank you¡­'' He smiled slightly.


    ~You''re wee, Master! Now, about the dare that¡ª!~


    "Why are you here, Guildmaster? If not for eavesdropping, then what?"


    "Actually¡­ I called him." Rey said with a sigh. "I just didn''t think he''d be here so soon."


    "Or you didn''t think you''d spend so much time with me."


    Trisha''s response to Rey''s words weren''t particrly wrong. After all, he never expected them to fight, and he didn''t think he would drag things out the way he did.


    "I guess I just enjoyed the fight a lot more than I realized." He said to Trisha, shing a genuine smile at her.


    She looked, and was, shocked to find him disying such emotion as he focused the full scope of his attention on her.


    "I know my opinion doesn''t really matter, and this might seem pretentiousing from me, but¡­ you''ve grown very strong."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Sorry for the mixup yesterday. Forgive me!

 Chapter 583 Catching Up

    Chapter 583 Catching Up


    Awkward silence.


    As the three-way deadlock remained at a standstill, the atmosphere grew more tense with every passing second.


    Guildmaster Noah, looking more like a child than an actual leader, kept fidgeting as he alternated nces between Rey and Trisha. As for the two, they stared at each other without saying a word.


    "Me? Strong? Please don''t joke."


    "I''m not joking. I enjoyed my fight with you." Rey raised his hand towards Trisha. "It was enjoyable."


    Perhaps it was because he had the Martial Arts Supremacy Skill, but despite being able to see and easily react to Trisha''s moves, he could still admire her skills.


    No, maybe it was because he could see everything that he had a better appreciation for her prowess.


    "You really impressed me."


    "Whatever." Trisha scoffed, slowly walking away from Rey as she moved towards the entrance¡ªwhich also served as the exit.


    "The world needs the Otherworlders, so I have no choice but to grow stronger. As powerful as you are, I don''t think it''s wise to leave the safety of humanity in your hands alone." She walked past Noah and nodded slightly, muttering "Guildmaster," before walking out of the room.


    "Also¡­ I enjoyed my fight with you too."


    Those were herst words before she left the room for Rey and Noah, taking most of the tension away with her as she departed.


    **************


    "Haaa¡­!"


    Moments passed after Trisha left the room before both Rey and Noah finally released the breaths they had been holding for some time.


    While it was true that Rey was stronger, and Noah had more influence, both of them still felt tense around the fierce tomboy that was Trisha. Maybe it was just the way she spoke or reacted, but they waited a few seconds before saying anything¡ªeven after she left.


    Then, after what felt like an eternity, Noah finally broke the silence.


    "Damn man¡­ you really pissed her off. I wonder why¡­" The smaller boy made a sly grin, looking at Rey with knowing eyes.


    "Shut up, Noah. You know why."


    "Of course! Haha! I guess with the cat out of the bag, things are also quite tense back in the Royal Estate."


    Rey shrugged as he heard this. He shook his head and even sighed. "Not really. In fact, most of them were pretty cool with it." "Yeah¡­ I guess. But most of them weren''t your friends, so I guess that makes sense."


    Noah''s response made Rey''s face tense up a little, but he quickly dissolved it all and returned his expression to the stoic kind.


    "Hm?" Noah tilted his head a little, obviously noticing the change, but he said nothing more on the issue.


    In fact, he said nothing more about Trisha as well.


    "Tell me you organized this meeting because you finally found a way back to Earth." Heughed, having his seat on the bare floor.


    His friendly tone perfectly matched the unimposing look on his face. He didn''t look angry, neither was he hurt. He truly seemed happy to see Rey.


    "I¡­ haven''t found a way back. But if I did, would you really want to return?"


    "Ehh¡­ I''m not quite sure anymore." Noah said with a broader smile.


    "What does that even mean?"


    "I mean, there are days when I feel like returning, but others where I feel like this world is too good to pass up." Upon hearing this, Rey couldn''t help but nod and smile. He wholeheartedly agreed with the sentiment.


    ''I wouldn''t want to return, but¡­ I can understand why some would.''


    Life in H''Trae held the most promise for him. He had his challenges sure, but he wouldn''t trade it for anything in the world.


    "So why did you call for me? I mean, I am the Guildmaster of this ce, but¡­ I guess, in a sense, I''m still yourckey."


    Despite the way Noah phrased those words, it didn''t seem like he took offense by it, or the thought of that position made him ufortable.


    Instead, he seemed somewhat proud of it.


    The only one who seemed to have an issue with the status quo was Rey.


    "Why would you still call yourself myckey? You''ve made a big name for yourself already."


    "What? Being Guildmaster? If not for what you did, giving me that sword and making that big speech, I don''t think I would have been able to achieve such status so quickly."


    Rey chuckled and shook his head. "You underestimate yourself, Noah."


    Sure, if there were more qualified people, perhaps Noah wouldn''t have been considered for the role. However, not only did he prove to be the strongest Adventurer in the city, but he also had a spirit of camaraderie that was evident during the Teleportation Incident of the Dungeon, and also how he stood up for Jet and Lux when they needed him most.


    He showed that he had everything it took to be a good leader¡ªand a strong one too.


    "I don''t consider you myckey, Noah." Rey smiled as he softly nted his fist on his shoulder. The two of them had gone a long way since they first knew each other. Noah was the first person he intentionally showed his true identity to, and while the start of their rtionship wasn''t the best, they hade so far.


    That was more than enough reason for Rey to utter his next set of words.


    "You''re my friend."


    A slight hint of pink appeared all over Noah''s face as he looked at Rey and his genuine smile towards him. His jaws loosened slightly as the two boys stared at each other in sacred silence for a moment. Then¡ª


    "W-whatever¡­ it''s fine." He murmured, looking away from the smooth talker. "I mean¡­ I already consider you my friend as well."


    Rey chuckled and nodded. "Yeah, thanks."


    "A-also¡­ as a friend, I have to ask¡­ since you disguised yourself as Jet, did you also do the same as Lux? Did you shapeshift as her, or¡­?"


    "No. She''s real."


    "Whew!" Noah held his chest and sighed.


    Since he had fallen head over heels for Lux, he would have feltpletely weird if that had been Rey all along. How would he be able to live with himself if he had indirectly been ogling him?!


    "Ugh¡­" The boy shivered.


    "I''m actually surprised you are taking all of this well. I remember you crying over Jet''s death, and also falling for Lux." Rey murmured. "Aren''t you a bit livid that I deceived you like that?"


    "..." Noah''s face slowly became serious¡ªalmost stern¡ªas he took in Rey''s question.


    "Well, it''s been nearly three months since all of that. I suppose that''s enough time to get over some things." He began with a slightly low tone. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Besides, I don''t know if everyone informed you of this, but I visited the Capital as soon as I heard the news."


    Indeed, Rey heard the news from his ssmates when they were discussing all that Rey missed in his near-three monthsa.


    "I did my best to convince that servant of yours¡­ the red-haired one¡­ but he didn''t let me see you. I had to settle for meeting everyone else and having a talk with them."


    It was then that they revealed themselves to have disguised as Adventurers to participate in the Grand Cmity ss Dungeon Conquest.


    "Of course, I already figured most of this out. Not only because the higher-ups who supported the Guildmaster told me, but also due to my observations."


    In fact, it was after these observations that his suspicion of Jet, Lux, and the other Adventurers¡ªwho were secretly his ssmates¡ªbegan to surface. The Vice Guildmasters spilling the beans was only due to him pressuring them on the topic.


    "I still can''t believe you did all that¡­ listening to me talk about you in that bar, and pretending to be another person for so long¡­ it''s crazy."


    Still, Noah returned to the topic and sighed.


    "I couldn''t get mad at you even if I wanted to. I know you too well for that." The two of them had gone to the ck Market together, and they had been through thick and thin. Also, thanks to the revtion of Rey as Jet, Noah didn''t need to bring him up to speed regarding his new perspective on the world and how much he had grown.


    The two knew too much about each other.


    "Whatever you do has a reason. You disguised yourself as Jet, instead of Ralyks, for a purpose. You didn''t reveal your identity to me for a reason, and you went through all of those theatrics for a reason."


    Yes, Noah was curious about those reasons, but he wasn''t going to condemn Rey for anything.


    "Don''t worry about all of that, Rey. We''re cool."


    All of that meant a lot to Rey, and while his expression didn''t do his current emotional state justice, he knew Noah would understand regardless.


    "Thanks. So, how''s the sword treating you?"


    "I figured it wasn''t any special cursed sword or anything, but it''s still pretty good. Just introduce me to Lux and we''ll call it even."


    "That''s¡­ actually the main reason I contacted you, Noah." Rey sighed and shook his head.


    His expression turned grim and a hint of desperation shed in his eyes.


    "I''m looking for her."

 Chapter 584 Going Through The Archives

    Chapter 584 Going Through The Archives


    "I see. So that''s what happened¡­"


    Noah''s voice echoed in the vast hall as Rey nodded his head. Thetter had just finished telling the former all about his rtionship with Esme¡ªwell, the important bits anyway¡ªand how he was currently searching for her,


    At first, Noah was relieved to find out Esme was in no way rted to Rey, though that should have already been clear.


    However, the more Rey spoke about her, the more Noah began to see some problematic signs.


    Signs from both Rey and the Esme of his stories.


    ''Do these two like each other?'' He thought to himself, still contemting if he should ask the question or keep it to himself.


    From the way Rey spoke, it seemed as though everything he talked about was normal. The guy probably didn''t think anything of their rtionship.


    ''If that''s the case, then I better not give him any ideas by bringing it up.''


    Plus, the topic at hand was a lot heavier than romance. Esme had vanished from the Grand Cmity ss Dungeon and he had no way to track her down.


    "But why do you think she''d be here?"


    "Because I think, even if she left the Dungeon, it''s only rational that she''d move somewhere we both have a connection to¡ªat least, pending the time I found her."


    The most rational thing Rey would have done would be to wait for Esme in the Royal Estate, since she already said she wasing for him, but that would only work if she wasn''t a couple monthste.


    "She should have reached the Capital at this point, so that leaves two major possibilities." He began, raising his fingers.


    "One, she arrived at the Royal Estate, but for some reason decided not to enter or make her presence known. If that happened, then she''d have gotten the gist of what happened to me."


    From that point on, she could either choose to remain in the Capital or leave.


    Rey suspected she left.


    "Esme''s desire to grow strong was still evident thest time I saw her. If she wanted to keep growing strong, and also ensure she was essible when I woke up, then¡­"


    "The Adventurers City is her best bet." Noahpleted Rey''s sentence for him, and thed nodded with a silent sigh.


    "That''s why I''m here. She should have given me some clues about her presence here. Maybe the name she used to register as an Adventurer¡­ or something like that."


    "So you want me to look into the archives for you, starting from the suspected date that she would have registered?"


    "Us. I want us to do it. There''s no way I''m leaving all that work to you."


    Even though Rey said these considerate, friendly words, Noah couldn''t help but sense some measure of protectiveness oozing from his lips.


    Still, he avoided saying anything on the matter.


    "Well, let''s get to work, shall we?"


    "Yeah, the sooner the better." Rey said with a sigh, jumping to his feet very quickly.


    The dreary atmosphere was no ce for a conversation, but the two had managed anyway. As Noah also stood to his feet, he observed Rey''s stoic demeanor once again.


    It felt almost doll-like, and the eyepatchplemented it even further.


    "You sound like you''re in a hurry, but you don''t look like it." Hemented with a broad grin.


    "Well¡­" With a shrug, Rey opened his lips to exin. "¡­ There''ll be a city parade today, and all the recognized Otherworlders have to be present. I''ll have to pick up Trisha for the event too."


    Noah heard this and heaved a sigh, raising both hands as he shook his head.


    "It''s a good thing I''m not officially recognized as one. I dislike events like that."


    "Likewise, but it''s necessary." Rey muttered. His eye narrowed as he remembered the dreary fact that the parade was only one part of his busy day.


    "There''s also going to be a Gter at night. I''m sure it''ll be tedious, but it''s better we get it over with now."


    "True. Welp, good luck clinking sses together and having small talk with snobbish rich folks."


    "It''s not like in the movies, man."


    "Really?"


    "Well¡­ maybe a little."


    "Pfft!"


    "Anyway¡­" Rey created a portal in an instant, it''s spatial distortion generating a purple glow that pulsated with power,


    "¡­ Let''s get going, shall we?"


    "Alright. Ah, by the way¡­ you mentioned two possibilities back then. What''s the second one?" n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "¡­."


    Rey narrowed his eye as soon as heard the question. It seemed he didn''t want to explore it at all, but current circumstances had forced his hand.


    Still, it wasn''t like he was going to hide it from Noah at this point.


    "She could be with the Elves¡­"


    Noah stared at Rey for a while, and while it was difficult to tell his actual emotional state from the look on his face, the boy tried.


    "You don''t want that, do you?"


    "No. But¡­ if she does, then I would respect her choice."


    Noah raised his brow even further as he looked at Rey.


    "But didn''t she say she wasing for you? Why would she go to the Elves? Especially when, ording to what you told me, they dislike her guts."


    Rey sighed and shrugged in defeat.


    "Look, I don''t know. It''s just a possibility anyway, so¡ª"


    "Well, it''s a dumb possibility."


    "Tch. Whatever¡­"


    Noah could see a small smile tugging on Rey''s lips as that thought process was discredited by him. Even though he didn''t show it very much, Rey was most likely d that the possibility for Esme''s departure was slim.


    ''Dumb indeed¡­'' Noah ventured into the portal, followed by Rey.


    As soon as they entered inside, the purple wormhole sucked them in and then vanished into oblivion.


    ********


    [Hours Later]


    A look of defeat took over Noah''s face as he plopped to the ground. Rey still remained standing, going over the records one more time with his superhuman speed.


    This was his ninth time going through the archives now, yet it didn''t seem like he had given up.


    "We''ve searched all of them, Rey¡­" Noah mumbled, not sure how to approach the issue exactly.


    Still, it had to be said inly.


    "Esme didn''t register as an Adventurer here."

 Chapter 585 Exploring Varying Possibilities

    Chapter 585 Exploring Varying Possibilities


    Rey''s breathing felt heavy.


    He had thought, for sure, that his theory would be correct¡ªor at least show some bearing in reality.


    ''None of these faces and names resemble her at all. If she wanted me to find her, she would have left something behind. Anything¡­!''


    Initially, Rey was chill about it. When he checked for the first time and didn''t find her, he was sure he just missed something.


    But, after twelve times now, going over the documents of every single Adventurer that had registered from the day of hisa till present, he found nothing.


    ''In checked all the details¡ªeven the information of all the Quests they''ve taken. Yet¡­ nothing!''


    Rey felt stuck.


    More frustrating than his growing anxiety was the fact that he had to suppress it every time so he was forcibly calm about everything.


    The cycle continued for far too long that it began to grow infuriating.


    Unfortunately, when he stopped actively controlling that portion of his emotion, the System did it for him¡ªforcefully granting him full rity


    "Okay, so what if she didn''t register as an Adventurer? She could still be in the city, right? There are people who challenge the Dungeons without being Adventurers, right?"


    "Yeah, but that''s illegal." Noah said while shaking his head. "Esme doesn''t strike me as someone who would go down that route.


    Not only would that be morally wrong¡ªsomething a ''Good'' person like her wouldn''t resort to unnecessarily¡ªbut it only made it harder to find her.


    "If she wanted you to find her here, wouldn''t she have registered?"


    If there was no record of her, it most likely meant she didn''t choose to stay in the Adventurers City.


    "Does that mean¡­ the second option is what she¡ª?"


    "I already told you that it''s a dumb proposition. I''m sure there are other ways to exin her disappearance." Noah folded his arms and raised a brow, staring at Rey with curious eyes.


    "You know her best. What could she have been up to?"


    "Well, there are many exnations, in all honesty." Rey responded as he leaked out a misty sigh.


    He had no idea where to begin.


    Still, a dark thought kept creeping in his mind¡ªone that he had been avoiding since he thought about Esme after waking up.


    "She could be in danger. Maybe even dead. There are many exnations as to why she isn''t¡ª"


    "Stop being so negative. She could also be exploring the world at the moment, or maybe looking for a cure for youra. Just saying¡­"


    Rey''s eyes widened as he stared at Noah.


    ''That''s true! Esme doesn''t know I''m awake yet!''


    What if, the same way he desperately wanted to lift Alicia''s curse, Esme was also trying her best somewhere to seek out a remedy for him?


    ''If that''s the case, she could be anywhere!''


    Perhaps he had to actively begin searching for her, starting from wherever the Dungeon''s exit led to at the point of her departure from it.


    ''I remember Esme mentioning glitched Skills. Does that mean she knows more about Curses too? No¡­ that''s a bit of a far-fetched assumption.''


    If she knew about curses, she would have done something to help her friends and the other kids back in Scy''sir.


    ''Or could it be because she knows about curses that she knew there wasn''t hope for those ones? Well, the only way to really know is to find and ask her.'' Rey settled in his thoughts as he looked nkly into the air.


    "Unfortunately, that can''t be done now. I have to fetch Trisha, and we have to make it to the parade that''s starting soon."


    "I see. I''ll do my best to ask around for more information¡ªnot just from this city, but the surrounding ones as well."


    Rey gave Noah a tired smile and nodded. "Thanks, I''d really appreciate it if you did that."


    "It''s no problem. I also look forward to meeting her."


    "Why, though?"


    "Let''s just say¡­ I''m interested."


    Rey''s face was still as stoic as ever, so Noah couldn''t tell what he was thinking inside his head.


    The only reason he decided to push this far was to see if his friend truly didn''t have anything with Esme before he developed more of an interest in her and made his move.


    Depending on Rey''s response, he would act appropriately.


    ''You already have Alicia, so leave somedies for the rest of us.'' He wanted to shout out loud, but he maintained hisposure.


    ''So what will it be, Re¡ª?"


    "Well, I guess that''s fine." His response was curt and detached, almost as if he didn''t care at all.


    "For real?"


    "Yeah. I mean, if you want to shoot your shot¡­ that''s fine."


    Noah didn''t know if Rey was truly cool with it, but he didn''t dare prod any further.


    ''He''s already made his position clear! Looks like I''ll have to work hard to find her before he does.'' His eyes gleamed as he rubbed his hands together.


    ''Even now, I can''t get her out of my head.''


    "In any case, I have to leave now." Rey opened a portal almost as soon as he said that.


    "Once again, thanks for everything. I wasn''t surprised you became the Guildmaster. As long as you have Britta and the others by your side, I''m sure you''ll be fine."


    "Pfft! Well, yeah. They do most of the work for me anyway."


    "I figured."


    The two boysughed, almost reminiscent of old times.


    It was obvious that there were a lot of questions they had to ask each other, but now wasn''t the time. As such, they made the unspoken decision to postpone their talk to another time.


    "How do you n to locate Trisha? Should I ask someone to fetch her for you?"


    "No need for that." Rey grinned, his eye glowing crimson. "I already know where she is." n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    He already ced Tracking Magic on her, so not only was he aware of her position in real-time, but he could also teleport there in an instant.


    "Later."


    ~VWUSH!~


    In a gust of spatial energy, Rey vanishedpletely.

 Chapter 586 The Parade

    Chapter 586 The Parade


    "Presenting to you all¡­ the Otherworlders: Humanity''s Champions!"


    The parade around the city was met with a loud uproar from the denizens of the city as all the avable heroes of mankind¡ªthe Otherworlders¡ªand the representatives of the Nobles, as well as the Royal Council, walked the streets of the Capital.


    The streets of the newly rebuilt capital exuded a sense of grandeur and rejuvenation. Cobblestone paths winded gracefully through the city, meticulously maintained and polished to a brilliant sheen.


    As the group paraded through, they noticed intricate mosaics iid within the streets, depicting the city''s rich history and triumphant rise from the ashes.


    There were new facilities around, but most of the Capital maintained its old architecture.


    The buildings lining the streets were a fine blend of traditional and contemporary architecture.


    Towering spires and elegant domes punctuated the skyline, while stout, stone walls and arched windows created an imposing yet weing atmosphere.


    Overall, the atmosphere in the city was one of celebration.


    The banner of the United Human Alliance, an Amalgamation of the crests of all the Nations who banded together against the Dragons, was raised high to represent humanity''s pride.


    As the g fluttered in the breeze, the parade passed by.


    Musicians yed lively tunes, their melodies permeating the air and setting a joyous tone. Crowds of townspeople gathered along the streets, their faces filled with pride and excitement as they cheered and waved to the procession.


    Markets and shops are bustling with activity, their stalls brimming with goods from near and far.


    Everything felt the same¡ªalmost even better.


    The main highlight of this parade, however, were the five Otherworlders who led the charge.


    Or rather, the one who stood at the forefront.


    There were Trisha, Justin, rk, and Belle¡ªeach getting waves and recognition for their aplishments and strength.


    However, the attention they received was dwarfed by the one that was showered on the true savior of the Capital.


    The man who defeated the creature of cmity¡ªone whom many had witnessed firsthand,


    His name was Rey Skr; recognized leader of the Otherworlders.


    ***********


    ''This attention is a little overwhelming.''


    Rey felt almost nothing despite thinking this thanks to his increased mastery over controlling his feelings.


    That didn''t make it any less ufortable.


    He nced to his left and right, ensuring to wave around at the people who cheered for him and his friends.


    ''I can see everyone and everything around me, so there really isn''t any need to move my head, but¡­'' Rey was sure he would look like a weirdo if he simply waved and kept his gaze forward.


    It could also be interpreted as a little rude¡ªsomething he wasn''t being in the slightest.


    ''In any case, the parade is a lot more crowded than I thought.''


    Rey was informed that it would just a brief thing that was meant to raise the spirits of everyone in the City and also re-establish the influence and presence of the Otherworlders in the eyes of humanity.


    And, it would also be his proper debut.


    Thus far, everything seemed to have been blown out of proportion.


    ''Did Ater overdo things again because it''s my debut?'' Rey couldn''t help but think this was the case.


    Also, as if the external cheers and noise wasn''t enough, he kept getting squeals from inside him.


    ~KYAAAA! Master, you''re so awesome! You''re so popr and great! Everyone recognizes your greatness! I''m so pleased!~


    Yes, Emil wouldn''t shut up.


    She had been yelling and squealing like an incorrigible fan girl since the parade began, and Rey didn''t think it would end anytime soon.


    Still, he allowed her to indulge herself.


    ''Ater is nowhere to be seen, per usual. I guess he''s setting things up for the G, so I can''t me him.''


    Besides, with Rey having a proper look at the city that was previously in mes, he couldn''t help but feel incredibly impressed with Ater.


    He had already seen everything when he flew above the city, but there was something about walking through the streets that granted him a new perspective on things.


    ''How did Ater manage all of this within three months?'' Rey couldn''t help but wonder.


    Other than a few areas in the Capital''s outskirts and fringe areas, evergrhing was pretty much set.


    ~Master, I could also aplish it in three months! No, two! No¡­ give me only one!~


    ''You? Pfft¡­ sure.'' Rey couldn''t help but leak out a grin as Emil''s voice echoed in his mind.


    ~It''s true! Let me destroy everything and I''ll show you what I can do!~


    ''The hell? Destroy? What are you talking about?''


    His smile instantly vanished.


    ~Tehee¡­ just teasing you, Master~


    At that moment, Rey wanted to p his hand on his face for falling for Emil''s childish provocation. Still, he controlled himself.


    At the moment, he was a distinguished fellow, and all eyes were on him.


    He couldn''t afford to mess up.


    ''Still, despite all myints and reservations¡­ this is beautiful.''


    The city was colorful and cheerful.


    It warmed his heart a little, especially seeing all the smiles and optimism that the people disyed.


    ''I wish you were here to see this, Alicia¡­ Adonis¡­''


    ********


    The Parade reached a sacred climax when the group arrived at their destination¡ªthe City Square.


    Everyone gathered solemnly there to honor the three heroes who had fallen in battle: Eric the Mage, Billy the Warrior, and Snow, the White Rabbit.


    A sense of reverence hung over the crowd as the statues were unveiled, each one meticulously crafted to capture the essence of the heroes'' bravery and sacrifice.


    Eric the Mage stood tall and proud, his piercing gaze immortalized in stone as he held a wand aloft, a symbol of his mastery over magic and his unyielding spirit.


    His robes flowed gracefully around him, carved with intricate patterns that hinted at his deep knowledge and power.


    Honestly, he looked a lot more valiant in the statue than he ever looked in real life. Unfortunately, the lifeless eyes of the statue could never capture the gleam of adventure that he often disyed.


    The sses did a good job at hiding that fact, though, so the sculpted work resembled him to a fault,


    Beside him, Billy the Warrior was depicted in a moment of triumph, his sword raised high and his armor shining. The sculptor had captured the fierce determination in his expression, reflecting his unwaveringmitment to protect the city and its people at any cost.


    Those who deeply knew Billy knew how somewhat wed this depiction was, but they still decided to respect the new perception of him. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    He died being a protector, after all.


    The statue of Snow, the White Rabbit, was a departure from the traditional hero, but no less significant.


    Snow''s delicate form was seated with a serene expression, embodying both grace and resilience. Her fur was meticulously detailed, and she stood within her forelimbs folded as she made a strangely serious pose.


    It was strange to see an animal propped up in such a way, but the Otherworlders couldn''t help but nod in respect.


    In fact, the statue hardly did her Justice.


    As the crowd looked upon the statues, they felt a deep sense of gratitude and loss.


    Flowers and tokens of remembrance wereid at the feet of the statues, and prayers were whispered in honor of the fallen heroes.


    The people vowed to keep their memories alive, ensuring that their sacrifice would never be forgotten.


    With the statues now standing as a permanent tribute in the heart of the city, the people found sce in knowing that Eric, Billy, and Snow would forever be celebrated as symbols of courage and selflessness.


    And as for the rest of the Otherworlders, the statues served as a reminder of the friends they lost¡ªas well as the reason they lost them.


    The enemies¡­ the Dragons.

 Chapter 587 The Gala Incident [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 587 The G Incident [Pt 1]</h4>


    [Later That Night]


    "How boring¡­"


    Rey found himself holding a ss of wine as he nced around him, soaking in the rich and loud atmosphere that surrounded him.


    The grand hall of the royal pce gleamed under the soft glow of countless crystal chandeliers. The vast space was adorned with silk banners and therge windows had pristine curtains.


    A majestic red carpet stretched across the polished marble floor, leading to the center of the room.


    Nobles and powerful men from across the Alliance mingled with grace and sophistication. Their attire was avish disy of wealth and status¡ªrich velvet gowns adorned with precious gemstones and borate embroidery, and sharp tailored suits with brocade waistcoats and capes lined with exotic furs.


    As they conversed,ughter and the delicate clinking of sses filled the air.


    At the side of the hall, a grand banquet table overflowed with an array of sumptuous dishes: roasted meats, exotic fruits, and intricate pastries crafted by only the finest chefs that humanity had to offer.


    Servants moved with precision, attending to the guests'' every need, offering goblets of rare wines and tters of delicacies.


    A soft melody from a string quartet provided a harmonious backdrop, as some people even took to the dance floor in graceful, flowing movements.


    Their dance was a reflection of courtly tradition and elegance; still maintaining their dignity with every rhythm made.


    Essentially, it was a party for the rich.


    ''So this is how a G is. How do people enjoy these things¡­?" Rey mumbled while downing some of the wine that sloshed around his cup.


    He was currently wearing a ck suit¡ªthe swallowtail tuxedo kind. He initially thought it would blend perfectly well with this kind of scenery, but now that he was here, he realized that he was way out of his league.


    The people present were adorned in several essories¡ªmost of them Enchanted¡ªand it suddenly seemed like he was underdressed for the party.


    But Rey didn''t care.


    ''I can''t wait for this to end. That way, I can focus more on finding Esme and curing Alicia.''


    He hoped to be able to do those two before being dispatched to the front lines to finally confront the Dragons once and for all.


    ''There''s also the fact that I need to get stronger. Much stronger!''


    Until he could fight and defeat something like Dagon without much of an effort, he wouldn''t be satisfied.


    ''Divine Beasts still pose a danger to me. I can''t have that.'' He felt his grip grow stronger on the ss cup, so he decided to loosen up the tension a little.


    To do that, he looked around for his ssmates, spotting them almost instantly.


    Justin and rk were busy flirting with somedies¡ªor rather, it was Justin doing most of the flirting while rk was his tag along.


    Belle was being approached by many noblemen¡ªmany of whom were ogling her with lustful eyes.


    Of course, they kept up a facade of deference, but Rey could tell that if she wasn''t an Otherworlder, they would have definitely acted on their urges.


    ''Looks like Trisha is getting along well with the security details and the more fit men of the group.'' Rey smiled as he cast a sideway nce at her.


    He would have to return her to the Adventurers City after all of this was over, but for now, she could enjoy the party.


    As one would expect from an event where several rich and powerful people were in attendance, the number of guards that surrounded the pce was incredible.


    Security constantly patrolled the hallways, and some even stood in the hall itself.


    All of it was to guarantee as much safety as possible.


    ''But isn''t this a waste of resources? I doubt these guards will be able to handle any threat that we won''t be able to face.'' Rey nced at them and observed their Status Windows.


    The average guard was around Level 10, and while they had some Items that helped boost their abilities, their Stats and Skills were too pathetic to be of any real use when it came to dangerous enemies.


    ''Wouldn''t they be better used patrolling the city, or any of the outskirts regions, where security is currently thinner?''


    That wasn''t his call to make, though.


    Rey already knew of the hierarchy of this world, and even though the Royal Pce was the safest ce any of these nobles could be¡ªthanks to the presence of the Otherworlders¡ªthey still wanted to have the highest security detail made avable to them.


    ''Let''s not dwell on that. Trisha and everyone else seems to be having some degree of fun, so that''s good.'' He sighed, taking in another gulp.


    Everyone seemed to be enjoying this celebration to an extent¡­ except him.


    "Aren''t you a sight for sore eyes?" A voice echoed in his ears and he nced to his side almost as soon as he heard it.


    Thedy beside him wore a shimmering white gown that matched her hair, and a ne with crimson gems thatplemented her eyes.


    She had bangles and earrings of gold, and her shoes seemed impably carved, with her pale feet resting atop it.


    All in all, her outfit only enhanced her beauty.


    "Lucielle¡­"


    The moment she heard her name, Lucielle smiled at Rey, drawing closer as she reached for his neck.


    "I have no idea what you''re doing, hiding in an inconspicuous corner like this¡­" She began to adjust the tie around his neck.


    Apparently, he got it all wrong.


    "No one is going to notice you if you stay here."


    "That''s kind of the idea."


    She giggled as soon as she heard that, almost as if the very statement was funny.


    "I can rte. But, well¡­"


    "Duty, huh?"


    "Bingo! You don''t have to do it if you don''t want to, though since you already acted chummy with Conrad and Vida, you might as well see this through to the end."


    Rey sighed as Lucielle finished her speech. Coincidentally, his tie was also perfectly readjusted at that moment.


    He didn''t even know where to begin when it came to the Grand Mage, who was now broadly smiling at him.


    ''I made sure to erase my presence, yet she still found me here. Was she actively searching for me, or¡­?''


    Looking at her bright face, he couldn''t help but admire it regardless.


    ''She really is pretty.''


    "So¡­ what do you say, Rey Skr? Want to dance with me?"


    If anyone had told Rey that he would be asked to dance by the prettiestdy in the room, he would have said they were crazy.


    But, here it was¡ªsomething he would never have had in his life on Earth.


    Here, he was a superstar whom everyone had to respect and fear. He was a champion of his people, and someone who could stand at the highest point of influence.


    Yet¡­


    ''¡­ I don''t feel particrly moved by it.''


    Rey thought he would feel a lot happier¡ªmore satisfied, more confident, and perhaps a lot prouder¡ªafter getting to this point.


    But it all felt the same.


    ''Maybe my perspective is getting a little skewed.'' He hid his sigh as he reached out his hand and held Lucielle''s.


    ''Just enjoy the moment, Rey. You deserve it¡­''


    After putting himself in that mental space, he finally smiled at the youngdy before him and drew closer to her.


    "Sure, why not?"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]

 Chapter 588 The Gala Incident [Pt 2]

    Chapter 588 The G Incident [Pt 2]


    Lucielle was a great dancer.


    Rey could feel it with every rhythm of her body as he held her and she held him.


    They easily took the center stage and everyone immediately made way for them. All of a sudden, within the snap of a finger, they became the center of attention.


    The tempo of the music suddenly began to rise as the two began to move faster, and everyone seemed to slow down.


    In fact, they stopped dancing altogether.


    "Everyone is looking at us, Rey." Lucielle said with a smile, her red eyes glowing as she stared straight into his eyes.


    "I know."


    As he said this, he raised her into the air, firmly holding her waist as he turned. Afterward, he pulled her back to the ground and drew her closer to his chest.


    This was something he had seen in movies and he just wanted to try it out. Thankfully, he was athletic enough, and his body was perfectly in sync with his mind.


    He pulled the move off splendidly, and the gasps of ps from people seemed to indicate that he did a good job.


    "I didn''t think you were this energetic, Rey." Lucielle also gasped as she held onto his shoulders and they continued dancing.


    "Have you always been this way?"


    Rey shook his head and served for the side, making sure Lucielle''s body nearly fell before he grabbed her from behind and paused for a moment.


    They both looked into each other''s eyes and he smiled.


    "Not always."


    He picked her back up and they continued the dance. At this point, everyone''s full focus was on the two of them.


    Even the groups who were talking¡ªwhether about business or leisure¡ªinstantly ceased their actions and worked the captivating dance of the two.


    ¡­ The dance of the strongest.


    "So, Rey¡­ about that talk I asked you about¡­"


    "Hm?"


    Swerving and turning, they continued their movements with perfect fluidity.


    They were both in sync with each other.


    "I apologize if it came off as rude or overbearing, but I''m serious, you know?"


    "Why do you want to have the talk so badly?"


    "To learn, obviously! You have knowledge and power I don''t know of. I want to study it and see if I can apply it to my existing knowledge."


    "Why? To grow stronger?"


    "W-well¡­"


    "Do you want to get stronger so you can defeat the Dragons? Protect your people? Or is there something else?"


    "¡­"


    For a moment, silence echoed between the two of them. Then, right as Lucielle twisted her body, with Rey holding her hand upward, then drawing her closer into his arms, he whispered into her ears.


    "Come on. If you don''t tell me your motivations, how am I supposed to be convinced?"


    She smiled at him, her face close to his.


    "I can''t lie, can I?"


    "Nope." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    They resumed dancing at a normal pace, and then she heaved a sigh before continuing.


    "Let''s just say it''s an obsession of mine."


    "Oh? What is?"


    "It drives me crazy when I know there''s something I don''t know, but someone else knows it."


    "Huh?"


    Rey was rightfully confused. It was only normal that others would have more knowledge about certain things than any single individual¡ªno matter who they were.


    Lucielle, even as the Grand Mage, would be severelycking in terms of some information.


    How could she obsess over such a thing?


    "It has to be something I''m interested in, of course, so I''m not bothered about stuff like Martial Arts or Politics."


    "Ohhh¡­" Rey let out softly. ''Now it makes sense.''


    Lucielle, just like anyone, had her interests. It just happened to be something that Rey was incredibly adept at.


    ''I can understand the reason for her interest in me, but I''m really not interested in Magic Talk right now.''


    Ater had already confirmed that Magic wasn''t going to help him cure Alicia, so it was of little Utility to him at the moment.


    The only one it really benefited was Lucielle.


    ''If I had more time, I would have considered it more. But right now, I have other important things to worry about.''


    If he sorted those things on schedule, and he had some time to spare, then he wouldn''t mind having an extensive talk with her.


    "Look, Lucielle¡­"


    "I''m not asking for an answer now. I already know I have less to offer you than you have to offer me." Her tone seemed especially desperate, but she kept herposure nheless.


    ''So she noticed my indifference, huh?''


    "Just keep it in mind. Keep me in mind. I''lle up with something that''ll interest you. Once I manage to do that¡­ you won''t be able to hesitate this much."


    Rey felt a smile forming on his face as he watched Lucielle''s determined expression.


    "You''re really confident, huh?"


    "Yup!" The moment she shed her signature smile, Rey felt his heart jump a little.


    "Just you wait, Rey Skr. I''m going to pick your brains to my satisfaction¡­ very soon."


    It felt a bit strange, watching Lucielle narrow her eyes on him.


    The music was slowly fading, meaning the end of the dance was arriving.


    Bit by bit, they began to detach from each other, yet their gaze remained unmoving.


    "Well, I look forward to it."


    They finally concluded their dance, and Rey bowed while Lucielle curtsied.


    This was followed by cheers and apuse from the crowd.


    "I''ll be leaving now." Lucielle reached out to Rey and nted a light kiss on his cheek.


    The moment she did so, he got another whiff of her scent.


    It was enchanting.


    "You should interact with more people, Kay?"


    "Sure¡­"


    She left soon after that, leaving Rey standing all alone on the stage.


    He stood there for a moment, looking at her as she walked ahead. It felt like time slowed down as he felt more thumpings in his heart.


    ''I wonder why she''s still single¡­'' He lightly touched his cheek and smiled.


    Before he could fully enjoy the moment, however, a crowd of Nobles and Guests closed in on him and began bombarding him with words.


    "Sir Rey, a moment?"


    "I''ve heard all about your exploits!"


    "Would you like to join meter for a cup of tea?"


    "My daughter tells me so much about you! You should meet her sometime!"


    "Could you help train my child?"


    "I''m your biggest fan!"


    "I love you, Sir Rey!"


    "Sir Rey, my name is¡ª!"


    It went on and on, as the number of people kept increasing.


    Until eventually, Lucielle''s departing frame waspletely overshadowed.


    *********


    ''Haa¡­ these people are annoying.''


    As Rey smiled and spoke to the people that surrounded him, slowly easing himself out of the crowd¡ªonly to meet more people who wanted to talk to him¡ªhe began to get miffed.


    He understood that they weren''t particrly acting maliciously towards him, but he also didn''t want to have anything to do with them.


    Their wide grins, and overly reverent attitude dripped with insincerity.


    It was all clearly fake.


    ''I can tell what''s on their minds¡­'' He coldly thought as he examined the people he spoke to.


    It was obvious that they were only being respectful to him because of his role to mankind. They so desperately hoped he continued to protect them¡ªso the Dragons would never reach their territory.


    ''They live in the South, so danger will have to get past me first before reaching them.''


    In essence, he and his allies would have to continue taking the brunt of danger while they led rtively peaceful andfortable lives.


    None of that really annoyed Rey, since he wasn''t particrly fighting for their sakes.


    It was the fact that they wouldn''t stop bothering him that began to get him riled up. Thankfully, his emotions were kept at an all-time low.


    If that wasn''t the case¡­


    "Sir Rey¡­ am I correct? It''s a pleasure to finally meet you."


    As Rey heard this familiar voice, he swiftly turned to his right.


    There, he was met with three familiar faces.


    "Rebal!" He smiled broadly at the older man, looking at both his sides to see Asher and Kara standing right next to him.


    They were all wearing exquisite outfits, though the highlight of their attire were the Enchanted Items that they donned.


    In fact, pretty much everything the trio had on was Enchanted, though there were standouts.


    Rebal''s walking cane, Kara''s sses, and Asher''s single earring.


    Whether this was solely for advertisement or for security, it seemed they achieved both.


    The Enchanted Items were top-tier, and they were noticed by those who had an eye for such items.


    It was one of the reasons why Rebal wasn''t interrupted when he spoke.


    "I''m d you still recognize me." Rebal grinned, and the other two bowed and curtsied in greeting.


    "If you don''t mind, I''d like to have a discussion with you."


    Rey''s eyes lit up the moment he heard those words.


    ''Perfect timing!''


    Using Rebal as a good excuse, he could finally ditch everyone.


    "I don''t mind at all."

 Chapter 589 The Gala Incident [Pt 3]

    Chapter 589 The G Incident [Pt 3]


    "I see. So you attended as the Reaper Group?"


    Rey and his three business partners¡ªor rather, underlings¡ªwere speaking outside the hall¡ªin the garden downstairs.


    They had exchanged a few words on their way there, so some of his questions were answered very quickly.


    ''Ater did tell me about how he took temporary charge of the Reaper Group and used their resources to help rebuild the Capital.'' Rey thought to himself as he analyzed their presence and its significance in the grand scheme of things.


    Thanks to the Reaper Group''s aid, the Royal Council officially recognized them as their supplier for Enchanted Items.


    Rebal was to be granted a Noble Title once the Capital was fully constructed, and the Reaper Group''s name was going to be inconceivably big in no time at all.


    "Indeed. We''ve also had talks with some Nobles around, and it looks like we''re going to be expanding very soon." N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The areas in the South were a profitable area for business, but Enchanted Items weren''t particrly needed there since the people there were rtively safer than other regions.


    But¡­ all of those things were slowly changing.


    "With our Group being officially recognized by the Royal Council, the Nobles will not want to be left behind, so they''ll do their best to arm themselves with the best we can offer. Since our products are the trend at the moment, they''ll patronize us for the heck of it."


    08:07


    "With our Group being officially recognized by the Royal Council, the Nobles will not want to be left behind, so they''ll do their best to arm themselves with the best we can offer. Since our products are the trend at the moment, they''ll patronize us for the heck of it."


    Rebal was right! The behavior of the rich wasn''t particrlyplex when it came to purchasing luxury items.


    ''But, that isn''t all¡­'' Rey narrowed his eye as he analyzed all Rebal was saying.


    ''Since they''ve been gathering Otherworlders, it''s possible that they also have ns for the Enchanted Items that they want to purchase from the Reaper Group.''


    Perhaps the Nobles were nning some sort of scheme to overthrow the Royal Council or something of the sort.


    ''No. That''s not possible thanks to the curse.''


    The Council could not betray the Nobles, but thetter also couldn''t betray the former.


    ''I might be overthinking this. Let''s focus on other things first¡­''


    "I still can''t believe Sir Ralyks was actually an Otherworlder who was summoned to save this world." Asher, still disguised as his Aldred alias, beamed as he spoke to Rey.


    "It truly is a pleasure."


    "Haha! It''s all good." Rey then turned to Kara, who had been silent throughout the exchange.


    "And how are you, Kara? Ater tells me you''re the one keeping the Group afloat."


    "Haha¡­ Sir Ater overestimates my abilities¡­" She shyly responded, shifting her sses as she nervously looked away.


    Rey didn''t remember her being this bashful, but he reckoned it was due to his change in status and perspective.


    "So this is what you look like under the mask. Not what I expected."


    ''Ahh¡­ I almost forgot about that!'' Rey''s eyes slightly widened once he had this thought.


    With his emotions suppressed, his anxiety andplex had been so drastically reduced that it was very difficult for him to be so self conscious of his appearance.


    It actually took effort to think along those lines.


    "That''s rude, Asher!" Rebal reprimanded, ring deeply at the boy beside him.


    "A-ah, I apologize. I just meant¡­ you look a lot younger than I¡­ sorry¡­"


    ''Now that I think about it, isn''t his real age close to mine?'' Rey smiled to himself as he shrugged the whole thing off.


    He even chuckled slightly.


    "It''s fine, really."


    Asher heaved a sigh of relief, Rebal maintained an apologetic smile, while Kara fidgeted as she stood. The three had a lot to discuss, but thanks to Asher''s supposed blunder, everything took a slight halt.


    Rey figured he had to keep the conversation going, so he started off with something casual.


    "By the way, where''s Yuri?"


    "Ah, she''s currently patrolling the area. I believe she should be in the hall at this moment¡ªperhaps searching for us, or looking around."


    As a Group officially recognized by the Council, the Reaper Group''s security detail was allowed that freedom.


    ''Of course, I already knew where she was. I even know her exact location at the moment.'' Rey smiled.


    The moment he saw Rebal, Asher, and Kara, he began to scan around for trances of Yuri.


    ''That girl still makes me uneasy.'' It was one of the reasons he made them walk to the garden to talk.


    He knew she was heading for the hall through another entrance and he wanted to avoid her at all costs.


    Thankfully, his n worked!


    ''She''s inside the hall talking to Trisha right now. I always pictured those two getting along¡ªas warriors, of course.''


    In this world, female warriors were extremely rare.


    Since Martial Arts were presumed to be suited for men, and Magic geared towards women, this was the status quo for most of the people in the Alliance.


    The only female warriors he knew to be decently strong were Trisha, Britta, Yuri, and Lucy.


    No other female came close.


    ''In any case, now that we''ve broken the ice, let''s continue talking about business.'' He thought to himself as Rebal took the cue and shifted to the recent activities of the Reaper Group and their future ns.


    Rey smiled as he listened to their discussion.


    ''Keep going! This is a good chance to catch up on all I''ve missed.''


    Ater had only given Rey a brief summary of the whole thing, since there were a lot of things going on at the time.


    Even now, Rey was yet to fully unpack all the business he had with Ater.


    All of that could wait, after all.


    ''Speaking of Ater, though, where is he?'' Rey had previously thought he was busy directing the G''s preparation, so he didn''t think too much about his absence.


    However, Ater wasn''t present at the G either.


    ~Master, what if I told you I know where he is?~


    Rey rolled his eyes as he heard the voice of the Symbiote Slime in his head.


    ''Are you just saying that to get me to speak to you?''


    ~Yayyyy! You finally responded! I mean¡­ No~


    Rey had been ignoring Emil all night due to her constant talk inside his head. She was especially loud during his dance with Lucielle, though he silenced her out of his mind.


    It seemed she was looking for every opportunity to make him talk to her, so she tried to gain his interest by telling him about her knowledge of Ater''s whereabouts.


    Unfortunately for her, he was bound to her¡ªso he could tell that she was lying.


    ''Nice try.''


    ~W-wait Master! Okay, I''m sorry! Sor¡ª!~


    Once again, Rey zoned Emil from his thoughts and continued to focus on his business talk with Rebal and the rest.


    There were a few things that were initially difficult for him to understand, after all this was all about business, but he figured them out once he thought about them deeply.


    ''Good news is that the Reaper Group is about to get very rich. Bad news is that resources are running low, and there isn''t enough supply for the demand that is toe.''


    Money was no longer the issue.


    The problem was getting very lucrative resources that could serve as raw materials¡ªenough to deliver items of the best quality at a mass rate.


    "If only we had that Elf deal again¡­" Rebal said in passing, which made Rey remember something.


    Something he previously thought could wait.


    ''I guess I''ll have to talk to Ater about itter¡­''

 Chapter 590 The Gala Incident [Pt 4]

    Chapter 590 The G Incident [Pt 4]


    The business discoursested quite a while.


    Rey didn''t particrly mind, since he enjoyed the change of pace. Besides, the Reaper Group was technically his own.


    So¡­ this was all his business.


    ''The war won''tst forever. At some point, I''ll get strong enough and we''ll beat the Dragons. I need to consider what happens after that.''


    Gathering enough money tost him a lifetime, while also running a business that would be considered a multibillion dorpany on Earth; wasn''t that the dream?


    ''I refuse to be a broke hero!'' Was one of his mottos, which was what drove him to her so invested in business even though he still had a lot of things on his mind.


    ''It seems Rebal is managing the situation well. Strategic nning is his forte, after all. Asher deals with the internal running of the business, while Kara handles marketing, finances, and also aids greatly in terms of production.''


    However, there was only so far they could go without Rey''s assistance.


    ''Looks like I''ll have to add this to the list of things I''ll have to do.'' He thought to himself as they concluded the discourse.


    "So what will you do now?" Rey stared at Rebal after he was done analyzing everything he just heard.


    "We need to speak to more investors and potential clients."


    "Ah, I see. You''re not doneworking."


    "Not even close. We only approached you because it would be wrong of us not to. Plus¡­" The older man gave a smirk, his eyes twinkling slightly.


    "¡­ Something told me you wanted to get out of that situation."


    Rey chuckled as soon as he heard that. "Well, that something was correct."


    They went ahead to shake hands, and after offering a few more pleasantries, Rebal andpany returned upstairs while he remained in the garden.


    "Huu¡­" Heaving out visible breaths, he enjoyed the solemn mncholy that surrounded him.


    ~VWUSH~


    A ss cup, filled with wine appeared on his hand as soon as he stretched it.


    ''Spatial Magic sure is useful¡­'' He mused, taking in another gulp.


    ''I can''t get drunk thanks to the System, and my previous disgust for alcohol has been altered thanks to my body maniption.''


    "Haa¡­" Smacking his lips after a heavy sigh, he nced at the remaining liquid in the ss.


    Rey remained like that for a few more seconds before smiling a little and then speaking.


    "Are you going to keep watching me from the shadows, or will you say something already?"


    His voice echoed into the lonesome garden, and for a while no response was given.


    It seemed he was just talking to himself¡ªperhaps making a worded jab into thin air.


    But no.


    There was someone present. And she smiled the moment he called out for her, finally approaching him after maintaining properposure.


    "As expected of the strongest Otherworlder¡­" The sultry voice of the girl dripped with ttery as she took a few more steps forward.


    She was right behind Rey, yet he kept his gaze forward, taking a good sip from his ss.


    "Hm. Who are you and what do you want?"


    It was a useless question. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Rey already knew who this woman was. He had been observing her for some time now.


    The reason he brought the conversation he had with Rebal to a close despite still having a few more questions was because she was approaching and he didn''t want her listening in.


    It was rather unfortunate that she met them at all, but by then it was already toote.


    They were already finished with all the important bits.


    ''She''s been watching me ever since, which means I''m the one she''s after.'' Rey grinned internally.


    There didn''t seem to be any killing intent oozing from her, which meant she was sensible enough not to start a fight she couldn''t possibly win.


    Still, that didn''t mean he could be careless.


    The only reason why Rey didn''t bother turning back to look at her was because he already had aplete vision of everything around him.


    And the reason why he even decided to acknowledge her presence was due to already using his [Perfect Divine Appraisal] on her.


    ''I know who you are¡­.''


    "Don''t tell me you don''t recognize my voice." Slowly, the invisibility of the girl began to unravel, revealing her true identity.


    Rey''s smile grew wider.


    ''At least you didn''t try to hide it.'' Slowly turning, he looked at her¡ªone hand in his pocket and the other holding the ss


    "Felicia."


    The girl''s ck hair swayed to the side, thanks to the garden''s wind, revealing her cute features. She wore a nice ck gown, with red and purple linen decorating the sides,


    A choker was wrapped around her neck, and she had gleaming dark earrings that matched her gloves and shoes.


    Enchanted Items were wrapped around her fingers, wrists, neck, waist, and many other regions; proving how much money and power she actually possessedpared to most.


    However, to Rey, none of this held as much significance to him as how he remembered her from the past.


    Felicia was Adam''s girlfriend, and one of his closest confidants back when he was still alive.


    They were awful people back on Earth, meaning they both had pretty bad Karma Points. She, as well as the other four, became a part of Adam''s small caucus¡ªturning into his "Yes" men.


    ''After his death, they became very silent. And when given the opportunity to leave, they were among the first to ditch the group.''


    Rey didn''t really feel anything upon seeing her. He already had a feeling he would run into her after recognizing the four stooges that she was always with.


    ''So they''re all part of the Noble faction, huh? I wonder why Adrien left out this tiny detail when he told me about what everyone has been up to¡­''


    Perhaps this development was very recent. Or maybe Adrien simply wanted to throw Rey off their scent.


    Either way, he intended to find out.


    "Bingo! You recognized me."


    "Why wouldn''t I? We were ssmates, and you weren''t particrly nice." He said, his gaze confidently meeting here.


    She parted her lips, almost saying something, but Rey''s voice cut her off.


    "¡­ Not that I care about any of that now."


    He wasn''t lying either. His old ssmates were the least of his worries at the moment.


    There was only really one question he had for her.


    "What do you want?"

 Chapter 591 The Gala Incident [Pt 5]

    <h4>Chapter 591 The G Incident [Pt 5] </h4>


    Felicia felt slightly displeased at the moment.


    As she stared at Rey, whose entire demeanor was nothing like what she remembered¡ªif she could even remember much, to begin with.


    He was an overall average individual, with no particrly striking quality. The only burst of fame¡ªor rather, infamy¡ªthat he had was when he revealed his lousy Skill and ss, which garnered the mockery of everyone in ss.


    In retrospect, Felicia could see that he had somehow lied, but back then everyone wrote him off.


    ''Yet he managed to be the most powerful of them, and he''s even changed his physical appearance¡­'' She eyed him unconsciously.


    Not only was Rey much taller than before, but he actually looked a lot more handsome than she remembered.


    Perhaps it was due to his eyepatch, or the dark strands of hair that cascaded down his face, creating a mask of mystery. Perhaps his nice build, coupled with all the aforementioned factors, yed a role in it.


    She could no longer call him average in that sense any longer.


    ''Looks like Cayden was right. Everything about him is so different now.''


    While she approached him to witness the change with her very eyes, also expecting the possibility that she would be caught by him, Felicia hadn''t realized it would be this much.


    Narrowing her eyes, she decided to set those thoughts aside and answer Rey''s question.


    "Just wanted to see you. I heard you stepped up in the socialdder and you''re all buddy buddy with the Royal Council. I guess I wanted to see for myself."


    "And? Now that you''ve seen me, is that all?"


    The way Rey rolled his eyes and stared at her, as ifpletely bored, made Felicia even more infuriated.


    ''If we were back on Earth, he wouldn''t even dare look at my face!''


    Of course, she recognized that wasn''t the case. She also knew that Rey was most definitely stronger than she was¡ªso it was unwise to cause unnecessary conflict.


    Starting a fight she couldn''t win would be foolish of her.


    ''But¡­ there is more than one way to ensnare a man.'' With a wide grin on her face, she began to walk sciously and drew closer to Rey.


    "Well¡­ you tell me¡­" In no time at all, she was just an inch away from his stiff body.


    "Why don''t we go upstairs for a dance?"


    Rey''s cold gaze still reflected nonpliance. The way he stared at her, almost like she was nothing, drove her to the edge of rage.


    But Felicia didn''t give into it.


    After all, it was about time for her to use her Skill.


    ''It''s a gamble, but if I seed, I''ll be able to have the strongest piece of the Alliance under my control.''


    Right now, more than half of the Nobles present in the Capital were under her power. In a day or two, she would have the rest under her thumb.


    However, even they wouldn''t be enough to take over the United Human Alliance.


    ''Yes, they have resources and influence¡­ but theyck that raw power.''


    That was why she needed the rest of the Otherworlders¡ªor at least, Rey¡ªon her side.


    ''With his power, I can put everyone else in check. And since everyone is somewhat relying on him to stop the Dragons, no one will mess with me since I''ll be the one calling the shots.''


    As Felicia thought this, misty breaths escaped her lips and nostrils.


    She drew them closer to Rey as she ced a hand on his shoulder.


    All she needed was a kiss, and then¡­


    ''You''ll be mine¡ª!''


    ~BOOOOOOM!~


    Noise erupted from the hall, causing the girl to yelp in surprise.


    "Ah!" She lost her grip on Rey''s shoulder, and would have copsed on his chest.


    However, he sidestepped at thest minute, causing her to tumble on the ground¡ªher lovely gown eating some dirt.


    "O-ow¡­" As she recoiled from the pain, and the shock caused from such a loud explosion, she looked up to see Rey staring coldly at her.


    ''Prick! He couldn''t even catch me!'' Gritting her teeth, she gave him a deep re.


    Herposure waspletely lost, and she was one breath away from cursing at him.


    However¡ª


    "Guess we''ll continue this some other time. A rather interesting matter hase up."


    ¡ªRey shifted his attention from her almost immediately and turned to the direction of the explosion.


    There were people trooping out of the ball, and perhaps if it wasn''t evident before, it was now clear that the G had been put on a hard stop thanks to whatever incident just urred.


    ''What the hell just happened?'' Felicia thought to herself.


    Nothing about her n involved something like this¡ªand certainly not at a period like this.


    It also didn''t seem to be nned by the Royal Council; all things considered.


    ''C-could it be¡­ Dragons?!''


    Several guards began to proceed into the hall from all sides, just as the civilians exited.


    Felicia wondered what guards could do if some monstrosity showed up.


    ''What the hell? Why now?''


    Felicia found her body trembling slightly. What was happening before her eyes was a chaotic sight, one that would normally cause anxiety.


    However, once she stole one look at Rey¡ªexpecting some sort of reaction or exnation from him¡ªshe was met with the most surprising thing.


    ''He''s calm?!''


    Her bulging eyes fully analyzed Rey, watching as he kept one hand in his pocket and the other on his ss cup.


    "Hmm¡­" A near silent voice echoed from his slightly parted lips.


    His eye narrowed slightly, and some sort of glow seemed entrapped within it.


    ''Why is he just standing there? Won''t he¡ª?''


    ~VWUSH~


    Before Felicia couldplete her thought process, she found the entire scenery around her change¡ªfaster than even the blink of an eye.


    She was no longer in the garden, but was instead seated on the pristine floor of the currently chaotic G Hall.


    How she transitioned so fast to this location could only be exined by the one standing in front of her; but his attention was on the incident that kickstarted the chaos.


    ''W-what''s that?'' Felicia''s eyes captured the scene as she trembled slightly.


    ''Who¡­ is that?!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I know some of you might be confused at the moment, but chill¡­


    All will be revealed.

 Chapter 592 The Intruder

    <h4>Chapter 592 The Intruder </h4>


    Standing in midair, at the center of the hall, was a hooded fellow.


    Their entire body was shrouded in a cheap-looking hooded cloak. Compared to the luxurious outfits that everyone had on, they might as well have been putting on rags.


    The hooded cloak was faded white, and it obscured most of their body¡ªjust from the sheer size alone.


    As the cloak danced in the air, the hood constantly hid their face while they looked down at the ones who currently challenged her.


    Lucy, Trisha, Justin, rk, Belle, and Yuri currently had her surrounded; each with their Skills activated and a look of determination on their faces.


    The Royal Council Members were being safely guarded by Lucielle and Brutus, so while they too were ready to raise their weapons and activate their Skills to fight, they were more interested in safety.


    Likewise, the security details present were guarding the Nobles who hired them, helping them escape the hall or to inconspicuous remain in a safe corner.


    In this tension-filled room, the center-area of the hall was scorched and broken apart¡ªalmost as if it was caused by a culmination of Spells and Magic.


    Still, the floating figure seemed unscathed.


    "I believe I already told you¡­ I''m not here to fight." They finally spoke up, and a feminine voice echoed from within the hood''s shadows.


    The build of the intruder was covered by the oversized traveler''s outfit, but judging from their voice alone, it was easy to estimate that she was a woman.


    What, then, did this woman desire?


    Not only did she just crash into the most fortified area of the Alliance at the present moment, but even with so many powerful figures present, she was yet to be put down.


    Yes, the current situation demanded that an evacuation and safeguarding of the important figures came first before any full-blown battle, so it wasn''t in their best interests to go all-out.


    Still, the fact that the stranger could push them to such straits meant she wasn''t to be trifled with.


    At the very least, it was safe to assume she was strong.


    "W-who is that¡­?" Felicia whispered to herself, her eyes widening as she looked at the floating one.


    There was something about her aura that made her shiver internally.


    Felicia''s ss was [Harlot], and it allowed her to determine the worth of someone or something by just a nce.


    It was how she was able to turn her luck around after leaving the Capital.


    Worth was mostly determined by ss and Level, but also on an individual''s disposition and how much benefit they could offer her.


    Right now, as she was looking at the hooded entity with glittering eyes, she could only see one thing.


    ¡ªJACKPOT!


    Thedy was oozing power and good fortune. Plus, she also seemed to be of high standing.


    It was difficult to put into words, but this was the first time Felicia felt something this intense. She knew instinctively that she had to take this chance while it remained.


    "W-what do you want?!" She yelled out, causing the attention of the hoodeddy and everyone else who faced her to look in Felicia''s direction.


    She instantly felt a pressure fall upon her, making sweat leak out of her skin.


    A part of her regretted speaking up, but she also bit her lip and hoped for the best of results.


    As a certified opportunist, she prayed for good luck.


    But¡ª


    "Rey Skr¡­ I''m searching for him."


    ¡ªIt seemed the good fortune wasn''t meant to be hers this time.


    As soon as Felicia heard what the hoodeddy was after, she nced to the boy who stood by her side, standing a little ahead.


    He was smiling.


    ''D-did he know all along? Does he know who she is? That she was after him?''


    That would exin a lot¡ªlike why he was calm despite the unexpected explosion.


    Felicia was dumbstruck at that moment. She wanted to seize the opportunity and get on the floatingdy''s good graces, but before she could say something¡ªperhaps tell the woman what she wanted to know¡ªthe boy beside her stepped forward.


    "The guy you''re searching for is me."


    "You¡­?"


    Rey''s smile broadened as he walked a few more steps. His confident stride waspletely opposite from the tension in the air.


    With a snap of his fingers, the ss cup he held vanished, and his now unupied hand went straight into his hair.


    Upon straightening it, and staring high so he could lock eyes with the intruder, he made the deration.


    "I am Rey Skr."


    ***********


    Rey was initially annoyed when the explosion urred.


    He was about to be kissed by Felicia before it happened, and that was something he had been looking forward to since the beginning of their conversation.


    Of course, it wasn''t the kiss that excited him¡ªat least, not for the most part.


    It was the Skill he would gain from it.


    ''If she kisses me, her [Lover''s Promise] Skill will activate. I''ll be able to copy it then.''


    The Skill''s ability allowed the user topel anyone to make an unbreakable ''promise'' with them.


    This promise could be anything¡ªranging from running an errand for them, or being their ve for life.


    It all depended on the user and their intentions.


    Since Rey had lost his Mind Control Skills, he figured it would be a very handy one to have. Unfortunately, right as he was about to get it, the explosion andmotion took over.


    It was annoying!


    Still, Rey remained calm and analyzed what happened¡ªusing his practically divine senses topletely assimte everything that was going on in the hall at the timers


    As it turned out, even though the Otherworlders, with the air of a few others, hanged up on the sole figure, they could not subdue her.


    It made him curious.


    However, this onlysted for a second. The moment his senses met her, and he got a whiff of her oddly familiar scent¡­ he realized it instantly.


    ¡ªThe identity of the stranger!


    And now, as he stood beneath her, indulging in the sweet fragrance only she could give off, his grin widened even more.


    "You¡­ are Rey?" The voice seemed a bit hesitant¡ªalmost as though surprised but also excited.


    "Yes. This is my real face."


    As soon as he said this, the hooded fellow descended, and the hood that covered her facepletely flew away, revealing the pure white hair, pale skin, and absolutely gorgeous face that was hidden underneath.


    Long ears perked up as her blue eyes widened, staring straight into Rey''s exposed one.


    "It''s been a while, Esme. You really dide for me, didn''t you?" Rey said as he took one more step forward.


    His heart was racing despite his best efforts to control it, and he couldn''t help himself from smiling just from looking at her face.


    She was just as beautiful as he remembered, and even in silence¡­ her face told him of a million words.


    As he advanced, she advanced as well.


    As this continued, the tension climaxed, until the two of them were mere inches away from each other.


    Esme raised her hand, reaching for Rey''s cheek.


    ''A p?!'' He initially thought.


    He wouldn''t be surprised if she did that. He left her stranded in a Dungeon for months, and here he was smiling so sheepishly at her.


    Who wouldn''t get annoyed?


    However, contrary to his expectation, her fingersnded softly on his cheek and she gave him the softest kind of look a girl could give a boy.


    She could see glitters in her eyes as she stared at him, not even caring about the people around.


    "You don''t look as bad as I imagined." She whispered, her smile broadening.


    "You don''t look bad at all."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I''m sure some of you expected this Arc to be all about finding Esme or something.


    But no¡­ not even close.

 Chapter 593 What Esme Saw [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 593 What Esme Saw [Pt 1] </h4>


    [Months Earlier]


    "This marks the 11th day I''ve been stuck here, without any sign of Rey appearing, or any contact from him at all¡­"


    This voice, tired and weary, reverberated within the vast and ancient walls that surrounds the one who spoke.


    Echoes danced in the air constantly.


    "Food and water supply ran out a while back, as they weren''t meant tost this long. Even though I rationed them, that was hardly enough."


    As the lips of the speaker moved, a warbling object before her glowed.


    It was recording her every words, which in turn cast a bright light on her face as it did so¡ªrevealing her beautiful face.


    Esme was seated at the center of the massive hall on the ground floor of the Grand Cmity Dungeon, her sight solely focused on the exit that stood right before her eyes.


    "As I speak, I have finally made up my mind to finally leave this ce. I have left a message here so if Rey ever returns, he''ll be able to know of my current decision."


    She stood up from her position, her attire a long faded cloak that covered her entire body. The hood could also shroud her face, but she let it down for now, allowing her long hair to cascade as she stole one final nce around her.


    She had spent an awful amount of time all alone in this ce, gathering the rest of the spoils that she and Rey didn''t collect together.


    Thankfully, Miasma in the Dungeon didn''t prove to be too much of an issue for her thanks to her Enchanted Items as well as her ample supply of Mana that deflected it all.


    The more time passed, the thinner the corrupted energy in the air was, so at some point it became nearly nonexistent.


    The result was her being as healthy as possible¡ªsave for malnutrition and exhaustion.


    ''I''ve been scouring the entire Dungeon by myself, searching for the Ground Floor for so long. I finally found it, so¡­''


    There really was nopelling reason for her to remain in the Dungeon.


    "Rey is most likely in danger; which is the only reason I can think of that he hasn''t returned yet. I have no idea what is happening in the outside world too, so there''s that."


    Everything at the moment pointed towards her leaving.


    "I suppose this is farewell to my life in the Dungeon." She moved forward, and in a single breath, she appeared right before the massive door.


    "Here Ie, Rey!"


    **********


    [The Present]


    "You have no idea how lost I was when I came out of that ce." Esme groaned as she plopped into the soft bed in Rey''s room.


    She took in a deep breath, feeling the softness that her body had desperately missed for months.


    Right beside where she was, standing as he watched her speak, was Rey. He was smiling, but silent.


    Esme kept speaking regardless.


    "I didn''t know where the Dungeon had vanished to, but it most definitely wasn''t the Adventurers City. It was a remote region to the North¡ªclose to where the war with the Dragons was taking ce."


    "Really?" Rey finally spoke, his face revealing some measure of surprise.


    In all honesty, his next move¡ªafter returning from the Adventurers City and finding no trace of Esme¡ªwas to begin his journey from the exit of the Dunegon and investigate things from that point.


    There was a chance that Esme could leave clues as to her whereabouts, so it would be a sensible approach to things.


    The problem was that tracking her down that way would be a bit difficult, considering it had been a long time since she left the Dungeon already.


    Still, since the Adventurers City n didn''t work out, it had been his only option.


    ¡­ Until now.


    "Yes! It was rough getting back there. I couldn''t even afford to leave any trace of myself, just in case I would attract stray enemies; like Dragons or Monsters."


    "There were Monsters there? And stray Dragons? You encountered them?"


    "Yeah." She said, chuckling to herself as she remembered those times.


    A smug smile sort of reced her tired expression, and she looked somewhat proud of herself after her brief moment of recollection.


    "It''s thanks to their sacrifice that I was able to Level Up some more and be so strong."


    "Ahh¡­" Rey mumbled, still staring at Esme while he remained standing.


    "So that''s what happened, huh? Why you didn''t arrive on time?"


    Once Rey asked this question, Esme''s face darkened a little.


    The very thin tension in the air slowly began to gain prominence, and a particr feeling of unease wafted everywhere.


    Rey could feel it¡ªsomething was wrong somewhere.


    "Killing the Monsters and Dragons was helpful and all, but I was really worried about you, Rey." She stared intensely at Rey, finally sitting up.


    "I wanted to reach the Capital as soon as possible, so after figuring out where I was, I figured flying south¡ªas fast as I possibly could¡ªwould allow me to reach you as soon as possible."


    She was able to somehow solve the food problem thanks to killing Monsters and cooking them¡ªthe edible ones, of course.


    As for water¡­ well¡­ she could use her Skill to produce it.


    All in all, she could store the food in her Spatial Ring and travel for as long as possible to reach her destination.


    "So¡­ what happened?" Rey pushed, his expression asposed as he could make it.


    Esme''s darkened face was yet to let up.


    "I changed my mind after seeing the civilizations I would have to fly past."


    "Hm?" Raising a brow, Rey now stared at Esme with confusion.


    "Civilization? There isn''t any that far North, though."


    "That''s what you think. Or should I say¡­ that''s what ''they'' want you to think."


    Rey''s confusion deepened even further.


    "Who''s they? The people of that civilization?"


    "No. The Alliance. The United Human Alliance¡­ they''re not the only civilization of humans that exist within H''Trae."


    Rey''s eyes widened as soon as he heard those words.


    When he first arrived in this world, he often considered the possibility of other smaller nations of humans that existed in the Western Continent, so he learned more about the world he was living in.


    But, based on every record in the Library, the United Human Alliance was the only standing civilization of mankind.


    They were humanity''s only nation.


    ''Based on what I saw on the map, I often wondered why there was so much barrennd that was yet to be explored; especially during economic crisis. Yes, they were to the North, but thesends weren''t too close to the battlefield. Besides, if soldiers were going to be deployed to the battlefront anyway, wouldn''t it be much more useful to have strongholds close to the battlefield?''


    But¡­ records don''t lie; or that''s what is meant to be the case.


    From what Esme just said, though, Rey''s entire understanding of the world changed.


    "There are smaller nations on the continent whock the resources or power that is avable to the United Human Alliance. They wallow in poverty and constantly dwell in insecurity. I passed by a few before my conscience couldn''t take it anymore, so I decided to help."


    In essence, Esme ended up being a hero to the rest of humanity.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    What do you think about this revtion? Also¡­ I know I skipped over the rest of the G.

 Chapter 594 What Esme Saw [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 594 What Esme Saw [Pt 2] </h4>


    Esme ended up building strongholds for the people in those settlements and teaching them a few things they could use to develop theirnds.


    She aided in their agriculture, helped to defeat the Monsters that terrorized them, and solved a lot of their crisis; both internal and external.


    The process was long and arduous¡ªhence the reason for herte arrival.


    "You should have seen them, Rey. They looked so miserable¡­"


    To say his heart ached upon hearing all about what Esme witnessed would be an understatement.


    "I¡­ always thought I was helping all of humanity by siding with the Alliance. But, I guess I was wrong." He mumbled.


    "I was only helping some."


    "Yeah. From what I heard, the Alliance doesn''t even bother with these small regions. I find that to be very distasteful." Esme''s face darkened even further as she frowned.


    "The people in charge here¡­ I despise them."


    "Is that why you barged in and caused such amotion? You didn''t care about them?" Rey chuckled as he sat on the bed, right beside her.


    "It''s not funny, Rey. The people out there were suffering greatly, yet the Alliance that''s meant to be aiding humanity sat by and did nothing!"


    "No, Esme. You''re being a little too shortsighted." Rey sighed, finally settling in on the bed, crossing his legs as he sat up.


    "What?"


    "We still have insufficient information to me the Alliance for the suffering of those people."


    "Did you not hear a word that I said? Those people were¡ª!"


    "I did. I heard you quite well. And I understand that those people have been through rather unfortunate times."


    "Then¡ª!"


    "It, in no way, means the United Human Alliance is at fault here." Rey sighed.


    The United Human Alliance was¡ªat its core¡ªan amalgamation of different countries and cultures. When the war of the Dragons came, they gathered their strength together to fight.


    "So it only follows that the Nations you saw were excluded from the amalgamation¡ªeither of their own ord, or due to their inability to reach the standards of an alliance."


    "What are you talking about?"


    "You said the United Human Alliance is doing nothing to help them, but is that really true?"


    "Y-yeah. I mean¡­"


    "Who is currently fighting in the war against the Dragons?" Rey asked, his tone as calm as possible.


    "¡­"


    Esme said nothing to the question. Perhaps because she already knew the obvious answer.


    "The Alliance is actively fighting the war, and to do that they need all the help they can get. It makes no logical sense that they would ignore potential fighting power, so chandes are that the Nations in question are the ones at fault here."


    Esme''s face twisted the moment she heard Rey refer to the very people she saved¡ªthe ones who suffered before her eyes¡ªas the ones to me.


    "Re, you¡ª"


    "I''m sure they told you something along the lines of how the Alliance abandoned them, or how they were helpless against the might of the Dragons, while the Alliance was better off. They said all those things, presenting themselves to be the victims¡­ but is that really the case?"


    Any side would always tell a story that suited their narrative. As long as Ingroup bias existed, the way their perspective would be shoved into a potentially neutral scenario would often present themselves as being in the right.


    "Logically looking at it, there''s no reason why the Alliance would abandon those people unless, for some reason, they refused to be a part of the Alliance."


    Rey could already think of a few reasons why that could be the case.


    ''These are small nations, so chances are that they don''t have much to offer in terms of resources or military power. It''s possible that they wouldn''t have much of governmental control within the Alliance, and even their highest leaders would be nothing more than Nobles.''


    In such a scenario, some people would rather cling to the ultimate power they had as the ruler of a smallnd than to merely be little fish in a much faster ocean.


    In essence, it was better to rule in hell than be a servant in heaven.


    "Are you saying they lied to me? I don''t think so, Rey. I can see their Alignments, rememeber? I also know when someone is being dishonest with me."


    "It''s possible that only the leaders are aware of the deal with the Alliance, and they refused. The people were perhaps fed another narrative, which passed around until everuone believed they were right and the Alliance was wrong."


    "But the leaders were also¡ª!"


    "In a ce that has such insecurity and crisis, it''s possible that the previous leaders who were approached with the deal and refused are already dead. It''s been over ten years since the Alliance formed, after all."


    Esme fell silent once again.


    Her frown was yet to disappear, but she was also not as headstrong about her views as she was moments earlier.


    Still, she didn''t want to believe that the victims she rescued were perhaps not as innocent as she thought. And even if some were, if the narrative they fed her was wrong, then the Alliance was not the enemy she thought they were.


    "Of course, there''s a chance that I''m wrong. After all, the Alliance could have some hidden motives I am unaware of. There''s also the fact that they hid the information about those other Nations from us as Otherworlders¡ªwhich means they didn''t want us to know about them."


    Rey could understand why that information was kept secret. If the other Nations were uncooperative, and the Alliance itself was in a crisis, it wouldn''t make any utilitarian sense to divide the attention of their saviors to those ces.


    Attention had to be focused on the group that was actively fighting against the Dragons.


    ''Still, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth¡­'' His eye narrowed a little.


    Even though he just supported the United Human Alliance in front of Esme, he didn''t like the fact that he was made unaware of the plight of these people.


    This was where his logic shed with his emotions.


    "Ultimately, the Alliance''s existence is tobat the great evil that is the Dragon Scourge. I''m not saying the framework is perfect. No, it''s far from that. There are many unsavory parts about them. Still¡­ we can''t me them for every misfortune that has befallen these people." He concluded as he ced his hand on Esme''s shoulders.


    "I¡­ get it. But, Rey, the solution I offered them was only temporary¡­"


    Rey figured that out as well. The damage that had been done to these people for over a decade could not be resolved by Esme in only a matter of months.


    In fact, she barely spent a week in each settlement, so it wasn''t like she could do much work for each Nation.


    "Even if it''s the fault of their leaders that they weren''t able to join the Alliance and enjoy its benefits, I don''t want to sit by and let them suffer like that."


    Rey instsntly ced both hands on Esme''s shoulders and smiled.


    "I also don''t want that."


    Their eyes met once again¡ªa mix of red and blue, reflecting in each Iris.


    They both smiled.


    "I''ll speak to the Royal Council about it. Want toe with? They could really use your perspective on the matter."


    There was a high chance that the Royal Council, or the upper echelon of the Alliance, hadn''t had contact with any of these nations for so long.


    They probably remained unaware of how dire their situation was.


    "If we can sort something out, some kind ofpromise¡­ we can help those people."


    Esme nodded as she heard that, words of gratitude leaking from her glossy lips.


    "Though¡­ it might take a little convincing to have you appear before them as a consultant considering the way you trashed their important event..."


    Rey''s trailing voice reminded Esme of the big blunder she made hours ago.


    At the time, she was plenty upset with the Royal Council and didn''t want to follow proper protocol. She simply stormed into the hall and demanded to see Rey.


    Of course, she wasn''t going to hurt anyone¡ªas long as they didn''t push her to it¡ªbut that didn''t mean she had to be nice to them.


    Realizing all of that now, and seeing how she was acting on a wed notion, Esme covered her flushed face in embarrassment.


    "Ahh¡­ what have I done?" She shrieked, shaking her head.


    Reyughed at this.


    "And I even did that in front of all your friends. What will they think of me now? They''ll think I''m crazy and violent or something¡­"


    Rey found it cute that Esme was worried about what his friends would think of her. Still¡­


    "I should be the one more worried."


    Esme raised her face as Rey said that. He had pink hues spreading all over his cheeks.


    "I mean¡­ the way we interacted, and then hugged, with all eyes watching us¡­ I''m sure some rumors will start flying around."


    He had initially thought that perhaps some would make a big deal of his dance with Lucielle, but after the whole stunt with Esme, he could see things going the way of thetter.


    "Just brace yourself for whates next."


    *


    *


    *

 Chapter 595 Special Friend

    <h4>Chapter 595 Special Friend </h4>


    The two spoke for hours.


    It was just like old times¡­ with them babbling on and on about varying topics and stories.


    It went without saying that Rey had to exin himself and the reason he waste¡ªapologizing for what he determined to be caused by his weakness.


    Of course, Esme would not have that.


    "There''s no way you could have known about or prepared for such a cmity. Besides, if I was stronger¡­ you wouldn''t have had to face it all alone. It''s not your fault!"


    Her words reinforced what Ater and his friends had told him, yet somehow hearing her tell him this put his simmering heart at ease.


    As always, Esme just always had an atmosphere about her that rxed him.


    Not once did he need to struggle with controlling his emotions, and the system also didn''t shut them off at any period.


    He was worried and cautious at first, but not anymore. Esme was just the kind of person he could befortable with.


    No¡­ that wasn''t quite it.


    "I expected you to be a lot more awkward about all this¡­" Esme admitted at some point as she smiled at Rey.


    Her hand was ced on her cheek as her smile broadened.


    Merely staring into her eyes made his heart leap, yet there was no response from the System.


    In fact, none of his other physiological reactions¡ªsince he encountered Esme¡ªtriggered the ss Privilege''s effects.


    ''I initially thought I wasn''t flustered enough because it''s Esme, but the System has intervened for even less disys of emotion in the past. So what''s happening here?''


    Rey was surprised and confused at this point.


    However, he had a theory¡ªor rather, a question.


    ''Is the System being biased here?'' When he thought about it, Esme had always been favored by the System.


    Even now, he was being told to help her out.


    That was definitely not a sign of a Side Quest, as Rey had already figured out long ago. It seemed, by all regards, that she was being protected by the System.


    And she wasn''t the only one.


    ''The other Elves I met also had simr stuff written in their Additional Information.''


    That meant, for some reason, Elves were special in this world.


    ''Maybe the System does not register any emotion generated from me towards her to be harmful, so it filters all of that out. Does that mean it''ll be the same with the rest of the Elves?''


    He found himself growing ever curious as he stared at Esme, just in time for time to quicken so he could answer her statement.


    "Awkward about what? Showing my face?"


    "Mhm! You made such a big deal about it for so long that I never expected you''d show it to me that easily."


    "Well¡­ perhaps I''m not the Rey you knew from back then."


    Esmeughed as she shook her head. Instantly pushing her face forward, she brought it close to Rey''s


    It was so close that they could feel each other''s breaths.


    "No¡­ you''re Rey alright." She smiled. "Even if I can no longer see your Status Information, there''s no way I wouldn''t be able to recognize you."


    Rey didn''t know why he blushed at that very moment.


    As if that wasn''t enough of a shock for him¡ª


    ~VWUSH~


    A sudden ck swirl formed within the room and Ater stepped out of it with a casual sense of formality.


    Rey was frozen in ce as he witnessed Ater arrive.


    Esme''s innocent face also turned as she gazed upon the tall, sleek frame of Rey''s familiar.


    "Mas¡­ ah, apologies for the inconvenience. Please continue."


    "Ater wai¡ª!"


    ~VWUSH!~


    Before Rey could say any more, Ater vanished from his position. His disappearance was too instant that even Rey was stunned.


    His flustered state was immediately suppressed, reminding him of his current condition.


    "Haa¡­ that guy. I''m sure he now has the wrong idea."


    Esme innocently turned her face to Rey and gave him a quizzical look.


    "Wrong idea how?"


    "He¡­ ah¡­ well, he probably thought we were about to kiss¡­ or something like that." Rey looked away, blushing even harder than normal.


    Moments like this made him want his emotions to be suppressed, but he also liked that he could feel things this intensely.


    "Kiss¡­ huh? I''ve never had one before." Esme murmured.


    "How does it feel like?"


    Rey found his heart racing upon hearing that. One nce at Esme''s serious and curious eyes made him nearly give out.


    Yet the System did not intervene at all!


    "W-why would you even ask me that?" For the first time since forever, Rey stuttered, fidgeting a little as he analyzed the question she asked him.


    "Well¡­ you''ve kissed before, haven''t you?"


    "How can you be so sure?!" Rey swiftly responded, his voice raised a little.


    Yes, Belle kissed him at some point, but it wasn''t like ''he'' kissed ''her''. In fact, wasn''t he the victim in that entire mishap?


    So, yes¡­ technically he hadn''t ''kissed'' anyone yet. Someone kissing him didn''t count one bit.


    "Well, I¡ª"


    "It''s fine, Rey. I was just asking because I was curious. If you''re acting like this, then you''ve probably never kissed before." Even though this was the excuse he was going for, hearing Esme say it like that hurt his pride.


    He could feel something in his chest shatter.


    "I''ll ask a more experienced person about it."


    Rey nearly clutched his chest upon hearing that. Sure, he didn''t have much of an experience when it came to these things, but¡­


    "In any case, answer me already." Esme began to shift away from Rey.


    Her face departed from his until they retained reasonable distance from each other.


    "Why did you decide to show me your face?"


    As the question floated in the air, Rey brought himself back to reality. He took in a deep breath, allowing the sweet scent that now filled the room to enter his nostrils and permeate his body.


    He was silent for a few seconds, feeling Esme''s gaze on him through it all.


    Then, he spoke up.


    "I just¡­ didn''t want to hide anymore."


    Surely, Rey had more than enough time to get into disguise and face her with a mask or with any face of his choosing.


    Yet, the thought never even croseed his mind.


    He simply wanted to see her, and he wanted her to see him as well.


    That was all there was to it.


    "I''m really happy you''re safe, Esme. After everything that has happened¡­ it really is more than a relief to have you right before my eyes."


    Esme touched his hand with hers, allowing him to feel her warm and soft touch.


    She gave him a glowing smile at that moment.


    "I''m not going anywhere, Rey. I''ve also gotten a bit stronger sincest time, so hopefully I''m not a burden to you anymore."


    Rey chuckled as he saw her Stats.


    "With those numbers¡­ I doubt you will be."


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Esme


    - Race: Half-Elf (Human and Elf)


    - ss: Grand Elementalist (A-Tier)


    - Level: 127 (28.14% EXP)


    - Life Force: 360/360 (+360) [500]


    - Mana Level: 700/700 (+700)


    - Combat Ability: 503 (+503)


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Absolute Appraisal]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Absolute Magic Mastery]. [Absolute Magic Application]. [Absolute Mana Recovery]. [Absolute Elemental Control]. [Grand Executioner]


    - Alignment: Chaotic Good


    [Additional Information]


    A genius, even by Elven Standards¡­ with a special heritage and connection to the World.


    She is your ally and friend.


    ¡­ Help her.


    [End Of Information]


    Rey smiled as he saw all this.


    ''As expected.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]

 Chapter 596 The Sleeping Beauty

    <h4>Chapter 596 The Sleeping Beauty </h4>


    "Can I ask you something, Rey?"


    Esme was back toying on Rey''s bed¡ªnot that he minded, of course.


    At some point, a thought did cross his mind that once Esme left, her sweet flowery scent would remain imprinted on his bed.


    He didn''t consider this a bad thing, though, so he let her have at it.


    ''But¡­ what would Alicia think if my room starts smelling like a different woman?''


    He had heard from someone that women had that kind of superpower, but he wasn''t so sure about how valid the im was.


    Still, was it a risk he was willing to take?


    The fact that he still let Esmey on his bed proved that to be the case.


    "What is it?" He responded with a question of his own.


    With the two of them already talking about the Grand Cmity, Rey''s rising fame, and pretty much all of the current things that had happened in Esme''s absence, she was pretty much up to speed with his life.


    As for Rey, he also got the gist of what Esme had been up to for the past couple of months.


    It only took four to five hours, give or take, but the time was well spent. There were no holes or gaps in their memories any longer.


    Plus, as a bonus, they enjoyed every second of the interaction.


    ''I initially thought Esme would need to rest and freshen up before we began our long talk, but I was wrong.''


    Thanks to her high Level and Stats, she could go on for a while without getting too exhausted.


    She also imed to have rested considerably before arriving at the Capital and gatecrashing the G.


    As for freshening up¡ªeven though Rey didn''t smell any slightly bad odor from Esme, but rather the opposite¡ªhe still thought it would be nice for her to take a long shower after such an arduous trip.


    That was until she reminded him of her elemental abilities¡ªone of which was generating and controlling water.


    She had also taken a long, hot bath before arriving at the G.


    Rey could no longer argue with any of her points, so he couldn''t wiggle out of a conversation with her¡ªnot that he wanted to anyway.


    His introspection into all of these things was interrupted by Esme''s request.


    "Can I see her? Alicia, I mean¡­"


    The moment he heard this, Rey''s body shook a little. The System controlled his emotions at that moment.


    ''Damnit!'' He could never get used to the forced suppression now that he was aware of its urrence.


    The sensation was subtle, but after improving sensitivity to that facet of his being, he felt every hit.


    ''But why was it suppressed? Because I reacted as a result of Alicia and not Esme?''


    Rey was reminded of what had happened moments earlier; with Ater and how flustered he became.


    ''I see now¡­'' His thoughts trailed as he realized the deal of the System.


    If any other element other than that of the favored one entered the mix, it would inadvertently react.


    ''Looks like, in the end, I still have to be in control of my emotions¡­''


    In order to prevent theirplete erosion.


    "You don''t have to if you don''t want to, but¡­ I would just like to see her."


    "Why?" Rey''s calmer voice took over, and Esme noticed it instantly.


    Rey could tell that much from how her brows were raised in response to hisplete change in tone.


    "Is it acting up again? The emotion dampening thing?"


    Rey said nothing. He only nodded, and then sighed not long after.


    "I see¡­"


    Rey had told Esme all about the ss Privilege problem he was dealing with. However, when he mentioned it, he told her that it wasn''t working when he was with her.


    That made her happy for some reason.


    But now, after his reaction upon hearing about Alicia, he knew she could already guess what was happening.


    "It''s okay. We don''t have to talk about her if¡ª"


    "No, it''s fine." Rey swiftly responded, interrupting her.


    He rose up from the bed and cleared his throat.


    "I was just caught off guard is all¡­"


    Esme also rose from herfortable position.


    "You sure?"


    The moment she stood, a sudden warp in space urred, causing everything around them to shift instantly.


    ~VWUSH~


    Within less than the blink of an eye, the two of them were in a different room.


    There was a bed positioned sinctly close to the windows, with a very pretty girl with long brown hair asleep on it.


    Esme was still taking in the change that happened when Rey''s voice filled the room.


    "That''s Alicia." He stepped forward as he uttered those words, his eyes on the girl who wouldn''t wake up.


    A slightly conflicted expression filled his face, but all of them remained barely expressed as he became silent.


    "Oh¡­"


    Esme light steps echoed softly within the hall as she stepped forward as well. She silently looked at Alicia''s face for a minute or so.


    No one said anything within that period.


    Then¡ª


    "She''s really pretty." Esme said with apassionate smile.


    "Yeah. She is." He croaked.


    If he tried releasing more emotions, he knew the fate that would befall him. As such, he kept every expression to the minimum.


    "You should see her when she''s awake. She can get so excited would befall him. As such, he kept every expression to the minimum.


    and passionate about stuff¡­" Rey began as he looked at the sleeping beauty.


    "Even though she can be very fierce, she''s the kindest person I know. I¡­ even though I know the entire disaster wasn''t my fault¡­ I sometimes¡­ wish¡­ I was¡­ mm¡­ I was¡­ there to do something."


    Rey had to keep pausing with almost every word due to his emotions constantly rising as he spoke.


    It was almostparable to someone trying their hardest not to cry when talking about something very sad.


    He had to keep stopping himself. Else¡­


    "She must have been so scared. Even when she saw me¡­ I can only imagine her shock. Did she feel betrayed? I lied to her, after all¡­"


    Rey was scared to know.


    However, what was more frightening than that was that he would never get to know.


    "What if¡­ she never opens her eyes? What will I¡­ what will she¡­ I¡­ can''t¡­" His lips trembled at this point, and he couldn''t say any more.


    He just kept stopping at that point, unable to continue.


    It felt so frustrating.


    He wanted to let his emotions loose, but the walls just wouldn''t let him.


    "I¡­"


    At that moment, Rey felt something warm surround his body as Esme hugged him.


    Her body pressed against him, with her arms wrapping themselves around his broader body. He had no idea how much he needed it until the embrace finally came.


    His surprised face finally had tears streaming down them as he felt Esme''s warmth seep through every part of his body.


    "I can''t lose her¡­ Esme."


    "You won''t." She whispered into his ears as she stroked the back of his head.


    He almost felt like a baby in her arms despite him being taller than she was.


    Silent sobs escaped his lips as more tears flowed. Thefort he felt in her arms was more than enough to make him let those emotions out.


    Then, as he drowned himself in the maelstrom of emotions, Esme spoke in a soft, fleeting whisper.


    "I can see why you like her so much..."


    *


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    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 597 Insight

    <h4>Chapter 597 Insight </h4>


    "For the longest time since I came to this world, I''ve always known what I wanted."


    Rey and Esme sat on chairs as they remained in Alicia''s room. The former was staring at the girl''s sleeping body, while thetter only looked at him in silence.


    "I initially wanted to gain the recognition of my ssmates. But, after seeing their reactions toward me, I decided to grow stronger than all of them without showing my strength."


    Slowly, his motivations and goals had changed over time. However, through them all, he still had some measure of rity.


    His goals were always achievable; with a clear path he had to tread.


    To get strong, all he had to do was kill Monsters in the Dungeon. Stopping the Criminal Empire just meant taking out everyone on the board.


    Even helping his ssmates out, or conquering the Grand Cmity ss Dungeon had clear objectives and methods to achieve them.


    "But¡­ right now, I have no idea what to do."


    He was the savior of humanity, so he had to help them defeat the Dragons. He also had to protect everyone close to him in the process.


    Then, there was Alicia.


    He had to figure out a way to cure her, but he didn''t even know where to start.


    "I¡­ have these goals and ambitions, but how do I achieve them? I''ve messed up so many times already. I no longer have any confidence in my ns, and even if i did¡­ what exactly am I supposed to do about all of this?"


    Rey knew he sounded pathetic, but these were words he couldn''t utter in front of anyone else.


    He felt stuck somehow.


    "I''m supposed to be the strong and smart one¡ªthe one who hase up with so many ns and led so many people¡­"


    As Ralyks, he was revered as such.


    And now, the same was expected of him. But Rey was nothing like that.


    He was just, in principle, a 16 year old boy who was blessed with enough power and information to act ordingly.


    But, when faced with a situation where both his power and information failed him¡ªlike in the case of Alicia''s curse¡ªhe had to cave in.


    "What should I do?" Rey whispered, turning his eyes to Esme.


    It was clear he was lost at the moment. All the ideas he had either couldn''t be trusted, or wouldn''t work regardless.


    What he needed now was certainty.


    But¡ª


    "I¡­ I don''t know¡­"


    ¡ªAsking for such an answer from someone equally powerless and ignorant, if not more, was unfair.


    Esme could not give him the answer he desired.


    "What about you, Emil?" Rey muttered, already desperate for an answer¡ªany answer¡ªthat would solve everything.


    However¡­


    ~I apologize, Master. I have no idea what to do¡­~


    ¡­ Even the Symbiote was unable to help.


    For the first time ever, she fell silent and let Rey brood in peace.


    The solemn air of the room remained like this for a while as Rey closed his eyes and breathed a consistent strep breath.


    After some time, as he opened his eyes, his voice echoed softly.


    "What about you, Ater?"


    ~VWUSH~


    The ck suited man presented himself before Rey, bowing his head slightly as he appeared from the darkness.


    "What should I do?" The boy murmured, still on his seat.


    A smile formed on Ater''s face as he raised his head, stood upright, ced a hand in his pocket, and responded casually.


    "Depart from this ce and go to thend of the Elves."


    As Rey heard this, something flickered within his eyes.


    He instantly raised his head and saw Ater''s confident smile showering him with nothing short of certainty.


    "What will I find there?"


    "A cure for your friend. Resources for your business. Allies for humanity. And some answers to the questions that you ask."


    The sad, mopey expression on Rey''s face instantly vanished as he hardened his eyes and straightened his expression.


    "borate."


    "There is someone who goes by the Oracle there who could solve your problems. The Elves revere them as the mouthpiece of nature, and I suspect they can reverse the curse inflicted by the world."


    "R-really¡­?"


    "They should also possess some answers that we seek. And since the Elves revere them, bringing them to your side means that humanity will be able to count on the Elves as allies. Finally, thend of the Elves is rich in the kind of materials that the Reaper Group desperately needs." Ater stepped forward, his confidence unwavering.


    "There is no ce you ought to be at the moment more than the Land of the Elves."


    As Rey heard this, his eyes widened considerably.


    Ater was right!


    "Did you find all of this out just recently? Is that why you''ve been missing for a while?"


    The smile of the Familiar only broadened as he heard this.


    "Not exactly. I learned a considerable deal during the investigative task that you entrusted me with all those months ago. However¡ª"


    "Then why didn''t you say anything sooner?" Rey felt himself get agitated, but lost all the pent-up emotions almost instantly.


    Whether it was correct to be annoyed at Ater at the moment, Rey couldn''t help but feel that way once he heard what he was saying.


    ''If you knew, why wait until now?''


    "¡ªMy investigations were cut short due to the incident at the Capital, when you nearly lost your life. I ceased my investigation efforts and returned to your side as soon as possible."


    During Rey''satose period, he was busy protecting the Capital and also rebuilding it¡ªfollowing the struct orders of his Master.


    As such, he never got topleting his investigation.


    "Upon your return, and the Capital''s near reconstruction, I reckoned it was time to conclude the investigation and sufficientlyplete all my data."


    After hearing Ater''s rationale, Rey felt stupid for getting annoyed.


    He of all people had to know how dangerous iplete information could be. Ater was most likely trying to protect him by not spilling the beans too early.


    ''If he got my hopes up withoutpletely verifying his findings or concluding his investigation, it could have ended dangerously.''


    Once again, Ater was right.


    "Currently, I possess sufficient information to properly inform you of the details of my mission in the Land of the Elves as well as all my findings."


    Rey could see Esme fidget a little anytime the Elves were mentioned, and he understood why.


    He turned to her side, intending to suggest that she should leave the room for the both of them to discuss.


    Or perhaps he and Ater could leave the room to discuss somewhere else.


    But¡ª


    "Don''t worry about me, Rey. I would like to listen to this, if you don''t mind."


    Rey nodded slowly and nced at Ater, who also nodded in agreement.


    "Alright. Just tell me once you get ufortable." He whispered.


    Esme affirmed this and clenched both her fist, remembering her rather unsavory experience with the Elves, but still unable to shrug off her curiosity about them.


    Ater smiled at her, noticing all of this, though she didn''t notice.


    He swiftly turned his focus back to his Master, who was now paying rapt attention to any word that would be uttered.


    "Go on, Ater." Rey spoke up, locking his fingers with one another as he sat upright on his chair.


    "Tell me everything."


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 598 Ater’s Experience [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 598 Ater''s Experience [Pt 1]</h4>


    [Months Earlier]


    Ater watched.


    The Elves all remained on the ground¡ªpowerless as they all sumbed to the might of his Master''s Magic.


    Rey Skr, his sole proprietor, thenmanded him to take care of things from that moment onward¡ªgiving a most important task.


    ''I am to spy upon the Elves and gather as much information as I can within the 10-day Interval before Master''s departure to the Front Lines.''


    His task wasn''t very difficult. What he found a little challenging was deciding how to go about it.


    ''Should I eliminate one of them and take their ce using Shape-shifting?''


    He could even mimic their scent, if need be, so as not to attract any suspicion in the slightest.


    ''The Elves have incredible senses, but I''m not an incorrigible trickster for nothing.'' Ater mused.


    Besides, these fools had dared to defy and insult his Master.


    If things were up to him, he would have ughtered all of them and initiated his mission in a much more aggressive manner.


    But no.


    His Master had been explicit with his orders.


    ''This requires a certain level of¡­ finesse.'' Once he had that settled in his mind, he began to execute the task.


    The first thing was to utilize his Skill [Possession] to enter into one of the Elves andpletely take over their body.


    He would use that opportunity to gain ess to their memories as well.


    Once he decided upon that, it was easy to ount for the person to target first.


    ''It feels a little vile to do so, but I have to admit that this one is the most suited for the task at the moment.''


    He thought this as he stared at Aurora El viaria.


    Within a second, his solid body grew dark and lost any form. He became a dark mist, and the billowing smoke began to draw closer to the sleeping Aurora.


    ~FSHIII¡­~


    He seeped into her nostrils ever so subtly, granting himself a preeminent seat in her body.


    At that exact moment, Aurora opened her eyes.


    No, it wasn''t her.


    The darkness that covered the whites of her eyes did not Appear to be hers, neither did the smile that she wore on her face.


    This was Ater in control.


    "Now then¡­ to set things up." He looked at the rest of the Elves¡ªa total of twelve¡ªhis grin growing wider.


    Utilizing the Magic of the Elf''s body, he used Wind to carry all of them so they floated.


    ''Looking through her memories, it seems their hideout isn''t too far from here. I''ll take them all there first.''


    And that was precisely what he did.


    In his usual efficient manner, Ater led all the floating Elves to their haven¡ªa ce decorated with exotic looking flowers and a sweet aroma that permeated the air.


    The moment he entered the ce and took a whiff, his body reacted instantly.


    Her bluish green hair failed from side to side. Her tight grip on her staff loosened, and her pale skin seemed to spasm a bit.


    ''Muscle memory, huh? They appeared to have decorated this ce so it''s reminiscent of home. If that''s the case, then the Land of the Elves surely must be worth exploring.''


    Yes, Ater could sort through Aurora''s memories to find out more about thend, but the further back a memory was, the longer it would take to get there.


    Ater was still sorting out the surface level and recent memories, so was yet to fully investigate the scope of her mind.


    ''Now that we''re here, I''ll relinquish control over her body for now.''


    That way, he could focus more on learning about her and her people. Also, by giving Aurora and the rest of the Elves agency, he would be able to study them to his satisfaction.


    ''Alright then¡­ let the games begin.''


    **********


    The Elves woke up quite a whileter, and Aurora gathered the women together in order to make their ns to return.


    Ater watched everything from within her and internally cast his perspective on the matter.


    ''So they n to cross the vast seas that separate both continents with Runic Magic. That''s rare, even among Elves.''


    The major difference between Runes and Spells was the utility that they offered.


    Spells were spoken and granted instant results, while Runes were inscribed and could be stored for future use.


    They could also be activated by people who didn''t even use such Magic as long as they triggered its effects.


    The same way Dungeon Traps operated was the same way any Rune would. There had to be inscriptions, Mana imbued within said inscription, and a catalyst that activated the effects.


    ''It sounds simple, but it''s really not; especially in this case.''


    Not only was Rune Magic very rare¡ªeven to the point where humanity had barely developed any proper theory, not to mention practice on it¡ªbut Spatial Magic was also very rare.


    In essence, when analyzing the mere possibility of someone having a Rune Scroll that could teleport them over such a long distance, Ater felt it pertinent to acknowledge its impressive nature.


    ''I am not surprised that she has something of this sort, though. She''s an esteemed Elder, after all.''


    In Elven Society, their denizens were typically divided into two.


    The Elders and the Young.


    Elders had lived at least three hundred years, while Youngs referred to any Elf below that age.


    There were several perks to being an Elder, one of which was getting a True Name.


    The name Aurora El viaria was one given to her once she became an Elder¡ªmature enough to be granted another name other than the base one attributed to an Elf at birth.


    Not only was she an Elder, but she was also an Esteemed one¡ª


    a member of the Esteemed Council, who governed The Elves and served as their guardian.


    ''The Magic in the Rune is not of her doing. There''s someone else among the Elves who is capable of that, and they''re the ones who possess the rare Magic.''


    Ater could already tell, both from Aurora''s memories and the conversation that was ensuing among the Elves, that her actions would be frowned upon by the rest of themunity.


    ¡­ Especially the other members of the Esteemed Council.


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 599 Aters Experience [Pt 2]

    Chapter 599 Ater''s Experience [Pt 2]


    ''It''s quite brave of her to go against their wishes ande here; all for the sake of her people''s survival.'' Ater thought to himself.


    The one who also aided her in this n was also a member of the Council, but the fact that she wasn''t here with Aurora showed that the Rune was as far as she was willing to go when it came to help.


    ''But it''s thanks to all of these circumstances that this event has unfolded.'' Ater couldn''t help but smile devilishly as he watched the Elves huddle together and activate the power within the scroll.


    ~VWUUSH~


    Once Aurora ripped the parchment into two, a bright light enveloped the space and power spread through everyone and everything around.


    The howling of winds danced within the cave, once again causing the aroma permeating around to tingle the noses of the Elves once again.


    "Will we ever return to this ce?" Ater heard one of the Elves say.


    If he remembered correctly, her name was L.


    Aurora shook her head in response, though, just as he knew she would.


    "My actions are in contradiction to the will of the Esteemed Council. I will most likely be punished for my transgression."


    Despite saying this, her stern and resolute demeanor did not falter.


    She remained steadfast in all her manners.


    "I am aware of the sin that I havemitted, so I ept my inevitable fate. The punishment I shall receive is of little consequence to me. As long as our people thrive and drive away the Dragons¡­ that is all that matters."


    Once again, Ater couldn''t help but feel slightly touched by her genuine dedication.


    He could rte to it somewhat when he considered how his Master often limited certain actions of his when they would be of utmost benefit to him.


    Still, he could notin.


    ''All in due time¡­''


    ~SHIIIING!~


    The radiant energy spread through everything that was within the circle, finally transporting everyone to the point whereAter recognised from her recently digested memories.


    It was a beach on the other side of the world.


    ¡­ The Eastern Continent.


    As the group appeared on the beach, the salty breeze tousled their hair and carried the distant cry of gulls on its wings.


    The sand stretched out before them, a vast expanse of golden grains that shimmered in the sunlight.


    Seashells dotted the shoreline like treasures waiting to be discovered, their delicate forms glinting in the sun.


    Ahead, just a stone''s throw from the sandy edge,y an exotic forest that seemed to beckon constantly.


    The trees stood tall and straight, their branches reaching skyward in a canopy of greenery.


    Colorful blooms adorned the forest floor, their petals painted in hues so vivid they seemed to defy reality. The scent of the flowers hung heavy on the air, mingling with the salty tang of the sea to create a heady perfume that intoxicated the senses.


    All in all, it was a beautiful sight unlike anything within the world of humans.


    ''Ahh¡­ here atst!'' Ater grinned to himself as he sat back and watched it all.


    As the group ventured closer, they were instantly surrounded by shadowy figures who appeared seemingly out of nowhere.


    "Don''t move!" They yelled out loud.


    As soon as the arriving Elves heard this, they obeyed and watched as the new group of pointy-eared ones emerged from the forest''s embrace.


    Tension filled the air at that moment, in which Ater just smiled as he took it all in¡ªalmost as if he knew how it would turn out.


    "Sister! You have finally returned!"


    The leader of the surrounding Elves, who had green hair¡ªand while she didn''t look as pretty as Aurora, certainly had another kind of appeal about her¡ªraised her voice as she neared Ater''s host.


    The two sisters hugged, also sniffing each other in the process; as was the custom of the Elves.


    Unlike the doom and gloom that Aurora predicted, it seemed more like a warm homing than anything else. However, the worst was yet toe.


    And Ater knew that well.


    "It warms my heart that you havee to wee me, Sister." Aurora spoke with sadness in her eyes.


    "However, I am also aware that you are here for more than that reason."


    The Elf that embraced her slowly nodded as the both of them drew away from each other. The faces of the surrounding Elves were also littered with sadness.


    "Indeed. We are here to capture you and the Young Ones for your breach and present you before the esteemed council."


    The Elf withdrew herselfpletely from Aurora and had a stern look on her face, almost as if the soft expression she had just moments ago was a lie.


    "Do you wish to protest, or will you yield?"


    Aurora turned to look at the Elves behind her and smiled at them withpassion¡ªthe kind a mother would give to their younglings.


    "I yield."


    Ater watched as they captured Aurora and her followers, beginning their journey unto the forest and towards the Elven settlement.


    He couldn''t help but muse at all that he saw.


    ''Well¡­ this is quite the development.'' n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    As the group ventured deeper into the forest, a palpable tension hung in the air like a thick fog.


    The trees towered overhead, their branches intertwining to form a canopy that blocked out much of the sunlight.


    Shadows danced on the forest floor, casting eerie shapes that seemed to shift and writhe with a life of their own.


    The underbrush grew dense and tangled, making progress slow and arduous. Every step was met with resistance, as if the very earth itself sought to impede their journey.


    Twisted roots snaked across the forest floor, tripping unwary travelers and threatening to ensnare them in their grasp.


    Despite the lush beauty of their surroundings, a sense of unease settled over the group like a heavy cloak.


    Every rustle of leaves, every snap of a twig, sent shivers down their spines as the Elves sometimes strained to catch a glimpse of whatever lurked in the shadows.


    Clearly the woods weren''t always safe.


    The scouts were ahead of the main group to check for danger, and everyone was on high alert.


    As for words, no one uttered any.


    It was almost too boring for Ater to stand, but he endured it anyway.


    The silence was broken only by the asional hoot of a bird or the distant howl of a creature, their calls echoing through the forest like ominous warnings.


    Each member of the group held their breath, their senses alert for any sign of danger lurking in the darkness.


    But still, they pressed on, driven by a determination born of necessity.


    After all¡­ beyond these dense woods was the ce they were all journeying to.


    ¡ªThe Elf Community.

 Chapter 600 A Higher Existence

    Chapter 600 A Higher Existence


    "After that, well¡­ things got a lot moreplicated."


    Ater sat in midair before Rey and Esme, going over the rest of his adventures in the Elven Society that he found himself in. There were a lot of things he spoke about, and he practically dissected many facets of theirmunity during his stay there.


    "Aurora was going to be confined until punishment, so I had to get a new host. It would have been detrimental for me to remain trapped with her." Ater continued, exining how he possessed one of the Young Ones.


    Apparently, the younger Elves were not punished at all, since Aurora was the Elder among them, and she influenced them in that regard. Still, they all felt bad for their leader and constantly worried for her fate.


    Perhaps that was their punishment in its own way.


    "Not only did I explore themunity itself, but I went and saw the surroundingnds. The Elves have a very rich ecosystem, with Mana saturating the air." Ater continued. "They have tons of natural resources we can exploit for production. Of the Great Dungeons that exist in this world, two are in the Eastern Continent, and one in particr is quite close to theirmunity."


    The more Ater went on, the more Rey and Esme realized just how much of a goldmine the Land of the Elves was. Not only did it provide an avenue to grow stronger, but it was practically amercial jackpot.


    "While it would be of great benefit to simply take away their resources and perhaps even control the popce to do our bidding¡­ there is a bit of a problem. It was only when I realized it that I discovered the presence of a high existence in that continent."


    Rey''s brows were raised the moment he heard this. "High Existence?"


    "The Oracle." Ater''s eyes narrowed as he spoke. He was no longer smiling, so every word he spoke oozed sheer seriousness. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "The Oracle is the connection between the Elves and Nature and possesses the gift of divine revtion. They also see all that happens in the Land Of The Elves, which is how I was able to notice their existence."


    Ater noticed someone¡ªor something¡ªwas watching him throughout his stay in the Land of the Elves. It somewhat limited his investigations, but it also allowed him to test out a few things and arrive at a conclusion.


    "The Oracle sees all. The Oracle knows all. The Elves believe this with all their hearts. If that''s the case, then there is a high chance that they can help you with your Curse problem. And if that''s the case¡ª"


    "We can''t afford to be rough with the Elves." Rey mumbled slowly, to which Ater nodded.


    Even now, Ater did not know the dwelling ce of the Oracle. No one really knew where they stayed. When the Oracle desired to see someone, they would simply ''call'' them to their presence. How this happened was still a mystery, but it was most probably Magic.


    "They have a temple where they pray to Nature and request for the aid of The Oracle. If their prayers are answered, they are summoned to the Oracle''s presence."


    This was the most religious society that Rey had encountered sinceing to this world, and it was pretty telling.


    Humanity didn''t really seem to have a religion. If they worshiped anything, it would perhaps be the Otherwordlers.


    Those who knew the Otherworlders personally wouldn''t think to worship them. And as for any other God or Gods, there didn''t really seem to be a full consensus or organized religion¡ªat least not yet.


    But the Elves were different.


    They worshiped Nature, and The Oracle was the sole one who could directly converse with Nature.


    Hence, the only path to salvation.


    "Do you think this Oracle will help us, though?" Rey asked with skeptical eyes, and Esme nodded in agreement to his question.


    She also had high disbelief that such an entity would assist them.


    "We just have to convince them somewhat. The Oracle''s desire seems to be the flourishing of their people¡ªmaintaining order among the Elves. Right now, the Elves have a major problem on their hands. If we address that and aid them, perhaps they will aid us."


    "And if they don''t¡­?"


    "We find another way. Besides, it''s not like we''ll be helping them for free. There are several other forms of payment that can be requested in exchange for assistance." Ater exined with calm determination.


    The goal was to gain as much from the Elves without upsetting The Oracle.


    "Do you really think sucking up to them would help? Like¡­ I mean, I''m an Otherworlder, sure, but the Elves have made it perfectly clear how they feel about humans and Half Elves.


    The mere fact that Ater had trespassed upon theirnd was a transgression that they weren''t even sure The Oracle would forgive.


    All in all, it was a probability.


    "If the diplomatic approach doesn''t work out, you could always be a lot more imposing. As an S-Tier existence, with multiple Divine Skills, I am certain you won''t be ignored by such a high entity here."


    "Yeah. I was thinking the same." Rey responded.


    In the past, he might have preferred walking on eggshells and trying diplomatic strategies. However, there was no need to get hung up on things.


    ''The Elves are very stuck up. Trying to garner their favor would only hurt our case, the way I see it.'' Rey''s thoughts trailed.


    Of course, he didn''t n to go there, guns zing. He would try the peaceful approach first. However, if that wasn''t effective, he would have to switch up his strategy to amodate more extreme measures.


    "The Cure for Alicia. Resources for the Reaper Group. Potential Allies in the war. Answers to some questions I have¡­ these will be my goals for this journey." He looked at Ater, who nodded with satisfaction.


    "You need to inform me of all the details¡ªdown to the letter¡ªbut right now, there''s something else on my mind."


    "What is it, Master?" As Ater asked this question, his eyes lighting up a little in curiosity. Esme also looked at Rey, whose calm and stoic gaze reflected nothing as he parted his lips to speak.


    "Should I go alone?"

 Chapter 601 Plans For The Journey

    Chapter 601 ns For The Journey


    "NO!"


    Both Ater and Esme said this at the same time, and the expressions on their faces showed just how much they meant every word.


    "Master, it''s too dangerous for you to go there on your own! You need guidance of the terrain and might require my assistance!"


    "Isn''t that why you''re going to tell me every single thing you found out in that ce?" Rey asked with a smile on his face.


    "Besides¡­ I can''t allow you to leave the Capital while I''m away. It''ll be too vulnerable, and there''s no one I trust more than you to handle things.


    Ater seemed to slightly blush once Rey said this. However, his eyes still disyed concern for his Master. It wasn''t really that he was worried for him, but because he didn''t want to leave his side. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "No fair. Why don''t I get to have my own adventures with Master¡­" He mumbled, almost sulking at this point.


    When Ater looked through his history with Rey, he didn''t see a single moment where they both went to an important event or mission together.


    He was always apart from him.


    ''Why do things always end up like this? It sucks!'' Perhaps this was hispetenceing back to bite him.


    Right as he was thinking this, a voice echoed in the air.


    ~Don''t worry, Ater! I''ll take care of our Master really well!~


    It came from a mouth that had formed from Rey''s current attire. A portion of it was stretched out, like dark slime, and the mouth that formed from it was smiling in an overly confident¡ªslightly mocking¡ªmanner.


    "Y-you¡­" Ater narrowed his eyes in bottled rage, his eyes now glowing a fierce crimson as he frowned at the Symbiote Slime''s sneer.


    "I should have destroyed you while I had the chance!"


    ~Should have? Stop acting like you could, even if you wanted to.~


    "Oh? Why note and find out?"


    ~Pfft! Please! I don''t need to do any¡ª!~


    "Emil!" Rey slightly raised his voice. "You shouldn''t pop out like that unless I give you permission to."


    ~B-but Master¡­~


    "And Ater, please calm yourself. It''s not particrly helpful to threaten Emil like that." Rey said, staring at Ater''s face.


    "What do you mean, Master?"


    His deep frown waspletely gone, almost as if it never existed to begin with. Recing it was a bright, unassuming smile.


    "I was just joking. Please take none of my words to heart."


    Rey, of course, knew better than to ignore Ater''s killing intent towards Emil. He could also sense the animosity that thetter felt towards the former.


    ''Both of them are such problematic Familiars, though they''re very capable¡­'' He held his forehead and sighed despite having no headache of any sort.


    "I really wish I could bring you along with me, Ater. You know the terrain more than anyone present, and your abilities are pretty useful¡ªin all honesty." However, Rey possessed no ally or subordinate as strong as Ater at the moment. The only one he could count on to protect humanity''s stronghold was him.


    It was non-negotiable.


    ''I can''t repeat the same mistake asst time. Unless I''ve made all preparations to secure everyone''s safety, it would be foolish for me to leave just like that.''


    "Understood, Master¡­" Ater mumbled, bowing his head in all humility.


    ~Hihihihihi!~


    Rey tried chastising Emil for herughter of victory, but he decided to ignore it. At the very least, she was doing it in his head now.


    "I want toe with you too, Rey!" Esme''s voice suddenly erupted into the air, both of her hands tightly clenched as she looked at him with determined eyes.


    "What?" Rey could understand her desire to help, but he also understood just how problematic it would be for everyone if she tagged along with him.


    "Are you sure? The Elves don''t take too well to your kind¡­"


    "I am well aware. But¡­ I really don''t want to sit this one out. I want to help you however I can, and if possible, I want to change how they view me and my Half Elf status."


    Rey liked her intentions, but he considered it to be a bad idea. Based on his interactions with them, the Elves were quite stubborn. He already had his hands full trying to convince them to assist him without resorting to violence. ''If I add Esme to the mix¡­'' He turned to Ater for assistance, hoping his blunt rejection of her desires would help her back away.


    "Great idea, Esme. I am in full support!" Rey''s eyes would have popped out of his eyes if he wasn''t controlling his emotions. He wasn''t expecting Ater to say something like that, and with a bright smile no less.


    "You''re really sure about that?" Rey muttered, looking to see if this was just a joke on the part of a Familiar¡ªperhaps revenge for not signing him up for the mission¡ªor if he was being genuine about it.


    "Indeed. Her heritage as an Elf, albeit a Half one, grants her some form of connection to The Oracle." Rey found his eyebrows raised a little in confusion, so Ater went on to exin.


    "It is said that the Oracle is connected to all Elves and sometimes speaks to them. I could confirm this from a few people¡ªeven from their memories¡ªduring my investigation. It''s true¡­"


    "Memories could be fabricated." Rey stated, trying his best to convince both Ater and himself not to bring Esme along.


    It was too dangerous for her.


    "Indeed. So I used my [Shapeshift] Skill to be an Elf and try to tap into this special connection."


    "And? Did it work?"


    "Yes. There is certainly something special among the Elves in thatnd, which is what makes Esme quite indispensable."


    Everything Ater said made sense, but Rey still felt ufortable with the idea.


    A sudden wave of protectiveness began to course through his body, and he searched for any excuse or alternative to make her remain in the Capital¡ªwhere it was safe.


    As much as he wanted to be with her¡ªas a friend, of course¡ªhe also didn''t want her to get hurt.


    ''I can''t bear to have you in danger too¡­''


    And so, within the moment that Ater finished his exnation, Rey countered with his own point.


    "Emil could use her Skill to transform into Esme, or any other Elf in order to ess the same¡ª!"


    "Rey, please! I want toe with you!" Esme insisted, swiftly proceeding to grab him by his hands.


    An electrifying sensation coursed through his body, but all of it was suppressed instinctively¡ªbefore realizing he didn''t really need to control such things when dealing with Esme.


    "If it gets too dangerous for me, you can just transport me back here."


    Rey didn''t want to, but he found himself staring into her clear blue eyes. In the end, he could not resist her charms.


    "F-fine¡­" "YESS!" She pumped her fist in the air, alsounching it towards Ater, who actually fist bumped her.


    ''When did these two get so chummy?'' He wondered, but as his thoughts were interrupted by Emil''s whining.


    ~I wanted it to just be Master and I. This sucks¡­~


    He made a wry smile and shrugged off her possessive thoughts.


    "Well, looks like its settled. Esme and I will¡ª"


    "Actually, Master, I was wondering if one more person could tag along for this event. It''s someone you''re well acquainted with."


    Rey raised an eyebrow as soon as he heard this. If Ater was the one personally rmending them, they had to be good.


    "Who is it?"

 Chapter 602 The Esteemed Council

    Chapter 602 The Esteemed Council


    [Meanwhile¡­ ]


    Within the grand hall of the Esteemed Council, an air of tension hung heavy like a shroud. The room, adorned with intricate wood carvings and delicate tapestries depicting the symbols and lore of their people, now seemed to sag under the weight of the gathering. Tall, slender pirs rose to support a vaulted ceiling, dimly lit by ethereal orbs that cast long, ominous shadows across the polished marble floor.


    At the heart of the chamber stood a circr table of dark oak, encircled by high-backed chairs carved with intricate Elven motifs. Each seat was upied by a member of the council, their expressions veiled in a cloak of concern and weariness. The only sound was the soft rustle of parchment and the asional creak of leather as they shifted ufortably in their seats. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The atmosphere crackled with an unspoken tension, as if the very air itself held its breath in anticipation of the weighty decisions toe. Outside, the wind moaned mournfully through the ancient trees, adding to the sense of foreboding that permeated the hall.


    Despite the elegant surroundings, there was a dreariness to the scene, a sense of disillusionment that clung to the councilors like a stubborn shadow. The weight of their responsibilities bore down upon them, etched into the lines of their faces and the weary slump of their shoulders.


    "The Dragon Invasion has be a horrific blight upon thisnd." The High Elder, current leader of the Council spoke up.


    She looked so youthful despite her ancient mannerisms and tone. Her fading purple hair shone like flowers, and while she was an exquisite beauty, her face was currently clouded with worry and pain.


    "Those monsters just imed hundreds of our Sisters in the recent struggle. Recapturing the Northern Stronghold seems impossible at the moment."


    Most of the fellow Elders that sat there said nothing.


    What more could they add to the despairing situation that now formed a dark cloud over the Elves and their holynd?


    This was a grand catastrophe that threatened to destroy them all.


    Still, the overwhelming silence of many did not stop a few from leaking out their thoughts in silent grumbles and whispers.


    "It wasn''t always like this¡­"


    "Those evil bastards¡­ why won''t they just die?"


    "Their corruption¡­ it''s spreading upon thisnd. It''s no wonder our Sisters lost¡­"


    In the past, even though the Elves were being pushed back and suffered losses, things were never as bad as this. After they got their hands on certain technologies and Items, they even gained an upper hand and were closer to winning the war than ever.


    Victory was assured!


    But¡­ all of that changed when the Dragons began to change.


    "This new breed of undying Dragons is the problem. Not only are they functionally immortal, but they constantly make those who are exposed to them sick."


    Healing Magic only seemed to temporarily alleviate the situation, and for those who were affected for too long, using Healing only made things worse. Never before did the Elves have to deal with a problem like this, so they were at a loss for a solution.


    More meaningless and powerless words were passed among the members of the Council as the Esteemed Elders, many of whom were yet to even join the battle,ined and cried in distress.


    A certain Elf who sat there watched all of this happen¡ªpatiently enduring the noise until she could no longer take it anymore.


    "This is stupid¡­" Everyone instantly turned towards the familiar voice in the group.


    They recognized her greenish blue hair and defiant gaze. Her pale face and deep re were also some of her recognizable traits, so she stood out like a sore thumb.


    More than anything, though, her poor choice of words caught the attention¡ªand inevitably, the displeasure¡ªof the rest of the Council.


    "Aurora El viarai¡­ you should mind your tone when speaking in the presence of the Council." The Head Elder spoke, her voice echoing ack of tolerance that everyone in the room also disyed towards Aurora''s earlier action.


    "Apologies for my words, but the intention behind them remains genuine!" Aurora rose to her feet, her hands mming upon the table.


    "This meeting is a waste of time! While we remain here discussing these matters with inaction, many more of ourrades perish on the battlefield."


    Aurora wasn''t merely saying this due to what she had been told, or how dire the situation sounded. No¡­ she had personally witnessed it all.


    "I saw the horrors of those Dragons. Witnessed hundreds of my Sisters perish, and I could barely escape with my life only thanks to their sacrifices."


    Till date, her survival and their demise haunted her.


    "Talking all day about the current situation won''t change anything! We need to take action."


    "So what do you suggest?" Once again, the Head Elder spoke on behalf of pretty much the remaining members of the Esteemed Council.


    "We should deal with the humans again!" The moment the Elders heard this, they groaned and shook their heads in disapproval. Their annoyance, disyed by their frowns, scowls, and condescension, oozed through the room.


    "Hear me out, please!"


    "No, Aurora! You know the sacred rules! We must not deal with them, for it is willed by the Oracle''smandments."


    "Even if we perish by keeping thosemandments?"


    "If the Oracle wills it, so be it."


    "Y-you people!" She gasped, almost in exasperation, reminded of the very reason why she took matters into her own hands in the past.


    She wasn''t the only one reminded of this fact, though.


    "Are you yet to reflect on your transgression? It seems confiscating your staff and sending you to the battlefield for those months has done nothing to change your hardened heart!" The Head Elder responded swiftly, mming her own hands on the table as well.


    Her re was deep, a sharp response to Aurora''s frown. "You¡­ you''re all¡­" Aurora bit her lip so she wouldn''t say any more.


    The gazes that she received from the Elders showed that her words were of no use.


    ''They''re all acting like my actions are evil when the Items I obtained from the humans helped us nearly win the war.''


    Hundreds of her sisters were saved thanks to those Items, yet the Council seemed to be satisfied with criticizing her actions and sticking to the old ways.


    ''What is the use ofws when it ensures the doom of those it is meant to protect?'' She loved her people and valued theirws, but¡­ Aurora couldn''t help but feel a constant string of frustration anytime she looked at the people that surrounded her.


    Did they not understand how valuable their lives, and the lives of their sisters were?


    ''If not for those Undead Dragons¡­ we would have won. But now¡­ we need more than what we currently possess.''


    Aurora hated to admit it, but¡­ it was true.


    ''We need the humans.''


    "I will have to go to the Temple and beseech the Oracle. I will pray that she aids us in this moment of conflict¡­ as Nature''s true followers."


    The other Elves bowed in reverence, and Aurora found herself frozen in ce, staring at the behavior of her own people.


    She remained that way until everyone rose to their feet and the Head Elder spoke the final words.


    "Council Dismissed."

 Chapter 603 Prelude To The Journey

    Chapter 603 Prelude To The Journey


    [The Next Day]


    Rey and Esme stepped out of the hall of the Royal Council, both with satisfied looks on their faces.


    They nced at each other and even let out slight giggled¡ªalmost as if they were little children. The outfit Esme wore was akin to her preferred form of dressing for a long journey. A long white cloak, lined with minimal shades of blue but more of gold this time. The long robe flowed behind her, and while it looked a little big, itsfort was unmatched.


    In her right hand was a staff that slightly resembled gnarled wood. It was dark brown, growing closer to the color ck. It was a gift, courtesy of Ater, who called it a prototype Mage Tool that he and the Reaper Group had been working on for some time.


    Apparently, she was meant to use it for a test run during her journey with Rey. Plus, it would also serve as a form of advertisement to the Elves if they ever saw her use the staff and marveled at the power. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    As for Rey, who stood right beside her, he currently wore the Symbiote Slime who was pretty much his entire outfit.


    His dark cloak was lined with red and purple lines, and they matched his ck hair and eyepatch. The breeze of thete morning air was splendid, and the two felt it as they finally made it to the open field of the Royal Estate.


    A group of people were waiting for them; most likely to see them off.


    "Seems like your meeting with the Royal Council went well. I reckon it wasn''t only the details of your journey that you discussed with them." Ater was the first to speak as he watched them approach.


    He was standing among Justin, Belle, and rk, but his initiative shone through even them.


    "Yeah! Well¡­ I just had to confirm some things first. And, well¡­ I guess you''ll be told all about itter." Rey smiled, ncing at the rest of the Otherworlders with a hint of concern.


    The truth was that he wasn''t sure revealing the fact that there were other Nations outside the United Human Alliance to them¡ªespecially when someone like rk was on the team. Even though he had managed to find out, and even understand, the details of the Nations and why they were left on their own after the Alliance was formed, he wasn''t sure the others would take it the same way.


    Rey''s initial thoughts were correct, after all.


    ''The other Nations, due to political and multiple other reasons, were the ones who refused to be a part of the Alliance. And to be honest, the Royal Council holds a bit of spite towards them since they do not assist, in the slightest, in the war against the Dragons.''


    As for why they didn''t make these Nations known to the Otherworlders, or even public knowledge, Rey found out it was for cohesiveness¡ªamong other things.


    While ethically debatable, humanity within the walls of the Alliance would fare better by believing they were thest bastion of mankind. They would strive to keep things that way, hence the resilience shown by them.


    Plus, they didn''t want the Otherworlders splitting to also protect those other Nations who didn''t share resources at all with the United Human Alliance despite the severity of the war. If the Alliance summoned saviors, it was only fair that they kept them.


    Everything was arge mix of ck and white, creating a gray mess. Rey couldn''t fault them for making the decision¡ªespecially since it was done by majority vote, with Conrad being the only one who wanted to reveal the truth to the Otherworlders.


    Politics, mixed with a bit of selfish interest, was rife in the decisions that led up to the current moment, but in the end they meant well.


    Rey understood that.


    ''I''ll just wait until the Royal Council decides to keep their word andunch another outreach attempt. Everyone will be brought to the loop at that point.''


    The first thing they had to sort out before then, though, was the conspiracy with the Nobles as well as Felicia and her friends. ''I still don''t know what''s up with them, and I''m leaving before uncovering all of that. But¡­'' He stared at Ater, who smiled broadly and nodded his head.


    ''... Ater says he''ll take care of it.''


    Over the time they had spent together, he had learned to trust his Familiar. ''He''s been verypetent all this time. I doubt he''ll fail me now¡­'' Rey thought to himself, silencing thest vestiges of his worries.


    ''Besides, I promised him a reward if he wraps everything nicely before I return.''


    With that in mind, Rey stepped forward and hugged his ssmates who wished him a safe journey.


    "I don''t know the details, but the Land of the Elves, eh? I''m so jealous!" Justin let out with a loud sigh as he grumbled.


    "Elves are such hot babes¡­ or so I hear, ahem¡­" After saying this, he nced slightly at Esme, who stared at him with slight confusion. Upon staring straight at her, heunched himself at Rey with visible tears in his eyes.


    "You bastard! How did you end up bagging such a beauty!" Of course, his attempts to pounce at Rey did not work, as thetter simply shifted Zones and caused Justin to fall on the ground with mock sobs.


    "I wish you good fortune. I hear we''ll get all the details from the Royal Councilter, but¡­ I hope you achieve what you set out to do." rk''s response was smooth and mature as one would expect from him.


    "Thanks man."


    After Rey''s response, and their handshake, the heroic boy stared at Esme and stretched out his hand to her while wearing the same courteous smile.


    "I wish you good fortune as well. It seems we got off on the wrong foot the other night. I had no idea you were Rey''s¡­ well¡­ friend?"


    "Yeah. Friend." Esme sweetly smiled as she took rk''s hand and shook it. "And¡­ well, I''m sorry for just barging in like that. It was rude."


    Esme never attacked anyone, and was instead the one who was assaulted by everyone else. Still, she recognized how abrupt her appearance was¡ªespecially in such a setting.


    "W-well¡­ yeah¡­ it was f-fine¡­" Suddenly, rk began blushing hard as soon as Esme took his hand and shook it.


    He trembled slightly, up to the moment he was let go by her.


    While this was happening, Belle hugged Rey and wished him good fortune. Other than the fact that her melons pressed hard on his chest, it was a pretty normal greeting.


    Then, there was Ater''s farewell.


    "I really wish I coulde with you¡­" He mumbled, his face slightly downcast.


    "You already gave me an Item that''ll allow us to talk for a long distance. There''s also our bond, so there''s no need to be so concerned."


    "Still¡­"


    Rey was somewhat reminded of Lucielle and her several failed attempts at trying to make Rey allow her toe with. She seemed to go insane when he announced it to the Royal Council and she was present.


    She begged and begged, saying words like; "I''ll do anything! Pleaseeee!"


    "I''ll be quiet throughout! I promise!"


    "Just tell me what you want! Anything! Just let mee with!"


    Of course, he refused her constant begging attempts. As long as he could control his emotions, his actions could be devoid of any sentimental influence.


    No matter how hard she cried, he wasn''t going to cave in.


    ''Though it seemed she would have shed actual tears. What a baby¡­'' Rey nearly grinned as he thought of her.


    It was while thinking about Lucielle and how Brutus eventually had to restrain her while he and Esme made their exit made him remember something else.


    "Ah, Ater¡­ what about the person who''ll be apanying us?" The moment Rey asked this, a bead of sweat formed on his face as he sighed a little. The words seemed a little hard for him to form with his own lips, but he finally gave in since his Master required an exnation.


    "It seems she''s a little¡ª"


    "I''M HEEEREEEE!" A voice erupted from a distance as the most bizarre thing greeted everyone''s sight as they turned to look at the location of the approaching voice.


    A short, pink-haired girl was currently running at full speed, and seated on her back was another girl. She had dark green hair, with sses that looked like they would fall off in just a second. Her blue eyes glowed and were moist with tears due to the intense speed that the person she rode was operating in.


    Still, her mouth was wide open as she approached the group from the massive gate in the distance.


    "SO SORRY I''M LATE!" Everyone simply stared at the piggyback ride, as well as the tons of other luggages that the pink-haired girl had on both hands as she still managed to keep a steady pace with the girl behind her.


    As Rey saw all of this, he grew pale and stared unforgivingly at Ater.


    ''No way¡­''

 Chapter 604 Constructed Conflict

    Chapter 604 Constructed Conflict


    Ater had told Rey that thest member of the team was a surprise.


    Since thetter liked surprises, despite being curious about who would be rmended, he decided to wait until the day of departure to find out.


    All Rey knew was that the person was a woman.


    And so, upon seeing Yuri and Kara approach him at full speed, he had no idea who Ater was trying to rmend or if this was simply some prank that was being pulled on him.


    It seemed obvious which one was the choice, but Rey knew his Familiar had a twisted sense of humor at times.


    ''If that''s the case, this isn''t funny.''


    ~FSHUUU!~


    Yuri came to a sharp halt almost as soon as she neared the group, creating a dust cloud that nearly hit everyone. However, Esme dispersed everything with wind the moment the cloud appeared.


    ''Oh?'' Rey stared at her with a smile, and she gave him a thumbs up. ''Nice!''


    He wouldn''t have been affected regardless, and he would have actually prevented the dust cloud from hitting anyone. Still, the fact that Esme took the initiative first was impressive.


    "Huuu! That was quite the ride, wasn''t it, Lady Kara?" Yuri said with her bright, cutesy smile.


    Rey knew not to be deceived by that look, though. The girl before him was a killing machine, and he had confirmed this with his very eyes.


    Even apart from what he saw, after hearing certain stories from members of the Reaper Group¡ªincluding Rebal and Asher¡ªhe was convinced that this girl felt nothing when decimating her enemies.


    Her kind of skewed perspective was dangerous to people like him.


    "Y-yesss¡­" Kara seemed lightheaded as she dismounted from Yuri''s back, stumbling a few steps as she struggled to adjust her sses.


    Her hair was a mess, and her eyes still seemed tock an ounce of focus.


    "You''rete. What happened?" Ater ignored all of this and went to bothdies, his hands in his pockets as he cooly interrogated them.


    "A-ah! Sir Ater¡­ Sir Raly¡­ Sir Rey¡­ good morning to you both!" Yuri bowed her head as she addressed them, once again being clumsy and cute.


    Once again, Rey guarded his heart from the effects of her obvious front.


    "The carriage we were supposed to take had an issue. The spare carriage was also being repaired, and it wouldn''t have been done on time. The others are all on delivery since we''ve been so busy recently. After trying to contact a proper ride unsessfully, I was called to bring Lady Kara here myself."


    In essence, she was the fastest mode of transportation at that point.


    "How clumsy can you people be? Why didn''t you do a proper checkup before today? If you had done that, you would have recognized that the carriage was faulty. A functional spare should have also been ced in case of such scenarios."


    "I-I understand, Sir Ater. The person in charge of that will surely be punished appropriately. You have my word." n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The moment Rey heard those wordsing from Yuri, he had a very bloody shback. He didn''t know what she meant by punishment, but he didn''t even want to ask.


    ''Rx, Rey. Now that they''re a legitimate business, the punishment could be changed from shing body parts to shing wages.''


    There was no need to have such a negative view on employees of his own business.


    "Still¡­ I believe I already spoke to Rebal about procuring new carriages as soon as possible. That wasst week. Why is there still a shortage?"


    "T-that¡­ I do not understand suchplex things, Sir Ater¡­" At this point, Yuri seemed like a child being bullied by an adult.


    She shrank back and her tone trembled.


    Despite his usual disposition of her, even Rey was beginning to feel bad for the poordy. He looked around to see his ssmates look away quietly.


    ''It seems they also experienced this side of Ater when I was asleep.''


    Ater had never really nagged Rey, so he didn''t particrly know how it felt. Still, looking at the scenario ying out before him, he could rightfully surmise that it felt less than pleasant.


    "Sir Ater, please take it easy on Yuri. She''s in the security division, so her knowledge in the production and procurement field iscking¡­" The entire thing was stopped once Kara''s voice echoed in the air.


    She still seemed a little disoriented, but her face and simple dress seemed put-together¡ªat least, for the most part.


    "Really now? I don''t know if you''d like to borate in her stead, then?"


    "Well, the problem right now is scarcity within the market. Supply of the products in their finished form is very low, and so¡­ expensive. Looking for the most efficient method for achieving maximum profit requires procuring parts and materials, while having our own artisans and experts piece them together."


    "And why hasn''t that been done?"


    "It has. The work to assemble them is underway, but as you''d expect¡­ it''ll take a bit more time than having the finished product from the get-go. The spare carriages and the carriage nned for today were scheduled for repair by recing the old parts with some newer ones we obtained. Unfortunately, there was some error in logistics, causing the dy."


    Kara rambled on and on about what she suspected caused the dy and mistake, and by the time she was done, she flexed her sses and bowed her head.


    "Once again, I apologize for beingte." Her simple ck jacket, coupled with a casual green shirt and dark trousers, fit tightly with her smaller frame, as she engaged in proper courtesy.


    Yuri saw this and stiffly bowed once again.


    Ater chuckled upon seeing and hearing all this, turning his head to Rey while speaking.


    "See, Master? I told you she''s pretty useful."


    As soon as Rey heard all of this, he realized what had happened. In the first ce, it was very difficult to believe that arge organization like the Reaper Group would have such a logistics problem, especially when they were dealing with the owner of the business.


    The main and spare carriages would have been checked multiple times, yet there still seemed to be some sort of issue with it. That meant¡­


    ''Ater, were you behind this?'' Rey''s eye widened slightly.


    Did Ater create this scenario and by generating false conflict in order to prove something to Rey? If that was the case, then it was just too diabolical.


    ''Kara was the one who suggested Yuri piggybacked her here since it''s the fastest means, despite being so ufortable. That shows she can improvise, and she''s willing to do anything to achieve her goal. Her analysis is also very detailed, and she explores every possibility in her field of expertise without leaving a hole unresolved.''


    She even guessed that there could have been some sort of internal sabotage, though she discredited this point due to her inability to grasp a motive.


    If she knew Ater a bit more, perhaps she would have pointed him out as the prime suspect.


    ''She''s impressive indeed.'' Rey concluded with a smile.


    He could see Belle looking a little miffed for some reason, though he couldn''t guess why.


    ''I''ll just stay out of it¡­''

 Chapter 605 Departure To Another Land

    Chapter 605 Departure To Another Land


    Kara Verte was amercial genius.


    Ater had already told Rey that much as one of the observations he made when he was overseeing the Reaper Group in his Master''s absence. He considered her bright in business, and Rey could now see how and why.


    ''She could help us procure a deal with the Elves, or even handle the whole Natural Resource issue that we are going to their Land to solve.''


    All in all, she was a vital addition to the team.


    ''Ater could do all of that, but since he won''t be with me, this is the best alternative¡­''


    "Good to have you on the team, Kara." Rey nodded at her.


    She nodded at him, a sheepish smile on her cute face. Both in terms of looks and intellect, she seemed to be pretty outstanding.


    "Thank you! I''m d to be here!"


    Rey noticedthat Esme had joined Belle in her look ofpressed annoyance, and he was further confused on the matter.


    They both seemed to shoot Kara a slightly distasteful scowl, though Belle''s seemed a lot more obvious. Also, she kept alternating between Ater and the girl in sses, which showed her as being slightly possessive of Ater.


    Perhaps even jealous as a result of thepliments he showered on Kara.


    ''I can understand that from Belle, since she''s a little crazy, but what''s Esme''s deal?'' Rey wondered.


    Did she still hold some sort of bias towards Kara due to her family''s past? He didn''t think so.


    ''Then, maybe she saw something on her Status Window?''


    Rey had already checked, and it seemed pretty normal. Still, he decided to observe it once more¡ªthis time with a more open mind.


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Kara Verte.


    - Race: Human - ss: Business Diplomat (C-Tier)


    - Level: 30 (16.79% EXP) - Life Force: 21 {50}


    - Mana Level: 5 {80}


    - Combat Ability: 7 {70} n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Natural Intuition]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Magic Understanding]. [Fast Chant]. [Barrier]


    - Alignment: Neutral


    [Additional Information]


    Possessed extraordinary wits and natural talent since she was very young, and even now she puts it on full disy in business.


    She has strong feelings of admiration and respect for her Boss, Rey Skr. [End Of Information]


    ''Seems pretty normal to me. Or¡­ could it be because of the Additional Information?'' Rey raised an eyebrow.


    Even if he managed to stretch it thin, he could construct that Kara could develop feelings for him¡ªand that was him reaching too far.


    ''But even if that was the case, how would it affect Esme? Could it be¡ª?!'' Rey''s eyes widened as he stared at Esme.


    She noticed this and smiled sweetly at him,pletely getting rid of any ounce of the animosity she disyed just moments ago. ''There''s no way, right? Maybe she''s just being protective of me since she''s my friend and she also knows I like Alicia. Yeah¡­ she probably doesn''t want anyone else toe between us¡­ me and Alicia¡­''


    A deeper look into Esme''s blue eyes made Rey begin to think too deeply into the possibility¡ªalmost to the point where his heart began to race.


    ''I-I think I''ll still stay out of it¡­'' He gulped and looked away. ''There''s no way. Let''s just forget about it and move on!'' Kara and Yuri introduced themselves to the Otherworlders, and once again Justin teased Rey for having so many pretty girls in his life. rk was cordial with everyone, while Belle drew closer to Ater¡ªalmost as if trying to mark her territory.


    It was a messy activity, but everything was finally resolved and Rey was ready to leave.


    "I leave Alicia and everything into your hands." Rey was speaking directly to Ater, but since the Familiar was standing among his ssmates, all of them nodded and gave him looks of determination.


    "Yeah! You can trust us!"


    "Don''t worry ande back quickly. If any Elven beauty is interested, tell them there''s a handsome guy back here."


    "H-hold on, don''t you have a girlfriend?"


    "W-well¡­ that is that, this is this. Besides, whatever happens in H''Trae stays in¡ªow!"


    "Bye, Rey! Bring me souvenirs!"


    "Sir Rey, please take care of yourself and Lady Kara!"


    "Farewell, Master! You can count on me always! Please take care of yourself, and make sure to call me once you arrive! Please ensure to¡­"


    Ater went on and on, almost like a doting parent. Rey almost felt embarrassed, but his suppressed feelings were able to save him the embarrassment he would have suffered if he could feel every single emotion.


    His cheeks felt a little warm as he got so many farewells from his friends and allies. Even Justin''s farwell felt strangely genuine despite all he knew about him.


    ''Thanks everyone¡­'' His thoughts flowed as he stared at both Esme and Kara, who were right beside him. Emil was also with him, which meant he had three allies with him on this adventure.


    "Shall we?"


    As soon as he asked them, and they were about to respond, the doors of the Main Pce doors flung open, and someone yelled as she approached from the building''s far distance.


    "REY, PLEASE RECONSIDER AND TAKE ME WITH YOUUUU!"


    ''L-Lucielle?!'' Instantly recognizing the voice as the overenthusiastic Grand Mage, and seeing her very clearly thanks to his eyesight, Rey took a step back.


    He noticed Brutus right behind her, looking as tired and disheveled as a warrior could possibly be. Rey wondered if they had some sort of fight so she could break loose of his hold, but he had no intentions to stay and find out.


    "Maybe next time!" He responded back with a bright grin and finally transported himself and the twodies beside him away from the Royal Court.


    Before everything faded away, he could hear her scream echo in his ears.


    "REYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!"


    Laughter filled his lips as he held the twodies tight as they appeared in the sky. In one swift motion, he sent himself gliding through the air and rushing towards the Eastern Beach¡ªthe first destination.


    ~VWUSH~


    In another burst of Spatial Magic, theypletely vanished from the sky, leaving only traces of Mana dancing as glitters amidst clouds.

 Chapter 606 Conspiracy Among Lords

    <h4>Chapter 606 Conspiracy Among Lords </h4>


    [Meanwhile¡­]


    In a white hall, so pure and beautiful, a figure sat on a chair, her overflowing breasts resting on the table that she also ced both her elbows on, interlocking her fingers as she stared straight ahead.


    She wore a pure white attire that covered most of her body, and even the look on her face was mostly obscured by a veil. Her pure white hair was also slightly obscured by a hat that rested neatly atop her head.


    She sat behind a small table, crossing her legs as holographic images¡ªsimr to projections¡ªof three other individuals began to manifest.


    They all seemed to be seated on the seats arranged on the chairs she had set around the table, making the total of members in attendance of the meeting a total of four.


    "Greetings, myrades." The White Dragon Lord Of The Forbidden Valley said, her blue eyes gleaming like marbles as she spoke softly.


    Her voice echoed in the hall, and all granted her credence as they responded to her greeting.


    In attendance were three other Dragon Lords.


    "Let us do away with the formality of introductions, Frey''ja." The Death Dragon Lord''s voice rumbled slowly.


    He called the White Lord her name, which meant the conversation had taken apletely different turn. Once he did so, everyone was fair game.


    "Well, Tat''urius¡­ if you insist." She responded back.


    The bald Dragon shrugged and nodded. It seemed that while he was interested in the meeting, he also had other engagements that warranted his attention.


    "What do you say, Pro''theus and Vul''khan?" She turned to the other two¡ªthe me Dragon Lord and the Forest Dragon Lord respectively.


    The youthful but rough Forest Dragon Lord grunted and nodded, while the fiery Lord responded with affirmative words.


    With everyone in full consensus, Frey''ja decided it was time to begin.


    "We all know why we are here. The fact remains that the Emperor''s Orders are dissatisfactory to us, and we would like to eliminate the humans¡ªor at least considerably ruin them in some way." She began, a twisted smile appearing on her face as she did so.


    She initially thought she would be the only one who felt averse to the Emperor''s Orders, which was why it was a big risk she took¡ªtalking to these three¡ªbut after some time, she realized that they had a lot more inmon than she realized.


    Everyone had their personal motivations, but they wanted to see humanity crumble¡ªespecially the Capital.


    ''Obe''lisk was like a rival and an annoying twin to me. Manypared us to each other when he was still alive, due to how much we contrasted, which makes it all the more frustrating that he was done in by those humans.''


    She wanted to know how they were able to achieve such a feat, but more than that, she felt some sort of personal responsibility in getting rid of them.


    At the very least, she owed that much to her friend.


    ''This isn''t just about the kids any longer. I''ve postponed the excursion a little, and it seems we''ll just have to go somewhere else, but still¡­'' She sighed, thinking about the students in the Dragon Academy.


    Looking at the faces of her colleagues, Frey''ja could almost guess the reasons for their interest in her n.


    Tat''urious, the Death Dragon Lord, was acting mostly out of caution. He wanted to nip humans in the bud before they became a major threat on the Dragon Race. As for Vul''khan, he was most likely just itching for a battle.


    The Dragon Emperor forbade the Lords from approaching the humans, which made him desire to enact his frustration in some other way.


    Pro''theus didn''t particrly have a vendetta against the humans, but he felt the need to reinforce the strength of the Dragons through a radical act.


    "We''re being too docile." He always said, and now everyone had to agree with him.


    ''It''s a shame that the Storm Dragon Lord didn''t ept my invitation. I sensed dissatisfaction with him, but it seems his loyalty to the Emperor and his overly cautious attitude won''t make him make any move yet¡­''


    Regardless, having three other allies in the matter was more than what Frey''ja needed to enact her strategy. In fact, she needed none of them for its first phase.


    "It''s been barely three months since thest attack on the humans. Judging by the current state of their technology and their estimated capabilities, they would still be picking themselves up and their Capital would still be in shambles for the most part."


    Yes, reconstruction efforts would be put in ce, however it wasn''t that easy for humans to rebuild an entire city that suffered such extensive damage.


    ''At least, based on the damage report scan we performed¡­ it seemed quite bad.'' Her thoughts flowed.


    The only reason they couldn''t do something like that now was because of the Emperor''s Order of non-interference, and if any of them were to attempt to view how the humans were doing at the moment, there could be certain consequences.


    Still, Frey''ja had done her math. She couldn''t be wrong.


    "Since they''ve barely recovered from that attack, I''ve decided to send certain agents into the mix of that chaos." Her lips curled up further as she talked about the prelude of her n.


    Two of her most trusted Generals would act as spies in the human Capital, blending in seamlessly among the humans of thend. Their goal was simply to gather intel on the humans while keeping a low profile.


    At least, as low as possible.


    "Once we obtain sufficient information, I will enact a strategic n that will require each one of you to give me your mostpetent subordinates to attack."


    ording to the decree of the Emperor, the Dragon Lords could not send more than two of their subordinates to attack. The fact that Frey''ja already sent hers for reconnaissance meant they only had six more cards to y.


    Still, there was another problem.


    "You''re forgetting something, Frey''ja. The Emperor said¡ª"


    "I know. The Capital is off limits when ites to assault, right?" Her glossy lips shone as she spoke softly, attracting everyone''s attention as to her hidden motives.


    Suddenly, everyone wanted to know what went on in her crazy mind.


    "I have a n regarding that matter. It''s why my subordinates will not directly attack any human during their reconnaissance in the Human Capital." Their goal was simply to gather information, which she would use to craft the perfect n.


    Once that was done, Humanity''s greatest city would fall.


    "I see. Very well then. I shall offer you all my support."


    "I as well."


    "Likewise."


    As the Lords agreed with her, Frey''ja couldn''t help but feel pleased.


    ''Many fools refuse to take the first move. However, with my initial step being rendered clear before them, they have insurance for theirs.''


    With this, Frey''ja knew her n would no doubt seed.


    ''I will avenge you, Obe''lisk, and I am also curious as to how they managed to eliminate a Dragon Lord¡­''


    If such a fearful power existed among the humans, she had to either nip it in the bud or make it hers¡ªno matter what.


    ''Well¡­ let us see what happens next, shall we?''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]

 Chapter 607 Shore Of The Eastern Continent

    <h4>Chapter 607 Shore Of The Eastern Continent </h4>


    ~WHUUUSH!~


    As the trio descended from the sky, the rush of wind roared in their ears, gradually tapering off as they neared the sandy shores of the Eastern Continent.


    With a gentle p of wind, guided by his Magic, Rey touched down upon the soft, golden sands, his movements fluid and precise. Judging by his movements alone, it seemed almost as if he had been here before. However, if that was the case, teleportation would have sufficed.


    "Huu¡­" Heaving a silent sigh, he turned to offer a reassuring smile to Esme and Kara, his eyes calm andposed despite the high-speed journey they had all just experienced.


    "We made it. Are you guys okay?"


    One look at the two behind him told Rey that the question was unnecessary. There was no way either of the girls was okay.


    Esme stumbled slightly as she nearly tumbled over Rey. Despite being ustomed to flying¡ªeven at such high speeds¡ªit seemed the rate at which Rey traveled was too much for her.


    Fortunately, she was able to limate rtively quickly¡­ unlike her counterpart.


    "U-uwaahh¡­." Kara had staggered the moment shended, her legs trembling beneath her as she fought to regain her bnce.


    Even now, her head spun with the remnants of their breakneck flight, leaving her feeling dizzy and weak. She clutched her stomach, willing the queasiness to subside as she took in their surroundings with bleary eyes.


    She was the weakest among everyone, so it only made sense that she was the most affected. She tried her best to put up a brave front, but there was only so much one could do when their insides felt like a mess.


    "I went considerably slow, you know?" Rey mumbled as he looked at both girls.


    They both shot him disbelieving looks, with Kara incapable of speaking, and Esme shaking her head and sighing.


    "How considerate of you¡­"


    Thankfully, they didn''t have to dwell on the intensity of their journey now that they had arrived at the beach of the Continent they were journeying to.


    The Eastern Continent stretched out before them in all its lush, tropical splendor, the dense canopy of trees beckoning invitingly from just beyond the shoreline.


    "It''s beautiful," Rey heard one of the girls breathe, her voice barely above a whisper.


    The absence of guards and the tranquil serenity of the scene before them offered a wee respite from the chaos they had left behind.


    "Kyaa!" Kara yelped as she fell as soon as she tried to walk forward.


    Both Rey and Esme instantly stared at her, even trying to assist her in standing, but she sheepishly rejected their offer and rose to her feet herself.


    "I-I''m okay," she managed to stammer, her voice wavering slightly.


    Rey stepped forward, cing a hand on Kara''s shoulder as he offered her his best version of a pep talk. "Kara, Rx¡­"


    He spoke softly, his tone both gentle and reassuring. "... Enjoy the weather."


    All of this had to be a lot to take in, especially for a human who was pretty much normal for the most part.


    "T-thank you, Sir Rey."


    "It''s no problem." He smiled at her, though it didn''tst once he began to hear a certain voice inside his head.


    ~You didn''t even ask how I''m doing! Master, you''re so mean!~


    Emil was as strong as Rey¡ªat least when it came to Stats¡ªso he really didn''t see any reason to ask her. Besides, they were pretty much bonded, so if she was experiencing any difort, Rey suspected he would have known at some point.


    Still, he wasn''t willing to go down that road with anyone.


    Besides, it didn''t cost him anything to indulge the Symbiote Slime every once in a while.


    ''I recognize how powerful and reliable you are, Emil. You''re not as weak as them, so I assumed you could handle it. Was I¡­ wrong?''


    ~N-no! Not at all, Master! You are absolutely correct! I am so amazing, aren''t I?~


    ''Indeed. You''re so very amazing.''


    ~Kyaaaahh! I''m so d you finally recognize that, Master!~


    Rey almost rolled his eyes, but he just put up with Emil and told her what she wanted to hear, while also looking around him with curious eyes.


    "What are you looking for?" Esme asked Rey with curiosity as she drew nearer to him. Her nausea seemed to have beenpletely exhausted, meanwhile Kara was still recovering.


    "Just taking in the details. It''s just as Ater described it."


    "Well, yeah¡­"


    "How about you? Are you fine? Do you feel any kind of connection since we got here? The kind that Ater said Elves feel¡­"


    Esme shook her head slowly.


    "Nothing, huh? Maybe it''s the human side of you that''s blocking it. It could also be that the Oracle has ostracized you."


    Once again, this was a pretty obvious sign of the differences between Elves and Half Elves.


    "Well, there''s no use thinking about any of that now. It''s alreadyte evening already¡­" Rey could see the sky glowing orange already, which meant they spent hours upon hours on the trip.


    What mattered most at the current moment was rest.


    ''They''re trying to hide it from me, but I can tell that both of them are very tired¡­'' His thoughts trailed as he alternated nces between the twodies.


    "We''ll set up camp here and rest. I need us to be fresh when we meet with the Elves tomorrow, which means we should all rest up for now."


    It had been a long journey, after all.


    He stepped forward and looked at a bare space in front of him, his eye glowing brightly as he whispered to himself.


    "[Perfect Domain Of The Divine]."


    ~VWUUUM!~


    Instantly, rubble began to rise from the sandy earth, and bricks were made from the grains that upied the floor. Like a sandcastle, but denser than rock, the entire structure was reminiscent of a fortress¡ªwith an air of pristineness.


    This bastion of safety was made by Rey within a single second, and he didn''t seem at all to be trying.


    ''I can use [Perfect Domain Of The Divine] to perfectly rearrange anything or manipte things in a space. Making the sands denser, and subjecting them to my pre-existing knowledge of this world''s architecture, allowed me to build this stable facility.''


    All of this¡­ within a moment.


    "What are you girls waiting for?" He turned to them as they remained static in their positions.


    His smile was confident, even as the winds caused his dark hair to constantly p in the direction of their choosing.


    "Let''s go in."


    ************


    "S-something¡­ something powerful ising!"


    "Big Sis Gratiana! Please help us out!"


    "It''s too big and strong!"


    "Big Sis!"


    The mors of several Elves echoed within the base of the Forest Elves; guardian of the shore.


    They were all speaking to ady who was d in mostly greenery.


    Her fierce eyes and slim physique¡ªt in all areas, but perfectly slender and streamlined for optimal movements¡ªmade her seem more like an acrobat than anything else. As she patiently listened to the words of her Junior Sisters, she nodded slowly with her arms folded.


    All she heard amounted only to one thing.


    "An enemy hase. And now¡­ it is my duty to subdue it."


    Her long ears perked up and her green eyes glowed with purpose, even as she stood.


    "Lead the way."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]

 Chapter 608 The Two Intruders

    <h4>Chapter 608 The Two Intruders</h4>


    [Meanwhile¡­]


    Two figures walked side by side in the darkness.


    Their long white robes, simr to Japanese kimonos, flowed as they took steady steps with every step they took forward.


    Their hands were covered, but if they had been exposed the color would have been pale¡ªthe sameplexion disyed by their enchanting faces and enticing necks.


    Their white hair¡ªone long, the other short¡ªflowed seamlessly as they approached their destination.


    The gate of the Human Capital.


    "It seems this is the ce¡­" One of the girls spoke up, her purple eyes scanning the area with a calm, analyzing sight.


    "Really? It looks a bit different from what we were told" The other gave a more quizzical expression. She was the one with much shorter hair, and unlike the moreposed behavior of her colleague, she was a bit louder.


    "Shouldn''t it be more run down than this?"


    The long-haireddy said nothing, only narrowing her gaze on the ce and scowling a little. It wasn''t as though she wasn''t also confused about the state of the ce they were visiting, but she could not deny that this was the Capital.


    ''Our Master wouldn''t lie to us. The coordinates we were given led us here, yet why do the walls of this city stand so firmly?''


    In the end, she simply had to conclude that the humans put in more of an effort to rebuild their walls rather than the interior.


    In essence, they would fully witness the shameful disy of humanity''s fall once they ventured inside.


    "Let us proceed."


    "Okay."


    The girls walked past the guards who stood before the gate with utmost diligence, but the men said or did nothing to show that they actually saw them. Even the patrolling officers did not notice the white-d maidens.


    They easily proceeded into the stronghold of humanity with barely any effort at all.


    "E-eh¡­?"


    "What in the world?"


    Unlike the calm demeanor they had when they were proceeding into the Capital, the two soon had looks of shock the moment they actually stepped foot into the city.


    It looked rebuilt! No, it didn''t just look like that¡­ it was that!


    "How is this even possible? By mere humans?" The long-haired girl whispered, looking around her in surprise as she pondered the issue with utmost shock.


    The short-haired one was also confused and shocked, but more in the speechless manner. Perhaps taking in too much unexpected information shut her brain down for a moment, so she didn''t say much until a few secondster.


    "Kat''erin¡­ what do you make of this?" She asked the long-haired girl the question, looking at her with a serious demeanor.


    "Don''t get ahead of yourself, Shai''ya!"


    A head-chopnded on thetter''s head, causing her to moan in slight pain as Kat''erin shook her head and sighed.


    "There''s no need to get so worked up now. We''re here for a covert mission, remember? No attacking anyone in the city. That''s the Order."


    "S-sorry¡­"


    "Haaa¡­" Kat''erin sighed in exasperation, shaking her head slightly as she did so. She took one more nce around and muttered a few more words.


    "The infrastructure is crude and the materials are subpar. Compared to the Empire, this is quite aughable Capital. Still, it''s impressive that they''ve been able to do this within three months."


    "Indeed."


    "I suppose I shouldn''t be so surprised, given what happened to Lord Ob''elisk¡­"


    "Indeed."


    "In any case, investigations cane inter. As spies, it''s only right that we have a hideout, so we should look for a nearby residence where we can make our base of operations."


    In essence¡­ they had to find an inn.


    **********


    The rest of the evening was beyond frustrating for Kat''erin and Shai''ya.


    Not only did they have to navigate their way around the city in order to search for what they desired, but at some point they had to make conversation with some human beings in order to ask them for directions.


    "Some of them even had the audacity to ogle us. Just who do they think they are?" Kat''erin''s frown was deep as she and Shai''ya approached the fanciest inn in the Capital.


    Her intense scowl did not take away from her beauty in the slightest, but it certainly made her look more deadly than dainty.


    Shai''ya nodded and responded with "Umu" every time she heard aint.


    The two were currently undetectable by humans unless they revealed themselves to their select choice of humans¡ªor undid the effect of their Enchanted Kimonos.


    Either way, they were in no danger of being seen or heard¡ªno matter how shy they were.


    While it was a convenient tool for reconnaissance, since they wouldn''t be spotted by the enemy and ruin their mission, the robes served another purpose.


    "Inferior creatures can''t help but admire higher entities like ourselves. We naturally attract attention from these naturally primitive and subservient races, so I understand why they would stare so much¡­" Her voice oozed vanity as she spoke, but Kat''erin did not care.


    After all, her partner''s response was¡ªas always¡ªin support of her perspective.


    "Indeed."


    The two finally halted until they arrived at their destination.


    "Looks like we are here¡­" Kat''erin already had low expectations of humanity, yet the Capital''s best Inn managed to disappoint her even more.


    Yes, it was taller than the other buildings around, and it looked exquisite inparison to the rest, but that didn''t mean it suited their standards.


    They desired a ssy hotel with all the necessary facilities, yet this was what they were stuck with.


    "It is for the sake of the mission¡­ the mission¡­"


    Once Kat''erin reminded herself of this fact, she proceeded inside, with her partner right beside her.


    The interior was equally nd, though she was sure many humans would consider the scenery impressive. She ignored all the superfluous designs that oozed substandard quality and poor taste and followed directions that led to the counter.


    Once she arrived there, her body instinctively stopped as she cast her gaze upon the first thing in the human world that actually impressed her.


    "Wee, dear customers."


    The crimson hair of the woman behind the counter, coupled with her ebony skin and the expert sses that rested on the bridge of her nose, all got the attention of the two undercover Dragon Spies.


    Her presence itself was immacte.


    The astoundingdy smiled at them as she parted her glossy lips and spoke with utmost eloquence.


    "How may we be of service to you?"


    For a moment, the Dragon Generals were at a loss for words. They simply stared into the gem-like eyes of the woman before them, then at her hair¡­ her hair was done so well.


    It was long, designed so well, that they couldn''t help but be impressed. Her nails were well-done as well. As for her ck gown, they oozed pristine goodness.


    Even though the Dragons had a more white and pure ambiance to them, they admired the forbidden darkness that thedy before them seemed to represent.


    After being stunned for too long, Kat''erin finally snapped out of her daze and realized what she had been doing.


    ''How could I gawk over a mere human?'' She wondered, staring at the unassumingdy before her.


    She even forgot everything that had been said to her.


    Thankfully, the receptionist didn''t seem to mind. Not only did she sh a friendly smile once again, but she also repeated her question.


    "How may I be of service to you?"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]

 Chapter 609 Embarassing Dilemma

    Chapter 609 Embarassing Dilemma


    Dragons are a very prideful race.


    Their finesse is immacte, and their standards are extreme. It is practically impossible to impress a Dragon, who has experienced far better from their Empire.


    And, even if such an impression is made, it is extremely difficult for them to express it.


    But, to every rule there is an exception.


    That exception happened in the case of Kat''erin and Shai''ya.


    *********


    "How may I be of service to you?"


    Thedy''s beautiful smile; particrly her exotic-looking hair and captivating face, caused both girls to tremble slightly. Still, being the more sensible of the two, Kat''erin swiftly regained herposure and spoke up.


    "We''d like to lodge in your most exquisite suite." There was no politeness in the way she spoke, as she was speaking to a mere human.


    Her eyes were cold, her head was raised high, and her tone was imposing.


    This was amand.


    "I see. Well, it costs a Gold Coin per night." The ebonydy said, with her smile still stered on her face. "That excludes food services and other extra services you may require."


    "Gold Coin¡­ huh?"


    It was at this point that Kat''erin stared at Shai''ya and realized something quite fundamental.


    ''We don''t have money!''


    The Dragon Empire was, and had always been a Socialist State for as long as they could remember; where all economic nning was governed by the higher ups in the position of governmental power. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Dragon Citizens didn''t need to pay to get certain public amenities like amodation or even feeding. All was provided for by the Empire.


    Of course, in return, the Dragons had to serve their country in certain aspects of the economy¡ªa major aspect being warfare.


    The economy and politics was moreplex than this, but the bottom line was¡­ these two had never used money to purchase anything in their entire lives.


    There was no kind of Social Credit in the human nation, or a Public Residence that had high ss. This was a Capitalist world that they had been thrust into, and now they were faced with apletely humiliating dilemma.


    Would they ept theirck of currency and besmirch their identity as Dragons? No, how could they cause such a big stain on their legacy?


    Sure, no one would know¡­ but THEY would.


    And Dragons remained a very prideful race.


    The second choice would be to seize the ce anyway¡ªand to do that, they would have to use their power.


    "We''re not directly attacking, so this is allowed." Kat''erin told Shai''ya, who nodded in pure agreement.


    The receptionist remained behind the desk, smiling at them.


    "[Dragon Voice]." The moment Kat''erin muttered those words, a wave of power instantly emerged from her lips and spread to her immediate surrounding.


    The invisible flow of sound filled the entire counter, making it into her domain of power.


    The receptionist, who was previously bright eyed and cheerful suddenly became doll-like and impressionable¡ªjust as Kat''erin desired.


    "Hmph! Humans are so simple. Why was there any need to panic when we could always resort to this method?" "Umu!"


    Kat''erin drew closer to the receptionist, noticing the name tag that was pinned to her slightly voluptuous breasts. At the very least, the breasts wererger than Kat''erin''s and Shaiya''s respectively.


    A tinge of envy surfaced within her, but also one of curiosity. ''What are you thinking, Kat! Focus on the mission!'' She swiftly chastised herself and ced all her attention on the task at hand.


    The name-tag read Reta, so she decided to address her as such.


    "Reta¡­ do you know who we are?"


    Her eyes directly reflected in the gem-like eyes of the poor receptionist, Reta, who slowly shook her head and uttered words.


    "No, I do not."


    "We are esteemed guests who have paid the finest sum of money in gold to you. As much gold tost us for a month, and also to cater for our feeding expenses as well as other kinds of additional expenses."


    "I¡­ understand. You have submitted a total of 50 Gold Coins, 30 Silver Coins, and 1 Bronze, to cater for all your needs for a month."


    "I-Indeed." Kat''erin didn''t really know how currency operated, so she wasn''t particrly in a ce to do calctions.


    She was also stunned by how quickly the receptionist responded to her with the breakdown. It was a lot more convenient for her, and it made her even more pleased with the human for being sopetent.


    "Understood." Reta began to write down some things in a book, and then generated two cards for the twodies.


    "All preparations are ready. These cards have been credited with the exact amounts that you''ve deposited within the room. They will serve as your passes to your room, proof of identification, and purchase tender."


    "I-I see¡­"


    Kat''erin appreciated that thedy waspetent enough to tell her information she did know without her needing to ask. It was clear that she was different from others.


    ''She could even be useful in¡­ other respects¡­'' The Dragon thought to herself as her eyes narrowed in deep thought.


    "May I escort you both to your rooms?" Reta asked with a nk smile on her face, still under the influence of the [Dragon Voice].


    Kat''erin nced at Shai''ya for a second, but thetter threw her hands in the air, clearly clueless on what to do or so.


    This wasn''t a new thing in their rtionship. Ever since the Academy, Shai''ya had always been theckey, despite having the potential to be so much more.


    ''In any case¡­ I''ll just take control and responsibility for everything, as usual.'' Kat''erin finally decided with a slight sigh.


    "Take us to our rooms."


    "Right away."


    Reta left her position behind the counter and began to walk ahead of the two Dragon Girls. ''Tch¡­'' It pissed the both of them off that a human was taking the lead, but they did their best to suppress their annoyance considering she¡ªReta¡ªwas merely doing her job and taking them to their destination.


    ''Besides, since she''s under my power¡­ I''m the onemanding her to do this.''


    Using these mental gymnastics, the girls were able to walk silently behind the receptionist without throwing any fuss.

 Chapter 610 Katerin and Shaiya [Pt 1]

    Chapter 610 Kat''erin and Shai''ya [Pt 1]


    The hallway rang hollow as the three individuals walked on its t surface.


    They had climbed some steps, and their room was located at the highest floor¡ªwhere they had the penthouse view of the city, as well as a vast space to themselves.


    They wouldn''t be sharing this space with more than one more person¡ªbut since no one had paid for the room opposite theirs, they would be having everything to themselves for the moment.


    All of this was properly elucidated by Reta, who only began to speak about their room after they asked her to tell them about it.


    "It is so amazing¡­" She spoke with such admiration towards the bourgeois room that, even though the two Dragons knew it would fall short of their standard, it would still not be a bad ce to stay.


    Plus, Kat''erin noticed something else.


    ''If she can be bribed in such a way, isn''t it possible for me to use her? I can turn her desires against her and capture her with greed.''


    After all, humans were creatures of greed in the end.


    ''She does have a nice voice, though. And also¡­'' Kat''erin cast her gaze a little low and looked at Reta''s jiggling ass, tightly packaged inside her tight suit trousers.


    ''... She''s well proportioned too''


    Now wasn''t the time to think those thoughts, so Kat''erin buried everything down and chose to go with the mission. She simply had an interest in Reta now, and if things went ording to n, she would be able to wholly devour her.


    ''I just have to be patient till the conclusion of our mission. Perhaps I''ll take her back with me and make her my toy. Or will that serve as a vition? No, I could think of ways to get around that¡­''


    Of course, Kat''erin knew she would have to get permission from her Master, Lady Frey''ja, but if she did a good job with her task, she was certain the White Dragon Lord would not refuse her request.


    ''Just you wait¡­'' Licking her lips unconsciously, she kept up with the flow.


    As the two dignified girls paced themselves behind Reta, their footsteps echoed softly against the polished marble floors of the grand hallway of thest floor.


    The air was scented with the delicate fragrance of exotic flowers, and the gentle glow of enchanted crystals illuminated their path.


    As they reached the entrance to the suite, Reta gestured grandly, opening the ornate double doors to reveal a sight that would take the breath of most away.


    "Wee, dear guests¡­ to our finest suite!"


    The spacious chamber was adorned with opulent furnishings, each piece crafted with exquisite detail and adorned with precious gemstones.


    Avish four-poster bed dominated the room, its canopy draped in shimmering silk and velvet curtains that cascaded to the floor in rich, jewel-toned hues. Plush cushions and feather-soft nkets beckoned invitingly, promising nights of unparalleledfort and luxury.


    Along one wall stood a grand firece, its marble facade intricately carved. A crackling fire danced within, casting a warm, golden glow that bathed the room in a cozy ambiance.


    Against another wall, a sumptuous sitting area awaited, with plush armchairs and a velvet chaise lounge arranged around a low tableden with decadent treats and fine wines. Crystal decanters sparkled in the firelight, their contents aged to perfection and ready to be savored.


    The suite boasted a private balcony, offering sweeping views of the city skyline below. Delicate vines adorned the wrought-iron railing, their blooms perfuming the air with their sweet fragrance. Beyond, the twinkling lights of the city stretched out into the distance, a testament to the wealth and prosperity of the rebuilt Capital.


    "Meh¡­" "Passable¡­"


    As the girls stepped further into the suite, shrugging in seeming disinterest, they couldn''t help butbe captivated by its splendor. Every detail had been carefully curated to create an atmosphere of indulgence and extravagance¡ªat least for humans¡ªand so they had to give them some credit.


    Still, they would rather die than admit to it.


    "The Cards I gave you are masterkeys to pretty much every corner of the room. You can also swipe it there if you require someone toe and attend to you." Reta pointed at one area on the wall.


    "You can use it to lock the doors, unlock them, and the likes."


    "I see. I see."


    Kat''erin and Shai''ya understood everything perfectly, and so they did the only sensible thing left to do at that point.


    "You are dismissed then."


    "Understood."


    Reta left without saying anything else, and Kat''erin was not concerned at all about what would befall her.


    ''[Dragon Voice]sts on weaker minds until canceled by the initiator. I have her on the palm of my hand, and I won''t let her go¡­ ever.''


    With a brutal smile on her face, she crashed upon the bed behind her, feeling the plushy sensation it rendered to her back.


    The pleasure seeped through her entire body.


    "Ahh¡­ feels so good!" Shai''ya said in high pitch, probably feeling even more pleasure than Kat''erin.


    She had always been the more sensitive one, so it didn''te as any surprise to the longer-haired Dragon Girl. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Still, after indulging themselves for about a minute or two, Kat''erin had to stick to the task at hand.


    "What do you think of this ce thus far?" Sitting up from herfortable ce on the bed, she turned to Shai''ya and asked the question with a serious look on her face.


    "It''s disgusting, filled with worms at every corner. They''re uncivilized and foolish. Plus, they''re so goddamn ugly."


    It was Shai''ya who said that¡ªthe same one who was usually passive in open settings. When it came to private discussions, she could get very blunt and talkative.


    "I agree." Kat''erin said, her eyes furrowed as she continued. "Still, we need to carry out our mission¡ªand with finesse no doubt."


    Currently, they had blended well with the humans and no one suspected a thing about them. They used a Disguise Enchanted Item to even hide away their wings and horns, so they looked like any human¡ªthough several times better looking.


    "Now¡­" Kat''erin smiled broadly, her lips nearly stretching to the edges of her face.


    "... We need to talk about what to do moving forward."

 Chapter 611 Kat’erin And Shai’ya [Pt 2]

    <h4>Chapter 611 Kat''erin And Shai''ya [Pt 2]</h4>


    Kat''erin and Shai''ya were among the elites within the Dragon Empire¡ªdepicting their prestige and brilliance since their days in the Academy.


    A total of seven elite units existed in the Empire, and the two of them as a group formed one of them.


    That was just how impressive they were.


    The Dragon Girls were both intelligent and powerful, two traits that were most essential for a Dragon dedicated to the glory of the Empire.


    As Generals who fell into the White Species, they were governed by the White Dragon Lord, Frey''ja. And now, with their new assignment at hand, they were once again met with another opportunity to prove theirpetence.


    "We can''tmunicate with the Master at the moment, so we just have to observe things on our own for now¡­" Kat''erin mumbled, her finger on her chin as she spoke.


    Themunicationwork of Dragons was too advanced for petty humans to intercept, but as long as they had no clear idea of who or what they were dealing with, it would be foolish not to take ount of any efforts at hijacking theirwork.


    Plus, it remained a possibility that the Dragons who weren''t on the side of the White Dragon Lord could intercept the information they were sending to their Master, so trying to divulge information to Lady Frey''ja or seekingmands on what next to do was not only reckless, but it also wasn''t viable at the moment.


    "The best we can do is wait for the Master to call us first. Or, perhaps we leave the vicinity of this ce andmunicate to her¡ªin the case where the matters are urgent."


    All of this was information that Kat''erin and Shai''ya already knew, but the reason the former even thought to go over things again was due to thetter asking a foolish question that went along those lines.


    Still, with it being rehashed, Kat''erin was finally able to move forward with the conversation.


    "For the n, I was thinking of¡­ h-hey, are you paying any attention?"


    "Yep"


    "Are you sure?"


    "Yep!"


    Kat''erin was growing exasperated with Shai''ya due to how absent-minded she looked and how much she spaced out despite the serious conversation they were having.


    "You really don''t take¡­ huh?" Kat''erin instantly stopped dead in her tracks the moment she rose to her feet.


    Her eyes instantly narrowed as she focused them on Shai''ya, and thetter nodded as well.


    ''What''s this feeling? Someone is overhearing us?'' The white-haired Dragon had no idea how she could have slipped up so easily and made such a slow observation of her surroundings.


    ''Not only did it take me so long to notice the eavesdropper, but I also hesitated in what I was previously saying, so the person eavesdropping probably suspects that I am onto them.''


    She gritted her teeth and focused her attention on the door¡ªor rather, what was behind it¡­ whatever it was.


    ''I have to act fast!'' Kat''erin dashed towards the door, while Shai''ya took her cue and dashed towards the closest wall to her; the one leading to the hallway.


    Just as soon as her body passed through it to the other side, Kat''erin opened the door and readied herself to corner and kidnap whoever was responsible for the obvious breach in information.


    They had to know how much the human knew.


    ~WHUUSH!~


    Once the door flung open, the next face that Kat''erin saw caused her to nearly skip a beat as her eyes widened in absolute shock.


    "Y-you¡­?!" She was looking right at Reta, the receptionist that showed them to their room not too long ago.


    ''I didn''t order to do anything more using [Dragon Voice], so why is she here?''


    "H-hello¡­" The squirmy girl adjusted her sses, allowing more of her cute face to be on full disy. She took a step back in shock, since the door was opened so abruptly, but was met with a sudden pushback that sent her body nearly tumbling forward.


    The reason for that was due to the figure who now stood still behind her


    It was Shai''ya, and at this point, her face was a nk te¡ªnothing like the bright smile that she wore as a mask.


    She looked down on the girl who was now stuck between the two Dragons who looked at her with suspicious intensity.


    "What are you doing here? Calm yourself and tell me the truth." Kat''erin asked with a strict tone, cleaning her throat as she did so.


    Since [Dragon Voice] was still active, the human girl had no choice but to tell the absolute trith on the matter at hand.


    What would happen next was going to decide everything.


    ''We can''t attack and kill humans, unfortunately. It would be foolish and reckless to disobey the Emperor''s order.'' That was precisely why the White Dragon Lord chose proxies instead of acting by herself.


    ''Even the Lords fear the Emperor. We have to give him reverence, even in this ce, and obey his words.


    As a result, the most they could do was silence her or alter her memories to a justifiable degree.


    "I-I came to bring tonight''s dinner options to you both in the form of a menu¡­" As she said this, Kat''erin instinctively looked at thedy''s trembling hand, realizing she was right all along.


    "A menu, huh¡­?"


    She looked at Shai''ya¡ªwho was just waiting for an instruction¡ªand sighed very loudly as she stretched out her hand to recieve it.


    "Let me see¡­"


    In no time at all, Shai''ya teleported beside Kat''erin, who was now reading through the list. While most of these meals did not suit their palette, they figured they had to at least take something so as not to appear suspicion,


    "Thank you. We''ll have this."


    "A-ah, I see¡­" The girl nervously adjusted her sses once again,.shifting a little in between the two women.


    "O-okay. The meal will be ready in an hour''s time. Is there anything else you''d like?"


    "Nothing."


    Kat''erin was still not over the faint sensation she sent behind the door back then. It couldn''t have been Reta since she didn''t have an ounce of power within her or oozing out. How did it make sense that a mere human would startle a Dragon?


    Not just any kind of Dragon, but a General.


    ''No¡­ she isn''t dangerous at all¡­'' That was Kat''erin''s conclusion from her observations on the human.


    Yes, she was a bit odd¡­ but not to that extent.


    "I-I will leave and inform them, then¡­"


    "Yeah. Do that."


    "Umu!"


    Reta ran off the moment she was allowed to, gasping as if she had just left a rather suffocating premises. The twodies watched as she escaped,ughing and teasing silently as everything happened.


    "Well¡­ let''s go back in." Kat''erin said as she looked at Shai''ya. "There''s no one else in the hallway, you know?"


    "Okay."


    As Shai''ya entered the room, following the lead of the long-


    haired Dragon, but failed to notice a ck stand of energy behind her.


    None of the girls were able to perceive it, and ittched itself into Shau''ya until the darkness began to dwindle; finally vanishing into obscurity without notice.


    The door closed, and they returned to their scheming.


    ************


    [Meanwhile¡­]


    ''So the Dragons have begun to make their move¡­''


    The one who had this fleeting thought was Ater, and he uttered this form of a ce of satisfaction rather than mere confirmation.


    ''It''s a good thing I noticed them the moment they came into the city. Things could have gotten messier otherwise.


    Ater was wearing an apron, with sses on his face, long red hair, and a slender physique that made him look better than most girls.


    In fact, he looked like a girl¡ªthe receptionist, for that matter.


    ''It was easy to get them to spill and get them to this point. The results were expected and there were hardly any surprises for me.''


    He sat on a chair in what seemed to be a private office, and ck mist just rose from his suit and formed something akin to a disy screen.


    The screen disyed the two girls conversing, with him listening to everything they said¡ªimportant or not¡ªand further observe them.


    ''I have a good grasp of their n now, and I even intentionally put them on the spot just now, but it seems the stars are aligned in my favor.''


    Ater knew these Dragons wouldn''t be able to kill him or the innocents around, and that they hadmunication problems at the current moment.


    ''At this rate, it''ll be tedious tounch investigations based on how limited their operation is confined to.''


    Still, Ater didn''t think they would have much of a problem, considering how unstable other things within the Capital were at the moment.


    With the issue of the Nobles, rogue Otherworlders, and several other issues arising at the moment, this seemed like a presented opportunity for him to tie everything up in a neat bow.


    "Time tounch the next phase of the n." His eyes glowed a little as his lips spread to form a wicked grin.


    ''I''ll make you proud, Master!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]

 Chapter 612 The Elven Mob

    Chapter 612 The Elven Mob


    [The Next Day]


    "Get out here, you fiends!" A loud noise echoed from outside the fortress that Rey was peacefully sleeping in so that he couldn''t help but slowly open his eyes and sigh to himself.


    "Haa¡­"


    He was a little disoriented, but that feeling didn''tst very long. Instead, he returned his vision and the rest of his senses with a single thought, causing his perception of the world to resume in all its glorious details.


    The honest truth was that Rey had to sharply reduce all of his body''s functions¡ªespecially sensory abilities¡ªif he ever wanted to sleep. If he didn''t, the excess information he would receive, even with his eyes closed, would be more than enough to keep his brain active. His body''s sensitivity, his supernatural senses, and many more, would never allow him to have a moment of honest rest.


    Tobat that, he had to intentionally ''nerf'' himself. ''This noise, though¡­'' Rey''s thoughts trailed as he slowly rose to his feet. ''If it was this loud, despite me dulling my senses, then¡­'' He instantly spread his perception for a few hundred meters and quickly realized what the problem was. This only made him sigh¡ªin slight frustration and determination¡ªeven more.


    ''I was expecting them, but still¡­''


    Rey shrugged off his initial hesitation and took a small observation around him. His room was a simple, but massive structure within the fortress he built from the beach sand. He was able to get a nice bed in the ce using Spatial Magic, and he also used Magic to create nice lights and proper air conditioning within the bare room.


    Commonce Magic was so useful when one didn''t need to learn the Spells but could make them on the fly. Rey had previously found himselfpelled to do more with his Magic within the fortress, but he ultimately decided against it.


    He was here for business, after all.


    "Welp¡­ let''s get to it."


    His naked body was instantly covered by Emil''s smooth surface, forming fabric out of seemingly nothing¡ªonly after properly freshening up with Magic.


    Of course, he kept hearing the loud noises of his aggrieved neighbors through it all, but Rey ignored their tantrums and focused on getting himself prepped for the meeting.


    He could have even shut off his hearing so he wouldn''t need to put up with their annoying voices, but he decided against that.


    ''I have to practice with this¡­'' He told himself.


    By the time he was done, he left the confines of his room and found twodies already waiting for him outside. Esme was dressed in her long white and gold cloak, already holding the gnarled staff that was bestowed upon her. She looked exquisite, as always, which made thedy beside her appear in byparison¡ªthough she was quite stunning in her own right.


    Despite not being so shy, Kara''s schrly robe, alongside her sses and somewhat serious demeanor, made her stand out; in her own way. She had a satchel, with a pen and book readily on standby.


    The moment Rey saw the two of them, a smile crept up on his face.


    "You do realize they''re shouting curses on you, yet you''re smiling?" Esme ced one hand on her waist as she made thisment.


    Before she finished, a smile crept up on her face, followed by a bright twinkle in her eyes. "Somehow feels good to hear."


    "Does it?" "It does. I like how they sound so desperate and angry, but helpless at the same time." "Pfft!" Rey snickered a little after hearing Esme''s words, swiftly turning to the otherdy who stood right beside Esme, but looked a lot more reserved.


    "What do you think, Kara? Is it amusing to you too?"


    "W-well, not really. Not having the goodwill of these people will be bad for business, so I''d advise you to refrain from making such statements in public."


    "Of course, of course!" Rey was no fool. He already knew he couldn''t do or say certain things to the Elves based on the current situation at hand and the goal he had in ce to achieve them.


    Unless the Elves really pushed him to it, he wouldn''t bother them in any way.


    "This entire Fortress is surrounded by my Magic. Think of it as existing in a different set of space, but still visible to these people." Rey added words of assurance, granting his most generous smile. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "They can''t affect or even hear us here. Even the Oracle shouldn''t be able to¡­"


    Rey wasn''t speaking out of his ass either. He had tried experiment after experiment to see if any external force could interact with any item he ced in Spatial Discement, and the answer was always the same.


    Still, that didn''t mean he didn''t have concerns.


    ''Esme still hasn''t felt any connection to this Oracle figure, and I still don''t know the full spectrum of their abilities.''


    Perhaps they could get past his Spatial Discement, but he really found that unlikely.


    "Let''s not keep our visitors waiting." As soon as he said this, the entire environment changed.


    In just a moment, the three were transported outside the fortress. They were met with the natural brightness of the overhead sky, along with the sounds of sea-birds, apanied by the crashing of waves on the shore.


    The warm, peaceful ambiance of the beach was nowhere to be enjoyed, though.


    After all, the entire Fortress was already surrounded by a mob of about four dozen people, with a leader at the center. Unlike regr mobs, however, this group of people was a bit different.


    Not only did they have pointy ears, but they also wore strangely outdated and nature-esque attires.


    Also, they were all women.


    Their long hairs seemed glossy and neon-like, each having beautifulyers and connotations to them.


    Despite most of them looking like delicate women, the look on their faces, as well as the weapons they wielded and pointed towards Rey and his friends, made it clear that they were far from that.


    Then, amidst them was a young woman who had her arms folded as she red at Rey and his group with keen, glowing eyes.


    ''Looks like the leader.'' He told himself as he calmly observed her demeanor.


    She was t in all areas, perfectly slender and streamlined for optimal movements. She looked like a professional acrobat, and her small stature made her seem more like a child¡ªa teenager if one was generous¡ªmore than a grown adult.


    Still, the way she carried herself, as well as how the other Elves interacted with her, made Rey believe she was the oldest in the group.


    And, by using his [Perfect Divine Appraisal]...


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Gratiana La Shanagari.


    - Race: Elf - ss: Grand Ranger (A-Tier)


    - Level: 121 (90.9% EXP) - Life Force: 1,000(+100)


    - Mana Level: 600 (+60)


    - Combat Ability: 1,020 (+100) - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Grand Bullseye] [Territory] - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Grand Combat Application]. [Greater Magic Application]. [Greater Mana Recovery]. [Full Sense]. [Life Force Recovery]. [Map Layout]. [Camouge]. - Alignment: Lawful Good


    [Additional Information]


    An Elder among the Elves, in charge of guarding the Western Shores and one of the bestbatants among the Elves. She is trusted and respected among her peers


    [End Of Information]


    ¡­ Rey could see that his guess was correct.


    ''Still, that''s quite the low Level¡­'' He decided to put his observations on hold for the moment and deal with the crowd that seemed to desire his destruction.


    He calmed himself easily and stepped forward, ensuring to remain within the barrier he created around the Fortress.


    "My name is Rey Skr. I am an Emissary of the United Human Alliance, and I do not seek any conflict or violence. Ie in peace."


    He could already see how many Elves were ncing at Esme and whispering things about her¡ªthings which he already knew.


    Even after all of this, he chose to ignore their rude reaction to his words. Their eyes weren''t even filled with skepticism or any form of understanding. Every woman before him, probing and prodding his barrier, seemed to have the same reaction.


    ¡ªDisgust!


    "Hmph! You think we''d trust a human like yourself?" One of the Elves barked with a particr sense of revulsion.


    "Go back to where you came from! You and your people are doomed!"


    "Is he a spy? He IS a spy sent by those humans to plunder us of our belongings and minerals!"


    "And he came with that half-breed vermin too!"


    "All of you should just go to home!"


    The list went on, and Rey even had the pleasure of learning certain names that he didn''t know existed. The livid expressions, sickened expressions, and rage-filled reactions of these beautiful girls towards him somewhat made him excited.


    However, this moment was swiftly interrupted by the bratty tone that came from the young woman who seemed to be their leader¡ªGratiana herself.


    "You say youe in peace, but we are yet to see proper consideration for your words." As she uttered her words, she pointed towards him, and at the ground outside the barrier.


    "Come out of there first. Then we can talk."

 Chapter 613 The Thoughts Of An Elder

    Chapter 613 The Thoughts Of An Elder


    Gratiana La Shanagari stood still as she stared at the group that stood before her, hidden behind a veil of inexplicable power.


    Her green irises constantly glowed as she maintained a slight frown. The Young Ones around her kept shouting and screaming words, but she paid them no heed. It wasn''t that they were wrong for speaking out against these people¡ªafter all, they were sullying their holynd¡ªbut Gratiana knew there were much smarter ways to deal with intruders than merely yelling at them.


    ''Still, I can not chastise the Youngs. Their livid reactions show how much they have embodied the truth of Nature.''


    Humans were scum¡ªnothing more than animals with a certain quota of intelligence. In a way, they were simr to Monsters. No¡­ not just them.


    Dwarves and Giants were also the same. But, at the very least, those ones knew how to remain in their territory and mind their own business. That didn''t make them any less cruel and savage, but at the very least¡­ they could be avoided.


    But humans were different.


    Even if Elves remained on their own, they would always attempt to reach them.


    ''That is why this squad exists, and why I guard the shore from the likes of them¡­ those vermin!'' Any human that ever made it past the turbulent seas and onto the shore was swiftly hunted down by Gratiana and her squad. Of course, ording to the rules of Nature, she could not execute them¡ªdespite all desire to do so.


    Instead, she would have to give them the ''Medicine'', before sending them back to where they came from. This allowed them to forget ever reaching the Elven Lands, and to also reduce their mental capacity so they would never find it again.


    Gratiana often found herself hoping that those sailors and their crew would perish at sea, and anytime she had that thought, a smile always formed on her face.


    For example, the current moment.


    As the Elder Elf looked at the group before her, she began to leak out a small smile.


    Due to her small stature and innocent face, many would mistake it for a gentle smile¡ªthe sweet kind that an innocent child would give¡ªbut only she knew just how twisted her thoughts towards the humans were. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ''I see no boat. Based on the reports of the Youngs, they just suddenly appeared in the sky and overwhelmed them with their presence.'' Gratiana took in a deep breath and processed everything very quickly.


    ''They must have arrived through some kind of Spatial Magic. Not only is that very powerful and rare, but it is also incredibly draining. Those humans couldn''t have been capable of such a feat, which means¡­''


    Gratiana''s smilepletely disappeared as soon as she cast her gaze on the abomination among the group¡ªthedy that she had avoided looking at for the longest time due to how much of an eyesore she was.


    ''... The Half Elf Vermin must have cast the Magic for them.'' Merely looking at the beautifully sculpted Elf-like features of the girl made Gratiana''s heart pound like crazy. Her blood boiled, and her intense re doubled in its brutality.


    She was the most livid among all her sisters.


    ''This is what happens when the Elven heritage is sullied by those barbarians. They now possess some of our special abilities on their side. Power like that shouldn''t belong to beasts!''


    There was the possibility that this Half Elf was born for the sake of being a weapon. If she existed, and was being sopliant with the humans, they must have had some sort of hold on her.


    ''If she still had a modicum of control andmon sense, she should have killed herself¡ªto preserve the Natural Order of things.''


    Instead, she was being used by humans to further their ambition.


    The likelihood of her being bred very soon was also very high. Human semen was a sure-fire guarantee for pregnancy, further sullying the Elven Purity.


    And once the humans were done with her, they wouldn''t hesitate to throw her away.


    ''It''s disgusting! They''re disgusting!'' Despite thinking this in anger, Gratiana still had space in her heart forpassion and mercy.


    ''I''ll personally eliminate the Half-Elf Vermin and cleanse this world of one less blight.'' Disgust was mixed with her sense of justice, and Gratiana arrived at the perfect conclusion for what to do in the current situation.


    First of all, though, they had to gain ess to the humans.


    "You say youe in peace, but we are yet to see proper consideration for your words." As Gratiana pointed at the leader of the group¡ªa man with dark hair and an eyepatch covering his left eye.


    He looked ugly, but she didn''t think it was the same way other humans looked hideous. He really wasn''t as bad as them, but she couldn''t really say why.


    Still, any Non-Elf individual was ugly¡­ so he fell under that category regardless.


    "Come out of there first. Then we can talk."


    She smiled internally, already nning what to do once the man obeyed hermands. ''I''ll use my Skills to incapacitate him and the one wearing the sses beside him.''


    After that, the Youngs would give them the ''Medicine'', while she would execute Half Elf before all of them.


    ''It''s been a while since any have been found and eliminated, to the point where I was beginning to think they had gone extinct, but now¡­?'' Gratiana''s thoughts slightly changed as she stared at the Half Elf oncest time.


    ''Should I execute her back in the Community instead? Yes¡­ that will be much better.'' The only problem was that it could get troublesome if others desire to take the honor away from her. Gratiana couldn''t take that risk.


    ''Therefore, I should do the deed here!'' Her eyes were beginning to widen in excitement as her heart raced with anticipation.


    She would be able to perform such a great service to Nature, educate the Young Ones even further, deprive the humans of their lethal weapon, prevent the creation of more Half-Breeds, as well as satisfy some of her own frustration.


    It was a win-win situation for everyone.


    ''All they have to do is step forward and judgment will be properly meted out!''

 Chapter 614 Stepping Out

    Chapter 614 Stepping Out


    "Fine. I wille out."


    Rey could see the pleased look on Gratiana''s face as he announced hispliance with her words. He couldn''t particrly read her mind, but judging from her expressions, he could pretty much guess what was going on in it.


    The Elder Elf most likely intended to incapacitate both him and Kara, while they executed Esme. He couldn''t sense any particr hostility directed at him or Kara¡ªjust disgust.


    Lots of disgust.


    However, Esme bore the brunt of Gratiana''s killing intent, and even Rey could feel it, almost as if it was physical.


    ''She doesn''t even bother to hide her intentions. Are all Elves like this?'' He wondered to himself as he slightly nced at Esme.


    The neutral look on her face told him she was fine. Still, he wasn''t so sure about that.


    "You good?" As his voice softly echoed out, he saw her nod and look at him with glistening blue eyes. They looked full and wet, and he instantly knew why.


    ''She''s holding back her tears. I knew it was a bad idea to bring her here!''


    Still, he had to temporarily suspend how he felt about Esme and the current situation at hand. The Elves were beginning to piss him off, but since he already knew this much was going to happen, he didn''t overreact.


    Besides, with the knowing stare that Kara kept directing at him¡ªone that basically told him to mind his tone and words towards their prospective business partners¡ªRey decided to remain calm about everything.


    ''I''ll take all necessary defensive requirements to protect myself from harm, and I''ll leave Kara and Esme within the barrier until it''s confirmed safe for them toe out.''


    Despite seeing everyone''s Status Windows and already knowing they were much weaker than him, he still didn''t want to take any chances.


    ''Emil, be on full alert.''


    ~Yes, Master!~


    He took a few steps forward until he got to the barrier''s boundary. One more step and his first foot¡ªalong with a portion of his body¡ªwould be out of the barrier.


    One more and he would bepletely outside.


    "What are you waiting for?" Gratiana''s voice sounded imposing as she continued folding her arms and looking at him.


    They stood about ten meters from each other, but Rey knew that distance meant nothing to both parties. Gratiana seemed like the gap to close the gap within a moment, but Rey could do so even faster.


    "...." He took in a deep breath, and then raised his leg.


    Then, he took a step forward.


    ~FSHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU~


    The moment he did so, already prepared to be assaulted by a swarm of dozens of Elves, what he experienced was somethingpletely different.


    "Aaaang! W-what is¡­ what is happening t-to me¡­?"


    "P-please stop¡­"


    "S-so good¡­ g-good¡­"


    What Rey witnessed at that very moment was something he had never seen in his entire life.


    The Elves were shivering, and they began dropping to their knees in submission. Their eyes were rolled up, and their tongues were outside, with drool dripping out of them. Red hues filled their cheeks as they tightly embraced their own chests or stomachs, still shaking uncontrobly.


    "Hey, are you people o¡ª?"


    Before he could evenplete his statement, the Elves began to lower their heads to Rey, almost as if they were in worship. Their bodies kept spasming as sweat dripped from their skin. More drool escaped their lips, and tears even flowed from their eyes.


    The dignified faces of these women were now sullied by mucus and expressions of twisted pleasure. All of them, except Gratiana, who remained standing, reacted this way.


    "U-uuu¡­"


    "A-ahhhh¡­ ahh¡­."


    "O-ohhh¡­ uohhhh¡­"


    Strange noises filled the air, until Rey took one more step forward, his full body finally leaving the barrier.


    He did this partially out of concern, but also curiosity. Once he did this, however, every single Elf surrounding him¡ªwith the exception of the Elder¡ªfainted. Their expressions told him it was from pleasure, but Rey couldn''t help but feel oddly conflicted by what he was seeing. Their tongues literally licked the sands, and each Elf seemed to be drowned in a puddle of their own sweat¡­ and something else.


    Rey didn''t even want to use his Appraisal to find out what that was.


    "Y-you¡­" As he was still in thought, trying to fully grasp the situation and understand why pretty much all the Elves copsed due to his mere presence, he heard Gratiana''s voice call out to him.


    He instantly looked at her, still having a calm and neutral expression on his face despite being just as freaked out as anyone would be, given the circumstances.


    ''I didn''t even use any Buffs or offensive Skills. I also suppressed my abilities and told Emil to do the same, so they won''t be able to read my exact strength.'' He thought in concern.


    The only thing he really focused on was defense, and that mostly by spreading out his senses to increase reaction time, while keeping some of his abilities on standby.


    He was confident in beating the Elves in a fight¡ªnot that he wanted to¡ªbut precautions still had to be taken.


    "... W-who¡­ w-what are you¡­?"


    Gratiana was still standing, thankfully, and while she didn''t lose it like the rest of herrades, she seemed to be on edge.


    Her body was shaking slightly and her lips constantly quivered, causing her to stutter anytime she spoke.


    "I have no idea what''s going on." Rey said, taking a few more steps forward. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The same Elder Elf who depicted such pride and bravado, standing firm in ce while folding her hands, now seemed to be retreating¡ªstep by step¡ªas he approached.


    He was much faster than her, though, and he got closer to her than she could escape from him.


    The result was obvious¡ª


    "Guhh¡­"


    ¡ªGratiana fell to her knees and trembled even more violently before Rey.


    Her eyes began to leak out tears as mucus slowly dripped from her nostrils, ruining her pure face.


    "U-uuuuu¡­ ahhh¡­ o-ohhhh¡­ aaah¡­"


    Funny noisesplimented her weird-looking face, with her skin glistening with perspiration. At this point, she couldn''t even form a coherent word any more.


    It was a wonder if she could even perceive anything beyond the sensations within her body.


    Rey squatted a little as he saw her in such a state, maintaining just the right distance from her to not get too close. Perhaps he was worried about what would happen to her then.


    Still¡­ he was curious.


    "Hey¡­" Stretching out his hand, he reached out for Gratiana''s shoulder. "Are you oka¡ª?"


    The moment physical contact was made, something simr to a fountain squirted up, with a loud scream rushing from her lips.


    "A-aaaaah!"


    Rey shrank back instantly, but it was toote.


    The deed had already been done, and just like the rest of her sisters, Gratiana fell and passed out in a puddle of fluids. Her tongue was out, and her eyes were partially open as she did so.


    The disturbing sight caused Rey to rise from his position and take subconscious steps back.


    He looked all around him, seeing the bodies of all the Elves t on the ground.


    Then, he turned to the two who were behind him.


    Esme and Kara both used their hands to cover their mouths, while pink hues glowed on their cheeks. Perhaps they knew something he didn''t.

 Chapter 615 A New Peak

    Chapter 615 A New Peak


    Gratiana still remembered how it felt when she was summoned to see The Oracle.


    She had just attained her age of maturity and was going to be an Elder. It was an honor to grow into an Elder and finally assume more responsibility within the Elven


    Community.


    She remembered how excited she was for the moment.


    After all, more than the honor she would receive from her new name, and the responsibility that she would have to shoulder as an Elder, there was one more experience every Young One had to go through before they were officially recognized as an Elder.


    -Meeting The Oracle.


    It was The Oracle who gave names; the true nams that an Elder would bear for the rest of their lives. As such, Young Ones would appear within the shrine and be transported to the ce where The Oracle resided.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    No one really knew where it was.


    However, all of those who had received this glorious experience had the same testimony.


    "It is beautiful beyond belief!"


    From everything Gratiana heard from her fellow sisters- some who had just gotten their True Names a few days before her turn-the experience couldn''t be summed up in words.


    Every Elf had to experience it for themselves.


    And so, Gratiana faithfully waited for her own experience... until it finally came.


    She was instantly transported to the interior of a golden pce; the halls designed so immactely with


    architecture that she had never¡ªand would nevery eyes on.


    The hall was brimming with beauty, but all of that was soon forgotten as soon as Gratiana finally took in a deep breath.


    For the first time in her entire life, she smelled a certain fragrance that brought her to her knees almost instantly. Her body shivered in reaction to the scent-both overpoweringly intense and sweet.


    No Elf could ever smell this good and so intensely for that matter. If they could, then they had long transcended the highest realm that the Esteemed Elders upied.


    They were on apletely different level.


    "My child..." A feminine voice, so sweet and glorious, echoed within Gratiana''s ears and mind as she struggled to maintain her sanity.


    She could feel pleasure seeping through all parts of her body the more she breathed, to the point where her senses betrayed herpletely.


    Her vision grew blurry, and only echoes resounded in her ears. Thankfully, the voice that spoke always resounded within her mind.


    "You have arrived here-the Domain of God."


    Gratiana could not make sense of any of the words that were being uttered. She was merely nodding like a fool as drool, tears, and mucus filled her face.


    She was in absolute submission to this being who, from the little her blurry eyes could see, was shaped like a woman in a long, flowing attire.


    Shimmers of gold and sapphires oozed out of the white, but Gratiana could notmake out the details. She only noticed her long white hair and bright blue eyes before everything became even harder to see. 2


    "Do not fear, my child. You are safe here. You are free. You are loved."


    Gratiana, at that moment, knew exactly what to think and how to do so-through the divine words uttered to her by The Oracle.


    "No longer will you bear yourmon name. Your name will now be Gratiana La Shanagari."


    She nodded in consent at those words.


    Her past name was nowpletely lost in her mind, and she embraced the new one granted to her by the Elder.


    "As an Elder, you must always perform your obligations to themunity without fault. Protect the Young Ones, mercifully shun all the tainted ones, and purge all the impurities of this world."


    Gratiana could not open her mouth to respond to those words back then, but in her heart, an automatic "Yes" yed in reply to every instruction.


    Her time with The Oracle was powerful-an unforgettable experience that words could never do justice to.


    And, at the climax of their time together, The Oracle held her face and kissed her forehead.


    At that moment, orgasmic pleasure shot through her body. Gratiana could not recollect just how much she shivered and how loudly she screamed. She only knew how good it felt back then... and how that joy overflowed from her like a fountain.


    To be touched by the divine... it was pleasure unlike any other.


    By the time she regained consciousness, Gratiana found herself within the Shrine-apletely new person from the Young One who stepped in.


    She was an Elder in every sense of the word.


    After that day, she had never experienced that same feeling. Only Esteemed Elders could see the Oracle after their recognition as Elders, and even then... an audience with them was not guaranteed.


    The only chance she had to meet The Oracle again was if she worked hard enough and her efforts were eventually recognized.


    Once that happened, she could be rmended to seed an Esteemed Elder, and if The Oracle approved, she would be taken up to their Domain once more.


    Gratiana wanted that more than anything!


    In fact, she didn''t know any Elf who didn''t desire to be called to the presence of The Oracle one more time. While many would try to hide it, their major source of motivation for trying so hard to keep the Laws and contributergely to the Community was to have that honor.


    Yes, they believed in the doctrines of Nature, but they also worshipped The Oracle.


    They desired to be in their presence once again-to feel that pleasure at least onest time.


    Well, Gratiana just felt the same feeling.


    She never thought she would be bombarded with such a sensation, but once her body gave in to the familiar-but somewhat different-scent, she could no longer deny it.


    Her body gave in to the temptation, and she eventually crumbled under the power.


    All the Young Ones who hadn''t experienced it before passed out very quickly, but how was she any different? The moment the source of the overpowering scent drew closer, she could feel herself climaxing.


    The moment he touched her, it was toote.


    She reached a new, different peak fromst time... and she enjoyed every second of it.


    As Gratiana passed out, she internally begged for the forgiveness of the one who granted her such pleasure and relief.


    ''I... hail... thee...''

 Chapter 616 Escape Of The Youngs [Pt 1]

    Chapter 616 Escape Of The Youngs [Pt 1]


    One by one, the Young Ones began to wake up from their slumber.


    It only took about an hour for them to wake up after all sumbing to the overpowering sleep that befell all of them seemingly at once.


    Once they opened their eyes, they found themselves in a strange room.


    It looked like a ce made with sand, but the walls and floors were dense and thick¡ªlike bricks. The ceiling had a simr look to it. Luminous stones served as light, and afy moss-looking material¡ªalmost like a mattress¡ªcovered the immediate ground where the Elves were previously sleeping on. It reminded them of the structures from back home, but the Elves knew they weren''t there.


    They were in a strange ce.


    As thest of them flicked her eyes open, she saw the rest of her sisters still disoriented, trying to figure out where they were and what happened to them.


    The only one who hadn''t woken up yet was their Elder¡ªGratiana La Shanagari.


    She still seemed to be in deep sleep, and none of the Young Ones knew what to do to get her to wake up. Some had tried shoving her, but she remained unconscious through it all.


    Afterward, chaos ensued.


    "W-what do we do now?"


    "Why are you asking me? We need Lady Gratiana''s help!"


    "B-but Lady Gatiana has not yet woken up!"


    "What do we do without her!"


    "Big sis¡­!"


    "I''m so confused!"


    About four dozen teenage-looking girls were acting like disorderly kids due to the absence of their leader. None of them found it strange, and that was because it wasn''t.


    All Elves were taught the virtue of dependence.


    Young Ones had to be dependent on the Elders. Elders had to be dependent on the Esteemed Elders, and those were to be dependent on The Oracle. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Every Elf was valuable, and every one individual was to serve the whole¡ªjust as the whole was to serve every individual.


    It was amunity where dependence was rife.


    Without the Elder leading them, the Youngs were nothing more than a shepherdless flock. These sheep had no idea what to do without someone thinking for them and making decisions on their behalf.


    They were in a strange ce; feeling unsafe and frightened by their current predicament.


    Of course, they would freak out.


    "I-I have an idea!" One of the girls finally spoke up, her high-pitch voice getting the attention of the others in the room.


    They all recognized the girl who was speaking. Her name was Deli, and she was the oldest of all of them. In the next three or so decades, she would even be an Elder.


    As such, everyone decided to hear out her n.


    "We should leave this room." Gasps of astonishment and respect filled the faces of the innocent-looking Elves as they looked up to Deli. Not only was she brave enough to speak up, but her insightful words solved the problem that assailed them.


    Truly, she was almost ready to be an Elder!


    "Look, the door is wide open! If we escape from there, we should be able to find the exit from this ce."


    "No. That will not work." Deli theorized as she rubbed her chin.


    She quite remembered the teachings of her big sister, who was one of the members of the Esteemed Council, as well as her mentor-figure, Gratiana. There was no way she would fall for such an obvious trap.


    "The humans are crafty and very dangerous. They are most definitely trying to lure us by leaving the door open."


    Once again, gasps filled the room as the Elves even sped their hands together in adoration towards Deli. Even though she was yet to be an Elder, she was already showing wisdom associated with that position.


    Some of the girls even began to feel the same amount of respect as affection for their supposed peer. "What do you rmend, then?" Someone asked.


    "We use ourbined strength to break out through the walls. They''ll never see iting, and we can carve a new path for ourselves."


    Yes, even this was well-received by the Elves. The n garnered apuse from the girls, and cheers filled the room.


    Soon enough, the intense negativity and confusion was totally lost, and hope began to radiate within the vast room.


    "Where do you think this ce is, Deli? I have no idea where we are¡­" Someone among the crowd asked.


    The smart Deli, now responsible for her sisters, swooped into action once again to aid them with her vast understanding.


    "I''m not sure, but this is most likely the fortress that stood behind those vermin who attacked us. We''re being held prisoner here¡­"


    "Ohhh¡­!" Dread filled their faces as soon as they heard that.


    Even though they were impressed that Deli could deduce that much, they were worried for their safety and also the safety of their Elder.


    "D-do you think¡­ they want to breed us?"


    "They want to make more Half Breed abominations? No way!"


    "R-remember what Big Sis told us about those humans! All of this is very much possible!"


    "I-in that case¡­ we have to follow her counsel."


    "Y-you mean¡­?"


    "Yes! Let us kill ourselves! Our deaths will ensure the bnce in Nature is kept, and we will preserve the integrity of our Elven Heritage."


    The Young Ones all disyed relief the moment they realized that hope wasn''t lost yet. They could prevent the worst-case scenario by sacrificing their lives and bing one with Nature.


    It was the greatest act of love, honor, and sacrifice.


    But¡ª


    "L-let''s save that as ast resort. For now, we follow the n and try to escape." Deli swiftly spoke up, a bead of sweat on her face.


    "A-ahh! You are correct, Deli!"


    "We should swiftly escape and return to the Community and request the assistance of the Esteemed Elders."


    "Indeed! They will definitely deal with these fiends for us!"


    With their spirits raised, the Elves all rose to their feet and huddled together. Using Magic, they created a bubble and kept their dear Elder within it to better protect her and take her with them as they made their grand escape.


    "Ready, everyone?" Deli stared at a particr wall, her eyes glimmering with determination, and a somewhat awkward smile ying on her face.


    The others nodded and looked at the obstacle before them before yelling together.


    "READY!"

 Chapter 617 Escape Of The Youngs [Pt 2]

    Chapter 617 Escape Of The Youngs [Pt 2]


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOM!~


    A loud explosion cracked forth, creating arge hole within the great Fortress that stood on the beach. Debris scattered all over the sandy shores, with some even reaching the green forest just up ahead.


    Now visible, due to the hole on the walls of the fortress, was the group of Elves.


    They were at the very top floor of the Fortress, but that was no problem for them at all. They used Wind Magic to allow them to fall very slowly and freely to the groundbeneath them.


    As a result, none of them sustained any injury.


    Their Elder, Gratiana, was also safely let down thanks to the nature of the Magic Bubble that her body was surrounded by. In the first ce, the bubble floated, so it made transportation extremely convenient.


    Once thest of the Elves nted her hell on the sandy floor, all eyes fell on Deli once again.


    "Huff¡­ what now?"


    "Yeah! What should we do now, Deli?"


    "Deli, what next step should we take?" The young Elf was bombarded by questions from the other curious and worried minds around her. She should have known this would happen once she decided to take on the role of leader.


    "We leave the barrier! Now that we have created that explosion, I''m sure they will be after us, so we need to move fast!"


    All the Elves nodded instantly, trusting Delipletely.


    None of them bothered to question the logistics of the strategy. For all they knew, the barrier could knock them back, or even fry them to crisps.


    If, indeed, they were prisoners, then it only made sense that their captors wouldn''t want them to escape. That made the most sense, and at least one of the Elves should have thought of it.


    But these ones weren''t critical thinkers or skeptics.


    The moment Deli''s first n worked, they were sold that the rest of her strategy¡ªassuming there was one¡ªwould possess the same level of sess.


    They all rushed towards the barrier, as far away from the fortress as possible, and thankfully¡­ they weren''t wrong.


    ~FSHIII!~


    Once again, Deli''s n worked wlessly well and they found themselves out of the barrier of the enemy.


    All forty-eight of the conscious Elves heaved sighs of reliefs as they secured their freedom, happy to be away from the grasps of the beasts who would have done whatever they pleased with them¡ªno remorse whatsoever.


    Despite this moment of victory, though, they weren''t out of the woods yet.


    "What now, Deli?"


    "What should we do next?"


    "We are returning to the Community, right?"


    As they told her this, she took it all in stride and nodded with the signature Elf smile nted on her face.


    "Yes! Let''s return to the Community! You should all lead the way, though while I trail from behind to watch our backs."


    Admiration shone from the faces of the Elves as they hugged their sister for her consideration and sacrifice.


    They called her name with love and respect, all of them ted by the prospect of theirplete freedom from the hands of the humans, and the judgment that would befall them all once their report was made.


    "Come on, everyone! We have to hurr¡ª!"


    ~RUMBLE!~


    The sudden sound of loud footsteps caused all of the Elves to pause where they stood.


    ~RUMBLE!~


    ~RUMBLE!~


    The sounds intensified, and the powerful tremors began to make the Youngs tremble as well. Terrified expressions clouded their faces as many struggled to get a word out.


    However, after several failed attempts, they all did the most sensible thing.


    "W-what should we do now¡­ D-Deli?"


    "Y-you brought us out here! Show us how to get out!"


    "Hurry up!"


    "Uwaaaahhhh! Deli, what should I do?"


    "I don''t want to die!"


    Like little kids who were absolutely scared for their lives, their desperate screams pierced the air as they helplessly looked to Deli for salvation.


    It was at this moment, however, that the young Elf ran out of ideas.


    "I-I don''t¡­ know¡­"


    Aghast faces stared at her almost instantly. All of the Young Ones ced their lives into her hands and she failed them. The resulting effect was her head bowed, unable to look them in the eye after such a blunder.


    "W-WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY¡ª?!"


    ~SNAP!~


    Branches snapped within the forests, and twigs were broken into pieces as the seconds psed. Greater sounds of tremors pierced the air as well.


    Until finally¡ª


    "ROOOOAAAAARRRR!!!"


    ¡ªThe feared cmity arrived.


    Several Monsters burst out of the forest, all of them massive beyond rational belief. They resembled massive lizards, with short arms and long, muscr legs. Their tails swayed back and forth, having spikes on them that trailed from the base of their neck, down their spine, up to the very tip of their tail.


    Their rough, dry, and scaly bodies made them appear more like mud walls than actual flesh. The terrifying faces they had were reminiscent of Dragons, though with no horns and much more primal maws.


    "ROOOOAAAAR!!!" With every powerful roar they made, sticky saliva poured out, spraying on the bodies of the Elves who watched them in absolute terror. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    More of the Monsters appeared from the forest¡ªmost of them emerging from a far distance. Though, with the way they ran, it would only take some seconds before they eventually caught up to the group.


    In such a frightening situation, now stuck between ferocious Monsters and the dwelling ce of another kind of horrifying beast, the Elves were confused on what to choose.


    But, the moment the Monsters made one final roar and tried to chomp the closest Elf, the Elves instinctively realized the only option they had.


    "UWAAAAHHHHHH!!!"


    They immediately ran to the same ce that they just ''escaped'' from.


    Their trembling legs moved swiftly and they all proceeded to the haven that would at least protect them from the onught of the Monsters who were now chasing them.


    Thankfully, the closest Elf to the Monsters was able to avoid being killed at thest second; so she too was running for her dear life.


    With all of them now reaching the barrier, hoping to get in and gain protection from the towing creatures that desired to feast on them, the Elves arrived at a shocking discovery.


    "Gahh!"


    "W-why isn''t it letting us in?!"


    "No! NO!! NOOOOO!!!!"


    They were denied ess to safety.

 Chapter 618 Intervention From The Wicked

    Chapter 618 Intervention From The Wicked


    No one wants to die.


    The Young Ones were by no means an exception to that.


    They each had dreams and hopes-one of which was to meet the Oracle one day, and perhaps sacrifice themselves for Nature or their Sisters.


    Dying had to be done after their purpose had been achieved.


    Not like this.


    As all the Elves pounded on the barrier, now desperately desiring to return to the haven they previously rejected, they could feel the tremors growing louder, and the growls of the Monsters drawing nearer.


    It was a frightening scene, one where the Elves could see death approaching while being unable to do anything about it.


    The truth was that the Young Ones had never had recourse to fight a Monster before. Such tasks were left up to the Elders.


    And, even the Elders would rather avoid fighting Monsters than confronting them directly.


    For example, the Elder in charge of them-Gratiana La Shanagari-would often navigate the forest with her Ranger ss senses, so they could spot Monsters a long distance away.


    Avoiding these things was easy with Gratiana around.


    Even in situations where avoidance was impossible, she would use her [Territory] Skill to shroud them, while also applying [Camouge] to cover everything within it. Using that, they were always able to avoid the savage beasts.


    But now... things were different.


    There was no Gratiana to help them out, and the Young Ones were pretty low on Mana to properly fight so many Monsters.


    "T-they look like A-Tier Monsters..."


    "They ARE A-Tier Monsters!"


    "We are gonna die here, aren''t we?"


    "Uwahhhhhh!"


    The Elves knew their fates were sealed. Not even their Elder could kill so many Monsters, especially not if they spotted her first.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    If their Elder couldn''t do it, what chance did they have?


    They were meant to be dependent and subservient. None of them knew any better.


    "Seems like you are in a bit of a bind." A voice suddenly emerged from the other end of the barrier, and a man appeared there.


    He had slick dark hair, with an eyepatch covering his left eye. A gentle, but somewhat cold smile graced his lips as he stared at the desperate Elves with a certain kind of grace.


    The young man was dressed in what appeared to be a ck sweatshirt and joggers-an outfit too casual for such an intense scenario. Not only did he remain calm despite the heavy pressure, but both hands were in his pockets as he spoke to the Young Ones.


    "Do you require assistance?"


    His question seemed foolish. Anyone would give the obvious "Yes" or give whatever answer that would lead them to safety.


    But the Elves did not-or rather, could not-answer immediately.


    The rules were explicit, and by garnering the aid of this human, they would not be following the words of their Elder.


    Besides, this was the human who attacked them and rendered their Elder unconscious. For all they knew, he still had the nefarious intention of breeding them to create more Half Elf abominations.


    Wouldn''t they rather die than fall into his grasp?


    "Arghhhh!"


    One of the Elves at the back screamed as her arm was cleanly chomped off by one of the Monsters. Another had her legpletely severed, and the other was wounded by a w strike. These were non-lethal injuries, but the next strike would be fatal for sure.


    Those closest to the barrier were yet to be affected, but it was only a matter of time.


    "Uarghhhh!"


    "Gahhhhhh!"


    "Aaaarhhhh!"


    More screams echoed in the air until the Elves couldn''t take it anymore. Or rather, one Elf couldn''t.


    "P-please help us!"


    Deli rushed to the barrier and pounded desperately on it.


    She was bleeding from her back thanks to the being barely grazed by one of the Monsters, and merely based on how much she was screaming, it was easy to tell the kind of desperation she was experiencing.


    Tears streamed down her eyes as she begged.


    The human saw this and smiled, nodding slightly as he finally spoke up. "Very well. I shall be of assistance to you."


    Before the Elves could say another word-perhaps in gratitude or skepticism-they found themselves already inside the barrier that they desperately struggled to breach.


    Not only that, but the injured ones began to recover at a frighteningly rapid rate. Their lost limbs were restored, and all the blood and injuries were seemingly reverted to a point beyond when the damage was received.


    Everything was perfectly intact-all within a moment. "H-huh...?"


    "H-how...?"


    "W-what just...?"


    The Elves knew they needed not ask those questions the moment they stared at the exterior of the barrier and found their benefactor standing outside its reach.


    None of them felt any fear for him-neither was therepassion.


    He was a vile beast who would havemitted atrocities against them. Perhaps this was Nature''s way of getting back at him.


    "There''s no way he''ll survive that!"


    "He can''t handle so many A-Tier Monsters at once!"


    "Why isn''t he using the Half Breed vermin? She''s the one who would do the heavy lifting fot him."


    "He''ll die at this rate..."


    "If he dies, what happens to us?"


    As clusters of words echoed among the Elves, they kept their eyes peeled at the human.


    Somehow, deep down, despite not being supposed to, they all wanted to see the man emerge victorious.


    Maybe it was to secure their survival, or perhaps it was due to the fact that he rescued them from certain doom. None of them were very sure.


    But, the disgust they felt towards all humans suddenly didn''t apply to him anymore. Did they trust him? No


    Did they like him? Not at all.


    But... did they still desire the best for him? Absolutely!


    And so, with widened and innocent eyes, they all looked at Rey Skr as he faced scores of Monsters on their behalf.


    ****


    ''Well, this is quite the conundrum. Rey smiled to himself as he looked at the A-Tier Monsters before him.


    The current scenario looked like something he would have nned right off the bat, but that wasn''t the case at all. In fact, his real n was being suspended because of thispletely random and unexpected scenario.


    ''Where to begin...?''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    The chapters may seem shorter now, but this is actually my normal length. Just saying...

 Chapter 619 Change Of Plans

    Chapter 619 Change Of ns


    -Sorry, Master. The explosion caused by the escape attempt must have caused the Monsters to be drawn to this location.


    -As Rey heard that, he sighed and shrugged.


    ''I already figured out that much. Still, to think so many would pour out at once! He could see at least fifty of the A-Tier Monsters in front of him, and they were all looking incredibly fat and healthy.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Watching them keenly, he even had a fleeting statement. "They kinda resemble T-Rexes..."


    Despite hisid-back attitude and casual demeanor, Rey''s inner thoughts and actions were far from the simple front he disyed.


    "This wasn''t how things were supposed to go! ncing to the Elves behind him, his eyes locked on Deli-the de-facto leader of the Young Ones who made their escape.


    "The real Deli is still in the Fortress, and the one with the Elves is Emil. The n was to make her blend in among them and naturally enter the Elven Community to serve as a double agent.


    Rey had already scanned the entire forest a while back. It was only about one-fourth the size of the territory of the United Human Alliance, and while it still took some time to fully understand theyout, there were still certain things he didn''t understand until he had a closer look.


    In order to achieve this, he decided to let Emil take the lead as an Elf and infiltrate the Elven Community while he watched from the sidelines and nned ahead.


    As his Symbiote, he could always sense whatever she did, even if she was far away from him. As such, he would be aware of everything happening in real time.


    As long as their bond remained, she could use his abilities and he could use hers as well.


    In essence, there was no true danger involved.


    "The goal was to integrate her so well into their world that she would begin to actively investigate the Shrine and the Oracle while I explored the other regions and confirmed the Natural Resources that Ater found here; hence killing two birds with a stone.


    It wasn''t that Rey hadpletely given up on an Alliance with the Elves, but he found something like that to be very unlikely given the circumstances.


    ''Instead of wasting my time and effort on useless peace treaties with these racists, it''s best to find their leader and strike a deal with them.''


    The Oracle was the only person in the entire Elven Community who was of interest to him, and he was going to strike a bargain with them.


    ''I don''t know how the negotiation will go, but as long as I do not harm any of their people, even though they try to harm me, I should have no real disadvantage in striking the deal.''


    Rey was even ready to go into darker waters if push came to shove and the Oracle wasn''t forting.


    He would do anything, really, if it meant saving Alicia.


    ''Of course, I haven''t forgotten the rest of my reasons foring here, but I really feel the need to get this Curse thing settled first. The n was going so well too...''


    Emil had effectively secured her position as leader in the eyes of the Young Ones, and they were even on their way to the Elven Settlement.


    If not for the emergence of these Monsters...


    ''Emil isn''t allowed to use any of her other abilities in her Elf form, which meant I had to show my face ultimately. Itpletely ruined the n, but... maybe I can still salvage the situation.


    In the original n, he was willing to vilify himself if it meant distracting the Elves long enough for him¡ªor Emil- to explore the Shrine and the rest of the Community in order to investigate the Oracle.


    But now, he was having a different thought.


    ''Quid pro quo. I''m not sure these people understand that concept, but there''s only one way to find out, isn''t there?''


    Rey looked at the Monsters before him and gave a slight scoff.


    During his thought processes, they had barely moved a few inches towards him. Due to the speed of his thoughts, as well as body, he could engage in introspection all day and they still wouldn''t be able to gain on him.


    He had gotten his fill of that, though.


    "Let''s make your execution a little shy. I need to put on quite the show, after all." With a brilliant grin stered on his face, he returned his hands to his pocket and caused his eye to shine with bright red hue.


    ~FSHIIII!~


    In an instant, several bright des formed behind Rey, especially behind him. His dark hair fluttered with the winds blowing wildly thanks to the overwhelming pressure his new items created.


    [Divine Weapon Creation]'' His thoughts echoed as the golden-lined des all gleamed with marvelous power.


    A dozen of them floated in the air, awaiting hismands, but he let them remain still.


    ''I can make more, but that''s not really necessary. I want to be very shy, but also not give away the true depth of my power. This should be enough to do the trick.


    "ROOOOOOAAARRRRRR!!!"


    The Monsters all charged at him, almost as if out of fright.


    When creatures are exposed to danger, there are two options; fight or flight. The inability to choose between the two results in thest option-freeze.


    These Monsters did not have anyplex sense of reasoning, and their hunger perhaps clouded their more sensible faculties, so they chose the former-FIGHT.


    -BOOOOOOOM!~


    Many mmed their tails and feet on where Rey stood, hoping to crush him swiftly and then feast on his mangled flesh.


    However, their attempts wereughably unsessful.


    "I''m getting the hang of this Zone Layering..." He spoke to himself, not even minding the Monsters


    ''Ovepping the Zones really makes it impossible for pretty much any of their attacks to hit. The only exception will probably be something that nullifies my attack, or if the attack is moving faster than the rate at which Iyer the Zones''


    With his analysisplete, Rey aimed his Divine Weapons and casually sent them forth with his mind.


    ''Spare no one!''


    ~WHOOSH!~


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Yes! I know what some of you are thinking. I''m thinking it too.


    Our Mc has be an abominable mesh between the King of Heroes and the Strongest Sorcerer. It''s funny indeed...

 Chapter 620 Perfect Growth

    Chapter 620 Perfect Growth


    ~WHOOOOOOOOSH!~


    The disy was akin to fireworks of gold and crimson.


    The glistening des shot into the air, faster than bullets or rockets, as they pierced through the enemies almost as soon as they wereunched.


    They easily cut through the thick hide of the Monsters-all of them being nothing more than easily shredded dough with little to no resistance to offer.


    The golden des danced around the group of Monsters, trapping them inside a cage of golden shes and certain death.


    By the time they were finished with their duties, barely a second had psed.


    And that wasn''t all...


    -SPLOOOOOSH!~


    All the blood and entrails of the Monsters gushed out at the same moment,pletely bursting from their corpses.


    The crimson liquids reflected the brilliant glows of the golden des, hence creating a firework of such disgustingly beautiful art. Bubbles and stters of blood, along with bs of innards-all of them flying in multiple directions-created the most artistic expression of execution.


    All whoid eyes on it could not dare opine to the contrary. "And with that... it''s a wrap." Rey smiled dismissively at the bloody pile that nowy before him.


    He would have to use Magic to get rid of all the gore.


    Almost as soon as he thought that, though, he got a System Notification.


    [System Notice]


    {EXP Threshold Will be Supplemented by [Perfect Divine Growth]!}


    -You Have Leveled Up!~


    -You Have Leveled Up!~


    -You Have Leveled Up!~


    -You Have Leveled Up!~


    -You Have Leveled Up!~


    ''Hmm...'' Rey rubbed his chin with one hand as he looked at the System Window. He already knew the effects of his [Perfect Divine Growth] Skill, but the notification still caught him by surprise.


    ''I suppose it makes sense, all things considered...''


    Normally, he would find it difficult to Level Up once after attaining the Status of an S-Tier entity, but seeing as he Leveled Up five times consecutively, he couldn''t help but be amazed by the effects of his [Perfect Divine Growth] Skill.


    ''I guess this means I can still get consistently stronger; even while I''m on this mission. That thought alone put a wide smile on his face.


    ''Judging from what I''ve seen, the Skill roughly improves my growth tenfold-no, even more!


    Leveling Up once made it about half times more difficult to Level Up again. In essence, you would need more EXP to gain another Level.


    Without [Perfect Divine Growth], Rey reckoned he would have indeed Leveled Up once, but nothing more than that.


    Instead, he gained four extra Levels, and that was with them each being half harder to grow from.


    Stacking them up like that, it was a miracle he managed to get so far.


    ''I wonder what effect it has on Skills. Thankfully, I was able to see one! Rey brought one of his hands from his pockets and stared hard at it.


    [Grand Hardened Body]. That was the name of the Skill that he just obtained from the A-Tier Monsters, which caused their body to possess incredible defensive abilities.


    It was a Passive Skill too, but since its rank was only A-Tier, its effects were pretty useless to him. Still, he decided to test the Skill out by applying it to himself.


    The moment he did so, he got another notification.


    ''As I thought...'' His grin widened as he looked at the System Window floating before him.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    [System Notice]


    {Skill will automatically evolve due to the effect of [Perfect Divine Growth]!}


    -You Have Unlocked A New Skill: Unbreakable (SS-Tier)-


    "Whoa! It went straight up to SS-Tier. That''s incredible!" Rey muttered to himself in genuine surprise.


    His emotions were suppressed instantly.


    ''Tch...'' Now more rational in his approach, he examined the urrence with more rity and took a more skeptical approach.


    ''Is this how it''ll be for every new Skill I obtain and use, or is there a different threshold for them?''


    Perhaps this particr Skill went so high up the ranks because it already had perfectpatibility with his body and his other existing Skills. In a way, the Skill wasn''t particrly useful, since he could achieve the same result by product of his other Skills.


    Having a Skill dedicated to that effect was nice, but it wasn''t particrly fulfilling a major need within his arsenal. ''If I obtain more obscure Skills, it might take longer for them to advance that high. Plus, this Skill being A-Tier probably contributed to that effect...''


    All in all, it was too early for celebrations. He still had to run certain tests to ensure he knew precisely how the Skill operated, and how its limits worked.


    ''For now, though, these are good results. Returning his hands to his pockets, he cast a Spatial Spell to suck in all the gore that now littered the area.


    The Spell took on the form of a miniature ck hole, functioning simrly to a vacuum cleaner.


    He already preset it to only take in the Monster Parts, excluding the sands and other essential parts of the beach. ~FSHUIII!~


    Once the absorption began, Rey took his gaze away from the process for a moment and focused on something else.


    "Status Window."


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Rey Skr.


    - Race: Human (Otherworlder)


    - ss: Singrity (S-Tier)


    - Level: 206 (00.00% EXP)


    - Life Force: 13,000


    - Mana Level: 29,000


    - Combat Ability: 21,550


    - Stat Points: 250


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Doppel]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Merger]. [Dead Calm].[Sacrifice]


    - Alignment: Neutral Good


    [Additional Information]


    You have done the impossible and stand at the precipice of power. As such, you now possess the interest of this World.


    [End Of Information]


    ''As expected... I have returned to Neutral Good! Rey nearlyughed, but he held it all back.


    The same way he could see the System''s plea to ''Help'' Esme was the same way he saw its pleas to help every single one of the Elves that he saved.


    ''I wanted to test out my theory in this fight, and it seems I was spot on!


    This single act of heroism seemed to justify him in the eyes of the System. While this would ultimately be beneficial for him regarding his disposition, it also meant the affirmation of one of his most troublesome suspicions.


    ''The System, or rather this world, really has a bias towards the Elves. With that now fully realized, another question resulted from the fact.


    ''Why?''

 Chapter 621 Lesson On Nature

    Chapter 621 Lesson On Nature


    [Moments Later]


    "Horrible! You''re so horrible!"


    "You really killed them? How disgusting! What a beast you are!"


    "How could you do such a terrible thing?!"


    Rey was met with reproach from the Elves the moment he stepped inside the barrier, causing his previously good mood to sour instantly.


    ''The hell¡­?'' He clenched his teeth as he stared at them with stifled annoyance.


    Ater had indeed informed him of the culture of the Elves and their no-kill policy. No matter how dire the situation was, Elves would never take another life.


    It was a crime against Nature.


    They viewed those who engaged in this act to be nothing more than beasts, so humans and the other races fell under this category. The only lives they weremanded to take were those of the Dragons, and the only reason they did so was because it was a deration from the Oracle.


    Everyone obeyed¡ªno matter their disposition.


    However, the Monsters that Rey mercilessly ughtered weren''t Dragons. They were an integral part of Nature, and he just prematurely deprived them of their lives.


    In Elven Culture, that was uneptable.


    "They would have killed you, perhaps even me, if I didn''t strike back. Yet you wanted me to spare them?"


    "YES!"


    Rey''s quizzical expression only grew worse as he was further plunged into annoyance.


    "Why?"


    "Because Nature ought to be preserved. Those Monsters are unintelligent, like babies, so they have no real idea what they''re doing. As the intelligent ones, it is our responsibility to be better."


    "The fuck¡­?" Rey couldn''t help but strongly disagree.


    "So your excuse for not trying to kill the Monsters who would not hesitate to devour you, if given the chance, is that they don''t know any better?"


    "I-INDEED!"


    "I find that dumb and idiotic." Rey bluntly responded to the group as he walked past them, facing his fortress.


    "H-HEY! Those are the rules of the Community."


    Pausing, then turning back to look at the Elves behind him, he sighed while giving his answer."Well, your rules are wrong."


    The Elves gasped as they heard his words.


    Never before had they heard that their rules were wrong. As a result of that, there was undoubtedly shock mixed in with the anger they felt upon hearing Rey speak so terribly of her people.


    Rey noticed this and sighed even harder, shaking his head in the process. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ''They really don''t get it, huh?


    Elves never took lives, and it was all for the bnce of Nature. While this seemed altruistic and good at first nce, it was fraught with too many problems.


    This attitude of the Elves would inevitably lead the poption of Monsters to keep increasing while they did nothing to stop it. Eventually, the Monsters would overwhelm the Elves in both number and quality.


    ''And that''s even scratching the Surface Level. There''s also the major problem of EXP and Leveling UP.''


    In this world, there was only one way to Level Up, and that was to get EXP.


    Leveling Up granted set Stats that often determined who was stronger, and who was weaker. The problem was that EXP was needed to Level Up, and the higher one went, the more difficult it was to Level Up forward.


    ''EXP is most poprly obtained by killing things with EXP in them, which allows the killer to Level Up. That''s the kind of world we live in.


    It seemed like everyone was able to ept that fact except the Elves.


    ''Their current Levels fluctuate between 30-50. I''m guessing the higher their Levels are, the older they are. It''s why I took Deli, and not any of the other girls, and made Emil disguise as her.''


    It wasn''t that aging increased the Levels of the Elves, but rather¡­ the EXP rued over time.


    ''While it''s very hard, EXP can also be gained by learning new things or working hard in a particr field. Even if you''ve never killed in your entire life, if you participate in enough new activities and obtain fresh experiences from them, your EXP will shoot up.''


    The process could also improve Stats without the need to Level Up. In essence, it was a slow-burn, but legitimate means to grow.


    ''Elves live a very long life, so it isn''t strange that they use this method.'' Still, Rey considered it to be highly inefficient and a severe waste of resources and time.


    ''Not only will they becking in goodbat experience, but they could have be so much stronger if they just actively pursued it.''


    This was why he considered the rules stupid!


    Esme was a Half Elf, yet the way she was able to grow so strong in such a limited span of time was enough to convince Rey that the Elves were simply nerfing themselves for no good reason at all.


    Their rules were simply dumb.


    "Your respect for Nature is arbitrary." He said, walking further towards the Tower.


    The moment they heard this, all forty-seven of the Elves red up¡ªthough Emil pretended to, since she couldn''t do it.


    "What do you know?!"


    "How dare you say that, ungrateful wench!"


    "Why are we even talking to you?!"


    As he heard them call him all sorts of names, Rey was tempted to once again cause them to tremble and beg before him, but he chose not to.


    By using Zone Layering on himself, he could prevent his smell from traveling beyond the close range himself. Using Sound Magic, he could still convey his words to the Elves, so theyered effect didn''t affect his ability tomunicate.


    As a result of this borate method, none of the Elves fainted even when they were so close to him. "Look, if you respect Nature, then grow stronger. That''s how Nature truly operates." He told them with cold eyes.


    As his gaze pierced theirs, beads of sweat formed on their faces and they immediately fell silent.


    "Unless you grow strong enough¡­ you will lose everything." He began, his tone grim as his voice remained solemn. "That is a promise."


    It was only a matter of time that the Monster Horde overflowed and made it to their Community. Perhaps they had ways to deal with the incursion of Monsters, but with the Dragon War at hand, the number of disposable Elves had to be considered.


    Sooner orter, they would be ransacked by the monsters.


    "The reason you all lost to me is because you''re weak. It''s because of that very reason that those Monsters would have killed and eaten you."


    The faces of the Young Ones paled as Rey told them the harsh truth, though many of them shook their heads as he spoke.


    They didn''t agree.


    "Nature is dog eat dog. Monsters kill people and other Monsters, so you are permitted to kill Monsters."


    If no one did, the Monsters would only grow stronger¡ªuntil they devoured everything.


    "N-no¡­ no I don''t agree¡­"


    "Y-you can''t be right!"


    "We believe Big Sis! The Elders are correct!"


    "The rules are never wrong!"


    The Elves seemed to be reciting something as they all objected to Rey''s words.


    "Monsters don''t know any better. We have to be better¡­ we are Elves, servants of Nature. We aren''t savages¡­" Rey shook his head and sighed. Clearly, this was a waste of time for everyone.


    Yet¡­ YET¡­!


    ''I don''t want to let this one go!''

 Chapter 622 Resource Contemplation

    Chapter 622 Resource Contemtion


    Deep in the forest, beneath the bright surface of the worldy the Floors of a certain structure-a Dungeon.


    It was a realm shrouded in perpetual darkness and teeming with monstrous life.


    As one descended deeper into the depths, the air would grow thick and heavy, carrying with it the musty scent of ancient stone and the faint tang of decay.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The lower floor was a vastwork of twisting tunnels and cavernous chambers, hewn from solid rock by unknown hands in a time long forgotten. The walls remained rough and uneven, their surfaces marred by the passage of time and the ws of countless creatures that called this ce home.


    Throughout the Lower floors, the sound of dripping water echoed through the cavernous spaces, a constant sign of the subterranean rivers that flow unseen beneath the earth. Pools of brackish water gathered in the low points of the floor, their surfaces rippling with the movements of unseen creatures lurking within.


    Monstrous denizens roamed the lower floor, their forms distorted by the perpetual darkness. From the hulking shapes of the more gigantus creatures to thenky statures of the smaller critters.


    The Ecosystem of this ce was quite intricate and diverse -as expected of one of the Great Dungeons that existed in the world.


    Just like every day, the Dungeon would continue its internal activities without interruption.


    At least, that was what was supposed to happen.


    ~VWISH!~


    In a sudden disy of light, several figures suddenly appeared within the Dungeon. Their silhouettes were easily masked by the darkness that the Dungeon offered, and their presence surprisingly went unnoticed by the several creatures that called this ce home.


    A total of fifty intruders just entered the jaws of death-their of monsters.


    Fifty-eight of them were pointy-eareddies who looked confused as to their surroundings and what they were doing in such a space.


    One of them was within a bubble-still unconscious-as she floated with the rest. She too was pointy-eared, but since she was still fast asleep, there was no expression on her perfectly clear face.


    Then, there was the odd person among the others.


    Not only was he the only male among the group, but he had no pointy ears, neither did he look anything like them. Also, unlike the anxious and shocked reactions of thedies that surrounded him, his reaction to this was nothing short of absolute calmness.


    He had a smile on his face as he looked around-almost satisfied with what he was taking in.


    "So this is the Great Dungeon that exists in the Land of the Elves..." He mumbled, ignoring the cries and shrieks of the girls around him.


    They were panicking so much despite his previous assurance that everything would be fine.


    ''Sigh... they''re no different from kids.''


    At this point, Rey was beginning to wonder if he made the right choice bringing the Elves along with him. However, after going over his lines of reasoning, he reassured himself of the validity of his choice.


    ''I wanted toe here myself, but after the unexpected incidents with the Monsters, my ns had to be tweaked a little.''


    Rather than visiting the Dungeon himself, he decided to let the Elves tag along-partially because he wanted them to observe him more, but also because he wanted them to see for themselves how nature operated.


    "They strike me as little kids who have no real idea about how the world operates. Exposing them to ces like this should make them grow up quickly!''


    Of course, this wasn''t his primary motivation foring to the Dungeon. However, since it was practically like killing two birds with one stone, Rey didn''t think of it as a loss in any reasonable way.


    ''While they see what I show them, I''ll take my time looking


    through the resources here. He smiled to himself.


    [Perfect Divine Appraisal] was going toe in really handy.


    After going over a few more things in his mind, Rey finally had the luxury to give a proper response to the Elves who kept screaming and freaking out amidst the danger they were surrounded by.


    "Calm down. We are within my barrier, and I have also put a Cloaking Spell on us, so we should be undetectable here."


    Monsters beyond the Grand Tier ss did not exist, and since Rey''s Magic was in the Divine Tier-two Tiers above the limit of Monsters-he was pretty confident in his statement.


    Besides, even if a variant or mutant existed, he found it difficult to believe they would exceed the Absolute Tier.


    ''If a Divine Tier Monster exists here, things could get really bad. Still, I can''t allow my fear of the highly improbable to prevent me from taking action!


    He already spread out his senses to his limits, and he chose to remain vignt in the Floor they were currently on despite the Monsters being of no real danger to him.


    "The goal here is to observe the Minerals and prospects of the materials that can be found here...''


    Plunder was not his goal-at least, not for now.


    Until he obtained sufficient information regarding the Oracle, he had to be careful about his approach to the resources of the Elven Community.


    ''But, in strict terms, these resources are absolutely useless to the Elves. Not only will they never conquer this Dungeon, but they have no refinement or production method to make proper use of these materials!


    Hence, Rey didn''t really see any reason to hold himself back.


    ''The Dungeon even exists in the forest, outside their immediate area of civilization.''


    Not only was it surrounded by Monsters, which the Elves constantly avoided engaging-unless absolutely necessary -but there was no motive on the part of the Elves to venture so far into the territory of the Dungeon.


    ''If I took everything I wanted here, who could me me?'' Absolutely no one could!


    ''I think I''ve had a change of heart! Rey thought to himself with a smile as he looked behind him, noticing how the Elves were still scared out of their minds.


    An idea entered his mind, and he couldn''t help his grin from widening.


    ''Not bad. Not bad at all...''

 Chapter 623 Deepest Depths

    Chapter 623 Deepest Depths


    The Elves witnessed it all.


    The sight of nature in its purest form was burned into their minds.


    They saw how Monsters devoured fellow Monsters, and how cruel the entire process could be. The world within the Dungeon was unforgiving-certainly not for the faint of heart or weak in spirit.


    It was aplete nightmare.


    Rey took them through paths, traversing various Floors so they could see even more of the cmity ur right before their eyes.


    Some of them protested, desiring more than anything to leave the horrid ce, but they were all ignored.


    "You can leave if you want." They were told, but none of them dared to step a foot outside the only shroud of protection that they currently had.


    They also couldn''t attack Rey. If they did, and the barrier copsed, they were pretty much done for too. As a result, they all followed him obediently-like sheep in a herd.


    Finally, after reaching the entrance to the Bottom Floor of the Dungeon, they finally halted their long and frightening journey.


    "C-can we go back now?"


    "I''m so tired... and hungry..."


    "My legs hurt. This ce stinks. I want to go home."


    Rey tuned out their whinings and focused on the door that stood in front of him. It was a double door, one he had to push from both sides to open. The thick stony surface showed just how strong of a barrier it was-and how heavy the doors were.


    Still, this level of obstruction was no match for him.


    ''Before I go in, though...'' Rey closed his eyes and sent his senses across the door onest time, doing his best to confirm the contents within.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    In the ck and white world, he couldn''t see all the details, but as long as the outlines were revealed to him, he could anticipate what to expect.


    Surprisingly, there was only one creature there.


    ''The Boss... but with no footsoldiers?'' Rey found it a little difficult to believe, but his eyes had never deceived him before.


    ''There doesn''t seem to be a Boss Room either. Just onerge expanse that stretches for too long!


    After contemting things a little longer, he decided to proceed.


    "Let''s go." In an instant, the double doors swung wide open, granting easy entry to Rey and hispanions.


    There were lots of groanings andints among the Elves, but he ignored them yet again. They weren''t particrly his primary concern.


    ''I''ve pretty much aplished what I set out to do. The Minerals that Ater spoke of... they''re all incredible!''


    If it wasn''t for the fact that he had to keep his emotions in check, Rey reckoned he would be jumping for joy at the moment. Not only were the materials he found in the Dungeon at least a dozen times purer than those of the Western Continent, but there also seemed to be more variety here.


    He saw Mana Crystals that were as tough as Adanantite, or Orichalcum that had a tougher build than the strongest metal in the Western Continent. Mythrill wasmonce too, among other well-known as well as obscure Minerals.


    Other than those, though, Rey found even more interesting discoveries.


    ''The Water here is really dense in Mana. Even unrefined, it can serve as a Mana Recovery potion. If it''s refined, it can turn even more potent. Like a cleanser of sorts...''


    There were so many possibilities that Rey had to explore with the Minerals in sight, but he didn''t do anything at the moment.


    He didn''t even y any of the Monsters despite being curious about how their Mana Cores would look like.


    ''I identally destroyed the Monster Cores of those previous Monsters. I really should stop being careless...''


    His eye flickered, and he chose to keep his gaze on the world before him.


    ''Beautiful...'' His thoughts trailed as heid eyes on the untouched garden that was the Final Floor of the Dungeon.


    And it was just that-in every literal sense of the word.


    The multi-colored flowers were almost as tall as an adult human being, and they decorated the entire space. Some were bright yellow, while others a dull purple. Some had various colors on their petals, and some had colors that seemed to change within moments.


    The ''garden'' that was this Floor seemed serene, with flowers like this growing in all areas of the room.


    All areas but the very center, where a certain creaturey. As Rey stepped into the Final Floor, he felt the effects of gravity diminish almost instantly. Slowly, his body began to float in the air, and the same applied to all the girls who remained in his barrier.


    All of them left the ground and found themselves swimming in the air.


    ''I see. This is simr to what Lucielle told me, and what I confirmed myself. The Mana Saturation of the Lowest Dungeon Floors, and the strange effects it can have on the environment.''


    Thest time he experienced this was in thest Floor of the Royal Dungeon-when the Dragon Commander appeared.


    ''Time flowed a lot faster down there than on the surface. It seems like this time it''s gravity that''s being affected. Or could it be the Boss'' Skill?'' Upon having this thought, Rey cast his gaze on the sleeping creature.


    The beast looked like a dog, but it had five heads, with horns attached to each head-as if numbering them. The head at the center had the highest number of horns, five of them twisted and gnarled as they stiffly stood in ce.


    The Monster''s snoring ruined the serene atmosphere, though Rey didn''t see much of a difference with it''s noise and the constant ramblings of the Young Ones.


    ''I''m beginning to understand why all the Elders I''ve met always seem grumpy!''


    He had only met two, but the simrities were clear.


    "In any case, it''s time for a bit of an experiment." Rey smiled as he looked at the Elves behind him.


    ''I have all my specimens here. Might as well begin!

 Chapter 624 Experiment Proposal

    Chapter 624 Experiment Proposal


    ''Status Window.''


    STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Surebrec


    - Race: Monster - ss: Dungeon Boss (A-Tier)


    - Level: 300 (Max) - Life Force: 1,500(+500)


    - Mana Level: 2,000 (+100) - Combat Ability: 1,500 (+500)


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Myriad Breath]. [Pure Shield]. [Grand Energy Pulse].


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Mass Stun]. [Territorial Sense]. [Greater Mana Recovery]. [Danger Perception]. [Final Cry]. - Alignment: Lawful Evil


    [Additional Information]


    Guardian of the Dungeon. Those who interfere with the natural order of things here are hunted down and punished by this Beast.


    It remains in its abode if it is undisturbed, though.


    [End Of Information]


    ''I see now. If I had started mining, it would have definitelye after me¡­'' Rey grinned as he looked at the sleeping creature.


    It was a good thing he decided to be patient. Though, looking at the Boss'' Stats, he didn''t think it would have made much of a difference to him anyway.


    The creature was far weaker than him, and he knew that well enough.


    ''What''s more interesting are the multiple Flowers here.'' Looking around him while using Appraisal, he realized how different they were and how they could be used for multiple purposes.


    ''Some can be used for Life Force Recovery, some for Mana. Some are poisonous, while others improve Stats temporarily. Some are psychedelics, others cause sleep and fatigue. They''re so many!'' N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Rey could distinguish the flowers and their effects due to the colors they had, but he still wondered how dangerous things would be for someone who had no idea which n did what.


    ''They would probably have to go through the rigorous process of testing. Appraisal really is useful¡­'' He smiled.


    Returning his gaze to the Boss Monster, though, he went through its Status Window once again¡ªeven going as far as studying all of its Skills.


    ''Some look promising. I should be able to test out my [Perfect Divine Growth] here, especially in terms of Skill acquisition and evolution.''


    What he wanted to see, more than anything, though, was the effect of another Skill of his.


    "[Divine Weapon Creation]." He stretched out his hand, and a glimmering golden sword appeared in it.


    It had runic designs on it, and every part of it seemed carved to perfection.


    ''It''s funny how I only need to roughly think about the form I want the weapon to take, and the Skill spits out these intricate designs.''


    Still, he paid that no mind. Instead, he called for one of the Young Ones, beckoning for her toe to his side.


    "Eeek!" She shrank back instantly, causing him to sigh in exasperation.


    ~FWUSH!~


    In just the blink of an eye, she was right beside him with his unupied hand ced on her shoulder. The Elf shivered the moment this happened, but Rey couldn''t help but be further disappointed.


    ''They already know how strong I am, and that I have this ability, yet they keep acting up every time. These girls¡­''


    With the way the Elves acted, Rey was beginning to question the distaste for Half Elves. Esme was naive, sure, but she was nowhere as bad as these ones.


    That had to be because of her human side, right?


    ''If that''s the case, then Half Elves are better. Or maybe this is my bias because it''s Esme we''re talking about.''


    It wasn''t like he had met any other of her kind.


    ''In any case¡­'' He brought the golden de closer to the Elf, causing her to tremble even further, squeaking in fear.


    "P-please forgive me¡­!" She begged, sobbing as loudly as possible.


    Her Elven sisters began to plead on her behalf to, and all of their annoying cries began to overwhelm Rey. He couldn''t take any more.


    "Just be quiet and listen!"


    His emotions were not suppressed, much to his chagrin, most likely because he was addressing the Elves. Still, he intentionally calmed himself.


    "I''m not going to kill you. I just want to test out the effects of the weapons I make using a Skill. If this experiment works out well, it''ll cut costs exponentially and generate more profit. It''s also a cleaner way to produce weapons, so that''s a win-win for everyone."


    The Elves didn''t understand most of what he said¡ªespecially towards the end¡ªbut upon hearing that they would be spared, their crying sounds began to vanish.


    It happened so quickly that Rey wondered if they were just acting the whole time.


    "S-so we won''t be killed?"


    "No, you won''t be killed. It''s simple, really. Just wield the weapons and use them for a while. I''ll be observing the whole thing."


    The goal was to see just how much of a buff the weapons he created would grant to those who wielded them. Before he got to this point, he had to be sure that his weapons could be wielded, which he tried out with Esme and Kara.


    It turned out that, for Kara, she couldn'' wield the Divine Weapons. Since his Skill, [Divine Weapon Summon], allowed him to summon from the lower Tiers as well, he decided to go even lower in the list.


    Still¡­


    ''Kara couldn''t wield anything higher than a C-Tier Weapon.'' Rey sighed.


    He thought it was all about ss Boundary, since Kara had a C-Tier ss, but after trying the same experiment on Esme, he was met with pleasant surprise.


    She was able to wield a Divine Weapon well.


    The problem, however, was that the Stat Boosts she got from the weapon seemed a little too low for his tastes¡ªalmost as if the weapons were nerfed in her hands.


    ''That means one of two things. It''s either the weapon was automatically downgraded in her hands, due to her ss limitation, or that the Divine Weapon itself is defective and doesn''t give much of a boost.''


    He found thetter to be unlikely, which was why he desired to test out his theory on these young ones before him¡ªespecially in an environment fraught with danger.


    ''I''ll have them test out all of my hypotheses to my satisfaction.'' His smile widened.


    There were 48 Active Elves here, with sses ranging from D to B Tier; perfect specimens for his purposes.


    ''And what better way to do that than to fight a Boss Monster and win?''

 Chapter 625 The Perfect Test

    Chapter 625 The Perfect Test


    "Hmm¡­" Rey looked at the Young One before him with an intense gaze. It was so intense that the young Elf was trembling as she wielded the de he summoned earlier.


    "Just as before¡­ she can wield it well, but the effects aren''t as high as they should be. The Stat Increase is even worse than Esme''s¡­" He mumbled to himself as he went through her Status Window.


    This was a B-Tier Specimen, the most mature of the Young Ones known as Deli. Rey had already swapped out Emil ever since abandoning the n, so the real Elf was returned to the group.


    Of course, he used Magic to make it seem like she had always been a part of the group, though since he didn''t really have a Mind-Rted Skill, he didn''t have the ability to rewrite her memory or make her remember things in detail.


    She just believed everything he told her due to his Hypnosis Spell.


    As for her performance as his Test Subject, she wasn''t doing poorly at all. In fact, she did better than his initial specimen.


    ''It seems like the higher the ss, the better the effects of the Item. But I don''t understand. Why wouldn''t they just be restricted from using Divine-Tier Weapons altogether?'' Rey rubbed his chin as he stared at the girl beside him.


    ''It seems like the higher the ss, the better the effects of the Item. But I don''t understand. Why wouldn''t they just be restricted from using Divine-Tier Weapons altogether?'' Rey rubbed his chin as he stared at the girl beside him.


    Humans could not wield items beyond their means, but the Elves could. The Item''s effects would be nerfed, sure, but that didn''t make it less unfair.


    ''I only made this Divine Weapon to be a strengthening Item. What if I imbued it with special properties¡­ like Magic? What then? Will the Elves have ess to that Magic¡ªeven if it''s in a lesser form¡ªwhile humans wouldn''t be able to conjure anything at all?''


    It was indeed an unfair scenario.


    ''Ultimately, the Elves have the advantage here. It''s just so strange that they are such pacifists when they have most of the benefits associated with this world.''


    If they chose to be conquerors, like the Dragons did, then perhaps the world would have already been under their control. ''When I think about their extreme views on humans and other races, I fear for what would happen if they were ever violent.''


    Rey shrugged those thoughts aside and decided to run more experiments.


    **********


    [Moments Later]


    ''Alright. Looks like I''ve figured out how this works.''


    Right now, Rey and the Elves were floating in the air, within the confines of the barrier he created. Naturally, the Boss couldn''t detect them, but that was the least of his concerns at the moment.


    Each Elf had a Divine-Tier weapon on them¡ªranging from bow and arrows, to swords, spears, twin daggers, staffs, and many more¡ªand each of those weapons also had effects assigned to them.


    Some amplified Magic Spells, while others produced certain kinds of Magic, or effects that appeared like it.


    They essentially functioned like Enchanted Items.


    ''The effects are indeed nerfed in proportion to their ss, but they''re usable nheless. That means the Elves can pretty much use any Item without restriction, including their powers, but it''ll just be downgraded.''


    He even served as target practice for the Elves, letting them fire all sorts of attacks at him to test their intensity. For example, fire sted from a weapon wielded by a C-Tier Elf wasn''t the same as the fire sted from the same weapon, but wielded by a D-Tier one.


    After studying them to his satisfaction, Rey was impressed by their performance. ''Yes, it''s a bit disappointing that they get weaker in the wrong hands, but this is still a big step up. After all, the boosts are still legitimately good.''


    Plus, he couldn''t downy the effects of some of the Divine-Tier weapons.


    ''They''re ready.'' He smiled to himself, nodding a little as he stared at the forty-eight.


    With a single snap of his finger, the effects of the low gravity around him and the girls vanished, and they descended to the ground.


    "KYAAAAAAAAAA!!!" The Elves all screamed, but their loud bawlings were cut short when Rey activated a Spell to make them allnd safely.


    Once he did this and they were safe from the horrid fate that would have awaited them otherwise, they heaved sighs of relief as he shook his head.


    ''They could have easily used Magic to save themselves, but they''re just so clumsy.'' He was beginning to worry that he made the wrong assessment.


    However, he shook his head and strengthened his resolve regardless.


    "Alright, listen up everyone. This is what will happen." Rey raised his voice, folding his arms as he looked at the frightened women.


    "First of all¡­ I''ll be taking your Elder hostage." Within a second, the floating bubble that held Gratiana appeared by his side.


    "W-WHA¡ª?!"


    Before the Elves could respond and jump at Rey for his treachery, they felt their entire body grow weak.


    The sweet, irresistible smell from before had returned.


    "Second of all, I''ll be abandoning you here. When you wake up, you''ll have to face the Boss Monster by yourselves."


    The Elves tried to resist, but they all fell on their knees, shivering as drool fell from their mouths and their eyes were rolled up.


    ''Ater told me of their custom, and how it works. I never realized I would smell so good to them, but after seeing their reaction that time and referencing it with what I already know, I suppose it makes sense.''


    Rey wondered why Esme never went crazy like the rest of them, but he chalked it up to her being a Half Elf.


    "Finally, you must do your best to survive and return to save your Elder. The clock is ticking, and I''m not a very patient man." He said to them.


    ''Ultimately, this is the perfect final test for the viability of my weapons, as well as a way to observe how they''ll operate when faced with such pressure.''


    With the Divine Tier Weapons¡ªeven in their nerfed states¡ªthey were indeed more than capable of taking down the Boss Monster.


    They could even kill it. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ''But will they? Well, I won''t be sticking around to find out¡­''


    After all, this was the perfect moment for him to begin his n to harvest all of the resources for himself.

 Chapter 626 Dog Eat Dog

    Chapter 626 Dog Eat Dog


    ~THUD!~


    The Elves all copsed before Rey, and he watched them with barely any emotion in his eyes. He simply turned away from them and looked at the room''s entrance.


    He seemed to be the only conscious person in the room, at least until he uttered some words.


    "So, are you done?"


    As he said this, a purplish ck slime appeared from among the flowers, hopping towards Rey with what appeared to be excitement.


    The moment it jumped at him, however-


    -SPLAT!~


    Its gooey form sshed on the barrier that surrounded Rey and the Elves.


    "What do you think you''re doing? Your job isn''t finished yet."


    -Uwaaah! Master, you''re so mean!~


    Emil''s whining voice was something Rey hadn''t particrly missed. However,pared to the cries of the Elves, this was music to his ears.


    "I''ll grant you your reward if you can pull this off well. I''ll be taking my leave now, but before that there are a few things to do."


    -Yeah, I remember the n.~


    "Good." He smiled, nodding at her intently.


    His gaze went to the sleeping Boss, as well as the giant flowers around him, and his grin grew much wider than ever before.


    "This should be fun."


    [Moments Later]


    "U-urgh..."


    The Elves groaned as they slowly gained consciousness. They held their heads, chests, and other parts of their bodies while limating to the world around them.


    It was all fuzzy at first, with the only concrete thing they could feel being the Divine-Tier Weapons in their grasps.


    However, before they could fully even understand their predicament-


    "ROOOOOAAARRRRR!!!"


    -The loud roar of a terrifying beast echoed within the vast room, waking all of them from whatever remnant grogginess they were experiencing.


    All of them, without exception, were now fully awake.


    "EEEEEK!" Their annoying screams responded in a chorus, as all of their tear-filled eyes rested on the source of the explosive roar.


    It was the five-headed giant dog that stood at the center of the garden-the same ce they were also standing in at the moment.


    The creature was awake, and it was ring at them with sheer killing intent.


    To call the Elves terrified would be an understatement.


    They simply clung to their weapons as they huddled together in fright. More screams filled the air as the creature roared at them.


    "We''re going to dieeee!"


    "Help us! Someone help us!"


    "Save us! Pleaaaseeeee!!!"


    All of their screams fell on deaf ears as they all begged whatever invisible figure in the expanse with them to deliver them.


    But there was no one present.


    No one knew where Rey went, or how long had passed since his disappearance.


    All they knew was that they were currently in mortal danger-one that would kill them if no deliverance arrived. -BOOOOOM!~


    The mere stomp of the five-headed Monster sent all the Elves flying in multiple directions, separating them from one another.


    "Uwahhhhh!!!"


    "Hiaaaaaaaa!!!"


    "U-uuuuuuuu!"


    They all scrambled for their lives like little children, flinging their weapons in any direction as they continued their confused dance for survival.


    The Monster watched them without doing anything- perhaps confused or amused by their disy of sheer ipetence.


    It was a truly a pitiful sight to see.


    Then-


    "GRRRRRRR..." Seemingly fed up with their nonsense, the Monster stretched out its hand to one of the iling Elves who had a spear.


    Its massive hand neared her, and the moment she saw this, she screamed in fear.


    "Arghhh! Stay away! Stay away from meeee!" She fumbled her weapon and began waving it in the air as she closed her eyes for the fear of certain death.


    But, death did note.


    In fact, what happened next served as a surprise to both her and the other girls who were also running for their dear lives.


    -SQUISH!~


    The Divine-Tier weapon cut through the skin of the Monster like a hot knife through butter, easily slicing most of its gigantic paw clean off.


    "E-eh...?" The Elf in question noticed this, stunned by what she had just done. All the other Elves also saw this and gawked at the shocking sight.


    As the Monster''s hand fell to the side, creating a light tremor in the room, the mood within the room slowly began to change.


    The wide eyes of the Elves stared at their dear sister, who was now looking at her weapon with child-like wonder.


    They cast their gaze on the beast, and on the limb it had lost.


    Then-


    -SWOOSH!~


    One of the Elves sliced at the creature''s tail, easily cutting it off with even sharper proficiency. Lightning crackled as she did this, electrocuting the Monster who now bellowed out in severe pain.


    "Huh..."


    Sounds of curiosity began to echo from the lips of the Elves as they now started to stare at their weapons, and at each other.


    Something simr to instinct took over, and they began to feel their legs move without them even realizing it.


    -SWOOOSH!~


    ~WHISH!~


    -WHUUUM!~


    In clean strikes, they were able to cut the Monster from several ends, making itpletely incapable of standing upright.


    At that moment, the Elves realized that they were no longer in danger.


    Their minds were clear as they all tightly held onto their weapons. They further closed in on the wounded Monster, who was now whimpering and staring at them in horrified shock.


    "Kill or be killed..." One stated.


    "Law of Nature must be obeyed..." Another echoed out.


    "This is how Nature operates." Yet another mentioned.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    They all seemed to be of one mind as they chanted together, allowing their voice to permeate the entire room.


    "Nature is dog eat dog. Monsters kill people and other Monsters, so we are permitted to kill Monsters."


    They marched forward with those words oozing from their lips, making everything they ever said and believed in until this moment aplete lie.


    [Meanwhile...]


    "W-where are the girls? What do you want? W-why... what do you want from me?"


    Gratiana, now conscious, was on a chair right in front of the man who caused her to reach a new realm of pleasure that she never thought was possible.


    She fidgeted on her sofa as she studied the interior of the fortress'' living room, where they both upied at the present moment.


    The man, who sat opposite her, was smiling calmly as he stretched out a hand to her.


    Gratiana still shivered anytime she saw him... anytime she thought of what happened with him in the past, and how she had lost herself entirely.


    Yes, she was worried for the Young Ones.


    Yes, she was concerned about her people, as well as wary of the one before her.


    But, more than any of those emotions, she couldn''t help but also feel an overpowering sense of curiosity about the man who casually stood before her.


    "How about we make a deal?" He suddenly spoke, causing her body to quiver in his presence.


    It seemed every ounce of her being already recognized him for what he was to her-and what he could do at any moment.


    "W-what deal?" She stuttered as she spoke.


    Gratiana no longer had the confidence and grace she once possessed; not in front of a man like this.


    "Your girls... why don''t we bet on what they will do to escape their current predicament?"

 Chapter 627 A Bet Laced With Cruelty

    Chapter 627 A Bet Laced With Cruelty


    "Y-you¡­ you''re so cruel."


    Gratiana was left at a loss for words as she looked at Rey with shocked eyes. It would have been filled with nothing short of disgust in the past, but right now it showed nothing but downright confusion.


    She didn''t know what to think.


    "H-how can someone¡­ of your stature¡­ I don''t understand¡­"


    All her life, she had been taught of how sacred the Divine territory was. The Oracle was in that realm, and they guided the Elves on the path of Nature.


    No other entity of such a stature was a member of H''Trae, and that was the truth.


    And so, the emergence of an entity that oozed divinity was something that dibobted Gratiana and altered a lot of her perceptions of reality. She wouldn''t have believed it if she didn''t feel it in her body and soul.


    ¡­ Especially in her body.


    Even though she now recognized this individual as a higher entity than she was, she could not understand why he was acting in such a cruel and fiendish manner.


    "Why would you go that far? Why punish those girls like that?" She murmured, unable to grasp the process of his mind.


    "Do you really consider it to be a punishment?" His response was so nonchnt, almost as if waspletely detached from the severity of what he had just proposed. Did he truly not implications of his actions?


    "Yes. Life is sacred for us Elves. cing those girls in a situation where they have to take a life, even if it is staged, is tortuous for them."


    "Is it, really? I can''t help but wonder about that¡­" Gratiana couldn''t help but be further confused about his response. Surely, he had to have a reason for his confidence.


    "I''ve been observing them for some time now. They''re a bunch of bumbling idiots who have no idea what they''re doing. That''s because they''ve always been told what to do all their lives." He began, his voice smooth as silk.


    Gratiana fell silent as she listened intently.


    "Even with those qualities, I can see what they really are inside. They''re curious and inherently sadistic in nature. They''ve been deprived of violence their whole lives that, after being exposed to it for such a short period, it has be so intriguing to them."


    "W-what are you trying to say?"


    "That taking a life will be easier for them than you realize. It isn''t punishment, but release from their ever-growing thirst for it." He smiled at her.


    Gratiana didn''t know this, but when Rey was testing out the Divine Tier weapons with the Elves, using himself as their target practice, he could see the looks on their faces as they sent all manner of normally lethal attacks to him. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    He was certain that they had never been exposed to such power before.


    "Their wild grins, widened eyes, and amused expressions as they sent volley upon volley of assault to me¡­ I could tell that they enjoyed it."


    It was reminiscent of how Esme suddenly snapped and killed so many people during the Dark Undertaking Arc¡ªat least, that was what Rey thought.


    "I-I don''t believe that. They''re not like that¡­"


    "Then you have no problem making the bet with me." Rey threw his arms in the air as he chuckled amusedly.


    "I could always be wrong, you know? If you have such faith in them, then surely you don''t mind being on the winning end."


    Gratiana gulped as she looked at Rey, who was now waiting for her response.


    Normally, she would have taken the bet with such confidence in her Little Sisters, but¡­ after hearing some of the things he observed, she was beginning to panic.


    ''When I was a Young One, I remember the sinful cravings I felt. It was a secret struggle for me, but I managed to hold it in and only fantasize about it¡­ until the day I became an Elder.''


    After meeting the Oracle, those urges of hers vanished, and she never again desired to take any life.


    ''What if some of the girls are also going through simr struggles?'' She couldn''t help but wonder.


    No one spoke about such things in the Elf Community, so she thought it was a problem only she had to deal with. But what if she was wrong?


    What if some of the Young Ones were secretly being tempted by the allure of violence?


    "If you agree to the bet, I''ll let you sniff me. I''m sure you''re curious about¡ª"


    "F-fine. I agree. I''ll believe in my girls."


    Rey smiled as she said this, and Gratiana looked away with blushing cheeks. She couldn''t even look him in the face.


    "Let''s¡­ let''s just get it over with. I''m just curious, a-and¡­ it''s only because you insisted." Gratiana didn''t know who she was trying to convince with her murmurs¡ªthe man before her, or herself. She fidgeted more on her seat as she braced herself for the reward of the bet.


    "Ready?"


    She gulped hard as soon as she heard those words, preparing herself for what would hit her next.


    ''My dear girls¡­ please be strong.'' Shutting her eyes tight, she swallowed her saliva once again.


    The bet she made with Rey was simple:


    If the Young Ones executed the Boss Monster, rather than finding another way to escape, then it would be his victory.


    However, if they preserved their dignity and the rules of Nature, escaping without sullying their hands, it would be his loss and her victory.


    ''If he loses the bet, I''ll be able to have ess to more Items that''ll aid us in the war against the Dragons, and they will leave thisnd.'' Gratiana thought it was a very generous offer, especially considering the simple reward for his victory.


    ''If he wins, I will have to lead him to the Community myself, and I will personally guarantee his safe passage¡ªas well as an audience with the Esteemed Elders.''


    It wasn''t that difficult to do, but it was also too big a risk.


    Still¡­


    Gratiana couldn''t help but take the risks, given what was ced on the line.


    "Aaah¡­" She moaned slightly as she began to feel the aroma he emitted reach her nostrils. Even though she sat a considerable distance from him, she could feel its intensity permeate her body.


    "I''m only letting it leak out in small doses, so I don''t overdo it. Tell me if you want¡ª"


    "More." She whispered, feeling her legs go weak.


    "Alright. Tell me when to stop."


    "M-more¡­" She fell to her knees, her hands sped, as if in prayer. Gratiana''s shiverings continued as tears slowly began to leak from her eyes and her body grew ustomed to the sensation.


    Her mental faculties began to get overwhelmed, and she slowly began to lose all sense of reason. ''I feel it¡­ I¡­ I feel it¡­!'' Her tongue was out now, and her body arched forward, moving towards the source of her pleasure.


    She could feel herself so close to the new peak she so desperately craved.


    Then¡ª


    "Ah! It seems the girls are here already." ¡ªThe sensation suddenly stopped, and Gratiana was deprived of a climax she had nearly attained.


    "A-ahh¡­ n-no¡­" She mumbled, her face fully distraught as she watched Rey rise from his chair with a sinister smile on his face.


    "Why don''t we go out to meet them?"

 Chapter 628 Change Of The Youngs

    Chapter 628 Change Of The Youngs


    Gratiana gritted her teeth as she walked behind Rey Skr.


    She had her head somewhat lowered, as it hung shamefully on her shoulders while she contemted everything that just happened.


    "Haa¡­ haaa¡­"


    Steamy breaths escaped her lips with every step she took, and every second or two, she would lift her gaze to look at the man who walked a couple of inches from her. She desperately wanted to close the gap and ess what she was denied, but¡ª


    ''No! What am I thinking? Why am I¡­ what would the girls think?!''


    Gratiana tried her best to hide the immense guilt that was bubbling up within her, but it was getting too much to bear. A few moments ago, when Rey told her about the return of the Young Ones, she was disappointed.


    It was only for a split second, but she certainly thought:


    ''Why did they have to return now?!''


    As an Elder, she should have been ted by their safe return. Yet, she selfishly indulged in a bet that put so much on the line. Instead of rushing to rescue them, she instead conversed with the perpetrator of all these evils.


    Gratiana felt awful beyond measure.


    ''They''re my responsibility¡­ yet I abandoned them.'' Her thoughts trailed as she watched Rey exit the Fortress. She felt reluctant to do the same.


    ''How can I even face them?''


    She simply wanted to stay back and hide herself in the shadows; at least, until she had worked up the courage to face her little sisters.


    Unfortunately¡ª


    ~VWUSH~


    ¡ªShe had no choice in the matter.


    In a fraction of a second, she stood right beside Rey, who ced his arm around her as he smiled confidently at the Elves who were fast approaching, right outside the barrier''s boundary.


    The sudden change in scenery stunned Gratiana so much that it was difficult for her to render a single word or action in reaction to it all. She could only take everything in with a gasp and widened eyes.


    "Do you see now?" She heard Rey whisper to her, and instantly her body shivered.


    Her heart sank even lower than ever as she looked at the iing girls and the menacing expressions on their faces.


    Their bodies were stained with blood, and they were dripping with all manner of entrails. Still, they remained unfazed by it all.


    The way they tightly clung to their lethal weapons as they approached with a battle-hardened re proved just how ready they were forbat¡ªperhaps something even more.


    "Do those eyes look innocent to you now?"


    Gratiana saw it¡ªeven felt it within her¡ªbut she didn''t want to ept it.


    "N-no¡­ I don''t believe this." She whispered, staring at the group that now reached the forefront of the barrier.


    "You don''t believe it even if it is right in front of you?"


    "I¡­ I can''t¡­"


    She saw Rey smile as he turned back to look at her.His glowing red eye made her body react ordingly¡ªalmost as if itpletely knew what to do with just a single nce.


    "I figured as much. Which is why I''ll show it to you¡ªright here and now." Gratiana didn''t know what he meant by that, but he simply stood still, allowing the girls to approach even further. They walked through the barrier like it was nothing, approaching him and Gratiana with unchanging expressions on their faces.


    "W-what are you nning? Girls! My sisters! Are you oka¡ª?"


    The Young Ones walked past Gratiana without uttering as much as a single word. They didn''t even nce at her¡ªor Rey for that matter¡ªbut kept walking straight towards the Fortress.


    It puzzled Gratiana instantly.


    "They can''t see or hear us. I wouldn''t want you to interfere with what you''re about to witness with your own eyes." He narrowed his eye as he watched them.


    Gratiana gulped as she joined the spectating; observing as her little sisters stopped short of the Fortress and then stretched out their expensive-looking weapons.


    For a moment, they were still.


    Almost as if choreographed, they all stopped moving, and Gratiana didn''t understand why. She was able to know every little thing that went on in the minds of her Youngs, but this time she waspletely confounded.


    "What are they doi¡ª?"


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    Before she could conclude her question, bright bursts of energy in many forms¡ªfire, lightning, light, or sheer explosions¡ªcharged from the weapons of these girls as they fired their attacks at the same time.


    The result was a deafening eruption, as well as the utter obliteration of the towering construct that both Rey and Gratiana previously upied.


    "They didn''t know we had left that ce, yet they blew it up. Shouldn''t their first thoughts be to save you through non-lethal means?" Rey spoke in a low tone as Gratiana covered her louth with both hands.


    She trembled at the horror she was seeing.


    Despite seeing entrails on the girls, and observing their expressions, she didn''t want to believe her girls had gone that far yet. After all, the entire test was staged by Rey.


    But this? What excuse could she have for them?


    "T-they know you''re powerful! You won''t die so easily from that attack!"


    "But you would¡­"


    "What are you trying to say? That they wanted to hurt me? There''s no way!"


    "I''m not saying anything, Gratiana¡­" Rey slowly turned to her again, causing her body to freeze up.


    "But maybe their desire to kill me has overshadowed their intent to save you."


    She gulped as she watched the girls continue to fire their energies at the crumbling building¡ªusing elemental abilities, Skills, Magic, anything that would let them continue their disy of destruction.


    And the strangest part of it all? They were cackling all through the experience.


    The innocent faces of the Elves were now marred by uglyughter that seemed to spread to the corners of their faces.


    It was horrifying.


    "Ah, I forgot to mention something." As Rey said this, a pping sound began to echo, and a figure in white emerged from the debris. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "There was someone else in the building."


    The figure had long white hair and bright blue eyes. She remained unharmed by the attack, so her skin was as fair as ever. With her beauty untainted, she descended on the sandy ground¡ªa small distance from the Elves and the crumbled building¡ªwhile wearing an annoyed expression on her face.


    "What the hell have you done now, Rey?"

 Chapter 629 Esme Vs The Elves [Pt 1]

    Chapter 629 Esme Vs The Elves [Pt 1]


    "You might have to fight a few peopleter today!"


    Those were the words that Rey told Esme earlier that day, and she figured that would be the case-considering how Rey had been having some deep thoughts on nning and strategy since they settled in the Eastern Continent.


    That was also why he was talking more with Kara and less to her.


    ''I understand all of that. It''s all for the mission. Esme constantly told herself, so she didn''t particrly mind.


    She spent most of her time trying to connect with the ''Oracle'' figure that Ater mentioned, so she was busy meditating while the others did whatever concerned them.


    It wasn''t safe outside thanks to the discrimination against Half Elves, and herpanions were really too busy to consider her.


    Kara was running an errand for Rey somewhere, and Emil had her own business to attend to. Rey was also upied with his whole n. That left her all alone, pretty much the most useless in the bunch.


    ''Should I not havee?'' She even began to wonder to herself.


    Objectively speaking, there were many other alternatives to Esme tagging along which made sense, so her presence in the group wasn''t very vital. The only reason she was here was due to Ater''s endorsement.


    ''I don''t even know why he did that. Maybe he has something in mind...'' Either way, the only way she could prove useful was to connect to thework that all Elves seemed to share.


    But, while she was busy with that, she couldn''t help but notice Elves approaching the fortress.


    Esme didn''t pay them any mind at first. After all, there was no way they would get past the barrier, so she could just continue with her meditation.


    But-


    "T-they got in?!"


    -Much to her surprise, she was wrong!


    It was at that moment that she gave them a lot more attention. Of course, she wasn''t seeing the Elves or anything. It was more of a sensory interaction with their presence.


    ''Also... this feeling. Are they wielding Rey''s Divine-Tier weapons? Is this the further experiment he wanted to run with it?'' She sighed and shook her head.


    She could understand his rationale, using them to test out the holes in his theory until he arrived at a satisfactory conclusion, but wasn''t it risky to give the Young Ones such weapons?


    At this point, Esme could no longer continue her meditation.


    She simply sat in her room and waited for what the Young


    Ones would do next. She could even make a guess on what their next course of action would be.


    ''Do I need to use Magic to block my ears from all the screaming and shouting that will soon follow the-?"


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMM!!!~


    The buildup of energy caused Esme to cease her thoughts, but it was the explosion that truly made her stop the line of logicpletely.


    ''Hold on... what?!''


    She swiftly reacted to the falling building by creating a barrier around herself, while also flying with Magic. Of course, she was in no danger whatsoever.


    Except that of shock, of course.


    ''Why in the world are they attacking out of the blue?!'' She didn''t understand it, but she knew the best way to do so.


    ~WHOOSH!~


    In one swift motion, she exited the falling building andnded away from it before everything finally crumbled.


    Now a small distance from the Elves, who were staring at her with nothing but purely murderous intent, while dripping blood and entrails, she couldn''t help but leak out her thoughts.


    "What the hell have you done now, Rey?"


    The forty-eight Elves were pulsating with power at the moment.


    After killing the Boss Monster, they went on to kill everything else within the Dungeon on their way out. At some point, they all lost count of how many lives they had taken, as well as the consequence of their action.


    They now understood that this was the course of Nature, so they became free from the guilt or significance that came from taking the life of an enemy.


    Their lust for battle-or rather, death-was yet to be satiated, though.


    Merely finding the Half-Breed vermin present was more than enough to set them off again, and they directed all of their murderous intent towards her.


    She was unscathed by their attack, which meant she was clearly strong. Still, she was only one Half Breed, while they were forty-eight true Elves, with Divine-Tier weapons to boot.


    All in all-both in terms of quality and quantity-they were the superior ones.


    "What''s going on with you people? Your Alignment seems to have changed too. I see, so this is what Rey''s n was from the start."


    The Elves heard her speak, but none of them listened to her.


    Instead, they fanned out and began to take formation. Like predators who were after a single prey, they kept their eyes on her as they prepared themselves.


    "Haa... so it looks like I''ll have to fight you people." As she said this, sighing in the process, she summoned a staff from seemingly nowhere.


    "I won''t kill you, but it''ll hurt a good deal. Then again, that seems fair considering what you''re about to do to me."


    Once again, they weren''t paying any attention to her.


    Instead, their eyes were wide open, same as their mouths, disying their teeth as they grinned.


    "Half Breeds are an abomination."


    "Nature dictates the rules."


    "Death to the Half Breed vermin..."


    They all began to chant, making their voices echo into the air, and throughout the beach.


    "DEATH TO THE HALF BREED VERMIN! DEATH TO THE HALF BREE-!"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    -BZZZZTT!~


    In a sharp sh, bolts descended from the sky and struck about half of the Elves who faced Esme. The st of lightning that rained down covered the entire area in an overpowering blue hue, and the surrounding vibrated in response to its descent.


    The Elves who were struck by the crackling attack instantly fell to the sandy ground, darkened and unconscious.


    The rest stared in shock.


    "Don''t worry, that wasn''t enough to kill them." Esme''s still voice reverberated as she tightly held her staff and gazed upon the Elves. "Still, since I don''t appreciate being called a Half Breed, the next person who says that will be killed for real."


    Silence and tension mixed into the air, and an aura of dread began to emanate from her.


    "So... who''s next?"


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Looks like Esme reached some new realm of badassery! Awesome!


    Also, thanks to everyone who bought the new Privilege Chapters. Y''all are really the best, fr!

 Chapter 630 Esme Vs The Elves [Pt 2]

    Chapter 630 Esme Vs The Elves [Pt 2]


    ~Zzztttzzz~


    As traces of electricity still buzzed in the air, Esme stood firmly with her staff as she watched the twenty four remaining Elves who gawked at her power.


    It seemed she was waiting for them to make whatever move they desired, but at the moment no one was moving. They were merely engaged in a staring contest.


    As Gratiana saw all of this by Rey''s side, even she couldn''t help but be shocked by what had just happened.


    "T-that Half Bree¡ª" The moment she said this, a chill descended down her spine, and it came from the man who stood beside her. His hand was ced on her shoulder, and a gentle smile spread on his face as he stared at her.


    "You heard thedy. Don''t call her a Half Breed again."


    The smile on Rey''s face was so scary that the Elder quickly looked away, nodding obediently as she muttered, "Y-yes¡­"


    "Good. Now sit back and enjoy the show." He removed his hand while cing it in his pocket. "I''ve been curious about how well she fights for some time now."


    "She looks strong. How powerful is she?" Gratiana murmured as she looked at Esme''s unmoving figure.


    Upon hearing the question, Rey shrugged.


    "Based on pure Stats alone, you should be stronger than she is. However, her Items really boost her to another level. Also, she has pretty useful Skills, and that makes all the difference. I should know¡­" Gratiana was surprised to hear Rey say that.


    She was one of the strongest Elves in the Continent. Not counting the Esteemed Elders, she was definitely among the top ten fighters.


    Yet, a Half Elf had managed to reach her level? How was that even possible?


    "How old is she?" Gratiana asked, swallowing a little.


    "Why do you ask?"


    "Because Half Elves usually have the lifespan of humans, since they take on more features from them. Even though she looks more simr to an Elf, I doubt she has the same kind of lifespan that we do."


    Once or twice, Gratiana had seen Half Elves that resembled her Race to a degree¡ªthough Esme''s resemnce felt too uncanny¡ªbut even they did not inherit the lifespan that Elves were born with.


    "She also looks familiar, though I can''t ce it¡­"


    "Well, she''s about the same age as me."


    "And how old are you?"


    "Sixte¡ª" Rey swiftly stopped himself from speaking as soon as he realized what he was about to say.


    His eyes twitched a little, and he swiftly tried to salvage the situation.


    ''I can''t tell her I''m sixteen! She''s someone who''s lived for hundreds of years! How exactly am I supposed to act the way I do if she''s old enough to be my ancestor?'' Taking deep breaths, Rey thought of a way to save himself from his current predicament. Thankfully, all of that was unnecessary.


    "Sixty, huh? Younger than I thought. It still makes no sense, though. She''s too young to possess such power¡­"


    Rey swallowed hard the moment he heard her speak. Her conclusion ced him and Esme at too high an age, and even then she thought they were too young.


    ''I think it''s best I keep my true age to myself.'' Upon resolving this within himself, he continued talking.


    "That''s because she has taken lives. By only taking the lives of her enemies, when necessary, she was able to advance in strength quicker than normal Elves would."


    "That is an affront to Nature." Gratiana responded with a stern tone. Her face, unlike the looks of the protesting Elves, showed a kind of certainty that couldn''t be argued against.


    She had her mind made up, and there was no changing it.


    "Well, your little girls don''t seem to think that."


    "T-that''s because you corrupted them!" "Did I?"


    "Y-yes! It''s wrong for Elves to do that! The Oraclemands us with the will of Nature, and we should never do that!"


    "I guess we all have to follow The Oracle''s decree then¡­"


    "E-exactly!"


    Rey''s wry smile went unnoticed by Gratiana, who was watching Esme intently¡ªtoo intently to notice the sarcasm in Rey''s tone as well.


    ''Well, it''s not like I''m foolish enough to actually disobey the Oracle now; not when I need them badly¡­'' He thought to himself as he stared at the brewing fight.


    ~Master, when will you be done? I want toe back already!~


    Hearing Emil''s voice suddenly pop into his head, Rey shrugged a little before responding.


    "Just a bit longer. I want to prove a point. Once it''s over, I''ll bring you and Kara back from my domain. Is she done with her assignment?"


    ~Yes! She works very fast!~


    Rey chuckled to himself as he nodded, once again grateful to Ater for rmending the girl. He was also grateful to his past self for rescuing her.


    ''It looks like this whole venture will turn out a lot easier than expected.''


    ~BOOOOOOOOOM!~


    The resounding echo of battle woke Rey from his reverie, dragging his attention to the battle that was taking ce before him.


    There, the Elves had begun to attack Esme¡ªand in droves for that matter. Their Divine-Tier weapons crackled with power as theyunched their Spells towards her.


    None of them were useful against her Skills, though.


    Elemental attacks were useless against her due to her [Absolute Elemental Control] Skills and the nature of her new ss [Grand Elementalist].


    Not only was she immune to those kinds of attacks, as long as they were at a certain level, but she could also hijack control over the attacks and control them however she desired.


    In essence, almost all the attacks that were thrown at her were easily deflected in no time.


    As for other kinds of Magic that she couldn''t deflect with her Skills, she easily blocked them with a Magic Barrier, while also making sure to read the next moves they would make after she was finished defending against their current attacks.


    Compared to the Elves, who were no more than bumbling fools with no real skill inbat, Esme was adept atbat in every facet, causing Rey to smile and Gratiana to gawk throughout her disy.


    "She''s amazing¡­" The Elder had to whisper as she stared at the youngdy who truly seemed no different from a Young One.


    No, perhaps there was a difference. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "She''s more outstanding than I imagined."

 Chapter 631 Best Of Both Worlds

    Chapter 631 Best Of Both Worlds


    "Tch! Just die!"


    The Elves bombarded Esme with several shots of attacks, none of them daring to get close to her due to the superior mobility and overallbat experience she possessed.


    Still, it wasn''t like they were making much progress by keeping their distance.


    In fact, they were losing all the same.


    Elves were mostly taught Elemental Magic, since it was the most useful kind in overall utility. Of course, Commonce Magic was also essential, but those were all at the basic level.


    Sincebat wasn''t an essential part of their lives, Elves never really had the need to advance Spells or create a more intricate means of attack-making them amateurish in a sense.


    In that regard, they were simr to Dragons.


    However, the major difference between the two Races was their disposition towards violence.


    Due to theirck of proper understanding of tactics, yet their immense abilities gifted to them by Nature, they were powerful but inexperienced.


    As a result,pared to Esme, who was the best of both worlds, they stood no chance.


    "Might as well end things now..." The salty breeze whipped through her hair as she gave a confident smirk.


    Almost as if she finally snapped, one of the Elves lunged forward, a whirlwind of energy crackling around her fingertips. She held twin daggers and tried to twist and turn to create a swirl of lethal energy as an assault.


    Esme sidestepped this attack with ease, the sand beneath her feet shifting as she moved.


    With a swift motion, she countered, using wind des to slice through the air and find their mark with deadly uracy. Both weapons flew out of her hand, and one more st of wind fell on her as she tried to regain her footing.


    "Ack!" The Elf stumbled back, a surprised expression on her face as she crumpled to the ground.


    As the other Elves surged forward, each unleashing their own unique brand of magic, Esme danced between them like a shadow, her movements fluid and precise.


    Bolts of lightning crackled through the air, fireballs erupted from the palms of her adversaries, and tendrils of earth reached out to ensnare her, but Esme evaded them all with graceful agility.


    It was all pointless.


    Upon seeing all of this, the Elves, growing frustrated by her seemingly effortless evasion, redoubled their efforts. Their magic became more erratic and chaotic with each passing moment, and their desperation grew to its limits.


    In contrast to them, however, Esme remained unfazed. And then, with a sudden burst of inspiration, she saw her opportunity.


    Gathering her magic, Esme called upon the elements around her, summoning forth water and sand from the beach.


    With a flick of her wrist, she sent the mixture swirling around the Elves, ensnaring them in a deadly vortex of quicksand. Panic shed across their faces as they struggled to free themselves, but it was futile.


    "L-let us go!"


    "Kyaaaa!!!"


    "Y-you Half.... You will pay for this!"


    Ignoring them, she simply continued her dance to its conclusion.


    -ZZZTTZZZ-


    With a final flourish, Esme called forth a bolt of lightning from the heavens above, directing its energy down into the swirling mass of sand and water.


    The air crackled with electricity as the quicksand solidified, transforming into a smooth, ssy surface beneath the elves'' feet, and all around them as well.


    In mere moments, the once fierce adversaries were trapped, their forms encased in a shimmering prison of ss.


    "And so it concludes..." She murmured, looking at the massive construct of ss that now held all the Elves- both the conscious and unconscious hostage.


    "I''ve always wanted to try that."


    ***********


    "Unbelievable..."


    Rey grinned as Gratiana looked at the Half Elf before her. The way she used her Magic, as well as the rest of her Skills, made the Elder forget about her racist disposition for a moment.


    "She fights better than anyone I''ve ever seen."


    "Of course." Rey shrugged. "Your people are very limited in many areas. Though, with the bet ending in my favor, I intend to change a lot of things."


    "Y-you... we aren''t sure the Young Ones killed the Boss!"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Really? Even after seeing them covered in Entrails, and also witnessing how they fought my ally?" Raising his eyes, Rey directed a look of skepticism at Gratiana.


    He already knew she was well aware of the Young Elves'' perversion, but her pretense was something he didn''t want.


    ''She should be honest about it. He thought.


    "Rey! I know you''re watching this, so juste out right now!" Esme''s yelling voice interrupted whatever he wanted to say next, so he simply winked at Gratiana and stepped forward.


    As he did so, the Magic he used to cloak both himself and Gratiana wore off.


    "You got me." He smiled, raising both hands as he approached the Elf who was ring at him, though yfully. "So did you enjoy yourself?"


    "This guy..."


    "Come on... admit it." He drew closer, reaching to touch her shoulders, but she swiftly used her staff to knock his hands off.


    "Ow..."


    Of course, Rey wasn''t referring to physical pain. He knew such wouldn''t work on Esme, so he ced his hand on his chest and faked being hurt.


    "S-so cold..." He even whispered, to which Esme simply shook her head and hid her smile as much as she could.


    While they did this, Gratiana went to the Elves, who were stuck in ss, her face depicting nothing short of worry. Esme noticed this and couldn''t hold back her smile any longer.


    "Just a little..."


    "What was that?" Rey drew closer, his ear directly facing her.


    "Fine! I enjoyed it a little." She smacked his shoulder with her staff again, and heughed at it.


    "Hehehe!"


    As they both approached the prison of ss, Esme and Rey began nudging each other with their shoulders,ughing in the process.


    No one would have even guessed that a fight had just gone down.


    While this was happening, the Elves seemed to be in a state of both shame and fear, looking at Rey and Esme with understandable apprehension, while they looked at their Elder with humble disappointment in themselves.


    Rey already knew the best way to banish the gloomy mood. "Now that this has all been resolved... it appears I owe you all an exnation."

 Chapter 632 Explanation Of The Incident

    Chapter 632 Exnation Of The Incident


    "W-WE DIDN''T KILL ANYTHING?!"


    The Elves all had shocked expressions on their faces, and understandably so. They had just been told by Rey that they never killed the Boss Monster.


    They also never killed any of the other Monsters on their way out.


    ''Why would I let them take such precious EXP away from me? I killed the Boss and the other Monsters to further test out my [Perfect Divine Growth] and managed to Level Up and get more Skills.''


    Unfortunately, the Monsters in the Dungeon were not as diverse as the ones he encountered in the Royal Dungeon. Perhaps it was due tock of conquest on the part of the Elves, which led to stunted Evolution, or the abundance of resources for the Monsters, or several other factors that Rey couldn''t possibly know, but the Monsters in the Dungeon were very simr to each other and had simr Skills.


    Of course, that didn''t mean all of them were the same.


    However, several Floors had an ovep of Monsters¡ªunlike what he saw in the Royal Dungeon.


    ''As a result, I could only get a limited number of Skills in my stockpile. Most of them are just there to fill up space too, but it''s better than just having 14.''


    If he ever got the chance to get his hands on more useful Skills and needed space, he could always feed the current ones to [Sacrifice] or use [Merger] on them.


    Either way, he lost nothing by having them at the moment.


    Also, thanks to the upgrading effect of his [Perfect Divine Growth], all the Skills he obtained were at least in the Absolute Tier.


    ''The main highlight was the EXP I obtained from the experience. At this rate, I might reach Level 300 before leaving this ce. Hopefully, I get to fight the Dragons here too. Ah, but one step at a time¡­''


    He looked at the shell-shocked Elves and realized he would have to further exin himself, rather than get lost in his thoughts.


    ''Emil was the one disguised as the Boss Monster, and yes their fight with her was real¡ªbut she didn''t die.''


    It was all just an act.


    The hallucinogenic effects of some of the flowers were utilized by Rey to trick the senses of the girls to think they were actually killing the Monsters, when in actuality¡­ they weren''t doing anything of the sort.


    "So you drugged them! That''s why they were behaving so violently!"


    "No. The hallucinogen only fools the senses. It doesn''t control actions or emotions. I didn''t make you do anything you wouldn''t have done in that constructed scenario."


    To make sure they saw what he wanted them to see, he gave them the prompt of what would happen before he rendered them unconscious. That guaranteed that when they woke up, their minds would be operating on that assumption, so they would perceive what they were primed to see.


    Still, he had Emil disguise herself as the Boss¡­ just in case their imagination wasn''t enough.


    ''As for all the Minerals in the Dungeon, including all of the Flowers, I took them into my domain. And by domain, I mean the Grand Cmity ss Dungeon that I really need to make into a hideout.''


    He couldn''t reveal most of these details to the Elves, but he wasmunicating everything to Esme through her mind, so the information she received was different from what he told the rest of them.


    Back when he was executing the n, one of the things he was mostly worried about was the possibility that the Elves found out they were being yed.


    After all, if he took all the resources in the Dungeon, the effects on gravity would cease, and they would be able to move normally without his assistance. Also, they would be able to tell that the Dungeon was barren.


    Thankfully, the effects of the flowers¡ªwhich he fed to them after they were unconscious¡ªwas potent enough to make them see things differently.


    Just to be safe, he constructed false nts through Magic, and reced the actual minerals with replicas that looked identical to the real deal¡ªbut were simply polished or dyed stones.


    It was a lot of hard work, and it no doubt paid off.


    ''I''ll never let them find out the details of what I did. I''ll have to repopte the Dungeon with summoned Monsters¡ªat least the first couple of Floors¡ªso it looks upied. That way, no one will suspect my actions.''


    At least, not until he was done with the Elves.


    The wealth he had just obtained from the Dungeon was definitely more than he bargained for, and he considered everything everything more than enough to save his business. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ''But, since I don''t know the exact figures and logistics, I had Kara go through everything and audit their value for me.''


    It had only been some hours since then, and he heard that Kara was already done with it.


    ''That girl works fast with her brain¡­'' He smiled to himself, though as soon as he did this, he noticed Esme''s countenance change a little.


    It onlysted for a fraction of a second, but Rey could have sworn that she had given him a look of disapproval.


    ''I-in any case, Emil is with Kara right now, and once I''m done concluding the deal with the Elves, they''ll return and give me a report on everything that happened.''


    Rey was trying his best to act cautiously and not be too optimistic, but with the way things were looking, he was already solving the problems he came to the Eastern Continent for.


    ''The business stuff is pretty much fixed, though I''m sure Kara will have some ideas on how to gain even more profit. As for having Elves as my allies, I think I''ve figured out their weakness¡­'' He smiled as he remembered how he made all of them react from his scent.


    That alone made Gratiana subservient to him, and he figured he could take over the rest of the Elves with that method.


    ''The only things left are finding out more information and curing Alicia¡­'' And in all honesty, they were both tied to one entity.


    The very entity that watched over thisnd, and still refused to show their face.


    ''The Oracle¡­ that''s thest piece of the puzzle.''


    So far, while Rey had yed some games with the Elves, he had made sure not to make them break their long-held taboo.


    He didn''t allow them to kill, and that wasn''t only because he wanted all the EXP to himself.


    ''I can''t allow The Oracle, whoever they are, to be upset at me.''


    Yes, he acted a little wickedly by deceiving the Elves, but he had his justifications for his actions. It didn''t look like it now, but a lot of his actions were also going to benefit the Elves in the long run.


    So, as long as he didn''t cross the line, he was sure he could still justify himself in the eyes of The Oracle.


    Still, something bothered him.


    If The Oracle indeed saw all that happened in the Continent, they were probably aware of the plunder he made in the Dungeon.


    ''Yet they aren''t informing these Elves of my lies. Why? Why do they still choose not to interfere?'' Rey wondered to himself.


    ''What exactly is this Oracle? What is this connection they have with the Elves?''


    More than ever, Rey had to know.

 Chapter 633 Exploration Of Passion

    Chapter 633 Exploration Of Passion


    [Meanwhile...]


    "Haa... how boring."


    Kat''erin and Shai''ya entered their suite with tired expressions on their faces. The look of both disdain and disgust on their faces was overshadowed by the exhaustion they felt after walking through the human city.


    Of course, this wasn''t physical exhaustion by any means.


    As Dragon Generals, their physical prowess far exceeded the threshold it would take to get tired from walking. The kind they felt was the feeling of mental exhaustion.


    "Being around so many filthy humans sucks."


    "It took all of my self control not to explode and just destroy all of them."


    Dragons had always been taught that they were the most superior race in H''Trae, and that the world was theirs for the taking. Not only that, but they had thepulsion to constantly take the lives of the weak.


    It was ingrained in them-both by nature and by nurture.


    As such, being in a bustling city of humans was akin to throwing a hungry person into a pen full of livestock. It took the strongest level of self-control to resist the call to devour-or at least destroy the pathetic humans.


    "Huuu..." Kat''erin copsed on her bed, while Shai''ya sat on the floor, crossing her legs simrly to a bow.


    After both girls rested, not speaking for a few seconds, Kat''erin finally spoke up.


    "We were able to find some relevant information, though. The fact that the humans here have summoned


    Otherworlders, who are mighty enough to y Dragons. The fact that some of these Otherworlders dwell in the Capital... and also the fact that the strongest of them is away at the moment."


    After using her [Dragon Voice] on so many people, making them do her bidding, they easily spilled the beans about the city and everything that had gone on within it over the course of the past few months.


    "It all makes sense now. The humans could never have killed a Dragon Lord. It was the Otherworlders all along. I''m sure the Master would be d to know all of this." As for specific information regarding the Otherworlders, there seemed to only be four who were somewhat reachable, and only three were in the Capital at the moment. With the strongest being absent from the Capital, and the scarce number of threats to the Dragons that existed, this was indeed the perfect opportunity that Lady Frey''ja was waiting for.


    But...


    "From the way they were described, they seem like rather difficult opponents. Regr tricks won''t work on them. And while they probably wouldn''t stand a chance against our full might, we are forbidden from attacking the Capital."


    As such, despite finding such damning information about humanity-enough to make the race sink-the Dragons could do nothing about it.


    "How frustrating..." Kat''erin groaned.


    "Indeed. I was hoping to finish this mission quickly, but it seems we have to find more information before we canmunicate our findings to Master." Shai''ya responded with another sigh.


    "As much as I don''t want to agree with you, you''re right."


    They couldn''t waste the time of a Dragon Lord, who was definitely busy with other actions. To prove theirpetence, they had to take independent action.


    "Or perhaps by telling her, she can guide us on the next step to take."


    "Are you saying we can''t figure that out by ourselves? We''re an elite unit, you know?"


    "T-true..."


    The girls were stuck in a dilemma, but without having any outlet for their frustrations, it only kept eating at them. Until-


    "Hm?" Both girls turned to the door at the same time, and as soon as they did, they heard a soft knock on the door.


    They looked at each other for a moment, and Kat''erin''s smile grew wide-almost beast-like-as she easily knew who was knocking.


    "Come in." She called out to the front door, and a secondter, it was open.


    Thedy that entered into the room was the very definition of gorgeous-perfectly sculpted as an epitome of beauty. As her crimson hair flowed behind her, and her pure ck suit clung tightly to her body, she flexed her sses as she made her entry.


    "I heard you had returned, and decided toe attend to you. Is there perhaps anything you two would like? Refreshments, perhaps?" She asked, her head bowed.


    "No! Human food tastes awful!" Shai''ya yelled, almost like a whining child.


    Her thin voice echoed in the air, but the bowing receptionist did not flinch in her bow. Her face was obscured by her hair as she looked at the ground, waiting for the words of Shai''ya''s partner.


    "Want to know what I really want?"


    "What do you desire, Miss?" Her alluring voice called out.


    At this point, Kat''erin could no longer hold back her lust. All her growing frustrations for the day culminated into deep desire for the human before her, and the power to suppress it was long gone.


    "Raise your head."


    The redhead instantly obeyed, revealing her beautiful face. "Come over here."


    She obeyed, walking slowly as the door closed behind her, until she reached the base of the bed where Kat''erin now stood in.


    "Strip for me."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Once again... thedy obeyed,pletely disrobing to disy her immacte body-the ebony skin gleaming like jewels under the suite''s lights.


    "Come here. Sit next to me."


    As Reta-the girl in question-obeyed this order, Shai''ya couldn''t help but look excited as well. She slowly began to rise from where she sat and went to stay beside the girl.


    Now sandwiched between the two Dragons, with no possible way of escape, Reta emotionlessly obeyed her orders to the letter.


    Then, before long... the action began.


    "Hmmm... mhmmm..."


    "Ahh... haaa..."


    Steamy breaths, followed by kissing and suckling sounds echoed in the room as thedies began to engage in rather unspeakable activities.


    Their silhouettes danced as they upied the bed, enjoying one another''s bodies to their fill. The pinnacle of passion was explored that very moment, with the womenpletely letting go of their frustrations to drown in pleasure.


    ... Unaware of what was really happening.


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    It is rted to plot, I swear! I also did my best to make it as less explicit as I could.

 Chapter 634 Connections In High Places

    Chapter 634 Connections In High ces


    "That was amazing¡­"


    "Fucking awesome! I had a st!"


    As the two Dragon girls¡ªKat''erin and Shai''yay on the bed, arms wrapped around each other, and the girl thaty in their center, they couldn''t help but show their true selves.


    "This whole thing has just made me so stressed. But, all of that just washed away with just one round¡­" Kat''erin looked at Reta, pecking her cheek as she fondled her boobs even more.


    "You''re a natural at this. Why don''t I give you a reward for your services?"


    The ebony beauty smiled, blushing slightly as soon as she was praised. Slowly parting her lips, she made her request known.


    "I¡­ want to be of service to you. Let me be of more use to you."


    Kat''erin raised her brows as she looked at the girl before her. [Dragon Voice] made it so that the target was bound to the caster, and would therefore engage in actions rted to her orders and the overall will of the one who was in control.


    So, yes. This made all kinds of sense.


    "What kind of use can you be to me, though? You''re just a simple receptionist, aren''t you? Other than your body, you can''t offer me much, can you?"


    Kat''erin said this, but Reta''s body was unlike anything she had ever experienced in her entire life. She had explored girls from other races before¡ªincluding humans, though out of curiosity¡ªbut ended up disliking all of those experiences.


    In the end, she had to conclude that Dragon girls were the best partners.


    ''Until I met you¡­'' Kate''rin''s mouth began to water once again. Reta simply oozed sex appeal, and now that she had finally gotten a taste, the Dragon General realized that she had been wrong all along.


    Not even Shai''ya, the one she was mostpatible with,pared to this human when it came to the kind of pleasure she derived from the experience.


    ''I''m sure Shai''ya also feels the same. Just look at how happy she looks¡­'' More than anything now, Kat''erin wanted to take Reta with her when she was returning to the Empire. She was going to be her toy for life.


    "I-I have connections too, you know? You mentioned something about needing more information about the City, right? I have friends in high ces!"


    ''Ah, yes¡­'' Kat''erin smiled sheepishly, remembering how she kept bbering all the secrets of their operation in the presence of the human as they climaxed together.


    There was no harm done, though.


    ''She''s under my control and will keep shut about all activities in here. As for her im, it seems far-fetched.''


    Still, Kat''erin found the girl to be too cute, so she decided to humor her.


    "Pfft! What kind of connections?"


    "The Otherworlders. I know one of them!"


    "R-really?!" As soon as Kat''erin heard this, she jumped to her feet in pleasant surprise. Her eyes were bulging, and her mouth parted wide.


    The reason she so easily believed Reta was because it was literally impossible for the girl to lie to her. Just earlier, when she mentioned her friends in high ces, Kat''erin discounted it as just amoner overestimating the value of their connection.


    But an Otherworlder? That was an unexpected gamechanger!


    "You really know the Otherworlders? The saviors of humanity?" The gears within her brain was beginning to turn as she examined the prospect of this discovery.


    ''If I can use this girl to get to the Otherworlders, and I get them under my control¡­ then that would be more than good news for the Master.''


    The problem was that the Otherworlders were probably not going to be so essible, and even if they were, what were the chances of her Skills working on them? There were so many things to consider, including the danger of keeping Reta close if she was chummy with the Otherworlders. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Still, this was better than nothing.


    "Not those ones. I''m friends with a Deserter."


    "Deserter?" At this point, Shai''ya spoke up, finally recovering from thest vestiges of pleasure that coursed through her body.


    Even Kat''erin was curious about this statement.


    "The public doesn''t know the full details, but there were a lot more Otherworlders that were summoned. However, most of them deserted The Alliance, hence bing deserters."


    "Interesting¡­ go on." Kat''erin''s grin began to expand.


    "I know one of them. ording to what she told me, four of her other friends are in the Capital. They want to take over the Alliance, and I''m currently working as their spy."


    The juicy details were making Kat''erin wet again, and her excitement was reaching a new height as she watched Reta exin everything in full.


    Once more information was added, both Kat''erin and Shai''ya looked at each other and nodded.


    "So, you''re saying there''s currently a conspiracy to take down the current Royal Council by both the Nobles and the Otherworlders?" "And it''s going to happen very soon?"


    Reta nodded her head like an innocent little girl, making Kat''erin bite her lip in excitement.


    "This is perfect!" Sheughed out loud. "All we have to do is manipte those Otherworlders and Nobles to wreck the Capital for us."


    Not only did they not have to attack the Capital themselves, but if they yed their cards right, the entirety of humanity could self-destruct under their proper guidance.


    Everything seemed to align perfectly.


    "Ahh¡­ I''m in the mood again! Let''s go another round."


    "You read my mind!"


    Both Kat''erin and Shai''ya pounced on the girl at their center, and then resumed their rather unchaste affairs. Moans, groans, and gunts filled the air, as well as certain sounds that flesh made when they rubbed against each other. Once again, the room had be a haven of pleasure¡ªwith a red-haired certain man watching them from a seat not too far from the bed.


    "And with that, the wheels have begun to turn." His deep voice echoed in the room, though none of the two girls in the room could see him.


    They were busy kneeling before him, pleasuring themselves as he stared at them with cold eyes.


    "Now then¡­ what should I do next?"

 Chapter 635 Conspiracy Among Otherworlders

    Chapter 635 Conspiracy Among Otherworlders


    [Later That Night]


    "So, how did the meeting go?"


    Felicia and her friends¡ªByron, Lyvia, Devin, and Cayden¡ªsat and discussed in her room, as they often did at this point. As the leader of the deserted Otherworlders, she had pretty much made her ce of rest their hideout of sorts, albeit a temporary one.


    Their stay in the Royal Estate was limited, so they wouldn''t be here for long.


    Still, at least for the moment, they were privy to the facilities of the Estate¡ªas esteemed personnel of the highly regarded Nobles. Their rooms weren''t as fancy as that of the Otherworlders, but it was certainly much better than their abode in the houses of the Nobles they worked for.


    It just went to show the disparity in wealth and power that the Royal Council had¡ªor perhaps how well thetter was willing to treat their guests.


    Regardless, that wasn''t the topic for discussion. It was something else.


    "You mean the meeting with our new backer? Yes, it''s going well. The Reaper Group has decided to fund our new venture."


    As soon as she said this, the teenagers practically fist bumped and leapt for joy. As everyone in the Alliance knew at this point, The Reaper Group was the hot new stuff around. They held so much financial influence, but were also politically relevant.


    Not only did they personally supply the Royal Council with Items¡ªthus contributing to the war against the Dragons¡ªbut they had managed to make connections with practically every Noble that the group knew.


    They had their reach in every facet of the Nation at some point, which made Felicia suspicious.


    "It''s a good thing I acted on my instincts and confronted that worker of theirs¡ªwho eventually spilled everything after just a kiss." Licking her lips, Felicia grinned widely.


    The honest truth was that the Reaper Group was looking to take over the Alliance as well, and since they had a much better n and more influence than the Nobles who were greedily eyeing the position of the Royal Council, the Reaper Group was a much much better group totch onto.


    "Those old fartsck the resolve. Plus, they''re too stupid and entitled toe up with a coherent n to take over anything." Lyvia said with a brutal smile on her face.


    Despite having a gentle face, everyone knew just how blunt and harsh she could be.


    "Right? If the Reaper Group is our sponsor, we can be sure to have both the financial and political help to achieve our goals." Devin added.


    Everyone in the group nodded at this.


    "The most important thing is that the Group has the trust of the Royal Council. Vida and Conrad don''t trust the Nobles, but since they''ve kept the Reaper Group close, they won''t expect treachery from them."


    The intricate web of connections that the Reaper Group had managed to establish that this n of theirs must have taken them a long time to make.


    By subsidizing the weapons sold to the Royal Council, while also bearing construction costs for the Capital, they already knew what their actions would get them.


    What were the chances that they were the top business in the Alliance, despite only surfacing only some months ago? No¡­ the Group was certainly run with agendas in mind, and one constructed by a rather intelligent leader.


    "So, did you meet the leader of the Reaper Group, or just an affiliate?" Byron asked, chuckling excitedly as he wanted to know more.


    "You idiot! You think the leader would easily reveal himself like that? They''ve been nning this for so long. Of course, they''d opt to remain hidden."


    Rebal was merely the outward leader of the Reaper Group, serving to conceal the true mastermind who ran everything from the shadows. He was the one she had a meeting with.


    "Within a week, we''ll make our move. The Reaper Group is already amassing their resources, and they''ve also managed to enve two Dragons who will assist us in our endeavor."


    "T-two what?!"


    "D-Dragons?! Are you serious?!"


    Cayden looked a little worried as he stared at Felicia, but she shrugged everything off and smiled.


    "Rx. I kissed him and confirmed the effects of my Skill. He was telling the truth, and they have the Dragons under their control." Her tone was casual,ced with so much pride and power, that her followers had to believe and trust her.


    "During our next meeting, the Dragons will show up and we''ll further discuss the details of the n."


    If all worked well, the Dragons would get med for the chaos that would ensue in the City¡ªincluding the demise, or at least permanent incapacitation of the Otherworlders.


    "Once the dust settles, we will rise and be the new heroes of the people. During this process, we have to eliminate Conrad and Vida. Since we are Otherworlders, the Curse won''t activate if we do the job. We could also use the Dragons to do it."


    The previous n with the Nobles had them taking on the more gruesome roles due to their strength and nature as Otherworlders, but with the Reaper Group''s involvement, there wasn''t even a need to stain their hands. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "What of our ssmates?" Cayden asked with a raised brow. "What do you n on doing with Justin and the rest?"


    "Hmm¡­ do you think we should bring them on our side?" Lyvia asked. "They could be useful to us."


    Everyone knew Lyvia was saying this because she had a crush on Justin, but no one said anything to imply their knowledge. Instead, Felicia rubbed her chin and creased her brow for a moment. Then, she spoke.


    "Having them on our side will indeed be beneficial. It''s not like I''m a heartless monster that wants to see her ssmates die or something."


    In fact, she would have preferred it if no one had to die, but the Reaper Group was pretty insistent on the cmity that had to be wrought upon the Capital in order to ensure a proper transition to their rule.


    "It''s crazy how they helped develop the City, only to desire its destruction once again¡­" Devin chuckled.


    The rest of the teenagersughed at this, with Felicia smiling the brightest.


    "Don''t worry, guys. This alliance with them is also temporary. All we need is their assistance, and once we get what we want¡­" They all nodded in agreement and steeled their hearts.


    "The Reaper Group will be under our control as well."

 Chapter 636 The Elven Community

    Chapter 636 The Elven Community


    Crunching sounds echoed atop the hills as the group climbed in silence.


    The leader of the group was Gratiana, leader of the Elven Guardians of the Western Shore of the Continent. Behind her were the forty-eight Elves that she led, and all of them were ascending the rather tall hill. The deep and thick forest had grown distant behind them, and their gaze was set on something that existed beyond this final obstacle of theirs.


    Finally, after reaching the top of the hill, they cast their gazes down and set their eyes on the civilization that existed below.


    ¡ªThe Elven Community.


    The sight itself was breathtaking.


    From the apex of a towering hill, one could behold the radiant world woven into the verdant embrace of nature''s splendor. A mix of colors danced beneath the azure sky, as the sun''s golden rays caressed the lush foliage and kissed the earth below. Themunity sprawled across thendscape gracefully, spreading for at least a mile, while surrounded by a barricade of flowers and lush nts. The kinds of houses that stood at the center of this in were made seemingly out of a mix of stone and nts.


    There was nowhere you would look that evidence of nature couldn''t be seen.


    At the center of themunity was a massive structure. Thepound alone took up a lot of space, but the building itself was not as small orpact as the others that surrounded it. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    That was The Shrine¡ªthe ce where the Elves went to worship Nature, or perhaps tomune with The Oracle.


    The ce appeared sacred¡ªmore sacred than the rest of the houses that littered themunity. Based on sheer size and mass alone, the poption had to be a few hundred thousands; a considerable figure indeed, but nothingpared to Races such as Humans whose poption was at least in the millions.


    The abodes here were spread-out, though, with every home having their ownpound, and more than enough space for leisure.


    All in all, as primitive as it seemed, this ce was a paradise¡ªa haven of nature.


    Everything about themunity could be sinctly expressed in a single word.


    ¡ªBeautiful.


    As the Elves cast their gaze on their home with pride and a strong sense of affection, they slowly shifted their gaze to a group of three humans, who were standing on apletely different hill while also staring down at their society.


    Rey, Esme, and Kara¡ªall three of them were smiling as they looked at the Elven Community.


    Gratiana gulped as she looked at the three humans.


    ''This is the first time that humans haveid eyes on our Community before. I will surely be punished by the Esteemed Council. Unless¡­'' Her eyes focused on Rey, whose expression of pure confidence made her clutch her chest a little.


    ''....''


    Gratiana felt a bit of cognitive dissonance within her.


    On one end, she still desired to uphold the will of her people, as well as the rules established by the Community. However, she also wanted to do the will of the man who had managed to conquer her.


    Both of these contrasting positions made her unable to arrive at a decision.


    Still, deep within herself, she had a certain thought.


    ''I wish you good sess in your endeavor, Rey.''


    ***************


    ''As expected of Ater. He described it well enough. This is the real deal.'' Rey smiled to himself as he looked at the world that spread out beneath him.


    In this ce, there were hundreds of thousands of Elves¡ªpreviously a lot more before the war reached such a state of intensity. As the sunset bathed themunity, he felt it depict a certain kind of beauty that a modern city could not offer. Rey wasn''t emotional about the sight or anything, but he found it pretty nheless.


    ''It''s here that I will proceed with the second phase of the n.''


    After his deal with the Elves, he had called back Kara and Emil, and the former was able to give him the gist of the situation.


    ''We have more than enough mineral resources, but that isn''t all we can obtain from this ce.'' Rey''s thoughts trailed as he recollected the details of what Kara told him.


    ''The Dungeon that exists here is only the symptom of the true goodies that exist on this continent. Somewhere in this ce is a pocket full of incredible Mana and even rarer¡ªpurer Minerals.''


    But, that wasn''t all there was to obtain here.


    ''The Magic that the Elves possess¡ªspecifically Runic Magic¡ªwould really help in the production of the raw materials and refining them into the perfect tools.''


    Currently, while the Reaper Group had the best equipment possible for the production of Enchanted Items through refinement of raw materials¡ªeven better than the Royal Council''s¡ªthey still fell short when it came to processing mateirals as pure as the kind found in the Eastern Continent.


    ''Apparently, thest time they refined the minerals we got as a reward from the Elves, they ended up overworking the machines.''


    If they desired to work on schedule, and also consistently churn out quality products, they had to seek out a more sustainable means of production.


    ''ording to Kara, the best way to do this is to build a refinery here, using that pocket of goodies here as a base to power the refinery.''


    Spatial Magic could be used for the transportation of raw materials, and even final products, which was why Runes were essential¡ªfor better use, and effective management of resources.


    All of this required, more than anything, the cooperation of the Elves.


    ''I sincerely doubt the Elves will agree to any of what Kara proposes unless I have them under my control. Still, it''s not like there are no other ways to go about things. Her suggestion just works the best and saves costs.''


    Plus, they could evade a lot of taxes, while keeping their production sites safe from sabotage frompetitors or any other party with malintent.


    ''The first thing is to find The Oracle and get a cure for Alicia. Once that is done, we can proceed with the refinery idea.''


    Rey could feel himself slowly getting impatient as he looked at the civilization that had all of his answers. "Just wait a little longer, Alicia¡­''

 Chapter 637 Presence Of The Elders

    Chapter 637 Presence Of The Elders


    Whispers echoed as Rey, Kara, and Esme trailed behind Gratiana who led them.


    The rest of the Elves had dispersed, as ordered by their Big Sis. As a result, they yfully went around the Community to see their friends or have fun.


    Were they worried about their Elder? Yes.


    However, more than that emotion, the excitement they felt was an overriding force for them. They wanted to hate their experiences with the sisters they had in the Community.


    The Dungeon Experience, their new perspective on Nature¡­ and the kind of person the man who just entered the city was.


    All of this, along with their child-like personalities, made them almost forget Gratiana and her fate, as they trailed off, leaving Rey and his allies to be her only escorts.


    Or rather, she was theirs.


    **************


    "ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?!"


    The High Elder''s shriek nearly caused all the Esteemed Elders to wince, despite being used to how hysterical she could be at times.


    Usually, they would internally caution her to disy more decorum andposure, but none of those thoughts were in their mind at the moment. Right now, all the members of the Esteemed Council couldn''t help but agree with the words and actions of the High Elder.


    All of them were wondering the same thing.


    Gratiana La Shanagari, one of the mostmitted of all the Elves in the Community, had done the one thing that no other rebel had ever managed to do.


    "How dare you bring humans to this sacred ce? To our haven? To the bastion of Nature?!"


    Gratiana stood silent, her hands behind her back as her head was bowed. This reminded her of when she was still a Young One and almost gave in to her lust for killing; nearly ripping apart the body of her prey.


    She had gotten an earful from an Esteemed Elder at the time, butpared to that¡­ this felt a lot worse.


    More than anyone, Gratiana understood the severity of her actions.


    The Elven Community was a sacred ce, filled with the sacred people of Nature¡ªthe Elves. The same way Elves couldn''t taint themselves by interacting with other races, the Elves couldn''t allow themselves to be tainted by letting the other races interact with them.


    For the entirety of their civilization, despite very few Elves breaking the first rule¡ªtraveling to the world of the tainted beings¡ªno one had ever managed to break the second.


    Yet¡­ she did that!


    She brought people who would be considered tainted¡ªif not abominable¡ªto the very heart of their dwelling ce.


    "Shame on you, Gratiana! Shame on you!" The High Elder spat in anger, sadness, and downright disappointment.


    The other Esteemed Elders stared at Gratiana with simr emotions, though the intensity of the respective kinds of feelings differed depending on the Elder.


    One of the Elders, however, was an exception.


    Other than the shock on her face, there wasn''t any other emotion that she disyed.


    "H-High Elder, why don''t we let Gratiana exin herself? She isn''t one to act in such a manner." After recoiling from the shock, Aurora finally spoke up in defense of her sister.


    Her gleaming eyes begged for mercy, but most of the Esteemed Elders scoffed at her words.


    "Wasn''t that the same way you were also not one to act in such a manner, yet you brought disgrace to the Esteemed Council by leading the Youngs under your charge astray as you journeyed to the Human World."


    "This again?" Aurora sighed, almost in exhaustion. The people in this room never missed any opportunity they had to remind her of her actions.


    "Yes! That again! Do you not realize that it could be because of your reckless actions that an upstanding Elder like Gratiana ended upmitting such an abomination.


    "Let''s hear her out first before making that assumption." Aurora spoke back with a tinge of annoyance, and everyone in the room picked up on it very quickly.


    With tension high in the room, and the visitors tucked away in an empty abode right outside the hall of the Elders, the Elves present couldn''t help but sigh.


    The High Elder''s eyes were moist with tears as she shook her head.


    "Have mercy on these ones, O'' Oracle of Nature.''


    ***********


    [Meanwhile]


    "O'' Nature¡­ thou calleth me to thine embrace¡­"


    A group of Elves were huddled together, amidst the devastation that surrounded them. They all held hands tightly, their eyes closed as their quivering lips moved.


    "... Save us from tribtion that test our devotion, deliver us into the hands of purity¡­"


    Their long ears twitched, picking up the loud explosions that rang in several directions. Despite sitting in one of the massive craters, generated by one of such explosions, they paid the whole thing no mind.


    There was no reason to care any longer.


    Their bodies were already rotting¡ªpoisoned by the tainted poison of Miasma. The surplus Mana within them had grown corrupt, and there remained no hope for them. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    All they could do now was pray with thest of their remaining strength, before their bodies bepletely paralyzed.


    Giant flying creatures danced in the sky, raining purplish energies upon thend¡ªcreating a bare, infertile surface on the very grounds that once bustled with life.


    All of this was thanks to the entity that floated above¡ªfar above the flying abominations that did not tire or rest, but constantly rained down destruction and death from their ce in the sky.


    The figure that watched all of this from a distance wore a dark suit, his arms folded as his dark hair swayed with the wind. His azure eyes watched the utter destion of the Elves; seeing as they died, cursed him with their dying breaths, and then prayed before they breathed theirst.


    Even the current Elves who prayed had just finished cursing him before engaging in deep prayer, having the image of Nature in their minds as they devoted their hearts to the call of Nature.


    They had fulfilled their duties as Elves, and it was now time for their glorious rewards.


    "... To be one with Nature, and¡ª"


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    Before their prayers could bepleted, a destructive st from above descended upon them, utterly consuming them in its power.


    In a mere instant, they were all dead¡ªwith not even their bodies left behind.

 Chapter 638 First Impressions

    Chapter 638 First Impressions


    "She brings shame upon us!"


    "Misleading the Young Ones¡­ what in the world was she thinking?"


    "The worst part is that those people venture here before everyone. Everyone saw it! How do we exin this?"


    The Esteemed Elders were speaking among themselves as they analyzed Gratiana''s actions, and the sins shemitted as a result of her thoughtless decision.


    Theypletely ignored the penitent-looking Elf before them and discussed very harshly about her¡ªgoing as far as already talking about potential punishments that could be inflicted on her due to her actions.


    In Elven Culture, it was trite that the Young Ones were hardly punished for their actions. They would always be forgiven and corrected for any act they performed. However, Elders were thrust with full responsibility based on any of their actions. They had reached the age of ountability, after all.


    As such, Gratiana was currently facing the scrutiny of the Esteemed Elders whose presence she was in. The only one who showed her some semnce ofpassion at that moment was Aurora.


    ''I now know how you felt back then, sister¡­'' Gratiana thought to herself as she saw Aurora''s empathetic smile greet her.


    Even though Gratiana had exined the whole thing to the Elders¡ªincluding her suspicion that the man was no ordinary human¡ªnone of them bothered to properly hear her out.


    Instead, they dug deeper into their biases and kept criticizing her.


    "Even though the man didn''t stink, his human partner reeked. You brought such filth here¡­"


    "Right? And then there''s that Half Elf¡­"


    "Why does she bear such a striking resemnce to ''her''? It makes no sense. Or could it be¡­?"


    "Say no more of it!" The High Elder suddenly raised her voice as she deepened her frown, causing all of the Elders to keep quiet almost instantly.


    "The Half Elf is an abomination that deserves death. That is all there is to know about her, and all she will be known for."


    As the High Elder rose from her seat once more, she walked to the kneeling Gratiana, her eyes a mix ofpassion and sheer sadness.


    "You, as an Elder, havemitted one of the gravest offenses in the history of our people. You must be aware that your punishment will fit the severity of your crime."


    "I¡­ understand." Gratiana responded with a gulp.


    Despite understanding all of this, she wondered why there was no regret in her heart. Even though these Esteemed Elders berated Rey and his allies, she didn''t feel the same as them in the slightest.


    She didn''t regret bringing them to this ce¡ªor helping them in any regard.


    Somehow, Gratiana was even taking their side in her mind whenever the Elders berated them.


    ''Esme¡­ is more than just a filthy Half Elf. Rey is¡­ nothing like what they call him. And as for Kara, she is a mere human, but she taught us a few things about the forest that will definitely be useful for avoiding predators without wasting Mana on Skills. She''s a brilliant one¡­''


    Yes, Gratiana still had her biases and considered Elves to be a superior race, but¡­ she just couldn''t think of the three acquaintances that she had just made to be filthy.


    She¡­ couldn''t do it.


    "Do you have anyst words in your defense?"


    Gratiana had a lot to say, including her current train of thoughts. She was still confused, due to the nature of her cognitive dissonance, and she so desperately wanted her sisters to understand it all.


    But there was no point.


    Just as she didn''t bother listening to Aurora''s reason for her offense all those months ago, no one would listen to hers.


    ''There''s no point.'' Gratiana thought as she closed her eyes and parted her lips.


    "I do not¡ª"


    "Alright. I think I''ve been patient enough." A rather distinct voice echoed across the room as someone emerged from seemingly out of nowhere.


    The eyes of all the Elves widened as the individual made himself known in the Esteemed Hall of the Elders¡ªa ce that no male had ever set foot in.


    A ce considered sanctified by the Elves.


    Yet, in just the blink of an eye, a human male casually stood there, right beside Gratiana, as he smiled at all the Elves who watched in shock and horror.


    "I don''t believe I''ve introduced myself to you all. My name is Rey Skr, and Ie in pea¡ª"


    "Filthy human! How dare you!"


    "You dare set your foot on these holy grounds? Ahh¡­ how dare you, you pig!"


    "Nature''s punishment be upon you, filthy heathen!"


    "Stay out of this, you beast!"


    "Know your ce and return to your site of solitude! You ugly creature!"


    Thatst statement struck a slight nerve in Rey''s heart, but it wasn''t like it showed on his face. Instead, he maintained his calmposure and pretended to ignore the Elves and the insults they hurled at him.


    Even Aurora was pissed off at this point and was yelling at him¡ªthough with slightly less insults than the rest.


    "R-Rey¡­ you can''t be here¡­" Gratiana croaked as she looked at the figure beside her.


    His hand was on her shoulder, offering her the support that none of her sisters could grant her in such a turbulent period of her life.


    Some would me Rey for her current predicament, but Gratiana knew she was the one who agreed to the bet. Hence, she naturally bore all the brunt of her actions and their consequences. Still¡­ ''Having him here, by my side¡­ is assuring.'' She thought to herself with a slight smile.


    As soon as the High Elder noticed this, she shrieked and began hurling more insults and curses¡ªespecially towards Rey.


    ''Having him here, by my side¡­ is assuring.'' She thought to herself with a slight smile.


    As soon as the High Elder noticed this, she shrieked and began hurling more insults and curses¡ªespecially towards Rey.


    "Was this you? Did you seduce her innocent soul? Curse be upon you! Nature''s punishment descend upon you, filthy heathen! Beastly worm! Child of wrath!" N?v(el)B\\jnn


    At this point, due to all the shouts and screams, Rey could no longer take it.


    "Huu¡­" He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, ensuring he maintained his calm facade through it all.


    Then¡ª


    ~SHUUUUUUU~


    ¡ªHe undid his Spatial Layers.

 Chapter 639 Reys Takeover [Pt 1]

    Chapter 639 Rey''s Takeover [Pt 1]


    It only took one second.


    All of the Elders who pped their gums and opened their lips to utter words filled with bitterness and harshness¡ªwithout exception¡ªfell to the ground in that single moment.


    "AAAAAAAANNNNNNGGGG!!!"


    They jointly moaned as their weakened knees found their way to the surface that they stepped on. No longer could they form coherent words, or offer any scowl of resistance to the man who stood before them.


    An invisible force was making them submit; and they did so with full satisfaction.


    Gratiana, who was already kneeling, bowed her head as she felt herself reaching the pleasure that was denied her earlier.


    She thanked the benevolent one who was still beside her as she felt herself climax.


    She wasn''t the only one, though.


    One after the other, the Elves made absurd sounds, filling the sacred hall with noises that should never be associated with it. They all shivered, and in only a few more moments¡­ they all began to experience the same high that Gratiana experienced.


    "Y-you¡­" The High Elder was the only one who was still sane after all that pleasure, and while her face was beet red and her heart raced like crazy, she still managed to utter words.


    However, all of that changed when Rey took a single step forward.


    "Uguooooo!" She let out strange noises and copsed with everyone else.


    As the oldest in the room, she had been in the Oracle''s presence more times than every other Elf. However, it had been so long since she was called to their sanctuary that she had forgotten how it felt.


    But now, all of it came to her like a fresh memory.


    It almost felt like the very first time¡ªthe high and the pleasure at once¡ªand that was more than enough to make her lose the final vestiges of herposure.


    "Uuuuurghh¡­."


    The Elves all passed out on the ground, soaked in both sweat and some sticky liquid they released moments before passing out.


    "Haa¡­ seems I overdid it." Rey muttered to himself as heid eyes on the women whoy at his feet. ''I never expected things to turn out this way when I first arrived in this Continent, but¡­ I can''t reallyin about the effect I have on them.''


    He also wasn''t mind-controlling them, so this had to be ethical. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "But damn¡­ what a mess."


    As he uttered these words, Esme and Kara knocked and entered using the front door. Usually, it would be locked, but Rey already sensed their presence and unlocked it before they even knocked.


    Once they entered inside, they instantly stopped dead in their tracks and gawked at the several Esteemed Elders who were fully smitten by Rey''s presence.


    "T-this¡­ is too much¡­" Kara covered her face as she blushed, her voiceing out in small squeaks.


    "Agreed." Esme was far moreposed than Kara, but it was clear that she wasn''t without tension as well. After recovering from the sight, however, they ventured further into the hall and faced Rey¡ªwho just stood there awkwardly.


    "So what now? Got any idea what the n will be from this point on?" Upon hearing Esme''s question, Rey resumed his smile and put both hands on his pockets. He cast a side nce at the fallen Elves and spoke.


    "I think I''ll just take over this Community. There''s no point in trying to hold myself back any longer, especially since this opportunity has presented itself."


    If he became their leader, they would have to give him everything he desired, which would in turn aid him in arriving at his goals faster.


    "I could make the Elves my allies. I could get a constant stream of resources for my business. In fact, the refinery being built will be pretty much guaranteed." Rey saw Kara''s face light up the moment he said this.


    However, these two were only secondary to the most important goal he had at the moment.


    ''I need to see the Oracle.''


    The fastest way he could think of in achieving that was by bing an Oracle in a sense. If he did so, leading the Elves the way he saw fit, it would be inevitable that he got the attention of the Oracle.


    ''If this Oracle exists, and is real among the Elves¡­ it''s only a matter of time before we meet.''


    *************


    [The Next Day]


    The morning sun hung in the air, shining its brilliant ray on the colorful and lushnds of the Elven Community. Silence usually started the mornings of the Elves¡ªa certain serenity that had be a ritual.


    On this particr day, however, such decorum was not observed.


    Several footsteps echoed within themunity as they all trailed behind a certain man. All of the hundreds of thousands of Elves within themunity were walking behind him¡ªthough keeping a considerable distance from him¡ªas he walked behind the Esteemed Elders who were guiding him somewhere.


    A look of reverence and admiration filled their faces as the procession continued in full swing. Murmurs danced across the ears of the several Elves as they leaked out hushed whispers about the man who walked before them.


    They knew who he was¡ªand where he was going.


    Rey Skr was no mere human, so none of them shot him a look of contempt. The first time theyid eyes on him, they had made that fatal mistake.


    But no more.


    Their eyes were now open, and they could see him for the amazing being that he was.


    ''This went easier than I expected¡­'' Rey, being the center of all this attention, thought to himself as he kept his gaze forward and maintained his steady steps.


    ''Controlling the Esteemed Elders is one thing, but everyone else? Do I really smell that good to these people?''


    Earlier that day, an announcement had been made to the Elves about Rey''s status, and by spreading his scent to the Elves, he was able to disy his authority over them. ''They all practically worship me at this point.'' Heughed to himself, noticing the looks of admiration he received from all angles.


    While he still felt somewhat guilty for using such a method, he didn''t think much of it. He was very desperate, and he would do whatever it took to achieve his goals.


    ''I''ll just try to get things over with as soon as I can.''

 Chapter 640 Reys Takeover [Pt 2]

    Chapter 640 Rey''s Takeover [Pt 2]


    ''Right now, I''m heading to the Shrine of the Oracle¡­''


    Rey''s calm demeanor did no justice to the way he felt at the moment. He had only spent about two days in the Land of the Elves, yet he was already as close to aplishing his goals as he possibly could.


    He tried his hardest not to be optimistic, but he couldn''t help but be excited.


    ''If all this works out, I really have to reward Ater for showing me this way.'' He smiled to himself.


    Before this, Rey had no idea what to do. He suspected that he would have to wait months, if not years, before arriving at a proper answer. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ~What about me, Master? You won''t reward me?~


    ''Of course, I will! You really did a good job in our short time here!'' Rey smiled some more, rendering genuine praise to the Symbiote Slime inside him.


    ~Hehehe¡­ hehehehe¡­!~


    ''So far, so good. Thanks to my interference, Gratiana isn''t going to be punished. She and the other Young Ones returned to the shore after the announcement.'' No one was harmed in the process of him arriving at his goal, and he felt oddly proud of that fact.


    ''And¡­'' He cast his gaze to the Esteemed Elder who walked closest to him, and it was none other than Aurora El varai.


    ''... It seems she doesn''t remember me at all from the Karinc deal fiasco. That''s good, I suppose.''


    Rey didn''t think it would make much of a difference if she remembered him or not, considering how much of a hold he had on all the Elves at this point, but he was still d that he was operating on a nk te for the most part.


    ''I''m also curious about something.'' Since he was in a good mood, Rey decided to indulge himself by asking a question he hadn''t seen anyone address yet.


    "I''ve observed everyone in your Community, and yet I see no Males." He turned towards Aurora, who instantly gave him all the attention he desired. "Do you have no Males among you?"


    His question only remained in the air for a few seconds before a reply came to him.


    "Indeed. Only females exist among we Elves. In fact, we had no idea of the existence of Males until after our first contact with other Races."


    Rey was stunned by the answer. It only made him more curious, hence prompting him to ask a follow-up question that anyone in his position would have asked.


    "How do you¡­ mate, then?"


    "Mate?"


    Rey swallowed hard as he sought a much better word to use to better structure his question.


    "Reproducing, I mean. How do you reproduce if there are only female Elves?" He finally blurted out the question and awkwardly waited for an answer.


    When he first arrived and saw no Male Elves, a part of him suspected that the Males were perhaps being held hostage in some sort of breeding facility to donate their seeds to the females for reproduction.


    But Aurora just disproved that.


    ''The Elves can''t lie to me, so I''m curious about how they are conceived. Or is their biology fundamentally different from ours?''


    Rey was correct. The Elven biology was indeed different from that of other races¡ªbut not in the way he would have imagined.


    "Once a year, during the time of ''Iranatuf'', a certain percentage of us grow certain genitalia. The same genitalia that are found in Males of¡­ other races¡­" As Aurora said this, her face grew pink, almost as if she understood the nature of the topic she was discussing with him.


    The fact that they were discussing this in public¡ªwith Rey being an outsider¡ªmade it even more awkward.


    Still, she spilled the beans.


    "Those who develop those parts have the duty to insert¡­ and provide their seeds¡­ and after that day¡­ well, it''s like this¡­"


    "Don''t worry about it, haha! I think I get it already¡­" Rey promptly replied, raising a hand as heughed to hide how flustered he was.


    ''Oh damn! This is more surprising than what I expected¡­'' His suspicion of the breeding farm was even less shocking than what he was listening to. What Aurora was telling him¡ªthe secrets of Elven birth¡ªwas practically something known as ''dickgirls'' on Earth.


    ''I can''t believe they exist in this world¡­ and they''re Elves?!'' He swallowed hard, deciding to bury the information in his mind.


    But, right as that thought was about to sink into the abyss, something popped into his mind.


    ''D-does that mean that Esme also¡­?!'' Despite trying very hard not to imagine it, a cursed image with Esme having a slight bulge between her legs entered his mind. He instantly shook his head, nearly in tears as to why he would have such a thought.


    Rey reckoned the thought would haunt him forever if he didn''t get the answers he needed.


    "D-do Half Elves also¡­ experience this?" He croaked out.


    "What? No way! Only Pure Elves are capable of such!" Aurora instantly responded, almost as if she was slightly offended about Rey''s insinuation.


    "It is a gift of Nature that only we enjoy¡ªone of the many reasons we are special."


    Rey nodded as she spoke about their ''condition'' with such pride. He didn''t know if he was the one being a jerk due to his own understanding of girls and reality, so he decided not to think too much of it.


    ''I think some people are into that stuff too, so¡­'' He shuddered slightly while maintaining his casual smile, hoping to end the conversation as quickly as possible.


    "Noted."


    Thankfully, his trick worked, and Aurora returned her attention to the shrine, which was already in sight.


    ''I guess I now have another reason to be happy that Esme is only half Elf.'' He smiled, finally deciding to throw all of the cursed information he just recieved into the farthest recesses of his brain.


    That way, he wouldn''t look at the Elves in a different way.


    ''I wonder what Esme is up to right now. She wanted to sit this one out, so she should still be back in our lodge¡­''''


    Thankfully, when he thought about her this time, there was no bulge to be seen.

 Chapter 641 The Executioner [Pt 1]

    Chapter 641 The Executioner [Pt 1]


    "Haaa¡­"


    Esme sat in a meditative pose as she closed her eyes,pletely immersed in her practice of absolute concentration.


    Once again, she attempted to key into the connection that Elves shared with The Oracle, but felt absolutely nothing. She was getting increasingly frustrated¡ªalmost to the point where she began to think her identity as a Half Elf was the problem.


    ''But¡­ Ater said I would be able to.''


    Ater wouldn''t make such an assertion without reason to back it up. That meant there had to be some way she would be able to connect to The Oracle.


    ''Is there really a point, though? Rey is already on his way to the Shrine, and he''ll probably be able to connect to her without my help¡­'' Once again, she was the only one who had no real use among the members of the team.


    Even Emil had yed a more revnt role than her¡ªand she was inside Rey most of the time!


    "I don''t know anymore." She opened her eyes and gave a frustrated sigh, slowly rising from her position on the cushiony ground.


    Her room was a simple space that had a bed, sparse furniture, and nothing else. The entire lodging was made practically overnight, and while her dwelling was just adjascent to Rey''s, the difference in quality between both was like heaven and earth.


    ''It''s clear that the Elves are still hostile towards me, even if they revere Rey.'' She sighed.


    Esme knew she could always report the matter to Rey, and he would instantly take her side, but she really didn''t want to burden him with more things. He already had more than enough worries on his shoulders, and bothering him about her problems would be insensitive of her.


    ''Their actions are harmless at most¡­'' She smiled, though notpletely believing the thoughts she just rendered to herself.


    After standing in the room for a few seconds, she realized there was nothing else for her to do.


    "I''m bored. I should have gone with Rey to¡ª" n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    In an instant, before Esme could concluse her thoughts, a roaring explosion consumed her entire room, destroying every single thing inside. Plumes of smoke, and a raging inferno drowned every single remnant within until there was nothing but ashes left.


    Everything remained invisible¡ªburied under the thick smoke and dust¡ªand it was also covered in a particr barrier that shielded the st from everything else around.


    As such, no one would be able to hear the explosion or even see the destruction.


    ¡ªAt least, not unil it was toote.


    "Hehehe! Did we do it?"


    "I think we did it! Finally! We killed her, right?"


    "The Half Elf vermin¡­ she''s finally dead! Lord Rey will finally be free of her blight!"


    These voices were from none other than Young Ones, Elves who were yet to reach the age of maturity, as they stared at the thick smoke and violent mes that dwelled in their barrier.


    A total of fifty watched this with brilliant smiles on their facespletely certain that their actions were for the greater good.


    "The Elders are all afraid of taking responsibility, but¡­ we won''t forget Nature''s teachings!" One of the Elves grinned as she raised her fist in the air.


    She seemed like their leader, and while she was a Young One, she had a rather mature lookpared to the rest. Her long, blue hair danced with the wind as the rest also raised their fists to mimic her.


    Their excitement was born out of innocence, though their actions bordered the realm of catastrophe.


    After all¡­ they had no idea what they had just done.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOM!~


    In a mere instant, the barrier they created around the explosion shattered apart. As soon as it was blown into bits, the previously optimistic Elves gasped in shock as they looked at the cause.


    The barrier was strong enough to hold the explosion caused by abination of their Magic, hence for someone to break through it, they had to generate more power than the might of half the Elves present.


    No matter how powerful an Half Elf was, such power from one so young was unexpected.


    Unless¡­.


    "You people¡­ what the hell?" As this voice echoed from the depths of the smoke, the unharmed figure of Esme proceeded out.


    She had a deep frown on her face, and her face shone with bright blue fury.


    "What do you think you''re doing?" Her voice trembled slightly, almost as if she was about to cry. Despite her expression showing rage, her eyes had sadness written all over them.


    "What do you think? Getting rid of an abomination like you!"


    "You shouldn''t exist in this world!"


    "Your death is the only way to appease nature and restore order!"


    The Elves uttered these harsh words without regard for the consequence associated with them. They prepared themselves for a fight, all of them taking their stances and readying their Mana.


    There was no hesitation in their eyes at all.


    ''T-these people¡­'' Esme''s thoughts trailed as she spread her senses to the area around her, wondering if they were the only ones present.


    Sure enough, they weren''t.


    ''The others aren''t making a move. Is it because they''re Elders and will be held responsible? Ah¡­ I see what''s happening here.'' A wry smile formed on her face and she deeply exhaled.


    ''The Elders are somehow hoping these Young Ones can eliminate me, hence creating the best-case scenario.''


    Esme nearlyughed at their foolishness, even though their actions caused a sharp sting in their heart.


    ''If they do seed, do they really think they will be spared by Rey?''


    As someone who knew Rey well, she wondered what he would do to the Elves¡ªyoung or old¡ªif they managed to actually kill her.


    A part of her even wanted to give them a chance¡­ just to satisfy her curiosity.


    But, she decided against it.


    ''I can''t afford to die. At the very least, for their sake.'' Raising one of her hands, she decided to use a Skill she didn''t particrly like utilizing due to its nature.


    "[Executioner]."

 Chapter 642 The Executioner [Pt 2]

    Chapter 642 The Executioner [Pt 2]


    Esme got the [Executioner] Skill at the most tragic part of her life.


    Back when she witnessed the state of her family¡ªhow they had been subjected to such torture and were reduced into entities less than human.


    She killed everyone back then, and as a result of that¡­ the Skill awakened.


    {Skill Details}


    [Executioner]


    Tier: A


    Ability: Releasing an Aura of death that can have varying effects on your targets. From mere incapacitation to insanity, to even their demise; depending on the intensity of the aura and the resistance of the target.


    [End Of Information]


    And so, when push came to shove¡­ Esme chose to rely on this Skill for the first time in a very long time.


    And, just as she expected, it didn''t end well. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ***********


    "G-guarrrk!"


    "Keuk!"


    "Uuu-uwaahhhhh!!!"


    The Young Ones fell to their knees as they held various parts of their body, screaming for help throughout. Some held their heads, others clutched their chest, and a few embraced themselves very tightly as they quivered in both pain and fear. Their screams pierced the air, up to the point where the non-intervening Elders finally began to move.


    In just a few seconds, the Elves were foaming in the mouth, sprawling on the floor, as their faces begged for forgiveness¡ªor at least some semnce of mercy.


    "S-stop your actions!"


    "You''re¡­ you''re hurting them!"


    "D-do you have any idea what you''re doing! Cease at once!"


    Once the Elders rushed to the scene to assist the Young Ones, their concerned voices catching Esme''s attention, she looked at them with slightly annoyed eyes.


    The next thing that happened was their downfall as well.


    They too slowly crumpled to the ground, their bodies unable to move due to the intensity of her Skill. All the surrounding Elders gasped as they stared at Esme with both shock and fear¡ªmost especially the former.


    They could never have imagined that a Half Elf would be able to subdue so many at once.


    An average Elven Elder had a Level over one hundred, and she also had at least one A-Tier Skill. Stronger ones had multiple A-Tier Skills, with higher Levels reaching the two hundred mark. Esteemed Elders had Levels in the two hundreds, with at least an A-Tier ss, alongside one S-Tier Skill.


    All of this was only possible because of their long lifespan, and since Half Elves didn''t inherit such long lifespans, it was never the case to see one overpower an Elder.


    It never happened!


    But not only was Esme easily subduing one Elder, but she was doing so to every single one around her. Both the Youngs and Elders were kneeling before her,pletely at her mercy as she coldly stared at them.


    Then¡ª


    ~Fshuuuu~


    ¡ªThe intense pressure disappeared, almost as soon as it appeared.


    The Youngs had all passed out at this point, but the hundreds of Elders around still had their consciousness¡ªalbeit very weakly.


    More Elders were also approaching, whether from their homes, or the procession with Rey, and Esme could see the look on their faces as they saw her and the scene that was ying out.


    Her home was ruined, and all the Elves were at her feet: it was easy to deduce what happened.


    Still, it was obvious what the Elves would think.


    Before any of them could say anything to her, or use her of more offenses that they generated out of their biases, she opened her lips and spoke up.


    "I am not a filthy vermin, neither am I an abomination! I have done nothing wrong to you people, so you have no right to treat me like this!"


    Her strong voice echoed in the ears of all the Elves around¡ªboth nearby and far.


    "Why can''t you just ept that I am a part of you the same way you are a part of me. I have tried to deny and cut off my ties with you, but I can''t. Is it so hard to understand that I share some connection to your Race?"


    There was pure silence as all of the Elves looked at her.


    "Come on! Say something! Anything! Why do you look at me with such eyes? I have done nothing wrong to you since I arrived here. Maybe consider that your views of me are wrong! Maybe get to know me before judging me!" Esme''s voice quivered even more as she strained her voice to pour her heart out.


    It puzzled her that an outsider like Rey¡ªwho was a human, as well as someone from another world¡ªcould be epted by the Elves while she waspletely dejected and hated.


    ''I wish I had some kind of great scent that could just solve all of this, or I could say the right words, or just show them that I''m not who they say I am, but¡­''


    "But¡ª!"


    "Look here, Half Elf¡­ those Young Ones made a mistake. They were ignorant, and their actions were¡­ impulsive, albeit well-intentioned." One of the Elves finally spoke up, causing Esme to stop dead in her own words.


    "We as Elders know better. We promise not to hurt you¡­ but do not mistake it as a sense of kinship from our end at all." Another spoke up.


    Esme''s heart experienced a sharp sting as she heard that.


    "Half Elves should not exist. You are only being kept alive due to Nature''s mercy¡­ so it is not in our ce to inflict judgment on you."


    Esme shook her head at this point,pletely unable to bnce the growing frustration she was feeling with the anger and sorrow that slowly consumed her heart.


    "Y-you people¡­ ARRGH!"


    ~WHUUUUM!~


    In one swift ascent, Esmeunched herself into the sky and flew off, leaving the Elves to cater to their stricken ones. They stared at her with both hints of fear and disgust still, none of them even the slightest bit sorry about their actions. In their own eyes, it was good riddance.


    "What the hell happened here?!" Right as the Elves were still recoiling from Esme''s departure, the voice of yet another unlikable person echoed in their midst. Her presence was enough to cause many to groan, but they turned to her regardless.


    It was Kara Verte.

 Chapter 643 Glass

    Chapter 643 ss


    ??"Was that Esme just now?"


    Kara appeared among the Elves, clearly aware of their deep re as she spoke and entered their midst. She flexed her sses a little as she looked around her.


    "And this destruction¡­ this was her residence, was it not? What happened here?"


    The Elvespletely ignored Kara as they went on to pick theirrades¡ªfirst the Youngs, and then the Elders who couldn''t stand on their own.


    "I''m asking for an exnation here!" She yelled out, fuming as she folded her hands.


    "Shut up, filthy human."


    Kara''s gaze shifted in the direction of the Elf who spoke up first. The older-lookingdy shot her a disdainful look as she spoke up some more. "Can''t you read the room?"


    The girlughed a little sheepishly as soon as she heard that.


    "Humans and their beast-like intelligence¡­" Murmurs began to leak out of the lips of other Elves, and Kara found herself looking in the direction of each word.


    She focused on the lips of the Elves, taking in insult after insult.


    "She has no idea how badly she stinks¡­"


    "Just leave us alone already! We don''t need the likes of you here."


    "We have nothing to say to you!"


    After the Elves were done with their first round of insults, all of them now standing still as they stared at Kara with sheer animosity, it was her turn to respond.


    "Haa¡­ my bad." Raising her hands in the air, she sighed softly.


    In one of her hands was a vial, and the moment she raised both hands, the object slipped from her hand and fell to the ground.


    The ss vial shattered.


    Then, its forbidden content spread out and covered the area in no time at all.


    "AAAAAANNNNNGGGGG!!!"


    Loud moans instantly filled the air as the Elves all crumbled to their knees, all of them growing weak due to whatever Kara had them inhale.


    "It''s my bad for trying to reason with you lot like sensible people and not the animals that you are¡­"


    Kara slowly took off her sses, revealing less of the submissive shy persona she had been disying all along, and more of a certain kind of person.


    Her gaze was stone-cold, and her demeanor waspletely stern.


    "Stupid animals that have no idea of their actions¡­ the repercussions they cause, and the spiraling effects those will lead to." Kara sighed once again, suddenly possessing two vials of the very same ss in her hands.


    ''It''s a good thing I captured Rey''s scent and mixed in a highly addictiveponent from the flowers from the Dungeon to make the effects stronger.''


    She only had a handful of the vials, but Kara reckoned that they would be more than enough to serve her purposes.


    "I didn''t want to have to use this, but it seems this is all you can respond to."


    Upon seeing the vials, the Elves began to drool as they weakly stretched out their hands. Their eyes were desperate, yet their bodies refused to listen.


    "P-please¡­ Mercy¡­"


    "W-we''re sorry¡­ please¡­"


    "J-just a whiff¡­ please¡­ I''ll do anything?"


    Kara smiled as she watched them, her lips slowly parting as she whispered the words, "Anything¡­?"


    They all nodded like obedient dogs, their tongues out as theypletely submitted to her power.


    ''I should feel bad for this, but there''s no room left in my heart for empathy. Especially towards people like this¡­''


    Kara only pretended not to know what happened to Esme, as she had been observing everything that happened from the start. She even saw when the Young Ones arrived to assassinate Esme, and she could have stopped it at any time.


    But she didn''t. Why?


    ''Master Ater knew this would happen¡­ and he specifically told me not to act. I certainly hope all of this works out well.''


    She felt bad for Esme, but she also understood that the girl had to see the Elves for what they were. Sometimes, changing the hearts of people just couldn''t be done.


    Perhaps Esme just had to learn that the hard way.


    ''And I guess there''s a lesson that should be learned by me too. I really should start wearing Rey''s scent as a perfume, but wouldn''t that be weird?'' A slight hint of pink covered her cheeks as she slowly shook her head.


    ''No! No, it''s not weird! This is work-rted!''


    Upon telling herself this, she further reminded herself of her mission in the Land¡ªthe one she had been given from the very beginning.


    ''Master Ater wants to permanently colonize these people for Sir Rey. They will be perpetually useful to him¡ªfor any purpose he requires.''


    Her mission was to secure every asset andy the groundwork for a lot of the methods he would employ to make that a reality.


    ''Master Ater will take care of the rest, but I suppose I have to y my part for now.''


    Getting the refinery up and running was an essential part of it, but that was only the beginning. ording to Ater, there was no need to rush into things, and Rey was probably going to suggest some of those things himself.


    ''All I have to do is follow my orders¡­ for the sake of my job!''


    Now returning her attention to the Elves, who were now crying and begging for more¡ªlike little children¡ªKara''s smile widened even further.


    "I''ll be asking you some questions, and if you answer them well¡­ I''ll reward you with some of this goodness. If you do not, then you''ll never get this pleasure again. Understood?"


    "YES!"


    "YES, UNDERSTOOD!"


    "UNDERSTOOD PERFECTLY!"


    All the Elves nodded and prepared themselves to respond truthfully to any and all of Kara''s questions¡ªjust as she intended from the start.


    ''I guess I can start now, pending the time Rey and the Esteemed Elders return. There''s a lot I''m curious about, but I should also be able to uncover more beneficial information for the cause if I let them run their mouth on a bunch of other things.''


    Kara brought out a notebook from her pocket and opened the pages where her questions were inscribed in bold ink.


    "Let''s begin, shall we?"

 Chapter 644 The Shrine

    Chapter 644 The Shrine


    ??The Elven Shrine was an borate garden of beauty.


    It had a vast interior, with flowers decorating multiple end. The entire space seemed to have been made of flowers, and the amazing aroma that filled the air within its embrace added a more natural feel to its interior.


    From thepound alone, it was obvious to the eyes that this was hallowed ground.


    The cobblestoned path that led to the entrance was immctely woven, chiseled to perfection, so that all those who approached the shrine came with the utmost impression of the ce.


    There werekes on sides of the cobblestoned path, almost making uts surface simr to a bridge¡ªat least, in terms of aesthetics.


    Then, the interior¡ªmade purely of aged stone and flowery matterials¡ªwas another realm on its own. It had multyerd colors, thanks to the ambiance of the flowers and also the varying tiny lights that illuminated the enclosed space.


    There was no window in the shrine, neither were there any sources of venttion. As a result, without the small balls of light¡ªakin to dancing fireflies¡ªas well as the brilliant gems that decorated the cieling, the ce would be apletely dark voic.


    ''It''s cool for a ce without venttion¡­'' Rey thought to himself after admiring the beauty of the Shrine that he now entered.


    He felt it could be the effect of some Elven Magic, but he sensed no cluster of Mana anywhere. It didn''t seem to be Magic at work, so he figured it had something to do with the statue that stood a considerable distance from him.


    ''That is¡­'' His eyes narowed as he observed the life-sized figure of an Elf with six arms.


    Two arms carried something simr to a¡ªlike Earth, or perhaps this world. Two of the arms held a staff, almost as if bequeathing it to another. And finally, thest set of hands had their palms sped together in what appeared to be prayer.


    The statue was perfectly sculpted. If not for its faded ashen color, and lifeless state, Rey would have almost thought it was alive.


    ''Six hands too, huh? Is that how The Oracle looks like, or is it symbolic?''


    He was beginning to regret not asking more questions prior to this moment. Realizing how his excitement made him careless, he decided not to make the same mistakes again.


    ''In any case¡­ I''m finally here.'' He smiled, taking in the ambiance one final time as he approached the statue with as much deference as he could muster.


    He was the only one within the Shrine, as the rest of the Elves were waiting for him outside. Rey reckoned most of the crowd would have dispersed at this point, with only the Elders waiting for him to be done.


    "Huu¡­ haa¡­" Taking in a deep breath and exhaling it almost immediately, he closed his eyes and did his absolute best to strengthen his concentration and connection to everything around him.


    "Greetings, Oracle."


    As soon as he said those words, echoes of his voice danced in the air. It would have startled him if he wasn''t intentionally cing all of his emotions in check.


    "My name is Rey Skr, and I desire an audience with you. I pray to you, with the appeal of Nature, to grant me your presence."


    He bowed his head humbly, even going down to his knees. Rey was ready to do anything it took to see The Oracle and get their blessing.


    There was nothing like pride when it came to getting what he desired.


    "I am an Otherworlder, O'' Oracle. My allegiace is not with the humans, and therefore I do not associate myself as a beast of sorts. I have allies like myself who came from another reality to this ce, and right now¡­ one of them has fallen under a curse of this world."


    Rey had debated whether or not to reveal his identity as an Otherworlder to The Oracle, but after considering it heavily, he decided that it was ultimately the best approach.


    ''I need to do everything I can to gain their attention. I don''t care what I have to say or do to get to that point!''


    For Rey, telling the truth was the mostpelling thing he could do.


    "I need you to help save her. Please, Oracle, grant me an audience with you so I may save my friend!" He yelled out.


    There was no response.


    "We were summoned to this world to eliminate the Dragons. It is to my understanding that Dragons are the enemies of your people as well. The girl who has fallen under this curse is incredibly powerful, and we might not be able to take the Dragons down without her assistance. We need her. We¡­ we need you!"


    Despite going a step further, not only to gather sympathy, but to provide proper utility for the Oracle''s intervention¡­ there was still no response.


    Rey began to grow frustrated¡ªand understandably so¡ªbut he sucked it all in and decided to be more patient.


    "Please, Oracle. If you desire it, I will leave yournd as soon as you grant me this audience and hearken to my desires. I am willing to do anything for your aid!"


    Of course, by anything, Rey had certain caveats in mind. Still, all of those could wait until he got the audience.


    Unfortunately, no response came to him.


    ''So that''s how you want to y it, huh? Very well¡­'' Rey smiled internally as he steeled his heart.


    ''... Let''s keep going at this!''


    [Moments Later]


    ''This is useless! I''ve tried everything, but its either I''m being ignored, or there is no Oracle here.''


    Rey almost sighed in exasperation, but he had to watch his behavior in front of the statue. There was still a chance that The Oracle was listening to and watching him.


    "Huu¡­ very well." He rose to his feet in a soft and gentle manner. "I suppose I will returnter for another round of prayers."


    ''The Elves told me that The Oracle doesn''t often respond to their prayers, so I guess I''ll just have to be a bit more patient.''


    As Rey turned back, he suddenly felt a wave of energy fill the room.


    ~VWUUUUUSH!~


    Instantly, his eyes widened and he swiftly turned to face the statue that stood still within the room. He froze at what he saw.


    ''Damn¡­''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Is the time here? Is his meeting with The Oracle at hand?

 Chapter 645 The Whisper

    Chapter 645 The Whisper


    ??A faint whisper.


    It echoed within Rey''s mind, almost like a suggestion. The voice told Rey to kneel, and he found himself obeying in no time at all.


    As Rey saw the eyes of the statue shine brightly, with markings of blue and white covering its pristine body, he felt the presence of an entity.


    Was this The Oracle? Was it not? He had absolutely no clue.


    All he knew was that this being, whatever they were, was great enough to cause his body and mind to shiver. The strong and sweet aroma that suddenly filled the air caused him to swallow his fast-forming saliva, and he could sense an allure of something unseen.


    Then, the very same voice came to him once again.


    ~Bring the Half Elf in yourpany with you for your next visit, and an audience shall be granted of you.~


    Rey''s eyes widened as he heard this in his thoughts. There was nothing more stated, and despite the many questions that appeared in his mind as a result of the instruction he had just received, he remained quiet.


    After a few seconds, he finally spoke up.


    "Understood."


    As soon as his words of confirmation echoed in the hall, the energies in the room began to dissipate.


    The statue lost all sense of life, and Rey was left all alone in the Shrine after that.


    ''That was intense!'' As he thought this, he jumped to his feet. A bead of sweat had formed on his face, but he brushed it off quickly as he bowed his head before The Oracle once again.


    Afterward, he departed from the Shrine.


    As he opened the grand door that led outside, he couldn''t help but indulge in his troubled, but also curious thoughts.


    ''Bring Esme along with me? Why¡­?''


    ***********


    "Y-you had an encounter?!"


    "D-did you see The Oracle? Did you gaze upon their magnificence?!"


    "Please tell us everything!"


    As soon as Rey came out of the Shrine and met the Esteemed Elders, he was bombarded with questions from all directions.


    It seemed like they could somewhat smell the remnants of the sweet aroma that suddenly filled the room back when he heard the voice, so they figured he had an audience with The Oracle. At the very least, that was confirmation to Rey that he indeed spoke to the real deal.


    Still, the Elves and their obsession with this deity of theirs didn''t make him show any form of excitement for his achievement.


    "Yes. The Oracle spoke to me. Though, I didn''t see them. Just the voice from the statue¡­"


    Gasps instantly filled the air as Rey mentioned this.


    It wasn''t just the Esteemed Elders that were present, but a vast number of Elves¡ªat least over ten thousand¡ªstill waited outside thepound for his return. As soon as all of them heard this, they went into a frenzy.


    "He spoke to The Oracle on his first try!"


    "Lord Rey truly is divine!"


    "He is truly amazing!"


    With everyone staring at him with starstruck eyes, Rey would have normally felt flustered¡ªperhaps a little proud as well¡ªbut his mind was numbed by all of these sensations.


    Plus, he had something else upying his thoughts; something far more pertinent.


    "I need to bring Esme here before The Oracle grants me a proper audience." He muttered, turning away from the Esteemed Elders, as he looked into the distance.


    Rey noticed how pale their faces became. They probably weren''t expecting a Half Elf to be invited to their most holy ce, but since this was the instruction of The Oracle, verified by himself, he doubted any of them would render aint.


    And, as expected, none of them breathed a word against him.


    ''Now then, I should go fetch Esme so we can go in there as soon as possible.'' Since The Oracle had confirmed an audience with him, there was no need to waste any time.


    And so, in order to spread his sensory capabilities so it covered the entire Elven Community, Rey removed his eyepatch and opened both of his eyes.


    "Huuu¡­"


    Instantly, a world of color was granted to him.


    He noticed every single detail around him, and with all of his spatial awareness, he absorbed all of the information at a tremendous rate. In no time at all, his mind covered the entire settlement in order to find Esme.


    But¡ª


    "Hm. That''s strange¡­"


    ¡ªHe couldn''t detect her anywhere within the Community.


    ''I can see traces of her energy, but¡­ hold on, her house¡­ and¡­ what in the world happened?'' Rey could feel certain emotions course through his body as his glowing eyes took in all of the information around him.


    He could even see the guilty faces of the Esteemed Elders around him, and he figured they had some knowledge of what happened.


    ''Calm down, Rey¡­'' He told himself, changing his focus from the Elves to Kara, who was waiting for him in his room.


    ''She must know something. I''ll just question her directly.''


    Rey put his eyepatch back on and inhaled deeply, allowing himself to limate to his Normal Mode of vision after utilizing Light Mode for a considerable length of time.


    "L-Lord Rey¡­"


    "I-Is everything okay, Lord Rey?"


    "Lord Rey, please say something!"


    Rey nced at the Elders and maintained his facade despite the millions of thoughts that went on in his mind.


    "Don''t move a single inch."


    Before they could open their lips to respond, a brilliant ray of light shone from him and he vanished from where he stood.


    ~VWUSH~


    At that very instant, he appeared in his room, finding Kara standing still like a lifeless doll.


    "Kara¡­"


    "Kyaaaaah!" The girl screamed as soon as he called her name, dropping the note and pen she held in her hand as a result.


    Rey easily manipted space and returned them to her hands


    ¡ªgood as new¡ªbut his expression was still as grim as ever.


    "... Where is Esme?" As soon as he spoke, his body vanished from the distance and appeared right in front of her.


    She was still flustered, gulping at every second that Rey breathed down on her, but he didn''t care about that.


    All he wanted were answers.


    "W-well¡­ about that¡­" Kara gave an awkward smile as she looked away from Rey.


    It was at that moment that Rey was certain that he would get his answers. He just wasn''t going to like it.


    "... Let me exin."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 646 Suffocated Emotions

    Chapter 646 Suffocated Emotions


    "THEY DID WHAT?!"


    The moment Rey uttered those words, feeling a boiling anger within him that threatened to destroy the massive and borate room he and Kara upied, all of his rage instantly simmered away.


    "G-guh¡­" He held his chest, feeling thest bit of his anger flow away.


    The very nature of it made him even more annoyed, but those emotions were also stolen from him in no time.


    "Sir Rey, please calm yourself." Kara was not aware that Rey was already calm¡ªcalmer than ever¡ªso she made a worried face as she spoke to him.


    "The Elves made a terrible decision, but they mostly did so out of ignorance and their pre-existing bigotry. In fact, with all due respect, I would say all of this is due to theck of attention you ced on Esme¡­"


    As soon as Rey heard this, his brows were raised and he stared Kara dead in her eyes, causing her to squeak even more.


    "What do you mean by that?"


    "The Elves respect and worship you, but it''s not the same for her. If you paid her more attention, perhaps you''d have noticed how they treated her even after you took control of their Community."


    "But Imanded them not to hurt or harm her."


    "Indeed. The Elders will listen, but the Youngs are a lot more malleable than that, especially since their actions usually go without consequence."


    "What are you implying?"


    Kara sighed, flexing her sses as she spoke up. "Yourmands to not hurt Esme contradicts a pre-existing directive that tells the Elves to eliminate her. It''s not enough that you gave them an instruction like that."


    His intentions, hismandments¡­ those were never going to be enough to protect her.


    "Haa¡­ I knew I shouldn''t have brought her here." He sighed, sitting on the bed as he rubbed his face with his hand.


    "Please do not say that, Sir Rey."


    Rey turned to Kara, who seemed genuinely concerned about the whole matter despite having no real reason to be. He opened his lips to ask a question to that effect, but quickly thought against it, shaking his head in the process.


    "You''re right. Esme probably had the same line of thought after everything that has happened." He murmured. "Reinforcing it will only make things worse.


    Jumping back to his feet, he ignored the frustrations he was feeling and activated [Dead Calm] to perfectly lock in to the situation and his objectives at the moment.


    "I''m going to go look for her. There''s no time to waste."


    Not only did he desperately want to meet The Oracle as soon as possible, but he was genuinely worried about Esme. In fact, thetter was more of a driving force for him at this point.


    "Thank you, Sir Rey." Kara bowed politely, and he shrugged.


    "What about you? What have you been up to?"


    "I have been conducting¡­ surveys on the Elves. I also n to question the Esteemed Elders, but I''d like to have your direct permission and blessing so it can be produc¡ª"


    ~VWUSH!~


    Before Karapleted her statement, the entire environment around both her and Rey shifted, and they were transported to thepound of the Shrine.


    Unsurprisingly, the Esteemed Elders and all the other spectators were still in ce. Just as hemanded, none of them had moved a single inch from where hemanded them to remain.


    "¡ªtive. Ahh¡­?" Kara''s eyes widened as she suddenly found herself surrounded by unfamiliar territory, while being gazed upon by the widened eyes of the Esteemed Elders and the remnant Elves that watched from beyond thepound.


    "Listen to me¡­" Rey spoke, his tone low yet loud enough for everyone present to hear him perfectly well.


    "You will cooperatepletely with Kara, and you will answer all of her questions. Failure to meet my expectations will lead to severe punishments, do you understand?" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    All of the Elves¡ªeven ones who were not Elders¡ªnodded instantly.


    "If you fully cooperate, then¡­" Rey released some of his scent out to the Elves, and they instantly became weak in their legs.


    Not to the point of kneeling, but they certainly felt ecstasy.


    "I believe I have made myself perfectly clear." Rey sounded stern, but not because he was angry. That emotion was already deprived of him to arge extent.


    No, Rey felt impatient.


    Anxiety for the whereabouts of Esme gued his thoughts, but all of those were dulled by [Dead Calm]. His actions only reflected the urgency of the situation, and once he got an affirmative response from the Elves before him, he proceeded to the next phase.


    "I leave the rest to you." He turned to Kara, removing his eyepatch at that very instant.


    Once more, the world became a lot more detailed, and he could see the flow of all Mana around. The effects were especially rich in such a ce as the Elven Community.


    With his ability to detect and follow the flow of Mana, he was able to catch traces of Esme''s and then trace its direction.


    ''Where did you fly off to¡­?'' He wondered as he swiftly ascended to the sky and pursued the sparks of blue and white that glittered in the air.


    ''... Esme!''


    ************


    As soon as Rey flew off, leaving Kara with the Esteemed Elders, who now stared at the girl in sses withplicated expressions.


    On one end, they despised her¡ªalmost to the point of giving her deadly stares¡ªbut they were also bound to obey their Lord. Kara easily perceived this and smiled, taking off her sses as she pped her hands.


    "Here''s what''s going to happen¡­" She began, taking steps forward while her fearless grin remained constant.


    "You''re going to tell me about a certain Elder that I''ve grown quite curious about." Kara reached the High Elder and whispered words into her ears.


    "I''m referring to Ci."


    She noticed as the High Elder''s body froze up, and the surrounding Esteemed Elders who heard this also had pale expressions on their faces.


    ''As expected¡­ there is indeed more to this story than I imagined.'' Kara licked her lips as she thanked her lucky stars that Reymanded them to cooperate with her.


    ''I don''t need to use that other method anymore.''

 Chapter 647 Overwhelming Release

    Chapter 647 Overwhelming Release


    ''I''ve been thinking about it for some time now, but I still can''t make sense of it. Why does The Oracle want Esme?''


    As Rey sped through the air, his speed causing shockwaves as the space around him trembled, his mind was busy with thoughts as his eyes traced the trail of Esme''s Mana.


    His senses were also spread far and wide, so as soon as she entered his wavelength, he would sense her instantly.


    Still, his head couldn''t stop going through the condition that The Oracle gave him.


    ''Every Elf despises Half Elves. The way they treated Esme is further proof of that, and apparently it''s because of themands of Nature. Doesn''t that mean The Oracle is directly responsible for this bigotry against Half Elves?''


    Why would The Oracle want Esme in their presence then?


    ''Do they want to eliminate her? If that''s the case, then is it really safe to do as The Oracle pleases?''


    He didn''t know what to think.


    On one end, he didn''t want to think that The Oracle had that nefarious intention. Even if they did, he wanted to assure himself that he could protect Esme.


    However, on the other end¡­ he didn''t want to take the risk.


    ''I don''t want to put her in such danger. But¡­ if I don''t do this, then my chance of saving Alicia has returned to zero.''


    Rey was still in the process of sorting out these thoughts when he felt something enter his radar.


    ''ESME!'' His eyes widened instantly as his heart skipped a beat.


    In a flicker, he easily closed the gap that existed between himself and his target, creating a spatial rift as he rushed at full speed.


    ~VWUSH!~


    His figure materialized behind her, and a shockwave followed his arrival due the built-up velocity he created from his sudden teleportation.


    "Esme¡­" He whispered, watching her from a distance of only a few inches.


    The way her pure white hair flowed behind her felt surreal. Her long gown danced with the wind as the two of them remained stationary in the clouds. It seemed as though she was standing on a firm surface despite stepping on nothing.


    "Rey¡­? I didn''t expect you to be done so quickly." She slowly turned and looked at him, her gem-like eyes greeting his glowing crimson ones.


    At that moment, Esme looked like the prettiest thing in the world.


    Rey didn''t know if it was due to him viewing her, and the rest of reality with Light Mode Vision, or if it was just the atmosphere that caused it.


    But¡­ he felt his heart race tremendously as he stared at her. Before realizing it, he closed the short distance between them and hugged her deeply. "I''m sorry for neglecting you, Esme. I¡­ I''m d you''re okay. You''re safe. I heard everything from Kara! I should have been there, to¡­ I won''t let such a thing happen again!"


    Esme hugged Rey back, but in a softer manner than the tight way he gripped her and pulled her close to his chest.


    It almost felt like he didn''t ever want to let her go.


    "I''m fine, Rey. I just decided to take a flight to clear my head. And¡­ well, thanks for worrying about me." Herst words were awkward, and her cheeks were flushed with shades of pink.


    Rey couldn''t see any of that, though, since he was hugging her.


    He, instead, thought she was flustered by his sudden and overwhelming disy of emotion, so right as Esme was making herselffortable in his embrace¡ªabout to wrap her arms around him a little tighter¡ªhe pulled back.


    "S-sorry! I guess I just got a little extra¡­" Heughed with awkwardness, scratching his head like an idiot.


    He noticed a slight look of disappointment in Esme''s eyes, but the expression was quickly snuffed out. Instead, Esme gave a slight giggle and shrugged it all off.


    "It''s fine. I didn''t mind."


    "Whew¡­ I see¡­"


    After that, the next few seconds that existed between them were upied by silence. They both looked at each other with simr gazes¡ªlonging, but also not longing.


    "Are you mad?" Rey asked, his voice a lot calmer now that he now had full rein of his emotions. He never used [Dead Calm] with Esme, so the moment he sensed her presence, the Skill was instantly done away with. That ounted for his outburst of emotions.


    Right now, though, he was being intentionally mellow.


    "Mad at who?"


    "The Elves? Me? I-I don''t know, but you look a bit distressed¡­ concerned, maybe?"


    Rey didn''t want Esme to hide her pain from him¡ªnot anymore.


    She had suffered enough in silence, and this only persisted thanks to his insensitivity. Now that he knew this, he wanted her to tell him everything.


    "Oh, if you are referring to what happened earlier with those Elves, I''m fine. I got over my annoyance already." She responded.


    Esme didn''t seem to be lying, but Rey didn''t know whether to believe her or not.


    "You sure?"


    "Yep! You rightly noticed my worry and concern, but it isn''t because of them." Esme said, slowly turning away from Rey to point at something in the distance.


    "Look at that." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    For the first time since he sensed Esme, Rey took his eyes and full attention away from her and focused on the ce where she pointed at.


    That was when he saw it for the first time¡ªthe blight that scourged thend.


    A far distance from where both Rey and Esme floated, stretching out for miles upon miles, was a barren wastnd.


    The ground was darkened andpletely bare. From where they stood, it looked like an ugly scar upon the beautifulnds that existed before the taintednds came into view.


    Everything about it seemed rotten and ugly, and it was a mystery that such a ce could exist in the same paradise that was the Land of the Elves.


    Rey had his widened eyes take all of this in,pletely silent.


    "What in the world¡­ happened here?"

 Chapter 648 The Tainted Lands

    Chapter 648 The Tainted Lands


    "Isn''t that¡­?!"


    While still observing the darkenednds, Rey cast his gaze closer to the beautiful area and noticed something peculiar.


    Existing at the great divide that separated the fertile, lushnds of the Elves from the rotten and darkenednd of blight was a camp. The camp was surrounded by walls, which were further reinforced with Magic, protecting them from enemy attacks and perhaps the corruption that encroached upon thend. ''Their barrier isn''t good enough, though. Parts of the walls are already darkening. It''s only a matter of time before the cap bes infested as well.''


    The nts around thepound were already withering off, and their dead leaves were fading away at a slow rate. Rey estimated it would take only a few more days before the entire area was covered.


    Several tents¡ªin their thousands¡ªexisted within thepound, and it was clear what kind of ce this was.


    "I think you just stumbled on the stronghold of the Elves. This must be their battle camp." Rey spoke up, his eyes narrowed as he observed the details of the ce.


    Everything added up.


    "I know. I''ve been staring at it for a while now¡­" Esme murmured as she keenly watched the camp.


    There were a few patrol Elves walking here and there, but for the most part, the grounds seemed abandoned. From the way it appeared, most of the people in the camp were indoors; a rather odd phenomenon.


    "You''d have expected it to be a lot livelier, especially since it''s still daytime."


    Rey''s observation received a nod from Esme, and while the both of them said nothing specific, the two could already see the problem that gued the area.


    After turning to look at each other for a second, they both opened their lips to confirm their thoughts.


    "Miasma¡­"


    "Yeah. It''s Miasma¡­"


    One would never expect to find perverted Mana in and as pure as this, but from the sheer magnitude of the corruptednds, and the scale at which it was spreading, there appeared to be no other exnation.


    With the problem already identified, the next question remained.


    ¡ªNow what?


    "Do you want to check it out? The camp¡­ and all that?" Rey asked Esme calmly.


    He already knew her answer, even if she tried to hide it. The mere fact that she was looking at the camp for so long, while showing an expression of concern, proved that she wanted to do something about the situation.


    ''I''m not sure she''ll be willing to admit it, though.'' If he hadn''t asked her anything, she would have probably tried to wave it all off.


    But now¡­


    "I am curious about it." Esme answered. "Want to check it out together?"


    Rey smiled as she said this.


    ''I''d rather just return to the Shrine and meet The Oracle. But, I can tell that this is somewhat important to her, so¡­''


    "Yeah. Let''s go."


    Rey took her hand and they both descended to the camp.


    ************


    "Guark! Kack! Arrck!"


    Several strained voices filled the interior of the massive tent, creating a dreary atmosphere within the room.


    Elves were lined up on moss-coated beds, all of them looking pale and incredibly skinny. The beautiful hair of the Elves were falling off, and their beauty could hardly be seen as a result of their sickness-stricken features.


    The eyes of the Elves looked like they were about to fall from their sockets, and every breath they made was strained to the limit.


    They all looked and felt downright miserable, and those who attended to them could see that.


    "O'' Nature¡­ have mercy on these ones. Lend out your mighty gracious hand and cure them; with your breath provide them relief¡­ and with your grace cure them."


    Those were the prayers that Tatiana Lin Kimera rendered as she prayed for her fellow sisters who constantly suffered and writhed in pain.


    She was the one in charge of the infirmary¡ªthis ursed ce that now reeked of death.


    Her subordinates were all running around, trying their hardest to aid as many patients as possible, but Tatiana knew the ugly truth.


    ''Unless Nature intervenes¡­ unless The Oracle hears our pleas¡­ there is no hope for these ones.''


    They were all doomed to die.


    Only very few people ever came out of this tent alive, and for those¡­ they were weakened to the point where they had to be ced out ofmission for battle. The survival rate of this corruption was less than one percent, which meant that most Elves in this batch wouldn''t live.


    In fact, it was possible that none of them would.


    Once their corruption reached a certain threshold, they would have to be transferred to another tent where Elves were¡ªsadly¡ªleft to die.


    At the very least, a few people among these hundreds still had hope.


    "AAAAAAANNNNNGGGG!" Very loud moans echoed from outside the tent as Tatiana was engaged in deep thoughts.


    It caused her to instantly cease her worries and raise her head. The other attendants that were running around also stopped as soon as they heard the voices.


    Something about the way the sounds echoed suggested very perverted and unnatural thoughts, and the Elves all stared at each other in confusion.


    "G-get back to work, you all! I will go and investigate!"


    The younger workers instantly shrieked and nodded, scurrying off into action, while she marched towards the Tent''s exit.


    ''What was that sound? Are some of the patrol officers messing around during such a precarious moment?'' Tatiana doubted it.


    The Camp was in such a dreary state that no one was in the mood for any activity except survival. They could only hold off for a week at most without some kind of backup from the Community, and even then¡­


    ''We''ll practically be calling them to their graveyard.''


    Tatiana bit her lip as she exited the tent and readied herself for whatever she would encounter. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    But, much to her shock¡­ her eyes witnessed something absolutely absurd.


    "H-huh¡­?"


    All the Patrol Elves were prostrating to a certain man¡ªa human¡ªwho had a hooded fellow standing beside him.


    Their bodies trembled as more moans escaped their lips, further puzzling Tatiana who took everything in sheer surprise.


    Then, the man nced at her.


    "You there¡­" He said with a smile written on his face.


    "... You will do."

 Chapter 649 The Elven Camp [Pt 1]

    Chapter 649 The Elven Camp [Pt 1]


    "H-huh¡­?"


    Before Tatiana could croak out a single word, she found herself suddenly right in front of the man who stared right at her.


    His presence was so intimidating that, despite him being human, she didn''t think of that fact at all. Instead, she trembled in his presence¡ªeven when he ced his hand on her shoulder.


    "You have a high enough position here, so you''ll be the one to tell me of your current situation."


    The man didn''t make any requests.


    He gavemands.


    Tatiana found herself slowly nodding, despite her aversion and pride. She wasn''t one to have a pliable mind, but perhaps all of the stress had gotten to her.


    Maybe, after seeing her sisters sprawling on the ground, at his feet, she already knew that fighting him was impossible. She, as well as her sisters, werepletely at this man''s mercy.


    "Are you¡­ a Dragon?" Tatiana muttered as she looked at him.


    She didn''t expect a response from him, and even if he did respond, there was no way to tell if he was speaking the truth.


    Still, her curiosity managed to leak out of her lips¡­ hence the question.


    "No. My turn for questions¡­" The man took one step forward as he gazed into her eyes.


    Tatiana shivered even more, her ears quivering as she squeaked under his overwhelming gaze.


    "What in the world happened here? Tell me everything!"


    ************


    ''I see. I see now¡­''


    Rey was walking right behind Tatiana, who was leading them to the infirmary, per his own instructions.


    His hand was on his chin as he thought deeply about what Tatiana told him.


    ''She doesn''t know too much about the battlefield, since she''s a nonbatant, but it seems the situation with the Elves is quite deadly.''


    As soon as he opened the door of the tent, he was able to catch a glimpse of how severe the predicament of the Elves was.


    ''Goodness¡­'' His exposed eye nearly widened, though he controlled himself.


    ncing slightly at the hooded Esme, he wondered what her reaction would be. Unsurprisingly, she appeared distraught at the sight of hundreds of Elves in sheer agony.


    The Miasma spreading through their bodies couldn''t be stopped by any Elven Magic, and for those who were lucky enough to develop a resistance to Miasma and even recover, their Mana Pool would be so drained that they wouldn''t be able to fight for a while.


    No matter how one looked at it, this was a terrible situation for the Elves.


    "There''s another center for the terminally ill, who are condemned to death, but¡­ there is still hope for at least some of these ones." Tatiana whispered, slowly turning to look at Rey, who kept a stoic gaze as he looked around.


    He was checking the Status Window of all the Elves, and sure enough, he could see all of them experiencing Miasma Poisoning¡ªa severe case of one, especially.


    ''I give them a few days tops¡­ they''ll die.'' He narrowed his gaze on Tatiana and noticed some remnant Miasma staining her Mana.


    ''She has also been affected without realizing it. If I leave this thing be¡­ the results will be catastrophic.''


    ording to Tatiana, there used to be tens of thousands of Elves in the Camp, but now there were no more than a few thousand.


    So many had perished due to the Dragons and their newfound power, and for those who survived their onught, they were inevitably done in the Miasma Poisoning.


    There was no escape for any of the Elves in this tragedy.


    "Do you want to help them?" Rey whispered words into Esme''s ears, causing her body to nearly jump as a result.


    She had her entire body covered in a hooded cloak, so most of her features were hidden. However, since Rey could see through her attire, he could tell how flustered she was once he posed the question.


    Esme tried her best to hide it, though.


    "S-sure¡­" Her best attempt at a casual answer further proved his point, and he chuckled, almost guffawing.


    "Okay then."


    Rey took a step forward, instantly engulfing the entire tent in his [Perfect Domain Of The Divine]. Not only was he connected to everything and everyone in the room, but he knew every single detail about them.


    Thanks to his elevated consciousness and incredible speed, he could process everything even faster than a normal person could process small information.


    Then¡ª


    ~VWUUUUSH~


    A sudden surge of energy rose from his body as he sent it rushing throughout the entire area.


    ''I can freely manipte my Mana now, thanks to my current Skill-set. Using my Domain, I can add precision to my Mana''s application to the surrounding.''


    Removing his eyepatch, he could see everything with utmost rity¡ªthe darkened and perverse energy of the Miasma, and the vestiges of Mana that were being snuffed out. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    He already knew of his mission at that point.


    "I''ll cure all of them at once."


    This was the first time he would be doing something like this, but he knew enough about Miasma Poisoning after observing its theories. He also knew precisely what was wrong with the Elves and where.


    As such, he directed his Mana to those areas to flush out the corrupted Mana¡ªalmost like a cleanser that rinsed off all unwanted particles from a surface.


    ''It''s usually dangerous to do something like this with one''s Mana, but since I can see the flow of Mana, and I can address all of them on an individual level, I can multitask and attend to all of them with utmost care at the same time.''


    And with that, Rey covered the entire tent in bright light, easily overriding the darkness that had taken over the dreary tent.


    Within mere minutes¡­ he was done.


    "Huu¡­" Leaking out a steamy breath, he looked at the hundreds of Elves that were stunned by theirplete recovery.


    Their eyes were wide open, and tears rolled out of their eyes as they stared at themselves and one another¡ªabsolutely amazed and relieved that they no longer had to suffer the way they did mere moments ago.


    Then, they all turned to the one who made all of this possible.


    ¡ªThe man called Rey Skr.

 Chapter 650 The Elven Camp [Pt 2]

    Chapter 650 The Elven Camp [Pt 2]


    "W-who¡­ who are¡ª?"


    Tatiana didn''t even know where to begin as she looked at Rey. Both hands were above her lips as she gasped and gushed.


    She looked at Rey with both respect and caution. Deference and fear filled her eyes, and the same could be said about the others who were slowly sitting up on their beds.


    "I am not an enemy." Rey softly responded, almost dismissively. He looked around him for any further traces of Miasma, just in case, but confirmed it was all gone.


    "T-then are you¡­ sent from The Oracle?"


    Rey wondered how to respond to the question. He knew full well the religious views of the Elves. If he went under the canopy of The Oracle, then he and Esme would be treated with overall less suspicion.


    He could even help them out more conveniently.


    ''But is that really what''s beneficial in the long run? I mean, those in the Community see me as their leader¡ªan entity simr to The Oracle, but not quite.


    He wanted to determine if he should just continue down that path.


    Ultimately, however¡­


    "Yes. We are from The Oracle."


    ¡­ Rey decided to go with the much safer option. Right now, they had all the cards. Besides, he could always take his words back if it came down to it.


    "R-really?!"


    "The Oracle answered our prayers!"


    "I knew I wouldn''t be forsaken by Nature''s blessing!"


    Rey nearly rolled his eyes as the Elves began to celebrate all about their salvation¡ªalmost easily forgetting about the deaths of thousands of theirrades.


    Just because they were spared, they began to say stuff like, "The Oracle is merciful!" or "Nature truly favors the pious!"


    This statement subtly connoted that the many who died weren''t pious enough, or weren''t deserving of such mercy and kindness.


    He found that to be absolutely nonsensical.


    ''Still, it''s none of my business¡­'' His thoughts trailed, and his heart remained still despite all that was ying out in front of him.


    "Take me to the rest of your ill. The moment of salvation hase"


    As soon as Rey said this, Tatiana''s face brightened up, and all of the Elves began to jump around in excitement. At that point, they all looked like little children.


    "Once we''re done with all of those, though, I''ll need to have a word with your leader." The instant Rey heard this, he could see the faces of the Elves grow sullen.


    Still, they could not refuse his authority, so they all nodded.


    "Understood!"


    ***********


    Rey went on to a few more tents¡ªthe first one being the ce where patients who had reached the final point of Miasma Poisoning were kept.


    There was usually no hope designated to them, but he healed them.


    The shock on everyone''s faces after seeing this miracle was priceless. Elves were a very hopeful race, but even they knew that theirrades in the Tent were going to die; and very soon at that.


    But, The Oracle''s Messenger worked his wonders incredibly well.


    He also went to the Tent where the early and less severe cases of Miasma Poisoning were being addressed. Once again, he healed them all.


    After all of these benevolent acts done by him, with Tatiana leading the way through most of them, it was finally time for what he asked for.


    ¡ªAn audience with the leader.


    The Elves, led by Tatiana and a few high-ranking officials in the army, took Rey to a particrly secluded tent amidst the livelier Camp.


    The tent was borate, but there was a dreary feeling around it¡ªlike the stench of death.


    It only grew worse once one entered inside.


    The interior was dark, almost as if shrouded in thick fog. There was arge parlor area, which seemed to be used for battle strategies and general meetings among the higher-ups. However, behind that was a corridor that led to another room.


    That was where Rey walked into, led by Tatiana.


    On his way there, though, he saw a few Enchanted Items that were made by the Karinc Group hanging on the walls, or on a shelf.


    Somehow, that brought a smile to his face¡ªnot that he showed it, of course.


    "Here she is¡­" In a hushed tone, Tatiana whispered after reaching the end of the passageway, gesturing her hand in the direction of arge bed.


    Atop the bed was an individual who wasying there still¡ªalmost like a corpse.


    No, she could practically be described as a corpse.


    All her hair had fallen off, and her pale skin was incredibly dry and malnutritioned. She was skinny to the bone, and while her eyes were wide open and unblinking, they seemedpletely lifeless.


    ''And yet¡­ she''s still alive.'' Rey''s eye widened slightly as he entered the room, his steps measured but constant.


    It was amazing just how tenacious the Elf was¡ªalmost to the point where Rey felt an incredible sense of respect for her.


    ''She must be going through unimaginable pain right now, and yet¡­ she doesn''t want to die.'' A smile formed on his face as he approached even more.


    "W-wait, if you get too close¡ª!"


    Rey ignored the warnings, and as soon as he crossed a particr threshold, a burst of Miasma rushed towards him with such thick intensity.


    ''I see. So the Miasma is so dense here that it''ll attack anyone and poison them.'' Unfortunately for such, however, Rey was immune to all Negative Status Conditions.


    Miasma Poisoning was no exception.


    The dreary room''s lights constantly flickered as Rey took another step, almost like a scene cut out of a horror film.


    He stared at the emaciated woman''s face and smiled.


    "I''m going to make sure you live."


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Feralia Kai Sereth


    - Race: Elf


    - ss: Esteemed Grand Mage (S-Tier)


    - Level: 250 (90.9% EXP)


    - Life Force: 5 /1,500 (Dropping) N?v(el)B\\jnn


    - Mana Level: 10/4,000 (Dropping)


    - Combat Ability: 3,900 (Sealed)


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Absolute Runic Mastery]. [Farsight]. [Time Stop]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Grand Magic Application]. [Greater Spell Casting]. [Grand Rune Layout]. [Elevated Magic Sense]. [Life Force Recovery]. [Grand Mana Recovery]. [Absolute Elemental Magic].


    - Alignment: Lawful Good


    [Additional Information]


    An Esteemed Elder among the Elves, in charge of fighting the war against the Dragons. A hero for the Elves, as well as the one recognized as the most powerful among them.


    Negative Status Condition: Miasma Poisoning (Severe)


    [End Of Information]

 Chapter 651 The Strongest Elf

    Chapter 651 The Strongest Elf


    ''She''s the strongest Elf in the Continent, huh?''


    That was Rey''s initial thought when he saw Feralia. Not only did it make sense, considering how she was able to hold out for so long, but it also gave him an insight as to why she held on for so long.


    ''She''s the strongest, so she doesn''t want to abandon her duties¡­''


    In a way, the Elf reminded him of Lucielle¡ªonly the good side, of course.


    "Her Miasma Poisoning is on a far stronger and deeper level than the others, and due to her struggling with it for so long, it has pretty much spread to all parts of her body." He muttered, walking even closer until he reached her bedside.


    All her internal organs had grown rotten, and even her brain must have been degenerated beyond any properprehension.


    Anyone would look at such a case and say there was no hope.


    ''But¡­ I suppose this is why Divine-Tier Skills exist. To create miracles when it doesn''t seem like there is hope at all.''


    Rey reckoned he could use Healing Magic Magic of the Divine Tier to take care of his patient''s physical state while simultaneously using his Mana to cleanse hers.


    ''It''ll be a delicate process, considering how both have to be done in tandem. If I neglect one or the other, it''ll disrupt the bnce and she could die.''


    And, despite how powerful Rey was at the moment, he could not cure death.


    Hence¡­ ''I just have to give this one my all.''


    He needed both of his eyes for the operation, and he even had his whole senses working overtime¡ªthough he really didn''t need to go that far¡ªjust to make sure he would not make a single mistake.


    He healed her rotten body with his Magic, slowly limating her to health while removing the impurities one organ at a time.


    There was a possibility that his Mana would overwhelm her organs if he used if he rushed it into her, so he took it slow and steady.


    And, of course, he protected the spectators from the overpowering effect that his Mana caused by managing the Space around him and them. ''And now¡­'' Slightly sticking his tongue out and licking his lips, he gave the finishing touches¡ªcleansing her of thest vestiges of Miasma and also healing her from the inside out.


    The result was astounding!


    ~VWUUUUSH!~


    Her body became fairer than any other Elf in the room, and her purplish peach colored hair danced behind her as she sat up almost immediately.


    Her beautiful face was without blemishes, and her naked body¡­. yes¡­ it blossomed so beautifully that everyone gawked in sheer captivation of her elegance.


    She was a sculpted definition of Elven grace.


    "Thank you¡­" Were the first words that proceeded from her lips as she opened her violet eyes and stared straight at Rey.


    Her tone was gentle, and so was her smile.


    "My name is Feralia, and I shall forever remember this moment of salvation until I be one with Nature. You, my savior, am I forever indebted to."


    Rey raised an eyebrow as she stared sweetly at him, her eyes bright with overflowing respect and gratitude.


    ''Okay¡­ this is weird. She isn''t acting at all like I expected. She''s an Esteemed Elder, so I expected some kind of attitude. Even the other Elves acted up after I healed them, but this one¡­ what''s going on?''


    After reaching the heights of confusion, Rey decided to check her Status Window.


    That was when he realized what exactly was happening.


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Feralia Kai Sereth


    - Race: Elf - ss: Esteemed Grand Mage (S-Tier)


    - Level: 250 (90.9% EXP) - Life Force: 2,500 - Mana Level: 5,000 - Combat Ability: 4,900 - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Absolute Runic Mastery]. [Farsight]. [Time Stop]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Grand Magic Application]. [Greater Spell Casting]. [Grand Rune Layout]. [Elevated Magic Sense]. [Life Force Recovery]. [Grand Mana Recovery]. [Absolute Elemental Magic]. - Alignment: Lawful Good


    [Additional Information] n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    An Esteemed Elder among the Elves, in charge of fighting the war against the Dragons. A hero for the Elves, as well as the one recognized as the most powerful among them.


    After being saved by Rey, with his essence seeping into the furthest recesses of her being, her body has been forever transformed and tied to him. [End Of Information]


    ''Ah, crap¡­ I get it now!'' Rey nearly gasped, but he kept it to himself.


    Since her condition was so severe, he literally poured his Mana through every facet of her body¡ªincluding her brain¡ªand that had to have altered everything she thought and perceived.


    ''My Mana is apparently very desirable to the Elves, so being exposed to it for so long, and throughout her body¡­ I guess she sort of feels some kind of bond with me.''


    Rey didn''t mind that the strongest Elf in the Continent was practically on his side at this point, but he still found it weird the way she kept looking and smiling at him.


    He couldn''t describe it, but it really was simr to Lucielle''s. But, at the very least, this one was showing restraint¡­ for now, at least.


    ''Her Stats have also permanently increased for some reason. Is that also due to exposure to my Magic for an extended period of time? Can I have that effect on people?'' Rey reckoned he would have to try it out again to find out.


    ''I should have observed the Status Windows of everyone I healed if I knew there was the possibility of change. Well, I''m sure another opportunity will present itself.'' He nced at the audience, who were all shell-shocked by the return of their Esteemed Elder.


    Esme was smiling too, so he reckoned she had to be happy as well. Her eyes hidden under the hood seemed a little too wide forfort, but Rey chalked it up to being surprised by the oue.


    ''I''ll have to see if I can improve Esme''s Stats with my abilitiester. For now¡­'' Returning his gaze to the Esteemed Elder before him, he noticed she was still smiling at him.


    "Um¡­" Rey stretched out his hand and patted her on the head. "Wee back to thend of the living."

 Chapter 652 The Grave Situation

    Chapter 652 The Grave Situation


    ??"I confess to assisting Aurora to depart for the Western Continent in order to obtain tools that would aid us in the war..."


    Feralia Kai Sereth''s tone was low as she spoke, staring at the group that gathered before her.


    The other Elven Leaders, most of them who were also recently healed by Rey, were present. Tatiana, who also held an executive position in the Camp also had her seat. Finally, Rey and Esme were present as well.


    They were all seated in the meeting hall within Feralia''s massive tent, with a table right in front of all their chairs.


    Rey was especially interested in the rundown of the situation with the Dragons, so he had her take it from the top. So far, he had learned quite a lot.


    ''She''s stopped looking at me in that weird way now, so I guess asking her about the whole thing was a good idea.'' He smiled to himself as he listened to more of her narration.


    Apparently, the war was bing too arduous for the Elves to handle, and Feralia couldn''t bear to watch her sisters continue dying at the hands of the Dragons--or suffering any kind of casualty.


    She had to sumb to Aurora''s convincing words.


    "Once we obtained those tools, our natural abilities were amplified to arge extent, and we were able to take them by surprise with our newfound power and versatility." The way Feralia talked about the event, like it was some spectacr period, made the other Elves nod and nearly burst into tears.


    It seemed they all remembered their moments of victory; the calm before the storm.


    "But, right when the tides were shifting, and we were so close to winning the war... those horrifying things began to manifest."


    Rey already knew what Feralia meant by her words. He had suspected it for a while, especially after observing all of the symptoms thus far, but he allowed her to continue.


    "The undying Dragons... they changed the battlepletely."


    Feralia went on to describe how the Dragons wreaked havoc on the battlefield after that. They never tired, and they never bled.


    They just kept on fighting and fighting.


    For Elves, who were living beings and were also not built forbat, the strain of fighting a battle against Undead was overwhelming.


    "Their power was great. Their tenacity was unmatched. And... their ruthlessness was..." Feralia nearly choked on her words as she remembered her time in the battlefield.


    "Even those who escaped were afflicted by their corrupt energy. There was no escape. There... is no escape."


    The forlorn expressions of the Elves added weight to all that Feralia said.


    "We''ve been holding the fort for so long, but there''s no telling how much longer we willst." She muttered, staring at Rey with sheer concern.


    "There are too many disadvantages..."


    After about a full minute of silence, with only sighs here and there, Rey finally spoke up.


    "This is all a very sharp turn from what I experienced in the Elven Community. The contrast is a little jarring."


    The lush greeneries and electrifying atmosphere could not bepared to this bleakndscape. It almost felt like Rey just visited two different worlds.


    "All the Elves in the Community look so cheerful and carefree, yet the situation has reached such a terrifying level... I find that odd."


    Perhaps it was their religious views--the strong belief they had in The Oracle--that let them have such childlike faith that everything would be fine.


    It was dangerous to think that way; at least that was what Rey thought.


    "We can''t afford to let anxiety seep into the Community." One of the Elven Leaders responded to Rey''s observation.


    "Hmm?"


    "Anxiety creates fear, which causes doubt. We cannot afford the Youngs to be poisoned by such doubt¡ªnot when their faith in The Oracle and Nature''s teachings are yet to be fully developed." Another Elder also spoke up.


    More expressed their concerns, allowing Rey to understand their rationale.


    ''Seems like most of the people left in the Community are Youngs. They don''t want them exposed to the hardships of battle or responsibilities. That seems noble, but also very naive.'' Rey sighed to himself.


    Still, he couldn''t fault their logic.


    ''Despite being very old, the Young Ones are taught and trained to be dependent on the Elders. Their child-like nature will make them poorbatants. In a way, they could turn into liabilities if they''re brought into the battlefield.''


    It was no wonder why the people of the Camp were hesitant to ask for backup despite desperately needing the help. Not only did they have no way to deal with the Miasma, which more numbers would do nothing to solve, but most of the viable candidates for battle were Youngs.


    When Rey looked at things from an objective standpoint, he could only think of one thing.


    ''These people are doomed. If I didn''te here, they would all be wiped out.''


    It wasn''t like Rey felt some kind of kinship for the Elves. After all, they were all sorts of things, and a bunch of them even hurt Esme. But¡­


    ''They aren''t bad people. When they''re not being racist, they''re just overly kind and naive.''''


    They certainly didn''t deserve Genocide.


    ''Of course, they''re not entirely innocent either. Their views on Half Elves are especially too extreme. I''m sure if I didn''t have the ability to control the Elves, I would have apletely negative experience here.''


    But¡­ that was only partly their fault.


    ''The true architect of all this is The Oracle. I''m certain the current disposition of the Elves was given by that person. If they wanted, they couldmand the Elves to stop¡­ but they don''t do that.''


    Rey couldn''t say anything about that, though.


    Not only were the Elvespletely loyal to this deity of theirs, but he also needed their assistance. He couldn''t do anything to reduce his chances of saving Alicia.


    ''The most I can do now is to help these people and then be on my way.'' Turning to look at Esme, who turned to look at him too, Rey nodded at her.


    She smiled and nodded back in agreement.


    ''Why don''t we make an army of our own? Should be fun¡­''


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I know some await the moment Rey meets The Oracle. Don''t worry¡­ very soon¡­

 Chapter 653 Elemental Army

    Chapter 653 Elemental Army


    ??"Divine Magic: Grand Elemental Summon."


    As soon as Rey uttered those words, several entities began to emerged from the depths of the ground¡ªalmost as if rising from an abyss that connected them to another realm.


    The vast, darkened ins that existed right beyond the Elven Camp, now gradually became popted with the entities that came forth from Rey''s call. In their hundreds, they rose to their feet, their daunting figures at least five meters in height.


    Fire, Earth, Wind, Water, and Lightning Elementals all gathered in their vast numbers¡ªthousands of them¡ªand stood still at Rey''smands.


    Before long, even the darkened ground began to fade off. The Miasma that was creeping upon thend of the Elves retreated away from the group thanks to the Mana that Rey pulsated into the ground.


    Before long, the ins¡ªdespite being stripped of the nts and other gifts of nature¡ªreturned to its original state.


    "A-amazing!"


    "T-this power¡­ it truly is divine!"


    "As expected from a herald of The Oracle!"


    As one would expect, the Elves all gawked at the sight that Rey disyed to them. Not only were they shocked to their bones, but their hearts were ted and filled with immense hope.


    Their deity, after constant prayers and dedication, had finally responded to their prayers.


    For that alone, the Elves knelt and worshiped.


    ''Damn. They really are religious¡­'' Rey saw all of this and smiled awkwardly, before turning his attention towards Esme.


    She looked like she had something to say so he wanted to hear her out.


    "I want to try something too¡­" She said, drawing close to him.


    Her eyes were directed at the several Elementals he just created in the blink of an eye¡ªall of them in the Grand Tier. It was impossible not to be impressed by his power, all things considered.


    That wasn''t all he nned to do as well.


    Rey was also going to create weapons using his [Divine Weapon Creation] and grant the Elves some artillery to utilize as means of protection. The ideal weapons would be long-range ones, so that none of them would have to get too close to Miasma.


    Plus, since Dragons were creatures of flight, things like canons or methrowers would work best for the cause.


    However, all of that was paused due to Esme''s current interest.


    "What do you want to try?" Rey asked with a smile, already sensing some measure ofpetitiveness in her eyes.


    He had noticed it for some time now, but chose not to speak of it.


    ''As much as she appreciates me helping the Elves, Esme also wants to y her part in helping them¡­''


    However, thus far, it seemed like Rey was always the oneing to the rescue.


    All of that was about to change.


    Esme floated into the air, above all of the Elementals that now spread out to surround the Elven Camp. Both her arms stretched forth and she called forth her own power.


    "Absolute Elemental Summon."


    ~VWUUUUUUUSH!~


    A brilliant rush of power coalesced at her point of contact, easily causing all manner of reactions to ur all at the same time. The immense energy turned into a Core, and as soon as it manifested, elements began to form around it.


    Winds swirled around the area like a whirlwind, with earth rising all over the core.


    Lightning constantly struck, and mes burst all over, licking everything it consumed with utmost intensity. The hissing sounds of water and ice oozed through the air, until all of thebined and conflicting elements stabilized around the core.


    Then, the final product was unveiled.


    "Huuu¡­" Esme finally exhaled as she concluded the process, her glowing blue eyes staring straight for the entity she had just created with practically all of her usable Mana.


    "Supreme General¡­ Absolute Elemental."


    The ''thing'' that floated before her was an amalgamation of all the elements. It felt like they were warring inside it, but it was in such a symphony that the entity seemed like an embodiment of destructive perfection.


    Purple mes danced around its bulking body¡ªespecially its skull-like face. It had crackles of lightning dancing around its body, and its body felt like a mix of liquid and molten magma. Cold air rose from half of its body, while searing heat did the same on the other half.


    All in all, it was an embodiment of the elements.


    "Descend."


    ~WHUUUM!~


    The Absolute Elemental fell to the ground, despite being hundreds of feet in the air, andnded right in front of the other Elementals that Rey summoned.


    The difference in height was too great to be ignored.


    If the others were five feet at most, then the Absolute Elemental was fifteen. It also had a much bigger stature and its imposing presence dwarfed the others.


    No one could argue¡ªthis one was the Leader.


    "So¡­ what do you think?" Esme swiftly appeared before Rey as soon as her own Elemental positioned itself in front of all the others.


    "Showoff¡­ ow!" He muttered, receiving a jab in his arm for exactly that.


    Esmeughed, strangely feeling refreshed despite the heavy toll that the Elemental took on her Mana. Something about contributing to the cause made her so cheerful.


    "I wonder who the real showoff is." She responded to Rey with a yful tone.


    "I have no idea what you''re talking about."


    "You don''t?"


    "Nope! Not at all!"


    They bothughed after that, almost like the teenagers that they were.


    Both Rey and Esme knew that the former could summon tons of the Elemental that Esme brought forth. He would even have some spare Mana afterwards.


    But he chose not to.


    ''You were probably being considerate towards me, weren''t you, Rey?'' Esme smiled at him as she gave him another elbow jab.


    Her heart slightly jumped as she watched him smile sheepishly. Something about moments like these almost made Esme forget the current situation, and her ce in his life.


    "What are you feeling right now?" Rey drew his face close to Esme as he asked the question.


    "E-eh?"


    Her flustered face nearly turned red like a tomato as she experienced it all at once.


    "I mean¡­ do you feel better now?"


    Esme internalized the question, turning her attention to everything that had changed about the Elven Camp upon their arrival there.


    There was only one correct answer to the question.


    "Yeah!"


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 654 Layered Thoughts

    Chapter 654 Layered Thoughts


    ??"We''ll be leaving now. However, I''ll be in touch with you all as soon as I conclude my other business."


    Rey and Esme stood before the entire Elven Camp, and while they all had mixed variants of the same emotion, they all made sure to disy the purest form of gratitude towards the two of them for their contributions.


    Not just for the Elementals, but also the Weapons that Rey provided for the Elves. There was also the important service of healing all of those with Miasma Poisoning and erecting a much more powerful barrier than anything they could have possibly done on their own.


    What words could they possibly render to their savior that would sufficiently express just how thankful they felt towards him?


    It was impossible for the Elves.


    "We will expect your return, Rey. I¡­ will expect it." Feralia bowed her head as she smiled at Rey with those strange eyes that he found a bit awkward.


    "Yeah. Sure¡­" He responded, albeit a bit sheepishly.


    He was d that Feralia didn''t actively make any move on him. That would have made things more problematic for him.


    ''Seems she recognizes her ce. Thats''s good¡­ whew!''


    "You don''t have to die for your cause. If the enemy seems too much for you to handle, there''s no shame in retreating and fighting another day¡ªfor the sake of the Youngs."


    All of the Elves nodded in allegiance to Rey and his words, and never before had he felt prouder of the Race. They actually listened tomon sense for once.


    "Welp¡­ bye."


    Drawing Esme close to himself, Rey prepared to teleport. As he did so, however, he caught a glimpse of all the Elves bowing their heads and thanking him with all their might.


    "THANK YOU SO MUCH, LORD REY!"


    The feeling he got at that point caused him to smile a little.


    ''Not bad¡­ not bad at all.'' His thoughts trailed as his Spatial Magic finally kicked in and he vanishedpletely from their sight.


    ***********


    ''I understand it all, Rey¡­''


    As Feralia gazed longingly into the sky, a brilliant smile formed on her face as tears streamed down her eyes.


    ''I am not the one you desire. And though my heart shall forever long for you, I will never find sce in the warmth of your gaze.''


    Was this her punishment for leading so many of her sisters to their death? Was this retribution from Nature for secretly aiding Aurora in breaking the rules?


    She had no idea.


    ''I never thought love could feel this good¡­ yet so sorrowful.'' Feralia smiled, closing her eyes as she pictured Rey.


    ''Still, I will ept my fate. If this is my crucible, I will dly endure it.''


    As the image of Rey grew vivid in her mind, however, the girl beside him also slowly entered her mind.


    ''Thatdy¡­ she seemed so familiar.'' Feralia could only see a portion of her face due to the hood she wore, but after having many opportunities and angles to gain a somewhat holistic picture of her face, she thought only one thing.


    ''Why does she resemble Ci so much?''


    Feralia didn''t want to think too deeply about it, but the thought constantly echoed in her mind.


    ''If that''s the case, could it be¡­? No, no way¡­'' She finally decided to shrug off her thoughts and return to the inner recesses of her tent within the Camp.


    ''There''s no way a Half Elf would apany a herald of The Oracle.''


    ****************


    Rey and Esme floated silently in thete afternoon sky.


    Their eyes constantly shifted from the dimming orange glow of the sun to thendscape below them, and finally to each other.


    After moments of silence, Esme finally broke it with a question she had been meaning to ask.


    "What''s on your mind, Rey?"


    "A lot of things. You''re going to have to be specific." He replied with a slightly casual tone.


    It was clear that he constantly thought about a lot of things, though only facets ended up being brought to the surface. For example, throughout his stay with the Elves, he wasmunicating with Emil.


    Yet, it never really showed in his demeanor.


    Ever since he attained an elevated state, Rey found it easier to fragment his thoughts intoyers, so only a fraction of it rose to the surface.


    "I''m talking about the situation with the Elves¡­ and the Miasma¡­ all of that."


    "...."


    For a moment, Rey refrained from speaking. He just floated with Esme for a few seconds, almost as if deciding to share his thoughts with her or not.


    He eventually opened the lips, evidently opting for the former.


    "This whole thing reeks of Adrien." He began, a slight frown forming on his face. "I don''t want to make any assumptions this time, so i''ll have to confirm things first. But¡­"


    "But what?"


    "Nothing. Perhaps it''s just my intuition or something."


    "...." This time it was Esme''s turn to be silent.


    Rey sighed a little as he continued. "I considered leaving Emil in their Camp, but the possibility of Adrien being involved makes me not want to take that risk."


    He nned to simply wait things out and observe through his Summoned Elementals.


    "I already cast Observation and Recording Magic around the area, so I can get footage of the situation whenever I desire."


    Rey already knew he had to have a fundamental idea of what he was dealing with before taking any direct steps forward.


    "If Adrien is really involved, this whole thing just got a lotplicated."


    As always, he had no idea what his motives could be, but Rey didn''t want to get caught up in anything.


    ''Since the Elves have pretty much be my assets at this point, it''s unavoidable that I''m involved. All of this is only secondary, though¡­''


    For now, Rey only had one real goal.


    ''I have to bring Esme to The Oracle.


    "That''s actually a smart move, Rey. I¡­ actually wanted to stay back, to help them more and all¡­" She finally confessed, surprising Rey, considering the kind of thoughts he was just having before she spoke up.


    ''I didn''t expect her to be so upfront about her feelings so quickly.''


    "Even though they''re racist towards me, and treat me horribly, I still want to help them no matter what. It''s crazy, right?"


    "No, it''s not." Rey shook his head. "You''re just a good person, Esme."


    A good person who desired some form of validation from her own people.


    ''As much as I understand that, however¡­'' Rey slowly began to prepare his heart as he took in a deep breath.


    "We need to focus on the mission for now."


    As soon as Esme heard this, she nodded and quickly shook off whatever emotion that was slowly rising within her.


    "Yeah, you''re right!" She spoke up with determination. "So tell me¡­ how did your meeting with The Oracle go? Something tells me it didn''t go so well."


    Rey sighed, causing Esme to get even more curious.


    "What? She didn''t even speak to you at all?"


    "No, she did, but¡­" Rey thought really hard about how to word what happened to Esme, and even considered whether or not to share his own worries about it to her.


    However, after deliberate considerations, he simply chose to be honest with her.


    "... The Oracle wants to see you."


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    The time hase... finally! For real this time!


    Also... I hope you enjoyed this Mini Mass Release...


    Thanks so much for supporting me!

 Chapter 655 Linked Connection

    Chapter 655 Linked Connection


    ??"How strange¡­"


    After hearing all of Rey''s detailed narration of everything that happened in the Shrine, those words naturally proceeded from Esme''s lips.


    "Right? I thought about it for so long, but it still makes no sense to me."


    "Yeah¡­" Esme mumbled. "Why would they request for me specifically? I''m the hated Half Elf vermin, after all¡­"


    "Well, I think¡ª"


    "Guess we''ll find out once I ask them." She interrupted Rey, snapping her fingers once she made her choice.


    "Wait, Esme. It''s actually dangerous to¡ª!"


    "I know what''s going on in your mind. It''s possible that they want to execute me or something. However, all of this lies in conjecture. Are you really willing to throw away all your efforts thus far for just that?"


    Rey had a rather conflicted expression on his face. He wanted to open his lips to say "Maybe?" but something stopped him from speaking out loud.


    Esme smiled as soon as she saw this, shrugging a little nonchntly. "It''s fine, Rey! I also have many questions I want to ask this Oracle person, so it''s a win-win for both of us."


    It almost seemed like Esme was the one trying to convince Rey to go at this point. Thetter understood why she was doing it, and instantly realized that being more difficult would only be an insult to her resolve.


    "Thanks, Esme¡­ really."


    "I believe I owe you even more thanks." She beamed with a smile. "I guess I really was relevant to this whole adventure, after all!"


    Reyughed upon hearing this. "Yeah, I guess I''ll have to thank Aterter. He always has such good sense on matters like this."


    "Yup! You should! Do you think he predicted that this would happen?"


    "Pfft! No way!"


    The two continued in this good spirit as they increased their pace, their attention fixed on the path ahead that led to their goal.


    ¡ªThe Elven Shrine.


    **********


    The Elven Shrine was deserted at the point when Rey and Esme arrived, much to their relief.


    There was no need for any kinds of formality, so they both simply sped into the outer court andnded on the hallowed grounds.


    "You ready?" Rey turned to Esme, who had already done away with her hood and was wearing her usual white robe and the rest of her gear.


    "Yup!"


    As soon as she said this, they were transported to the inner sanctum by Rey''s Skill. The statue stood in its usual position, and the general ambiance remained the same¡ªsolemn, calm, and silent.


    But, all of that was soon shattered.


    "A-arrrghhh!" Esme let out a sharp cry as she fell to the ground, clutching her head the second she entered the sanctum.


    "E-Esme¡ª?!"


    Rey instantly rushed to her side, holding her tight before she fell to her knees. Her expression depicted something akin to pain, but it was more as though she was overwhelmed by something strong.


    "What''s happening to you? Can you say something?"


    Esme couldn''t speak coherent words. She just kept groaning as her body slightly convulsed.


    Using his Appraisal to check her Status Window, Rey couldn''t see her Life Force or any other Stat of hers being affected, so he was reluctant to think this was an attack.


    He did notice a Status Condition, though.


    ~Status Condition: Linked Connection (Extreme)~


    ''Is this the connection all Elves have with The Oracle? Is Esme feeling it all at once now because she''s in the Shrine?''


    Rey had no answers, and he feared that taking her out now wouldpletely disrupt whatever process was taking ce


    ¡ªespecially if it could be beneficial.


    Still¡­ he didn''t want to see Esme in any more pain.


    "What the hell are you doing Oracle? Stop hurting Esme!" He yelled out, but was met with no response.


    That was thest straw for him.


    ''For all I know, she could be attacking Esme''s soul or something. There''s no guarantee that any of this is positive!'' He gritted his teeth and enveloped the both of them in his Mana.


    ''Let''s get out of here!''


    ~ZZZZTTTZZ!~


    A barrier suddenly manifested within the shrine, shrouding both Rey and Esme in its brilliant white and blue glory.


    That wasn''t all, though.


    ''What''s happening? Why can''t I teleport out?!'' A bead of sweat formed on Rey''s face as slight hints of panic began to seep out of his facade.


    ''Damnit! Damnit!! Damnit!!!''


    All of those overwhelming feelings were swiftly suppressed, but he couldn''t help but constantly feel the anxiety rise as he found the crying Esme and him stuck in the barrier.


    Before he could think of something else¡ªlike destroying the barrier with brute force¡ªa bright light suddenly covered everything and everyone around.


    Thest thing Rey saw in the Shrine was the face of the statue staring intently at Esme; almost as if it hade alive.


    "What the hell are you¡ª?!"


    ~SHIIIIIINNNGGG!~


    A rush coursed through Rey''s body. It almost felt like the kind of sensation when he switched zones or teleported to a new location.


    Perhaps both of those.


    "U-urghh¡­" Esme''s light groans entered his ears, and he swiftly opened his eyes to see her recoiling from all that sharp and overwhelming sensation that she felt moments earlier.


    She was still in his arms, so he clutched her tightly and looked around and ahead of himself at the same time.


    ''T-this ce¡­ where are we?''


    It seemed like a golden pce, with golden pirs in multiple positions, leading high into the ceiling above. The ce was akin to a cathedral, but one designed with the immacte prestige of a pce.


    It was most beautiful.


    Then, Rey felt a presence thatpletely turned his world upside down.


    His perception blurred, and he felt weakness seep through his body as soon as the scent trickled into his nose. Goosebumps began to manifest all over his body as the figure manifested right in front of him.


    ¡­ In the form of a woman d in the most pristine robe.


    "You really are not The Hero." The woman whispered with her soft, melodious voice as she cast her icy blue gaze on Rey.


    "How strange¡­"


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    We finally meet The Oracle! I wonder how this whole exchange will y out.

 Chapter 656 The Oracle

    Chapter 656 The Oracle


    She was perfect.


    Her hair was pure white, whiter than snow. She had sparkling blue eyes, more precious than any gem that ever existed. A light veil stood firm on her face, decorated by jewels that glittered with gold and blue. Her white robe was alsoplemented with golden decors and jewels that were reminiscent of the deep blue sea.


    Her long ears stuck out of her veil and hair, and her cute¡ªcold, silent, and calm¡ªbeauty made everything around her blur inparison.


    The world around her was a golden cathedral-like pce, with candle-lights and sacred lightings giving everything a luster of mysterious sanctity.


    Still, none was more mysterious or sanctified than she was.


    As her gaze connected to Rey, he felt an electrifying sensation course through his whole body.


    Never in all his life had he met a more beautiful woman, and he doubted he would ever be able to. Her whole identity was carved from perfection itself.


    No, she was perfection.


    Her scent was the strongest, and it was also the sweetest. None came close¡ªnot by a long shot. Rey found himself nearly losing himself in all of it, but managed to retain his sanity andplete consciousness as he stared at her in silence.


    ''T-this¡­ is the Oracle?'' He swallowed his saliva, feeling his heart race as he held Esme tightly to himself.


    Ever since heid eyes on her, he already recognized something.


    ¡­ Something difficult to dismiss.


    ''Why does she look so much like Esme?!''


    Their resemnce didn''t stop at noticeable features like the hair or eyes, but also facial features and the overall aura they presented. She looked like a more mature and refined version of the girl he had in his arms.


    Perhaps a long-lost rtive? A big sister? A cousin? A mother? No¡­ maybe not.


    Compared to Esme, this woman that stood before Rey was leagues above. She existed in a realm far from other Elves¡ªtruly worthy to be revered as a deity.


    ''Calm yourself, Rey. Calm down¡­'' He maintained a stable, consistent breath, finally reaching a point ofposure where he could utter words to the woman before him.


    Before he could mouth anything, though¡ª


    "Y-you¡­ why do I look so much like you?" Esme muttered, her eyes wide open as she looked at The Oracle with a stupefied expression.


    ''A-ah! She''s opened her eyes already? I was so upied with my thoughts that I didn''t notice!''


    Rey looked at Esme with a bit of worry¡ªor perhaps a little more than that¡ªconsidering how shocking it would be for her. Even though he didn''t understand what was happening, he wasn''t the one who would be the most confused.


    As he struggled for the words to say, or whether he should even speak at all, to the stunned Esme, they both heard the words of the woman once again.


    "Wee to my home." Her voice was the sweetest thing imaginable, almost causing Rey to feel a sensation course through all parts of his body.


    It was nearly orgasmic in a sense, but he quickly limated to the sensation.


    "You did as I instructed and brought her here. Now that you have an audience with me, you may speak." Rey found himself nearly sweating buckets as he stared at The Oracle''s stoic eyes, watching her emotionless demeanor as she addressed the two of them.


    ''Esme is understandably shocked, and so am I. But¡­ I don''t know when next I''ll have a chance like this again, and I can''t dawdle on this task!'' Tightly clenching his fist, he braced himself with all the resolve he could muster and decided to finally speak up.


    "It is as I told you from the shrine. I am an Otherworlder, and one of my friends has been cursed with a deep sleep she can not wake up from. I desperately need your assistance in curing her of this curse."


    The Oracle listened to all he said in calm silence.


    Rey took this time to pour out his heart, though still holding Esme close to him for some reason. His loud voice echoed in the immacte hall, and while both he and Esme appeared to be a stain within The Oracle''s world, she paid him rapt attention.


    She listened to all he said. Until finally¡­


    "That is all. Please, Oracle, help my friend!" Rey concluded his words, even going as far as finally letting go of Esme and bowing before the deity that stood in front of him.


    His desperation was palpable, and The Oracle could see every ounce of it. Surely, his sincerity would speak to her no matter the¡ª


    "No."


    As soon as Rey heard the answer that The Oracle rendered to him, his eyes twitched, widening slowly as he processed the information.


    "H-huh¡­?"


    "I can''t just lift the curse of your friend. And so, I refuse your request."


    Rey felt his heart racing even quicker than usual. All of it was instantly suppressed. As the final embers of reverence towards The Oracle turned into rage, and was snuffed out by The System, he found himself in an instant rollercoaster of emotions.


    As much as he tried to hide it, he was already gritting his teeth. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Why¡­?" His voice trailed as he began to breathe heavily.


    "I simply can not¡ª"


    "Bullshit!" Before Rey realized it, he had raised his voice, as well as his head, staring point-nk at The Oracle that stood before him.


    "I can see your Status Window. I know you have a Skill that can help me aplish that!" He yelled out, his face a mix of desperation and sheer annoyance.


    Rey already knew this wasn''t the best way to ask for favors¡ªespecially from an entity like The Oracle.


    But he was at his wit''s end here.


    He had fulfilled all the necessary conditions and finally came so close to his goal. The Oracle indeed had the power to help him.


    So why¡­?


    "Why won''t you do anything if you have all it takes?!"


    [STATUS WINDOW] - Name: The Oracle


    - Race: High Elf (Transcendent)


    - ss: Guardian Of H''Trae (SS-Tier)


    - Level: 999 (Max) - Life Force: 999,999


    - Mana Level: 999,9999


    - Combat Ability: 999,999


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [irvoyance]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Voice Of The World]. [Curse Of The World].[All Magic]. [Perfect Domain]. [Link Connection]


    - Alignment: Lawful Neutral


    [Additional Information]


    The guardian of the world, and herald of the will of Nature. They are the protector of bnce, and the deity of the Elves.


    Do not ever make this one your enemy.


    [End Of Information]

 Chapter 657 Web Of Intricacy

    Chapter 657 Web Of Intricacy


    ''S-she''s impossible!''


    That was Rey''s initial thought when he saw her Status Window. This was the second time in his life that he would see an SS-Tier entity, and thest time that happened¡­ things didn''t end so well for him.


    ''All her Skills are in the SS-Tier, and her Exclusive Skill is just like mine. It''s SSS¨CTier!'' His eyes nearly widened as soon as he realized he couldn''t see through its details.


    No matter how perfect his Perfect Divine Appraisal was, there was a certain limit to it. It couldn''t appraise anything within the SSS-Tier, which meant any Skill or ss that Rey couldn''t properly examine was in that realm.


    ''[irvoyance], huh? What does that mean, really?'' Could she see everything going on in H''Trae anytime she wanted? Or did it have to do with an ability to see through the past, present, and future? Rey wanted to know so badly¡ªat least, that was until The Oracle told him "No."


    After hearing that, he could no longer hold his thoughts back.


    "You have so much power¡­ so much authority¡­ and yet you allow all of this to happen? You won''t heal my friend even though you can! You won''t protect the Elves even though you can! You¡­ I don''t understand!"


    Rey remembered the sleeping body of Alicia that he left behind in the Capital, just as he remembered the several Elves who suffered before his very eyes due to the raging war.


    ''I don''t get it! Even if you look down on other Races, why would you allow the Elves to go through that?!'' It made no sense to Rey.


    "You are too small and inexperienced to understand these things." The Oracle told him in a monotone,pletely unfazed by his shouts and screams.


    Within a second, Rey''s anger vanished and his emotions returned to perfect serenity.


    "I understand that if you have the power to do something for the ones you have a duty to, then you should!"


    With The Oracle''s power, she would easily be able to snap her fingers and all the Dragons on the Eastern Continent would meet their end. Yet¡­ she did nothing.


    "Perhaps. But¡­ that would ultimately solve nothing."


    "What?"


    "The will of the world must prevail. The flow must be followed, and its rightful end must be reached. One way¡­ or the other."


    "What are you saying?" Rey''s gritted teeth were exposed at this point, but The Oracle ignored them.


    "The mere fact that I possess this power does not provide me the obligation to use it as I see fit. It ultimately solves nothing."


    "How? I think it solves plenty!"


    "Do you want this world to be destroyed, Rey Skr?" As soon as The Oracle said those words, Rey shivered slightly.


    ''She knows my name. Did she check my Status? Appraisal wasn''t part of her Skill-set, but maybe it''s a function of [irvoyance].''


    It was also possible that she heard someone call him that in the Land of The Elves, since she could apparently see everything happening in it.


    Or maybe¡­


    "No. I don''t want this world to be destroyed." Rey responded.


    "Then pay rapt attention. If I interfere, then The Dragon Emperor will interfere, and that will ultimately lead to the destruction of this world as you know it."


    "What are you talking abou¡ª?!"


    "Reset. Whatever I can see and respond to, he can always reset. Just as I am fated to protect this world, he is fated to destroy it. It is an endless dance that we have both decided to sit out and let our pieces y."


    "Reset? Your¡­ pieces? I don''t under¡ª"


    "You are one of my pieces, Rey Skr. You will fight for the salvation of this world, and you will ultimately fail."


    "What?!"


    "The Hero is the one who was meant toe here. But you are not The Hero, and this isn''t yet the right time."


    "Ado¡ª?"


    "This dance is forever. It keeps going on and on. A never-ending spiral, a web of intricacy. I can do as much to stop it as you can. Do you understand?"


    "That''s what I''ve been trying to answer! I don''t understand!" Rey responded with sheer frustration. All of those emotions simmered down quickly too.


    "You will ultimately fail, Rey Skr. You won''t be able to save this world, just as you won''t be able to save your friend."


    "No¡­ no, what the hell are you saying? Did you see the future or something? Tell me if you have then! Tell me what you see!"


    "There is no ''future'' to see. There is only this moment, and what it will lead to. Time isn''t the way you think. There really is no past or present or future. There is only what is and what isn''t." "...?!"


    "What will happen has already happened, but you are yet to see it." N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Just as dead stars still shone radiant in the night sky, their demise unable to be noticed by those who cast their gaze upon them until the fullness of ''time'', so was the future already a certainty¡­ waiting to happen.


    But Rey could not understand any of these things. Or¡­ perhaps he didn''t want to.


    Did the words of The Oracle frighten him so much that he turned off his imagination, blocking it from fully internalizing all that he was being told.


    "If what will happen has already happened, then doesn''t that mean all action is meaningless? I don''t understand! Are you saying all our actions have already been decided? If so, then what is the point of doing anything?!"


    The Oracle, for the first time since the start of their conversation, leaked a small smile and let out a small giggle.


    "What is the point indeed¡­"


    Herughter seemed genuine, but terribly sad. Her gleaming blue eyes looked at Rey with a particr form of mncholy.


    ¡ªOne he could not yetprehend.


    "Fine. I believe you¡­" Rey whispered, inhaling deeply as he looked at The Oracle in the eyes.


    "Then you¡ª"


    "If it''s all meaningless anyway, then just cure my friend and let me be on my way! Nothing matters, right? Then anything goes, doesn''t it?"


    "...."


    "Oracle, I ask you again¡­" Rey took a step forward, this time not bowing or disying any kind of subservience to the one before him.


    It was just pure determination fueled by stubborness.


    "... Save my friend!"

 Chapter 658 The Oracles Offer

    Chapter 658 The Oracle''s Offer


    "I do not deny my ability to grant your desire. I can indeed cure your friend of that which ails her."


    The Oracle''s response to Rey was cold, and the tiny smile that formed on her face slowly faded away, leaving behind the cold demeanor she had not too long before. Rey noticed this, but his stubbornness made him unable to give up.


    "Then¡ª"


    "However, just because I can do something doesn''t mean I should." The Oracle said in a rather detached tone.


    "If you are so desperate for my assistance, then perhaps I can propose some sort of arrangement¡ªa trade of sorts."


    Rey raised his eyebrows a little, but his suspicions didn''t stop him from jumping on the opportunity as soon as he heard what was being said. "What trade?!"


    "I will require a sacrifice from you in order to fulfill your request. I wonder if you possess sufficient resolve for that."


    "Sacrifice¡­?" Rey was beginning to have bad feelings about what he was hearing. Still, he hade too far to turn back at this point. And so, as he swallowed and readied himself for whatever The Oracle would tell him, he asked the question.


    "What sacrifice?"


    Her hand moved slowly, and she pointed her finger in a particr direction¡ªtowards the girl that stood behind him.


    "The Half Elf girl. Hand her over, and I will cure your friend."


    "H-huh¡­?"


    Somehow, Rey had already expected this oue. His surprise now was more fabricated than genuine when considering how obvious The Oracle''s interests were from the start.


    It was clear that Esme and the woman before him shared some connection. The Oracle''s desire to have her further proved the point.


    But¡­ why? What was the connection?


    "Why do you want Esme?" Rey asked, his voice trembling slightly. "Is there nothing else you desire?"


    "That is none of your business, Rey Skr."


    He already knew she would respond in such a way, yet he asked the question. At this point, he could no longer stall for time or try to push the issue in any other direction.


    He had reached an eventual deadlock after prolonging the inevitable for so long.


    "I¡­"


    "Think about it, Rey Skr. I am more than willing and able to offer you what you desire. Is that not why you came to this Land?"


    "...."


    "All you have to do is hand her over, and I will grant your wish."


    Rey stared hard at The Oracle, allowing the tension he felt to permeate the room for a moment. The choice presented to him was evidently too difficult.


    If he gave up Esme, then he would have Alicia, and perhaps obtain a Skill that would remove his need of The Oracle forever. But, if he chose Esme, nothing would change about his current circumstances.


    The choice¡­ was it that difficult?


    It wasn''t for Rey. The answer was already obvious to him. He just needed enough time to think about the follow-up before responding with the only reply he could possibly give.


    "I refuse!"


    "Oh? Having a change of heart? Perhaps you are not as desperate as I imagined¡­" As she said this, Rey resorted to an option he prayed would work.


    Removing all his spatialyers, he released his full scent into the area. So far, it had worked on all the Elves, helping him solve certain problems that would take forever to aplish.


    If that could work on the stubborn Elves, he hoped it would have at least some effect on The Oracle.


    Unfortunately, it did not.


    "Hm? Did you just do something?" She asked, cocking her head to the side a little.


    In all honesty, Rey felt a little mortified by her response to the only n he could think of to get her on his side. It was painful, but didn''t he already expect this?


    ''Her scent was overpowering at first, but thankfully I''ve adapted to it. I should have expected her to be unaffected by my scent since she''s much stronger than me.''


    Her Stats were unreal, and her Skills basically made her a walking cheat code.


    ''She has a higher ss than I do, and she has an SSS-Tier Skill too. I have more Skills than her overall, but what good would that do for me here?'' He swallowed hard as he tried to think of something¡ªanything¡ªthat he could do.


    "Can I ask a question¡­?" Rey mumbled as he did his best to observe The Oracle''s stoic face.


    She shrugged in response.


    "You mentioned how I''m not the one meant to see you. That it''s the Hero¡­"


    "Indeed."


    "So¡­ do you know about Adonis?"


    "Indeed. He is a stranger here."


    "You mean¡­ an Otherworlder?" Rey raised his brow as he watched The Oracle''s expression change ever so slightly.


    "Well, there''s that too. In any case¡­ why are you here instead of him?"


    "I don''t know. I didn''t know he was the one meant to see you. I don''t even know where he is right now." "I see¡­"


    Rey licked his lips a little and attempted yet another question. Depending on the answer, he would know what to do next.


    "If Adonis¡­ the Hero¡­ was the one that came here to make his request, would you fulfill his request?"


    The Oracle smiled a little as soon as she heard the question.


    It almost felt like she read his mind.


    "I would. He is The Hero, after all. The central piece of mine, and the one who will lead all the other pieces to the enemy''s camp."


    As soon as he heard this, Rey realized he wasn''tpletely out of options.


    ''If I find Adonis and tell him to help out with Alicia''s case by asking The Oracle to help her, then the problem is solved!'' n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Still, there was one more question on his mind.


    "What piece am I on your board?" The Oracle, for the first time, dyed in her response. She observed him for a moment,pletely silent.


    Finally, she parted her lips and let out the words.


    "I¡­ do not know."

 Chapter 659 Destiny

    Chapter 659 Destiny


    "You don''t know?"


    At this point, Rey raised one of his brows in confusion as even more curiosity ate at him.


    ''Is it because of my Singrity ss? Am I special in a sense?'' His Additional Information did say he possessed the interest of the World¡­ whatever that meant.


    "It seems your role remains undecided. Perhaps you will be chosen as the next catalyst? Perhaps some kind of Beast? Either way, you are of no real relevance to the current issue at hand, and yet¡­ you possess one of the six Primeval Skills."


    "What?!"


    The Oracle''s answer waspletely different from what he expected.


    ''I''m not relevant to H''Trae? What does that even mean? If the Primeval Skills are just six, and so far¡­ I know only Adrien and The Oracle have them, then doesn''t that make me incredibly important?'' n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Based on how The Oracle spoke of The Dragon Emperor, it was most likely that he also had one Primeval Skill.


    ''For some reason, I can''t remember the rest of the Primeval Skills I saw on the list that Seraph showed. Other than Skill Creation, I don''t know any in any detail. I suppose it makes sense, since I wasn''t able to afford them.''


    Regardless, if they were only six, and they had the highest rank in H''Trae, then he had to be one of the lead pieces in whatever game this was¡ªnot that he even liked the idea at all.


    Rey simply wanted to wrap his head around the issue.


    ''And what does she mean by Beast? As in I''ll be summoned to another world as a Beast? Is it the same way Ater and Emil were summoned here? I have so many questions at this point!''


    As Rey opened his lips to ask his next question, The Oracle raised her finger tomand silence.


    ''Damnit!''


    "I do not want to kill the girl, if that is what you are worried about. In fact, it is quite the opposite." The Oracle shifted her gaze to Esme for a few seconds, causing her to jump a little despite her long period of staying still.


    She returned her gaze to Rey and continued.


    "I desire for Esme to take my ce as the new Oracle. As the new guardian of this world¡­ and keeper of the bnce."


    Jaws fell the moment Rey and Esme heard this.


    In a way, it now made sense why Esme and The Oracle looked alike. If they were connected by some sort of role, in which the former was meant toe into, then it followed.


    But, that didn''t make it any less jarring.


    "I understand your confusion, but perhaps I ought to enlighten you. Doing so might allow you to make a more informed decision." She nced at Esme once again and made a small smile.


    "You too."


    There was a reason for their connection, and it was the same reason why Esme felt such a powerful link to The Oracle once they entered the Shrine¡ªalmost like feedback.


    "You are a part of me, Esme."


    *************


    Elves are special.


    From the moment they are conceived, and then brought into this world, they are deemed to possess immense value.


    Part of this reason is because of their deep connection to the world, and how they are often favored by its Laws. They are granted an unnatural lifespan, as well as an absurd growth rate and talent despite being lousy at intense work.


    However, there is another reason.


    That is because, hidden within every Elf is a ''seed''. The potential to be a High Elf, a transcendent deity that is closer to The Oracle than anything else.


    This ''seed'' is in their genes¡ªusuallytent¡ªuntil a certain cycle passes, and then one out of the hundreds of thousands of Elves conceives a child who awakens this potential.


    One of said children was Ci.


    She was born with natural white hair, blue eyes, and a certain aroma that was sweeter than every other Elf despite being just a child.


    From the moment she was born, everyone whoid eyes on her instantly realized that she was the one spoke of in Legends. Most Elves present were not old enough to remember thest High Elf that graced theirnds, so they constantly looked at Ci in wonder.


    The few who understood, however¡ªled by the High Elder of the time¡ªguided the young one.


    They taught her well, separating her from the rest.


    She had a glorious destiny awaiting her, and she would have to one day fulfill it. Ci matured and became an Elder¡ªeven going as far as bing a member of the Esteemed Council. She was drawing closer and closer to her destiny, and excitement was palpable within the Community.


    But then, without any reason whatsoever, she deserted the Elven Community.


    Perhaps she felt a little suffocated. She had been taught very strictly her whole life, so it was possible she needed some semnce of freedom. The reason didn''t really matter, in all honesty.


    What mattered was that she left.


    Of course, the Elders were dispatched to seek her out. She was far too valuable¡ªmuch too special¡ªto be lost in such an absurd way.


    It took about a week, but they finally tracked her down and found her.


    But, by then¡­ it was already toote.


    Ci had already been defiled by the humans. It was a gangrape, and several of the humans had all decided to have a taste of the exotic flower they hadid eyes on for the first time in their whole lives.


    It didn''t end well for the humans, though.


    Yes, they got to have their fun, but afterwards, Ci¡­ Ci went on a rampage and did the unforgivable.


    She ughtered all of those humans!


    It was among their corpses and entrails that the Elders found Ci. She was naked, bare, exposed; standing at the center of such gory horror.


    An insane smile was on her face when they saw her, clearly convincing everyone who saw her that she had finally descended into the realm of madness.


    Her purity was gone, along with the final vestiges of her sanity.


    Ci could no longer fulfill her destiny¡ªas an Elf, nor as the new Oracle. No one had any high hopes for her¡­ or the little abomination that was growing within her womb.


    The Half-Breed vermin that would soon be born.

 Chapter 660 Purity

    Chapter 660 Purity


    "Your mother, Ci, became impure for the role of Oracle the moment she took those lives and became impure."


    The Oracle told the story in a rather detached tone. While there were hints of sadness here and there, it seemed to stem more out of frustration rather than pity towards the Elf of discussion.


    "M-my mother was¡­? I still can''t believe this¡­" Esme''s whispers were stifled.


    She cupped both her palms over her mouth as she listened with intensely rising emotion, staring straight at The Oracle as she continued listening to what she was being told.


    "She was appropriately punished for what she did, and the child in her womb was going to be executed the moment she was born. But¡­"


    "But what?!" Esme''s widened eyes stretched even further as she awaited a response.


    "Ci managed to convince one of her closest friends at the time¡ªthe only one who didn''t look at her with scorn after her mistake¡ªto help her safely deliver the baby to the human nation."


    "Let me guess¡­ Feralia?" Rey''s voice echoed within the hall as he narrowed his eyes while speaking.


    The Oracle nodded slowly.


    "Indeed. Feralia was conflicted about her choice and approached my Shrine for guidance. I could have told her, at the time, to execute you on the spot¡­" The Oracle looked at Esme with a slight look ofpassion.


    "But I didn''t. Imanded Feralia to spare you and send you off to the human world."


    Esme was speechless as she heard this. It was clear she wanted to know more, and she had millions of questions running simultaneously in her mind, with no idea where or how to begin asking them.


    "Why did I spare your life, you might ask? Well¡­ it could be the very same reason why I decided to intervene in the moment of your despair and grant you those powers when you needed them the most."


    Esme instantly remembered what The Oracle was referring to.


    Back then¡­ when she discovered the deaths of her friends and family¡­ she heard a voice. It seemed to be a message from the System, but it also felt different.


    It felt personal.


    "That System notification back then¡­ that was you?!"


    "Indeed." The Oracle nodded. "I cured you of part of your inferior genes and allowed you to awaken some aspects of your natural heritage. I allowed you the strength to make your choice and grow strong."


    If that was indeed the case, then it had certain implications¡ªthe most important one being what The Oracle went on to state.


    "I have been watching you for your whole life, Esme. I did not interfere with your life, just as I do not with your Sisters, but I have keenly observed you all this time." The Oracle smiled.


    Her smile this time was so captivating and motherly that even Rey felt his heart tremble and race as he observed the whole exchange.


    "It was thanks to his assistance that you were able to return here¡ªto your home¡ªwhich is why I decided to have an audience with him despite not being the Hero¡­ no offense, Rey Skr."


    "I-I understand¡­"


    Rey''s irrelevance had been emphasized time and time again by The Oracle that he was pretty much used to it despite not really understanding how that could be the case.


    He was the most powerful Otherworlder at the moment, and he had to be most instrumental in taking down The Dragon Emperor. He was humanity''s biggest shot.


    Yet, to The Oracle, he wasn''t even a piece on her table at all.


    ''It seems the most important person in this story is Esme. Adonis ys a major part too, it seems¡­''


    Despite having so much power, Rey had never felt so much like an Extra as he did in this particr moment.


    But, that didn''t mean he didn''t have thoughts.


    "Esme has killed people, you know?" Rey finally blurted out his thoughts, elucidating yet another implication of The Oracle''s choice to aid Esme.


    As grateful as Rey was for her assistance, it opened some holes in her story. Not only was The Oracleplicit in the deaths of so many humans, but her new heir also had a lot of blood on her hands.


    "Also, Esme is a Half Elf, isn''t she? Doesn''t that make her impure by your standards? Ah, no offense, Esme." Rey swiftly turned to her as he uttered those words.


    "N-no, I was just thinking of that too." She raised both her hands in protest of his apology. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    It seemed the two were considering the same thing: Esme should have naturally been disqualified from the position of Oracle based on the current ws she had.


    But¡ª


    "Those sins youmitted can be med on the human aspect of yourself. It is why I allowed you to go ahead; as you still had taints yet to be removed."


    Rey said nothing, but he made a silent observation about how racist The Oracle was being towards humans. ''It''s no wonder the Elves are this messed up. They followed her example.''


    "Esme¡­ I can make you whole. Just as I removed the limiters holding you back, I can also turn you into a full Elf." As soon as The Oracle said this, Esme''s expression changed from surprise and confusion to downright shock.


    Her mouth was agape and her expression depicted nothing short of stupefaction.


    "Afterpletely getting rid of your human side, including all of the sins youmitted with it, you will be pure." The Oracle''s smile broadened slightly, her small and moist lips beckoning to Esme.


    "Once that happens, you will undergo the process of bing my heir¡­ and Rey Skr here can have his cure for the friend he came here for."


    In essence, this was the best-case scenario¡ªone that benefited everyone in the room.


    For a moment, silence reigned supreme, and the three parties stared at each other in what resembled a three-way deadlock.


    Then, The Oracle caused her sweet voice to be sent forth as a question.


    "So¡­ what do you say to that? Do you ept my offer?"

 Chapter 661 Dissent

    Chapter 661 Dissent


    "I refuse!"


    Rey''s answer was the same as thest time, and for good reason.


    ''I still don''t trust this Oracle character. If Esme bes like that¡­ will she really still be Esme? There''s a lot we don''t even know, so making an informed decision right now is impossible¡­''


    There was also the fact that he already knew of another way to get The Oracle to do what he wanted. All he had to do was find Adonis and convince him to ask her to save Alicia.


    ''The easy part is convincing him. I''ll have to find him first.'' Rey thought to himself, but still considered that to be a much more solid n than literally selling Esme off.


    Thest reason¡ªcertainly not the least one¡ªon his mind was that Esme would no longer be with him if she became The Oracle.


    Yes, it was a little too selfish, which was why Rey didn''t want to give it so much priority.


    But¡­ that was just how he felt.


    ''Will she be stuck in this ce for the rest of her life? I¡­ I don''t want that for her!''


    All of these things were happening too fast, and rather than jumping right on it¡ªtaking The Oracle at her word¡ªit was best to have a proper conversation with Esme about it.


    ''At this point, we should just leave this ce, and¡ª''


    "I wasn''t asking you, Rey Skr." The Oracle''s voice woke Rey from his thoughts, and that was when he noticed her gaze was on Esme.


    He also noticed that Esme was yet to give a coherent response. Based on how she looked, though, he could already guess what she would say.


    "Esme, wai¡ª!" N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "I ept your offer." Her voice flowed very fluidly, and her blue eyes shone with determination as she looked ahead.


    In a sh, Rey rushed towards her, holding her by both shoulders as he shoved his face close to hers in an attempt to reason with her.


    "What are you doing? You can''t make such a decision on the spot like that!"


    "Why not?"


    "Why not? What are you¡­ what are you saying? Esme, we can''t trust her! This whole deal sounds shady as hell! We should leave ande backter maybe."


    As Rey bombarded Esme with those words, she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. After a few seconds of this, she shrugged Rey''s hold off of her and pulled back from him.


    Stunned by this, Rey took a few steps back as well.


    "Can''t you see that this is for the best, Rey?" She began, turning her gaze towards him so they stared each other in the eyes. "You finally get the cure for Alicia''s curse, and I¡­ I get to be a true Elf and help my people as The Oracle. It''s what we both desperately want."


    "No¡­ not like this!"


    "Why not?! You have a chance to be with the girl you love, and you want to throw it all away?"


    "I-it''s not that simple, Esme!"


    "Seems simple enough to me." She shrugged, taking more steps back as she noticed Rey trying to move towards her. "You should stop trying to sabotage your goal at this point."


    "My goal isn''t the only thing I''m worried about here! You can''t¡ª!"


    "Can''t what? Achieve my own goals? I already told you¡­ this is what I really want! Do you really want to stand in the way of that?"


    "...."


    Rey was rendered speechless by what Esme told him that he had no words to say for a few seconds. The Oracle watched all of this in silence, seeing the palpable tension that existed between the two as they stared hard at each other.


    Then, as the silence evolved and reached a crescendo, Rey whispered words that came deep from his gut and through his itchy throat.


    "You promised¡­ that you weren''t going to leave me."


    Clenching his fist, he stared hard at Esme. Trembling lips prevented him from saying those words coherently or as intensely as he wanted.


    Still, he said them.


    Yes, he knew what he was doing was selfish. Esme was her own person, and she had her own dreams to aplish. But¡­ but Rey couldn''t afford to leave her.


    More importantly, he couldn''t afford her leaving him.


    "Well¡­ you left me first." Esme responded, her tone almost as detached as The Oracle''s as she looked away from him.


    Rey couldn''t as much as croak as he heard those words.


    He wanted to stretch out his hand to reach her, but his hands wouldn''t budge. He wanted to speak, but his throat was too sore. Even when he opened his lips, only hollow air proceeded out of them.


    Perhaps all of this was because Rey knew he was right.


    ''I have no excuse¡­ no reason or justification that could outweigh her current choice.'' His thoughts trailed.


    He didn''t want to be too selfish. How could he tell her to abandon her own dreams, especially if he also got something out of it.


    Who did he think he was? How dare he do something like that?


    And yet¡­ yet why did he feel a strong feeling in his heart that he should just open his mouth and scream at the top of his lungs that he wasn''t going to let her go?


    Why did he feel this burning desire? This overwhelming feeling that supposedly granted him the right to refuse her?


    Was that enough justification, though.


    "I¡­ I¡­"


    Of course, it wasn''t.


    "The deal has already been established in my eyes. There is no room for any dissent or disagreement on your part, Rey Skr." The Oracle''s voice interrupted his hollow, pathetic excuse for a response.


    "Since there is no further use for you, I will now be evicting you from my domain. Once you return to the Shrine, I shall provide you with the means to cure your dear friend."


    "No¡­" Rey''s whisper was so faint that not even The Oracle picked it up the first time.


    "What was that?" She asked.


    "I said no." Raising his head high, while staring hard at The Oracle, he controlled his quivering lips and let his words flow straight from his gut.


    "I''m not leaving here without Esme!"

 Chapter 662 Clash Within The Domain

    Chapter 662 sh Within The Domain


    "You¡­"


    As Rey''s defiant voice rang out in the hall, the Oracle''s neutral face depicted a light frown. She furrowed her brows, causing creases to appear on her face while staring hard at the defiant human.


    "... You weren''t given a choice in the matter."


    ~ZZZTZ!~


    All of a sudden, a glitchy effect manifested around Rey¡ªalmost as though space itself was copsing on him.


    However, within the fraction of a moment, he removed himself from that position and teleported a few meters from the spatial disturbance.


    Swiftly turning his face from the glitch to The Oracle, he could already deduce what had just happened.


    "Tch." Her clicking tongue added more to his suspicions.


    "You just tried to evict me by force, didn''t you?" Rey asked, a deep re forming on his face as he began to address The Oracle with enmity.


    "Yes. Your purpose here has been consummated, and you have be an eyesore."


    Rey gritted his teeth as he watched The Oracle''s condescending gaze upon him. A lot of emotions swirled within him, including a certain tinge of regret.


    ''I shouldn''t have brought Esme here. I knew something was shady from the start, but if I could have known it was this bad, then¡­'' He briefly nced at Esme, who was busy sighing and shaking her head.


    "Rey, just stop."


    Despite hearing her saying those words to him, he just couldn''t stop and listen.


    ''I know I''m being selfish, Esme. But¡­ we need to talk about this at length first. This is all just happening too fast. We could be making the wrong call here¡­''


    Rey wondered if he was the one being unreasonable? He just didn''t want to quickly abandon their bond the moment they found something convenient.


    Was that so bad?


    Yet, the res he received from both sides¡ªEsme and The Oracle¡ªsomehow told him he was in the wrong.


    "If you stubbornly choose to remain here, then¡­"


    Rey''s full attention returned to The Oracle as soon as he heard this, but once he turned to her location, she was nowhere to be found.


    It was almost as though every trace of her had been removed.


    "... You leave me no choice."


    Once Rey heard that voice, his instincts screamed at him, and he obeyed them instantly.


    ~WHOOSH!~


    Like a bolt of lightning, he dashed away from his position, only to find it exploding a tiny momentter.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOM!~


    No debris or shard flew in any direction, but the loud explosion caused the entire area to tremble violently. ''Damn¡­ what an impact.'' Rey couldn''t afford to think, as he swiftly left his position once again, only for sts to appear in those positions that he abandoned.


    He kept doing this, trying to sense patterns in the explosions in an attempt to deduce how they worked. He also strained his eyes very hard to seek out The Oracle.


    ''With my Divine Form, I should be able to at least detect her with my senses. My Eyepatch is off too, so my perception is at its peak right now. Yet¡­ why can''t I see anything?''


    He also couldn''t understand where the explosions wereing from.


    He just kept racing away to avoid the destruction that would certainly not be very pleasant to experience.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    What Rey didn''t understand at the moment was that there was no use searching for The Oracle and the cause of the explosions.


    They were one and the same.


    "Your attempts are futile." He heard a word whisper into his ear, and a hand held his shoulder very softly.


    ''H-huh¡­?''


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    At that moment, a loud explosion enveloped the area where Rey stood, causing him to fall to his knees in a mere instant.


    "G-gahh¡­!" He felt pain, but it swiftly disappeared thanks to his ss Privileges.


    His rational mind instantly entered overdrive as he struggled to make sense of everything and find an escape from the situation he found himself in.


    ''She wasn''t hiding or anything. The reason I wasn''t able to pick her up with my eyes was because she was simply moving too fast!''


    Anytime she stopped moving, an explosion would ur, which Rey constantly avoided.


    Until now, that is.


    "Simply yield. There doesn''t have to be any sort of conflict here, Rey Skr." The Oracle sounded like she couldn''t be bothered by Rey''s resistance.


    She was much stronger than he was, and her experience most likely dwarfed his. The only thing he had going for him was his tenacity and stubbornness.


    But even those¡­ how far could they really take him?


    "I am not leaving here without Esme!" He growled, once again vanishing from his kneeling position before The Oracle could send him back to the Shrine.


    "You''re not going to get rid of me that easily."


    Heaving, as if he was out of breath, Rey recognized he had to take the current matchpletely seriously if he was ever going to win¡ªor even survive.


    ''She''s much stronger than that Divine Beast. I''m lucky that she doesn''t want to kill me, but that doesn''t mean I should getcent about this¡­''


    Once Rey resolved this within himself, he decided to go all out.


    The first thing he activated was [Divine Power Ascension], which ended up boosting his Stats to a heightened degree. He went on to include all the other Buff Skills he recently obtained from the Monsters he killed very recently.


    As he expected, they only caused a small increase in his Stats, but their effects stacking up meant that he was good to go.


    ''Emil, I''ll be needing your assistance here!''


    ~Understood, Master!~


    While Emil didn''t have the Skills he stockpiled in his [Doppel], she could replicate parts of other Monsters and replicate their abilities¡ªmaking her a perfect partner in such a situation.


    ''I''d say we are both stalemated on the Magic front, so that''s canceled. Using [Perfect Divine Ray] might cause her to get very lethal with me, since it''s a kill move. I don''t want her to get too serious¡­''


    Rey could tell that the reason he was getting so much leeway was because she underestimated him.


    He had to keep it that way.


    ''We both have the ability to control our domains, so while I can''t possess everything here, I''ll use [Perfect Domain Of The Divine] to create a considerable space around me for the purpose of overall mobility and also to help me out inbat.''


    Rey still wasn''t done with his assessment.


    ''My defense and regeneration are both in the SS-Tier, and with pain being mitigated to the point of nigh-nullification, I should be able to actually withstand some of her attacks while dealing counters.''


    Then, if he was to focus on benefits, he had [Perfect Divine Martial Supremacy], [Perfect Divine Form], and [Perfect Divine Adaptability] in his arsenal. ying his cards well, he could find a way to somewhat keep up with The Oracle if he dragged things out for long enough.


    Of course, all of this was on the premise that she wouldn''t take him too seriously.


    ''[Unbreakable], along with my other rted Skills, makes up for myck of durabilitypared to her. But, with those pure Stats she just has the superior speed.''


    Rey, no doubt, had the better set of Skills forbat. But¡­ so what?


    From what Dagon showed Rey, Skills were pretty meaningless if one was up against an enemy that was too strong to be bothered by them.


    ''I should focus on perhaps wearing her as thin as possible, then escaping this ce with Esme. If I can learn more about that [irvoyance], and even gain some Skills from her through [Doppel], that would also be good. Still, the primary goal is to secure¡­ Es¡­. me¡­?''


    Rey''s eyes bulged the moment he realized something very fatal.


    ''Where is Esme?!'' He looked around like a crazed man, but found no sign of her in the slightest. His heart raced quickly, but soon calmed down. Beads of sweat formed on his face, but they disappeared in no time.


    His eyes twitched as he felt restlessness try to overtake his ability to remain calm.


    ¡­ All to no avail. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Seems you finally noticed." The Oracle said.


    She stood a distance from him, her regal outfit still shimmering beautifully as it entuated her purity and grace.


    "WHAT DID YOU DO?" Rey asked, gritting his teeth as he clenched his fist.


    "Kept her somewhere isted and safe¡­ away from you."


    "You¡­"


    "Why do you stand in the way of her happiness and your goals? It makes no sense¡­"


    "Let me talk to her."


    "...."


    Rey was on the verge of breaking down as he bowed his head, his clenched fist loosening as he sighed heavily. "Please¡­" The murmur slowly escaped his lips, and as he raised his eyes, he pleaded for mercy.


    Rey didn''t care if he had to kneel, prostrate, or beg a million times.


    He just wanted to talk to Esme. But¡ª


    "No."


    ~WHUUUSH!~


    That instant, several golden des appeared all around Rey Skr¡ªall of them a product of [Divine Weapon Creation]¡ªas he red at The Oracle with desperate rage.


    "I won''t ask again!"

 Chapter 663 Rey Vs The Oracle [Pt 1]

    Chapter 663 Rey Vs The Oracle [Pt 1]


    ??''Divine-Tier weapons should be able to work on her¡­''


    That was Rey''s line of logic when he red at The Oracle, his heart racing as he thought of alternatives to apply to the situation.


    If it came down to it, he could just brace the storm and throw himself into the fight. However, at this point, he decided to be a lot more disengaged from the fight.


    ¡­ All to win.


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    Several des rushed towards The Oracle, their golden edges shimmering brightly as they sparked with ethereal energy.


    One second, they were rushing towards her, and the next¡­ they had all scattered off.


    ''A-ah¡­'' Rey''s eyes widened at the sight, his senses struggling toprehend what had just happened in that split-second.


    ''D-did she just deflect all of them¡­?''


    It took some time to fully process the information, but after Rey closely watched The Oracle and filled in the nks in his head, he arrived at the most possible exnation.


    ''When they were arriving, she dodged and grabbed one of the des and used that to deflect the others.'' He could see her wielding what resembled his Divine Weapon, but it was now covered in white.


    "You should give up now, Rey Skr. There is no possibility of victory for you in this fight."


    "We''ll see about that¡­" Rey summoned a weapon to his hand as well, swinging it to swiftly grow ustomed to its feel.


    He felt its power run through him, and its brilliant propertiesplemented his prowess. Summoning several other weapons around him, he charged forward alongside the several des that currently charged towards The Oracle.


    "Useless¡­"As she swung her hand, ready to do away with the several des that charged towards her in multiple directions, Rey switched ces with one of those des and raised his own de to parry her strike.


    The result was unfortunate.


    ~BOOOOOOOOM!~


    He was sent flying across the hall, his entire body unable to support the weight of her swing.


    "Gahh¡­!"


    It seemed The Oracle was right. There really was no way he could match up to her in terms of Skills and Stats.


    "Huu¡­"


    Rey quickly rose to his feet, vanishing right back to where he stood before.


    ''I''m getting desperate here, but I can''t allow myself to do too much¡­'' He reasoned within himself, his eyes still on The Oracle.


    ''Hey, Emil¡­ separate from me for a moment.''


    ~Okay, Master!~


    That very moment, the Symbiote Slime rose out of Rey''s body and fell on the ground beside him. Her slimy, semi-liquid body bounced slightly as the lights around seemed to reflect on her oily sheen.


    ~GLUP!~


    ''Transform to me.''


    ~Alright, Master¡­~


    In no time at all, Emil became Rey and she resembled him to the utmost of details. At this point, two Reys stood side by side with practically no distinctions.


    Oh, but there was¡­


    ''I''m the only one who can use [Doppel], but everything else is the same. She has all my current Stats, even now that I''m being buffed.''


    Yes, with Emil separated from him, he would lose about half of his Base Stats, but he currently found himself at a disadvantage at the moment.


    ''There''s just more strength in numbers.''


    He would have called Ater, but hismunication device didn''t seem to be functioning at all. Even if he could reach him, Rey didn''t think there was a way Ater would be able to get to this pocket dimension.


    ''In the end, it''s just me and Esme¡­'' He inhaled deeply, readying himself for another round of the fight once again.


    ~What''s the n, Master?~


    Upon hearing that, he shrugged and smiled like a madman. "I don''t know yet!"


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    In a trail of crackling energy and blinding light, the two of them raced towards The Oracle, who wielded the sole white de as she watched the two close in on her.


    Rey took the forefront, while Emil went for her right nk.


    Despite being outnumbered, The Oracle didn''t look bothered at all. Herposure only seemed to intensify as they neared her.


    ~WHHUUUUUUMMM!~


    A sudden blizzard¡ªan amalgamation of wind, ice, and several charges of lightning¡ªsuddenly manifested from the sleight of her hand.


    Its purpose was clear: to obstruct Rey and Emil from reaching her very quickly and coherently.


    Unfortunately for her, she was dealing with Rey¡ªwhose Domain, despite being limited only to his immediate surroundings, was more than enough to protect him from the storm.


    As for Emil, she simply used [Consume] to take in the storm and increase her charge¡ªincreasing her speed with the additional Mana at an astronomical rate.


    "Hm?"


    Before The Oracle realized it, the two hadpletely closed in on her with full intent.


    ~SWISH!~


    Rey swung his golden de, but it was easily blocked by The Oracle. Emil dashed right behind her, though, her arms turning into a sharp de as she thrust it towards The Oracle.


    Another burst of Magic swole from her at that point, but Emil swallowed all of the Mana and pressed on, determined to pierce the target.


    Realizing the futility of using Magic rather quickly, The Oracle used her superior strength to throw Rey aside and use the de to counter Emil in a timely manner.


    ~CLANG!~


    It worked, but the cost was her diversion from Rey.


    Rey used his [Perfect Domain Of The Divine] to switch zones, easily returning to the position he had upied while shing with The Oracle. With her back now turned on him, he considered it to be the perfect time to strike.


    But¡ª


    ~WHUUUUM!~


    In an instant, several spikes rose from the ground and pierced Rey with their golden, sturdy forms.


    There was a nk look on his face through it all, though.


    After all¡­ he wasn''t Rey.


    All along, he was Emil, and the one who seemed to be Emil was Rey.


    ~SLOOOP!~


    In that decisive moment, Emil returned to Rey, further improving his Stats right as The Oracle still blocked his strike.


    The increase in strength was abysmal whenpared to the rtively endless power that she could draw from.


    But, a sudden shift in the bnce was more than enough to allow Rey to twist his body¡ªalmost as if folding paper¡ªand close the gap between him and The Oracle once again.


    He let go of his de and simply charged bare-handed towards her.


    Her eyes remainedposed, and her nk face continued to stare at him as he charged toward her with everything he had. Then, right as he was about to touch her, he felt a certain pressure that prevented him from reaching her.


    "Does this seem familiar?" Her voice suddenly echoed in the air, causing his eyes to bulge even more than before.


    Before he could say anything, he saw a blur and the next thing he felt was a kick on his face that sent him flying backwards.


    His body bounced on the clear floor, until enough distance was covered, before finally sliding for a few more seconds and stopping.


    "Your Zone Layering Technique that you use with your Domain Control. Did you think I wouldn''t be able to do it too? You can Appraise me, so you should know that I have that ability as well."


    Rey gritted his teeth as he slowly rose to his feet.


    "You thought you could obtain the advantage with yourbat prowess, hoping that would somewhat make up for the difference in our Stats, but failed to consider the possibility that I could be familiar with your moves."


    It wasn''t that Rey didn''t consider the possibility. Even now, as he breathed heavily, he was not overly surprised by her sudden disy of expertise.


    ''I considered the possibility, but decided to operate on the assumption of their nonexistence.''


    The reason for doing that was simple. If he entertained the possibility of her being a skilledbatant, then all of his efforts were going to be inevitably futile.


    ''There''s no way to win!''


    Rey still didn''t know what her [irvoyance] Skill was all about, which presented a big problem for him.


    ''I can try using variations of abilities and techniques to see which willnd or not, but I''m running out of time.'' He narrowed his eyes as he watched The Oracle.


    Rey had to constantly spend Mana trying to erect the [Perfect Domain Of The Divine] around himself so that The Oracle wouldn''t banish him from her world. The moment his Mana hit rock bottom, that would be the end.


    ''Emil''s [Consume] Skill has been exposed, so I doubt she''ll use Magic to fight us again.''


    Rey went through a few other simtions in his head, but he found himselfing short in many instances. Perhaps he wasn''t used to fighting very intelligent enemies who also had the raw power to back them up.


    ''She''s stronger and smarter than I am. There really shouldn''t be a way to win¡­''


    However, Rey had one trick up his sleeve¡ªone that he didn''t want to use for so long due to how dangerous it would make the fight.


    Right now, though, he had no other choice in the matter.


    ''I have to use [Perfect Divine Ray].''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Do you think Rey has a chance at all in this fight? Be honest here¡­

 Chapter 664 The Oracles Thoughts [Intermission]

    Chapter 664 The Oracle''s Thoughts [Intermission]


    ??''How annoying¡­''


    Those were the exact thoughts of The Oracle as she gazed upon Rey Skr from a distance.


    She didn''t particrly feel any animosity towards him. In fact, she really didn''t feel anything about him at all. He was someone she already knew about before he arrived here, and she also knew of his aplishments in H''Trae.


    All of them were impressive¡­ but pointless.


    ''The end is set in stone. I have seen it. And soon, Esme will see it as well¡­'' The Oracle thought to herself, feeling even more annoyed at Rey''s actions.


    It was almost the same way a grown adult knew the answer to a problem, yet a child kept insisting on taking the wrong route.


    How could a child ever know any better than an adult who has traveled that path many times?


    ''And¡­ the fact that he is even fighting me¡­''


    When he initiated his assault, she almost wanted to giggle due to the sheer stupidity of that course of action. But now¡­ she felt differently about the whole thing.


    ''... So annoying.''


    Rey Skr was infinitely weaker than The Oracle. She already recognized that from the start, which was why she didn''t particrly take the fight seriously.


    Even now, there really wasn''t a ''fight'' to her.


    Still¡­ there was something very infuriating about hisbat with her that incessantly got on her nerves.


    ''He''s difficult to deal with.''


    Rey was like a bug¡ªperhaps a mosquito¡ªwho was iparably weaker than a human. Yet, due to his weakness and smallness, he was just incredibly cumbersome to squash.


    ''He has a Skill on the same level as mine that prevents me from simply using my Domain as I see fit. He''s very slow and weak, but he employs considerable strategy that makes his actions less predictable than I would have preferred.'' The Oracle thought to herself.


    There were also annoyances that vexed her.


    ''He is immune to Curses, so I can not inflict one on him. Voice Of The World can''t affect someone The World has an interest in, such as himself, so it''s useless against him as well¡­'' The more she went down her train of thought, the more she reflected on her disadvantages.


    ''Link Connection only affects those I share a connection with¡­ that is, the Elves. Other Races are exempt, and that goes double for Otherworlders.''


    She couldn''t get into his head or make ''suggestions'' that would alter his decisions or actions. Her Skills were practically useless in this instance.


    But, even if they weren''t¡­ she still didn''t want to resort to them.


    ''He has [Doppel], which means he will instantly possess my Skills once they have been manifested before him. I can''t carelessly expose him to even more power.''


    It was why she only resorted to using [All Magic] and [Perfect Domain]; both Skills which had very limited consequence on Rey''s growth since he already had simr Skills in the same Tier and the oue wouldn''t ripple through too many things.


    Then, for her [irvoyance], she couldn''t use it for two reasons.


    ''For one, it only works on H''Trae, and right now¡­ that isn''t where we are.'' She frowned slightly, though it didn''t show on her perfect face.


    This Domain Of God was more like a watchtower that existed outside the world of H''Trae, used to observe the world for what it was.


    With [irvoyance], The Oracle could see everything that happened in the world¡ªpast, present, and future. She could take everything in, therefore knowing everything and everyone within the world and their roles.


    At least, that was how it was supposed to be.


    ''But my capacity is nearing its limit, and I can''t absorb much more information. It''s why a new vessel is required. Ci messed up, but I can still make do with her offspring.''


    Despite how much guidance she had offered to Esme, and how pivotal the girl would be to the grand scheme of things, Rey Skr was now getting in her way at thest minute.


    ''The very reason she is alive is so she can be The Oracle!'' She wanted to shout, but realized the futility of that too.


    Still, all of this was unrted to the second reason she couldn''t use [irvoyance] even if she wanted to.


    ''He will simply use [Doppel] to copy that too.''


    And, as The Oracle, she could not allow Rey Skr to possess any other Primeval Skill.


    "In the first instance, that shouldn''t be a Skill that any one person should have. It should only serve as a recorder of all the events within this world, and an avenue to replicate abilities disyed without needing to build new Skills from scratch in other areas.''


    Just as one could simply carry a code to a System without needing to build codes from scratch again, such was the purpose [Doppel].


    ''All Tiers of Skills and phenomena are to be recorded with it. It''s not even meant to be used forbat, but it seems the Skill has somewhat been tailored to suit a host.''


    Yes, it would be limited in nature¡ªhence making the Slots only a hundred¡ªand other limitations that the host had would reflect on the Skill.


    Even after all this, the truth of the matter was known to The Oracle.


    ''[Doppel] is the greatest of all Primeval Skills. After all, just as it records the phenomena in this world¡­ it has within it recorded phenomena from other worlds as well.''


    The Oracle couldn''t even begin to imagine just how many ''Skills'' were already stored in the main [Doppel]. An unreal amount, no doubt.


    ''Even though this boy shouldn''t have the Skill at all, I should still be grateful he does not possess the full thing. Then again, do any of us, really¡­?'' A small smirk formed on her face as she thought of a rather funny thing.


    ''How exactly does someone like this fit into a board? He is already bigger than the entire set¡­ though it seems he does not realize it yet.''


    The Oracle shrugged off her thoughts of the far future and far past and decided to dwell in the present¡ªin her fight with Rey.


    ''Nothing still changes¡­''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I hope this chapter answers some questions that you have all had for some time now. Of course, it also reveals even more questions you should ask.


    Hope you enjoyed it. Hehehe!

 Chapter 665 The Singularitys Thoughts [Intermission]

    Chapter 665 The Singrity''s Thoughts [Intermission]


    ??Rey couldn''t be careless.


    ''I only have one shot to use it. If I fail, then she''s definitely going to switch up on me and use even more lethal force.''


    In a sense, Rey was hoping The Oracle would go a bit harder on him¡ªperhaps use even more of her power on him, so he could copy them.


    But, no such luck.


    ''[Curse Of The World] probably won''t work on me due to my ss, but what of the [Voice Of The World]?'' Rey had no idea what it was.


    He was also unaware of whether or not The Oracle was using [irvoyance] or not. Though, he figured it would be pretty much over if she decided to go with that.


    ''I am still not sure if [Doppel] can copy SSS-Tier Skills, so I was sort of hoping to find out here.''


    Once again¡­ no such luck.


    All of these weren''t his primary motives, though. The main assignment he had was to rescue Esme and then have a proper conversation with her.


    Everything else was secondary.


    ''But that makes me a bit hesitant to use this Skill. If I damage The Oracle, what is the assurance that Esme will appear before me? What if she chooses to hurt Esme? No, I can''t think that. She must have some deep reason to make Esme the next Oracle, which is why she treats her the way she does.''


    Still, Rey couldn''t be too careless.


    ''What if she gets petty and injures Esme when I rescue her?'' That was Rey''s major worry.


    After all, The Oracle could think in terms of ''If I can''t have her, no one can!'' and that would be a very disastrous oue. There was no room for optimism here, but Rey clung to what little hope he had and decided to shut off worry.


    [Dead Calm] was in full effect, and he had practically toned down all of his emotions.


    What mattered now was the mission.


    ''This pce isrge. The chances are high that Esme could be somewhere here¡­'' As he reasoned this way, he also ran into a bit of a problem.


    The Oracle''s Domain was toorge.


    ''My senses can''t find the end of it. It could be possible that she''s interfering with my senses too, by using the whole Zone Layering thing to stretch out the Domain, making itrger than normal to my senses.''


    That meant, as long as The Oracle was alive and conscious, he would never be able to find Esme.


    ''Which means¡­ I either have to kill or immobilize her.''


    At the moment, Rey had no ability that he could use to immobilize her¡ªStat or Skill wise, The Oracle had proven to be superior.


    Killing her seemed like the only option, but was it really one?


    ''I have no idea what effect it would have on the world if she died. Is that even a risk I should consider, talkless of taking?''


    Even with all of these thoughts, Rey recognized the hubris of his thoughts.


    ''Who''s to say I could even kill her?''


    [Perfect Divine Ray] remained his strongest offensive move, and as shown with Dagon¡­ it simply eviscerated his foe and moved faster than they could possibly react.


    But¡­ not even Dagon had The Oracle''s Stats.


    ''Plus, that Beast was mindless. She''s definitely very intelligent. Lastly, she knows so much about me, so she must know about the Skills I possess.''


    Would she really fall for his [Perfect Divine Ray]?


    He found that doubtful.


    Still, it remained his only weapon to use against her. Or was it¡­?


    ''I''ve got it!'' After brainstorming very hard within The Oracle''s Domain, spending less than a few seconds in the stalemate, though it felt several times longer, he arrived at a n that couldpletely turn the fight around.


    ''Emil¡­ I might need your help here.''


    ~Yes, Master! I''d do anything for youuuuu!~


    Rey shivered a little as soon as he heard her squeal, but he was d to hear her swift and optimistic response.


    After all, what he was about to propose was very dangerous.


    ''I''m going to do something very deadly right now¡ªand it could potentially kill me if you do not help me.''


    ~F-for real?! But you''re immortal!~


    ''Yes. But¡­ I am not sure about how far the effects of this Skill reaches, so I don''t want to take any chances.''


    Firstly, he was going to shroud his body with Zone Layering. Then, he would make sure all his defensive and resistance Skills were at full throttle.


    ''My Regeneration, Adaptation, and Immortality better help out here. But¡­ I don''t know if they will be enough.''


    After having so many close brushes with death, Rey didn''t want to take that chance.


    ''I''m not even sure we are in H''Trae, so my ss Privilege might not work. I think it''ll work, though, considering she hasn''t cursed me yet.'' Rey thought to himself, preparing himself as he inhaled deeply.


    ~Are you really sure you want to do something that risks your life, even though you''re immortal, just for that girl? I mean¡­ I''m very jealous now¡­~


    ''What do you mean by that?''


    ~Do you love Esme, Master?~


    At this point, Rey was unshackled by the bubbling emotions that would have clouded his judgment. He didn''t have hesitation or wariness, especially when speaking to his Familiar.


    He could only speak the truth so he could act most optimally.


    ''I don''t want to address that yet, so why don''t we focus on the task at hand?''


    ~....~


    Rey had already braced himself, and all he waited for was Emil toe on board with the n.


    ~What do you want me to do, Master?~


    As soon as he heard her voice in his head, he smiled broadly.


    ''Shroud my entire body with yourself.Then, I''m going to set myself aze with [Perfect Divine Ray].''


    This was an application of the Skill he had never tried before.


    Yes, he would be working overtime by using Zone Layering, as well as all his other abilities, so he wouldn''t be affected, but using Emil as a shield was also very important.


    ''You''re indestructible, aren''t you?'' He asked, his eyes focused on the target.


    All of this was to stop her.


    ''Let''s find out together!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    A bit of a wild and risky move for Rey. So¡­ what do you think will happen next?

 Chapter 666 Rey Vs The Oracle [Pt 2]

    Chapter 666 Rey Vs The Oracle [Pt 2]


    ??~BOOOOOOOOOOOM!~


    A resounding echo of destruction burst within The Oracle''s Domain. It rose from a single point, causing the stale winds to gather around the area and rapidly swirl.


    The atmosphere undted in a violent, raging storm.


    And¡­ at the center of this storm was a man. This figure was shrouded inyers of multicolored light that had now taken on the form of pure white energy.


    His whole body was bleeding out this power, almost as if he was baptized in it.


    He had a dark cloak to cover himself, and his usually exposed skin seemed to be covered in some form of ck bandages. Even his face seemed to be obscured by a skull mask of some kind¡ªthoughpletely ck.


    He seemed to be an emissary from hell¡ªa harbinger of death.


    A man dressed in ck, but cloaked with white.


    "Rey Skr¡­ what have you done?" The Oracle made a whisper as she watched him with keen eyes.


    He did not respond to her with words. Instead¡ª


    "Haa¡­"


    Thick steam leaked out of his lips as his visible breath stuck out thanks to his deep exhtion.


    He still stood still, among the shes of white lightning, and the intense energy that shrouded him. It almost felt like he was waiting for something.


    "Rey Sky¡ª"


    ~WHOOOOOSH!~


    Before The Oracle couldplete her words, Rey closed the distance between himself and her.


    He did this by shooting himself forward¡ªlike a horizontal rocketpletely destroying the ground in the process.


    Yes¡­ the same ground that had withstood all forms of attacks and remained intact.


    It broke apart just from the impact caused by Rey''s flight.


    ~CLANG!~


    Rey sent a fist flying at The Oracle, but she blocked it with the white de she wielded.


    It didn''tst a single moment.


    ~CRAACK!~


    Not only did the weapon shatter, but it dissolved from shards into nonexistent fractions of their pieces. In mere moments, they were nowhere to be seen.


    All were consumed by the raging light


    As soon as the de''s barrier was gone, the next target to be hit was The Oracle.


    But, of course¡ª


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    ¡ªThe instant Rey''s fist was about to be nted on her face, she vanished away.


    The Oracle wisely created a wider gap than before, her body now floating in the air as she stared keenly at Rey. Despite her expression being very calm, there was now a form of seriousness attributed to it.


    "Hey¡­"She heard a rather startling call from Rey.


    His voice was dangerously low and tense, almost like he was out of breath, but also burning with suppressed rage.


    "... Don''t call me by my full name again. I don''t like it, and it''s beginning to get a little annoying."


    The Oracle had expected more serious words from him, so she cocked her head in surprise. She didn''t reallyprehend his preference, or why he took it so seriously, but none of that was important to her at the moment.


    The most pertinent issue was seeing how Rey just closed the gap in their Stats with the use of his Skill.


    ''[Perfect Divine Ray], huh? It makes sense that him shrouding himself in it will boost his speed and intensity to the highest rate allowed under the System. The Skill''s potency is undisputed, and since it can cover distance within a moment, even Zone Layering is useless against it.''


    But, using it like this couldn''t be without consequence, and The Oracle could already see a few.


    ''For one, it may boost his speed and intensity¡ªprobably enough to damage me¡ªbut his actual thinking and reaction speed probably can''t keep up.''


    That meant Rey Skr must have first thought of what action to take before actually resorting to it. In essence, when it came to actualbat¡ªmaking spontaneous decisions on the fly¡ªhe was probably going to suffer for it.


    ''... Or that''s what he wants me to think. I know his other Skills and how they interact with his body. His Divine Form and Adaptation will force his body to limate to this current change in power at a rapid pace. Plus, his Divine Martial Supremacy hasbat prowess ingrained in his body to the point where it can be ssified as muscle memory at this point.'' She reasoned as well, considering all the variables.


    In essence, it would be a mistake to face Rey in a head-on fight either way.


    ''I am not particrly a fighter of any kind, so while I might understand all of his build and characteristics in order to respond appropriately, I do not possess the Skills for engaging in fights¡­''


    Her role wasn''t of that, and never before had she even had any need for more.


    ''I probably won''t need anything more. This power of his can''t be sustainable¡­ or can it?''


    [Perfect Divine Ray] crossed distance in a moment¡ªmuch faster than one could continuouslyy out Zones. That was a two edged sword that affected both herself and him.


    ''He must be using his Familiar as some kind of instor to protect himself from the [Perfect Divine Rey]. That''s smart, considering it is practically immune to damage.''


    But¡­ was [Perfect Divine Ray] going to be stopped by that?


    ''No¡­ not really. The light that courses over his body will inevitably seep through the slime coating and begin to eat at his body. No armor, no matter how dense, can protect him from the intensity of the Ray.''


    Sooner orter¡­ Rey would begin to feel the brunt of his own attcks.


    ''He has regeneration, adaptation, and a bunch of other things to assist him. Plus, he can''t die since The World has ns for him. Still¡­'' She made a light smile as she stared at him, watching as he prepared for his next strike.


    The Oracle could tell what was going on in his mind, and it amused her.


    ''... It''s going to hurt you so much that you''ll wish for death toe.''


    ~BOOOOOOOOOM!~


    Like a sharp blur, Rey pierced the air and reached The Oracle within a second''s notice. She, once again, tried to escape his grasp.


    Teleportation through her [Perfect Domain] was the prefered choice.


    But¡ª


    ''H-huh¡­?!''


    All of a sudden, a certain kind of interference prevented that from happening.


    The culprit could only be one person.


    "Rey¡­ Sk¡ª!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Seems like our boy Rey means business in this fight. Indeed¡­ Stats aren''t everything.


    Also¡­ funny chapter number.

 Chapter 667 Rey Vs The Oracle [Pt 3]

    Chapter 667 Rey Vs The Oracle [Pt 3]


    ''It hurts¡­''


    Rey already suspected he wouldn''t be able to escape the brunt of using [Perfect Divine Rey], but he didn''t expect the impact toe this fast.


    ''The Zone Layering waspletely useless, and even this¡­'' He gritted his teeth as he controlled himself by seething.


    The radiation being blocked by Emil was slowly leaking past her slime covering and upon his body. It caused every facet of his skin to constantly burn as it struggled to regenerate.


    His body was going through so many processes at once.


    First, he would receive damage.


    Then, he would heal¡­ and then adapt. His body would limate after that, and then a new¡ªmuch more powerful wave¡ªof pain and damage would strike.


    The process would repeat¡ªcontinuously and constantly¡ªall within mere seconds. ''Every second I waste is more torture for myself. Even with [Dead Calm] and my ss Privileges active, the pain I feel is astounding.''


    It felt like the utter destruction of his cells at this point.


    ''What if the Ray is also destroying the effects of the Skills? No¡­ that can''t be possible. If that was the case, my Regeneration and Adaptation wouldn''t be working.''


    What if they were only working because he was getting the damage in small doses? If not for Emil, would he really be able to heal fast enough?


    ''Now isn''t the time to think about that!''


    Rey called himself to FOCUS, concentrating wholly on the target who floated a distance from him. Her condescending gaze didn''t move him, but he reckoned he would get a lot off satisfaction if he wiped the calm demeanor off her face.


    ''Let''s go!''


    ~WHOOOOOSH!~


    Launching himself into the air like a bullet¡ªno, much, much faster than that¡ªhe closed the gap between himself and The Oracle in no time at all.


    He noticed she once again attempted to flee using spatial maniption, but he could not allow it.


    ''Zone Layering is useless now. There''s no use to focus my Skills on that. Instead¡­'' In a mere instant, he spread his [Perfect Domain Of The Divine] to the area around him.


    Unfortunately for The Oracle, she was within his realm of influence.


    ~ZZZTZZ~


    Her teleportation trick didn''t work, and worst of all, the moment she realized this¡­ she uttered the name he told her not to.


    "Rey Sk¡ª!"


    ~BOOOOM!~


    A solid blow instantly dug itself into her belly, causing her body to bend in a rather unseemly manner for one of her stature.


    "Ack!" Her eyes seemed to nearly pop out of her sockets as she felt the weight of his blow and the intensity of his attack on her stomach.


    Still, The Oracle acted fast.


    ~WHUUUM!~


    A swift, powerful kickshed at Rey''s face, instantly twisting his neck by many degrees. His neck twisted and turned several times, sending blood spurting in every direction.


    "G-guh¡­" The Oracle used this chance and tried to fly away from Rey that instant, but found that he was grabbing her leg very tightly.


    "Tch! Y-you¡ª!"


    "Hehehehehehehehehehe!" As his neck quickly returned to its natural position, maniacalughter echoed from Rey''s pping, bloodied lips. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Then¡ª-


    "I got you!" The Oracle''s facade had to change at this point. Her wide eyes were bloodshot, depicting both shock and some form of fear towards the human who tightly held her leg.


    "You''re not running away!" As he said this, The Oracle felt a certain pull that forcefully drew her close despite her feeble attempts to struggle.


    In no time at all, she was face-to-face with him.


    "W-wait¡ª!" Her words fell on deaf ears thanks to all the pain and agitation Rey felt at the moment. He could only fight, and he did so with utmost precision.


    ~BAM!~


    A loud echo, filled with both the sound of a devastating impact, as well as cracks of bones, rushed through the air as Reynded a straight blow on The Oracle''s cheek.


    "Gahhh!"


    Like a ragdoll, her body was sent pitifully flying in the air.


    Rey rushed towards her, kicking the air so he gained enough momentum to cover the incredible distance in one breath.


    He did just that.


    ~WHUUUSH!~


    More energy around him undted as he sent a straight thrust towards her, but she evaded it by twisting her body in the air and kicking him with her uninjured leg.


    The blow caused Rey''s brain to tremble, forcing him to lose consciousness for a moment.


    Another kick of hers caused his entire leg to explode.


    However, as soon as this happened, Rey''s outstretched hands were already beaming with intense radiation.


    It was the [Perfect Divine Ray].


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    Now that he was right in front of her, and she had just exerted herself in a certain way¡ªunable to react to the sheer speed and power of the ray, it was the perfect opportunity for impact.


    And¡­ it worked!


    Rey''s burst of destruction bathed The Oracle in its pure white st.


    Every part of her body was covered by his ray of destruction, and not even sound or any kind of resistance from The Oracle could escape from its embrace.


    "Haa¡­!" Rey regrew his head at that moment, just as the energy that danced around his body began to dissipate.


    His heavy breathing apanied him as he slowly descended to the ground.


    ''Seems my Mana ran out at just the perfect moment¡­'' A painful, distant smile crept up on his face as he looked at the dissolving white cloud of destruction above him.


    His back was now against the cold, hard ground of The Oracle''s Domain, and his eyes felt so heavy he began to close them.


    A million thoughts ran through his mind, and even Emil''s words kept echoing within his head.


    ~You did it, Master! You beat that woman! Hahaha!~


    Yes. He indeed did.


    But¡­ then what? What was he going to do after that?


    ''A-ah! That''s right! I have to save Esme!'' He swiftly shot his eyes open, ready to move his body so he could begin scouring the Domain for Esme.


    But as soon as he did so¡­


    "You certainly had your fun, didn''t you?" ¡­ He saw a figure standing right beside him, her blue eyes coldly locked with his.


    "G-guh!" He felt her leg press on his chest as she looked at him with an unchanged, calm and absolutely lull demeanor.


    "It''s time for you to leave¡­ Rey."

 Chapter 668 New Offer

    Chapter 668 New Offer


    ''H-how did she do it¡­?''


    Rey was stunned beyond words as he felt The Oracle''s leg press on his chest as his body powerlessly remained glued to the floor.


    Her skin was as smooth as ever, and her graceful demeanor was not diminished by even a fraction. She still had the electrifying presence that he remembered, and the look she gave him from her eyes represented nothing but calmness.


    This didn''t seem like a person who had just been smacked twice, and also burned to a crisp by an explosive st.


    The Oracle was looking absolutely fine.


    "How did you do it?" N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "That is none of your business." She responded very curtly, her gaze narrowing on him as she most likely already determined his fate.


    Rey had run out of Mana, and his physical state wasn''t particrly the best at the moment.


    He wasn''t capable of resisting, even if he wanted to.


    ''Damn¡­ is this really how it''ll end?!'' Gritting his teeth, his mind ran through several things as he watched The Oracle mercilessly stare him down.


    It was clear she did not care for him in the slightest.


    ''Even after going all-out, I still lost. I knew she was iparably stronger, but¡­'' For a moment, Rey actually thought he stood a chance.


    He realized the advantages that the System bestowed upon him through Privileges.


    {ss Privileges}


    ~ 50+ Subsequent Stat Points for every Level Up.


    ~Perfect Resistance to Appraisal and any other ability of the sort.


    ~ Equalizer Effect can be activated (When facing someone much stronger than you, a bncing effect wille into y)


    ~Immunity to Curses or all Ailments and Negative Status Conditions in the world.


    ~Soul Preservation is in Effect. Nothing in this world can kill you, as the world itself offers you guardianship.


    ~[$@@%] Effect can now be avable to you (You can only use it once).


    [End Of Information]


    ''The Equalizer effect really came in handy. There was no way I could have even reacted to someone with such high Stats without this Skill working overtime.''


    Even more than the way Rey was iparably stronger to someone with Stats in the triple digits, so was The Oracle to him. Yet¡­ he managed tond hits on her.


    ''[Perfect Divine Ray] also helped. Emil too¡­ and yet¡­''


    He coughed out slightly, reasoning the way out of his current predicament. There was only one that he could see.


    ''Should I use the [$@@%] Effect?''


    Rey didn''t know the use or function of the Skill, but he was very desperate at this point. The System said he could only use it once, which probably meant it was a very powerful and destructive Skill.


    ''I could use a bit of that right now¡­'' Rey imagined to himself.


    Still, something held him back from going along with the only seeming option that was avable to him. It was uncertainty.


    ''What if it''s a suicide move? What if Esme gets caught in it? I still don''t know where she is¡­''


    All of these thoughts culminated into hesitance, bringing about his impotence.


    Still, he wouldn''t stop ring at her with burning determination.


    "Your resistance is born out of ignorance. I already told you¡­ it is useless." She said to Rey, her voice a calm whisper. "I can''t fall. I can''t die. You weren''t the only one blessed with certain privileges by the World, Rey." Rey was forced to swallow her words as she said them.


    ''Her ss is higher than mine, so it only makes sense that her privilege is also that good. I can''t see them for some reason, but¡­'' He could guess that she was also immortal and probably had some sort of damage nullification.


    She was definitely leagues above him.


    Even with the difference in their power shoved in his face, and The Oracle''s calm manner of telling Rey to cease his futility, there was only one thing Rey could respond with.


    "I¡­ won''t leave here without Esme."


    As soon as he said this, he felt the leg of The Oracle press even harder on his chest as her eyes narrowed a little. It seemed she was a little annoyed by Rey and his reaction, but the detail was so subtle that one could easily miss it.


    Then, she parted her lips and said the most unexpected thing.


    "If you really want to have her that badly¡­ then there is a way." Rey''s eyes widened as he heard this, his wide gaze resting on The Oracle''s calm face.


    She slowly removed her leg away from his chest and slowly walked a few steps back¡ªallowing Rey to sit up while still looking at her with a dazed face.


    He didn''t understand her change of heart, or this new way that she seemed to be proposing.


    Still¡­ he was very interested in it.


    "What is the way?" Asking withso much energy that one would not have thought he was still recovering from unbelievable pain, his voice filled the hall.


    The Oracle paused. She looked at him in silence for a few moments and then sighed to herself.


    "If you can find a proper recement for Esme, then I will choose that recement and not her." For a moment, Rey was dazed by this.


    "A recement¡­?"


    "Yes. An Elf that fulfills all the requirements I have informed you of. One with Esme''s special bloodline¡­ unsullied by the world or its corruption."


    Hearing all of this further drove Rey into confusion.


    ''I thought Elves like that only appear once every cycle or something. How can I find someone like that now?''


    If an Elf like that existed, Rey had a feeling The Oracle would have chosen her and not Esme, who was just a Half Elf. The whole thing felt like a wild goose chase.


    ''But, right now¡­ what other choice do I have? At least, I should listen some more.''


    If The Oracle wanted to banish him out of her Domain, she would have done so already. That meant she still had some sort of use for him, and there was some measure of legitimacy to her offer.


    "Tell me more about this recement. How do I go about it?"

 Chapter 669 The Only Way

    Chapter 669 The Only Way


    Within the silence of The Oracle''s Domain, two entities faced each other in palpable tension.


    Rey was seated on the floor, while The Oracle watched him from her graceful position as she stood with the most upright stature ever.


    The silence that existed between them onlysted a second before Rey spoke up once again, after asking his first question.


    "I don''t know where to begin with this task. What exactly am I supposed to do?" Rey said this for two major reasons. ''First, I want to confirm whether or not this was her intention from the start. If Esme is just a hostage for me to fulfill this role and get her the actual heir. And the second reason¡­ to learn more about what I''m supposed to do here.''


    The way Rey saw it, he was stuck in an impossible situation. ''I have to tread carefully here¡­'' He nodded to himself, grateful that The Oracle didn''t even seem upset about the attacks that he rendered towards her.


    Or attacks that he thought he rendered towards her.


    ''I''m supposed to be immune to Mind Control and Illusions, but it''s possible her ss Privilege makes her an exception to the rule.''


    So, it was possible that Rey never even struck her and everything was in his head. That made sense since she seemed too calm for someone he hit so violently.


    ''Shended a few heavy hits, but¡­ she could stillnd more.'' Yet Rey sensed no resentment from her in the slightest.


    She was just cold and detached from him and the whole thing.


    "You may begin by helping the Elves wipe out the Dragons. If you do that, a path is bound to open up for you."


    "A path will open up? What do you mean by that?"


    "You''ll understand when it happens." She responded with a shrug, but her vagueness seemed unnecessary. ''Why does it feel like she''s just trying to use me to destroy the Dragons for the Elves? Ah¡­ I see what''s happening here.'' Rey''s thoughts began to trail as he kept his eyes on her.


    ''She probably thinks that if she sends me back, I''ll leave the side of the Elves or even turn against them. She must still value them, and she wants to preserve their lives, even if she can''t do anything about the Dragons directly.''


    If [irvoyance] allowed her to see everything in the world, or at least in the Elven Continent, then she must have known about how he helped the Elves in some instances, as well as how useful he could be in the ensuing conflict.


    ''She''s using me to help her people, while also dangling a prize in front of me.''


    The reward for his services was that he would get a chance to ''save'' Esme from her impending fate. But¡­ something about the deal seemed too one-sided.


    ''It''s unfair towards me!''


    "I know what you are thinking, Rey, but do not worry. This agreement benefits both of us."


    "You say that, but I don''t trust you." He sharply responded.


    There was no need to hide away his feelings. Since she could practically read his thoughts at this point¡ªor rather, it seemed like she could¡ªhe had nothing to keep to himself.


    He would just give it to her straight.


    "Your deal benefits you and your Elves more than it benefits me. I save your people from the Dragons, and then I get a recement for you to get Esme back. That doesn''t sound so even to me."


    "Oh, but it is." The Oracle responded calmly.


    "How so?" "Because you have no real choice in the matter. I require a recement, else the world as you know it will end."


    The moment Rey heard this, the bravado he put on copsed almost instantly. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "W-what?" He had to spit out in surprise.


    "There is a delicate bnce that has to be kept, and my expiration is slowly approaching. Without someone to take on the mantle, the Dragon Emperor''s side will be left unchecked." She responded calmly.


    This whole war was an intricate game between The Oracle and the Dragon Emperor¡ªone that involved checks and bnces.


    If her side weakened, he would be given the perfect chance to strike.


    "You can either follow the path and find a recement, or I choose Esme as my heir. One has to be done, or you will lose everything and everyone you love."


    The Oracle''s words sent shivers down Rey''s spine.


    She waspletely serious with him, and he could feel his bones jittering for a moment before limating to the tense moment he was in.


    ''I still don''t trust her, but¡­ I don''t want to imagine what will happen if she isn''t here doing whatever she is doing to keep The Dragon Emperor at bay.''


    If they were equal in power, that meant The Oracle was the only one who could stop the Emperor.


    ''I have to find a recement that isn''t Esme.''


    "So, what do you say¡­ Rey?" The Oracle asked with a soft, patient tone. She waited for his answer, an unassuming gaze watching him ever so nkly as he mulled over the matter.


    "I¡­ I would like to ask for an audience with Esme first of all."


    "No."


    "Why no¡ª?!"


    "You''ll have an audience with her once you eliminate the Dragons and see the path. Do not worry, I won''t touch her until then."


    "Like I can just take you at your word."


    "It is like I said¡­ you have no choice in the matter." The Oracle responded, still acting calm and detached as if none of it mattered to her.


    "I could decide to abandon the deal and turn against the Elves. I could take the side of the Dragons and exterminate every single Elf that exists here." Rey''s cruel smile as he said this was meant to pass a message across, and indeed it did.


    The Oracle''s expression instantly changed the moment she heard this. For the very first time since he saw her, she gave him an enchantingly brilliant smile.


    "Do as you wish."

 Chapter 670 Unsavory Mix Of Emotions

    Chapter 670 Unsavory Mix Of Emotions


    ~VWUUUSH!~


    The lights of the hallowed shrine shone brighter as it weed Rey back into its inner embrace.


    As the young man felt the cool ground of the sanctum, breathing in its air and staring at the statue¡ªwhose bright eyes were beginning to dim¡ªhe took in a deep breath.


    "Huuu¡­" Then, he exhaled slowly.


    He did all of this to calm himself, controlling the rabid emotions that threatened to burst through the threshold and consume him. That''s right! Rey was feeling a myriad of emotions as he reappeared in the world as he knew it.


    He felt frustration, rage, disappointment, confusion, sadness, and a bunch of other feelings¡ªalling at him at once, nearly overflowing within his stationary form.


    Still, even with all of these, Rey maintained a straight facade.


    ''In the end, I had to ept the deal¡­'' His thoughts trailed as he leaked out more heavy exhtions, doing his best to breathe deeply.


    ''I had no real choice, just as she said. Even when I tried bargaining, all of it fell through.''


    Apparently, he had overestimated The Oracle''s interest in the Elves. What was at the top of her priority was an heir, and Esme was a perfect candidate for that.


    ''She returned me here without letting me get too many words in. I guess she has no doubt that I''ll follow through with the deal¡­''


    Rey truly didn''t like being used like this.


    He hated being a mere piece in a game that he didn''t even understand. Perhaps that what caused his ever-growing frustration.


    No¡­ that wasn''t all.


    ''How could Esme just leave me like that? We could have at least talked it out¡­'' In a way, Rey felt mad at her for just choosing the option that would most definitely end with the both of them separating. However, he couldn''tpletely get angry at Esme.


    He also felt incredible guilt within himself.


    ''If this is truly what she wants, then am I not standing in the way of her goals? Should I really be doing this?'' He thought to himself, mulling over his choice once again.


    ''Do I¡­ really have the right to do this?''


    Contemtion wasn''t helping in calming his emotions. In fact, since they only made the burden on him worse, he decided to postpone the act.


    ''I just have to help the Elves, and I''ll find a way to get the recement somehow. Esme will be free, and Alicia will be saved. I''ll have my cake and eat it at the same time¡­ there''s no need to overthink anything.''


    Rey felt like his head was hurting, even though it really wasn''t.


    He was just feeling tired.


    ''I should get out of here.'' After one more deep breath, he activated his Spatial Magic and vanished from the Shrine.


    ~VWUUM!~


    That exact moment, his scenery changed and he found himself inside his lodge¡ªwithin the luxurious room that the Elves had presented for him.


    Everything was immactely arranged, but it all felt utterly nd and ugly¡ªalmost like the entire ce was a dump.


    ''I guess this is only natural, considering how amazing The Oracle''s Domain is¡­''


    He felt like crumpling on his bed and forcing himself to sleep. At the very least, that would reduce the burdens that assailed his mind at the moment.


    Maybe he could also dream of having Esme by his side¡­


    ''That''ll have to wait for now, though.'' As his gaze turned to the entrance of his abode, he narrowed his eyes.


    He had a visitor, and it wasn''t someone he could really ignore.


    In a breath, he found himself right before his door, twisting the knob so he could see his guest and not keep her waiting.


    "Kara¡­" He murmured, seeing her brilliant face as he opened the door.


    Her green hair looked messy, and her sses also seemed a little out of ce. She also seemed to be out of breath, which meant it hadn''t been long since she arrived at his ce.


    It made Rey a little relieved that she wasn''t waiting for him for too long. After all¡­


    "... I''m not really in the mood to see anyone."


    His thoughts were in disarray, and the one thing he needed more than anything was rest. He even shut Emil out of his thoughts, so she couldn''t hear him and he couldn''t hear her.


    At the moment, he didn''t want any kind of interaction.


    "I understand, Sir Rey, but I have just made an important discovery that I think will interest you." n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Rey rolled his eyes and sighed. He really wished people could get the message the first time he spoke, but it seemed he just had to drill it in.


    ''Should I have just ignored her from the start¡­?''


    "It''s about Esme¡ª"


    "Esme? What about her?" His energy returned almost instantly, and the dead look in his eyespletely vanished.


    His heart nearly jumped for a moment, but he controlled it at thest moment.


    Even Kara was a little startled by the suddenness of his reply, as well as the switch he made from lethargy to enthusiasm. It took her about a second topose herself before speaking again.


    "N-not really about Esme, but it''s in close rtion to her. I found out about her mother!"


    "Ci?" Rey''s eyes widened slightly.


    He was a bit curious about how Kara got to piece together the information about Ci, and how she was rted to Esme, but that didn''t stop the disappointment that was now creeping on his face.


    ''I''m sure she worked hard to gather the information, but I already learned about her from The Oracle. There''s nothing new here¡­'' He just didn''t know how to break it to the overenthusiastic Kara, who was now gushing very hard the moment Rey mentioned her name.


    "Y-you already know? Amazing! As expected of you, sir!"


    "Well¡­ yeah. In any case, you really should leave now¡­" Rey mumbled, his sigh resuming as he felt a slow pull of depression tug at him.


    "Hm? You don''t want to see her or anything?"


    "Huh?"


    Confusion yed on both Rey and Kara''s faces as they stared at each other. Before Rey could open his lips to ask her what she meant by her words, Kara went on to ask another question that made everything clear in an instant.


    "I mean¡­ she''s being confined by the Elves. Don''t you want to see her at least?"

 Chapter 671 Tainted Elf

    Chapter 671 Tainted Elf


    "Ci¡­ is alive?"


    As Rey uttered those words, looking at Kara''s slightly stunned face, he realized he never actually thought about the fate that befell Esme''s mother.


    He never considered the implication of her being alive either¡ªuntil now.


    "Tell me more about this." His exhaustion instantly vanished, and the pale expression on his face brightened up instantly.


    He led Kara into his abode, closing the door behind them as he listened to her exining how she was able to piece it all together.


    Talking to the Elders, narrowing it down by speaking to the Esteemed Ones, her investigation was very thorough. Still, even though Rey was very impressed that she could get such cooperation out of the Elves and pry into so much information, he wasn''t really interested in her methodology


    All that was relevant was the actual information on Ci.


    "You said they have her captive, right? Tell me more about that." Rey sat on his chair, opposite his bed where he told her to sit.


    "W-well¡­ yeah. In a secret chamber where only the Esteemed Elders have ess to."


    "And she''s alive."


    "Well¡­ yeah. But it''s not that simple." As soon as Rey heard this, he raised his brow and made aplicated face.


    Kara took this as her queue to exin further.


    "The Elves ced her in a state of Eternal Sleep. That is the highest punishment they can give to one of their own¡ªforcing them to sleep until their life runs out and they die."


    Since Elves had a no-kill Rule, they couldn''t eliminate even their most severe offenders. However, by cing the perpetrators in a state akin to death, allowing nature to run its course over them, they had their own form of execution.


    "So, she''s not fully dead¡­ but she''s not really alive either¡­" Rey mumbled to himself, his fingers stroking his chin as a certain image shed into his mind.


    ''Reminds me of Alicia. Did they use some kind of Curse, or is it just Magic¡­?'' He couldn''t determine that on his own.


    "I see. Well, I better hear all of this from the horse''s mouth." Closing his eyes and controlling his breath, Rey spread his senses beyond the confines of his immediate surroundings.


    "I''d like to speak to the Esteemed Elders about this."


    ************


    [Moments Later]


    "Please, Lord Rey¡­ do not see her."


    "She has be tainted¡ªcorrupt and unholy. Do reconsider your choice."


    "We beg of you¡­"


    The Esteemed Elders all had their heads bowed as Rey stood before a rather gnarled tree.


    The tree stood at the center of arge room¡ªat the basement of the Esteemed Council Hall. It had fireflies dancing around it, with darkness filling the expanse for the most part.


    The little critters not only illuminated the ugly-looking bark, but also highlighted the worried faces of the Elves that were still pleading with Rey even as he stepped forward and neared the tree.


    The room was in, and it smelled of earth.


    The grassy ground and perpetual darkness almost made it seem like this was nighttime. However, if one looked up, they would only see the cold hard ceiling that reflected the same ckness around


    In essence, a starless sky.


    "I''ve alreadye this far. I might as well¡­" Rey muttered under his breath and stretched out his hand towards the tree''s massive trunk.


    ''I need to see for myself.''


    Once his hand touched the tree, he did not feel any hard bark or rough resistance. Rather, he felt a rather slimy membrane that seemed to pull him in the further he pushed.


    And so, he pushed even further.


    Slowly, Rey began to get sucked into the tree. Offering no resistance at all, it only took him a few seconds to bepletely absorbed into it.


    And, once he was, Rey was transported into another space.


    Within this tightpartment, there was nothing in sight but one entity. She seemed glued to the wall,pletely naked, with parts of her body buried deep inside the ck, slime-like wall.


    Her arm was stuck in, up to her elbow, and her legs suffered the same fate, leaving her knees upward exposed.


    A part of her hair was also sucked in, but everything else was exposed.


    Rey could see all of it¡ªfrom her bare chest, to her slender, malnutritioned body, to the long ears she possessed, and every aspect of her body.


    ''So this is why they didn''t want me to see you, Ci.'' Yes, the one before him was an Elf¡­ but she was one unlike anything he had seen in this world.


    For one, her entire skin was ebony, having a slightly darker tint than Trisha''s. Her hair, which must have been previously white, was now pitch ck. Her ears seemed much longer than a normal Elf''s, and that was pretty much the visible difference that existed between her and the others.


    ''A Dark Elf, huh? So this is what it means to be tainted¡­''


    The scenting off her was moldy, and even Rey could feel bitterness¡ªalong with a hint of sourness¡ªooze out of her.


    He reckoned she must have smelled really nice at some point.


    ''If I ignore the tan and malnutrition¡­ she really does resemble Esme¡ªespecially the Esme that I first met back when she was to be sold as a ve.''


    They were so simr that Rey was thankful this one had a darker skin-tone. Else, their images would ovep perfectly with each other.


    He took a few steps closer to the sleeping Elf, his eyes fixated on her every feature until he was mere inches from her.


    Then, he touched her face and felt its roughness.


    ''She''s been here for over sixteen years. ording to the Elders, it''ll take a few more decades before she finally dies off due to malnutrition and Mana deprivation.''


    Regr Elves would have died at this point, but thanks to the heritage that Ci had¡ªthe same one within Esme¡ªshe was more tenacious than other Elves. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    And it was due to that very same identity of hers that she was being punished now.


    "You became tainted after killing, and abandoning your duties as The Oracle''s heir. Now, you suffer here forever¡­" As he whispered this, something inside him began to clench.


    He felt a spark rising within him.


    ''I want to change that somehow!''

 Chapter 672 Discourse In Solitude [Pt 1]

    Chapter 672 Discourse In Solitude [Pt 1]


    ??As he stood still, watching the woman on the wall, Rey remembered the words of the Elders.


    He was reminded of her sins.


    ''Apparently, what is known as The Oracle is an amalgamation of the wills of all the predecessors that came before the current host, all of which will be embodied in one avatar.''


    The current Oracle had the joint personality of the ones before her, and if Esme became The Oracle, she would suffer the same fate.


    ''I can''t allow that. If she goes through with it¡­ she won''t be Esme anymore.''


    To stop such a thing from happening, the only visible hope he had was the Elf that was currently before him.


    ''I just have to find a way to untaint her. But, even that seems impossible at the moment.''


    Still, it was far better than the alternative.


    Elves that were bornpatible with the Oracle¡ªlike Ci and Esme¡ªwere only born every thousand years or so. There could also only be one at a time.


    ''I can''t wait for a thousand years, which means I have to find a solution with what I''ve been dealt with.'' Rey gritted his teeth.


    Unfortunately, he didn''t have the ability to achieve that¡­ yet.


    ''I suppose this is where my mission with the Dragonses into y.'' Sighing to himself, he pinched his forehead.


    Even after investigating to this point, he wasn''t any less confused.


    ''At times like this, I should speak to someone¡­''


    Rey''s eyes lit up the moment he had that thought. In the first ce,ing to thisnd wasn''t his idea, so why exactly was he agonizing over details like this when he could also bring his Familiar into it?


    "Huu¡­" Leaking out a smile, he turned to leave the room of darkness, only turning his head for another brief look at Ci.


    ''... Must find a way for sure.''


    **************


    There was tense silence in Rey''s room as he sat on his bed¡ªall alone.


    Well, perhaps ''alone'' wouldn''t be the most urate way to describe his state of affairs. He was with Emil, who constantly spoke to his thoughts, expecting a response.


    Other than her, however, there was someone else too.


    ~I see. So that''s what has happened thus far¡­~


    The voice that resounded in the room was deep, and it dripped with evil. Something amusing seemed to dwell in his tone despite how serious it was.


    "What should I do, Ater?" Rey stared hard at amunication device¡ªa ck box¡ªthat sat on the table in front of him.


    That was where Ater''s voice wasing from, and for some reason¡ªdespite it being a mere box¡ªRey kept his gaze locked on it.


    ~Hmm. My simple advice would be to simply follow as The Oracle says¡­ at least for now. It''s the safest option.~


    "Right? I thought so too¡­ even if it leaves a bad taste in my mouth."


    ~Indeed. This also coincides with the n to bring the Elves over to our side, so if you assist them in this, it''s not a total loss for you.~


    Rey nodded and sighed.


    The only major difference between the two cases was that he was initially helping them out of his own free will¡ªmostly for Esme''s sake, and out of his limitedpassion¡ªbut the current situation waspletely different.


    ''I''m being forced to help them. There''s no room for error or casual action.''


    This was a mission.


    ~Hopefully you find more answers there as well. I will look into things on my end to see how I can help your situation better.~


    That seemed to be the end of the conversation, but Rey wasn''t quite done yet.


    He still had one more thing on his mind.


    "Ater¡­ about the scar on thend of the Elves¡­" He began, his eyes narrowing a bit more with every word he uttered. "Did you know about it?"


    ~....~


    There was silence in the room for a few seconds. Not even the breathing from both sides could be heard. Everything simply fell into an absolute lull.


    Then¡ª


    ~I did.~


    Ater finally replied with a low, nigh quiet voice. It almost appeared as though he was a little anxious with the way he answered.


    "And you intentionally left that part out of your report, huh? Okay¡­ next question." Even as he said these heavy words, Rey''s expression remained mostly stoic.


    He had no anger or other kinds of emotions disyed.


    Other than hints of seriousness etched onto his features, he seemedpletely neutral.


    "Is Adrien the one behind this? Is he on the side of the Dragons?"


    ~Yes, Master.~


    "I see¡­" Rey interlocked the fingers from both hands and bent a little as he stared hard at the box. A million thoughts had to have been running in his mind at the moment.


    Once the ufortable silence reached its climax, Ater had to intervene.


    ~Are you¡­ upset, Master?~


    "That you didn''t inform me of these things? No, I''m not. You always operate with something beneficial in mind, and that is what I''m trying to figure out¡­"


    Rey could say he trusted Ater a great deal at this point. They had been through too much for him not to feel that way¡ª


    especially with thetter''s track record and efficiency in his tasks.


    Ater waspletely loyal to him and acted for Rey''s benefits.


    ''Yes, some of his methods can be extreme, which is why I have to make sure he is measured in any mision''s execution. Other than that, though, he''s pretty solid.''


    So why exactly did the ever-so-loyal Ater hide all of this from Rey?


    Well¡­ he was about to find out.


    ~You are correct, Master. I kept some of these details hidden for a reason. I will divulge a bit of a synopsis on that now¡­~


    "Go on." Rey''s monotone echoed.


    ~Adrien is working with the Dragons for a reason that I am yet to decipher. I could go on with the details, but it would be preferable if I didn''t.~


    At this point, Rey''s curiosity was beyond piqued.


    He had to know more.


    "Why?"


    *


    *


    *

 Chapter 673 Discourse In Solitude [Pt 2]

    Chapter 673 Discourse In Solitude [Pt 2]


    ~I have iplete information, so there''s the possibility that you will be misguided and act on bias when you inevitably encounter him. I deduced you would eventually figure out that Adrien was here, and responsible for the demise of so many Elves, so I wanted you to witness it yourself and form your thoughts on them before hearing my report on the matter.~


    "I don''t think that''s enough justification, though¡­" Rey responded to Ater with a harsh tone.


    ~Perhaps. But, I believe it would be preferable for you to confront Adrien without much of your preconceived notions¡ªespecially regarding the boy.~


    "Are you telling me to trust him?!"


    ~No. But¡­ give the opening for that trust.~


    "What does that mean?"


    ~Have you ever sat down and listened to Adrien? Maybe if you did so, and the both of you conversed at length with as minimal biases as possible¡­ the conversation could end up bing very fruitful.~


    "You want me to calmly converse with someone responsible for Mass Genocide?"


    ~....~


    "Answer me, Ater!" Rey raised his voice a little higher than normal, and the calming effect swiftly took over and soothed him.


    All of his growing anger and frustration with Ater instantly vanished.


    ~Master¡­ do you truly believe that there is not a chance in the world that you could ever be in Adrien''s position?~


    "What?"


    ~Is there nothing that you would be capable of going to any lengths to aplish¡­ even if it meant taking the side of Monsters?~


    "...." It was now Rey''s turn to be silent.


    He creased his brow and thought hard about what Ater was implying.


    ~You killed the members of the Underworld back then because you determined them to be a danger to the United Human Alliance. What if you found out the Elves were the same?~


    "But they''re not!"


    ~I never said that was the reason. All I am saying is that Adrien must at least have a reason for doing what he is doing. It all hinges on the deal he has with the Dragons.~


    "So¡­ you want me to give him the benefit of the doubt and hear him out?"


    ~That would be my advice, Master.~


    Rey sighed, his frown slowly dissipating from his face.


    ''It''s odd that Ater would take such a sympathetic role regarding Adrien. Still¡­ he has a good point.''


    With the Elves being the way they were, perhaps there were certain things that could push him to the edge. When he faced The Oracle, he actually even considered it.


    "I''ll try." Rey finally murmured out.


    ~Thank you very much, Master!~


    "But, if Adrien is here¡­ doesn''t that mean he is aware of my presence in thend of the Elves as well?"


    ~You don''t need to worry about that, Master. I have it all sorted out.~


    "Ah¡­ okay."


    **************


    After a series of conversation with Ater¡ªmainly about what was going on in the Capital, and how it was being handled¡ªRey finally hit his breaking point.


    His emotions were in a constant rollercoaster that it was a chore just to keep them in check.


    It was eating at him at such an absurd rate.


    Ultimately, Rey decided to sleep everything off and eliminate all the fatigue that had been building up.


    ~Master¡­~


    Emil watched over him as hey on his bed. Her ck, slime-like form stood over him like a guardian angel, observing his every features¡­ almost like a creep, in all honesty.


    This had be her habit anytime Rey slept, and she serenity of the night helped her absorb more of the scene.


    Unfortunately for her, this time would be different.


    ~Hey¡­ Emil~


    A voice suddenly echoed within the room, causing the Symbiote Slime to almost jump up in fright. Her jelly-like body danced as she screeched, turning back in an instant to re at the one who interrupted her silent moment with Rey.


    There was no one behind her. No one else was in the room.


    ~Over here, Emil¡­~


    The voice came again, and this time, the Symbiote Slime had her attention drawn to the ck Box that still sat on Rey''s chair.


    Her slimy body slithered towards it, and while she had no facial feature of any kind, her sour mood was obvious from the way she moved.


    ~What do you want, Ater?~ She recognized the voice, and she also knew the only one who could reach Rey through the box was him.


    She was certain it was him.


    ~How cold, Emil¡­~


    ~If you want to speak to Master, you can''t right now. He''s asleep.~ Her response was curt and downright prideful, a sharp contrast to Ater''s smooth tone. Still, the man at the other end of the box did not lose his cool.


    He continued with grace.


    ~I know. I actually called to speak to you, Emil¡­~


    Emil swerved a portion of her slim-like body to the side, the same way a human would cock their head. She was, naturally, met with confusion.


    ~Me? Why?~


    She and Ater had never spoken without Rey being present. In fact, she didn''t fancy speaking to anyone that wasn''t Rey, which was why she usually only spoke through his thoughts.


    However, since he had been ignoring her so much¡­ Emil was beginning to ger lonely.


    And so, when Ater gave her the attention she had been deprived of for so long, a crack began to appear on her little facade.


    ~Because I need you, Emil. Something big is going to happen soon, and I need a favor from you.~


    More confusion took over Emil, though with herpletely ck body didn''t allow them to be obvious. She shook slightly, though.


    ~N-need me? Why would I help you at all? Hmmph!~


    ~Because doing so would help Master as well. Don''t you want to assist him¡­?~


    Emil turned back to look at the sleeping Rey, and her positioned softened slightly. She felt more inclined to listen to Ater''s words.


    Still, she was still confused. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ~Why didn''t you tell Master this when you were having a conversation with him earlier?~


    ~Because he likes surprises, and we both have to keep this a secret until the fullness of time. It''s very important, do you understand?~


    Emil still had questions, but her curiosity, loneliness, and eagerness to please took over everything else and she nodded enthusiastically as she drew even closer to the ck Box.


    ~Understood! What do you need me to do?~

 Chapter 674 The Dragons Camp

    Chapter 674 The Dragons'' Camp


    At the heart of the blightednds within the Elf Continent, near the Northern Shore that had now beenpletely desecrated¡ªtaken over by the strangers from anothernd¡ªthere was a meeting being held.


    It took ce within a tent, one of the many that stood erect in the barrennd.


    Unlike the others, however, this had a certain grandeur to it. This ce was clearly the heart of their operations, and the arena where only the most elite of contributors could be gathered in.


    The Grand Tent.


    Its interior was several times more impressive than how it was represented from the outside. Perhaps this was due to its plentiful furniture and ample designs, despite it being nothing but a tent within a battle camp.


    Even with the tension within the ce, an air of regality still remained there.


    Perhaps due to the exclusivity associated with the gathering that was currently taking ce there, or the caliber of people present, the tent had a nigh vorful vibe.


    There was a massive and long table located at the center of the room, with three figures seated at the head of the table.


    They were dressed in blue, purple, and ash respectively; though it was inevitable that they would have intricate designs on their attire. Regardless of color, these three were clearly the ones in charge of the meeting. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    They were the only Generals present, after all.


    The others who sat at both the left and right sides of the table were Dragon Commanders¡ªall elite in their own right. They numbered a total of five on each end, making a total of ten Commanders.


    Then, at the foot of the table was a certain young man.


    He did not resemble a Dragon, as he had no horns or tail. His features were very human-like; though that was not the only odd thing about him.


    The young man had an oddly twisted smile as he sat among the Dragons, his ssy eyes taking in what they were saying while maintaining proper silence. He also appeared quite young¡ªabout sixteen or seventeen years of age.


    ¡ªBarely an adult human in this world.


    Still, there was none within the room that treated him with scorn or disrespect. They wouldn''t dare.


    Why?


    Because they all recognized his value. Discrimination against him would not only be unnecessary on their part, but also foolish.


    "The days of those pointy eared idiots are numbered. They''re being pushed back at an extremely rapid rate now." One of the Commanders, the one giving the report, said with a rather prideful tone.


    Everyone who listened cracked a smile or a scoff at the subjects of the discussion. They all seemed incredibly pleased by what they were hearing.


    "We estimate the conquest''s progress will be brought right on schedule very soon. Within this week, in thetest, we would havepletely taken over their camp."


    They all chuckled at the news.


    All thirteen Dragons belonged to the same group¡ªone of the Elite Dragon Squads in the Empire.


    In fact, they were hailed as the second best in the whole of the Empire.


    That was, in part, the reason they chose this mission despite its intricacy and difficulty. If they seeded, there would be no doubt about their cement in the Empire.


    No one would dispute the fact that they belonged to the top spot.


    "Congrattions! I''m very happy for you." The voice of the young man who sat at the foot of the table echoed within the tent, causing all its inhabitants to instantly look in his direction.


    Since he was the furthest from them, their intimidating gaze focused on him at once.


    Anyone would find it scary.


    Not him, though.


    "With this, you''ll take the first step in cleansing the world of the Elves and finally taking over their resources. It will be a great victory for the Empire."


    His response was filled withposure, and his attitude towards the Dragons¡ªobvious predators of humanity¡ªwas all too natural.


    Either he was a great actor, or he truly had no fear of them.


    "Hahaha! Thank you, Adrien. We couldn''t have done this all without you."


    "Indeed! You truly made this easier for us."


    "You''ve done amendable job thus far. We owe you greatly."


    The three Dragon Generals all echoed words of praises to Adrien, who simply epted them with the utmost humility.


    What else was he to do, really?


    ''I only saved them from making a fool of themselves andpletely ruining any chance they had of ever ascending the ranks¡­'' Adrien Chase smiled internally as he bowed his head in response to their very underwhelming words.


    It was obvious that they were underselling his role in the current conquest, but what did he care? ''Their pride won''t let them say it as it is.'' His grin widened even more. ''But we all know that they owe me everything.''


    Just months ago, the Dragons were in trouble due to the Elves upping their game and somehow getting their hands on the Enchanted Items. Having tools really revolutionizedbat for the Elves, who had barely anybat prowess before then.


    It was clear that the Dragons were desperate, and the Generals began contemting attacking the Elves personally as ast resort¡ªwhich basically meant they were pushed to their limits.


    Their pride wouldn''t have that at all.


    ''I initially came to thisnd to see if I could benefit from the Elves by offering more Items and slowly taking over theirmunity, but¡­'' Adrien closely looked at the Dragons before him with a sly gaze.


    ''Iter realized these ones would be more useful.''


    He was able to learn a lot in the time he spent here, even before approaching the Dragons with a deal. The advantages they offered him, especially in the long run, far outweighed his prospects with the Elves.


    ''It helped matters that they were failing to meet up with their conquest quota. There was even supposed to be an Excursion from their Academy, but due to how unstable things were at the time, they had to use every excuse in the book to postpone.''


    The fact that they were forced to dy the request made by a Dragon Lord showed just how precarious the whole thing was at the time.


    Adrien knew all of this by infiltrating the Camp and learning more about the Dragons and their dealings. He initially did this to possess sufficient information in order to further assist the Elves, but after learning all he learned¡ªincluding something highly irresistible¡ªhe had to change his mind.


    ''In the end, I had to approach them with an offer they could not resist.''


    By using his Necromancy on the Dragon Corpses, while also presenting the other Monsters he had in his stockpile, he was able to convince the Dragons of his power. He even offered them a demonstration, revealing just how merciless he could be.


    He did everything he could to convince them, until they finally took the bait.


    ''And here we are now¡­''


    This was his first time ever in such a meeting among the upper echelon. He would usually be called for an audience with one of the Generals, who would then tell him his task.


    They rarely allowed him to give any counsel, or suggestions, or anything of the sort.


    But, slowly¡­ he worked his way to the point he was currently at.


    He earned it!


    ''It''s just as the Commander said. The camp should bepletely taken over by the end of the week at thetest. Once we''ve taken down thest bastion of resistance from their end, things will be rtively easier going forward.''


    Adrien was relieved about this, since he could finally take a break from all the work and focus on something else he had been putting off for a while.


    ''The Dungeon here¡­ I''ll finally have the time to harvest more Monsters to add to my collection. The Minerals there should also be very pure¡ªprobablyparable to what the Dragons have in the Northern Continent.''


    Based on the climate and Mana density that the Land of the Elves had, Adrien considered it a very big possibility. ''Once I get some time off, I''ll hurry and take care of it.''


    With all of those thoughts flowing through his mind, he still didn''t forget to address a rather pertinent matter to him.


    "I am d to be of service to the Empire''s Conquest. On that note, I would also like to remind you of the deal we made. My reward¡­ for the services that I have rendered."


    His voice was soft and low, but there was a certain power that warbled deep within his tone.


    "We understand, Adrien."


    "An audience with a Lord, right? Of course¡­ that will definitely be arranged."


    "You will have what you seek."


    Upon hearing this, Adrien''s smile broadened¡ªalmost resembling that of an excited child¡ªand he bowed his head once more.


    "That is all I ask. Thank you very much!"

 Chapter 675 Masterminds

    Chapter 675 Masterminds


    "Haa¡­"


    Adrien exhaled deeply as he left the grand tent that hosted the meeting between the important figures of the Camp.


    Upon getting out of the stifling ce, he let the stale wind blow on his face, causing his dark hair to flutter gently while also inhaling the breeze with a small smile on his face. His eyes were closed for a second, but that didn''tst long either.


    He couldn''t afford to enjoy the moment.


    ''Once again¡­ my escort lurks behind me.'' As his thoughts trailed, he nced to the area behind him, where a certain pink-haired Dragon Commander stood still.


    Her eyes watched him keenly, and while she had an official aura about her, the palpable tension between the both of them could not be ignored.


    ''Ever since I arrived here, she''s been ced in charge of me. She watches my every action, especially the ones I make when I leave my tent.''


    She was also very good at her job.


    ''I guess that''s the perk of having an amazing bloodline and a powerful Skill to boot.'' He grinned.


    Of course, Adrien knew that he could evade her power if he wanted to. However, that would only be more suspicious and energy-consuming. ''Right now, there''s no real suspicious aspect about me that can be brought to the light through her constant surveince.''


    The only reason her presence bothered him was because it was the symptom of a much bigger problem.


    ''The Dragons still don''t trust me.''


    This was an inevitable situation, and he was already prepared for this much. Still, he hadmitted to a lot in order to get much closer to their operations.


    Still¡­ it seemed they were yet to budge on the trust part.


    ''Well, trust or not, I''ll get what I want from them. That''s only a matter of time¡­'' He began to walk towards his tent, with the Dragon Commander trailing right behind him.


    The stale air brushed over his skin, and he found himself indulging in the exercise.


    Even though he could get to the tent in a moment, Adrien decided to immerse himself in thoughts and enjoy his walk.


    ''Things have been working out well so far. My asional calls with Justin keeps me informed on the current state of the Capital.''


    The Capital was still under construction, though they were already making good progress with it. No real incidents had urred as of yet, and things were rtively peaceful there.


    The information was consistent with what he had learned from the Dragons during his stay here.


    ''Seems they aren''t allowed to attack the Capital for a while. They''ve also reduced the intensity of their attacks on mankind¡­ though that''s only temporary.''


    As for the other information he received from Justin, he had no real way of verifying.


    Still¡­ Justin could never lie to him.


    ''Rey is still asleep, apparently. Same with Alicia. The Otherworlders being recognized is a pretty nice step up. None of those improvements affect my ns in any way, though¡­''


    Still, being aware of the current state of the Capital gave him some leverage in terms of information. His cautious self had to be aware of all the variables in order to determine the constant.


    Only then could he be confident in the sess of his ns.


    ''All of this means I can focus on my deal with the Dragons and swiftly conclude the extermination of those Elves.''


    Once the Camp was destroyed, and the Dragons had quelled thest mes of resistance, his job was done. The colonization, ughter, or whatever the Dragons nned on doing to the rest of the Elves, was none of his business.


    ''If there''s one thing I don''t particrly like about this entire arrangement, it''s the limitation of my Skill on those Elves¡­''


    Adrien didn''t know why, but he couldn''t make Undead Elves. He had tried several time, but the effects were always nullified.


    ''I''ve reached such a level of mastery where my sess rate is a hundred percent when ites to entities weaker than me. Yet¡­ none of them have seeded.''


    To call the whole thing frustrating would be an understatement on his part.


    ''Still¡­ I have an army of Undead Dragons and Monsters at my disposal already. That''s more than enough to get the job done.''


    Each individual Undead could be ssified as an A-Tier threat, and he also had S-Tier entities sprinkled in. With such quality, his forces were practically invincible.


    "Huuu¡­" Leaking out misty breaths from both his nostrils and lips, he finally opened the door to his tent and made to enter.


    His eyes spotted the Dragon Commander watching him as he went in, and he only smiled upon noticing.


    ''All in due time¡­''


    *************


    [Meanwhile¡­]


    "Good job, Justin. Keep me informed if there are any new developments in that regard."


    The voice of a certain young teenager oozed out of Ater''s lips as he held a certain ck box in his hand¡ªa Communication Device of the utmost quality.


    He had a wide smile on his face as he heard Justin''s voice respond to him with hints of subservience and respect. "Anything else?" He added.


    "Well¡­ there''s nothing else to report. Rey is still not back from the whole Elf mission, and that servant of his, Ater, has been acting suspicious for quite some time¡­ but you already know that. Also, I think there''s some kind of political conspiracy going on at the moment. Things are so tense in the Royal Estate, with the Nobles still present. They''re going to be leaving sometime this week, but¡­ till then¡­"


    Ater nodded slowly as he heard these words.


    "Alright then. I suppose this concludes the session. At our appointed time, update me on even more information."


    "Do you¡­ suspect something big is about to happen?"


    For a moment, Ater said nothing. He looked straight ahead, his eyes focused on a door that stood right in front of him. He had somewhere to be and something to do soon¡­ but not yet.


    "Do I suspect something big is about to happen? Haha¡­" He chuckled, his teeth disyed with his wide grin. "Why not just wait and see?"


    "Still being so mysterious, huh? Why not just tell me these stuffs. It''s not like I can betray you anyway¡­"


    There was a long pause from Ater. He seemed to be suppressing a chuckle, perhaps from remembering something. Then¡­ he spoke.


    "Wait and see. Don''t you just love surprises?"


    "Well, I actually don¡ª"


    Before Justin could properly respond to Ater''s final words, thetter ended the call very casually and made the ck box disappear in a billow of smoke.


    ''Justin the traitor¡­ what a rather interesting case this is.'' Ater mused as he rose from his chair within the lounge that he alone upied.


    ''There are so many ways to go about handling this matter. It almost makes me confused about what path to take. Which will lead to the most interesting oue, I wonder¡­''


    He licked his lips and walked towards the door.


    ''Well, I''ll save my thoughts on that forter. For now¡­ '' Opening the door wide, his eyes caught the appearance of someone who was waiting for him while keeping his head bowed gently.


    ''... Let''s focus on the matter at hand.'' n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The man before him was Rebal nc, known as the Head of the Reaper Group. There wasn''t a soul in the United Human Alliance who didn''t know of him. That went double for those who had positions of power¡ªwhether great or small.


    He was the most popr man at the moment; well, other than Rey Skr.


    And this man was bowing before Ater.


    Why?


    "All preparations have been made, Sir Ater. The guests are waiting in the lounge, and yours have yet to leave the ce you left them."


    Ater smiled and nodded in satisfaction upon heaing all of these things.


    "Well, we can''t keep both sides waiting, can we?" Before Rebal could speak, Ater was already walking towards the room where he kept his guests.


    "Sir Ater¡ª"


    "You don''t need to think or do anything. Just observe and leave everything to me." He told Rebal, sporting his usual smile andposed demeanor.


    "U-understood."


    They reached the end of the hallway and entered a rather shabby-looking room. There, they found two exquisite girls seatedfortbly in the filth. They had haughty expressions on their faces as they spoke to each other with confidence andposure.


    "I can''t wait till we finally meet those fools and get them to do our bidding."


    "Master will be so pleased."


    "And this waiting room isn''t bad at all. It''s definitely better than that hotel¡­"


    "Indeed. Who would have thought humans could have such exquisite taste. I suppose Reta wasn''t lying when she said she had connections."


    "Speaking of Reta¡­ when will she be back? It feels like an eternity since she went to fetch the dog that''ll atend to us."


    "Silly¡­ it''s only been like a few seconds. You''re too impatient."


    "Haha.. true¡­ true¡­"


    As these Dragon Ladies¡ªKat''erin and Shai''ya¡ªkept speaking to each other, Ater and Rebal entered the room and they had no idea of their presence.


    Thetter had a horrified expression on his face. He could tell that the girls were confused about nearly every aspect of reality, and he began to fear that perhaps he too was under the same power.


    What was real? What wasn''t? He didn''t know.


    He couldn''t!


    He cast his gaze on Ater, who maintained his devilish smile as he drew closer to the girls. His shoes weren''t touching the filthy ground, as he simply floated in the air.


    "With this, they''ll smell and look the part of ves. Of course, I could simply make them appear so through illusion, but this is a lot more fun¡­ don''t you agree?"


    "I-indeed, Sir Ater!" Rebal nodded and smiled, with beads of sweat falling down his face.


    He was slowly understanding why his son, Asher, was terrified of this entity. There was no way such a being was human.


    "Now that we''ve reached this point¡­ shall we move on to the next stage?"

 Chapter 676 Two Sides Of Madness

    Chapter 676 Two Sides Of Madness


    There was silence on both ends.


    On one side were the Otherworlders known as deserters¡ªthe ones who abandoned the Royal Estate and the selfless cause to save humanity. Their true status was, naturally, not known to the public¡­ but that didn''t matter here.


    Lyvia, Byron, Devin, Cayden, and their leader Felicia, all sat on a particrlyrge andfortable sofa. The exquisite design of the furniture only reflected the extravagant state of the lounge they upied. The carpets were made of only the best of materials, and the walls were adorned with only the most elegant designs.


    The chandelier glowed with sheer beauty, and everything oozed luxury.


    The Otherworlders seemed to be using all their strength to restrain themselves from reacting to the scenery around them. Even the Nobles didn''t have lounges that was so well-designed and ozed a taste of perfection.


    Before them was a table of pure ss¡ªalmost shining like diamonds¡ªand on the other side of the table were the people the Otherworlders had to deal with.


    The man who satfortably on the sofa was a stranger¡ªone they hadn''t seen before.


    He had dark ebony skin, with white hair and crimson eyes. There was something exotic, nearly forbidden, about his countenance. Even though he had a smile on his face, malice seemed to seep out of the mask.


    Standing behind him was Rebal nc, the purported leader of the Reaper Group.


    Now that they had finally encountered the true mastermind behind the Reaper Group, and knew of the sinister ns they had under wraps, the Otherworlders knew the one who sat before them was the real deal.


    There was a reason why he was the one seated and Rebal merely stood.


    That wasn''t all, though.


    Kneeling at the man''s feet were two exotic-looking women¡ªnaked and in chains. They looked filthy and absolutely disheveled. Their horns stood out from their dirty hair, and their tails slithered on the carpet. Their soft-looking bodies were sullied by dirt of some kind, and their necks were tightly cuffed with chokers that had chains linked to them. Like dogs, they were ced on leashes, and the one who had control over their chains was the seated man.


    He was their Master, and they were absolutely submissive to him.


    "We meet at longst, Otherworlders. Names are unnecessary, so I will skip the pleasantries and get straight to the point."


    Each word the man spoke carried authority.


    The Otherworlders, despite supposedly being much stronger than the humans of this world, found themselves increasingly wary of this man.


    Perhaps it was how he spoke¡­ the way he carried himself¡­ it was reminiscent of one who had absolute power and confidence at his disposal.


    It also didn''t help that he had two Dragons on his leash.


    Felicia and her friends still found it a mystery as to how he was able to capture the Dragons, but they reckoned now wasn''t the moment to indulge in their curiosity.


    They had chosen to enter into the rabbit hole of conspiracy in order to further push their own ns, and now they were in too deep to have second thoughts.


    The Otherworlders, allied with the Reaper Group, were going take over the entire United Human Aliance.


    "I trust that Rebal here has already given you the brief rundown on what we intend to do. I will go over things in greater detail, but only after we sign an arrangement of non-disclosure and non-interference. If, after hearing everything, you still refuse to join hands with us¡­ then I need to be sure you won''t ruin things for our end."


    All things considered, the man''s words made sense.


    His caution was befitting of someone of his caliber, and the condition he was imposing was even mild considering just how much leverage he possessed.


    Felicia stole one nce at her friends and they all exchanged nods.


    So far¡­ things were looking good.


    "Excellent! Since we''re all on the same page, let''s get the whole paperwork done so we can finally get to the juicy bits!" He eximed with such aggressive grace, yet tender intensity that seemed contradictory¡­ but strangely perfect.


    All through this while, everything seemed to be a blur.


    Still, even with everything that was happening, all of these deserters had one thought on their mind.


    ''We''re going to use this opportunity and make a deal with the Reaper Group to get what we want. Once we no longer need them¡­ we''ll turn against them!''


    Yes, this cliche logic was what ran through their inneryers.


    And who could me them?


    Just as with what they had experienced with the Nobles of this world, and the lowlives they had to deal with to get to their current positions, this mentality seemed to work just fine.


    And, with enough power and nning, they could actually achieve it.


    ''In the end, we''re going to win!''


    *************


    "Seems like we''ve already won." Kat''erin grinned widely as she looked at the dazed audience around her and her partner, Shai''ya.


    Everyone had fallen under the affliction of her [Dragon Voice]. Both the head of the Reaper Group, and the five Otherworlder Deserters, and even the incredibly attractive human Reta¡ªthough thetter was already under the Skill prior to this moment.


    All of them were now Kat''erin''s tomand.


    "Now, they''ll do whatever we tell them to do, right? So we can tell them to simply destroy everyone and everything, right? Or to¡ª"


    "No, you idiot." Kat''erin chopped Shai''ya on the head before thetter couldplete her naive-sounding suggestion. "It''s not that simple."


    The cute Dragon Girl made a cute shriek, holding her head as she stared at Kat''erin with a slightly betrayed look. Both of them soon burst outughing, though.


    There was no need to hold back in any way.


    Everyone in the room was in a daze, so they could be free and true to themselves.


    "None of these Otherworlders seem the least bit attractive, though. I would have expected them to have the same quality of appearance as Reta, but they''re all ugly and filthy. Pfft¡­ it''s almost pathetic."


    "Right? Still¡­ they will be useful for the n."


    "Oh yeah! What''s the n again?" Shai''ya''s airhead attitude surfaced as she cocked her head and looked at Kat''erin with curiosity.


    Thetter couldn''t resist her sigh as she exined.


    "We will have to consult the Master before we conclude on anything, but the most likely thing that will happen is to encourage them to go on with their ns so they can speed up the self-destruction of the Capital."


    They didn''t need toy a single finger on the city itself, or even order the humans to do anything outside of their scope or intentions.


    No¡­ that would be a tad excessive.


    "Since they''re pretty much going to achieve something simr with their current n, we just need to judge them a little¡­"


    "Haha! As expected of you, Kat''erin¡­ you figured it all out!"


    "Pfft! Please, Shai''ya¡­ I''m sure Master will have a more intricate n than this in store once we inform her of the situation."


    "True true. But you''re still amazing, Kat''erin!"


    "A! Thanks. I think you''re amazing too." The two hugged after this, both their moods elevated by the current sess they were experiencing with their mission.


    What they both thought would be a series of boring and long investigations, due to their orders to remain lowkey and not cause any trouble, was now moving smoother than they had ever expected.


    Even in the best of scenarios, things would not have aligned in such a perfect way.


    "I guess we''re just that good!" Kat''erin smiled as she nodded proudly at the whole situation.


    More than anything she felt a sense of fulfillment.


    ''Master will be pleased!''


    ************


    ''Master will be pleased indeed¡­'' Ater thought to himself as he watched the whole thing y out, his hands behind him. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The Otherworlders were signing something they thought to be a non-disclosure agreement, but was somethingpletely different. They also had a particr air of false confidence around them that was particrly amusing.


    Especially Felicia. The girl must have thought she had some measure of control or calction over the entire scenario, but she couldn''t be more wrong.


    Herckeys had the utmost faith in her, without realizing what kind of awful mistake they were making. She was leading them to the guillotine, and they dly followed.


    But what about the other side? The Dragons.


    The two girls were celebrating like idiots. They had gleeful expressions on their faces, acting incredibly rxed despite being surrounded by eyes.


    This was because of their illusion, and Ater was aware of that, but he still found it funny that¡ªdespite beingpletely naked, filthy, and left in an utterly shameful state, they were being so cheerful.


    As their breasts pped around and their bodies smacked against each other, Ater''s smile only broadened.


    He ignored the appalled Rebal and allowed himself to sink into his own thoughts.


    ''Phaseplete. Now it''s time for the next one."

 Chapter 677 Aftermath Of The Agreement

    <h4>Chapter 677 Aftermath Of The Agreement </h4>


    The meeting ended on a rather productive note, with both sides getting what they desired as they arrived at a proper consensus.


    Once it was all concluded, the Otherworlders were escorted out of the building and they returned to their lodge within the Royal Estate. As they did so, they couldn''t help but feel a certain way¡ªall of them remembering the day of their desertion.


    As at the current moment, only Felicia had revealed her identity to anyone within the Royal Estate. The rest had their identities hidden, disguised as mere security escorts for the Nobles that they served.


    As a result, they weren''t treated with the utmost kind of respect.


    All of that would soon change, though.


    By the time they arrived at Felicia''s room for their meeting, the teenagers were smiling to themselves.


    "That went well. A lot better than I expected, even." The one to break the silence was Cayden.


    He copsed on a sofa as he grinned widely. As the one who was often referred to as the pessimist of the group, it was refreshing to see that even he found the meeting to have gone great.


    Everyone was in stark agreement.


    "I didn''t expect the true mastermind to show his face. Like¡­ I felt so overwhelmed."


    "Right? It was too much of a shock!"


    "And do you see how he controlled those two Dragons? It was crazy!"


    At first, they were skeptical of whether or not the two girls were indeed Dragons. However, after a demonstration of sorts¡­ there were no longer any doubters in the group.


    That meant the n was going to run rather smoothly.


    "He did all of those things intentionally. It''s called the power y." Felicia iled her hair as she sat on one sofa¡ªthe one facing the rest of her friends.


    A prideful look took over her demeanor, and everyone instantly recognized what it was.


    She was pleased with herself.


    "We''re so close, guys. So close to taking over the Alliance and getting back at everyone who screwed us over."


    They would reap all the benefits, while also having the current people in charge take care of all the hard work like politics or warfare.


    As long as they had control¡­ that was all that mattered.


    "Shouldn''t we bring the rest to our side now? Justin and the rest¡­" Lyvia said this, her emphasis on Justin due to the interest she had in him.


    Everyone would have rolled their eyes, but she was actually making sense this time.


    "Indeed. This is the perfect moment to reel them in."


    "Of course, they''ll have to be our subordinates¡­ since we are the five original members who came up with this whole thing."


    "Subordinate or not¡­ as long as we''re not enemies; it''s all good."


    They all looked at Felicia for a final verdict, but it was already pretty settled at that point. Perhaps they just needed validation.


    "Justin, rk, Belle, and Trisha¡­ we''ll bring them over to our side by any means necessary."


    If Rey returned from wherever he went to, he would suffer the same fate.


    If Alicia woke up, she would also be the same.


    "They won''t be able to betray us, and we''ll be the single strongest unit in the whole of humanity." As childish as it sounded, the n was practicable due to Felicia''s Skill and the current n that they had to take over everything.


    "Looks like it''s settled."


    "Yep!"


    "Agreed!"


    "When do we start?"


    The n was going to take ce within the week, which meant they had only a few more days to prepare themselves. That meant only one thing.


    "We move as soon as possible."


    **************


    "Haaaa¡­ amazing!"


    "Yeah¡­ that was so great!"


    Kat''erin and Shai''ya copsed on their side of the bed, with Reta stuck at their center, all of them sweating profusely after an intense session of sensual fun.


    With the way the Dragons breathed heavily, one would think they had just gone through the most intense battle. And, in a way, that would be correct.


    Their time with Reta was unlike any other.


    The human knew the right buttons to push, and she was an expert at all areas. In fact, her expertise almost made Kat''erin and Shai''ya seem like amateurs.


    It wounded their pride considerably, but they felt too much pleasure to protest at the moment.


    Now that it was all over, they could feel the sting of shame on them.


    Still¡­ their bodies could not forget how it felt like, so theirints were soon drowned by the pleasure they felt and desired to feel again.


    "Haa¡­ haaa¡­ now that was a good stress reliever."


    "Indeed. Indeed." Shai''ya, being the more sensitive one, was still spasming on the bed, not fully recovered from the round.


    As for Kat''erin, she stood up and smiled with a sharp glint in her eyes.


    "I think it''s time we contacted the Master. We''ve made sufficient progress on the mission thus far, and we need her blessing and detailed strategy in order to proceed with any other action."


    Shai''ya''s words of agreements were stifled in her moans, but she was clearly in support.


    Her weak thumbs-up proved that to be the case.


    "Hehehe! She''s going to be so happy with us. Still, to contact her, we''ll need to head outside the Capital. It would be better to take all safety measures¡­"


    "Y-yeah¡­ uuuuuaoooh¡­"


    "Hm. Yeah¡­" Kat''erin smiled broadly, before slightly turning her gaze to Reta, who was fast asleep on the bed.


    ''The sex must have worn her out.'' Her grin broadened. ''Humans are so fragile. I can''t have her break so quickly¡­ especially considering how much more we''re going to have once we return to the Empire.''


    All of that was secondary to the mission, however, so Kat''erin decided to shove it elsewhere in her mind.


    "Shai''ya, hurry up and join me in the shower. We need to inform the Master as soon as possible." Kat''erin headed to the bathroom after saying this, leaving the other girl trailing behind her in a tweaking fashion.


    "Cingggggg¡­."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    The consOriginal solidifies, and tension intensifies. What is the fate of these parties, and how will it all coincide?

 Chapter 678 Malevolent Call

    <h4>Chapter 678 Malevolent Call</h4>


    Within her clear and elegantly designed resident office, Frey''ja noticed a call was being made to her through a particr crystal-like sphere on her desk.


    A holographic disy instantly shot up, and the figure of two girls¡ªher apprentices¡ªpopped up that very instant.


    "Hm¡­?" Her clear eyes beamed, but her eyelids narrowed slightly at the same time.


    She wasn''t expecting them to contact her so soon, considering the nature of the mission. In fact, she was just about to have a meeting with the rest of her aplices about a separate matter.


    Still, considering how professional the two Dragon Generals were, and the immense skill they possessed in the field, she had no doubts that there had to be a reason for their premature contact with her.


    With that in mind, Frey''ja granted them an audience.


    "Master!"


    "Master!"


    As expected, her cute apprentices retained their adorable personalities despite the level of disgust they must have endured in the world of humans.


    "Huhu¡­" Frey''ja beamed even brighter as they giggled with excitement, and she found herselfughing softly.


    "It looks like you have a lot to tell me."


    Why else would they call her? Yes, these two were the closest Generals to her, and they were also her personal unit among the 7 elite squads.


    Every Dragon Lord had an Elite Squad except for the Great Dragon Lord and the Death Dragon Lord. The former didn''t particrly need an Elite Squad due to his own level of power and influence¡ªplus, he mostly acted as a supervisor or administrator, so a squad wasn''t necessary.


    As for thetter, he simply didn''t desire to make a squad.


    He was that weird.


    Instead, he had a few powerful subordinates, but they were mostly disjointed and were appointed to different tasks. Perhaps it was due to his personality, or the fact that he also didn''t particrly need a squad.


    Either way¡­ that was about it.


    The Storm Dragon Lord, in charge of the military conquest in the Eastern Continent, had thergest squad of all¡­ but it was only second best to the squad of the Frost Dragon Of The Icy Realm.


    Everyone knew that her select few members were the mostpetent Dragon Generals in the Empire¡ªthough they hardly did anything.


    Perhaps because they were already considered ''too strong'' to take on anything challenging. Most of them had even taken on teaching roles in the Academy, considering their sheer talent and abilities.


    Frey''ja was happy to put them to good use for her in the Academy.


    ''My Squad was number 4, but after the death of Ob''elisk''s Squad, it has been shifted to Number 3. But, well¡­ I have no idea what will happen during the next Evaluation. I heard the other Lords have begun making their Squads much stronger in preparation for the event.''


    Kat''erin and Shai''ya were very strong, but Frey''ja wasn''t sure they could defend their 3rd Rank position for too long.


    ''I might need to add more members soon. But¡­ I''m very picky.''


    It was why only the two of them were chosen out of the several candidates that existed. With the Evaluationing up soon, though Frey''ja thought she would have topromise.


    ''But¡­ haa¡­ that''s not important right now, is it?'' She removed her mind from the train of thought that she followed and returned it to the conversation.


    She was right on time too, as the two girls just finished describing their experience in the human Capital. Despite being in her deep thoughts, Frey''ja still heard all they said, and she understood them just the same.


    This was a testament to the advanced intelligence that Dragons possessed.


    "There are a few surprises here and there, but I am pleased overall with your execution of the mission. Your speed is also praiseworthy."


    That meant she would have to shift the n forward.


    ''The sooner we get this stuff over with¡­ the better for us.'' Was what she thought to herself. ''I can focus on other things, like the kids in the Academy and the Evaluationing up.''


    "Let''s go over the n, shall we?"


    ***********


    [Moments Later]


    "You probably won''t need any backup, but just to be on the side of caution, I will have some other Dragons be on standby on that day."


    "Thank you, Master!"


    Per the Dragon Emperor''s orders, she couldn''t have more than two of her subordinates in the Western Continent. However, thanks to having allies, she could request for their support and contribution of subordinates for the cause.


    ''Once the chaos begins, I''m sure the humans will try to escape the Capital. That would be perfect, since their protection is only limited to the walls of that city.'' She grinned widely.


    The moment they stepped out, the Dragons were going to incinerate all of them.


    "Ahh¡­ what a magnificent sight that would be." Pink hues appeared on her pale face as she drowned in the delight of the brutality that her n offered.


    "Keep up the good work, girls. I look forward to the results."


    "Yes, Master!" Kat''erin responded with her stiff, slightly formal tone.


    "We won''t let you down, Master!" Shai''ya was a lot looser with her speech, but her tone still had reverence.


    Not long after, the call ended.


    The White Dragon Lord Of The Forbidden Valley instantly put a call across to all of her conspirators, and they began to pop up one after the other.


    Their holograms manifested within the room within mere seconds.


    "Tat''urius, Pro''theus, Vul''khan¡­ I just received some fantastic news!" Frey''ja beamed at the mere disy of her colleagues.


    The Death Dragon Lord, me Dragon Lord, and Forest Dragon Lord respectively had looks of curiosity on their faces the moment she mentioned this.


    Of course, she had to tell them more.


    "The n is going very smoothly. It seems the humans are already on the verge of destroying each other."


    Uproar rose from the Lords at this point, increasing the level of interest and tension within the room.


    "Looks like I''ll have to tell you about everything first¡­ about the Otherworlders, and what the Alliance has been up to for the past couple of months."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    And now¡­ we return to the Eastern Continent. I''ve missed the drama that is going on there.

 Chapter 679 Crisis In The Camp [Pt 1]

    Chapter 679 Crisis In The Camp [Pt 1]


    ~BAM!~


    The fist of one of the seated Dragon Generals hit the main table that spread straight down within the meeting room. His action caused the piece of furniture to tremble, almost to the point of breaking apart.


    However, it didn''t.


    Whether this spoke of the integrity of the table, or the fact that the General was still subconsciously holding back despite his current emotional state¡­ it was impossible to decipher.


    "Damnit! How did things get to this point again?!" He raised his voice, his bloodshot eyes piercing the room as he looked at everyone present.


    The 12 Dragon Commanders were utterly silent, all of them having nervous and incredibly ufortable expressions on their faces. Their unfocused gazes shifted from one point to the other, with beads of sweat evident on their faces.


    No one liked it when this particr Dragon General was upset.


    However, since they all knew the source of his frustration¡ªwhich inevitably led to anger¡ªthere was nothing they could say.


    All they could do was sit and take it all in.


    "Just yesterday you said they were being pushed back. You told me we would have them subdued by the end of the week. You said they were not a threat at all. And now¡­ what''s with this bullshit?!" He raised his voice, once again pounding the table.


    At this point, his colleagues had to calm him down.


    "R''azak, calm yourself." The one cloaked in blue muttered with a sigh. "This unexpectedness gues us all, after all¡­"


    The moment he heard this, R''azak, the purple robed General, turned to look at his colleague, still growling and seething from his lips


    "But¡ª!"


    "Getting upset won''t fix anything. It''s better we calmly assess the situation." This time, the one with the ashen robe spoke up.


    All three Generals shared the same elevated position of leadership. Yes, R''azak was the one who often took the role of offensive leader due to his hot-blooded and incredibly violent nature, but that didn''t mean the other two were inferior to him.


    The one shrouded in blue was best known for his defensive maneuver; so he often took charge in times of dire straits. It was thanks to his leadership that the Dragons were able to hold out for so long despite the Elves gaining their hands on Enchanted Items.


    That didn''t stop them from being on the losing end, but he minimized their losses.


    As for the ashen one, he appeared to be the youngest¡ªlooking like a teenager¡ªbut his true age was one that no one in the room knew of.


    Many rumors floated around of him having some form of ties with the Emperor, but there was no concrete proof to back it up. The only thing people really knew about him was¡­


    ¡­ He was strong.


    Among the Generals, he was certified the strongest.


    Still, he kept his role within the squad to a minimum. He hardly engaged inbat, and he only did so when he found it to be worthwhile, or if the opponent somehow managed to upset him.


    Even now, despite the tension in the room, he was the only one smiling. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "U''riah, Ce''phas¡­ what do you think about this, then? What other reaction am I supposed to make to the news that our forces have been decimated in thest strike?" R''azak spoke to the Blue and Ashen General respectively.


    His teeth gritted with every word he uttered.


    "How could they have overwhelmed our horde¡­? I don''t get it. Were they hiding something till thest minute? Did we underestimate them? It makes no sense¡­"


    The Commanders knew to be silent in this period, so none of them leaked as much as a croak to these questions that were meant to be rhetorical.


    "Hmm¡­" U''riah rubbed his chin, stroking his well-polished beard¡ªa sharp contrast to R''azak''s shabby one. "I don''t think they could have been hiding any secret weapon of any sort. Too many of them have died for them to not have shown all their cards already."


    U''riah was right.


    The Elves, ording to all observation, were a very cooperative andpassionate race¡ªat least to one another. There was no way they would allow their sisters to die in droves, only to reveal their hidden card now.


    "All of these are just spections. In the end, isn''t it best we ask the one person who should know about what happened better than the rest of us?" The juvenile voice of the Ashen General echoed out as he cast his gaze on the most obvious target.


    The one being referred to was seated at the foot of the table, his demeanor a mask of calmness despite the confusion that gued everyone.


    His dark hair danced on his face as he intertwined his fingers and tightly shut his lips in silence. Once Ce''phas mentioned him, though, all eyes slowly began to shift in his direction.


    He was previously unnoticeable among the bunch¡ªprobably due to the arrival of the devastating news¡ªbut right now¡­ he enjoyed all of the attention from them. "The forces we sent consisted majorly of your Undead Minions. In terms of military might, you have suffered the most damage¡­ yet you seem awfully calm." Ce''phas grinned as he narrowed his eyes on Adrien.


    "Does this mean you have an idea of what happened with the Elves? You know why they got so strong so suddenly?"


    "No."


    Adrien''s response was curt, nearly to the point of being recognized as rude. Ce''phas didn''t take any offense at this, though. Instead, his grin only grew deeper.


    After all, Adrien was about to exin himself even further¡­ and everyone was waiting in deafening silence to hear all he had to say.


    "I am very puzzled by this current development." He began. "Resistance should have been quelled, instead over a quarter of my Undead Stockpile has been eliminated."


    Despite saying such tragic words, his face remained a calm facade¡ªalmost like that of a doll.


    "One thing is for sure, though¡­ and that is the fact that the Elves have somehow found another way to be stronger¡ªincreasing their threat level."


    "So, what can we do abou¡ª?"


    "I''ll go." Adrien cut the Blue General off before he could conclude his words. The deep, insidious tone that he used nearly shook everyone within the room. However, Ce''phas could only chuckle in excitement as he watched the whole thing.


    "It''s time I personally went and see what''s happening with my eyes."

 Chapter 680 Crisis In The Camp [Pt 2]

    Chapter 680 Crisis In The Camp [Pt 2]


    ''It makes no sense¡­''


    Adrien put on his best poker face, but he was actually stupefied underneath the face. To say he waspletely dibobted would still be a mild description of how he was feeling at the current moment.


    ''Everything has been going ording to n. I have made sure to keep track of all the variables, and I have painstakingly established the constants. So why¡­?''


    Never before had such a thing happened.


    As long as he nned sufficiently, Adrien had always been able to solve any challenge and make things go exactly as he wanted them to.


    But now¡­ now he was met with an inconsistency in his reality.


    ''Did I make a mistake somewhere?'' He asked himself.


    If he did, there was a chance that his conclusion would be wed since he was working with incorrect information. The whole premise would copse on itself.


    But¡ª


    ''Is that even likely? I make sure to be very thorough with my analysis¡­ so it''s not really possible, right?''


    Adrien often made a conscious effort not to make too many assumptions or reference to the past, but he couldn''t help but recognize his efficiency and absolute correctness in all his past endeavors.


    He had never been wrong in his life.


    ''Yet¡­ this happens? No, there has to be something else going on here. Something I couldn''t have been able to factor into my premise.''


    To observe that ''something'', Adrien recognized that he would have to personally observe the Camp of the Elves¡ªor at least, the battlefield.


    That was the main reason behind his decision to personally oversee the next wave of attack.


    "It could be very dangerous for you by yourself, though. The Elves were able to destroy the armada we sent their way. Are you sure you''ll be safe in the next batch?"


    Adrien felt like scoffing at the question posed to him.


    Still, he controlled himself and smiled at Ce''phas, who was definitely asking the question in order to probe at him.


    "I can handle myself just fine. Thank you for your concern." His cheery response was the only thing he made visible on the surface.


    Deep down, though, Adrien scowled deeply at Ce''phas.


    ''He seems the mostid-back and carefree, but he''s the most dangerous of the bunch. While U''riah is the most cautious and distrusts me the most, with Ce''phas it''s different¡­''


    Adrien could sense it¡ªalmost taste it even¡ªthe killing intent that the Ashen Dragon General was directing towards him, and only him.


    ''He wants us to fight. He knows I''m strong, and he is looking for an avenue where he can have a full-on brawl with me.''


    That wasn''t going to happen so easily under the current circumstances due to the use he had to the Dragons, but Adrien knew Ce''phas would strike if he had sufficient excuse to do so.


    ''I won''t let him have a reason to, though¡­''


    "You are our most valuable asset, though. We can''t take the chance. What if another unexpected scenario urs, and we end up losing you? We''d be sitting ducks, right?" Ce''phas turned to his two colleagues with a face of worry.


    This was all an act, but none of the Generals saw it that way.


    They bought into it instantly.


    "T-true! I was also thinking of that¡­.!" R''azak let out a stifled roar as he itched his shabby-looking beard.


    As for U''riah, he calmly analyzed what Ce''phas said and nodded to himself.


    "You are correct. It makes no sense to risk your life like that, Adrien. The risk is too great when we have no idea of what we are dealing with."


    Adrien felt like clicking his tongue, but he held back his frustration with the Dragons before him.


    ''I know this is only partially out of concern for me. In actuality, they still don''t trust me, so they would like to have watchful eyes on me.''


    At the very least, that had to be U''riah''s train of thought.


    ''But none of that is relevant at the moment. What matters most is the inconsistency, and what could be causing it.''


    He felt an itch within him to fly off, right there and then, to explore whatever could be affecting his ns so negatively. That was just how much the whole thing affected him.


    ''But¡­ I have to remain calm. I''vee too far for mistakes¡­'' He maintained his calm facade and nodded in agreement to the Dragon General. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "How many Commanders would you like to oversee me, then? Maybe two or¡ª"


    "Why not all of them?" Ce''phas blurted out with a bright smile, his wide eyes fixated on Adrien.


    At this point, even his colleagues exhibited concern about his choice.


    "All of them? As in all twelve? That''s too much, even if we are¡ª"


    "Too much?" Ce''phas gasped as he slowly rose from his seat, pointing towards Adrien. "Too much to support our most valuable asset at the moment? You really think so?"


    Not many could argue with Ce''phas on that issue.


    Even the Commanders knew the value Adrien provided was far more than their individual worth¡ªperhaps even their collective one¡­ though that was a bit of a stretch.


    There were a few who thought that, though.


    "There''s strength in numbers. If you''re too worried to send all our Commanders with him, then doesn''t that mean that any less would mean their demise? No matter how you spin it, it''s more beneficial to have all of them go than to select a handful."


    Adrien gritted his teeth a bit lightly as he heard Ce''phas'' logic. ''He''s not fundamentally wrong. If he goes on with this, there are two major things that will happen¡­''


    Either Adrien wouldn''t be allowed to go. Instead, a scout or some disposable pawn would be chosen instead.


    Or


    Adrien and all the twelvemanders would go.


    ''It''s not like my hands are tied per se, but¡­ it''s not worth it. In the end, I''m only going for a scouting mission. If anythinges up, my safety and the safety of the Commanders will be my topmost priority.''


    Of course, Adrien had to be prepared for all of it.


    ''I can''t afford to make any slipups now.'' He thought to himself, calming his heart in the process.


    Nothing would stop him now¡ªnothing at all.


    ''I''m already so close¡­''

 Chapter 681 True War Begins

    Chapter 681 True War Begins


    Rey sat at the head of the table.


    From where he was, he could see the faces of all the leaders in the Elven Camp¡ªwell, except for Feralia, who was standing right behind him.


    It almost seemed like she was his bodyguard, and while that felt weird¡­ he allowed it.


    ''Here we are¡­ preparing for battle.'' He nearly sighed, looking at the faces of the females who gave him star-struck expressions.


    ''I have no idea what happened in my absence, but all of them are beginning to look at me the same way Feralia did. Did my energy affect them all, but at a much slower rate? I''m not even sure anymore.''


    The good news was that they weren''t going to make any move on him, which made the entire meeting a whole lot bearable.


    ''Kara is busy with the Refinery Project and sorting out all the other important details within the Community.''


    The Land of the Elves was a goldmine of resources, and it Kara''s job was to help map it out and discover other hotspots that would provide potential revenue and immense profits for the Reaper Group and humanity as a whole.


    ''As long as it doesn''t directly harm the Elves, then there''s no problem, right? It''s not like The Oracle forbade me from that.'' He thought to himself with a bit of a smug smile.


    "I believe you all know how the significance of this meeting."


    The leaders fidgeted on their seats as they heard his voice. Their expression ranged from being tense to being attentive. Themon denominator was that they were all serious.


    "I have gotten a detailed report of your performance during thest attack. It was ster work from your end, and I''m impressed that you did not suffer any casualties."


    "It is all thanks to you, Sir Rey!"


    "Hmm." Rey smiled and shrugged off the praise. He already knew that his contributions were what made the Elves stand so much as a chance against the Dragon Army, but he actually underestimated their performance even after granting them such tools.


    ''If you give a child a sword, that makes the child more dangerous, but it doesn''t make that child too dangerous.''


    Possessing a tool, and having the skill to use said tool were two very distinct things.


    ''But, it seems like they''re practically the same for the Elves. Somehow, having those weapons I gave them made them quick experts¡ªespecially the projectiles.''


    The Elementals at theirmand did a very ster job, sure, but the Elves were also impressive. They didn''t even allow any of the Dragons toe close to the Camp at all.


    They were truly merciless.


    ''I guess this is how the Elves were also able to gain the upper handst time after buying lots of Enchanted Items from us.''


    Rey couldn''t help but feel like this was yet another example of the world''s bias.


    ''I mean¡­ The Oracle is a literal god. She''s also an Elf. If she can intervene with the System, it only makes sense that they are a chosen race. In that case, I should just ignore all of their benefits and focus on my task.''


    "It''s time for true war." Rey spoke up, interlocking his fingers as he leaned forward. He could see worry clouding the faces of his audience.


    Still, he had to go on.


    "Now that we''ve pushed back very heavily against the Dragons, they''ll definitely feel the impact and try harder next time." The Elves must have been designated as a non-threat due to their previous state, so the Dragon Army probably wasn''t trying their best in thest wave.


    All of that would change very soon.


    ''Now that I know Adrien is involved, it only makes things even moreplicated. Now that he''s been pushed back, chances are¡­ he''ll push harder.''


    For a long period, after knowing of Adrien''s involvement, Rey considered whether or not to reveal himself as the benefactor of the Elves. Ater had already assured him that his presence in the Eastern Continent wasn''t known to Adrien, so he could choose whether or not to reveal his identity.


    In the end, Rey chose to remain hidden.


    ''I''ll take a page off his own tactics and keep my identity secret. Might as well simply watch from the sidelines and leave all the agency to the Elves.''


    Yes, it would be a slower battle as a result, but Rey had to remain on the side of caution.


    ''I''ll only intervene when the time is right.''


    ****************


    "It''s time¡­"


    A bit of mist escaped Adrien''s lips as he folded his hand while floating in the sky. He felt the coolness of the air seep into his body, but that had no adverse effect on him.


    As his dark suit pped, thanks to the breeze beating against him, his blue eyes glowed as he watched his Undead Army ascend to the skies.


    All of them, in their thousands, pped their rotting wings, all shrouded in ckish purple energy, as they roared with a disgustingly deafening cry. Their bodies were a mix of skin and bones, withyers of forbidden energy warbling all over.


    They were abominations given form¡ªthe work of Necromancy.


    Other than the Dragons who took to the skies, the footsoldiers consisted of multiple Monsters¡ªmost of whom ranged from B-Tier to C-Tier. There were also a sufficient amount of A-Tier Monsters there as well.


    With their overwhelming numbers, and the perverse energy that they spilled onto thend as they began their march, they seemed to be an unstoppable army. A total of ten thousand of them¡ªDragons and Monstersbined.


    ."Where will we be positioned? Due to the density of Miasma, it will be incredibly difficult for us to be near the army, so how shall we lead the army?"


    As Adrien heard this, he removed his gaze from the advancing army and turned behind him.


    There, he saw the twelve Dragon Commanders that were all lined up in a straight line before him. He could see all their faces, and he could read all their thoughts.


    Through it all, he merely made a light smile.


    "We won''t be participating in the battle. We are only going to watch from afar." His voice calmly borated on what he meant as soon as he began to speak.


    In no time at all, he caught them all up to speed.


    ''My army is very advantageous, since Undead soldiers do not require rest or sustenance. They also deal passive damage to the enemy in terms of Miasma Poisoning. But¡­ they aren''t without a disadvantage too.''


    The major disadvantage was that their Miasma was also detrimental to the Dragons.


    ''As a result, I can''t employ the aid of the Dragon Army if I am to use my Undead one. Even the Commanders can''t actively participate on the battlefield without exerting a lot of Mana to simply shield themselves from the Miasma being released by my minions.''


    In a way, that made it so that Adrien got all of the aplishments for the subjugation of the Elves, but it also meant he would be the one to bear the brunt of the losses suffered on his end.


    ''Until yesterday, I never really suffered enough losses to make me ufortable, but now¡­ things are different.'' He narrowed his eyes.


    If he was to lose these Undead soldiers, he would only have a quarter of his stockpile left. That meant this was quite the risk he was taking, but anything less would not be sufficient.


    ''The goal is to retreat if the battle bes too fierce, but I have to see the extent of the Elves'' power, as well as how I match up against them.''


    The most important thing was finding the cause of their sudden growth.


    ''The best way to do that is to critically analyze and observe as the battle ys out naturally. I''ll take everything in and supplement my current information to figure out what happened and how to handle the matter.''


    To do all of these things, Adrien didn''t particrly need the Dragon Commanders at all.


    In fact, there was no significance to their presence.


    ''I suppose they are meant to be for security, but I don''t really need it. Granted, I''m still hiding my true strength, so the Dragons don''t know how strong I am¡­ so I understand where this gesture could being from.''


    Ultimately, Adrien''s n for the Commanders was for them to also be with him as he watched the battle with critical lenses and a clear mind. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ''And with that¡­ shall we begin?''


    ************


    Adrien''s eyes were wide with shock.


    He did his possible best to control the rest of his expression, but his eyes easily betrayed him as he watched the battle from a distance, sheer surprise etched all over his features.


    ''T-this is¡­''


    As his Undead Army fell, one after another, without even iming the lives of a single Elf, he couldn''t help but open his lips and mutter out a fragment of his thoughts.


    "... Amazing."

 Chapter 682 Assault On The Undying

    Chapter 682 Assault On The Undying


    "ROOOOOOOAAAAAARRR!!!"


    The loud screeches of the undying ones rushed through the air like a perverse trumpet. As their coarse, bitter sound resounded throughout the battlefield, the ground shook as a result of their march¡­ just as the air trembled as a result of their flight.


    The army of death¡ªthe very one that every single Elf had feared for months now¡ªwere marching towards them in hordes unseen before.


    A few thousand Dragons decorated the sky, but the majority of forces came from the Monsters that looked just as grotesque as¡ªif not more than¡ªthe Undead Dragons.


    Their rotting flesh was held in ce by the disturbing Miasma that filtered around the individual members of the army and formed a cloud over the entire group.


    Their threatening presence was enough to¡ª n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOM!~


    The first projectile that wasunched from the Camp of the Elves marked the start of their own march¡ªboth figuratively and literally.


    It was all a blur, but the ''thing'' that was thrust into the air by the Elves and one of their trebuchet-looking catapults was able to instantly obliterate one of the Undead Dragons that charged towards them.


    The horrid creature''s entire body was set aze in an advent of mes and pressure,pletely reducing to dust in only a few seconds.


    There was no moment of silence that followed.


    The army of the dead could show no hesitation, and so they merely kept marching forward. Unfortunately for them, they weren''t the only army thatcked the shackles of emotions.


    "RISEEEEE!!!"


    As those words burst out into the air¡ªspoken by the voices of all the Elves within the barricaded Camp¡ªyet another miracle happened.


    ~RUMBLE!~


    The earth began to shake.


    ~RUMBLE!~


    It parted, creating a straight line across the earth which made way for the new participants in the battle. ~RUMBLE!~


    Their emergence caused the air around to undte. It felt like everything around them was unraveling as they arose from their depths¡ªthe Grand Elementals.


    mes. Water. Earth. Wind. Lightning.


    One of these base Elements made up each Elemental, and there was enough variety among them that the battleground soon became a colorful field. No longer was it painted in ck, matched with a dreary ssh of purple. Instead, it seemed flowers¡ªor perhaps gloriousnterns of bright colors¡ªhad sprung out of the earth to add a new vor to the canvas of death.


    Each Grand Elemental stood proud and tall, all of them bursting with abundant Mana and an intensity of the element they represented.


    Yes, they were only a thousand.


    Compared to the Undead Army, they were much fewer. The ratio was about 10:1, in favor of the forces of the undying. But¡­


    ~WHOOOOOM!~


    ¡­ In terms of quality, the Grand Elementals were notcking in the slightest.


    In blurs of light, and echoes simr to whispers, the Elementals bravely charged into battle. They cared not for the wave of Miasma they were headed for, or the horrible Undead that red at them with immense killing intent.


    All the Grand Elementals cared for was the mission.


    They conjured up weapons, or relied on Magic-like effects to break into the vanguard,pletely wrecking the formation of the Undead with the overwhelming strength that they had. Unlike with living entities, Elementals could not particrly suffer from Miasma Poisoning. If the Miasma in the atmosphere was too intense, an Elemental could perish due to its Mana being eaten away and corrupted by Miasma. However, this was no poisoning.


    It was simply a fatal attack.


    To prevent this, Elementals had to constantly keep up a barrier. In a way, this served as a form of passive protection, while also doing their best to actively assault.


    Unfortunately for the undying ones, however, these weren''t regr Elementals.


    They were Grand Elementals, all of whom shared a very intense climate of Mana. The pressure of pure energy that surrounded them was more than enough to counteract the effects of the Miasma that oozed out of the Undead.


    No¡­ it was even superior.


    The Miasma around the Undead began to thin out at a rapid pace¡ªalmost as if the opposite of Miasma Poisoning was taking effect.


    Just as this was happening, the ughter of the Undead was being carried out by the Elementals.


    Yes¡­ the ughter.


    Undead entities weren''t immortal. They were simply very difficult to kill¡ªnot only due to the Miasma, but also due to their tenacity.


    Even if their heads were sted off, Undead entities would keep fighting. They were machines that spread nothing but chaos and death.


    Some even had regenerative abilities, making them practically impossible to deal with.


    As such, the only way topletely eliminate an Undead is by destroying every facet of their body¡ªpreferably in one strike.


    The goal wasn''t to simply cut off a limb, slice off the head, or even decapitate the head. That wasn''t enough.


    One had to baptize them in the very destruction that they liked to dish out. By destroying their entire bodies¡ªeither by setting them aze, or crushing them beyond recovery¡ªthe Undead would have no way to keep fighting.


    Unless they had some special regenerative Skills, their chances of survival were zero.


    The quality of these Undead was high. Not only did they maintain the Level that they had during their lifetime, but they also had their Skills.


    That meant they were major threats and worthy challenges for the Grand Elementals.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    ¡­ Or not.


    They didn''t really stand a chance at all.


    The Undead were nothing but sacks of rotting meant to bepletely obliterated by their adversaries.


    Yes, they had the advantage of numbers, and they were much stronger than normal Undead, but that did them no benefit when facing the Grand Elementals.


    The reason was simply due to a difference in Tiers.


    A majority of the Undead Monsters were B or C Tier, with a few being A-Tier. The A-Tier Undead often served as Generals, based on the formation the army implemented, which meant they were ced at the rear of each squad.


    Rarely would an A-Tier be encountered first.


    Normally, this formation would have worked perfectly well due to the inability of the Elves to deal anysting damage on the Undead, and even if they did, only the small fry would suffer it. However, it worked to their detriment when facing the Elementals.


    Not only were thetter much faster than the average Monster, easily sweeping through them and destroying them before they could evenprehend what was happening, but by the time the A-Tier Undead was encountered, it was left vulnerable to at least two or three Grand Elementals.


    There was no way such an Undead would win.


    Ultimately, the Undead¡ªdespite performing their best, based on the instructions of their Master¡ªseemed to not be trying at all.


    The way they died so quickly and easily made them appear so weak.


    ¡­ So powerless.


    One would think that help woulde from the skies.


    After all, the Undead Dragons dominated that space, and as such¡­ they were supposed to serve as an active backup for the footsoldiers. Unfortunately for the Undead Army, even the Dragons were upied.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOM!~


    For each explosion that burst through the air, like fireworks painting the night sky with beauty, an Undead Dragon perished.


    The thick, dark clouds rumbled constantly as the Dragons did their best to resist.


    They let oud intense breaths of mes, or Miasma¡ªboth, in most cases.


    The destruction and devastation that the attack should have caused was insurmountable. However, the barrier that protected the Camp of the Elves prevented anything froming through.


    And, as a reward for their attempt to counterattack¡ª


    ~WHOOOOOSH!~


    ~BOOOOOOOOOM!~


    ~WHOOOOOOOOSH!~


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOM!~


    ¡ªMore projectiles wereunched, and more Undead Dragons were killed off.


    The Projectiles were either massive golden-looking rocks being flung into the air by catapults, or massive crossbows with golden arrows.


    Both were manned by Elves, and their ability to consistently get a bullseye was outstanding. One had to wonder if this was due to the effects of the Items, or perhaps a result of the pure skill of the Elves.


    Either way, the Dragons were being dominated by the constant barrage of attacks that they eventually began to adopt a new tactic.


    Rather than being spaced out, they gathered together in one verypact wave. As a result, the air of Miasma around them became thicker¡ªmore intense.


    Due to this, everything around them grew perverse and distorted, reducing the efficacy of any projectile that would beunched towards them. This tactic not only achieved that, but it also made the projectiles a lot more predictable.


    If they knew where the attacks wereing from, they could easily counter it.


    The Elves had to be freaking out at this point. No matter how fast their projectiles were, they wouldn''t be enough to stop this horde of Undead Dragons.


    ~ZZZZTTTZZZZ¡­~


    ¡ªOr so they thought.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMM!!!~


    Like a massive spear that descended from the heavens itself, a massive strike of lightning, mixed with the vors of all the other elements, came crashing into the group of Dragons.


    Floating above the blinding disy of overwhelming power was the Absolute Elemental General, its majestic form staring down at the chaos beneath it.


    In one powerful strike¡­ itpletely ruined the formation of the Undead Dragons.

 Chapter 683 Fall Of The Undead

    Chapter 683 Fall Of The Undead


    ??Once that explosion of power happened¡­ it was all over for the enemy.


    The Undead Dragons were sent crashing down due to the immense pressure that came from above.


    This was no mere attack.


    It was a charged assault that had been building up for a very long period; performed by none other than an S-Tier Elemental.


    Due to being an Elemental of such high caliber, it could diffuse into the air andpletely blend in with the elements. It did this to avoid detection, staying high above the roof of the sky as the battle began.


    It was only when the climax was nearing that the Absolute General finally awoke.


    Charging its assault, it prepared for the first blow.


    Once it was ready to strike, it did. And¡­ was there even any doubt as to the efficacy of its assault?


    It was simply a lightshow that could be seen for miles upon miles, sending an intense shockwave reverberating through the battlefield and beyond.


    The Undead Dragons struck by this attack were not all killed.


    That was never even the intention.


    Their hard shell of Miasma, and the Skills that some of them possessed, made it guaranteed that some would survive. In fact, most of them did.


    However, it came at a rather horrid cost.


    Not only was their formationpletely ruined by the attack, but the intensity was enough to send every single one crashing down to the ground. Like meteorites, they all descended to the ground, sending massive noises up into the air as theirrge bodies made craters on the earth.


    Undead didn''t feel emotions, and wouldn''t be too bothered about crashing. As long as they were still alive, they wouldn''t stay on the ground for too long.


    The Army of Elementals already knew this, though.


    Each Dragon Crater was already surrounded by the Grand Elementals before anyone realized it, and the Absolute Elemental was waiting in the sky for any of the Undead Dragons that managed to shake off any of the Grands.


    Not only that, but projectiles were still being fired into the battlefield¡ªusually killing the Undead Monsters so they wouldn''t beying around.


    All in all, the Undead were trapped¡ªabsolutely cornered, and all obviously fated to suffer an inevitable fate.


    Their demise was nigh.


    ******************


    ''Amazing! This is simply amazing!''


    Adrien''s eyes widened in shock as his lips stretched wide so he formed a rather sinister looking grin. He stared at the entire battlefield like a madman, observing everything that urred within it in great detail.


    He ignored the piercing gazes of his Dragon Colleagues and continued to watch the oue of the battle with unbridled curiosity and amazement.


    ''There are more healthy Elves than expected, and their weapons¡­ their expertise¡­ the overall development of their warfare¡­ it''s unnatural.''


    He had his suspicions before, but this basically confirmed it for him.


    ''They had some kind of external help. I don''t know who it is¡­ yet¡­. But this person is rather good.''


    Not only were they able to heal so many Elves that would have died, also erecting a barrier to prevent subsequent Miasma Poisoning or overall harm, but they were also resourceful enough to share items with the Elves.


    ''Those Enchanted Items¡­ if I can call them that¡­ disappear after use. They''re very powerful, even for Enchanted Items.''


    He observed the catapults, as well as the crossbows, watching as they were being loaded. His silence was tense, squinting his eyes as he took in all the information he could.


    ''At this rate, this army will be annihted. Not only that, but the subsequent army will also suffer the same fate.''


    Adrien had no idea if the Elves were still hiding other cards after this. Yes, he had noticed the presence of something in the sky before the Absolute Elemental made its debut, so he could guess that the Elves¡ªor rather, their benefactor¡ªcould also have more tricks up their sleeve.


    He wanted to know what they were.


    ''I want to know so badly!''


    As someone who had previously observed the Elves and their Community with scrutiny, he couldn''t help but find this new development jarring.


    And he wanted toprehend it all.


    "Are we not supposed to intervene at this point? At this rate, the army will¡ª!" Adrien raised his hand to stop the words of one of the concerned Commanders.


    He could tell that they were panicking over their immense losses. It wasn''t like he wasn''t moved by their deaths, but he simply had to keep a calm mind during this process.


    "I advise that we attack them. We are Commanders, so a few of us could easily take care of that giant Elemental while the rest support the army."


    With the Miasma in the air already so thinned out, the Commanders could actively join the battle. Doing so would be an absolute game changer for them.


    They didn''t have to lose this round.


    "Hmmm¡­"


    As Adrien rubbed his chin and considered their proposition, he wasn''t thinking in the same line of reasoning that they were.


    ''There are still a lot of uncertain elements; all encapsted in the fact that I do not have a good idea of how strong the Elves have be.''


    How many more Elementals could they churn out? How many more projectiles did they have? What other surprisesy in store for them?


    Adrien suspected that there could be even more waiting, considering the resourcefulness of the benefactor of the Elves.


    ''It''ll be difficult for me to determine that myself, though. So¡­ should I use the Commanders to test the waters?''


    The moment he had this thought, he shook his head and sighed.


    ''That won''t work. No¡­ I can''t even consider that as an option.''


    Such an impulsive decision would be unwise to do when he hadn''t fully taken in the full scope of the battle and theorized possible oues to prepare for. Besides, there was an even bigger risk associated with that move.


    ''If anything happens to these Commanders, Ce''phas will finally have a reason to pick a fight with me, and the other Generals will trust me even less.''


    That was not a risk he wanted to take.


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I hope you are enjoying more of Adrien''s point of view. He was a big enigma in the previous Arcs, so it''s nice to see him more fleshed out here.

 Chapter 684 Retreat Interference

    <h4>Chapter 684 Retreat Interference </h4>


    ''I can''t risk it¡­''


    The very fabric of Adrien''s n hinged on the fickle trust of the Dragon Generals. Yes, he always had contingencies, but it wasn''t something he could just afford to use in such a scenario.


    ''If there is an obvious pitfall, it''s best I avoid it altogether.'' He sighed to himself.


    Adrien already suspected that Ce''phas must have had a simr goal in mind when he told Adrien to go with the Commanders. The General probably wanted some form of slip-up so he would finally be able to fight Adrien.


    He wasn''t taking the bait, though.


    ''I already used Enchanted Items with Recording Magic to capture everything going on here and report back to the Generals in the Camp¡­ just so they can see what''s going on.''


    He constantly observed the Items too, ensuring that they remained unaffected and consistently sent the urrences of the battlefield to the Generals in real time. All three of them had to be carried along on everything, not just relying on his anecdotes.


    ''It''s possible that the Commanders end up giving biased reports regarding me and this entire event, so this is meant to provide the raw and objective report on the issue.''


    Even with all of these precautions, it was too dangerous for him to give an order that would end in the death of any Commander.


    Now wasn''t the time for any kind of action.


    "We are retreating¡­" Adrien turned to the Commander the moment he spotted the death of hisst Undead Dragon.


    The battle was over: they lost.


    "We''ll return to the Camp and give our reports to the Generals." He could see the annoyed faces of the Dragons. Their pride meant a great deal to them, and this crushing defeat served to badly damage their ego despite they not being participants of the frenzy.


    Adrien ignored all of that, though.


    ''I most likely saved your lives.'' He thought to himself, preparing his Spatial Magic. ''You''re wee.''


    ~Bzzzztzz~


    "Huh?" Adrien raised an eyebrow as he realized something rather unsettling.


    ''Why isn''t it working?''


    Just now, at that very moment, he tried using Spatial Magic, but found it failing. Never before had his Spatial Magic failed to such an extent, which meant something.


    ''There''s some kind of interference!'' Instantly having widened eyes upon making this discovery, he turned towards the Dragon Commanders and yelled at them.


    "Spatial Magic isn''t working! We''re going to have to rush out of here as fast as¡ª"


    ~WHUUUUSH!~


    ~WHOOOOOM!!!~


    ~BWOOOOOMMM!~


    Several projectiles began to fly in the direction of the stationary Dragons high in the sky.


    From arrows to zing boulders, to several Spells and elemental attacks; all of them charged at the stunned Commanders with breakneck speed.


    ''How were they able to spot us?'' Adrien''s wide eyes bulged even further as the thought manifested in his head.


    The moment he realized the Spatial interference, he already knew the chances of being spotted were high. It was why he wanted to quickly warn the Commanders of the harm, prompting them to flee.


    But¡­ it seemed he was toote.


    ''[Absolute Magic Interference]. [Copse].'' These two Skills were instantly activated the moment Adrien thought of them,pletely stopping the multifarious attacks before they could reach the Commanders.


    [Absolute Magic interference] dealt with all of the Spells, while [Copse] destroyed the projectiles that were approaching.


    In essence, he was able to protect his allies.


    "T-those bastards!"


    "Did they just fire at us?"


    "Fools! Do they not recognize that¡ª?"


    "We''re retreating!" Adrien yelled out, his voice containing a rather agitated vibe that none in the room had ever experienced before.


    The moment they felt the paradigm shift in the mood surrounding them, they obeyed his words and raced away from the battlefield.


    It felt shameful to run. All the Dragons agreed.


    But¡­ they swallowed their pride and sped off, following Adrien who was at the forefront of the charge.


    It didn''t take long before he halted, though.


    "What is this¡­?!" He muttered, staring around him in confusion as he stared at his hands, and also around him once again.


    "Why did you stop?"


    "What''s going on now? Are we not retreating?"


    "Talk to us! You''re leaving us in the dar¡ª!"


    ~SQUELCH!~


    Before thest Commander couldplete his words, a golden de pierced him in the chest.


    The glowing weapon came out of nowhere, and it instantly ripped his heart apart, tearing through muscles and bones within a fraction of a moment.


    "G-gurgh¡­?!" The Dragon Commander''s pained face contained confusion, disying absolute shock in his eyes.


    Blood spurted out of his eyes, lips, nostrils, and ears, as he just floated there¡­ absolutely stunned and dying as a result of the attack.


    "N''alsi¡ª!"


    ~BOOOOOOM!~


    He exploded as soon as his name was called, turning into nothing but chunks of mincemeat and sprayed blood. Even his entrails were sted off as chunks¡ªsome sttering all over the other Commanders, while others descending into the still battlefield.


    All the Grand Elementals stood there, their faces raised to look at the Commanders. The Elemental General also remained in its position, not budging one bit.


    None of them seemed to be responsible for the assault.


    They merely watched.


    ''T-this is¡­?!'' As Adrien tried to process the information he was being dealt with, one of the Commanders held him by the cor and drew him close.


    She had a spiteful look on her face, while the others looked around them with wary expressions, all of them ready not to be caught by surprise like their fallenrade.


    "Why did you stop?! It''s because you stopped the retreat that he''s dead!"


    Adrien could see that the Commander was upset. She was the one always assigned to him, with the pink hair, tail and horns.


    He decided to overlook her actions and exin.


    "Why don''t you try. Try to escape¡­"


    Adrien stretched his hand towards the direction that they were flying in, but after a brief attempt to do so, his arms went nowhere.


    The pink-haired Dragon Commander let go of his cor and also attempted to move in that direction, but despite seemingly making progress with flying, she didn''t seem to be leaving her current position.


    ¡­ Almost as if the distance to cover was endless.


    "We can''t escape." Adrien concluded, looking out to see the next wave of projectiles approaching them.


    "We''re stuck."


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    What do you think will happen next, folks? Want to make a guess?

 Chapter 685 Dragon Pride

    <h4>Chapter 685 Dragon Pride</h4>


    The realization of their imprisonment was only the beginning.


    As soon as the pink-haired Commander felt the inescapable that kept stretching forever, and she heard Adrien tell her the blunt truth, she felt something in her heart jump.


    Swiftly turning to Adrien with an annoyed expression, she spoke up.


    "Then figure something out! You''re the smart guy who always--!"


    ~SPLOOOSH!~


    Blood suddenly sprayed from her face as she spoke. The red liquid gushed out as a golden de impaled her from behind, slicing her head in half.


    "H-huh...?" She didn''t even realize her own demise until it was toote.


    Her colleagues looked at her with shocked expressions on their faces. They had all huddled together in an attempt to protect themselves from the iing attacks beingunched towards them.


    They were also confident that they could sense any hidden attacks as long as they knew it wasing. But... none of them had predicted this.


    They didn''t even sense it until it was toote.


    "Che''ri!" One of the Commanders screamed, but his words were drowned by the sound of her flesh exploding into tiny particles of meat and blood.


    Once again, the area around them was tainted by fresh gore--all of it etched into the minds of the devastated Dragons.


    All of them, without exception, were dumbstruck.


    From 12 Commanders, they were left with only 10, and even that number didn''t seem certain. No one knew when it would be their turn, so they panicked and looked around them with obvious paranoia.


    Until--


    "This is bullshit! We can''t keep running and hiding like this!" Kre''mlin, one of the strongest-looking Commanders based on just physique alone, yelled out.


    He had a deep re on his face, one that he directed at Adrien, before turning towards the battlefield they were trying to flee from.


    "We are Dragons! We don''t run so shamefully... especially against feeble entities such as Elves. I don''t know about you, but I still have my Dragon Pride left... and I won''t allow it to be sullied!"


    The Dragons around Kre''mlin instantly digested his words, and their eyes began to brighten up in support. Before any momentum could be gained, though, Adrien spoke up.


    "Don''t be foolish. The best course of action is to establish a functional defensive formation or construct and wait for the Spatial Interference to wear out, or for the Generals toe to our aid."


    Since they were all watching the live recording of the event, there was no way they weren''t seeing their predicament. In that case... It was only a matter of time before help arrived.


    Unfortunately for Adrien, though, the Dragons had long passed the realm of reason. Their instincts were slowly taking over.


    The hunger for chaos, the thirst for destruction... all added to the massive pride of the Dragons; one that now spurred them at the moment. No longer were they going to deny their passions and take Adrien''s conservative approach.


    It was time for them to act like true Dragons.


    "Let''s burn them to the ground!"


    "Yeah!"


    "They''ll pay for what they did to ourrades!"


    "This is what Che''ri and N''alsi would have wanted..."


    "Let''s do this!"


    All ten Dragon Commanders, contrary to Adrien''s wishes, decided to face the Elven Army--no holding back.


    That was, in itself, catastrophic.


    Commanders were pretty strong Dragons, and these were ones who belonged to the second strongest squad in the entire Empire.


    Of course, they would be incredibly skilled and potent.


    Victory was assured.


    ~VWUUUUUUUUM!~


    All of them took on their true Dragon Form, revealing their monstrous forms that were hidden under the beauty of flesh. In no time at all, they were charging towards the first target--the Elemental General.


    Once they handled it, they would rain destruction and pain to the ones beneath.


    The only thing on their bloodthirsty mind was "KILL!"


    Naturally, they closed the gap between themselves and the Elemental in no time, but just s they were about to reach the entity¡­ the Dragons realized something.


    They weren''t getting closer.


    They were flying at max speed, but it just seemed like the space in front of them kept stretching and stretching. It was rather odd, and confusion ate at them even further.


    None of them were able to touch the ''barrier'' keeping them trapped, so they didn''t know this was the exact same phenomenon. Instead, they thought it was perhaps some kind of Skill made simply for protection.


    As such, the Commanders brought forth all manner of Skills to break free from the barrier, as well as fire at the Elemental.


    All of them¡­ all at once¡­


    "ATTACK!"


    ~... shu¡­~


    The flurries of energies and power that the Dragons had released with their potent Mana suddenly seemed to evaporate the moment it manifested, leaving behind only vestiges that softly echoed like a slight fart.


    Nothing else¡­ nothing at all was in sight.


    How was that even possible? For sure, they knew their Skills hadn''t failed. In fact, even if it was just for a split second, the Dragons had seen their powers manifested.


    But, all of a sudden¡­ the whole thing could be seen no more.


    Why?


    Before they could answer that question, though, yet another phenomenon urred.


    "H-huh?"


    "W-what''s this? What''s happening?"


    "Why does this ce feel¡­ tighter? I''m being pushed back¡­?!"


    "Escape! Try again! We have to try our best!" Kre''mlin roared, pouring in all his energy into his breath and opening his mouth so he could st everything in one powerful roar or breath.


    But¡ª


    ''It''s noting out?! How?! Why isn''t this working? Why? I don''t¡­ I don''t understand!''


    As if that wasn''t bad enough, the entire space around the Dragons began to slowly contract. The shrinking effect became faster and faster, causing the once prideful Dragons to dread what was toe.


    "Adrien, help! Do something here!" Kre''mlin wanted to yell out, but no words came out.


    It was as though he was surrounded by a vacuum.


    They all were.


    "H-hel¡­. HELP!" Those words never reached their destination.


    They were forever lost, even before being sent forth, as the Dragons became crushed by an invisible prison they could not perceive.


    All zones around them were removed, and the walls around them closed steadily¡­ all until the ten of them were squished andpressed into a small box.


    A small box¡­ of concentrated Dragon essence.


    *


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    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I wonder who could be doing such horrid things to our Dragon friends. It''s so sad¡­

 Chapter 686 Another Serving Of Shock

    Chapter 686 Another Serving Of Shock


    ''Amazing¡­''


    Adrien''s eyes were wide open as he watched his allies get turned into an abominablepression of blood and meat. The cube that contained their remains floated in the air for him to see, and he observed all of it in perfect silence.


    ''I couldn''t save them.'' He thought to himself, his lips parting to show dumbfoundedness. ''The perpetrator must have known, or at least counted on, that.''


    There was also the fact that the Dragons were killed in such a way that he couldn''t get sufficient material to use for his Necromancy.


    ''Do they know that I''m a Necromancer¡­ or is all of this coincidence?''


    It seemed to be more than coincidence, especially considering the value that the Commanders would have as his Undead Sentinels. They would have been such indispensable assets, and now¡­ they were absolutely wasted.


    Adrien had to consider the possibility that the perpetrator had to have known something.


    ''Speaking of the perpetrator, I can''t spot them at all. It seems they''re incredibly gifted in that regard¡­'' All of this was even more frustrating because Adrien always had a choice to make.


    ''Should I use my true strength or not?''


    If his life ended up being in danger, something he found to be very difficult to achieve, he would have no choice but to use even more of his power.


    However, this conservative approach of his had always been his method of handling affairs.


    He was reluctant to change.


    ~ZZZZTZ~


    Suddenly, he felt a buzz around him, causing him to leak out a small smile.


    ''Those idiots. If only they waited for a while¡­'' The Spatial Interference around them had been lifted, which meant Adrien could finally teleport away from the trapped battlefield.


    ''The Skill or Spell''s effects most likely ran out. Though¡­ there is also the chance that the perpetrator released it. But¡­ why would they?''


    He, just like the Dragons, was an enemy of the Elves.


    Whoever was on the side of the Elves had to recognize him as a threat and eliminate him as quickly as possible. As such, he was more inclined to believe that the Spatial interference around him had been used up, or at least weakened.


    And so, without wasting any further time, Adrien departed from his position and transported himself to the Dragon Camp.


    All of this while avoiding the swarm of projectiles that neared him even until thest second.


    ~FWUUSH~


    Space opened and copsed ording to his will, and in the blink of an eye, Adrien found himself standing right in front of the Grand Tent.


    "Huu¡­" Adrien found himself exhaling deeply.


    Here he was, the only survivor of an unbelievable purge that shocked even him.


    His army¡­ his allies¡­ none of them stood a chance against the might of their new enemy. There was a lot going on in his mind, but Adrien knew he had to focus now that he was about to see the upper echelon.


    He already knew that the Generals would be inside, and based on his incredible senses, he could already spot the three of them standing still there.


    ''It''s a moment of great loss for the Dragons. In the grand scheme of things, this moment isn''t particrly significant, but¡­ I understand how this will be quite devastating for them. I have to limate to¡ª"


    Before Adrien could conclude his thoughts, already about to step into the tent, he felt something intense directed towards him.


    He instantly froze in his tracks as the sensation intensified.


    ''This is¡­ killing intent¡­?!''


    Adrien was stunned, to say the least. The kind of killing intent he felt didn''t just emanate from one, but all three of them.


    Yes, the situation was unfortunate. They must have witnessed the crushing defeat of the Dragon Commanders, so their rage and bloodlust were understandable. But¡ª


    ''Why are they directing it at me?!''


    ~WHOOOSHH!~


    Adrien instantly leapt from where he stood, right as a powerful explosion resounded there. ~BOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    Debris scattered around the area of impact, followed by a swirling storm of dust and smoke. Within the smoke were three silhouettes, their eyes glowing with deep passion as they remained stationary. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ''They¡­ want to kill me¡­!'' Adriennded a few meters from the Dragon Generals, his expression still disying the surprise he felt.


    The smoke soon cleared thanks to the intense winds that blew in the area, revealing the Generals and theirpletely rage-filled features.


    Adrien was still observing them in silence when he realized that the entire area was surrounded by Dragons disying obvious signs of enmity. All of them¡ªfrom the lesser revered Commanders, Soldiers, and Newts¡ªall red at him as they watched his every movement.


    It almost seemed like they were waiting for his arrival so they could eliminate him.


    ''Aren''t they overreacting a little¡­?''


    Yes, Adrien knew the death of the Commanders would warrant consequences regardless of the footage as evidence, but this wasn''t at all how he envisioned things to y out.


    The most spontaneous event would be Ce''phas using themotion as his chance to assault Adrien, using the death of the Commanders as an excuse to fight. Compared to that, this situation was infinitely worse.


    "Why are you¡ª?"


    "You have quite the nerve returning here after what you did, Adrien¡­" R''azak spoke up first, his rough tone carrying the weight of sheer hatred.


    He seemed to be the most bitter of the bunch, and it was clear he was using all of his self control to restrain himself.


    "What I did? Surely you watched the recording. I actually¡ª"


    "Yeah. We saw everything¡­" This time, U''riah spoke up, his eyes furrowed while a frown remained etched on his face. "We saw how you betrayed us, killing the Commanders while they were retreating."


    ''What?!''


    To say he was stupefied would be an understatement. Adrien recoiled after hearing such an unbelievable report.


    ''Me? Kill them? Ah¡­'' His mind swiftly went into action as soon as he received the information from the Generals.


    ''They don''t seem to be lying, and if they really think this¡­ it makes sense that they are disying such clear killing intent.''


    The logic was pretty coherent, only having one fatal w.


    ''How the hell did they arrive at such a conclusion?''

 Chapter 687 Resounding Clash

    Chapter 687 Resounding sh


    ''I didn''t want toe to this conclusion before, but¡­''


    As Adrien stood before the Dragon Generals as an used traitor, surrounded by the entirety of the Dragon Camp, he found a small smile crawling up his face.


    ''... There''s definitely some mastermind pulling the strings here.''


    It felt a little ironic¡ªrather hrious, even¡ªto Adrien. He was the one who usually took on such a role, so it was a little shocking to have someone else manipte these events from the shadows.


    ''Whoever they are¡­ they are good.'' He smiled to himself. Not only were they able to catch him off-guard, stripping him of the advantage he had built up from the start, but he was still unaware of this person''s identity.


    All possible suspects weren''t present, which meant this had to be a new foe. ''Unless¡­''


    "What''s with that look?! Do you not have words of defense to give?" R''azak yelled out, his eyes bloodshot as steam proceeded from his nostrils.


    He seemed the most upset. Perhaps this was because he trusted Adrien the most, so he didn''t expect this sort of oue from their ultimate pawn.


    Whatever the reason was, the fury he felt nearly drove him mad.


    "It doesn''t matter what I say, does it? You''ve already concluded that I am the perpetrator." Adrien answered withposure, slowly limating to the surprising situation that he found himself in.


    "I don''t know what you saw, but what happened was simple. The enemies overwhelmed us. We tried to escape, but couldn''t. Then, some invisible enemy attacked themanders and killed them. After they all perished, the interference was lifted, and I was able to escape¡­" As Adrien said those words, he too realized how off the series of events were.


    It all yed out too conveniently.


    "An invisible enemy, huh? You mean YOU attacked and killed them, don''t you?" U''riah growled as he deepened his re.


    Adrien was forced to sigh again. ''This is why I didn''t want to respond. It doesn''t look like there''s anything I can say to change their minds¡­'' He found it to be a shame, though. If the Dragons could use their brains a little, they would realize that the whole narrative didn''t make a lot of sense.


    ''Why would I kill the Commanders in such an overt way when I am being watched and recorded by Magic? Speaking of Recording Magic, that''s probably how the mastermind was able to implicate me.'' He leaked out a wry grin, remembering a particr moment of the past.


    ''I suppose this is how you felt, Rey. Being surrounded and used so surprisingly, despite having ns of your own¡­''


    The only difference between Adrien and Rey was that the former was not in any way responsible for the death of the Commanders, while thetter was.


    ''That means we can resort to using the Truthseeker, right? Or¡­ perhaps that''s what the mastermind wants. If the Truthseeker has been tampered with, and it proves me guilty, then there''s noing back at all.''


    That would definitely put him in an even worse off position.


    ''This whole affair still confuses me, though.'' Adrien felt everything slow down as he had these thoughts, slowly raising his head to look at the Generals.


    ''The best way to exin the current situation is if the Recordings were tampered with right as it was broadcasting the information to the Generals, allowing them to seepletely different information from what was actually happening.''


    But¡­ that didn''t make any sense to Adrien.


    ''My Magic was coursing through that device and I was constantly observing it. There''s no way anyone would have interfered with it and I wouldn''t have felt a shift.'' He thought, tightly gritting his teeth.


    He already envisioned a simr situation like this happening, so he made sure to take all the precautions necessary. Yet¡­ it seemed that wasn''t enough.


    ''Is there something I''m missing? What exactly is it? I have to kno¡ª!''


    "THAT''S ENOUGH YAPPING!" Ce''phas yelled out, causing everything around him to tremble like with an earthquake.


    His eyes were bulging wide, and his lips were stretched so they met both sides of his face. In all honesty, he seemed nothing short of an insane man.


    Well, a very young one, but still¡­


    Energy pulsated out of Ce''phas as he stepped forward. The very air vibrated, constantly buzzing as sparks and crackles of light danced off him.


    "We already know he''s guilty, and that he''s dangerous. He killed twelve Commanders, so the answer is clear. He''s working for the Elves and has backstabbed us. Perhaps this was his intention all along. In that case¡­" Ce''phas crouched, almost as if getting ready to sprint.


    His position felt slightly animalistic, and his slithering ashen tail, coupled with the four horns that were evidently protruding out of his head, shot up as his eyes widened considerably.


    His eyes shone a bright white, and his hair took on that color instantly.


    "... We should execute him!"


    ~WHOOOOSH!~


    In a blur that would be impossible for any normal eye to keep up with, he zoomed away from his position, causing the ground beneath him to shatter.


    Not even the Dragon spectators could keep track of his movements. What they could only see was a blur, and the blur only had one destination.


    ¡ªThe traitor, Adrien.


    "Hahahahahaahaha!!!"


    Ckles ofughter echoed out as Ce''phasunched his w towards Adrien, who blocked it with a de that he manifested out of seemingly nowhere.


    The result?


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    Immense destruction spread for a dozen meters or so, but everything that surrounded them for at least a couple kilometers shook in response to the impact.


    The clouds slowly began to shift as the air pressure was slowly changing.


    "Don''t worry, everyone! I''ll execute him for us!" Ce''phas licked his lips as he stared very intensely at Adrien, who kept up his calm facade.


    The other two Generals sighed, shaking their heads as they witnessed their colleague go savage again. They already knew there was no stopping him at this point.


    Once the Dragon General decided to have his fun¡­ it was toote.


    "He could still be useful, though. Isn''t killing him a bit of a waste?" U''riah mumbled, looking at R''azak with a bit of forlorn eyes.


    As much as he didn''t trust Adrien, there was no denying his value. Surely, hisrades could see that and arrive at apromise¡ªperhaps enving the boy in some way.


    "Don''t overestimate him, U''riah. He is only a human in the end." R''azak''s response was cold and detached, but his frown seemed to show something different.


    "I would have granted his request, you know? The kid had so much promise. He just had to blow it¡­"


    "Yeah¡­"


    The two Generals chose to watch the fight from where they stood, ignoring the other soldiers who were already seeking shelter from the devastation that the sh was causing. Not many could withstand the debris and severalshes of energy that chaotically befell the camp.


    But, all of this was nothing.


    It was nothing more than a wee greeting from the two¡ªespecially Ce''phas.


    "Get ready, Adrien!" He licked his lips, clenching his other hand to form a fist as his w scraped against Adrien''s de.


    "We''re going to have quite a ride!"


    He wasn''t interested in a swift execution¡ªor any kind of execution at all, despite dering himself as the executioner.


    He just wanted to FIGHT!


    ~BOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    The blow from Ce''phas resounded across thend, and it sent Adrien flying into the sky. "You used a barrier, huh? Hahahaha! That''s impressively fast!" Ce''phas''ughter echoed as he ascended to the sky to keep up with Adrien.


    In no time at all, he was right in front of him, the both of them ascending together.


    "I always knew you were strong! Stronger than you were letting on!" He reached for Adrien''s throat, but found the barrier that shielded the boy was still in effect.


    "Hehehehe! There''s no need to be so shy!"


    The child-like voice of the General felt like metal scraping metal¡ªa disgusting disy of the lust for battle.


    Strands of saliva floated out of his lips as he spoke. As his now white hair danced with the wind, he raised both hands, sped them together, and then sent them crashing on Adrien''s barrier.


    The result was a shattering effect.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMM!!!~ n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    In an instant, the barrier broke apart, leaving Adrien defenseless as he began to descend to the ground as a result of the powerful impact that Ce''phas exerted.


    Before he could fall any lower, though¡ª


    "Where do you think you''re going?!"


    ¡ªCe''phas grabbed him by his shirt and yanked him back up. The transition was smooth, and the moment Adrien was pulled up, a wave of energy crashed upon him that sent the boy falling back down.


    "Hahahahah! Hahahahahahahahaaha!! Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaaha!!!"


    Ce''phasughed maniacally as he held Adrien tightly and thrust himself towards the darkened ground, aiming for the two of them to crash upon it together.


    "We''re going to be having loads of fun, Adrien. Let''s enjoy ourselves a lot!"

 Chapter 688 Adrien Vs Ce’phas

    <h4>Chapter 688 Adrien Vs Ce''phas </h4>


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMM!!!~


    The earth shattered apart, and everything around it was both a pile of molten rock, and a disorganized heap of debris.


    Standing amidst this sight of destruction was a single being.


    "Aww¡­ you used Spatial Magic to teleport before we hit the ground. Yeah¡­ forgot you had that." Ce''phas mumbled, slowly above the huge crater he created as a result of his crash.


    His gaze was fixed in one direction alone, and that was where Adrien floated, his hand tightly gripping the same de from earlier.


    "I can''t fight you like a normal opponent, it seems. You''re smart and strong¡­ an annoying opponent, which makes you worth fighting. Ohhh¡­ I can''t wait till Ipletely crush you and crush you, and¡ª!"


    "Ce''phas, you''re getting carried away!" U''riah yelled out from the distance where he stood. R''azak was right beside him, and they both had unpleasant expressions to give him.


    "We need to get this sorted out quickly so we know what to do about the Conquest. They could attack our Camp any minute now, so this isn''t the time to be wasting any¡ª"


    "Time? Yeah, got it!" Ce''phas grinned, having a certain twinkle in his eyes.


    "Haaa¡­ whatever. Please just finish up quickly so we can prepare for our next course of action."


    U''riah''s hands covered his face as he sighed in exasperation, so he couldn''t see Ce''phas'' look of disappointment after being chastised.


    This terrible mood of his didn''tst long, though.


    "Fine, fine¡­" He said with a brilliant grin, quickly returning to the optimistic vibe he had earlier.


    ".... I''ll end it quickly."


    He crouched once again, watching Adrien like a predator observes prey. Thed in the sky narrowed his eyes as he took his stance in the air, preparing himself for whatever attack that would be dished out.


    "Here Ie!"


    ~WHUUUUUUSH!~


    Now much faster than before, Ce''phas caught up with Adrien within a fraction of a moment, his hand already tightly on his neck.


    As soon as this happened, Adrien vanished from his position, but¡ª


    "Not so fast¡­"


    ~ZZZZTZZ~


    All of a sudden, as if reality had just be a glitch, everything about Adrien, and the area where he vanished from began to show signs of static.


    And then¡­ Adrien returned to Ce''phas'' grasp.


    "W-what?!" Adrien''s expression seemed to say in shock, but Ce''phas had already begun to squeeze his neck, so the expression was bound to transform into a suffocating one.


    Fortunately for the former, however, he had another Skill toe in handy.


    ~VWUUUUUUUSSSHHHH!!!~


    A sudden surge of mes suddenly engulfed the two of them,pletely baptizing them in searing heat.


    "You can''t escape with just this!" A single burst of energy from him quelled the mes, sending it into oblivion. Unfortunately for him, the moment this happened, he realized that Adrien was no longer in his grip.


    "Slippery bastard¡­" Ce''phas mumbled, slowly letting down the outstretched hand.


    ''No matter. His escape doesn''t matter anymore.''


    His Dragon Senses showed him where Adrien had gone to, and it wasn''t left or right.


    "Above!" Ce''phas turned his attention to the sky and found thed to be charging at him with a shroud of lightning encasing his entire body.


    ~WHUUUUSH!~


    The brilliant sh of light resonated greatly with the surroundings, and it fueled Adrien''s de as it shed on Ce''phas in no time.


    Normally, such a hit would deal a significant amount of injury on him.In fact, even the brilliant plumes of mes that he recently banished should have done the same.


    But Ce''phas didn''t appear to be injured at all.


    In fact, he was grinning like a madman.


    He went ahead to hold Adrien''s de, instantly shattering it with his hardened hands, stretching his second hand towards his throat.


    Once again, Adrien tried to retreat. But¡ª


    ~BZZZTZZZ!~


    He found himself in the same situation that he tried to escape. He was stuck in the same situation again¡­ allowing Ce''phas to grab his throat.


    Before Adrien could even squirm out or move¡­ the Dragon General thrust his sharpened ws, and a considerable length of his arms into him.


    ~SQUELCH!~


    Following that disgusting sound was the spraying of blood.


    Adrien''s gaping stomach overflowed with the crimson liquid as Ce''phas let him up and let the blood gush out.


    "We aren''t done, of course¡­ never done."


    Once Ce''phas said this, Adrien''s wounds were reversed¡ª


    almost as if he never had the injury, to begin with.


    The shocked look on Adrien''s face showed that this was not even his doing.


    But what did that matter?


    Ce''phas targeted his neck next, breaking it in one simple breath. Normally, this would mean the death of the target, but¡­ this too was reversed in a single moment.


    Hewent on to dismember Adrien, but then the effects reversed.


    This process went on, causing bloodshed and a reset that never seemed to end. Again and again, all manner of punishments were dealt to Adrien, until finally¡­ he was done.


    Ce''phas flung the helpless body of Adrien to the ground, causing the ground to shatter in the process.


    "Hahahahahaha! This is so much fun!" He stood on top of Adrien, his fist pummeling him, and then reversing it over and over again.


    But, not all were reversed. Slowly, the wounds began to build up, disying scratches, bumps, and a bunch of other unsavory aspects on Adrien''s bloodied face.


    "Ce''phas, please just end it already. We really need to¡ª"


    "Shut it!" Ce''phas yelled out, shutting down U''riah, as well as anyone else who would desire to challenge him.


    Despite being colleagues, U''riah was forced to follow themand of Ce''phas and keep quiet.


    The reason was due to a difference in strength.


    And no, it wasn''t just brute strength. It was a power that only Ce''phas and one other Dragon had¡ªthe kind that made one invincible.


    No one wanted to suffer under its hands¡ªthe kind of suffering that Adrien was no doubt experiencing at the moment.


    ''[Time Dtion]''


    The ability to slow down, reverse, or increase the flow of time on a specified target.


    That was Ce''phas'' trump card!


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    What are your thoughts on this? I''m pretty curious, actually¡­

 Chapter 689 How The Fight Ended

    <h4>Chapter 689 How The Fight Ended </h4>


    The Strongest.


    It means different things to different people. Some attribute only physical characteristics to it, while others consider the mental or supernatural attributes to the term.


    However, everyone shares onemon assumption when addressing the matter.


    To be the strongest means to be the best.


    And... Ce''phas could be considered the ''Strongest'' of the 2nd Squad.


    Not only were his Stats absurdly high, at leastpared to the other Generals, but his Skills had a much higher level of mastery. His Level was higher too, making him an all-round superior entity whenpared to almost every other General.


    But, that wasn''t the only reason he was feared and revered as the strongest.


    The main reason was due to his Skill: [Time Dtion].


    [Time Dtion]


    Tier: S


    Ability: Allows the user to control the flow of time experienced by a specified target. The target''s time can be slowed, reversed, or advanced.


    [Limitation: Physical contact must be made on the target to activate this Skill.]


    [End Of Information]


    With this Skill, Ce''phas could advance his own time, making him much faster than normal. He could also slow down the time of his targets by only touching them once.


    The most dangerous aspect of it was the ''reversal'' aspect, that allowed him to reverse the state of his target--including their positions or wellbeing.


    Using this power, even if he fell under a fatal attack, it would be as if he never sustained any injury. As long as this power existed, and he had it activated, Ce''phas was unstoppable by those within his rank or lower.


    He was an absolute monster.


    ****************


    "It''s over, Ce''phas. You win..."


    The two Dragon Generals stood beside the Dragon General. He was kneeling atop the bloodied corpse of Adrien Chase.


    There was only so much a corpse could take before turning all mangled and gross; unrecognizable from its previous state. Ce''phas had dealt such intense and immense damage on the body that it had be nothing but a mesh of ground bones and pasty flesh.


    The ground had suffered considerable damage. The whole area around him had sunk to the ground, making it an expansive crater with blood designing its walls.


    Ce''phas, after hearing the words of his colleagues, and feeling their hands on his shoulders, finally stopped pounding the boy''s dead flesh and exhaled deeply.


    "Huuu..."


    For a moment, dreary silence filled the crater.


    The Generals were still as they waited for him. He used his Skill to remove all the blood from his body, making him squeaky clean. His ashen outfit also returned to him, and in no time at all... he was back to normal.


    He looked nothing more than a sweet kid with horns, wings, and a tail.


    Some spections were already floating around that he constantly used his [Time Dtion] to keep himself forever young, and that he was much older than he seemed, while others imed he was actually still a child considering his personality.


    Whatever the case was, the two Generals behind him didn''t care one bit.


    As long as he was not a threat to them, and he could handle their enemies with the same fervor... they were always going to be on his side.


    "How long was it this time...?" He asked, rising from the gore beneath him.


    R''azak and U''riah looked?at each other for a few seconds, each wondering if the other would do the honors of saying it. After those moments of ufortable silence, R''azak finally took on the mantle of speech.


    "Five hours. It''s not bad, considering your past recor¡­ ahem, I mean¡­ yeah."


    "I see¡­" Ce''phas muttered, returning his gaze to the bloody mess he had turned Adrien into. His white hair darkened and his eyes stopped glowing, leaving a dead look in his eyes as he leaked out a sigh.


    "I thought he''d make mest longer. I suppose he wasn''t as strong as I was hoping."


    "Yeah¡­"


    "Sorry about that¡­"


    The faint mncholic mood was soon discarded the moment Ce''phas smiled and returned to his cheerful mood.


    "I suppose that''s good news for you! I didn''t take up too much of your time, so we canmence the meeting!"


    The moment he smiled, the other two Generals did the same


    ¡ªalbeit a little more awkwardly.


    "Yeah! We were even considering starting without you."


    "What? Are you for real?!"


    "Yep! That''s what you get for not ending it quickly!"


    "But I can''t help it¡­"


    "Yeah, yeah¡­"


    The Dragons ascended from the crater,ughing cheerfully as if nothing had happened. As soon as they did so, they found all the Dragons of the Camp already gathered around.


    They totalled a couple thousand¡ªnot a particrly impressive number, considering what the Elves had just disyed.


    Still, the fact that they all belonged to the proud Dragon Race was enough of an assurance for the Generals, who were now slowly walking to the tent.


    "We should get this over with already. The sooner we crush the Elves the better."


    "Indeed. The rest are already waiting for us."


    "We can''t keep them waiting, can we?"


    The Generals entered the tent and found their 12 Commanders upying their positions in their respective seats. The moment the Commanders noticed the entry of the Generals, they all rose to their feet, bowing in respect.


    As usual, the Generals responded by slightly raising their hands, and the twelve returned to their seats. Everyone was in a serious mood, as expected of such an important meeting.


    ¡­ Even the man at the foot of the table.


    "Apologies for the dy. We had to handle a rather suspicious traitor, as you all know. Hope you don''t mind the wait, Adrien?"


    All eyes fell on the human who satfortably and watched the Dragons with a calm smile on his face.


    "Not at all. Who would have expected that a Dragon would betray the Camp in favor of the Elves? You were right to punish him¡­" All twelve Commanders nodded, and the Generals followed suit¡ªsatisfied with Adrien''s answer.


    "Right? In any case, we shouldmence the meeting."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Is anyone confused? Well¡­ that is indeed the goal!

 Chapter 690 Fulfilled Wish

    <h4>Chapter 690 Fulfilled Wish</h4>


    "DAMNIT!"


    Adrien raised his voice in frustration as he returned to his tent, anger clearly visible on his face.


    His clenched fists sought a ce to release all the tension coursing through them, but he controlled himself despite the overwhelming sensation that coursed through him.


    He couldn''t afford to go rabid after everything that had just transpired.


    "Huu... haaa..." Closing his eyes, he inhaled and exhaled multiple times until the fiery frustration in his heart receded.


    Once he was satisfied, he went to his seat and calmed himself once more.


    ''We just finished the meeting regarding the problem of the Elves and how they were able to destroy the second wave. Looks like everyone is on edge...''


    The Generals were particrly upset by the oue that had befallen Adrien and the Commanders.


    How could they have lost? It brought shame to the Dragons.


    Adrien could remember a lot of things that the Generals said, and while a lot of it was frustrating to even remember, this oue was much more preferable to what would have been if he left things as they were.


    ''To think I had to use [Wish Fulfillment] so early... damnit!''


    The more he thought about it, the more he understood how necessary it was for him to resort to it, but that didn''t make him the least bit happier about the oue.


    ''How could I have been pushed to such an extent? I didn''t even use the Skill on my own terms, but in a scenario orchestrated by another. Were they after this all along?!'' He could feel his anger rising, but he controlled himself once again.


    Taking in another series of breaths, he found his head clear.


    ''[Wish Fulfillment] is a one-time Skill. I spent so much of my Stat Points to obtain it, and it was never supposed to be used until I got to the Dragon Continent. But now...'' To say he was frustrated would be an understatement.


    One of his most important Skills had now be exhausted. The worst part about it was that he couldn''t get anything like it again.


    ''That''s the limitation of [Skill Creation].''


    Adrien thought back to when he firstid eyes on the Skill. Back then, he thought it would be the most versatile thing ever, and in a way... he was correct.


    With Skill Creation, he could create whatever Skill he wanted--especially if he had sufficient incentive for it--generally Status Points or other Skills.


    As long as he sacrificed a portion of his ''strength'' to the Skill, he could make any kind of Skill. Each Tier had its requirements, and he couldn''t make any SSS Tier Skill.


    All in all... it remained a fair bargain.


    ''But, I wasn''t aware of this limitation until after I obtained the Skill. I can''t create a Skill that I have already created.''


    No two Skills of his could have the same effect or name, so once he made a Skill--one-time use or not--he could not make a Skill with the same kind of effects.


    Even if he wanted to make a variant, the functions of both Skills couldn''t be too simr, else the Creation Process would fail. That was the most vexing part about [Skill Creation], and why he was so annoyed that he was pushed into using such a useful Skill like [Wish Fulfillment].


    "Well, there''s no helping it, is there?" He thought loudly as he chuckled.


    Adrien had been yed, and yed good for that matter.


    It was a new experience, and it left him confused about how to respond to the situation.


    ''For my ns, I have to make sure the Dragons keep me on their side. I have to get to the Dragon Continent through legitimate means and seep into their Empire. All of it has to be organic, which is why I''m enduring all of this.''


    As regretful as he was about the events that transpired not too long ago, and how he had to respond to it, he was d about the results.


    ''The status quo has returned to the way it was, and the present reality has overwritten the past¡ªat least, in their minds.''


    Adrien did not have nearly enough resources to actually affect reality, so the most he could do was make everyone ''think'' in a new way.


    ''[Pinhio] is already at its limit, since I''ve created 12 Puppets to rece the Commanders, but at least the Generals are back on my side.''


    Still¡­ this was only a treatment, not a cure. Adrien recognized that much.


    ''I''m nowhere close to finding the Mastermind behind all of this. The one supporting the Elves¡­ the one who actually yed me¡­''


    It was frustrating, but Adrien didn''t know who the person was.


    ''And then, there''s the other thing bothering me¡­'' Adrien looked at the glowing object on his table that had the form of an orb.


    It warbled constantly, but the light it disyed was dim.


    ''Why isn''t Justin picking up? I''ve been calling him all this time, yet he isn''t responding.''


    Such a thing hadn''t happened before, and would normally never ur, which made Adrien suspect that something was going down in the Capital.


    ''It''s unfortunate, but I can''t leave for the Capital due to my ns here, and how the current situation has worsened more than ever.''


    If he allowed himself to be distracted at this point, there was a good chance he would lose the war on all ends.


    ''I can''t allow that to happen.''


    With [Pinhio] unavable for use, Adrien''s best bet had to be using his backup Undead to investigate what was going on there and report to him after a specified period.


    ''While that is happening, I have to really understand this Mastermind that''s messing with me, as well as what they want.''


    So far, Adrien only had one person he suspected.


    As he was still going through everything, every time only arriving at the same person, the door to his tent opened up and someone walked in.


    "Hey, man¡­"


    Adrien raised his head the moment he heard the voice, his eyes wide as the name on his mind ovepped with the figure he saw in front of him.


    "... Long time no see."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    This was quite the trip, wasn''t it? I hope you all enjoyed the chapter.

 Chapter 691 Conversation Between Extras [Pt 1]

    Chapter 691 Conversation Between Extras [Pt 1]


    Adrien''s eyes were nearly bulging.


    He did his best to hide his surprise, but it was impossible to fully keep it all tucked away. Having such a bombardment of information had taken its toll on him, so adding one more surprise to his list was thest straw. He could only gawk as the very person he suspected walked into the tent in a casual stride.


    "... Long time no see." He said, causing Adrien to tense up a little.


    Before Adrien could think of much to say, his lips slowly parted and words flowed out like a smooth river.


    "Yeah. It''s been a while, Rey¡­"


    Indeed, it had been quite some time since they saw each other. Yes, he and Rey interacted just a while back, but that was through a puppet he made through [Pinhio]. In actuality,they hadn''t seen each other since the desertion of the Otherworlders.


    In a sense, Rey was correct. But, the fact that he was standing in front of him right now, despite themotion and conditions surrounding the current situation, Adrien had a feeling Rey meant it in a more sarcastic sense.


    If that was the case, then he instantly felt foolish about even responding.


    ''It''s difficult to believe, but you''re the only one I know who fulfills all of the conditions necessary to push me this far. I suspected it was you for a while, but it seems my reliance on Justin''s information proved to be my weak link.''


    Adrien had long made Justin his loyal minion, so the boy could not lie to him, even if he tried. All the information prior to this point was also incredibly urate, so there was never any suspicion that he would be lying.


    It made no sense whatsoever.


    ''And yet¡­ here we are.'' He ensured not to re at Rey, showing a calm facade instead as his mind went into swift overdrive.


    He had to manage the situation, and quickly.


    "Rx, Adrien¡­" Rey''s voice echoed within the room as he took another step forward, oozing nothing short of an air of confidence.


    The Rey before him was nothing like the one he remembered.


    It wasn''t just the eyepatch covering his eyes, or the new attire he donned, or even the much more attractive body he somewhat developed after waking from hisa¡ªif that was ever real, to begin with.


    All of those things added to the change, but Adrien suspected there was something else about Rey that oozed out, making him constantly uneasy.


    ¡­ Something beyond his own abilities.


    "I just want to talk." He took a seat and settled right in front of Adrien, the wave of unease only getting stronger the closer he got.


    Despite all of this, Adrien remainedposed. He shifted on his chair, interlocking his fingers and giving the best smile he could muster.


    "Sure, Rey. Let''s talk."


    *******************


    ''I never thought I would have you by the ropes like this¡­''


    As Rey sat opposite Adrien, he could sense the boy''s nervousness, or hesitance¡ª-perhaps both. Perhaps this was some sort of predatory instinct, or amanifestation of his elevated senses, but he could tell everything about his mood due to the changes in his facial reactions, subtle movements, as well as a bunch of other details.


    After seeing all of this, he couldn''t help but feel some measure of catharsis.


    ''So he''s not always aposed jackass. That''s good to see¡­'' He grinned internally, even when realizing how petty was being.


    Rey already knew the probable reason why Adrien was so shaken. He had most likely deduced that Rey was the mastermind upon his entry, and the shock was something that he was yet to fully get over from.


    ''He must have millions of questions in his mind. He must have a lot going on in his head right now¡­''


    Rey knew all of that because the same would apply to him if he was in Adrien''s position.


    ''I wonder how much he has figured out already¡­ about everything.''


    From the moment Adrien began to lead his army towards the Elves, Rey had begun ying his game. ''Once I confirmed that Adrien left the Dragon Camp, I sent Emil there to disguise herself as a Dragon and infiltrate the camp¡ªwhich she did. Then, I had her use an Illusion Skill that she gets whenever she turns into Ater to fool the Generals, who in turn turned the entire Camp against Adrien.''


    Of course, Rey maintained constant contact with Emil through it all, and he would have had her return to the Elven Camp, where he was based, if things got too dangerous.


    If she couldn''t return, or if theirmunication disconnected for whatever reason, he was determined to go to the Camp himself to save her¡ªthough, based on what he already observed, he doubted that would ever be the case.


    ''I could have used Adrien''s absence to destroy the Dragon Army once and for all, but based on what Ater said¡­ I had to understand Adrien''s motives, so it was a much smarter move to make them turn on him so I could see how his reaction would be.''


    Depending on the oue, Rey reckoned he would be able to estimate the importance of his goals.


    ''If he chose to destroy the Dragons after they turned against him, I was going to step in and confront him¡ªkilling them all myself in the process.'' n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    There was no way he would leave free EXP alone.


    ''And, well¡­ the oue of everything was a little surprising¡ªthough still within expectation.''


    Whatever benefit Adrien was going to get from the Dragons had to be worth a lot, considering all that went down with the Dragons and how Adrien reacted to it.


    ''I also did this to push Adrien to reveal his hidden cards and abilities. I knew he wouldn''t show all of them, but I had to know his level ofbat expertise since I haven''t seen him fight before¡­''


    Rey was disappointed on that front, since Adrien hardly put up a struggle, but after witnessing how Adrien responded to the whole thing¡ªincluding the power he disyed to resolve everything, Rey was convinced.


    ''This guy is an absolute monster.''

 Chapter 692 Conversation Between Extras [Pt 2]

    Chapter 692 Conversation Between Extras [Pt 2]


    ''I already knew this for a while, but, this guy¡­ he''s an absolute monster.''


    [STATUS WINDOW] - Name: Adrien Chase n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    - Race: Human (Otherworlder)


    - ss: Necromancer (A-Tier)


    - Level: 90 (78.54% EXP) - Life Force: 30 (+3,000) {+4,000}


    - Mana Level: 100 (+5,000) {4,000}


    - Combat Ability: 50 (+4,500) {4,000}


    - Stat Points: 445


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Skill Creation]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Inventory]. [Necromancy]. [Greater Darkness]. [Grand Defense]. [Grand Spatial Magic]. [Grand Item Summon]. [Grand Healing]. [Greater Armament]. [Full Resistance]. [Full Boost]. [Equip Limit Break]. [Deep Insight]. [Absolute Magic Utility]. [Mind Touch]. [Absolute Combat Application]. [Anticipation]. [Absolute Magic Interference]. [Divine Persona]. [Command Code]. [Greater Luck]. [Pinhio]. [Link]. [Miasma]


    {See More: [Status Interference]. [Where Evil Lurks]. [Banishment]. [Full Comprehension]. [Absolute Mental Fortitude]. [Idle Gamble]. [Wish Fulfillment]. [See Through]. [Veil]. [Copse]. [Last One Standing]. [Absolute Mana Recovery]. [Absolute Life Force Recovery]. [It Is Written].}


    - Alignment: Chaotic Neutral


    [Additional Information]


    A true mastermind. One who lurks in the shadows and causes others to do his bidding whileughing underneath his mask.


    His goals remain a mystery too¡­


    [End Of Information]


    Rey wasn''t surprised by Adrien''s Status Window, since he had already seen it not too long ago. Still, no matter how many times he saw it, he couldn''t help but be impressed and slightly intimidated by the sheer volume and utility of the Skills at his disposal.


    ''He has even more Skills than I do at the moment.'' Rey thought to himself.


    Yes, his own Skills gotten through [Doppel] had an advantage of ''quality'', therefore making Adrien''s Skills inferior. Despite that, Rey couldn''t help but remain very careful with Adrien¡ªat least, until he finally went through the details of each Skill.


    They were all very useful, incredibly dangerous, and downright impable choices. However, none of them were of any real threat to Rey.


    Adrien''s Level was lower than his, and while he had more Skills, Rey''s were far more potent. Finally, when it came to Levels and Stats, Rey had a big lead. In essence, while caution was still a good thing to take notice of, there was truly no need to feel intimidated.


    The moment Rey recognized this, he became a lot morefortable.


    ''Hiding in the shadows was fun while itsted, but he would have figured out my identity sooner orter. Revealing myself now was the most optimal answer.''


    Not only would he take Ater''s advice by talking to Adrien, but he could also have the advantage of agency, making asting impression of dominance on the boy.


    ''So far¡­ so good.''


    "I see. The fact that you''re here means you know about Justin, as well as the situaton surrounding our rtionship."


    "Hm?" Rey cocked his head slightly.


    "Don''t feign ignorance. How else would you have been able to trick me for so long. You reckoned I wouldn''t suspect you for all of this if you made Justin tell me that you were still in the Capital. And, the only reason I would believe his words is because I have such a strong assurance that he would never betray me¡­ even if he wanted to."


    Rey neither denied nor epted these allegations, he just kept up his nk facade.


    "If you know about Justin, it''s very likely that you had someone pretend to be him, using them tomunicate with me, while Justin was probablymunicating with you or them. There are other potential answers, but this seems most usible."


    ''This guy¡­'' Rey smiled internally. ''... He''s too sharp.''


    There was only one mistake in his assessment, and that was attributing all of this to be Rey''s grand design. In actuality, Ater was the one who nned for this oue, and the more it unfolded, the more Rey could see why he took certain steps.


    ''Still, I''m not about to correct his mistakes.'' He let Adrien keep talking, exposing even more threads that Rey had supposedly set up.


    "If I''m to guess, the current state of the Capital has something to do with you, huh?"


    "What current state?"


    "Hm? Did I overthink things, then? I suppose not being able to contact Justin coinciding with you revealing yourself could be part of a big reveal. If that''s the case, then congrattions¡­ you sessfully startled me."


    Rey didn''t want to take credit for most of these¡ªsome of which he wasn''t even aware of the details¡ªbut he simply smiled and shrugged.


    "Consider it a kind of revenge for the past."


    "Haha! I deserve that, I guess. You''re not a man to forget grudges, are you? Even after I made us even during the Dark Gathering¡­ you still have a vendetta against me."


    "...." Rey said nothing and kept staring at Adrien.


    "I mean, even going as far as recreating the whole usation thing with the Dragons¡­ just due to the ploy I made back when we were all in the Royal Estate. I exined myself and called a truce, but you still refuse to budge."


    "You haven''t given me sufficient reason to."


    "Rey¡­ haa¡­ look, I''m not your enemy. There''s no reason for us to even be fighting. I''ve made it clear that I do not want to cross you in any way, so it''s a little frustrating when you step on my goodwill and do stuff like this."


    "Your goodwill?"


    "Okay, okay¡­ maybe I phrased it a little wrong." Adrien sighed, slowly closing his eyes and inhaling deeply so he could calm himself.


    "What I mean is¡­ I haven''t really interfered in your business until now, right? I''ve intentionally stayed away from you, and I have my own thing going. As for my actions in the past, I already gave you information and resources proportional to whatever I put you through. So¡­ we are even, Rey."


    Perhaps Adrien was correct. After all, up until now, there really wasn''t any objective reason for them to be on opposite sides. But¡­ "Things are different now." Rey said, straightening his posture on his seat.


    "What do you mean by tha¡ª?"


    "You''re on the side of the Dragons, Adrien. You''ve joined them in their Conquest and you''re ughtering Elves¡­" Shifting closer now, Rey made sure his piercing gaze reached Adrien.


    After a moment of silence, he spoke.


    "I want to know why."

 Chapter 693 Conversation Between Extras [Pt 3]

    Chapter 693 Conversation Between Extras [Pt 3]


    Adrien was silent for a minute or so.


    During that period, he had a very important decision to make¡ªwhether or not to tell Rey about whatever he had going on with the Dragons.


    Whichever option he chose had its own share of consequences, and it was up to him to decide what path to take regarding his reply. One thing was certain, though.


    Silence wasn''t an option.


    "To go home."


    Upon hearing Adrien''s words, Rey''s intense gaze flickered for a moment. His eyes softened considerably, though it resumed its hardened position in no time at all.


    "Home¡­?"


    "Yes." Adrien sighed, rubbing his face with his palm. "Hidden within the Dragon Empire is a way for us to return to Earth. A way for me to go home."


    Rey couldn''t believe his ears. He wanted to say Adrien was lying, but something within him told him that this was an unfiltered truth. As such, even though he parted his lips to speak, words refused toe out. He just stared.


    "I need to gain their trust so that I can organically make it into the Dragon Empire. I have even been promised an introduction to a Lord. Once that happens, I''ll be one step closer to the ce¡ªThe Chamber Of Ancients."


    "Chamber Of Ancients¡­?" Rey had never heard those words before, but somehow, they sounded familiar.


    ''Hold on¡­ I think I once heard Adonis mutter something like that when I caught him training by himself one time.''


    He didn''t think much of it then, and even now he wasn''t even sure that was what he heard. Still, the name sounded oddly important.


    ''All of this could be a ruse, though. I don''t think he''s lying, and considering I can tell for the most part if that''s the case, it''ll be more illogical not to believe him.''


    Besides, given what Ater told him, Rey didn''t want to be too skeptical or antagonistic towards Adrien. He already promised his Familiar that he would listen to what Adrien had to say with a clear head.


    ''Let''s try not to be too biased¡­'' He told himself calmly as he continued taking in the information he received.


    "From what I know about it, the ce is a dome-like structure that rests at a very problematic ce in the Dragon Empire. I don''t see myself surviving an attempt there if I don''t have legitimate grounds to be as close to the ce as possible. It has¡ª" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "What problematic ce?"


    "The Empire''s Capital. That''s where it is situated."


    "Ah¡­ go on." Rey found himself slightly flustered once he heard that, not that it showed on him in the slightest.


    ''Chances are that the strongest forces that the Dragons have will be situated there. If I count the Dragon Emperor, it would be unwise to just challenge him by going to his turf.''


    That brief encounter with The Oracle had shown him just how far he needed to go if he wanted to take on the Emperor with absolute confidence for victory.


    At the moment, he didn''t have that.


    "The Chamber Of Ancients has the same kind of Magic, or should I say a simr kind of Magic as the one that brought us here. Space-Time Magic, and it''s an Ancient One¡­ same as the one that Lucielle and the other Mages utilized."


    No one really knew about Ancient Magic, or how they came to exist, but every now and then they popped up. The Interdimensional Summoning that brought Rey and his friends to H''Trae was ssified as such, as it was a Rune inscribed within Ancient Scrolls that wereter transcribed by the Grand Mage to be useful for Summoning Otherworlders.


    It took Lucielle several years to decipher the Magic and Instructions given in the scrolls, and within other old texts, which was how they were able to sessfully summon everyone. It was also why they knew they couldn''t perform another Summoning until decades had passed.


    All of this was written down and solved by the Grand Mage Lucielle.


    "The Chamber Of Ancients hasn''t been used in very long¡ªnot for hundreds of years, by my closest estimates. We should be able to engineer it in a way for us Otherworlders to find a way home." Adrien exined, a brilliant smile written on his face.


    Rey remained silent for a few moments, trying his best to digest the influx of emotions he had to manage. Some thoughts shed in his head, but he suppressed them almost instantly.


    His primary focus was this conversation, so he set aside everything else and decided to concentrate on it.


    "A way home¡­" He mumbled. "Is that why you killed so many Elves?"


    The moment Rey said this, Adrien groaned and rolled his eyes, almost as if he couldn''t believe he was being lectured about the ongoing genocide.


    "This is my problem with you, Rey. You''re smart and strong, yet you always hesitate to make sacrifices for the greater good. To see the bigger picture!"


    "What bigger picture?! I don''t im to be a saint, but the Elves are people, Adrien. You''re killing thousands upon thousands of people so you can go home!"


    "Same way you''d kill thousands and thousands of Monsters to get stronger, Rey."


    "They''re not the same!"


    "How so?" Adrien shifted forward as he furrowed his brow. "I can understand your hesitance to kill humans, Rey. I get it¡­ but Elves? What makes them so different from the Monsters you have ughtered mercilessly?"


    "W-what are you saying¡­?" Rey appeared appalled by Adrien''s way of thinking. Didn''t it go without saying why the Elves were different from Monsters?


    "Is it because they appear humanoid? There are Monsters who have a lot of human features, yet you''d kill them with no hesitation. The Elves are even hostile towards other Races, same as Monsters."


    "That doesn''t make them the sa¡ª"


    "How much do you even know about Monsters? You realize some of them have intelligence on par with humans, right? Certain Goblins, despite being primitive, have disyed the intelligence of children. Some Lizardmen even build huts and simple tools, simr to how we used to during the stone ages on Earth. The list goes on, Rey. Given enough time, with Evolution and further learning, they could be a very intelligent species. Yet¡­ you''d kill those Monsters without hesitation, wouldn''t you?"


    "I¡­ would. They''re ultimately a threat to¡ª"


    "And the Elves aren''t a threat? Right now, their deity tells them to kill the Dragons and they obey. What if we''re next? What then?"


    "I''d kill them then."


    "Then apply that logic to Monsters. Certain Monsters, intelligent creatures, live out the rest of their lives without bothering anyone. Yes, they are aggressive towards people, but they won''t go out of their way to bother us if we just leave them alone¡­"


    Rey got shes of his time in the Royal Dungeon¡ªthe moments he spent mindlessly killing so many of the Monsters there that he lost count of the number.


    He didn''t think much of it then, and even now. But¡­ Adrien''s words kept digging deep into his mind and began seeping right inside his thoughts.


    "Why didn''t you spare them? Why didn''t you leave them alone since they weren''t threats?"


    Rey already knew the answer to that¡ªand it was in parallel to the answer Adrien would also give for his own massacre of the Elves.


    "To achieve my goals¡­ I would do anything." Adrien said, his eyes shing with incredible determination.


    Rey felt his heart tighten as their eyes connected, reflecting something simr.


    "You would also do the same."

 Chapter 694 Conversation Between Extras [Pt 4]

    Chapter 694 Conversation Between Extras [Pt 4]


    "...." Rey was speechless.


    What could he say in his defense? What words could he utter that wouldn''t be shut down by Adrien? How could he defend his worldview?


    He knew within himself that it was intrinsically wrong to kill the Elves, and that what Adrien was doing clearly bordered on the morally evil end. Yet¡­ why couldn''t he argue against his logic?


    ''If I refuse to ept his moral positions, I''ll be a hypocrite.''


    Rey would simply be asserting that Adrien was wrong because he didn''t agree with his methods and actions.


    That was arbitrary at best.


    "Be honest with me, Rey¡­" Adrien interrupted his thoughts before he could go even further with his introspection.


    "Why are you helping the Elves? Why are you so against me? You must have already known I was involved long before this meeting, so why didn''t you just turn a blind eye?"


    Rey felt something coiling around his heart. Was it guilt? No, not quite.


    It was the feeling one had when they had been caught, or when someone saw right through them, despite their best attempts to hide the truth.


    "You are benefiting something from them, aren''t you? In essence, this isn''t a moral sh, but a conflict of interests." Adrien sat back in his chair and smiled at Rey, whose mood was nowpletely ruined by the former.


    When this meeting first started, it was clear who held the advantage. However, in only a few moments, the pendulum had shifted, and now Adrien seemed to be the one with all the cards. Rey didn''t like that.


    Still, he didn''t want to be antagonistic towards Adrien just because he didn''t like what was being said. If he did that, then he would just be a hard-headed person who was obstinate about his own beliefs without need for reform.


    Because of that, Rey kept listening¡­ "The Elves are cruel, Rey. They''re a racist, savage, and hateful bunch. You''ve interacted with them too, haven''t you? You have to understand what I''m saying." Adrien sighed. "They''re not the kind of people you should feel empathy for."


    Memories of how they treated Esme, and how they addressed him and the rest of the humans came to Rey''s mind. He remembered Ci, and the horrid punishment inflicted on her. Then¡­ the image of The Oracle shed in his mind.


    He knew within himself that a lot of them acted horribly. But¡­


    "... I don''t think they deserve to die. It''s funny how you have to make them out to be monsters just so you''re okay with killing them."


    "I never said they deserve to die. They don''t deserve to die as much as Monsters, or even humans don''t deserve to. But¡­ for the sake of my goals, I am willing to kill them, the same way they will be willing to kill me if it calls for it."


    "The only reason they''d want to kill you is because you ughtered thousands of them, Adrien."


    The moment Rey said this, Adrien chuckled to himself.


    The former couldn''t understand this. They were having a somewhat serious conversation until now, and it seemed Adrien just found something hrious in what was just said.


    "Something funny about what I said?"


    Adrien slightly shook his head andughed a little more before quieting down. "My bad, my bad. It''s just¡­ I remembered something just now."


    Rey gave him a nk smile as he said this, his demeanor showing interest.


    "What is it?"


    "You mentioned that the only reason the Elves would want to kill me is because I struck first, right?"


    "Yes, that''s correct." Rey replied.


    He already knew Adrien could use the whole ''monsters'' narrative against him again, but Rey was prepared this time. He simply awaited the next words that woulde out of his lips.


    "The Elves don''t normally kill. You know that, right?"


    Rey raised a brow and nodded slowly. "Yeah."


    In all honesty, this feature of the Elves proved incredibly fatal to Adrien''s cause. After all, even when Monsters injured, or even devoured Elves, they would never harm them in any instance. Rey found this naivete to be particrly unsettling, but it also went to show how innocent they were in certain respects.


    ¡­ Almost like children.


    Yet, Adrienpared them to Monsters and justified his ughter of them.


    "Why do you reckon that they kill the Dragons? Unlike with other entities, they actively kill the Dragons. Why?"


    Rey didn''t respond for a few moments. He didn''t do this because he didn''t know the answer, but because Adrien should have already known the reason if he knew so much about Elves already. The whole thing felt like a leading question to Rey.


    Still¡­ he chose to respond.


    "... Because their Oracle says that they should."


    "Indeed! But why?!"


    "Because The Dragons are a threat to the world?"


    "Yeah¡­ there''s that reason, but the Elves have made it clear that they would never harm anyone or anything, even if it means their demise. There has to be something special about the Dragons that make them a unique target."


    "...." At this point, Rey could only look at Adrien with raised eyebrows as he sat in silence.


    "I conducted an experiment with the Elves not too long ago."


    "Adrien¡­"


    "Just five of them. I''ve already killed so many of them, so this is just icing on the cake, isn''t it?"


    Rey found himself ring at Adrien as he uttered those words, but thetter didn''t seem to care. He seemed convinced that Rey would change his disposition once he heard what he had to say.


    "I was curious to see if this no-kill policy had any real consequence, so I made one kill another Elf to see what would happen. Want to know what happened?"


    "What?" Rey responded grudgingly, to which Adrien broadly smiled.


    "The Elf''s skin grew dark, and her hair became ckened. She became a Dark Elf." The moment Rey heard this, his thoughts went to Ci, Esme''s mother, who also had features akin to what Adrien just described. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "I couldn''t draw my conclusion on that alone. After all, perhaps this was simply the cause of an Elf killing a fellow Elf. So¡­ I had another Elf kill a Monster. Guess what happened?


    "...." This time, Rey said nothing.


    "The same thing happened! She became a Dark Elf too."


    This was even more of an assurance to Rey that none of the Elves he experimented with ended up killing anything or breaking their code. If they did, they would also transform into Dark Elves.


    ''It seems the Elves don''t actually know of this cause and effect, though. Well¡­ except the Esteemed Elders, maybe?''


    If the others knew, they would have been able to see through Rey''s bullshit game from the start.


    "As for thest two Elves, I had one kill a Dark Elf, while I made the other kill a Dragon. What do you think happened this time?"


    Rey could already guess the answer, but he let Adrien answer it.


    "The one who killed the Dark Elf became a Dark Elf herself, but the one who killed the Dragon didn''t change at all."


    That meant, just as Adrien postted, there had to be something unique about killing Dragons.

 Chapter 695 Conversation Between Extras [Pt 5]

    Chapter 695 Conversation Between Extras [Pt 5]


    "The Elves aren''t allowed to kill because of actual consequences, Rey."


    Rey was silent as he listened to Adrien. There were a lot of things he had to say about the matter, but he bottled in his thoughts and kept an open mind¡ªjust as he promised Ater.


    "No matter how threatening an entity is¡­ they won''t kill them. It is forbidden by Nature, and if they break thosews¡­ they be blighted by the very course of Nature." He said, a twisted smile forming on his face.


    "Pretty funny, right?"


    "What exactly is your point? It''s pretty clear that they only kill Dragons because of theirmand from The Oracle, and disobedience to that entity causes them to turn into Dark Elves."


    There was nothing else to it, was there?


    "Your experiment was unnecessary. You killed those Elves for nothing." Rey frowned.


    "Don''t be too quick to make your judgment, Rey. Do you really think I didn''t consider that possibility as well?" At this point, Rey''s eye widened and he took a deep breath. Apologizing to himself for getting so worked up despite the promise he made to himself, Rey closed his eye for an extended period before reopening it.


    "Go on¡­"


    "With only one pure Elf left in my experiment, I decided to make a risky gamble¡­ just to test my hypothesis. I made them kill me."


    "Kill you¡­?"


    "Yeah. I mean¡­ I didn''t stay dead, of course, but that''s because of a Revival Skill. I actually died for about a minute, and guess what happened within that time?"


    "...."


    "Come on¡­ just guess."


    "She turned into a Dark Elf?" Rey answered nearly half-heartedly.


    "NOOO! She didn''t turn into a Dark Elf! Exactly that! Do you see what I''m talking about now?"


    "What?" At this point, Rey found himself at a precipice of confusion. Adrien was no Dragon, and he certainly didn''t have some kind of special bounty on his head by The Oracle¡ªat least, not that Rey knew of.


    If that was the case, then the Elf should have transformed for sure.


    "Maybe it''s because you revived after¡­"


    "Maybe. But she should have been a Dark Elf for a minute before reverting back, at the very least. But I checked the record¡­ and no. She remains the same. I also revived one of the Monsters that was killed using a simr Skill, and guess what¡­ the one who killed it didn''t change back to a normal Elf." Adrien was now grinning very widely as he looked at Rey. "What do you think about that?"


    "That you are very meticulous with your experiments¡­"


    "Thank you, thank you¡­ but I meant about the phenomenon. Why didn''t the Elf turn into a Dark Elf after killing me? What simrities do I share with a Dragon?"


    "...." Rey had no words to offer Adrien. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Thetter appeared exasperated, almost to the point of sheer frustration. It seemed he expected Rey to have already figured it out, but he wasn''t getting the answer he wanted.


    "It all connects to the Chamber Of Ancients, Rey¡­ and it connects to the order of the Oracle to kill the Dragons, as well as the reason why I consider the Elves no different than Monsters to me." Adrien said with a slight smile, once again drawing closer to Rey.


    "What are you insinuating, Adrien?"


    At this point, the boy couldn''t hold himself anymore. He had to let out his discovery, so he parted his lips and dropped a bombshell that Rey wasn''t expecting.


    "The Dragons are Otherworlders too. They have to be!"


    For a moment, there was silence in the tent. Both parties stared at each other¡ªAdrien with a bright grin, while Rey with a much sterner look.


    "What?!"


    "Of course, I don''t mean the new generation of Dragons¡­ but most definitely the first ones. Just like us, the Dragons must havee from another world. They propagated here, so the offsprings they have aren''t particrly recognized as Otherworlders¡­ but technically¡­ they aren''t natives of H''Trae."


    Rey''s eyes widened as he took in all of this information, surprised by how much it all made sense as everything began to connect.


    "Of course, my theory has one slight problem¡­ and that''s the fact that if The Oracle has registered me as a world threat like the Dragons, then killing me would be the same as killing them, hence making that the simrity we share, and not us being fellow Otherworlders¡­ but I doubt that is the case."


    "Why do you doubt it?"


    "Well, there''s the fact that The Chamber Of Ancients is very simr to the Ancient Magic that brought us here, which makes it weirdly suspicious that the Dragons have it on theirnd. There''s also the fact that I don''t think The Oracle is very involved with the Elves, punishing anyone who breaks their rules. It has to be a natural reaction that can''t be decided arbitrarily. Some sort of mandate by Nature that The Oracle just interprets. Sort of like your doctor telling you of an allergic reaction you''ll have when you eat a certain meal."


    In the case of the doctor, they weren''t the one inflicting the allergy, but simply interpreting a phenomenon. In that same vein, Adrien theorized that the Elves had some sort of reaction influenced by Nature if they killed any Native of H''trae.


    "The only way to really rify this is if we let the Elves kill a random Otherworlder, who has no prior interaction with the Elves. If the Elf doesn''t change, then my theory will be undoubtedly true. But¡­. Otherworlders are in quite the short supply, and I can''t use any more Revival Skills, so it''s not a worthwhile investment."


    "You¡­"


    "In any case, Rey, do you understand things better now? The Dragons are most likely Otherworlders like us¡­ and the mandate to kill them for being perverse entities to this world could also extend to me, you, Alicia¡­ and the rest of our ssmates." All with aposed smile, Adrienid all of this down.


    And Rey had to listen to it all.

 Chapter 696 Conversation Between Extras [Pt 6]

    Chapter 696 Conversation Between Extras [Pt 6]


    "No¡­"


    Adrien''s smile slowly began to diminish as Rey muttered the word of disagreement. Tense silent followed this dissent, and the two parties stared at each other for what felt like hours.


    "What do you mean no?"


    "I mean there could be another exnation that you''re not considering. One that makes your theory fall apart."


    "Really?" Adrien raised an eyebrow, and then gestured to Rey to enlighten him.


    "I believe I''ve covered all possible grounds. There are a lot ofplicated thought processes involved with my theory, and how I arrived there, but I don''t want to waste your time or bore you with the details¡­" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Narrowing his eyes, he focused on Rey and smiled. "So, why don''t you tell me¡ª?"


    "The Chamber Of Ancients¡­ haven''t you considered the possibility that its origin doesn''t have anything to with the Dragons?"


    "Hm?"


    "I mean¡­ based on what we know, the Dragons appeared nearly eleven years ago, and they took the Northern Continent as their territory. They killed a lot of members of the other races, taking thergestnd for themselves to build their Draconic Empire." Rey began, his finger on his chin as he spoke with all seriousness.


    "Using your logic, isn''t it possible that the Chamber Of Ancients belongs to one of the Races that were exterminated by the advent of the Dragons? I mean, it¡ª"


    "Pfft!"


    Adrien suddenly burst into a loud exhibition ofughter. His sounds of amusement filled the hall, spreading to every corner as he rocked on his chair.


    One or two beads of tears even fell from his eyes as heughed heartily.


    "What''s so funny?" Left in a state of utter confusion, Rey had no choice but to ask the question. Somehow, it seemed like he had just said something stupid. Adrien opened his lips to respond to Rey, but only moreughter came out of his lips.


    Thissted for a few more seconds before Adrien finally began to settle down.


    "Haha¡­ sorry¡­ sorry¡­ ahhh, it''s just so¡­ ahh¡­" Wiping off the beads of tears that leaked out of his eyes, he sniffed and chuckled a little more.


    "This is one of the reasons I like you, Rey. You somehow manage to entertain me every time, and this time, you''ve been particrly hrious."


    "I don''t think I was being funny about anything." Rey responded with apletely serious demeanor, slowly getting agitated by Adrien''s amusement.


    It was clear that the two were inpletely different worlds.


    "Well, maybe you didn''t do it intentionally, but¡­ wow. I expected you to have figured it out by now, but I guess it''s my fault for making too many assumptions."


    "What do you mean by tha¡ª?"


    "You mentioned the Chamber Of Ancients belonging to some other Race, right? Well, you''re wrong. It''s not possible, since the Dragons have inhabited theirnd for over a thousand years, at the very least."


    Upon hearing this, Rey raised an eyebrow and parted his lips inplete opposition.


    "What? No."


    "The history of this world¡­ it''s quite contradictory, isn''t it? When we arrived at H''Trae, we were told that it had only been a decade since the Dragons invaded. It was after things got so intense that the human kingdoms banded together and formed the United Human Alliance¡­ and so the story goes."


    ''Exactly so!'' Rey''s face seemed to show, but something about how Adrien addressed the whole thing so flippantly made him fear that perhaps things weren''t as simple as that.


    And no, they weren''t.


    "The Dragon Empire has existed for centuries at the very least, Rey. No¡­ over a thousand years, I suspect. And yes¡­ they have upied the Northern Continent during that time."


    ''H-huh¡­?'' Rey maintained his poker face this time, but his thoughts were swarmed with as many questions as there were refutations to Adrien''s words.


    He was no fool that would just take the Royal Council''s words at face value, after all. All those times he spent at the library, learning more about the world and everything about it¡­ he used it to learn about the world and its history.


    The Royal Council wasn''t lying.


    ''The war indeed started over a decade ago, and it coincides with the information that exists within and outside the Royal Library.''


    All over the United Human Alliance, that was also the consensus. Even the smaller human nations that Esme visited confirmed this to be the case in their stories.


    Everyone already knew this as a fact¡­ yet Adrien was spouting nonsense.


    "Perhaps the purge of the other races happened over a thousand years ago¡­ or maybe it didn''t even happen, to begin with. I do not have enough information to be sure, but what''s obvious is that the Dragons have thrived in H''Trae for a very, very long time."


    "What makes you so sure?"


    "Well¡­ let''s just say that I have a way to gain ess to the memories of people, and I have also studied some of their literature and text. I have dated some of the items they possess, and I have listened to some of their conversations. I even had a few Dragons I captured tell me what they knew about their Empire. Everything coincides with apletely different history from what both the humans and Elves believe."


    ''For real¡­?'' Rey''s eyes slightly widened upon hearing this.


    He didn''t think Adrien was lying, and honestly¡­ there was no reason for him to.


    "The history of the Dragons, their invasion, and their true identities¡­ it''s all so inconsistent. What we know is different from what the Dragons know, and it hints at a muchrger issue that I have found to be too pervasive to ignore."


    Rey was still recoiling from Adrien''s revtion when he took note of the eeriness that dwelled within thetter''s words. With a sense of dread, he asked the only question that came to mind at that very instant.


    "Whatrger issue?"


    "That this is all some sort of grand game¡­ and we are all just pawns in it."

 Chapter 697 Conversation Between Extras [Pt 7]

    <h4>Chapter 697 Conversation Between Extras [Pt 7] </h4>


    "This world¡­ doesn''t it remind you of all those cliche stories we used to read as children?"


    As Adrien''s voice permeated the air, sending a chilly sensation through the ears of the only audience he had¡ªRey¡ªhe had an air of solemness. An eerie silence apanied his voice as he continued, his blue eyes dulling with every uttered word.


    "The Dragons are the viins, set on world domination¡­ and the other races are being overrun by evil. Heroes are summoned to face this threat, and by ying the Emperor, they root out the evilpletely¡­"


    Rey remained quiet as he heard Adrien speak.


    He had never read or heard of any of those stories that Adrien referred to as ''cliche'', and perhaps that was because he wasn''t particrly afforded much of such books when he was a kid. He eventually outgrew his interest in them.


    Even now, Rey found himself having more of an affinity with textbooks or documentations, rather than novels.


    "It''s almost like we are in such a cliche setting¡­ and someone has developed this entire narrative to pit us against the ultimate evil."


    Rey kept up his silence.


    "You''ve seen it too, right? Some things that clearly seem biased. For example, the Elves¡­ they''re special and loved by this world. I can''t use Necromancy on them¡ªwell, except Dark Elves, but still¡­ it''s almost like they were built by some sort of higher entity."


    "Like¡­ God?" At this point, he had to say something.


    "You could call them that. I''d rather call them a Story Teller. In this narrative¡­ this game of blood and death, we have been chosen as the heroes¡ªthe main characters that should bring bnce and peace to the world."


    "Okay¡­?"


    "Doesn''t it make sense that the viins could also be brought into this world the very same way? H''Trae is like a nk canvas¡­ some sort of battlefield where good and evil shes." He said with a deeper frown.


    Rey could sense multiple emotions emanating from Adrien. This was the first time he would be seeing the boy express himself so deeply and seriously.


    The sight was¡­ odd.


    "I don''t know what benefites out of this, and I have no idea what good could possiblye out of this chaos. Personally¡­ I''m not interested."


    "Not interested? Is that why you want to go home?"


    "YES! I wish to leave H''Trae and break free from this cruel game that is being yed." Adrien raised his voice as he jumped from his seat. "That''s all I want!"


    "...."


    "We are the heroes now¡­ the Otherworlders who will save this world from destruction. But what happens if another summoning takes ce and we end up as the viins? That would be an epic plot twist, wouldn''t it? Something such a cliche and twisted storyteller would employ to enrich their plot."


    "...."


    "It sickens me¡­ bothers me to no end. No matter what actions I take, and what agency I have¡­ it makes no difference if I''m a puppet on a string. So, that''s why I realized the only real choice I can make."


    "... And what''s that?"


    Adrien smiled broadly at Rey, his eyes gleaming with sheer malice and determination.


    "I''ll cut those strings off and see myself out of the game. By expelling myself out of this narrative, I remove myself from the board."


    After absorbing all of Adrien''s words, allowing everything to sink in, Rey''s thoughts slowly began to surface from the inner depths where they were brewing.


    ''He''s not wrong¡­''


    After his encounter with The Oracle, there was no way Rey could sit there and deny Adrien''s suspicions, or outright dismiss them. This indeed appeared to be a game, and they were all merely boards meant to move against the other side.


    ''But this guy¡­ he''s dangerously smart and perceptive.'' Rey narrowed his eyes as he faced Adrien.


    ''I also had a few suspicions here and there due to what I saw, but to think he figured it out¡­''


    More and more, Rey grew impressed by Adrien.


    But, that wasn''t all.


    Alongside the increasing respect he was developing for the one opposite him, there was also the gnawing fear¡ªthe unease that ate at him.


    Adrien Chase was a very dangerous person to have as an enemy.


    ''Is this why Ater wanted me to converse with him like this? To understand him more, but also to recognize his value as an ally¡­ as well as his threat as an enemy?''


    If that was the case, then he was finally able to see the much bigger picture, along with making a few unsettling discoveries that were still very difficult to ept. Right now, Rey didn''t even know what to do or say to the boy before him.


    ''The Oracle¡­ the Dragon Emperor¡­ whatever this game they''re ying is¡­ it seems all of us are stuck in it together.''


    When he was oblivious to all of this, Rey thought of H''Trae as a paradise for himself.


    He had power, wealth, purpose¡­ and allies.


    But now, the world was beginning to look like a cage to him. He didn''t want to see things this way, but he was now left with no choice.


    And the worst part¡­?


    ''Even after learning all of this¡­ I don''t want to leave.'' Rey found himself thinking, his fists tightening as he stared very deeply at Adrien. ''I love this world¡ªdespite every messy thing about it. I want to live here, grow here, explore here¡­ I want to do so much here.''


    But, Rey had to face reality.


    ''Maybe I should¡ª''


    "Alicia made it clear on a few asions that she wanted to find a way home too, right? You see, we''re not on opposing sides as you make us out to be." Adrien interrupted Rey''s thoughts with his calm, soothing voice.


    He was back on his seat,pletely rxed on the chair behind his desk.


    As his piercing gaze reached Rey, he smiled softly. Then, slowly stretched out a hand towards him, Adrien parted his lips and made an offer.


    "Support me, Rey. Let''s work together to find a way home."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    What do you think, everyone? Should Rey take the offer or not?

 Chapter 698 Trust

    <h4>Chapter 698 Trust</h4>


    ''Should I do it¡­?''


    In the past, Rey would have easily dismissed Adrien and viewed him with severalyers of skepticism and suspicion. But¡­ things were different now.


    Now that he had listened to Adrien, trying his hardest not to allow bias get in the way of logic, he found himself truly resonating with the boy. As he processed everything, Rey asked himself one very hard question.


    ''If I was Adrien¡­ if I was in his shoes¡­ how else would I proceed with things if I knew what I knew?''


    He already had an inkling of what the answer would be.


    It was staring right at him.


    "I can''t join your side, Adrien. I can''t work together with you¡­ or take part in any of your ns." Rey finally responded after a few seconds of silence.


    In response to this, Adrien hardly showed any emotion. His smile still remained, and while there was a bit of a flicker in his eyes¡ªjust a tiny sh¡ªnothing else seemed to have really changed.


    "May I ask why?"


    As the question came, Rey already expected it.


    It seemed like a sincere one that required an honest answer, but he still found it difficult to make a decision on the matter.


    ''Should I tell him the truth? Should I just leave?''


    So many thoughts were jumbled into his mind, and it took what seemed like forever to get all of them sorted out so he could make a proper decision right there and then.


    ''I still don''t know which side to trust. I don''t think I''ll ever be able to know for sure, but¡­''


    Unlike The Oracle, and unlike the Natives of H''Trae, Adrien was a ssmate of his that came from Earth. They were more simr than anyone else that Rey had encountered in all his life, and his goals coincided with a promise he made to Alicia.


    ''I promised I''d find a way for her to return home. I suppose it''s high time I make good on that¡­''


    After taking a deep breath, Rey finally spoke.


    "It''s because I have met The Oracle¡­ and we have already made a deal."


    ***************


    [Moments Later]


    "I see¡­ I see."


    Adrien, who had been dead silent for a while, finally let out his first words after a while. He mumbled a few unintelligible words to himself after, but maintained a calm and absolutely stoic demeanor despite everything.


    "That''s quite the difficult situation."


    "Right?"


    "Hm¡­ mhm¡­"


    Silence existed amidst them for a few seconds longer before Adrien made a deep sigh and finally looked Rey in the eye.


    "I mean¡­ it''s possible for me to make a Skill to cure Alicia, but I don''t see any way I can save your friend, Esme. Since we can''t go around that, I suppose we''re somewhat stuck."


    Rey sighed and nodded. "It''s why I said I can''t help you."


    There was no way he could assist Adrien when they both had conflicting missions. While thetter''s goal was to destroy the Elves and get the Dragons to trust him enough to get him to their Empire, Rey''s task was to destroy the Dragons and purge thempletely from the Eastern Continent.


    In essence, they held contrasting positions.


    "It''s funny, isn''t it? Back during the Dark Undertaking, we both had the same goals, yet we were on conflicting sides. Now that we are finally seeing eye to eye, we still find ourselves on opposite ends." Adrien smiled, chuckling lightly.


    "I don''t see eye to eye with you on everything. I still don''t think you killing Elves is right. I just¡­ don''t."


    "That''s fair. I don''t need to convince you on this matter. I simply understand that you''d do the same in my position¡­ and I think you know that as well."


    "Just stop it with your insinuations!"


    "Haha! Alright, Rey¡­ jeez." Adrien remained partly lighthearted despite the intense mood, and it did well to lessen the intensity of the situation.


    Still, the matter was yet to be resolved.


    If nothing was done about the status quo, Rey and Adrien were bound to revert to be enemies.


    "I think there''s a way we can work together, Rey."


    "Hm?"


    "Yeah¡­ yeah, that''s right! We can achieve both our goals, therefore ensuring there is an incentive for the both of us to proceed with this alliance."


    Rey nearly raised his brow in confusion, but controlled himself from doing so at thest minute.


    ''What the hell is he saying? He has to protect the Dragons and destroy Elves, while I have to destroy the Dragons and protect the Elves. They arepletely opposite.''


    There really wasn''t a way for both sides to have what they wanted.


    "It''s alling together in my head." Adrien grinned with a rather optimistic expression on his face.


    "Why don''t you tell?"


    "Ah, yes¡­ before that, I''ll have to ask you something. I''ve been curious about it for some time now, and it could also help out with the n."


    Once again, Rey found his eyebrow going up, this time out of curiosity.


    "How were you able to fool the Dragon Generals? I mean¡­ I took all the nessary precautions with the recordings. You couldn''t have tampered with them, or their senses, so¡­ how did you manage to do it?"


    Rey chuckled as he heard this.


    Perhaps he would have been more skeptical to reveal his ns if he hadn''t just told Adrien about his conversation with The Oracle, and about the plight they both shared. However, since he decided to trust Adrien with that much¡­ he found it inconsequential to reveal this other card that he had.


    "Emil¡­ you cane out now."


    ~GLOP!~


    The moment Rey said this, a ck patch rose from the attire that he had on, and the Symbiote Slime popped out with what could only be described as excitement.


    Emil instantly formed a slime-like mouth from her ck properties, speaking up with a rather loud and feminine voice.


    "Hello! My name is Emil¡­ Symbiote Slime and Familiar to my Master, Rey Skr!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Do you think Rey made a poor choice trusting Adrien? I personally don''t think he really has a valid reason to still keep the guy at arm''s length¡ªespecially given the circumstances.


    But what do you all think?

 Chapter 699 A Move On The Board

    Chapter 699 A Move On The Board


    "Ahh¡­ how fascinating!"


    Adrien nearly raised his voice just a few seconds after meeting Emil and hearing the role she yed in fooling him. His blue eyes warbled as he stared intensely at the Slime, and his lips were stretched to both ends as he made a broad, toothy grin.


    "You''re really amazing¡­ one in a kind."


    "Indeed, indeed! You get it, don''t you?" Emil, who would usually be cold to any outsider who wasn''t her Master, became extremely loose and even jovial with Adrien.


    Perhaps this was due to the fact that he recognized her greatness and constantly sang her praises. Either way, Adrien didn''t stop there.


    He kept up his words of admiration, and Emil returned the energy to him. This continued at great lengths until¡ª


    "Okay, that''s enough." Rey sighed, his voice louder than theirs.


    His tone dripped with annoyance despite there being nothing to be really angry. He slightly red at Adrien, then extended the same to Emil, leaking out another sigh as he shook his head very slowly.


    "I think we are getting a bit sidetracked here, don''t you think?"


    "Eh? Really? But we are getting to know each other, right? Isn''t it beneficial to get to know your allies?" Emil responded with slightly defiant words hidden behind her yful tone.


    Rey frowned at her, but before he could say anything, Adrien spoke up.


    "I agree with Emil. We should get to know each other a little better." "I don''t think so." Despite the near consensus in the room, Rey put his foot down on the matter and refused quite vehemently.


    "B-but Master¡ª!"


    "Return inside me, and don''t talk to Adrien."


    "Uuuu¡­" Almost begrudgingly, Emil did as Reymanded, her ck form slithering deep into him until she became invisible to any who looked at him.


    A few moments after this were upied by silence.


    Then¡­


    "That wasn''t fair, Rey." Adrien said this, but Rey remained silent about his words¡ªas if he didn''t know what the boy was talking about.


    "Emil is probably lonely withoutpany, yet you would¡ª"


    "I don''t think that''s any of your business, Adrien. Can we proceed with the nning now that your curiosity has been sated?" Once again, his response was cold.


    To any who saw Rey at this point, they would have thought he overreacted, or perhaps he was acting too grumpy orbative towards his allies. However, Rey had very good reasons for his actions.


    ''I''ve been trying to avoid Adrien meeting Emil for the longest time out of fear for what he might do to her, but now¡­ it''s even more frightening that he has taken a deep interest in her.'' N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Emil was indeed very special, and Rey recognized that better than anyone.


    ''Maybe it''s just my imagination, but I sensed some kind of affinity between the two of them. At first, I thought it was jealousy, but¡­''


    What if it was more? Would that really be surprising?


    ''Adrien is weaker than I am, but he has a lot more Skills that Emil will naturally have through her [Symbiosis] if they were to bond. He also has a Divine Tier Skill, which is what attracted her to me, in the first instance.''


    Last but not least, Emil''s Skills would pretty much make Adrien incredibly powerful in his own regard. All of this was to say that Rey didn''t appreciate their conversations because of a potential possibility that he dreaded.


    He wasn''t even sure that any of the punishments heid down to Emil for disobeying his rules would affect her, considering the kind of constitution she had. ''It''s safer this way¡­'' Rey thought to himself. He considered addressing his Symbiote Slime in a more gentle manner once she next addressed him in his thoughts.


    Perhaps that would make up for his impulsive reaction to her and Adrien''s conversation.


    But¡­ Emil never spoke again.


    ''I guess she''s still sulking.'' Reyughed to himself.


    She sometimes got like that, but her talkative nature would always surface after some time. He simply smiled and decided to give everything time.


    "Okay. Let''s get into the nitty gritty of the n, shall we?" Adrien said with a defeated sigh.


    To this, Rey nodded and sat in a more upright manner.


    "Finally! Let''s get to it."


    ***************


    [Moments Later]


    "I guess we will meet again on the battlefield¡­ well, sort of."


    Adrien chuckled as he watched Rey rise to his feet. He shrugged, instantly recognizing the meaning behind his words and also his action.


    "Guess you''re leaving now."


    "Yup! You have a visitor arriving here, don''t you? I''ll leave you to it."


    "Yeah¡­"


    Sparks of energy rose from Rey once he concluded his words, and the space around him began to distort. Before he finally vanished from the tent, he gave Adrien asting smile and nodded at him with purpose.


    "You''ve given me a lot to think about, Adrien."


    Thetter chuckled and smiled calmly. "Likewise."


    ~VWUSH!~


    Rey vanished faster than the blink of an eye, leaving Adrien seated behind his desk, mulling over every word that Rey uttered and their entire conversation. This continued even as someone approached and stood outside his tent.


    It was the pink-haired Dragon Commander¡ªChe''ri¡ªor rather, her puppet.


    She still had all the personality and mannerisms of the original, as well as most of her capabilities. Since she was originally weaker than Adrien, he was able to make a near perfect copy of her with [Pinnochio].


    Even her memories belonged to the old Che''ri, so she acted ordingly.


    ''I guess it has something to tell me. Or rather, the Generals have sent it to tell me something. Perhaps they''re finally ready to make a move?'' Adrien smiled to himself as he rose to his feet, his eyes locked at the entrance of his tent.


    He could see the still silhouette of the puppet, and despite his thoughts partially dwelling on its arrival, a bulk of his mind still remained on his conversation with Rey.


    ''He isn''t telling me everything. But, I guess that makes sense since I''m also not telling him everything¡­'' His mind went to Emil, and he found his smile growing bigger.


    ''I want that Familiar. It''s so fascinating. I can only imagine how useful it would be in the grand scheme of things¡­'' His glowing blue eyes warbled even more while he dwelled on this thought.


    Adrien''s legs moved as his mind raced, and in no time at all, he had exited his tent. It was bingte evening as he did so, so the orange glow in the sky, and the slight darkness that washed upon thend granted the camp a somewhat different vibe.


    It felt chilly¡­ somewhat eerie.


    "A meeting has been called for by The General, and you have been invited to participate." Che''ri said with her stern tone.


    It felt robotic, but that wasn''t due to her identity as a puppet. She had always been like this, so Adrien nodded in satisfaction at the attention to detail that [Pinhio] employed.


    "Understood. Shall we depart for the meeting together?"


    "Indeed."


    The two of them walked side by side to the Grand Tent, and through it all, Adrien ran several simtions in his mind. Ultimately, after guessing and postting over and over again, he arrived at the most likely conclusion of the meeting.


    ''The Generals will be joining the battle this time for sure.''


    *************


    [Meanwhile¡­]


    The moon had peaked over thend, and a young man stood in a particr corner, resting on the wall of one of the many massive buildings that existed in the Royal Estate. He made sure he was secluded, and he even utilized his Skills to make sure no one had followed him, and none were watching him. There was nothing suspicious about him being out at such a rtivelyte period, though.


    He was an esteemed Otherworlder¡ªone of the heroes of the United Human Alliance.


    There were no real curfews or limitations applicable to heroes such as himself, as he had long proven his loyalty to humanity. Plus, he was too strong for most people to even do anything to him.


    Yet, this particr Otherworlder, despite such prestige and power, seemed to be panicking. He kept up his suspicious behavior, staring at an orb in his hand as he cursed and fidgeted.


    Even though he knew no one could see him, he kept ncing around him with clear unease.


    "Fuck¡­ why aren''t you responding? Come on¡­"


    His dark brown hair fluttered with the cool night breeze, and just as he was about to finally give up in anger and walk away, he was stopped by a voice.


    A voice from beside him.


    "Why do you appear so worked up, Justin?" The instant the boy heard that voice, he froze. It sounded so familiar that it nearly caused all the blood within him to run cold and stop flowing.


    "Rx¡­" The voice oozed as the presence grew closer to him, even touching him on the shoulder. "... Enjoy the weather."


    Justin slowly turned his head to face the figure who was giving him nothing short of a friendly smile.


    "A-Adrien¡­ what are you doing here?"

 Chapter 700 The Deciever

    Chapter 700 The Deciever


    "A-Adrien¡­?!"


    The calm smile that the teenage boy in front of Justin had caused chills to permeate through his bones. The sole touch on his shoulder nearly caused his body to grow numb.


    Still, Justin maintained his sanity and consciousness.


    "What did I say about calling out my name so flippantly?"


    "A-ah¡­ my apologies." Justin found himself taking a few steps back to create some distance between him and Adrien before bowing his head in apology.


    Before he could even leak out another word, a silhouette appeared right behind Justin, where he now stood. It belonged to none other than the same young man that he had tried to avoid proximity with.


    "It''s fine¡­"


    Justin froze in ce, and Adrien smiled as he touched him from behind this time.


    "Why are you looking so tense? You haven''t done anything wrong¡­ have you?" He coiled closer to Justin, their faces mere inches apart from each other.


    At this point, thed''s heart was racing rapidly.


    Was this due to fear? How about natural subservience? It was both.


    Justin had no choice but to tremble before Adrien, despite the both of them being supposedly peers. Perhaps this was just the inevitable reaction his body had to make when in the presence of the one who made it this way.


    Either way, he had no choice but to keep his head lowered.


    "N-nothing wrong. I''ve done what you asked me to. I was also about to call you, per our scheduled meeting period, but¡ª"


    "I wasn''t avable¡­ right?"


    Justin nodded as he heard those words of confirmation from Adrien.


    "Forgive me for that. I just wanted a more physical interaction for once. Surely, you don''t mind¡­" At this point, Adrien stood in front of Justin, finally keeping a small distance between them both.


    "I don''t mind."


    "Raise your head, Justin. There''s no reason to act so tense, is there? We''re on the same side, so it''s fine¡­" n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Justin knew those sentiments existed in words alone. Adrien had always been fond of exercising courtesy in the way he addressed people, but based on his expression and actions, it was clear he didn''t particrly feel that way.


    He never saw Justin as a peer or equal.


    ''I''m just a tool for him¡­ and that''s okay.'' He told himself, obediently raising his head per the instruction he received.


    ''As long as he fulfills his end of the deal, I can even lick his boots.''


    "Justin¡­ why did you choose to work with me again?" Adrien interrupted his thoughts with a rather unexpected question.


    It took Justin off-guard for a moment, considering how he was just thinking along those lines. He felt a little annoyed that he was being probed about such a personal matter, but he didn''t really have a choice in this, did he?


    "What are you talking about? You were the one who approached me with the deal¡­"


    "Then why did you choose to ept it?"


    Justin clenched his fists for a few seconds before loosening it and giving out a sigh. He truly had no choice in this matter/


    "I want survive in this world and return home, and you had the means to make me stronger and immortal by turning me into an Undead. That way¡­ I could make it back home in one piece and see my family again."


    Of course, Justin was just glossing over everything¡­ but that was all he had to say.


    ''He doesn''t need an extensive sob story about my girl back home, or the sickness that¡­ ah, no¡­ nevermind that.'' He shook off his thoughts and focused on the moment.


    There was nothing he wouldn''t do to see them again, which was why he was betraying hisrades despite all they had been through together.


    ''Eric and Billy died¡­ and no one even knows where Adonis is. He could even be dead by now. I¡­ I can''t afford to risk my life if it means I might not get to see them again¡­''


    Yes, he loved his friends, and he loved the people of this world¡­


    ''But my loyalty lies with my family back on Earth. They''re my first priority, and they need me back home.''


    No silly jokes or fun games could distract him from that fact.


    "How touching¡­" A voice¡ªdifferent from the one he had been hearing all of this time¡ªechoed in the air. This one also felt familiar, but for another reason entirely.


    As Justin lifted his eyes and focused on the entity before him, he realized it wasn''t Adrien.


    It never was.


    The crimson hair of the ebony man danced with the wind as his red eyes warbled with fascination. He had a cruel smile stered on his face, and he was garbed in an all-ck suit, with polished shoes, and an overall pristine image.


    As the image burned into Justin''s mind, he found his lips unconsciously moving to let out the name that pounded in his head.


    "A-Ater¡­ y-you''re¡­"


    "Indeed, Justin. Nice deductive skills you have there." The response was sarcastic, but Justin had no opportunity to feel slighted by those words.


    He was dancing on the edge of confusion and fear.


    ''What''s happening here? Did he transform into Adrien to fool me? D-does that mean he knows about my deal with him? I-if that''s the case, then everyone¡­ everyone will know!''


    Beads of sweat fell from Justin''s face as he stared widely at Ater.


    "Tsk, tsk¡­ you never listen, do you?" Ater clicked his tongue as he slowly approached Justin.


    Normally, the boy would have taken a few steps back¡ªeven if out of reflex¡ªbut this time he found himself unable to move in the slightest.


    He just watched as the being of darkness approached with the force of malevolence.


    "I told you to rx." Ater ced both hands on Justin''s shoulder this time, staring down at him with his devilish smile.


    "... Enjoy the weather."


    Justin found himself gulping, feeling himself get crushed under the overwhelming presence that Ater exuded.


    There was no escape for him¡ªnone at all.

 Chapter 701 Deal With A Devil [Pt 1]

    Chapter 701 Deal With A Devil [Pt 1]


    "No one knows, you know?"


    As those words danced in the air, Justin struggled toprehend their meaning.


    Perhaps this was because his heart was beating too fast, and the loud pounding in his head just wouldn''t stop. He found himself barely clinging onto Ater''s words.


    This felt like a haze¡­ a dream.


    No, not a dream.


    This had to be a nightmare.


    He was helpless¡ªparalyzed in sheer hopelessness¡ªas he listened to Ater''s words as thetter circled around him, like a shark swirling around the wounded prey in bloodied waters.


    "Rey, Belle¡­ all of them don''t know about you yet. Not to the extent that I do, Justin ke."


    Saliva was stuck in Justin''s throat, but he was too frightened to swallow.


    "Now, if you do not wish to be exposed, then you will listen to me well and do as I say. Is that understood?" As Ater asked this, Justin made no response.


    He simply froze there, nkly staring at the man.


    "I said¡­ is that understood?"


    As Ater drew closer, filling him with even more of his malevolent aura, Justin forcefully swallowed his saliva and shuddered in recoil. He quickly bobbed his head, nodding ferociously as he took a few steps back.


    "I-I understand! I understand!"


    "Good. If you do, then rx. Sit down and let''s talk." Ater smiled, plopping to sit in what could be defined as mid-air.


    Justin looked around him, but there was no avable ce to really sit. The only ce left was the filthy ground, and someone of his caliber was not ustomed to such an action. Still¡­ he didn''t have a choice, did he?


    He had to do as Ater said.


    "O-okay¡­" As Justin began lowering himself to sit on the ground, he found himself upying a rather soft, cushiony sofa.


    ''E-eh¡­?''


    Before he could even process the sensation, he realized that his environment waspletely different from what he had just noticed a second ago. Not only were there no walls, fences, or any familiar sights associated with the Royal Estate''s expansivepound, but the ce that Justin found himself in was indoors.


    It was a ce he recognized all too well.


    "T-this is¡­?!"


    The impossibly high ceiling, the incredible vastness, and the remnant malevolence; all of it sent chilling memories flooding Justin''s faculties.


    "... The Grand Cmity ss Dungeon." He gawked, slowly turning to look at Ater, who was also on a sofa simr to his, with a center table separating them. "Right?"


    "Indeed."


    Ater''s confirmation made Justin look around him once again.


    On the second look, he noticed a lot of changes in this Dungeon. For one, it appeared perfectly polished¡ªworlds apart from the grimy and unkempt state that the Dungeon had in previous memory.


    The ancient walls still had the effect of age to them, but with a much more pristine effect than ever before. Most of the ground floor was still an empty space, but it looked squeaky clean and perfectly renovated.


    Justin could find no w with it no matter how hard he looked.


    "I decided to do a little cleaning to surprise Master, considering the ns he has for this ce. What do you think? Do you reckon he''ll like it?"


    Justin was speechless.


    He didn''t even think his input was necessary. The state of the Dungeon¡ªat the very least, the ground floor that he was in¡ªwas more than enough to speak for itself.


    "I think¡­ he''ll like it a lot."


    "Is that so? Hehehe¡­ then I suppose all of that effort wasn''t for nothing." Ater''s smile was not malevolent this time.


    It was so pure¡ªalmost childish¡ªas if he was a child who looked forward to seeing the proud look in their parents'' eyes after a job well done.


    Justin could notprehend this sudden change in vibe, but it wasn''t like he was fated to witness it for very long. In merely a few seconds, Ater''s demeanor changed back to what it previously was.


    ¡ªA mask of evil and chaos.


    "I''m in a good mood, Justin, so I don''t n to hound you too much. After getting a gist of your situation, and also hearing your clearly unbiased thoughts on this ce¡­ I think I''m going to let you off easy."


    Justin was confused, conflicted, and a lot more.


    He didn''t even know how they arrived here, talkless of what Ater could be talking about at the given period. He waspletely at Ater''s mercy, and that already made his future too bleak to consider. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Still, who didn''t like the sound of mercy?


    "You are doing this for your family, right? Ipletely understand. Family¡­ family is really important, right? You really are a good kid, aren''t you? You want to go home¡­ do right by your folks¡ªeven that girl that you''re so fond of."


    Justin''s eyes twitched the moment Ater mentioned his girl. He never told him about that, so how in the world did he know?


    More shivers coursed through his veins, but he endured.


    "Here''s how this works, Justin. I want you on my side. That''s the only way you walk out of this in one piece. Join me¡­ or die."


    Any man, when confronted with a chance for their survival, would always choose the option that best led to it. But, it wasn''t so simple for Justin.


    "I can''t. If I betray Adrien, I die." He whimpered, sighing as he hung his head on his weak shoulders.


    "How so?"


    "I¡­ am not allowed to say."


    For a moment, tense silence permeated the room. The world around them was in an eerie state,pletely devolving into one of despair.


    "Pffft! Why so serious?" Ater chuckled, breaking all of that with a single question.


    "W-what¡­?"


    To Justin, the one whose life hung in the bnce, he couldn''tprehend the question.


    Why wouldn''t he be serious? He was facing possible death here!


    "I already know what card Adrien holds against you." Ater chuckled even more as he rxed on his seat.


    With warbling eyes that seemed to be reminiscent of blood, he parted his lips and let out the steep revtion.


    "Your soul."

 Chapter 702 Deal With A Devil [Pt 2]

    Chapter 702 Deal With A Devil [Pt 2]


    "I only wanted to live¡­"


    Justin wanted to live for his family¡ªfor the ones he cared about most¡ªso he could return home one day. That desire turned into obsession after witnessing death for the first time.


    First it was with Adam, and then during the Dungeon Rescue of Brutus, he witnessed even more people perish. Despite performing his role well, he found himself at the edge of death so may times.


    To many, he was always the optimist¡ªthe jovial guy with no care in the world.


    But inside¡­ he was being torn apart.


    He had countless nightmares of death that it eventually caused him so many sleepless nights. All of thispounded, bing worse by day.


    Until¡­


    ''I CAN''T TAKE IT ANYMORE!''


    Justin grew desperate.


    So desperate in fact that he made a deal with Adrien at the time, after being offered a way to preserve his life and escape death.


    He would need to be an Undead¡ªa high-ss one, of course, but still an Undead.


    With this new change of race, he would be immune to fatal damage and a lot of Status Conditions that would adversely affect humans. He would no longer need to sleep, hence preventing the nightmares from guing him.


    Best of all¡­ he would be stronger.


    With all of these on the tter, there was already very little chance that he could refuse. However, Adrien also threw one more thing into the mix.


    "I''m working on something that''ll get all of us home. Join my side, and you can be a part of it."


    That sold it for him!


    There was no way he could refuse at that point¡­ even if the cost of the deal was his life itself..


    The price he had to pay to attain his desires was to relinquish the one thing that could cause his demise¡ªhis Soul.


    **************


    "As an Undead, as long as you have your Soul intact, you can''t really die. Since it belongs to Adrien and it is in his possession, one can even say it benefits you the most since any attacks on your Soul wouldn''t kill you anyway¡­ is what you tell yourself to feel better about your entire arrangement, isn''t it?" Ater''s question poked right into Justin''s heart, but the boy could say nothing.


    If he did so, his demise was inevitable.


    "With this arrangement, only Adrien can kill you since he has your Soul hostage. I''m sure you''ve made some pre-existing arrangement that prevents you from doing some things¡­ such as telling me the details of such an arrangement. Doing so would alert Adrien, and he wouldn''t hesitate to finish you off since you''re nothing but a tool to him."


    The more Ater spoke, the more Justin felt pricks in his heart. He got everything right, and the very thought that someone could figure it all out without him opening his lips to say a word was frightening in itself.


    It only made the helpless boy wonder just how much Ater knew about.


    "Selling your soul for returning home¡­ that sounds so poetic." Ater seemed to be making fun of his decision, but Justin did not regret it one bit.


    He could count at least three instances where he would have already died without the perks of being an Undead. He didn''t regret his decision since it helped him live this long.


    If only he hadn''t gotten caught, then¡­ then maybe he would have actually¡­


    "What if I told you that I could break these shackles holding you back¡­ even making you stronger in the process?"


    Justin''s eyes widened and his brows were raised as he heard this.


    After hearing all that Ater had said, and seeing some of the things he could do, there was no doubt in Justin''s mind as to the capabilities of this man.


    Even judging from his incredibly confident demeanor, it was clear that this man could back up his words.


    The question, however, was why?


    "Why would you choose to go this far for me?" Justin spat out.


    He was a traitor who backstabbed everyone and was working secretly for a deserter. He hid his strength in critical moments, and even though it was likely that he could have prevented Eric''s death, he did no such thing.


    Even he hated himself for all of these, and yet¡­


    "I quite like you, Justin. I believe you have potential, and I suspect it''s why Adrien chose you as well¡­"


    "R-really?"


    "Of course not. Pfft! You''re just easier to manipte because you have things you hold dear, and a very strong desire to achieve your dreams." Aterughed, causing Justin''s slightly hopeful face to crumble in an instant.


    He never once thought of himself as special or especially intelligent, but this was the first time hearing that he was easy to manipte.


    "Listen well. The most difficult people to control are those who have nothing to lose. As long as stakes exist, there will always be those who can see them."


    Justin didn''t even have the chance to process what Ater said before he was bombarded with another volley of information.


    "I am the person you''ve been talking to all week, not Adrien. I''m certain he doesn''t know the recent urrences in the Capital. Even if he does, it is only to the extent that Master does, which is why I''ve intentionally limited the information I distributed¡­ just in case¡­"


    "Y-you were¡ª?!"


    "Yes. I have been observing you for some time too. Adrien''s little dog¡­ sniffing for clues and information for your owner. Well, I don''t want that for you, Justin. You deserve better, you know?"


    "W-what? Isn''t that what you''re trying to turn me into? A loyal dog?"


    "I''m more of a cat person, you know? But that''s besides the point." Ater shrugged those words away as if they were nothing.


    "I want you to be my subordinate, Justin. I treat my subordinates well, you know? And if you agree¡­ everything you desire will be yours." n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Justin watched Ater in silence, waiting for a few moments before getting the inevitable question.


    "So¡­ what do you say?"

 Chapter 703 Deal With A Devil [Pt 3]

    Chapter 703 Deal With A Devil [Pt 3]


    "I-I¡­"


    Justin didn''t have a choice in the matter, the way he saw it.


    If he didn''t ept the deal, Ater was definitely going to do something incredibly awful to him. Ater knew all about his arrangement with Adrien, including the Soul issue, yet he was confident in killing him.


    That meant there were other ways he could die¡ªways he didn''t know yet.


    ''Adrien told me not to get overconfident about my immortality, so this is what he was talking about¡­'' Justin sighed. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ''If he can somehow save me from Adrien''s grasp, spare my life, and make me stronger¡­ is there really a reason to refuse?''


    This was essentially just changing owners. It was the same job, but now he would be working for a different person.


    ''Adrien is searching for a way home, which I would be losing out on if I follow this man. But¡­ I just have to bring it to his notice.''


    "... I have some conditions to make before I¡ª"


    "No conditions can be made. This is not a negotiation, but a simple choice." Ater interrupted Justin before he couldplete his statement.


    "I know you desire to go home, and your deal with Adrien somewhat gives you that guarantee. You aren''t sure you have that kind of security with me, which is fair. I won''t make that promise to you, but you should also be aware that Adrien could just as well not keep his side of the deal¡­ and you can''t stop him."


    Justin already knew that, which was why he had very loose loyalty to Adrien. Thanks to Ater''s words, more doubt began to creep into Justin''s mind.


    Was there really a way home? Was he going to ever see his family again? He didn''t know for sure.


    "I can promise you this, Justin." Ater maintained his confident smile as he spoke. "You will see your family again."


    "R-really¡­?" He whispered.


    Was this a moment when Ater wouldugh at him, or maybe mock him for being easily manipted? Was it?


    No¡­ not at all.


    "Yes. If you serve me well, you will meet them and have your happy ending¡ªhowever you want it. Isn''t that great? A concrete future that you can count on."


    "I am not sure I can count on you, though."


    "True. Which is why I told you that this isn''t a negotiation." Ater shrugged, almost as if he couldn''t be bothered by Justin''s skepticism.


    "You already know you have two options at the moment. Join me¡­ or die."


    "...."


    "I believe you already know which is the best way to achieve your goals. You''re sensible, at the very least."


    Yes¡­ Justin already knew.


    "I get it. And, just to confirm, if I join you¡­ you''ll undo the whole Soul stuff with Adrien, right?"


    "You wouldn''t be of much use to me if you''re still on his leash, so of course I''ll liberate you from his clutches."


    "And then you''ll own my soul?"


    "That won''t be necessary. I do not need to own or even be in possession of it to affect it. I''ll make sure to protect it from any external attacks, though, so you should still be safe for the most part."


    "W-what does that even mean?" Justin, at this point, was in way over his head.


    He could not really grasp Ater''s exnation.


    "Haa¡­ okay, I''ll try to simplify this whole deal to you so that even you can get it."


    Justin ignored the clearly condescending tone and use of words that Ater employed. Partly because he had no choice in the matter, but also because he was interested in what came next.


    "You have your Soul with Adrien, but it''s impossible for your body to function without a Soul upying it, so only a portion is with you, while the rest is with Adrien. Both of them share a connection that tethers them to each other. Are you following so far?"


    "Y-yeah!"


    "Now, what I''m going to do is surgically separate the piece of your Soul that upies your body from the one with Adrien. That would¡ª"


    "But wouldn''t that kill me? Or maybe like¡­ make me lose some of my memories or power? It''s my Soul, after all!"


    Ater shook his head and sighed.


    "Sorry, sorry! Please just go on¡­" Justin swiftly apologized, scratching his head sheepishly.


    "Fuu¡­ fine, I''ll exin Soul Theory to you."


    "Soul Theory?"


    "Your Soul isn''t like your body. It doesn''t have an arm or leg with distinct functions or parts to them. If you amputate a hand, you''ve damaged the whole body, and if it isn''t healed, the body bes iplete forever. But with a Soul, it''s different. While it is possible to harm a Soul, you can''t damage it permanently by just attacking a portion of it."


    "Really?"


    "Yes. You attack the whole thing. It''s why Adrien has the Soul with him tethered to the Soul with you. That way there''s a constant connection that he exclusively has ess to. If he wishes to harm you, he''ll attack your Soul through the connection, damaging both pieces."


    "So¡­ by removing the connection this piece shares with his¡­ he won''t be able to harm my Soul any longer?"


    "Indeed. Though, you are right in the fact that you''ll lose a great deal of your power and potential if you lose that chunk that exists with him. Every living entity''s true ability depends on the state of the Soul, after all¡­"


    Before Justin could say anything after gasping, Ater raised a finger in the air to prevent him from speaking.


    "Fortunately for you¡­ I have the perfect solution. I''ll supplement your Soul with lots of nourishment so you''ll be even stronger than ever."


    "You can do that?"


    "Yup! You''ll be as¡­ hmmm¡­ maybe a Dragon Lord will be your limit."


    "D-Dragon Lord¡­?" Justin remembered the appearance of the Dragon Lord that shook everyone to their core.


    He could never hope to go against that, and yet¡­ he was hearing that he would be able to stand against such an entity. That sounded surreal.


    "I agree! When do we start?!" As soon as Justin said this, Ater grinned devilishly, instantly vanishing from where he sat.


    ~SQUELCH!~


    A hand pierced Justin''s chest, causing the boy to instantly lose consciousness, and the silhouette responsible for that let out a soft whisper.


    "Right now."

 Chapter 704 Approaching Climax

    Chapter 704 Approaching Climax


    [Moments Later] n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "I¡­ really don''t feel any different."


    Justin and Ater stood face to face in the vast hall that was the Grand Cmity ss Dungeon. Indeed, just as he said, the former didn''t look any different from how he always was.


    He still had his handsome face, dirty brown hair, and overall tall and lean build.


    He seemed the same.


    "Adrien will try to make contact with you soon, so you''re going to forget a lot of what happened here until the due time." Completely ignoring all of Justin''s concerns about his body, Ater simply went straight to business.


    "You will be loyal to Adrien for the time being, until I am ready to use you for certain ns I have¡­"


    "But¡ª"


    "If you''re wondering how Adrien won''t notice that you aren''t tethered to him, it''s because when I surgically severed your connection to that Soul, I copied a portion of it and linked it to Adrien''s copy. In essence, he still thinks you are linked."


    "H-how can you do all of these things¡­?" Justin wondered aloud, staring at Ater with sheer stupefaction.


    "That is not for you to know. Your limits will never allow you to attain that height."


    Upon hearing those words, Justin''s face sank deeper. It almost felt like he was stomped on, but with words.


    "Don''t be so downcast. You should be grateful for your lot and be content with it. That is what Nature has determined for you. Seeking any more would be venturing deeply into greed?"


    "Is greed such a bad thing?"


    "For those who cannot possibly attain anything greater¡­ greed is useless. It leads to hollow hubris that tends to drive men into madness and destruction."


    "... Eh?"


    "Just remain where you are and allow yourself to indulge in the desires afforded to you. Chase after your purpose and do not seek out a wider ocean outside your pool. That is the best way you can find happiness." Ater smiled at him, cing a hand on his shoulder.


    "In essence¡­ I should know my ce?"


    "Correct! You really are quite sharp, aren''t you?"


    For some reason, despite hearing demeaning words in the most brutal of ways, Justin felt a certain kind of relief wash over him. There was a strange sense of pride derived from Ater''s words that caused him to smile.


    "You''re very mean with your words¡­"


    "I prefer it this way." Ater shrugged, removing his hand from Justin as they both smiled at each other.


    "Me too."


    For a moment, silence reigned between the two of them as they simply stared at each other.


    "What exactly are you up to? This grand scheme of yours¡­ when does it take ce?"


    A chuckle escaped Ater''s lips as he stared keenly at Justin. Before he responded, he walked away from the young man and took a few steps forward.


    Crackles of energy danced around him, as well as Justin, as the world around them seemed to change and distort at a rapid pace.


    "That is a surprise."


    **************


    The cks of polished ck shoes hitting the ground echoed softly as Ater walked within a hallway, both hands in his pockets as he smiled.


    He had several thoughts shing through his mind¡ªabout his new pawn, his n''s progression, and most importantly, his Master.


    All of these thoughts were neatly organized and immactely calcted, just as the steps he made as he approached the door that stood in front of him.


    ''Once this isplete, all that''s left is the big one¡­''


    Ater felt the knob of the door twist in no time, and before long he entered into the room to meet a few people already upying one portion of the room.


    He already knew who they were, so he merely smiled as he walked in.


    "You all finally made it." The girl who sat at the center of the huge sofa grinned as she looked at Ater''s surroundings, but not directly at him.


    She was clearly seeing something that wasn''t real¡ªsomething he constructed.


    "Well, it''s been a while indeed Justin." The other girl in the group of deserters giggled, blushing slightly as she tried to hide how happy she was.


    The others around her rolled her eyes as they trailed invisible neers to the sofa that existed opposite them. Ater watched all of this in silence, already realizing what was happening.


    He was the one who orchestrated everything, after all.


    ''Right now, the Deserters think they are having a conversation with The Otherworlders. They see Justin, Belle, rk, and Trisha right now.'' His thoughts trailed as he watched them converse passionately.


    ''They''ll do their best to convince the Otherworlders to join their side, and Felicia will go as far as kissing all of them to make sure they do as shemands. Of course, in order not to make the whole thing suspicious, she''ll have to do it discreetly, meeting them one on one right after the meeting.''


    Ater already knew her line of reasoning, and he nned on making it so the illusion they all experienced flowed ording to her expectations, just as everything thus far had been going for them.


    ''Once all the Otherworlders agree to join their side, the deal will be sealed. Then, all that is left will be the promised day¡­ the climax of this little game I''ve made.''


    He could feel his lips curling upward as he disyed visible signs of excitement towards the results.


    As he concluded that line of thought, he proceeded to another.


    ''Master and Adrien should have already reached some sort ofpromise by now, if not even striking an alliance. That should lead to some rather interesting turn of events over there, and I hope it goes as predicted.''


    His eyes narrowed as he remembered one key figure in the whole thing, and for a few seconds, he remained motionless.


    Even as the voices of the Deserters grew louder, and echoes constantly filled the air, Ater remained steadfast in his thoughts.


    Everything seemed fixated on that one entity.


    ''Don''t forget the deal we made, Emil. I''m counting on you over there¡­''

 Chapter 705 The Great Elven War [Pt 1]

    Chapter 705 The Great Elven War [Pt 1]


    "The n remains the same¡­"


    The three Dragon Generals stood before their army of thousands of Dragons, their smiles broad as they felt some form of anticipation in their bones.


    R''azak, U''riah, and Ce''phas had stayed out of the battle long enough.


    However, now that they were all participating in the war against the Elves, the situation had now taken a turn for the better. The Morale of the Dragon Troops increased exponentially upon hearing of this news, so the atmosphere was electric with anticipation.


    The 12 Commanders were also going to join the battle too. Having their leadership in the war, and their power in the overwhelming battle toe reassured the Dragons who looked up to them all.


    Right now, the Generals were addressing the Newts and Soldiers who watched with clear attention and resolve to fulfill their role to the Empire.


    Since most of them had not fought for a very long time since the intervention of Adrien, there was a kind of anticipation that dwelled in their eyes. Dragons were beings of chaos, after all, and so their unsated hunger for death and destruction made them more than happy to receive the news of their grand attack on the Elves.


    Adrien stood among the Dragons who were being addressed by the Dragon Generals, smiling just as they were, with his own thoughts flowing as they made their point.


    ''He''s basically restating what was discussed in the meeting, but leaving out the details. There''s no need for footsoldiers and dispensable pawns to know the full picture. That role belongs to thosemanding them¡­''


    And as for the n itself, Adrien didn''t think it was particrly bad.


    Sure, it felt a little simplistic, but considering the way the Elves attacked, having a very simple but effective n seemed like the way to go.


    ''My Undead Army will attack from the front¡ªsame as always¡ªthen, the Dragon Army will attack them from behind.'' Adrien nearly chuckled to himself as he went over the strategy that would be implemented.


    Commanders would also attack from the right and left nks, leaving no wiggle room for escape.


    ''Thankfully, we have a lot of air power, so the Dragons have a major field advantage.'' He smiled and nodded one final time.


    The most twisted part of the n involved the Dragon Generals themselves.


    ''While all the efforts are being concentrated on the battlefield, the Generals will head to the Elf Community and wreak havoc there. If they manage to kill the Esteemed Elders, it''ll severely weaken the entire resistance.''


    That was the rationale behind their assault, and to be honest it was great.


    There was only a single issue about the whole thing, and it was one that Adrien decided to pitch in to help the movement..


    ''I promised to keep the benefactor of the Elves busy while they destroy the Community and severely weaken everything. That''s the best way I can pull my weight in this, outside of my disposable army.'' n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Adrien was one who prided himself as a realist, so almost as soon as he considered Rey as an enemy, he burst out into a chuckle and shook his head.


    ''I can''t beat him¡­'' But, he didn''t have to. He just had to make it seem like he was doing his best and working so that the Dragons could win.


    "DO WE ALL UNDERSTAND?!"


    As the thunderous voice of the Generals rang in the air, lost echoes of Dragons tuned in to the loudest of volumes.


    "YESSSSSSIIIRRRRR!!!"


    **************


    [Moments Later]


    "Fire!"


    ~WHOOOOSH!~


    Just as was the n with the Dragons, so was the execution.


    The Undead Monsters rushed towards the Elven Camp in droves, their overwhelming number seemingly increasing with every step they took. A dark cloud of Miasma hung above them¡ªlike a thundercloud of heavy rain, or an unstoppable storm, that could not stop.


    Then, there were the troublesome Undead Dragons that dominated the skies. Steam proceeded from their jaws as they shot perverse energy as breaths and intensely burned everything in their path.


    In the intensity of this moment, however, the Elves stood firm.


    They already had a sanctuary that served as the perfect base to protect them. With the n that they had been using so far, which worked effectively to their benefit, they stuck to their projectiles and kept firing.


    They also relied on their foot soldiers¡ªthe ones who felt no such thing as pain, and overwhelmed the Dragons during thest scuffles.


    The Elementals were already stationed before the walls of the Camp, so the moment the Undead Monsters reached a certain distance, all of them whirred to life in an instant.


    The Absolute Elemental General, which stood at the forefront of the army, was the first to move and set himself aze with energy. In no time at all, therest followed suit.


    Fire. Water. Earth. Air. Lightning.


    Varying colors representing the elements shot up into the sky as each Elemental lit the world around them, and the one that was slowly closing in on them.


    With all of this set up, an intense battle was afoot.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMM!!!!~


    Noises like this filled the battlefield, as terror-filled screeches constantly rang across the expansive field of nightmares. As Undead and Elementals fought, the Elves did their best to take down the flying creatures who constantly tried to reduce the integrity of their battery.


    Even though the battlefield was rough, the Elves still had most of things under control. They were the ones manipting the flow of battle, all from a safe distance.


    However¡­ in life, the most unexpected could ruin everything. The Elves learned that lesson at the moment when, during their echoes of victory and excitement, they suddenly heard noise.


    ~RUMBLE!~


    At first, many dismissed at mere tremors. But, they got louder with every passing noise and vibration it made.


    ~RUMBLE!~


    It seemed whatever this was¡­ it was getting closer.


    ~RUMBLE!~


    No one knew what it was, and just as apprehension mixed with curiosity was about to perfectly mix within the heart of the Elves, a certain Elf ran towards the battle area.


    She was out of breath, and her terrified face was pale. Still, she found the strength to raise her voice and inform them of the source of the rumble.


    "T-THE DRAGONS ARE AT OUR REAR!!!"

 Chapter 706 The Great Elven War [Pt 2]

    Chapter 706 The Great Elven War [Pt 2]


    The Dragons opened their frightening jaws and released sts of destruction from the depths of their throats.


    ~VWUUUUUUUMMM!!!~


    The intensity of their breaths burned the barrier that protected the Elven Camp from invaders. At first, it stood upright,pletely pushing back the mes of devastation that were constantly being pushed out.


    Eventually, however, the barrier had to copse.


    Once it did, the Dragons all grinned to themselves, watching as the rear of the Elves'' base was now breached.


    It was time for the next phase of their n¡ªughter all of the Elves.


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    Wings pped as the horde of thousands of Dragons charged towards the camp, their wide eyes ready to devastate their prey withbined, unbridled violence.


    "BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    The ground cracked wide open as mes crashed upon it, sending fiery debris flying in multiple directions. The Elves that were meant to be watching¡ªor rather, guarding¡ªthe rear, were sent flying back as a result of the intense mes that neared them. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    If it hit them, the result would be their demise.


    But¡­. "Sanctuary!" The voice of a certain Elf rang out,pletely altering the intense situation of helplessness that had permeated everything within the Camp''s rear.


    As those words echoed out, a glimmering barrier was cast over the immediate area where all the Elves were huddled together,pletely shielding them from the wrath of the beings above.


    Everything else in the rear was burned to cinders, but thankfully all the Elves were saved,


    Thankfully¡­


    As all the Elves looked up to witness their savior, they found one of their own¡ªthe one hailed to be the strongest of all the Elves. She was adorned in a perfectly sewn white and green gown, with her enchanting hair dancing behind her as she held her staff gracefully.


    She was currently donning some Enchanted Items, such as a special ne, bracelets, and even rings. Amidst all of this, though, she clung tightly to her staff, ring deeply at the aggressors who broke into their fortified ce.


    "L-Lady Feralia!"


    "Lady¡­!"


    "Y-you came to save us¡­!"


    They were smitten by her valiant presence, but she didn''t allow any of the girls to growfortable due to her being present. She inhaled deeply and closely observed all of the Elves behind her in a moment.


    None of them were strong enough to assist her.


    "Go. Retreat. Now!"


    They were all reluctant to just abandon their Sister, but they better than to disobey others. It was also clear that they would slow her down. Realizing this quickly, they all nodded and fled.


    "Huuu¡­" Feralia stole one more nce at the Elves and smiled at them running off while she exhaled deeply.


    Her ''Sanctuary'', the most powerful defense she could render at the moment, was reaching expiration rather quickly, and she had to find a way to defeat thousands of Dragons on her own.


    As she watched them from the golden enclosure, still seeing the bright bursts of mes as they lived the ground and her barrier¡ªalmost as if they couldn''t wait to get in¡ªshe steeled her heart and readied her body.


    ''It''sshocking how they just appeared out of nowhere. I''ll be having backup when the others mobilize, but until then¡­ I have to do this on my own.''


    She was much stronger than a Dragon Commander, so she was certain that when facing just Newts and Soldiers, she would fare well. In fact, she would fare better than well.


    The real problem was their number and advantage in the sky.


    ''Still¡­ since there is only one of me, as long as I know what I am doing, I should be able to stall them for as long as possible.''


    Either until the Elementals coulde to the rear to handle the Dragons, or for the projectiles to be used against these ones. Unfortunately, both of those options required time before they could be viable.


    And so, until then¡ª


    ''I''m on my own!''


    ~WHOOOOSH!~


    The moment her sanctuary copsed, Feralia shot up into the sky like a rocket, her body shimmering with golden aura. It felt like space itself blurred thanks to the intensity of her speed.


    Before long, she had ascended to the same level as the Dragons.


    ''I''ll use Elemental Magic to remain in the air, I''ll focus more on evasion and defense. The goal is to make sure they don''t advance very far.''


    It was a tall order for one person to handle, but Feralia was the strongest Elf. If anyone could pull it off¡­ it had to be her!


    "Wuthering Waves, sh and Fall¡­ Rise and Swirl into a fine storm¡­" She pointed her staff forward as she watched the Dragons ready tounch abined wave of Dragon Breaths towards her¡ªintending on incinerating her to death, no doubt.


    However, she was just a moment faster.


    "... Absolute Elemental Storm!"


    A swirling mass of pure energy¡ªor rather, the amalgamation of elements, which birthed a pure disy of energy¡ªswelled out of nowhere and crashed upon the wave of Dragons that lined up before Feralia.


    Their premature breaths were not sufficient to quell the storm, and the intensity only increased the more it gained momentum.


    Dragon Newts and Dragon Soldiers were capable of B to A-Tier Skills at the maximum, so it was no wonder that they could not handle the Spell that Feralia dished out, which dwelled in the realm of the Absolute.


    Not only that, but she was also being buffed by her Enchanted Items, so her Spell''s intensity and range was amplified.


    The result?


    ~VWUUUUUUUUSSSSHHHH!!!~


    A fierce storm that threw the Dragon Army into disarray was born.


    Their formation was ruined thanks to the Absolute Elemental Storm. While the Spell wasn''t particrly fatal for them, due to being spread over a wide range, the pulsating energy was enough to disorient the Dragons for a limited period of time.


    And with their defenses being brought so low, as well as her Mana saturating the atmosphere for that fleeting moment, all the conditions were fulfilled for Feralia''s next trick.


    Her ultimate Skill.


    "[Time Stop]."

 Chapter 707 The Great Elven War [Pt 3]

    Chapter 707 The Great Elven War [Pt 3]


    ??[Time Stop]


    It was an Exclusive Skill that belonged to Feralia¡ªone that served as her ultimate card, but one she also had to utilize sparingly.


    Not only could she only use it once a day, but it also consumed a great deal of Mana to utilize. It allowed her topletely halt the flow of time of anything she, or a portion of her energy, had contact with.


    In essence, she could freeze any target of hers in time.


    The duration for Time Stop depended on how much energy she expended in the period of activation, and since it usually took up a great deal of energy, it usually didn''tst very long.


    But¡­ things were different now.


    Feralia had ess to the Mana within the Enchanted Items that she equipped, as well as the boosted effects of being saved by Rey''s energy.


    She was a far stronger entity than in the past.


    Still¡­ even with all of these advantages on her end, there was one thing she had to consider.


    This was the first time she would be using [Time Stop] on so many targets at once.


    These were thousands of Dragons. There was no way her Skill would be able to work on them normally¡ªnot with the strict conditions necessary to activate them.


    That was why she first resorted to the Absolute Elemental Storm. This achieved two purposes, and its sess was what led to her next act.


    With the Storm sessfully affecting the army of Dragons, they became vulnerable to the effects of [Time Stop], and since her energy had permeated the entire area, she could cast the Skill en masse.


    The result?


    ~VWUUUUUUM!~


    Every single Dragon froze in the sky,pletely rendered still by the effects of her [Time Stop].


    "Haa¡­" Feralia felt a bit pale as she watched all the enemies stay vulnerable before her. The horde was at aplete standstill.


    "Good. With this, I''ve bought some time."


    As she mumbled this to herself, she couldn''t help but feel slightly lightheaded.


    ''I expended way too much Mana. They''ll be like this for a short while, but hopefully that''s enough for me to recover my Mana and for backup to arrive.''


    ~fshiii~


    While smiling to herself, albeit tiredly, she failed to recognize the silhouette that manifested behind her. Not until it was toote¡­


    "Impressive¡­" A voice echoed very deeply, causing her entire body to shiver at that very moment.


    It appeared right behind her, and the goosebumps she felt the moment she heard that single word caused her trembling body to freeze.


    Her instincts told her to run, but not a single finger could be lifted.


    She was paralyzed.


    ''I-I¡­.!'' With her eyes bulging, she witnessed the Dragons get released from her [Time Stop] Skill, all of them now floating towards the Camp as fiery hot energy began to manifest from within their gaping mouths.


    It turned out she wasn''t able to buy any time at all.


    Tears of sorrow would have gushed out of her wide eyes if not for the fear that she was experiencing.


    Death was right behind her, raising the scythe to send her to the underworld. She could not even see the face of her executioner.


    She only felt the intense gaze and incredible bloodlust they oozed.


    It was the end.


    ~CLANG!~


    All of a sudden, the noise of des shing together resounded in the air.


    Feralia suddenly found herself in the embrace of someone, feeling the familiar warmth and smell ooze through her as she surrendered to the man''s grasp.


    "Y-you¡­" She whispered, her voicecking any kind of strength whatsoever.


    Her heart raced¡ªthis time not because of anxiety or fear, but because of the man that held her tight. His presence offered herfort, and the look on his face as she gazed upon him¡ª that confident smile that he had¡ªwas out of this world.


    She felt, at longst, perfectly safe.


    "Sorry I''mte."


    As his voice reverberated in her ears, she closed her eyes and shook her head slightly, pressing her body more on his reliable frame.


    "No¡­ you''re right on time, Rey."


    The man who had arrived was Rey, and his de was currently pitted against the descending sh that would have ended her life.


    "Give me a moment." He whispered, and then the next thing that happened became a blur.


    ~VWUUUUSH!~


    The air around Feralia vibrated, and she felt everything around her distort.


    It felt like space itself copsed within a fraction of a moment, and the next thing she realized¡­ she was on the ground¡ªthe familiar ground of the camp.


    "Stay here." Rey told her, his dark air fluttering with the violent night wind.


    His two eyes were exposed, and they shone bright red. His outfit, a dark fur coat, withpletely ck garment, and traces of red here and there, was in perfect blend with his hair.


    Everything about him¡ªthe full darkness¡ªoozed both danger andfort.


    As soon as he told her this, though, the figure that appeared behind her back not too long ago suddenly descended from the sky in a sh of lightning.


    Feralia was able to see his face for the first time that night, and the moment she did¡­ she was reminded of the angel of death that was responsible for the undying Dragons.


    He was the one who put her in such a critical state¡ªthe one that Rey had cured.


    "Don''t worry¡­" Theforting voice of her savior danced in her ears the moment she was about to tremble out of fear or unease.


    "... I''ll take care of him."


    At that moment, Feralia could not control her feelings any longer. She drew closer to Rey and kissed him on the cheek.


    "Thank you so much¡­ for everything."


    As she said this, staring deep into his eyes, he kept his gaze fixed on the enemy, though returning her smile in his usual charming fashion.


    "You''re wee."


    Before she could say any more¡ª


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    ¡ªHe had vanished from her arms and now charged towards the enemy.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Remember to check the Discord Server for the Novel Trailer!

 Chapter 708 The Great Elven War [Pt 4]

    Chapter 708 The Great Elven War [Pt 4]


    ??"Rey¡­ it''s been a while."


    The deep, terrifying voice of the enemy echoed out into the dark world that surrounded them.


    Feralia was there to witness it all¡ªhow the dark-haired, blue eyed enemy spoke so familiarly with Rey as they both brandished their des.


    She watched in the distance, her eyes wide open as she stood still.


    "Yeah." Rey responded very sharply, clearly uninterested in further conversation.


    Still, the malefactor grinned widely, walking around very yfully as if this was all a game to him. He had a confident aura about him¡ªalmost as if his victory was already certain.


    "Just give up already. Join our side¡­ the winning side."


    "No. Never."


    "Think about it, Rey. The Dragons are superior to the Elves in every way. Resistance is futile¡­" As he raised his two hands, the thousands of Dragons that floated high in the sky began to draw close.


    The heat in their mouths rose to a higher degree, and as the mes formed, it was clear that they were going to unleash hell upon the camp.


    "Last chance, Rey!"


    His amused voice echoed in the air, apanied by the rising heat.


    Feralia watched all of this with trepidation. She trembled at the sight of the armada, and she found herself violently perspiring as a result of the growing furnace¡ªanxious about what woulde next.


    But, even amidst all of this¡­ Rey simply smiled.


    He raised his de up with confident precision and muttered some unintelligible words.


    Then¡ª


    ~WHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISSSSSHHHHHHHHHH!!!~


    A Sharp beam of light radiated from his sword, shooting high into the sky in order to meet the Dragons where they were. It was an instant shot of pure energy, and the result was a powerful burst of light that brightened up the night.


    Like a reverse meteor, it rose with sheer beauty and power, until it finally achieved contact.


    Once it did¡­ the brilliant burst of light eviscerated the Dragons.


    It didn''t matter if theyunched their fiery attacks or powerful breaths. All of those things were consumed by the powerful energy that sprouted from his de.


    In their hundreds, they vanished from sight, drowned entirely in the radiant disy of power.


    Just a few secondster¡­ none of those thousands of Dragons could be seen.


    Rey had eviscerated them all¡­ just like that.


    "T-that was¡­ I didn''t know you had gotten so strong." The enemy said, beads of sweat falling from his face as he quickly took a fighting position.


    "It''s not toote to change your ways, Adrien. Join our side¡­ and you might be forgiven." Rey let out his hand as he uttered those words.


    Feralia knew this had to be a trick.


    There was no way their savior would ever offer redemption to someone who had taken the lives of so many of her sisters. The man before them was pure evil, and he was deserving of nothing short of blood-curdling death.


    Even as an Elf, Feralia thought that with all her heart.


    Since she, as an Elf, could not kill the enemy¡ªAdrien¡ªbecause he was not a Dragon, she hoped from the depths of her heart that Rey would do the honors.


    She prayed deep within her heart that her sisters would be avenged.


    "You don''t mean that." Adrien responded with a light chuckle, his eyes now glowing violently. "Besides¡­ there''s no longer a ce for me among you."


    Just as Feralia had hoped for¡ªa confrontation was at hand.


    "My ce is with the Dragons, and yours isn''t. That makes us enemies¡­"


    "Indeed."


    Rey took his own battle stance, both of them firing up their respective weapons with energy that sparked with myriads of colors.


    Then¡ª


    ~WHOOOOSH!~


    In very swift blurs, they charged towards each other. A sh of darkness, with their des reflecting powerful light¡­ the resulting sh caused a deafening echo.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOMM!!!~


    The instant their swords met, the surrounding area was levele


    ¡ªturning into and of devastation.


    Feralia watched all of this from a safe distance, and even had a barrier around her to defend against the might of the resulting shockwave. Still, she felt the hair on her skin stand as she witnessed the destruction their sh resulted into.


    The ground shook. The air trembled. The skies parted. Everything darkened, turning into and of ash and smoke.


    "... Rey¡­" She whispered, watching as her savior sent his de flying towards the enemy, who readily blocked it with his own.


    ~CLANG!~


    ~BOOOOM!~


    ~CLING!~


    Their dance was far too fast for her to possibly keep up with, so she maintained her distance and watched in sheer wonder.


    ''They appear evenly matched. Is the enemy really that strong¡­ or is Rey holding back?''


    She didn''t know for sure.


    All she knew was that for every sh they had, it felt like the verynds were being torn to shreds. She could only wonder how long it would take before the Camp¡ªand even thends surrounding it¡ªwas reduced to nothing.


    "O'' Nature¡­ please watch over us."


    *************


    [Meanwhile¡­]


    The Elven Community was rtively peaceful, far separated from the rigors of the battlefield.


    They did not hear any of the resounding echoes of destruction that gued the camp, and they were blind to the catastrophes being wreaked upon both parties in the intense sh thatsted on and on through thete evening.


    The Elves were in sanctuary here.


    The Youngs went about their carefree activities, oblivious of the sacrifices of the Elders. And as for the Elders¡­ they were either performing chores or looking after their Youngs.


    Either way¡­ all of them were engaged in mundane activities.


    The Esteemed Elders were in their hall, having their usual meeting¡ªthe norm of the evening.


    None of them were aware of the enemies that floated above their haven.


    "So this is the Community¡­"


    "We should have juste here from the start."


    "Right?"


    The three Dragon Generals were suspended in the air as they watched the peaceful, mundane lives of the Elves. Their simplistic setting andpletely unbothered demeanors seemed ironic, given the current circumstances.


    It made the Generals frown, but also smile.


    "They have no idea¡­" R''azakmented as he glided forward.


    The other two followed suit.


    ".... What''s about to begin."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I really wanted to release more chapters, but there is no electricity over here¡­ and it''s so frustrating. Either way, I hope you enjoyed the chapter.

 Chapter 709 The Great Elven War [Pt 5]

    <h4>Chapter 709 The Great Elven War [Pt 5]</h4>


    [A Few Moments Earlier]


    "Looks like the n is working, and Adrien is keeping to his end of the deal."


    U''riah was the first to speak up after all three Generals keenly watched the footage that was disyed before them.


    The semi-transparent holographic screen before them¡ªsimr to a Status Window in certain regards¡ªshowed the implementation of their strategy in real time.


    As the Undead attacked from the front, their Dragon Army, led by Adrien, woulde from behind.


    Then, there were also the Commanders who would emerge from both nks. No matter how one sliced it, the Elves were bound to be overwhelmed by the sheer size of the assaulting army, as well as the many angles they were attacking from.


    "Spatial Magic sure is useful¡­" R''azakmented, chuckling to himself as he caught glimpses of Rey and Adrienmencing their battle.


    "So that''s the benefactor of the Elves¡­"


    All went silent as the voice of C''ephas echoed among them. They could sense the rising tension in the space where they floated.


    The intensity was so palpable that they could almost taste it.


    "I want to fight him."


    The two other Generals¡ªR''azak and U''riah¡ªstared at each other and slightly shook their heads.


    "Adrien is taking care of that." Thetter of them said with a sigh.


    "If you want to face him, then maybe we should wrap things up early here. What do you say to that?"


    The moment C''ephas heard this, he brightened up just like a child.


    "Alright! Let''s do this!" He grinned maleficently.


    Relief spread on the faces of his colleagues at that point.


    "Before we start anything, though¡­ we should report this to the Lord. It''s a new finding, after all." U''riah added, to which R''azak agreed with, but C''ephas groaned about.


    "Can''t we wait until we return?"


    "You know how our Lord can be sometimes. Let''s just get it over with now." U''riah said with a somewhat exhausted face.


    They hadn''t even begun their mission and he was already feeling drained.


    "I agree with U''riah." Thankfully, R''azak backed him up.


    As crazy as Ce''phas was, he usually respected their joint decisions. This time appeared to be no different.


    "Tch¡­ fine, fine¡­"


    As U''riah used hismunication device to connect to their superior, R''azak and Ce''phas kept watching the thunderous fight between Adrien and the one known as Rey.


    Their disy of swordsmanship skills and raw power felt unbelievable for humans. It even caused R''azak to get chills in his body.


    He hadn''t really seen Adrien fight before, so he was amazed by his disy of ability in the fight.


    But¡­ Adrien wasnt the highlight of all this.


    "That Rey¡­ he''s very strong."


    "Indeed he is." Ce''phas responded, his eyes still glued on the screen.


    "I think he could be stronger than I am¡­ based on Combat Expertise alone." As R''azak muttered this, he half looked at Ce''phas, whose eyes remained glued on the screen.


    "Yeah. He''d definitely beat you¡­"


    The bluntness and certainty that Ce''phas employed when addressing the issue slightly offended R''azak.


    He couldn''t believe his ownrade was so quick to dismiss his strength and not regard it as tentative.


    Perhaps it was because of some sort of revenge, or maybe it was merely curiosity, that R''azak directed a question simr to the proposition towards hisrade.


    "What about you? Do you think he''s stronger than you are?"


    "...."


    With no response gotten, R''azak decided to go one step further and ask the question that would definitely get a reply.


    "If you and him fought¡­ who would win?"


    It was at this point that Ce''phas finally took his eyes off the footage and gazed upon his fellow General.


    He had a wless smile that encapsted everything about his position.


    "I''d win."


    *************


    "Why don''t we kick things off with a big one?" R''azak raised his hand to the sky, a swirling pool of energy oozing out of it.


    His broad smile was apanied by crackling of energy that danced all around his body.


    All in response to his starting Skill.


    "[Absolute Thunderbolt Strike]."


    This was a simple Skill with a rather straightforward function.


    A bolt of lightning would descend from the sky as a result of it, and only one would manifest per use of Skill.


    But¡­ what made this Skill so deadly was the quality of that bolt of lightning.


    ~RUMBLE~


    Not only was the level of damage it could wreak out of this world, but it moved ao fast that it practically bypassed most defenses anyone could muster.


    Before most could even realize what was going on, this Skill would have ended their lives.


    It''s Area Of Effect ranged from 500 Meters to 5,000 Meters, depending on how much energy was put into its activation.


    And so, just because he could, R''azak set it to the maximum.


    ~RUMBLE!~


    It descended only a second after activation.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMM!!!~


    The flow of electrical currents rebounded loudly, as if signalling the demise of the unsuspecting Elves.


    They would all be dead before they even heard the sound of the thing that would kill them.


    It was toote.


    ~FSHIIIIIII~


    The rush of crimson lightning scattered just as it was about to reach the point of impact, which would have caused the devastation to spread far and wide within themunity.


    At the very least, a third of thend would have bepletely pulverised.


    But¡­ the attack nevernded.


    "A barrier¡­ huh?" R''azakmented, his eyes wide open as he witnessed a transparent foil of energy being unwrapped after the strike of his Skill.


    "Seems It could only handle one of your Skill, but still¡­ impressive." U''riah mumbled, observing as the rest of the barrier dissolved into thin air.


    "Yeah. But who could have been fast enough to¡ª"


    "It must have been set up preemptively. Probably in preparation for a surprise attack like this."


    "Yeah¡­ yeah, I get it." R''azak appeared disappointed, and rightfully so.


    The good news for the Generals was that, since the pesky defense was gone, they could finally attack the Community with full force.


    The bad news, however, was¡­


    "Here theye."


    ¡­ They had lost the element of surprise.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Nothing like a proper interaction between the viins before the main show¡­

 Chapter 710 The Great Elven War [Pt 6]

    Chapter 710 The Great Elven War [Pt 6]


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    The sound of rumbling lightning sent the entire Esteemed Council in an uproar.


    The imminent destruction that was averted by some unknown power was felt by every single Esteemed Elder, causing them to abruptly end their meeting.


    "Did you hear that?!"


    "Is that even a question? We all heard it!"


    "Do you all feel it? The concentration of energy atop our Community?" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Panic spread across the Esteemed Ones, but the shout of a single one brought order to the Council.


    "That''s enough!"


    Everyone instantly stopped with their shouts and looked in the direction of the Head Elder, who was looking up for a well-suspected reason.


    "I feared that this day mighte, but it is beyond escaping now¡­"


    All the Elders stared at each other, and then gazed up so they could see and sense the same thing that the Head Elder did.


    "The Dragons have arrived here."


    Once she uttered those words, confirming the appearance of a threat that sent shivers running through the bodies of most of the Elves in the room, everyone gasped.


    Still, there was no time for such frivolities.


    "We have too many Youngs here to allow our sanctuary to fall. Everyone¡­ be prepared for the fight of your lives!"


    Despite how scared and reserved most of these Elders were, the moment they heard the call to duty, they all straightened their faces and nodded.


    Every Elf knew how valuable their fellows were, and the duty they owed their Community.


    Elders protected the Youngs, and the Youngs obeyed the Elders.


    There was an equilibrium to be kept.


    Right now¡­


    "Let''s go, my sisters! We will confront those vermin before they can further do harm to our people!"


    ¡­ There was no time to think, no time to fret, and no time to doubt. All that mattered were their duties, and they were ready to fulfill it to the letter.


    All of them¡­ without exception!


    *************


    "Here theye." R''azak said, watching as the energy from beneath them was swelling at an unnatural level.


    It was clear that the Elves were gearing up to fight them.


    "How many do you think will attack us?" He turned to U''riah, who was simply silent as his blue eyes constantly watched the Community.


    "There are a few hundred thousand Elves here. Most of them are immature, referred to as Youngs." The more U''riah spoke, the brighter his blue eyes became.


    "It makes sense, considering why the Elves never requested for ample backup when we had a major advantage¡­"


    U''riah was currently using one of his Exclusive Skills: [Seer''s Sight], which allowed him to witness and process a lot of visual information at an impossible pace.


    At the moment, he was taking in a lot of things at once, tranting all his findings in brief summaries.


    The other two Generals kept quiet as they watched him.


    Until¡ª


    "Should I send another round of¡ª?"


    "Don''t waste your energy. There''s no need to do any of that¡­" U''riah interrupted with a bright smile on his face.


    The energy from beneath was swelling to a massive degree when the Generalpleted his words.


    "They''reing to us."


    ~WHOOOOOOOSHHH!!!~


    That very moment, several beams of energy, each containing varying elements shot up from the ground.


    "Hehehehe!" Ce''phas chuckled to himself as he saw all of them, and the rest of the Generals braced themselves ordingly.


    "Hahahahaahahaha!!!"


    The several beams danced in the air, each going in multiple directions in order to strike the Dragons in many areas a once.


    It was all useless, though.


    "[Zero Contact]."


    Once U''riah uttered the name of his Skill, the space around him¡ªas well as the rest of hisrades¡ªgrew distorted,pletely blocking off all the energies that would hit them.


    The result?


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    A loud explosion, albeit nothing reaching the Generals.


    Elves, about twelve of them, rushed into the sky once the explosion reverberated through the air.


    Guided by Magic, each of them had intense Mana flowing out of their bodies. They circled the explosion, arms outstretched for the next volley of attack.


    "Give it everything you have!" The oldest-looking among them, also recognized as their leader, let out a sharp cry.


    None of the Elves hesitated in casting their Spells upon hearing themand.


    Bursts of lighting, mixed with plumes of mes, supported by swirls of wind, danced out of their outstretched hands and shot straight for the target.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    The explosion was muchrger than the previous one, and once the attack was sent from all sides, all flying Elves recoiled backwards before floating off to rendezvous with one another.


    Seconds after, they were together in a group¡ªsurrounded by a powerful barrier that warbled with intense power.


    All eyes were on the site of the explosion, with gazes focused past the smoke and whaty beyond. Despite such destructive efforts on their part, the Elves did not¡ªfor even one second¡ªlet down their guard.


    They kept their eyes focused on¡ª


    "Hehehehehe¡­" A loud snicker began to echo from within the smoke.


    "... Hahahahahahahaha!"


    In a single sh, before anyone could utter anything in response to the howls ofughter, the smoke cleared.


    It seemed like a whirlwind was responsible for the dispersion of the thick clouds of remnant heat, but it wasn''t at all.


    That was nothing short of the manifestation of the energy of one of the Generals.


    "Already established your defenses, huh? I''m impressed! You''re certainly not dumb!" Ce''phas was the one who spoke out, and it seemed he was the one most excited for the battle toe.


    The other two Generals coolly looked at their opponents with more observant eyes, but he didn''t seem to care that they far outnumbered him and hisrades.


    He was simply out for blood.


    "So many of you¡­ where to even start¡­" Ce''phas eyed the Elves one after the other, licking his lips in anticipation. "How about we each take four? There are a total of twelve, so it makes sense." U''riah muttered.


    "I agree." R''azak responded with a sigh.


    Usually, C''ephas would agree with them and reduce his bloodlust.


    But no.


    Not this time.


    "I want to fight ten of them." Steam proceeded from his lips as he uttered those words.


    Not even bothering to get confirmation from his fellow General, he readied himself for action with a big grin.


    "You can handle the remaining two."

 Chapter 711 Dragon Generals Vs Esteemed Elders [Pt 1]

    Chapter 711 Dragon Generals Vs Esteemed Elders [Pt 1]


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    A shockwave followed Ce''phas as he leaped forward, charging straight for the group of Elves that huddled together in a tight formation.


    He moved much faster than they could react to, and before they could even hear his loud cackles ofughter, he had already closed the distance that existed between the two sides.


    "[Crumble]!" He yelled, rendering a straight thrust at the barrier that separated the Elves from his clutches.


    His fist met the translucentyer of protection, causing an instant rumble all over.


    Then¡ª


    ~CRAAAAACCCKK!!!~


    In a sh, the barrier shattered into pieces, almost like ss.


    The pieces flew all over, much to the despair of the Elves, and the malefactor grinned widely as his eyes glowed a brilliant white.


    "Hehehehehehe! Hahahahahaha!"


    His hair instantly turned pure white, and crackles of white energy danced all over his body as he stretched out two his hands to reach out for prey.


    They weren''t his, though. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Kyaaaah!" He yanked two random Elves and flung them towards hisrades, granting them their quota out of the Elves.


    He was a Dragon of his word, after all. He didn''t even bother looking at the expressions that the other Generals had, though he assumed they had to be pleased with him for fulfilling his end of the deal.


    ''Now then¡­'' Ce''phas fixated all his attention on the other Elves and licked his lips, ready to pummel them to pieces.


    ''Let''s begin the party!''


    ********************


    "So¡­ it seems I''ll be fighting you." The Elf that stood before R''azak looked old¡ªat least by Elven standards.


    She still had the youthful and sulent appearance that was prevalent among all Elves, so calling her old was certainly unfair. Still, her graying hair and slight wrinkles told him that she had to be quite ancient.


    How ancient? He had no idea, and he didn''t care.


    "This will not be much of a fight, Elf. Trust me¡­" He folded his arms as he gazed very menacingly at her.


    "Y-you¡­ do you even know who I am?" "No. And I don''t care."


    "I am the Head Elder¡ªleader of the Esteemed Council. If you think I''m going to stand around and let you sully this holy ground with your filthy¡ª"


    "Ohh? Head Elder, huh? Does that mean you are the strongest Elf in this ce?" Rather than getting intimidated, R''azak''s motivation and drive for battle began to rise.


    It almost felt like a sudden switch in personality.


    "Only concerned with strength. As expected of the brute¡­" The Elder muttered, clinging onto her staff with her slightly trembling hands.


    R''azak noticed this rather quickly and smirked.


    "You''ve never been in an actual battle before, have you? I can tell¡­"


    "S-shut up!" She yelled out, her cheeks pink with embarrassment. It was obvious that she was flustered, but she did her best to hide it.


    Unfortunately, even her deep frown did very little to fool anyone.


    "You''re scared, aren''t you? Scared of what I''m going to do to you¡­ and the pain that will apany your experience¡­"


    A bead of sweat fell from the face of the Head Elder as she readied her staff, prepared to fire any shot of Magic once the time was right.


    She gulped, and then aimed.


    "You''re going to suffer quite a bit¡­ before you die, that is. I''m going to relish in¡ª"


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!~


    A massive beam of pure energy shot forth from the tip of the Head Elder''s staff, easily traversing the space that existed between the two opponents. R''azak saw this and grinned.


    "Predictable!" He clenched his fist, causing something akin to an exoskeleton to cover his hand.


    ckish red lightning danced around his fist as he thrust it forward, allowing it to m into the beam of energy just as it was about to wash upon him.


    The result was catastrophic.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    As energy dispersed, and shockwaves spread throughout the aerial vicinity, a sharp blur traversed the smoke and charged towards the stationary Elf.


    It was R''azak, with the exoskeleton armor still covering a majority of his hand.


    "Your attack wasn''t bad! But what about this?" ~WHUUUM!~


    Sending his fist straight for her face, his body nearly became a mass of red and ck sparks.


    But¡ª


    ''Hm? A barrier?'' ¡ªR''azak noticed heavy resistance against his fist, preventing him from properly meting out his desired violence on the Elf before him.


    Still¡­ this only made him chuckle.


    "That''s not enough to stop me!" Yelling out with a puremanding tone, he set his body aze with crimson energy, boosting his charging fist even further.


    The oue was inevitable¡­ and it was R''azak''s fist getting nted on the Head Elder''s disturbed face.


    "Guark!" She let out, her weak body flying off into the distance.


    "A-ah¡­ did I overdo it?" The zing R''azak turned to look at his heated, rock hard fist with slight surprise. A wide smile returned to his face, though, and he chuckled once again to himself. "No matter¡­ hahahaha!"


    In one swift dash, his body gliding through the air, he reached the powerless Elf, ready to throw yet another powerful jab at her.


    "[White Storm]!" The Head Elder quickly yelled out, creating a massive blizzard around her.


    This served as both offense and defense, preventing any damage from reaching her while also harming anything and anyone that got within range.


    This would be enough to ward off most opponent.


    Unfortunately for her, her opponent was a Dragon General who belonged to the second most powerful squad in the Dragon Empire.


    She stood no chance at all.


    ~WHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUM!~


    R''azak easily cut through the blizzard as if it was just a mild annoyance, and then charged towards her¡ªhis brilliant smile almost like that of a devil.


    Even though he wasn''t as unhinged as Ce''phas, this General was also a battle maniac. And right now¡­ he was expressing those instincts in the purest form imaginable.


    ¡ªSheer violence!


    "[Aura Of Na¡ª]"


    "Shut it, bitch!" His right hooknded on her cheek, almost the same time as his left uppercut pressed against her jaw.


    These two attacks were intense, but not more than the straight thrust of both hands thatnded on her stomach and sent her flying down.


    At the end of it all, the Elder Elf fell unconscious, and the General stood above her descending figure with a satisfied smile.


    "I already told you from the start¡­ that you''d suffer quite a bit."


    And now, it was time to make good on his second promise¡ªher demise.


    R''azak took a second to nce at hisrades. U''riah appeared to be toying with a rather determined Elf, while Ce''phas was enjoying himself with a gourmet of adversaries.


    Each General had their own way of handling things, and he seemed to be the most straightforward of the three.


    There was no real pleasure in torturing a weak opponent or seeking strong ones for him.


    R''azak simply enjoyed fighting and defeating his opponents. Afterwards, he saw no purpose in prolonging the inevitable.


    Instead, once they had suffered a little¡­ he would grant them the release of death.


    "And now¡­" In one swift motion, R''azak caught the Elder Elf by her throat and raised her with a single hand.


    "... Time to die."

 Chapter 712 Dragon Generals Vs Esteemed Elders [Pt 2]

    Chapter 712 Dragon Generals Vs Esteemed Elders [Pt 2]


    ??''H-high Elder!''


    Aurora El varai''s thoughts screamed out as she caught the pathetic sight of their High Elderpletely obliterated by one of the Dragon Generals.


    She was currently held up by her neck, almost like a trophy¡ªa thing, rather than a person.


    Merely seeing the oldest of all the Elves being treated like this made her blood boil, but Aurora knew better than to get let her anger cloud her judgment in any way.


    ''I need to figure out a way to be productive here¡­'' She allowed herself to think this, rather than dwell in rage.


    It was easier said than done, though.


    In all honesty, despite how strongly she felt about the matter, Aurora was powerless to save the High Elder due to her te being already full.


    ''This person¡­ he''s too strong!'' Her eyes returned to her opponent.


    ¡ªThe Dragon General, U''riah.


    ''None of my attacks reach him, and he simply slips in and out of spatial rifts if I get too close to him.'' Her frustrated mind echoed.


    They had been at this for a while now¡ªenough time for R''azak to be done with his own opponent, and for Ce''phas to have defeated a handful of Elves already.


    Yet¡­ she had not made a single progress yet.


    "Haa¡­ haaa¡­" She let out heavy breaths as she held onto her staff with resolve.


    ''How can I beat him? No matter the Skill or Spell, he always¡­'' Before she couldplete her thoughts, something sparked within her mind.


    ''H-hold on¡­ I think I''ve figured it out!''


    U''riah seemed to be a defensive and evasive fighter. He would block her assault by distorting space, and then if she got too close, he would slip away¡ªreturning any progress made to the same starting point.


    ''But why? Why doesn''t he attack?'' Aurora had an inkling of what it could be.


    ''Maybe he can''t attack and defend at the same time. Also, him slipping away when I get too close means there are things he can''t defend against by warping space.''


    With those thoughts running through her mind, Aurora began to formte a n¡ªsome sort of strategy that could ensure her victory against the enemy. It didn''t have to be borate or finely tuned to thest detail.


    It just had to work!


    ''I think I got it¡­'' She narrowed her eyes as she watched the calm demeanor of her opponent.


    He hadn''t spoken a word throughout the fight, and even now he was just floating around, staring at her with his glowing blue eyes.


    ''Okay¡­ I better wrap this up quickly to help the Head Elder.''


    Tightly gripping her staff and pointing it towards the Dragon General, she sent gusts of winds towards him¡ªof course resulting in the same as always.


    Space distorted, causing none to reach her.


    However, this wind wasn''t meant to serve that singr purpose. It was just the start.


    ~WHUUUUUSH!~


    In a sh, a whirlwind was born,pletely circling around her target. In that moment, she grabbed a stone from within her pocket andunched it towards the swirling gusts of wind.


    The result was¡­


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    ¡­ A massive explosion.


    ''It''s a good thing I kept that Item from back then.'' Even though Aurora gave away practically all of the items she bought from the humans, she kept one or two for herself.


    One of those was the Combustion Stone that she just used.


    Of course, she didn''t expect it to deal any kind of damage to her opponent. Instead, she simply wanted it to impede his vision as she prepared for the next phase of her n.


    ''I know he can slip away, but he hasn''t disyed those defenses and his teleportation at the same time. He can''t use both at the same time¡­ I''m sure!''


    That was her line of thought on the matter.


    In order not to let him guess the direction she wasing from, Aurora chose an all-epassing attack that would both block his field of vision and keep his spatial distortion busy.


    ''And now¡­'' Her re intensified as she applied Magic on herself to vastly improve her speed.


    ording to the analysis she made, he couldn''t use the Spatial Distortion on her, which was why he kept slipping away when she got close, but now all of that had changed.


    Not only could he not slip away, but he had to constantly keep up his spatial distortion.


    The result?


    ''I can hit him!''


    And so, preparing her most fatal attack in the form of a massive spear made from her Nature Magic, infusing it onto her staff to create a five meter long spear of unparalleled destructive force, she readied herself.


    ~WHUUUUSH!~


    The winds sent her flying high into the air, granting her a much higher terrain tform than her opponent.


    Once this was done, she propelled herself downard, wielding the powerful spear that she now thrust forward with all of her might.


    ''Hurry! Hurry and hit!''


    ~VWUUUUUM!~


    The swirling winds, spearheaded by her ultimate attack, pierced the swirling tornado, instantly dispersing everything within a second.


    At that very moment, Aurora felt her weapon finally hitting something.


    ''T-this it is! I did it!'' All this time, her attack would simply fizzle out into space, or crumble without ever reaching a target.


    But she felt it this time¡ªthe touch of flesh!


    ''Push harder! Faster!'' Her thoughts desperately screamed as she thrust with all her might.


    But¡­


    "It''s useless." U''riah''s voice reverberated through the air, instantly causing Aurora to look down at him.


    The moment she did so, she was weed with an impossible sight.


    "N-no¡­ no way¡­"


    The tip of her spear was being stopped by a single finger that U''riah stretched upward, and he had a bright smile on his face while his eyes shone bright blue.


    It seemed so effortless to him¡ªthe way he stopped her attack.


    "While it is surprising to see an Elf use her wits in battle, all of your strategies are useless." U''riah spoke very softly and calmly.


    "Now that I''ve satiated my interest, it''s about time I also finish this and end your life."


    Before Aurora could speak up orin, he was right in front of her.


    "Wha¡ª?!"


    He grabbed her by the neck, paralyzing her whole body in an instant.


    It was most likely the effect of a Skill, but the way Aurora felt it, it almost felt like her body was being restricted within an incredibly tight space.


    Not only was it ufortable, but it was incredibly painful as well.


    Too painful.


    ''N-no¡­ no, please stop!'' She tried to scream out, but her throat was being tightly held by his powerful might.


    In his presence, she was too weak to do anything.


    "You probably thought I was limited in some kind of capacity, didn''t you? That perhaps I could not attack and defend at once¡­ or that you could somehow breach my defenses if you tried hard enough."


    Aurora felt like she was naked before this man. He saw everything¡­ right from the start.


    "You only thought what I wanted you to think. Nothing you''ve done in this fight has been of your own ord. I decided everything¡­ just as I am deciding what happens to you now." As he uttered those words, Aurora gulped.


    She already knew the words he would utter.


    "Death."

 Chapter 713 Intervention In Time

    Chapter 713 Intervention In Time


    Aurora was weak and powerless.


    She was not the only one who found herself in such an awful predicament, however.


    All of her sisters had been subjugated by the might of the Dragons. Beneath them were the several Elves¡ªboth Youngs and Elders¡ªwho watched the sight of their defeat in sheer horror and pain.


    Upon noticing the many gazes that met her, she tried to summon strength to resist, but it was all useless.


    ''I-I can''t do anything. I can''t defeat him. I can''t protect¡­ I couldn''t protect the High Elder.''


    Thest memory Aurora had of the High Elder was her impending execution. She had tried to finish her own opponent quickly so she could assist thetter, but with her situation now in such a precarious state, the fate that must have befallen their oldest was already clear.


    She was most likely dead.


    The very thought broke her heart. Sure, she and the Head Elder did not agree on a lot of things, and their rtionship had soured over the past couple of months, but she was still her dear older sister.


    Such a death had to be mourned with the whole heart.


    "Hm? What''s that?" As Aurora drowned in grief, she heard U''riah mutter to himself as he gazed to a somewhat far distance. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    His distracted eyes seemed slightly disturbed by whatever he was staring at, and the frown on his face depicted mild confusion.


    "Why is R''azak not ending that woman? No¡­ why isn''t he moving at all?"


    Perhaps it was because U''riah was distracted, or because Aurora used far more energy than previously, but she was able to turn her neck in the direction that he was staring at in order to witness what disturbed him so much.


    That was when she saw it¡ªtheplete standstill that gued the General that wanted to kill the High Elder.


    ''T-that¡­ that resembles [Time Stop]!'' She thought to herself as her eyes widened in shock.


    But how was this possible? The only person who had [Time Stop] was Feralia, the strongest Elf, and she was busy fighting in the front lines. There was no other exnation for the Dragon General to be standing still as he held his prey, who was too stunned to resist or speak.


    ''Does that mean Feralia is here? Do we have backup? If that''s the case, then¡­ maybe¡­ maybe we can win!'' As hope was slowly growing in her heart, she felt incredible pain swell from her throat as U''riah tightened his grip on it.


    "A-ack!"


    "You know something, don''t you?" He growled, drawing his face closer to hers. "Tell me what this is right now!"


    "G-gurghh¡­" She couldn''t even speak if she wanted, as he was already slowly suffocating her. Resistance was useless, and within a moment or so, she felt her consciousness slowly fading away.


    Then¡­ a somewhat distant sound echoed in her ears.


    She couldn''t make out what it was, but¡­ the moment the sound echoed out, she felt that grip loosen on her neck.


    It almost felt like a shing sound¡ªa clean ~SWISH!~


    Then¡ª


    "Gahhhhh!!!" The pained yell of her adversary echoed out, and he leaped away a few meters, his expression that of pain and shock.


    Aurora could not properly make out his expression, or the cause of his panic, as her vision was still blurry. She felt incredibly lightheaded and weak, even feeling herself falling down since she was unable to maintain her flight.


    But, as soon as her body fell, she was caught by something¡­ or rather, someone.


    "You''re safe now." She heard a voice¡ªthe most soothing one she had ever listened to¡ªwhisper into her ears.


    A pleasant aroma filled her nose, sending her into a realm of pleasure. As her vision blurred out, a sign she was going unconscious, she caught a glimpse of the one who had her cradled like a baby in his arms.


    "R-Rey¡­?" She muttered, noticing his jet ck hair, the ck eyepatch that clung tightly to the left side of his face, as well as the crimson iris that warbled in his exposed eye.


    "That''s right." "You came¡­ to save us?" She asked, her hands slowly reaching out to his face.


    She felt his warm touch as he held it gently, nodding while staringpassionately at her. Never in her life had she felt so loved¡­ so special¡­ so safe.


    "I came to save all of you." Tears proceeded from her eyes as everything finally went nk, and herst words stuck to her mind in a distant echo.


    ''Thank you¡­ thank you so much!''


    ****************


    "Now then¡­ looks like she''s finally unconscious." Rey muttered to himself as he watched Aurora enter a state of deep sleep.


    ''She must have been quite exhausted. I have to say, I''m quite impressed by her tenacity. Her fight was certainly the most interesting to watch.''


    But, now that it was all over, he didn''t have to waste any more time.


    "I should¡ª"


    "Hey you! What the hell are you doing here? Shouldn''t Adrien be keeping you upied?!" A sudden voice erupted from a small distance, prompting Rey to look in its direction.


    There, U''riah stood with a deep scowl on his face.


    He was clearly intimidated by Rey''s presence, but most of this unease about him stemmed from confusion rather than true fear.


    He was also clutching his right hand with his left¡ªthe same hand that Rey had sliced off in order to rescue Aurora from his grasp.


    ''Dragon Regeneration really is something magnificent¡­'' His thoughts trailed as he smiled at the sight.


    U''riah noticed this expression and growled even further, most likely feeling his pride stained by a mere human.


    "Answer my question, you¡ª!"


    "Give me a moment." Rey raised his hand to U''riah before ncing away and looking at the ground where many Elves were clustered.


    ~VWUSH~


    He instantly appeared among the crowd of Elves and thrust the unconscious Auorora to one of them, who just gawked at him with both wonder and respect.


    "Take care of her." As Rey muttered these words, he witnessed all the Elves get starry eyes.


    Using this opportuntiy to sh them a reassuring smile, he gave a thumbs up and dered with a loud and deep voice:


    "I''ll take care of the rest."

 Chapter 714 End Of The Line

    Chapter 714 End Of The Line


    ''W-what just happened¡­?''


    U''riah was stunned beyond words.


    The human that was right in front of him just vanished¡ªand it happened before he could even sense any spatial abnormalities or distortions.


    ''I couldn''t even react to his teleportation¡­'' His mind trailed as he tried to wrap his head around the urrence.


    ''Is that why he was sofortable despite recognizing my presence? But¡­ isn''t he only human? No¡­ I can''t use that as a metric right now.''


    After all, Adrien was also a human, yet he exhibited qualities beyond what most humans could even dream of conjuring. Heck, even most Dragons¡ªanyone below General Level¡ªcould notpete with that kind of power.


    ''Is he a special kind of human like Adrien? If that''s the case¡­ then I can''t think of him as a human.''


    Since he was on the side of the Elves, that meant this guy was also their benefactor who helped them resist and conquer the first and second Undead Wave.


    He couldn''t be disregarded in the slightest, and U''riah was well aware of that fact.


    But none of this still made any sense.


    ''Adrien is supposed to be taking care of him while we handle the Community. Does that mean he failed?''


    If that was the case, it would be somewhat usible¡ªall things considered¡ªthat this Rey person was as strong as him¡­ if not stronger.


    ''He''s definitely faster, and more skilled at using Spatial Magic or Skills.'' He thought to himself.


    While U''riah wasn''t aware of other elements, he couldn''t downy his skills. After all, after taking a glimpse at his swordsmanship when fighting Adrien, he admitted Rey''s fighting skills were also higher than his.


    ''I don''t think I can win¡­ against him.''


    For a Dragon¡ªespecially one as high up as U''riah¡ªto have arrived at such a conclusion, it had to have taken a lot of introspection and rationalization. It pained him to even think of it, but this was the unbridled truth.


    He could not deny Rey''s power¡­ and that burned him to his core.


    ''What about the others? If we can just¡ª''


    "Ah, alright¡­ I''m back!" Before U''riah could turn around to observe hisrades, or even call them to gather around him, the man he was so worried about reappeared before him.


    A certain casualness surrounded the man; something the Dragon General could not understand. His re grew deeper as he clenched his fist, all so he retained his resolve not to back away.


    "I didn''t take too long, did I?" As Rey said this, he ced both hands in his pockets and stared straight into U''riah''s eyes.


    "You should stop trying to read information from me. It won''t work, you know?"


    U''riah''s eyes bulged as soon as he heard this. ''H-how did he know?!'' And yes, just as Rey said, it seemed like his Skill [Seer''s Sight] was useless in this regard. He could not glean a single detail from Rey, but it seemed like the former was taking in information about him so freely.


    His glowing crimson eyes almost seemed to pierce U''riah''s very core, and it made him very anxious. Before he realized it, he found himself ncing around to look for hisrades.


    R''azak was still frozen as a statue, and the Elf he previously had in his grasp was long gone. As for C''ephas, he didn''t seem to be anywhere nearby.


    The two sources of backup that he was hoping for were invalid.


    ''Does that mean I''ll have to face him on my own? I don''t know¡­ the odds are stacked against me.'' As he had this thought, a bead of sweat forming on his face, he noticed Rey''s smile growing wider and wider.


    It irked him to no end.


    "Don''t worry about yourrades. I am going to have you all face me at once. There''s something I''ve been meaning to try¡­ and honestly, you''d be perfect for the role."


    The way Rey spoke made U''riah and hisrades seem like test subjects. They were Dragon Generals¡ªleaders of the second greatest squad in the entire Dragon Empire. How could a human refer to them like that?


    "You don''t believe me? Here."


    ~ZZZZTTZZZ~


    In a slight distortion of space, both R''azak and Ce''phas appeared right beside the stunned U''riah.


    Not only was R''azak free from his paralysis, but Ce''phas also seemed absolutely confused by his change in environment. Complete disorientation filled the minds of the three Generals, and their reactions made it perfectly clear.


    "Y-you¡­ aren''t you the one Adrien should be facing?"


    "Hahaha! Did Adrien lose already? Was he that weak¡­ or are you just that strong? You''re the one who teleported me far away a while back, weren''t you? That Spatial Magic¡­ it means you''re stronger than U''riah, right? Interesting¡­ interesting!!!"


    All of the Generals now had their full attention on Rey. Of course, they had questions and concerns, but now that there were three of them¡­ the cause for hesitation and wariness had diminished significantly.


    There was strength in numbers, after all.


    ''As much as I hate to admit it, he''s stronger than me. He''s also stronger than R''azak¡­'' U''riah''s mind trailed as he watched Rey. ''The fact that he could paralyze a General like R''azak proves that he''s definitely up there.''


    The only one who wasn''t certain was Ce''phas, but it would be a stretch to assume his strength reached the level of their wild card.


    ''Either way, if we stick together and bombard him with our abilities, he stands no chance at a¡ª''


    "You rescued those Elves from me at thest moment. I was about to ughter them all at once, in the most exquisite manner too. I will have you pay for that, you know? Take responsibility¡­ and FIGHT ME!"


    ~WHOOOOSH!~


    Before U''riah could even stop the hot-blooded, bloodlusted General, he had already sped off to attack Rey¡ªa scary smile stered on his face. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    But¡­


    "H-huh¡­?"


    Ce''phas found himself right where he started from; the position he stood in right before he made his dash for Rey''s throat.


    "You''ve all had your fun, but I should tell you now before any of you get the wrong idea." Rey''s voice echoed in the air as all three of them still tried to wrap their heads around the confusion.


    "This is the end of the line."

 Chapter 715 One Versus Three

    Chapter 715 One Versus Three


    ''So much has changed in such little time¡­'' N?v(el)B\\jnn


    As Rey''s thoughts flowed, his exposed eye that seemed focused on the three Dragon Generals was actually staring at a screen before him.


    The screen''s glow was invisible to others, and it disyed something they were never to know.


    [STATUS WINDOW] - Name: Rey Skr.


    - Race: Human (Otherworlder)


    - ss: Singrity (S-Tier)


    - Level: 270 (0.58% EXP) - Life Force: 13,000 - Mana Level: 29,000 - Combat Ability: 21,550 - Stat Points: 30,650


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Doppel]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Merger]. [Perfect Calm].[Sacrifice]. [Symbiosis]. [Consume]. [Perfect Mimicry]. [Domain Of Man]


    - Alignment: Neutral Good


    [Additional Information]


    You have done the impossible and stand at the precipice of power. As such, you now possess the interest of this World.


    [End Of Information]


    ''So far, so good¡­''


    He had been racking up more Levels than he expected thus far, and thanks to his Divine Growth, he could Level Up a lot easier than before.


    Then, there was the matter of his Stats.


    ''[Sacrifice] has never been more useful than now. I have seen so many Skills being used in the span of just just a few days.''


    Of course, most of them weren''t particrly useful to him¡ªor they ovepped with his current Skills¡ªso he simply used [Sacrifice] to turn them into Stats.


    The result of that were the excess Stat Points that remained unused in his arsenal.


    ''The main thing here, though, is that Skill¡­ [Domain Of Man].''


    Rey had noticed its presence ever since he returned from the Oracle''s Domain. He had no idea how the Skill appeared there, but he reckoned it had something to do with him witnessing something within the space.


    ''I''ve gotten Skills without particrly meaning to or knowing why before, so it all adds up.'' He told himself in order to quell his slight confusion on the Skill''s appearance.


    But, unlikest time where Skills were captured with [Doppel], this one appeared among his regr Skills.


    That didn''t make sense at all.


    ''It hasn''t happened before. It means I didn''t copy the Skill, but naturally awakened it.'' Since Rey was no stranger to the natural awakening of Skills, he also didn''t consider it too strange. In the end, this only meant he had one new Skill to work with.


    And this particr Skill was incredible.


    ''With these three here, I should be able to see how far I can go with it.'' He leaked out a small smirk as he finally took his eyes off the vanishing Status Window in order to focus on the trio before him.


    U''riah, R''azak, and Ce''phas: the Dragon Generals leading the invasion on the Land of the Elves.


    ''They don''t seem particrly strong.'' Rey had already taken a glimpse at their Status Windows a while back, so he could think these things with absolute confidence.


    ''Their Skills are also not particrly intriguing to me¡­ except a few.''


    For example, the [Time Dtion] Skill that Ce''phas had was rather interesting. No¡­ it was beyond interesting.


    [Seer''s Sight] was also interesting, but since Rey already had [Perfect Divine Appraisal], the former didn''t seem all that impressive any longer.


    All in all, the Dragon Generals were not a formidable bunch for him.


    Still, since they had multiple S-Tier Skills, and also possessed amplebat experience, they were the perfect guinea pigs for the utilization of his new Skill. At the very least, they seemed to be the most powerful opponents around.


    ''Now then¡­ shall we begin?''


    All of Rey''s thoughts were encapsted within a moment, so as soon as he finished his internalization, it seemed the world resumed activity.


    "W-what did you do to me just now?!" Ce''phas yelled out, his eyes bloodshot as he focused a certain kind of emotion on Rey.


    It was rage mixed in with confusion.


    His two colleagues¡ªU''riah and R''azak¡ªmostly had shock written on their faces, but this soon graduated to confusion as they processed what they had just witnessed. If their eyes were not deceiving them, the way Ce''phas was returned to his position resembled a certain Skill.


    ''[Time Dtion].''


    Ce''phas must have recognized this, gotten confused, and then enraged.


    "How can you use [Time Dtion]?!" He yelled out, veins now appearing on his face as his bloodshot eyes burned with fury.


    As one of the only two Dragons in the entire Empire who had that Skill, he held great pride in it. He was recognized as incredibly strong as a result of it as well. While he wasn''t as proficient as the other user, he had mastered it to the point where he was considered invincible.


    Yet¡­ YET¡­!


    "How did you even¡­ when did you make physical contact? What the hell is going on here?!" He screamed, dashing towards Rey once again.


    The result¡ªjust like before¡ªremained constant.


    ~ZZZTTZZZ!~


    Ce''phas returned to his earlier position, his face disying an agonizing feeling of helplessness.


    ''Thanks to [Perfect Divine Growth], the [Time Dtion] Skill has evolved into [Perfect Time Dtion], and it allows me to control the flow of time of anyone within my range of influence as long as I am equal or superior to them.'' Rey thought to himself, somewhat relishing in the despair of his opponent.


    Using the new [Perfect Time Dtion] Skill with his other Skills, like [Perfect Domain Of The Divine] and his Spatial Magic under [Perfect Divine Magic], he could even improve his range and affect opponents from an extended distance.


    In essence, the limitations that bound Ce''phas did not apply to him at all.


    ''There''s no need to tell him all of that, though¡­'' Rey slowly moved his hand, causing all the Dragon Generals to react by takingbative stances.


    None of that mattered to Rey, though.


    They could try to escape, fight back, or plead. The results would still be the same, so he didn''t even try to waste his time on unnecessary activities.


    His hand reached out to the eyepatch that covered his left eye, all so he could fully control and observe the effects of his new Skill.


    Once the eyepatch was removed, his eyes shone bright red, blue, and then purple.


    As the sparks burst forth, his lips parted and words emerged.


    "[Domain Of Man]."

 Chapter 716 Domain Of Man

    Chapter 716 Domain Of Man


    "[Domain Of Man]."


    The moment those words were uttered, the world turned white; like a nk canvas.


    Everything within 500 meters¡ªthe range decided by the Skill Caster¡ªwas swallowed whole in an instant. In the sky, the only people present were Rey, R''azak, Ce''phas, and U''riah, so all of them were brought into the nk world.


    It was only to remain this way for less than a moment, though.


    Almost as soon as this nk canvas was made, the architect stood at its center and began to breathe life into everything around.


    Darkness suddenly began to fill everywhere, resembling the darkness of space. Its vastness also bore resemnce to the deep vacuum, since the space within this domain stretched further than eyes could possibly see or senses could properly perceive.


    Then, from within this darkness¡­ light was birthed.


    Several fragments of lights in the form of stars became manifest. Distant stars, nebe, and several celestial bodies emerged from nothingness.


    Then, a sun stood at a close distance, withs trapped within is orbit.


    Gravity. Rtivity. Electromaism. Nuclear Forces. Light. Matter. Energy: EVERYTHING was built and decided on by the architect of this domain.


    ¡ªRey Skr.


    ''I see now¡­'' His thoughts trailed as his two eyes took in the beauty of the world he just created.


    He got to decide just how vast it was, what it contained, and all of its functions. The moreplicated the features were, the more energy he would have to consume, but all of this was well worth it.


    He had more than enough time to properly set things up, since his first feature upon entering the world was topletely halt the time everywhere¡ªsave for his own immediate surroundings.


    Hence, the three Dragon Generals were stuck in time.


    Even if they weren''t given his incredible cognitive speed, they probably wouldn''t notice him creating his Domain from scratch if he chose a more simplistic model. But, with Rey being a very curious person, he wanted to see just how far he could go with this¡ªhow much he could push his creativity¡­ as well as his energy. In a bid for all that, he went all out and created something vast and beautiful from memory.


    And it worked!


    ''Just as in the Skill description.'' He smiled, witnessing the magnificence of space, all seen from within the sr system of Earth.


    ''Of course, everything is a miniature version of the actual thing. Space, the eights, our Sun, and distant stars¡­ this whole space is only asrge as a continent¡ªI think.'' n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    He couldn'' even create a model asrge as a whole with its realistic scale.


    ''Still¡­ to think I could go this far.'' Rey beamed to himself. ''This feels incredible!'' There was only one major downside.


    ''It really does consume a lot of energy. I''m nearly out Mana now¡­'' He would have run out a while back if it hadn''t been for his Mana Recovery Skill that was now working overtime for his purposes.


    The maintenance and constant management of this Domain drained his Mana, so despite recovering Mana, all of it was being burned up nearly instantly.


    ''The longer I stay here and keep up the domain, the more my Mana is drained. It seems this is thergest I can make the Domain withoutpletely depleting my Mana.''


    At the very least, with his Mana constantly being recovered and then taken, this particr model was sustainable.


    ''I can also save this design, so I don''t have to go through the efforts of creating everything from scratch next time.''


    Even though this world was mostly made for spectacle, since he could alter any of the variables, it was still an incredible fortress for himself.


    Well, he couldn''t entirely decide that¡ªat the very least, not yet.


    ''That''s why I brought these ones here.'' Rey stared at thepletely still Dragon Generals, observing how the world he made interacted with them and vice versa.


    ''As expected, I can''t control them the way I can control everything else in this world, but this entire ne exists and interacts with them as if it were real.''


    In essence, even though he couldn''t make them hot or cold, he could make the surroundings take on said qualities, which would directly affect the Dragons. That was only the tip of the iceberg when it came to examples too.


    The mere fact that they werepletely still in his domain was due to a quality he set in the world and not a result of [Perfect Time Stop].


    ''I should consider the possibility of others capable of resisting the Skill. I thought they would be able to show some resistance to it, since this is an S-Tier Skill, but I guess they''re unable to do anything about it.''


    Rey couldn''t help but wonder what would happen if he was able to upgrade this Skill to the Divine Tier, or better yet¡­ Perfect Divine.


    ''Well, one thing at a time. For now, I should wrap things up with these three.''


    With only a single thought, he was able to change the entire equation of time in the Domain, forcing the three Dragon Generals to regain theirplete sense of reality. This was only for a few seconds, though, as they soon lost their minds the moment they realized where they were.


    "W-what is this?!"


    "Where are we? What did you do?!"


    "....!!"


    As Rey observed their stunned and panicked reactions to their predicament, he made a few quiet points in his mind.


    ''It seems H''Trae really has no concept of deep Space. The humans have not explored beyond this, but I thought the Dragons might have an idea.'' He was clearly wrong about his previous assumption.


    ''I haven''t been to space here before, though. It''s not like I haven''t thought of trying, but after getting a particr altitude, it gets difficult to advance higher¡ªalmost like there''s something pushing me back down.''


    Rey previously thought it was gravity, but it didn''t feel like that. The force was akin to a barrier, and even at his current strength, he couldn''t resist it.


    In the end, he had no choice but to postpone this endeavor of his.


    ''I wonder what dwells beyond this. Whatever it is¡­ I don''t think it wants anyone finding out.''


    That very idea only made him more curious, and he sought out the time he became strong enough to tear through the barrier and see what was beyond the sky in the world.


    ''There is a sun, moon, and even stars. That means space must exist, in some shape or form¡­'' And Rey desired to be the first man to witness it.


    ''Should be fun and all, but I really ought to get back to this.''


    Finally returning his focus to the three Dragons before him, he decided to finish everything with one final experiment.


    ''This should test out a bunch of things at once, so¡­'' Stretching his hand forward, he put his mind to work and controlled the particles of his Mana that existed in every facet of the Domain.


    ''First¡­ I''ll need a massive star''


    Out of nowhere, the sun began to expand¡ªeasily swallowing the others in the process.


    "Arhhhhhhh!"


    "What are you doing?!"


    "We''re all going to die! Stop this madness!"


    The Dragon Generals could not escape, or even move at all, thanks to Rey''s might.


    They could only watch as the mass of brimming light neared them, its immense pressure and heat causing them to wail in incredible pain.


    ''This is only the start, though. The main thing is¡­'' Rey pressed his open hand and made a fist, demonstrating what he was about to do to the now expanded Sun.


    ''... Copse!''


    At that very moment, the center of the massive star copsed in on itself,pressing very rapidly until something new was born.


    It was no star, neither was it anything else that previously existed within this vacuum of space.


    This was something that ate through vacuums, as well as anything that dwelled around it¡ªan abomination formed from the death of incredible light and mass.


    ¡ªA true ck Hole.

 Chapter 717 Aftermath Of The War [Pt 1]

    <h4>Chapter 717 Aftermath Of The War [Pt 1]</h4>


    The Dragon Generals stood no chance against the ck Hole.


    The center of the immense singrity pulled them in, breaking down every form of energy and resistance that they could possibly render.


    Whether it was [Time Dtion] or any kind of Spatial Maniption, none of it worked in the presence of the ck Hole. All of those Skills were interrupted by the severe distortion of space and the breaking down of time.


    In the end, their entire bodies were ripped apart by the event horizon, and even their screams could not be heard.


    They simply perished, drowning in the void.


    "... And just like that, it''s over." Rey murmured, watching the whole thing from a safe distance.


    Just as he observed, he too was subject to thews he created within this Domain he made, so it would be incredibly rough to be so close to the ck Hole¡ªespecially with his Mana Reserves being at such an abysmal state.


    Hitting his limit, while being sucked in by a growing singrity didn''t seem like such a pleasant experience to him, after all.


    ''Having Emil with me would double all my Stats, so I guess this really isn''t my limit.''


    As soon as he had the thought, he returned his focus to the ck Hole, seeing as it was consuming everything around it still.


    ''I don''t even have enough Mana to stop it, so¡­ I''ll copse the whole thing instead.'' Causing the ck Hole to cease would mean altering the features of the Domain, which cost a load of energy.


    Now bankrupt on the stuff, Rey had to seek out a cheaper way to achieve his goal.


    There was only one.


    ''Time to leave.'' With a precise thought, he vanished from the space he constructed, and at that very moment, everything within it copsed into oblivion.


    Like shattered ss, ground into particles that glittered, they all became grains of energy that dissipated around him as he reappeared in the sky above the Land of the Elves.


    ~FSHUUU~


    Hissing sounds reverberated around him, as a certain cloud of energy surrounded him. As he witnessed the familiar presence of the world he left just moments earlier, he smiled and took in a deep breath.


    "Haaaaa¡­" Exhaling out loud, he cast his gaze down and noticed the cheering Elves who all set their eyes on him.


    Rey smiled at this and chuckled to himself.


    ''To think it was only a few days ago when they were all wary of me¡­''


    Regardless, with the workpleted, he could finally rest easy and deal with the aftermath of the invasion.


    ''Here we go!'' Teleporting to a much lower position in the air, Rey appeared before the crowd of Elves that knelt and sped their hands in reverence to Nature, The Oracle¡­ and himself.


    Their devout stances only intensified once he got closer to them.


    "The battle is won¡­ the war is over." Rey dered, ignoring the cult-like gathering of the Elves as a decision.


    "All will be fine. You are all safe¡­ and you are all free."


    As soon as he said this, the Head Elder sprouted up, raising her staff which was held by both of her hands.


    "All hail Rey Skr, harbinger of the Divine!"


    ''Hm?'' His calm facade remained unchanged, but he was slightly taken aback by the suddenness of the Elf.


    Before he could properly think about it, though, all the Elves bowed their heads to him in absolute reverence, chanting the same word in the loudest way possible.


    "HAIL! HAIL! HAIL!"


    Floating above all of them like this, Rey thought he was akin to a god.


    He avoided being too conceited in his rationale¡ªconsidering where that usually led him¡ªbut in this situation, there was no better way to interpret his current status.


    ''All of this is unsatisfactory, though. After all, I know who the true god is here¡­ and it''s not me.''


    The Oracle was probably staging down at him¡ªwatching every action y out as part of her grand scheme. He was a piece on her board, and he had no choice but to y the game if he wanted to save his friend.


    ¡­ Well, two of his friends.


    ''I shouldn''t forget my ce in this whole thing. Dragon Generals are a piece of cake for me, but there''s still the Dragon Emperor. I''ve also never fought a Dragon Lord, so I can''t say for sure¡­'' He narrowed his eyes, refusing to soak in the adoration he received from the crowd.


    ''Still, this oue is good. This means the Elves will bepliant and obey everything I say even in my absence¡­''


    They could even contribute to the Refinery Project in some way or the other, and their discriminatory acts towards his own workers that could possibly leave the United Human Alliance in order to manage the nts he wanted to construct would be reduced drastically.


    As long as he willed it, they would obey.


    Despite how barbaric some of their acts were, the Elves were a very noble and cohesive faction. They stuck to a code and respected authority more than anything. Rey could only see this as a good¡ªno, even perfect¡ªthing for his future ns.


    ''They owe me their lives, and that should be a good way to enforcepliance.''


    **************


    [Moments Later]


    ''Huu¡­''


    Rey entered a certain tent reserved for him among the Elves in the battle camp. No one dared to near the ce, per his instructions, and everyone was resting in their respective tents too¡­ so there was not likely to be any form of interference.


    Even at that, he could already feel some barriers surrounding the tent¡ªset up by the ones inside it, no doubt.


    He smiled, venturing inside without a moment of hesitation.


    What he found inside were two figures who were discussing heartily as they sat opposite each other. Their interaction caused the smile on his face to slowly vanish, but he maintained hisposure regardless.


    "Oh? When did the two of you be so close?" He asked, his gaze alternating from the boy that looked his age to his own lookalike that sat on the opposite end.


    It was only after he spoke that they were able to detect his presence, and the two of them looked at him at the same time.


    "Master! You''re back!" His lookalike swiftly jumped to their feet, transforming to the ck sludge that was their original form.


    As for the other boy in the room¡ªAdrien Chase¡ªhe slowly rose to his feet, possessing a rather calm smile that unnerved Rey for some unknown reason. Despite them being confirmed to be allies, he still couldn''t fully trust the guy.


    "Emil, get back here." Reymanded, causing the Symbiote Slime to reluctantly obey, leaving Adrien''s immediate presence only after waving a goodbye with her slimy appendage.


    "Bye, Emil. Maybe next time¡­"


    The trailing words uttered by Adrien made Rey even more uneasy. He didn''t like how he casually addressed Emil, and how pleasant the mood between the two of them was¡ªespecially after the conflict that they both had to participate in.


    ''I had Emil disguise herself as me to fight with Adrien while I remained in the Community. To think these two would get so close within such a short span of time¡­''


    He didn''t like it at all.


    Rey hid his displeasure¡ªat least for the most part¡ªas he reached out to Emil, who did the same.


    In an instant, she returned to his body¡ªrecreating their synergy once again.


    ''Ahh¡­ now that''s more like it!'' He smiled, feeling half of his strength return¡ªor rather, the strength that Emil offered him.


    He had missed the power, and feeling the ecstasy made him slowly forget the displeasure he had just moments earlier. With his emotions being suppressed for the most part, emotions like that were already fickle and fleeting anyway.


    Instead, Rey found himself focusing on the more important thing¡ªhis current state.


    ''Status Window.''


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Rey Skr.


    - Race: Human (Otherworlder)


    - ss: Singrity (S-Tier)


    - Level: 272 (0.58% EXP)


    - Life Force: 13,000 (+13,000)


    - Mana Level: 29,000 (+29,000)


    - Combat Ability: 21,550 (+21,550)


    - Stat Points: 30,750


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Doppel]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Merger]. [Perfect Calm].[Sacrifice]. [Symbiosis]. [Consume]. [Perfect Mimicry]. [Domain Of Man]


    - Alignment: Neutral Good


    [Additional Information]


    You have done the impossible and stand at the precipice of power. As such, you now possess the interest of this World.


    [End Of Information]


    ''I really need to find time to properly allocate all those Stat Points¡­'' He thought to himself, before finally returning his focus to the matter at hand.


    "Looks like things went well on your end. I saw the craters and devastatedndscape on my way here¡­"


    As Rey spoke, he went to the seat that Emil upied, making himselffortable as Adrien remained standing¡ªalmost as if he was getting ready to depart.


    "Yeah¡­ well, we had to make it believable."


    "Hm. Indeed¡­"


    For a moment, there was silence between the two of them. Adrien had his usual calm smile on his face, while Rey''s cautious gaze betrayed the likewise calm facade he wanted to employ in the conversation.


    Either way, a subtle tension wafted in the air¡­ one that didn''t seem to be disappearing anytime soon.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I''m so sorry for yesterday''s Error Chapter! Thank you for your patience, and I hope you enjoyed the read.

 Chapter 718 Aftermath Of The War [Pt 2]

    Chapter 718 Aftermath Of The War [Pt 2]


    "So¡­ what will you do now?"


    Rey finally broke the tense silence between him and Adrien with a smooth tone. The both of them were on opposite sides of each other¡ªthetter still standing¡ªasposure oozed from their respective station.


    After allowing the question to marinate in the air for a few seconds, Adrien finally spoke up.


    "I have to check something out first. A prior investment, if you will. Afterwards¡­ I guess I''ll continue with the original n."


    Rey nodded his head as he heard all of this, not asking any further questions. As curious as he was about this ''investment'' that Adrien was referring to, he also understood that he would be putting himself in a ratherpromising position by asking.


    ''If he tells me more of his secrets, he''ll want more of mine.'' And Rey felt he had revealed more than enough at the moment.


    It was even possible that Adrien was baiting him to ask by intentionally mentioning this ''investment'' but Rey didn''t want to overstep his bounds. To him, this was the safest position to take.


    "In the end, the Dragons lost this battle. It''s possible that the Empire will send an even more powerful squad¡­ which is why we have to act quickly." He added.


    "Don''t worry. I won''t forget my end of things. I''ll be on standby, so you sort out what you need to." Rey responded with folded arms.


    "That is all I ask." Adrien''s response was humble, and he even went as far as bowing his head, which threw Rey off for a second.


    "Right now, most of my assets have been extinguished and I have encountered great loss. This n has to seed for me to recoup some kind of benefit¡­ so yeah, forgive my evident desperation."


    Rey understood all of this quite well.


    Adrien hadpromised greatly in order to amodate him into his ns. In order to follow The Oracle''s wishes, the Dragons had to be exterminated. That meant it was inevitable that Adrien''s assets would fall to ruin.


    ''I''d like to believe that he had to go along with this alternative because he recognized I would have destroyed the Dragons anyway. At least, with this, he gets something out of it.'' Rey''s thoughts further trailed.


    Of course, all of this solely hinged on how Adrien would deal with the aftermath.


    Rey trusted his capabilities, and he had firsthand experience on how resourceful and maniptive Adrien could be. Still, he had to make sure not to put all his eggs in one basket.


    As much as he hoped for his sess, he also had to consider other scenarios.


    "Well, it seems we are done here, right?" Adrien shrugged as he spoke, taking a few more steps away from Rey.


    "Yeah¡­ I suppose."


    Somewhere within Rey, he wanted to ask Adrien about what he was discussing with Emil prior to his arrival¡ªsatiating his curiosity on how they got so close, but he decided not to at thest minute.


    ''I can just ask her myself.'' Even though Emil was still giving him the silent treatment, she seemed happy to see him return, so that meant she wasn''t particrly serious with her oath of silence.


    Besides, he could always pry the information from her if he gave amand.


    ''Either way¡­ it''s all under control.''


    "I guess I''ll see you soon." Adrien interrupted Rey''s thoughts with a farewell, followed by a burst of spatial distortion.


    Before any response could be made, the boy was long gone.


    Spreading his senses as far as he could, given his current state, he couldn''t sense Adrien anywhere. That meant he was either on a remote area on the Eastern Continent, or in another Continent entirely.


    It was anyone''s guess where he was, but if he so happened to teleport to the United Human Alliance''s territory¡ªparticrly the Capital¡ªRey was sure Ater would handle things from there.


    At the moment, he had much bigger fish to fry.


    ''Now that I''ve taken care of the Dragons¡­ it''s time to save Esme.''


    ************


    [Meanwhile¡­]


    A bright burst of bluish energy tainted the darkness of a rather enclosed space. With the distortion of space came a young man with jet ck hair and glowing blue eyes. His surroundings seemed like the entrance of a ratherrge cave, and the further down the road went, therger the surrounding space became.


    ¡­ Almost like a cavern.


    This young man¡ªAdrien¡ªstood out quite a bit in this raw and primal setting. His pristine suit and polished appearance did not fit the rough vicinity he found himself in.


    Still, it was obvious he wanted to be here. Until¡­


    "Hmmm?" Almost as soon as Adrien appeared in this space, he had a stunned expression on his face; the kind one makes when they are bamboozled by something. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Thissted only a few seconds before he used a hand to cover his face. His palm covered the bloodshot eyes that brightened, and the deep re that was slowly forming.


    This tense atmosphere only grew more intense, until finally¡ª


    "Kukuku¡­ kekekeke¡­ kuahahahahahaha!!!"


    ¡ªAll of the climbing intensity dissipated.


    "Hahahahahahahaha!!!" Rather than yell in anger, or frustration¡ªwhich would have been a normal reaction, given the situation¡ªAdrien burst out in a loudugh.


    As heughed, he took measured steps forward, traversing the barrennds that surrounded him.


    This continued until he reached the end of the line, finding a massive space spread out before him¡ªa ce meant to be littered with Monsters and Precious Minerals.


    Instead, the whole ce was barren.


    "I should have known he would beat me to it¡­ that Rey." Adrien chuckled even more, shaking his head in the process. "He didn''t even leave their corpses for me."


    The Dungeon that Adrien had looked forward to plundering for so long was already imed¡­ and from the looks of it, this had been the case for quite a while.


    ''What a loss, though¡­'' He sighed in regret, though maintaining his oddly yful smile while observing the area.


    ''Nice one, Rey.''

 Chapter 719 Player Of The Game

    Chapter 719 yer Of The Game


    Adrien was sincerely impressed with Rey.


    At first, he didn''t really have an opinion of him¡ªjust as he didn''t have an opinion of anyone else. He had no clue if he could ''use'' him, or if he had to be wary of him.


    In the end, it turned out thetter was the case.


    Their rtionship had somewhat evolved and devolved over the months that were spent in H''Trae, but at the moment Adrien was in a ratherplicated position when it came to Rey Skr.


    ''He''s brilliant, and he''s outsmarted me in many instances already¡­ almost as though he is apletely different person from the one I am used to.''


    Still, anytime he interacted with Rey, something seemed off. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ''He seems just like the Rey I had profiled. All those features¡­ his easily-readable expressions, incredible agitation and aversion towards me, and a bunch of other staple things I had associated with him after our interactions.''


    Yet¡­ those observed characteristics ran contrary to a lot of Rey''s actions.


    It was so puzzling.


    ''That version of Rey would not have been able to manipte all of these scenarios to such a level of sophistication.''


    Not only was he easy to read, but his scope of knowledge seemed verycking. He expected thepetent Maniptor that pushed him to such an extent to be much more knowledgeable and mature, but Rey showed no such thing.


    The entire thing almost felt like Adrien was dealing with two different people.


    ''Or¡­ maybe he is doing all of this intentionally. It''s possible that his current persona is meant to mislead me into profiling him a certain way, and then end at a faulty conclusion.''


    It was no wonder that many of his predictions had been affected¡ªincluding what happened with the Dungeon he was standing in.


    ''If that is indeed the case, then¡­ for someone who preaches so much about morals, he is quite the monster.'' Adrien didn''t particrly despise Rey for any of his actions, and he didn''t think much would change about how he viewed Rey if all of these premises were true. He couldn''t hate the yer, if the game was already so messed up from the start.


    ''Both of us are just trying our hardest to win, after all¡­'' Besides, while he indeed encountered some loss, it wasn''t like he gained nothing. ''Thanks to the death of all the Dragons, I have some decent Undead in my army. I even got my hands on the corpses of the Dragon Generals¡­''


    The ones who were obliterated by Rey were mere puppets, which meant he had the genuine article. ''I had to sacrifice the Commanders for that, as well as a great deal of the Mana I stored up, but the results were worth it. Now that I have more powerful pawns in my arsenal, I should be able to achieve a lot more¡­''


    In essence, he gained and also lost.


    ''I should be satisfied with this oue, especially since there are future prospects in sight. But¡­'' A certain glint appeared in Adrien''s eyes as his lips began to curl up, forming a rather disturbing smile.


    ''... I can''t help my greed this time.''


    His mind fell on a particr entity he could not help thinking about ever since he encountered it.


    ''Emil! That Slime¡­ it''s too fascinating and useful to let go.''


    During their fight¡ªwhen it pretended to be Rey¡ªthey ended up having a deep conversation, and he got to know a lot about the Symbiote Slime.


    ¡­ Things not even Rey knew yet.


    ''This is another reason why I''m so perplexed about who he really is. Perhaps¡­ I can use this current scenario to determine that as well.''


    During their interactions, he was able to sow enough seeds to guarantee him some measure of rewards in the immediate future.


    He wanted Emil.


    ''... And I suppose there''s also nothing wrong with that.''


    ****************


    Rey was surrounded by darkness, having no one around him except for a single figure.


    The naked Dark Elf was unconscious, and as her dark hair draped over her face, and her body hung to the walls of the pitch-ck space, her pathetic frame waspletely observed by Rey in its entirety.


    He had no perverted thoughts, despite her being bare before him, and there was nothing about his countenance that disyed any kind of pleasure¡ªnot even a hint of it.


    He was absolutely serious.


    "I''ve been through quite a lot for this moment, you know? For you¡­" He murmured, his eyes fixated on the face of the Elf named Ci.


    He knew she most likely couldn''t hear him, and there was no point telling her all of the details, but he needed someone to vent to at the moment. Emil was still giving him the silent treatment, and he felt things only got worse after hemanded her to reveal all she talked to Adrien about.


    Needless to say, their rtionship wasn''t the best at the moment.


    He wanted to address it, and he knew he would have to, but not at the moment. Right now, he was at a precipice that demanded all of his attention.


    ''Once I''m done recovering Esme¡­ I''ll properly hash things out with Emil.''


    That was his line of thought.


    If Adrien was still present, maybe he would have been more impatient, but since he couldn''t sense him around, and he figured his task was probably off-Continent, Rey reckoned he had enough time to swiftly wrap up the Esme issue and properly address his neglect of his Familiar.


    His rationale behind this simply stemmed from the fact that he would be too distracted at the current moment to properly cater to all of Emil''s needs.


    ''I have to give a hundred percent attention to her once this is all over¡­'' He smiled to himself, now focusing all his mind on the target before him.


    ¡ªEsme''s mother.


    "I didn''t understand it at first, but now I know what The Oracle meant when she said a ''path'' would open up for me." As he said this, a smile crept up on his face and he took a few steps forward.


    Then, pausing right when he was a hair''s breadth away from the Dark Elf, he continued speaking.


    "I now know how to fix everything."

 Chapter 720 Tempora

    Chapter 720 Tempora


    At first, Rey didn''t get it.


    He expected a more overt ''path'' to open up before him, so when the entire war was over, he began to wonder if he missed any obvious signs that would lead to his grand goal. However, he soon realized¡ªwith a bit of introspection¡ªthat he already had the tools he needed all along.


    Firstly, the [Time Stop] Skill that he obtained from Feralia, which was now upgraded to [Perfect Time Stop] as a result of his [Perfect Divine Growth], was a keyponent in the task he was about to undertake.


    However, that was only one side of the coin.


    The other side was the most recent Skill that he obtained from the Dragon General, [Time Dtion]¡ªor rather, [Perfect Time Dtion].


    With these two distinct but somewhat simr Skills under his control, Rey could find a way to get out of the current situation he was trapped in regarding the Dark Elf before him.


    ''[Perfect Time Stop] stops the time of the target, while [Perfect Time Dtion] slows or speeds it up. Both of thembined should be able to control the time of the target with far greater liberties¡­''


    That was his hunch, and all of his instincts seemed to be hinting in that direction.


    As a result, he decided to take the chance.


    ''I''ll use [Merger] tobine the Skills together, creating a much better Skill that''ll increase my chances here¡­''


    He still wasn''t sure if this would even work, so the best way to achieve the desired result would be to make the Skill at least SS-Tier. ''If it still doesn''t work out, I''ll just assume [Wish Fulfillment] is the way to go about it¡­ though I''m reluctant to use it since it''s a one-time use only Skill.'' He thought to himself in all determination, ready to use any means possible to crack The Oracle''s code.


    He hadn''te this far for nothing, after all.


    "Now then¡­ let us begin."


    Just as he purposed, Rey utilized [Merger] tobine [Perfect Time Stop] and [Perfect Time Dtion], allowing the two S-Tier Skills to vanish from his catalog of Skills. Recing them both was a new Skill¡­ just as he had predicted.


    "Skill details." He whispered under bated breath.


    [Tempora]


    Tier: SS


    Ability: Grants the user ess to the flow of time of whatever they touch (whether directly or by extension).


    {Limitation: Depending on the target, more Mana will be consumed for the Skill''s execution. Can not be used on the dead.}


    [End Of Information]


    Upon seeing the details of the new ability he possessed, Rey could not stop the broad smile that formed on his face.


    ''So simple, and yet¡­ perfect!'' Now that he hadpleted the first hurdle¡ªcreating a means to achieve his goals¡ªthe second thing remained.


    He had to do the deed.


    ''Using [Perfect Domain Of The Divine], I can expand my reach with [Tempora], but¡­ just to be safe¡­'' Rey reached out his hand and touched the Dark Elf on her head.


    He could feel the dry and rough state of her dark hair, but that didn''t bother him in the slightest.


    Now wasn''t the time to be bothered with superficial things. "Huu¡­" He took a deep breath, exhaling with the same veracity, as he prepared his mind for what would happen.


    ''I still don''t know if this is what I''m supposed to do, but¡­ I''ve taken all the steps necessary.'' His thoughts trailed as his mind teemed with uncertainty. Still¡­


    ''It''s time I followed my gut.''


    Without leaving much room for any further thoughts, including the doubts that would inevitablye with it, Rey activated the Skill.


    "[Tempora]."


    At that very moment, a brilliant light shone in the room¡ªdrowning everything inside in its brilliant multifaceted light.


    A clock-like structure appeared underneath both Rey and Ci, with a miniature version of the circle manifesting around his hand as well¡ªalmost as if telling him that he had control over the time of the person he was currently touching.


    ''Whew! It worked!''


    The major worry Rey had when activating this Skill was that the Skill''s Limitation would surface, and he would be prevented from using [Tempora] on the cursed Ci as a result of her current cursed state.


    Thankfully, though¡­ he shouldn''t have worried.


    ''Let''s start with one day¡­'' He focused his energy, and the Skill did as he instructed, turning the hands on the energy-constructed clock around his hand.


    Within a moment, the target''s age was reversed by a day.


    ''She doesn''t look any different¡ªas expected. Then, what of my Mana?'' He checked his Status Window and realized that it had barely even moved from its position,


    Even the little decrease was eventually supplemented by his Mana Recovery Skill, so he was back on track for the most part.


    ''It would take too much time to do this one day at a time. Why don''t we try one year next?''


    Rey''s thoughts manifested through the Skill, and the light that brimmed from the Skill''s activation shone even brighter than before.


    The result?


    ''Not much has changed still. She does look healthier than before, though¡­'' His senses could also pick up the covert changes in her Mana signature.


    A lot more had changed on the inside than the outside.


    ''And my Mana has decreased quite a bit, but the Mana Recovery is working well. Plus, I have Emil''s additional Stats to help me out here, so it''s still going rather smoothly.''


    With that in his mind, Rey smiled to himself, inhaled deeply, and then decided to take the big step of not taking any more breaks or moments of experimentation.


    "Let''s do this quickly, shall we? [[Divine Power Ascension]..."


    ~VWUUUUUUUSHH!!!~


    That very moment, his energy exploded within the vast space, causing everything around him to tremble. Not only had his Stats increased to an unfathomable amount, including his Mana Level, his senses and proficiency over the Skill seemed to rise in all facets as well. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    His timidness vanished almost instantly, and recing that was confidence.


    There was nothing to fear¡­ nothing holding him back in the slightest. Right now, Rey felt invincible, and so he took the massive leap he never would have prior to this point.


    "Go back 16 years."

 Chapter 721 The Deals Ripening

    Chapter 721 The Deal''s Ripening


    ~FSHUUUU¡­~


    As the brilliant light permeating the room dimmed, the two entities in the room came into full view once again. The darkness around was banishedpletely, and the utterly ck surroundings were turned white.


    From the ground, to the ceiling, to the walls¡­ they were nk in color.


    That was hardly the only change, though.


    Rey''s eyes widened as he looked at the fairdy in front of him, his eyes reflecting her pristine wonder as he nearly choked on his saliva.


    Her white hair flowed immactely behind her, as her elven ears were perked up perfectly. Her skin seemed so soft and without blemish that he felt drawn to it almost by instinct. She was still naked, and her perfectly proportioned figure made all his suppressed desires slowly surface.


    Then, there was the sweet smell.


    It was so overpowering that Rey felt he would have been ovee with lust if not for his incredible tolerance, or rather immunity, to such things.


    ''She resembles Esme¡­ no, The Oracle¡­'' He just looked at her, shell-shocked, feeling an indescribable feeling buried deep within him.


    Ci was definitely prettier than Esme, though not by toorge a margin. Neither of them even held a candle to The Oracle, but Rey was still stunned by how it was possible for someone to be so attractive. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    While he was having these thoughts, he witnessed Ci open her eyes, revealing the blue gem-like irises she possessed. He was still drowning in the sight when she parted her moist, lustrous lips, and spoke up.


    "H-Hey! What the hell?! A human?! What is a human doing here?! Where am I? Who the hell are you?!"


    ''A-ah¡­ she''s awake!'' Rey quickly realized how distracted he had be.


    "Why are your hands on my hair, filthy man? Take them off this instant! Do you know who I am?! The Oracle will not forgive this sacrilege! Nature''s curses be upon you!" She kept yelling at Rey, though unable to move due to her being stuck to the walls.


    ''Damn. Looks like she''s not much different from the rest of the Elves¡­'' Rey had taken her back a total of 17 years and a day, which was before she ever went to the Human Continent and had Esme. Hence, her attitude was reminiscent of the kind that Elves would have in their society.


    ''I thought she would be different, since she went to the Western Continent, but I guess she did so selfishly out of adventure and not because she wasn''t racist¡­''


    "Hey! I''m talking to you, human! Answer my question now, or else¡­! Are you the one who brought me here? Why does this look like¡­ no that can''t be! Why would I be there, in the first ce? Hey, you¡­ urgh!"


    Before Ci could continue even more of her loud ramblings, Rey cast a Sleep spell on her, causing the Elf to fall unconscious instantly.


    ''Argh¡­ it''s good to know she''s so unpleasant. I don''t have to deal with her or exin anything.'' He itched his head while groaning.


    Despite thinking this to himself, Rey knew it was only an excuse to have.


    ''In the end, all of this is because I don''t want Esme to be an Oracle Candidate, and I want to pass the burden to someone else. This way, it''s easier since I don''t get to hear her vehemently refuse the role.'' He thought to himself.


    Even though he didn''t hear it from her lips, Rey already knew she most likely didn''t want the position.


    If she really did, she wouldn''t have gone to the Western Continent.


    ''But¡­ that really is none of my business.'' He knew fully well that his thoughts only validated what Adrien said about him, and as much as it pained him to admit it, the boy was right about him all along.


    ''To achieve my goal¡­ to save Esme¡­ I guess I am capable of subjecting someone else to this.''


    In essence, he was relegating someone to a fate that he considered too tragic for another¡ªeven though thetter wanted the role while the former rejected it.


    Rey knew the hypocrisy of his actions, and yet¡­ yet¡­ YET¡­


    "I''m so happy¡­ and relieved¡­" A smile awkwardly formed on his face as he looked at the fresh face of the one he would be exchanging for Esme''s freedom.


    Now that he had an Oracle Candidate ready, there was nothing holding him back from seeing Esme and bringing her back.


    ''I''ming back for you, Esme¡­ just you wait!''


    ***************


    All of the Elders waited outside The Shrine as Rey stepped in while carrying Ci in his arms, her covered body cradled like a baby.


    Rey''s steps were measured and precise, filled with caution and also excitement, as he traversed the Shrine''s halls until he got to the front of the statue. He cast his gaze on the lifeless thing and inhaled deeply before proceeding.


    "I have your Candidate, and I have fulfilled our bargain. Now¡­ fulfill yours!" For a moment, nothing happened.


    Rey waited patiently this time, though. There was no way The Oracle was sleeping, and he doubted she couldn''t hear him, so he simply waited to be transported to her Domain.


    However, even after waiting a while¡­ nothing happened.


    ''Hold on¡­'' A sudden dark thought began to permeate Rey''s mind. ''What if¡­ she was after Esme all along?!''


    That would mean that The Oracle had only sent him on a wild goose chase in order to get him off her back, while also saving the Elves in the process.


    ''No¡­ that can''t be! If that''s the case, then¡ª!'' Rey began to panic, though the instant he did this, all of his emotions were suppressed.


    Then came rage! Sheer, unbridled rage began to lurk in his heart as he red very deeply at the statue.


    This also fizzled out, much to his frustration.


    And then, just as he was about to give out as a result of this frustration, the statue before him began to move, and its eyes glowed a bright color. The entire room was suddenly filled with a warm sensation and an amazing scent.


    Before Rey even realized it, he was no longer in the shrine.


    "We meet again, Rey¡­" A rather familiar voice echoed all around him, causing him to open his eyes and direct his senses towards the maiden before him and not the borately beautiful structures around him.


    "Wee back to my Domain."

 Chapter 722 Walking With The Oracle [Pt 1]

    Chapter 722 Walking With The Oracle [Pt 1]


    ''She''s perfect!''


    Now that he was in her presence once again, Rey became reminded of how he felt the first time heid eyes on the epitome of beauty.


    The Oracle''s every frame was perfection itself¡ªfrom her perfectly beautiful face, to her shimmering blue eyes, and the dress she wore which was adorned with gold and all other forms of jewels.


    Her hair was whiter than all else, and the fact that her body was bathed with the brilliant golden rays of the sanctuary around her only increased her appeal. Her very posture was full of elegance, and the way she stoically gazed upon Rey made her appear all the more majestic.


    "So, you''ve returned¡­" She broke the silence, her eyes trailing to the Elf that Rey tightly had close to his chest.


    It was only when she said this that Rey ceased his light gawking and cleared his throat in a slightly unnatural fashion. He felt like an idiot for staring that long, but there was just something about The Oracle that made it almost impossible not to be engrossed in her.


    "Yes, so¡­ I brought your Vessel." He raised Ci high, showing the Elf in all her glory to the epitome of perfection before him.


    "I can see that. Now, hand her over¡­" As The Oracle stretched out her hand to receive Ci''s unconscious body, Rey pulled it away and made a slight re at The Oracle.


    "Esme first. I''ve done so much already for this deal, so it''s only right that I get her first, right?" He knew The Oracle was much stronger than he was, but he also remembered theirst battle quite vividly.


    ''As long as I maintain control over the space around me, it won''t be easy for her to grab Ci from me. And, at this point, there''s no need for her to refuse the deal since I''m in her domain with the prize.''


    Just as Rey expected, The Oracle gave in.


    "Fair enough." She said, moving away from Rey as her lips parted a second time. "Follow me."


    Without wasting any time, Rey thrust his body forward and trailed behind the flowing hair that danced behind The Oracle.


    They traversed the golden pce until they reached a door, which The Oracle opened. Its content was pure white, and she stepped inside, allowing Rey to follow suit before the doors closed behind them both.


    ''H-huh¡­?''


    Upon entry, Rey was greeted with an entirelysurprising sight.


    The white point led them to what appeared to be a dense forest, filled with so many nts, shrubberies, and endless trees that seemed to stretch on forever. The door they came through had long vanished, and only the forest seemed to exist.


    As Rey was silently wrapping his thoughts around what happened, The Oracle ceased walking and turned to face him.


    "Don''t waste time." As she said this, her eyes glowed blue and she slightly creased her brows in a re.


    "I was just observing my surroundings. That isn''t a waste of time." He responded rather swiftly, refusing to be bullied by her.


    Inasmuch as she was stronger than him, he couldn''t dismiss the fact that he had certainly worked hard to qualify for this meeting. It wasn''t like he was asking for some kind of favor this time.


    This was something he earned! Besides¡­ "It''s ironic that, for someone so particr about time, you dyed me for so long before responding to my appearance in the Shrine."


    He had spent at least thirty minutes there, and yet¡­ she only responded when he was growing justifiably paranoid. Something told him The Oracle did this intentionally, but her constantly passive and detached attitude told him she wasn''t the petty type.


    So what was it? Why did she take so long?


    "Synchronizing this realm with H''Trae takes time. It''s why I took a while before bringing you here and sending you back thest time." The Oracle said with a calm, impersonal tone.


    Once again, she didn''t seem to care, but that wasn''t what struck Rey.


    ''So she was taking it easy on mest time? Or rather¡­ she didn''t take too much action until she could send me back to the normal world, huh?'' It somehow felt like bullshit, but since Rey had no other answer to his question, and he saw no reason why The Oracle would lie to him about such an inconsequential detail, he epted it.


    Once they walked a little more, the atmosphere suddenly changed. The dense forest vanished, reced by the dry and hot climate of the desert.


    Grains of sand suck to Rey as he moved, forcing him to kick them with every step he took. He was tempted to fly, but after seeing The Oracle walking, he decided to just continue.


    ''It''s not like I''m growing tired or anything¡­''


    The sand was just really ufortable, but since the fair maiden could endure it¡­ so could he.


    Not long after, the desert became an icy realm¡ªsurrounded by tall snow-capped mountains, withnds littered with snow.


    The change was so swift that Rey didn''t even notice it until it happened.


    ''Is this some sort of amalgamation of different spaces? Or do spaces of various kinds ovep here?'' It was difficult to tell, even with his senses and spatial control.


    Perhaps that was because The Oracle had more dominant authority over the space than him.


    Rey nned to remain silent and simply observe, but after doing this for a while, his curiosity got the better of him, so he blurted out the pressing question on his mind.


    "How long till we get to Esme?"


    "...."


    She didn''t answer him, and kept walking instead. ''Tch!'' Not liking the fact that he was ignored, Rey stopped moving, and not long after, The Oracle stopped as well. She didn''t turn to look at him this time, but she did so anyway.


    Suddenly, the atmosphere became a thunderstorm¡ªwith heavy rain descending from the darkened heavens, and swirling winds dancing all over the area. The immense darkness was illuminated by The Oracle''s presence, and despite the heavy rain that fell, she did nothing to stop herself from getting drenched.


    Instead, she uttered words that stopped Rey from uttering anything in protest. "You already know the truth about the Dragons, don''t you? About their identity as Otherworlders¡­ and their role in this world." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Rey''s facade was that of stoicism¡ªat least, that was what he hoped. He also ensured to keep it that way as he gave his response.


    "What of it?"


    "You must have an idea of how this world operates, then. It is a story¡­ with a start, a middle, and an end¡­ all of it determined."


    Rey didn''t know why The Oracle was telling him this, especially when his question was about Esme, but he wasn''t going to waste such an opportunity¡ªespecially when she was being so talkative.


    "Determined by who? You, right?"


    "No."


    Her t answer caught Rey off guard, but he only followed up the response with another question.


    "So who is the¡ª?"


    "I do not know. I only know a little more than you do about all of this¡­ and the purpose of this world." She responded before he could even finish his words.


    Then, as she turned to look at him, the dropping rain that cascaded down her face made it appear as though she was crying heavy tears.


    "Just as you had no say in bing a piece¡­ I had no say in being a yer."

 Chapter 723 Walking With The Oracle [Pt 2]

    Chapter 723 Walking With The Oracle [Pt 2]


    There is no such thing as a real ''Choice.''


    For everything one does has been somewhat predetermined by biological inclinations and societal orientation. People are predisposed to acting in certain ways due to their upbringing, as well as innate traits inherited through the gene.


    These factors make the ''Free Will'' they possess as mere illusions.


    One does not ''choose'' to eat. They are either hungry, satisfying a craving, or following a directive stemming from certain external conditions that is further amplified by an internal response.


    ¡­. This is the position of certain philosophies.


    *****************


    "I am not the one who started all of this." The Oracle began as she looked at Rey with an emotionless face.


    Yet, her eyes¡­ something about it felt tragic.


    "I am neither the owner of the game, nor the one who designed the board. I am nothing more than a yer forced to sit on one end of the board and y with the pieces that I am bestowed upon."


    "Bestowed upon by who?"


    "I do not know, but¡­ you have met one of them, have you not? The messenger of the ones above." As The Oracle said this, Rey remembered the ident that brought himself and all his ssmates before the pearly gates.


    Back then, they were greeted by a rather magnificent entity.


    "Seraph?"


    "So that is their name¡­" The Oracle smiled softly. "It appears you knew something I didn''t."


    Rey returned her smile and responded. "Not anymore."


    "Huhu¡­ indeed."


    At that point, the rain ceased and it became a rather sunny atmosphere. The sudden warmth cleared the remnant cold, though the drenched figure of The Oracle remained unchanged as Rey stared at her.


    She wasn''t walking, which meant she had more to tell him.


    "I know this is asking for a lot, but do not resent me and the Elves. Continue to look after them, even after the conclusion of our deal."


    Rey smirked as soon as he heard that. "And what''s in it for me?"


    She shrugged almost instantly.


    "Nothing. Consider it something of ast favor¡­ a dying wish of sorts."


    "You''re going to die?"


    "Not necessarily. Just as with my predecessors, my consciousness and knowledge will be merged with the new Vessel and be the new Oracle. However, I am not certain if I will remain ''me'' once this is over. I doubt I was this way before I became The Oracle, and I also doubt I will continue to remain this way in the new Vessel."


    Rey understood what she was saying, and it honestly felt scary.


    ''I guess she was also making tough choices for the sake of the world. Rather than selfishly choosing to preserve her own life, she wants to benefit therger whole.'' The prime reason she couldn''t make more egregious moves was because the enemy would do the same¡ªwhich was why agency was left to the pieces on the board. In a sense, she was a victim of this entire scenario, and while Rey found it very hard to fully absolve her of all the negative emotions he had towards her¡­ he could empathize with her. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ''Logically speaking¡­ she has done nothing wrong.''


    All the grievances he had were merely emotional; subject to his arbitrary definition of right and wrong¡­ something he felt rather hesitant to rely so strongly on now..


    "The truth is¡­ I love this world." Rey confessed, following the same spirit that prompted The Oracle to speak up in the first ce.


    "Oh, really?"


    "While I know that isn''t the case, it almost feels like this entire world was made just for me. I got an amazing Skill, was able to experience a lot of amazing things¡­ and even though I''ve been in a lot of messed up situations¡­ I''m still alive somehow."


    Yes, perhaps all of this was mostly luck. Maybe he just happened to be the one to win the lottery, hence bing special as a result.


    It could have been anyone, so having such power fall on him was still perfectly normal.


    That was what he told himself.


    "I know it''s conceited for me to think this way, but I somehow feel responsible for this world¡ªor rather, the people within it."


    Rey didn''t know the exact moment when his goal evolved from just getting stronger to a muchrger ambition, but he knew that within himself now.


    "I want this war to end. I want to protect humanity, to defeat the Dragons¡­ and to create a peaceful world for all to live in."


    Perhaps this was all just a selfish way of saying he wanted a "Happily Ever After" for himself, but this was muchrger than him at this point.


    It was probably naive and childish of him, but¡­ he truly wanted to help.


    "And, even though I had the chance to beplicit in the destruction of the Elves, and I also despise them for a lot of the things they have done¡­ I still want to protect them."


    In his eyes, they were like misguided children who hadmitted several atrocities. He could perhaps put some me on them, but it would be unfair to shove all of the responsibility to them¡ªjust as it would be unfair to do the same to The Oracle.


    ''In the end, whoever is behind this is to me.''


    So, Rey made a vow to himself¡ªat least, regarding the matter with the Elves.


    "I will show them the right path."


    He had all the power and recognition to do so, so rather than just utilizing the Elves for his benefit, he would also give back to them.


    "Thank you, Rey." She smiled at him. "Though, I do not think your intentions trante to what would be best for the Elves."


    "What do you mean?" He furrowed his brows at this point.


    "The current ''problematic'' views of the Elves, as well their no-killing policy is necessary for their preservation by Nature."


    "Preservation? What do you¡ª?"


    "Listen carefully, Rey. In the future, only the Elves will survive the great conflict toe, and they will thrive in the new age." As the Oracle said this, Rey looked at her with horror.


    Her expression showed no malice or pleasure¡ªjust an emotionless facade.


    "I told you already, didn''t I? In the end¡­ you will fail."

 Chapter 724 Walking With The Oracle [Pt 3]

    Chapter 724 Walking With The Oracle [Pt 3]


    "This world¡­ H''Trae¡­ is meant to be inherited by the Elves."


    Rey already knew that the world had a certain bias towards the Elves. Despite their non-violent culture, they were still incredibly powerful. They also had such hubris that was backed up by the world''s preference towards them.


    He was constantly told to help them, and it was only when he was on their side that his Alignment became a ''Good'' Variant.


    ''Does that mean Good and Evil are decided by one''s tendency to aid the Elves and not Harm them? Are things really that simple here?'' He didn''t know anymore.


    From what The Oracle just told him, everything else was pointless.


    "Everyone else will perish?" He asked, just for confirmation, and he watched as The Oracle affirmed his words.


    "Everyone else will perish."


    Rey was supposed to believe her. After all, she had been correct about the ''path'' that opened up which allowed him to save Ci. She was also correct about plenty of other things, and she even seemed sincere and impersonal about the whole thing.


    He knew she certainly wasn''t lying.


    But, even then¡­


    "I can''t believe it. I don''t think the future is as set in stone as you believe it to be." Rey mumbled to himself.


    "Are you saying I saw wrong?"


    "No." He stared hard at her as he gave the only response he could. "It''s simply that I intend to change that future you saw."


    Rey believed in his own free will, as well as the power of decisions. If a person knew the future and did his best to change it, one of two things could happen.


    He could inevitably arrive at that future¡­ or he couldpletely change it.


    For example, if a person knew he would die in a car ident, then he could simply stay at home all day and call sick at work. By doing so, he would have changed that future¡­ though it was possible that a car crashed into his home and killed him, despite his attempts to prevent the ident in its entirety.


    Either way, Rey didn''t think the man''s death in thetter case amounted to the same future as with the first scenario if he just entered his car and died in the car ident.


    The future had changed somehow, and his death happened in a different fashion.


    "If I know enough, and I take the proper actions¡­ I''m sure I will be able to change the future enough to save as many people as possible."


    A lot of people were probably still going to die, but if he could preserve the majority¡ªsaving as many as he possibly could¡ªthat would be more than enough as an aplishment for him.


    No, not just him. It would be the best oue for H''Trae.


    "And do you think those who designed this game will let you alter that future that has been preset?" "...."


    "One of the benefits of ying a game is that one doesn''t know the final oue. They do not know if they will win or lose. But this¡­ this one is different. It''s less like a game and more like a story. The ones above already have an end in mind, and your defiance will alter it."


    "...."


    "Do you truly believe they will stay still and let you interfere?" n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    After being silent for so long, Rey smiled as he confidently ced his hand on his chest and responded with as much boldness as he could muster.


    "I don''t care for them. Cowards who arbitrarily set up the worst possible oue for a story and leave us to live out their mess¡­ I can''t be bothered with them."


    Was he scared of those high up? The ones who had even more authority than The Oracle? Yes¡­ yes, they frightened him.


    But weren''t they functionally nonexistent in this world?


    They contributed nothing to H''Trae, and all they did was set up the world¡ªdooming most of its residents to destruction.


    "If they haven''t interfered thus far, I don''t expect them to do anything of note. And even if they do¡­ I''ll think of something once I get to that point."


    If he and everyone else in this world were fated to die, the very least he could do was try his best to help as many people survive. And if the ones above had a problem with it and finally descended from their high ce, then things couldn''t possibly be worse than total annihtion.


    That was his current position.


    Perhaps this was all blind stubbornness¡ªthe kind expected from an immature teenager who had very limited experience of the world.


    But Rey truly clung to his words, refusing to let them go no matter what.


    The Oracle saw that as she listened to him speak, and it made her chuckle¡ªno, evenugh¡ªvery loudly.


    "You could be correct¡­ after all, you are The Singrity that even I do not understand." Herughter still echoed as she uttered those words and smiled very longingly at him.


    "I hope to witness this future that you will create from the depths of my sessor''s consciousness."


    "You could also help, you know? Tell me everything about the future¡ªno, maybe just the important bits¡ªso that I can do my best!"


    The Oracle shook her head slowly and sadly as she heard this.


    "Rather unfortunately, I can not. My memory has reached its utmost limit, and other than what happens at the very end, I have no knowledge of whatever happens after now."


    "What? Damnit!"


    "I would have also liked to bless you with my Skill [irvoyance], but your limited memory and weak body will not be able to properly utilize it in any meaningful way."


    "Isn''t it SSS-Tier?"


    "That does not matter in the face of your [Doppel]."


    "You can see the future with [irvoyance], can''t you? In that case, even if it is seconds, or minutes, or hours into the future¡­ I am sure it will help me out in some way. Please¡­ give me the Skill!"


    The Oracle smiled and nodded at Rey upon hearing his resolute request.


    "Very well, Rey. Consider this my contribution for the future you wish to create."

 Chapter 725 World Of White

    Chapter 725 World Of White


    ??The walk of silence continued between the two.


    After their interaction subsided, neither Rey or The Oracle spoke another word to each other. Instead, thetter kept her eyes forward, and thetter followed her every movement. Thendscape around them kept changing too.


    Rey didn''t ask any further questions, not allowing his impatience to get the better of him this time. He knew better than to say anything problematic.


    This continued until, once again, The Oracle stopped.


    "We''re here..."


    Rey set his gaze beyond The Oracle, staring into the space that she had her eyes on. That was when he saw it--a door in the middle of nowhere.


    It was currently a desertndscape, so dry sand kept swirling around the door, its grains beating upon it as they danced in the air.


    "She is beyond that door." The Oracle pointed, gesturing that Rey proceeded into the ce.


    Normally, Rey would have been very conflicted and skeptical of the whole thing. He would be rather suspicious of The Oracle, wanting her to venture in first--something like that. He would have considered a chance that the door was a trap too.


    All of that was stifled now.


    It wasn''t that he trusted The Oraclepletely, but that he simply saw no reason to be on guard before her. There was no need for her to resort to such an borate trap, even if she had malicious intent.


    And Rey didn''t think she had any malicious intent.


    ''So Esme is behind that door, huh...?'' Stepping forward while breathing heavily, Rey kept his gaze fixated on the lone door.


    There didn''t seem to be anything behind it, but that didn''t stop him from reaching for the doorknob and twisting it the moment he got close enough.


    ~FSHUUU~


    A hissing sound proceeded from within the door as soon as he merely opened it.


    "Go on" The Oracle''s voice prompted him, and he could feel her gaze on his back. Not wanting to cause any further dy, he took a deep breath and stepped into the world of the unknown that he would be thrust into.


    Then...


    ''T-this is--?'' Rey''s eyes widened as he was greeted with yet another vast world.


    This was and of winter, with a lot of mountains in the distance, and dried trees decorating the surrounding from various sides. In this world of white, there was silence--a form of purity. The decorum was deafening, and it felt sacred to the utmost.


    No living entity seemed to be present.


    ... Except one.


    "What are you doing here, Rey?"


    Rey''s heart nearly skipped a beat as soon as he heard the voice. He hadn''t been too distracted not to notice that she was standing right behind him. He just didn''t know what to say when he faced her, so he remained like that until she spoke.


    Even though his back was turned against her, he could see her pretty normally thanks to his all-round vision.


    She was gorgeous--as usual.


    No... even better.


    Something about these whitends seem to entuate her beauty, giving her the vibe of an untouched flower--delicate and precious.


    "I..." Rey didn''t know where to start from, or what to say.


    A million thoughts ran in his head, and he could only pick one. The choice became so difficult that he decided not to think at all and simply follow his instincts.


    "... I missed you."


    Turning to face her, he allowed the fiercely cold wind to blow against his dark hair, revealing his eyepatched eye on one side, and the crimson one on the other. He also saw her wearing a pure gown, almost like a wedding dress, staring at him stoically.


    Despite his best attempts to hide his emotions, they bled out too raw. In contrast to him, though, Esme didn''t seem to have any struggles at all.


    She waspletely calm.


    "I''m guessing The Oracle informed me of your arrival¡­"


    "She didn''t."


    Rey was stunned. If The Oracle didn''t tell Esme that he wasing, how could she maintain such a calm facade even when they were face-to-face with each other?


    ''Could it be¡ª?!''


    "I know what you''re thinking, Rey, but The Oracle didn''t do anything to me. She has hardly interacted with me since I got here."


    "O-ohh¡­"


    Rey used his [Perfect Divine Appraisal] just to confirm, and Esme wasn''t lying. She was perfectly normal¡ªat least ording to the System.


    "I see¡­"


    "Yeah¡­"


    After this, they both stared awkwardly at each other, the distance between them about ten meters or so. Either of them could close it in a second, but they both remained transfixed in their positions.


    Until¡­


    "Can we talk? I''m sorry for not hearing you outst time." Rey finally spoke up, breaking into a sigh.


    "It''s fine."


    "No, it''s not!" He quickly interrupted her. "I should have considered you greatly, focusing on what you wanted and why. If I did that¡­ I would have been able to properly convince you not to do this."


    "You wouldn''t have been able to convince me, Rey. This is something I want to do." She shook her head stubbornly.


    Rey could feel a burning emotion within him as soon as he saw this.


    "So¡­ you were sofortable just leaving? I still don''t understand. As much as I apologize for not giving a conversation between us a chance, you also share in the me for that. You¡­ you¡­"


    "So do you despise m¡ª?"


    "NO!" Rey took a step forward, but quickly stopped upon realizing how forceful he was probably being.


    His main purpose for all of this was not just to get Esme toe back with him, but for the both of them to have a conversation and understand each other.


    That wouldn''t happen if he chose to be brutish.


    "Rey¡­ can I tell you something?" Esme''s face seemed downcast at this point, depicting the very first emotion he had observed from her since their reunion.


    The atmosphere suddenly grew tense, but Rey ready responded anyway.


    "Yes! Yes, of cour¡ª"


    In a sh, she appeared right in front of Rey, her eyes fixated on his as she parted her lips and uttered the words.


    "I love you."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Well¡­ this was rather unexpected. We''ve finally gotten to that moment, haven''t we? Wonder what happens next¡­

 Chapter 726 Confessions

    Chapter 726 Confessions


    ??Rey stared dumbfoundedly at Esme the moment he heard those words.


    "Y-you--"


    Before he could say anything more, she held him on both cheeks and pushed herself upward while pulling him towards her.


    He was still recoiling from the confession when he felt her lips touch his. Before he realized what was happening, he was in a passionate kiss with Esme, the both of them reciprocating the action.


    Rey couldn''t believe this was him.


    No... it was more like he didn''t want to believe that this was him.


    He had so much pent-up passion that was released during the kiss, and the deeper he went into it, the morefortable he became.


    His stiff hands began to move, and they reached for Esme''s body, going for an embrace.


    But--


    "No, Rey..." Before he could fully capture her in his arms, Esme pulled away, leaving him stuck in ce.


    "I know you''re in love with Alicia. I don''t want to get in the way of that..."


    That seemed strange,ing from someone who had just kissed him, but Rey said nothing about that. He just had a bewildered expression on his face as he stared at her.


    "Rather than make you choose, orplicate matters... I have chosen this path. This way, I will carry the burden of my emotions myself, while also walking down a path of greater purpose."


    Rey instinctively knew that if he didn''t say anything, it would all be over.


    He already understood that.


    And so, parting his moist lips for the first time since the kiss, he finally blurted out the words that his mind could form as fast as possible.


    "I don''t want to lose you."


    Esme gave him a slight smile, shrugging at those words.


    "Rey... it''s not that simple."


    "I know it isn''t. I know, but... can you just allow me to be selfish? Please..." He didn''t know what else to tell her.


    He didn''t know what to say about his love for Alicia, or her love for him, or the way he felt right now just looking at her. He didn''t want to lie to her, but he also didn''t want to be honest with her as well... about his feelings that ran rabid within him.


    He simply suppressed them and told her what he could.


    But... none of it was enough.


    Esme shook her head once she was done hearing his pleas and smiled.


    "My decision has already been made, Rey. I will be the next Oracle." She gave her resolute response with a determined expression.


    He could see it in her eyes--she waspletely serious.


    "... I''m sorry."


    Sadness followed her eyes as she looked away from him, allowing the cold wind to blow around them and quell the silence with its cold howl. This was only temporary, though, as Rey also gave his reply.


    "I''m sorry as well..."


    If he had known things would turn out this way, he would have taken a different path. After all, he wanted Esme to be happy, and if this was what made her experience fulfillment, then he wouldn''t havee in the way of that.


    ''No, who am I kidding? I would have still done so...''


    Bing The Oracle meant merging one''s consciousness with so many others. Esme would no longer be herself once the process wasplete, which made her functionally dead.


    How could he ever allow that under any circumstances?!


    ''I wish there was some sort ofpromise I could make, or some way to make you change your mind. Unfortunately, there isn''t.''


    And¡­ it was already toote for any of that.


    ~VWUUUUUSH!~


    That very instant, someone interrupted the rather tense silence that enveloped the two. She floated in the sky, forcing the two to gaze upon her in all her glory.


    The instant they saw The Oracle, they recognized her.


    "I havee here to inform you that the deal has been canceled." She said in a fairly cold and detached manner..


    "H-huh?"


    To call Esme shocked would be an understatement. She was stupefied by The Oracle''s decision, and so kept alternating nces between Rey and The Oracle. It appeared as though she wanted to say a million things at once, but was stuck on delivery.


    "You are a sweet and kind girl, Esme. You also carry a lot of strength and virtue within you¡­ all of which will be lost once you be The Oracle."


    "What?"


    "I do not wish for you to carry such a burden."


    "I want to!::


    "No, Esme¡­ trust me when I say that you don''t want to." The Oracle''s voice was reminiscent of sadness as she spoke.


    If she, as The Oracle, was so certain about the overwhelming loss that would be bestowed upon her sessor, surely it would be able to convince Esme of the wrongness of her choice.


    But no.


    The girl stubbornly clung to the idea, once again trying to enforce the deal they made.


    However, no matter how hard Esme pushed, The Oracle shook her head. There was no way she was budging from her position¡ªpartly because she already had a recement, but also because of what she saw within Esme.


    It was something she didn''t want to taint.


    "Esme¡­ despite your identity as a Half Elf, I recognize you as one of us¡­ one of me. I won''t be turning you into a Full Elf, but you are not lesser than they are."


    At this point, The Oracle descended to Esme and embraced her.


    Their foreheads touched each other in a light tap, causing a beam to explode from the contact made. Coupled with the light was a surge of energy.


    ~VWUUUUUM!~


    As the violent winds whipped across the area, and Rey stood there witnessing all that was happening, the silence among the three seemed tost an eternity.


    "Farwell, Esme¡­" The Oracle''s sweet voice echoed softly into the air, melodiously ringing in the atmosphere around them.


    Esme''s eyelids fell short, and she lost all the strength in her body at that moment.


    "I hope you find happiness."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Looks like Esme lost her chance to be an OP god. I wonder what happens now¡­

 Chapter 727 The Oracles Last Words

    Chapter 727 The Oracle''s Last Words


    "Was this¡­ the best choice?"


    Rey now had Esme in his arms, and The Oracle was now holding the unconscious Ci. After she fell unconscious, Rey had used his Spatial abilities to bring her to him, and afterwards gave The Oracle the Vessel she required.


    With their deal sealed, there was practically nothing left of their exchange. It was time for Rey to return home, and for The Oracle to start her business.


    But¡­


    "I feel like I just did a horrible act, depriving her of her wish."


    Rey''s guilt was eating him up, and he turned to The Oracle to hear her opinion on it.


    "Indeed. Ci should be morepatible with me anyway, so having her as the Vessel is a lot more beneficial to¡ª"


    "Not that, idiot! I mean¡­ ahem¡­ sorry about that."


    "It''s fine. It takes one to know one."


    "W-whoa! Where did thate from?" Rey was more than surprised to see the usually emotionless and detached Oracle throw a jab at him in such a way.


    It even made him smile a little.


    "A-ah¡­" The moment he smiled, he realized that this had to have been The Oracle''s n all along.


    This was her way of cheering him up.


    "Thanks¡­ Oracle?"


    "You''re wee, Rey." The two of them exited the space where Esme was in through another door that suddenly appeared before them, and once they did so, they returned to The Oracle''s golden pce. ''Does that mean she could have brought us to Esme directly? Then why didn''t she?'' Rey wanted to ask, but quickly decided against it. The reason she chose such an borate method was probably to have a discussion with him, and based on how productive it was, he didn''t regret a second of it. The only problem on his mind was Esme¡­ and one other issue.


    "What about Alicia? Is she¡ª?"


    "She has been healed already." The Oracle''s response was swift, almost as if she could read his thoughts. Upon hearing this, he smiled and nodded.


    ''I can heal her curse with [Tempora], but that would mean reverting her Stats and Skills that have evolved due to summoning Dagon. That won''t be good in the long run, so this arrangement is far better.''


    Other than relief, however, Rey didn''t feel much about the news.


    Perhaps he thought it was already a given, or because he already had some way to save her, so he didn''t feel as excited as he thought he would be. Either way, that ate away at him too.


    "I should be leaving now." Rey muttered, almost in a defeated tone. "Thank you for everything."


    "It''s nothing."


    As The Oracle said this, Rey began to feel the spatial pressure around him loosen. The difference between how he was willingly leaving the Domain this time, and how he was forced to thest time yed in his mind, causing him to smile wryly.


    So much had changed in such little time that he didn''t know how to properly limate.


    "Onest thing, Rey."


    The moment he heard his name, Rey looked up to see The Oracle''s concerned expression.


    "Be very wary of that Familiar that you keep close. The one you trust so deeply and ce in charge of your affairs."


    The moment he heard this, a brow went up and he blurted out. "Ater?"


    "That thing¡­ even I am unaware of what kind of entity they are. They are filled with sheer malevolence and unknown elements. Definitely¡­ definitely malicious." Rey already knew most of these things about Ater, but there was a certain ominousness that rang from The Oracle''s warnings that seemed very legitimate. He didn''t like the eerie feeling he got about Ater afterwards. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ''I mean, even the System told me to stay away from him, but¡­ ''


    How possible was that at this point?


    ''Even though he ims to be bound to me, I guess there''s no real way to verify his im. It''s also possible that he could find a workaround, given all that he knows. It''s possible that he''s up to no good too¡­''


    Rey still felt like he could stop him if push came to shove, though, since most of Ater''s attacks wouldn''t have an effect on him.


    ''I suppose I''ll be more vignt for now¡­''


    "Thank you. I will take your counsel seriously." He bowed, smiling broadly at The Oracle, who exchanged his gesture.


    "Mhm¡­"


    "Bye."


    "Yeah¡­ bye."


    It struck Rey that this would probably be thest time he was going toy his eyes on the entity before him. Something about their farewell sounded toockluster and unsatisfying.


    He wanted it to be more memorable¡ªat least, for her.


    "Your name?"


    "Pardon?"


    "Do you remember your name?"


    "A-ah¡­ I believe I was once named Emilia."


    "Well, Emilia¡­ sorry for hitting you during ourst meeting, and for being rude and annoying."


    "Haha¡­ it''s fine." She chuckled, covering her lips as she smiled at him.


    "You¡­ I won''t let you down! I promise!"


    "Alright then, Rey." The Oracle¡ªno, Emilia¡ªwaved at him and blessed him the sweetest smile he had ever seen in his life.


    "Take care¡­ always."


    "Su¡ª!"


    ~VWUUUUSH!~


    Before Rey could get thest word in, the spatial rupture around him erupted and he and the girl he carried were sent back to the Shrine, leaving the standing Oracle all alone in the vast space.


    She stood there for a few seconds, staring into empty space.


    Then¡ª


    "I have to admit¡­ I am a little envious of you, Esme¡­" She muttered, slowly turning away to look at the floating figure of her new Vessel.


    "You have someone who would go to any lengths to save you."


    The closer she got to the floating Elf, the nearer she got to her demise. However, Emilia was not sad at all.


    To her, she had already perished the moment she became The Oracle.


    "If I had even one person who stood up for me back then¡­ would I too have been able to escape the shackles of fate?"


    It was toote to ponder about that now.


    Her time was up, and it was time for a new Vessel to carry on the eternal role of being a ve to the ones above.


    To y a game with a concluded end.

 Chapter 728 Betrayal

    Chapter 728 Betrayal


    ~VWUUUUSH!~


    In a spark of energy, and swirling of distorted space, Rey found himself in the Shrine.


    He stood right in front of the statue, his eyes fixated on how its glowing eyes slowly began to dim, until it became as lifeless as it usually was. Esme was cradled on his arms the whole time, and his expression was absolutely lull.


    This stoic expression was a full front, though.


    Deep in his heart, he was struggling with a myriad of emotions that he had to keep suppressed.


    He understood what was going to happen to Emilia, he had to ponder about Esme, had to think about Alicia, and also about the higher powers that The Oracle spoke of. Then, there was the impending destruction of the world that seemed inevitable ording to the one who witnessed the future.


    All of this information came with their fair share of emotions¡ªa lot of them.


    He couldn''t process them.


    If he tried, they would overflow and overwhelm his mind. Knowing this, Rey reckoned it was best to abandon those feelings for the moment until he was able to properly rest¡ªboth physically and mentally.


    ''I haven''t slept for a few days now. I''ve been thinking about a lot, exerting myself a lot, and overall just¡­ haa¡­ I need a break.'' His thoughts flowed, though he felt they were too disjointed for his tastes¡ªyet another sign that he needed a break.


    But all of that would have to wait.


    Right now, Rey had to deal with something else, and it was tied to the fact that he wasn''t alone in the Shrine.


    "I thought we would be meetingter." He muttered, turning away from the Statue while averting his eyes to the one who stood behind him.


    "Didn''t you have somewhere you had to be¡­ Adrien?"


    Adrien was standing very close to the entrance of the Shrine, and it was clear that he had been waiting for Rey for quite some time.


    As soon as he heard this question, the smile on his face broadened and he shrugged the whole thing off almost instantly. Instead of replying immediately, he chuckled and walked closer to Rey.


    "I just wanted to see you one final time before leaving. After this, I''ll be heading to my next destination."


    "Is that so? Okay then¡­"


    "That''s her, right? Esme¡­ what a nice name for a nicedy."


    Rey tightened his hold on Esme as he frowned at Adrien, who waved his hands in surrender,ughing as he spoke.


    "Sorry, sorry¡­ I mean no harm. I''m not interested in her anyway."


    "Who said anything about interest?"


    "Hm? What did you mean, then?" Adeien raised a yful brow, but it was quickly followed by a heavy sigh from Rey.


    "Just stay away from my allies, okay? If there''s nothing else, we should part ways here."


    "Hmm¡­ I see." Adrien smirked. "Understood."


    "If that''s all, then¡ª"


    "I went to the Elf Dungeon and found it raided already. It seems someone beat me to it, so I wanted to confirm if that was you."


    "Yes, that was me." Rey answered honestly, slightly growing annoyed by Adrien''s questions.


    "I knew it! The only one who could possible do it in this whole Continent¡ªapart from me, of course¡ªis you. Well, there''s Emil too¡­"


    "Again with Emil? Just stop it already." Rey didn''t want to get too worked up, since that would just be adding one more emotions to the mix of highly vtile ones already in stock.


    And so, instead of adding gasoline to the mes, Rey suppressed to the point where the subject matter became one of slight interest to him.


    "You really don''t know the value of what you have, Rey. Emil is¡ª"


    "Mine. She''s my Familiar, and I''ll handle her however I please. If you have nothing more of relevance to add, I''ll be having my leave now."


    It was getting more and more tasking, controlling his emotions. He was tempted to use [Perfect Calm], but his actions would be too unpredictable in that state.


    ''I''ll just teleport, and¡­ h-huh¡­?''


    All of a sudden, Rey felt all the Mana drain within his body, leaving his tank at the very bottom of zero. Before he could even realize what was happening, Emil''s voice echoed within his mind in the loudest voice possible.


    ~I''M DONE WITH YOU, REY!~


    ''What?!'' Without his Mana, most of his Skills were deactivated¡ªas even passive Skills required some Mana to work on, and Buffs needed to multiply pre-existing numbers.


    With everything at zero, he felt the weight of his exhaustion weigh on him even more¡ªthough he still managed everything.


    The sudden protest that Emil gave added one more emotion to the mix¡ªconfusion.


    ~You are a terrible Master, and you don''t appreciate me at all¡­ unlike Adrien! He is a far better candidate than you, and he understands my true worth!~


    "What the hell¡­ are you talking about?"


    Rey already knew, so the question was unnecessary. His worst fears regarding Emil hade to pass, and that had to do with her abandonment of him and their Bond.


    Since she was immune to damage, nothing in their contract really bound her.


    That meant¡ª


    ~GLUP!~


    ¡ªShe was free to leave.


    Her slimy ck body parted from Rey, and she darted upwards, away from him and towards Adrien.


    "I don''t think so¡­" Rey muttered, easily reaching out to her due to having rtively equal Stats as her.


    He noticed Adrien was just standing still, watching the whole thing with a somewhat neutral expression written on his face.


    ''I see. So, he''s not averse to the idea of having Emil, but since he isn''t fighting me for her¡­ I can''t particrly say he''s involved.''


    In a sense, this was Emil''s decision¡­ almost the same way Esme made her own choice. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ''I¡­ I¡­ What am I¡­?'' Thanks to this confusion within him, he hesitated.


    This gave Emil more than enough time for action.


    ~It''s over, Rey. We''re through!~


    At that very moment, energy swelled from within Emil, causing all the energy she absorbed from Rey¡ªthrough her [Consume] Skill¡ªto pour out in a powerful burst.


    Mana worth 29,000 was released all at once.


    The result?


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~

 Chapter 729 Cautionary Take

    Chapter 729 Cautionary Take


    "Be very wary of that Familiar that you keep close. The one you trust so deeply and ce in charge of your affairs."


    As the st erupted, Rey remembered one of the words that The Oracle said to him.


    Back then, he assumed the one she was referring to was Ater, but¡­ was that really the case?


    She never mentioned a particr name, and kept referring to the Familiar in a non-binary manner. The way The Oracle framed the warning didn''t make it exclusive to just Ater.


    All along¡­ it could have been Emil.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    **************** n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The powerful st of sheer Mana should have easily destroyed the entire Shrine and everything around it for at least a few blocks¡ªif not more¡ªyet nothing of the sort happened.


    Instead, the incredible explosion was contained within a barrier that covered the explosion in its entirety.


    As a result, only the interior of the barrier was affected by the powerful explosion.


    "Haa¡­" A sharp exhtion rose from within the barrier as a naked figure stepped out, his flesh forming as he emerged from the smoke.


    Bones, muscles, and every other aspect of his bodypletely regenerated from the st that would have reduced anyone and anything in its vicinity into ashes.


    Rather, due to immortality, the figure did not meet his end.


    Instead, in about a minute, he hadpletely recovered from the damage caused by the eruption of his own Mana.


    "... They''re gone, huh?"


    Rey looked around him, even going as far as spreading his senses to everything around him, but he didn''t find a trace of both Adrien and Emil. It was clear that they fled the instant she shot him with the Mana st.


    ''If I didn''t hesitate, I would have¡­ no, there''s no use thinking about any of that now.''


    If what The Oracle said about his Familiar was true, then this was good riddance. Emil was going to be very problematic to deal with as a foe, but now that he knew exactly what she was, he wouldn''t hesitate to use whatever means possible to eliminate her.


    ''Since Adrien sees no problem taking my Familiar, he surely won''t have a problem with me destroying her.''


    The real problem was information.


    ''Emil knows about [Doppel], as well as Ater, and a bunch of other secrets of mine. Now that she''s working with Adrien, I''ve pretty much lost all my leverage.'' Rey''s frustration at his own hesitation only grew the more he considered the consequences of letting Emil go. He would have at least sealed her off somewhere, rather than let her get into Adrien''s clutches.


    ''But¡­ where exactly would I seal her?''


    Emil already had the ability to eat through Skills, and she could transform into certain individuals¡ªincluding himself¡ªand also use their Skills.


    She was his ultimate enemy, in a sense.


    ''I didn''t realize her dissatisfaction with me had reached such a height, and I also didn''t think Adrien would show up so soon. It''s all so¡­'' The more he tried to reason his way through it, the more annoyed he became.


    In a sh, Rey summoned clothes for himself through Spatial Magic, making sure he maintained his ck aesthetic.


    ''I guess my eyepatch was the only thing not destroyed. It''s pretty durable¡­'' Rey felt its texture above his eye. It was a shame he would have to stop using it soon since he had almost fully limated to his full vision. "Status Window."


    [STATUS WINDOW] - Name: Rey Skr.


    - Race: Human (Otherworlder)


    - ss: Singrity (S-Tier)


    - Level: 270 (0.58% EXP) - Life Force: 13,000 - Mana Level: 7,000/39,000 - Combat Ability: 21,550 - Stat Points: 20,650


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Doppel]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Merger]. [Perfect Calm].[Sacrifice]. [Domain Of Man]


    - Alignment: Neutral Good


    [Additional Information]


    You have done the impossible and stand at the precipice of power. As such, you now possess the interest of this World.


    [End Of Information]


    ''Looks like I lost all the Skills that she got from me, which means she''s no longer bound to me. It''s a good thing I still have them in my [Doppel], though¡­ so it''s not really a loss.'' Rey thought to himself as he looked at his Status Window.


    He then shifted his gaze to the Stat Points left in his arsenal.


    ''Reduced by 10,000, eh? I guess that''s how much I took to supplement my Mana.''


    Thanks to his swift cognitive process, once the explosion urred, he had to act and think fast, so he took some Stat Points and added them to his Mana. Afterwards, he used two Skills at consecutive times.


    One was his [Perfect Divine Magic], which was used to send Esme away from their location so she wouldn''t be affected by the st, and the second was a barrier to protect the Shrine from the st.


    Perhaps this was just his sentiment, or a sense of responsibility, but he didn''t want the ce destroyed due to his irresponsibility.


    ''Now that I think about it, I should have used [Domain Of Man], but¡­ Emil also had [Domain Of Man], so things would have gotten dicey if she ate through my Domain and trapped me in hers.''


    Besides, he couldn''tpletely forget about Adrien, so he had to y smart.


    ''No matter¡­ I know what Adrien is nning. I doubt he lied to me about it, considering he went through all that trouble.'' Rey sighed to himself.


    Besides, he also had ''that'' Skill to help him out if push came to shove.


    No matter how he looked at it, they were going to meet each other sooner orter, and Rey already knew what he would do once that time arrived.


    ''I''m going to beat him up badly¡­ and eliminate Emil as swiftly as possible.''


    This time, he wouldn''t hesitate or try to rationalize the situation. The only problem was how to counter Emil, but that was something he would have more than enough time to think about and consider.


    ''For now, I''ll have to attend to Esme and rest too¡­''


    A lot was weighing him down¡ªparticrly thoughts that wereyered in his mind, but he pressed on.


    With a single Spell, he created a spatial rift and vanished to his destination.

 Chapter 730 Scream Of Pain

    Chapter 730 Scream Of Pain


    ''I''m sorry¡­''


    With hunched shoulders, he watched as Esme''s bodyy on the bed he ced her in. Her delicate body disyed a kind of fragileness that nearly made him pity her.


    Despite his own unfortunate circumstances, he couldn''t help feeling even worse for Esme.


    ''No¡­ do I really feel bad for her, or myself?''


    At this point, Rey could feel the emotions within him rise up at a terrible pace. He had suppressed them for so long that theirpounded effects were beginning to disturb his mind.


    Unable to resist any longer, he fell to his knees and released everything at once.


    "HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!" Screaming at the top of his lungs, he had tears descending down his eyes as his whole body trembled.


    He felt bad¡ªvery bad.


    All of those feelings¡ªrage, fear, shame, sorrow, and much more¡ªoozed out of his voice, which would have normally filled the room, but thanks to his Sound Magic, Rey controlled the flow of the noise he was making and restricted it greatly.


    In essence, not even Emil who slept beside him could hear his wails and screams.


    ''I¡­ I¡­ what am I doing?''


    Despite being the one that was betrayed by Emil, he couldn''t help but me himself for how everything ended up this way.


    ''If only¡­ if only I was a better Master¡­''


    He had taken Emil for granted all this time, and he carelessly trusted Adrien. Now that he thought of all these things, he hated himself and all his course of actions.


    "I''M SO STUPID!!!" He cried out in utter and pure anger.


    Perhaps this was nothing but self-pity. However, Rey didn''t care about that at all.


    All of the current emotions that nearly suffocated him were very real¡ªtoo real. He hated himself for feeling so much disgust towards himself, and towards how he handled so many situations with such ipetence.


    ''I''m just an average idiot who got blessed with this power. In the end¡­ I haven''t changed a single bit!''


    Whether as Yer, or Ralyks¡­ or whatever other identity that had been framed around him¡­ he was nothing but ordinary. He was nothing else but a fool.


    "H¡­ hc¡­" Sobs that were buried underneathyers of suppression sprang out, alongside a myriad of other emotions here and there.


    ''I¡­ I¡­''


    All of a sudden, every single emotion that was consuming him within that single window vanished in their entirety. In essence¡­ the System intervened.


    "A-ahh¡­" Rey no longer felt the urge to cry, and he even wiped off the tears that streamed down his eyes. His mind became much clearer, and his body felt strangely rejuvenated.


    All the overwhelming emotions that he felt like would kill him if he didn''t release them suddenly seemed like a thing of the distant past. Despite crying and screaming mere seconds ago, it seemed like it happened much further into the past.


    That was how disconnected he was from the atmosphere he had just created.


    ''I''ve gotten it out of my system, so it''s best not to remain too fixated on feelings and focus on the most important matters at the moment.''


    Slowly rising to his feet, he took in a deep breath and began to calcte a bunch of things in his head rted to the pertinent issues that he had to address. Before he could even make it very far, though¡ª


    "R-Rey¡­?"


    ¡ªA voice stopped him dead in his tracks.


    His cold heart suddenly felt warm, and he could feel the jitters spread through his brain and throughout the rest of his body.


    He couldn''t resist turning after hearing his name, and he found Esme in the bed looking at him with a slightly curious¡ªbut mostly emotionless¡ªfacade.


    "What''s going on here?" She asked, turning around to see a rather familiar surroundings.


    This was definitely Rey''s residential room in the Elf Community, which meant she was no longer in the paradise that was the Oracle''s Domain.


    The moment she realized this, her expressionless face became that of a frown. "I know what''s on your mind. But, if you''d allow me to exin what¡ª" As Rey spoke, Esme''s frown only became more grim, eventually raising her hand to stop him from saying any more.


    "Hold on¡­ let me get this straight, Rey¡­"


    "Yeah?"


    "You took me away from my destiny as the Oracle''s Heir and brought me back here¡­. Right?" "Yes¡­"


    "Why would you? Even after I told you¡­"


    ''Because I¡ª'' Rey wanted to utter certain words, but he let his rational mind take over and stop him from making more poor choices.


    In the end, the best thing he could do¡ªwhich would also be the least selfish¡ªwould be to tell her all about wha happened when she was with The Oracle, and how he arrived at a solution.


    "I''ll tell you everything¡­"


    He would have to tell her about Ci, about Feralia, Adrien, as well as so many people who yed their part in the intricate scheme. In the end, he could find no better way.


    ''It might make her angrier, and it''s unpredictable what she''ll say or do, but¡­'''' Rey''s thoughts trailed as he watched the stoic Elf stare at him waiting.


    ''... I owe her that much.''


    Yes, some might argue that he saved her from assimting with The Oracle and losing all her personality, but since she was willing to do all of that to achieve her goals¡­ Rey was the one who butted in unnecessarily.


    This was the only way he could offer rpense.


    ****************


    [Moments Later] n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "I see. So that''s how it happened." Esme''s voice was cool, and her expression remained unchanging after listening to all of the news.


    She was even epting the news rather maturely¡ªall things considered.


    "Thank you, Rey."


    "Eh? For what?" He was slightly flustered by Esme''s good-natured words. He was sure that she''d flip, but she seemedpletely rxed about the whole thing.


    "You came back for me¡­ you cared for me¡­ you went through such lengths¡­" She made a slight smile as she looked at him. "Thank you."


    At this point, Rey felt warmth slowly permeate his heart.


    Perhaps he wasn''t such a bad person, after all. "Esme, I¡ª"


    "That being said, Rey¡­ I can never forgive you for what you did." Esme interrupted him with even more words that rose from the depths of her heart.


    Her smile had turned into something a lot darker.


    "You ruined my chances of helping my people my way. I know why you did it, and I also considered it¡­ but in the end, I chose that path anyway. I even told you to just¡­ y-yet you¡­" It seemed like Esme would cry, but she actually didn''t.


    Instead, she looked Rey straight in the eyes with a deep re and moist eyes.


    "You chose my mother instead¡­ a mother I never got to meet." Rey knew just how curious Esme was about her mom. But now, just to ruin her ns, Rey went to sacrifice the one person that Esme wanted to talk to the most.


    "She''s gone forever now, Rey¡­ thanks to you."


    In response to this, Rey remained silent for the longest time. After a few seconds of silence following Esme''sst words, though, Rey had to say something.


    "I know."

 Chapter 731 Crossroads

    Chapter 731 Crossroads


    "I know you''re not a bad person, Rey."


    As Rey heard this, he prepared himself for what was about toe. It wasn''t very difficult to steel his heart and consider the very worst when it came to the current situation with Esme.


    In all honesty, he was very tired.


    Emotionally speaking, he had exhausted a lot of his energy, and he was practically running on fumes. His expression remained lull, and this carried on throughout his conversation with Esme¡ªor more urately, Esme''s conversation with him.


    "You''re an amazing person. I''ve looked up to you for the longest time too. You saved me more times than I can think of, both directly and indirectly, and I owe a lot to you¡­"


    Rey still had his heart steeled despite how soft her words were.


    "My¡­ my feelings for you have not changed as well, even though I really wish they would. I don''t¡­ hate you or anything, but¡­" As she went through the right words to say, Rey''s thoughts were at a standstill.


    He didn''t want to think anything, or feel anything. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    He just listened.


    "... There''s just so much going on with me right now. I¡­ I can''t even look you in the eye right now. I''m angry, and sad, and disappointed, and a bunch of other things¡­ and most of this confusion is because of you." At this point, she stared at Rey, seeing his unassuming expression and calm reaction towards all she was saying.


    Whether it was for the better or worse, his facade prompted her to continue with her train of thought; hence, finishing what she started.


    "I need some space, Rey."


    "Space¡­?"


    "Yes. Space away from you¡­" She sighed, rubbing her forehead as she uttered those words. "I don''t think I''ll be returning to the Western Continent with you and Kara."


    Rey listened to this in silence, not leaking out a sound for even a second. He watched Esme''s unease as she uttered those words, but he could also see her resolute eyes and determined expression.


    He was certain she was very serious in her position, and there was very little he could do to convince her to leave with him.


    It wouldn''t even be unfair for her.


    "I understand¡­" Was all he had to say after all she told him.


    Before she could get another word in, and before he would be tempted to say any more, Rey got up from where he sat and began to walk away.


    He could feel her eyes on him, and he could also see her even when he turned it was his back that faced her. Still, he didn''t stop until he reached the door and touched the knob.


    "Rest well¡­ Esme."


    He left afterwards, shutting the door lightly.


    It could have been his imagination, but Rey heard silent sobs right as he was about to close the door. He shut his eyes, dulled his senses, andpletely shut off the room from his mind. For Esme''s sake¡­ and for his sake¡­ this was for the best.


    ''I¡­'' As soon as he closed the door and took a few steps in the hallway, Rey clutched his chest and felt his racing heart. He had been unable to properly think and feel thanks to his suppression of those aspects of himself, but there was only so much he could do.


    His longing was not quenched by the System, and his thoughts were slowly getting unbridled by his mind, allowing them to flow.


    ''I¡­ also have feelings for you, Esme.'' His cheeks were red, and his hand dug deeper into his chest in an attempt to stop its reaction.


    Nothing about it stopped though.


    He felt a surge of excitement, as well as a pang of pain anytime the image of the Half Elf came to his mind. It was a frustrating experience for Rey¡ªone he wouldn''t wish for even his worst enemies.


    In all honesty, he was very tempted to run back into the room and embrace her.


    He wanted to apologize once again and tell her to give him another chance. He wanted to hug her, and maybe, just maybe¡­


    ''No. No, I can''t.'' He told himself. ''It''s a bit toote for that.''


    When she revealed her feelings for him, why didn''t he tell her he felt the same? Why didn''t he hug her or kiss her back? Rey knew the reason well, and Esme was sure to understand it just as certainly.


    He still had feelings for Alicia. That was yet to change a single bit.


    Never before had he liked two girls this fiercely, feeling conflicted about which side to pick and which to abandon. It seemed Esme did her best to make the decision easy for him.


    ''My weakness led to this oue. I feel so useless at this point, it''s sickening¡­'' His thoughts flowed as he inhaled and exhaled deeply.


    Despite winning the battle for the Elves, even getting everything he came to the Land of the Elves for, Rey didn''t feel like a winner.


    No, not one bit.


    He felt he had lost too many valuable things, and the truth about H''Trae weighed heavily on his heart. All of the things he had faced and experienced stripped off thest aspect of his innocence, forcing him to grow up and confront issues he never wanted to.


    The Rey that currently walked down the hallway was different from the one that first arrived.


    So much¡­ so much had changed.


    **************


    [A Few Days Later]


    "It''s finally time."


    Ater''s smile broadened widely as he floated above the Capital of the United Human Alliance.


    His crimson eyes reflected the City in all its majesty, and his hair danced around with the wind as the rest of his body remained still. Still donning his usual dark suit, he appeared majestic, and while watching the exquisite city from above, he inhaled and exhaled deeply.


    "Once I am done, I am sure Master will be very pleased." He cast his gaze on all the yers he set on his yground.


    There was no need to hold back any longer.

 Chapter 732 Crisis In The City

    Chapter 732 Crisis In The City


    Chaos.


    That was the state that was bestowed upon the Capital that fateful day.


    The City was in mes and echoes of anguish echoed from within it. The residents fled for their dear lives as destruction spread throughout¡ªrapidly consuming everything in its path.


    As buildings crumbled, lives were snuffed out in an instant. Men, women, children; the devastation everywhere did not discriminate. It took the lives and future of all of them without making any exception.


    Monsters emerged from nothingness¡ªas if appearing from thin air¡ªto attack the City in an overwhelming horde. They broke down all that stood in their way, not intelligent enough to organize any sort of direction.


    Their only purpose was chaos, and they performed it well.


    If it had only been Monsters that attacked, perhaps there could be some semnce of hope for these people¡ªthese helpless people of the Capital.


    But¡­ there was more. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Dragons¡ªtwo of them¡ªhovered above the great city, partaking in the banquet of chaos that was being held. A single breath of theirs was able to destroy buildings, and their control over the aerialndscape made them invincible. Nothing could stop them¡­ and so they continued.


    On and on.


    Amidst all of this chaos, a certain group of five watched from a rather tall building. They took in the tragedy that they were privy to¡ªthe fall of the precious haven for humanity in the harsh world of H''Trae. But these people couldn''t care less. After all, they were strangers.


    "The damage is a lot more than I expected. This is¡­ damn¡­" One of the deserters whispered as he stared at the burning buildings that were closest to his position.


    He could hear wailings and tons of cries from beneath him, and it only grew worse.


    The sickening effect of the City''s destruction was the cry of so many innocents. Their death was towards a good cause, and not all of them would perish, but still¡­ it was very hard to watch and listen to their screams.


    "When are we going to assist them? I think we should go no¡ª"


    "Wait a few moments more¡­" Felicia muttered, her eyes fixed on the magnificent sight of devastation that was spread out before her.


    It wasn''t that she enjoyed the destruction of lives and properties so much, but her n was simply a pragmatic one.


    ''We need to make them desperate enough. A few more seconds, and we''ll swoop in¡­''


    She and her allies would be the heroes, and by the time they were done dispatching all of the creatures, they would all be recognized by the people of the City.


    It was perfect in every sense of the word.


    ''Justin, rk, Trisha, and Belle agreed to be on our side, so they are also on standby. We''re the ones who get to shine during this period, but they''ll serve as help to rescue and mitigate the damage done.''


    Everything had been nned already, and Felicia was d to see everything going exactly ording to her mastern.


    "Okay, everyone¡­" She turned to all of her allies.


    Like the obedient dogs that they were, all of them waited for their orders, their faithpletely ced in her. It made Felicia happier than ever.


    "... Let''s go!"


    **************


    The n was simple, and it was executed that way as well.


    Felicia and her team would be scattered to various parts of the City, aiding people and defeating powerful Monsters in order to be recognized by the people as the Heroes who stopped such a great tragedy.


    They would be heroes in all senses of the word.


    And so, as Felicia raced throughout the City, she spotted people who required help, and also the Monsters who desired to do them harm.


    Smiling to herself, she dashed forward and prepared her twin stilettos¡ªher preferred choice of weapons.


    She was also donning light armor¡ªall of them provided for by the Reaper Group.


    Right now, she was overflowing with so much power that it felt too unreal. Still, she wondered how she would fare against a Monster.


    Her opponents were a pair of Orcs¡ªmassive, brutish, tough, and immensely strong.


    Felicia wondered how the Reaper Group got their hands on so many Monsters and transported them to the Capital without notice, but chose not to think too deeply about the matter.


    Anything was possible through Magic, after all.


    ~SWUUSH!~


    In quick movements, she was able to dispatch such hulking entities with rtive ease. ''Ah¡­ that easy?''


    It wasn''t that they were weak¡­ she was just strong.


    She was getting a lot of assistance from her equipment, but her physical abilities weren''t particrlycking either.


    ''At this rate, we should be done faster than I calcted. That''s good¡­'' Scouring for her next destination, Felicia looked around while her thoughts were still mulling over the possibility of such an organized tragedy like this.


    She already knew there was a ck Market and Criminal Underbelly in this world. Yes, it was taken down, but there was always a good chance that they weren''t fully gone. If she had to guess, the Reaper Group was the one running it now.


    ''If that''s the case, they could use some unknown transportationwork, forbidden Magic, or any other means, to achieve this grand scheme of theirs.''


    ording to the Reaper Group''s supposed leader¡ªRebal¡ªthis n had been in the works for a very long time, so it only made sense that the Monsters and all the other resources necessary for such arge scale attack had been gathered over the years.


    ''Even the Dragons¡­'' Felicia looked up and saw the two creatures circling the City, creating artificial destruction to further increase the fear of the people.


    ''I can''t kill even one of those things, but¡­ thankfully we don''t have to fight them.''


    The Dragons were ves of the Reaper Group. All they had to do was pretend as if they used some Skill or Spell on them so they fought themselves and vanished in one huge explosion.


    That way, they would still be recognized as the heroes of the Capital.


    ''Yes, this whole thing does seem a little excessive. A lot of people will die, but at the very least, they''re already being evacuated.'' Felicia thought to herself, trying to sate whatever was left of her conscience.


    In her eyes, the Reaper Group was the real viin here. She and her allies were simply the heroes doing their best to mitigate losses and to ensure as many people as possible survived.


    ''And once we''re done¡­ we''ll be recognized as the Heroes!''


    **********


    [Meanwhile¡­]


    "Look at those fools¡­ hahaha!" "Indeed! Such fools!"


    Kat''erin and Shai''ya stood and watched from the outskirts of the Capital, witnessing as the great city was now in mes thanks to the excessiveness of the humans who had their own nefarious intentions in mind.


    It was very easy to manipte gullible humans¡ªespecially those that showed conceit.


    "Ah, it seems it''s about time for the evacuation¡­" Kat''erin said with a wide grin, ncing at Shai''ya, who seemed overly excited for what woulde next.


    The two then proceeded to nce at Reta, who was standing behind them, smiling lovingly at the two of them.


    She waspletely under their control.


    "Now, then¡­" Kat''erin grinned devilishly. "... Shall we begin our task?"

 Chapter 733 The Pleasure Of Dragons [Pt 1]

    Chapter 733 The Pleasure Of Dragons [Pt 1]


    The n was simple, ording to the Dragons.


    Kat''erin and Shai''ya were positioned close one of the few evacuation gates that the Capital had for situations like this. Theirrades¡ªthe backup Dragon Generals sent by the other Dragon Lords that were in support of their Master''s n¡ªwere stationed in the other areas as well.


    With thiswork of Dragons, they were going to ensure no one was left alive among those who escaped the incinerated city.


    "I never would have thought humans could be so vile, though. They''reying their own city to waste by using Monsters¡­ all for their own selfish ambitions¡­" Kat''erin muttered, though she showed nothing like remorse or pity as she spoke.


    Simply pure amusement.


    "They are probably thinking that, since many of the denizens will be evacuated, their n will still seed. They have no idea at all, do they, Shai''ya?"


    Shai''ya nodded and giggled like a child having fun. "Anyone who escapes will die by our hands! No one is going to escape! They will all be destroyed!"


    The two Dragondies nodded in conjunction.


    "Indeed!"


    Everyone was going to perish at their hands.


    Right as they thought this, the humans began to pour out like maggots¡ªall of them shrieking and crying as they fled for their dear lives.


    The suffering they must have endured to be among those who made it out was evident on their faces, but none of that mattered to Shai''ya and Kat''erin. They simply watched as the humans ran forward, towards the bridge that would lead to the safe woods.


    They were both waiting in front of the bridge.


    "W-what are you two doing?! Where did youe from?!" The man at the forefront yelled at the Dragons.


    He was dressed as a Knight, and he was responsible for leading the people out of the city.


    Due to the situation, he was rather impatient¡ªand rightfully so. He had a deep frown, and his evident re only made his face appear worse. Since the girls did not respond to him on time, he yelled once again.


    "Get out of the way! We don''t have much time!"


    At this point, the people behind him began to push, since more denizens were trying to leave the confines of the burning city. They were being held up by the clogged front.


    "What the hell?!"


    "Move it! Hurry up already!"


    "I don''t want to die! What''s holding them up over there?!"


    "Let us go! Please let us go!"


    "We''re all going to die, aren''t we? Please¡­ please nooo!"


    More words erupted, and with more pushing in tow, the Knight decided he had to shove thedies out of the way, stepping forward to do so.


    The reason for his initial hesitation was due to the appearance of the two girls. Their skins were wless, and their hair magnificent. The robes they donned were of only the highest quality, which made him suspect they were Nobles or people of high standing.


    Since the rest of hisrades were still busy fighting, it was clear he was on his own here. He couldn''t identify what kind of Nobles they were, and since he was already pressed for time, he had to shove them aside somehow.


    "If you won''t, then I''ll move y¡ª"


    "Explode."


    ~SPLOOOSH!~


    The Knight''s instantly erupted into a st of meat and blood¡ªspraying over the horrified people who watched this happen. All their eyes widened in horror as they witnessed this sight. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The gory remains of the night¡ªthe pinkish flesh and numerous innards¡ªstuck to the bodies of those itnded on, but the blood was different.


    It gathered above Shai''ya, who watched the whole thing with glee.


    Kat''erin smiled at herrade, amused by how she started the rather fun round of killing humans.


    "I guess it''s my turn¡­" Raising her hand and pointing it towards the humans, she called forth the name of her Skill.


    "[Angel Of Death]"


    In an instant, an entity manifested right in front of her.


    The being floated in the air and was coated in white. It was translucent, almost incorporeal, as its oversized robe danced about it.


    In all senses of the word¡­ it resembled an angel.


    This manifestation stood still as Kat''erin broadened her smile and caused her eyes to glow with sheer wickedness.


    The confused, scared, and utterly stunned expression of the helpless humans did not stop her from giving the damning order to the entity she just brought forth.


    "Kill them all." ~WHOOOSH!~


    In a sh¡ªmuch faster than the blink of an eye¡ªthe entity rushed past the humans, having a scythe in its hand.


    In one wide swing, hundreds of heads flew into the air.


    ~SPLOOOSH!~


    The blood gathered right above Shai''ya, making the orb of blood evenrger than ever. And so, as the Summoned catastrophe easily mowed down the humans that tried to escape, their bodies were drained of the blood they had¡ªdown to thest ounce.


    The ughter caused pandemonium, as everyone began to run back¡ªeven preferring the destruction that the city offered to the execution that the Dragons were granting them.


    Unfortunately for the runaways, none of them were fated to survive this encounter.


    "Rain of Blood."


    In an instant, the sphere vanished from Shai''ya''s position and created a massive cloud above all the humans beneath.


    Then, in a single second of sheer silence¡­


    ~TIT~


    ~TAT~


    ~TIT~


    ~TAT~


    ¡­ It released raindrops¡ªBLOODY RAINDROPS.


    They were like bullets, and a single one piercing the body of the humans caused them to explode due to the pressure they generated.


    Each bloody raindrop had a corrosive element, making them capable of eating and piercing through anything. Adding the immense power they packed, it was overkill for the humans to receive even two of the raindrops, talkless of a shower of it..


    "You went and killed them all, Shai''ya. No fair¡­" Kat''erin watched the whole muttion, observing as the blood of all the fallen went into her sphere.


    Truly, [Absolute Blood Control] was one of the most powerful Skills to possess, and it made Shai''ya an incredibly dangerous person¡ªeven by Dragon standards.


    "All I gave them was a mild drizzle, though¡­" She muttered, looking at the devastatedndscape with innocent eyes.


    One would never believe she was a mass murderer with the cute face she made.


    "Guess I went too far."

 Chapter 734 The Pleasure Of Dragons [Pt 2]

    Chapter 734 The Pleasure Of Dragons [Pt 2]


    "Hahahahahaha!!!"


    The Dragons allughed as the City before them was burning uppletelyid to waste.


    The corpses of the innocents who attempted to evacuate also littered the ground a good distance from them, from all evacuation points no less.


    There were four gates that led outside the Capital, and with two Dragons assigned to two each, the results ended the same for everyone who attempted to flee. They all died, and the exits were sealed so the rest would suffer within the stifling world of the Capital. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    No one had any doubt about it¡ªthe humans were ruined.


    "Thank you for your hard work,rades!" Kat''erin smiled at the Dragons who stood before her and herrade.


    There were a total of six of them¡ªtwo contributed from each Lord allied with the White Dragon Lord. They had rendezvoused a little beyond the outskirts of the Capital, though they could see all that went on in the ruined city from where they were.


    It was all so fulfilling, and from the looks of all the Dragons involved, it was clear they felt the same thing.


    "We do not deserve such high praise, Lady Kat''erin. You and Lady Shai''ya are our seniors." The most mature of the Dragons said with a smile, bowing slightly to her.


    Despite them being men, they acted so humbly among two women. This was because, unlike certain societies and cultures that incorporated sexism in their practices, the Dragons did not care for sex or gender differences.


    What mattered most was ability and rank.


    "We are all Generals here, so there''s no need to fuss over seniority." Kat''erin said with a dismissive wave, though she was satisfied to know that the people before her knew how to deliver proper respects.


    "Still¡­ you are a part of the 7 Squads. It is my dream to one day join a Squad, so I''ll work very hard to prove myself worthy to the Empire."


    "Me too!"


    "I''ll do my best as well!"


    All of the Dragon Generals expressed immense readiness to serve, and that pleased Kat''erin very much. It reminded her of her time in the Academy, and she figured the Generals before her only finished their Course only recently.


    "When did you pass from the Academy?" She went on to ask.


    It was a somewhat strange question to ask, since they were only rted by professional strands. Still, since a General belonging to one of the special Squads of the Empire was asking, the General did not hesitate to answer.


    "A-about seven years ago! I was dispatched for three years in the Southern Continent, and I spent the rest in the Western Battlefield¡ªmainly performing training and management roles to my juniors."


    Kat''erin smiled and nodded at the stiff, awkward, but well-meaning words of the Dragon before her.


    "Not bad¡­ you''ve racked quite a bit of achievement already. I suppose you were quite exceptional in the South."


    "Hahaha! You render me too much praise."


    ''I haven''t gone to the South yet, but that''s more due to politics than personal abilities. In any case, he''s had some good experiences since I hear that''s where the war is most intense.''


    Kat''erin was sure this General didn''t really fight in the front lines, but it was still a good experience he had to put in his portfolio.


    ''The intensity of the battlefield was probably too much for him, so he requested to be transferred to the West. Since he is still fresh, I can''t me him. Usually, the exceptional ones are the kind that thrive in the South.'' All of these were random thoughts that she had about her junior, but they were nothing serious. The only reason she had such a long train of thought was out of consideration for him joining one of the Squads of the Empire.


    ''It''ll take some time for him to aplish that, but¡­ I suppose it''s possible.''


    As long as he wasn''t too ambitious, he would be able to join one of the lower-ranked Squads.


    ''There''s no real need to tell him all of that, though.'' Kat''erin thought to herself with a light shrug, so she simply let the General off with a few words of encouragement.


    "Just keep working hard. I hope I meet you one day in a Squad Evaluation event."


    "I-I''ll try my best, Ma''am!"


    The moment he said this in a stiff salute, the other Generals also did the same, all raising their voices with pure energy.


    "We will do our best as well!"


    It seemed they all had the same ambition as the first guy, but none of that surprised her. Dragons were naturally attuned to warfare, and nothing motivated them more than rank and merit. They all desired to bring glory to the Empire through their actions.


    She was no different¡ªthough her real allegiance belonged to her Master, the White Dragon Lord.


    She was only loyal to the Emperor because her Lord served him.


    ''I''d never say such a thing to anyone, but¡­ that is truly how I feel.'' She smiled to herself, even blushing slightly.


    She simply adored her Master that much.


    ~BZZZTZZZ!~


    She felt a buzz on themunication device with her, instantly recognizing who was trying to reach her.


    ''M-Master!'' Her eyes widened in glee as she brought out the device and showed Shai''ya, who was instantly brimmed with joy the moment she saw it as well.


    Kat''erin signaled the Generals before her that she would be excusing herself, and in the blink of an eye, the two subordinates of the White Demon Lord created considerable distance between themselves and the other Generals.


    Part of the reason they did this was so the Generals wouldn''t be able to listen to whatever information their Master wanted to give them¡ªjust in case it was confidential. It was best to respond to such calls in private, and Kat''erin was sure the other Generals would have done the same if it was their respective Lords calling.


    However, there was another reason they preferred taking the call of their Master in private.


    "Heheheheeee!"


    "Can''t wait! Can''t wait!"


    They picked up the call and awaited the kind words of their Master as they greeted her with the most excited tone one could have.


    "Master, did you see how¡ª?"


    "Master how have you¡ª?"


    Before any of their greetings couldnd, though, the loud voice of the White Dragon Lord pierced the air in an unsettling manner.


    "You fools! Do you have any idea what you''ve done?!" "E-eh¡­?" Kat''erin and Shai''ya both had stunned looks on their faces as they heard the voices of their Master.


    They thought, for sure, that Lord Frey''ja would congratte them for their exploits. Sure, killing a bunch of humans wasn''t that big a deal, but still¡­ she was always fond of praising them for every little thing.


    This was one of the reasons they were so attached to her.


    The mere fact that she was using such a harsh tone proved that they had done something extremely wrong.


    Shai''ya''s distracted gaze moved to the other Dragon Generals, perhaps out of fear that they had heard the words of their Master despite the anti-sound field that was in ce. However, she was shocked to see that each duo was also on their respective calls.


    It seemed their Lords were also speaking to them.


    Their reactions also contained distress.


    At this point, the two Dragon Generals realized that something was wrong somewhere.


    They had made a fatal mistake¡­ but they did not know what it was.

 Chapter 735 Curtains Rise

    Chapter 735 Curtains Rise


    "You imbeciles! Why haven''t you been picking your calls despite how many times I tried to reach you!"


    This next question shocked them just as much as the first.


    "C-Calls¡­?" They both looked at each other with stunned expressions on their faces.


    The moment they felt a vibrating feeling, they picked the device immediately. Neither of them would even dream of ignoring the call of their Master, which was what made them too stunned to even speak.


    They were beyond confused.


    "Master¡­ we did as you instructed us."


    "We also picked your call as soon as we¡ª"


    "SAVE YOUR EXCUSES!" The rage-filled voice of the Lord frightened the two girls, almost to the point of tears.


    They were silently sobbing and trembling without even realizing what they did wrong.


    "You''ve ruined everything! Even after I trusted you¡­ after I told you the importance of the n¡­ even after I raised you to be obedient and perfect, you still messed this up! Why? Why did you do this? Why now? Why me¡­?"


    This was the very first time they had heard their master being this pathetic. Yes, she was incredibly furious, and she didn''t hide that fact, but¡­ there was something else. She was frightened, horrified, and downright anxious.


    She seemed just as scared as they were.


    "W-what did we do, Master? Why are you speaking like this?" Shai''ya cried out loud, her tears flowing now.


    Kat''erin still tried to maintain herposure, but the more immature girl was already sobbing very loudly in her confused state.


    "Are you crazy? ying dumb at a period like this¡­ what ungrateful and idiotic bitches you are! I regret ever taking you in! You''ve ruined me¡­ ahh¡­ you''ve destroyed me!"


    Those words stung them to their core. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The two Generals felt like shattering to pieces the moment they heard their everything hurl such hurtful words at them. However, before they could even properly process what was said, and perhaps give a response to their Master, they received another shock.


    "You broke the Emperor''s rules! I WARNED you! I TOLD you! Yet¡­ Yet¡­ YOU FOOLS!"


    Kat''erin and Shai''ya exchanged puzzled nces once again. Their confusion reached another height since they never did any such thing.


    They followed the instructions they received to the letter, so this made no sense.


    ¡­ No sense at all.


    "You''ve ruined me! Curse you both! Curse y¡ª!"


    ~ZZZTZZZZ!~


    All of a sudden, the line got disconnected. It didn''t seem like either side ended the call, but the effect was most likely due to some kind of interference. However, how possible was that?


    The device they used was a very secure and sophisticated one. The only ones who could probably interfere with such an Item would be fellow Lords, or perhaps¡­


    "MASTER!" Fear gripped the heart of the two girls as soon as they heard the line get disconnected. Despite the mean words they received from her, their feelings towards her hadn''t changed one bit.


    In fact, they med themselves and hated themselves for her sake.Their Master couldn''t be wrong, which meant they had messed up somewhere. But¡­ what exactly did they do wrong?


    "W-why did Master say those¡ª?" Right as Shai''ya was breaking the dreadful silence between the two of them, they heard a round of apuse from a single a single person.


    The ps rang loudly, but something about them was hollow.


    The two girls instantly turned in the direction of the apuse, right behind them, and found a man standing there, both palms smashing against each other to generate the sound.


    He had beautiful red hair that matched his eyes. His ebony skin glowed immactely, blending perfectly with his ck suit. With a charming face, and a somewhat unsettling smile, he rested his gaze on the girls who watched him withplicated emotions.


    "W-who is he¡­?"


    "I-I don''t¡­ I don''t know¡­"


    They didn''t know what was worse¡ªthe fact that they didn''t sense him until he pped, or the sense of affinity they had towards him despite resembling a human.


    None of it made any sense, but before they could express their confusion, they noticed the pile of corpses thaty at his feet.


    All six of them¡­ dead Dragon Generals.


    He had killed them all within such a short span of time, and without even drawing their attention. Even at that, he didn''t look fazed or scathed.


    He wasn''t even out of breath.


    His eyes were calm, and his smile was perfectly genuine.


    The blood of theirrades still clung to his hands, making it evident that he was the one responsible for their demise. After he got their attention, though, he brought a handkerchief from his pocket and slowly cleaned the crimson blood from his palm.


    All while maintaining eye contact with the girls.


    For a moment, they were all silent. No one spoke, either due to some unspoken tension or confusion, but right as Kat''erin was about to open her lips, Ater raised a finger to his lips andmanded silence.


    Before she could even offer any resistance, the world around her became distorted and reality came crashing down on her.


    The environment that she stood on waspletely altered, and it reflected something that nearly drove her and her partner mad.


    "We¡­ are still in the Capital¡­?"


    "N-no way¡­"


    It was impossible, yet they could see the walls and buildings, and everything around them¡ªall reminiscent of the city that they had just recently seen from afar.


    Was this teleportation? An illusion? No¡­ it was neither of those things.


    "A-ahh¡­" Kat''erin''s eyes were wide as she spotted the bodies of several people that littered the ground a small distance from them. They resemble the ones she and Shai''ya killed¡ªthe ones who were trying to escape from the burning city.


    What were doing inside the Capital? Why? What was happening?!


    "You appear quite confused, and that is only natural." Ater smiled, finally done with wiping his hand clean of the blood.


    He disposed of the handkerchief, and it instantly faded into the wind almost as if it never existed, to begin with.


    "It''s about time for you to learn the truth."

 Chapter 736 A Devils Game [Pt 1]

    Chapter 736 A Devil''s Game [Pt 1]


    Ater felt pleased.


    Seeing the look of confusion, uncertainty, and a tinge of fear, on the faces of the two Dragons amused him, to the point where he couldn''t stop smiling at them.


    Moments like these were what he lived for.


    ''Ahh¡­ the bliss¡­'' He beamed with slight arousal, enjoying the havoc he had wreaked.


    But, this was not enough. He had hardly plunged them to the very depths of despondency.This was simply the surface¡ªa husk iparable to the main dish.


    He already knew what would make this moment perfect.


    ''Truth¡­ that always makes everything blend the best.'' And so, as he stood before he stupefied Dragons, unveiling the curtain that had blinded them all this time, he was able to get another glimpse of satisfaction. Surely, their limited minds were already beginning to grasp the current reality.


    The fact that they had been fooled into thinking they left the Capital.


    But no.


    Merely doing this could leave the answer open-ended.


    It was possible that they would believe he teleported them to this ce, or that this was indeed the illusion, and reality was what they previously perceived. ''No, that won''t do.'' He thought to himself, resolute in fully immersing them in the bitter vat of truth that he had prepared.


    ''What better way to do that than to tell them myself?'' "You killed humans in the Capital. You broke the rules of your Emperor as a result, ruining your benefactor and their grand n." Ater dered to them, refusing to delve into the full details, which made the girls exhibit even more shock.


    "N-no¡­ no way¡­"


    "Y-you''re lying! We were definitely at the borders of¡ª"


    "You were under my illusion, fools." He gloated, chuckling at their stupidity. "For the most superior Race in this world, you lot are quite stupid."


    Even now, after being confronted by evidence¡ªwhich included the panicked words of their Master¡ªthey still clung to the false reality they previously perceived.


    ''It''s a waste of time to rte with them much further¡­'' He sighed to himself. It seemed he would have to be satisfied with this measure of despair from the Dragons and savor the rest of his meal from the Deserters.


    ''Those are even bigger fools. Still, the results of their actions, in conjunction with the strings I pulled with this duo, ended up making for quite an interesting narrative.''


    The humans that were sacrificed in this entire endeavor were corrupt Nobles and Criminals that were procured by his Shadow ves, hence no innocents were harmed.


    ''Master would give me an earful if I went too far, so I had topensate¡­'' Still, the results were pretty satisfactory.


    Even with his limited resources, he achieved his goals.


    "Since you broke the rules of your Emperor, your fates have already been sealed. Still¡­ I suppose the ones who will suffer most for your actions are the Lords who conspired to ruin this City." Ater''s words caused the two Dragons to tremble.


    Their eyes widened as they recalled the words of their Master, Lady Frey''ja, and immediately realized just why she had sounded so intense.


    The actions of a subordinate¡ªwhether good or bad¡ªwould reflect on the Master.


    That meant¡ª


    "I can only imagine how much they will suffer for your error¡­" Ater grinned devilishly, both hands in his pockets as he inhaled deeply. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    All of this was merely child''s y for him. It was petty¡­ but fun.


    "Y-you¡­ you caused this, didn''t you? M-Master¡­ Master is¡­!"


    "We need to go! Now!" Kat''erin quickly grabbed the mumbling Shai''ya, her own tears also slowly rolling down her cheeks.


    They now realized just how much they had sinned, and the consequences of their actions. Still, more than anything¡­ they wanted to help their Master.


    Even if it was at the cost of their lives, they wanted to save her¡ªjust as she saved them.


    ''If we hurry, we can confess to all of this and say we performed all of this without her knowledge. We must absolve her at all cost!'' That was Kat''erin''s rationale.


    The moment she grabbed Shai''ya, she swiftly turned around to get thest person on her list but didn''t find anyone of the sort. Suddenly, she broke into a cold sweat.


    A gnawing feeling began to swell within her, and her vision blurred while her heart raced the moment she considered what exactly could have happened. Before her imagination took over, or her suspicions were fully realized, she heard a voice thatpletely caused her heart to shatter.


    "Looking for someone?" The voice belonged to Reta¡ªthe same person that Kat''erin had been searching for.


    Slowly turning her head to the direction where Ater previously stood, she found Reta standing there, hands in her pocket as she smiled at the two despairing girls.


    "Y-you were¡­ n-no way¡­"


    Kat''erin now understood why she felt some sort of affinity when she met Ater despite having zero attraction towards men.


    This man¡­ he was Reta all along?!


    "Now do you understand? You were ying my game right from the start." As soon as Reta said this, she morphed back into Ater¡ªvery seamlessly too.


    The man before them oozed such sheer malice, but the amusement he disyed made the immensely tense situation feel like nothing but a pastime activity.


    He wasn''t even being serious.


    "Y-you¡­ YOU¡­.!!!" Shai''ya yelled out, hot tears streaming down her eyes as Kat''erin took the route of silence.


    The rage and sorrow that filled the voice of the roaring Dragon shook the entire area.


    The air began to tremble violently, and hot energy slowly rose from everywhere around her. It seemed she had finally pushed past her despair and was driven purely by instinctive rage.


    "You did this! You caused this! I¡­ I¡­ I WILL KILL YOU!"


    These words only made Ater''s grin widen even more as he waited patiently for her assault.


    "[Absolute Blood Control]..."


    Before Kat''erin could say a word, or join her in the fight, Shai''ya unleashed her two S-Tier Skills,pletely resolved to destroying the man before her.


    "... [Absolute Overdrive]."

 Chapter 737 A Devils Game [Pt 2]

    Chapter 737 A Devil''s Game [Pt 2]


    Most people that knew the White Duo considered Shai''ya to be the weakest.


    However, that was far from the case.


    She had two S-Tier Skills that were mainly for destruction and absolute annihtion, making her perfectly adept inbat. Yes, Kat''erin''s abilities were much rarer, and was also a lot more versatile¡ªespecially [Dragon Voice]¡ªbut even she knew that when it came to a fight, there were very few Generals that could stand up to her, and she wasn''t among them.


    Her two Skills were too powerful to be properly countered¡ªespecially if they were used simultaneously.


    [Absolute Blood Control] allowed Shai''ya to freely control the blood of her target, even at very long distances, and to also manipte blood freely. She could even manipte her own blood, applying it to several uses; including the improvement of her already high physical abilities.


    The true importance of this Skill was the ''Blood Bank'' aspect it had, which allowed Shai''ya to save up the blood of her victims for temporary or permanent storage.


    That meant, as long as she kept storing the crimson nectar of her victims¡­ she would never run out of blood to control.


    Then¡­ there was [Absolute Overdrive]. This was, to put it simply, a Buff Skill.


    It improved all the abilities that Shai''ya had¡ªboth her Stats and her Skills¡ªmaking the activation much faster and their effects much stronger.


    Applying these two Skills at once made it so that Shai''ya could use her incredibly powerful and corrosive blood at incredibly fast speeds, with even greater power than normal.


    Most Dragons wouldn''t stand a chance¡ªeven if they had defensive Skills to back them up.


    And so, it was clear what Ater''s fate would be.


    "I''LL FUCKING RUIN YOU!"


    Shai''ya didn''t want to waste any time, or even hold back, when it came to this opponent.


    She simply released all the blood she had saved up, creating an incrediblyrge sphere above her¡ªenough to cast a shadow over thend around them for a few kilometers.


    She didn''t want to just drop such arge supply of blood, though.


    "ARMOR!" She yelled.


    Instantly, all of the blood condensed to form a metallic-looking substance that descended on her in swift fashion.


    In the blink of an eye, the blood that wasrge enough to cast a shadow for kilometers was now donned by Shai''ya as a full-body armor. The entire armor was crimson, but it had a silvery glow to it, making it seem like authentic armor.


    The earth around her shattered the moment she put it on¡ªmost definitely due to the weight.


    However, none of that bothered her since she could fly.


    On her hand was a sword, also made from the concentrated blood. In fact, half of all the blood was used to create it, making it incredibly powerful.


    Her armor served as a power boost¡ªthanks to its corrosive effect and the powerful pressure it packed¡ªbut also a tough defensive shell which would protect her from any form of harm.


    Then, there was the effect of the second Skill¡ª[Absolute Overdrive]¡ªwhich made her even more powerful.


    The space around her was already beginning to warp, contorting violently thanks to the sheer magnitude of her strength.


    In this form¡­ she was invincible.


    "DIEEEEEE!!!" ~BOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    The moment she darted forward¡ªaiming right for Ater¡ªa massive sonic boom echoed across the area, sending vibrations to the surroundingnds. She was much faster than the eyes could process, and for every distance she covered, even more power was applied to her already incredible pressure. Bursts of ming energy danced around her as she charged forward.


    In no time at all, she had closed the distance between her and Ater, about to pierce him right in the heart.


    Then¡ª


    ~SQUELCH!~


    Shai''ya crashed to the ground in a massive explosion, creating an even more destructive explosion around her. However, this wasn''t because she caught her prey.


    Instead¡­ ~DRIP~


    ~DRIP~


    ~DRIP~


    "... E-eh¡­?" Her eyes widened as soon as she regained her bearing, feeling hot liquid drip from her dominant right arm¡ªor, to put it more urately, the gaping hole that was left there.


    Her right arm waspletely gone.


    Right as she realized this, she heard a light thud in front of her.


    It was her arm.


    Her arm had been flung towards her by the man whose heart was still beating. He looked at her with a rxed smile, his devilish grin burning deep into her mind.


    Right there and then, she witnessed Kat''erin taking advantage of his distraction to attack him, but a swift backhand jab on her face sent her flying away from him.


    It seemed nearly effortless on his part.


    "Do you understand now? This is no illusion or trickery¡­" His voice oozed disgustingly in her ears as he confidently walked towards her. "I''m just much stronger than you are."


    All of this was a mere farce to him¡ªchild''s y to while away time until he could really have genuine and interesting conflict.


    "G-GRRRRRR¡­." Shai''ya could not ept that!


    "SHUT UP!" She yelled, grabbing her de from the arm on the floor, attempting to stab him with it.


    Once again, though¡ª


    ~SQUELCH!~


    Her left arm was sliced off, and she witnessed how he used his hand as a de to do the job.


    As her blood sshed in the air, she witnessed his wild grin.


    "DIEEEEE!!!" All her blood¡ªfrom both her right and left arm¡ªweremanded and sent towards him in the form of several needles.


    However, right before they reached him, they stoppedpletely.


    "Blood maniption of this level is useless against me." He said with a dismissive tone, almost as if he couldn''t be bothered. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Shai''ya broke into a cold sweat at this point.


    She could not use her trump card against him, and even when she tried controlling his blood, nothing responded to her. It was at this point that she realized it.


    ''H-he''s not a living being! He can''t be!''


    Whatever this existence was¡­ he couldn''t exist in this world.


    He couldn''t be allowed to!

 Chapter 738 A Devils Game [Pt 3]

    Chapter 738 A Devil''s Game [Pt 3]


    ''W-what¡­ what is he?!''


    Shai''ya found herself kneeling before the man she stared widely at, limbless and powerless.


    Her armor had proven useless in his presence, and even her enhanced strength seemed nonexistent whenpared to his overwhelming might.


    She didn''t seem strong at all.


    ''H-how did he¡­ how can I¡­?''


    A far corner from her was Kat''erin, who was still on the ground, groaning from the casual hit that Ater had given her not too long ago.


    This man was toying with them. He had been toying with them for so long when he had the ability to just finish them off quickly.


    ''I''ll make you regret it¡­ I''ll make you regret underestimating me! Underestimating us!''


    Dragons had special ways of learning Magic¡ªdifferent from how humans and other races perceived it. They had Mana Circuits in their bodies that regted the flow of Mana and allowed them to control even more Mana than the other creatures could possibly achieve. Usually, these Circuits couldn''t be tampered with, but since Shai''ya could control her blood¡ªand with [Absolute Overdrive] active, she had even more control over this Skill, she could artificially control the Circuit.


    ''I''ll probably die from this, but¡­ I don''t care!'' She thought to herself with greeted teeth and bloodshot eyes.


    ''As long as I can kill this bastard!''


    Using her technique, she caused her Mana Circuits to explode within her, sending her into a world of pain, but also granting her an explosive amount of Mana that circted around her body in no time.


    ~WHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUSSHHHHH!!!~


    The energy caused unstoppable tremors that destabilized the earth itself.


    "HAAAAAAAA!!!"


    Shai''ya''s body acted on pure instinct, and she used her mouth to pick up her de in an attempt to sh him with it.


    Her body radiated burning energy, and that power extended to the de she now wielded.


    She didn''t know why her arms weren''t healing, but that didn''t matter.


    Because¡­ she was going to win!


    But¡ª


    ~SQUELCH!~


    This time, her own heart was pierced by the de, almost as soon as she moved forward to cut him up.


    It was instantaneous¡­ inevitable.


    ''H-huh¡­?''


    She couldn''t even see his movements this time. She didn''t realize it when he took the de from her and pierced her body with it.


    All it had been a blur.


    "Looks like you''re already finished." She heard the cold words of the man before her, seeing as her mercilessly stared down at her.


    In his eyes, she was nothing.


    She suddenly began to feel her body being raised up, still feeling the pain of her heart being pierced and her circuits being destroyed.


    ''Ahh¡­ arghhh¡­!'' N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Almost like she was nothing more than a lump of meat, she was flipped into the air, rolling right above Ater, who then aimed a finger upward to shoot.


    ''... Is this¡­ how I¡­ die¡­?''


    Her body was paralyzed, and excruciating pain kept ravaging her body. Pain and sorry were the only things she felt at that point.


    Ah¡­ and fear.


    ''I don''t want to die! Master¡­ Lady Frey''ja¡­ save me! S-save m¡ª!''


    "Explode."


    Ater''s voice was thest thing she heard before her entire body inted and burst into several portions of entrails and gooey blood.


    ~SPLOOOOSH!~


    The rain of blood fell all over the area, especially on Ater, who stood at the center with an amused smile on his ebony face.


    "Shai''yaaaaa!!!" Kat''erin yelled out, but it seemed like all of it fell on deaf ears.


    Ater raised a finger to his lips and gestured her to hush.


    He wanted to savor the moment¡ªthe chaos, the death, the destruction. All of it was inhaled by him, feeling the perverse reckoning of the enemy.


    Anyone who had the misfortune toy eyes on this scene would consider Ater the viin and the poor girls in white as the damsel in distress.


    But, there was no hero to rescue these girls.


    No hope at all¡­


    "Y-YOU¡­ YOU MONSTER! I CAN''T BELIEVE¡­ I CAN''T BELIEVE I EVER LOVED YOU!" Kat''erin yelled out in tears, but the moment she finished her words of pain and rage, Ater appeared right in front of her.


    His intimidating presence caused her heart to nearly stop. She could hardly feel anything but the loud pounding in her head, almost forgetting to even breathe.


    "Tough." Ater replied.


    And then, Kat''erin found her vision being upturned as her head was lopped off her body.


    In one merciless stroke, Ater had sliced it off, and thest thing she witnessed was her body crumbling to the ground while he stood in front of it, whispering words that was lost to her knowledge.


    Right before her vision shut permanently, her failing mind tranted those two words.


    "Hollow Technique¡­"


    *****************


    [Moments Later]


    Ater stood amidst the wreckage of the city, a satisfied grin on his face.


    He appearedpletely unfazed by the devastation his brief interaction with the two Dragons caused, despite it being in the Capital.


    ''I might have to trouble Master to use his time abilities to sort it out, but I''m sure he wouldn''t mind once I show him the results I have.'' His thoughts flowed seamlessly as he stared into the sky above his head.


    ''I wonder¡­'' A wry smile formed on his face and he shook his head gently. ''No. It''s not yet time.''


    To distract himself from the thought he was about to make, Ater thought about the Deserters. They were the final piece of the puzzle, and their elimination was vital for wrapping up the entire scenario.


    ''Should I interfere? No¡­ I think I''ll just leave them be.'' ording to the scenario he established, they would all meet a pretty natural conclusion anyway.


    If he was interested, he would have preferred to witness their despair personally, but he was currently too bored to care.


    ''I will just let them suffer in their delusion. Already having knowledge of how they will die is more than enough satisfaction for me.'' Upon finally concluding on his decision, shadows manifested around him, and he let the darkness swallow him whole, vanishing from his position in an instant.

 Chapter 739 Felicias Downfall

    Chapter 739 Felicia''s Downfall


    "Haa¡­ haa¡­"


    Felicia and her goons were breathing heavily as they approached the Royal Estate, all covered in dirt and grime. Their armors clinked loudly and their hurried footsteps echoed with impatience as they swiftly closed in on the gates.


    They had killed hordes of Monsters, finally exterminating them all, and now¡­ it was time to retrieve their prize.


    ''Endgame is in sight!'' Felicia licked her lips as she kept her sights forward.


    Several thoughts were already running through her mind, but she controlled herself and chose to postpone all the grand thoughts until after the day was over.


    "Hehehe¡­ did you see Justin? I can''t wait to see him after this is all over!" Lyvia was especially giddy, causing eyes to roll again.


    This infatuation of hers had only grown stronger after Felicia controlled Justin and made him a part of their team. She also promised that she would make Justin fall in love with Lyvia, which further made the girl crazy over him.


    Of course, Felicia didn''t mind proceeding with the deal since it would make Lyvia happy and more indebted to her. The others¡ªLyvia, Byron, Devin, and Cayden¡ªalso had desires, and she was sure to grant them all once she got what she wanted.


    Once they arrived at the gate, they found no one at the entrance.


    That made sense, considering every single soldier was dispatched to handelt the Monsters guing the city. So, they simply opened the gates and barged into thepound; their target being the Royal Council.


    However¡ª


    "H-huh¡­?"


    ¡ªThe moment they all stepped in, they saw an army of both Warriors and Mages standing opposite them, with the two members of the Royal Council standing in front of them.


    ''Why are those two here?'' Felicia thought to herself as she saw the Conrad and Vida But, that was only the tip of the iceberg.


    ''Why are there so many soldiers? Shouldn''t they be out quelling the conflict? And why are they staring at us like this¡­?''


    The gaze of everyone was that of disgust, rage, and slight hints of fear. It almost felt like¡­ they were being viewed as the opposite of heroes.


    "What in the world is happe¡ª?"


    "Halt! All of you!" Brutus emerged from behind the group of soldiers, and so did Lucielle. The two of them had stern frowns on their faces, and they were even outfitted with Enchanted Items that brimmed with incredible power. They stood right in front of the Royal Councilors, almost as if they recognized what Felicia nned to do with them.


    "You are hereby under arrest for the murder of all the recognized Nobles of the United Human Alliance, as well as treason against the Royal Council."


    ''What the hell are they talking about?!'' Felicia was bamboozled by the information that she didn''t even know what to say or how to respond.


    The allies she had behind her also seemed as shell-shocked as her, and she could see from their expressions that they were scared.


    They had all been assured that their ns would flow seamlessly, yet what was with this obstruction right as they were about to get to their goals?


    It was absurd! It was unfair! ''This¡­ this shouldn''t be happening!'' It wasn''t in the n, and Felicia knew it. ''Maybe we should¡ª''


    "Don''t try to escape and fight back. We won''t let you." Lucielle added, almost as if she could read her mind.


    "Escape? Fight back? W-what are you talking about?!"


    Cayden was the one who spoke up,pletely taking over the conversation on their end since Felicia was dead silent.


    "We just killed so many Monsters and even helped civilians escape, yet you''re branding us as traitors? What the hell?!"


    "Yeah! That''s right!" Lyvia yelled out too. "We got ourselves all dirty and exhausted for your sake, yet¡ª!"


    "Screw this! We should be rewarded instead!" Byron protested.


    "What the hell is wrong with you people? What is going on here? Felicia, Felicia, what is happening?" Devin turned to Felicia, who was still silent.


    Her heart was racing, and even when she was already hearing the murmurs of her allies, she didn''t have the courage to speak.


    After all¡­ in her hand¡ªright where the de that she tightly held was supposed to be¡ªwas the severed head of the Noble that she directly served.


    She held the thing by its hair, but she could see the head¡­ she could smell its stench.


    And then¡­ turning back to look at herrades, she could see them holding heads of various Nobles as well. She could see the entrails and blood of humans decorating their armor¡ªall of it proving their guilt.


    Felicia wondered if she was the only one among her allies who could see this.


    Everyone seemed to beining, unable to recognize why the Royal Council was hounding them for treason, but she could see what they were seeing.


    It was pretty bad.


    ''We''ve been set up by the Reaper Group. There''s no point trying to continue the mission or argue our case¡­''


    It was over.


    The best thing they could do now was escape, and even with Lucielle and Brutus trying to prevent their escape, Felicia believed they had the higher numbers. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ''We''re Otherworlders, with equipment from the Reaper Group. We should still be able to¡ª''


    Right as she was about toplete her thoughts, the gate behind them opened up, and the Otherworlders of the Alliance emerged from beyond it.


    Belle and rk.


    Trisha and Justin were absent, but the mere fact that the two of them were present only meant one thing for Felicia and her group.


    ''We have backup!'' Her eyes widened with glee.


    She was previously worried about how many of her allies she would have to sacrifice to escape the clutches of Lucielle and Brutus, but with two more Otherworlders entering the scene, she was certain they could all make it out alive.


    In fact¡­ it was even possible that they couldplete the mission.


    "You three,e over here and atta¡ª!"


    "Silence! On your knees and let go of those heads!" rk yelled, his face expression nothing but utter disgust and righteous indignation.


    That response was not at all what Felicia was expecting.


    ''E-eh¡­?

 Chapter 740 Demise Of Deserters [Pt 1]

    Chapter 740 Demise Of Deserters [Pt 1]


    "The five of you are under arrest, so you better not make a scene!"


    rk''s loud voice caused even Felicia to shudder. He seemed genuinely mad at her¡ªat all of them¡ªfor what they did.


    ''S-something''s wrong¡­'' She instantly thought to herself with wide-open eyes.


    rk and Belle were supposed to be under her control. They were supposed to be on her side at all times, yet what was going on here?


    ''Did they somehow break out of my Skill? But how? When?''


    "I-I don''t understand¡­ where is Justin? He will say something to help us!" Lyvia muttered as she began to cry. "Justin, pleasee and¡ª"


    "Silence!"


    "Eeeeeeek!" Lyvia squeaked in response to Brutus'' harshmand, now realizing just how terrible the current situation was.


    They were surrounded on all sides, and even though only rk and Belle were guarding the gate, it was clear that they were leagues above Felicia and her group in terms of power and experience.


    This was truly the end of the line.


    "W-we surrender¡­" Felicia had to blurt out, falling to her knees without a second of hesitation.


    She wasn''t stupid enough to further escte the issue, especially since she didn''t have sufficient information. There were still so many things that confused her, and without understanding them, it would be foolish to act.


    ''We are still Otherworlders, and we have ssmates on their side. As long as that''s the case, they won''t kill us or put us through much harm¡­'' She figured it was safer to enter into custody, obtain all the necessary information, and figure out where to go from there.


    One after the other, her allies began to kneel¡ªonce again following her lead.


    ''I''m sorry, everyone.'' She thought bitterly to herself. ''Even though you trusted me, I let you down.''


    She thought she had everything under perfect control, but who would have thought that the Reaper Group would y us like this?


    ''But why? This is too early for them to y their cards like this. Unless¡­ this wasn''t their real goal from the start.'' Felicia took in a deep breath and decided not to think too much about abstracts.


    Firstly, she would have to understand the facts.


    ''I just need to be patient, and¡ª''


    "NO! NO, I CAN''T GO TO PRISON! T-THIS WASN''T WHAT YOU PROMISED, FELICIA!"


    The loud cry of Lyvia pierced the air, causing everyone to shift all their attention to the girl who was still on her feet despite all her allies already kneeling.


    She had her hand raised in the air, disying a ring worn on her finger. The crimson jewel affixed on it began to glow brightly, creating sparks of ck and red around her.


    ~VWUUUSH!~


    As the energy swelled, a small tempest began to surround her.


    "I won''t be caught like this! I''ll find Justin! We will have our happy ending! We will¡ª!"


    "Apprehend her!" She heard Brutus'' voice echo in the air.


    It was toote, though.


    In a sh of powerful energy, she vanished from her position,pletely abandoning her stupefied allies.


    "The hell¡­?" Lucielle whispered, watching the whole thing with slight shock on her face.


    Even though she had tried to interfere with the Magic, something interfered with her interference, which prevented it from taking effect.


    That meant one of two things.


    ''Either that girl is much more skilled at Magic than I am¡­ or the one who designed that ring is.'' Lucielle highly doubted the former, which meant there was only one feasible option here.


    ''Who could have constructed that thing?''


    *************


    ~BWUSH!~


    Lyvia appeared in a storm of ck and red energy, finding herself in a dense forest before realizing that she had vanished from the Royal Estate.


    "H-haa¡­ haaa? I did it! I escaped!"


    It was a good thing she was able to use the ring that Justin gave her before the start of the mission. He promised that it would bring her directly to him whenever she wanted.


    The gift was their little secret, so not even Felicia was aware of it.


    And now¡ª


    "You¡­" Lyvia heard a voice emerge from behind her, and it caused her heart to skip nearly instantly. Her cheeks became bright red as she turned to witness the magnificent boy that stood a short distance from her. He had perfect dark brown hair, with a tall stature, and the perfect lean muscr body that would make any girl salivate. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    He was perfect!


    "JUSTIIIIN!!!" She cried out loud as she rushed towards him, her arms wide open.


    Tears floated away from her eyes as she finally reached and hugged him with as much ferocity as she could muster. Sobs escaped her lips as she found sce in his warmth.


    "D-don''t go¡­ just stay right there¡­ just like that¡­" She whimpered, hugging him tighter and tighter.


    Now that she had him, there seemed to be nowhere safer in the world.


    ''We can run somewhere far away. Just me and you¡­ away from all of this! We can start a new life together!'' As soon as she thought this, she smiled and lifted her head to gaze upon his amazing face.


    "Right, Justi¡ª?"


    ~SQUELCH!~


    A sharp dagger pierced Lyvia from her lower jaw, rising to the top of her head, in one swift strike¡ªan easy kill.


    Confusion dulled the pain she felt as she felt her consciousness fade.


    ''H-huh¡­? J-Justin¡­?'' Her blurry vision picked up the indifferent expression he had as he muttered words that he clearly didn''t mean.


    "I''m sorry."


    Lyvia''s body fell lifelessly on the ground, blood spurting out of the open ends of the fatal wound she suffered, while Justin simply stood there and watched in silence.


    He said nothing as he watched her bleed out and die.


    "My first human life¡­ and yet¡­ I feel nothing¡­" Justin mumbled to himself, staring at his trembling hands.


    He could clearly understand the wrongness of his actions, but his body was perfectly numb to it, creating a severe case of cognitive dissonance.


    "Still, it had to be done."


    Justin inhaled deeply and began to walk away from the corpse, not sparing it another look.


    "This way, I''ve proven my loyalty to Sir Ater."

 Chapter 741 Demise Of Deserters [Pt 2]

    Chapter 741 Demise Of Deserters [Pt 2]


    "S-she''s dead¡­?"


    Felicia''s eyes widened as she stared nkly at the world before her.


    As a [Harlot], she had a special ss Privilege that allowed her to monitor the Status of everyone who was allied with her¡ªespecially their living or dead status. Only about a minute after Lyvia vanished from the group, Felicia discovered she was dead.


    ''H-how¡­?'' No, perhaps that wasn''t the question she was supposed to be asking.


    ''Where did Lyvia get that ring? How was she able to defy me?'' Felicia did not leave room for any loose ends, and that applied double for her inner circle.


    All of them had been ced under the effects of her Skill, so it was impossible for them to betray her or act without her best interests. Yet¡­


    ''Did someone release her as well? Who? All of this is too confusing!'' Still, it was good riddance to see that the bitch was dead. If she had a teleportation item, she should have used it for the sake of everyone¡ªor at least, for Felicia. Still, there was no use crying over spilt milk or wondering about the dead.


    ''Lyvia is gone, but I can still make use of the rest somehow. I just need to find out how to escape this ce¡­'' A small smile formed on her face,pletely oblivious of the intentions of the parties that still remained before her.


    "We should interrogate them now¡ªjust in case any of them have further tricks up their sleeve." Brutus advised, turning to Conrad, who was already nodding as he stared at the kneeling group intensely.


    "You are correct. Lucielle¡­?" As soon as he gave the subtlemand to Lucielle, she smiled and worked her Magic.


    As Grand Mage, she was privy to tons of Magic that most other Mages didn''t know existed, and could not perform even if they tried. Thanks to her supplementary Skills of [Magic Application] and [Magic Mastery], in addition to her Grand Mage ss, she was the most skilled at Magic among the humans hands down.


    "Let''s see¡­" She walked gently towards the four, who were eyeing her with slight trepidation and unease.


    They couldn''t escape, and they couldn''t plead their case.


    Their best bet was silence.


    "[Virtue Of Truth]."


    The Spell was cast on them without much difficulty. Perhaps this was because of Lucielle''s superior prowesspared to them, or due to her incredibly powerful equipment, or maybe the already weakened state of mind of the targets.


    Either way¡­ they all fell under the Spell. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ''N-no! This is bad!'' Felicia thought to herself the moment she felt the effects of the Spell seep through her mind.


    It almost felt like she was high¡ªwith everything getting blurry, yet sharper at the same time. Reality became distorted, and her body slowly swerved around before finallying to a full halt thanks to her hypnotized state.


    Her mind struggled to break free from the Spell, but it was toote.


    "What are your names, and where are you from?" Felicia, as well as her allies, heard the first question.


    Less than a secondter, they told the correct answer.


    She didn''t even need to think, or try to process the question. Her brain simply processed the question and spat out the required information, which was then delivered by her now loose and drooling lips.


    ''N-no¡­ I have to stop! I have to stop this!'' She cried internally.


    The only reason Felicia surrendered was because they were going to be imprisoned first. That would give her more than enough time to understand their situation. She even thought she would be able to ask some questions that would better ce her on the right track.


    Not this¡­ NEVER THIS!


    "What are your ss, Skills, and Levels?"


    Once again, Felicia and her allies spat out all the information without hesitation or any form of resistance.


    If this kept up, it was clear what the next set of questions would be.


    "Why did you do it? Why did youmit treason against the Royal Council?" The moment Lucielle''s voice transferred the question, Felicia and herrades already had their answers.


    "To take over the United Human Alliance and rule it as the new leader." Felicia responded, and her words were followed by those of her allies.


    "To be rich andfortable."


    "To get back at everyone who looked down on us."


    "I just did it for Felicia¡­"


    Nothing about their answers triggered anything¡ªyet.


    "And did you really think you''d be able to aplish things by yourself? Surely, you must have had some kind of n."


    "We had a n." They jointly responded.


    "What n was that?" Lucielle pushed on, her eyes narrowing on them.


    Felicia begged internally at this point¡ªpraying that her lips would fail her. She didn''t want to utter a single word for fear of what would happen.


    But¡­ it was toote.


    "We partnered with the Rea¡ª"


    ~SPLOOOSH!~


    The moment the group attempted to mention the names of the Reaper Group¡ªtheir partners in crime¡ªthe bodies exploded into bits and pieces.


    All, in a single instant, became fireworks of gore.


    Lucielle was protected from the stain thanks to her automatic defenses, so none of the entrails and blood touched her. Sadly, they stained the pristinepound of the Royal Estate.


    "Damnit¡­" Lucielle whispered underneath her breath. "It seems they were ced under a Non-Disclosure Curse before now. Any question that ties back to whoever ced the Curse on them would have resulted in their demise."


    Lucielle sighed, shaking her head in utter regret.


    This was the second blunder she was making on the same day¡ªwith the first being the escape of one of the Deserters.


    ''Am I losing my touch? That''s bad¡­'' Lucielle thought to herself, though she didn''t really beleive it.


    Rather, she suspected there was just someone better pulling the strings from behind.


    ''But who¡­?''


    There was no way for her to find out, but that didn''t mean she wasn''t somewht determined to uncover the truth in her own way.


    ''Still¡­'' Staring at the remains of what used to be four people, Lucielle couldn''t help but feel both fascination and disgust for the malevolent figure hidden in the showes.


    ''... What a mess.''

 Chapter 742 Bloody Aftermath

    Chapter 742 Bloody Aftermath


    In the end, all went ording to Ater''s grand scheme.


    The Nobles, Deserters, and Dragons were all eliminated on the same day¡ªeach taken off the board in a rather spectacr, yet natural way. As long as the narrative that was spun remained effective, there would be no problem.


    The Nobles were killed by the Deserters, hence getting rid of them and the annoying authority that they wielded in the Alliance. The economic and social impact their demise was going to cause made the Royal Council silently celebrate. The dissolution of their estate, the confiscation of their assets, as well as the massive creation of spaces in the South, would allow for a greater quality of life and less cost for those who lived there.


    There would also be less resistance to the governance of the Royal Council.


    As for the Deserters, since they were wild cards running around¡ªwith no allegiance to the betterment of humanity¡ªthey were more beneficial being dead. Since they were used as the scapegoats of the Nobles, it only made sense that their deaths would be seen as deserving.


    Yes, the Otherworlders who were their ssmates would feel ufortable if they were to be executed, but if they died as a natural consequence of their actions, then their demise would be more justified.


    As for the Dragons, their elimination was inevitable, but Ater simply had to make the most of their involvement with the Capital.


    After understanding the purpose of their arrival, and the rules that they had to abide with, it was easy to orchestrate a scenario where the loss suffered by the Dragons would be far greater than simply killing them.


    It would also serve to help him better understand certain things he wascking in.


    Needless to say¡­ it was a great sess.


    ''And now¡­'' Ater thought to himself as he remained in the darkness. ''... To prepare for the epilogue to this game.''


    Thest thing he hoped to achieve with his involvement was underway.


    ''Ahh¡­ I can''t wait.'' n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    *****************


    Tremors.


    Frey''ja, the White Dragon Lord Of The Forbidden Valley, was experiencing tremors throughout her body as she stood before a certain figure.


    She was in her domain¡ªpossessing all the advantage that any Dragon would in their ce of power¡ªyet she felt helpless. The entity before her was a Dragon like herself, but the gap in abilities between them was enough to make her body shake.


    She tried to speak, but words wouldn''te out.


    Her lips shook as her eyes were fixed down, unable to look at the being''s face.


    "The Emperor is not pleased¡­" The voice of the aged man echoed into the air, causing her skin to nearly jump.


    The Great Old Dragon Lord usually had a calm, collected voice, and that was still present in the way he spoke to Frey''ja. But, there was also something else attached to his tone.


    It was silent rage.


    "Your subordinates broke the rules of the Emperor, Frey''ja. It is to my understanding that they were in the Capital per your orders."


    ''I-I never told them to attack humans there! I warned them!'' Frey''ja wanted to scream out, but she didn''t dare speak now¡ªinterrupting the Great Old Dragon Lord.


    "You also had co-conspirators: Tat''urious, Pro''theus, and Vul''khan. I already paid them a visit and exterminated them."


    Frey''ja had to swallow her shriek the moment she heard that.


    "That''s right, Frey''ja. They are all dead¡­ all thanks to your indiscretion." As he said this, the Great Old Dragon took a step closer to the shaking Lord.


    She seemed to be nothing more than a frightened child in his presence.


    Who could me her? If the co-conspirators were killed without mercy, what was to befall the one who brought them all together? Frey''ja had a single thought etched in her mind as the Great Old Dragon drew even closer.


    ''What will my fate be?''


    "The Emperor has no need for subordinates who can not follow simple orders. You are better off dead than alive¡ªfor the benefit of the Empire, of course."


    At this point, Frey''ja fell to her knees and pressed her forehead against the ground, desperate to live. "H-have mercy! P-please¡­ Please have mercy!"


    She already knew that the Great Old Dragon Lord was not interested in any exnation or excuse. The others must have also tried to plead their case, but he eliminated them anyway. Even pleading for her life was useless at this point.


    Yet¡­ YET¡­!


    "I will serve the Emperor even more diligently than I have in the past! I swear it! Please give me another chance!" Frey''ja already knew she couldn''t win against the Dragon before her.


    He was too ancient¡ªalmost as ancient as the Dragon Emperor himself.


    "H-have mer¡ª!" Before she realized it, her neck was being tightly held by the strong hand of the Great Old Dragon, and he effortlessly raised her into the air.


    His grip was firm and inescapable, and his arm was steady and unmoving¡ªalmost like a statue.


    "P-please¡­ me-mercy¡­" Tears fell from Frey''ja''s eyes as she was met with the unfeeling gaze of the Old One.


    "Hm. You do not need to beg for your life, Frey''ja. I never had any intention of killing you."


    "E-eh¡­?"


    Both relief and shock instantly appeared on her face. It wasn''t like she wasn''t happy that she was being spared, but she was confused as to the reason.


    "You still remain a valuable educator in the Academy, and the young ones have grown quite attached to you. They''re at a pivotal moment in their education at the moment, as you are well aware, so taking you off the board right now would be unwise¡­" This could have been the sentiment of an old man speaking, but Frey''ja dly took it regardless.


    "Thank you so much! I won''t let you down! I promi¡ª!"


    "Still, I have to take something from you¡­ or it wouldn''t be fair." The Great Old Dragon Lord stared deep into Frey''ja''s moist blue eyes and smiled for the first time since he appeared before her.


    "You have good eyes¡­"


    It was slow and excruciating, the plucking out of just one of her crystal-like eyes. This was mercy,pared to what was meted out to her colleagues, but Frey''ja still felt every ounce of pain that it brought to her.


    She could not stop screaming in horror and agony.


    "ARRRGHHHHHHHHH!!!"

 Chapter 743 Reys Sendoff

    Chapter 743 Rey''s Sendoff


    ''How time flies¡­''


    Rey smiled to himself as he stood by himself, facing a crowd of Elves that had escorted him to the very edge of their Community. He had wanted to take a small walk on hisst day here, and it seemed everyone was somehow made aware of that.


    The Young Ones, Elders, and Esteemed Elders all gathered in his presence and took the walk with him until he got to the Community''s boundary.


    Then, looking at all of them now, he couldn''t help but smile.


    ''The past few days have been a mixed bag. It''s been fun learning even more about the Elves and exploring theirnd a little, but it''s also been¡­'' Rey set his eyes on one of the two people that stood in front of the crowd.


    It was Esme.


    ''... Awkward.'' They hadn''t really spoken ever since she told him she needed space from him, and he didn''t think they were going to say anything before he departed. They often ryedmunication through eye signals, or by using Kara¡ªwho was currently right beside Esme¡ªas an intermediary.


    ''Kara and Esme will be staying behind to continue the work I started here. They''ll also be overseeing the exploration and exploitation process in thend.'' That meant, despite the three of them arriving in the Community together¡­ only he would be returning.


    Rey reckoned he might have to bring in more workers at ater time, but he couldn''t just bring strangers into Elven Land¡ªespecially when they had just gotten used to Kara and Esme.


    ''For now, we''ll use Golems and Elementals for the tasks, while Esme and Kara will manage.'' Rey, of course, would do his best to remain in the loop of things, so the whole thing was supposed to go smoothly.


    ''And in the case of another Dragon Invasion, I''ll be sure to look out for any signs¡­''


    Having done all he could on his part, making all the preparations necessary for his absence, Rey reckoned he had nothing left to do in the Elf Community. In fact¡­ that had been the case for over a day now. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Yet, he had intentionally dyed up until this moment for two major reasons.


    The most obvious one was that he was hoping to somehow make up with Esme before he left, but since he decided not to push too hard¡ªout of consideration for her feelings¡ªthe efforts at reconciliation had toe from her.


    And it didn''t seem like she nned to do that anytime soon.


    Then, as for the second reason¡ª


    ''I''m nervous, no, scared, about seeing Alicia. I¡­ I don''t even know what to say when I see her.'' His thoughts were slightly convoluted regarding her case.


    Alicia had found out in the worst possible way that Rey was Ralyks, and that he was secretly strong. Afterward, she fell into aa¡ªunable to properly process all of that information.


    ''Unlike the others, who had enough time to digest everything while I was in aa, this is like the opposite.'' And that was what frightened Rey the most.


    It was why he had hung around the Elf Community for so long, even after he was supposed to have returned home by all logic. However, since there was only so much escapism he could employ, Rey was finally able to deal with his feelings and sort out his thoughts.


    He was now ready to face whatever waited for him in the Capital.


    "Once again, I''m grateful for the sendoff." Rey spoke to the crowd of cheering Elves, who cheered even louder once he spoke.


    He no longer needed to use his scent tomand obedience. The mere fact that he saved them and ended the war that would have caused their destruction¡ªat least, ording to them¡ªmeant he was already a savior in their eyes.


    His allies¡ªEsme and Kara¡ªwere also viewed simrly, though with less reverence than Rey himself. Despite being a Half Elf, there was no discrimination against her any longer.


    When Rey asked about the reason for their sudden change in treatment towards Esme, still suspecting that they were only being nice to her because he was still around, he got a single response.


    "The Oracle has touched her. She is pure."


    Rey remembered The Oracle indeed touching her, so perhaps that changed something about Esme. However, for all he could see, she looked the same. Her Status Window alsobeled her as a Half Elf, so there was no real difference.


    Still, the fact that Esme was now epted by her people made him d.


    ''Even though she can no longer be The Oracle and help them from above, she can still help them right here.'' And that was most likely enough for her.


    With Esme now slowly integrating herself into Elven Culture, and the progression of their ns for the Eastern Continent underway, Rey once again thought this was the perfect time to depart.


    ''I gained a lot of things, but I also lost quite a few as well¡­'' It left a bitter taste in his mouth, but he received constion by telling himself that the mission was never meant to be straightforward. Hence, he had to take his victories with his losses.


    ~VWUUUSH!~


    A sparkling portal opened up behind Rey, with distortions affecting the space around him.


    "FAREWELL, SIR REY!"


    "WE''LL MISS YOU!"


    "COME BACK SOON!"


    Cheers and words echoed in the air like chants, and it warmed Rey''s heart the moment he was about to depart.


    Then¡ª


    "Master Waaaaaaiiiiiiittttt!!!" A loud voice suddenly pierced the air, causing everyone in the bustling crowd to fall silent almost instantly.


    "Wait for me, Masteeeeeerrrr!"


    The voice was loud, but it was difficult to discern its location.


    Was iting from the left? Right? Behind? Forward? No¡­ none of those things. The echoes that permeated throughout the Community had only one point of Origin¡ª


    "Masteeeeerrrrr!!!"


    ¡ªAbove!


    Landing right in front of the slightly stunned Rey was the Symbiote Slime, Emil.


    Her soft, round body bounced with finesse as soon as she scored thending, and she jumped to Rey''s face the moment she appeared before him, having wide open eyes with tears streaming out of them and a bright smile on her face.


    "I''ve missed you so much, Master!"

 Chapter 744 Emils Comeback

    Chapter 744 Emil''s Comeback


    "...."


    A moment of silence existed between Master¡ªcorrection, former Master¡ªand the renegade Familiar.


    The tension in the air was palpable, and even though Emil leaped to Rey''s head, she was bounced back by a resistance she would not leap through¡ªsending her crashing back to the ground that she now bounced on.


    The expressions on the faces of Rey and Emil were like night and day.


    While Emil had an optimistic vibe around her¡ªa sincere expression of love and devotion¡ªRey''s face darkened almost instantly. He gave her a cold re and didn''t even move from his position.


    "Maste¡ª!"


    "What are you doing here?" Was the first thing that proceeded from Rey''s lips the moment he couldn''t handle the silence anymore.


    There were several things he wanted to tell her¡ªmany of which were a lot harsher than the question¡ªbut his calm mind allowed him to still be reasonable.


    "W-why is Master being so mean to me? I just¡ª" n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Stop calling me that! Don''t you have a new Master already? Why don''t you go and meet Adrien?"


    "...." For a moment, Emil had a nk expression on her face.


    It seemed like she was confused by Rey''s attitude towards her, which further confused Rey. He had already resolved within himself to kill Emil when next he saw her, since she was too dangerous to be allowed to live, but her current behavior was throwing him off.


    He felt too conflicted to even properly respond to her strange behavior.


    He also couldn''t rely on the audience to judge the matter for him, since none of them knew about what happened between him and Emil. They appeared just as lost as he was, so the entire area was just a stadium of silence.


    This did notst for long, though.


    "U-uuu¡­ W-why is Master being so mean to me? I''ve always been on your side, Master!" Rey found that very doubtful, considering how she sucked all of his Mana and nearly killed him and Esme. Now that he thought about it, Emil must have known that he would survive, so maybe she was targeting Esme from the start.


    Either way, she betrayed him in the worst possible way and went to Adrien''s side.


    ''Why am I even still talking to her? She could still be working for Adrien at this point, and all of this could be some kind of trap.''


    Rey would have granted more credence to this suspicion of his if Emil wasn''t behaving so stupidly. None of her actions had any logical ground, and Adrien definitely didn''t operate in such a way.


    Besides, her Status Window showed that she wasn''t bonded with anyone.


    ''Of course, all of this could still be some ploy by Adrien¡ªusing her immature mind to throw me off and lower my guard. To what end, though?''


    "You''re so mean, Master!" Emil cried out, breaking Rey from his inner thoughts. "Why are you still suspecting me, even after everything? I never betrayed you!"


    "Then what do you call what you did with Adrien?"


    "I-It''s¡­ a secret¡­"


    Rey raised his eyebrows at this point, growing slightly more impatient with Emil. "A secret?"


    "Y-yes! I heard you like surprises, so¡­ tadah!"


    "What the hell are you talking about, Emul?" Rey felt he was nearing his limits, but the System quickly corrected his emotions, so he returned to his calm self.


    Emil, on the other hand, was fidgeting rather nervously.


    "I''m not sure I''m supposed to tell you, but¡­ I think it should be fine, right? After all¡­ this is all for the benefit of Master¡­ Hmmm¡­"


    "Just speak!"


    "O-okay! All of it was just an act, Master! Honestly! I had to act like that so Adrien would believe I was on his side, just as I had to feign interest in him this whole time. It was all so that I could get close enough to him."


    "To what end?" Rey asked with a deeper frown.


    "This!"


    ~GLOP!~


    Right before Rey''s eyes, Emil transformed into a perfect version of Adrien. "The conditions for using [Perfect Mimicry] makes it so that I have to be in physical contact with the target for an extended period of time. I had to find a way to do that, so that meant temporarily bonding with him until the conditions were satisfied and I could use the Skill on him."


    Rey was already shell-shocked from seeing Emil transformed into Adrien, but after hearing her exnation, he became even more amazed¡ªno, impressed.


    He already knew what [Perfect Mimicry] did, and it wasn''t just restricted to replicating the outward appearance of the target.


    "Y-you have ess to all his Skills?" Rey muttered, his eyes widening as he stared at Emil.


    "Yup!"


    ''N-no way! She''s actually telling the truth!'' Rey could see Emil''s Status Window, and everything was perfectly the same as Adrien''s Status Window.


    Except, of course, [Skill Creation], but Rey already knew that wouldn''t be carried over.


    Still¡­


    ''Every single ability he has is at Emil''s disposal, and if I copy all of them, then¡­ I will also have the same abilities!''


    This was a massive harvest for him¡ªfar more than he expected.


    "See, Master? I worked so hard to get these Skills for you, and you treated me so coldly¡­" Emil whined, returning to her Slime form in an instant.


    "You were going to leave without me too! Do you even care about me, Master?"


    "O-of course I care about you." Rey had to mutter as he stared at Emil with newfound affection. All the negative thoughts he had about her vanished into thin air the instant he saw the list of Skills he could have for himself.


    "R-really?!"


    "Yes, really! I was just so hurt that you left me. I thought you didn''t love me anymore¡­"


    "N-no way! I didn''t mean to hurt you, Master! I''m sorry, Master!" Emil bounced forward, crying out of her created eyes, and Rey opened his arms wide open.


    He also had his own thoughts as he drew closer to her, beads of tears forming in his eyes.


    ''Emil¡­ you are a genius!''


    The two of them hugged, happy to be reunited once again.

 Chapter 745 Conflict On Trust

    Chapter 745 Conflict On Trust


    "Uwaaahhh! It feels so good to finally feel your touch again, Master!"


    The warmness of Emil''s voice, and the jiggly feeling her slimy body had as it rubbed against him made Reyugh. He couldn''t deny that it felt good to have her optimistic voice echo in his ears¡ªthe same voice he considered annoying in the past.


    Somehow, losing the Symbiote Slime made him realize just how much he cherished her.


    "It feels good here, too." He gave an honest reply to Emil''s words, causing her to giggle loudly. He felt her body rub off against him even more, and he let her have her fun. He didn''t even care that this was happening in front of an entire poption of Elves. The current Rey would do anything to spoil Emil for her aplishments.


    ''I definitely won''t hold back on appreciating her this time.''


    "Hehehehehe! Master loves Emil!" Well, there were things Rey thought he would have to rify, but for the most part¡­ he felt things were still within control. As long as his Slime didn''t have any strange ideas, he didn''t really mind whatever she said.


    "Master and Emil are going to have a¡ª"


    "Okayyyy, slow down!" Rey swiftly raised his voice, feeling within his gut that this was the right time to cut Emil off from whatever she was about to say. ''I have some idea about what she was about to say, and¡­ yeah¡­ too far!''


    He instinctively stole a nce at Esme, not really knowing why, and he found that her gaze was not on him. Something about that made his heart sink, but also relieved.


    "What''s wrong, Master?"


    "I really need to teach you about filters!" He found himself whispering rather viciously at the Slime.


    "That''s not the only thing I want you to teach me, Master. Hehehehe¡­"


    "S-stop! Just¡­ stop!" Rey was slowly being reminded of the obnoxious side of his Familiar, causing all the nostalgia to evaporate rather quickly.


    ''Ah, yes¡­ Emil has always been this kind of person.'' His thoughts trailed, but he still strained a smile regardless of the slight frustration coiling within him.


    She was childish, immature, very suggestive, and incredibly clingy¡ªnot to talk of her tactlessness and a bunch of other qualities that Rey could remember off the top of his head.


    "How did you even manage to fool Adrien?" He mumbled to himself, nearly out of disbelief.


    It was strange to think someone like Emil came up with that strategy.


    "A-ah! Ater was actually the one who proposed the idea to me."


    "Huh¡­?"


    As soon as Rey heard this, his strained smile froze in ce, and his yful mood vanished. His eyes remained wide open and he stared keenly into Emil''s eyes.


    "What did you just say?"


    "W-well¡­ he told me to keep it as a surprise for you, but¡­ when you were asleep that one time, he told me of a n that he thought would make you very happy."


    Rey''s fingers rubbed against his chin as the image of Ater appeared in his thoughts. He could definitely see him pulling off something like that. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "It worked, didn''t it? You were very excited to see the surprise, right?"


    Even though he clearly heard the question, Rey didn''t reply immediately. Instead, his thoughts remained fixated on Ater.


    ''He really went behind my back to n something this intricate. I can understand the end goal, but¡­ now that I think of it, this entire thing with the Elves has all been a part of his n.''


    Meeting Adrien, meeting The Oracle, and a whole host of issues; it all stemmed from Ater guiding Rey to the Elves and working certain things behind the scenes. ''He also hid important information from me, and I still don''t know the extent of his knowledge since I didn''t restrict his activities. I''m also not with him very often, so I have no clue what he does a majority of the time.''


    In the past, Rey wouldn''t bother thinking too much about it, but¡ª


    ''The Oracle''s words¡­ it has to be about Ater.'' He narrowed his eyes, parting his lips as he resumed his bright smile towards Emil.


    "Of course, Emil. I am excited!"


    "Yayyyyyyy!!!"


    If Ater could use Emil¡ªhis own Familiar¡ªto perform a task that he wasn''t even aware of, Rey was slowly beginning to worry about just how deep his influence was. The worry grew into slight hints of fear.


    ''None of these would be a problem if I was certain that Ater was on my side¡­ and for the longest time, I thought he was.'' Rey thought to himself.


    He always knew the Absolute Beast was evil by nature. Ater didn''t even try to hide his malevolent side, so there was never an issue with it. As long as Rey could control him, and he waspletely loyal, there would be no problem.


    But¡­ was that truly the case?


    ''Is he only professing loyalty due to some grander scheme? The Oracle told me to be wary of him, and so does the System. There has to be a good reason for that.''


    Unfortunately for Rey, this wasn''t the time or ce to think such thoughts.


    ''Even if I think deeply about it, I don''t know what I''m supposed to do to stop him. He''s very useful, and I really could use him as an ally. He''s also not shown any real animosity towards me, and he''s always acted in my interests.''


    The secrets and half-truths ultimately benefited Rey, so could he reallyin?


    ''Should I trust The Oracle''s words over Ater? Or should I trust Ater? What if his goals are simply parallel to mine¡ªat least for now¡ªso he is only on my side because it benefits him? The moment that ceases to be the case, then¡­''


    Rey could feel paranoia beginning to creep in, and he didn''t like the feeling.


    ''In the end, I think there''s only one way to solve this problem, and that is to use my new Skill¡­'' He heaved a sigh.


    The one he got from The Oracle, and the best tool he had on his side at the moment.


    ''... [irvoyance].''

 Chapter 746 Departure From The Elves

    Chapter 746 Departure From The Elves


    [Bonding Sessful!]


    Rey saw this System Window disyed before him as Emil''s gooey body slipped back into him and re-established their Bond. Once again, he felt the unreal sensation that he experienced when they first bonded. A rush of power swelled throughout his body, and he felt beyond alive.


    ''Ahh¡­'' It was nearly orgasmic, but Rey controlled himself from leaking out any of his feelings through his face. Hence, despite having a stoic expression on his face, he felt immeasurable pleasure internally.


    Before he could even limate, though¡ª


    ~I''ve missed your body so much, Master! It looks like your body has missed me too! You''ve grown stronger too, haven''t you? Ahhh¡­ this feels amazing!~


    ¡ªEmil''s voice pounded within his head.


    He didn''tin, though. Instead, he simply smiled and sighed.


    "No thanks to you. You drained all of my Mana, so how exactly was I supposed to fight back against that explosion you sent to me? I had to spend my preserved Stat Points." He murmured, slowly remembering the feeling of anger he had previously.


    Now that he thought of it, Emil actually needed some talking to¡­ or would that go to Ater? He wasn''t sure who to me, but he needed to still educate the former about what was eptable or not.


    ¡­ Just for future purposes.


    ~Why didn''t you use [Consume], though? Didn''t you Copy it? Me leaving you didn''t mean you couldn''t use it¡­~


    "...."


    ~I actually thought that was what you''d do, though it would have taken you time to absorb the energy, which would provide me and that guy a chance to escape.~


    For a moment, Rey froze. It seemed, perhaps even more than Emil and Ater, he also needed some talking to.


    "I was overwhelmed and confused at the time. That''s why I didn''t¡­ think to¡­ use it¡­"


    ~I understand, Master! Honestly, I''m d my departure shook you that much. I guess you really do care about me.~


    "I do, Emil." Rey said with a smile.


    No only because she was a very useful Familiar to have, and also not because of her recent aplishment with Adrien. It went a step further than that.


    ''We''ve spent so long together¡ªhearing each other''s thoughts. To me, Emil is like another part of me¡­ a neighbor closest to me than anything else. She can also be pretty endearing and cute¡ªnot that I''m going to tell her any of that¡­''


    ~Master, I can hear your thoughts, you know?~


    ''Ah, shit!'' Rey''s thoughts echoed as his eyes popped wide open. ~HAHAHAHA! So you think I''m cute, Master! You also think I''m a part of you? Kikikiki¡­ hehehehe¡­ hahahahaha!!!~


    ''Don''t push it, Emil!''


    ~Aye, aye, Master!~


    Despite the conversation ending that way, Rey could sense that Emil was happy with him, and about herself. That made him d for using a trick on her.


    ''Of course, I know you can hear my thoughts, Emil¡­ but only the thoughts I want you to hear.'' He smiled, thinking on a deeper level than what his Familiar had ess to.


    Thanks to his Layered Thoughts, Rey could not only multitask, but he could segment his thoughts into various regions and fool anyone reading his mind.


    ''I meant all those things about Emil, but I yed it in a way that will make her think I didn''t want her to know my true feelings¡­'' After what he recently experienced, he realized he needed to appreciate Emil more.


    This was the first step towards that goal.


    ''Indirectly praising Emil will make her understand how I feel about her, without her constantly seeking validation and praise from me.'' Rey concluded.


    Perhaps this was a scummy way to go about it, but he didn''t think of it that way. It was the same way siblings didn''t need to constantly repeat that they cared about their fellow siblings since said affection could be gleaned from their actions and indirect interactions.


    ''I might not have many opportunities to show how much I value her, and Emil can get very needy at times, so this is the perfectpromise.''


    Once he concluded thoughts on that front, he decided to address the other issue¡ªAdrien''s Skills.


    ''With those Skills, I''ll be able to get considerably more powerful, and Emil will also be a powerhouse on her own. She''ll be useful in a lot more ways too¡­'' He thought to himself, acknowledging how things just got a whole lot better for him.


    ''Still¡­ this isn''t enough.''


    The words of The Oracle still weighed on him. Only he knew what was about toe¡ªthe destruction of everyone and everything in this world.


    ''Compared to the heights I need to achieve to prevent the destruction of everyone I care about¡­ of the people of H''Trae¡­ I need to be even stronger.''


    This time, the power he sought wasn''t only for himself, but for the people around him. Money, business, and his own individual might didn''t matter if there were no more hardly any living beings left in the world. In a way, protecting everyone was beneficial to him.


    But¡­ he wasn''t doing this only because of that. After interacting with the Elves for long enough, Rey was able to confirm his feelings and fully ept his newfound perspective. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ''I can understand you a lot more now, Adonis.''


    He wanted to help more people.


    ''I have started with the Elves, but now I want to go even further.'' He reopened the portal that had closed up the moment he saw Emil.


    ~VWUSH!~


    In H''Trae, there were also Dwarves, Giants, and Fairies¡ªnone of which he had ever interacted with, or even seen.


    ''That changes soon.''


    "Farewell, everyone!" Rey waved at the Elves, who had now resumed their cheers once they saw he was leaving for real this time.


    He stole a small nce at Esme, and found her smiling at him. She nodded slowly and whispered some words to him.


    This was the first time she would interact with him for some days, and he felt his heart skip a beat once he saw her lips move.


    His mind interpreted what she meant instantly.


    "Thank you." He repeated her words, nodding back before moving closer to the portal.


    He entered the swirling gate, but not before swiftly whispering a response.


    "You''re wee."

 Chapter 747 Spectacular Welcome

    Chapter 747 Spectacr Wee


    "Haaa¡­"


    As the cool wind pped against his face, and the surrounding scent entered his nostrils and filled his lungs, Rey found himself smiling as he looked down on the City that was underneath him.


    "... It''s good to be back!"


    Here he was¡ªback in the Capitalpletely enamored by the City he had lived in for most of the time he lived in H''Trae. The modernndscape was far different from that of the Elves, and the mere ambiance reminded him the most of home.


    Yes, even though the Capital of the United Human Alliance was medieval in more ways than one, it still had hints of advanced civilization that made Rey leak out a smile once again. He missed this ce.


    "Everything seems to be the same¡­" Rey mumbled, even looking at the area where Ater had supposedly had a bit of a skirmish.


    ''Looks like he fixed it before I came. I told him I''d do it, and yet¡­ haa¡­'' Ater was too much of a perfectionist when it came to serving Rey, which made it difficult for thetter not to rely on him, or even doubt his true intentions. Still, Rey had already decided on what to do with him¡ªat least for the time being.


    ''I just have to be more measured in my instructions, making sure he doesn''t do anything behind my back this time. I should also put him under constant surveince¡­'' Rey stopped his dreary thoughts, since it was ruining the refreshed mood he was in.


    ''Right now, I shouldn''t be thinking about Ater, or anything of the sort.'' There was only one thing that was supposed to upy his mind, and as he stared at the Royal Estate, the name of that person kept shing in his head.


    ''I''ve been putting it away for days, but it''s time. It''s time I saw Alicia.'' He took a deep breath, preparing his heart. He made sure to regte his heartbeat and also his expression to the point where nothing he felt would be removed by the System.


    Sure, his emotions would be dulled in his current state, but at least they wouldn''t vanish.


    ''I can''t afford for them to¡­''


    Once Rey was sure that he was ready, he instantly cast Spatial Magic that caused him to instantly vanish from his position¡ª


    ~VWUSH!~


    ¡ªAnd appear within her resting quarters, all within the blink of an eye.


    ''A-ahh¡­'' N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The moment he entered the room, heid his crimson eye on the wide awake Alicia.


    She was currently seated upright on her bed, her eyes staring longingly at the world beyond the window beside her. The winds caused her long brown hair to dance in the air, and the sparks that flew thanks to his teleportation added a glowing ambiance to the room.


    Even as she sat, just staring out into the world, Alicia looked magnificent.


    Rey felt an instant lump in his throat as he kept his gaze on her, unable to look away. Even though his feelings were dulled, he could still feel the loud thumping of his heart. He could still feel his body growing hot.


    Everything was in small measures, but Rey could feel his emotions intensify and swell even beyond his expectations.


    "Ali¡ª"


    Before he couldplete his gentle whisper, she slowly turned her head in his direction.


    At that moment, time stopped.


    Everything seemed to fade into obscurity, and the details that Rey constantly perceived turned blurry. The only object of focus was Alicia¡ªAlicia White, and that wonderful, wonderful smile that only she could give.


    Her amber eyes seemed to sparkle, and her face brightened the moment sheid eyes on Rey, causing him to feel an even bigger spike in his heart¡ªalmost close to the danger level that he was so wary about.


    He would have tightly clutched his chest if he wasn''t so paralyzed by her gaze.


    ''S-she looks¡­ she is¡­'' Throughout the course of his adventure in the Land of The Elves, Rey had seen so many pretty women. In fact, pretty much all of the Elves were more beautiful than Alicia. Then, there were cases like Feralia, Ci, and The Oracle, who were too beautiful to properly put into words.


    Even then¡­ none of thempared to the kind of ''beauty'' that Alicia had.


    It could have been due to bias, but there was something about her as a person¡ªthe gentle way she looked at Rey, and the warmth of her presence¡ªthat made her beauty extraordinary and unfathomable.


    That was what he thought as he smiled back at her.


    ''... Absolutely stunning!''


    "Rey¡­ you''re back!" Her voice was just as he remembered it to be.


    It was sweet and melodious¡ªthe epitome of peak femininity. Since she usually spent time in the library, Alicia adopted a quieter voice than most people he knew, and that made her unique in that regard.


    "Yeah. I''m back." Those were the only words he could muster as he looked at her.


    "Come closer, Rey. You''re not just going to stand there, are you?" As she said this, Rey''s thoughts began to get clouded by the negative emotions he had suppressed.


    Fear, sorrow, pain, and guilt especially ran amok in his heart.


    Still, he moved forward.


    "I''m sorry¡­ I can''t¡ª"


    "I know you can''t properly express your emotions, Rey. Ipletely understand, so just keeping."


    There was something about the way Alicia said his name that made him soft like jelly. The kind way she looked at him was almost divine.


    ''I don''t deserve this!'' He thought to himself.


    Before he knew it, he stood right in front of her, mere inches from the ce where she sat on the bed.


    "Why don''t you sit?"


    "...." Rey could not respond to the question, but he didn''t sit either. He just kept staring at Alicia.


    "Ater was the one who informed me of your condition, and I''ve already spoken to our ssmates too. They''ve brought me up to speed on the current issues. I¡­ could also hear everything that happened around me while I was unconscious, Rey."


    His eyes twitched as soon as she said all of these things.


    ''That means¡ª!''


    "I understand, Rey. Everything that happened¡­ everything you did¡­ I understand everything."

 Chapter 748 Youthful Exuberance

    Chapter 748 Youthful Exuberance


    Tears.


    In abundance, they fell from Rey''s eyes as he heard those words from Alicia.


    His eyes were wide open, encapsting both shock and relief, leaving a gateway open for the bitter tears to flow.


    Rey''s knees felt weak, and before he knew it, he fell to his knees.


    "I''m sorry for not telling you all this time! All of my reasons sound like excuses to me at the moment, and I know¡­ I know I was supposed to say something, especially after you went and told me so much about you."


    Not only did he passively deceive her, but he actively even lied to her.


    And the result?


    "Everything that happened to you¡­ the tragedy that day¡­ it happened because of me! If I wasn''t so obsessed with trying to lead a double life, then everything would have yed outpletely differently!"


    Rey''s emotions were reaching the point of System interference, so he had to stop.


    He took a breather, settled his heart, and continued¡ªthis time with a much lower voice.


    "If I had been there that day¡­ I could have¡­ yet I¡­ Alicia, I''m so sorry!" It was strange for Rey, who had so much power and authority¡ªespecially where he wasing from¡ªto grovel at the feet of someone far weaker.


    Any Elf who saw this would probably faint in disbelief.


    But¡­ this was exactly how he saw Alicia. She was much better than him in every department except for strength.


    ''I just got lucky, but¡­ she''s been an amazing person from the start!'' He admired her and loved her at the same time¡ªfeelings that he intended to convey at this moment.


    "Alicia¡­ I actually¡­ for the longest time, I''ve¡ª"


    "Rey, you shouldn''t me yourself for what happened to me¡ªto everyone." Alicia cut him off right as he was about to confess.


    He didn''t want his words ovepping hers, so he instantly stopped.


    Her warm hands reached out to him, touching his cheeks softly from both ends as she smiled with such kindness.


    "Please stand up, Rey. Come sit beside me."


    Rey obeyed that very moment, his legs still trembling as he did so. His eyes remained fixated on her as he gave her a look of disbelief.


    "Why are you still so kind to me? Even after everything I¡­ everything you¡­." He couldn''t conclude his words due to the influx of emotions, so he let his expression convey the rest.


    Alicia got the message instantly and only smiled sweeter.


    "Because¡­ it''s not your fault, Rey." Once she said this, though, her expression became a lot darker, and the smile she had turned into a mild scowl. It wasn''t directed at him, though.


    "It''s this world that is the problem." She muttered, her eyes trailing off as something burned deep within them.


    ''This world¡­?''


    "I know you love this world, Rey. You have a lot you want to do here, and Ipletely understood. I want you to be happy, but¡­ I''m sick of it."


    All the mor and sweetness from Alicia waspletely gone, and she expressed sheer exhaustion¡ªif not disgust¡ªtowards H''Trae.


    ''Alicia¡­'' Rey felt bad, but he decided to keep listening.


    "All the pain, fright, and all the other negative emotions I havee to associate with this world have overwhelmed the both of us¡­ don''t you see that, Rey? I know this isn''t the right ce or time to say all of this, but¡­ honestly, I''m just tired."


    When Rey first entered the room, the sight of Alicia staring out the windows told him she was simply admiring the world outside, but he now knew that his initial thought was wrong.


    Alicia wasn''t looking out at H''Trae. She was daydreaming about the world she had lost bying here.


    "I''ve had more than enough time to think about it, and honestly, Rey¡­ I want to go back."


    Rey understood perfectly. She had mentioned this in passing many times, but this was the very first time Alicia was saying it with such a strong expression on her face. The resolve was nearly overpowering, even for someone like Rey.


    "I¡­ understand." Were the only words his lips mustered as soon as she told him this.


    There was no way he could tell her his true feelings now.


    ''There''s no point if she wants to leave. If I try to make her stay, it will just be like with Esme all over again.'' Rey was done trying to make others conform to what he desired, all in order to make him happy.


    That was incredibly selfish, no matter how he looked at it.


    ''I want you to be happy, Alicia. And that means I have no right to get in the way of your departure, if that''s what you really want.'' This time, the tearspletely dried up, and he reached out for her cheeks, holding them in his palm the same way she held his.


    "I''m actually working on something that could potentially get everyone home¡ªwell, for those who are interested in going back."


    There were many problems with H''Trae, and that could be enough to drive some people back home, but Rey wasn''t going to ditch this world.


    He reckoned there had to be a few others like him who felt the same way.


    "Really?" Alicia''s eyes instantly brightened the moment she heard the news. "What is it? The stuff you''re working on."


    "Haha¡­" Despiteughing about it, Rey didn''t feel good about the topic in the slightest. After all, it had to do with Alicia leaving, and also Adrien''s n¡ªboth of which weren''t the most savory things to think about.


    Still, he remained positive through it all.


    "Well, that''s a surprise, Alicia." "Boo! Are you keeping secrets from me, mister? You just apologized for one, and here you aremitting the same crime again."


    "Pffft! This one is different, madame. It''s supposed to be a pleasant experience for you¡­ like a birthday present, you know?"


    "A-ah! That''s right! My birthday!"


    "Hahaha! We tend to lose track of all that stuff in this world, don''t we?"


    "Exactly! Another reason why I should go back to Earth!" Alicia said with such mock determination that the next course of action was inevitable.


    "Hahahahahahahahaha!!!"


    Both teenagersughed as they hugged each other, each feeling the bittersweet emotions associated with their reunion.


    There was a lot that could be said right then, but the two chose tough and be happy about everything. It had been too long, and they missed each other.


    ''I''ve really missed you, Alicia.'' As Rey closed his eyes, thinking such sweet thoughts, he couldn''t have expected the next question that would echo in the air.


    "By the way¡­ who is Esme?"


    "E-eh¡­?"


    Slowly detaching from their embrace, Rey found Alicia smiling rather dangerously at him. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "Yes, Rey¡­ I heard everything." "W-well, I¡ª!"


    "Come on, Rey¡­ just tell me. I want to know who this new friend of yours is."


    Unable to help himself, he blushed rather hard and tried to get away from Alicia, but she dragged him back, stillughing as she pressed hard on the question.


    While all of this was happening, a certain individual was watching from behind the entrance to Alicia''s room¡ªthrough the slit between the double-door, for that matter.


    "Haa¡­ I can''t interrupt now, can I?" His voice echoed softly as he took in the sight of youthful exuberance.


    His crimson eyes glowed and his red hair swayed as he gave a wide grin.


    Without wasting any more time, he left the door and began walking down the hallway, adjusting his tie while wearing his usual evil smile.


    "Besides¡­ I have a rather important business to attend to."

 Chapter 749 Black In White

    Chapter 749 ck In White


    Deep within the Forbidden Valley¡ªthe territory of the White Dragon Lord¡ªthere existed a mighty Castle. In all senses of the word, it resembled an borate mansion, with a luxuriouspound.


    White fog covered the entire space, marking the valley as the territory of the White Dragon Lord of the Empire. Any who dared venture in without an invitation would instantly be noticed by the Lord, and snuffed out before they could take another step.


    Within the domain of a Lord, they reigned supreme.


    However, this particr Lord did not seem to be supreme in any sense of the word. Deep within her mansion, in her incredibly vast sleeping quarters, she sat on her incredible bed¡ªone that resembled the amalgamation of many King-sized mattresses.


    Even if she was in her Dragon Form, the Lord would not be able to cover the entire space that her soft bed offered.


    The walls surrounding her were painted white, with hues of blue decorating the surroundings. Her curtains were also pure, with embroidery that had light blue hue, and the same applied to pretty much every luxurious design in the room.


    Even the chandeliers followed the same format, and they reflected gloriously on the pure white floors. Her carpet matched the sheets she used to cover her bed, and all of them blended perfectly to form a chamber worthy of a Lord.


    Despite being surrounded by all of this wealth and power, however, the Lord remained hunched as she sat, covering her face with her two palms.


    "H-h¡­ h¡­" Loud sobs escaped her lips as she sat there, deste and utterly in pain.


    Her body trembled, and gasps escaped her gaping mouth at intervals. Even when tears had long dried up from her eyes, she still continued to drown in self pity and the writhing pain within her right eye.


    ''I really¡­ lost so much¡­ in a single day¡­'' Her disjointed thoughts trailed as she immersed herself in the most sorry state imaginable¡ªat least for a Dragon Lord.


    ''I lost my precious subordinates, friends¡­ and¡­ my eye¡­ all because of my hubris.''


    She was done ming the ipetence of everyone around her. After mulling over what happened for so long, she could see how everything was her fault.


    It all stemmed from her idea¡ªthe audacity she had in seeking out a loophole to defy the Emperor''s orders.


    ''Never again¡­ never again¡­''


    She had now learnt her lesson, but at what cost? She had lost too much now.


    Her face was forever scarred, and her perfect body was now iplete. She was bound to be shunned by the rest of her colleagues during the uing meeting, and it was possible that rumors of her misdeeds even spread to the Academy.


    Would her precious students turn against her? Would the staff there look at her the same way?


    Frey''ja had no idea in the slightest.


    Her reputation and absolute standing as an exemry Dragon Lord had been ruined.


    "Would it have been better to¡­ di¡ª" She suddenly stopped, not only because of the fear that apanied her thought on death, but because she heard something.


    ¡­ Something outside.


    "Who''s there?" She muttered, her sobbing stopping instantly as she straightened her posture and looked at the massive door in front of her.


    Nothing responded.


    The White Lord stared in confusion. Frey''ja was sure that she picked up a certain sound¡ªlike the kind of noise someone made when they were shuffling around.


    Since she had exceptional senses, even the slightest movement would set her off.


    ''C-could it be him? Has hee back¡­ to finish the job?'' The image of the Great Old Dragon Lord appeared in her frightened mind as she found herself trembling.


    As she thought this, certain whispers began to dance in her ears¡ªalmost like a smoldered conversation that she couldn''t quite pick up.


    The whispers grew louder, and then suddenly ceased.


    ''W-what''s happening? Who''s there?''


    The Great Old Lord wouldn''t resort to such a sneaky way, which meant the person in her premises was not him.


    ''If that''s the case, then¡ª!'' Frey''ja gritted her teeth and clenched her fist, rising up from her bed at once.


    Anyone other than The Great Old Lord and The Emperor who entered her premises were intruders. The mere fact that said intruder was shuffling around and whispering meant they did not deserve a shred of her courtesy.


    ''If they got past the fog without detection, then they must be pretty impressive¡­'' Frey''ja thought to herself, but she still marched forward anyway.


    Perhaps the fear and pain instilled to her by the Great Old Lord made her immune to the cautious thoughts that would have caused more hesitation.


    In a sh, she reached the door and even opened it wide open.


    Nothing.


    There was nothing there.


    ''W-what? What''s going on¡­?''


    She proceeded outside, first poking her head out and then her whole body. Before she realized it, she was in the passageway, looking at one side, but finding nothing there. For some strange reason, it was dark¡ªdespite the lights usually being perpetually active. Only the light from her room bled into the passageway, bathing her in showers of white, while everything else was pitch ck.


    Darkness was inconsequential to Frey''ja, though. She could still see perfectly fine.


    ''Nothing here¡­?'' n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Then¡ª


    After hearing another sudden whisper to her left, she swiftly turned and looked at the other side of the passageway.


    There, seated on the ground, was a ck cat.


    It hadpletely ck fur, with glowing red eyes that were fixedpletely on her.


    ''What?!'' The creature''s appearance startled her, forcing her to blink with the only eye she had remaining.


    Once she reopened her eye, the cat was nowhere to be found.


    ''What in the world? Was I hallucinating?'' Perhaps this was a side effect from having only one vision that she didn''t know of.


    It could also be trau¡ª


    "Frey''ja." Hearing a familiar voice call her name, Frey''ja found the whispering from right behind her¡ªwithin her bedroom.


    ''A-ahh¡­ ahh¡­?'' Slowly turning her head, as well as the rest of her body, she turned to look at the figure who sat there majestically.


    ''W-who¡­ is that?!''


    The strange man sat on her bed, and kneeling on the ground beside him were her two subordinates that she thought were dead. Kat''erin and Shai''ya did not look at her, though. Their heads were lowered, and they werepletely still. They seemed alive, but something was off about them¡ªsomething that even Frey''ja could not decipher.


    "Come in." The man on the bed said with a smile.


    He had crimson hair, and he donned apletely ck suit. Despite being in the premises of a Dragon Lord, he exhibited even more authority than her.


    Frankly¡­ he frightened Frey''ja, so she did as he said.


    The moment she re-entered her bedroom, taking a few more steps forward, she heard a loud creak¡ªthe sound of the doors closing. With a widened eye, she turned to look at the reason why, but what she saw caused it to bulge and turn bloodshot.


    Her three deadrades¡ªTat''urius, Vul''khan, and Pro''theus¡ªstood right behind her, blocking the room''s entrance and exit. They also had dispassionate expressions on their faces, and their heads were bowed low.


    ¡ªAll for one person.


    ''What''s happening here?'' She didn''t need anyone to tell her before realizing that all of this was urring because of the smiling man on the bed.


    But why?


    ''Who is he? What does he want?'' As she stared at him with cautious eyes, feeling fear now rising and surging within her body, she took another step forward.


    Much to her horror, the man grinned even more and parted his lips to speak.


    "My name is Ater, and you and I¡­ we have a lot to discuss."

 Chapter 750 Resolve To Win

    Chapter 750 Resolve To Win


    "Sit."


    Before the mighty presence that was before him, Adrien Chase had no choice but to obey.


    He had been escorted by Dragons to this ce¡ªthe grand office of a Lord¡ªso the least he could do was obey the simple instructions given to him by the one he came to see.


    The one who was thoughtful enough to grant him an audience.


    "Huu¡­" As Adrien sat on the ratherfortable seat, doing his best to observe his surroundings without taking his attention away from the entity before him, he maintained his smile.


    The office was splendidly designed¡ªpossessing streaks of purple, blue, and ck. The carpet was exquisite, and the quality of furniture was unlike anything that could be found in any human or elven settlement.


    In fact, it was almost reminiscent of Earth.


    The room had an air conditioning Enchanted Item, as well as Enchanted Items for lighting, among other very useful utilities. By all means ofparison, it was not too dissimr from a modern office.


    "So¡­ how are you enjoying the Empire so far?" The man before him asked, his voice deep and his tone smooth.


    It almost felt like the p of thunder, though.


    "I just arrived on the Continent, Sir. I haven''t had much time for sightseeing or anything of the sort." Adrien rightly responded, bowing his head politely in order to pay as much respect to the figure as possible.


    He found that this method usually worked on those in high authority who perceived themselves as greater than those they granted an audience.


    Just as expected, his actions eased a bit of the tension in the room.


    "Is that so? I understand then¡­" Adrien was yet to take a proper look at the Lord before him, but he could see his outfit.


    He wore a polished ck and purple suit¡ªone that spoke of incredible wealth and prestige. Of course, it was enchanted¡ªas was practically every other essory that the man donned. He had an earring in one ear, a chain, and a few rings, from what Adrien could decipher.


    Adrien made sure to observe all of this very subtly.


    "I will have to leave very soon, since I have a rather important meeting to attend to. So, raise your head and let''s conclude this as quickly as possible."


    "Understood."


    Adrien lifted his eyes and witnessed the handsome and perfectly crafted face of the Dragon Lord before him¡ªThe Storm Dragon Of Trembling Skies.


    "Now then¡­ where to begin."


    *************


    Vai''zel was a rather pragmatic one¡ªa sharp contrast to the regr prideful Dragon that existed within the Empire. Even among the Lords, he possessed a particrly sharp wit, coupled with an attitude that calcted all actions and oues based on utility. How useful or advantageous a position was determined whether or not he would subscribe to it.


    It was the same reason he decided to grant the human before him an audience despite the more important things he had on his te.


    ''I just got news on the deaths of those three, and I have to soon leave for the meeting that is being held to exin their demise and discuss the other pending matters.'' Vai''zel thought to himself as he made a short sigh.


    He certainly had his own thoughts concerning the deaths of his colleagues, but it wasn''t like he didn''t see iting. The other Lords also probably had a fair idea what happened as well.


    At the moment, however, the Storm Dragon Lord chose not to dwell too much on the matter. Instead, he offered his full attention to the human before him.


    ''Adrien Chase¡­ when my Generals first reported their unanimous decision to take in an exceptional human who sided with them against the Elves, I was slightly curious, but didn''t give it much thought. But¡­''


    Somehow, Adrien had managed to garner even more of his attention over time.


    ''In the final fight, even though it ended in failure, he even fought off the hero of the Elves. I saw the footages, and I have to say¡­ he''s pretty impressive.'' And all of this was not even ounting for the fact that the boy had Necromancy as a Skill.


    He was too interesting to pass up. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "So, what do you want, Adrien?" The Lord finally asked, his eyes burrowing deep into the azure irises of the boy.


    "I¡­ would like to be of service to the Empire¡­ to you. If it is possible, I''d like to integrate myself with your society and be one of you."


    "One of us? As a human?"


    Adrien nodded his head, not showing any hesitation to make clear what he wanted.


    ''I like that!'' Vai''zel grinned to himself.


    This human showed a lot more backbone than most Dragons that he knew.


    "And what exactly can you offer to the Empire that would make us consider you?"


    Adrien smiled the moment he heard the question, a move that made Vai''zel even more intrigued by him and excited to hear his response.


    "I did a lot of research beforeing here. I know about the true origins of the Dragons¡­ as Otherworlders not native to his world."


    ''Ohh?'' The Lord''s eyes widened considerably.


    "But you are not the only ones. The humans have also resorted to using your kind to battle you¡­ by Summoning Otherworlders. I am an Otherworlder, and there are even more like me in the United Human Alliance."


    "For real?" Vai''zel nearly gasped, incredibly amused by the information he was receiving practically for free.


    Now it made sense why the humans were suddenly turning the tides in their battle against the Dragon Armies ced in the Western Continent.


    ''To think they had that kind of secret¡­ how fascinating!'' However, what was more fascinating was the fact that this human was able to figure out the identity of Dragons as well as sell out the trump card that humanity possessed.


    "You were summoned to protect the humans of H''Trae, yet you would betray them? Why?" Vai''zel asked, licking his lips as he did so.


    "Because I believe the Dragons will ultimately win this war. And in that respect, it doesn''t matter what side I was summoned to, or what I need to do to achieve the desired result¡­ no matter what, I intend to win."


    "Oh? Fascinating!"


    "...."


    For a few seconds, silence existed between both Otherworlders¡ªDragon and Human¡ªas they were locked in a seemingly ended staring contest.


    The first to blink was Vai''zel, all due to the loudughter that burst out of his pping lips.


    "You''re quite amusing, you know that?"


    "I am d that I was able to amuse you, Sir."


    "Oh, please. It''s fine, Adrien. I quite like you already, so there''s no need to keep up the formalities."


    "Does that mean I can call you by name?"


    "Hey! Don''t push it. We''re not that close." Vai''zel said this with a bit of aversion, but there was no rage in his tone.


    It was simply a reaction of pride¡ªsomething present within all Dragons, especially among Lords.


    "Understood!"


    "In any case, I am willing to give you a chance to prove your worth and join the Empire. But first, Adrien, you will have to go through rigorous training and education to properly serve the Empire."


    "Ipletely understand sir."


    "You do? You sure? It won''t be easy. All your fellowrades will be Dragons, and you will have a long way to go to prove your worth to everyone around you." Vai''zel hammered down the point, but none of that seemed to deter the boy.


    Adrien simply smiled and nodded, parting his lips in sheer resolve.


    "Whatever it takes."


    *


    *


    *


    [Conclusion Of Arc 5: Land Of The Elves Arc]


    ~Notice: Prepare Yourselves For The Next Adventure That Will Take You All By Storm!~


    {The Dragon Academy Arc will now begin¡­}


    A/N: I sincerely hope you enjoyed the Arc, since most of it was a setup for the uing Arc and it had less action than the Arc before it. Still, I had a lot of fun with the story, and I hope you did too.


    See you in the next one!

 Chapter 751 Vision Of The King

    Chapter 751 Vision Of The King


    Deep within an ancient forest, a ce of unparalleled enchantmenty hidden from the world. Towering trees with luminescent leaves created a canopy that sparkled like a thousand emerald stars. The air shimmered with the faint glow of the flora around, casting a soft, ethereal light upon the forest floor, which was carpeted in a bed of moss that seemed to pulsate with life.


    Mystic creatures roamed freely in this secluded paradise; from majestic unicorns, to griffons that pped their wings in the air. Pegasi danced amongst each other in a flock, and they were apanied by several other creatures of wonder.


    At the heart of this magical de stood a structure that defied thews of the mundane world. It was a pce woven from the very essence of nature itself. Vines as thick as a man''s arm twisted and spiraled upwards, forming columns and archways that glowed with an inner light. The walls were made of interwoven branches and leaves, creating intricate patterns that seemed to shift and change as one looked at them. Windows of crystal-clear water, held in ce by the unseen force of magic, reflected the myriad colors of the surrounding forest.


    Atop the highest tower, where the vines converged to form a delicate spire, a certain entity darted gracefully through the air. Her wings, delicate and translucent, caught the light and scattered it in a prism of colors. With a joyfulugh that echoed like the tinkling of tiny bells, she flew towards an entrance formed by two intertwining branches.


    She appeared humanoid, but was small¡ªabout an inch or two in height¡ªand the way she danced with the wind as she closed in on her destination seemed surreal.


    "Hehe!" In a yful glide, she ventured inside.


    Inside, the pce was even more breathtaking. The floor was a mosaic of polished gemstones, arranged in a way that depicted the culmination of the beauty that the enchanted forest possessed. Walls of living wood pulsed with a gentle warmth, their surfaces alive with the slow, steady heartbeat of the trees. Hanging from the ceiling, luminous flowers glowed softly, illuminating the space with a warm, golden light.


    The figure flew through the grand hall, where the air was filled with the sweet scent of blooming flowers and the sound of a bubbling brook that flowed through the center of the room, its water as clear as crystal and sparkling with flecks of gold. Before long, she arrived at her destination¡ªthe Grand Pce!


    Within this pristine space, there was enough room to contain the entire poption of her people. It had a wonderful warmth to it, with the floors sparkling like fine wine, reflecting the several gems that hung on the ceiling.


    More entities like her were stationed beside windows that were systematically aligned high above the ground floor of the hall, and they remained suspended in the air even as she arrived inside.


    They donned golden armor, each having staffs that were wielded more like spears than harmless sticks.


    The eyes of these Sentinels fell on her, but none of that bothered this one.


    She simply gilded forward, her focus on the altar that stood a few meters from her current position. In no time at all, she closed the gap and knelt at the foot of the elevated tform¡ªthe ce where the Great Throne stood.


    "My king¡­ you called for me!"


    Right in front of the kneeling girl was a figure¡ªa couple of inches taller than her, but still having a simr build. He had apletely white apparel, adorned with hints of silver, and a golden crown that floated above his head.


    Gems decorated his body from head to toe, and even his eyes seemed to be made of crystals.


    He sat majestically on the grand chair, his massive wings nearly five timesrger than his entire body. His face seemed to glisten like the sun, and his very presence radiated energy and majesty unlike anything one could see beyond the forest.


    This was the one who witnessed the beginning and the end¡ªthe Fairy King.


    "I have had a vision, Fae." He spoke, his voice almost resembling a rather grave whisper. In contrast to his serious countenance, the one called Fae maintained her bright smile and youthful exuberance. The tension within the pce did not seem to affect her in the slightest, even before her king.


    "What did you see, my King!"


    "..." For a moment, the King said nothing. He merely looked at his subject with his gem-like eyes, before finally closing them and speaking with a sigh.


    "War."


    The moment he said this, Fae''s eyes slightly widened, her countenance swiftly shifting to shock.


    "War¡­ you say?"


    As she said those words, her body trembled.


    "Indeed. It draws near upon us¡ªthe time long prophesied from the beginning of days." His tone, his breathing, everything was calm¡­ but the expression on his face showed something else¡ªa graveness that could not be conveyed through words alone.


    "Ahh¡­ at longst." Fae''s trembling persisted, but her expression of shock transformed into that of delight. The news did not frighten her, neither did it cause her to grieve. Instead, she couldn''t be more excited. Her overjoyed facey bare for all to see.


    "The promised days are near!"


    "It is too early to rejoice, Fae." The King raised a hand, causing her to instantly cease hermotion and bow her head in understanding and respect.


    "The vision was rather unclear, and I am yet to properly interpret its content. Regardless, I see a great darkness visiting ournds. This darkness once came near, but this time¡­ it will enter into the Forest."


    "Will The Oracle allow such?" Fae responded with a confused expression.


    "The Oracle''s pacifism makes her grow impotent as the centuries pass. She is only concerned with the welfare of her own people, as she should be. None of her priorities extend to us Fairies." The King''s sighs grew louder.


    "This Darkness¡­ will it consume the Elves?"


    "No. I did not see that."


    "And what of us? Will it consume ournds? Will it ravage our forests and swallow us into its depths?"


    Despite saying painting a horrific future with her manner of speech, Fae appeared excited.


    Her cheeks burned bright red, and she had a perverted expression on her small, cute face. Her gem-like eyes shone brightly, as she tried her best to conceal her squeals.


    The Fairy King noticed this and slightly shook his head.


    He understood Fae and her perverted thirst for battle¡ªher never-ending desire to witness and partake in the long-prophesied war. For Fairies, guardians of the Forest who never perished, this was their purpose¡­ but Fae''s obsession with it was on another level. She dreamed of that day every waking moment¡­ for the several millennia since her conception.


    "That is not for you to know." The Fairy King finally answered.


    "Tch."


    "What was that?"


    "N-nothing, my King!"


    The Sentinels couldn''t help but groan and frown as they witnessed all of this ying out before them. The sheer recklessness that Fae disyed was unbefitting before their glorious ruler, but none of them could voice a word ofint.


    After all¡­ Fae was the strongest.


    Other than the Fairy King, there was none that stood superior to her or was anywhere close to being her equal.


    As was the rule of the Forest, those who were weaker had to swallow their thoughts and restrict all the displeasures they had to their imaginations. Besides, if they desired to challenge her, Fae was always up to the challenge. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Every single Sentinel had tried at least once to beat her, but they ended up suffering severe humiliation and punishment that would have killed them if they weren''t immortal.


    "In any case, Fae¡­ I have a mission for you."


    "Ehh? At such a critical juncture? My King¡­ why me?"


    "Because, rather unfortunately, you are the most reliable one among the Fairies¡ªthe most capable person to fulfill my request."


    "U-unfortunately¡­?!" Fae appeared aghast, but the Fairy King seemed unapologetic about his choice of words.


    She simply had to swallow the sentiment as it came.


    "The mission requires you to leave the Forest. You will head to the Land of The Elves at a specified period and guide a certain individual here when the time is right.


    "Individual? But no one is allowed into the Forest."


    In fact, the opposite was also true. No one was ever meant to leave the Forest¡ªincluding all of the Fairies within its embrace.


    At least, not until the end of days.


    "This is an exception. As King, I possess the authority to issue that; just as I have authority over the Forest and all that dwell therein."


    No one needed a reminder of that. He was their father¡ªthe progenitor of all Fairies, and the one who granted them their eternal life from his Primeval Skill.


    All Fairies, without exception, bowed their heads the moment he uttered those words.


    "Who is this person that I will usher into the forest? What makes them an exception?" Fae asked, her tone still that of reverence, but also of undying curiosity.


    "...."


    "You can tell me that much, right?"


    After pausing for a while, looking at the impatient Fairy with his all-seeing eyes, the King finally parted his lips.


    "He is a Singrity¡ªone that by nature should not exist. His name is Rey Skr¡­ and perhaps he will be the one to save us from inevitable destruction."

 Chapter 752 Alliance Summit [Pt 1]

    Chapter 752 Alliance Summit [Pt 1]


    "Now then¡­ shall we begin the meeting?"


    In a vast hall, surrounded by pristine decorations such as stained ss, marble tiles, exquisite curtains, and crystal-like chandeliers, a certain conference was being held. Arge rectangr table stood erect at the center of the hall, with chairs on all sides¡ªtwo especially at the head of the table, upied by Vida and Conrad¡ªleaders of the United Human Alliance.


    On both the right side of the table were the teenagers who had been summoned to save their world¡ªThe Otherworlders.


    Alicia, Belle, rk, Justin, and Trisha satfortably in their pristine chairs, and opposite them were the distinguished members of the Alliance who were considered the strongest¡ªmost influential as well¡ªwithin the framework.


    Lucielle, Brutus, and Lucy¡ªwho had just recently been promoted to Admiral¡ªupied this position.


    Then, at the foot of the table was the designated leader of the Otherworlders. He was their representative, in a sense, and he was also recognized as the strongest one in the room.


    ¡ªRey Skr.


    Standing behind him was Ater, his Familiar, who still refused to sit despite many attempts to make him do so. He floated above the ground, but his feet were still close to its surface, so it wasn''t easy to tell.


    Still, this was the arrangement of the meeting room.


    Guards were stationed outside the room, giving everyone inside utmost privacy. The items for discourse were also quite robust, so everyone strapped themselves into their respective seats and awaited themencement of their grand assembly.


    "The first thing I''d like to say is to offer words of gratitude to our Otherworlder Heroes who have continued to support us through everything that we have been through. Even during attacks, and betrayals¡­ you six have continued to remain with us. For that, you have my thanks." Conrad spoke, turning to both the five teenagers, and then to Rey.


    He had a genuine smile on his face¡ªone that did its best to exin just how thankful he was.


    Vida also bowed her head, not saying anything else since Conrad had pretty much taken all the words out of her mouth. The other distinguished individuals of the Alliance followed suit and did the same.


    It might have been strange for the Otherworlders to receive such treatment from adults who were far older than them, but they were already used to it.


    And so, as always, they chose to be humble and dismiss the thanks.


    "A-ahem¡­ okay then¡­ let''s move on to the first matter on the list of things to discuss." Conrad cleared his throat, now casting his gaze on Rey.


    "Thanks to the efforts of Rey Skr, the Elves have agreed to be our allies¡ªsupplying us with ores from their end while we offer them Enchanted Weapons in exchange. They are also fighting the war on their end, so it''s important that this alliance will be benefiting both sides."


    Conrad went further to exin the model they would be using to supply the Elves their weapons, and how they would be receiving the goods from them.


    In the end, it all boiled down to the Reaper Group.


    "The Reaper Group is thergest in the market at the moment, and they are our personal suppliers as well. In essence, the whole exchange will go through them. Their operations will have the full support of the Alliance, and it appears the Elves have also agreed to trade with them."


    No one would have expected that apany that surfaced mere months ago would have such a monopoly on the most profitable and important business in the Alliance, but considering their track record and the quality of their products, it was onlymon sense to go with them.


    Besides, with or without the aid of the Alliance, the Reaper Group would have kept advancing anyway. They had already grown sorge on their own, which was impressive in its own way.


    They donated a lot of Items to the Royal Council, and they even assisted in rebuilding the city. Certainly, their reach wasn''t small and their pockets also ran deep. Most importantly, they were trustworthy.


    "And with that concluded, it''s time we discussed the issue of alliance¡­ one of the rather problematic subjects to be addressed today."


    Now that the Nobles of the Alliance were dead, there was really nothing standing in the way of the Royal Council making decisions. They also now had more resources at their disposal than ever since they confiscated the resources of the Nobles.


    With the aid of the Reaper Group, and the recent alliance of the Elves, it was safe to say that the economic situation of the Alliance had never been better. They were thriving, possessing more than enough resources to get them through theing years.


    But, even with that issue addressed, there was one matter that could not be ignored.


    ¡ªThe War against the Dragons.


    "It''s only a matter of time before they attack us with ferocity. We''re doing our best to arm our soldiers with sufficient resources¡ªparticrly Enchanted Items¡ªbut there''s only so much those can do against the full might of their army. We have suffered many losses over the years, and the number of soldiers we have has dwindled."


    It was bad to the point where they had to dispatch a lot of pce guards and regr soldiers to the front lines, leaving the cities and Capitalrgely defenseless.


    That was not a sustainable model, and with the reduction in Dragon attacks, the security of the Alliance had returned to its optimal capacity. The difference in crime rates, as well as general productivity, made itpelling to leave things that way.


    But¡­ that would mean the front lines would suffer.


    "The dispatched soldiers taken from the regions and cities are cannon fodder anyway. It''s best they remain in their local areas and carry out their duties. There''s no use sending them to die at the hands of the Dragons." Brutus said, almost as soon as Conrad brought them up.


    "I agree. We are at a crucial stage in the Alliance right now, which means we need as much security personnel around. Sending them to their deaths is pointless." Lucielle added.


    "Where will we get soldiers, then? There aren''t many new recruits, and even those we have are not ready for the rigors of war." Lucy sighed. "It''s a dead end."


    Their only saving grace was that the Dragons were yet tounch a full-scale assault. But, that was inevitable.


    "You have us, don''t you? We''ll be heading to the battlefield in theing week, so that should take a lot of the burden off your shoulders." rkmented.


    Not all his fellow Otherworlders were as enthusiastic as him to rush into the battlefield, but they all nodded in agreement to his words.


    Their duties remained the same, and since they were finally heading to the battlefield, surely some difference would be made.


    "No offense to you, Sir rk, but a few soldiers¡ªno matter how skilled and strong¡ªdo not win wars. We need an army." Lucy responded with a stern tone, though she still had a respectful vibe about her.


    While there existed reverence for the Otherworlders, it was no secret that they were inexperienced when it came to actual warfare. For that purpose alone, she felt the strong need to correct his mistaken assumption.


    "There are several attack points that the Dragons utilize, and since they have aerial power, it''s easy for them to swarm and overtake a group if there are too few members. It''s one of the reasons we diverted so much security to the battlefield despite them being weak." Her further boration was educational, causing rk to nod in understanding.


    "Thanks for the enlightenment." He bowed his head.


    "My pleasure."


    The two smiled at each other with some form of unknown camaraderie, something strange to have since they hardly even knew each other.


    "In any case, concerning the alliance, we tried to reach out to the other civilizations outside the United Human Alliance and offered for them to join hands with us." Vida finally brought the conversation back to the pertinent topic.


    "They still refuse to be a part of the Alliance, but most of them have agreed to create a somewhat mutually beneficial agreement. We send resources to theirnds, and they offer some of their finest warriors to assist in the battlefield." "Can we trust them?" This time, it was Lucielle who spoke up. "I find their actions suspicious."


    "Same here." Lucy added, causing the two women to look at each other, smile, and then nod.


    "Well, we don''t have much of a choice, do we? We have to put up with their requests and simply watch them closely to make sure theyply with their end of the deal. Besides, why would they sabotage our efforts to drive away the Dragons when they also run the risk of being obliterated by the enemy?" n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    No one could argue with that logic, so everyone fell silent regarding the alliance.


    Everyone but one.


    "If I may speak¡­ there is another alternative that you haven''t considered."


    All looked in the direction of the boy who spoke.


    His dark hair swayed slightly and his two eyes gleamed with brilliant crimson as he interlocked the fingers of both hands and stared forward, parting his lips to reveal his thoughts.


    "The Southern Continent¡­ why don''t we seek allies there too?"

 Chapter 753 Alliance Summit [Pt 2]

    Chapter 753 Alliance Summit [Pt 2]


    ''It''s only been a few days since I returned from the Elves¡­''


    Rey''s thoughts trailed as he sat before the crowd that now looked at him with both surprised and curious eyes.


    ''I''ve had some time to think about this, and I''ve even consulted with Ater on it.'' Smiling within himself, he decided to bring the matterto the notice of everyone else in the room.


    This would be the first time any of them were going to be hearing it, so he had to go into deep detail with them. Thankfully, due to his individual aplishments, as well as his status as the leader of the Otherworlders, his words had a lot of weight.


    In fact, it had all of the weight.


    "What do you mean¡­ regarding the Southern Continent?" Conrad was the first to speak up, his brows raised in sheer curiosity.


    "Surely, you don''t mean¡ª"


    "Indeed, I do. The Dwarves and Giants dwell there, as well as a host of Monsters¡ªexotic kinds more dangerous than the ones we have here in the West." Rey began, causing the Natives of H''trae to gasp.


    Most of the Otherworlders didn''t fully understand the severity of his proposal, so most of them maintained a neutral stance.


    The only one among them who appeared stunned by Rey''s idea was Alicia, and this was most likely due to the knowledge she gained from reading tons of books in the Library.


    "The Giants are considered to be the strongest race after the Dragons, and the Dwarves are the most technologically advanced. Looking at things closely, no matter how skilled the people at the Reaper Group are, they will mostly be dealing with much more potent ores and materials than they are used to. It would be beneficial to have the craftsmanship of the Dwarves on our side, and as for the manpower necessary for the war¡­ being allies with the Giants would help out a lot."


    All the ring problems that the Alliance currently faced would be dealt with if they allied themselves with those of the South.


    "B-but¡­ it''s not that simple." Vida spoke up, her tone a little shaky. No one could me her for stuttering in her usually wless speech. They all understood how dangerous the South was.


    "There''s a reason we never considered heading to the South and pitching the idea to them. At least, with the Elves, despite their ideology¡­ they spared any human that dared cross their territory. But, those people in the South are different."


    "Yeah. They''re savages¡­ especially the Giants."


    "You fought one before, didn''t you?" Lucielle turned to Brutus, who just finished speaking, and he nodded.


    "I was much younger back then, and it was back when we ran an expedition to the South after getting our first Dragon attack. I¡­ lost miserably to that single Giant."


    It was apletely random Giant, yet Brutus¡ªwho was still regarded as one of the strongest humans back then¡ªcould not hold his own against it.


    If not for the mere fact that they were close to shore, he was sure they would have all been ughtered there and then.


    "The Giants despise water, so that''s why¡ªdespite their violent tendencies¡ªthey''ve never invaded othernds and run their own conquest. If not for that mere fact¡­ it would have been game over for everyone before the Dragons showed up." Brutus sighed. "An alliance with them is a bad idea." N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Rey narrowed his eyes as he heard this.


    "What about the Dwarves? Does that mean they''re not allied with the Giants, despite the two sides being attacked by the Dragons?"


    "No. The Dwarves and Giants despise each other. One prides itself on being a technologically advanced and civilized group, while the other are primitive and violent in nature." Lucielle responded, shrugging as she did so.


    "We''ve only encountered Dwarves a few times, when they reached out to us and we traded a little. We got the Truthseeker technology, as well as the Oculus from them. In exchange, we gave them Minerals and Ores." Conrad sighed, nodding his head as he spoke up. "The trade stopped very long ago, though. Our guess is that the war on their end grew so intense that they could not reach out to us any longer. That, or maybe they found another source for their resource shortage."


    Rey nodded as he silently assimted all of this information.


    "So, would you say the Dwarves are easier to deal with?"


    "No. Not at all¡­" Conrad frowned slightly as he looked at Rey. "They are a prideful bunch, and they are also greedy. They looked down on us throughout the trade and often determined the value of what they would exchange with us for our minerals."


    "Yeah. We couldn''t even refuse due to their Anti-Magic Technology and the other incredible machinations that they had. Honestly¡­ we were a bit thankful when they suddenly stopped showing up after a while."


    "Ahh¡­" Rey mumbled, taking in all of this information.


    He had thought about the possibility of his idea being rejected on serious grounds, but he never imagined the situation would be as dire as this.


    The books in the library had limited information on the Dwarves and Giants, so he didn''t know most of the details that were being poured out to him.


    Even at that, Rey didn''t have any intentions on giving up.


    "Wouldn''t you have also discredited an Alliance with the Elves if I brought it up a week ago? In the end, we don''t know enough about these people and their culture to outright deny the possibility of an Alliance." He spoke up, determination burning in his eyes.


    "For the Giants, they probably saw your expedition as strangers infringing on their nativend. And for the Dwarves, their treatment of you was terrible, but it would be no different from how you would also treat entities that you deem less intelligent and savage¡ªlike Monsters."


    Of course, it wasn''t Rey''s intentions to equate humanity in H''Trae to monsters.


    All of this was merely to serve a muchrger point.


    "We don''t have to like each other. There''s no reason to fully understand them, just as there''s no reason for them to fully understand us. We just require a mutually beneficial rtionship that will ensure we all get what we want."


    In the end, that was what mattered.

 Chapter 754 Alliance Summit [Pt 3]

    Chapter 754 Alliance Summit [Pt 3]


    Tense silence filled the room.


    It was clear that the natives of H''Trae heavily disliked Rey''s n, as well as his perspective on the matter at hand. Who could me them? The experience that humanity had with the denizens of the South were far from pleasant. Besides, they already had a somewhat more preferable alternative in the form of a mutually beneficial alliance with the human nations scattered across thends.


    Yes, the might of the Giants and the Technology of the Dwarves would be far more preferablepared to their current options, but the risks associated with that were also worth considering.


    The Royal Council currently didn''t think they could take that chance.


    "If I may offer some kind ofpromise¡­" Ater slowly raised his hand, instantly quelling the silence in the hall.


    All turned to look at his smiling demeanor, causing his grin to broaden further.


    The eyes they used to look at him were less of skepticism, and more of nervous curiosity. After all, Ater was the onergely responsible for the damage control following the matter with Dagon, and also the restructure of the Capital.


    He was already recognized as a brilliant individual, and it only added more des to Rey, since thetter was his master.


    Hence, Ater''s words could not be ignored.


    "Why don''t we send a small, elite team to offer an alliance to the Giants and Dragons¡ªpreferably Otherworlders. That way, the risk of loss is minimized, and chances of sess are higher."


    Unlike the humans of this world, the Otherworlders were incredibly powerful.


    They were strong enough to fight Dragons¡ªthe strongest race in all of H''Trae. That meant, of course, they could hold their own against other races¡ªDwarves and Giants included.


    "But we need the Otherworlders on the battlefie¡ª"


    "A few Otherworlders is a good investment for a potential armypared to the measly¡­ I mean, insufficient soldiers you currently have at your disposal. Besides, I think it''s important to hear what the other Otherworlders have to say regarding the matter."


    As soon as he said this, Ater turned to the group of teenagers, a warm smile on his face. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "What do you guys think?"


    "I think it''s worth the try. Rey was able to convince the Elves to join us, right? I trust his idea." Justin was the first to speak up.


    Following him was Belle.


    "I agree!"


    The remaining Otherworlders were a bit slow to agree, but it was clear that they weren''t going to outright abandon Rey''s idea since they didn''t have the firsthand knowledge of the Southern Natives like the people of H''Trae did, and they were also more affiliated with Rey.


    There was only one who disagreed. "I think all of us should stick together. Splitting us into multiple groups will greatly reduce our potential¡­ especially considering how we''ve been training together since we arrived here."


    Alicia White''s dissent took Rey by surprise, but her words were not without merit.


    "But aren''t we going to be divided into squads on the battlefield? Where''s the teamwork in that?" Justin asked with a skeptical tone, but Alicia remained undeterred.


    "I am well aware of that, but I''d argue that there is still going to be a great deal of teamwork¡ªespecially rting to the formation that each squad employs. By sticking together, we''ll be able to work in greater synergy."


    "But more people will die." Ater''s words stopped Alicia in her tracks.


    "...."


    All fell silent the moment those chilling words echoed in the air.


    "If we choose to go down this road, more soldiers will needlessly die. Rather than sacrifice our warriors in a battle that is way above their capacity, is it not better to outsource and have others sacrifice themselves in our stead?"


    It sounded coldhearted, but it was the most strategically sound n.


    "We have sufficient resources to attract the Dwarves, and we have enough strength to convince the Giants. Rey''s n holds the most merit, unless¡­ you''d prefer the deaths of countless innocents whose demise could be easily prevented." Ater''s eyes were narrowed on Alicia as he said those words, causing a bead of sweat to form on her face.


    Whether it was his intention or not, everyone in the room was reminded of the sheer damage that her Divine Summon caused in the Capital¡­ as well as how many lives were lost as a result of its rampage.


    In a sense, her rmendation for the Otherworlders to stick together was pointing towards the same oue.


    "That''s enough, Ater." Rey''s voice echoed out.


    It was low, but the heaviness it carried caused everything in the room to tremble. He slowly turned his head and red at Ater, silent rage evident in his eyes.


    The moment the Familiar witnessed this, his body shook tremendously.


    "I apologize. It seems I took my words too far¡­" He mumbled, bowing his head very lowly at Rey, and also at Alicia.


    "Huu¡­ just don''t do that again, please."


    Rey took a nce at Alicia, and the troubled expression she had told him that she hadn''t stopped recoiling from the consequences of her actions. He knew her n was to simply take out the Dragon Lord and herself, and the only reason she became so suicidal was because she thought he was dead and wanted to kill herself due to the mental trauma that brought on her.


    In a way, everything was his fault.


    ''Yet Ater had to bring such a topic up as a means to silence her¡­'' He sighed, unable to get angrier than he was thanks to his emotion regtion.


    Still, since his Familiar''s tactic was effective, there didn''t seem to be anyone else who disagreed with the n.


    ''I should take this as a win, right? Yet¡­'' Rey felt a bitter taste in his mouth as he watched the participants of the summit look at him for the final verdict. Despite any of their dissatisfactions, it was clear that Rey held all the cards at the moment.


    His decision was ultimately where they would pivot towards.


    "Thepromise sounds fine to me. Just two Otherworlders, minus me, will be required for the Southern Continent Outreach."


    "You won''t be tagging along?" Lucielle asked, her brows raised as she stared hard at Rey.


    "No." He responded tly. "The chaperone will be Ater. I have another engagement that I have to deal with."


    It had been over a week since theyst saw each other, and just when Rey was beginning to suspect that their alliance had dissolved, he got a message from Adrien.


    ''It seems the n is still ongoing.'' Whether or not it was a trap didn''t matter to Rey at this point, especially after considering Alicia''s situation.


    ''As long as the means to return home exists in the North, I have to investigate it somehow. Following Adrien''s n is the best means I know of at the moment.''


    Right now, while the United Human Alliance was concerned about the inevitable assault of the Dragons, and a few Otherworlders would have to be dispatched to the South, he had his own business situated in the North.


    "I have something to tell all of you." Rey began, inhaling deeply as he prepared himself for the impact of the news he was about to reveal.


    He had already made up his mind too, so all of this was merely ceremonial.


    "I''ll be going to the Dragon Continent."

 Chapter 755 News From Adrien

    Chapter 755 News From Adrien


    [The Previous Night]


    "Haa¡­"


    Reyy on his bed, contemting the meeting that would take ce the following day, and all he could make was a sigh.


    He was nning to pitch his n of allying with the denizens of the south, and he could already picture the image of disapproval that he would get if he did so. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    That didn''t mean he was going to give up, but still¡­ it was a bit dreadful to think about.


    Right as he concluded on that thought, another one regarding Adrien popped into his head.


    ''We didn''t particrly leave things off on a positive note, and I already confirmed from Emil that he had been trying to seduce her, especially after noticing how my rtionship with her was strained.''


    That would have brought into question the boy''s reliability, but Rey already knew he couldn''t trust Adrienpletely.


    The boy intrinsically operated on his own self interest, and the only reason Rey was being carried along with his n was most likely because he needed him.


    ''Not sure that still applies now. He hasn''t contacted me ever since he and Emil left together. With Emil now with me, I wonder what he''ll do.''


    Strangely enough, Rey didn''t feel any sort of anger or animosity towards Adrien.


    Perhaps that was natural.


    ''I''ve never trusted him. But now¡­ somehow, it seems I have to.''He narrowed his eyes as he sat upright on his bed.


    Alicia wanted to leave H''Trae, and he also had to consider the safety of his other ssmates. Besides, having ess to that gateway could be key in saving as many people as possible from the world''s eventual destruction.


    ''If I can somehow copy the effects, isn''t it possible that I can use it at will?'' That was his rationale behind the serious consideration he had towards Adrien''s n.


    He still didn''t know the full details, or whether he could even trust Adrien on the fundamentals of their agreement, but if there was a chance he could get what he wanted, he would have to take it while making preparations for potential betrayal.


    ''All of this is contingent on whether or not he actuallyes through.'' Rey shrugged as he decided to return to his sleeping posture.


    Right as he was about to do so, though, he heard a knock on his door.


    "Hm?"


    The peculiar presence behind the door caused Rey to instantly teleport right in front of it, twisting the knob just as quickly.


    The entity he found there was just as he expected¡ªan Undead.


    "Master Adrien sent me to deliver this letter to you." The entity was translucent, like a ghost, with a pale sickly face and a body that softly bounced in the air as it floated.


    It had somewhat long hair, looking somewhat androgynous, though the voice made it clear that this was a male.


    "I see¡­" Rey took the letter from the ghost, a small smile forming on his face as he did so.


    ''So he did reach out!''


    "I see¡­" Rey took the letter from the ghost, a small smile forming on his face as he did so.


    ''So he did reach out!''


    "I shall now take my lea¡ª"


    "Wait." The moment Rey said this, the figure froze in its track, ceasing its vanishing act.


    "How am I supposed to contact him?"


    He was yet to read the letter, but Rey could already guess its contents. Of course, he didn''t have enough hubris to think that he knew everything Adrien wrote, but he could make a few educated guesses.


    If he was right, then some kind of reply would be necessary.


    "He told me you would ask that. He also told me to tell you that you''d know what to do when you read the letter."


    "... And if I refuse to read it?"


    The Undead once again spoke mechanically, as a mouthpiece for its master.


    "Then you''ll be missing out on one of the greatest opportunities you''re ever going to get¡ªthat is what he told me to tell you."


    Rey smiled even broader once he heard this.


    "We''ll see about that, won''t we?"


    He sent the ghost on its way after that conversation, and the entity disappeared as soon as permission was granted. His body coiled into itself, and in a rapid swirl, itpleted its vanishing act.


    ''Nice trick.''


    Rey had copied it, but he reckoned he would have to sacrifice it for Stat Points¡ªmainly for two reasons.


    One was obvious; his Skill Slots in [Doppel] had gotten pretty bloated thanks to the many Skills he copied from Emil, who was able to get them from Adrien. As such, he had to get rid of any Skill that ovepped with a more useful or powerful Skill in his arsenal.


    The second was something more prospective.


    ''I''ll be needing as many Stats as I can get if I''m going to take his deal.''


    With that in mind, Rey sat on his bed and cast several defensive Skills and Spells on himself and his surroundings before opening the letter.


    Once all the precautions had been made, he opened it and read its content.


    ~Hello there!


    Feels a bit awkward writing this to you after what happenedst time. Apologies or exnations are unnecessary, and they would frankly be dishonest. Due to that reason, I''ll skip over that until we meet in person and go straight to the point.


    I''ve sessfully entered the system, but as expected, I don''t have the necessary freedom required to explore the Dragon Continent and locate the Chamber Of Ancients¡ªthe goal for this entire expedition. It''s why I need your help.


    I hear Alicia has finally woken up from her slumber, and I can bet that she''s feeling pretty homesick at this point. Now is a better time than ever to consider a serious partnership and also make good on your side of the deal to join forces and find us both a way home.


    If working together still sounds good to you, then find a way to reach me. I''m currently writing from my dorm room in the Dragon Academy of the Empire. It''s located in the Academic City right next to the Capital, but I can''t even go beyond the walls anytime soon.


    I''ll need your assistance for that.


    I look forward to your favorable response!~

 Chapter 756 The Clairvoyant

    Chapter 756 The irvoyant


    "Pffft!"


    Once Rey finished reading the letter, he felt a myriad of emotions, but the most prevalent one was amusement.


    ''School? For real?'' He chuckled to himself. ''Who would have thought that I''d be returning to that sort of space in a fantasy world like this?''


    ''I see. So, he decided to infiltrate the Empire as a student. Or rather, that is the best way he''ll get integrated into the system and be epted as part of the Empire.''


    Rey had already suspected that Adrien''s valiant efforts in the war against the Elves would be insufficient to earn him a spot among the Dragons¡ªeven if it happened to be recorded on tape.


    ''Was he being optimistic? Or did he also envision this situation? I''m not sure, but¡­''


    One thing was for sure.


    ''He''s currently stuck¡ªor he appears to be. There''s only one real way to verify, and while I''m a bit hesitant to do this¡­ I need to take precautions in order to respond appropriately.'' Closing his eyes, he took in a deep breath and called forth the name of the Skill he wanted to employ.


    ¡ªHis second SSS Tier Skill.


    "[irvoyance]."


    That instant, Rey''s consciousness was transported to a much differentndscape than what he had around him¡ªor what could possibly exist in the world.


    It felt like a nk space, within which there were several mirrors that disyed varying things.


    ''It never gets old.'' He smiled to himself, recalling the first time he tried out the Skill and nearly got overwhelmed by the confusing cluster of information that was avable for his consumption.


    ''With [irvoyance], I can see anything that is happening anywhere, at any point in time.''


    It was an overpowered ability, but there were several limitations¡ªnot on the Skill, but on his current self¡ªthat made it difficult for him to use it.


    For one, the further into the future or past he wanted to look into, the more Mana he would have to expend. This Skill took a lot of Mana just to function properly, so the exorbitant sum to look very far into the future was a luxury Rey could not yet afford.


    The second, more important limitation, was the issue of "Memory."


    The simplest way to put it was that Rey had limited cognitive abilities¡ªincluding information storage¡ªand so for every time he used [irvoyance] to take in information, a portion of that storage would be taken up.


    This effect could not be undone, and the information gotten from [irvoyance] could not be taken back. Hence, it was a permanent effect of the Skill.


    ''Even The Oracle had a problem with this, so I have to use this Skill sparingly.'' He sighed to himself.


    Though, this was one of the times when he had to utilize it.


    ''If Adrien is lying about something, or luring me into a trap, I have to be prepared, don''t I?''


    With this rationale, he focused his thoughts on Adrien and the Dragon Academy¡ªboth the person and ce¡ªand found all the mirrors converging to form a ratherrge mirror that allowed him to view the current whereabouts of the boy in question.


    Adrien Chase was actually in his dorm, and he was¡­ STUDYING!


    ''Haha! Why is this funny to me?''


    He was flipping his textbook and writing on the note¡ªboth of which were neatly ced on his rather exquisite-looking table. The whole setup resembled the modern world of Earth a little too much, and a single look at the dorm room confirmed this.


    ''It''s all so modern¡­'' His thoughts trailed.


    This was his first real glimpse into the Dragon Continent, and he already found himself rather impressed and curious.


    ''Okay, let''s not get sidetracked.''


    Rey had figured out where Adrien was at the moment, but that wasn''t enough to confirm if this was legitimate or not.


    ''For all I know, he could be there temporarily and lying about his inability to leave. Just to be safe, I''ll look into both his past and future and see if he''s being honest about things.''


    Of course, these would be restricted to the Academy, since it was the only location that Rey was certain that Adrien was upying.


    ''Let''s go for a few days and see¡­''


    Just as Adrien professed, he was constantly in the Academy, and he would continue to be there as well.


    ''Good! Looks like I can trust his words.''


    There was the slim possibility that Adrien was putting up an act still, since he would think of Rey spying on him to test the legitimacy of his statement, but since there was no way Adrien could detect the spying power of an SSS Tier Skill, he found it highly unlikely.


    ''Plus, using [irvoyance] any further for this would be a waste.''


    In the end, he had to take the bull by the horns and invest some measure of trust in Adrien''s words. Or maybe¡­


    "Ater." Rey canceled his [irvoyance], returning his mind to the regr ne of reality.


    Once he opened his eyes, he already found Ater waiting for him, his head bowed as he made a gentlemanly pose.


    "You called for me, Master?"


    "Yes. I got this from Adrien. Why don''t you read it and tell me what you think?"


    The letter instantly floated from Rey''s grasp and found its way to Ater within a second. The red-haired Familiar wasted no time in reading through its content.


    Despite his expression showing how diligently he analyzed every word on the piece of paper, the speed at which he finished the letter made it seem like he skimmed through the content.


    "I''m done, and¡­ let''s see¡­" Rubbing his chin, Ater sighed and told Rey the answer that thetter already predicted.


    "... You should start getting ready to go to school."


    "So you think it''s legit?"


    "I do." Ater nodded, maintaining his calm smile as he returned the letter to him.


    "Why do you think so?"


    "...." For a moment, he said nothing. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    It almost felt like Ater was sorting through a lot of thoughts, but he finally spoke up.


    "Well, for a host of reasons. Let me begin¡­"

 Chapter 757 Dilemma Of The Strong

    Chapter 757 Dilemma Of The Strong


    "... And that''s why I think he''s being honest."


    Once Ater was done with his analysis, Rey found himself nearly dumbfounded by the intelligence that his Familiar disyed.


    From a psychological analysis of Adrien, to the content of the letter, and the materials, age, and a host of other factors utilized in his detailed interrogation of the subject matter, it all led to Ater''s fine conclusion.


    "I see¡­"


    In the end, it was no different from what [irvoyance] showed him.


    ''Should I have just asked Ater from the start rather than use [irvoyance]? No¡­ no, this way is better.'' Rey told himself.


    He had be too reliant on Ater, and that was not a good thing. Plus, if Ater told him something that reinforced what he already knew to be true, then that meant he could rely on his words.


    But what if he never checked? Then how would he know to rely on those words?


    ¡­ Especially after The Oracle warned him.


    ''I can understand why she warned me against him, though.'' Even discounting Ater''s intelligence and raw cunning, there was one more issue that made him incredibly scary.


    [System Error]


    ~Your Specified Target Is Not Compatible With This Skill~


    ''... I can''t use [irvoyance] on Ater.''


    Why couldn''t he do that? Why could he see Ater''s Status Window, but couldn''t see his past, future, or present whereabouts and actions with an SSS Tier Skill?


    It made no sense to Rey.


    ''Should I ask him about it? No¡­ not yet.''


    He could already predict how the whole thing would go.


    Ater would either feign ignorance¡ªmentioning how his memory was notplete, and how he didn''t know the details behind himself.


    Or¡­ he would finally retaliate.


    ''He''s smarter than I am, and there''s a possibility that the System Window that I''m seeing right now isn''t the correct one.'' Rey carefully told himself, though his calm demeanor projected something else.


    ''Right now, he appears to be on my side, and he''s also very good at his job. I should leave it at that.''


    That was Rey''s decision.


    At least, until Ater slipped up or he found enough information that would prompt him into action.


    "Looks like I''ll have to start packing then." He smiled at the Familiar, and thetter smiled back.


    "You are dismissed."


    Ater bowed once again and vanished, causing Rey to leak out a bead of sweat and sigh in relief.


    ''He makes me so nervous, even though I''m supposed to be stronger than him.''


    Rey had be phenomenally stronger than ever, and he was even Ater''s Master, yet he still felt this unease anytime he was in his presence.


    ''The reason is obvious, isn''t it?'' He copsed on his bed, staring at his open Status Window with a stoic expression.


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Rey Skr.


    - Race: Human (Otherworlder)


    - ss: Singrity (S-Tier)


    - Level: 270 (0.58% EXP)


    - Life Force: 13,000 (+13,000)


    - Mana Level: 39,000 (+39,000)


    - Combat Ability: 21,550 (+21,550)


    - Stat Points: 57,900


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Doppel]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Merger]. [Perfect Calm].[Sacrifice]. [Symbiosis]. [Consume]. [Perfect Mimicry]. [Domain Of Man]


    - Alignment: Neutral Good


    [Additional Information]


    You have done the impossible and stand at the precipice of power. As such, you now possess the interest of this World.


    [End Of Information]


    [ALL SKILLS]


    {Original Skills}


    Doppel (SSS-Tier)


    Merger (S-Tier)


    Perfect Calm (S-Tier)


    Sacrifice (S-Tier)


    Symbiosis (S-Tier)


    Consume (S-Tier)


    Perfect Mimicry (S-Tier)


    Domain Of Man (S-Tier)


    {Doppel Skills}


    [SSS-Tier]


    irvoyance (Active)


    {Total: 1}


    [SS-Tier]


    Divine Weapon Creation (Active)


    Perfect Divine Magic (Active)


    Divine Power Ascension (Active)


    Perfect Divine Ray (Active)


    Divine Magic Supremacy (Passive)


    Perfect Domain Of The Divine (Active)


    Perfect Divine Defense (Active)


    Perfect Divine Regeneration (Passive)


    Perfect Divine Appraisal (Active)


    Perfect Divine Martial Supremacy (Passive)


    Perfect Divine Growth (Passive)


    Perfect Divine Form (Passive)


    Perfect Divine Adaptability (Passive)


    Unbreakable (Passive)


    Wish Fulfillment (Active)


    Divine Magic Interference (Active)


    Tempora (Active)


    Divine Persona (Active)


    Perfect Wish Fulfillment (Active)


    It Is Written (Active)


    {Total: 20}


    [S-Tier]


    Absolute Myriad Breath (Active)


    Absolute Energy Pulse (Active)


    Absolute Mass Stun (Active)


    Absolute Mana Recovery (Passive)


    Absolute Intuition (Passive)


    Absolute Cry (Active)


    Absolute Comprehension (Passive)


    Perfect Reflection (Active)


    Absolute Illusory Allure (Active)


    Absolute Executioner (Active)


    Perfect Decorum (Active)


    Perfect Copse (Active)


    Symbiosis (Passive)


    Consume (Active)


    Perfect Mimicry (Active)


    Equip Limit Break (Passive)


    Deep Anticipation (Active)


    Command Code (Active)


    Pinhio (Active)


    Status Interference (Active)


    Idle Gamble (Active)


    Perfect Veil (Active)


    Last One Standing (Passive)


    {Total: 23}


    [A-Tier]


    Fertility Inducement (Active)


    Miasma Aura (Active)


    Nature Affinity (Passive)


    Venom (Active)


    Perfect Float (Active)


    Inventory (Active)


    Mind Touch (Active)


    Link (Passive)


    Where Evil Lurks (Passive)


    Banishment (Active)


    Full Comprehension (Passive)


    Copse (Active)


    Grand Darkness (Active)


    Grand Luck (Passive)


    {Total: 14}


    [Active Skills: 40]


    [Passive Skills: 18]


    [Total Skills: 58]


    [END OF INFORMATION]


    A lot had changed since he left the Land Of The Elves, especially in terms of his Skills and Stats.


    ''[Idle Gamble] reallyes in handy here.''


    The Skill allowed him to passively earn Stat Points by staking Stat Points¡ªsort of like investment.


    The more unused Stat Points he had, the higher the increase.


    ''After sacrificing the Skills I wouldn''t be using, I had a little over 50,000 Stats. To think I''ve gotten so much already. It''s crazy¡­'' n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    By his estimates, Rey had to let go of over twenty decent Skills due to their ovep with his current Skills.


    If he counted the other misceneous Skills he received from the Elves before his departure, there had to be tons of them¡ªover a hundred in all honesty.


    Those were the things that propped up his Stat Points to such a degree.


    ''I have to leave them there, though¡­ at least until I really need them.''


    Even while looking at such big numbers and remembering just where he started from, Rey couldn''t help but be unimpressed.


    Despite bing so powerful, nothing much had changed regarding his standing in the world.


    He had enemies he couldn''t yet defeat, and he had many worries that threatened to drown him.


    He had allies he couldn''t fully trust, and limitations to his freedom.


    Closing his eyes, he murmured to himself before going to sleep.


    "How much stronger do I need to get before it gets easier?"

 Chapter 758 Summit Conclusion

    Chapter 758 Summit Conclusion


    [The Present]


    "I''ll be going to the Dragon Continent."


    As expected, no one took it well.


    The instant his words settled in the mind of everyone in the hall, there was an uproar.


    The audience¡ªboth from the side of the Otherworlders as well as the dignitaries of the United Human Alliance¡ªgasped in shock, and they instantly raised their voice in confusion.


    "Are you for real?!"


    "That''s crazy!"


    "Rey¡­ you can''t be serious!"


    "It''s too dangerous!"


    "Please don''t!"


    Before they could say much, though, Rey raised his hand and stopped them in their tracks.


    "I can''t properly hear you if you speak all at once?" He sighed.


    His tone and expression were calm, and despite the myriad of expressions that the people around him had, he maintained a perfectly stoic demeanor.


    ''I expected this kind of reaction from them. It''s big news, after all¡­''


    Plus, he never actually told anyone of his deal with Adrien except Ater, who was the only one maintaining a calm smile through it all.


    Everyone else was freaking out.


    "Don''t worry. I''ll be going undercover. I''m not going there to stir up conflict." He exined. "The mission is considerably important, and while it''s currently confidential, I can guarantee that it''s for the sake of everyone that I go."


    He considered telling everyone the details of his n with Adrien, but after putting proper thoughts into it, he decided not to. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ''The less people know about this, the better.''


    It wasn''t that he didn''t trust hisrades, but it was more preferable to keep the circle of people who knew about it small.


    Not only to prevent understandable pushback, but also to endure there were no cracks that the enemy could employ.


    ''Everyone else is going to be busy with one thing or the other. There''s a chance that they might encounter enemies that inspect their minds. I can''t allow my ns of infiltrating the Dragon Academy to be revealed.''


    "How will you pull it off, though?" Lucielle was the first to speak up after everyone fell silent.


    Her crimson eyes showed genuine curiosity rather than sheer concern.


    "I''ll disguise myself as a Dragon. I won''t be able to tell you the details, but I''ve started making practical ns regarding it."


    "I see. And you''re confident you won''t get caught?"


    "I am."


    "Hmm¡­" She fell silent after that, though her gaze was still on him.


    "Hmm. Must you go alone?"


    This time, it was Alicia who spoke up, concern etched on her face. It seemed she had a lot more to say, but she held those words back and merely focused on the question.


    "Yes."


    "Esme won''t be there?" She raised a brow.


    "W-what? No!"


    "Hmm¡­ so which girl is it this time?"


    "There''s no girl!"


    Everyone in the room was quiet as they watched the back and forth between Alicia and Rey.


    The two of them had rather serious expressions for the kind of topic they were breaching.


    It was nearly amusing.


    "Rey and Alocoa, sitting on a tree, K. I. S. S. I¡ªow¡­" Justin was stopped frompleting his rather childishmentary on the matter.


    He was merely mumbling those words, but it was loud enough for everyone to hear.


    He received a few res, which forced him to retreat into his shell.


    "In any case, I''ll be leaving in a few days. I can drop those who are heading to the battlefield off before going to the Northern Continent."


    As for the ones heading to the South, they would be sorted out by Ater.


    ''Even if I can''t use [irvoyance] directly on Ater, I can use it on others. It''s one of the reasons why I chose to involve at least one or two Otherworlders and not let him go on his own.''


    As for the people he wanted to head for the mission, it had to be Justin and Belle¡ªsince the both of them were going to fully cooperate with Ater.


    ''He already informed me of his arrangement with Justin, and I used [irvoyance] to confirm it as a test run. Then, I know Belle is rather fond of Ater¡­ to the point of obsession, even.''


    In essence, they would be able to do anything Ater asked without exception.


    ''Cooperation is key in these matters, so it''s fine to leave things to them.''


    As for the battlefield, he could leave that to rk and Trisha.


    They were the most Adept atbat anyway¡ªapart from Belle, of course.


    The real problem was Alicia.


    ''I don''t know where to ce her. The battlefield could be too intense for her, and I don''t feelfortable leaving her in Ater''s care.''


    Once again, Rey felt like he was unconsciously putting himself in the space of making decisions for people who were active agents on their own.


    He was trying to arbitrarily decide what was right for Alicia, not what would be best for the current situation.


    Perhaps he was wrong in doing so.


    But¡ª


    ''Isn''t it normal to be like this when ites to someone you love? Of course, I won''t enforce anything. It''ll just be a suggestion¡­''


    Whatever Alicia chose would ultimately be what she would end up with.


    "I nominate Justin and Belle for the mission in the South. They seem to be the most supportive of the idea, which leaves rk and Trisha for the frontlines."


    "... And Alicia. I''m going to the frontlines too." She spoke up.


    ''I suspected as much¡­''


    Despite her perspective of the world of H''Trae, Alicia''s personality was one that made her want to help the people around her.


    Right now, those people were the humans in the Alliance.


    "Are you sure? You could stay back and protect the Capital, or the rest of the Alliance in case of another Dragon attack."


    "My abilities are best utilized on the battlefield. Besides, I don''t think it''s safe for me to use my Skill around innocent people." She gave Ater a particr re as she uttered thosest words.


    It caused Rey to make a wry smile, nodding in perfect understanding.


    "Alright. Got it!"


    Logically speaking, Alicia''s abilities would indeed be best used in the battlefield, so there was no realint he could make if that was what she wanted.


    As usual, Brutus and Lucielle would also head to the battlefield with the Otherworlders, which meant everyone''s roles were pretty much settled.


    Except¡ª


    ''There''s something I''m missing¡­''

 Chapter 759 Lucielles Resurgence

    Chapter 759 Lucielle''s Resurgence


    The meeting ended on a rather anticlimactic note once the most important issue¡ªthe imminent war¡ª was addressed.


    After that, the discussion simply pivoted into the political and economic state of the Alliance.


    So far, everything was moving smoothly.


    The only aspect that was really suffering was education, but that was pretty natural during times of war. Besides, it wasn''t like it particrly concerned the meeting, so not much emphasis was ced on it.


    Once all the pertinent matters were addressed, everyone was dismissed, and groups began to form as they all left the hall.


    rk, Trisha, and Justin got together.


    Belle rushed to Ater''s side, and Brutus¡ªalong with Lucy¡ªwent to escort Conrad and Vida to their chambers.


    Rey was already moving towards Alicia, as the two of them already knew they had a lot to discuss pending the time they would be separated for their respective missions.


    However¡­


    "Sorry to butt in, but I need to borrow Rey for a minute!"


    ¡­ Lucielle suddenly popped up in their middle,pletely out of nowhere, and had the usual enthusiastic smile stered on her beautiful face.


    "Oh?"


    Rey was taken aback by the suddenness of it all.


    Not only was it because he wanted to spend quality time with Alicia¡ªas he had been doing for the past couple of days¡ªbut also because he was also thinking about Lucielle right before she appeared.


    "Come on! It won''t take long!" She said, folding her hands as she pleaded with her eyes.


    ''I was going to look for her after my time with Alicia, but¡­ could this actually be perfect timing?'' He wondered to himself, looking at Alicia, who was already shrugging.


    "I''ll be waiting for you at the Library."


    "Thanks." He whispered, nodding at her as she walked away.


    It felt nice to be understood that way, though he did feel a little bad for not being able to escort Alicia to their usual meeting spot.


    ''Still¡­ business before pleasure.'' N?v(el)B\\jnn


    He gave his full attention to Lucielle, whose cheeks were currently pink while smiling a little creepily at him.


    "What is it?" He had to ask, since she wasn''t saying anything and was just squealing pretty loudly.


    "You really really like her, don''t yo¨C?"


    "Shhh! You''re too loud, idiot! I mean¡­ Ah, sorry about that¡­" Sometimes, Lucielle made him forget she was a few years older than him.


    That was why he was able to cover her mouth and call her an idiot despite the age gap.


    She didn''t seem to mind either one, though.


    "Rx. I cast Sound Magic around us, so no one can hear anything."


    ''So that''s what it was¡­'' He could sense all the Mana around, and he knew there was a Spell at work, but since he couldn''t be affected by it, he didn''t bother with the details.


    It turned out Lucielle actually put in more thought to the question than he expected.


    "And what if I say I do?" He responded.


    "Kyaaa! Nothing! Nothing at all! It''s just so interesting watching romance like this!" She grinned with yful delight.


    "Have you told her yet?"


    "No." He responded very sharply, hoping she would drop it.


    She didn''t.


    "Will you tell her?"


    ''How is that any of your business?!'' He wanted to say, but controlled himself and chose a rather straightforward answer.


    "No."


    There was no point in telling Alicia his feelings if she was going to leave him and this world anyway.


    ''I should even begin to move on, but¡­''


    The only other person he had feelings for¡ªwho he also knew felt the same about him¡ªwasn''t particrly on the best of terms with him.


    He still hadn''t spoken to Esme since he returned to the Capital, and from what Kara told him, she didn''t want to speak to or about him.


    ''She''s probably trying to get over me. Or maybe she already has¡­''


    It was amazing enough that someone like Esme would like him, but it was even more amazing that he managed to blow it.


    Alicia¡­ Esme¡­ it was best to give up on both girls.


    ¡ªPerhaps all girls in general.


    "Why won''t you confess?"


    "None of your business, Lucielle. Just tell me what you want already." He sighed, holding his head as if he had a headache.


    "Hmph¡­ what a square."


    "Yeah, yeah."


    "Tch. Anyway,e with me." Lucielle cast a teleportation Spell around them, causing everything to distort.


    In a sharp gust of wind and energy, the two of them vanished from their positions and appeared somewhere else.


    It was a vast room, with arge Magic Circle at its very center.


    Floatingmps provided illumination to the room, and there were several bookshelves that alsoy suspended in the air.


    The floor itself was bare, save for the Magic Circle and the other engravings that decorated the ground and even walls of the massive room.


    Items upon Items were carefully arranged on shelves and desks, all of them floating in the air¡ªthreatening to descend at any given moment.


    The room was filled with Mana, and that was only natural when practically every item in the vast space seemed to be saturated with the energy.


    "Wee, Rey¡­" With the snap of her fingers, her outfitpletely changed to something more casual¡ªarge long-sleeved shirt and a shirt skirt, with stockings hiding her pale feet.


    A staff appeared in her hand, and a ratherrge mage hat gracefully sat on her white hair.


    She floated in the air, with twinkling Sparks of Magic dancing around her feet, and a bright smile encapsted her gorgeous face.


    "... To my inner sanctum!"


    Rey''s eyes analyzed everything within seconds, and a wide grin formed on his face once he was done.


    "Impressive. I didn''t know such a ce existed in the Royal Estate."


    "This isn''t the Royal Estate. It''s a special dimension I made using Magic!"


    "You can do that?"


    "Yup!"


    Rey was impressed. This was simr to Domain Of Man, except most of the objects here seemed to be actual items that Lucielle must have bright to the space at one point or the other.


    She had to have been stockpiling her belongings here for quite some time if she was able to decorate it with such precision.


    ''She''s quite versatile. That''s good¡­'' Once again, he got the confirmation that she was just the person he was looking for.


    ''But first¡­''


    "Why exactly did you want to speak with me? Why here?"


    "Boo! I gave you this excellent presentation and you''re not even impressed? Just what will it take to properly amaze you?"


    "I don''t know, but you can start by answering my question." Rey spoke rather bluntly.


    He was simply going to let her remain ignorant about his already favorable impression of her.


    If he didn''t consider her impressive, he wouldn''t be thinking about what was currently going on in his mind.


    "Well, remember ourst conversation? I told you to give me enough time toe up with something that even you can''t ignore! Once I did that, you''d have a serious conversation with me about Magic."


    "Yeah¡­ I remember."


    How could he forget? That was the bargain she made with him during their dance together at the G.


    "Well¡­ prepare to be amazed. I''ve finally perfected something after spending nearly a decade developing." Lucielle grinned, raising her staff in the air.


    Rey''s eyes widened as he prepared himself for what he was about to witness.


    "You won''t be able to refuse me after this!"

 Chapter 760 The Grand Mages Show

    Chapter 760 The Grand Mage''s Show


    Lucielle was a genius since birth.


    Her entire childhood had been nothing but Magic, and even now¡ªas an adult¡ªit was all she could think about.


    Due to her innate Skills, as well as her incredible pool of Mana, she was always bound to excel greatly in the field. However, rather than simply relying on her exceptional talent, Lucielle made sure to diligently study and understand Magic.


    There was a level she needed to achieve¡ªone where mere talent couldn''t get her to.


    That was why she became the Grand Mage.


    No one¡ªabsolutely no one¡ªwas better than her at Magic!


    **********


    "Watch closely." She told Rey, her ruby eyes glowing brightly as he raised her staff in the air.


    The spectator did as he was told. He focusedpletely on whatever she was about to show him, remaining stationary as he used all his senses to concentrate on her.


    ''A lot of Mana is building up¡­'' He noticed the surge of energy, but didn''t feal any sort of leakage or waste.


    Usually, when a Mage or Warrior utilized Mana, some of it would leak out to their surrounding bodies. This ended up creating pressure around them, warding enemies off if the energy was very intense.


    But¡­ Lucielle was different.


    There was no pressure whatsoever. Every single ounce of Mana flowed seamlessly through her body, conducted perfectly by her staff.


    Not a single drop was wasted.


    Then¡ª


    "ck Void." She whispered, casting the Spell without any need to chant.


    Despite paying rapt attention to the Spell, Rey nearly missed the incredibly swift reaction of what yed out before him.


    ''That is¡ª!'' His eyes widened, breaking down theponent energies andws that gathered near the tip of Lucielle''s staff.


    The dark sphere that stood above her had a ring swirling around it, and while it remained stable for just a moment, its true effects kicked in barely a secondter.


    ~VWUUUUUUUUSSSSHHH!!!~


    It instantly began to suck in the air and everything around it¡ªall except Lucielle who cast the Spell.


    The ck sphere absorbed the Mana that saturated the air, causing it to growrger by the second, until it neared Rey and began to suck him in as well.


    Through it all, his eyes were wide open in disbelief.


    What he was witnessing was a ck Hole, created by a Spell from Lucielle. This wasn''t merely the result of Spatial Magic, as he could see the fundamental differences between this and any other Spatial Copse.


    ''This one distorts space-time, sucks everything to its very center, and breaks them down perfectly¡ªlike a proper ck hole should.''


    The closer anything got to its center, the lesser the naturalws and even the effects of Mana would apply, since everything would dissolve before a proper Spell or Skill could be cast.


    That had to be scary.


    ''I can see the process clearly. Everything that gets sucked in gets perfectly broken down and vanishes into the void.'' He smiled, nodding his head as he reached out for the hole.


    "Hey! That''s dangerous!"


    Lucielle instantly canceled the Spell right before Rey could allow himself to experience its dark touch, her eyes widened with disbelief. A bead of sweat formed on her face as she looked at him¡ªalmost as if he was a crazy man.


    "That would have ripped you to shreds. I specifically contained the Spell, so its suction power wouldn''t exceed its immediate vicinity. I nned to make it implode on itself right as it was about to reach you, but you just had to¡­ haaa¡­ never mind." She sighed, slightly steamy breaths proceeding from her glossy lips.


    Rey was silent for a while, his arm still extended forward.


    "You used Time, Gravity. And Spatial Magic to create that thing, right?" He muttered, now cing his gaze solely on the Grand Mage herself.


    "Correct!" She grinned widely.


    All her exhaustion seemed to vanishpletely, and she beamed as she normally would.


    "Those are three rather difficult kinds of Magic to Master¡ªespecially the first. I can''t believe you pulled something like this off." N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Rey could understand why she spent so many years on this Spell. The mere idea that a human in H''Trae could use three of the most difficult kinds of Magic in perfect synergy to create something like a ck hole was absurd.


    ''Her Spell is equivalent to a Skill of the Grand Tier, but if the Hole kept growing and sucking sufficient Mana, it could grow even higher.'' That was his analysis on the matter.


    "I bet you can utilize this Spell in many ways. No, not just the Spell, but thebination of those elements. You just wanted to show me a shy example for your presentation, didn''t you?" Rey asked.


    The true achievement here was her perfect Magic control, and the mere fact that she could replicate a natural phenomenon under her stipted conditions.


    "Yeah, you''re correct. There are varying application methods, as you''ve said. The problem remains Mana Consumption, though." Lucielle responded with a rather exhausted sigh. "That Spell alone drains over half of my Mana. I''m still looking for ways to efficiently utilize it without suffering as much drawback."


    "I see¡­"


    Even at that, Rey was impressed.


    ''It''s crazy how she''s able to do all of this despite being A-Tier. Even with all my Skills granting me a perfect crutch, I couldn''te up with ingenious ways to use Magic like this.''


    This just went to show the difference between pure dedication and talent.


    ''I wonder how powerful she could be if she transcends this level, though¡­'' Rey wondered as he Appraised her from where he stood.


    ''Those numbers don''t do her justice.''


    [STATUS WINDOW] - Name: Lucielle


    - Race: Human - ss: Grand Mage (A-Tier)


    - Level: 275 (10.72% EXP) - Life Force: 600 (+300) {350)


    - Mana Level: 500/1,250 (+625) {500)


    - Combat Ability: 700 (+350) {200)


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Grand Magic Mastery]. [Grand Magic Application]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Greater Insight]. [Combat Application]. [Greater Charm]


    - Alignment: Chaotic Good


    [Additional Information]


    The most powerful human in all of H''Trae, and she is yet to reach the fullness of her potential. She currently serves as the Grand Mage of the UHA, but her true passion has little to do with service and more to do with exploration.


    She has a keen interest in Rey Skr.


    [End Of Information]

 Chapter 761 Recommendation

    Chapter 761 Rmendation


    ''The numbers are absurd by H''Trae standards, but¡­''


    Rey couldn''t help but feel incredibly underwhelmed when staring at Lucielle''s Status Window. Not only were the numbers much lower than what he had been used to over time¡ªa side-effect of being surrounded by powerful Elves, facing Dragons, and obsessing over his own strength¡ªbut even the scarcity of Skills troubled him.


    ''Humans have a limit of five Skills. Right now, she has two A-Tier, two B-Tier, and one C-Tier Skills. I know they''re absurd by human standards here, but I honestly feel like they should be a lot more.'' He almost sighed.


    Her Additional Information still did her justice, regardless.


    ''I don''t think I''ve seen any H''trae human with base Stats reaching a thousand. If I add all her Privileges and Items, then all her Stats exceed one thousand, and the Mana Point even exceeds two. That''s impressive.''


    Compared to Brutus, she was a considerable step higher¡ªthough he was a worthy contender for close second.


    ''I guess these aren''t the two monoliths of the United Human Alliance for nothing.''


    If he remembered correctly, Lucielle wasn''t this strong when he first saw through her Stat Window. She had to have gotten much stronger over the course of time.


    He liked that about her.


    ''Somehow, she''s always better than she was before. It''s fascinating, but also inspiring. Makes me want to try my best¡­''


    Rey decided not to rely on the Skill he just acquired through [Doppel], instead creating the process he just witnessed on his own¡ªby casting the Spell.


    "ck Void."


    ~VWUSH!~


    A small sphere appeared atop his palm, with a ring also dancing atop it. He made sure to regte the suction power, just as Lucielle told him she did, and also reduce the size, so it wouldn''t grow asrge even when sucking in air and Mana.


    It was amazing how he was able to get it right on the first try.


    "W-what?! You just¡­ n-no way! I¡­ I spent years working on that and you just¡­." Rey, who was initially engrossed in the Spell, heard Lucielle''s devastated cry and looked at her.


    She had tears streaming down her eyes as she looked at him.


    ''A-ahh¡­ my bad!'' He swiftly canceled the process, forcing the ck sphere''s implosion within a second.


    That didn''t make the situation any less awkward, though.


    ''Now I feel bad. I shouldn''t have tried it out in front of her, but¡­ I guess I got a little carried away.'' He thought to himself.


    Even though he sessfully aplished the same thing that Lucielle achieved, it wasn''t like he felt any sense of pride in it.


    ''I was able to see the full process thanks to my incredible senses, so I understood theponents and the interactions of the elements perfectly well.'' Ever since he limated to his enhanced vision, having no need for his eyepatch any longer, Rey''s ability to understand Magic-rted urrences had skyrocketed. And this wasn''t even counting the other Passive Skills at work that made his calctive, observative, and overall cognitive Skills improve dramatically.


    Unlike Lucielle, who had to figure everything from scratch, he had a perfect example before him.


    ''Besides, casting the Spell turned out to be very easy thanks to my two Divine Magic-based Skills.'' He nearlyughed at himself.


    Perfect Divine Magic and Divine Magic Supremacy allowed him to create his own Spells based on loose ideas, and the rules were ratherx with him¡ªunlike theplicated process that Lucielle was bound by.


    It was inevitable that he would be able to wlessly match Lucielle''s level of skill when it came to that single Spell, and probably every other one she showed him.


    ''I could also achieve the same result by simply using the new Skill that formed thanks to seeing her use the Spell. I swear, this is so unfair¡­'' The decade-long efforts of Lucielle endedup being perfectly ripped off by him.


    ''And, unlike her, I can make the Spell more powerful and have more than enough Mana to maintain it.'' He almost felt bad about how easy it was, since he was now beginning to see more and more of his potential.


    ''I''m really too overpowered at this point.''


    Of course, his ego was easily shattered once the image of The Oracle shed in his mind, and he remembered just how humbling his experience with her was.


    If he tried any funny business with the Dragon Emperor, he suspected that would be the same experience he would suffer. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "Damnit¡­ I don''t know what else to do." Lucielle interrupted his thoughts by yelling and crashing on the ground. "I thought, for sure, that this would impress you¡­ yet you just replicated it so easily."


    Her troubled expression caused him to feel a little prickle in his heart.


    It wasn''t her fault that he was simply built different¡ªin every single sense of the word.


    ''I shouldfort her.'' After finally deciding this, he reached for her shoulder, trying his best to smile warmly while thinking of the best words of encouragement he could render to someone being outdone by their junior.


    "You should¡ª"


    "Uuuu¡­ this is so frustrating! But that doesn''t mean I''ll give up!" She jumped back to her feet, nearly grazing Rey with her chest.


    ''She''s too energetic!'' "Mark my words, Rey Skr¡­ the next Spell I create will blow your mind away. Even you won''t be able to resist my awesomeness!"


    Rey''s mind was already blown away by her presentation, but he didn''t think she would believe it if he simply told her. Besides, it didn''t matter what new Spell she came up with.


    ''I could just copy it all the same.''


    Watching her bright smile and optimistic smile, however, made Rey feel a certain kind of way.


    He really admired the passion that Lucielle was showing.


    ''Just as I thought¡­ she''s the perfect person for the role.'' Parting his lips while still maintaining eye contact with Lucielle, Rey finally blurted out his intentions.


    "Do you want to go to the Dragon Continent with me?"

 Chapter 762 Blissful Conclusion

    Chapter 762 Blissful Conclusion


    "E-eh¡­?"


    Lucielle appeared dumbfounded by Rey''s question.


    "The truth is¡­ I also wanted to see you. Your knowledge and versatility in Magic is necessary for the mission I want to aplish in the Dragon Empire. It would really be helpful if you came with me."


    "F-for real¡­?"


    Most people would shake in fear once they heard that they were being nominated to infiltrate the territory of the enemy, but not Lucielle.


    Yes, she was trembling, but it wasn''t out of fear at all.


    The pink hues on her cheek, her wide eyes filled with both excitement and shock, and the loud squeals that burst from her mouth were enough to let anyone know that she felt the furthest thing from fear.


    Instead, she was overjoyed. "For real." Rey said to her. "I take it that you''re interested."


    "Yes! Oh, yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!" She dashed to Rey, nearly pressing her voluptuous chest on him as she went for a hug. Thankfully for him, he was an expert at Spatial Magic, so he easily created sufficient distance between the two of them.


    "Haaa¡­ in any case, it''s safe to say that you impressed me with your presentation today." He began, observing how Lucielle''s bright beam became even more blinding. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "I also have a lot to learn regarding Magic, and so I look forward to that long talk that you proposed we have regarding Magic. I really want to share ideas with you and also pick your brains regarding some thoughts I have."


    "Mmmmmmmm!!!" Lucielle did her best to be quiet, but the more she held it in, the redder her face got, and the louder her squeals became.


    She even began fidgeting on the spot.


    Rey ignored all of this, however, and proceeded with his talk.


    "However, all of that will have to be postponed until after we return from the Academy."


    "A-Academy¡­?"


    "Ahh¡­ I guess I didn''t inform you yet." Rey lightly pped his head, instantly correcting himself. "The ce we''re heading to is the Dragon Academy of the Empire."


    Literal heat began to rise from Lucielle''s head as she heard all of this.


    Stars manifested from her eyes, and after holding her scream in for so long, she finally hit her limit and let her voice loose.


    "REEEEEEEYYYYY!!! YOU''RE THE BEEEEESSTTT!!!"


    Once again, she rushed to hug him, but using Spatial Layering, he was able to prevent any such interaction between the two of them.


    "Well¡­ I''m d to see you excited about all of this."


    "I''m more than excited! I finally get to satisfy my curiosity and learn Magic from the Dragons'' perspective. The reason we''ve beengging behind them isn''t merely due to our difference in stats, but also information. If I can get ess to their Magic and study how they activate it, then isn''t it possible that I¡ªno, we¡ªwe can grow stronger? Think about the possibilities! We could¡­"


    As Lucielle rambled on about her passion, Rey watched her with a soft smile on his face while going over the more realistic and practical reasons why he was letting someone like Lucielle tag along with him.


    It was for nothing more than the Chamber Of Ancients.


    ''I''m not confident that I''ll be able to figure out or manipte the Ancient Magic that will lead us home. Adrien has made it clear that he also hasn''t figured that part out yet, which means she''s our best bet.''


    Since it was Lucielle''s field of expertise, if there was anyone with the ability to tweak the Magic to send them to Earth, it had to be her.


    ''I still don''t think it''s a good idea to tell her about the whole n yet, though.''


    He didn''t know how the Grand Mage of the Alliance would react to beingplicit in sending their Summoned Otherworlders back to where they came from, but he had a feeling her reaction wouldn''t be good.


    At least, until he got a full handle of the situation and understood Lucielle enough to trust her with the n, Rey nned to be silent about that bit.


    ''My second option would have been Feralia, since she''s also the most powerful among the Elves. She also has expertise in runes, but considering Lucielle is far more skilled in Magic, and has proven herself to be more versatile¡­ I think she''s the best pick.


    Plus, since she was the one mostly responsible for the Otherworlder Summon, she remained the most optimal choice.


    ''And it''s a good thing I don''t have to convince her to tag along.''


    "So when are we leaving again?" Lucielle popped right in front of Rey, her wide smile and bulging eyes appearing super creepy despite her pretty face.


    "Dude¡­" Rey took a few steps back, not out of shock, but just to avoid contact with her. Thankfully, she didn''t approach him any further.


    "Three days." He responded.


    "Three days, huh? That''s enough time to prepare, then¡­"


    "As for your disguise as a Dragon¡ª"


    "Don''t worry about that. I''ve got it covered!" Lucielle grinned with delight, giving a thumbs up.


    ''Is she getting over-excited about this whole thing? It''s not that I don''t trust her, but disguise is very important if we are to properly blend in.''


    "Are you certain?" The Grand Mage nodded, giving Rey a rather serious smile. It was one that brimmed with maturity¡ªsomething even she was capable of at times.


    "Yeah! Trust me."


    Despite still being skeptical, Rey decided to take her at her word. Besides, this was yet another avenue for him to be surprised by her.


    "Alright then. I suppose this concludes our meeting."


    "Yeah. You should get back to talking with Alicia about lovey-dovey stuff." She teased with a rather big smile.


    "That''s now what we talk about!"


    "Didn''t you tell her you weren''t taking any girl on your adventure this time? I wonder how you''ll exin yourself to her¡­"


    "Ah, that''s true¡ªhold on, stop making this worse!"


    Rey didn''t know why and how Lucielle became so adept at teasing him like this, but it wasn''t a particrly bad feeling.


    Perhaps this was something that had developed over time, or it was simply a result of their just-concluded meeting, but Rey found that he and the Grand Mage now spoke freely with each other.


    ¡ªAlmost as if they were friends.


    "In any case¡­ bye."


    "Don''t you need me to¡ª"


    "I''ll show myself out!" Rey yelled out, and in a single sh of light, he vanished from Lucielle''s mystical domain.


    She watched as he did this, amazed once again by his overall prowess¡ªparticrly in Magic.


    "Rey Skr¡­ what an interesting man."


    She never would have expected the ordinary-looking boy from back then to be such a monumental sess as a Mage.


    ''Could this be the one I''ve been searching for? The one that can lead me to the Zenith¡ªto transcendence?'' She didn''t know yet.


    Rey never disyed any phenomenal insight or affinity regarding Magic, unlike Adonis, which was why she didn''t really notice him. He was always one of the background characters, but all of that had now changed.


    ''It''s selfish of me to desire all of this, I know, but¡­ I can''t help it, can I?'' sping her hands on her face, she gave a euphoric smile and sent her gaze up high.


    ''Haaa¡­ what bliss!''

 Chapter 763 Meeting With Ater [Pt 1]

    Chapter 763 Meeting With Ater [Pt 1]


    "Haa¡­"


    Rey copsed on his bed, feeling the soft bouncy effect on his back as he did so. A warm smile circted his face as he closed his eyes and recollected a lot of fun aspects of his just-concluded meeting with Alicia.


    No, calling it a meeting made it sound too boorish.


    They hung out in their dedicated spot¡ªthe library¡ªand spoke about tons of stuff. It was beyond fun for him, and he could see that their talks did a lot to cheer Alicia up as well.


    ''Her Divine Summon killed Billy and a lot of the people in the Capital. It also destroyed so much¡­'' Not many people could see it, but Rey knew full well that Alicia was hurting due to consequences of her actions.


    It was a miracle that she could pull herself together andugh with him.


    ording to her words:


    "There''s just something about you, Rey. Being around you just makes me forget all those horrible things. I¡­ don''t know what I''d do if I didn''t have you."


    It made him feel a little guilty for leaving her so he could go to the Dragon Empire, which further raised the difficulty of him telling her about his arrangement with Lucielle. He nearly even postponed it, until he had a reality check with himself.


    ''I promised myself not to lie to her¡­'' He sighed. ''Still, just as I suspected, she didn''t take it too well.''


    Alicia wanted toe with him after he brought up Lucielle, but he had to refuse. Despite how much it made his heart bleed, there was no way he could expose her to any kind of danger.


    This wasn''t the Land of the Elves, or some vacation.


    It was the heart of the enemy''s domain.


    ''It''s already risky bringing Lucielle along, but she serves a great purpose.'' He inhaled deeply, relieved that he was actually able to convince Alicia to drop the issue.


    Still, what was this ominous feeling he had?


    ''I don''t even want to think about it right now. There are a lot of unknown variables that I need to consider if I''m bringing Lucielle with me that I need to consider. To properly bring everything into perspective¡­'' He slowly sat up, watching something materialize before him.


    It seemed like tangled-up darkness, with an entity walking out of the dark breach that stained the room. ''Just the person I wanted to see. Ater¡­''


    The red-haired Beast fully emerged from the darkness, causing it to crumble right behind him. He had his sly smile on, and both hands were in his pockets.


    "Master."


    The moment he saw Rey, though, he bowed his head and ceased his casual demeanor.


    With his hands away from his pockets, one was lightly ced on his chest, while the other on his back. His deep, respectful bow would have touched Rey immensely if he wasn''t already suspicious of Ater.


    Still, he appreciated the gesture with a smile.


    "Looks like you''re done taking care of matters with the Reaper Group?"


    "Indeed, Master. Proper production will begin tomorrow. You can go to the site to observe for yourself."


    "I think I will. Thank you."


    "It is my pleasure, Master¡­" After Ater said this, there was a bit of awkward silence between the two.


    It felt ufortable, but before Rey could think of something to fill in the wide gap between them, his Familiar took the initiative.


    "About your trip to the Empire¡­ I''m a little concerned. How do you n to disguise yourself? You haven''t fully revealed the details of that to me."


    Normally, Rey would have simply folded and showed Ater all his cards, but he had to be careful here, so he took some time to think very seriously about his decision. Once he made up his mind, he finally spoke up.


    "One of the Skills I got from Adrien is called [Perfect Veil]. It''ll allow me to change my appearance into whatever I want."


    Rey skimmed over the details, such as how his [Perfect Divine Growth] promoted the Skill from its base A-Tier state to S-Tier, and how the Skill could potentially serve as an illusory Skill meant to deceive all whom it targeted.


    Using it as a disguise was just one of the many he could utilize it.


    "Are you confident that your true identity won''t be detected by anyone?" Ater went on to ask.


    "Yeah. As long as the person doesn''t have a higher ss than I do, it''s impossible. And even if they have the same Stats as I do, they would have to get past my [Divine Persona] Skill, that allows me to imbue Divine Attribute to any one Skill."


    "I see. So the [Perfect Veil] currently possesses Divine Status."


    "Yup!"


    "Impressive, Master! You''ve really thought this through!"


    "Indeed."


    Once again, there was a brief silence between the two of them.


    "Then¡­ may I see the form you n to take once you are in the Dragon Empire?"


    "Oh? Why?"


    "Just out of curiosity, Master. I have also studied quite a few of them, so there could be hidden details in your design that could give you away. One has to be meticulous in these things, after all¡­"


    "I see¡­ I see¡­" Rey couldn''t argue against his logic there.


    Ater knew his stuff, and he wouldn''t be foolish enough to refuse his help, especially since he already knew about how insightful Ater could be.


    ''Might as well show him¡­'' Rey decided, after expanding his senses to detect any form of trick.


    There was no trick.


    It was simply Ater standing there, smiling and waiting.


    "Here¡­" Rey rose to his feet and activated his Skill on the spot. Instantly, his appearance and his overall aura changed.


    ~FSHUUU~


    He possessed bright blue hair, with a single horn protruding from his forehead. His eyes glowed brightly, and his small wings and tail pped and danced as he revealed this form to Ater.


    "Here! What do you think?" He smiled, folding his arms as he smirked confidently at the Familiar before him.


    "This¡­" n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Ater narrowed his eyes, cing his hand on his chin as his lips curled downwards to form a grim frown.


    "... This is all wrong."

 Chapter 764 Meeting With Ater [Pt 2]

    Chapter 764 Meeting With Ater [Pt 2]


    "W-what do you mean all wrong?"


    For a moment, Ater remained quiet after Rey''s question. Instead, he took time to observe the boy''s appearance once more, his gaze scrutinizing even the littlest detail. It even almost felt like he was undressing him with his eyes.


    "Your appearance¡­ it feels odd¡ªalmost like you are cosying as a Dragon¡ªif you know what I mean¡­"


    "Wait¡­" Rey knew this wasn''t an important thing to bring up at the moment, but he just had to satisfy his curiosity. "How do you know about cosying?"


    "Belle told me about it."


    "O-ohh¡­" It all made perfect sense once he knew who the knowledge came from.


    ''I guess the two of them really talk a lot, huh?''


    "In any case, it doesn''t feel very authentic. I believe it also does very little to hide your human-like features, and doesn''t blend the two together. For example, you need slightly bigger eyes and more defined jaws. Your ears should also¡­"


    By the time Ater was done with exnations, Rey realized just how off he was when it came to disguising as a Dragon. It wasn''t that he wasn''t that he didn''t know what a Dragon looked like, but it was simply that he didn''t know how to incorporate it into his own custom appearance.


    The only thing he really got right was the number of horns. Even the age of his disguise was slightly off, but that was only because Rey had only encountered adult Dragons. In conclusion, he needed to rework his design from scratch¡ªand that was exactly what he did.


    Under Ater''s supervision, he was finally able to get the design right. ************


    "Thanks. I finally figured it out." Rey sighed, copsing on his bed for a moment, mostly due to mental exhaustion.


    He wasn''t tired in the true sense of the word, but he definitely felt like he was. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "This is nothing, Master. You can always rely on me."


    Ater bowed his head after saying this, and the sincere manner by which he said this caused Rey to feel a slight pang of guilt within him. It genuinely seemed like Ater was doing his best for the sake of his Master, yet Rey was viewing everything through the lens of suspicion.


    At that point, Rey had two options¡ªremain the way he was, or address the ever-growing gap of trust between the two of them.


    He chose the former.


    "Hm. Thank you."


    "I will also ensure to do my best in the South. As promised, I will resort to as little violence as possible, and also ensure they be our cooperative allies no matter what. Of course, I won''t force them to do it."


    "Yeah¡­ I look forward to that."


    Rey didn''t think he expressed it with his words, but he was really surprised and impressed by how much Ater had changed over the course of him being around.


    He remembered how very open and assertive he used to be regarding his dark inclinations, but he had slowly gained more tact and understanding as time went on. In fact, he rarely ever brought up suggestions or ns unless asked, and his evil alignment hardly showed in his strategy.


    All of these changes were due to the conditions that Rey had set previously.


    ''He''s studied my preferences and chosen to act in ordance with them.'' He smiled, clearly satisfied with the progress that the Familiar showed.


    This made it all the more difficult to view Ater in a negative light.


    "Master, I should remind you that you still owe me a reward for my most recent aplishment of protecting the Capital and resolving the pre-existing issues."


    Once Rey heard this, he gave a slight gasp.


    "Ah, yes¡­"


    He hadn''t thought of a reward, and after bing upied with their other ns, it skipped his mind. Considering the gravity of what Ater did, Rey reckoned he needed something very rewarding.


    ''It''s only because of him I was able to get this strong as well. The n he concocted with Emil was suspicious, but also very helpful.''


    Rey could not deny Ater''s assistance, even though he no longer trusted him.


    ''I''ll just ask him what he wants.'' And so he did.


    Ater fell into deep contemtion upon being asked to mention what he wanted most as his reward.


    "Well¡­ if I was to choose¡­"


    It was at that moment that Rey remembered what Ater chose as his reward thest time¡ªbeing petted as a cat.


    ''It would be even weirder now! Please don''t choose that!'' He cried inside, looking at Ater with pleading eyes while the unaware Familiar seemingly wrestled with his thoughts about what he considered a fitting reward.


    "I would have chosen to receive some praise from you, but¡­ I believe there is one thing I desire most from you."


    "Oh, whew! I mean¡­ what is it that you desire most?" Rey smiled, relieved it wasn''t what he feared, but also fearing what was about toe.


    Silence.


    Ater merely looked at Rey for a moment without saying anything, as if studying his countenance. He then approached the boy with a few steps before stopping just a few inches from his Master''s feet.


    "You no longer trust me, Master."


    Those words hit Rey like a sledgehammer, cousin yet another pang to swell from within him.


    Ater''s smilepletely vanished, now reced by a contemtive expression that drew even more sympathy and guilt from Rey. He wanted to believe that Ater was merely trying to manipte the situation, but everything about him oozed genuineness. It began to seem as though Rey was the one being paranoid.


    "I have observed your actions prior to your return from the Land of the Elves, and especially after. After watching you and thinking for quite a while, I havee to the conclusion that you have doubts about me."


    Rey could not deny those allegations, because they were true.


    Now that Ater said them out loud, it made the whole matter quite serious, and the fact that the usually smiling figure in the room waspletely serious gave off a grim feeling in the air.


    "Master¡­ I want you to trust me. That is my desire."


    As soon as Ater uttered those words, he fell to his knees and made a subservient bow that chilled Rey to his very core.


    "Ater, I¡ª"


    "I recognize that it might be very demanding to ask of you, but I intend to make things easier for you to make your decision." Ater raised his head and lifted his hand, causing a ck box to appear almost instantly.


    Rey instantly recognized it as the Cursed Box that belonged to the United Human Alliance.


    "The Dybbuk, Master. This allows multiple parties to enter a pact that can be enforced with a curse from this world. As you are well aware, I have no means to alter a curse, or I would have done something to help Alicia. Since that is the case, it appears this Item is most optimal in restoring the trust you have in me."


    "What exactly are you driving at, Ater?" Rey blurted out.


    "Let us enter a pact, Master. I will ept all of your conditions, including to be absolutely submissive to your words and to never betray you."


    A lot of thoughts went on in all theyers of Rey''s mind, but they could all be summarized into one thing¡ª


    ''For real?!''


    ~Master, I''m surprised you didn''t ce him under a pact, but you ced me under one. Do you trust him more than you trust me?~


    Emil''s thoughts were also loud in his thoughts, so he had to address that too.


    ''Haha! Not exactly. We are sort of already connected by a bond, so there was no need for any kind of pact. At least¡­ back then¡­''


    Since Rey had no way to formally enforce their bond, it made it functionally useless. He also didn''t have any Taming Skills, so he couldn''t confidently call Ater a Familiar in a very strict sense.


    Despite all of this, he remained very loyal¡ªtoo loyal.


    "Are you sure about this?" Rey asked, an eyebrow raised as he stared at the disturbing energy that the Dyubbuk released from all around it.


    Ater nodded his head, silence still remaining as his lips were tightly shut.


    He simply stared in determination.


    "Huu¡­ fine, then." Rey finally said. "Who am I to refuse your heartfelt request?"


    "I thank you, Master."


    And so, just as with Emil, they set up standards for the pact¡ªrules and punishment that would be followed by both sides.


    The restriction ced on Ater were three;


    One was to never act in any way that would jeopardize the interests of Rey or any of his allies.


    The second was to obey any of Rey''smands, and to inform Rey of any action he would take that would affect thosemands in any way.


    The third and final one was to protect Rey and his allies if the case demanded for it.


    To all of this, Ater nodded and readily epted the conditions, as well as the only punishment for disobedience.


    ¡ªInstant death.

 Chapter 765 Meeting With Ater [Pt 3]

    Chapter 765 Meeting With Ater [Pt 3]


    ''Haaa¡­ why?''


    As Rey stared at Ater, the Pact already formed, and the box now in his possession, he felt puzzled by a gnawing feeling that he had no control over.


    ''Why does something still feel off?''


    The Dyubbuk was supposed to give Rey the avenue to trust Ater wholeheartedly, but the assurance faded almost instantly, and Rey didn''t know why.


    Was it because the curse from the item had failed before with Emil? Or could it be possible that Ater had a duplicate, or even apletely different item, that could break him from the shackles of his curse?


    Ater was smart and resourceful enough to orchestrate something behind the scenes while making it appear as though he was perfectly docile.


    Rey wasn''t unaware of that fact, so it bothered him to no end.


    ''What if this subservience thing is just an act?''


    Could he really be med for suspecting the master maniptor known as Ater?


    "It appears you are still unconvinced." The Familiar in question spoke, breaking Rey out of his myriad of thoughts.


    "Sorry, Ater."


    "No, I perfectly understand. I would probably be the same in your situation, though I suppose I''d be more skilled at hiding my suspicions."


    "You know you''re not helping your case, right?"


    Ater chuckled as he heard this.


    "I know. I''m just being honest, though."


    Rey truly wanted to trust Ater, especially after seeing the way he was genuine with him about his disposition. There was a chance that it was all a lie, but it wasn''t like Ater was ever going to stop being Rey''s Familiar either way.


    ''He could have ignored my distrust and kept doing things behind the scenes, but he instead confronted me. Doesn''t that mean he''s genuine?''


    Or¡­ ''Maybe that''s what he wants me to think.''


    In the end, Rey could not decide on what he could particrly believe and not believe about Ater¡ªat least, not without some help.


    "I think I''ll have to resort to Skills¡­" He sighed.


    "Skills?"


    "Yeah. My Skills. If I ce you under a few of them, then I think that would be able to put my mind at rest." Rey finally confessed.


    He already had a few he had been wanting to try, and Ater was the perfect candidate for it.


    "Alright, Master. I am ready whenever you are."


    It still felt awkward having Ater kneel before him while he sat upright on the bed. Their positions felt a little awkward, but he didn''t let that distract him. Instead, after cing the Dyubbuk in his new Inventory, he opened his Skill Window and looked at the list of Skills in his Arsenal.


    [ALL SKILLS]


    {Original Skills}


    Doppel (SSS-Tier)


    Merger (S-Tier)


    Perfect Calm (S-Tier)


    Sacrifice (S-Tier)


    Symbiosis (S-Tier)


    Consume (S-Tier)


    Perfect Mimicry (S-Tier)


    Domain Of Man (S-Tier)


    {Doppel Skills}


    [SSS-Tier]


    irvoyance (Active)


    {Total: 1}


    [SS-Tier]


    Divine Weapon Creation (Active)


    Perfect Divine Magic (Active)


    Divine Power Ascension (Active) Perfect Divine Ray (Active)


    Divine Magic Supremacy (Passive)


    Perfect Domain Of The Divine (Active)


    Perfect Divine Defense (Active)


    Perfect Divine Regeneration (Passive)


    Perfect Divine Appraisal (Active) N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Perfect Divine Martial Supremacy (Passive)


    Perfect Divine Growth (Passive)


    Perfect Divine Form (Passive)


    Perfect Divine Adaptability (Passive)


    Unbreakable (Passive)


    Divine Magic Interference (Active)


    Tempora (Active)


    Divine Persona (Active)


    Perfect Wish Fulfillment (Active)


    It Is Written (Active)


    {Total: 20}


    [S-Tier]


    Dyubbuk: Cursed Pact (Active)


    Absolute Myriad Breath (Active)


    Absolute Energy Pulse (Active)


    Absolute Mass Stun (Active)


    Absolute Mana Recovery (Passive)


    Absolute Intuition (Passive)


    Absolute Cry (Active)


    Absolute Comprehension (Passive)


    Perfect Reflection (Active)


    Absolute Illusory Allure (Active)


    Absolute Executioner (Active)


    Perfect Decorum (Active)


    Perfect Copse (Active)


    Symbiosis (Passive)


    Consume (Active)


    Perfect Mimicry (Active)


    Equip Limit Break (Passive)


    Deep Anticipation (Active)


    Command Code (Active)


    Pinhio (Active)


    Status Interference (Active)


    Idle Gamble (Active)


    Perfect Veil (Active)


    Last One Standing (Passive)


    {Total: 24}


    [A-Tier]


    Fertility Inducement (Active)


    Miasma Aura (Active)


    Nature Affinity (Passive)


    Venom (Active)


    Perfect Float (Active)


    Inventory (Active)


    Mind Touch (Active)


    Link (Passive)


    Where Evil Lurks (Passive)


    Banishment (Active)


    Full Comprehension (Passive)


    Copse (Active)


    Grand Darkness (Active)


    Grand Luck (Passive)


    {Total: 14}


    [Active Skills: 40]


    [Passive Skills: 18]


    [Total Skills: 58]


    [END OF INFORMATION]


    ''For the purposes of controlling Ater and easing my worries, the ones I''ll be using are [Command Code] and [Perfect Divine Magic].''


    [Command Code] could be used to give a person a particr set of instructions, and they would have no choice but to obey at any given time.


    It could be pre-registered on any particr person, or made up on the spot. In a way, it was a much more advanced and calcted form of Mind Control. In a way¡­ that made it incredibly scary.


    ''One could be under mind control and never even know it until the Command is given and they have to obey without realizing it.'' It was also possible to control the body while leaving the mind intact.


    ''Using [Command Code] on Ater will allow me to enforce obedience, even if the curses from the Dyubbuk are gotten rid of. The Skill was previously A-Tier, but [Perfect Divine Growth] bumped it to S-Tier. I can also use [Divine Persona] to raise it even higher anytime I want to use a Pre-registered Command.''


    Doing that would mean undoing his disguise made from [Perfect Veil], but it would be worth it.


    Besides, he wasn''t only going to rely on [Command Code].


    ''There''s [Perfect Divine Magic]. Using [Divine Magic Supremacy], I can create advanced Spells that allow Ater to be bound to me¡ªconnected in every way, so I know his every location and what he is up to. This will allow me to keep track of him, but also control him through Magic.''


    All in all, with these options that came from the function of his Skills, he was covered.


    ''I might not be able to use [irvoyance] on him, for some reason, but other Skills work on Ater. I''ve used quite a few in the past.''


    "Do you ept all of the limitations I am about to ce on you, Ater?" Rey asked, revealing the cards he was about to deal him.


    It seemed strange that one would voluntarily desire to be controlled, but Ater waspletely fine with it.


    As long as he could regain Rey''splete trust¡­


    "I ept them all!"

 Chapter 766 Meeting With Ater [Pt 4]

    Chapter 766 Meeting With Ater [Pt 4]


    "Allplete!"


    Rey was done with all the restrictions andmands that he could think of in no time, and Ater epted them all in full stride. There were noints about any of the Commands or restraints that he was ced under.


    Even Rey felt like he was being unfair at a point, but Ater didn''t raise any objection.


    ''It''s strange, though¡­'' Rey''s thoughts trailed.


    Why would the System warn Rey about Ater, and why would The Oracle do the same, when his Skills could perfectly keep Ater at bay and the Familiar in question was perfectly subservient.


    ''Is it because he''s dangerous to everyone else, except his Master? I wonder¡­''


    But if that was the case, then why wasn''t [irvoyance] working on him? At this point, that was thest strand that his doubts were clinging to.


    If that could be answered satisfactorily, he would be able to dismiss the genuine concerns of The Oracle, as well as his own.


    ''And who better to ask about this than Ater himself?''


    Rey had contemted this for a while¡ªever since he realized that Ater was exempt from [irvoyance]¡ªbut it was only until now that ht felt he could make the informed decision to present the issue.


    "Why can''t I use [irvoyance] on you?"


    "Pardon?"


    "I can''t use [irvoyance] on you, despite it being an SSS-Tier Skill. Does that even make any sense? You should have an exnation for that, right?"


    Ater sighed the moment the question was presented to him, almost as if he couldn''t believe he was being asked something like that.


    It almost made Rey feel stupid for asking the question.


    "[irvoyance] is a Skill that grants the user sight and knowledge of the past, present, and future of everything and everyone within its domain. For your Skill, it seems you can detect everyone and everything in H''Trae¡ªincluding their past, present, future. Of course, Memory has to be put into ount."


    Rey never told Ater any of these, so he wondered where he got it from.


    "In case you''re wondering where I got this knowledge from¡­ it''s from one of my previous worlds. I encountered someone with such an ability." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "H-hold on¡­ it isn''t just restricted to H''Trae?" Rey''s eyes slightly widened as he said this, genuinely surprised by the revtion.


    "What do you think Primeval Skills are, Master? They cut across the many worlds that exist? For a world to properly function, they require these Skills as building blocks. In essence, they are essential to any world under the System."


    "Ohh!" Rey''s eyes returned to normal as he processed the information.


    "Indeed. Your Skill [Doppel] is an exception, though. I don''t think it''s supposed to be wielded as an SSS-Tier Skill the way you use it. But, I''m not sure¡­" ''Well, Seraph did seem a little concerned about me getting the Skill. I thought it was her being discriminatory, but the more I think about it, the more it makes sense. This Skill is too OP.'' He smiled, once again feeling incredibly grateful that he got his hands on the Skill.


    If someone like Adonis or Alicia had gotten [Doppel] before him, he would have been cooked.


    ''No¡­ if I didn''t speak back then¡ªabout Karma¡ªmy turn would have been shifted to the furthest end of the list. I would have definitely missed out on a host of Skills.''


    Why did he speak up, though? It wasn''t in his nature to just say something in a crowd of people¡ªespecially when such an authority figure like Seraph was overwhelming the crowd with her presence.


    Rey remembered why.


    ''It''s because of you, Adonis. During the field trip¡­ no¡­ several times before then, you consistently tried to make me more assertive.''


    It wasn''t like they were close or anything, and Rey often watched Adonis from afar, but thetter often talked to him and offered words of encouragement. Of course, Rey knew he wasn''t special, as Ater did this with practically everyone.


    Still¡­ his words during the field trip really resonated with him.


    "You''re more exceptional than you think, Rey."


    Perhaps those words were what prompted him to speak up during Seraph''s exnation¡ªespecially after seeing Adonis and Alicia stand up to the rest of the ss.


    That mere stroke of luck¡ªthat decisive moment¡ªwas due to the few words that Adonis told him in passing.


    ''In a way, I suppose I owe all of this to you, Adonis.'' Rey smiled, once again wondering where the Hero was during this period.


    It was possible to use [irvoyance] to find him, but that would mean Rey would have to search the entire world¡ªwhich would take an absurd amount of memory space.


    He couldn''t afford that.


    At least, not at the current moment.


    ''The Alliance is currently stable, so Adonis isn''t necessarily needed. I''m worried about him, but right now I have to look at the bigger picture.''


    Yes¡­ the bigger picture!


    "Ater, do you know the other SSS-Tier Skills? Tell me about all of them!"


    "A-ah¡­" As soon as Ater leaked out that sound, slowly itching his crimson hair, Rey already knew where the conversation was headed.


    "... I can''t remember. I''m sorry, but my memory is still¡ª"


    "Hmmmmm¡­" Rey narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Ater, who leaked out a bead of sweat and sighed with exasperation.


    Rey knew Ater was telling the truth, but wasn''t this too convenient?


    ''How does he know about [irvoyance], but not the other Skills? I don''t get it!'' He screamed internally, almost out of frustration.


    Still, he kept his cool externally.


    "Forget it. Just answer my question regarding the reason why you don''t seem to be affected by [irvoyance]."


    "Oh, yes¡­ that." Ater rubbed his chin, as if looking for the best way to exin away his current predicament.


    "Maybe it''s because I''m a Beast Summon from another world?"


    "No. I can use [irvoyance] on Emil, so that can''t be the right answer." Rey responded almost immediately.


    After all, he had thought of that too.


    ''If Ater really can''t give me a satisfactory answer, then I don''t think I can trust him.''

 Chapter 767 Meeting With Ater [Pt 5]

    Chapter 767 Meeting With Ater [Pt 5]


    "Emil is a different case, though."


    Ater''s response to Rey caused him to raise an eyebrow, but he still waited for an boration to be made on the matter. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Emil is a Symbiote, and so she takes on a lot of your qualities as you take on hers. In essence, it''s not like she''s a distinct entity as I am. She''s a part of you and you''re a part of her. Ahh¡­ how envious I am of her¡­"


    Rey shivered slightly, definitely creeped out by Ater''s words at the end.


    The smile he rendered as he remained on his knees and looked up at Rey made the whole thing seem even weirder.


    ~Hehehehe! It''s a good thing he knows his ce!~


    Emil''sughter of victory nearly deafened Rey''s inner thoughts, almost drowning his worries. However, that couldn''tpletely silence the concerns that still littered his mind.


    "Even if that is true, your argument for being from another world doesn''t work."


    "Hm? Why do you say so?"


    "I''m an Otherworlder, and so are my ssmates. Yet, not only could The Oracle use [irvoyance] on me, but I can also use it on any of my ssmates."


    In essence, Ater''s excuse was refuted by its own logic.


    If Otherworlders were still subject to the Skill, then how was Ater any different? What made him distinct from other Otherworlders?


    "I should be considered a special case, though. After all, you Otherworlders were called by the world through a means that isn''t strictly within the bounds of the System, while I was brought in here by a Skill under the System."


    Rey could see that Ater was telling the truth, but he didn''t understand how he could draw such an inference and make such a conclusion.


    It all seemed quite absurd.


    "The Interdimensional Summon was done through Ancient MajiK, or at least¡­ some version of it. You spoke about seeing Seraph, an Angel, right? That means your travel was fully sanctioned by the world, and so your arrival here waspletely registered by the world."


    "I still don''t¡ª"


    "Think of yourself as someone who got a permanent residency or citizenship in H''Trae, and me as something of an Illegal Immigrant." "You¡ª"


    "Yeah, I learned that from Belle as well."


    "I see¡­"


    "Since you were called by the World, you received benefits from the System¡ªone of which was the ability to be subject to [irvoyance]. That way, you are recognized as official denizens of H''Trae that can be used by the world to push its agenda. In essence, you help the world and the world helps you."


    Just as a permanent resident or citizen''s case would be.


    "But shouldn''t you be the same? If you were summoned by a Skill, that means the System was involved¡­ right?"


    "You would think so, right? But no. Beast Summons aren''t particrly epted by the World. They are the tools of their Summoners, and so the one who summons them is responsible for their wellbeing and upkeep."


    The way Rey understood it, getting into H''Trae the proper way was what gave he and his ssmates the privileges they got, including H''Trae''s welfare system¡ªthe [irvoyance] that came about by the System.


    Beast Summons like Ater, on the other hand, were not given this welfare system.


    At least, notpletely.


    "My Stats were reset upon arriving here, I lost some Skills that were ipatible with this world''s set of Skills, and my ss remains that of a Beast. So, I am recognized by this world as a foreigner. Of course, Leveling Up remained something I can do, since EXP is something that has beenmon in all the worlds I''ve been to, but it''s much more difficult for Beast Familiars to Level Up¡ªespecially an entity like myself."


    The more Rey listened, the more he understood Ater''s situation.


    It sort of made sense in its own way, andRey could hardly find any hole in his detailed exnation.


    Perhaps this was because Rey didn''t know much about the System and Worlds that Ater spoke so confidently about.


    "To begin with, [irvoyance] is meant to keep track of the World''s Assets and toy the groundwork for its future. It measures all the constants and variables, calcting everything ordingly in order to arrive at its desired conclusion."


    "You mean the destruction of every other race apart from the Elves?"


    "... Is that what The Oracle told you?"


    "Y-yeah."


    This was the first time Rey was telling this to anyone. It felt a little nice to get this matter off his chest, but saying the grim future only made him more frightened about the possibility of its fruition.


    "I see. Then, I suppose that is this world''s objective."


    "Objective?"


    "Yes. Every world has one, and it makes sure the action of everything and everyone in that world functions in ordance to that directive."


    "You mean¡ª"


    "Yes. This world will be destroyed, one way or the other. The Elves will be the only survivors, and its objective will be achieved."


    "But why? Why would the World desire such an end?"


    "I don''t know. All goes in ordance to Nature, I suppose." Ater shrugged, clearly unbothered by the potential elimination of millions, if not billions of lives.


    He didn''t care in the slightest.


    "Let me guess¡­ you''ve experienced the destruction of a world before."


    Upon hearing this, Ater made a dark chuckle. His eyes glowed bright crimson as he looked at Rey with an amused grin.


    "I have DESTROYED worlds."


    A slight shiver instantly rushed through Rey''s body as he heard this, forcing a period of silence between the two parties.


    "But I''mpletely unrted to the fate that will befall this world. Unfortunately, I won''t be having the pleasure of wreaking havoc here."


    "Ater, you¡­"


    "Don''t worry, Master¡­ I''m on your side."


    "What does that mean?"


    "You want to save the world, right? You want to prevent the predetermined path that this World should undertake, right?"


    "Yeah¡­" Rey responded a little slowly as he watched Ater with slightly unsure eyes.


    This response only caused Ater''s grin to widen in satisfaction.


    "That is also what I desire."

 Chapter 768 Behind The Scenes [Pt 1]

    Chapter 768 Behind The Scenes [Pt 1]


    "...."


    Ater had proven his case, and he didn''t seem to be lying to Rey about anything. If he was, one of the Curses would have activated, and Ater would be dead on the ground.


    Besides, Rey could tell if his Familiar was lying due to their bond.


    ''He''s telling the truth about everything¡­'' The details were still lost to Rey, but there was no doubt about it; Ater was on his side. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "If you still have your doubts, there is a way to prove the validity of my im." Ater spoke up, forcing Rey to look in his eyes as he made a confident proposal.


    "Hm? What''s that?"


    "Alicia White. Have her summon a Beast Familiar so you can use [irvoyance] on it. That way, you''ll be able to¡ª"


    "No." Rey''s response was t and final.


    He had a serious expression on his face, though none of it indicated anger of any kind. "May I ask why?"


    Ater''s sincere voice wafted through the air, causing Rey to sigh and lean backwards a little, his gaze on the Familiar, but his thoughts far away.


    "Alicia still hasn''t gotten over her trauma. It would be selfish of me to make her summon a Beast Familiar just to satiate my curiosity." He mumbled. "Besides, I can already see that you''re telling the truth, so there really is no need for that."


    For a second or two, there was silence.


    Ater then gave a silent chuckle and bowed his head in respect and satisfaction.


    "Understood, Master. Thank you for trusting me."


    Rey smiled.


    "Yeah. I guess I fully believe you now."


    This wasn''t just for show either. Rey found no reason to doubt Ater, and was now instead questioning the validity of The Oracle''s warnings. Both Emil and Ater had only profited him in one way or the other, and while he was yet to see the full picture, he determined that it was best to simply trust in his own camp.


    "I trust you''llplete your task wlessly, as you always do."


    "And I trust that you will achieve your objective in the Dragon Academy, Master." Ater beamed back.


    Both parties understood each other perfectly, and so there was not much more to be said. "You may rise, Ater."


    **************


    [Later That Night]


    "You may rise, Frey''ja." Ater''s voice echoed in the massive hall that was the White Dragon Lord''s office.


    He was seated veryfortably behind the desk¡ªa ce she usually upied¡ªwhile she was on her knees, paying homage to his magnificent presence.


    The moment she heard his instruction, she rose from her subservient position and offered him her warmest smile.


    The figures behind her also followed suit.


    "Two students will be visiting your Academy next week. The details will be submitted to you prior to that moment, but I want you to make sufficient preparations to ensure that their transition goes smoothly."


    "Understood." Without asking any questions, she responded.


    "Other than their admission and entry into the Academy, also ensure that you look out for them. Make sure they''re settled in perfectly, and that they do not enter into any kind of trouble. In essence, their stay in the Academy should be without incident."


    "Pardon my question, but what if they cause an incident?"


    "Ahh¡­" Ater smiled broadly, his eyes shining bright crimson as he narrowed his lids. "Then let them take care of it."


    "R-really?"


    "Indeed. I doubt an incident would ur without any thought ced in it. Besides, you''ll be reporting to me about their life in the Academy, so I suppose if there are any changes to my initial instructions, I can let you know."


    "Understood." The remnant tension in the atmosphere slowly began to dissipate as Ater rose to his feet and left the chair, only to rest his behind on the desk while maintaining close proximity to the White Dragon Lord.


    From any distance, one could see how gorgeous she was, but an appreciation of her beauty only amplified the closer one got to her. Ater could see it all.


    Her wless white hair only matched her pale skin and pure white gown. Her voluptuous chest nearly spilled out of her outfit, with cleavage that would make any man run mad. Her face was wlessly beautiful, and the nervousness she disyed in his presence made her appear even more attractive.


    Anyone whoid eyes on her body would desire her, but Ater was different.


    His eyes were disconcerted, and the excitement he disyed was directed at none other than the iing incident, rather than the Dragon Lord before him.


    In a way, that made the dynamic opposite.


    Ater did not desire her. She desired him.


    "You''ve been a good girl so far, and as a result¡­ I am willing to return your wards to you." Ater gently ced his hand on her chin and lifted her head so she could stare him in the eyes.


    His crimson eyes drowned her face in its glowing radiance, reflecting the passionate gaze she used to look at him.


    "R-really?"


    "Yes. Shai''ya and Kat''erin¡­" He muttered, his eyes slowly drifting away from Frey''ja to two of the five figures who stood behind the White Dragon Lord.


    "Yes, Sir Ater?"


    They both stepped forward, appearing no different than the Dragon Generals that they had been. wless Skin. Regal Attires. Perfect Forms.


    They were the real deal.


    "You will now return to serving your Lord, as I promised. Your loyalty to her must never waver, and your devotion to her cause must remain. Is that understood."


    "Yes, Sir Ater."


    He returned his gaze to Frey''ja, whose body was now slowly trembling as she kept her eyes on his own face.


    His corrupted darkness heavily contrasted the purity that she represented.


    It was alluring.


    "Thank you, S¡ªI mean, Ater."


    "Yes¡­ that''s it." He drew his face closer to hers, causing her trembling to increase, and her face to be much hotter than usual.


    Frey''ja''s breathing became uneven as she remained still in his presence, and steamy clouds flowed from her lustrous lips and nostrils.


    All of this only caused Ater to smile even more.


    "Your eyes¡­ they''re wonderful." Gently stroking her face, he whispered those words passionately.


    For a moment, the world seemed to stand still, but he broke the silence easily.


    "How are you enjoying your new eye?"

 Chapter 769 Behind The Scenes [Pt 2]

    Chapter 769 Behind The Scenes [Pt 2]


    Frey''ja, the White Dragon Lord, was an epitome of beauty.


    Among the Dragon Lords, there was none who rivaled her in beauty and sheer prestige¡ªat least, that was what she liked to think.


    Of all her features, there was one that she was most proud of, though.


    ¡ªHer eyes.


    They were beautiful, like the depths of a crystal sea, or a boundless sky. The immacte mix of blue, with white sparkles, made them glorious to look at.


    They weren''t only for decoration as well.


    Her Skills involved her eyes a good deal, so they were her greatest assets in every sense of the word.


    ¡­ Until the Great Old Dragon Lord plucked one out.


    Frey''ja had sunk into despair after that. She thought her beauty had been forever tainted, and that she would forever be denied the full power that used to be hers. Her ambition would be forced into a standstill, and she would lose all the respect of her peers.


    Even though she was grateful for being spared, her life was never going to be the same.


    Then¡­ Ater came along.


    He changed everything upon his arrival, starting with her new eyes. That single act was more than enough to make her enamored by him.


    ****************


    "How are you enjoying your new eye?"


    The moment he asked this question, the pink hues on the cheeks of the White Dragon Lord intensified, almost turning bright red.


    ''He''s close¡­'' Not only did he get closer to her, his chest nearly rubbing against hers, but she could feel his chill drawing close to her steaming body.


    She did her best to beposed, but Ater wasn''t making it easy.


    "I-It''s amazing! I can see much better than before, and my abilities are also much stronger. Then, there''s also that new Skill that I have." She honestly spewed these words, despite being tensed.


    Her syrupy smile made it clear how giddy and clumsy she was being. Still, she didn''t stop.


    "From the bottom of my heart, I thank you." She would have bowed her head, but Ater was too close to her, so she couldn''t.


    In an attempt to give him her utmost respect, Frey''ja tried to take a step back and properly show reverence, but Ater wrapped an arm behind her and drew her closer to him.


    "Eeeep!"


    Her face instantly turned beet red.


    She could feel the rate at which her heart was beating, and it was dangerous. She was trembling again, feeling all sorts of emotions, and yet couldn''t remove her gaze from the predator that had caught her in his webs.


    Her chest pressed on his, and she felt an electric sensation flow through her body.


    ''Rough. Too rough¡­'' No man had ever been this way with her.


    Frey''ja had always been a goddess since she was born, so most Dragons sucked up to her. She was talented in everything she did, and her physical qualities matched her overwhelmingbat abilities.


    Ultimately, there were only very few who could be considered her equal or superior.


    But none of them had any interest in women.


    None of them looked at her, or touched her, or spoke to her¡­ the way Ater currently did. The White Dragon Lord felt bliss at that moment.


    "Surely, you have some form of dissatisfaction. Tell me¡­"


    Once again, Ater could see right through her. She couldn''t fight the almighty effects that his words had on her.


    In the end, she gave in.


    "S-sometimes, I just think it''s a shame that I can''t show off my newfound strength to the other Lords. Maybe¡­ maybe if I show them how great you are, you could even have more allies among our ranks."


    "Ahh¡­" Ater smiled, pulling his face close enough that his lips grazed hers.


    ''Oohh¡­!!!''


    Her knees went weak, and her legs nearly gave out.


    She remained firm, though.


    "That is unnecessary. I do not require anyone else but you, Frey''ja." The way he spoke, especially how he said her name, made her heart leap many bounds.


    Frey''ja loved it.


    "Besides, isn''t it good that only you have ess to this power? You''ll be able to serve the Emperor well, surpassing those who were once your equals."


    "Yes¡­ you''re right."


    Serving the Emperor was ultimately the goal of every Dragon, and Frey''ja was no exception to that. She told herself that the only reason she was allied with Ater was because he would aid in her efforts to do so.


    Yes¡­ that was the only reason.


    "I am grateful for your overwhelming assistance." She smiled warmly, though a hint of sadness still flickered in her eyes.


    "...."


    For a moment, silence existed between the two.


    Then, without any notice or warning, Frey''ja felt herself sink into the entirety of Ater''s body.


    He had embraced her, branding himself on her entire body, as she became tainted with his unending darkness.


    Strangely, it brought herfort.


    "What troubles you? Talk to me, Frey''ja." He whispered to her ears.


    "I¡­ I guess I''m just worried about a lot of things right now. There''s a lot on my te¡­"


    "Like what?" N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "W-well, for one¡­ I''m concerned about the performance of my girls in theing Exhibition."


    The Squads and Lords undertook an Exhibition before the Emperor every year, and she could feel the growing pressure as the days drew nearer.


    Even though she had grown considerably stronger than before, she couldn''t say the same about her two subordinates who made up a Squad.


    "Then there''s the fact that I am very much behind on a lot of academic decisions due to the time I had to take to limate to the eye. There are so many things I need to do, like finding a ce for the field trip of the students, as well as preparation for the uing events."


    The only reason The Great Old Dragon Lord spared her was due to her importance in the Academy.


    She couldn''t screw that up now.


    "Don''t worry about all of that." Ater said with a smile, pulling away from their embrace so she could see his confident face.


    "Ater¡­"


    "I know the best way to resolve the weakness of your Squad, and while I know you are more than capable enough to handle the Academy events, I have a mild suggestion regarding the uing Excursion."


    The glint of mischief in his eyes told Frey''ja that he had many interesting things in his mind.


    She wanted to know so badly.


    "Tell me!"

 Chapter 770 Day Of The Mission

    Chapter 770 Day Of The Mission


    [A Few Days Later]


    "She''ste¡­"


    Rey stood at the courtyard, his brows furrowed in annoyance as he constantly beat his feet against the floor in anger while waiting for his partner.


    He had been waiting for nearly an hour now, and she still wasn''t at their rendezvous point.


    It was slowly eating away at his never-ending patience.


    Unfortunately, anytime it reached the threshold, all of his anger would vanish, leaving him back where he started¡ªas a patient man waiting.


    ''Ater and his team already left yesterday. I can''t bete on my very first day, can I?'' He sighed, both arms folded.


    He was all alone in the courtyard too.


    An hour earlier, the Royal Council Members, as well as the Frontline Members were all waiting for her. However, upon seeing that their schedule would be affected if they dyed any longer, they decided to head out first.


    And so, Rey had to transport them to the battlefield.


    He had already gone there a day prior so he could observe the ce and make sure it was conducive for Alicia and his other ssmates.


    Much to his surprise, a lot of preparations had already been put in ce for their arrival.


    It was clear they were expecting the Otherworlders and Chief Warrior. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ''Amodations and every other thing seem rough, but not terrible. They should be able to make do. After all, it''s much better than the Grand Cmity ss Dungeon experience¡­'' He even found himself musing.


    Before leaving the battlefield that day, Rey ensured to make his own preparations.


    That was all he could do, after all.


    ''Bottom line is that everyone else has gone to their respective locations¡­ except me.'' He wasn''t in any particr hurry, considering the process that awaited them in the Dragon Continent, but it simply felt awkward to be thest person remaining¡ªespecially since he was the one who suggested their current formation.


    ''Well, being alone did give me enough time to think about¡­ everything else¡­''


    He had to say goodbye to Alicia in a very heartfelt way, and despite her concerns for him regarding his journey to the Continent, she didn''t say or do anything negative.


    She had chosen her path, and he chose his.


    In fact, she didn''t even seem very upset that Lucielle was tagging along with him.


    ''Alicia was more understanding than I expected. Well, I suppose she has no choice, given that the main reason I''m doing all of this is for her sake.''


    Of course, Rey didn''t tell her any of that.


    He didn''t want her to know the details of his mission, but the more important reason was because he didn''t want to make her feel burdened in any way by his choice.


    ''There''s a chance she''ll feel guilty or something.'' Rey sighed.


    He didn''t want that at all.


    ''I''ll miss her, though¡­ and I really hope she''s safe.''


    Of course, he had already taken measures to ensure she wasn''t ever going to be in any kind of danger¡ªnot if he could help it.


    And, if the danger was so severe, he wouldpletely abandon everything to save her.


    ¡ªEverything!


    ''Then there''s Trisha¡­'' There was no way he could forget his farewell with Alicia without remembering his other ssmate.


    They had both exchanged awkward nces throughout the experience, but she finally spoke to him before departing to the Camp, she finally spoke to him.


    They ended up wishing each other luck before everyone entered the portal.


    ''I guess this means we are cool now¡­'' He smiled awkwardly.


    He checked her Status Window, just to be sure, and it seemed she still had feelings for him. He felt bad about the whole thing, but there was nothing he could do.


    ¡­ Or was there?


    ''I mean, Alicia wants to leave, and my rtionship with Esme will probably never remain the same again. Maybe being with Trisha is really the best option here.''


    She liked him, and he clearly found her attractive. Best of all, she seemed to have a very strong attachment to this world, so there was a chance that she wouldn''t want to leave¡ªjust like him.


    ''T-then, should I¡ª''


    No.


    Rey already knew he couldn''t follow through with that thought, and it was for one single reason.


    ''I can''t be that unfair to her.''


    There was no way he would treat her like a constion prize, or a rebound, after not getting with the main girl that he wanted to end up with. No way¡­ ''I can''t intentionally do that to her.'' After sighing about it and shrugging, he shut his eyes and contemted on his rather bleak and lonely future.


    Right then¡ªat that very moment¡ªRey heard a voice and felt a presence at the same time.


    "REYYYY!"


    He opened his eyes and saw a particr girl a short distance from him.


    ''H-huh¡­?''


    She had long white hair, with a single horn protruding from her forehead like a unicorn. Her eyes were crimson, but had a hint of purple within them. She had pale, clear skin, and her absolutely stunning dressplimented her perfectly.


    Most importantly, she was petite.


    Her chest was quite bountiful, and her figure was immacte, but she was considerably short. All of this added to her charm, of course, especially her child-like smile and sparkling eyes.


    She looked about Rey''s age¡ªno, perhaps a year or two younger.


    ''Ahh¡­'' Everything about her appearance made Rey''s eyes widen as she ran towards him¡ªthough he perceived everything in slow motion.


    It seemed like forever before she finally reached him.


    "Tah dah!"


    "...." He was initially speechless at her grand presentation and overly familiar attitude.


    If he wasn''t aware of the context of their mission, he would have mistaken her for someone else. But, Rey had no doubt about it after seeing her up close.


    "Lucielle¡­?"


    "Yup! In the flesh!" She grinned brightly, shing her signature smile while giggling like a kid.


    Rey couldn''t express how stunned he was¡ªnot just about her beauty, which was a great deal, but also the disguise itself.


    Lucielle''s form waspletely different from how he remembered her.


    ''How did she pull off something this perfect?!''

 Chapter 771 To The Dragon Continent!

    Chapter 771 To The Dragon Continent!


    "Ohhh! So, basically, you used Time Magic to age yourself down, which exins your much younger form¡­"


    Lucielle went over theplex process of how she was able to achieve her current results, and despite Rey understanding it enough to summarize her points in his statement, he still found himself stupefied by the result.


    ''How was she able to do that? She doesn''t have a Skill like [Tempora], yet she made a Spell that could perfectly apply Time Magic to everyponent of her body and age them down proportionately, so she could be a particr age.''


    Rey didn''t even want to think about how many variables she would have to consider.


    ''This is insane, for real.''


    "Don''t make it sound so simple, Rey. It''s a lot moreplicated than that, you know? The actual¡­" She went on bbing, forcing Rey to understand theplex rationale behind her Spells.


    Perhaps she was hoping for some sort of intelligent discourse with him regarding Magic, but all he told her was¡ª


    "I see¡­"


    Rey already knew, from his brief encounters with her, that this woman was far superior to him when it came to Magic.


    Her knowledge and application, especially when it came to imagination, far exceeded his own. If he was a jack of all trades and master of none, she was a perfect Mage whopletely mastered her craft.


    Even then, she wanted to know more.


    ''I don''t think she can get what she wants from me. The only reason I can do what I can is because I have Skills for it.''


    Unlike her, who had to build all of this from the ground up, his method was far simpler.


    Before Rey realized it, his respect for Lucielle rose once again.


    "That doesn''t exin your horns and all the other Dragon features."


    "A-ahh! I modified my body so my Dragon form wouldn''t be a mere illusion. I added a bit of Body Modification Magic¡ªsomething akin to transmutation¡ªwhen aging my body down, so all the processes synced together and produced my current state."


    Once again, Rey was impressed. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ''Using Self-Transmutation is harder than it sounds. Unlike applying it to inorganic targets, transmuting organic properties is far moreplex. But, even using it on people is far easier than using it on yourself¡­''


    In essence, Lucielle managed to pull off something so difficult, while making it appear simple.


    ''That''s probably why she took so much time. Honestly, all the annoyance I had has pretty much vanished at this point.'' Rey was far too impressed to harbor any ill will towards his soon-to-berade.


    "Impressive."


    "Hehe! Why, thank you!"


    Her loud, optimistic voice, and her other child-like tendencies blended perfectly with her teenage form. As she twirled around, her silver-like tail danced around, and her wings with simr color pped.


    She truly was divine in her disguised form.


    "What about you, Rey? What about your disguise?" She asked with a teasing smile, though her eyes were wide open in curiosity.


    "Ah¡­ well¡­"


    He suddenly felt a little embarrassed upon realizing his half-hearted efforts towards the disguise he made for the expedition. In fact, if not for Ater''s guidance, his Dragon form would have turned out even worse.


    As such, he thanked his faithful Familiar as he activated [Perfect Veil], while using [Divine Persona] to bump it up to the [Perfect Divine Veil] he intended it to be.


    Once he was done with that, he disyed his disguise.


    Pitch-ck hair, with bright azure eyes that seemed to absorb all the blue around it. His hair was longer than usual, so he packed it together in a falling ponytail. He was dressed casually, but cleanly. His wings were ck¡ªsame as his tail, and the scaly remains on his body had a simr, but much brighterplexion.


    "Ta-dah!"


    Upon seeing his disguise, Lucielle appeared dazed for a second.


    Her cheeks turned bright red, and her eyes seemed to glimmer¡ªeven if it was for a second¡ªwhile she stiffly remained in her position.


    "It''s¡­ wless." She whispered.


    Rey barely caught her words, but once he heard it, he felt relieved. Honestly, if not for the many revisions that Ater made on his design, it would have probably been a different story with Lucielle.


    For that, he thanked his dear Familiar.


    Though¡­ he still felt a little guilty for taking credit that he didn''t deserve.


    ''Thest thing I want is for her to overestimate my abilitiester on¡­'' As soon as he thought that, he quickly looked for something to change the topic.


    "Look at our color design. It''s the opposite of each other. What a weird coincidence, right?"


    "Right? It makes us resemble a couple!"


    Lucielle''s sudden deration made Rey instantly regret shifting gears toward another topic. He wanted to say something, but chose to swallow his initial reaction to herpletely unprovoked innuendo.


    "Why¡­ would you say that?" He maintained his smile and asked this instead.


    "Opposites attract!" She beamed.


    ck and White.


    Their color schemes indeed perfectly encapsted that posttion.


    Still¡ª


    "Well, you shouldn''t say stuff like that anyway¡­" He itched his cheek, looking in another direction to avoid looking at her bright smile.


    Seeing how she was now, there was a chance he could take her seriously.


    "Rx, man. It''s just a joke." Lucielle fist-bumped Rey on his shoulders, causing him to sigh and look at her. She was giving him that intense smile of hers.


    "Besides, don''t you like Alicia already? I don''t evenpare."


    ''Eh?''


    "I should probably look for some cute Dragon boys¡­ maybe girls too¡­ that are single in the Academy."


    ''What the¡ª?!''


    "I wonder about their performance, though. Hehehe! I managed to capture one Dragon one time, and damn¡­ he had quite the¡ª"


    "That''s enough, Lucielle!" Rey couldn''t take it anymore.


    He was already beginning to wonder if Lucielle would behave like this throughout their time together, and that made him dread their journey a little.


    Still, she had proven to be indispensable to the task, so it was a non-negotiable deal.


    ''That''s enough messing around already.''


    After taking a deep breath and returning the atmosphere to a rather serious one, he focused his gaze on the teenage Lucielle and spoke.


    "It''s time to depart¡ª" Before he could finish his statement, she pushed her hand upward, jumping as shepleted his sentence.


    "¡ªTo the Dragon Continent!"

 Chapter 772 Examination Center

    Chapter 772 Examination Center


    F''arank was an Examining Officer.


    His job required him to constantly sit behind the same desk, within the same building, every single day, for the arrival of Examination Candidates.


    Administrative Professions were not the most respected in the Dragon Empire, but he and his colleagues weren''t particrly scorned due to the role they yed in one of the most important sectors of the Empire.


    ¡ªEducation.


    The Entrance Examination Facility of the Empire was a massive structure that everyone throughout thend knew very well. It was visited by scores¡ªif not hundreds¡ªof Dragons every day, and remained the most popr way to enter the Academy.


    In this ce, young ones interested in further study in the Academy would apply as Examinees. As was trite, they would have to take an important exam known as the Entrance Exam, in order to test their capabilities and determine if they were indeed cut out for the Empire''s only official and distinguished Academy.


    Compared to what was practiced in other regions, the Dragon Educational System took a much different approach when it came to its potential students.


    There was no restriction to the age and period which a student could apply to join the Academy. All they had to do was go to the Entrance Examination Facility and register themselves as viable candidates.


    Once that happened, they would have to wait for the day of the Entrance Examination¡ªwhich typically urred once every week.


    Hence, anyone could apply up to 52 times a year.


    This system wasn''t only restricted to Entrance Exams, but had a simr influence on the Academic Curriculum of the Academy itself.


    Students could also move on to the next sses at no particr interval. As long as they distinguished themselves at any of the Academy Events and expressed their desire to climb the ranks¡ªor ss¡ªthey would be allowed.


    In essence, education was all about ABILITY.


    Those whocked talent and skill would be left behind¡ªthough with the opportunity to get better and try again¡ªwhile the truly powerful ones were throttled forward to achieve greater heights.


    F''arank remembered how it took him nearly fifteen years toplete his own degree at the Academy, which was probably why he ended up being stuck in an Administrative Role, rather than as an official warrior for the Empire.


    Despite being a Dragon Solider in ss, his role in society was nothing more than a clerk or proctor.


    It sucked, but F''arank also recognized his role.


    He¡ªjust like the rest of hisrades¡ªwas nothing more than a cog in this machine.


    As long as his efforts made the Empire advance further, which would consequently please the Emperor, then he had to be fulfilled.


    On this particr day¡ªthe Examination Date¡ªF''arank was not required to sit behind his desk. Instead, he had to monitor the Examinees, as theypleted their tests in order to prove themselves worthy of the Academy. He had done this so many times that he had lost count already, and the same could be said about hisrades.


    Well, except maybe for the newer recruits¡ªthough, those were few.


    F''arank and his colleagues entered the Examination Hall that day to check on the progress of the Examinees, who had all been ced in the same massive expanse for one purpose and one purpose alone.


    ¡ªTo fight.


    This was the final, most important test.


    Dragons were natural predators and perfect fighters. They were the strongest on H''Trae for a reason, so the most important thing for a Dragon was theirbat ability¡ªespecially in warfare.


    This was why a Battle Royale remained the staple for the final test of the Examination.


    It was also the one with the highest score.


    In essence, this was truly what determined whether or not an individual would be epted into the Academy or not.


    It was F''arank and his colleague''s job to observe the fight between the students and determine the ones who would make it into the Academy based on thest ones standing.


    Since he had done this so many times, he could already estimate how many people would be left standing.


    ''At this point, a few hundred will still be up. Those are the only ones worth watching. The dregs will only be a waste of time¡­''


    Which was why the Examiners were entering the hallter than usual.


    This was the standard practice.


    Out of the few hundred, only less than a hundred would be chosen.


    On a good day, up to fifty could be selected that week, but it usually averaged around thirty or thirty-five. F''arank looked at his colleagues, and they had the same emotionless expressions on their faces.


    Their jobs were predictable.


    There was no real purpose to it, either.


    Any of them could be easily reced, and barely anything interesting even happened.


    Besides, most of the students who passed the Entrance Exams would still be expelled due to the harshness of the Academy''s grading system, so it felt like they were recycling trash a lot of the time.


    Still¡­ F''arank could notin about his job. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    This was his duty to the Empire¡ªall for the pleasure of the Emperor.


    ''H-huh¡­?'' F''arank found a sudden change in the expressionof hisrades the moment they finally made their way into the hall.


    Their eyes were wide open¡ªalmost bloodshot¡ªand their bamboozled expressions were far from the stale and predictable kind that he had grown to expect.


    It seemed they were all at a loss for words.


    ''Come to think of it¡­ why is it so quiet?''


    A few hundred were supposed to remain at this point, which meant the battle had to be reaching its climax.


    Yet¡­ ''Ahh.''


    ¡­ There was no sound.


    F''arank took his eyes off hisrades and cast his gaze on the massive center that had was supposed to have be a battlefield.


    Instead, it was nothing more than a sea of bodies.


    Fallen Examinees littered the floor, to the point where their unconscious, wounded, andpletely battered bodies covered the hard ground entirely.


    Only two, out of the thousands, were still standing.


    The boy had jet ck hair, while the girl was blessed with pure white hair¡ªthe two opposites resembling a couple designed by fate. They hadpletely demolished thepetition by themselves¡ªand in such an absurdly small amount of time.


    ''Ahh¡­'' He had never seen anything like this in all his life.


    F''arank knew at that instant¡­ only they would be admitted into the Academy the following week.


    ''... Amazing!''

 Chapter 773 Combat Exam [Pt 1]

    Chapter 773 Combat Exam [Pt 1]


    [Moments Earlier]


    ''Ater, you genius!''


    Rey and Lucielle¡ªboth of them in their Dragon disguises¡ªstood among the rest of the Examinees in a massive hall. They had neutral expressions on their faces, but their minds were racing with several things.


    For Rey, he couldn''t help but internally thank his immensely ipetent Familiar.


    ''I have no idea the kind of insight that guy has, but he really did make everything easier for us.''


    Apparently, Ater was able to interrogate the two Dragon Generals who infiltrated the Capital over two weeks ago, learning all about the Empire''s workings¡ªincluding details of the Academy and how to get in.


    It was all thanks to that information that Rey and Lucielle knew how to navigate their way in the Empire¡­ which brought them to their current predicament.


    ¡ªThe Academy Entrance Exams.


    ''Getting past Customs wasn''t particrly difficult, due to my Skills, though we still had to remain very lowkey¡­''


    Entering enemy territory was a task that could never be downyed.


    He and Lucielle prepared every countermeasure possible in case something went wrong, and these were already measures he had discussed with Ater prior to his departure. He had to worry about every variable.


    Thankfully, everything was smooth sailing¡ªfrom their arrival at the Empire to their temporary amodations¡ªall leading up to this moment.


    ''I thought the biggest issue would be getting into the Academy, but I never expected the process to be so simple until Ater told me.'' Rey smiled, both hands in his pockets as he observed the Dragons that littered his sight.


    There were at least thousands of them present¡ªsome looking young, while others appearing a little too old to be going to school.


    People belonging to various age groups could be spotted waiting, just like them.


    ''Well, I guess that''s what happens when the Education System is non-discriminatory¡­'' None of that was his business anyway.


    ncing at the excited Lucielle, who was doing her best to hide her excitement while looking at so many Dragons around her, Rey felt a bit of a sigh leaking out of his lips.


    ''I was worried that she''d be a little ufortable here, due to being surrounded by so many enemies and also because we''re so far from home, but¡­ she seems to be in a much better mood than even me.''


    Lucielle''s cheeks were slightly flushed with pink as her wide open eyes took in everything.


    Honestly, she resembled a teenager more than an adult.


    ''Almost makes me think her disguise is real too¡­'' He looked away, noticing that she had noticed his gaze on her and was now turning towards him.


    To distract himself, Rey went over what had happened prior to their current situation.


    ''We''ve already gone through a few tests: the written exam, which is basically just basicprehension and writing skills, the physical exercise exam, and the mana aptitude exam¡­'' All of them didn''t take very long and weren''t very difficult.


    Rey was initially worried that they would ask him something regarding the History of the Dragon Empire, or something of the sort, but just as Ater had assured him, it was nothing thatplicated.


    Neither he nor Lucielle had any issues with that¡ªor any of the other tests for that matter.


    ''Physical tests were a breeze, though Lucielle struggled a little with that. And as for Mana, I had to severely limit myself in that category.'' He smiled.


    There was no way he could allow his true power to be exposed in such a ce.


    ''I''m definitely stronger than a Dragon General, and I''m pretty confident that I could hold my own against a Lord¡ªthough, I won''t be sure of victory until I actually fight and beat one.''


    Such an entity had no ce in the Dragon Academy, yet here he was.


    ''Still¡­ still¡­''


    He cast his gaze forward and noticed that a small crowd of Examiners had now joined the Examinees in the hall¡ªmost likely to announce the fourth and final part of the Entrance Exams.


    This was also the most important.


    ''Everything else contributes ten points each, making a total of thirty. This one has a chunk of the points¡ªseventy percent.''


    Just as he thought this, the Chief Examiner stepped forward and exined exactly the same thing.


    His voice was absurdly loud due to an Enchanted Item that resembled a microphone.


    The massive expanse they were in resembled the inner court of a football stadium, but muchrger than any stadium Rey had ever seen. There were also no spectator rings.


    Just enough space for thousands of Dragons to duke it out in a¡ª


    "Battle Royale! You will all fight each other until the time limit is exceeded. Thest people standing are those who will be deemed to pass."


    That meant it was possible for a varied number of people to pass. Most could pass, and most could fail¡ªdepending on how strong they were and how long they held on.


    ¡­ At least, that was what it seemed like on the surface.


    ''But the time limit is arbitrary.''


    "The Time Limit won''t be disclosed to you all, so keep fighting until we inform you the time is up." The Examiner''s voice roared in the hall, causing some to smile knowingly.


    Rey was among those who did. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ''That''s because they won''t stop the fight until a sufficient number of Examinees have fallen.''


    In essence, this wasn''t just about hanging on, but about knocking down the opposition as fast as possible so the round would end quickly.


    ''Veteran Examinees already recognize this. I can see a few faces that fall under that category already¡­'' He looked around and found some rather confident grins among the uncertain or cautious ones.


    He reckoned, from their Status Windows, that they were more likely to pass than the other inferior candidates.


    ''Doesn''t matter in the current situation, though.'' Rey and Lucielle had already agreed on how they would pass the final portion of this exam¡ªand it was Ater''s rmended choice too.


    ''We''re the only ones passing this round!''

 Chapter 774 Combat Exam [Pt 2]

    Chapter 774 Combat Exam [Pt 2]


    The rules were given.


    "No fatal attacks. You are all potential resources that will be useful to the Emperor in one way or the other, so do not take the lives of any of yourpetitors. Other than that, anything goes."


    The stage was set.


    "Knock your opponents out, and keep fighting here until the time limit is reached. We are recording everything, so make sure you contribute as much as possible to the elimination of yourpetition. That will greatly affect your score."


    Everyone was ready for what was toe.


    "The Examiners are going to excuse you now. The moment we leave this ce and shut the doors behind us¡­ the Exam Begins."


    Once the Chief Examiner finished his statement, he gestured to the rest of his colleagues, and they all began to depart from the stage.


    The Examinees watched with bated breaths¡ªwaiting with wide open eyes.


    One by one, the officials bled out of the hall, until only few were remaining. However, it was only a matter of time before they all went out of sight.


    Beads of sweat, coupled with the racing of hearts, evident by the nervous shuffling of the gazes of Examinees from one to another, afflicted a majority of the people present.


    They sought their first prey with careful eyes, gauging them based on many factors; particrly an arbitrary assumption of strength.


    ¡ªOr weakness.


    Finally, thest of the Examiners left the room, forcing the door behind him to close automatically.


    Once that happened¡­ all hell broke loose.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOMMMM!!!~


    The determined Dragons rushed at one another in a frenzy, causing massive quakes and overwhelming explosions in the first few seconds of the battle''smencement.


    Spells were chanted, and swift blurs of movement danced around the battlefield.


    Foolish Examinees decided to focus on defense or evasion¡ªan impossible task in such a pervasivendscape of battle.


    Running away was futile.


    Predators had already targeted prey¡ªsometimes multiple at once¡ªso rather than running or hiding, the best way to survive was to fight.


    Fight as hard as possible!


    The wiser Dragons ensured to properly defend themselves, while focusing most of their attention on offensive maneuvers. Magic and Skills were the central abilities of Dragons¡ªthetter especially¡ªso it only made sense that there were tons of chants bustling through thend battlefield.


    More eruptions of power rushed through the air, and the echoes of groans, grunts, screams, and cries were drowned by the destructive reverbs.


    Over and over again.


    No matter what happened, everything was chaos.


    Well¡ª


    "Ready?"


    ¡ªNot to two people.


    "Yeah."


    Rey and Lucielle both nced at each other, donning confident smiles, as they weed themotion around them with excitement. Several opponents were already closing in on them, causing electrifying sensations to run through their bodies.


    They couldn''t hold it in any longer.


    "Let''s go!"


    ~WHOOOOSH!~


    In an instant, both of them vanished from their positions, leaving nothing but a cloud of dust¡ªas well as the unconscious bodies of those near them¡ªin their wake.


    Rey took the initiative by attacking first¡ªsummoning a blunt de in his hand and opting for a more Martial Arts-based fighting model than the usual Magic and Skills type.


    Not only would he have the advantage of speed in that regard, but he was also going to have tons of fun with the exercise.


    Besides, it wasn''t like Dragons¡ªeven those presently in the hall¡ªdidn''t have a concept of Martial Arts.


    A few were even utilizing it.


    Unfortunately,pared to his own level of skill, they were¡­ "Weak!"


    ~WHOOSH!~


    Easily getting amidst a few enemies with his nimble movements, catching them off guard as he appeared in their center, he held his de with tight precision.


    "Gurhhk!" Most of them noticed him, trying their best to get rid of him first.


    They were too slow, though.


    In a blur akin to wind, he easily sliced through them with his dull de, shattering their bones and knocking them unconscious in swift arcs.


    As soon as he did this, however, he noticed a few projectiles being fired towards him.


    "Hup!"


    Easily kicking the ground beneath his feet, Rey leaped high into the air and voided the sessive bombardments that radiated beneath him.


    That wasn''t enough to avoid his new and iing adversaries, though.


    They had surrounded him, all coated in what resemble zing energies of varying colors¡ªtheir Mana, no doubt.


    While still in the air, theypleted their chants andunched destructive sts of fire, lightning, winds, cyclones, etc.


    The abundance of their projectiles guaranteed them a surefire win, at the very least.


    Right? RIGHT?


    ¡ªWrong!


    ~VWUUSH!~


    A wall of energy surrounding Rey easily blocked all of them while he twisted his body in the air and thrust himself in the direction of his opponent.


    "W-wai¡ª!" Before any resistance or plea could be made, the de came crashing down.


    ~SWUSH!~


    The enemy instantly fell to the ground, and the rest met simr fates as Rey ricocheted in the air and sliced them all while bouncing away to his next victims.


    All of these happened within seconds, and he was smiling throughout.


    As he darted back to the ground to resume his fun, he noticed a lone figure hanging in the air.


    ''Lucielle¡­? She hasn''t attacked anyone yet?''


    She was staying still above, watching everyone with a wide smile as she sped her fingers together.


    There was no doubt that she was nning something. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ''Oh well¡­ I''ll leave that to her.'' With a maniacal grin on his face, he bolted downward and spread destruction around him with hisnding.


    ¡ªCompletely unaware of the devastation that would soon follow.


    ***********


    "Now then¡­ where to begin?"


    Lucielle''s white hair flowed in the air as sped hands remained in ce, inhaling slowly while she watched themotion beneath her.


    ''Rey is having all the fun. At this rate, there''ll be nothing left for me. In that case¡­ he wouldn''t mind it if I went a little rough, would he?''


    "Furnace Spell Activation¡­ and Blizzard Spell Construction."


    As she began to part her hands from each other, crackles of lightning began to roar, followed by the loud howls of wind and the rising heat of unmatched proportions


    Bursts of blue electricity trapped in a torrent of bright white winds manifested on one side, while the other side was upied by the brilliant red energy that simmered like molten magma and brightly burning mes.


    Blizzard Magic¡­ and Furnace Magic.


    Lucielle shifted her hands and began to aim, drawing the two opposing and equally destructive elements together; all while her eyes remained glued on the targets beneath her.


    ~ZZZTTZZZ!~


    As they merged, purple energy danced around, filling the air around her with an electrifying sensation and vibrations that would make anyone shiver.


    Cold. Heat. Shock. Cool.


    ¡­ Dispersion and eleration¡­ all bound together in a purpleb of sheer destruction.


    Once it was done, the purple mass stood at Lucielle''s fingertips, an over-expanding orb that was ready to burst wide open and spill out its contents.


    Then, she spoke.


    "Storm Magic: Imaginary Rain."


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMM!!!!~


    The sound was enough to stop everyone in their tracks, as they all paused and looked in the direction of the fast-approaching st of destruction.


    Unfortunately, it was toote.


    In a split-second, its power dispersed, forcing everyone to feel thebined sensations of heat, cold, electrocution, and finally¡­ dispersion.


    Needless to say, the fight was already over.

 Chapter 775 Seamless Transition

    Chapter 775 Seamless Transition


    "U-urghhhhhh¡­"


    Groggy groans and moans echoed in the massive hall.


    It felt like a distant reverb that kept reducing its volume as time passed. The injured that leaked out painful groans soon lost consciousness, and the ones resolute to continue were knocked out cold. Once the dust settled, only two were left standing.


    Rey, who had managed to evade the Storm Magic despite its immense speed and overpowering pressure whenpared to the feeble resistance offered by Examinees, and the one who cast the Magic herself¡­ Lucielle.


    The two were surrounded by badly injured students, but since Lucielle reduced the overall output of the Spell¡ªwith the goal to stun and not kill¡ªnone of them suffered any fatal injuries.


    Instead, they all passed out almost instantly as a result.


    "That was quite impressive." Rey smiled as he looked beside him to find the Grand Mage grinning with delight.


    "I was about to say the same to you. You were so fast, beating so many people by the second. I figured I had to do something drastic, or you''d steal all the glory."


    They both chuckled and giggled as she said this.


    Despite merely using a portion of his strength, and not relying on any Active Skills, he still managed to decimate so many. It was an effortless attempt, and yet to everyone who witnessed his might, they would only be able to describe it as overpowering.


    ''I''m sure Lucielle also wasn''t putting her all into that Spell¡­'' Rey was partially curious about what a full-powered version of the Spell would be, but he could probably figure it out himself.


    ''I was able to keep it as a Skill, but I could also just replicate it with Magic¡­''


    Speaking of keeping stuff as Skills, his [Doppel] really had a massive feast when dealing with the Dragons in his sight.


    ''Most of the Skills or Magic they disyed were in the C or D Tier, with a few exceptions in the B Tier. But, thanks to my [Perfect Divine Growth], they were mostly promoted to the A-Tier, at the very least.''


    Some even reached S-Tier, which was incredibly crazy.


    Of course, due to [Doppel]''s limit, he couldn''t have all of the Skills¡ªbut it wasn''t like that was his intention from the start.


    His true motive dwelled in [Sacrifice].


    ''I constantly fed my new Skills to [Sacrifice], just to boost my Stats. Just as expected, the value of Stats I got per Skill wasn''t too high, but¡­ they added up greatly once I put in thousands of Skills.'' He smiled to himself.


    The funny part about his current circumstance was that he never even expected the Exams to be a haven for growing stronger, but s! It had made him considerably stronger than ever.


    "Status Window."


    [STATUS WINDOW] - Name: Rey Skr.


    - Race: Human (Otherworlder)


    - ss: Singrity (S-Tier)


    - Level: 270 (0.58% EXP) - Life Force: 13,000 (+13,000)


    - Mana Level: 39,000 (+39,000)


    - Combat Ability: 21,550 (+21,550)


    - Stat Points: 99,500


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Doppel]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Merger]. [Perfect Calm].[Sacrifice]. [Symbiosis]. [Consume]. [Perfect Mimicry]. [Domain Of Man]


    - Alignment: Neutral Good


    [Additional Information]


    You have done the impossible and stand at the precipice of power. As such, you now possess the interest of this World.


    [End Of Information]


    ''Crazy!'' Rey grinned widely, noticing the Skills in his [Doppel] Slot were also a bit higher than they were prior to the Exam. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    That was because he made sure to keep a few Skills he thought could be useful in the future. If he fed them to [Sacrifice], he wouldn''t be able to get them ever again.


    To avoid such a situation, he kept them anyway.


    ''In any case¡­'' Noticing the arrival of their Examiners, Rey made sure to hide his excitement and put on a stoic front.


    ''... Time for our results, I suppose.''


    ****************


    "R''ai and Luc''ia¡­ you have passed this portion of the Exam, and by extension, you pass the entire Entrance Exams."


    Just as the two expected, they had scaled through in flying colors.


    While it still felt weird for them to hear their disguise names, none of them showed it as expressions on their faces. Instead, they nodded and gracefully epted their victories.


    Based on standard procedure, they would have to return after a few days for their ID Card, Uniforms, and a bit of Orientation. Once all of that was done, they would resume school a few dayster.


    In essence, it took a week more to resume school after the Exams.


    Rey and Lucielle understood this perfectly, so they patiently waited for those few days and returned to the Center for their ID, as well as every other thing they would be needing for the Academy.


    The best part about all of this was the seamless transition they had.


    Because of the prestige of the Academy, a Student ID Card served as more than enough of an identity, so neither of them needed to forge any other kind of ID for the purpose of their stay in the Academy.


    The Academy was also in the same city that they were, but since it existed as amunity of its own, they would have to leave for the ce from the Center.


    As such, a few days after Orientation, they were to return for a trip to the Academy¡ªbeing escorted by staff from the Center.


    Everything¡ªfrom the procedure, to the journey itself¡ªwas seamless.


    The Dragons were so technologically advanced that they used Teleportation Chambers for rapid transport. This was installed in all the major areas of the Academic City, so even they people of the Empire could use this for extra convenience.


    Due to this, no one ever camete for work, so it aided in the efficiency of the Empire''s workforce. Though, to be fair, even without teleportation¡­ there would still be noters.


    All Dragons were loyal to the Emperor, and their only purpose was to please him.


    ¡ªAlways.


    "Wee, you two¡­ to the inner walls of the Academy." As Rey and Lucielle were brought into the amazing world that dwelled within the tall and heavily guarded walls of the new school they would be attending, the Official escorting them raised his hand and showed them the school''s true beauty.


    "Whoa!" They both eximed, ncing inconspicuously at each other with knowing smiles.


    They had sessfully infiltrated their target, after all.


    ''Just wait for me, Adrien. I''m on my way!''

 Chapter 776 Class Introductions

    Chapter 776 ss Introductions


    The Draconic Imperial Academy.


    It was a haven of greatness, sponsored directly by the Emperor, and supervised by a Dragon Lord. No other institute, besides the military, boasted of such prestige in the entire Empire, which spoke volumes of its importance.


    Most Dragons either went to Centers or were homeschooled for their primary education, but the Academy was only attended by those who had the potential to be of proper use to the Empire through official means.


    Those who attended this ce were the ones who had the most respectable jobs in the Empire, and the ones who excelled were the ones who had ess to the most prestigious upation a Dragon could ever have.


    ¡ªA Military Officer.


    It was the dream of every Dragon to serve the Emperor on the battlefield, so it was the highest standard.


    Not just anyone could go to the battlefield.


    It was only the best of the best.


    To reach such heights, however, the bare minimum would be to graduate with sufficient merits rued within the Academy.


    This meant graduating in as little time as possible, and also in the highest possible ss.


    In the Academy system, each ss was divided into Rank A to F, and depending on the results of the Entrance Test, students were ced in their respectively ranked ss. Points were allocated per week based on results and challenges, and if the students in a particr Rank ss fell short, they would be demoted to a lower ranked ss. Those who failed to meet up at Rank F were naturally expelled from the Academy. In essence, the Entrance Exams were merely the beginning. There were 3 Basic Stages in the Academy, and once one passed all 3, they became a fully fledged Soldier. One could also take the Advanced Stages¡ªalso 3 in number¡ªand be promoted to a Commander.


    Then, only the exceptional ones could climb the ranks once more and take the Final 3 Stages to be a General.


    This meant the Imperial Academy offered a total of 9 Stages.


    Some could clear these 9 in a decade or two¡ªsignifying great talent and potential¡ªwhile others could never hope to aplish it in a century.


    Even among Dragons, the strongest race in the world, there existed unfairness in status and power.


    ***************


    "Hey, are you excited for this batch of newbies?"


    Within the grand central building of the Basic Stage''s ssrooms, on the first floor of the massive structure, was ss 1-A.


    It was a considerablyrge room, especially when considering the number of students that were inside¡ªa total of thirteen¡ªand just how neatly arranged and properly spaced their seats were from one another.


    The white and ck walls shone like marbles, and the seats¡ªboth empty and upied¡ªwere arranged in a neat format of five rows and four columns.


    A total of twenty seats.


    With most of the students standing and gathered together in a group, talking constantly about the new students they would be getting that very day, the ssroom seemed even more spacious than normal.


    It was also noisier as a result.


    "Am I excited? Is that even a valid question? It''s crazy, right? It''s been a while since we''ve had someone pass the Entrance Exam and straight up advance to ss A, yet we''re getting two of them."


    "W-well, when you put it that way¡­"


    "Of course, I''m excited!"


    "Hahaha! Right?"


    "How long do you think they''llst, though?"


    "Well, we''ll see whether or not they''re worth their salt once we see them, right?"


    "True¡­ true¡­"


    "But, I really can''t wait. It''s been so long since we''ve had fresh blood here¡ªah, well, not so long, but that one doesn''t count."


    "Shhh! You''re too loud."


    "Ah, yeah¡­ well, I can''t wait! I think I hear footsteps."


    The students instantly scurried to their seats, not waiting before their instructor got too close before they did the needful.


    "LET THERE BE DECORUM, EVERYONE! THE INSTRUCTOR IS¡ª!" "You''re the only one raising your voice now, ss Rep!" A few students whispered to the girl who stood on her feet to organize the ss in response to the Instructor''s arrival.


    She cutely looked around her and realized the whispers were right.


    She was the only one who was standing, and only her voice echoed loudly in the ssroom, causing a pink hue to appear all over her cheeks.


    "A-ah¡­ sorry¡­"


    Before she could sit, though, the Instructor entered the ssroom¡ªand with him, the two transfer students.


    She couldn''t even properly process this information before a certain voice echoed forth.


    "Mi''ja¡­ why are you on your feet?"


    It came from the Instructor, whose stern demeanor and somewhat scary face caused the girl to shriek internally and tremble.


    "Eeep! Well¡­ I just¡­ you see¡­ erm¡­ n-nevermind¡­ I''m sorry, sir¡­"


    Like jelly, she seemed to melt as she copsed on her seat.


    All students in the Base Stage were regarded as Newts, which was essentially the bottom of the food chain. ss 1¡ªA or not¡ªwere the lowest of the 3 Stages, so this fact applied to them the most.


    With an Instructor that was already a Commander, they had no choice but to show respect.


    Hierarchy was everything in Draconic Culture.


    Usually, the presence of their Instructor would demand utter silence, but the students couldn''t help but gasp as he walked in, and that was due to the two who trailed behind him.


    Even the flustered ss Rep was affected.


    The jet ck of the boy contrasted heavily with the pure white of the girl, creating a cathartic harmony that made them all shiver in silence as they watched the two face the ss.


    Gaping mouths and wide eyes instantly presented themselves to the neers.


    "These are the only two who passed the Entrance Exams this time, and they have been deemed to be ss 1-A Material. Introduce yourselves, you two."


    The two students stepped forward, and as they took turns speaking, hues of pink filled the faces of most students present.


    "Hello, everyone. My name is R''ai¡­ and it''s a pleasure to be here."


    "I''m Luc''ia! Nice to meet you all."


    It wasn''t merely the voice of the students that made them stand out, but their overall ambiance that was on full disy.


    ¡ªEspecially their beauty.


    Most of the Dragon Newts had to agree that these were exceptionally attractive students that had graced them on this very day.


    R''ai was beyond handsome, and Luc''ia was the epitome of beauty.


    Plus, since they were the only ones who passed¡ªand were instantly ced in ss 1-A, they had to be very strong.


    All of this was enough to make everyone frozen as they stared.


    But¡­ they weren''t the only ones who were surprised.


    ************


    ''W-what¡­ in the world?''


    Rey''s eyes were wide open as he faced the ss in absolute shock.


    He wasn''t stunned by the adoring eyes of the ss, nor was he bothered by Adrien''s absence in the ss he was brought to.


    What took him by storm was the presence of a familiar individual¡ªmade all the more clear by the Status Window he was now staring at intensely.


    ''So this is where you were¡­'' He controlled his expression, but that did very little to quell the feelings that swirled within him as he looked at the boy with golden locks.


    There was no mistake about his identity.


    ''... Adonis.''n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

 Chapter 777 A Quirky Welcome

    Chapter 777 A Quirky Wee


    "Settle down in your respective seats. Over there." The Instructor pointed Rey and Lucielle in the direction of their seats, to which they nodded and obediently walked towards. Since the chairs and desks were arranged in five rows and four columns, there was sufficient space for Rey and Lucielle in the fourth and fifth column. Per the instruction of the Instructor, though, they ended up seated right beside each other.


    It was a very convenient arrangement, and Rey found both himself and his partner sighing in relief as they ventured to their seats.


    Once they settled in their respective chairs, the three-horned man proceeded to speak.


    "Wee to ss 1-A, which I already assume you''ve already been briefed about in your Orientation. We''re the best among Stage 1 Students, which is why both the number of avable seats and students here are the smallest."


    Indeed, Rey and Lucielle already knew all of this.


    The other sses, from B¨CF, had a lot more students in their ssrooms. They were also doing their very best to ascend to ss A¡ªthough such a venture was nigh impossible.


    "Consider it a privilege you made it here. But, also remember not to be too conceited and getfortable. We have weekly assessments that get to determine a student''spatibility with their present ss. If you fall short in overall points, you''ll be demoted. And if a student gets sufficient points in a lower ss¡­ they can take your ce here. Hence, it''s important not to underestimate anyone or feel invincible in your elevated status."


    As the two heard this surprisingly insightful message from the Instructor, they nodded slowly and gave him all their attention.


    "Now then¡­ why don''t we all introduce ourselves to the new students since they''ve been so courteous as to introduce themselves to us? I''ll start first."


    With a hand on his forehead, and one on his stomach, he bent slightly as he uttered his name.


    "My name is Isra''il, a designated Dragon Commander and former war veteran. I chose education after serving the Empire for decades and paid my dues to the Emperor. I consider this a much more impactful and fulfilling upation, which is why I am here now."


    It was amazing how Isra''il wore his heart on his sleeve in his introduction.


    He spoke with a warm smile, with a look of pride on his face as he listed his past aplishments, as well as the honor he felt to be an educator to the current generation of exceptional talents.


    Everyone in the ss was also smiling as he spoke, which meant he wasn''t exaggerating about anything. Their reactions also disyed that he was both beloved and respected by his wards¡ªsomething that wasn''t easy to aplish.


    "You''ll find your stay here amazing, as long as you do not ck off. I certainly hope you maintain this prestigious position and continue to soar high as you were always meant to be. As your Instructor, I hope to inspire you and contribute greatly to that journey of yours. R''ai and Luc''ia¡­ wee once again."


    A round of apuse echoed in the ssroom, causing Instructor Isr''ail to get a little flustered.


    "H-hey, that''s enough!" Their exaggerated ps made him slightly blush, but he quickly controlled himself and sighed.


    Once they ceased the loud apuse, he was finally able to get another word in.


    "It''s time for everyone else to introduce themselves."


    Just like that, each of the thirteen other students in the ssroom rose to their feet and began to introduce themselves.


    "Call me Y''ama. It''s nice to see new faces." This first guy seemed like a model student, with smooth ck and grey hair, and a very neat uniform, and a polished demeanor.


    He had a serious face, and it was clear he took education as his top priority.


    "My name is Mor''ucho. I hope we can be friends!" Having a sharp contrast to the first guy, this guy had spiky blonde hair, with what resembled whiskers on his cheeks.


    He had a yful smile, but everything about him screamed of sincerity and kind-heartedness.


    "They call me G''eraiya. Consider it an honor to be in the same ss as me. Don''t worry¡­ I''ll make sure to look after you two."


    This one just looked like an entitled asshole.


    "M-my name is Din''ah! I-I think you''re both really pretty¡­ I mean¡­ pretty amazing!" She was very pretty in her own right, but her flustered speech made it so she swiftly got her word out and returned shyly to her seat.


    "I am Ph''irabel." Yet another girl¡ªher appearance as in as her introduction¡ªspoke up, before returning to her seat.


    "Chi''go is my name¡­ balling in swag is my game. I suppose I should also look out for my juniors, soe ask me anything if you need anything." He had chains, earrings, and all manner of piercings on his body. Apparently, that was allowed in the Academy, so he didn''t get into any trouble.


    Still, despite his best attempts to act cool, he just felt a bit weird.


    "A''manda." The female version of Y''ama spoke up, with her serious demeanor and her round sses. Her no-nonsense attitude instantly caused the air to stifle a little bit.


    "I am called Lu''ffa. My dream is to be the strongest Dragon Lord in history, and serve the Emperor on his right hand! Remember my name!" For some reason, this guy was wearing a straw hat indoors, with strands of his white hair leaking out of it.


    His energetic crimson eyes nearly matched Lucielle''s, though he simply appeared goofy.


    "My name is Ad''oni¡­ and it''s a pleasure to meet you all." He was easily the most handsome person in the room, with golden hair and sparkling golden eyes.


    As soon as he was done with his rather brief and courteous introduction, he returned to his seat.


    For a moment, there was silence¡­ but the introductions soon continued.


    "Hi. I''m Mi''ja, and I''m the ss Representative. It''s good to have new faces, and I hope you excel greatly here." A rather sweet-looking girl spoke up.


    Her short pink and lime green hair swayed as she grinned brightly at the newbies. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "My name is Cyn''dy. Please go out with me, R''ai!" An oddly energetic girl said loudly, bowing and smiling creepily at Rey.


    "My name is Man''dy. Please go out with me, Luc''ia!" An oddly energetic boy said loudly, bowing and smiling creepily at Luc''ia.


    Yes¡­ they were twins.


    "Forgive the ramblings of my ssmates, will you? I''m Geo''rge, and it''s a relief to finally have normal ssmates for once." This one in particr had sses, and he flexed them while he spoke, having a mysteriously distant smile on his face.


    Something about him¡ªperhaps even more than that¡ªseemed far from normal.


    "Haha! Well, I hope to get along with everyone." Rey said with a smile, and his words were followed by Lucielle''s voice practically reiterating what he said.


    Thankfully, the ss received their response well, so there was hardly any awkwardness present.


    And so, after the rather interesting names burst forth, and each student exhibited their quirky personalities¡ªenough for even Rey and Lucielle to nearly cringe at times¡ªthe rather lively wee by the most elite ss in their Stage came to an end.

 Chapter 778 Unexpected Strangeness

    Chapter 778 Unexpected Strangeness


    "Mi''ja."


    "Yes, sir?" The ss Representative popped up almost as soon as her name was called by the Instructor.


    She had a bright smile on her face, but also a slightly nervous look. This was the appropriate manner to respond to one of higher authority in Draconic Custom, and she perfectly disyed that.


    "You are in charge of the newbies. Make sure they fit in and properly limate to this ce. They should also be aware of the eventsing up." Mi''ja nodded, bowing her head to the teacher almost immediately.


    "Understood, Sir Isra''il!" Then, she turned to the two new students and shed the warmest kind of smile at them.


    "I''ll do my best."


    A mere observation of this scene would make it clear why she was the ss Representative. Not only did she have the optimal response to authority, but she wasn''t too stiff that she couldn''t properly interact with her ssmates. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    She was also very cute, with an adorably round face and pretty almond eyes.


    After speaking, Mi''ja returned gracefully to her seat, causing the Instructor to proceed with whatever else he had to say.


    "Now that Homeroom is over, it''s about time for your first period today. I''ll be taking my leave now, but remember toe by my office if you need anything." He said, particrly focusing on the newbies once he said this.


    "I''ll make sure to show them your office during Break Period."


    "Thank you, Mi''ja."


    "Mhm!"


    Instructor Isra''il left the ss after that, and not long after, a very attractive woman slid into the ssroom with her long, oversized robe that dragged on the ground anytime she made any movement.


    "Hello, my adorable students! Ready for another round of learning?"


    "Yes, ma''am!"


    "Lesgooooooo!!!"


    "Bet!"


    "Hehehehehe!"


    "I''ve been waiting for this!"


    The Instructor this time was called Kar''eena, and she was very popr among the students.


    This wasn''t only due to her charming looks or exceptionally friendly personality that won the hearts of all the students present.


    No, it was primarily due to the fact that she was very good at her job.


    In essence¡­ very strong.


    "Open your desks and get your devices ready! We''ll be jumping straight into where we stopped thest time¡ªah, looks like we have new faces. Forgive my manners."


    Just like with Isra''il, she ced one hand on her forehead and one on her belly while bowing gently. This was the polite way to greet someone that one was meeting for the first time in Draconic Culture.


    Needless to say, the new students reciprocated.


    "My name is Kar''eena. Let''s have some fun, okay?"


    And so, each student brought out their Disy Tablets from underneath their desks, just as the Instructor told them, and without wasting much time¡­ the lectures began!


    ***************


    ''Strange. Everything about this ce is strange¡­''


    Rey had done a phenomenally good job hiding his surprise regarding several things already, but that didn''t mean he couldn''t mull over all of these things in his mind.


    ''This ss¡­ no, this entire Empire¡­ it''s different from what I imagined.''


    When he thought of the Dragons and their civilization, he expected something medieval and not particrly advanced, buting here had really opened his eyes to what the Empire was truly like.


    ''It''s simr¡­ too simr to Earth.''


    The Empire had automated transport systems and trafficworks simr to Earth, and they had incredibly tall buildings that screamed of modernity. Theirmunication devices were simply another version of phones, and it was readily avable to the average citizen. They had overhead disys and billboards, and from the little he had seen in the Empire, the convenience and presence of amenities he could find were not at allckingpared to Earth.


    Their toilets¡­ their toilets were also very identical to Earth''s!


    It was insane!


    ''And then there''s the people¡­'' Looking around him, Rey observed his ssmates with understandably suspicious eyes.


    Despite what he knew about the horrors of Dragons, he found it difficult to reconcile the faces he was seeing to the evil warmongers he had experienced since arriving in this world.


    ''They feel too human.''


    Other than their obvious features¡ªhorns, wings, tails, and scales on certain parts of their skin¡ªwhich blended well with the other more humanoid parts¡ªthey could hardly be differentiated from humans.


    Just like what he experienced on Earth, his ssmates were a blend of various personalities.


    The cool kids, the weird ones, the antisocial ones, the nice ones¡­ they all existed here too.


    ''It''s all weird. I wonder how Lucielle is taking all this¡­'' Turning his head to his side, his eyes caught his partner, who was paying rapt attention to the lecture being taught.


    ''It looks like she''s actually focusing on the topic. Based on how she''s smiling, and that subtle shade of pink on her cheeks¡­ she''s enjoying herself, isn''t she?''


    Why was she more excited to be here than he was?


    He couldn''t understand.


    ''Then, there''s the most problematic part of all this¡­'' Rey finally addressed the elephant in the room as he shifted his gaze to another ssmate of his.


    This ssmate had golden hair, with a perfect face and glowing golden eyes.


    He was the epitome of perfection.


    ''... Adonis.''


    Where could he begin when thinking about the long lost Hero?


    ''What has he been up to since he left? Did hee straight here after leaving? How did he even do it?''


    Adonis'' disguise was perfect, simr to Lucielle''s, which meant he had to have used a simr Spell. That was amazing in its own right, but¡­


    ''... What is his motive?''


    Rey knew he would have to confront all of these questions eventually, but at the moment he was just happy to see his friend again.


    And¡­ to see just how much he had grown.


    ''Your Status Window says it all, man. You''ve really grown stronger.''


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Adonis Levi.


    - Race: Human (Otherworlder) (R@&^$**@!)


    - ss: The Hero (S-Tier)


    - Level: 300 (89.50% EXP) - Life Force: 2,900(+1,450) {5,000}


    - Mana Level: 2,500 (+1,250) {5,000}


    - Combat Ability: 4,000 (+2,000) {5,000}


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Perfect Divine Sword Summon]. [Divine Defense]. [Divine Light Magic]. [Absolute Good Shall Prevail]. [&$@?3$$!0n]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Absolute Combat Application]. [Grand Magic Application]. [Absolute Mana Recovery]. [Perfect Full Sense]. [Grand Life Force Recovery]. [Heroic Power]


    - Alignment: Lawful Good


    [Additional Information]


    Your desire to save this world has transcended the very bounds of time itself, and now you are once again on the journey to protect those you love.


    Good luck! [End Of Information]

 Chapter 779 Classroom Incident

    779 ssroom Incident


    "You there¡­ R''ai, was it? Could you answer the question I just posited?"


    Almost as soon as soon as the question was raised, Rey snapped out of his deep thoughts and slowly returned his gaze to the Instructor who stood still and smiled at him.


    Her smile seemed rather scary, not the kind and soft one she usually disyed.


    Instructor Kar''eena was infamous for getting pissed at students who weren''t paying attention in her ss, and it was clear she had caught Rey spacing out. Still, since he was a neer and she was quite merciful, she gave him a saving grace.


    If he could answer the question she posed¡ªwhich was asked when he wasn''t paying attention¡ªshe would let him off the hook.


    And so, she stood there and waited for his response.


    Tension easily soared in the ss as Rey''s ssmates turned to look at him, their faces disying multifarious emotions¡ªmostly giving eyes of empathy.


    It was clear that a few of them had also fallen victim to the same tactic by this Instructor.


    "I believe you asked about the method of properly stabilizing a newly formed Mana Circle once it has been created." Rey suddenly said as he rose to his feet.


    Gasps and surprised reactions filled the ssroom.


    There was no way he would have been called if he was listening in ss, especially with Kar''eena smiling the way she was, which meant he must have been absent-minded.


    Yet, he was able to perfectly replicate the question the same way she asked it.


    "Yes. And can you tell me the answer to that question?" The slightly surprised Instructor still doubled down on her question, despite Rey''s response.


    After all, it was one thing to remember the question, and it was another to pay attention throughout the ss.


    Fortunately for Rey, he surpassed the expectations of his Instructor.


    "ording to what you were exining, the most natural way to do so is by learning to control Mana Flow, and then focusing directing Mana close to the heart for an extended period of time, so the newly created Mana Circle eventually bes self-sustaining. The more efficient method is to use Enchanted Items¡ªlike the one this Academy has¡ªto insert secondary Mana into the body, which takes on the form of the individual''s own Mana in order to feed the Circle and make it stable. There''s also the Liquid Supplement version being devised at the moment, but since it is still iplete¡ªparticrly the stabilizing aspect of Mana Integration¡ªthe product still causes instability when introduced to a person''s body."


    The smile on her face vanished entirely, and instead she looked at Rey with wide open eyes. She wasn''t the only one, too.


    Every student was staring at him that way.


    Instructor Kar''eena had never once failed in calling out distracted students, and that meant everyone in the ssroom knew better than to space out. Yet¡­ Reypletely broke the record and shattered expectations.


    "I believe that answers your question, Instructor."


    "Y-yeah¡­ you may sit."


    "Thank you." Rey bowed his head and sat, heaving a sigh of relief as he did so.


    That was a rather close one he just had, and honestly, he would have been super screwed if it hadn''t been for Emil.


    ''Thank you so much, Emil! I owe you big time!''


    ~Hehehe! You''re very wee! Thatdy, though¡­ she wanted you to fail in front of the whole ss. The nerve of her!~


    ''I deserve it, though. I got distracted during her ss¡­''


    Not only was his central consciousness upied with thoughts, but otheryered aspects of his mind were also upied with other things that he didn''t pay the lecture much mind. To him, it was just noise that he had silenced.


    But¡­ who would have expected Emil to have listened to all of it?


    ''Even Lucielle seemed rather fixated on it. I suppose I should take school seriously for the duration of time that I spend here¡­''


    All of this reminded him of his time on Earth, and that wasn''t a necessarily happy time for him.


    ''Still¡­ to preserve my disguise, and also to make life easier for me in this highlypetitive space, I''ll need to take these things rtively seriously.''


    Hopefully, he wouldn''t be spending too much time with the Dragons anyway.


    ''That said¡­ I still can''t get over what I saw.'' Rey''s mind ultimately went back to what he was thinking about right before Instructor Kar''eena interrupted his thoughts.


    ''What exactly are those glitches in Adonis'' Status Windows?''


    There were two glitches that he noticed when he observed the system panels, and they were puzzling to him.


    ''What are [&$@?3$$!0n] and (R@&^$**@!)?'' He had no idea.


    ''Esme said she noticed some glitches in Status Windows, so I guess this is what she was referring to. Of course, this isn''t the first time I''ve seen it¡­''


    The only other time he saw a glitch was on Ater''s Status Window, and when he asked¡­ the Familiar gave his usual response.


    "I can''t remember."


    Now that he was witnessing the same glitch in Adonis'' Status Window, and Esme told Rey that she could see a glitched Skill in his own Status Window, he had to figure out a simrity that they all shared.


    ''Well, we are both Otherworlders, so¡­ maybe that''s it? No¡­''


    Esme didn''t see the same glitch in the Skills of the others. She also never met Adrien, so he couldn''t have confirmed his suspicion on that.


    ''Or could it refer to something SSS-Tier? Does that mean Adonis has an SSS-Tier Skill? No, he would have used it already if that was the case.'' Rey rubbed his chin as he fell deep into contemtion once again.


    Of course, this time, he was also paying rapt attention in ss by using a certain portion of hisyered thoughts to process the information.


    ''In any case, I don''t think I can find the answers right now¡­ unless I rely on pure spection.''


    And that was a dangerous way to go about deciphering information.


    As for the safest way, Rey already had it figured out.


    ''I''ll have to ask him directly.'' n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I want to begin a Mass Release from tomorrow, so make sure you support me a lot during that period.


    Hope you enjoyed the chapter.


    Comment


    3

 Chapter 780 Break Time

    780 Break Time


    ~DING!~


    The first ss ended after about an hour, and a long break was announced for the students.


    Once the digital bell rang, the Instructor excused herself¡ªstealing one final nce at R''ai, and also at Luc''ia¡ªbefore exiting the ssroom.


    The reason Kar''eena looked at thetter as well was because she asked a lot of intelligent questions, and they both entered a small debate. The winner was, of course, Kar''eena, but that didn''t prevent her from looking at Luc''ia with curious eyes.


    Both of the new students were exceptional¡ªshe had been briefed on that much¡ªbut she never expected an incident to ur on just their first day.


    ''They show a lot of promise.'' Was her fleeting thought before leaving the ssroom, and letting the overexcited students enjoy their break.


    Needless to say, there was a lot of noise the moment she stepped out.


    *************


    "R''ai, that was awesome!"


    "For real, man! I really didn''t think you''d be able to answer that. Even I don''t think I could have given such a fluid answer like you did¡­ and I was paying full attention."


    "Sure you were¡­ pfft!"


    "H-hey!"


    "But, damn¡­ Luc''ia, you were amazing as well."


    "Right? Why would you get into a debate with the Instructor? I mean¡­ you made a lot of convincing points, but¡­ I mean, Instructors obviously know more than us."


    "Did you formally learn Magic beforeing here? You really blew me away with everything you were saying."


    "I felt the same! Honestly, the both of you are INCREDIBLE!"


    Once break started, the majority of students in the ssroom flocked around Rey and Lucielle, bombarding them with words of praise andpliments.


    They had innocent eyes that brimmed with energy¡ªsome of them more than the others. A lot of them were star-struck, which was weird considering both Rey and Lucielle were the newbies of the ss.


    Of course, not all students acted so excessively. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    In fact, a few students didn''t even bother with both of them and simply enjoyed their break by forming their own small group or just upying their space in the ss.


    One of them was Ad''oni.


    ''Seems like he''s a ss loner. He immediately left the ssroom once it was Break¡­'' Rey''s thoughts trailed as he navigated the maelstrom of words directed at him by his overenthusiastic ssmates.


    ''That''s a bad move, Adonis. You should try to blend in if you want to keep your disguise. It''s not like you can just hide in the background with your looks¡­''


    Since Adonis was handsome, he would get attention wherever he went. Rather than excluding himself from the group, he should have capitalized on his good looks and strength to gain a foothold in the ss, obtaining everyone''s support and trust.


    At least, that was what Rey thought.


    ''It''s not as easy as it sounds, though. I can tell now¡­'' Rey forced a smile as he was bombarded with even more questions.


    He looked to his side and found Lucielle giggling and talking freely with the ones who were talking to her directly¡ªmostly the girls, and a few smitten guys.


    ''She looks like she''s genuinely enjoying herself.'' It always surprised him how easy it was for Lucielle to limate to this social settingpared to him. ''I should also give it my all.'' Resolved to do better, Rey braced himself for the next question that would be thrown his way.


    He was determined to answer properly this time.


    "Are the two of you perhaps¡­ lovers?" ''E-eh?'' Rey''s eyes nearly widened as he heard the question from someone random in the crowd. Before he could dismiss it as nonsense, however, a rather sizeable number of people began to echo out the question and double down on it in curiosity.


    ''What should Irespond with?!'' He wondered to himself, taking a quick look at Lucielle, who was now being assailed with the question.


    Was it even worth considering? He had to tell the truth.


    "We''re not¡­" He managed to croak out, a little proud of himself for telling the truth.


    "Really? Then, what exactly is your rtionship?"


    "Do you like her?"


    "If you don''t, could you link me up with her?"


    "N-no! Link me!"


    "We can all try our luck, you know? She''s so hot, man!"


    "And smart too!"


    "I wonder just how strong she is! Ahh¡­ gives me shivers, man!"


    Rey couldn''t help but be surprised by how brazen the Dragon Boys were about such a delicate topic. A school crush was something people usually liked to keep secret, and they would never just expressly dere their intentions to neers.


    He would have assumed this was a trait exclusive to the boys alone if he couldn''t overhear the conversation between Lucielle and the girls she was speaking to.


    "Can you introduce me to R''ai? I really like him!"


    "M-me too. He''s so handsome¡­ and smart too¡­ m-maybe he could coach me, and¡­ w-well¡­"


    "I would really like to get to know him better¡­"


    "How big do you think he is down there? I''m going crazy just thinking about it¡­"


    ''The hell¡­?!'' Rey''s head nearly exploded when he heard all the things they were saying about him.


    Even the girls were perverts!


    He had initially thought the Dragons had an uncanny simrity with humans, but the longer he spent with these people, the more he began to pick up on slight but subtle differences.


    "I''ve actually seen¡­ him down there."


    Lucielle''s voice caused Rey to stiffen that very instant.


    ''N-no way¡­'' He slowly turned his head, as if he was a machine, and looked at the excited Lucielle as she smiled naughtily at her newfound girl friends.


    ''She saw me naked back then¡­ she''s telling the truth. D-does that mean she''s going to¡ª?!'' His eyes widened considerably.


    "Tell us! How does it look like?"


    "What''s the size?"


    "What color is it?"


    "Did you touch it before? How did it feel like?"


    "Ahh¡­ yes, tell us the texture!"


    "The girth!"


    "Did you see the full length?"


    As all of these questions bombarded Lucielle, her sly smile widened, and for a second, she tilted her gaze to meet his.


    He slowly shook his head to tell to STOP.


    But¡­ the daring expression on her face told him she wasn''t going to listen to him.


    At that moment, a random thought popped into his mind.


    Rather than utilizing the multiple Skills that existed in his arsenal to stop Lucielle, or even distracting everyone with something grand¡ªor simply telling Lucielle not to say anything in amanding tone¡ªhe decided to follow his teenage instincts.


    ~WHOOSH!~


    Rushing towards Lucielle, he attempted to silence her by cing his hand on her lips.


    That''s right¡ªthis was Rey''s frantic solution to his problem.


    Unfortunately, things didn''t go exactly as he wanted him to¡ªwell, that would be an understatement, considering what happened next.


    He used too much speed to dart in her direction, and just as he closed in on her, she abruptly looked at him with a surprised face.


    Rey tried to stop, but inertia was applied at that veryst minute, resulting in his hand flying forward, and his face soon following suit.


    The end result¡­?


    Gasps filled the ssroom as Rey and Lucielle copsed on each other, with the former being on top¡ªhis hand on her chest, and his lips pressed against hers.


    It was unbelievable that such a thing would happen¡­ but it did!


    Rey and Lucielle¡ªno, R''ai and Luc''ia¡ªjust kissed!


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Yeah¡­ yeah, I know all these things are cliche, but just hang with me, okay?


    Pfft! It is funny regardless¡­

 Chapter 781 Controlled Intervention

    781 Controlled Intervention


    "Are the two of you perhaps¡­ lovers?" The words of one of Rey''s ssmates echoed in the air, followed by a bunch of other excited statements and questions from the others. They had wide, sparkling eyes as they asked the shameless question, and Rey watched all of this with a slight sigh of relief¡ªa far cry from his expression the previous time such a question was raised to him.


    Right now, he was seated on his chair, surrounded by the students of ss 1-A, and they were practically bombarding him with questions.


    Looking beside him, he could see that Lucielle was also going through her own interrogation by the absurdly perverted girls.


    Everything was perfectly in ce.


    ''Whew! That was a close one¡­'' Rey thought to himself, his fingers brushing against his lips as he remembered what happened prior to this moment.


    Or rather, what was supposed to happen.


    ''Using [Tempora] to reverse the time of everyone in this ssroom was a smart choice. Of course, real time isn''t affected, and nothing outside this ssroom was subject to the Skill, but still¡­'' Smiling to himself victoriously, he gave himself a nod of satisfaction.


    ''... I was able to prevent that catastrophe from happening.''


    Well, technically, it already happened.


    In fact, Rey could still taste Lucielle on his lips, and he couldn''t even look at her the same way again¡ªthough he wanted to think that it was because of the recency of the incident.


    However, none of his ssmates¡ªincluding Lucielle¡ªwould have any idea about what had just happened since he reversed their memories as well.


    The disadvantage of [Tempora], which was physical touch, was easily resolved by his [Perfect Domain Of The Divine], which spatially made it possible for him to be in contact with everyone at the same time.


    Hence, the ease in his Skill''s use.


    ''I could have taken a lot lessplicated route to prevent this, but¡­ sigh¡­ I guess being back in school sort of does this to me.'' With all of that going on his mind, he had to find a way to address the mob that was circling him, while also hurling questions at him. If he let things continue like this, then it wouldn''t be long before ''The Question'' was asked.


    Fortunately for Rey, he already knew what to do about this.


    14:15


    Indeed! He used the forbidden technique called ''Consorting to Authority!''


    "O-oh! I thought I''d give you some time to blend well with the ss for¡ªa-ah, wow! Look at the time! I didn''t know so much time had passed already!"


    Rey smiled to himself as he watched the nervous act Mi''ja gave as she came to his rescue.


    ''Of course, the time would seem to have passed by so quickly. That''s what happens when only your bodies are reversed in time.'' Ultimately, it was his victory.


    "Okay, everyone! Break it up! You can talk to themter, after their tour." Just like clockwork, Mi''ja saved Rey from his ordeal by intervening right before the cursed scenario began.


    That meant Lucielle was never given the chance to humiliate him.


    ''This is only a temporary solution, though. I''ll need to talk to herter about boundaries and the importance of informationpartmentalization.'' These were his thoughts as he rose to his feet and followed Mi''ja. Lucielle also followed suit, since the two of them would be going with the able ss Rep for whatever tour that she had nned.


    "Hehe¡­" Rey heard a light chuckle from Lucielle, and so he looked at her to determine what was so funny.


    What his eyes saw caused him to nearly stop dead in his tracks for a second.


    ''H-huh? Why is she looking at me like that?'' He kept a calm facade as he watched her narrow her eyes and cover her lips as she chuckled.


    Not only that, but she even licked her lips once she was satisfied with her giggles.


    Rey would have freaked out if not for his Status Privileges, but it was also thanks to his understanding of Lucielle''s behavior that he felt a bit anchored to the realm ofmon sense and calmness.


    ''There''s no way she knows what happened. The Skill affected everyone in the ssroom, after all¡­''


    Nodding to himself, he trailed behind Mi''ja¡ªenduring the strange stare that he received from Lucielle throughout the whole thing.


    **************


    [Moments Later]


    "Once again, my name is Mi''ja¡­ and wee to the Draconic Imperial Academy."


    As the three students walked in the hallway, the ss Rep turned to both Rey and Lucielle and shed her wonderful smile at them.


    "Cute and Adorable" were the best words to describe her.


    She had a lively spirit about her that made it obvious she enjoyed her duty towards them, and even as all three of them began their tour, her steps had a bouncy feel to them.


    "So, yeah,I''ll be taking you around the Academy and exining a bunch of stuff to you. If you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to ask me, ''kay?"


    Lucielle was the first to reply with an energetic "KAY!"


    However, Rey quietly stroked his fingers on his chin for a second before raising his hand up for his first question.


    "Yes, what is it, R''ai?"


    "I was just wondering if the break would be long enough to amodate the entire tour." He asked with a slightly cautious tone.


    From his experience, Recess Periods or Break Times weren''t very long¡ªat least, not long enough for a detailed tour. He didn''t want his tour rushed, but at the same time, he didn''t want to get in trouble for beingte for the next ss.


    Hence, his question.


    "Ahh¡­ don''t worry about that. The first day of the week is usually the freest since that''s when newbies enter the ss, so we have a lot of time."


    "Ohh! I see¡­"


    "Mhm! ss 1-A usually spends this time cking off, since we never have any new students right from the Entrance Exams, but today is an exception."


    Indeed it was.


    "It''s funny, but other sses are the ones who will have free time for no reason today, since no new students are entering their ss. Crazy, right?" Mi''ja stared at both Rey and Lucielle, her innocent expression expecting a response to her rhetorical question.


    Of course, they made sure to respond appropriately.


    "Yeah. Indeed it is."


    "In any case, I''m happy we have new faces. I''m sure everyone feels the same, which is why they circled around you all like that. Well¡­ that isn''t the only reason, but¡­" A slight hint of pink appeared on her cheeks as her voice trailed and thest of her words were lost in silence.


    "Yeah. The ss is livelier than I expected." Rey responded with a slight smile.


    "Well, what did you expect?" Mi''ja asked as she turned to him.


    "I don''t know. It''s an elite ss, right? I expected stuck-up people¡­ sort of like that." N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Ahh¡­"


    Mi''ja gave a smile that was slightly different from the usual innocent one. It was one that had a hint of danger to it.


    "... Perhaps that would have been the case if you were different."


    Rey felt a little apprehensive due to the change in mood, so he felt a little hesitant asking the question. Still¡­ he did.


    "Different how?" As soon as he asked this, her smile broadened and she parted her lips.


    "If you weren''t strong."


    *


    *

 Chapter 782 Grand Tour

    782 Grand Tour


    Just as Mi''ja promised, Rey and Lucielle experienced a very immersive school tour.


    They were shown around the building that all students of their Stage¡ªcontaining sses A¨CF¡ªenjoyed, while also pointing out the other buildings meant for the other Stages. She also didn''t fail to mention the Advanced and Final Academic Rounds that could be taken in the Academy once a student was done with the base rounds.


    The buildings for those existed in a separatepound from the main one, so they didn''t get to see them.


    Instead, Mi''ja made up for it with lots of stories and detailed information about the school grounds. By doing so, Rey and Lucielle were bound to feel wee and not lost at all in the newmunity they found themselves in.


    From the cafeteria, to the leisure halls, to the library¡ªto wherever else that existed on the campus¡ªMi''ja spared no detail in her tour.


    This continued, until finally¡­ they arrived at thest tour venue.


    "This is the Practical Hall."


    A massive building¡ªthe secondrgest thus far¡ªstood right in front of the students, as she introduced it with child-like glee. It was clear that she had a lot of memories with this ce.


    The building was at least four stories tall, with a width that was iparable to other buildings within the same campus. Not even the library or main ssroom building was as wide as this¡­ and for good reason.


    "This is where Magic and Combat is practiced." Mi''ja spoke, walking towards the building. Rey and Lucielle obediently trailed behind her as she went over the details. Apparently, the first three floors were for the First, Second, and Third Years of the Basic Stages, while the uppermost floor was reserved for guests, instructors, or seniors from the more advanced Stages.


    For their purposes, she was only supposed to show them around the First Year Hall.


    Once they entered the building, they were met with two reception desks, and behind them were rather strict-looking women who were supposed to take the records of those who came to use the Hall, and those who were done using it.


    Mi''ja handled the process by exining the tour, and all they had to do was sign in with a facial scan. Right before they ventured in, one of the strict-looking receptionists leaked out a rather sly smile and said something strange.


    "He''s also inside, you know?"


    Upon hearing that, Mi''ja became flustered for some reason.


    "Y-you didn''t need to tell me that!" She even went as far as loudly protesting, before reducing her voice and mumbling nearly unintelligible words to herself.


    "I already know¡­"


    Rey and Lucielle remained still and didn''tment on this, though they were observant enough to recognize the two receptionists exchanging knowing smiles with each other.


    There was clearly a story behind this.


    "A-as I was saying¡­" Mi''ja made sure to divert attention from the rather weird scene by continuing her talk as a guide. "Most of the people that use this ce are from lower sses, since they''re trying to get to higher sses."


    Once again, she mentioned how the rank system in the Academy operated.


    "Right now, we are at the top of the food chain among those in the First Year or Stage. To reach ss A, you''ll have to rue enough weekly points, or get a considerably high score in any school event." "I see. So that''s why 1-A members don''t reallye here."


    "Well, it''s not just that. I don''t want you to get the wrong idea and think that our ssmates are cking off." Mi''ja quickly interjected.


    "They''re not?"


    "It''s just that there are a lot of resources avable to us at ss 1-A, so it''s enough to do well and maintain the current points we have. You might not know this, since you two are exceptions, but everyone in that ss had to advance from a lower ss at some point in time. You don''t get from a lower ss to ss A without being dedicated."


    Mi''ja spoke with such pride about her ssmates, which went to show how highly she thought of them. This was yet another reason why she was a solid ss Representative.


    "Are we really that exceptional?" Lucielle asked with a raised brow and a bright smile¡ªclearly weing some type of praise as a response.


    Well, Mi''ja did not disappoint.


    "Indeed. It''s rare for people to do that. Thest time it happened was years ago, and the person has already advanced to Stage 2."


    "I see¡­ I see." Her smile only broadened upon taking in the information.


    "I''d say it''s also very difficult for people to get to Rank A through weekly points. Since they were already ced in their appropriate ss after the Entrance, think of it as their cap at that point in time. To increase their cap, they''d have to train very hard and surpass their limits. Even then, thepetition is so high that it''s almost impossible to get through with just weekly points unless the student suddenly bes exceptional."


    ording to Mi''ja''s exnation, there was only one sure way to advance to another ss, and it was obvious to all three of them.


    "Academy Events provide an opportunity for students to shine in respective ways, which gather them a lot of points, or downright promotes them at the go. It''s why everyone here is so excited for them, and why participation is always high."


    "I see¡­ I see¡­" Both Rey and Lucielle nodded.


    This happened as soon as they entered the general training hall dedicated to the Stage 1 Students.


    "W-whoa!" Those words forcefully left the lips of both Rey and Lucielle as they took the expanse in.


    It was akin to a massive auditorium, with people busy with respective weapons or items as though they were in a gym. There was more than enough space for people to train their Martial Arts, Magic, Skills, etc.


    *


    14:16


    * n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Dedicated items, such as training dummies, target posts, and a bunch of other equipment, were all avable for use, making this a ce that hundreds of people could properly train in without any interruption or difort.


    Amidst this crowd of people, though, there was a particr golden-haired boy that drew attention to himself with his intense training, and the multiple broken equipment thaty by his side.


    He was also given more than enough space by the other Dragon Students, making him pop out even more. Some people were even distracted by their training by just watching him.


    His form was exquisite. Every motion he made was immacte. His dedication was wless.


    And, his consistency¡­ it was a marvel.


    As Rey and Lucielle entered the vast room, they instantly recognized him¡ªthough only the former knew him for who he really was.


    Mi''ja also noticed him, and her cheeks instantly flushed pink as she tried to look away.


    His sweat sprayed all over the ground as he shattered another weapon he wielded, rubbed himself with his towel, and went for another weapon hanging somewhere on the wall.


    His chiseled abs showed a little as he did this, and his perfectly toned muscles were also on full disy¡ªsuch that both Lucielle and Mi''ja couldn''t keep their eyes off him.


    Rey as well¡­ though his reasons werepletely different.


    ''What are you doing here, Adonis?''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I apologize for yesterday''s wrong upload! Forgive me¡­


    Also, I am serious about the Mass Release. It will happen for at least ten days¡­ like thatst time. Be prepared!

 Chapter 783 Conflicted

    783 Conflicted


    "Isn''t that Ad''oni? What''s he doing there?"


    Lucielle was the first to mention his presence, despite all three of them gawking at him for nearly a minute. A small look around would also make it clear that they weren''t alone in the attention directed at him.


    Still, someone had to say something, and as soon as Lucielle said this, all of them had toe out of their spell.


    Rey heaved a sigh as soon as Lucielle spoke, happy that the moment ended without any form of awkwardness.


    At least, externally.


    ~You''re sus, Master¡­~


    Emil wouldn''t stop giving him "the look" despite how hard he tried to exin that he was only observing Adonis'' great forms and diligence, and not his insanely attractive body.


    The way his sweaty skin gleamed under the light¡­ the way his biceps and triceps, and perfect abs, all meshed together perfectly, whileplementing his handsome face and clear eyes¡­ all of those were not Rey''s priority.


    He made that known to Emil, but she wouldn''t have any of it.


    ~So this is why you still don''t have a woman despite how amazing you are, Master¡­~


    In the end, he just had to keep his thoughts shut and stop responding to the allegations made against him by his own Familiar.


    Instead, he focused on the ongoing conversation between Lucielle and Mi''ja.


    "Yeah. Ad''oni is the only one in our ss who takes this ce very seriously. He stilles every day, before and after every ss. During breaks, and during any spare time he has on campus¡­ before returning to his dorms."


    The way Mi''ja looked as she spoke about him was reminiscent of an admirer.


    "He''s the newest member of our ss, after all. He joined a month ago, and he has only been in the Academy for a total of two months. Amazing, right?" Lucielle nodded, even saying stuff that urged the girl to go on with more exnations.


    "You really admire him, huh?"


    "W-what? N-no¡­ no, it''s not like that at all¡­ I just¡­ admire his hard work is all¡­." Her cheeks disyed even more hints of red as she uttered those words, stealing a few nces at the training Adonis/Ad''oni.


    Rey witnessed all of this andughed to himself.


    ''Adonis, you lucky bastard. You already have a Dragon Girl fawning over you.''


    He now made sense of what one of the receptionists told Mi''ja back when they just entered the building. She was referring to Adonis being present.


    ''Judging from her reaction back then, and also right now¡­ it''s obvious.'' He controlled hisughter, so the girls wouldn''t notice.


    ''I wouldn''t even be surprised if there were more admirers that want him. He''s the whole package, after all¡­ of course, I mean that objectively.''


    He already knew Emil woulde after him, so he had to add that caveat.


    The most important takeaway to Rey was simply that Adonis was not helping himself by making all these decisions that would ultimately draw all of the unnecessary attention that he was receiving from everyone.


    ''He''s the ss loner, and he''s the only one in ss 1-A thates here regrly. He''s spending his leisure in such a ce, and he''s working harder than pretty much everyone else here. His features make him stand out, and his actions increase that visibility.'' Rey wanted to sigh as he was having these thoughts, but he controlled himself.


    ''Right now, you''re like a nail sticking out, Adonis¡­'' And there was one thing that usually happened to that sort of person.


    They got struck down.


    ''I''m not one to talk, though. Lucielle and I went and overdid it to get promoted to ss 1-A as fast as possible.''


    Back when he made the decision, he didn''t know how incredibly rare it was for Examinees to instantly shoot up to ss A. He simply thought he and Lucielle would be recognized as skilled and exceptional¡­ not as pure exceptions.


    ''Standing out too much is a problem, but I think we can maintain a bnce here. We can still be exceptional students, while blending in with everyone else and being part of the system.''


    Ultimately, this was all a means to the end that he wanted¡ªgranted, he still wasn''t sure how long it would take for him to reach that end.


    ''One step at a time, though¡­.''


    Right now, his central priority was to somehow insert himself in the conversation between Lucielle and Mi''ja¡ªas casually as possible, of course.


    "I think¡ª"


    "Mi''ja, you have a crush on Ad''oni, don''t you? Doesn''t she, R''ai?" Lucielle suddenly turned to Rey, asking the most out-of-pocket thing.


    ''What the hell? Why would you ask that? She''s clearly very shy about it? More importantly¡­ why drag me into this?!''


    Despite having such thoughts, Rey maintained an air of elegance and calmness.


    Rather than respond with a "Yes" or "No", he simply shrugged off the question and gave a stoic expression.


    14:17


    ''Please just let it go!'' He prayed to himself.


    "S-stop it! Stop it, you two! I said I don''t¡­ I don''t have a crush on him, okay?" ''But what did I do?'' Rey''s eyes widened as he received a portion of the me for something that Lucielle clearly caused on her own.


    Mi''ja didn''t look like she was ready to receive any of his exnations, though. Her eyes were closed, and her face was tomato red. It almost looked like she was burning up with a fever.


    "Does that mean I can pursue him?"


    "W-wha¡­?!"


    "I mean¡­ you''re not interested in him, right?" Lucielle kept teasing, intentionally pushing all the buttons like a teenage girl would.


    "T-that¡­ b-but¡­n-no way¡­ I¡­"


    Rey found it incredibly painful to watch this cute scene, seeing as Lucielle was just downright torturing the more innocent Mi''ja.


    ''Innocent, huh?'' His thoughts trailed as he looked at the teary-eyes Dragon Girl before him. ''How true is that?'' n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    All of his recent experiences highly contradicted what he previously knew about Dragons¡ªso much so that he began to feel conflicted on many things.


    ''No matter how I look at it¡­ they seem very human to me.'' As his thoughts flowed, he couldn''t help but have a thought.


    A rather dangerous thought.


    ''Perhaps they also need a bit of guidance, like the Elves.'' *


    *


    *


    [A/N]

 Chapter 784 Facade

    784 Facade


    "A-are there any further questions so far?"


    In an attempt to divert attention from the topic of her crush on Adonis, Mi''ja quickly changed the mood back to an official one.


    Her stuttering and overtly flustered expression still made it clear that she was simply hiding from her feelings, though.


    "Questions?"


    "Y-yeah. I mean, I''ve shown you the Hall, so if there are no questions¡­ we''ll move on to the next ce on our list." Mi''ja replied with a rather daring smile.


    As ss Rep, it was ultimately her decision to escort the two out of them out of the Hall andpletely change the kind of conversation they could have.


    Thankfully, Lucielle took the hint and decided to stop teasing Mi''ja.


    Instead, she went for a rather surprising question.


    One that not even Rey predicted¡ªthough it was something he had been thinking about, even at that very moment.


    "What are your thoughts on humans?"


    The moment this question echoed into the air, some kind of tense silence suddenly enveloped everything around the three.


    It felt heavy.


    "Humans¡­ huh?"


    The kind and innocent expression that Mi''ja previously disyed instantly melted off, reced by a sinister look.


    Her eyes shone bright pink, and from the chilly expressionless reaction she had upon first hearing the question, her demeanor quickly morphed into something far more malevolent.


    Her small lips grew broad and formed a bloodthirsty smile, revealing a suppressed excitement that would cause anyone to tremble.


    "Those inferior worms¡­ my thoughts on them aren''t special." She began, each wordced with utter disgust towards the subject of discussion. "They''re our ythings, meant to entertain us in multiple ways. They''re stubborn for sure, not knowing their ce, but in the end¡­ they''re livestock who are only useful in their deaths and continuous suffering."


    Rey and Lucielle were silent as they heard the kind and innocent Mi''ja spew these words with such confidence and tant excitement.


    There was no reluctance orpassion in her words.


    Just blunt honesty.


    "Ahh¡­ I really can''t wait till I kill my first human." At this point, she looked slightly aroused as she indulged in her fantasy.


    The perverse joy she felt just from imagining the countless ways she would kill the humans wasid bare for them to see.


    No nuance¡­ no further deep thoughts. Just that¡ªpure, savage bloodlust.


    As Rey stood there and listened to all of this, his eyes wide open to take in all of these words, he couldn''t help but recoil at the rawness of Mi''ja''s intent.


    ''What was I expecting¡­?'' He told himself silently.


    This was a Dragon¡ªthe same as the many who had driven humanity, as well as the other races of the world, to a state of constant warfare.


    Her people were responsible for countless atrocities. They were responsible for the deaths of some of hisrades as well.


    So what did he expect?


    ''Is this really the time for me to search for nuances? Ultimately, they are the enemy¡­ my enemy.''


    Right now, he and Lucielle were in Enemy Territory.


    There was no luxury to think otherwise.


    "Hehe! Right? Humans are soooo dumb!" Lucielle broke the resulting silence with her excited voice, causing the tension to vanish as quickly as it came.


    "Don''t you think so too, R''ai?" Rey slowly turned to Lucielle, who now nudged him yfully, smiling with so much glee and excitement that it matched Mi''ja''s expression.


    ''Lucielle¡­'' His thoughts trailed as he stared deep into her eyes.


    All this time, he had assumed she was going along with things so well, judging by her behavior, that he didn''t for once realize just how hard that was.


    She limated to this Dragon Civilization a lot better than him, but¡­ just how did she take all of this?


    ''... So many of herrades died to Dragons, and she has probably fought with and killed more Dragons than I have. She has experienced this war since it started nearly eleven years ago, and I''m sure they''ve taken a lot from her¡ªmore than I can currently understand. Yet¡­ how can she remain so calm and collected?''


    Her perfect smile¡­ her clear voice¡­ her natural body movements¡­


    Everything about Lucielle felt genuine, but Rey knew more than anyone else that she didn''t feel any of the things she was disying.


    Yet why did it feel so real?


    Why did it feel like her regr self? Could it be that the Grand Mage Lucielle that he knew was just as real as the Dragon Student Luc''ia who was now in front of him.


    ¡ªAplete facade.


    Something about that frightened Rey, but it also brought about a weight of mncholy that he was unable to resist.


    It was sad¡­ so sad.


    ''I can only imagine how it must feel to hear all of this about my own people; to be around the very same enemies who have killed so many of my people¡­ and who intend to kill even more.'' Taking all of it in, while wrestling with his newfound perspective, he forced his lips to curl upward while chuckling as sincerely as he could.


    "Yeah. Humans are dumb indeed. Hahaha¡­"


    *********


    After leaving the Practical Hall, Mi''ja showed them around the campus grounds a little more. They visited the park, and a few more recreation centers, before returning to the cafeteria for a meal. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The Draconic Cuisine were all foreign to Rey and Lucielle, but they had to pretend as if they were already familiar with the kinds of strange foods they would be eating.


    Thankfully, since they had already spent a little over a week beforeing to the Academy, they had enough practice.


    They ate and discussed a host of other topics, taking advantage of the rather long break, but ultimately¡­ it had to end at some point.


    Once the Break Period was over, Rey and Lucielle had to return to the ssroom for the next ss.


    During the second ss, he was able to pay more attention, thanks to the brief rundown of the topics that Mi''ja was so kind to give.


    Thanks to her thoughtfulness, he knew a bit about the subjects they would be offering at their level.


    He also knew that he and Lucielle would have to go to the library to borrow the necessary textbooks so he could be up to date with the current curriculum and also limate to their current academic situation. The rest of the sses went by like a blur, and before Rey realized it¡­ the day was over.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]

 Chapter 785 Confrontation [Pt 1]

    785 Confrontation [Pt 1]


    "Practical Sessions will properly begin tomorrow. Things get a little heated there, so¡­ I just thought I''d give you two a little heads up."


    Once again, Mi''ja made it her responsibility to inform Rey and Lucielle about one of the pertinent ss activities that they had to know about. Thus far, she had helped them limate to the Academy a great deal, and it didn''t seem like she was ever going to let them be just yet.


    Despite her cute, child-like appearance, she almost had a motherly vibe about her.


    "Thanks, Mi''ja."


    "Yeah. Appreciate it."


    She giggled with satisfaction as soon as she heard that, a hint of pink shing on her cheeks.


    sses just ended, so most of the students were gathered in groups, while others were preparing to leave. As a result, the ss was a bit rowdier than normal.


    "Since it''s getting a bitte, and you''ll still need time to get adjusted to your dorms, why don''t we start going? I can take you guys and show you where you''ll be staying." Her kindness really knew no bounds.


    As usual, Lucielle gave a heartfelt smile and thanked her for the help, taking the offer of assistance wholeheartedly.


    However, Rey had other ns.


    "Actually¡­ I was hoping Ad''oni would do the honor for me, since he''s a guy¡­ and it seems he''s already leaving too."


    He intentionally raised his voice so that the departing Adonis would hear him, and the flinch that the boy had as he walked towards the door made it clear that he heard every bit of what Rey said¡ªno, probably the whole conversation between Mi''ja and the two.


    Just as soon as he heard this, though, he tried to pick up pace. Unfortunately for him¡­


    "Ad''oni, my man! You wouldn''t mind helping out your ssmate, would you?"


    ¡­ It was already toote.


    As Rey expected, he waspletely stunned by the whole thing, but he wasn''t the only one. Even the girls¡ªLucielle and Mi''ja disyed sheer shock as they watched the overly familiar attitude that Rey exhibited as he clung to the ss loner.


    The whole ss also disyed their fair share of surprise.


    ''From what I gathered, it seems Adonis was popr when he first showed up too. A few looked down on him as a newbie, but he proved himself and excelled greatly in ss. However, he never warmed up to anyone since his first arrival, and apparently that''s how he had been in his previous ss.'' Rey thought as he looked at his prey with a friendly smile.


    The Adonis he knew was very charismatic, so befriending his ssmates¡ªeven to the point of bing a leader¡ªshouldn''t have been too difficult. Yet¡­ why was he going down the loner route?


    ''Maybe it''s tied to his goal somehow.''


    "Please be safe on your journey. Tell me all about it tomorrow. Bye!" Rey waved at the bbergasted girls, dragging Ad''oni out of the ss as he marched away.


    Reluctantly, thetter finally decided to tag along.


    "I never agreed to any of this¡­" He muttered, looking at Rey in the eyes for the very first time since their reunion.


    His golden eyes still seemed the same despite his new appearance.


    "Well, shouldn''t we help out our ssmates whenever we can?" Rey smiled yfully, but Adonis used the chance to detach himself from Rey''s grasp.


    He clearly did not appreciate physical contact in the slightest.


    "Fine. I''ll show you to your dorms. You have your Identification Card, right? Your Dorm Number should be written there¡­" Before both boys realized it, they were walking on Campus Grounds, on their way to the Boy''s Dorms. Since the ce for girls was in the opposite direction, there was no way Lucielle and Mi''ja could ever bump into them, not to talk of interrupting their conversation.


    As a result, Rey had Adonis all to himself.


    ~Master, you''re acting su¡­~


    ''Stop it, Emil! This is strategic!'' Rey once again denied the usations of his Symbiote Slime and decided to give Adonis his full focus.


    Speaking of Adonis, he had a rtively fast pace as they both walked¡ªmost likely due to the fact that he wanted to get rid of the bothersome Rey as soon as possible. Of course, thetter realized this, so he tried to make the best of their time together.


    "How has this Academy been for you so far, Ad''oni?"


    "Fine."


    "Erm¡­ do you have any subjects that you have any trouble with? Maybe it''s¡ª"


    "None."


    "How about your friends? Do you have any friends?"


    "I do. Quite a few of them."


    "Really? You don''t seem to have any from what I can see."


    17:30


    "Erm¡­ no¡­ but¡ª"


    "They''re in other sses, so you probably don''t know them."


    ''You liar!'' Rey gritted his teeth in frustration as he listened to Adonis half-assed responses. He already knew the guy never made any friends¡ªeven in his previous ss¡ªso what was he on about? n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    After being frustrated from asking petty questions, he finally decided to take the kid gloves off and probe even deeper.


    Unfortunately for him, he was met with a simr wall.


    Every question he asked was either answered perfectly, or deflected in such a way that Rey had no excuse to venture further into the discourse.


    All in all, Adonis was a very difficult person to properly assess, not to mention interrogate.


    He waspletely stuck.


    ''I can now understand how he has been able to throw off suspicion perfectly until now. He''s really good¡­''


    Before Rey even realized it, both he and Adonis had arrived right in front of his hostel door in the Boy''s Dorms.


    "Here you are. It recognizes your face, or hand print, so you don''t need a key to get in." As soon as he said this, Adonis made to leave.


    "Wait¡­"


    He didn''t bother answering Rey.


    It seemed, after fulfilling his role in bringing him to the dorm, Ad''oni was going to rid himself of all contact with the ssmate called R''ai.


    There was no way Rey could have that after getting to this point.


    "... Don''t walk away from this, Adonis."

 Chapter 786 Confrontation [Pt 2]

    786 Confrontation [Pt 2]


    "Don''t walk away from this¡­ Adonis."


    The moment these words echoed in the air, the one being addressed suddenly froze up.


    He slowly turned his head, mechanically shifting his face to look at Rey, who was a few steps behind him. Rey had a serious look on his face¡ªsomething akin to a frown¡ªas he gazed deep into Adonis'' eyes.


    Then, before thetter could even utter a word in response to the name he had just been called, Rey took a few steps forward and caught up to him.


    "I cast Sound Magic around, so no one heard what I said except you." Despite saying this, there was no hint of relief in the tense face that Adonis had.


    Perhaps he would have felt a bit more relieved if he hadn''t been called by his actual name by a new student, but right now? Right now, he was in the middle of making a choice.


    He was thinking only one thing.


    ¡ªHow to get rid of R''ai and keep his identity secret!


    "Rx, Adonis. You''ve grown a lot more tense since west met." As Rey uttered those words, now right in front of the still Adonis, he ced his hand on his shoulder.


    This time, there was no attempt to shrug it off, or walk away.


    The boy was perfectly motionless. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "Who are you?" Narrowing his eyes, he finally uttered the words that anyone would be expected to ask in his shoes.


    It was only at this point that Rey partially lifted the [Perfect Veil], revealing his true self right there and there to the boy who went from being cautious¡­ to downright shocked. His bulging eyes revealed just how intense his surprise was, but the beads of sweat that danced on his face, and the slight tremors of his quivering lips also added to it. He slowly parted his lips as he uttered a single word.


    It was both a confirmation and a question.


    "... Rey?"


    **************


    Every room in the Boy''s Dorm was identical, and Rey''s was no exception.


    It had the standard furniture¡ªa bed, wardrobe, bedside table, a study desk, with afortable chair right behind it. The wardrobe was especiallyrge, already equipped with uniforms and sufficient casual clothes for use.


    Every student had this setup to allow them practice privately¡­ in thefort of their private spaces.


    The room was painted a nd white, but there was an option to customize it if sufficient reason was given to the staff. There was no point to it anyway, so Rey didn''t bother with any of that, and he had no intention to ever do so.


    Within this cozy and neat room, Rey found himself seated on his considerablyrge bed while looking at the boy who sat opposite him¡ªon the study chair.


    For a moment, only silence existed in the air as the two looked at each other quietly.


    However¡­ it was only a matter of time before the decorum was shattered.


    "How did you find me?"


    Adonis broke the silence with his question, his golden eyes carefully observing Rey with every sentence he uttered. His fingers were interlocked, and it seemed he was trying his best to remain calm.


    "Is that really the first thing you''re going to say?" Rey mumbled, just loud enough so thetter could pick up what he said.


    "...."


    For another second or two, no one said anything. This time, though, Rey took the initiative and spoke first. "It''s good to see you, Adonis. I''m d you''re safe and well."


    He meant every word of it too.


    ''I still have many questions, and there are a lot of things to get off my chest. But right now¡­ it''s just such a relief to see you again, honestly.'' He made a smile as he watched Adonis'' countenance fall a little.


    "Same here¡­"


    His tone felt heavy, and while there was sincerity in Adonis'' words¡­ it almost felt like he didn''t fully mean what he said.


    He wasn''t happy to see Rey.


    "You''ve changed, man¡­" Seeing this caused Rey to utter the words he had been thinking for a while now. "What happened to you? Where have you been all this time¡­ and I mean before you came here."


    "....."


    Adonis said nothing.


    "What have you been up to? What exactly is it that made you leave everyone behind? I have so many questions for you, Adonis¡­"


    "...." Once again, Adonis didn''t respond.


    At least, not until after a few seconds had passed and he managed to collect his thoughts.


    "Why are you here, Rey?" Upon hearing the question, Rey frowned. He could feel a tinge of annoyance rising in his chest, but it vanished almost instantly.


    ''I''m trying to reason with you here, but you''re not making it easy for me, Adonis¡­''


    Rey knew he had a lot of exining to do on his part. He still hadn''t apologized to Adonis for lying to him, and even now¡­ even now he felt guilty as he looked at his friend''s downtrodden face.


    But¡­ something was off.


    The person he was looking at wasn''t the Adonis he remembered.


    "I can''t tell you that."


    ''There''s still so much I don''t know, Adonis. I want to trust you, but¡­ you''re not giving me anything here.'' Rey thought to himself.


    More than anything, he wanted to share the n with Adonis. Having an Otherworlder as a trustworthy ally in this Academy was not something he expected, and it was probably not what Adrien expected as well.


    If they both worked on this¡ªin conjunction with Lucielle¡ªthey could achieve their mission and throw a wrench in whatever ulterior ns that Adrien was bound to have.


    But¡­ Rey couldn''t just tell Adonis yet.


    "I understand." A dry response came from the golden boy''s lips as he finally raised his head and looked at Rey point-nk.


    His eyes were cold¡ªfueled with resolve, but concealed by ayer that seemed impossible to unravel.


    "I also can''t tell you anything about my purpose here either."

 Chapter 787 Confrontation [Pt 3]

    Chapter 787 Confrontation [Pt 3]


    "Adonis¡­"


    Rey''s tone was low, but intentionally heavy. He tried to be as calm and friendly with Adonis, not resorting to harsher methods to get the information he wanted, but¡­ the Hero wasn''t cooperating at all.


    ''I''m sure he knows what he''s doing, but if there''s a chance it would affect my mission, then it''s important I find out what it is.''


    Besides, ever since he met Adonis, Rey hadn''t stopped thinking about how useful he would be to his current objective. However, he couldn''t bring him on board yet.


    ¡­ Not until he knew Adonis'' true motives.


    "Look, Rey¡­ I won''t ask any questions about you. I won''t ask how you got so strong¡­ how you were able to hide your power for so long¡­ or even why you''re here. None of those things matter to me now." Adonis said this in such a serious, detached manner that Rey had to wonder if this was truly the guy he knew.


    Not only did heck that glow of optimism andpassion that usually filled his eyes, but he was cold¡ªtoo cold for Adonis.


    Perhaps this was his true self all along, and Rey had merely gotten used to a facade.


    Either way¡­ the confrontation was jarring.


    "It''s best if we go about our individual activities like we don''t know each other. I won''t trouble you, so I''d really appreciate it if you didn''t bother me."


    "Bother¡­ you?"


    The boy in front of him was truly Adonis, but something had definitely happened to him¡ªsomething that changed him. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    For a moment after these words echoed in the air, no one spoke.


    The two simply stared.


    Then¡ª


    "I''d assume that that Luc''ia Dragon you came with is also an ally. She''s Lucielle, isn''t she?"


    "Yeah." Rey responded nearly half-hartedly.


    He silently wondered how Adonis figured it out, but considering how her features resembled a younger Lucielle, he realized it would be easy for him to deduce.


    Plus, her name wasn''t exactly the subtlest.


    "Of course, she''s the one¡­" As Adonis said this, he gave a distant, nearly sad smile. "Who else would it be?"


    Rey didn''t understand what Adonis was implying from all this, but he had to get back to the main subject. The gears in his brain were turning¡ªseeking ways that he could convince Adonis to join his side¡ªbut he met dead ends everywhere.


    ''I can''t mentally control him thanks to his Hero Privilege, which means I either have to overpower him¡­ or coax him.''


    The stubbornness in Adonis'' new personality told him that he wouldn''t be easily convinced, and thest thing Rey wanted to do was fight with his friend.


    ''Are we still friends, though?'' No, that wasn''t the right question.


    Were they ever friends?


    ''Out of everyone among our ssmates, he was the one I respected and cared for after Alicia. I think, to an extent, he respected me too¡­ but¡­ I''m not sure anymore.'' Rey narrowed his eyes as he stared at the mask of a face that Adonis put up.


    ''There''s something else bothering you, isn''t there, Adonis?''


    Rather than forcing some form of partnership, Rey reckoned it was best to take the more patient and understanding route.


    ''It''s not like he''s going to expose my identity anyway. I don''t need to rush things too. It''s just¡ª''


    "Can you do me a favor, Rey?"


    Rey''s thoughts came to a grinding halt as Adonis interrupted him with a rather lull tone.


    "Can you not tell Lucielle about my identity?" A sad smile formed on his face as he asked this, his countenance falling even lower.


    "Of course, I know I have no right to ask you for this, and I also won''t insist that you go along with it or anything, but¡ª"


    "I understand." Rey responded with a smile while nodding.


    "Thank you, Rey."


    Adonis didn''t even look Rey in the eyes as he spoke. Instead, he just rose to his feet and bowed his head, not wasting any time to walk towards the door.


    ''He''s just going to walk away? For real¡­?''


    Rey had two options at that point¡ªboth of which involved stopping Adonis from leaving¡ªbut he already knew the one he was going to go with.


    "Wait!" Raising his voice, he also stood from his bed.


    As soon as he heard this, Adonis came to a grinding halt. He didn''t turn back to look at Rey, neither did he disy any sign of a change of heart. Chances were that he would only stand there for a few more seconds before leaving.


    But those few seconds were all that Rey needed.


    "I¡­ I just don''t understand." Rey muttered, looking at the back of the same boy he admired for a long time. "I don''t understand why you would abandon everything and everyone."


    One of the reasons why he changed his perspective on life and people in general was due to Adonis. Thetter was always so selfless, considerate, and confident¡ªand he helped everyone, no matter the cost.


    Rey didn''t have that kind of selfless side to him, but he always felt inspired by the act of empathy and kindness that Adonis disyed.


    ¡ªThe responsibility that came with having power.


    Yet¡­ it seemed like none of that was even present in the boy he was staring at.


    "Look, man, I''m sorry¡­ okay? I apologize for keeping things from you, and from everyone. I had various reasons for doing it, but those are all excuses at this point. I take responsibility for my mistakes, but I recognize the hurt and harm I caused everyone¡­ including you. So, I''m sorry."


    Despite pouring his heart out apologizing, Adonis merely smiled at Rey and slightly shook his head.


    "It''s fine, Rey. None of that matters now¡­"


    His calm, casual manner of addressing these heavy issues bothered Rey to no end. There was no passion or attachment to his words¡ªjust pure disinterest.


    "Why¡­" At this point, Rey began to clench his fist and grit his teeth. "Why are you being like this?"


    His emotions were on a rollercoaster, jumping up and down as he stared at Adonis with an intense gaze.


    "When did you be this way?"

 Chapter 788 First Days Conclusion

    Chapter 788 First Day''s Conclusion


    Tense silence permeated the entire room.


    Rey was now ring at Adonis, who had a stoic look on his face as he turned to face the former.


    They were both on their feet, and it seemed like this dreary atmosphere wouldst forever. However, someone had to say something, or do something, at some point.


    And Adonis took that upon himself.


    "I''m also sorry, Rey. I truly am, but¡­ this is a path that I have to walk alone." For a brief moment, a glimpse of the old Adonis shone through.


    The smile, the glow in his eyes, and the tone of his voice¡ªRey felt like he was speaking to his friend.


    But¡­ all of that vanished quickly.


    "I wish you good fortune in whatever your mission here is, Rey. Though¡­ I don''t think any of it matters, ultimately."


    After saying all of this, Adonis resumed his departure. In only a few seconds, he had left Rey standing shell-shocked and all alone in his room.


    "Haa¡­"


    Rey leaked out a heavy sigh as he copsed on his bed, mentally and emotionally exhausted¡ªmostly thetter, though.


    ''... This wasn''t how it was supposed to go.''


    Right as he thought about this, before he could even dwell on his just-concluded conversation with Adonis, he heard something in his head.


    ~DING!~


    ''A-ah!'' His eyes slightly widened and he swiftlyposed himself,partmentalizing his surprise so he could properly address the notification he just received.


    ''Looks like you''re finally done settling in, Lucielle.''


    As soon as he thought this, a slightly exhausted voice sweetly echoed in his mind.


    ~Yeah! Mi''ja is quite talkative, but I was finally able to get her to leave me all alone.~


    ''Good job.'' Rey smiled.


    He could already imagine how ufortable it would have been for Lucielle to have the ss Rep hang around her room instead of leaving as soon as she was done with escorting.


    ~Who do you think is to me for this, Rey? You already knew this would happen, didn''t you? That''s why you decided to cling to that antisocial loner in ss¡­ cus you knew he wouldn''t overstay his wee after showing you to your room.~


    ''Hahaha! You got me¡­''


    Rey remembered the favor Adonis asked of him, and while he wasn''t bound by anything to go along with it¡­ he decided to.


    ''It''s not like it affects the mission in any way. Besides, if Lucielle finds out Adonis is here, it could lead to someplications.''


    The United Human Alliance ced a lot of emphasis on the Hero, after all.


    Since that was the case, then Adonis was a prized asset that Lucielle, or any human belonging to the Alliance, could not simply ignore.


    ''I might be the strongest Otherworlder right now, but¡­ Adonis is the most important.''


    Well, he was.


    ''Right now, we can''t rely on him for anything. I already made it a philosophy not to force anyone to do what they don''t want to do. Just as I''ll let Alicia return to Earth, I''ll let Adonis do what he likes.''


    After all, Rey understood how hypocritical it would be for him to do otherwise.


    ''It could have been me in Adonis'' shoes. I certainly wouldn''t appreciate anyone getting in the way of my personal freedom¡­'' Once Rey thought of things like that, he was able to decide on a more passive position regarding Adonis.


    ''I''ll continue to watch him, of course, but¡­ that''ll be the end of it.''


    Adonis had made his choice, and so had he. There was no right or wrong regarding their decisions.


    ''We just have to stick to the consequences¡­''


    Of course, all of these things were running simultaneously with Rey''s otheryered thoughts, and he was still speaking with Lucielle through his mind through everything.


    ~Are you sure the Dragons won''t be able to listen in to this conversation, though?~


    Rey smiled,pletely understanding her concerns.


    They werepletely unwarranted, though. He had ensured to take all sorts of precautions in order to ensure nothing of the sort happened.


    ''[Link] might be an A-Tier Skill, but it creates a secure channel between two people through their mind. Adrien used it tomunicate with Justin for a while, and not even I could detect anything. Besides, I tested it out a few times too, and I also detailedly analyzed the Skill description.'' He thought to himself.


    The Skill was as good as an S-Tier Skill, in Rey''s eyes. The only reason it was ranked so low had to be due to its limitations.


    ''It can only be done between two people.''


    The two also had to physically touch, and mutually consent, for the [Link] to be deactivated. Hence, it functioned as a Passive Skill.


    This ensured that Rey and Lucielle could be connected constantly.


    ''We can also know where the other is, so that''s a good thing.'' He smiled to himself. If Lucielle hadn''t followed him on this mission, he would have connected himself with Alicia. That was how highly he thought of the Skill.


    He didn''t tell Lucielle any of this, though. Instead, he simply told her not to worry about it.


    Thankfully, that was enough to ease her worries.


    ~That Ad''oni guy, though¡­ he''s pretty cute, isn''t he?~


    ''Why are you asking me that?'' At this point, Rey couldn''t help but p his face. Thest thing he wanted to do was discuss boys with Lucielle. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Especially since the boy in question was Adonis.


    ~Pffft! Let''s just say that I think you can rte. I saw how you clung to him while leaving, Rey.~


    ''What?''


    ~I mean¡­ you didn''t even pay any attention to any of the Dragon Girls. Instead, you were¡­~


    ''What are you implying?''


    ~Nothing!~


    ''Yeah¡­ it better be nothing!'' Rey wanted to throw up at this point, but he controlled himself anyway.


    Why would he be focused on any of the Dragon Girls, or Boys, when someone like Lucielle existed? In his eyes, she was easily the prettiest in the whole ss.


    Of course, Rey would rather die than tell her that.


    ''Besides, why are you so focused on romance with Dragons? I guess you must really have a thing for¡ª''


    ~No.~


    The cold way Lucielle responded to those words made Rey shiver a little.


    He only meant it as a joke, the same way she had been teasing him, but, the way she respondedpletely made him regret that decision.


    He wasn''t seeing the current expression on her face, but he could already guess what it would be.


    ¡ªNot pleasant at all.


    ''In any case¡­ tomorrow will be a lot more serious. You ready?''


    ~Yeah. Mi''ja told me a little more about it. You should havee with us, Rey! We had a st!~


    ''Something tells me I didn''t miss out on too much.''


    ~But you did! Honestly! Mi''ja even tripped and nearly fell. If I didn''t catch her, it would have been bad. She was so embarrassed, it was cute¡­~


    ''Is that so?''


    ~Yeah! In fact¡­~


    Lucielle kept ranting on and on about how her day went, and Rey did his best to listen and offer hismentary on everything.


    It was the least he could do after subjecting Lucielle to this mission without giving much thought into the consequences it would have on her.

 Chapter 789 The Heros Plan

    Chapter 789 The Hero''s n


    At first, his steps were hurried.


    He walked as though he was running¡ªfast, and far away from the room he proceeded out of.


    However, after creating some distance between himself and the door, Adonis slowed down. His legs slowly moved, as his golden hair bathed in thete evening glow.


    sses in the Academy ended prettyte; into the evening, for that matter. Thanks to escorting Rey to his room, and having the discussion he had with him, more time had passed than he initially realized.


    Not only did this mean he was behind schedule in training, but it also meant he hadpletely disrupted his detailed n for sess.


    Though, at the moment, none of that seemed to matter.


    This was why he finally slowed down while walking¡ªwhy he could feel each step getting heavier as he struggled to properly breathe while his racing heart nearly drove him mad.


    He felt like tearing his chest apart due to how fast his heart was beating. His brain pounded too, causing him to enter a state of emotional pain, all of which he did his best to suppress as he marched forward¡ªone step at a time.


    "Haa¡­ haaa¡­" Misty breaths leaked from both his nostrils and lips as he felt the coolness of the evening wash over him.


    ''... I''m sorry, Rey, Lucielle¡­ everyone.''


    His thoughts rang through, yet he didn''t like that fact. He didn''t like how attached he still was, despite how resolved he was to march forward.


    ''Seeing you today, Rey¡­ talking to you¡­ I-I nearly wavered. But¡­ this has to be done. No, I should be even more determined to make it work because of you.'' Despite these thoughts flowing in his head, Adonis still had the same pounding feeling in his chest.


    It didn''t want to stop.


    ''This reminds me of old times. Me, you, and her¡­ we''re back here¡ªthe Dragon Continent.''


    Was this fate? A twist of destiny perhaps? Adonis wasn''t sure.


    He was certain about one thing, though: the fact that he wouldn''t let anything deter him from doing what had to be done.


    That was the whole reason why he was here¡­ the reason he left.


    ****************


    [Several Months Ago]


    "DAMNIT!!!" Disheveled, with his bloodshot eyes swollen due to the tears he had shed all day and night, Adonis yelled in the sce of his room.


    Veins appeared all over his face as he screamed, disying both rage and sorrow.


    Bereavement had be his onlypanion following the days after the Dragon attack on the Capital, and the death of his ssmates.


    Two of his ssmates died due to the overwhelming appearance of Dragons¡­ all because of his weakness.


    He wasn''t strong enough to save his friends, and he wasn''t strong enough to protect the Capital. It was all his fault that the Capital went up in mes.


    Thousands upon thousands perished as a result of his weakness.


    "You disgusting worm! You haven''t changed at all from the past! You were given a second chance! A chance to save everyone! Lucielle and Rey sacrificed their lives for you¡­ everyone sacrificed their lives so you could make it back and make things right! Yet¡­ YET YOU STILL SCREWED IT UP!"


    His ssmates had already told him not to me himself.


    The Royal Council, The Grand Mage, and The Head Warrior¡ªas well as everyone in the Royal Estate¡ªpraised him for his valor and bravery.


    Everyone told him that he did the best he could, and tried to make him forget his weakness.


    ¡­ But he couldn''t.


    Adonis could not forget the look Eric had before he died. He couldn''t shake off the expression on everyone''s face when they were about to meet certain death.


    Perhaps everyone else could move forward with it, but he couldn''t.


    Everytime he slept, he had nightmares of the incident. Worse still, he dreamt of what was bound to happen in the future.


    ''More people have died and left uspared to before. If it''s like this¡­ is it even possible to win?''


    Yes, Adonis understood that they were all stronger than in the past, but that also meant the adversities they faced would only grow worse in order topensate for their growing might.


    In a way, this was what Lucielle warned him about.


    ''The Dragonfly Effect¡­'' His thoughts trailed.


    He had changed too much of the past, and now everyone was suffering for it. Perhaps he didn''t change enough.


    So many thoughts ran in Adonis'' mind at that moment, until he realized the terrible truth about himself¡ªand the current state of this world.


    ''At this rate, it will be a repeat ofst time.''


    His goal when returning was to save everyone, but a few people had died already, while the others deserted them.


    Rey was in aa, and Alicia was under a curse. The rest weren''t particrly shining stars before his regression¡ªexcept Belle, of course.


    Regardless, they were bound to reach their limits soon enough.


    ''And once that happens, it''s game over. I can''t beat the enemies alone, but¡­ at this rate, I''ll lose even more friends.''


    He could see the many mistakes he had made along the way, and as he realized those errors¡ªrealizing how much he had messed up¡ªhe couldn''t help but drown in an overwhelming sea of regret.


    ''We never beat a Dragon Lord in the past. There''s still the Dragon Emperor to consider. How can we even¡­ I don''t¡­ this is¡­''


    Ultimately, Adonis felt stuck.


    Until¡ª


    "A-ahh¡­!" His eyes widened at that moment, and he copsed to the ground on his knees.


    ¡ªHe found a way!


    Adonis found the only way that he and his friends could still win.


    By following this path, even the deaths of Eric, Billy, and everyone else who perished as a result of mistakes and weakness, would be remedied.


    He was the only one who could walk down this road, and he had no choice if he wanted to save everyone.


    ''I''ll do it! I''ll go to the Chamber Of Ancients again and regress once again!" Adonis thought to himself with absolute resolve. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    This time, for sure, he would save the world!

 Chapter 790 Trials Of Adonis [Pt 1]

    Chapter 790 Trials Of Adonis [Pt 1]


    The mission would be tough.


    Adonis already knew how powerful and ruthless the Dragons could be. Thest thing he wanted to do was underestimate them, or the journey he would have to take in order to arrive at his ultimate goal.


    He even considered staying in the Capital a while until he was able to gather enough power and resources to depart.


    But¡ª


    ''No! I can''t stay here any longer!''


    As much as it pained him to admit it, everyone around him was holding him back.


    His insane growth would have been even more astronomical if he was alone¡ªtaking all the EXP for himself, and moving at his own pace. However, due to his consideration for everyone else¡ªand the fact that he recognized how important allies were¡ªhe had intentionally stifled his growth.


    The consequence for that was the death of his thousands.


    ''No more!''


    Adonis resolved to leave the Capital¡ªno, to leave the United Human Alliance as a whole.


    He would travel due Northwest, to the unknown regions in the Continent¡ªces that only he knew about thanks to his future knowledge.


    During theter years of the war¡ªwhen the resources of humanity were nearly depleted, the Alliance was so desperate in their search for more resources that they sent scouts to various parts of the Continent.


    ¡ªTo the untouchednds.


    Most of these expeditions yielded no fruit, but the ones that brought back results were able to turn the tide of war to the favor of humanity for a short while.


    A Cmity ss Dungeon to the West, an abandoned Base filled with treasures, the Dark Desert¡­ and so much more.


    Adonis had previously nned to take his ssmates to these ces once the time was ripe, but there was no longer any need to.


    He didn''t have to worry about them, or the fate of the Alliance anymore.


    ''Don''t worry, everyone! I''ll do this myself! I''ll save you all by myself! I promise you all!'' That was his thought.


    Just as he resolved, Adonis left the Capital. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    He stole away in the night and advanced Northwest, desiring to harness all the power and resources for himself. There was no need to worry about anyone else.


    They would all be saved as soon as he regressed and corrected his mistakes. If he decided to hold on to what he currently had, he would lose everything and everyone yet again.


    Whether this was the height of selfishness or selflessness was inconsequential.


    As long as everyone was saved.


    And so, it began.


    Adonis conquered the Cmity ss Dungeon by himself and increased his Level by nearly two times its initial amount, all in just a month.


    He obtained Enchanted Items from the Treasure Troves, and he was able to improve his Skills in the Dark Desert.


    Thanks to one of the Enchanted Items he found, he was able to disguise himself as a Dragon, as well as suppress his power. This led him to the next phase of his n¡ªThe Dragon Continent.


    That was the tricky part.


    The future was clearly different from the present, which meant that he couldn''t fully rely on his knowledge of the Dragon Continent that he remembered. Even before his regression, the Dragons found a way to sniff the team out despite their best attempts to be covert. Of course, this was due to many reasons¡ªmainly due to their numbers¡ªso Adonis was confident that he wouldn''t make the same mistakes that the humans made before his return.


    He was also leagues stronger than anyone had been before his Regression, so he was confident that he would pull it off.


    Just as he nned, he was able to sneak into the Empire.


    However, the next problem presented itself to him¡ªhow to reach the Chamber Of Ancients!


    Thest time, it took the death of tens of thousands of human soldiers¡ªas well as the sacrifice of his ssmates¡ªto reach the ce.


    And all of this was after the guidance of The Oracle.


    ''Right now, I''m by myself. I can''t force my way there. I''d be caught and beaten before I got very far.''


    He had to find a smarter way to go about it.


    While trying to figure out a way to get to the Capital, he actively investigated ces and people, constantly moving from one ce to the other, as long as it was close to the Capital. Through it all, he did his best to blend in with the crowd.


    Ah¡­ how he wished he could kill all the Dragons that littered his sight. In his eyes, they were all as disgusting as the ones that were sent to the battlefield.


    They were disgusting monsters that deserved to be purged from the world.


    ''Purge¡­ should I systematically purge them while I''m at it? No, that wouldn''t work!'' The information and investigation system in the Dragon Empire was leagues ahead of anything in most other parts of H''Trae thanks to the their Technology.


    They would sniff him out if he became a serial killer, and all his efforts thus far would be in vain.


    Adonis even considered joining the Military, but he quickly banished that thought.


    If he wanted to get to the Chamber Of Ancients, he had to at least be a Dragon General, and that required serious qualifications and achievements.


    To avoid suspicion, he would have to start at the bottom, and then slowly rise up the ranks.


    Not only would this take a terribly long time to achieve, but he would have tomit unspeakable atrocities for the sake of the Dragon Empire to be even considered for the position he needed.


    That was not something Adonis could ever do.


    ''Even if nothing matters in this reality, since I want to change everything¡­ it doesn''t mean I''llpromise my morals to such an extent!''


    That was what it meant to be himself¡ªa Hero.


    Now out of options,pletely trapped in a society of enemies, contemting how to reach his target, Adonis agonized on what to do.


    It was at this point that an unexpected answer came to him, and from someone he would never have anticipated.


    And that pointed him to the Imperial Academy.

 Chapter 791 Trials Of Adonis [Pt 2]

    Chapter 791 Trials Of Adonis [Pt 2]


    It was apletely random encounter.


    "Why do you look so troubled, young one?" The voice came from an elderly man who sat on a bench by the roadside. He had red hair, ebony skin, and crimson eyes. He wore a dark robe, holding his walking stick very tightly as he looked at Adonis on that fateful day.


    The old man had two horns, which should have made him a lower-middle-ss member of society, yet he seemed a little too posh for that. Still, his appearance was the least suspicious thing about him.


    It was the way he smiled.


    Perhaps it was because Adonis was growing frustrated with nning, or because he was growing increasingly worried about his friends back in the Capital, but he couldn''t help but feel uneasy when he looked into the man''s eyes.


    Still, he knew better than to act on how he felt.


    Doing so would only make him appear suspicious, and that would taint his cover.


    "It''s nothing." Adonis replied with a shrug and began walking away. In his mind, he already crossed the encounter off aspletely unimportant, and he had more important things to deal with.


    Besides, merely talking to Dragons disgusted him beyond words.


    If only he knew how much he would owe to the old man once the next words came out of his mouth¡­ he wouldn''t have been so hasty to walk away.


    "You remind me of my kid. He''s doing his best in the Academy right now¡­ working hard for the sake of the Emperor."


    ''We look nothing alike! Stop talking nonsense!'' Adonis thought to himself, wondering how he could possibly remind him of his son.


    The man appeared old, which meant he must have lived for several centuries at least.


    How could his kid look like him?


    There were so many holes in the old man''s words that made Adonis grow increasingly more upset, but he controlled his temper and kept walking away.


    He had nothing to say to a senile old Dragon.


    "My boy¡­ if he proves himself in that Academy¡­ he could finally be taken to the Capital¡ªto serve the Emperor."


    As soon as Adonis heard this, he froze in his tracks.


    ''Academy¡­ Capital¡­ Emperor¡­?!''


    Indeed, the Capital was the dwelling ce of the Emperor. It was also where the power of the Empire was centralized.


    It was no surprise that the Chamber Of Ancients existed there too.


    Only a select number of Dragons could live in the Capital, and all of them had one purpose or the other there. They either served their Empire exceptionally well in wars, or proved themselves in one major way or the other.


    This was the first time Adonis was hearing about the Academy being another way for someone to get into the Academy, hence his interest in it.


    "What are you talking about?"


    "What else? Internship, of course! My son''s performance is great, you know? Once you reach the Third Stage in the Academy, you must go for apulsory internship within the Empire."


    "... Including the Capital." Adonis muttered, his eyes wide open.


    "Only those in ss A are considered for that privilege, though. It''s not guaranteed for any other ss¡­ so my son is working very hard to reach ss A before moving to Stage 3. Ahh¡­ the Capital¡­ it''s such a dreame true, isn''t it?"


    As Adonis heard this, he smiled at a Dragon for the first time in his life.


    "Indeed¡­ it is."


    **************


    After that encounter, Adonisbed through the closest library he could find and researched for the validity of the information he just received. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Much to his amazement, everything was legit!


    "That old man¡­ he wasn''t lying!"


    An exceptional student in their Third Stage, ss A, could indeed apply for an internship in the Capital. If he could secure a role in his desired location, then he could easily increase the proximity between himself and the Chamber.


    ''And within that Chamber¡­ the key to my Regression!''


    Adonis helped Lucielle with setting up the Ancient Magic Circle back then, so he was confident that he could do it on his own if he had enough time. All of a sudden, a viable path opened for him, and he could see his dreamsing to fruition.


    ''I have that old man to thank. I never even considered the Academy in all my reasoning. How long would it have taken me before I thought in that direction?'' He still despised Dragons to death, and he recognized that the old Dragon was definitely someone who hadmitted his fair share of atrocities before retiring.


    How else would he be living afortable life?


    Still, he was indebted to the Monster.


    ''If I ever encounter him after my Regression¡­ I''ll be sure to thank him with a quick death!''


    As for his ns regarding the Academy, Adonis made sure to learn as much as he could about the school''s requirements for entry¡ªwhich was perhaps the easiest part of his whole journey¡ªand how he could advance to a higher Stage.


    Of course, in order to avoid suspicion, Adonis had to make sure he didn''t advance too quickly. At the same time, he couldn''t be too slow.


    As a result of this rationale, he developed a roadmap for himself.


    Everything was scheduled¡ªdown to the littlest of details¡ªall to ensure he stuck to his n andpleted everything on schedule.


    Training. Study. sses.


    Everything was ounted for, and Adonis could feel himself making progress every single day.


    After spending about a month in ss B¡ªwhich he got into after his Entrance Exams, he was able to make it to ss A by simply besting everyone else in his ss.


    With his position in ss A solidified, his next goal was to get into the Second Stage of the Academy after a few more Academy Events¡ªperhaps in a couple of months.


    The only part of his integration thatcked proper strength was his interaction with peers, but Adonis couldn''t help it.


    He didn''t have time to forge meaningless connections, and he despised Dragons.


    There was no need to make friends.


    Everything was going perfect in his timeline, and he predicted that within a year or so, he could even achieve his mission without any trouble whatsoever.


    However, Rey just had toe and ruin everything!


    The presence of R''ai and Luc''ia in ss 1A set the bar of excellence high in their Grade, but none of that bothered Adonis too much.


    He was currently stronger than a Dragon General, so he wasn''t particrly worried aboutpetition among Dragon Newts. He could even beat the Lecturers, so there was no real need to be concerned.


    Besides, he was already determined to leave 1-A in a few months, so he didn''t think he''d interact with them much.


    How wrong could he have been?


    Not only did one of them force him to lead him to his room, but that person turned out to be Rey.


    Everything spiraled out of control from there, leading Adonis to his current predicament.


    But¡ª


    "So what?"


    As he whispered to himself, he raised his head and clenched his fist with pure resolve.


    "I''vee this far already." Adonis quickened his pace at this point.


    He abandoned everyone and came here for one mission, and he nned toplete it in his own way.


    "Whatever it takes¡­ I''ll save all of us!"

 Chapter 792 Practical Session [Pt 1]

    Chapter 792 Practical Session [Pt 1]


    [The Next Day]


    "Alright, students, you know the drill. It''s time for your Practical Session."


    Instructor Isra''il''s two hands were formally ced behind him as he stood at the center of an empty Practice Hall, facing his fifteen students.


    He had a stern look on his face, and for good reason. As ss A''s Primary Instructor, he was in charge of the growth of these young ones, which meant he was to personally oversee their training¡ªsuch as this one¡ªin order to determine how much they had grown, or the measures of improvements they needed.


    It was also pertinent for him to pluck out the inferior students and consider their demotion to a lower ss.


    All of this was his responsibility, and he was constantly determined to carry it out with utmost diligence. That said, he had no doubt that his students would show him yet another interesting match today.


    ''The only variables are the new students. I haven''t seen them fight, so now is the best chance to do so¡­''


    The footage of Entrance Exams weren''t supposed to be released to the Instructors of the Academy, and he didn''t have enough pull to check them out behind the scenes. The only things he was given to work with were Evaluations made from the Center.


    ''Well, I guess I''ll see it with my own eyes¡­'' His eyes focused on the boy with jet-ck hair, and the girl with silvery white hair.


    ''Let''s see how good you are.''


    *****************


    "Today, you''ll be ced into groups of three."


    The moment Rey heard this, his mood was nearly soiled. He had expected some sort of one-on-one practical session, but it turned out things weren''t going to be too straightforward after all.


    Still, he wasn''t too disappointed.


    ''I''ll finally be able to copy the Skills of some of my ssmates. I initially wasn''t expecting too much, since they''re Newts, but¡­ there are a few potential ones among them.''


    Besides, he could simply sell off the Skills that he didn''t need, getting more Stats to his stockpile.


    ¡ªA win-win situation.


    "There will be a total of five groups. With all of that understood, I shall now call the name of the team members per group."


    The listings began, and Rey didn''t hear his name until the very end.


    Lucielle was paired with Mi''ja, and another girl called A''manda¡ªthe serious girl with round sses. Ad''oni got paired with Ph''irabel and Mor''ucho. And as for Rey¡­


    ''... Looks like my teammates are Chi''go and Lu''ffa.''


    As soon as he turned to look at them, they also gave their attention to him. Chi''go was dressed in his usual manner¡ªhaving his uniform nearly buttoned down, revealing his bare chest and the tons of chains that hung around his neck. He had piercings on his ear, eyebrows, nose, lip and one on his tongue. He also had rings and bracelets that glimmered as he removed his hands from his packers.


    After seeing all of this, it was a wonder why piercings and essories of such magnitude weren''t banned in the Academy.


    Of course, Rey already knew why¡ªat least, for Chi''go''s sake¡ªcertain students were allowed to go to the extreme with their fashion choices.


    It wasn''t an arbitrary decision for sure.


    ''It has to do with his Skill. I can''t say the same about¡ª''


    "Hey, there! My name is Lu''ffa! R''ai¡­ let''s do our best, okay?!" Rey maintained hisposure as he was nearly run into by the boy wearing a straw hat, and a stupidly wide grin. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    He had red eyes and white hair, and honestly would have been the male version of Lucielle if it wasn''t for his really conspicuous straw hat.


    ''That''s just a fashion choice and has nothing to do with his Skills.'' This was his team¡ªtwo weirdos that were dressed strangely, with entric personalities that he wasn''t the mostfortable with.


    Lucielle ended up with a pretty stable team, and so did Ad''oni, so why?


    Why did he have to get such a team?


    Rey wasn''t the least bit disappointed in the current situation, though. In fact, he found himself getting a bit excited as he stared at them.


    "Nice to meet you, Lu''ffa. You too, Chi''go!"


    After all, despite their entric personalities, they were among the ss'' strongest.


    "Hmph! Just don''t hold me back, ''kay?" Chi''go responded as he drew closer to Rey and Lu''ffa, still maintaining his "Tough Boy" persona.


    It wasn''t all an act, though.


    ''I guess he has some stuff to back it up. We''ll see all that once we begin, won''t we?'' All the teams gathered their members together, and before long, the five clusters of students had formed. They all stared at their Instructor and awaited further instructions.


    As expected, he did not disappoint.


    "For the whole day, you and your team will collectively engage in activities to amass points. Of course, the total point of the group will be divided by three, and allocated to each member there. Please note that it isn''t enough for you to do well. Everyone in your group must excel."


    ''As expected.'' Rey smiled. ''I guess I have nothing to be worried about, considering the kind of people I have in my corner. Still¡­ the part I''m most worried about is our teamwork.''


    It wasn''t enough for the students to be strong, but they had to function well together in order to properly win and amass points.


    Normally, none of these would really concern Rey. However, considering the consequences of failure, he had to make sure he didn''t screw this up, and also ensure his teammates didn''t do the same.


    ''A demotion is thest thing I need right now.''


    "There will be a total of five tasks for today. Team Matches, Hide and Seek, Object Search, Individual Matches, and finally¡­ Weapon Proficiency."


    Fair or Unfair, this was the nature of any Academy¡ªno, of society as a whole.


    "You all better not drag my points down." Chi''go growled at his two teammates, clenching his fist as he listened to the Instructor''s words.


    "Hehe! This should be fun!" Lu''ffa grinned like an idiot.


    Through all this, Rey simply maintained his silence and calm demeanor as he awaited the Practical Session''smencement.


    ''I should brace myself for the worst¡­''

 Chapter 793 Practical Session [Pt 2]

    Chapter 793 Practical Session [Pt 2]


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    In a single strike, Rey''s Fire Spell knocked out thepetition, easily securing him the victory for his own individual match.


    His opponent, Moru''cho, had been quite impressive¡ªespecially with the blue orbs and clones that he employed as his main Skills.


    Unfortunately for him, he was simply outssed.


    The fight didn''tst very long. Rey simply relied on a barrier to protect himself from Moru''cho''s attacks, while pretending to make a long chant for the powerful me Spell that he used to decidedly end the match.


    Frankly, the battle was a bit stale.


    ''On the plus side, I now have ess to a Clone Skill. That''s good, but¡­ ah, [Sacrifice] won''t let me copy it, since I already sacrificed it in my fight with Dagon. Unless¡­''


    Rey checked his [Doppel], and much to his pleasant surprise¡­ the [Doppelganger] Skill was waiting for him there.


    ''How is this possible? Hold on¡­ yeah, I guess it makes sense.'' He itched his chin,pletely disconnected from the reality around him, and the voices that cheered his victory.


    His mind was solely fixated on this Skill.


    ''Snow''s [Duplicate] was an Exclusive Skill, and since she was a Beast Familiar, that Skill has no ties with this world¡­ right? So, even if it was sacrificed, I should still be able to copy any clone-based Skill from this world, right?''


    And that was the sole reason behind his ability to use [Doppelganger].


    ''Looks like this is a limited form of [Duplicate], though. My clones can only respond to one instruction at a time, and we can''t be too far apart, or they''ll disappear.''


    The plus side of the whole thing was that the clones had the same abilities as him, just on a ten percent scale. At the very least, though, they didn''t make him any weaker if he used them.


    ''My [Perfect Divine Growth] graduated it to S-Tier, but that only increases the number of clones I can make. It seems the distance and intelligence limitations still exist¡­ though I guess they can move a bit further from me now.''


    Finally, their abilities were still capped at 10 Percent of his own power¡ªthough now that he could make a total of ten clones, that meant he could get a hundred percent of his power withoutpromising his own strength.


    ''That''s pretty neat.'' He smiled to himself.


    As for the Practical Session, things were also going pretty well.


    So far, his worries hadn''t yed out the way he feared they would. His teammates, despite their opposing personalities, got along quite well in their team activities.


    They had already participated in Team Matches, Hide and Seek, and Object Search together, and the two of them were rather cooperative.


    Chi''go seemed like he would cause the most trouble, but after the Team Match, he was pretty docile.


    ''Maybe it''s because I practically carried the match. Dragons have a thing for strength, so I figured they''d listen to me if I showed them how strong I was¡­''


    That wasn''t the only reason he one-shotted the enemy, though. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ''I wanted to end the fight quickly so they wouldn''t mess up and cost me points. Guess it was just killing two birds with one stone.''


    Ultimately, he got the respect of his teammates, and he was also able toplete the Practical Session without much casualty.


    For the second and third parts of the Session, Isra''il used a core function of the Hall to alter itsndscape and transform its surroundings into a jungle-like setting.


    That way, the Hide And Seek and Object Search became astronomically moreplex than it would have been if they were merely standing in in rooms.


    Rey and his teammates stuck together during the Hide and Seek round, and since none of the other two had any camouge Skills, he made sure to utilize a Spell that shielded them from perception, while also telling them to keep their senses peeled for anyone.


    They managed to catch a team using this tactic, but were ultimately caught by Lucielle''s team, who chose to hide in in sight¡ªthe air¡ªwhile getting a wide view of the entire jungle to capture their prey.


    They managed to catch two teams¡ªRey''s included.


    As for the Object Search, Rey and his teammates were also unsuited for that, so they simply trailed another team¡ªhoping to snag one of the designated Objects if those members ever found it.


    Fortunately, they were able to get two of the ten objects before time ran out.


    Once those parts were concluded, the Instructor returned the hall''s settings to its previous state, and after they took a little break, began the fourth round.


    ¡ªIndividual Matches.


    Rey was the first in his team to fight, so he now had to leave the center stage and allow the rest of his teammates to take over.


    Unlike before, when he could lead them or drop vague hints to guide them, this was something they had to do on their own. If he hadn''t gone through everything he did with his teammates, he would have even had doubts regarding theirpetence.


    Rey wasn''t too worried, though.


    Sure, these two sucked at Hide and Seek as well as Object Search¡­ but when it came to Combat, there was no cause for concern.


    He simply had to sit back and enjoy the matches.


    They didn''t disappoint.


    Lu''ffa had a Skill that could turn his body, or anything around him to rubber, which made any fight he was in rather interesting.


    He also had immense resistance to physical attacks as a bonus.


    From stretching, to increasing his body''s mass, to simply tanking enemy attacks like it was nothing¡­ he was a monster in every sense of the word.


    However, the true beast was Chi''go.


    Yes, he had a Skill to elevate his physical ability and also to increase his level of Mana and Sensory Awareness. However, what made him exceptional was his single A-Tier Skill, [IRON-Y]


    ¡ªThe ability to imbue any property or attribute to any iron object he touched.


    This was the true reason behind his piercing, and the reason he was regarded as one of the big three in the whole ss.


    As long as he had iron on his side, he was invincible.

 Chapter 794 Making Friends

    Chapter 794 Making Friends


    Chi''go wasa Dragon Newt with one of the best offensive abilities in the entire Grade, particrly ss 1-A. By cing attributes on iron, he could practically turn a random object to an Enchanted Item, alter its shape, and so much more. It was an all-rounder Skill that he mostly used to his advantage inbat. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    As invincible as Chi''go was, though¡­ "Chi''go down, Ad''oni wins."


    ¡­ There were certain walls that he could not ovee, no matter how hard he tried.


    ''Impressive¡­'' Those were Rey''s thoughts as he watched the final individual match to its conclusion.


    It was Chi''go versus Ad''oni, and while Rey already knew the oue deep down, he expected more of a fight from his teammate.


    In a way, Chi''go dished out a proper fight. However¡­


    ''I guess he was just heavily outssed.''


    Rey already knew the Status Information of both opponents, so as much as he wanted his side to win, he already had the oue in his head. What he didn''t know was just how much power Adonis would be willing to reveal, and the level of skill he would employ inbat.


    By watching this fight, he could finally see it.


    ''He''s improved,bat-wise. A lot, actually¡­'' Rey smiled. ''I know he''s holding back, but from what I can see¡­ Adonis, you''ve grown in more than just Stats and Skills, huh?''


    The finesse that Adonis disyed throughout the fight, and how he made Chi''go, one of the ss'' giants, go out in such a humiliating manner, caused everyone¡ªparticrly Rey to smile in amazement.


    ''Now then¡­ I better go tend to Chi''go and his bruised ego.''


    **************


    [Later That Day]


    The Practical Session finally came to an end after several hours of itsmencement.


    The students disyed clear signs of exhaustion, and all of it was perfectly normal, considering how much energy they had to expend. Not only were the exercises tasking on their physical bodies, but they also had to utilize Mana for most of these Skills.


    In essence¡­ it was a very exhausting experience.


    ''As I expected, Chi''go''s ego was bruised after fighting Adonis. Thankfully, he was able to redeem himself in thest part of the Practical Session.'' Rey thought to himself as he looked at his two teammates.


    ''Weapons are his forte, so he helped out the team in that. I guess that''s why he can still smile, even after he was humbled so badly¡­''


    In the end, Practical Sessions were training simtions and exercises, so as long as not only Chi''go, but everyone else, took it as an opportunity to learn something new and improve, they would be fine.


    ''Speaking of everyone¡­'' Rey looked around him and caught the students¡ªall in their respective groups¡ªeither gnashing their teeth in nervousness, or talking very excitedly amongst themselves.


    The only students doing thetter belonged to Lucielle''s group.


    As for Adonis and his team, they were mostly silent. Even the usual loud and optimistic Mor''ucho was quiet¡ªprobably because he lost so miserably in the Individual Match, and he probably never had a chance at redemption¡­ unlike Chi''go.


    Ultimately, everyone was seated on the floor or standing, waiting for Instructor Isra''il to finishpiling their scores and announce their positions and points.


    It didn''t take long before all of this was done.


    "Now then¡­ I''ll announce your positions and points, starting from the first position to thest." Instructor Isra''il spoke, his voice stern, though his gaze soft on the students.


    All the listening students gulped and waited¡ªtheir eyes darting around to perfectly guess the winner of the round before the Instructor spoke.


    Rey already knew the answer, though. It was¡ª


    "Group 3 Mi''ja,: Luc''ia, and A''manda¡­ you are first ce, with a total of eighty-four points."


    Indeed.


    Their team had the most outstanding performance, and Rey already knew they would be the victors. While most people were more concerned about their victories and survival, Rey had spent most of his attention on the other teams in order to assess them, as well as copy all their useful Skills.


    It was because of this that he now had a fair understanding regarding the capabilities of each student. He knew their strengths, weaknesses, their effectiveness on a team, their personalities, and most importantly¡­ their level of ability.


    Realizing that Lucielle''s team would win was merely a consequence of that.


    "Second ce is Team 5: R''ai, Chi''go and Lu''ffa¡­ with seventy-eight points." As the instructor said this, Rey smiled and nodded.


    He also expected this much.


    ''And then, third ce will be Adonis'' team¡­ with at least¡ª''


    "¡ªSeventy-two points."


    It was fun doing mental calctions in his head, but Rey made sure not to get too carried away by his internal thoughts. After all, there was something else he had to achieve in the current scenario.


    "We didn''t get first ce, but we did really well. Thanks for your help, guys!" He turned to his team members and shed them a proud smile.


    "Hehehe! Just d we didn''t end up withst ce." Lu''ffa took it all in good faith and gave his usual loudugh, covering his eyes as he chuckled.


    As for Chi''go¡­


    "W-whatever. You weren''t too bad yourself."


    ¡­ He tried to put on a tough front, but it was clear that he was the most excited among the three boys. He couldn''t even hide the sparkle in his eyes, or the slight hints of pink on his cheeks.


    Much to everyone''s relief, even thest ce got rtively high points, and that was mainly because each round in the Practical Session catered to certain kinds of students in certain teams, so they had an advantage in at least one thing.


    No team was too much of a loser, since they had a decent victory in at least one round.


    "Good work, students. Now¡­ back to the ssroom."


    The teleportation technology of the Dragon Empire was so advanced that they didn''t have to walk to their ssroom. They were simply teleported there, so all they had to do was find their seats and return there.


    As everyone did so, Rey found himself fist-bumping the two Dragon Newts that were his team members, and he could see that Lucielle was also doing the female equivalent of that with her own allies.


    ''Good. This was a good way to blend in more with the ss and make friends.'' Rey smiled, subtly nodding to Lucielle, who reciprocated almost instantly


    Everything was going smoothly.

 Chapter 795 The Grand Assembly

    Chapter 795 The Grand Assembly


    "Settle down, everyone! I have an important announcement to make."


    Once the Practical Sessions ended, the students were given sufficient time to eat, discuss, and have fun overall. Rey ended up spending most of his time with the boys he befriended, who introduced him to other boys.


    As for Lucielle, she practically did the same with the girls.


    Only a few people, like Geo''rge, Y''ama, and¡ªof course¡ªAdonis, remained on their own despite the cliques that formed around the ss. A''manda was also in the habit of that, but all of that changed when Lucielle forced her to participate in the girl clique, and she seemed to be fitting in well among thedies.


    It was while this was going on that Instructor Isra''il suddenly entered the ss and used a more serious voice than usual to dere an announcement.


    The moment he said this, everyone fell silent.


    They all returned to their seats¡ªas quietly as possible¡ªand once they were all settled, their kept their gazes on the Instructor, who had waited patiently until everyone was ready to hear the news he heralded.


    "The White Dragon Lord¡­ is currently on her way to the Academy."


    Once the bombshellnded, it seemed as though the ss had be even more quieter than it was before. A hollow silence permeated the ssroom, and tension rapidly began to build up as the students found themselves staring at each other and fidgeting.


    What their Instructor just told them¡­ was heavy news.


    ¡ªHeavily amazing news!


    "You are all to gather in the Central Auditorium for a Grand Assembly. Ah, also¡­ this matter only concerns the 3 Basic Stages, so the other Stages will not be participating in this Assembly." The more Isra''il spoke, the more the tension spread.


    It was clear that the students had a lot to say, and plenty more to ask, but he wasn''t going to give them the time to get it out.


    "The other sses are being informed of this by their Instructors, so we are going to head over there once I''m done here."


    Due to the oversaturation of Mana that would be caused by many people gathering in the Central Auditorium, teleportation to that location wasn''t possible. Space would be too distorted for a stable mass teleportation measure¡ªthough the Dragons were currently working on how to get rid of that problem in their technology.


    As a result, all the students had to walk there.


    None of them seemed to mind, and were even disying signs of overexcitement. Instructor Isra''il noticed all of this and decided not to hold his students back any further.


    "Alright, everyone¡­ let''s go."


    **************


    This time, there were no cliques or separation between boys and girls: everyone was simply gushing about how excited they were for the White Dragon Lord''s visit.


    "I can''t believe this is finally happening!"


    "It''s been months since Ist saw her! I''m so excited!"


    "Me too!"


    "What do you think she came here to address?"


    "What else? Hehehe!"


    They chattered on and on as they walked to the Auditorium, especially to Rey and Lucielle¡ªthe two newest students in the Academy.


    The White Dragon Lord was the Head of the Imperial Academy, which made her the most important figure on school grounds¡ªof course, she was secondary to the Emperor, but still¡­ Her authority on Campus was unmatched, even among the other Lords.


    Other than that pertinent fact, she was also a Dragon Lord.


    It wasn''t every day that students got to meet Dragon Lords, after all¡­ especially the one who was said to be the prettiest of all of them.


    Only those who dwelled in their Domains, or in the Capital, could boast a frequent encounter with Dragon Lords, and even they wouldn''t have had many opportunities to hear a Lord speak to them directly. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    It was for these reasons¡ªand more¡ªthat the students were all excited.


    To many, The White Dragon Lord was their hero.


    Many dreamt of serving in her Squad once they became qualified, while other simply dreamt of the day they could speak with her.


    "You''re excited right? Right?!"


    They expected Rey and Lucielle to disy the same levels of interest as them, and the two did not disappoint.


    "O-of course! I can''t wait!"


    "Me too!"


    With such a festive mood in the air, the students of ss 1-A made their way to the Central Auditorium.


    ****************


    ''Damn¡­ this is impressive.''


    As expected of the architecture within the Dragon Empire, the Central Auditorium was elegantly designed¡ªboth in terms of its interior and exterior.


    Rey had already been shown the exterior when Mi''ja was giving the tour, and while he was still amazed by the pristine design, it was the interior that really made him nearly gawk as soon as he entered.


    It nearly resembled the setting of a royal court.


    The clear floors seemed to be made with ss marble tiles, and the ceiling was so high up, that it felt like the heavens itself. There were gs raised on both left and right ends of the hall, with chandeliers reflecting pure white and golden rays on everything beneath them in order to grant more life to everything their light touched.


    The Auditorium wasrge enough to contain every single Dragon in the Academy, so that spoke greatly of its size. However, since only the students of the Basic Stages were present, it seemed even bigger than normal.


    Comfortable chairs were properly arranged in the hall, and their designs alone screamed luxury.


    The central stage was elevated to such an extent that even anyone at the furthest side of the room could view the speaker. Designs that disyed wealth and prestige covered the walls of the Auditorium, and it was clear that no expense was spared in its construction.


    It was simply an amazing haven.


    ''If this is how the Auditorium of an Academy is, I wonder what the premises of the Lords¡­ and then the Emperor look like.''


    This was even more luxurious than the Royal Council''s pce interior.


    Rey''sparison was cut short, though, as the sudden distortion of the space before him caused all his senses to focus right in front where it was taking ce.


    What seemed to be mist wafted around, creating what appeared to be a swirling gateway.


    And within that gate emerged a woman.


    ¡ªThe White Dragon Lord.

 Chapter 796 The White Dragon Lords Announcement

    796 The White Dragon Lord''s Announcement


    The students were arranged in orderly fashion within the Auditorium, and this order was based on ss.


    Those in ss A upied the front-row seats in the auditorium, and these front-row seats were divided into nine rows¡ªsignifying the nine total Stages that existed in the Academy. Since only the Basic Stages were present, they upied the first three rows¡ªwith the ss A students directly opposite the tall stage.


    Rey was at the very front of the stage, so he had the front-row view of her appearance.


    She had a long, flowing white gown¡ªalmost as if it was a part of the mist that she proceeded out of. Her long white hair danced behind her, distorted partially by the closing spatial rift behind her.


    The white tail behind her, coupled with her even whiter wings¡ªif that was even possible¡ªseemed to be carved from the very essence of beauty


    Her perfectly white outfit matched her pale skin, and even the essories she donned¡ªon her hair, wrists, fingers, neck, and ears, all matched her aesthetic of purity.


    Her legs remained unseen as a result of the long gown, but everyone whoid eyes on her could use their imagination to visualize how perfect they would be. Her chest was particrly bountiful, and her hands seemed small and delicate, even within the long white gloves that she employed. Then, there was her face.


    She was gorgeous¡ªwith six horns that gloriously protruded from the corners of her head like a crown, or like a flower.


    Then, she opened her eyes, revealing her perfectly blue ocean eyes. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    It ced nearly everyone whoid eyes on her in a trance. Even the Instructors, as well as other staff present, were gawking at her beauty.


    Every Dragon in the hall could agree¡ªshe was the epitome of beauty.


    "Greetings, students¡­ staff as well." Her melodious voice rang beautifully into the ear of every person in the Auditorum, and they all smiled.


    They wanted to hear more.


    "I havee to bring good news to you all regarding your Excursion, as well as thest event for this Semester¡ªthe Inter-ss Exchange."


    The moment she said this, a thunderous cheer echoed from the audience. Students and Staff jointly found themselves roaring in cheers and praise as soon as the White Dragon Lord confirmed their suspicions.


    This was good¡ªno, beyond good¡ªnews.


    It was amazing news!


    "I know things have been a bit rocky here, especially after the Excursion was postponedst time. But, I have finally sorted out all the details¡­ and it is guaranteed this time."


    More thunderous cheers followed.


    "I will now tell you the details of the Excursion. Due to howte it hase into the Semester, the arrangement will be slightly different from what you''re used to¡­ so pay close attention to what I''m about to say."


    Instant silence echoed within the hall. Everyone held their breaths, just so there would be no sound, and they waited for their Head toy down the details


    "All three Stages will go on this Excursion together. I know this is different from the usual n, but since so much time has passed due to postponing the Excursion for so long, we had to make thispromise." She said with a sigh.


    The listeners understood why.


    "There has to be enough time to amodate the Inter-ss Exchange before they go on Break, and I don''t want to overextend this Semester''s length, since you all have your ns for the uing Break."


    Everyone nearly shed tears as they heard herpassionate rationale.


    The standard practice within the Academy regarding Excursions was to let the First Stage go to the designated location and spend a week there. After that, it would be the turn of the Second Stage Students¡ªwho would spend a week as well.


    Thest, but not least, would be the Third Stage.


    It was only until the return of the Third Stage Students that the Inter-ss Exchange would begin.


    The current arrangement was a great departure from the usual, but none of the students were upset in the slightest.


    "This time, your Excursion willst a total of ten days, and as I just finished saying¡­ it will involve all the Stages in the Basic Curriculum. Once you return from this Excursion, you''ll be given three days to rest and prepare for the Inter-ss Exchange."


    Many nodded in excitement, while some gulped.


    The Inter-ss Exchange was the biggest, as well as the most dangerous, event that happened in the Basic Stage at the end of every Semester, and it served as a game-changer for those who participated in it.


    It basically involved a draw-based system where the students who were qualified to participate¡ªthose who passed their respective ss Preliminaries¡ªwould be made to fight against students of the same ss but of different Stages.


    Hence, students from ss 1-A, 2-A, and 3-A would be chosen at random to face each other, and the same metric would be applied to the other sses in the Basic Stages.


    Winners would be granted points based on their aplishments, but those who lost could also lose points based on their failure.


    A good example would be a Student from ss 2-A losing to a Student from ss 1-A. While the one from ss 1-A would gain massive points for their sess, the senior who lost would have points subtracted from them.


    Hence, the wholepetition was a gamble.


    The rewards were worth it, though, so most students desired to take part in it.


    After all, this was the most guaranteed way to get promoted to a higher Stage or a better ss.


    Even if Students didn''t win¡­ as long as they could impress the judges, points would still be given to them, and they could be promoted to a higher ss¡ªall depending on how they fared.


    This was the main reason why most students were excited for it¡ªeven the ones in Grade 3.


    Fighting against their juniors didn''t seem very appealing, but since they could be guaranteed a chance to be promoted to ss A, if they won, many saw this as a very easy way to achieve their goals.


    As for those in ss 3-A, this was the chance unlike any other. If they did phenomenally well and managed to win in the Exchange, they could be chosen as a potential member of one of the Seven Squads.


    They could be a disciple of a Dragon Lord.


    All of these prospects made the Inter-ss Exchange something to look forward to among students, as there was something in it for practically everyone involved.


    "Also¡­ there''s one more good news¡­"


    Everyone ceased their excited murmurs and returned full focus to the wless beauty before them. As she parted her seductively moist lips, they swallowed their saliva and clung to her every word.


    "I am currently on the lookout for potential disciples, and so I will be paying special attention to this Exchange. If I am sufficiently impressed, I will be taking three people to my Domain for discipleship."


    The crowd nearly lost their minds the moment they heard this.


    This was an opportunity that not even their Instructors could dream of attaining, and it was something she was presenting those in the Basic Stages.


    All at once, every student jumped on their feet and gave their White Dragon Lord a standing ovation.


    She truly was the epitome of perfection.

 Chapter 797 Premature Celebrations

    797 Premature Celebrations


    ''This¡­ this is it!''


    As Adonis heard the words that the White Dragon Lord uttered, he couldn''t help but smile widely as his eyes bulged in shock.


    ''If I do well in the Inter-ss Exchange and get her attention, that means I won''t have to wait until I get into the 3rd Stage. I can achieve my mission faster than I expected!'' n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Each Dragon Lord had their domains in respective parts of the Empire, but they also had tons of business in the Capital, which meant that Adonis would be taken to the Capital on at least a few asions if he was to be the disciple of a Lord.


    ''This is perfect!'' A bead of sweat fell from his face as he intensely stared at the Dragon Lord before him.


    ''All I have to do is win! Thankfully, I''m up against Newts, so it shouldn''t be too difficult.''


    The only person he could consider giving him some trouble would be Rey, but even if Rey won¡­ as long as Adonis was among the top three, he didn''t really care for anything else.


    In essence, as long as he yed his cards right and didn''t fool around, this was pretty much guaranteed for him.


    ''Alright then¡­ let''s do this!''


    **************


    Rey couldn''t believe his ears.


    ''This is the perfect opportunity, isn''t it?'' He thought to himself as he looked at the White Dragon Lord with wide, nearly adoring eyes.


    ''If Adrien, Lucielle, and I impress the White Dragon Lord, we''ll be able to aplish our mission faster than I expected.''


    From what he could see, there were no real challenges among the other students.


    Well, except for Adonis.


    ''If he ends up fighting me, I''ll have to show no mercy and beat him before he gets the chance to get any attention on himself. Adrien should also be thinking the same thing, which means Lucielle is our only weak link.''


    Yes, Lucielle was a lot stronger than before¡­ but there was no way she could beat Adonis¡ªespecially if he wanted a piece of the cake that the White Dragon Lord was offering.


    ''Which means I''ll have to sabotage him one way or the other.''


    Rey didn''t care about the means. This was too good an opportunity to pass up, so if Adonis ended up facing Lucielle, he would have to find a way to make sure he lost.


    ''I''m sorry in advance, man¡­ but this is too important!''


    As soon as he finished making up his mind, Rey turned his head a little to the left and looked to his side¡ªpast his fellow ssmates¡ªand to the row where the ss 2-A students sat.


    There, he saw his target.


    The boy had polished ck hair, bright blue eyes, and wore his uniform in the neatest manner possible¡ªa model student in every sense of the word.


    There was one major problem, though.


    He was not a Dragon.


    There were no horns on his head, no wings clinging to his back, and no tail to be found.


    This individual who sat among the strongest of Stage 2 was not a Dragon, but belonged to the race that they despised and hated most¡ªHuman.


    ''Adrien Chase¡­'' Rey''s thoughts trailed as he found the boy staring straight to the stage, grinning from ear to ear.


    There was amusement and also discernment in that smile of his.


    ''... Looks like we''re on the same page.''


    Still, though, it was impossible not to notice the slightmotion that was going on around Adrien.


    None of his ssmates sat near him, and they all gave him terrible looks¡ªall of which was to be expected, considering the kind of Race he belonged to.


    He was the only one in the entire Auditorium who wasn''t a Dragon.


    ''Everyone is trying their best to hide their difort at the fact that he''s human, but they''re failing miserably at it.'' Rey smiled.


    He had noticed this the moment he first spotted Adrien, as soon as he entered the Auditorium, and even wondered what the White Dragon Lord''s reaction would be to the presence of a human tainting the purity of the Dragon Students she seemed so proud of.


    Much to his surprise, she didn''t say or do anything about it.


    ''I think I get it now¡­'' There wasn''t any other possible exnation than the one Rey had been suspecting for some time now.


    ''It''s because of his backer¡­ a Dragon Lord.''


    Mere Dragon Newts wouldn''t want to get into trouble with a Dragon Lord, which was probably why they were trying so hard not to show their disgust towards him¡ªthough all of that was in vain.


    Rather than bully him, they all simply ostracized him. As a result, they couldn''t particrly be held ountable for anything regarding him, since they simply refused to associate with one that they deemed inferior.


    ''It''s not just his ss too. Even the students from my Stage, and the Third Stage are looking at him strangely.'' Rey could bet that they would have torn him limb from limb if he wasn''t affiliated with a Dragon Lord, just from the look in their eyes.


    ''I guess this just goes to show how important it is to have the backing of a Lord.''


    It was all the more reason why Adrien, Lucielle, and himself had to impress the White Dragon Lord above all else.


    ''I hear she only takes in females, but that won''t matter if Adrien and I decimate thepetition. Lucielle should also be able to hold her own.'' Rey didn''t want to be overconfident about the whole thing, so he decided to do some research after the Grand Assembly was over.


    And by research, he meant asking his newfound friends more questions about the Inter-ss Exchange and the White Dragon Lord.


    "I suppose this is as good a time as any to reveal the location for your long-awaited Excursion. I promise¡­ it''s a ce none of you have ever been to before." As the White Dragon Lord spoke, everyone held their breaths and waited.


    "You''ll all be going to The Southern Continent."


    ''H-huh¡­?!'' Rey''s eyes widened the moment he heard this.


    He was immensely shocked.


    ''That''s where Ater, Belle, and Justin are, isn''t it? This can''t be a coincidence, right¡­?''

 Chapter 798 The Southern Continent

    798 The Southern Continent


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    A loud explosion ruptured within a massive cavern, causing the stctites and stgmites in the cave to tremble, with pieces of the ceiling even cracking due to its ferocious impact.


    The monstrously huge cavern soon quieted down, though, and two silhouettes emerged from the origin of the eruption¡ªa ce further into the depths of this hellscape.


    As the two walked away from the carnage and devastation they left in their wake, they finally reached the first source of outside light they had seen in nearly two weeks.


    "Haa¡­ finally¡­ that''s the Entrance, right?" The male between the two retorted, his voice a little hoarse thanks to his very gory experience within the Dungeon that he and his partner just finished conquering.


    Beside him was this very partner¡ªa beautiful, petite girl, whose body face had now been smeared with dirt and grime. It didn''t help that sticky sweat clung to her aching body as she slowly moved beside the boy.


    Two of them looked exhausted beyond words, yet they kept moving towards the gloriously gaping entrance to the Dungeon.


    They were so focused on this that they failed to notice the person who sat next to it.


    ¡­ Until he called their names.


    "Justin, Belle¡­ looks like you''re all done." As these words proceeded from the third person in the room, the two allies stopped dead in their tracks and looked in his direction.


    They were met with the handsome face of an ebony man with red hair, aplete ck suit, and a very chilling smile. Unlike their very ragged appearance, his dressing was posh, and his entire body was fresh.


    As he sat on the elevated tform, watching the two stare at him with multifarious emotions embedded on their faces, he gave them a round of apuse and added a chuckle.


    "Congrattions! I always knew you could do it!"


    As soon as they heard this, they heaved a sigh¡ªone filled with both relief and mild annoyance.


    "Why, thank you¡­ Ater." Justin mumbled, itching the back of his head as he straightened his body, causing many snapping noises to echo in the air.


    "For throwing us down there and believing in us¡­"


    "Is that sarcasm I sense?" Ater''s smile only grew wider as he raised his eyebrow, addressing the very exhausted Justin.


    "...."


    Thetter couldn''t even look him in the eye upon hearing the response.


    "Can you me him? We spent almost two weeks in there¡­ without any prior warning too. It was torture, you know?" This time, it was Belle''s turn to speak. Her tone was a lot more respectful than Justin''s, but tinges of frustrations were inevitably present there.


    What they had gone through was extremely dangerous, after all.


    "Well¡­ I knew you could ovee it, Belle. The mere fact that you''re standing right in front of me is proof of that fact."


    The moment he said this, the girl''s cheeks burned bright red and all her anger evaporated.


    "I-if you say so¡­" She gave afleeting whisper.


    Upon witnessing all of this, Ater couldn''t help but smile proudly at the two Otherworlders before him¡ªhis most valuable pawns at the moment, especially thanks to the transformation they had to undergo during such a short duration of time.


    These two, Belle and Justin, had managed to conquer a Pseudo Cmity-ss Dungeon all by themselves.


    And they seeded!


    Of course, this was only thanks to the fact that Justin was practically Immortal, and Belle had Ater''s protection cast over her. Still, the mere fact that they were able to make it out¡ªand within such a short time¡ªspoke volumes of their abilities.


    "How do the both of you feel right now?" Ater asked them, his smile only growing wider by the second.


    There were many things they could say at that moment.


    They couldin about their exhaustion¡­ their hunger¡­ their anger¡­ but none of those came to mind when those two opened their lips.


    They were only expected to give one answer, and they knew what it was.


    "Stronger."


    "I feel stronger."


    *************


    "... And then the Monsters just wouldn''t stop at that point. Right, Belle?"


    "Yeah! We had to run multiple times!"


    "Yeahh! Exactly!: n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    As the two teenagers regaled Ater of their adventures within the depths of the Dungeon, as if he hadn''t been observing them every step of the way, he was engrossed in thoughts of his own.


    ''Justin and Belle should soon awaken S-Tier sses, given their current pace. I think it''ll be a little before Master reaches SS-Tier. How exciting¡­'' He smiled, nodding silently as he thought on what they had to go through to achieve such results.


    ''This Dungeon is special due to the fact that its first Floor is the most difficult, and thest Floor is the easiest. I had to send them to the very bottom, so they could make their way up. I was worried it would take longer, but they didn''t disappoint.''


    As a result, both Justin and Belle had crossed Level 200.


    ''Justin''s ss is Shadow Assassin, and Belle still has the Heretic Mage ss. Soon, they''ll advance¡­''


    "The both of you did well." He finally spoke up, interrupting their storytelling attempts.


    They both grinned happily¡ªprobably because Ater had freshened them up with Magic, and they were finally able to eat something nice after spending weeks underground.


    "By the way, Ater¡­ you just transported us here straight from the Royal Estate. Where exactly are we? I mean, where is this Dungeon located?" Justin asked.


    "Yeah. Aren''t we supposed to be trying to get the Giants on our side?"


    Ater Belle asked her follow-up question, Ater couldn''t help but chuckle in amusement.


    After all¡­


    "... We are currently at the heart of the Giant Civilization."


    "E-EH¡­?!" Both Justin and Belle responded at the same time, their eyes nearly bulging as soon as they heard this.


    Rather than wasting time telling them the details, Ater reckoned that it was best to just show them, so he instantly transported the two of them, including himself, right outside the Dungeon.


    There, they were greeted with fresh breeze, the bright evening light, and a very tndscape that covered thend for miles.


    However, that wasn''t the only thing their eyes witnessed.


    "A-ahh¡­?!"


    "T-this is¡­!"


    Hundreds of tall and massive humanoid entities¡ªall having tattoos on their bare skin, and primitive clothing as wears¡ªstood right before the trio, clearly waiting for them to leave the imposing structure of the Dungeon that stood erect at their back.


    These were Giants!


    They had ashen gray skin, and their tattoos were white and ck. The shortest giant was at least five meters tall, and there were hundreds of them.


    Only one thought existed in the minds of Belle and Justin as they watched the colossal entities.


    ''This will be tough!''


    Yes, they were a lot stronger than they used to be¡­ but they were still recovering from their exhaustion, so it was practically impossible to win with such odds.


    The current number of Giants was also something to be worried about.


    They couldn''t take them down, even if they tried their hardest.


    "Don''t worry, you two¡­" Ater''s soothing voice suddenly rang in their ears, and it was followed by the most shocking thing they had seen all day.


    The hundreds of Giants went on their knees and bowed before them¡ªno, before Ater.


    "They''re on our side now."

 Chapter 799 Land Of Giants [Pt 1]

    799 Land Of Giants [Pt 1]


    All of the giants, in their magnitude, were in submission.


    This absurd sight sparked wide eyes and gaping mouths from both Justin and Belle, as the two couldn''t believe their eyes at the moment. They cast their gaze at the man who had the full respect of the Giants, and he was simply smiling casually.


    ¡­ Almost as if the whole thing was nothing.


    "H-how? When¡­?"


    "When?" Ater said, turning to Justin, whose mutterings managed to reach his ears. "What kind of question is that?"


    Both Belle and Justin fell into further confusion, but thankfully Ater rified what he meant with his next statement.


    "While the two of you were in the Dungeon, I figured I could simply conquer them to kill time."


    "Y-you already conquered all of them?!"


    "Yeah. You look so surprised." Ater gave Justin a smirk, then turned to Belle, whose face was already red as a tomato.


    "It wasn''t that difficult."


    Only Ater could say something like that. Once the two teenagers realized this, they swallowed any other question and doubts that they had and simply nodded.


    "So¡­" Ater turned towards the Giants, particrly the one that stood at the forefront of the rest of his brethren. "... Have you prepared what I asked for?"


    In response, the Giant grunted and nodded his head very slowly.


    ording to the culture of Giants, it was disrespectful to speak back to superiors¡ªat least, not until explicit permission was given. As a result, most Giants could only speak to their leaders with grunts and signs.


    Ater found this to be a little distasteful at first, but it didn''t bother him any longer.


    "I suppose it''s grown on me." Whispering to himself, while nodding his head at the Giant''s words, he turned to Justin and Belle.


    "Both of you will have to follow these Giants. They''ll take you to the quarters that I asked them to prepare for you."


    "E-eh? What about you?" Belle quickly let out a protest, and she was joined by Justin''s rapidly bobbing head.


    "Haha! I have something else to do. I''ll meet up with you twoter."


    The duo looked at each other and sighed deted. They knew better than to question Ater or challenge his authority.


    Instead, they simply agreed and walked towards the Giants.


    "Now then¡­" As he watched them from behind, Ater''s smile broadened, and darkness began to surround him.


    The space around him seemed to distort and bend, with shes of ck and red energy dancing around him¡ªall of which were encapsted in a single second.


    Then¡ª


    ~VWUSH!~


    ¡ªHepletely vanished from the ce that he stood.


    ************


    "So¡­ where exactly are we going?" Out of the two, Justin was able to work up the courage to talk to the Giants.


    Both he and Belle sat on the shoulders of the tallest Giant of the bunch¡ªone that stood at about nine meters. His skin was a tad darker than the rest, and he had far more borate tattoos on his body than everyone else.


    He was clearly different¡ªperhaps the strongest of their group.


    "I don''t think they can speak. See how they didn''t say anything to Ater?" Belle said, almost with a sigh.


    Both of them didn''t know about the culture of the Giants¡ªparticrly the reason why the Giants couldn''t just have a conversation with them.


    And so, they had to endure the deathly silence while watching the brave new world they were in unravel before their eyes. ****************


    The Giant Chief''s Residence. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    It stood at the very center of the Giant Civilization, boasting of a massivepound that could contain thousands of Giants with ease.


    The entire race dwelled in a single city, though calling it that was apliment that their primitive settlement did not deserve. It was more akin to a vige than anything else¡ªalbeit a veryrge one.


    The Giants were about fifty thousand in poption¡ªwith half of them being women and children. The rest were the men¡ªstrong, hefty Giant Men.


    As a result of their rtively small numbers, they could dwell in the same ce, led by a single entity known as the Giant Chief.


    His power and prestige were beyond what a single person should have, making him more akin to a deity in the eyes of his people.


    ¡ªA supreme god, perhaps.


    His residence boasted the most advanced architecture, but even that was unimpressive by any modern standard.


    Giants lived in stone houses¡ªdesigned simr to small mountains. The Giant Chief had numerous mountain-like peaks converging together to form his grand pce. To every Giant, this was magnificent in the most amazing way, but it wasn''t very impressive.


    Still, since the Giant Race was quite primitive, they had no issues with their architecture, clothing, and other essential aspects of their culture.


    Most importantly, their Chief never desired for it to change.


    And so, it remained.


    As long as their Chief¡ªthe strongest of Giants¡ªwas pleased with their work, they were pleased with it as well.


    "Well, Chief¡­ what do you think about my story?"


    Deep within the cluster of mountain-like buildings, at the grand throne-room where the Giant Chief''s throne stood erect, Ater''s voice echoed very ominously.


    The stone carvings, and primitive drawings that littered the hall were still intact, and the several massive statues were ever so present. Everything about the structure was unimpaired, as it had always been, yet¡­ something was off.


    Perhaps it was the fact that, rather than the Giant Chief, the tiny figure of Ater, sat on the great throne. He made himself at home in the colossal chair, staring above him as he smiled in amusement.


    And then, hovering above the polished stone floor of the hall¡ªhundreds of feet in the air¡ªwas the terribly massive body of the Chief.


    He was wrapped in ck chains that tied every part of his body.


    His hands, legs, neck¡­ and even his crotch; everything was tightly bound by the giant constraints that ominously leaked out malevolent energy.


    The same god-like figure that ruled the Giants now powerlessly stood still in the air¡­pletely at the mercy of their new deity.


    "I think it''s quite amusing."

 Chapter 800 Land Of Giants [Pt 2]

    Chapter 800 Land Of Giants [Pt 2]


    "My Lord¡­ I have gathered all the precious materials in the Royal Inventory."


    The wife of the Giant Chief¡ªcorrection, former Chief¡ªwas bowing directly in front of Ater''s throne as she made her report. She was one of the few who was allowed to speak to him, and her tone was wlessly precise. This, of course, was due to the fact that females had better mastery overnguage than men¡ªwhose responsibilities as warriors came first.


    As the female above all other females in the Giant Civilization, the Chief''s Wife was particrly more fluent than most.


    It pleased Ater.


    "Good. I''ll check it out soon. Use this opportunity to arrange them based on perceived rarity, so I can have an easier time checking them outter."


    "Understood, My Lord."


    "You may leave." Ater dismissed her with a sleight of hand, and she instantly obeyed, scurrying off toplete her order.


    The Giant Chief, who was still trapped in suspension above the floors, watched all of this with horror.


    His wife¡ªthe one who had been with him since they were mere children¡ªhad now gotten ustomed to calling another man her lord.


    The pain in his eyes were too brutal to evenprehend, let alone describe.


    "Now then¡­ shall we get to serious matters?" Ater cast his gaze towards the three Giants who were currently kneeling before him.


    They each easily stood at fifteen meters, and they were of a different colorpared to the other Giants¡ªwith varying colored tattoos as well.


    ''They''re variants¡­ the ones who have the highest potential to be powerful warriors. And these variants are the strongest of every other Giant out there.''


    After all, they were the Four Grand Knights¡ªthe personal force of the Chief.


    Yet¡­ even they were bowing so loyally to him.


    One of them had red skin, with purple tattoos on his incredibly muscr body. He wielded a massive ax, and he even had a helmet on his head which cast a shadow on his bloodthirsty eyes.


    He was the second inmand of the Knights, and an incrediblebatant.


    In terms of weapon mastery, he was the best.


    The one to his right was a female, with blue skin and a staff that was almost as tall as her. The staff was crooked, and it had several rings, as well as a Monster''s Skull, attached to it. She had flowing darker blue hair, with yellow tattoos on her body.


    She was the Mage of the group¡ªan incredibly rare breed that existed among the Giants.


    The one to the furthest left had green skin, with orange tattoos on his body. He had what appeared to be gauntlets on his two hands, and he was the best brawler among the Grand Knights.


    He was bald, unlike the other two, and his face seemed the most barbaric.


    There was one more missing, and Ater could already guess what befell him. He decided not to talk about that yet, though, instead addressing the reason they were currently kneeling in front of him. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "How did your mission to the Dwarves go?"


    For a moment after uttering this, there was sheer silence in the hall. The three Knights stared at each other, looking a little conflicted on how to go about rying the information.


    "Haaa¡­" Ater sighed at this point, almost as exasperated by the situation as he was disappointed in his forgetfulness to grant them permission. "You may speak to me."


    "W-well¡­ Dwarves not take it well." The Red Giant said with a low grunt.


    It was clear that he was doing his best to speak fluently¡­ though it wasn''t as good as the Chief''s Wife.


    "They¡­ attack¡­ us¡­" The bald green one added.


    He smiled in pride for some reason¡ªperhaps due to the fact that he could make three coherent words without too much of a struggle.


    He was a meathead, who was known more for hisbat abilities and not his intelligence, after all¡­


    "We lost our leader to them, Sir. It was thanks to him that we were able to retreat and ry the news to you¡­" As expected, the female was the most fluent among the three.


    Not only was it because she was female, but also due to the fact that she was a Mage. Only a few Giants could boast of her measure of intelligence, which was one more reason why she was able to be a Grand Knight¡ªa position that no female had ever upied until she came along.


    Ater didn''t care about any of that, though.


    He had gotten the information he wanted, which was precisely what he was already expecting.


    ''Well¡­ I''m d they''re this predictable.'' He smiled, returning his attention to the Grand Knights before him.


    "Were you able to retrieve any of his remains?"


    The three nodded, with the two males turning to the Blue Giant, who was already muttering a Spell¡ªknown as Incantations in the Giant Civilization.


    Her amulet of bones¡ªwith a skull located at its center¡ªbegan to glow. Then¡­


    ~VWUUSH!~


    ¡­ Right in front of the trio, a casket materialized. It was made of ck stone, and even without opening it, Ater could already tell of its contents.


    ''They were only able to retrieve his head and one of his limbs. I see¡­ so the Dwarves are quite thorough and brutal in their executions.'' He thought to himself in amusement, raising a hand as he stared hard at the casket.


    "Hollow Technique¡­."


    A sudden pulse of purple energy suddenly burst from Ater''s outstretched hands, all of it converging on the still casket.


    It only remained still for a second after that.


    ~CRACK!~


    A hand suddenly broke through the stony casket ceiling, creating a deafening echo in the hall. The debris all floated in the air as soon as they were scattered forth, preventing them from staining the polished floors.


    Then¡­ much to the shock of all who watched¡­ the entity within rose with new, false life.


    "Huuu¡­" Steamy breath escaped the Giant''s slightly open lips as his muscr purple body slowly emerged from the very depths of death.


    It had crimson tattoos on its purple flesh, and dark, forbidden energy radiated around him.


    This was the Head of the Grand Knights¡ªthe harbinger of destruction.


    But now? He was no more than Ater''s ything.

 Chapter 801 Hail The Chief

    801 Hail The Chief


    "WE HAIL YOU, LORD!"


    "HAIL!"


    "HAIL!"


    The Grand Knights all bowed before Ater, prostrating themselves even lower than before, as they marveled at his power. None of them had ever seen Necromancy before, so they were shocked by the revival of the Purple Giant. Not only was he alive and breathing, but he seemed even stronger than he had been when he was alive.


    As he went to join the ranks of the prostrating Knights, even more hails echoed within the hall.


    This was generated by the Guard Giants, who had silently stood in their posts. None of them could resist the temptation of subservience, though.


    They disyed total respect and fear.


    Upon seeing all of this, Ater simply chuckled and raised his head so he could see the agonizing reaction of the Giant Chief.


    Much to his expectation, the Chief also had the same look in his eyes that the Giants had.


    ¡ªHorror¡­ and Adoration.


    "Were you able tomand this much power among your own people, I wonder¡­" Amusement rang in his tone as he looked at the broken leader.


    ''I suppose it''s about time.''


    Slowly, the Giant Chief began to fall to the floor. His chains still tightly clung to his body, but he was moving closer to where Aterfortably sat¡ªthe same ce that once belonged to the fallen leader.


    "Do you still wish to resist, or will youply?"


    He loosened the hold of the chains on the Chief''s throat and mouth, allowing the colossal savage the chance to speak.


    At this point, the Chief knew¡­ he only had one chance.


    The man before him held the power of life and death in the palm of his hand. If he was to survive in this reality he had to abdicate allmand.


    ¡­ The same way the one who came before him had done for him.


    "I¡­ ready¡­ toply."


    "Good." Ater nodded, instantly releasing the chain from the Chief''s entire body. "Compliance will be rewarded."


    ~THUD!~


    The Chief''s silver-like body fell to the floor, causing everything within the hall to tremble slightly.


    His hulking form was at least twenty-one meters tall, and he was better built than the other Grand Knights. His Tattoos were golden, and his short hair and polished beard caused his face to have an aura of maturity and age.


    All in all, he was befitting royalty¡ªalbeit a fallen one.


    "Join them."


    In sheer obedience, the former Chief went to the forefront of the four Knights, and then bowed himself to Ater.


    He had finally reached the point of no return.


    "Good¡­ good." As Ater''s words echoed in his ears, the Chief understood his role perfectly.


    He could no longer desire the throne, as he was no longer deserving of it. Instead, he would now have to work as one of the Grand Knights¡­ serving the current Chief.


    ¡ªThe one known as Ater.


    ''And with that¡­ I''ve fully solidified my standing with the Giants. I doubt such would even exist at this point, but even thest embers of rebellion will be quelled once the Giants witness their Chief being in my service.''


    Even the most loyal servants of the former Chief would have no choice but to fold.


    ''Though I doubt anyplicated measures like this had to even be taken in the first ce. In the end, these people are easy to impress due to their primitive nature and culture.''


    Giants valued strength, and the only reason the Chief became such an icon among his people was due to the fact that he was the biggest and strongest.


    Such ack of subtlety and finesse made it too easy for Ater.


    Still¡­ he recognized his task was far from over.


    ''The Dwarves are quite different from the Giants in the most important parts. Both races have their pride to uphold, but the former have the intelligence to back up that pride.''


    They wouldn''t be swindled by petty means or parlor tricks, unlike the Giants before him.


    ''My Hollow Technique can''t fully resurrect someone. It just regenerates their body¡ªand I can manipte the variations of that regeneration.''


    The Soul would already be absent, hence why it was called ''Hollow''.


    Despite this damning limitation, though, Ater could still influence the behavior of the body by manipting the brain so that the target could act the same as they would if they were alive. Things like muscle memory, as well as actual memories, could be activated in the brain, making them empty husks that could imitate living beings.


    ''The Giants don''t know any better, though, and think their fallenrade is back.'' Ater nearly smirked as he shook his head slightly.


    ''As long as I can make them believe they can achieve immortality with me as their leader, they will all be willing to fearlessly follow me.''


    They could even die for him if he somanded it.


    ''But with the Dwarves¡­ let''s just say I''ll need something a little heavier than my current tactics.'' He smiled. ''I''ll have to break them.''


    Focusing his gaze on the five Grand Knights before him, and the multiple other Knights that bowed before him in the hall, Ater finally floated away from his throne.


    "It''s time." As soon as he said this, all the Giants rose to their feet, nodded their heads, and began to walk towards the entrance/exit of the hall.


    Ater followed behind them, gliding gracefully in the air as his hands slid into his pockets.


    Once he finally exited the Throne-room, he was met with a horde of Giants¡ªtens of thousands of them¡ªas they all cheered loudly to wee his arrival.


    Standing at the forefronts were the variants, and behind were the regr Giants. He could even see the ones who were waiting for him at the Dungeon, which meant Belle and Justin were currently resting in their quarters.


    "HAIL!"


    "HAIL!"


    "HAIL!"


    As their thunderous voices echoed in the air, Ater cast a wide, malevolent smile at the crowd and nodded slowly to himself.


    ''This should be fun.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

 Chapter 802 Excursion Protocols

    Chapter 802 Excursion Protocols


    ''It''s been a week since Lucielle and I started life at the Academy¡­''


    As Rey sat in his seat, staring nkly in front of him as the Instructor entered the ssroom, his thoughts began to slightly trail.


    ''So far, I can say we''ve adjusted to life here pretty well.'' He nced towards Lucielle''s position, and their eyes met at that very moment.


    ''Ah, yikes!''


    He quickly looked away, but not before catching her smiling at him.


    ''Lucielle and I spend hoursmunicating through [Link], so in a way¡­ I can say we''ve grown closer. Still, memories of that kiss sometimes sh in my mind, and that makes things very awkward for me.''


    At the very least, Rey was thankful that he was the only one who remembered it.


    ''In any case, a lot of buzz has been going ontely.'' Rey looked around him and he could see the overt expressions of excitement on the faces of his ssmates. He knew why they were all like this.


    ''We begin our Excursion to the South tomorrow, and pretty much every member of the ss is excited for it.''


    In a sense, Rey was also excited.


    He hadn''t been to the South before, so he was pretty curious about a lot of things there. Of course, he made sure to do his due research about the ce during the week he spent in the Academy.


    ''Unlike with the United Human Alliance''s Library¡­ the Library here contains a lot more information about this world and its inhabitants.''


    He was able to find out more about the Giants and Dwarves¡ªeven down to their anatomy.


    Rey didn''t want to think about how the Dragons were able to generate such detailed information regarding these races, but he already knew.


    ''Apparently, it''s not much different from how humans feel when dissecting rats¡­'' He nearly sighed, brushing the thought from his mind.


    There were also tons of material regarding the Western Continent, particrly the humans of H''Trae.


    Far more than the United Human Alliance had¡­ and slightly different too.


    ''Adrien was right. Even though the war has only been for roughly eleven years ording to the Alliance, it seems like the Dragons have been at war with the world for over a thousand years.''


    He still wasn''t sure about what caused the discrepancy, and he hadn''t gotten around to finding out all of that in great detail¡ªnot with his academic studies and research about South that currently upied his mind.


    ''Lucielle is too busy learning about their Mana Circles and unique Spell Applications¡­ stuff that humans in H''Trae are behind in.''


    Everyone had their priorities, but that didn''t distract him from the main task that he was in the Dragon Empire for.


    ''For now, though¡­ let''s go along with this.'' Ceasing his borate thoughts on various tangents, Rey decided to focus on the words of Instructor Isra''il.


    "It''s important for me to remind you about the relevance of the Excursionthat you''ll all be participating in tomorrow, as well as the protocols involved."


    The first thing Isra''il drilled into the minds of every student in the ssroom was that this wasn''t meant to be just a fun field trip. It was an academic journey, meant to expose the young Dragons to the other Continents that the Empire was conquering, and the way the Military operated.


    This was meant to instill practical experiences into the budding minds of students, and also make them see the importance of the Military to the Empire.


    Statistical research showed that students were more willing to work hard academically, all in order to be qualified enough to be dispatched into the Military, after being exposed to the battlefield at an early age.


    The more often they were exposed to this, the better.


    As absurd as all of this information felt to Rey, it reminded him a lot of his school back on Earth, and after spending a week here¡­ the atmosphere was growing on him.


    "So remember to learn as much as you can from this Excursion. Yes, you''re going to have tons of fun¡ªincluding actually killing a few enemies yourself, as well as being involved in their dissection and torture¡ªbut remember that it''s more than just the fun. It''s the learning experience¡­ okay?"


    "Yes sir!"


    Rey was among the students that emphatically responded with excitement, but he was unsurprisingly disgusted by what Dragons considered "fun".


    ''It''s a biological thing, apparently. All Dragons are born with predatory instincts that cause pleasure to be released to their body anytime they inflict harm on humans or sentient creatures that are deemed inferior to them.''


    Even the mere thought of the act could cause many to experience arousal and positive sensations.


    It was why even the innocent and young students were eager to get involved in warfare and ughter their fair share of enemies.


    They just couldn''t help it.


    "As for the protocol, there have been a slight change to the natural order of things, so listen attentively as I exin." Instructor Isra''il interrupted Rey''s thoughts, so he decided to pay strict attention once again.


    "All the students will be divided into two main groups. One group will first be taken to the Giant War Base and the second group will be taken first to the Dwarven War Base. I''ll be dividing this ss into two groups, and other ss Instructors are going to do the same for their respective sses."


    Shocked gasps escaped the lips of the students, but once Isra''il raised his hands to demand silence¡­ everyone fell into a hush.


    "The groups will be rotated after the first five days. So, after five days, the first group will go to the Dwarven War Base, and the second group will be taken to the Giant War Base. The rationale behind this is to prevent overcrowding in the camps we''ll be upying, since they aren''t built to handle students from all three Stages at once." Once he was done exining, the students all leaked a sigh of relief and smiled.


    The arrangement was fair.


    "At least, with this, you''ll make good use of your 10-day Excursion." As he said this, the students nodded in agreement.


    With the exnation of the rest of the protocols out of the way, Isra''il proceeded to announce the groupings of the ss.


    ''As I feared¡­'' Rey thought with a stifled sigh.


    ''... Lucielle and I are in different groups.''


    The ss Representative, Mi''ja, as well as Adonis were also in the same group as Lucielle''s¡ªthat is, Group 2.


    A few other friends that Rey had made¡ªlike Chi''go¡ªwere also in her group.


    As for his group, he had Mor''ucho, Lu''ffa, Geo''rge, Cyn''dy¡ªthe female twin¡ªand a couple other oddballs with him.


    For some reason, Rey felt the pairing was a little uneven¡ªand not just with the number of students allocated to each group, which was bound to be unequal, given their total number. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ''Most of thepetent ones are in Lucielle''s group. But, oh well¡­ this is just an Excursion anyway.''


    The twin siblings made a racket to be together, but Isra''il shut them down and told them that they would have to bear with it for ten days.


    For some reason, that brought Rey all the satisfaction he needed.

 Chapter 803 Reunion Of Extras

    Chapter 803 Reunion Of Extras


    "You can also check your devices for the groupings of the other sses and Stages." The moment Instructor Isra''il said this, Rey picked up his tablet.


    The device was very simr to what Rey was familiar with on Earth, though there were a few differences. Still, he was able to getpletely ustomed to it within a week, so he could navigate his way through practically every facet of the interface.


    He already had a name and face in mind, and he didn''t hesitate to begin his search on the group listings.


    ''What group are you in¡­ Adrien?''


    After spending just a few seconds scouring the General Roster, he found Adrien''s name printed among the others. It was easy to find his name in particr, since it was the only one written and pronounced differently.


    Regardless, Rey was relieved once he saw it.


    ''You''re in my Group. This is perfect!'' He smiled, satisfied with at least one thing about the groupings.


    ''I''m still a little concerned about Lucielle, but I''ll just make sure I remain in constantmunication with her throughout the next ten days.''


    He also nned to keep a very close eye on Adrien.


    ''Then¡­ as for him¡­'' He cast his eyes on Adonis, who was busy facing the Instructor, giving the ss his full attention.


    Rey and Adonis hadn''t really spoken since the very first day, and even the few times they exchanged words, it was with the context that they were both Dragon Students in the Imperial Academy.


    Lucielle still had no idea about Adonis'' real identity, and Rey didn''t have any intention of telling her. ''I should be able to trust Adonis to make sure Lucielle is safe, at the very least.''


    While Adonis had indeed changed a great deal, his Alignment still read "Lawful Good" which meant he was still a trustworthy guy.


    That was more than enough for Rey.


    ''Then, down to the most pertinent issue¡­ it''s about time I acted.''


    Throughout the week he spent in the Academy, Rey made sure to properly observe Adrien. With his satisfaction finally met, he decided it was finally time for him to make his move.


    ''The Excursion is tomorrow. I suppose our reunion is long overdue. Don''t you think so?''


    ~Yeah!~


    Rey smiled as he heard Emil''s voice in his thoughts. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ~This should be fun!~


    *******************


    "Haaa¡­"


    Adrien sighed as he rose to his feet after another long day in ss, happy that the lectures for the day were finally over.


    He looked to his right and left, finding the immediate seats beside him empty. Even the one directly behind him was unupied.


    This caused a wry smile to y on his face.


    ''I guess the space is good¡­'' With that thought in mind, he decided to say his usual general farewell to his ssmates.


    As expected, they tantly ignored him.


    Some of them sent him hateful, disgusted stares¡ªbehind his back, of course. No one would ever dare to show any sign of animosity to someone who had been personally handpicked by a Dragon Lord.


    ''It seems Vai''zel really made all the arrangements for my transfer. I can only imagine the lengths he had to go through to get approval from Frey''ja and the Emperor so that I would be epted here¡­''


    He was definitely a Lord of means.


    ''He''s yed his part and brought me here. It''s up to me to excel and earn my ce by his side through merit. So far, I''ve managed to retain his attention, and I still intend to impress him as time goes on. The problem is¡­ the Dragons around me.''


    And no, not the students. Those were impotent in much of anything regarding his affairs within the Academy, and were mostly inconsequential to his progress.


    The issue was the staff¡ªparticrly the Instructors.


    It wasn''t lost to Adrien that the Dragons despised him, and constantly berated him. The Storm Dragon Lord had already warned him of the hardships he would face here, and he had already braced himself for the worst.


    With the students, their disy of hatred was something he could always ignore.


    ¡­ But he couldn''t do that with the staff.


    ''They hold my points in the palm of their hands, which means I am somewhat at their mercy.'' He told himself.


    Of course, they couldn''t arbitrarily remove his points, or unjustifiably fail him when he passed something. However, they were on the constant lookout for any slip-up that would warrant a reduction in points.


    And since they could apply discretion to a lot of these point reductions, most of the Instructors were bound to apply the harshest measures reasonably epted within the system to him¡ªall to make him lose merit and get him expelled.


    ''The Dragon Lord can''t intervene in this, because it''s not his domain. Plus, I''m sure he''d be more impressed with me if I managed to excel despite all the prejudice against me.''


    That was Adrien''s rationale as he continued his life in the Academy.


    He made sure to constantly study, preparing for any and all negative possibilities. So far, he had managed to prevent any faults on his part.


    ''The main issue is that I''m also being denied opportunities to earn points. He was never chosen to answer questions in ss, and he was constantly given the short end of the stick in activities. At this rate, my performance will be stunted.''


    He already knew how to deal with the problem, though, but that would be until after the Excursion.


    Adrien left his ssroom, hearing all the whispers made about him.


    None of them concerned him.


    He walked to his dorm, hearing the murmurs, and feeling the piercing stares of every Dragon who saw him. Once again, he didn''t really care.


    At longst, after walking for what felt like an eternity, he finally reached his room.


    He entered, locking the door instantly as he made for his bed and shut his eyes while releasing his heaviest sigh yet.


    "Haaa¡­" Exhaling deeply, he closed his eyes and smiled.


    Finally¡­ he could rx.


    "Hello, Adrien." Before he could spend even a second in his bliss, he heard a very familiar voice, instantly feeling the familiar presence in his room.


    He turned to his side, witnessing the presence seated on his chair as he stared at him.


    It was Rey.

 Chapter 804 Joint Planning

    804 Joint nning


    ''Hmm¡­''


    [STATUS WINDOW] - Name: Adrien Chase


    - Race: Human (Otherworlder)


    - ss: Necromancer (A-Tier)


    - Level: 100 (23.90% EXP) - Life Force: 50 (+3,000) {+4,000}


    - Mana Level: 150 (+5,000) {4,000}


    - Combat Ability: 100 (+4,500) {4,000}


    - Stat Points: 1,445


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Skill Creation]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Inventory]. [Necromancy]. [Greater Darkness]. [Grand Defense]. [Grand Spatial Magic]. [Grand Item Summon]. [Grand Healing]. [Greater Armament]. [Full Resistance]. [Full Boost]. [Equip Limit Break]. [Deep Insight]. [Absolute Magic Utility]. [Mind Touch]. [Absolute Combat Application]. [Anticipation]. [Absolute Magic Interference]. [Divine Persona]. [Command Code]. [Greater Luck]. [Pinhio]. [Link]. [Miasma]


    {See More: [Status Interference]. [Where Evil Lurks]. [Banishment]. [Full Comprehension]. [Absolute Mental Fortitude]. [Idle Gamble]. [Wish Fulfillment]. [See Through]. [Veil]. [Copse]. [Last One Standing]. [Absolute Mana Recovery]. [Absolute Life Force Recovery]. [It Is Written].}


    - Alignment: Chaotic Neutral


    [Additional Information]


    A true mastermind. One who lurks in the shadows and causes others to do his bidding whileughing underneath his mask.


    His goals remain a mystery too¡­


    [End Of Information]


    As Rey stared at Adrien''s Status Window, he had a few thoughts¡­ though the dominant one had to be:


    ''He''s gotten even stronger since west met.''


    Adrien had jumped ten levels, and his Stat Points had also increased considerably. The growth wasn''t scarily massive, and Rey was still dominant in every aspect of their Stats¡ªincluding Skills¡ªbut he still couldn''t help but be wary.


    ''I suppose it''s a good thing to have an ally as strong as Adrien, but as long as I don''t fully trust him, there''ll always be that lingering feeling of worry that I can''t get rid of.'' He thought to himself.


    For the moment, though, Rey decided to be content with the look of shock that existed on Adrien''s face after he made his appearance known to him.


    ''He''s trying to hide his surprise, but it''s no use.''


    It was always a pleasant thing for Rey whenever he had the upper hand in their conversations or meetings, so he made sure to quell some of his suspicions and make himselffortable as he gazed upon his interlocutor with a casual smile on his face.


    "So¡­ how does it feel to have so much attention on you, Adrien? You''re the only human in the whole Academy, aren''t you?" The humorous tone he used caused the slight tension in the air to dissolve, and the two managed to leak out a few chuckles as a result.


    "Well¡­ let''s just say it''s slightly annoying and ufortable." Reyughed a little more after hearing this. "Of course, it would be. For a mastermind that likes to stay in the shadows, this isn''t your style, is it?"


    "Yeah, but my current situation is understandable, as well as necessary." Adrien responded with a slight shrug. "I just have no choice but to endure it."


    "Well¡­ I suppose your benefactor''s hands are tied somewhat. Plus, you''d be proving yourself more resourceful if you didn''tin to him about these annoyances you face in school, instead handling it on your own." Once Rey said this, Adrien nodded slowly and smiled even further.


    "Correct. Plus¡­ it could always be worse."


    Both boys seemed to understand pretty much everything about the current situation without exchanging detailed words with each other. Still, the end result for Adrien''s efforts had to be clearlyid out.


    "I have to satisfy the Storm Dragon Lord by excelling in the Academy before I can get the opportunity to get close to our target destination¡ªThe Imperial Capital."


    Rey nodded almost immediately.


    He already guessed as much, since a Dragon Lord was his backer. Said Dragon Lord would understandably keep an eye out for an asset like Adrien, so it only made sense that thetter would do all in his power to prove himself.


    "If I can be a disciple, or at least something close to that¡­ I should be able to achieve what I want."


    The whole thing reminded Rey of something else that he wanted to discuss with Adrien¡ªwhich he expected thetter to have mentioned, even in passing. Since nothing was said about it, he decided to take it upon himself.


    "What about the White Dragon Lord''s announcement? ording to what she said, you would have an easier time bing her disciple. All you have to do is impress her in the Inter-ss Exchange and¡ª"


    "Forget about that option." Adrien responded very coldly and dismissively, something that rarely ever happened with him.


    Rey paused and stared at him with a bit of surprise.


    He wanted to know why.


    Why would Adrien easily dismiss a more efficient option, and why would he do so with a wary frown on his face?


    "It''s best we don''t consider that an option at all. The White Dragon Lord is a sinking ship at the moment."


    "Sinking¡­ ship?"


    ording to what Rey saw, she held a lot of influence and respect among the Dragons. She was also a Lord, meaning she had ess to the Capital¡ªsame as the other lords. Most importantly, she was the Head of the Academy, which meant going through her would be the least suspicious and by far the easiest.


    Everything pointed in her direction, and he was of the opinion that his and Adrien''s discussions would be geared towards their n to win the Exchange and impress her.


    ''I certainly wasn''t expecting this¡­'' Still maintaining a stoic demeanor, he decided to be patient and allow Adrien to exin the reason for his downright negative response.


    "Her current political position among the Lords isn''t very good, Rey. I don''t know the details behind it myself, but the White Dragon Lord got into some trouble recently, and she''s lost considerable allies among the other Lords and prominent figures in the Empire. She also seems to have fallen out of grace with the Emperor."


    ''Really?'' Rey''s eyes slightly widened. ''It didn''t seem like it at all, though¡­''


    "She''s also currently weakened, since she lost one of her precious eyes. This is just spection, but I think she''s currently the weakest among the Dragon Lords."


    This took Rey by surprise once again.


    ''I checked her Status Window, and she seemed pretty strong to me. Does that mean the other Lords are stronger than her? Damn¡­ does this mean I''ve been underestimating the Dragon Lords all this time?''


    There was also the possibility that Adrien was wrong, but given his seriousness and his usual exercise of due diligence, he found that to be slightly unlikely.


    "How do you know all of this? From your benefactor?"


    "Yes."


    "And you don''t think he was being biased? He is a Dragon Lord himself, so maybe¡ª"


    "He didn''t know I was listening in. He was having a conversation with the other Dragon Lords¡­ without including the White Dragon Lord. I got to hear their opinions of her, and it''s not good."


    ''Ah¡­ I see now.''


    If the other Lords were in on it, then that meant her prestige was really hanging on a thread.


    "That isn''t all, though." Adrien sighed. "The final nail in the coffin will be happening soon¡­ at the Exhibition that will be taking ce within the Capital."


    "That won''t be happening for another few months or so, though, right?"


    "Yeah¡­ but a few months will be here sooner than you can imagine. Besides, once the Exhibition takes ce, the White Dragon Lord''s position at the bottom of the barrel will be solidified."


    "borate." Rey muttered, interlocking his fingers as he watched Adrien intently.


    "From the talk among the other Lords, and also from what I have personally observed, I suspect the White Lord will be pushed to the very bottom in the ranks in terms of status, and her Squad will also suffer the same fate."


    "Hmm¡­"


    "That''s why it will be unwise totch on to her in order to get ess to the Capital." Adrien added with a sigh."Of course¡­ this is all just conjecture, but I think it''s best not to take the risk."


    "I see¡­"


    A few seconds after this, neither party spoke. It seemed Adrienw as waiting for Rey to absorb all he had just said, and then Rey was waiting for Adrien to say something else.


    Hence, the two remained quiet for nearly a minute. In the end, though¡­ someone had to speak.


    "I can rmend you to the Storm Dragon Lord if you are exceptional in the Inter-ss Exchange, since I''m sure he will have his eyes on the event just for me." Adrien spoke with a slightly deted sigh.


    "If you manage to impress him, he can also take you under his wing. The two of us can use this opportunity totch on to him, and we will both have early connections to the Capital without waiting for the Third Year internship."


    This was the most solid n that could emerge from the discussion, and while it meant Rey would have to go out of his way to gain the attention of the Storm Dragon, it granted their ultimate n additional security. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    They would also be able to achieve their goals earlier than previously projected.


    *


    *


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    [A/N]

 Chapter 805 Silent Threat

    805 Silent Threat


    ''I understand his n. It makes a lot of sense, but¡­''


    As Rey finished processing everything he had just received, including the repercussions he would have on his own goals, and the variables around him, he couldn''t help but reach an unsavory conclusion.


    ''... It won''t work.''


    Adrien wasn''t aware of the involvement of Adonis or Lucielle in the Academy, which meant his n didn''t amodate thetter.


    ''Maybe he knows, but he just decided not to mention it to me. Since it could be that way, I probably shouldn''t say anything until I can properly confirm what he knows and what he doesn''t.''


    There was still time untilthe Inter-ss Exchange anyway.


    ''I could always make my decision during or after the Excursion. That''s the safest approach I can have right now¡­''


    "You seem a bit iffy about the n, so why not take some time to think about it?" Adrien interrupted Rey''s thoughts with the same conclusion he already had in mind, causing him to smile to himself.


    "I think I''ll do just that." n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "That''s fine. On another note, though¡­" Adrien bounced lightly on his bed as he smiled yfully at Rey. "... Are you ready for the excursion?"


    "As ready as I can be. We''re in the same group, you know?" "For reeeaal?" Adrien''s act waspletely fake, which made Rey realize that the boy already knew that he was paired together with him.


    But how?


    "Just so you know, I didn''t decipher you being in the same group as me until you appeared. I already suspected that either R''ai or Luc''ia could be you, but since I wasn''t sure, I decided to keep everything tentative." Adrien quickly added.


    ''Ahh¡­ so he already knew the two newest ss 1-A students would be in the same group as him, but he wasn''t sure that would be me. He still isn''t hinting at knowing Lucielle is Luc''ia, though¡­''


    Rey smiled and shrugged, almost as if the whole thing didn''t bother him.


    "Since we''re in the same group, we might as well stick together." He added.


    "You sure?" Adrien responded with a sly grin. "You do understand the repercussions of hanging around a human, don''t you? There''s a reason no one even replies me¡­ even among the nicer Dragons."


    "...."


    "Speak for yourself." Rey responded with a lighthearted smile. "Besides, I don''t really care about that. Won''t it even help your n if the Storm Dragon already sees us being friends before you rmend me to him? The Excursion is a perfect excuse for that."


    Adrien widened his eyes almost instantly, and then chuckled softly.


    "As expected¡­ we think alike."


    "Only in the good ways." Rey said with a t tone.


    "Well¡­ agreed." Adrien stretched out his hand, going for a handshake, and Rey reciprocated almost instantly¡ªthus sealing the agreement.


    "By the way¡­ how is Emil doi¡ª"


    As soon as Adrien mentioned Emil''s name, Rey rightly grasped his hand and began to release an intense surge of energy whichpletely consumed the entire room.


    The air got thinner, and gravity felt heavier.


    Space seemed to distort, and everything around the two boys trembled fervently.


    "Do not ever bring her up, or even try to speak to her. If you do that, I''llpletely ruin your n and proceed without you."


    All through this, Adrien''sbody waspletely still¡ªparalyzed by the influx of energy that Rey released¡ªwhile his eyes were nearly bulging out of their sockets.


    "Do you understand?"


    "Y-yeah, I understand. Sorry about that¡­"


    As soon as he uttered this, stuttering while his shivering voice barely echoed in the room, Rey finally let go of his hand.


    "d we coulde to an agreement." He smiled. "Haa¡­ haaaaa¡­"


    A few seconds after, and the only sound that could be heard within the room was Adrien''s heavy breathing.


    "I guess I''ll see youter."


    Barely a second after Rey said this, space warbled around him, and he vanished right before his eyes.


    ~VWUSH!~


    "Haaa¡­ Rey¡­ haaa¡­ haaa¡­ hahahahaaa¡­" Adrien crumbled on his bed,ughing to himself as he still leaked out heavy breaths.


    His hand was still trembling fervently as he used it to cover his eyes while grinning like a maniac.


    ***************


    ~VWUM!~


    Space undted, and Rey found himself seated atop his bed as he heaved a slightly exhausted sigh.


    He wasn''t tired physically, but mentally.


    ''It''s always draining talking to Adrien. A lot of thoughts go on in my head, and I can''t help but worry about what he''ll do next¡ªeven after every word I utter.''


    Whether he liked to admit it or not, Adrien still frightened him.


    ''Should I use [irvoyance] to observe him some more? Maybe his future, or¡­?'' As tempting as it was to give in to his unease, Rey was able to refuse the urge.


    ''More important things require that Skill. I can just constantly watch him with my Skills, and since we''re going to be together during the Excursion, there''s no need to go out of my way now.''


    Once he resolved that in his mind, he decided to address the more pressing matter that faced him.


    ''Adonis¡­ he''s right in front of my room''s door.''


    Rey was already nning on talking to him next, but he wasn''t expecting the guy to present himself on a silver tter like that.


    ''What does he want? Guess there''s only one way to find out.'' Rey rose from his bedside and walked towards the door.


    He opened it, and just as expected, Adonis was standing right outside.


    "Hey¡­" He managed to say as he looked at the golden-haired boy, who also seemed a little on edge as they maintained eye contact.


    "Hey¡­"


    After Adonis'' response, Rey opened his door wider, as an invitation for him toe in, but the former shook his head and raised his hand to refuse.


    "I only came for a brief talk."


    "I see¡­" Making up his mind, Rey stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him.


    Thanks to this, he and Adonis became a hair''s breadth apart from each other, but neither flinched for even a moment as this happened.


    "Let''s take a walk, then. There something I also want to talk to you about."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Due to the ckout in my neighborhood, Mass Release is canceled for today! Apologies¡­

 Chapter 806 Changed Hero

    806 Changed Hero


    Rey and Adonis walked in silence.


    The Imperial Academy Grounds were veryrge¡ªeven if it was just the section for the Basic Stages. Hectares upon Hectares ofnd spread out for multifarious purposes, so it caused everything to feel breezy and uncongested.


    Dragons could always fly too, so the distance wasn''t particrly a bother.


    Rey had hoped to take advantage of this long distance, and guide their path towards a restaurant¡ªpartly because he wanted to eat, but also because he hoped he and Adonis could eat together¡ªbut so far, it seemed to have worked to his detriment.


    For minutes, neither he nor Adonis had said anything.


    Finally resolved to break the seemingly unending awkwardness, Rey decided to stop overthinking and overanalyzing. He simply had to take the bull by the horns and ask¡ª


    "I know what you want to tell me." Adonis'' gentle, steady voice oozed into the air, easily breaking the deafening silence between the two. "...."


    "You want to ask me to take care of Lucielle, don''t you? She and I are in the same group, after all¡­"


    As Adonis said this, the evening winds caused his golden hair to dance. His narrowed eyes caught Rey staring at him, and he had a look of resolve on his face¡ªunbefitting of what was supposed to be a casual atmosphere.


    "Yeah¡­" Rey finally spoke.


    "Well, that goes without saying. I will always protect Lucielle¡­ no matter what."


    The way he said it with such utter seriousness and determination made Rey raise his eyebrow slightly.


    ''Now that I think of it, Adonis and Lucielle were especially close back when he was still with us.'' He thought to himself. ''He also had a strange response when I told him Lucielle was with me in the Academy.''


    For someone who was trying to represent that he didn''t want to have anything to do with anyone he used to know, and that he didn''t care what happened to them¡­ he cared too much about Lucielle knowing of his presence in the Academy.


    After piecing everything together in less than a second, Rey came up with a question.


    "Are you in love with Lucielle?"


    As the question echoed in the air, with Rey looking at Adonis with a partly serious, partly yful expression, he expected some kind of flustered outburst from thetter.


    But nothing of the sort happened¡ªnot even in the slightest. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "No."


    "Ehh? You''re doing a poor job at hiding it." Rey tried to press on, even though he thought Adonis'' acting was wless.


    "Hide what? I don''t have those kinds of feelings for her."


    "Hehe¡­ sure you don''t."


    At this point, Rey was giving Adonis light jabs with his elbow, even raising his eyebrows several time, just to find a crack¡ªa slight chink¡ªin Adonis'' armor he could exploit.


    However, Adonis remained steadfast in his answer.


    "Haa¡­ You wouldn''t understand. You can''t understand it, Rey." After being relentlessly pressed on the issue, Adonis finally let out a slightly annoyed sigh.


    Rey backed off a little, but it didn''t seem like Adonis was upset by the whole thing.


    It was just a way to lighten the mood, to begin with.


    "I simply look up to her a lot. She is someone I deeply respect¡­ someone I adore¡­ just not as a lover¡­"


    Rey didn''t understand where theseplicated perceptions of Lucielle came from. He already knew she was a much deeper person than she liked to represent, but not to the point where Adonis would see her in such a light.


    ''They were close, so she probably showed some of her deeper sides to him.'' Rey told himself.


    "From what I can see, she''s impressive in many regards. Her Magic expertise especially is¡ª"


    "It''s not just Magic!"


    Adonis raised his voice slightly as he interjected, another exasperated sigh escaping his lips.


    "She''s someone who has lived with a lot of pain, Rey. She holds severe trauma, and I''m sure she constantly suffers with the burdens she has to carry. No doubt her pain has been elevated with her being here. But¡­ even with everything¡­ she''s strong enough to move forward. She sees potential in others, even when they don''t see it in themselves, and she rewards eagerness to learn with¡­ ahh¡­ look at me rambling¡­"


    Rey was smiling throughout Adonis'' long rant about how amazing the Grand Mage was, refusing to interrupt him gushing over her.


    ''I didn''t know he saw her in such a deep regard¡­'' His smile widened even more when he considered how Adonis had been telling the truth from the start.


    It was obvious.


    "I guess I don''t really understand¡­ but I can tell you one thing for sure." Rey patted Adonis on his shoulder as he said this. "Lucielle most definitely respects you a lot too. The few times I spoke to her about you, she didn''t run out of praises for you. She really does see you in an incredible light¡­ and not just for your power. Your personality¡­ your unyielding spirit¡­ your resolve¡­ your kindness."


    "...." Adonis said nothing. He just stood there, frozen, even as Rey removed his hand from his shoulder.


    "I also feel the same as her. I respect you a lot, Adonis. I''ve grown to understand and respect you a lot more¡­"


    "...."


    "And this further proves how much you''re hurting everyone by willfully abandoning us. We need you, Adonis. Lucielle needs you. I¡­ need you."


    "You don''t understand, Rey¡­" Adonis closed his eyes and shook his head slowly.


    "Then make me understa¡ª"


    "I can''t! Don''t you get it? If I could¡­ I would¡­ but¡­ I can''t! But¡­ while I won''t be able to tell you what I am up to, it is for the benefit of everyone."


    At this point, Rey was desperate.


    He didn''t know why, but he could see the vestiges of the old Adonis in front of him. ''Maybe I should tell him about my n too. Perhaps we could even coborate. We could blend our respective ns together, and¡­ who knows¡­ it could be perfect!'' Rey was probably being too hopeful, but if there was a chance that it could bring Adonis back to everyone, then wasn''t it worth a try?


    "Adonis, why don''t we¡ª?"


    "No! There is no we, Rey." Adonis quickly shut him down before he could even say any more. "I have to do what I n to do alone."


    "... Adonis?"


    Adonis'' expression hadpletely changed from the vulnerable side he had shown just a few seconds ago.


    He had a rather harsh vibe now, and he was deeply ring at Rey.


    "Everyone else will simply hold me back." He whispered. "Do you understand, Rey¡­?"


    Rey''s eyes were wide as he took everything in.


    "Yeah. I understand¡­"


    He finally understood that Adonis had changed from the person he knew and respected.


    His Alignment was still the same, and most of his qualities were still there, but¡­ there was a core part of Adonis¡ªsomething he used to have¡ªthat was absent now.


    It went deeper than even Rey could see through Appraisal.


    ''There is no point involving him in any of my ns.''


    "Good." Adonis left Rey at that point, most likely returning to his dorm.


    As for thetter, he only stared at the back of the one who used to be his friend for only a few seconds before finally looking away.


    Reypletely cast Adonis out of his mind and cleared his head within a second.


    "Let''s get something to eat!"

 Chapter 807 Day Of The Excursion

    807 Day Of The Excursion


    The next day arrived in a sh, and it was finally time for the Excursion.


    All the students involved gathered in the Main Auditorium¡ªall of them divided into two groups based on the Roster.


    The chaperoning staff were also split in two.


    On the right side was Group 1, and then on the left was Group 2.


    In front of each group was a massive portal. The portals were sorge that a hundred students could most likely enter into each of them at once, without much difficulty. They were also specifically designed to scan all the people lined up before them, and then Mass Teleport everyone at the same time.


    This was to prevent anyg in the appearance of the students and staff that were to reach their destination. This automated method seemed by far more effective than manual teleportation, so the school always used it.


    ''This Academy never ceases to impress me¡­'' Rey smiled to himself as he looked at the massive portal before him and the rest of his group members. They were currently waiting for the scan to beplete, so they would all be transported to the Giant War Camp.


    Beside him was Adrien, and the two of them stared equally amusedly at the warbling wormhole.


    ~Looks like it''ll happen any second now¡­~ Lucielle''s voice echoing in his head was also making him smile. They would bemunicating like this throughout the Excursion, but it wasn''t strange to him.


    They had been doing this all week.


    ''How are you so sure?''


    ~Well, if you pay attention to the distortive wavelengths, as well as the Mana fluctuations, you''ll recognize the undting rifts are stabilizing, and¡­ ah¡­ I''m guessing you already knew that.~


    ''It''s still fun hearing you exin it.'' Rey nearly chuckled as he nced in her direction and noticed her already watching him.


    They exchanged winks, before Rey turned to another person who was standing close to her.


    ''Adonis¡­''


    They had a brief moment of Eye Contact, before finally looking away.


    It was better this way.


    ''I doubt anything much will happen¡­ apart from the tragedy that is the war. ording to the protocols, we will mostly be watching from a safe distance, and even the enemies we manage to kill will be handed to us on a silver tter.''


    Rey was prepared to endure all of this to keep his cover, but that didn''t mean he had to like it.


    ''Looks like I was worried about safety for nothing too¡­'' Looking around him, he could see capable staff around him.


    Instructor Isr''ail and otherpetent Dragon Commanders were going to act as Group 1''s supervisors. Group 2 also had quite a number of powerful Dragons in their camp¡­ like Instructor Kar''eena.


    It seemed only the best staff in the Basic Stages were selected for the Excursion.


    ''I guess that makes sense, considering the ce we are headed to.''


    It was the Southern Continent¡ªthe most dangerous ce in the world, even by The Dragon Empire''s standards.


    ''The me Dragon Lord and Sea Dragon Lord''s Elite Squads were the ones left in charge of that ce, and within just a decade, their rankings among the other Squads fell from being among the Top 3 to the bottom category.''


    All of this was because of the casualties and constant difficulties they experienced in the Continent as a whole.


    As for the previously weakest Squad, belonging to the Forest Dragon Lord, it became the current fourth strongest thanks to being assigned to the Western Continent.


    Humans were the easiest to deal with, hence it was easy to be promoted and recognized for their valiant deeds. The opposite was the case for the me Dragon Lord''s Squad, as well as that of the Sea Dragon Lord.


    ''Still¡­ they''re recognized as highly capable Squads. They''ve been holding the fort for so long, and they''ve recently subdued the opposition to the point where it''s safe for students toe to the Camp for a Field Trip.''


    Rey didn''t expect anything remotely eventful to ur in the slightest.


    ''Just so I wouldn''t be caught off-guard, I already spoke to Ater. He said he had a good surprise waiting for me¡­''


    While he had initially expected some sort of chaos, the mere fact that so many students were being teleported to the Camp meant the respective zones had been designated as safe. It was highly doubtful that Ater could pull something as drastic as he initially feared.


    ''I wanted him to tell me what it was, but he was so insistent that I see it for myself. Well¡­ let''s keep expectations low and hope for the best.'' His malevolent Familiar had never failed to disappoint, so despite his best efforts to stay aloof about the whole thing, Rey found himself getting slightly excited.


    ''Welp¡­ only one way to find out.''


    ~ZZZTTTTTZZZZ!!!~


    The portals were finally ready and fully operational, so Rey simply turned to Adrien¡ªthe two of them smiling¡ªas they braced for impact.


    ~VWUUUM!~


    **************


    ''Ahh¡­''


    Lucielle felt an electrifying sensation the moment the spatial energy swept around her, flooding the space where she¡ªas well as all the other students and staff¡ªstood.


    In the blink of an eye, everything around her warped, and she found herself being pulled into something¡­ or somewhere.


    She closed her eyes to fully capture that feeling, embracing the warmth and power.


    A secondter, and she and everyone else arrived at their destination.


    ''Hmmm¡­'' Lucielle inhaled, expecting the smell of fresh air mixed with the rustic odor of battle.


    However, what greeted her was neither.


    An overpowering stench of death instantly filled her lungs the moment she breathed in, coupled with thick smoke that felt like putrid incense.


    ''... What?!'' She instantly opened her eyes, right as the yells and shrieks of the students around erupted like a terrible storm.


    ¡ªAnd for good reason.


    What filled Lucielle''s eyes as she captured her surroundings was nothing like the pictures and video recordings she was shown prior to their arrival.


    A deserted camp surrounded her and the rest of the students. It waspletely destroyed, with nothing but debris and plumes of smoke in sight for miles.


    Ah¡­ and something else.


    "What the hell¡­?" Lucielle''s eyes widened even further as she saw silhouettes approaching them from all directions.


    ''These are all Dragon Undead!''


    08:09


    They had purple glowing eyes, with wings and tails dancing behind them as horns protruded out of their foreheads.


    The thick ck and purple clouds and smoke that surrounded her and the other students made it difficult to see them properly, but Lucielle knew exactly what they were.


    ''Undead¡­?!''


    And not just any kind of Undead either.


    ''These are all Dragon Undead!''


    "Keuk!"


    "Kiyaaaa!"


    "Ack!"


    All around Lucielle, students began to fall to the ground¡ªpale to their face, with dark veins appearing all over their skin. Many of them vomited, while others coughed violently. A few even fainted.


    This wasn''t just a reaction to the screams that seemed to now constantly permeate the air, but due to something else that also consumed the atmosphere.


    ''Miasma! They''re suffering from Miasma Poisoning!''


    Lucielle was safe due to the several Spells she had cast on herself, and also due to her Enchanted Items, but just from a single look around¡ªat both the frightened students and shocked staff¡ªshe could tell¡­


    ''... We''re in serious trouble.''


    *


    * N?v(el)B\\jnn


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    And so it begins¡­ hehehehe!

 Chapter 808 The Unexpected Catalyst

    808 The Unexpected Catalyst


    ''E-eh¡­?''


    Rey had already sensed something was off right as he and his group were about to arrive at their destination, but nothing could have prepared him from what he ended up witnessing.


    The moment everyone arrived at the camp, they were greeted with the most unexpected situation of all.


    ¡ªChaos!


    Sheer, unbridled chaos swept the attention of students and staff alike once they came to their senses.


    Noises of explosions.


    Cries of battle.


    Echoes of death¡­ of destruction.


    Everything flooded the minds of the Dragons at once, overriding the senses of everyone who was expecting a warm wee to the reportedly safe and stable camp.


    ''This Camp¡­ has copsed, hasn''t it?'' Rey thought to himself as he took one look around him.


    The guard posts that should have been stationed at strategic locations had crumbled, and he could see debris and several broken¡ªtorn-down¡ªstructures littering the area. The tents were either torn to pieces or riddled with holes, and the ground constantly hummed and trembled¡ªalmost as if the horde of enemies were advancing.


    ¡­ And at a terribly fast rate!


    "A-ARE YOU FROM THE ACADEMY?!" A few voices suddenly echoed in the air, and they were followed by the swift descent of three Dragons¡ªone General and two Commanders.


    Not only the students, but also the staff, were relieved at the appearance of the Dragons¡ªespecially the General.


    He looked injured, though, and the other two also shared simr fates. They appeared extremely exhausted, with parts of their uniformed armor damaged, and slowly healing bruises on their faces.


    These war-hardened Dragons seemed even worse-off than the trembling students and shocked staff.


    "W-what the hell is happening here, General? What''s going on?!" The lead Supervisor yelled, moving forward to represent the entire Group while the rest of the supervisors trailed behind him.


    Instructor Isra''il did the same, but he stuck close to his students while giving them a reassuring nod. Rey watched all of this¡ªand more¡ªin silence.


    "You need to evacuate! Now! There''s no time to exin everything, but you need to go now!"


    The General quickly turned to one of the Commanders, a woman whose pretty face had been badly damaged, but was thankfully healing.


    "Take them to the Emergency Shelter." He then returned his gaze to the Supervisors. "Some of our people are there already, so they should get you settled in to the best of their abilities."


    It was clear that the General was trying his best to reassure everyone under the sound of his voice, but his efforts weren''t really paying off.


    Everyone could hear the distant rumblings and echoes of war that seemed to be closing in on them, and they were understandably unnerved.


    The students in particr were frightened. None of them had ever experienced anything remotely close to this, so it was horrific.


    No¡­ downright traumatic.


    "Go now!"


    The Supervisors nodded at the General''s words, and as soon as they did so, thetter and the other Commander with him flew high into the sky and left the woman with them.


    There was no pause, or moment to take all of the information in.


    "Follow me!" The Commander simply said, charging away from her position in order to get as far away from the eruptions of chaos that only seemed to grow louder and louder.


    ~WHOOOSH!~ n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Everyone instantly trailed behind her.


    The Supervisors tried their best to make the students follow protocol as they followed the Commander, but soon gave up on it and let everyone engage in their desperate scramble for self-preservation.


    Once they got a sufficient distance away from the chaos¡ªthough they could still hear the sounds and feel the tremors¡ªthe Head Supervisor could not hide his curiosity and concern any longer.


    He had to address the pressing issue.


    "What the hell happened? We got word that everything was stable, and that the students coulde over. You could have sent word at any time if the battle escted, yet we were suddenly thrust into this?"


    The female Commander sighed, almost as if she understood where the Supervisor wasing from, but was also too tired to fully exin what happened.


    "When the Generales, perhaps he will exin what happe¡ª"


    "The hell he will! I''m asking you to tell me right now! And I speak with the authority bestowed upon me by the Academy Head who left these young ones in my care!"


    As soon as she heard these words, the Commander became a little less defiant. Her expression softened a little, and she looked at the frightened students who were trying their best to catch up with her as they raced to the Shelter.


    "The thing is¡­ all of this started just yesterday¡­ right after we sent word to the Academy regarding our status." She mumbled. "Back then, everything seemed perfectly fine. We could never have expected things to escte to this level¡­"


    The ''word'' that was sent to the Academy was to confirm the avability of the facilities that the students would be using once they arrived at the camp. Everything was already prepared¡ªfrom their meals, to their shelter, and also the list of activities they would be participating in.


    It was all set!


    "But¡­ suddenly, the war escted to an absurd degree. It surprised all of us, and we couldn''t handle the shocking assaults they made on us."


    There was tense silence as everyone took in the bitter facts.


    "We failed to contain their surprise attacks, and they managed to advance to our Base. They''ve conquered the Main Base, and they are soon going to conquer the rear¡ªthe area where you all appeared in."


    "You could have tried to contact us! Told us to abort the¡ª"


    "Communication has been jammed. Same with Spatial Magic. We hoped you all wouldn''t show due to the Spatial Interference."


    "A-ah¡­ damnit! But you had everything under control, didn''t you?" The Head Supervisor grumbled. "How could you let it spiral out of control like this?"


    The Commander bit her lip as she hid her re from the man.


    It was understandable why he was acting this way, considering how many lives he was responsible for. However, his words to the Commander was too insensitive.


    She had lost hundreds of her subordinates and friends in just a few hours, and she was bound to lose even more. As soon as she was done taking the group to the shelter, she would have to return to the battlefield.


    There was a good chance she wouldn''t return alive.


    As such, hearing such ignorant words from a man who was the same rank as her made her blood boil to a severe degree.


    Still, she controlled her emotions.


    "We could never have expected the main catalyst behind the sudden shift in the war." She said, gritting her teeth as she clenched her fists.


    "The Dwarves and Giants created an alliance¡­ and we were no match."


    As soon as she said this, everyone''s eyes widened.


    Even the Head Supervisor could understand how absurd that was. No one could have expected such a thing to ever happen¡ªwell, no one except a certain boy who listened to all of this with wide open eyes as well.


    However, he was surprised for apletely different reason.


    ''Ater¡­ what in the world did you do?!''


    *


    *

 Chapter 809: The Senate

    Chapter 809: The Senate


    ?


    [A Few Days Ago...]


    "Now then... shall we begin the meeting?"


    A group of short, human-looking men gathered together in arge room. They had seats that circle around a table, and their stern faces as they went through the process of standing, and then seating in order tomence the discourse showed just how serious this was.


    This was the gathering of The Senate-leaders of the Dwarven Republic-and all of the burly, well-built men were representatives of the people of their civilization.


    As such, engaging in sessions like this was imperative.


    The council hall of the Dwarven Leaders was a grand chamber that stood at the very top of the Senate Tower; a testament to the skill and artistry of Dwarven craftsmanship.


    The walls, smooth and cold to the touch, were adorned with intricate carvings. Each carving was a masterpiece, painstakingly chiseled to perfection, and seemed toe alive in the flickering light of the braziers that lined the hall.


    Massive stone pirs, their surfaces etched with glowing runes of power and protection, rose majestically to support a vaulted ceiling. This ceiling was a marvel in itself, encrusted with glittering gems-sapphires, rubies, emeralds-that reflected the warm light, casting a mesmerizing array of colors across the room.


    The gems had been ced with such precision that they formed constetions.


    -An impressive artistic choice.


    In the center of the hall stood the long, polished granite table, its surface so smooth it appeared almost liquid. Around this table, the Dwarves present were now seated in their respective high-backed chairs crafted from dark oak, iid with silver and gold.


    Each chair was unique, representing the lineage and office of its upant.


    They weren''t the only unique sights, though.


    Each of the Dwarven Leaders were dressed differently, and they looked different too. The twelve men were different in everything, except their height.


    All of them were no more than four feet tall.


    While one of the Dwarven Leaders was d in what appeared to be rich furs, another was donning a finely wrought armor. Another hardly had anything on, save for his singlets and trousers, and one was dressed in modern wear.


    Each had their quirks, but they were all bearded old men who had slight potbellies and muscr builds-a feature that was peculiar to their race along with the short height they were known for.


    "Distinguished ones, I will be leading today''s proceedings, per the Roster." One of the Dwarves rose to his feet once everyone was settled and waiting in silence.


    He was dressed rather expensively, exuded an air of authority and luxury. His beard, long and meticulously braided, bore beads and rings signifying his status and deeds.


    This was Councilman Finn, one of the longsting members of the Senate.


    Thanks to upying this position for over a hundred years, he had amassed quite a sizeable amount of wealth for himself and his family-keeping his belly ever so full, while his otherpanions could notpare to his fat and healthy appearance.


    Many suspected he was guilty of some kind of corruption, but none of them could bring forth any evidence to back up this im. In the end, they all had to assume he was very good at ying the game of politics and getting the votes of the Dwarves that kept supporting him. None of that mattered now, though.


    At the present moment, the topic for discussion was one that involved a more straightforward analysis of both themselves and the opposition that they recognized.


    This was about Warfare.


    "Councilman Kaje, can you tell us how things are faring in the Northwestern Battlefront? That''s the sector you''re in charge of, correct?"


    No one understood why he asked for confirmation, despite everyone in the room already recognizing it, but they all ignored it.


    Every member of the Senate had a ''Sector'' that they governed, which made everything that happened there their responsibility. Of course, they could always request aid in their respective areas if there was a need for it.


    However, since sufficient resources would already be given to each Sector-per the agreed- upon budget-this rarely happened.


    Still, since they were a council, all of them had to gather together to discuss the pertinent issues affecting each Sector... particrly the ones dealing with Warfare..


    "The war is currently at a stalemate. We could bring out the big guns and go on even harsher offensive, but that would either force them to be more desperate in their attacks or request reinforcements¡ªboth of which will be problematic for us."


    "Can I assume this is the same for the others?" Councilman Finn turned to two other Dwarves ¡ªboth of whom were in charge of the Northeastern and North Central Battlefront respectively.


    They responded affirmatively.


    "I see, then. I suppose this is a wise choice, considering the current situation of the Republic."


    Once Councilman Finn said this, there was a brief moment of silence among the Dwarven Leaders. They understood what he meant, and it had to do with the scarcity crisis that they were dealing with at the moment


    Due to the strain of war, there had been excessive mining and extraction of theirnd''s natural resources, which ultimately led to a great reduction in their stockpile.


    "Even the Grand Mine Reserves have nearly been depleted..." A rather rugged-looking Dwarf muttered with a sad sigh.


    At the current rate they were living, the Dwarven Republic would be in serious trouble if they couldn''t find another Mine or find a solution to their energy problem.


    "If only I could finish developing the Philosopher''s Stone. We could have Sustainable Energy... but... haaa... we''ve hit a roadblock."


    Everyone knew the same old story that was always given by the Leader of the Scientific and Technological Advancement Sector-a Dwarf who constantly wore ab coat and thick


    goggles.


    In the end, they couldn''t deny the issue at hand.


    "We can''t keep fighting like this. Sooner orter, we''ll-"


    ~DRRRRRIINNNGGG!~


    A loud siren suddenly echoed within the hall, with red lights flickering within the sanctified


    space.


    All the Dwarven Leaders instantly ceased theirints, all of their faces showing shock as they listened to the ring rm with confusion.


    "W-what?!"


    "Why now? I don''t understand..."


    "What could be causing this? T-this is...!"


    Everyone in the room understood what the siren stood for, and beads of sweat fell from their


    faces the instant they heard the sound.


    It meant a state of emergency!


    "Why a state of emergency? I thought the war with the Dragons was stable!" One rather


    frantic Dwarf yelled, turning towards the Dwarves who were mainly responsible for keeping


    the Dragons at bay.


    "It is! Even if things were escting, I would have received an rm by now."


    "The tide of battle also takes a long time to fully shift to the other side. It couldn''t have


    happened so suddenly!"


    "Not that you would know anything about that... Frank!"


    Despite their worries and palpable confusion, the three Leaders didn''t forget to hammer scoff


    at theining Councilman.


    Unlike them, he had the simple task of handling the West Battlefront Sector-a job that was


    so easy that he usually spent most of his time engaging in leisurely activities in his office.


    It involved dealing with the asional attacks of the Giants.


    ~VWUSH!~


    Only a few seconds after the rm red, a Dwarf appeared before the council-his body looking far slimmer and more muscr than the Leaders who were staring at each other with


    panicky expressions.


    Once this Dwarf appeared, they all turned to him, frantic for answers.


    "What the hell is going on, Captain Servos?"


    "Y-yeah! This state of emergency... what exactly caused it?"


    "Are the Dragons...?!"


    The Dwarf shook his head to all of these, raising his head as he stared at them with a


    frightened expression outlined all over his pale face.


    "The Giants... they''ve gone past the walls!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Apologies for the info dump. I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

 Chapter 810: State Of Emergency

    Chapter 810: State Of Emergency


    ?


    "W-what the hell are you talking about...?!"


    ording to the words of the Captain before them, the Giants had broken past the walls- something they had never been able to do for over a century now.


    "T-that''s impossible! The wall is sixty meters high!"


    "Y-yeah! Even thergest among them isn''t nearly as tall as that! It... it can''t be!"


    "E-exactly! It can''t be, right? Right...?"


    As the timid of the Dwarven Leaders panicked even more, staring at each other for ways to deny the reality of the situation, the more capable leaders-especially Councilman Finn¡ª decided to address the issue head-on.


    "How did they manage to do that? What happened to the Fort? It''s supposed to take care of the asional Giant invasion."


    Everyone nced at Councilman Frank, who was in charge of that sector.


    Many thoughts went into their mind at that moment. All the Leaders knew he had grown veryzy at his job due to the easy nature of it, but now that it was his weak link that caused the State of Emergency, there was palpable tension directed towards him.


    "I... I did my job well! Last I checked, everything functioned perfectly well. T-the Fort should be-!"


    "The Fort has fallen." Captain Servos spoke with a calm voice, creating a state of absolute chaos among the Councilmen.


    "F-fallen?!"


    "Preposterous!"


    "Impossible!"


    "Unthinkable!"


    "Inconceivable!"


    As much as they wanted to deny the reality, it remained the brute fact.


    "The Giants should be making their way to the Fortress City as we speak. They have also employed what appears to be Monsters."


    "Monsters? Giants and Monsters working together? Do my ears deceive me?"


    "They managed to tame those savage creatures?"


    "Those Giants are savage themselves! Surely, they have no concept of taming."


    "S-so... the Fort fell to thebined might of the Giants and Monsters? This means it''s not my fault, right? The Monsters were the unknown variable!" Councilman Frank said, trying his best to give an excuse for his Sector''s failure. "There''s no way the Walls or Fort could have predicted that. We weren''t equipped to handle - "


    "Shut it, Frank!" Councilman Finn said with a sigh, ring at him and the other loud and panicky Dwarves around him.


    They were acting more like children than the seasoned adults that they were.


    Thankfully, the Councilman''s imposing tone and terrible mood was passed across to every single Dwarf in the room, so they all fell silent.


    "Huu... tell us the details, Captain Servos." His voice was the only one that rang in the hall, and it was directed at the man before him.


    "How did the Fort fall? What details could you salvage from the footage?"


    Servos worked at Monitoring and Communications, and it was his duty to report any suspicious or dangerous activities recorded by their advanced security systems to higher-ups.


    One of his subordinates must have briefed him regarding the events that happened in the Fort before it fell, which prompted the State of Emergency, and his immediate report to The Senate.


    As such, they had to hear the details from his lips.


    "What really happened?"


    "I-I have a hard time saying it, since it''s still difficult for me to ept it as well. B-but..." Captain Servos stuttered, beads of sweat on his face as he addressed the most powerful Dwarves in the Republic.


    "... The Fort fell barely an hour into their invasion."


    "A-an hour?!" At this point, even Councilman Finn nearly lost hisposure.


    However, he swallowed the information he received and strengthened his heart and mind so he could hear more. Even if the other Dwarven Leaders were losing their marbles, he had to stay rational and dependable at all times.


    It was this quality of his that had earned him continuous office for the several decades he had been in power.


    ''Back then, the Giant Threat had just been quelled, and our Republic ushered in a new era of peace and prosperity. I took advantage of the stability back then to enter into office, and I''ve solidified my position in The Senate ever since.''


    He couldn''t allow himself to get carried away now.


    If he carefully took in the information, analyzed its contents, and proffered a solution, wouldn''t it be possible that he would be elevated even further in his social standing?


    Maybe... just maybe... he could finally push the Bill for Presidency, and win the Elections by a Landslide.


    If that happened, then all of this could be a blessing in disguise.


    "The Walls were constructed with Water-Attribute Runes, and the weapons of the Fort were specifically water-based...." As Captain Servos said this, Councilman Finn nodded.


    He understood all of this.


    Due to how predictable the Giants were, and how troublesome the Dragons had be in the War, the Dwarves had found it more efficient to use Solidified Water walls through runes and focused mostly on water-based weapons since that was the weakness of Giants.


    ''We focused our more powerful technologies on the Dragons, and it appeared to be the right choice for all this time.''


    However...


    "The Giants managed to get over that weakness by using the Monsters in the frontlines. They protected them from the Water and led the way, while the Giants made counterattacks. Due to this process, our fortified defenses could not hold up at all..."


    "I-I see..." As much as he tried to hide it, Councilman Finn was puzzled-and rightly so.


    ''What a simple, but scary strategy. The Giants I know aren''t intelligent enough toe up with this, though. Have they been evolving faster than we expected? Were their asional attacks just a way to throw us off their scent and cause us to underestimate them?''


    So many thoughts went on in the Councilman''s thoughts, and he feared he wouldn''t be able to piece them all together.


    "Since the Fort has now fallen, the next major destination is our Fortress City. Have you ensured to evacuate everyone that stands between us and the fallen Fort?"


    "Y-yes. The evacuation is already underway."


    "Good... good!"


    Depending on how fast they advanced, the Giants could make it to the Fortress City within a single day. That meant they had to hurry with their evacuation procedures, as well as their preparations for battle.


    ''It''s unavoidable at this point.'' Councilman Finn gritted his teeth as he looked at his fellow members of The Senate.


    They were stillrgely unnerved, but some of them had managed to gain theirposure- specifically the ones who were used to Warfare.


    ''Good to still have some useful ones around me.'' He told himself, removing his attention from the Captain and turning to the Dwarven Leaders.


    "You all realize how serious this situation is, don''t you? The Fortress City is ourst line of defense. If it falls... then the Giants will make it to our Central City and all other surrounding


    towns."


    In essence... the entire Dwarven Race would be doomed.


    Everyone nodded, disying their understanding of the situation.


    "Tell us, Servos... what is the estimated number of the enemy?"


    Since the army contained both Giants and Monsters, Councilman Finn already expected it to


    be arge number.


    "W-we haven''t fully calcted yet, but... we estimate their numbers to be at least thirty


    thousand."


    "T-thirty thousand?"


    "M-my goodness...!"


    "T-this is..."


    As the Dwarves recoiled from the shock, Councilman Finn swallowed his nervousness and put


    on his brave front while addressing his colleagues.


    "This will be a rather difficult battle. But... I have no intention of losing it." As he said this, a


    fire lit in his eyes, and he passed it onto the sensible Dwarves he looked at.


    They all nodded in agreement to his resolute words.


    "We don''t n on losing either."


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading! This should be fun to see. Apologies that Rey won''t be in the next few (very few, I promise)


    chapters... but I hope you enjoy them.

 Chapter 811 Empty Shells

    811 Empty Shells


    The fallen fort stood in the quiet of thete evening, its once proud walls and sophisticated structures now crumbled.


    The sun had set, and a pale moon cast a silvery glow over the scene, highlighting the devastation. The stone walls, once tall and strong, were broken in many ces, withrge gaps where the enemy''s siege weapons had struck. Shards of unmelting ice littered the area, and broken pieces of technology was scattered all around.


    Inside the devastated Fort, the courtyard was cleared of all the debris.


    Recing the sullied g of the Dwarven Republic, and the broken weapons that had been vandalized to ruin, were the Giants who sat peacefully under the sky''s nket and the dim light of the stars.


    They waited there patiently, all of them like dogs.


    Their gaze was fixed on a rather tall makeshift tent that had been built for the purpose of their Chief¡ªthe one that had given them such an outstanding victory.


    ¡ªAter himself.


    ***********


    "Give me your report." Ater sat on a ratherfortable chair, with Justin and Belle upying his right and left sides respectively.


    Kneeling before him were the five Grand Knights of the Giants, and despite their clear subservience, they all seemed to be in an overly excited mood.


    And it was with this smile on their faces that they gave the report he requested.


    "... None of our own were killed, but many are currently injured. As for the Monsters, they''re all dead. Since they were at the front lines, they were mostly our meat shields and¡ª"


    "Yeah, I understand. No need for the details." Ater raised his hand, forcing silence upon the Giant Mage.


    She happilyplied, returning to her bowed posture.


    As Ater saw all of this, he smiled.


    ''I can already see what''s going on in their minds¡­ these simpletons. And it''s not just them, either.'' Ater nced at both Belle and Justin, and he was once again filled with amusement.


    The two of them were still recoiling from shock.


    ''I guess they didn''t expect it would be that easy to take over the Fort.''


    Earlier that day, right after they took down the Walls and began their attack on the Fort, he could hear several Giants sing his praise.


    None of that surprised him either.


    ''They''ve been trying to tear down those walls for over a century, after all.''.


    "This is only the beginning." Ater rose to his feet after uttering this, his gaze resting on the Grand Knights that now devoted everything they had to him.


    "I still have more to show you."


    They all raised their heads in surprise as he said this¡ªtheir eyes full with expectation and wonder. Like little children, they drooled at the mere thought of what he desired to do next.


    "This is the ce that served as the graveyard for many Giants for over a century, isn''t it? Thousands upon thousands of yourrades fell here¡­ all of them trying their best to break past the walls¡­"


    Their constant engagement with the Dwarves was what made the poption of the Giants so small. Well, that and their terribly primitive lifestyle which featured several unhealthy choices.


    All of that was going to change under his guidance, though.


    "Follow me, everyone." He floated off, leaving the tent for the darkness awaiting him outside.


    "Let me show you¡­ a bit of my power."


    ************


    ''Haaa¡­ look at them.''


    Ater was currently hovering above thousands of Giants, all of their eyes on him. The cold evening breeze caused his ck hair to dance about him, as his suit pped in the air. Justin and Belle stood in front of the crowd¡ªseated on the shoulder of the previous Chief of the Giants.


    ''I suppose I should begin¡­'' Ater cast his gaze away from them and focused his attention on the wreckage of the walls, and innds that existed beyond them.


    He had intentionally brought everyone here for one major purpose.


    ''This is the perfect ce to use what I''ve been saving up for a while now.'' ~HUMM~


    Extending his palm forward, Ater conjured what appeared to be a pitch ck orb¡ªone that constantly warbled, with purple energy glowing with every hum.


    All eyes were on him, but he ignored everyone and focused onthe ''thing'' he had just manifested.


    ''I''ve been stuffing most of my energy in this for months now. All my excesses and unused energy went into it, yet it only amounts to this much¡­''


    It was pathetic by Ater''s standards, but he reckoned it would be just enough to get the job done.


    ''Ancient MajiK¡­ Chaos Art¡­'' Inhaling deeply, he let the orb float off from his hands and ascend to the sky.


    "Hollow Technique #1: Empty Shell." As soon as he uttered those words, everything in the world around Ater¡ªas well as the Giants¡ªfell into darkness.


    It almost seemed as though the ck orb had expanded to surround everyone and everything fr miles. Everyone was stuck and blind in the pitch-ck world¡ªforced toy eyes on the only thing that was generating light.


    ¡ªThe orb itself,


    It screamed with bright purple light, and with its scream, it sent its vile content into the earth.


    The ground rumbled as it received all of its excess energy.


    Cold chills¡ªfar colder than anything the night had to offer¡ªbegan to spread through the bodies of all who witnessed this. They kept their eyes peeled until thest of the orb''s energy was drained to the ground.


    Then¡­ the true horrors manifested.


    The ground began to pulsate with false life, creating bright purple cracks on the floor.


    It trembled.


    It felt alive¡­ no, more like something beneath it was alive.


    "Come forth¡­ empty ones¡­ Shell Soldiers." Ater whispered with upward curled lips, forcing the entities buried underneath rock and debris.


    They all dug their way up¡ªthousands of them.


    The fallen Giants of the recent past, as well as the dead Monsters that were lost during the recent assault¡­ all of them were brought back in Ater''s glory.


    They all had darkness shrouding them, manifesting purple energy around their pale bodies as they rose from their graves.


    Everyone''s eyes widened in amazement as they witnessed this gloriously perverse sight.


    Thousands of Undead were manifest, just from Ater''s singlemand, and the Giants were forced to cheer and bow in worship of their great leader.


    "Not yet¡­" His voice stopped them from going any further.


    He nced at them with amused eyes, revealing something that they had never thought was even conceivable.


    "... Your celebrations are premature."


    ~RUMBLE!~


    ~RUMBLE!~


    ~RUMBLE!~


    Tremors¡ªmuch louder and more intense than the ones from earlier¡ªechoed out.


    They didn''t stop.


    Louder and louder, they rang and pierced the night.


    Then¡­ from the very depths of the earth¡­ more hands began to w their way out. This time, they emerged in their tens of thousands¡ªrising from sediments that had formed over decades. They were not the recently deceased, but fallen ancestors whose rotting bodies and bones were now being regenerated by the power that only one man wielded.


    "Here atst." Ater said with a satisfied smile.


    The battlefield was now littered in a storm of death and chaos, as over a hundred thousand giants stood tall and proud.


    Then, they all bowed to him.


    Justin, Belle, and all of the other giants felt their bodies tremble as they witnessed all of this. They couldn''t believe their eyes, and before they knew it¡­ they all bowed as well.


    Ater watched all of this silently, standing above everything like a god.


    ''All preparations have been made. This should be fun.''


    *


    *


    * n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

 Chapter 812 Battle In Fortress City

    812 Battle In Fortress City


    [The Next Day]


    "Haaa¡­"


    Councilman Finn stood right among his subordinates atop the Fortress City''s innermost battlement as he looked ahead at the other two that served to protect him and the rest of the city from what was expected to arrive on that dreary day.


    His loud sigh properly encapsted how he felt about the matter.


    ¡ªNot good.


    ''My Sector is internal security management. I shouldn''t be doing this, but¡­'' Someone among the members of the Senate had to stand up, and apparently, he was the only one with a backbone when it came to actual warfare with the Giants.


    The rest of the Senate had chosen to stay in the Central City and coordinate their troops from that safe distance.


    Councilman Finn wasn''tining too much, though.


    ''If this leads to victory, it will be a good opportunity to weed out some of the useless members of the Senate and consolidate a lot of powers into only a select few offices.''


    Most importantly, he could finally be President.


    ''All of that has to be suspended, though. Right now, I should focus on the battle¡­'' Looking around him, the Councilman took a good look at the Fortress City and its current condition.


    This ce remained a marvel of Dwarven engineering and resilience. It was a sprawling stronghold with walls of deep metallic stone so thick and tall they seemed an extension of a mountain itself. The architecture was both functional and awe-inspiring, with every stone meticulously ced by master stonemasons. The outermost circr battlement wall encircled the city like a protective embrace, its ramparts bristling with war machines and guarded by vignt Dwarven soldiers.


    Within the main wall, two inner battlements rose, each offering anotheryer of defense. The first inner wall, slightly lower than the main wall, was heavily fortified with towers at regr intervals. These towers, square and robust, housed ballistae and catapults, ready to unleash a rain of projectiles on any approaching enemy. The second inner wall was the final bastion, enclosing the heart of the city where the Great Hall and forgesy. This wall was the tallest and most imprable, with battlements so high they provided amanding view of the surrounding ins.


    This was where Councilman Finn stood, watching from a distance what woulde to attack this highly strategic stronghold of the Dwarves.


    ''This ce is instrumental in creating our weapons and machines of war. If it goes down, not only would the Giants be able to advance further into the Central City, but the loss would badly affect us in our war with the Dragons.''


    There was a reason this was the most fortified city in the entire Dwarven Republic.


    ''I can''t allow it to fall¡­ no matter what!''


    On the main battlement wall, a line of Dwarves stood, their silhouettes stark against the evening sky. d in gleaming mechanical armor, each soldier held powerful ranged weapons like Mana sters, while having an Ax stuck to their side, and Shield stationed behind them¡­ just in case they needed to go into melee. All their bearded faces were set with grim determination as they waited for the enemy.


    None of their stances wavered as they gazed out over the ins that stretched endlessly before them. The sky was tinged with the deep red of sunset, casting long shadows across thend and highlighting the tension in the air.


    Beyond the battlements, the ins were vast and open, a natural killing field for any advancing army. The Dwarves could see any distant campfire, or even the slightest advance from the enemy from miles away.


    As such, even if the number of Giants were absurdly high, they were confident enough to whittle down the number before the army could get too close.


    ''Just to be safe, we upscaled our estimation of their numbers to fifty thousand.'' Councilman Finn leaked out another sigh as he finished observing everything and everyone around him.


    ''I''ve left themand of certain aspects of the battle to the fewpetent Councilmen I trust¡­ though they''ll be doing it remotely.''


    It was unfortunate that theirpetence did not help at all with their cowardice.


    ''In any case, we''ve made all the preparations we could possibly make in such a limited span of time. Thankfully, this ce remains an optimal ce to take on an army¡ªno matter the size.''


    The walkways of the battlement were very wide, allowing troops to move swiftly to reinforce any section under threat. Enchanted Torches mounted on the walls cast a warm, flickering light, illuminating the determined faces of the defenders.


    Not only that, but the very material of every structure was made of the highest grade.


    They spared no expense.


    In the center of the battlements, an enormous gatehouse loomed, its iron-bound doors shut tight.


    All in all, the Fortress stood ready, its walls and defenders ready for theing storm.


    Unfortunately¡­ no amount of preparation could have prepared them for what their eyes were about to witness.


    ~SHUUUU!~


    The brilliant evening suddenly began to darken at a rapid rate thanks to the dark clouds that began to cluster before the Dwarves.


    These dark clouds were so thick that no light could prate their dense canopy, and not only did the cluster seem to be growingrger, but it was advancing towards the city at a frighteningly fast pace.


    In no time, it would havepletely consumed the skies above the city and engulfed everything in darkness.


    However¡ª


    "I-it stopped¡­?!" Councilman Finn''s eyes widened as he witnessed the approaching dark clouds suddenly halt.


    The cluster simply hovered above the battlefield, stagnantly painting the grounds with sheer ckness¡ªdevoid of light or color.


    Before anyone, including Finn, could process why this happened, or what this darkness really was, they were bombarded with yet another strangely ominous sight.


    ~VWUUUUUUUUUM!~


    On the ground, beneath the ckened skies, a purplish ck pool swelled. Its contents spilled over the earth, like a dark swamp.


    It looked obscene, and it felt even worse.


    Almost like the very definition of corruption, this ckened pool of purplepletely covered the ground before the first battlement, with all the Dwarves there holding their breath, not blinking their bloodshot eyes as they waited for what woulde next.


    And, what exactly came next?


    Well¡­ it was DEATH.


    "M-my goodness¡­! T-this¡­ this is¡­?!" Councilman Finn could not believe his eyes as he watched the whole thing from his distance.


    He was currently seeing through an Enchanted Item, so he could witness everything in great detail, and even he doubted what he was seeing.


    Could such a thing be? Absolutely not!


    It couldn''t be allowed. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    After all, emerging from the depths of the dark swamp were creatures of death, who had been granted some kind of twisted false life.


    Undead Giants and Monsters¡ªall in various forms and sizes¡ªbegan to appear in their thousands. They seemingly poured out without end¡­ like a swarm of insects that didn''t seem to stop.


    Councilman Finn was stunned for a moment, even going as far as gulping once he realized he was already shivering.


    However, he quickly took a hold of himself.


    He wasn''t like the cowards whom he had criticized¡ªboth internally and externally¡ªso many times.


    He was better!


    "Attack! Attack now!" He roared, his voice amplified by yet another Enchanted Item.


    After he said this, there was a second of silence¡ªa dy in the response time of the equally stunned Dwarves who were still trying to get their wits about them.


    However¡­


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!~


    ¡­ This decorum was soon shattered by the deafening eruptions of sters and canons¡ªall fired at the enemies that were spawning.


    This resulted in explosions that permeated the air, getting rid of the stale silence.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!~


    More¡­


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM!!~


    ¡­ More and more¡­


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!~


    ¡­ And even more explosions were dealt to the enemy.


    The spawning Undead were torn asunder by the heavy sts that rushed upon them. Their arms, legs, chests, heads, etc, were all blown away as the constant barrage consistently fired and kept devastating the enemies.


    Smoke and mes littered the ground, and the constant vibrations¡ªboth from the air and earth surface¡ªshowed just how much devastation was being caused.


    Still¡­ the sts went on and on.


    After about a minute of constant firing, though, the battlefield slowly began to fall silent.


    Once another minute passed, it wentpletely quiet..


    Why? Well, the weapons were either on cooldown, or they needed to be reloaded.


    As a result of this, other than the clearing smoke and vanishing mes in the battlefield, no sound was being made.


    Everyone simply did their best to reload and wait for the cooldown to pse.


    Unfortunately¡­


    "W-WHAT?!"


    ¡­ The Undead Giants and Monsters that emerged from the dissipating smoke were even more than before. Not just that, but even more were emerging from the ck swamp.


    Then¡ª


    "ROOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAARRRR!!!"


    ¡ªThey began their charge.


    In their massive horde, the monstrosities raced towards the walls of the battlement, causing constant rumbles to echo into the air as they lifelesslymenced assault.


    Their glowing eyes teemed with bloodlust, and their soulless faces screamed of impending destruction.


    Then, before long¡­ they made their first impact!

 Chapter 813 Charge Of Death [Pt 1]

    Chapter 813 Charge Of Death [Pt 1]


    ''They got us!''


    Councilman Finn''s face was littered with beads of sweat as he carefully observed the battlefield.


    ''Using Undead¡­ this was not only unexpected, butpletely unounted for in our n against the Giants and Monsters that we were told about.''


    Unlike living creatures, Undead felt no pain. They also didn''t perish until you got rid of their core. As such, their sters would only slow them down at best, and unless they were able to fully destroy the body of an Undead orpletely incapacitate them, their efforts were simply in vain.


    ''If we had more time and distance between us, this wouldn''t be such a big issue, but¡­ it seemed they already ounted for that.''


    Why else would the enemy cause their forces to spawn right in front of the first battlement?


    ''We''ve lost our advantage!'' Councilman Finn clenched his fist as he red at the Monsters who now neared the battlement with little to no resistance stopping them.


    It made him even more anxious.


    ''They made us exhaust our first round of attack before making their move, which means we''re currently sitting ducks. Even if the sters can be reloaded in time, therger canons need time to cool. Those sters could be enough to slow down Monsters and Giants¡­ but not Undead.''


    And it wasn''t just because of their tenacity.


    ''The Miasma¡­ it''s weakening the impact of our attacks. That pool of death¡­ it''s a big problem.''


    Not only were their attacks rendered less effective as a result of the ck swamp, but anytime they took down an Undead, or gravely injured one, the swamp sucked them in and spat out even more able-bodied and powerful Undead.


    ''Is the Swamp repairing the Undead¡­ or does it just have many Undead within it? How does it even work?'' Unfortunately, they didn''t have the luxury to think about any of those at the moment.


    After all¡­


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!~


    ¡­ The Undead were already ramming at the gates.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!~


    Each attempt to tear down the gates caused a deafening roar to burst into the air. These creatures were using their very bodies as cannons¡ªor whatever was necessary¡ªto tear asunder the sole barrier that stood in their way.


    Just from the way the first couple of impacts sounded, it was clear that it was only a matter of time before they broke through.


    ''This would have been the time for melee, but due to the dense Miasma, that isn''t even an option.'' Councilman Finn gritted his teeth and frowned even deeper than before.


    ''We have technology for handling that, but we weren''t expecting any Undead armies, so we didn''t bother bringing it with us. Transporting it and preparing it for use now would take too much time. Plus¡­'' Once again, the Dwarf Leader cast his gaze on the ckened battlefield.


    ''... I don''t think we can handle something of this magnitude.''


    It was too much!


    Any further engagement would only lead to the pointless deaths of Dwarves, and that was thest thing Councilman Finn desired. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Retreat! Abandon the First Battlement!" He gave his order in a loud roar.


    This was the most optimal solution he could think of in such a short span of time, and this was for multiple reasons.


    ''We need time. The first walls won''t hold them down for too long, but it''ll be enough to make the proper preparations to counter them.''


    By retreating, none of the Dwarves would have to die needlessly too.


    ''There''s nothing they can do to stop them at this point.''


    Abandoning the first battlement was, of course, not without its consequences too.


    ''There''s no time to transport them, so we''ll have to let go of the cannons and every other artillery that we''ve stationed there.''


    Councilman Finn nned to initiate self-destruct sequences for all their weapons at just the right time, so they could take out as many enemies as possible¡ªsome kind ofst-ditch effort to make the first Battlement useful before the Undead reached the second one.


    ''At this point¡­ this is the best choice to make!''


    Just as instructed, the Dwarves all abandoned their posts and hurried to the Second Battlement. There were tethers that could cause them to travel to the second battlement at high speeds¡ªalmost akin to teleportation.


    As such, evacuation didn''t take too long at all.


    ''Alright! Now that we''re done evacuating, we should have a few minutes to catch our breath ande up with a more effective strategy for the enemies.''


    Since they would be attacking from the gates, it meant they would be spilling into the open area from a very closed-off space.


    That would mean they couldn''t overwhelm them with their numbers.


    ''We can take them out as they appear in smaller numbers, thanks to the gate limiting how many can invade at a time.'' The Councilman smiled, nodding to himself as he desired to further n how to go about it.


    Unfortunately, his entire thoughts were halted in their tracks.


    After all¡­


    "W-what¡­ what is that?!"


    ¡­ Emerging from the dark swamp were a group of colossal creatures¡ªentitiesrger than anything Councilman Finn had ever seen face-to-face in his life.


    He recognized them, though¡­ ''Dragons!''


    This group of Dragons¡ªsix of them with four horns, while a bunch of others with three¡ªall opened their massive jaws and let out crackles of power that converged in a single location.


    This group of fifteen Dragons all gathered their energies in a single ce, causing the swirling storm of multicolored energies¡ªall trapped in a purpleyer of repulsive light¡ªonly grewrger andrger.


    Until¡­ it became evenrger than the Dragons themselves.


    "N-no¡­ No way!" Councilman Finn already knew what would happen the moment he witnessed the ever-expanding orb that was now being aimed.


    "NOOOOOO!"


    As soon as he screamed, the st was sent straight towards the sturdy battlement gates.


    There was no resistance at all.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMM!!!~


    The gates melted instantly, before being dispersed very easily like they were nothing but chaff.


    That wasn''t all, though.


    The st began to move, thanks to the dragons changing aim, and rest of the battlement soon crumbled under the destructive impact of the powerful ray.


    In one single moment, less than a minute after the retreat¡ª


    "Haa¡­ haaaa¡­!"


    ¡ªThe first Battlement fell.

 Chapter 814 Charge Of Death [Pt 2]

    Chapter 814 Charge Of Death [Pt 2]


    Ruins.


    That was the current state of the First Battlement.


    There was barely any rubble left after the destruction, and the sheer destruction was more than enough to allow the Undead ones to advance freely. There was no need to be confined to a gate when the walls had beenpletely torn down.


    "H-haaaa¡­ haaa¡­?"


    Councilman Finn was left speechless as he witnessed their first line of defense absolutely obliterated¡ªa damage far greater than anything he could have ever expected.


    ''That st¡­ it destroyed everything. They didn''t even care about their troops standing in the way.''


    Finn wasn''tpletely sure before, but after seeing all of this, he had to make the conclusion that the enemy wasn''t the Giants.


    ''There''s someone else behind this!''


    But who?


    He had no time to even think about that, and even if he did¡­ there were no clues.


    All he knew about the enemy was what currentlyy before him¡ªthe fact that they were bountiful and incredibly powerful.


    ¡­ And that they weren''t stopping.


    Even now, despite all the destruction, the ck swamp was still spitting out so many Giants and Monsters, and they were rushing towards the second battlement


    ''They''ll reach here in less than a minute at this rate.''


    There was no time to think of a proper formation or enact an intelligently made strategy. Before that could be done, the enemy would have closed in on them, and it would be toote.


    ''We have no choice. We have to utilize ourst ditch melee efforts.'' Finn thought to himself, ready to yell out his orders.


    But¡­ something was making him hesitate.


    ''Those Undead Dragons¡­'' His eyes focused on them as he tried to quell his slight shivers. ''Why aren''t they moving or doing anything?'' n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The monstrosities merely stood at the center of the ckness, watching the second battlement, which was within range of their powerful sts, yet did not take any action at all.


    ''Is it because they are aware of our anti-projectile barrier? Or¡­ are they trying to gauge our level of defense?'' It didn''t seem like either of those options, though.


    From what he could decipher from their lifeless eyes, they merely seemed uninterested in the fight as a whole.


    ''But why? I''m not even sure our anti-projectile barrier can take one of their sts, let alone a barrage of those sts. Could it be that they could only do that once? No¡­ I can''t assume that. It doesn''t even seem like it took them much of an effort to do it.''


    If they could just tear down their battlements, why weren''t the Dragons doing so?


    ''They''re looking down on us, aren''t they?!'' At this point, the Councilman was livid with unbridled rage.


    ''Fine, then! I''ll show you why we''ve been able to survive and ovee the Dragons, Giants, and every other aggressor that we''ve ever faced!''


    Raising his hands, he yelled as loud as he could:


    "Release the A-51s, B-12s, and C-8s!"


    As soon as he uttered those words, a massive hole appeared right in front of the second battlement. It was a spatial gate that was linked to another location.


    And emerging from these gates were the new fighters that the Dwarves were now employing for their task.


    The footsoldiers¡ªA-51 Golems and B-12 Automatons¡ªwere massive and nearly as tall as the approaching Undead Giants.


    As for aerial support, the C-8 Flying Drones swarmed the sky like a host of massive dragon-fly shaped insects.


    This was the culmination of the mechanical engineering of the Dwarves for so long¡ªthe way to engage in warfare without any potential loss on their end.


    Golems had to be controlled by their respective pilots, though this could be done remotely.


    Automatons didn''t require control, since specific instructions could be programmed into them, so they could respond to various things in battle.


    As for the Flying Drones, they were a kind of hybrid. While they were generally automated, a pilot could take charge of them in order to engage specific targets or perform a unique function.


    All of them also had self-destruct sequences, which served as ast ditch effort to take down the enemy.


    ''They''re all expensive to make, considering how powerful they are, so self-destruct would be too wasteful. But¡­ it doesn''t seem like there''ll be much of a choice right now.'' Councilman Finn resolved himself to do what was necessary once the time came.


    He knew what was at stake if he didn''t.


    The Golems and Automatons looked identical, though thetter was bulkier due to the presence of several nerve synapses and a need for higher processing power. They were all made of metal and covered in runes, which served to enhance their offensive and defensive capabilities overall.


    Each Golem and Automaton was armed with sufficient weapons¡ªboth melee and ranged¡ªto be formidable inbat, while the Drones were purely for ranged attacks.


    If their weaponry wasn''t enough, the Drones would be sent crashing down and exploding like small, but powerful bombardments falling from the sky.


    Using this method, for sure they would be able to whittle down the enemy forces.


    ¡­ For sure!


    *************


    [Moments Later]


    ''W-what¡­ what is going on here?!''


    Despite the rounds of bombardments and self-destruct sequences, the Undead didn''t seem to be reducing in number at all. They just continued to relentlessly advance towards the second battlement.


    ''T-this¡­ this is bad!''


    Councilman Finn was slowly beginning to panic. Despite his best attempts to hide his nervousness, he couldn''t help but bite his nails and continuously shake under heavy pressure.


    "W-where is backup? Why can''t the backup arrive?!" He barked out loud, despite already knowing full well the reason.


    The deputy beside him heard this query and reminded him of what he already knew.


    "They are also under heavy attack in their respective cardinal points, sir! Every area is fully upied, and they''re also requesting backup!"


    Councilman Finn felt like ripping out his beard once he heard this.


    ''Damnit! Was it a mistake to divide our forces to the four cardinal points of the city just in case of a spread-out assault? No¡­ no, that was the right call!''


    If they didn''t do that, then the other parts of the city that was left unguarded would have been breached, and they would be in an even worse-off situation.


    ''Damnit!''


    The Golems, Automatons, and Drones were already out of ammunition and were engaging in their self-destruct sequences, but that would only temporarily hold back the enemies.


    Without anything more to stop them, the enemy would inevitably attack and break through the second battlement. Councilman Finn knew this, and he had to make a decision as quickly as possible regarding their next move.


    "Haaa¡­" Visible breath escaped his lips as he sighed.


    He already knew the only way out.


    "Everyone, retreat! Retreat to the third battlement!"


    The Dwarves obeyed, using the Tether to retreat to the highest and most fortified wall of the three.


    Once again¡­ this decision saved their lives.


    The Undead Dragons summoned their powerful breaths and brought down the second battlement walls just as easily as they did the first, granting passage to the ever-growing Undead Army that rose from the rapidly expanding ck swamp.


    There really was no escape.


    They had reached thest end of their rope.

 Chapter 815: Overwhelming Despond

    Chapter 815: Overwhelming Despond


    ?


    "H-haa... haaa...?"


    Councilman Finn was struggling to breathe as heid eyes on the world beyond the tall walls that he stood on.


    The Undead Giants and Monsters had surrounded the final battlement-spreading from all the cardinal locations-leaving no room for escape.


    Not only that, but the Dragons suddenly ascended to the sky, hovering all around the city... like vultures, waiting for the death of a fatally wounded animal.


    It seemed inevitable that they would lose.


    ....That they would die.


    The final battlement that once seemed tall and impregnable now began to look brittle in the eyes of the Dwarves that prayed it would hold in this moment of adversity. The technologies they had put so much faith in had failed them, and now they were helpless.


    The only other option they had was to keep firing their useless canons, or for the Dwarven Warriors to finally enter the battlefield and engage their enemies in meleebat.


    They were donning Mech Suits, so perhaps they had a chance.


    However, the overflowing Miasma clearly meant a death sentence to any Dwarf who had a prolonged battle with the Undead.


    "I-is this the end...?"


    As Councilman Finn muttered this, the most unexpected thing happened.


    The Undead soldiers stopped-all of them-as if they were locked in a single frame in time. Then, they fell to their knees.


    "W-what...?"


    Councilman Finn did not understand what was happening yet, but his eyes soon picked up something in the distance that made him slightlyprehend.


    All the hovering Dragons went to that location-where the clouds were darkest-and began to dance around it.


    Thunder rumbled in the distance, and purple lightning sparked in the ckened clouds.


    All to pay homage to what wasing.


    ~RUMBLE!~


    The Dwarves felt the tremors from where they stood on the walls.


    Their bodies followed ordingly, as they all shook in fear. Their eyes were wide open as they watched the army that emerged from seemingly nowhere.


    They were at a distance, beyond the ck pool of energy, but they were steadily approaching the third battlement with such tremendous pressure that it felt unreal.


    ''T-those are...?!''


    Councilman Finn''s eyes witnessed the most unexpected sight ever.


    About thirty thousand Giants were approaching-each of them riding a Monster like it was a steed. They donned armor that seemed enchanted, with battle-hardened expressions and a formation that oozed intelligence.


    They were also equipped with varying weapons that seemed too sophisticated to have been made by their primitive minds.


    Then, at the forefront of this army were five Grand Knights.


    They had unique colors, and the armor they donned was of apletely different quality from the other Giants. Not only was it superior in terms of power, but it looked more regal.


    Four of the five Knights carried a particr throne from different sides, holding it up with reverence, while the final one-a female mage-stood behind and walked with her head slightly bowed.


    Councilman Finn stared hard at the man who sat on the throne, but only confusion greeted the poor Dwarf once heid eyes on him.


    "Who... is that? Their leader? B-but that is-!"


    The one who sat on the throne was a human-or rather, he resembled one.


    He had red hair, with a fully ck suit. His crimson eyes glowed with malevolence, and his ebony face was filled up with his amused smile.


    How was a human leading Giants? It made no sense at all!


    No... perhaps it did.


    ''If the humans are colluding with Giants, it would exin their sudden rise in intelligence. I should attribute the use of formations, monsters, and even dragons to... wait... no, that can''t be right.''


    There was no way humans could even broker a deal with Giants, talkless of being resourceful enough to push the Dwarves so far.


    ''They''re struggling with the war on their own continent, aren''t they? How could they possibly fare any better against us?''


    ''The Giants and Monsters up ahead aren''t Undead. They must be the main army.'' Councilman Finn thought to himself with gritted teeth, already understanding their strategy.


    ''They nned to wear us out with their dispensable Undead Army, while only appearing once we didn''t have much left in our arsenal.''


    There was a reason they kept their distance as well.


    ''They could justmand the Dragons to tear down the walls, ormand the Undead Army


    to keep marching on and attack, yet... they''re all on standby.''


    Initially, Finn thought this was a w in their n... but he knew better now.


    ''They already know they''ve won.''


    The Undead Army was invincible, and now they had surrounded the Fortress City. The dark


    swamp had also covered the surroundingnds in its ck muck.


    There was no escape in sight, and the enemy already knew that.


    It was their n all along.


    ''What can we do now? I... I don''t know!''


    If they chose to keep fighting, only death would await them. However, if they didn''t fight, then the Dwarven Civilization was as good as done for.


    At this point, Councilman Finn forgot about his political ambitions, letting go of all his motivations to keep up hisposure.


    "A-ahhhh..." Falling to his knees, trembling with wide, teary eyes, he couldn''t help but sob.


    He finally felt the cowardice that overwhelmed his colleagues.


    "This... is this really the end?!"


    ************


    [Meanwhile...]


    The Senate was chock-full of its members, save for Councilman Finn, who chose to lead the people on the battlefield.


    A few Dwarves had initially felt bad they they didn''t do the same, but after seeing the current state of the battlefield, they were d regarding their choice.


    "W-what should we do now?!"


    "Are we screwed? This is terrible!"


    "We''re done for!"


    As they kept up theirmentations, two human silhouettes suddenly manifested from out of


    nowhere.


    "Greetings, Dwarven Leaders."


    The moment the feminine voice echoed within the room, all the Dwarves fell into decorum as


    they gazed with shock at the direction of the sound.


    Standing there was a girl with blond hair, and a boy with dark brown hair.


    They were barely adults, but there was a mature air around them¡ªparticrly with the way


    they smiled at them.


    "My name is Belle, and this is my partner Justin." As they said this, their smile only widened


    more.


    Tension filled the air as their words echoed across the hall.


    "Wee in peace."


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading! Looks like checkmate to me, doesn''t it?

 Chapter 816 Aters Messengers

    816 Ater''s Messengers


    Perfect decorum.


    No one uttered a single word as they witnessed the two humans introduce themselves.


    Perhaps it was because they understood that underestimating them would lead to no positive oue. The mere fact that they were able to approach the Senate so quietly had to mean they could bypass all the security measures and protocols that had been put in ce throughout the building.


    Even now, with them being in the meeting hall, none of the defense protocols were activating.


    Why?


    The Dwarves didn''t even know they were present until they heard their voices.


    Just how sneaky were they? How long had they been in the hall? They couldn''t answer those questions, and so much more, which made them quietly stare at the boy and girl.


    All the Leaders had one thought in their head.


    ''Who are they, really?!''


    "Wee with a message from Ater, Presiding Chief of the Giants. Thest time a letter was sent, you killed one of his messengers, so I''d advise you to be a lot less impatient with your decisions this time." This time, it was the boy who spoke.


    He had a letter with him, and a bright smile on his handsome face.


    The Dwarves were still recoiling from confusion¡ªparticrly Councilman Frank.


    He had indeed been informed of Giants who approached the walls with a letter from a certain "Ater", but he just assumed that there was no such person, and that the Giants were merely seeking another way to attack.


    He remembered being amused by the rather unique choice of the Giants, but he didn''t think anything more about it before telling his subordinates to attack with full force.


    ''S-so¡­ Ater was real?!'' n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    A bead of sweat fell from Councilman Frank''s face immediately.


    In a way, all of this war and mayhem was his fault. If he had just listened to the Giants back then, epting their letter of goodwill¡­ perhaps things wouldn''t have escted to such a level.


    ''Fuck! This is bad!'' He stared at his fellow Dwarven Leaders, but it seemed none of them had thought of things to that point.


    He was probably sa¡ª


    ''A-ah!'' One look at the two humans told him that he wasn''t out of the woods just yet.


    The boy and girl were staring directly at him, with knowing eyes and cunning smiles that told him that they knew exactly what he was thinking.


    They were aware of his carelessness!


    "Now then¡­ I shall read the letter." Belle said, her smile broadening as Justin passed her the letter.


    "Greetings, Dwarven Leaders. My name is Ater, and I desire peace between both Giants and Dwarves¡­ all leading up to an Alliance with my Master. Of course, I understand there will be pushbacks, which might spiral into acts of violence. But rest assured¡­ you will ept this proposal one way or the other. The choice is in your hands right now. If you choose peace, and by extension an Alliance, the Dwarven Republic will be spared from annihtion. I also promise to assist you with the scarcity problem you have, and offer support regarding the Dragon War with the resources at my disposal¡­"


    She paused for a second, observing the reactions of the Dwarves.


    "R-really¡­?"


    "He''ll help with the scarcity issue? H-hold on, how does he know about that?"


    "D-does that even matter?"


    "How can we even trust him?"


    "He''ll assist us with the Dragons too?"


    "This is too suspicious, isn''t it? Who is his Master?"


    As they murmured among themselves, Belle and Justin shot themselves a knowing look.


    They already knew this would happen.


    "... But if you refuse this offer, there will be dire consequences." As soon as Belle said this, every Dwarf fell quiet instantly.


    Their faces seemed to ask the same question.


    "What consequences?"


    "For starters, all of you here will be killed. The Senate will then be reced by more sensible leaders who know the best choice for their Republic."


    Their faces went pale instantly.


    "One way or the other, the Dwarves will be allied with the Giants and serve my Master. If you know what''s best for you, it''s best you ept very quickly before I have to resort to more¡­ convincing methods."


    The Dwarves all nced at therge screen that floated above their table, which disyed the current state of the battlefield.


    At this point, it was clear that Ater¡ªleader of the Giants¡ªwas phenomenally stronger than what they had ever expected.


    He was too strong for them to stand against using conventional means.


    Still¡­ what he was asking for was too much!


    "You make valid points. It''s true we have been outdone by this Ater person¡­" The person who spoke was the Leader of the Scientific and Technological Advancement Sector.


    He tilted his goggles as he spoke.


    "However, he made one small oversight. He sent just the two of you to deliver his letter. Do you really think we''ll let you walk out of here aftering into our territory like this?"


    ~DRRRRIIIINNNGGG!!!~


    That very instant, a ring rm spread within the massive hall, with bright red lights filling the air.


    In a sh, several machineries appeared all over the room¡ªspecifically Drones and Automatons.


    "We can just capture you two and use you as leverage." The crazy Dwarf grinned.


    "A hostage situation, eh?" "Exactly!" He turned towards the boy who spoke. "Or are you saying this Ater person doesn''t care about your lives? In that case, should you really be working for him?"


    At this point, the two humans looked at each other with barely contained grins.


    "Well¡­ he does care about our lives. Despite putting us through all kinds of things, he has made it clear that he will protect us from any harm that would kill us."


    "T-then¡­ that means you''re valuable! Hahaha!" The Dwarf grinned maniacally, ordering his machines to close in on the two.


    "Fools! You should have pretended to be dispensable!"


    As heughed, with the other Leaders¡ªparticrly Frank¡ªstill conflicted about what to do, Justin and Belle retained their aloof expressions.


    "Why, though?" This question from the blond girl caused the Dwarven Leader to ceaseughing, slightly confused by their overly calm demeanor.


    "You Dwarves don''t stand a chance against us. If you did, Ater wouldn''t have told us to deliver the message.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]

 Chapter 817 Complete Surrender

    817 Complete Surrender


    "Well¡­"


    Gaping mouths from all the spectating Dwarves faced the two humans who stood among a pile of Automaton and Drone parts.


    "... It''s just as I said. You Dwarves don''t stand a chance."


    They werepletely unscathed, smiling ever so confidently as if the several high-end specialized machines that were thrust at them were nothing but small fry. Despite some of the reservations that the Dwarven Leaders had regarding the two, they never expected mere humans to stack up so well against their creations.


    Yet¡­ what was this?


    Justin and Belle had disconcerted expressions as they looked at the Dwarves, who were now pale with fear. They recognized the consequences of their actions, and none of them wanted to face them.


    Certainly not Councilman Frank!


    "P-please spare us! I''m willing to cooperate!" He stepped forward, swallowing what was left of his pride as a bead of sweat fell from his face.


    The two humans looked at him with a smirk, and while he despised the smugness they disyed towards him¡­ he couldn''t help but swallow his grievances and give a rubbery smile.


    "F-Frank!"


    "A-are you serious right now? You''d sell your own people to save yourself?"


    "W-what are you thinki¡ª?!"


    "SHUT IT, YOU OLD FARTS!" Frank yelled out, his voice causing every single voice of criticism to cease.


    All the Leaders stared at him with shock,pletely taken aback by his tone.


    Frank wasn''t done, though.


    "Do you think we have a choice here? We''ll be killed if we resist. Our people will needlessly suffer¡­ and we''ll continue to experience this until we finally give in."


    It wasn''t just him that recognized this, was it?


    "The Dragons are still on our case, and our resources diminish with every passing moment. These people are offering to help us with that, but only if we cooperate." He added. "The alternative is conflict¡­ and can we really afford to allocate more resources to fight? If they don''t destroy us first, the Dragons will!"


    The way Frank saw it¡­ this was checkmate from the start.


    "I do this not just for my sake¡­ but for the sake of the Dwarven Race. If you love our people, you should all let go of your pride and do the same." Frank still felt a bitter sting in his heart, as well as a rising apprehension, anytime he remembered the huge mistake he made with the Giants who first delivered Ater''s letter.


    ''If only I had been this rational back then¡­'' He once again nced at the two humans, and they met his gaze with amused grins and slow nods.


    ''It seems they''ll keep my secret now that I''m on their side.''


    He didn''t want to betray his colleagues like this, but there was no other way to go about things. Perhaps they could overthrow this Ater and his Master sometime into the future, but until then¡­


    "I-I also concede."


    "I understand. I won''t resist any longer."


    "M-me too."


    ¡­ Surrender was the only option.


    In merely a few seconds, joining the wreckage of metal and ores that were scattered all over the floor, the Dwarven Leaders knelt and bowed their heads in obeisance.


    "Now that''s more like it." Belle beamed sweetly, and so did Justin.


    They both seemed d by the change of heart¡ªnot that they had any doubt of it ever going sideways.


    After all, Ater had already informed them of the situation with Frank, and how his cooperation would be instrumental in garnering the surrender of the remaining Dwarves.


    "They belong to a collectivist society. Even if all of them are thinking the same thing, no single one will want to step forward first. That willbel them as a scapegoat¡­ an initial traitor. Which is why an additional, personal incentive must be given to one of them in order to make them take that leap of faith. Once one steps forward, the others will follow suit." Was what Ater told them when they asked how the whole thing would go.


    They had also made a follow-up question regarding the incentive to be used, but he only chuckled at their question.


    "There''s no need to worry about that. I''ve taken care of it already."


    Just as he said, Ater had handled every single detail to ensure smooth sailing for both Justin and Belle.


    Fighting the Drones and Automatons just happened to be a mild hup.


    "Haa¡­ why couldn''t they have summoned stuff like Monsters? We didn''t even get a chance to Level Up¡­"


    "Right? They weren''t even that strong."


    As the two spoke among themselves, the kneeling Dwarven Leaders watched with confusion and very bruised pride. They all nced at the Head of Science and Technology, and the poor Dwarf looked like he was about to cry.


    They could only imagine his pain.


    "In any case¡­ since you''ve all agreed to surrender, there''s just one more thing we need from you." Justin stepped forward, clearing his throat as he stared at the crowd before him.


    "Shall we get started?"


    *********************


    The final battlement stood tall, but everyone that remained on it knew this wouldn''t be the case for long.


    This was especially true for Councilman Finn.


    He and his subordinates were outnumbered, outgunned, and overall outmatched.


    This was an overwhelming loss for them, and the fact that the entire Fortress City had been surrounded by the enemies meant the ce would fall before long.


    ¡­ Perhaps in a few hours, in the best case.


    ''If we lose the Fortress City, we''re all doomed. If the Giants don''t do us in first, then it would be the Dragons.''


    Either way, the Dwarven Civilization was on the brink of extinction.


    "WE SURRENDER!"


    A loud voice permeated the Fortress City¡ªincluding the battlefield and the battlement where the brave Dwarves were standing on, ready to throw their lives away to stop the impossible enemies that were before them.


    "W-what is¡­ that¡­?"


    Councilman Finn raised his head, his eyes widening as he witnessed the holographic disy of the rest of the Councilmen.


    All the members of the Senate were kneeling, their defeated features evident on the massive screen that wasid bare for everyone in the City to see.


    Heck, even the enemies could probably see the screen if they had a special Skill, Tool, or Magic to aid them with it.


    "T-those fools! What are they doing?!" Finn muttered, his fists clenched as he watched them grovel before the enemy.


    ''Have they no shame? No pride?!''


    Why were they surrendering to an enemy who invaded their territory and caused so much chaos and destruction? Why would they¡ª?


    "D-does this mean we won''t have to fight those things?"


    "T-thank goodness!"


    "I really thought I would die¡­"


    "S-so I don''t have to sacrifice myself? What a relief."


    "The Senate made the right call¡­"


    As Councilman Finn heard these murmurs from the soldiers around him, his widened eyes bulged even further.


    ''A-ahh¡­?''He turned to look at them, and he could see relieved expressions on their faces.


    He noticed how pale their faces had be, and the beads of sweat that enveloped their visage. All this time, he was only aware of his fear, but now¡­ after seeing just how scared everyone was, he could understand.


    ''We would have all been ughtered. While it pains me to surrender now, it seems this is the only alternative.''


    It left a bad taste in his mouth, but¡­


    ''....I suppose we''ll have to ignore all the fatalities we have¡­ h-hold on, fatalities¡­?'' At this point, the Councilman''s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.


    He looked around him, and then turned to the devastated battlements.


    ''H-how am I just noticing this?!''


    No matter how hard his eyes scoured, he could not see a single corpse. None among the troops were even injured in the slightest.


    Yes, they had lost a lot of infrastructure, but no one had been hurt. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Councilman Finn was not haughty enough to believe that this was due to his exceptional leadership and strategies.


    No¡­


    ''... They intentionally caused no casualty!'' He looked ahead, watching the army that remained still, and gulped.


    The reason the Dragons remained still, rather than using their powerful breath to destroy the battlements¡­ the reason the Undead Army had halted its advance, and even now¡­ the reason why the Main Army was keeping its distance¡­


    ''... It''s not because they''re being cautious of us at all.''


    They were being considerate.


    All this time, while the Dwarves were fighting with everything they had, while fearing for their dear lives, the enemies never had the intention to kill them.


    ''From the very beginning, things would have turned out this way.'' He made a wry smile and loosened his clenched fist.


    He looked at the army of giants¡­ at the Grand Knights, and at the one who sat on the throne.


    The man was smiling with pure satisfaction and amusement.


    Even then, Councilman Finn had to ept everything. His jaws loosened, and before he knew it, he was uttering words to the men around him.


    "At ease, soldiers. We are surrendering¡­"


    *


    *


    *

 Chapter 818: Horrors Of The Battlefield

    Chapter 818: Horrors Of The Battlefield


    ?


    "Pfft! That wasn''t so hard now, was it?"


    Ater satfortably in his chair, one of his hands supporting his head as he tilted it to the side and watched the entire Dwarven Army kneel atop their battlement.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    He also saw the holographic disy of the Senate surrendering, which meant Justin and Belle had seeded in their tasks-an exceptional feat that he nned to reward them for when the time was right.


    "You should have just done this from the start and saved me all the trouble..." Ater muttered, referring to the groveling Dwarves. "Though, I won''t pretend that I''m not a bit sad that things have to end so quickly."


    Perhaps he overestimated them a little, but he was hoping for a bit of a desperate struggle- at least, resistance from a select few Dwarves who were too prideful to know their ce.


    At least, that way he could justify killing some of them in this war.


    Unfortunately, that didn''t happen.


    ''They''re too sensible for their own good. Or maybe they are just so much in tune with every living creature''s instinctive desire to live.''


    Either way, the party was over.


    "We won."


    As soon as Ater said this, the Giants gave a deafening roar of victory.


    Looking at their faces, one could easily see boundless joy and pride in the faces of the Giants as they began to march forward per Ater''smand.


    They cheered and hailed Ater for his might, while also singing derogatory words about the Dwarves. Some of the Giants would naturally feel a little frustrated, since they didn''t get to kill any Dwarf, but all of those emotions were easily washed away by the taste of victory.


    -Especially since they hadn''t gotten that in over a century.


    Ater observed all of this, smiling to himself, as he indulged in even more thought.


    ''This is still only the beginning...'' Looking ahead at the third battlement as he neared it, he couldn''t help but lick his lips.


    ''I''ve managed to get the Giants and Dwarves to subject themselves to me, and Master by extension, but that is simply a prelude for what is toe.''


    He still had other ns for this alliance.


    ''Frey''ja followed my instructions, and the Southern Continent will indeed be utilized for her Academy''s Excursion.''


    It was perfect-just as he wanted.


    ''Now that all the pieces are on the board, I have to prepare the perfect scenario pending the time that those little ones arrive here.''


    Even if he didn''t get much satisfaction from everything thus far, he knew the uing events would please him greatly.


    ''A-ahh... and not just me!'' Ater''s eyes beamed as he imagined Rey''s proud smile and the many pats he would get for all his hard work,


    ''I wonder how much Master will praise me when this is all over!''


    *****************


    [The Present]


    ''What the hell is going on in your head, Ater?!''


    Rey''s thoughts screamed as he pushed himself forward as he and his friends glided in the air with their strong wings to escape the perils of war that continuously roared behind them.


    He looked around him and saw the frightened faces of his ssmates, as well as the other students of the Imperial Academy. Heck, even the Supervisors looked unnerved as they followed the Dragon Commander in front.


    ''Right now, the only thing keeping everyone calm is the thought of the shelter. Since Spatial Transport is down, they can''t return us to the Academy, so we''re practically stuck here until things die down.''


    Rey wasn''t particrly frightened by any of this.


    In fact, he had a pretty good idea of what was happening, and he could practically sense all the warfare that everyone was running from in great detail.


    He was just getting a little tired of pretending to be nervous and worried, just like everyone else-though there was probably no need to.


    Everyone was too concerned about their own survival to care about what expression he was making.


    The only one who constantly nced at him was Adrien.


    ''I''ll just ignore him for now...'' Rey thought to himself, returning his thoughts to Ater and the kind of n he had to be cooking up.


    Then, his mind branched to Lucielle.


    ''How are things going on your end, Lucielle?''


    He sent a message through their [Link], expecting at least some sort of dy before she responded to him. However, much to his surprise, she replied almost instantly.


    ~I was just about to contact you, Rey! Things are crazy over here!~


    Her thoughts seemed a little distorted as she spoke, and so noise simr to static in phone calls slowly hummed as her response reached him.


    This usually happened when a person was too distracted to fully focus on the [Link], or they were experiencing intense emotions that somehow affected the connection and transmission of thoughts through the secure channel.


    Strong emotions like fear and anxiety were pretty big offenders in this regard.


    ''Are you okay?!'' Rey asked, feeling a little worried about her due to the growing static in their connection.


    There were very few things that could harm the current Lucielle, but that didn''t mean they didn''t exist. Plus, since she was surrounded by ''allies'', he wasn''t expecting much harm to


    come to her.


    Now, though, he wasn''t so sure.


    ''I can still use my spatial maniption, so if pushes to shove, I can go rescue her. I don''t know how the spatial issue is on her end, but if it''s bad, then she won''t be able to escape if things go south.''


    Rey was tempted to not worry so much, since Ater was in charge of the n. In fact, by all logic, there was no need for him to be so concerned.


    But... he still found himself worried.


    At least, until the System forced his emotions to settle.


    ~Me? Well, I''m fine... but everyone else isn''t!~


    He instantly asked Lucielle to borate on what she meant, which she did almost


    immediately.


    ~All the Dragons that were supposed to be waiting for us here have been turned into Undead. Right now, the staff are doing everything they can to protect us-at least, until we have a window to retreat-but things are looking pretty bad.-


    Rey''s eyes flickered a little upon hearing that.


    ''At least we have a shelter we''re heading to, but it seems there''s no such thing for them. Just


    how much damage...''


    ~So many students and staff are already dead, Rey! They''re dropping like flies at this rate, but


    it looks like we''ll soon be able to destroy the nearby Undead and find refuge somewhere.~


    A sigh of relief left Rey''s lips as soon as he heard that.


    ''Be careful, okay? You''re not in danger or anything like that... right?'' He managed to respond, multiple things going through his thoughts at once.


    ~Are you kidding me? I''m feeling very ecstatic right now, Rey!~


    ''E-eh?''


    He wasn''t expecting the response he received, but everything slowly began to make sense once he heard Lucielle''s retort.


    ~So many Dragons are dying around me, Rey! It''s so fun to see. I think... I think I''m getting overexcited, even. It''s hard to maintain my facade when such an amusing sight is ying out


    in front of me.~


    ''I-I see...'' He replied, a little half-heartedly.


    Now he understood why there was a bit of static in theirmunication.


    Lucielle was indeed feeling a very strong emotion, but he had been wrong about what it was.


    It wasn''t fear or anxiety.


    It was joy! ''You''re overjoyed about their extermination, huh?''


    ~They''re the enemies, Rey. I actually want to get in on the action, but that would blow our


    cover. Sadly, I can do nothing but watch these vile creatures die...~


    ''Yeah...'' Rey nodded slowly, ncing at the scared and powerless Dragons that were around


    him.


    He had to wonder why he didn''t feel the same as Lucielle.


    ************


    [Many Moments Later]


    "Haa..."


    Rey found a nice little corner for himself in the shelter that was promised to the students.


    It was nothing but a massive underground cave that resembled a secret bunker. It had so much space, though, so it was able to upy all the students. At the current moment, everyone was waiting for the meals that were promised to them, since they were hungry, but all of them were just grateful to be alive.


    One look at the frightened and despairing Dragons told Rey all he needed to know.


    ''I already know we''re going to be eating slop, so that''s not something anyone here should be looking forward to.'' He thought to himself with a wry smile.


    Even his Dragon Friends were on their own, in no mood to talk at all.


    This was perfect for Rey, though.


    Well... almost perfect. "Hey, Rey..." Adrien''s voice echoed beside him, causing thetter to hold a sigh as he looked


    in the former''s direction.


    "Mind if I sit next to you?"


    "I don''t mind."


    Just like that, Adrien sat right next to Rey, and his solitude waspletely ruined.


    "I have a question, Rey." He remained quiet and gave a light shrug, signaling Adrien to ask


    away.


    He already knew what the question would be, after all.


    "All of this... was it your n all along?"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Once again, apologies for the Error Chapters. What do you think Ater''s endgame is btw...?

 Chapter 819: Reys Perspective

    Chapter 819: Rey''s Perspective


    ?


    "All of this... was it your n all along?"


    As Rey heard the question, he maintained his stoic expression, barely reacting to what he just heard. After a second or two, he shrugged.


    That was not a "Yes" or "No", just as he wanted it.


    "Hm. I see..." Adrien mumbled, resorting to silence afterwards.


    Thissted for a minute or so, with no one speaking to each other or even ncing in any of the other''s direction. This time, though-


    "What do you think about all of this?


    -Rey broke the silence.


    "What do you mean?" Adrien responded with an understandably confused tone.


    "I mean the current circumstances-how the Dragons are now in the opposite situation as they''re normally used to. They''re the prey, not the predator..."


    In his head, Rey was somewhat hoping this experience could show some of the Dragons how their actions caused the people of other races to feel. He knew it was a tad too optimistic, but he couldn''t help but think in that direction.


    This made him all the more curious about what Adrien was thinking about it.


    ''We sometimes have simr tho-''


    "I don''t really feel anything, to be honest." His response was curt, andpletelycked emotion.


    It felt like he couldn''t be bothered to feel anything else.


    "Other Dragons are sure to feel emotions like concern and pain if they were to see this. Their enemies, like the humans of this world, would shout for joy if they could witness this. But me? I feel nothing..."


    Adrien neither saw the Dragons as a friend or enemy.


    "They don''t matter to me. They''re just a means to an end, after all."


    As soon as he heard that, Rey instantly understood his error, as well as the way it had affected how he interacted with the Dragons.


    ''It seems I''m the only human who feels some measure of sympathy for them.'' ncing around him another time, he caught the sight of many Dragons crying, and many more simply huddled in fear.


    A few put on brave fronts-particrly the seniors-but Rey could tell they were scared.


    ''I never saw them as a means to an end, to begin with. They were initially the enemy, but... now I''m not so sure.''


    After meeting the Elves, particrly The Oracle, he understood that people weren''t usually what they appeared to be.


    If there was a chance for the Elves, and even The Oracle herself... then perhaps there could be for some-not all, but some-of the Dragons.


    ''Is that really the right way to look at things, though?''


    He was sent to this world to defeat the Dragons... no, it was to save this world.


    ''If I can save it without exterminating the Dragons, shouldn''t I pursue it? Or... am I being too optimistic?'' He sighed to himself.


    Rey didn''t know enough to make a proper decision at the moment, and it wasn''t smart to rush into conclusions.


    As such...


    ''... It''s better I postpone this decision tillter. Right now, there''s a more pressing matter.''


    He nced at Adrien and smiled at the boy.


    "Why are you-?"


    ''[Tempora].'' As soon as Rey activated this, everyone-including Adrien, who was about to finish his questionpletely froze in time.


    The poption of everyone in the shelter were stuck in time, all thanks to Rey''s Skill.


    ''Now then... [Mass Doppelganger].''


    Rey instantly created a clone of himself to rece him in his current position before teleporting out of the shelter in a sh.


    [Tempora] only worked when he was very close to his targets, so as soon as he moved a sufficient distance from the shelter, time returned to normal. As for his Doppelganger, it couldn''t do or say anything unless Rey gave it an instruction.


    And, of course, Rey already had that covered.


    "¡ªSmiling at me?" As soon as Adrienpleted his question, his eyebrows raised with slight confusion, the clone responded with swift fervor.


    "I need to sleep now. Don''t disturb me."


    As soon as he said this, a dome of earth surrounded him, and the Doppelganger was safe from any further scrutiny.


    No one else in this shelter paid much mind to this happening either.


    They all had their problems to deal with.


    With his escape fully settled, Rey left the imednds of the Dragons in the battlefield and discreetly advanced to the camp of the enemies.


    He could see the wounded Dragons retreating to the shelter, since the battle for the day was already concluded, but ignored them.


    ''Guess I''ll have to conclude my task quickly and return before any real fuss is made.''


    With that in mind, Rey raced through the air and went straight for the enemy camp.


    ***********


    ''Well, well well...''


    Rey had observed the battlecamp of the Giant and Dwarf Alliance from high in the sky, but it was only until he got closer that he could fully appreciate how well it was constructed.


    Sentinels such as Drones and Automatons perpetually surrounded the Camp-providing both air andnd power. The tall walls that defended the camp had several enchantments on it, including Anti-Projectile ones, which pretty much rendered the usual Dragon Breath useless against it-among other things.


    Then, there was an invisible barrier, resembling a dome, that covered the camp like a nket. Rey was able to easily bypass all of these things, though, and it wasn''t difficult to spot the central building where he expected the leader of the forces to stay.


    There was one thing that surprised him a little, though.


    ''... Isn''t this an borate wee?''


    Four Grand Knights were kneeling right in front of the central building, alongside several other Giants who seemed to be expecting him already.


    It almost looked like a wee party for him.


    ''I guess there''s no point sneaking in...'' Rey smiled to himself, undoing his cloaking Spell and Skill as he descended from his heights.


    The moment his feet touched the ground, he was weed with the thunderous voices of the humongous people before him.


    "Wee, Lord Rey! Your servants are here to pledge ourplete allegiance and lead you


    to the Chief."


    ''The Chief? Ater, huh?'' Rey grinned, nodding slowly as he began to advance towards the


    -central building.


    It was all so amusing for him, but he did well to hold any snickers or chuckles he had on. He had been treated like royalty in many ces, but this was the first time Giants were doing it, and the irony of their subservience wasn''t lost to him.


    ''I wonder if Belle and Justin are around as well.''n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    As tempted as he was to ask the Giants, he decided to wait and ask Ater instead.


    It didn''t take long for them to escort him to the massive tent in the form of a building that served as the Chief''s dwelling ce.


    Once he crossed theyers of fabric that served as the door, he was greeted with sweet- smelling fragrance that betrayed the stench of battle that filled the world outside it.


    Everything in the tent was perfectly arranged, and it waspletely neat-not even a speck


    to be found on the floor or in even the most remote location.


    That wasn''t the best surprise of all, though.


    Bowing his head right in front of Rey, just a few meters ahead, was Ater.


    "Master... it is with great joy that I wee you here."


    The Familiar seemed to be gushing with joy, but he did his best to maintain perfect


    composure as he bowed himself even further.


    "Ater! It''s been a while!" Rey beamed. "Raise your head."


    The man obeyed instantly, revealing the extremely wide grin stered on his face.


    "It''s good to see you after so long, Master!" Ater returned Rey''s beam with twice as much energy as he slowly closed the distance.


    ''It''s only been like two to three weeks, though...''


    At that moment, Rey realized that he and Ater had never really had their own joint adventures


    or missions. He was always relegating other tasks to the Familiar, while he would engage in his own task with someone else.


    ''Hasn''t he brought this up before? I just keep forgetting.'' He smiled, looking at Ater''s


    innocently overjoyed face.


    "Indeed. Shall we sit? We have a lot to discuss, don''t we?"


    Rey wanted topliment him on a lot of things-including the ambiance of the tent that


    housed the two of them-but settling down was top priority.


    "Of course, Master! Right this way!"


    Ater led Rey to a reception where a soft sofa, along with a luxurious desk, as well as a


    prestigious meal, were waiting for him.


    ''I-is that... human food?! It''s been so long!'' Rey was already salivating as soon as he saw the


    food and drinks that he was presented with.


    ''Ater... you''re amazing!''


    Rey sat on the plush sofa and, after making sure he wasfortable, began to enjoy the meal


    that his Familiar had so graciously prepared for him.


    All of it made him forget his experience in the Dragon Continent, as well as the pathetic


    shelter he would be forced to stay in to maintain his cover.


    This... this was the stuff!


    "Now then, Master... I shall begin my report."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    As always, Ater remains the GOAT! With this, I havepletely reced all the error chapters.


    Whew!

 Chapter 820: Discourse Between Familiar And Master

    Chapter 820: Discourse Between Familiar And Master


    ?


    "I see..."


    Rey''s fingers were stroking his chin as his full mouth was chewing on thest of Ater''s delicious meal served on a literal silver tter.


    He had just finished listening to Ater''s detailed report regarding the control of the Dwarves and Giants in the Southern Continent. The whole process seemed like overkill to Rey, but he couldn''t help but see the brilliance in the n.


    ''He was able to finish his task quicker than I expected as a result of that too.''


    As Rey swallowed his food, washing down its contents with his drink, he couldn''t help but marvel at Ater''s genius.


    ''He used his superior strength to forcefully seize control of the Giants, and then dangled immortality before them to keep them all loyal to him. As for the Dwarves, he waged war to break their spirits by showing the gap between their might, and then offered them resources and help with their current crisis.''


    In essence, a more advanced method of the carrot and stick.


    ''It seems the Dwarves were more problematic, but they weren''t a problem for him at all. Plus, from what he tells me, they''ll especially be useful to me.'' Rey smiled, concluding his meal in totality.


    Since the Dwarven Nation had been facing scarcity for some time now, they were trying to generate a renewable energy source.


    ''It''s in our best interests if they seed, since we''ll reap the benefits. I was right to tell Ater not to be too rough on them.''


    Sure, there would be a few among the camp of the Dwarves who resisted the Alliance-unlike with the Giants, who werepletely loyal to Ater-but after seeing what Rey could do for them, their minds were sure to change.


    Even Ater shared the same sentiment.


    ''Looks like things in the South is going way better than I imagined... which leaves the real mystery here.'' Rey parted his lips to speak, but before he could get a word out, Ater smiled and addressed the thought he had.


    "You desire to know what''s on my mind regarding this whole war, and how it rtes with the students in this Excursion, don''t you?"


    "So you did have something to do with it! I knew it wasn''t merely a coincidence we came here."


    Ater smiled and nodded slowly. "We have to make use of every opportunity that we can, don''t you agree, Master?"


    Rey nodded, but he was still puzzled in many regards.


    "How did you even manage to... no, hold on, what exactly do you n to do with this? You called it an opportunity, right?"


    Ater''s smile broadened, and he proceeded to sit in the air.


    "I n to kill as many Dragons in this expedition, while dealing a heavy blow on the Dragon Empire as a whole."


    Rey already expected something along those lines, but he already knew things couldn''t be so straightforward.


    He wanted more details.


    "How heavy would this blow be?" He asked the smiling Ater, who dly went on with his exnation.


    "The Imperial Academy houses the future of the Dragon Empire. By killing off all these young talents before they have a chance to sprout, we''ll be severely wounding the Dragon Empire."


    "I see..."


    "The casualty will deal a heavy blow to the educational system too. By eliminating the supervisors, who are basically thepetent instructors of the Academy, we''ll be getting rid of powerful and skilled educators. All in all, this will help whittle down the potential enemies of humanity, which should make your mission of saving the world much easier."


    " "1


    Rey couldn''t help but remain silent for a few seconds as he brooded on Ater''s little surprise for him.


    "It''s brilliant..." He managed to whisper.


    Despite how cruel it was, there was no objective reason to be against it.


    Perhaps if he had maintained an attitude like Adrien''s or Lucielle''s, he wouldn''t have been so taken aback by the malevolence of the n, but he just had to view them as living entities with souls like him.


    "Thank you for your praise, Master."


    "It''s not praise. It''s just... objectively speaking, your n is brilliant. You''ve done a good job here, exceeding my expectations in every way."


    Yes, Rey felt conflicted about everything, but he couldn''t deny that it was the best step to take.


    ''I can''tpromise the n, or the safety of the Alliance, for the Dragons. ording to The Oracle, the Dragons are responsible for the destruction of the world, so this should be a way to somewhat reduce that possibility-even if it''s only a little.''


    Rey realized this was just a way for him to rationalize the deaths of so many Dragons-both the past and future casualties-but he had to make some sort of excuse in his head.


    "It''s all for the greater good." He added with a small smile.


    "Indeed." Ater responded with an enthusiastic nod. "You have to save this world somehow."


    Perhaps the Familiar had noticed Rey''s difort with the n, and was also trying to boost his morale by feeding into the rationalization. It didn''t seem like that was what Ater was doing, but Rey couldn''t help thinking that way.


    In order to distract himself from those thoughts, though, he swiftly changed topics.


    "How are Belle and Justin? I haven''t seen them since I arrived, and I don''t sense them


    around."


    Ater shrugged slightly as he responded. "They''re helping me handle things in the other location of the Excursion... where Lucielle and Adonis are."


    Rey nodded in understanding.


    He had already told Ater about Adonis'' presence in the Academy, so this wasn''t a surprise to


    either of them.


    "And how about Adrien? How are things going with him?"


    This time, it was Rey''s turn to shrug.


    "I have things handled. In fact, we''ve been speaking in detail about the n to infiltrate the Capital, and he has a good n for it."


    Rey went ahead to tell Ater about Adrien''s idea to use the Storm Dragon Lord''s connections to get into the Capital. It would be easy to do if Adrien rmended Rey and Lucielle, since the Storm Dragon Lord would even be paying attention to the Inter-ss Exchange.


    Of course, this would mean Rey had to inform Adrien about Lucielle''s presence in theN?v(el)B\\jnn


    Academy, but something told him that he already knew.


    ''I guess there''s no use hiding it, then.''


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    What do you all think about this whole arrangement?

 Chapter 821: Trusted Counsel

    Chapter 821: Trusted Counsel


    ?


    ''Lucielle already knows Adrien is here, since it''s quite difficult to miss him, and she knows he is on our side. I guess it''s only proper Adrien knows she is here as well...''


    "No." Ater interrupted Rey''s thoughts with a rather stern response.


    "No... to what? I shouldn''t tell him about Lucielle?"


    Rey''s brows were raised a little as he looked at Ater''s bothered face. The way he remembered it, Ater was the one who kept nudging him to trust Adrien more and more.


    Why did he suddenly have a problem with that trust?


    "No, I am not particrly concerned about whether or not you inform him about Lucielle. That matter isrgely inconsequential..." The way Ater spoke so dismissively about Lucielle made Rey a little annoyed, but he ignored those feelings.


    He was more concerned with where he was going with the point.


    "What I was referring to was the rest... Adrien''s n regarding the Storm Dragon Lord. I believe it is wiser to stick with the White Dragon Lord."


    "Really? Even after everything I told you about her current position in the Empire?"


    "I am well aware of all that, but... I also know what I am talking about here. There''s no better horse to bet on than the underdog." Ater smiled slowly.


    "Didn''t know you were big on betting."


    "Only when the end results are guaranteed... but then you wouldn''t really call that betting, would you?"


    The smugness by which Ater spoke betrayed the respectful nature he was trying to imbibe whenever he addressed Rey.


    "How are you so certain of the end results, though?"


    "That isrgely unnecessary information, but I''ll tell you why the White Dragon Lord is a far better option. One is that, whether or not Adrien cooperates with you and introduces you to the Storm Dragon Lord so you''d get ess to him, the White Dragon Lord''s camp is easier to get into. Also, even though you have a cooperative rtionship with Adrien, I wouldn''t advise you to put yourself in a situation where he has more control than you do. If you get into the camp of the Storm Dragon via Adrien''s rmendation, the pendulum of control rests majorly with him."


    Rey understood all of this, which was why he hadn''t been totally sold on the Storm Dragon n yet. But, that didn''t exin why the White Dragon Lord''s choice was the superior option ¡ªespecially concerning the n.


    "Whether or not her political power is dwindling or not, the White Dragon Lord remains a Dragon Lord, which means she has ess to the Capital. Plus, since her power is waning- contributed considerably by the dwindling number of reliable subordinates she has, the chances are higher that she would be more appreciative of you as a disciple, than the Storm Dragon would."


    "That''s... true..." Rey muttered.


    "Besides, there are a limited number of subordinates that can be brought to the Capital by a Dragon Lord. The Storm Dragon is notcking in even more capable subordinates-at least, in his own eyes-that he would rather take there than you... even if you are the most exceptional student in the Academy."


    Once again, Ater was makingplete sense in every word that he uttered.


    "Compared to the Storm Dragon Lord, the White Dragon Lord should be more desperate, which means she has the more important positions open. If you really impress her, there''s a chance you can be elevated faster than you ever would as a subordinate of the Storm Dragon Lord."


    "Hmm... true."


    "Besides... the White Dragon Lord has expressed interest in having disciples from the Base Stages, right? That assurance isn''t present with the Storm Dragon. Don''t forget... Adrien distinguished himself in a literal war against the Elves and fought the champion of humanity in order to get the Storm Dragon Lord''s attention. Compared to that, winning an Inter-ss Exchange among a bunch of Dragon Newts in Basic Stages is really nothing." Ater added, causing Rey''s eyes to widen slightly.


    He never really thought of things that way.


    The way Adrien spoke to him about the whole thing made i I seem very feasible, but the more he gave it critical thought, the more the n seemed to have a lot of holes.


    "You should also consider the aftermath of what I''m about to do here, Master. I doubt the Inter-ss Exchange will be canceled, even after everything, but... it certainly won''t be the same as it would have been if the Excursion happened without incident."


    "A-ahh..."


    "Whether it will be for the better or worse, I can''t say, but you should really stick to the ''constant'' among the variables. The White Dragon Lord has already given her word, and so it doesn''t matter how things turn out. As long as you impress her... you''re in."


    Dragons were creatures of pride, so the White Dragon Lord would have no choice but to make him her disciple. Besides... she was pretty desperate already.


    It really was the best option out of everything.


    "Bottom line... it makes more sense for the head of an Academy to employ students-even if they are Newts¡ªas disciples, than for a fully fledged Dragon Lord at the height of his power to do the same. Adrien isn''t in the Academy because he has anything to really prove to the Storm Dragon Lord there. He''s just there to gain the recognition of the other Dragons and integrate himself with the Empire as a whole. It''s more a matter of prestige to apany his special treatment, as well as to turn him into more Dragon than Human by offering him thorough education." Ater concluded, sighing heavily.


    "So, yeah... you should go for the White Dragon Lord."


    With all of that said, Ater kept a steady gaze on Rey and asked him one simple question.


    "What do you say, Master? Do you trust my counsel?"


    The query would have sparked some ufortable feeling within Rey if it had been asked a few weeks ago when the loyalty of Ater was still unsettled in his mind-but things were


    totally different now.


    Without question...


    "... I trust you, Ater."


    And Rey nned to follow his counsel to the letter.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    What do you think about Ater''s counsel? Pretty solid, I''d say...

 Chapter 822: Enjoying The Show

    Chapter 822: Enjoying The Show


    ?


    ''lileLeuc yraldea swkno neirdA is,eehr icsen ''tsi qtuie cfitdfiul ot imss,him nad hes sknow


    he si on rou si.ed I sseug its'' onyl prpero Adnrie wonks esh is here sa wl''el...


    "No." Ater interrupted Rey''s thoughts with a rather stern response.


    "No... to what? I shouldn''t tell him about Lucielle?"


    ''yseR rsbwo erew sierda a tllite sa eh oodlke at A''ters brheoedt face hTe yaw eh rmdbemeree,ti retA saw the one who tekp nugindg ihm ot rsutt nieAdr oemr dna ero.m Why did he suddenly have a problem with that trust?


    "No, I am not particrly concerned about whether or not you inform him about Lucielle. That matter isrgely inconsequential..." The way Ater spoke so dismissively about Lucielle made Rey a little annoyed, but he ignored those feelings.


    He saw more rcedoe hwit weher eh saw ingog htiw eht .nipto


    "What I was referring to was the rest... Adrien''s n regarding the Storm Dragon Lord. I believe it is wiser to stick with the White Dragon Lord."


    "Really? Even after everything I told you about her current position in the Empire?"


    I" am lewl weraa fo  that, but... I soal know tahw I manktig aubto re.eh hTrse''e no ettebr eshro ot teb on athn the ud"r.donge rate mseldi sl.lwoy


    "Didn''t know you were big on betting."


    "Only when the end results are guaranteed... but then you wouldn''t really call that betting, would you?"


    eTh seumgsns by hhicw Aetr opske dbtyeera het sfpuecertl unreat eh aws trniyg ot ibmbei nhverwee eh seddseard .Rey


    "How are you so certain of the end results, though?"


    "That isrgely unnecessary information, but I''ll tell you why the White Dragon Lord is a far better option. One is that, whether or not Adrien cooperates with you and introduces you to the Storm Dragon Lord so you''d get ess to him, the White Dragon Lord''s camp is easier to get into. Also, even though you have a cooperative rtionship with Adrien, I wouldn''t advise you to put yourself in a situation where he has more control than you do. If you get into the camp of the Storm Dragon via Adrien''s rmendation, the pendulum of control rests majorly with him."


    yeR estnuddoor all of sith, ihhwc asw yhw eh t''ndah bnee ayltotl dlos no the Storm ganrDo panl ty.e Bu,t htta t''ddni pixe ywh the Wtehi ngDroa dLo''rs ecicho aws teh eirpours alii-tlenpepyooscrione eht nl.pa


    "Whether or not her political power is dwindling or not, the White Dragon Lord remains a Dragon Lord, which means she has ess to the Capital. Plus, since her power is waning- contributed considerably by the dwindling number of reliable subordinates she has, the chances are higher that she would be more appreciative of you as a disciple, than the Storm Dragon would."


    "That''s... true..." Rey muttered.


    "Bsesed,i ehetr are a imietdl mubenr of roabuenisdst htata eb rbhtgou ot eth tapC by a groDan Lodr. hTe Sormt oDnrga si ntocking in evne roem palcbae nostatas diureb l,east ni sih now tahesyet- he wdlou ehtarr taek reeth tnha you... evne fi oyu era the tsom aitlxoenpce undetts in hte Acad"y.em


    Once again, Ater was makingplete sense in every word that he uttered.


    "Compared to the Storm Dragon Lord, the White Dragon Lord should be more desperate, which means she has the more important positions open. If you really impress her, there''s a chance you can be elevated faster than you ever would as a subordinate of the Storm Dragon Lord."


    ....mmH" ert."u


    "Besides... the White Dragon Lord has expressed interest in having disciples from the Base Stages, right? That assurance isn''t present with the Storm Dragon. Don''t forget... Adrien distinguished himself in a literal war against the Elves and fought the champion of humanity in order to get the Storm Dragon Lord''s attention. Compared to that, winning an Inter-ss Exchange among a bunch of Dragon Newts in Basic Stages is really nothing." Ater added, causing Rey''s eyes to widen slightly.


    He never really thought of things that way.


    Teh yaw Adrien espko to him toabu eht wlhoe thgin dmea ti mees ryve,bfees btu the moer he gvae it irilt thguoht, the oemr eht nalp eesemd ot aehv a tol fo slheo.


    "You should also consider the aftermath of what I''m about to do here, Master. I doubt the Inter-ss Exchange will be canceled, even after everything, but... it certainly won''t be the same as it would have been if the Excursion happened without incident."


    "A-ahh..."


    re"Wthhe ti lwli eb for the bertte ro ewsro, I tca''n,yas tub you dohlus elyarl sckti to eht "nctsntoa mgnao the ivba.aresl The Wthie groDna odLr ahs yaed veign her wor,d dna so it t''nseod rtatme woh nigsht turn.tuo As gnol sa you risemps...the yeour'' .ni"


    Dragons were creatures of pride, so the White Dragon Lord would have no choice but to make him her disciple. Besides... she was pretty desperate already.


    It really was the best option out of everything.


    mBoot"t l... eni ti asekm more snese rfo the heda of an Acaemyd to emlyop te-evesnudtsn if eyth are twseNas icpelss, id than orf a fuyll gdeedlf Drnago rodL at hte iehgth of sih poerw to do hte same. Adiern s''int in the mdaeAyc esacebu he has gnanhiyt to ery evorp ot teh rSmto gnDora Lodr.there He''s jstu there ot gnia the ngritnecoio fo teh other sgroDan and tegrnaite mfseihl wiht teh ripmeE sa a .ewlho ts''I reom a ttarem of sptierge to naapom his Ispecia etr, tetman sa ewll sa ot turn mih otni reom aDnrog ntha muaHn by orengiff him rohothgu uenidtoac". Atre ce,cdolund ngishig heayvil.


    "So, yeah... you should go for the White Dragon Lord."


    With all of that said, Ater kept a steady gaze on Rey and asked him one simple question.


    "What od you,yas etrsa?M Do yuo uttsr ym counsel?"


    The query would have sparked some ufortable feeling within Rey if it had been asked a few weeks ago when the loyalty of Ater was still unsettled in his mind-but things were


    totally different now.


    Without question...


    ..". I tstru you, Art.e


    And Rey nned to follow his counsel to the letter.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    nkhsTa rfo !adneirg


    What do you think about Ater''s counsel? Pretty solid, I''d say...


    ÅR


    COMMENT


    Voten/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    SEND GIFT


    1ment


    3 left


    Chapter 822: Enjoying The Show


    "So... with all of that settled, what exactly is my role in all this?" Rey asked, adjusting himself


    on his seat as he looked at Ater.


    He had been informed, in great detail, about Ater''s strategy for crippling he Dragon Empire and advancing the overall salvation of H''Trae, but Rey was yet to understand where he fit into


    the puzzle.


    ''Is there something I''m supposed to do, or...?''


    "There''s no need for you to be bothered with such trivialities, Master." Ater responded with a


    light smile, bowing slightly. "All you have to do is maintain your cover and continue acting


    like a student of the Imperial Academy."


    In essence, he was to sit back and enjoy the show.


    "I see. Fair enough." Rey said with a brief sigh before bouncing back to his feet.


    "You''re leaving already, Master?"


    "Yeah. I don''t want things to get too rowdy in the shelter before I return. If that happens, my


    clone could give me away, and I wouldn''t want that..."


    "Ahh..." Ater nodded in understanding, though his expression still showed a hint of sadness


    at his Master''s departure.


    "... I understand, Master."


    "Thank you... for the meal and everything else." He patted Ater''s shoulder as he began


    walking towards the exit, a small smile on his face.


    "I''m counting on you."


    "I will do my best, Master!"


    The two interlocked gazes for a moment, which felt like an eternity, and they nodded at each


    other.


    A secondter, Rey had vanished from his position and was already on his way to the shelter.


    ***************


    ''Huuu... I made it just in time.''


    As Rey entered the shelter, everyone inside was frozen in time, thanks to re-initiating [Tempora]. As he suspected, he spent too much time with Ater in the camp, which resulted in the remnant army of the Dragon Empire to already be streaming into the shelter.


    All the students were expected to gather together to wee them, as well as hear out what


    they had to say, so if he had stayed about a minute longer, there was a good chance that his clone would have been discovered.


    Of course, Rey knew he had a way around things, even if that were to happen, but he didn''t


    want to rely on it.


    As a result, he was more than relieved that he was free from all manner of scrutiny.


    Once he took the ce of his doppelganger, he undid [Tempora] and swiftly brought down


    the earthen dome that he used to surround his clone.


    The result?


    "A-ahh... I was just about to break down the dome since you weren''t responding." Adrien


    retorted, staring at Rey with a slightly stunned expression.


    Thetter merely smiled.


    ''Yeah. I know... since I saw you before recing the clone.''


    He couldn''t tell that to Adrien, though, so he simply used the excuse that he gave him before.


    "I was asleep. What''s going on?"


    "Well, we''re all supposed to gather together. As in, all students... for the surviving soldiers


    that just returned from the battlefield."


    Rey also knew about that, but he acted oblivious.


    "I see. Alright then... let''s go."


    Adrien made a face that showed he felt Rey was acting strange. However, with no way to prove


    it or justify his suspicion or confusion, he had to just go with it.


    "Okay. Let''s do that."


    **************


    [Moments Later]


    ''This is crazy...''


    Rey''s eyes widened as he counted the number of Dragons that stood before the students. Back


    when he was rushing to get to Ater, and then return to the shelter, he didn''t bother counting


    them.


    But now that he had more time on his hands, he was able to.


    ... And their total number shocked him.


    ''Just this few survived?!'' There were less than five thousand Dragons standing before them, and most of them were


    Dragon Soldiers. A few Commanders were sprinkled among the group, and only one General


    was left.


    The General that they first encountered was nowhere to be seen.


    ''So he''s already dead, huh?'' Rey thought to himself as heid eyes on the female Dragon General that stood before the students and the rest of her fellow officers.


    She was currently the highest-ranked Dragon in the Southern Continent, which meant she was


    under a great deal of pressure.


    No one wanted to die, but not everyone could live.


    Even the rations in the shelter could hardly be enough for a few nights, talkless of a whole ten

 Chapter 823: Within The Dome

    Chapter 823: Within The Dome


    ?


    "We''re not going to be fine..."


    Lucielle could hear the surviving staff whispering amongst themselves as they had their little meeting away from the rest of the students.


    Unlike Rey''s group that had a certain level of hyperactivity, the ambiance in Lucielle''s forlorn group was that of dead silence-almost like a graveyard. Those who spoke did so in hushed whispers almost like murmurs.


    It made things easier for the eavesdropping Grand Mage.


    One look around her clearly showed the current state of the students. They were absolutely terrified, even though all of them were currently safe in the shelter that had been created by the Joint Magic of their Supervisors.


    As a result of this haven, one could say they were no longer in immediate danger.


    They had managed to get rid of all the surrounding Undead, and then cleared the area of the poisonous Miasma, but... even though there was no enemy in sight, the damage already done was catastrophic.


    For one, so many students and staff-the former especially-died during the skirmish with the Undead Dragons.


    While the staff did all they could to protect them from the clutches of the Undead ones, it was virtually impossible to cover all the grounds. In the end, several students had lost their lives, and even those who didn''t were severely injured.


    "That wasn''t all, too...


    "The Miasma Poisoning is getting worse for those affected."


    "Yeah. We might have to quarantine them at this rate. For the safety of others..."N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Quarantine? Are you sure that would be enough?"


    "What are you suggesting, then? They''re just kids! If they can fight it for a while, it''s best to


    "I''m just saying... why prolong their suffering?"


    "They''re just kids!"


    The staff were arguing amongst themselves, and Lucielle found herself enjoying every single juicy detail that was leaking from their lips.


    Based on their supposedly discreet conversation, the staff were a little conflicted on the state of Miasma Poisoning experienced by mostly students and a few Supervisors.


    The Supervisors could hold out for longer, as well as control their Mana enough to dull the symptoms, but even they couldn''t halt the spread of Miasma.


    As for the students, well... they were as good as dead.


    The Dragon Empire had long discovered medication for Miasma Poisoning, but they didn''t think they would need it in the Southern Continent, so they never brought any supplies.


    None of them were also skilled enough to cure it with their sheer skill.


    ''If they make one wrong move, they could also be infected... and die.'' Lucielle smiled to herself, trying her best to hide the satisfaction on her face.


    "The solution isn''t to do anything to those students. They''re our responsibility, so we have to do everything in our power to protect them!" The most adamant supporter of the young ones was Instructor Kar''eena.


    Her concern for her students was genuine, and even now she remained their stern advocate.


    Thankfully, she was strong enough to have a firm say.


    "And how do we do that?"


    "By acting fast." She responded swiftly. "We have to leave this ce as fast as possible."


    It was alreadyte evening, and many of the students as well as staff were exhausted beyond description. Leaving the shelter at this period would be unproductive at best and suicidal at worst.


    Their mobility would bepromised, and if they were to encounter any enemies during their journey, they wouldn''t have nearly enough energy to fight.


    Of course, Kar''eena knew this already.


    "The best shot we have is to rendezvous with the first group. We haven''t been able to reach them all day, so if "


    "Isn''t it likely that they''re also experiencing a great deal of difficulty as well? There''s a chance their situation is even worse than ours, and perhaps they didn''t fare as well."


    "...." At first, Kar''eena said nothing.


    "For all we know, they might have been exterminated."


    "We have to operate on the assumption that they''re not." She finally retorted. "There''s strength in numbers. If both our groups are together, there''s a higher chance of sess."


    The fellow Supervisors sighed and nodded.


    Kar''eena might have been a Commander, but she was the closest thing to a General among the other Instructors. Rumors were that she was hiding her fourth horn... though those were only


    rumors.


    Just that.


    "We leave first thing during the day. I''m sure we would all have replenished sufficient energy for the trip. If we hurry, we''ll still be able to save the Poisoned Ones."


    "Alright."


    "Understood."


    "I get it."


    One after the other, the Dragon Supervisors all agreed to Kar''eena''s suggestion, practically making her the de''facto leader of the Excursion.


    The n was simple-everyone would fly to the first group as soon as morning came, and then they woulde up with something more borate once that first hurdle was passed and they had more information regarding the situation of the first group.


    Many things were hinging on the safety of the first group, but this was the best idea anyone


    had.


    "I just hope we-"


    "... Lucielle, are you listening to me?"


    Forcefully drawn out of the conversation among the staff, Lucielle slowly opened her eyes and hid her gritting teeth as she turned to the source of the sound.


    It came from Mi''ja, the ss Representative.


    "M-Mi''ja...?" She muttered, pretending as if she was just waking up from sleep.


    Her eyes flickered for a few seconds as she acted disoriented. It wasn''t just Mi''ja that was around her, but the rest of her ''friends'' and ssmates from Imperial Academy ss 1-A.


    They were all sticking together.


    "H-how can you sleep in this kind of situation? I... I''m scared out of my mind."


    "M-me too..."


    "I''ll have nightmares for sure."


    "I can''t even fall asleep."


    As they confided in Lucielle regarding their current problems, she felt like scoffing and rolling


    her eyes. She didn''t appreciate that they were speaking to her at the moment, particrly because she was busy with something else.


    Still, since she had to keep up appearances, there was no way ''Lu''cia'' could treat her friends


    badly.


    ''Damnit... why didn''t they just die during the struggle with all those Undead?''


    In the end, she made a smile and began tofort those around her.


    As she did this, she noticed a certain gaze on her.


    It was from Ad''oni.


    ''Why is he staring at me like that? I''ve been noticing it for some time now, but ever since the


    Excursion started he''s been paying unnecessary attention to me...''


    In fact, his fixation on her predated the Excursion.


    Even in ss, she felt his attention fall on her on many asions.


    At first, Lucielle was worried that her cover had been blown. She even confided in Rey about it,


    but he assured her that wasn''t the case.


    Hence, she ignored it.


    But... the stalking had be excessive at this point. She had run out of excuses to give him


    now, especially since he was meant to be preupied with his own fears and anxiety, not her


    own wellbeing.


    That left only one possible exnation.


    ''D-does he... have a crush on me or something?'' She nearly retched the moment that thought


    shed in her mind.


    Her recoil in disgust was properly covered up, though.


    None of her frightened friends even suspected a thing, and they continued with their hugs and


    words of affirmation.


    The shelter was a massive earthen dome that was fortified enough to hold, so there was probably really nothing to be too concerned about.


    ''Which is why this whole thing sucks...'' Lucielle sighed internally.


    She kept hoping something bad befell the group, but it seemed her fun was already over.


    ''I wish I could participate in this whole thing, but it''s a shame that I have to maintain my cover...''


    If things got too dangerous for her, though, she would probably have to fake her death and rendezvous with Rey or Ater-both of whom could be essed by her if she so desired.


    ''I can''t be careless because I have options, though. Rey and I have worked considerably hard


    to integrate ourselves with these people. It would be a waste to throw all that away- especially from my end.''


    Plus, she wasn''t done learning as much as she could from the Dragons.


    Despite how sickening being among them it was, she endured every moment of it due to the


    benefits that came along with her sacrifices.


    They were very well worth it.


    *************


    [Meanwhile...]


    With the earthen dome that housed hundreds of Dragons standing erect in the distance, two


    figures watched from afar with smiles on their faces.


    -Justin and Belle.


    As their hairs swayed due to the night breeze, they observed the fortified walls of the


    Dragons'' haven with anticipation and amusement.


    "I guess we should start preparing for whates next..." Belle said to Justin, before shifting


    her attention behind her... where there was an army of more Undead waiting.


    They were stationary, yet they growled with a bloodlust that reeked of death. Justin nodded as


    he heard this and offered the only response that came to his mind.


    ... The only one could give.


    "Yup!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Looks like there''s gonna be more carnage. Also, apologies for the clone chapters. My exams


    aren''t over, and things aren''t going so well IRL...

 Chapter 824: Plan To Escape

    Chapter 824: n To Escape


    ?


    [The Next Day]


    "Urgh... this stuff is disgusting!"


    Rations were passed among students, and most of them had nothing pleasant to say about the food. Somehow, it was even worse than the slop they had the previous day-a feat Rey didn''t think was possible.


    Lu''ffa, Mor''ucho, and the rest of Rey''s ssmates ate together with him and Adrien; even going as far as making conversation despite their vivid apprehension.


    Still, they all behaved.


    ''All thanks to that little conversation we had yesterday.'' Rey nearly smirked as he watched them try to do the ''Dragon Version'' of asskissing to Adrien.


    It seemed they also wanted a slice of the cake.


    ''I wonder how long they can stomach talking to a human.'' He wondered in amusement.


    Of course, he was more concerned with the overallints of the students regarding the quality and quantity of the meal they were just served.


    ''Unfortunately, there''s nothing that can be done.''


    The food reserves of the Camp were affected and overrun in battle, so the ''Slop'' that the students were currentlyining about was the only thing left. In fact, most of the Dragons in the military were probably going on empty stomachs just to make sure the students had something in their bellies.


    None of the students knew about this, of course.


    ''In any case, based on what I''ve seen here...I highly doubt we''ll be staying for very long.'' The current arrangement was not sustainable in the slightest. None of the soldiers could afford to look after Rey and his ssmates-not with a literal war on their hands.


    They also couldn''t afford to keep feeding the mouths of students when they also need the nutrients for war.


    ''I have a skill that allows me to convert the Mana in the air to nutrients, so I could probably go without food at this point, but... I guess not everyone is privy to that.'' Rey thought to himself with a silent sigh.


    Whether this was a good or bad thing eluded him.


    It wasn''t just Rey who was thinking like this, too. The Supervisors and higher-ups among the Military gathered together, and so Rey took it upon himself to just listen in to their conversation.


    Lucielle told him all about her sneaky endeavors the previous night, so he figured it was his turn.


    ''This should be interesting...''


    **************


    "We can''t contact anyone from the second group. At this rate, we''ll have to assume they''re in trouble as well."


    The Head Supervisor spoke in a slightly exhausted manner. He had been up all night, waiting... hoping for a signal from the other side.


    But there was nothing.


    He was also hungry-same as the other staff in the room. They had to minimize feeding as much as possible, so the staff joined the majority of the officers in their fasting.


    It couldn''t be helped, after all...


    A culmination of these very strenuous factors resulted in an irritability within the Head Supervisor that he couldn''t quite hide anymore. It was clear from his countenance alone that he was sorely upset.


    "I already told you that the Base your other Group went to has fallen. It fell moments before they started attacking this ce. It brings me no pleasure to say this, but that group is probably..."


    "Nothing is certain yet!" He interrupted the Dragon General-the only one of that rank in the room-and soon regretted it afterwards.


    "I-I''m sorry... please forgive my words."


    "That doesn''t matter right now. I do understand your plight, but we can''t afford to be hopeful at the moment. If we do not take decisive actions based on our current reality, then things could go south real fast."


    It was obvious at this point.


    The Giants and Dwarves had already destroyed the Dragon Camp in that ce, leaving no survivors. Since it was quite literally their territory, it was safer for the students and staff who got transported there to be presumed dead.


    No one could tell for sure, but this was the most reasonable position to take.


    "As you can tell, having you here isn''t sustainable in the long run, which is why..."


    "What? You want to kick us out of the shelter? We might be okay, but those are students! They wouldn''t survive a minute out there! You can''t just¡ª"


    "Silence, Commander! Interrupt me one more time, and I will kill you on the spot." At this point, the General was done with her benevolence.


    Her scowl said it all.


    The Head Supervisor forgot his irritation for a moment and allowed himself to be subdued by fear.


    "As I was saying, it''s not safe for either the students or my officers if you people remain here. The best thing to do is for us to split up... but that doesn''t mean it''s an aimless division."


    Everyone''s eyebrows were raised instantly.


    "The shore. You should all flee to the shore... the closest one to this base. Once you get there, find a way to get as far away from this Continent as possible. Once you reach a sufficient distance away from here, Spatial and Communication Magic should resume their function, so you should be able to get assistance from the Academy."


    "I-I see..." The Head Supervisor muttered.


    It really did seem like the best n.


    "The Giants will not chase you past the water, and machines that work well forndbat generally do not perform the best in water, so even the machinations of the Dwarves won''t be much good once you reach the sea."


    Drones would also be shot down from the sky, since Dragons were particrly skilled in aerialbat.


    "We''ll do our best to distract and hold off the enemies, so they won''t know of your departure. And, even if they eventually find out... we''ll ensure they won''t be able to pursue you." Despite how cold the General seemed, her intentions were nothing short of protecting the innocent


    kids under her care.


    This mission was clearly going to be harder than she represented-particrly for the Military¡ªbut she and her subordinates were prepared to undertake the task.


    -For the future of the Dragon Empire!


    ***********


    ''Interesting...'' Rey smiled as he heard the conversation in full.


    Just as he suspected, there was some other n that involved leaving the shelter sooner


    rather thanter.


    ''I wonder if Ater predicted this... or that it would happen this soon.''


    He didn''t want to overestimate or underestimate Ater, so he decided not to think too much about the issue. Instead, he focused on his [Link] with Lucielle after making sure his friends


    wouldn''t distract his conversation with her.


    They were too busy around Adrien anyway.


    ''Yo, Lucielle. How are things on your end?''


    -Ahh... not good.~


    Based on the way she sounded, it was clear that a lot was going on in the shelter as they


    conversed. Naturally, this piqued his interest.


    ~The Miasma Poisoning situation has gotten more intense over here. Staff and students have


    it, and they''re beginning to worry that it''ll spread even further if they aren''t quarantined or


    killed off.~


    Hearing Lucielle''s side just made Rey realize just how better off his own group was.


    ''Is Group 1 getting special treatment because of me? Ater... you''re strangely very considerate.''


    He mused.


    ~ In any case, a lot of the people here are very weak. Either due to hunger, or the Poisoning. The staff are casting Buff Spells and all for us, but it''s a temporary solution. At this point, they''re betting everything on finding your Group.~


    ''That''s funny... considering the fact that my group is nning on leaving this ce to go to the shore.'' Rey responded, going into details by exining what he overheard mere momentsn/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ago.


    In no time at all, Lucielle was brought up to speed with the whole thing.


    -I see. Interesting...~


    ''Is it, though?''


    ~Yup! I really wonder what they''ll do once they get to your camp, and meet no one there.~


    ''It would probably be overrun by the Giant and Dwarven Armies by then.'' ~Welp... I suppose it''ll be a massacre, then. We have to fly to your group to get the proper


    treatment for a lot of us here, so imagine if we enter a Camp overrun by the enemy?~


    None of them would stand a chance at all.


    ~We''re already gathering together. Preparations are nearlyplete. We''ll tear down the


    dome and immediately initiate fli-h-huh...?~


    Suddenly, Rey felt Lucielle''s mood suddenly change.


    It felt like a slight break in transmission, but it wasn''t.


    At least, not really. Lucielle''s emotions had spiked up again, but this time it wasn''t due to purely emotional


    reasons.


    ''You okay?''


    ~Looks like things are about to get busy here again...~


    Hearing that made Rey smile a little. He could tell that Lucielle wasn''t worried, and he also wasn''t-especially now that he had already spoken to Ater.


    ''You havepany, huh? How many?''


    For a while, Lucielle didn''t reply. It seemed she was taking her time to assess the threat.


    After nearly a minute, though, she finally spoke.


    ~A lot of them! Looks like I was wrong, Rey...~


    Another short moment of silence echoed within his mind before shepleted her line of


    thought.


    ~... The Massacre''s already beginning.~


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Get pumped for what''s toe fes! Senseless battle and deaths... I hope!

 Chapter 825: Undead Ambush

    Chapter 825: Undead Ambush


    ?


    ~RUMBLE!~


    By the time they heard the noise, it was already toote.


    The group was already surrounded by the enemy, as well as a terrible bog of the same poison that was slowly killing a lot of the members.


    "T-this is...!"


    Even though they were in the dome, none of the more perceptive Dragons could deny everything they sensed-or everything they could see.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "... This is bad!"


    ************


    The undead army of dragons approached, a terrifying sight against the darkening sky.


    Their skeletal wings pped with an eerie, hollow sound, and their empty eye sockets glowed with a ghostly purple light. Each dragon''s body was a twisted mass of bones, some still bearing tattered remnants of flesh and scales.


    The ground trembled as they moved, their massive, wed feet crushing everything in their path. Dead trees snapped like twigs, and broken rubble broke apart as even and the earth cracked under their weight.


    From a distance, their bony figures looked like a nightmarish storm cloud, rolling forward with relentless purpose.


    At the forefront was thergest of the undead dragons, its skull crowned with broken horns. There were four in total.


    This was a Dragon General; and it let out a bone-chilling roar¨Da sound that echoed like the howls of the damned. The other dragons answered with their own roars, creating an absurd melody of terror that filled the air.


    As they drew nearer, the stench of decay became overpowering. The wind carried the smell of death, a sickly sweet odor that turned the stomach.


    And then came the worst of it all-the Miasma.


    The perverse energy rotted everything around them, and as they approached the base of Group 2, they brought that rot along with them.


    Needless to say... this was incredibly bad.


    No matter how one saw it, this ce would be the graveyard for a lot of Dragons, if not all of them.


    "We need to move now!"


    Kar''eena swiftly took charge once again, causing all her newfound subordinates to snap out of the state of pure shock that they were in.


    Most of them were paralyzed the moment they felt the emergence of the Undead, who seemingly popped out of nowhere.


    "There''s no time to-!"


    -B00000000000000000M!!!


    Before she couldplete her statement, the dome that shrouded both Staff and Students was bombarded by a myriad of powerful Dragon Breaths.


    The walls-enchanted or not-did not stand a chance.


    In one loud burst of loud explosion, several cracks and holes appeared all over the dome, causing the entire structure to begin caving in on itself.


    If they remained inside, they would be buried alive, but if they took a step out those walls, there was nothing but overwhelming foes waiting for them.


    It seemed both their actions and inactions were synonymous with suicide.


    But-


    "Everyone pull it together!"


    -Once again, Kar''eena took the situation by the reins and swiftly addressed everyone.


    "Since we are all ready for departure, we will begin our ascent from a hole that I''ll tear up in the ceiling."


    "B-but that''s suicide! They''re waiting for us out there!"


    "The darkened skies too... it''s sheer Miasma. We won''t be able to fly with such dense clouds of the stuff."


    Kar''eena heard all of this and gritted her teeth.


    She knew all of this to be true, but she was just trying to rationalize that option, considering the second one was worse in her head.


    "There''s only one option left, then. We dig using Magic and navigate our way through tunnels until we safely get out of here.".


    There was only one problem about this whole thing.


    -Time.


    -B000000000000000000000000000000MMMM!!!-


    The dome shattered apart, causing most of the debris to burst away from their positions, but a few were crashing down-about to fall upon the innocent students and staff. "Absolute Departure!" Kar''eena let out a cry, using a Wind Spell to send all the broken rocks away from the helpless popce, practically saving the lives of everyone around her.


    One look from the frightened ones made it clear how dead they would be without her.


    Unfortunately¡ªwhile it wasn''t a direct consequence of Kar''eena using her Spell-the group was now in an incredibly vulnerable position.


    After all... their dome had finally been destroyed.


    Any second now, and the Undead Dragons would charge at them from their very short distance and try to rip them all to shreds.


    It would be a gruesome death for everyone indeed.


    ''I have to do something! This... this is the only way!'' Kar''eena thought to herself, and her conflicted expression showed exactly how she felt about the whole thing.


    "I''ll begin to work on the Tunnel. I''m the best Elemental Mage here, and I''m also the strongest. Saving the students is top priority, so I will be in charge of guiding them away from this ce. Anyints?"


    No one could even say anything, even if they wanted to.


    "I need you all to buy me more time, though..."


    She looked at the staff around her-both the ones who had Miasma Poisoning, as well as the


    healthy ones.


    Most of them would not survive this, and the least she could do was be honest with them.


    Based on abilities, it would be best if she were to face the Undead Dragons-especially the


    leader, who was a General.


    The thing was way above the league of the others.


    Kar''eena knew, but she refused to say anything. Doing that would only reduce the resolve of everyone who had made up their minds to die.


    ''I can''t do that...''


    Instead, she rallied up the students with her loudest voice and called them all to her.


    "All students, follow the sound of my voice and gather in my location. The staff will surround


    us and provide us cover while I create a path of escape to you."


    Fortunately, the Undead Dragons did not have ears or mental faculties to understand their


    tantly announced n.


    ... Or did they?


    -B0000000000000M!-


    Volleys of Dragon Breaths were suddenly sent to the moving students-some of which broke


    past the defense rendered by the helping staff.


    In the end... for yet another tragic round...


    "ARGHHHHHH!!!" Several students shrieked as they met their ends.


    And this was only the start.


    As Kar''eena was busy creating the tunnel with her Magic-making it asrge and suitable for


    escape as possible, more students and staff were dying.


    Their cries reached her ears, but she decided to shut them all off and focus on her task.


    That was the only way to save everyone!


    **************


    ''This is getting more intense than I thought.''


    That was Lucielle''s thought as she looked upon the sight of people dying to her left and right.


    Some Dragons tried flying away, but their wings would get blown off, or they would be


    exposed to too much Miasma and fall back down... dead.


    Lucielle was mostly a spectator to all of this, but even she couldn''t ignore the intensity in the


    air.


    It didn''tst for too long, though.


    "STUDENTS! GET IN THE TUNNEL!"


    The moment they heard this, all the students rushed towards the source of their salvation


    without dawdling for even a second longer.


    It was unfortunate for students who were far away from the Tunnel, since it would take them


    a lot of time before they could enter the hole-even if the hole was incrediblyrge, so a to amodate a lot of people.


    "Let''s go!" Lucielle and her friends rushed towards the tunnel.


    She could see Ad''oni running very close to her, along with the rest of her ssmates. The crushing, choking wind caused their hair to dance as they desperately moved their legs in


    order to be safe.


    Then-


    "Where''s Mi''ja?"


    -Lucielle realized that one vital person among them was missing.


    One look back, and she could see her friend currently lost in the stampede, her leg fractured,


    and one of her wings destroyed.


    It was clear that she got caught in the crosshairs, and now that the next volley was about toe... it was all over for her.


    She would inevitably be among the many casualties in this cruel ambush.


    Mi''ja would di-


    ~VWUUUUSH!~


    In a spark of white and red Mana, Lucielle charged towards the wounded girl and reached her


    within a second. In another second, she held Mi''ja, tightly buckling her in her grasp, and then


    thrust the both of them away from the iing strikes.


    There was no time to hear anything from anyone, or to make conversation.


    Lucielle simply carried the scared Mi''ja, and the both of them sessfully made their way


    into the hole in the ground.


    "Thank you, Luc''ia! Thank you so much!" Mi''ja thanked her profusely, but Lucielle hardly


    paid any attention to her.


    Her eyes were wide open with shock as she held the Dragon girl... wondering why in the world


    she saved her, despite wishing death upon her many times.


    ''Why? Why couldn''t I just leave her to die? It''s what I wanted... right?''


    Despite asking this question, she already knew the answer.


    Back then when she saw Mi''ja about to be killed-the image of a certain girl ovepped


    with the Dragon girl. Lucielle was nearly disgusted that she remembered her sister when


    looking at a Dragon, but it was true.


    After that, her body simply moved on its own.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I hope you enjoyed the chapter. There''ll only be one today, though... due to exams and all.

 Chapter 826 Fear In The Dark

    826 Fear In The Dark


    The survivors of Group 2 were less than ten percent of their initial total number.


    This spoke volumes regarding just how many of them had been ughtered by the effects of a war they hardly knew anything about. Fear wed at their hearts as they navigated their way in the near pitch ck tunnels buried underground¡­ their sights set on the only person who could help them now.


    ¡ªInstructor Kar''eena!


    She was the only staff left among the survivors, and she was also the sole reason any of them were alive at the moment.


    If they had chosen to flee by air, the enemies would have gunned them down. Right now, the only option avable to them was to crawl through the tunnels made by Kar''eena''s magic like moles¡ªdesperate moles.


    It was humiliating, but none of the Dragons were very concerned about that.


    They just wanted to survive.


    The screams and wailings of their ssmates or colleagues kept ringing in the ears of the fortunate Dragon Students, and many of them shivered as they hurriedly trailed behind their dear instructor. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    What would happen next? Would they be safe? Just what fate awaited them outside the tunnels?


    The students had every right to be anxious about it all.


    There were barely fifty of them left, after all.


    "Haa¡­ haa¡­" Lucielle found herself breathing a little heavier than she expected as she had the wounded Mi''ja behind her.


    Her face disyed a mix of emotions¡ªall of which were obscured by the darkness that surrounded most of the students.


    ''What the hell am I doing?''


    She should have left Mi''ja to die, but ended up saving her. As if that wasn''t enough, she was still catering for her as they made their way forward.


    ''There''s no use, is there? Why am I doing all of this for her?'' She asked herself, not liking the answers that seemed to be the most obvious.


    ''In any case, this is really something¡­''


    One good look around, and Lucielle could barely see any of her ssmates around. Other than Ad''oni and Mi''ja, there really weren''t any others left.


    ''... They''re all dead.''


    The same could be said for the other sses, which made it clear why everyone''s mood was so heavy in the darkness around them.


    No one said a thing, and they just obediently followed Kar''eena''s lead.


    Hence, absolute silence reigned.


    At least, until the Instructor spoke with a stern tone.


    "We''ll be reaching the surface now. I''m nearly out of Mana, and I believe you all need some rest too¡­"


    No one could fault the Instructor for saying this. Not only was she creating a tunnel wide enough for everyone to pass through using Advanced Earth Magic, but she was also using Wind Magic to supply everyone with fresh air while regting the temperature around.


    Finally, she was utilizing her Sensory Skills to look out for any iing threats in order to protect the students.


    Everything was being done by her and her alone.


    All of this was not even counting the fact that she must have been worn out herself by the deaths of her colleagues and the students in her care. Despite experiencing all of this tragedy, she remained strong and performed her duties.


    ''An admirable trait¡­'' Lucielle caught herself thinking along these lines before quickly rebuking herself for having such thoughts.


    She noticed Ad''oni looking at her strangely for a moment, which made her even more upset.


    ''I can''t wait for all of this to be over.''


    ***************


    ~CRAAACK!~


    The earth shattered apart, causing debris to fly in multiple directions as arge circr hole formed on its surface.


    Emerging from this hole were the fifty or so students, all of them being led by their able Instructor and Supervisor. Their faces depicted relief at the sight of the bright afternoon sun, though the disheveled state they were in made it difficult to see.


    They had been walking in darkness for hours, hungry and exhausted, but it was finally time to rest.


    Kar''eena observed all of this from the corner of her eyes and made a sad smile.


    ''Poor kids¡­ no, I shouldn''t think that way.''


    In the eyes of this woman, they weren''t merely weaklings that garnered her pity, but strong ones that deserved respect. Since she couldn''t sense any of the enemies, and they were a long way from the ce that they were attacked, she could only conclude that they had lost their attackers.


    ''Hopefully, we can make it to the Giant War Base before the day runs out. We''ll have to fly for the rest of the journey, but I''m not sure if they''re up for it.''


    All the students were exhausted, so she wasn''t sure if they could handle flying. Even if they did manage to make it to the sky, how long would they be able to maintain flight?


    She didn''t¡ªno, couldn''t¡ªknow.


    ''Still¡­ we''re way behind schedule as it is. We have to move forward, or else¡­'' As she was having these thoughts, she witnessed many of the students copse to the ground in sheer exhaustion.


    ''O-on the second thought¡­ perhaps finding something for them to eates first.''


    Before she could make up her mind, though¡­


    "So this is where you all were."


    ¡­ A voice came down to them from the sky above.


    "W-wha¡ª?!"


    ~BOOOOOOMMM!!!~


    The sudden descent of the source of those words caused the air itself to tremble, and the ground shattered apart as a result.


    In an instant, even the drowsy Dragons were wide awake, and they all fled away from the area of impact. They all regrouped, looking as frightened as they could as the smoke began to clear and two silhouettes appeared from the crater.


    "We would have had some trouble if it wasn''t for your Magic, Belle¡­" The male voice echoed out loud, sending even more shivers down the spine of everyone.


    As the duo appeared from the smoke, two young humans made themselves known to the cowering Dragons.


    "Well, what can I say?" The female referred to as Belle said with a wide smile. "I''m just that good."


    As the two made their stance against the group of Dragons, they showed no worry, fear, or regard in the slightest.


    The only thing present on their faces was amusement.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    We start a new month tomorrow, and I''ll do my best to Mass Release. I also n to me a lot more consistent now that my exams are over. I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and I will do my best to improve the quality as much as I can.

 Chapter 827 Class Elevation

    827 ss Elevation


    ''Those two¡­ they''re humans?!'' n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Kar''eena had a look of surprise on her face as sheid eyes on the boy and girl that now made themselves known to the whole group.


    The ambiance they gave off resembled that of humans, but there was something sinister about them. She couldn''t quite put her fingers on it, but it was obvious that they were different from the kind that she knew about.


    Plus¡­


    ''When were humans this strong?'' She thought to herself, a bead of sweat dripping from her face as she interchanged nces between the two.


    Kar''eena had a Sensory Skill that also functioned as a gauge of abilities when confronting adversaries. She could always tell how strong or dangerous a person or location was just by focusing in their direction and expending Mana.


    That was why she was able to tell that these two were not to be trifled with.


    ''They''re strong!'' A small nce at the rest of the students, and she could see a host of them underestimating the humans.


    ''I can''t fault them for their disposition, but it will do us no good. These two are at the level of Dragon Commanders, at the very least. No one here but me stands a chance¡­''


    If any of the students butted in, it would be the end of them.


    ''So¡­ I guess it''s up to me to somehow find a way to defeat the two of them. But how? My Mana levels are quite low, and I''m also very exhausted.''


    She was at a major disadvantage, and the more she thought of it, the more she realized this had to be a part of their n.


    ''They must have waited till we exhausted our strengths so they could ambush us at our most vulnerable. As expected of crafty humans¡­'' Regardless, Kar''eena was not going to give up in any way.


    She had a trump card up her sleeves¡ªan Exclusive Skill that made her as strong as a Dragon General¡ªif not a little more.


    ''Right now, there''s no other choice¡­'' As she red at her opponents, they smiled at her with patient eyes.


    It almost felt like mockery, but she didn''t care.


    She just had to win!


    ''... [ss Elevation].''


    ~VWUUUUUUMMMM!!!~


    The instant she activated this Skill, a burst of energy roared from her body, shrouding every aspect of herself in crimson power.


    Her tiny frame grew more flesh, and she grew at least a few inches taller, with her hair dancing high in the sky. Then, emerging from her forehead was a fourth horn¡ªone that grew longer than the rest.


    The whites of her eyes became ck, and her crimson eyes shone with blinding light.


    She wasn''t done, though.


    ''Full transformation!''


    Her body began to experience rapid growth at that point, with her humanoid aspects being reced with scales, while increasing in mass. Before long, she was on all fours¡ªher long tail now fatter than ever, dancing in the air. Her wings shot up, while her terribly long horns peaked upward, while nting a little to the side in a majestic function.


    Her body was still covered in red-hot energy which distorted the space around her. Fortunately, she had already signaled the students to stay back when she nced at them not too long ago, so none of them were being affected by the sheer pressure around her.


    Now that she was in her Dragon Form, with the [ss Elevation] Skill active, she was at least four times stronger than normal.


    The Dragon Form was the natural state for everyone in the Empire. Dragons were naturally born that way, and it was their natural state. However, by way of adaptation, and also for utility sake, they took on a more humanoid form as they grew older.


    This was for a few important reasons.


    The most important one was that by taking on a humanoid form, a Dragon''s power went into a state of highpression. They were weaker in this form as a result of that, but the important thing was that afterpressing their power for very long, transforming back into their Dragon Form made them much stronger than they would have normally been.


    As a result of their power beingpressed¡ªlike a lid being ced over a boiler with high pressure¡ªtheir overall abilities were building up at a dangerously massive rate.


    Once this was recognized by Dragons, they made it a policy to remain in humanoid states unless absolutely necessary. Since this was a way to passively build up power, there were hardly anyints.


    Why was all of this relevant now?


    Well¡­ Kar''eena was currently a Dragon General thanks to her [ss Elevation], which greatly boosted her power in humanoid form.


    By reverting to her Dragon Form, this power would only skyrocket even more.


    ''Right now, I''m confident¡­''


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Kar''eena


    - Race: Dragon (Storm Species) - ss: General (A-Tier)


    - Level: 200 (19.50% EXP) - Life Force: 3,000/3,100(+1,550) - Mana Level: 2,900/4,500 (+2,250)


    - Combat Ability: 3,450/5,000 (+2,500)


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [ss Elevation]. - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Absolute Elemental Magic]. [Dragon Breath: Lightning]. [Grand Mana Recovery]. [Grand Sensory Perception]. [Grand Draconic Flight]. [Grand Regeneration]. [Grand Draconic Resistance]. [Grand Draconic Power].


    - Alignment: Lawful Evil


    [Additional Information]


    One of the most talented Dragon Commander, who chose the path of education due to her passion for young Dragons and their growth.


    She is currently a General


    [End Of Information]


    ''¡­ I can take them down!'' Kar''eena''s thoughts echoed loudly within her as she red at her opponents and clenched her sharp teeth.


    She was not at full power, due to the many deficiencies that her body currently suffered, but she was still certain that her current was state was stronger than her adversaries.


    ''Now then¡­ let''s end things quickly and¡ª!''


    "Can I take care of this, Belle? You helped track them down, so I have to contribute to something." The voice of the boy interrupted her thoughts, his tone a lot more casual than she was expecting.


    What in the world was happening here?


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I n on doing a Mass Release of 5 Chapters per day for an indefinite number of days. With your support, I''ll keep going, so please¡­ support.


    I appreciate it greatly.

 Chapter 828 Humans Vs Dragon General

    828 Humans Vs Dragon General


    It was absurd.


    "Why should I let you face her? You''ll get all the EXP for that."


    "Please? Come on, Ater will kill me if I didn''t contribute substantially to the mission."


    ¡­ Very absurd.


    The two humans were bickering like little children while an overwhelmingly powerful enemy was right in front of them.


    They showed no regard at all, not to mention fear.


    "Okay, how about we y a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors? That way, we''ll be able to decide who takes her on?" The boy told the girl, Belle, after trying and failing to convince her on fighting the Dragon General by himself.


    Was he mad? That was the question Kar''eena had in her head as she looked at the current exchange between the two.


    No, it wasn''t just him who seemed to be crazy.


    His partner also seemed to have a screw loose in her head, since she epted the challenge with enthusiasm.


    ''The most tactical option would be for the two of them to attack at once. Why would they operate in such a manner? It makes no sense!''


    Were they overestimating their abilities just because they were a tad stronger than regr humans? At most, they were at the level of humanoid Dragon Commanders, so how exactly would they hold their own against her¡ªa Dragon General?


    In fact, even if the two of them were to attack her in this state, they would lose badly.


    ''Does their confidencee from insanity¡­ or ignorance?'' Kar''eena thought to herself before deciding that the answer did not matter.


    The humans before her were not worth her consideration.


    ''Let''s start with a proper Dragon Breath!''


    Lifting her maw wide open, Kar''eena channeled a great deal of Mana through her throat and concentrated the energy so it would have a more devastating effect than normal¡ªall within a timeframe less than a second.


    Dragon Breath remained the quickest and most efficient way to kill or destroy for a Dragon, so a fully-powered st was bound to do a lot of damage.


    Since she belonged to the Storm Species, her Breath was that of Lightning.


    The result?


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    Crimson crackles of electricity burst from her jaws, creating a vibrating effect as the ray of energy charged towards the two who were busy with the strange game that they were ying with their fingers.


    Kar''eena had initially nned on the Breath being a preface to the actual battle, since there was a good chance they wouldn''t die from the st. Even if they were weaker than her, there were still ways to protect oneself from a Breath, or evade it.


    She wasn''t sure of their Skills, so she didn''t want to make assumptions regarding their reaction to the st.


    However, due to their distracted state, she couldn''t help but draw her conclusions.


    ''At this rate, they''re going to di¡ª''


    ~VWUUUUM!~


    A barrier suddenly appeared right as the st of crimson lightning was about to crash upon the two,pletely protecting them from being fried to ashes.


    ''W-what?!'' Kar''eena''s eyes widened as she looked at the surprising sight. ''They effortlessly blocked it? How?!''


    She could have sworn that they weren''t really paying much mind to the Dragon Breath, so just how did they have enough time and energy to block it entirely?


    ''Are they far stronger than I thought? Did I underestimate them?'' "Looks like the Anti-Projectile Item that Ater gave me still works perfectly. You''d have been screwed otherwise, Justin." The human girl, Belle, said with a slight scoff as she looked at the the boy.


    Once she said this, Kar''eena realized what had happened.


    ''So they had an Item, huh? I see¡­ that makes sense. I wonder how humans can have ess to such a powerful Item, but I suppose I shouldn''t use the standard metric for these humans. They''re far stronger than the regr kind.''


    Besides, since they were still in the Dwarven Territory, it was possible that these people got the technology from the Dwarves. Perhaps this ''Ater'' person they referred to was a Dwarf who also served as their superior.


    She couldn''t be sure about all the details, though.


    ''There''s no need to worry about it too.'' She told herself. ''So what if they have such an Item?''


    There were only so many times such an effect could function before the Enchanted Item gave out. Besides, it wasn''t like she didn''t have other Skills at her disposal.


    Since she was in a hurry. Kar''eena figured she''d just end things with another ability.


    But, before then¡ª


    "Yayyy! I won!" ¡ªJustin made a fist bump into the air as he yelled with enthusiasm, grinning like an idiot.


    "Tch¡­ you only won because you''re physically faster than I am."


    "Pfft! Someone sounds like a sore loser."


    "I''m not!"


    "Are too!"


    "Don''t be such a baby!"


    "Look who''s talking!" The more they spoke, the further the confusion within Kar''eena began to spread. She nced at her students, wondering if standing around and waiting was the best use of their time.


    ''Perhaps they can go ahead of me and start retreating. I''ll join them after I take care of¡ª''


    "Don''t even think about it¡­" The voice of the boy echoed into the air suddenly, causing a chill to fill the air the moment he spoke.


    All of a sudden, the ambiance surrounding him changed, and his goofy expression vanished along with any semnce of lightheartedness.


    The air felt heavy, and his hard stare at Kar''eena contributed to that feeling of dread.


    "If anyone takes as much as a step away in retreat, they will be cut down immediately." He muttered, drawing out a thin de. "Remember that."


    Somehow, it felt like he meant every word he said. It also felt like he could make good on his word if he was pushed to it.


    That made his deration all the more scary.


    But¡ª


    "Big words¡­ for a dead man." Kar''eena spoke with a thunderous tone, taking a step forward, her intimidating aura rising.


    For a few seconds after she said this, Justin chuckled.


    "Dead man, huh?" He responded amusedly.


    A thin, cold smile spread all over his face as he looked at the Dragon before him.


    "You''re not wrong."


    * N?v(el)B\\jnn


    *


    *


    [A/N]

 Chapter 829 The False Endless [Pt 1]

    829 The False Endless [Pt 1]


    ording to what Ater told him, there were nine different applications of the Hollow Technique within the Chaos Art.


    The higher the number, the more powerful the application was.


    Hollow Technique #2 was [Shadow ve] and Hollow Technique #6 was Compound Corpse; both of which were techniques that Ater had used in the past.


    As for the one that was used on Justin¡­ it was Hollow Technique #7


    "[False Endless]."


    *****************


    ''This guy¡­''


    Kar''eena closely observed Justin as he brought out a thin de seemingly from out of nowhere. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ''... His whole vibe has changed.'' The glow in his eyes had a mix of blue and red, creating a kind of purple glint within them. His hair was dancing with the slightly growing updraft, and his threatening presence was slowly climbing as he began to advance towards Kar''eena.


    ''Based on what the Belle girl said, she''s the one with the Anti-Projectile Item, which means Dragon Breath will work on him.''


    Using it now would be too predictable, but she didn''t see how his approach indicated any form of caution in the slightest.


    He was open in multiple areas, and while she was yet to see his full speed, she doubted he would have enough time to react and avoid her st if he kept approaching her in such a careless manner.


    ''There''s only one way to find out!'' With her priority being to protect the students, and also conserve as much energy as possible, she opted for the most minimalist option at her disposal.


    ''[Dragon Breath: Lightning].''


    The result?


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMM!!!~


    In an instant, Kar''eena''s powerful breath razed everything in its path, including the approaching human. He was utterly eviscerated.


    She used this chance to direct the remnant st at the human girl, but once again, her Anti-Projectile Itempletely shielded her from the threat. 19:02


    ''Tch! Looks like it''s still no good. Still, though¡­'' Kar''eena took a good look at where Justin previously stood and gave a big smirk.


    ''... Looks like I got one.''


    A part of her had feared that he had some kind of trick up his sleeves, which was what made her hold back her big guns, but it seemed he was just an idiot who overestimated his abilities.


    Now that she thought about it, the girl was probably also the same.


    ''Strange, though¡­'' Kar''eena looked at Belle with a slightly confused expression. Even after her partner waspletely destroyed, she remained perfectly calm¡ªalmost as if she expected this to happen.


    ''Why would she be¡ª?''


    "That was¡­ very painful." A voice appeared from the very area that Justin would have been if he wasn''t already blown to bits and fried till he turned to ash.


    ''W-what?!'' Kar''eena returned her attention to that exact position and she found the boy standing right there¡­pletely naked, though shrouded in what appeared to be shes of ck and purple.


    His body seemed perfectly fine¡ªalbeit a little pale¡ªand not too long after, the ck energy around him formed clothing that clung tightly to his body.


    He had a pitch-ck top, apanied by raven-ck trousers and a long cloak that pped with the wind. Small ck veins appeared around his eyes, as well as on his neck¡ªalmost as if some kind of dark liquid was flowing through his body.


    The whites of his eyes turned dark, before returning to normal. The dark veins also vanished, and before long, he had returned to his regr state.


    "As expected, I shouldn''t have turned off my Pain Nullification." ''W-what is he babbling about?! Why isn''t he dead?!'' Kar''eena thought to herself, already generating another st as she watched him try to get close.


    ''He''s supposed to be dead! I saw it with my own eyes.''


    Perhaps she missed something. Perhaps there was a Spell or Skill he activated right before the st hit him. Kar''eena saw no such thing thest time, but perhaps she could now.


    ''This time for sure¡­!''


    "Don''t bother. There''s no use in¡ª"


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMM!!!~


    The air shivered as the thunderous st of lightning charged towards Justin, who was too busy drawing out his de to consider evading the attack.


    ''T-this time for sure! I''ll see everything!'' Kar''eena kept her eyes peeled as she watched Justin ger rammed with the explosive power of her Dragon Breath.


    However, unlikest time¡­


    "W-what in the world?!" ¡­ He was perfectly fine after taking the hit.


    Indeed! He wasn''t even the least bit damaged by the raging lightning and the incredible pressure that would rip anyone to pieces several times over.


    He simply kept walking in the thunderstorm that was her Dragon Breath.


    ''H-how is he doing this? Some kind of defense Skill that I''m unaware of? Did he also have the Enchanted Item? Is he resistant to Lightning? No¡­ even at that¡­!'' Kar''eena tried to make sense of what she was witnessing, but there was no definite answer entering her head.


    As she struggled toprehend this, she realized he was saying something, even while being bombarded by millions of volts of energy.


    What was he saying? She wanted to know.


    She had to know!


    ~FSHUUUU¡­~


    As the sted energy dissolved, a soft hissing sound filled the air. Little buzzes of sparkling electricity in the air echoed asionally, but the loud explosive crackles had ceased.


    Justin stood among the red-hot wreckage, his eyes fixed on her as hers were on him.


    ''He really¡­ isn''t damaged at all!''


    "I''m immortal, miss." He announced. "Even if you hit me with your strongest attack, I won''t die."


    ''What? A human? Immortal?!'' Even if she didn''t see him as a human in the conventional sense, he was still ultimately one.


    Even Dragons couldn''t im to be immortal, yet this fool was iming it.


    "I also adapt to any attack that hits me once, so I won''t be receiving any damage from that Dragon Breath Skill of yours."


    It all sounded absurd¡ªlike he was bluffing¡ªbut the look that Justin gave her didn''t seem like that of a liar.


    He was beingpletely frank with her.


    "And now that we have the pleasantries out of the way¡­ it''s time for me to kill you."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Welp¡­ looks like we need one more chapter. Still, Justin has gotten a lot more interesting, hasn''t he? Hehe¡­

 Chapter 830 The False Endless [Pt 2]

    830 The False Endless [Pt 2]


    Hollow Technique #7: False Endless.


    It was more akin to a curse than a blessing, considering how it operated on the victim.


    The soul of the False Endless would be in the possession of the Hollow Technique User, while the body would be in a state between life and death.


    In essence, while Justin couldn''t die, he wasn''t particrly alive either.


    He was Undead.


    His Soul was also in the custody of Ater, and that was the only main weakness he had.


    No matter how much damage his body sustained, he wouldn''t die as long as his Soul was intact. He would keep recovering, over and over again. He could also perfectly adapt to the damage inflicted on him, which meant no single attack could kill him twice.


    Of course, it wasn''t like this made him invincible.


    A False Endless was far from perfect, and was still subject to a lot of limitations.


    For one, they could be sealed, controlled, or undergo a perpetual state of suspension. They also weren''t automatically immune to attacks. They had to ''die'' to an ability before limating to its qualities.


    Still, all of these weaknesses really meant nothing when facing someone who was ignorant of Hollow Techniques or how a False Endless worked.


    For someone like Justin, in the world of H''Trae, he was akin to an anomaly unlike any other.


    ¡ªA shadow of death.


    ***************


    "You''re lying!"


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    Once again, Kar''eena sent out a surge of lightning, but it did no good at all. All her attack managed to do was decimate everything around Justin, with nothing at all affecting him at all.


    "Enough of this charade¡­" Justin muttered, brandishing his de as he stared hard at the Dragon General before him.


    "... It''s time for my attack."


    Kar''eena didn''t know this, but this would be the first time Justin was fighting a Dragon General.


    He had already killed a lot of Commanders during the siege of the Dragon Camp, but he wasn''t fortunate when it came to a General.


    ''Belle managed to get her hands on one, though. If I let her fight here, that would only widen the gap between us. I can''t let that happen!''


    Despite his powerful qualities as a False Endless, he wasn''t as powerful as Belle. Still, unlike most Undead, he could still Level Up, so his power was never going to be stagnant.


    ''With this opportunity, I should finally be able to reach it¡ªjust like Belle.''


    A slick purple energy gathered around his de as he looked at the Dragon before him. She was clearly flustered by hisplete resistance to her power, which meant she was about to throw something else his way.


    This left Justin with two options.


    ''I can tank the next attack and gain immunity to it, or simply finish things quickly¡­''


    Normally, if he was facing a normal Dragon General in apletely different scenario, he would have opted for the first option. Unfortunately, this situation couldn''t allow him to take his time.


    ''She''s only a Dragon General temporarily. I have to act before whatever Skill she used runs out, or this would all be for nothing.''


    Plus¡­ they couldn''t waste too much time, all things considered.


    Since that was the case, Justin decided to get serious.


    "Skill Activation: [Silhouette]."


    [STATUS WINDOW] - Name: Justin Baker


    - Race: Undead (F/s3 &n#!#%>5)


    - ss: Dark Assassin (A-Tier)


    - Level: 297 (44.90% EXP) - Life Force: +++


    - Mana Level: 4,000 (+4,000) {2,000}


    - Combat Ability: 4,850 (+9,000) {2,000}


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Perfect Mimic]. [Silhouette]. [One With All]. [Grand Perception]. [Hypnos]. [F/s3 &n#!#%>5]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [sh]. [Sublimation]. [Ghostification]. [Perfect Status Recovery]. [Mind Transfer]. [Dark Magic]. [Necromancy].


    - Alignment: Chaotic Neutral


    [Additional Information]


    A former human who gave up everything, including his soul, to achieve his goals. He is currently the servant of a despicable entity, and is bound by darkness.


    Eliminate this abomination.


    [End Of Information]


    ******************


    Kar''eena found herself getting more nervous as time passed in microseconds.


    She could clearly see that this human was weaker than her, and by all regards she was supposed to win. Yet¡­ what was this unease that kept rising within her?


    Something felt wrong about this situation.


    ''Why¡­ Why¡­?!''


    Why did she have this gnawing feeling that she would lose?


    One look at the students behind her¡ªthe ones she had to protect no matter what¡ªtold her that such thoughts were nonsense.


    There was no ce in her heart for worries like that.


    ''I have to win! For the sake of these survivors, loss is uneptable.''


    With that thought rushing through her mind, she gathered as much Mana as she could at once and activated her [Absolute Elemental Magic] Skill to create the most powerful Spell she could muster in such a short time.


    "Absolute Elemental Storm!" As she cast the Spell, she activated the Mana Circles within her as well, sending them into overdrive so the quality would exceed regr standards.


    As expected of someone who taught Magic in an Academy full of Dragons, her execution was wless.


    In just a few more seconds, the person in front of her would be reduced to mere ashes.


    But, then¡­


    "... [Silhouette]."


    Justin activated his own Skill, brandishing his de as if he was an expert in the art of swords.


    The moment he uttered that single word, darkness sprang right out of him.


    Like thin threads¡ªor wires of some kind¡ªthe ckish purple darkness danced around him and his de, flowing like endless worms that were ascending to the heavens.


    Kar''eena was tempted to raise her guard as soon as she saw this, but she was resolute in her decision to go ahead with her Spell. She was confident in her ability to protect everyone after all.


    "Die, filthy human!" She roared, sending the amalgamation of all the basic elements as a powerful ray that even exceeded her Dragon Breath nearly five times.


    This time, the destruction of her foe was inevita¡ª


    ~SWISH!~


    One simple sh sent Kar''eena''s head falling from her neck.


    It happened at the same time that the elemental attack dissolved into obscurity¡ªas if it had never been cast at all.


    Just like that, in a single second¡­ the Dragon General was dead.


    *


    * n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    What an abrupt end, I know. I hope you enjoyed the chapter.


    Justin is quite OP now¡­ hahaha!

 Chapter 831: No Life King

    Chapter 831: No Life King


    ?


    [Silhouette] was a more advanced form of [Marite].


    Thetter was an Exclusive Skill that Justin had prior to his evolution. It allowed him to manipte threads made of Mana, utilizing them for a variety of purposes.


    However, as [Silhouette], the skill''s nature slightly changed.


    [Marite] could be used to control objects by attaching the threads to them, but [Silhoutte] went deeper than that.


    It could control Mana itself.


    The dark threads were connected to everything around Justin, allowing him to control the Mana in the air, or the Mana of his enemies. Most of these threads were so thin that they were practically invisible, and the dark ones that could be seen were an amalgamation of hundreds, if not thousands of threads.


    Thanks to this ability, Justin could rip apart a Spell or attack directed at him¡ªnot that he would normally need to-by simply attaching his threads to them and then controlling it. Of course, this all depended on the scale and intensity of the Spell being directed at him.


    However, considering the fact that [Silhouette] was an S-Tier Skill... there were only a few things that could cause him trouble.


    Kar''eena''s Spell wasn''t one of them.


    ****************


    Pure silence filled the entire space as the massive Dragon corpse fell to the ground.


    The heavy thud created a bit of noise, but everything went still immediately after. As her decapitated heady a small distance from the rest of her body, and the thick blood oozed out, no one said a word.


    The terrified students watched all of this in silence.


    They were too stunned to speak. Their Instructor-one of the strongest people they had ever met in their whole life-was so easily killed by a human.


    Not even taking into ount the absurdity of the situation, the consequence alone was enough to make them all shiver.


    Kar''eena was the only reason they were alive, and with her death... came their own assured demise.


    ''We''re going to die...'' They began to think.


    One after the other, the sentiment began to ring in the head of everyone who watched the swift execution take ce.


    ''We''re all going to die! We''re going to-!''


    "YESSSSS!!!" A loud cry echoed from Justin as he raised his fist into the air, disying excitement which ran in direct contrast to the despair being shown by the students.


    "I did it! I finally got a ss Upgrade!"


    There was no way these Dragons could have known this, but the whole reason Justin wanted to fight Kar''eena was because she had turned into a Dragon General.


    And the only reason he was interested in a General was because of this upgrade.


    Despite his increasing power, as well as his near invincible body, he had been shackled so much by his A-Tier ss.


    ''No more...!'' Justin grinned as he looked at the System Notification before him.


    [Congrattions! You Have Advanced To A New ss]


    He had been waiting for this for so long.


    Belle got her new S-Tier ss after they were done with the massacre in the Dragon Camp, and she had been using every opportunity to lord it over him.


    ''She got the Arch-Mage ss, and Ater said it means she practically has the strongest Mage ss. At this rate, she''s already surpassed Lucielle...''


    Justin knew Belle could have ever made it this far if it wasn''t for Ater''s constant guidance and support, but he couldn''t help but feelpetitive once she got a ss Advancement before him.


    All of that was in the past now, though.


    ''What new ss will I get?''


    [You have thrown away your humanity for a selfish goal, and have made darkness your only true ally. As a result, your New ss is ''No Life King'']


    ''E-eh...?'' Justin was a little stunned by the new ss.


    ''No Life King? What''s that?'' He wondered. ''I thought I would get something that was an advancement of my Assassin ss... but this has more to do with my status as an Undead, doesn''t it?''


    He wanted to sigh, but he found that difficult to do with his face still spread out as a smile.


    [You Will Soon Begin The limation Process]


    ''A-ah... yeah, Ater mentioned this.'' Justin''s thoughts quickly snapped to reality.


    Belle had experienced her fair share of limation, which simply meant being in aatose state for a short while, and apparently Rey''sa was partly due to limating to his new -ss.


    Such was the case when one transcended the limits of A-Tier and reached the realm of the Absolute.


    ''In any case, since it''ll happen soon, it''s time to round things up here.'' Justin turned to Belle, who swiftly appeared right next to him.


    "Congrats... I guess." She seemed a little sulky, which made himugh a little.


    Belle was meant to be happy for his progress, considering how they were partners and they could be of better use to Ater now, but she couldn''t help but feel a little threatened since the boy was going to catch up to her very soon.


    "Let''s kill as many of them as we can before it hits." Justin said to her, and she nodded in total


    agreement.


    Their focus was turned to the Dragons, and the merciless gaze they used to look at the powerless Newts made it clear that they stood no chance at all.


    Once again, this would be


    massacre.


    However...


    ~RUMBLE-


    ... Perhaps it wasn''t toote for a miracle.


    As soon as what sounded like a thundercloud echoed in the sky, Belle and Justin exchanged


    knowing nces.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Before they could move from their respective positions, though-


    -B00000000000000000000000000000000MMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!~


    Two surges of white electricity descended from above in heavenly judgment,nding


    perfectly on the two who stood there.


    Pained screams echoed out of their lungs, and that same instant, Justinpletely cked


    out while Belle clung to her consciousness.


    "Oh? Looks like we have rather durable ones here..." A surprised voice came forth, just as soon


    as the noise of the lightning receded.


    "Indeed." Another voice, this time calm, responded.


    Two Dragons-both of them Generals-suddenly appeared in the sky as they watched the entire scene with surprised and calm expressions respectively.


    They were dressed in pure white, with designs of light blue and hints of gold on their attires. Their styles were different, but it was clear that the two Generals were donning some kind of


    uniform.


    "No matter... they won''t be able to hold out for too long now that reinforcements are here." The calm one spoke again, his gaze resting on the crater where Belle was now holding the


    unconscious Justin.


    It was clear at that moment that the tide of battle hadpletely changed. Every student''s eyes brightened up the moment theyid eyes on their savor, instantly


    forgetting the despair they experienced after the death of their Instructor.


    The reason for their relief wasn''t merely because more Dragons had shown up.


    It wasn''t even because they were Dragon Generals.


    A single look at the glowing insignia branded on the chest pockets of their uniform, and their


    easily recognizable faces told every single student watching what they needed to know.


    Why?


    Well... these were the esteemed members of the strongest Squad of the Dragon Empire.


    -The First Squad of the Frost Dragon Lord.


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!

 Chapter 832: The Frost Dragon Squad

    Chapter 832: The Frost Dragon Squad


    ?


    The Frost Dragon''s Squad was regarded as the strongest in the Empire.


    Not only did it consist of Dragon Generals, it also housed the most powerful General in the Empire-one that was said to be nearing the realm of Lord.


    Each member of this Squad recieved celebrity status, and it would be impossible for any Dragon in the Empire not to recognize them, since they were often the face of the Military or the Empire''s forces.


    The Squad had remained undefeated for decades, and they had only grown in power since.


    And now...


    "There''s nowhere to run. You''re both trapped." The calm man said as he looked at the two enemies of the Empire.


    It would be a lie to say he wasn''t as surprised as his colleague that they were still standing despite the powerful Magic used, but he was just very adept at not showing any real emotion. Besides, there was still no real cause for rm.


    ''That lightning was just a warm-up anyway. It looks like they won''t be able to take any more, though...''n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The male human was already unconscious, and the female was busy carrying him. She looked more frustrated than worried, and that was probably due to the current state of her partner.


    ''I could go on analyzing the situation, but there''s no use. We''re going to win this...'' As he thought this, his silvery ck hair dancing in the air, he descended to the ground with his colleague.


    "L''ester, what do you think? Should I just take care of them myself?" The more expressive General asked him.


    He only responded with a slight nce and a small sigh.


    ''What a silly question, D''aru. Right now, we should focus on the students who require immediate assistance. That means eliminating this trash is scondary, and should be handled in the fastest way possible.'' He wanted to say, but everything was a mouthful.


    ''Besides...'' L''ester returned his full gaze on the two humans''... Rather than eliminating them, it''ll be better to incapacitate them and bring them in for questioning.''


    There was no way humans could resist the torture methods of the Empire. They had brought in a lot of them as guinea pigs, and none of them evensted a minute or two before cracking.


    That was how fragile their brain was.


    ''We should be able to find out why all of this happened... once we interrigate them.''


    As soon as he had this thought, though, a sudden distortion appeared all around the two humans that seemed to be helpless.


    ''Hm?'' His eyes twitched a little as he noticed the shocking and instant burst of energy. ~VWUUUM!~


    Space unfolded right there and then, causing a rift to appear around the duo. The instant he noticed this, he recognized what it meant.


    "D''aru!"


    "U-understood!"


    ~WHOOSH!~


    His colleague rushed towards the two, who were already being sucked into the spatial swirl. It seemed like they would slip away any second, and since D''aru was the physically fastest of the two, it only made sense that he would be the one to chase after them.


    But... even he wasn''t fast enough.


    ~FSHUUUU~


    ||


    For a second, the two Dragon Generals were silent. They looked at the exact spot where their enemies had stood barely a second earlier, each having varying reactions.


    D''aru was¡ªas expected-frustrated and annoyed by the fact that his enemy slipped from his grasp. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fist, but made sure not to disy anything more damning.


    As for Le''ster, he remained calm as he narrowed his eyes on the suspect area.


    ''That sudden burst of energy... there was no buildup whatsover, which means it wasn''t a Spell cast by those two, and neither was it a skill. Was it an Enchanted Item? No... even the best of those have slow activation time. That leaves one major possibility...'' He walked to the part where they stood and tapped the ground with his foot.


    ''... Rune Magic. Theyid out a Teleportation Rune here, and then another Rune to conceal the primary one. That''s how they were able to teleport with seemingly no buildup.''


    But, how could this be?


    ''Did they know we would being at this exact moment? Why else would they be in the exact position that they needed to be in to escape? Before we intervened, it seemed like they had the upper hand, so why would they even need such an borate Rune meant for escape?'' Le''ster thought to himself.


    The whole thing was suspect.


    ''It doesn''t seem like there are any more Runes around here, and I don''t think they''reing back, but... just to be safe, it''s better we evacuate.''


    He turned to his partner, D''aru, and thetter nodded immediately.


    "Are you students okay?" While D''aru took care of calming and securing the students-which was their primary mission-Le''ster found himself deep in thought.


    He couldn''t get over the two humans who escaped from their grasp.


    ''Now that this happened, that expression she made has apletely different meaning...''


    The ''she'' in question was Belle, and her frustrated expression had been previously construed to be generated out of desperation.


    She didn''t want to face the two Generals alone, and she was bothered that herrade was knocked unconscious; that was what he initially thought.


    But now?


    ''It seems more like she wanted to fight us on her own... but had to retreat...'' He sighed and


    shut his eyes.


    ''Am I just overthinking things?''


    Either way, with their task alreadyplete, there was no use to remain here and mull over what could or could not have happened.


    ''Besides, since HE has been tasked with securing the students in the other Camp, he''ll surely


    have more luck with getting a prisoner to interrogate.''


    Of course, that was if he could hold back well enough.


    "We should leave now." Le''ster spoke, moving closer to D''aru, who was done gathering the students and calming them down.


    They had been through more horror than many Dragons, and at such a young age too.


    ''Let''s hope even this brings glory to the Empire.''


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Apologies for not uploading yesterday. The Inte waspletely down...

 Chapter 833: The Southern Continents Shore

    Chapter 833: The Southern Continent''s Shore


    ?


    ~WHOOOOOOOOOOOSH!!!~


    The hundreds of Dragons that shot through the sky were no more than students, with only half a dozen Instructors acting as Supervisors.


    As they pped their powerful wings, causing the very clouds above them to scatter, they zoomed through the air to reach their destination-the Southern Continent''s shores-and finally left the godforsaken battlefield.


    The n was already in motion, and everyone was sticking to their respective roles.


    ''Looks like the soldiers have already begun their fight the enemy to distract them from noticing us or advancing.'' Rey thought to himself as he looked around him, and then paid close attention to the ongoing war that his senses could still focus on.


    Judging by the number of the resisting forces, they wouldn''t be able to stop the Dwarves and Giants for too long.


    ''Some of the supervisors had to join in thre fight too, since they were too short on hands andpetent fighters.'' It was thanks to this that they were left with just six Supervisors out of the fifteen that were present initially.


    Either way, this was the best move that could be made.


    ''Looks like we''re almost there.'' Rey smiled as he saw the shore in the distance.


    He wasn''t the only one too.


    Many of the Instructors could also see this, and the dreary expressions on their faces soon lit


    up.


    "Look! There it is!"


    "We''re nearly there, students!"


    "Just a little further! Come on... p your wings faster."


    The students, as one would expect, were bursting with joy as soon as they heard this. The


    change in mood was visible on everyone, and they also moved much faster than before upon getting the motivation they needed.


    Salvation was near... and they were more than happy to reach it.


    *************


    "H-haa... haaa..."


    Heavy breaths echoed throughout the sandy beach as the students struggled to catch their breaths.


    "T-that was... further than I... I thought..."


    "Y-yeah..."


    "I''m so exhausted!"


    "W-when do we leave already?"


    "Huuu... haaa..."


    As the hundreds of students littered the beach, they nced around and at each other in visible exhaustion, but also some mutual excitement.


    They were more than grateful that they managed to escape the horrors of war and now be on their way home. All that they needed to do now was build something that would get them away from the Continent''s shores.


    "Looks like the Staff are already on it..." L''uffa said, and the other students around him nodded with excitement.


    Rey joined in the nodding.


    The n was for the Staff to use their Magic-since they were the most skilled-to create arge enough construct to take everyone to sea. It didn''t have to be as borate as a ship, but as long as it was a sturdy enough tform that was functionally capable of taking them some distance from the Continent, then it would be eptable.


    Once they got some distance away from the ce, Spatial and Communication Magic would be restored, and they could finally return to the Academy.


    ... A simple n, really.


    "What is the first thing you''re going to do once you return?"


    "Me? I''ll have a proper sleep. I wasn''t able to sleep so well in the shelter."


    "Me too! It was too ufortable."


    "Yeah... I guess we really took our beds for granted, didn''t we?"


    "I''m going to eat decent food! That''s all that matters to me right now."


    "I would have called you a glutton, but you''re right. The slop they served us in that shelter tasted horrible!"


    "Right? I swear it was so gross."


    "I totally agree..." The students went on and on with their chatter, ignoring the Staff who were close to the waters and ready to begin construction.


    This onlysted a few more seconds, though.


    ~SQUELCH!~


    The sudden sound of flesh being torn caused all of the loud chatter to die out in nearly an instant.


    All of the students fell into a dead calm, almost as if theywere trying to make sure they heard the sound correctly.


    Then, barely one second after-


    ~SQUELCH!~


    ~SQUELCH!~


    ~SQUELCH!~


    -Even more sounds of the same kind echoed out.


    Flesh being ripped apart by sharp weapons, and blood spurting out of the rended meat like a fountain: everything was encapsted in the sounds that followed.


    Still, confusion afflicted the students.


    What... what in the world was happening? What was causing such an abominable sound? One look in the direction of their dear Supervisors was enough to answer that question.


    "E-ehh...?"


    "A-ahhh...?!"


    "W-what is... what are those...?!!"


    As the trembling Newts burned the grotesque sight of their Instructors mutted bodies-all of which were hanging lifelessly on massive spears-they found the excitement that so was


    initially so overwhelming wash away.


    Some covered their mouths in disgust and shock.


    Others pointed at the scene, as if it wasn''t something everyone could see with their own eyes.


    As the pierced flesh seeeped out blood, and the red liquid stained the transparent hue of the sea, the wielders of the weapons began to emerge from the depths.


    And no... not just the depths of the waters.


    -The depths of darkness.


    Undead-Giant and Monster alike-rose from the darkened waters, which had now be


    akin to a bog, or a pool of ck ink.


    They had menacing looks in thier eyes, and their maws dripped with ckened drool. With


    their bodies wet from the waters of darkness, their entire features made it clear that the only thing they currently craved was violence and death.


    ... Lots and lots of death.


    "E-EEEK!!!"


    As the students watched this, all in exhaustion and fear, they felt tremors behind them as


    well.


    Rising from the sands of the beach were several Automatons.


    They had camouged features, but they were also very bulky and monstrous in their appearances. These things rose from all corners of the beach-particrly behind the Newts -blocking off any possible route of escape.


    At this point, it was made clear to the trembling students that there was no path of escape.


    What were they going to do now?


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    All of a sudden, the Undeadunched several projectiles, or even their primary weapons, at the students. This happened the same time as the Automatonsunching bullets from their outstretched, weaponized hands.


    The result?


    ~SQUISH!~


    ~SQUELCH!~ ~SPLOOSH!~


    .... Tons and tons of death.


    *


    *n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading! The massacre begins, doesn''t it? Hope you enjoyed the chapter.

 Chapter 834: Carnage On The Beach

    Chapter 834: Carnage On The Beach


    ?


    It was chaos.


    The beach that once smelled fresh and sweet now reeked of blood and gore.


    The innards of the students were ced on full disy, as the Undead Army and the battalion of machines relentlessly hunted them down.


    "Kyaaah! H-helpm-!"


    ~BOOOOM!~


    "S-save me!"


    ~SQUISH!~


    "S-stop! Please stop! Pleashhe shtawp! Pwea-!"


    ~SQUELCH!~


    It didn''t matter what the students tried to do.... It ended in death anyway.


    Resisting only made the painst longer, and pleading was equally as ineffective. Despite the Undead and Automatons being lifeless agents of destruction, it still seemed like they relished the pleas of the dying Dragons.


    It motivated them toe up with more diabolical ways to kill.


    Many Dragons were torn from limb to limb. Some were roasted alive in mes, while others were simply impaled or beheaded.


    Those were the lucky ones.


    Those who resisted were forced to suffer even more cruel means of execution-too cruel to properly describe.


    In no time at all, so many of the Newts had been culled, and the only ones left were the rather capable ones who could somewhat hold their own against the adversaries.


    ~SWISH!~N?v(el)B\\jnn


    In one deft strike, Rey-still maintaining his R''ai persona-easily sliced through an Automaton, securing himself yet another victory and a few more seconds to live before the next opponent came after his life.


    Looking at Adrien, he saw the boy was also resorting to the same means-using the bare- minimum Magic to attack the enemies.


    ''I initially expected Adrien to be more proactive in his fights, since the Storm Dragon would want to know why he wasn''t going all-out when it would be in the best interest of the Empire if he did... but I guess this works best.'' Rey thought to himself.


    Adrien already said he would tell the Storm Dragon Lord that his powers were being distorted in the Southern Continent, so he could hardly ess any of his true powers.


    Since there would be very luttle reason to suspct Adrien of carnage reaching such proportions, he would only be lightly investigated and eventually let off.


    ''It wasn''t like he chose the Continent for the Excursion, the time, etc. He also couldn''t have rallied so many enemies of the Empire while still studying at the Empire: all of these things would be to his benefit when pleading his case.


    The only real damning thing about the whole situation were the Undead being utilized, but one look at them made it clear that they weren''t Adrien''s creation.


    As a result, he was truly off the hook.


    ''Other than Adrien, it seems like a few students are holding up pretty well...'' Rey thought to himself as he kept up his pace and looked around.


    He could barely see any of his ssmates still standing.


    From what Lucielle told him, only she, Mi''ja, and Adonis survived in their ss. The rest of his ssmates in Group 2 were dead.


    ''Haa...'' One proper scan of the entire area showed a simr fate befalling the ones in Group 1.


    ''Looks like only a few of us are left, and more are going to die.''


    It was doubtful if anyone in the group would even make it out alive, except maybe...


    "Kyahhh! Save me, R''ai!"


    ... Yeah, the girl that clung tight to him during the entire crisis-Cyn''dy.


    ''I can choose to act cold now, and it would still not jeorpadize my identity, considering the current situation. But...'' Rey sighed, recognizing full well how hypocritical he was being.


    He ended up protecting her against the Undead and Automatons that came at the both of them in droves.


    He noticed a few other people saw this and tried to run towards him so he would protect them, but they were all stopped by the savage enemies... paying the price for letting their guards down and clinging to hope for even a second.


    Their deaths weren''t pretty at all.


    ''Now what, though?'' Rey couldn''t help but think as he kept fighting and looking around him.


    He wasn''t tired at all, but he had to pretend to be.


    "Haaa... haa..." He even leaked out heavy breaths as he began to get sluggish in his movements.


    He had to stick to his persona... no matter what!


    ''I see less than a hundred students left now. What will happen? Are we all going to die? It''s


    your call, Ater...''


    Since he decided to trust his Familiar''s judgement, he simply yed his role well.


    And that led him to getting his first hit.


    "Guark!" Coughing out fake blood created by Magic, he threw himself towards the ground, while vibrating his body to make it seem like he was trembling from the recoil.


    "R-R''AI!" Cyn''dy cried as she rushed to the ground where he was.


    She appeared genuinely worried for him, as well as scared.


    ''Poor girl...''


    She stood right in front of him, spreading both her hands apart in order to protect him despite trembling violently herself.


    ''Ahh...!'' Rey''s eyes widened as he saw this.


    The Cyn''dy he knew was timid in the face of real adversity. That was why she constantly clung


    to him in the fight.


    He expected her to run off and find someone else to trouble for protection, but she wasn''t leaving his side. Instead... it seemed like she wanted to protect him too.


    Tears fell from her face, and her small, feminine body seemed to constantly shrink as the massive Automaton raised its de for a swift execution.


    It wasn''t toote for her to escape, but she maintained her ground.


    "R''ai... you''ve been so kind to me..." As she spoke, her stuttering voice shivered due to the


    fear.


    "You constantly assured me in the shelter, and even now... you protected me till this point. I''m sorry I couldn''t do much for you in the end, but... it''s my turn to protect you." Rey''s eyes widened further as he found her turning to him, smiling with sheer sincerity.


    "Because... I love you."


    The de fell at that exact moment.


    ~SQUISH!~


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading! This is so sad, though I know many readers don''t care for poor Cyn''dy.

 Chapter 835: Awaited Salvation

    Chapter 835: Awaited Salvation


    ?


    One thought had been bothering Rey for the longest time now.


    "Do all Dragons really need to die?"


    This question had been amplified ever since he arrived at the Dragon Empire and found a civilization that he wasn''t expecting to see.


    Surely, not all of these people were evil monsters who deserved to die... right?


    Then, he went to the Academy and found even more reasons to doubt his initial position. Of course, he found many atrocious thoughts and values shared by the Dragons, but strangely enough... he found something else.


    Rey found humanity in the Dragons.


    It was at that moment that Rey found his answer-even though he tried very hard to still question it.


    "No. Not all Dragons need to die."


    *************


    ~SQUISH!~


    The Automaton''s de fell on flesh, but it only dug about an inch deep thanks to the flesh that it fell on.


    It was Rey''s.


    "You can''t just go dying on somoene like that..." Rey grunted as he spoke, his hand directly stopping the de while he stood in front of the shocked girl behind him.


    "... If you really love them!"


    It had only taken him a split-second to decide that Cyn''dy wasn''t going to die on his watch, and it took him even less to stop the weapon from reaching her. He cut himself along the way, so it seemed like the weapon injured him, but it really didn''t.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    This was simply the best way to maintain his identity, while also protecting someone he didn''t want to see get killed.


    ''I know this is dumb and selfish of me. So many other Dragons are dying here, yet I chose the one I am close to...'' In the end, he wasn''t being kind or good for what he was doing.


    He recognized that, but he did what needed to be done anyway.


    Why?


    ''I just couldn''t allow her to die after she said that.''


    The sacrifice she showed... the bravery and genuineness of her words and actions truly spoke to him.


    Cyn''dy wasn''t evil.


    She was just misguided-just like a lot of the Dragons here.


    It took Rey this long to fully ept that realization, but he could no longer shy away from it.


    "I''ll continue to protect you." A fiery burst of energy manifested all over his hand, and he sent it charging at the Automaton, which was already raising its second hand to attack.


    It was too slow for Rey, though.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    A loud echo burst into the air, and the metallic portions of the construct broke into pieces thanks to the powerful impact that it recieved.


    "Haaa... haaa..."


    Rey fell to his knees as soon as he did this, his eyes slightly open as he continued to keep up his act.


    Cyn''dy ran to him, kneeling right by his side as he continued to leak out heavy breaths. "R-R''ai! R''ai, are you alright!" More tears was bursting from her eyes as she brought him close with her arms and tightly embraced him.


    "You saved me again! Thank you so much!"


    As soon as she said this, though, the ground around both her and Rey began to tremble.


    ~RUMBLE!~


    ~RUMBLE!~


    ~RUMBLE!~


    Plenty of Undead Giants and Monsters were closing in on the two, casting an inescapable that was sure to put them to an end.


    "R''ai get up! Get up! They''re closing in...!"


    As Cyn''dy begged, Rey shook his head slowly and smiled at her.


    "I can''t. I''m all spent..." He whispered.


    Despite saying all of this, he was perfectly calm. Was it because he had someone who worried so much about him like this, or was it due to something else?


    ''Right now, there''s no need for me or anyone else to exert ourselves.''


    Rey knew something that no other student knew, which was why he decided to clock out at the exact moment that he did.


    ''He''s here.''


    ~VWUUUSH!~


    A fingure suddenly appeared in the sky, causing everyone around to pause for a moment as they soaked up the presence of the stranger.


    He had pure white hair, with sparkling blue eyes.


    His face was clear and pale as ice, and seated on his head like a crown of thorns were five horns. He dressed in a ck and white attire-predominantly ck-akin to a stylized uniform, and he also had his frosty wings and tail spread out like an angel.


    All the Dragons who witnessed his appearance instantly knew that they could rx.


    There were barely fifty of them, yet these survivors counted themselves fortunate that they


    held on for this long.


    ... For the strongest Dragon General to arrive.


    "[Perfect Expansion]"


    Those were the only words that flowed out of his lips, and they were enough topletely


    turn the tide of the one-sided massacre.


    In an instant, all of the adversaries¡ªin their hundreds, if not thousands-froze.


    Literally froze.


    They all turned into pirs of ice,pletely white and unmoving.


    The entire area was also purified of all the Miasma that had polluted the air, and the corpses


    of all the students that littered the beach were piled up in a single location.


    All of this happened in less than a second.


    To the students, it felt even shorter than that. They could barelypreend what had just happened, and how long it took to achieve that.


    But Rey could.


    One look at the Dragon floating above the rest of the students told him all he needed to know


    about this existence.


    ''The one who will be the next Dragon Lord... the strongest Dragon General and most talented genius that the Empire has ever seen.'' He narrowed his eyes on the only one who had the title of Strongest'' among his peers.


    "O''jog..."


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: O''jog


    - Race: Dragon (Royal Species)


    - ss: Grand Admiral (S-Tier)


    - Level: 500 (10.50% EXP)


    - Life Force: 50,000


    - Mana Level: 100,000


    - Combat Ability: 75,000


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Perfect Expansion]. [Perfect Protection]. [Perfect Constitution]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Divine Growth]. [Absolute Magic Utility]. [Absolute Recovery]. [Absolute Destruction]. [Dragon Breath: Choas]. [Absolute Draconic Flight]. [Absolute Magic


    Disruption]. [Perfect Sight].


    - Alignment: Chaotic Neutral


    [Additional Information]


    The prince of Dragons, and the one of the strongest Dragons in the world.


    His potential is seemingly endless, and he is incredibly talented as well as skilled. He


    possesses the perfect attribute for a being of chaos.


    [End Of Information]


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I know... I know... this is fun for me too.

 Chapter 836: Reunion Of Students

    Chapter 836: Reunion Of Students


    ?


    [Moments Later]


    ||


    "1


    Rey and the other survivors sat in silence on the beach, none of them in the mood to speak.


    They had nothing to say, even if they wanted to speak.


    O''jog had perfectly dispatched the enemies, and he ended up encasing the corpses of the hundreds of students in what appeared to be a cube of ice.


    He didn''t say much after that, but he did congratte everyone for surviving while giving the cheerful smile that he was mostly known for. Perhaps if this was a much different situation, the students would have been very excited to see it, and they would have probably even gushed at the sight.


    But... that didn''t happen here.


    They all expended drearily and gave tired smiles.


    They were indeed relieved to be alive, but so much was going in their minds that lightheartedness was thest thing on their mind.


    ''What a weird guy...'' Rey looked at O''jog with a slightly careful stare.


    ''He''s stronger than I am... at least, in base.''


    Rey knew things would change if he utilized the arsenal of skills he had at his disposal, and if he copied the other Skills that O''jog possessed, but something about this whole thing felt a little eerie to him.


    He couldn''t help but feel insecure.


    "We''re alright now..." He heard a whisper from beside him, and felt the warm touch of Cyn''dy''s hand resting on his.


    "Yeah. Yeah... we are."


    Rey''s smile was interrupted by the sudden distortion in the space right beside O''jog.


    It didn''t take very long for space to undte, and those from the other side to appear right in front of the seated ones.


    "T-those are...!" Rey''s eyes slightly widened as he watched two more Generals from the Frost Squad appear, apanied by the surviving students from Group 2.


    Just like those of Group 1, they were about fifty in number too.


    ''H-hold on...''


    Rey swiftly sent his mind to work and counted the number of survivors from both ends.


    Each side had exactly 53 survivors, leaving a total of 106 students left.


    ''Is this a councidence or did he do this intentionally? Just how meticulous are you, Ater?'' He wondered to himself as he sorted through the students that appeared until his eyes met Lucielle.


    He saw her brighten up the moment she saw him, and he found himself going through the


    same.


    ''It''s only been a day, yet why does it feel like it''s been a lot longer than that?''


    Either way, he was more than d to see her again.


    "Alright, everyone! Now that you''ve reunited, you can go see your friends. I can only imagine how much you need to say to them." The one who said this was O''jog, and despite this words of consideration, his tone showed none of it.


    He still had the usual cheerful smile, even as the two sides of students rushed to the other with tear-filled faces and strong emotions.


    Following everyone''s example, Rey rose from where he sat and rushed to Lucielle''s side. Right behind him was Cyn''dy, who seemed to be desperately searching for her twin brother among the small crowd of fifty-three.


    Rey already knew his fate, but he left it to her to find out.


    "R''ai! You''re alright!"


    Lucielle rushed towards him, hugging him very tightly-much tighter than expected.


    Rey felt slightly squished, but he didn''tin.


    Why would he?


    "I''m relieved to see you''re fine too, Luc''ia. You had me worried sick." He smiled while winking at her.


    She giggled instantly, punching him on his shoulder.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Their reunion was far more lighthearted than that of most students.


    "W-where is my brother?"


    "No way! She''s dead? How can she die? NO!!!"


    "J-just how many of us... were killed?"


    "Did they suffer?"


    "How many were you able to kill?"


    "Did she say anything about me? About... us... before she died?"


    There were many words dancing in the air, and they were filled with mncholy and downright berevement.


    Both Groups had suffered only the worst of horrors, and while they were indeed relieved to see that more of theirrades survived, it was no secret that they were also scarred by the


    urences they had to witness.


    Life... life was bad to them.


    "U-uuu..."


    "UWAAAHHHHHH!!!"


    Tears flowed down the cheeks of the Newts as they finally broke down after nearly a whole day


    of constant horror and tragedy.


    None of the three Generals said anything as they watched all of this.


    They simply watched in silence.


    "Only five of us in ss 1-A survived... what a tragedy." Mi''ja whimpered as she hugged Adonis, who reluctantly wrapped his arms around her.


    ''Bold move...'' Rey said as he watched this happen.


    His eyes met Adonis, and the two nodded at each other in something of an understanding.


    He could already tell that Adonis kept his end of the bargain and did his best to constantly watch and protect Lucielle at every given moment-though there really wasn''t any need to. Rey and Lucielle hugged once again, partially to keep up appearances as close buddies, but also because Rey couldn''t get enough of the fresh aroma that she was giving off.


    ''It was really smelly in the shelter, and everyone stinks from all the gore and sweat. How did she manage to stay fresh?'' He wondered to himself.


    "Hey, Lucie... I mean, Luc''ia, how did you manage to-" He was about to ask her the secret to her perfect hygeine, even when she was under scrutiny, when he felt the chest of someone


    press behind him and sobs echoing into his ears.


    Rey instantly understood what this was about.


    "H-he''s dead, R''ai... Man''dy is dead!" It was Cyn''dy sobbing about the death of her twin


    brothet to him.


    ''Damnit...''


    He let go of Lucielle and paid all his attention to the girl, going as far as fully embracing her


    and sighing.


    ''... What in the world am I doing?''


    He could see the slight frown on Lucielle''s face as he did this. He knew she didn''t approve of him growing a heart for the Dragons, but this frown seemed to be a little different from


    simple disapproval.


    As if to further affirm his suspicion, he got a message from his [Link] with Lucielle.


    -You know she''s intentionally using sympathy to win you over and steal you from me, right?~


    As soon as Rey heard this, he couldn''t get over how absurd it sounded.


    ''But... we''re not together.''


    - She doesn''t know that, does she? At least... not for sure.~


    ''She just lost her brother, Lucielle.'' Rey sighed internally. ''I think romance would be thest


    thing on her mind.''


    ~You really believe that? Okay then!~


    "Hmph!" After this message, she scoffed and walked away not long after.


    Rey couldn''t understand why Lucielle was acting in this manner, though he had a few guesses.


    The strongest one was that she simply couldn''t stand the Dragons, and she felt somewhat


    disappointed after seeing his approach with them.


    ''She could also be jealous... though that makes no sense.''


    Lucielle was the type to make other men jealous, not the other way around. Though, since she was stuck in a teenage body, it was possible that her emotions were getting the best of her.


    ''Whatever it is... I''ll have to talk to her once this is all over.''


    They were friends, after all.


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading! What do you think about the development with Lucielle so far? I''m curious...

 Chapter 837: Return To The Academy

    Chapter 837: Return To The Academy


    ?


    "Alright, everyone! It''s time to return to the Academy!"


    O''jog''s announcement cut the teary and immenely emotional reunion short. His loud voice instantly caused a suspension in everything the students were doing, and they all looked at him with slight tinges of relief.


    Many of the Dragons were in group hugs, or still sniffling from their leftover tears, but hearing the good news made them brighten up a little.


    They couldn''t wait to leave thisnd of tragedy, after all.


    ''Took them long enough...'' Rey thought to himself as he looked at O''jog and the other two Dragon Generals beside him.


    While the reunion between the students took ce, the three were conversing about something that he couldn''t overhear.


    ''It was probably the result of a skill or Magic. I could have tried harder to listen, but that could have alerted one of them if I made the slightest mistake.'' He sighed to himself, still curious about what they had discussed.


    Regardless, it seemed this was the end of their stay in the Southern Continent.


    While it was brief, the experience wasn''t something he or anyone else that came for the Excursion could forget for the rest of their lives.


    ''I guess I should also be happy that it''s all over. Nothing about seeing young people die gives me any kind of pleasure...'' As Rey thought this, he began to move from his position, alongside the other Newts.


    A swirling portal was being formed in front of them, so all they had to do was venture in and they would be back to utmost safety.


    Just from ncing to his left and right, he could see impatience in the eyes of so many of the students-including his ssmates. They were notpletely at ease, even though they were currently being guarded by the Empire''s strongest.


    Such was the nature of their trauma.


    ''I wondered for the longest time... why do the Dragons still continue this Conquest despite seeing the kind of horror that war causes?''


    Was it their gic predisposition? Were Dragons born evil, and there was nothing to stop their true nature from manifesting?


    No... Rey didn''t believe that.


    Not anymore.


    ''After thinking about it clearly, there''s only one answer that exins all of this perfectly.'' It was the Dragon Emperor himself.


    ''All of this is caused by the system that the Dragon Emperor created in his Empire.'' Rey sighed, getting closer to the warped space in front of him.


    The more he ruminated on the thought, the more it made sense.


    ''All the Dragons fight for the Emperor and his Empire. To fight in wars is to bring glory to the Empire and please the Emperor. That''s what this is all about.''


    And that meant there was a simple solution to all of this.


    ''If I somehow manage to take down the Emperor and create a new system... there will be peace.'' Rey smiled, oozing nothing but optimism.


    It was highly likely that the world wouldn''t end too.


    ''Of course, all of this can only be done after I send Alicia and whoever wants to go with her back to Earth. Once that is over... the real mission to save H''Trae begins!''


    **************


    [One Week Later]


    The door to ss 1-A slid open as Rey entered into the same modern ssroom that he had gotten ustomed to since he began his life as a student of the Imperial Academy.


    The ssroom looked exactly the same as he remembered, but for some very obvious reasons... it feltpletely foreign.


    For one, this was the first time since ''the incident''-as everyone now called it-that he was entering the ssroom. A whole week had passed, and he had been mostly cooped up in his dorms, or hanging out with the rest of ss 1-A, most especially Cyn''dy.


    As a result, this whole experience felt somewhat fresh.


    ''I''ve also been spending quite a bit of time in the library, but... even that has its problems.''


    He always encountered Lucielle in the library, which created an air of tense awkwardness for him-and probably her as well.


    Ever since they returned from the Southern Continent, she had refused to speak with him unless it was somewhat vital to the mission. She would often give excuses like:


    "I''m busy with research."


    Or...


    "I''m not feeling too well..."


    She wasn''t a good liar at all, and that was probably because she didn''t even want to put in the effort. It was clear that Lucielle didn''t want to interact with Rey very much, and that really conflicted with his desire to have a proper conversation with her to understand her properly¡ª especially after their slight misunderstanding on the beach.


    ''She just won''t give me a chance...'' He sighed, making his way to his seat in the ssroom. That was when he noticed th second reason for the ssroom feeling strange.


    ''It''s nearly empty.''


    Nearly all the students here died in the Southern Continent, leaving only five survivors.


    There was Rey, as well as Lucielle, Cyn''dy, Mi''ja, and finally... Adonis.


    Right now, only Adonis was in ss, and they both ignored each other-per their understanding.


    ''I guess I came a bit too early...'' Once more, he sighed.


    As he sat on his finely furbished chair, he interlocked his fingers and went into serious thoughts about what would happen from this point onward.


    ''Our ss Instructor is dead, so we''re going to have a recement. Now that we''re just five, it''ll be harder to blend into the crowd, so I suppose I''ll have to be a lot more careful with everything around me.''


    Rey didn''t think any of these were going to a problem to him.


    ~CREAK~


    The entrance door slided open, causing him to raise his head.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    He saw Lucielle and Mi''ja entering together, something that didn''te as a surprise to him.


    ''The two of them suddenly became very close after the incident. I guess Mi''ja must really be in need of friends, and Lucielle saw it as a good opportunity to infiltrate her inner circle.''


    It was a smart move from the Grand Mage-as expected.


    ''Ah!'' Rey found himself staring directly at Lucielle, and also found that she was looking at


    him.


    Thier eyes met for a split second, and the two of them looked away at the same time.


    ''But... why? Where is this nervousnessing from?''


    He had no idea, but after stealing one nce at Lucielle-seeing her in her school uniform for


    the first time in a week-a feeling awakened within him.


    He didn''t realize when he sent her a message through their [Link].


    ''You look good.''


    He wasn''t expecting a reply from her, so he decided to just close his eyes and return to his


    thoughts. But then-


    ~You too, Rey.~


    His eyes brightened up instantly, and upon looking at her, she was looking away from him while settling on her desk. His eyes met Mi''ja instead, and they both shared greetings with


    each other.


    ''I should send another message!'' He told himself. ''This is the first time she''s responded in


    almost a week.''


    As soon as he was about to do that, the doors slid open and Cyn''dy rushed in, charging


    straight for Rey.


    "R''ai! I missed you so much!"


    At that moment, Rey felt his [Link] with Lucielle turn cold, and he realized he probably


    wouldn''t ever get a chance at that message any longer.


    ''D-damnit...''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Teenage drama can be so exciting at times, right? Hehe...

 Chapter 838: New Instructor

    Chapter 838: New Instructor


    ?


    In the end, Rey had to concede.


    Cyn''dy ended up sitting right next to him,pletely shielding him from Lucielle.


    Of course, to keep up appearances, he and Lucielle greeted each other, but there was a certain coldness to her words that made it clear that she was just being official with him¡ªnothing more, nothing less.


    ''I guess she really doesn''t like me fraternizing with Dragons... even though she''s practically doing the same.'' Rey thought this, but he also knew the difference between his own


    rtionship with Dragons and hers.


    ''She''s being tactical, while I''m being considerate.''


    In the end, their motives and methods were different, even if the end result seemed to be the


    same.


    ''This can''t keep going.'' He made up his mind to somehow speak to Lucielle before the day ended.


    There was only one major obstacle when it came to that.


    "How was your night, R''ai? I slept well... even dreamt about you, you know? I thought about making a dish for you, but then I realized I don''t know the kinds of food that you like, which is why I thought I''d ask you. Ah, but first... answer the first question. How was your night? Did you have a good night? Did you dream about me? How about...?"


    Rey was consantly being bombarded by questions from Cyn''dy, and if they weren''t questions, then they would be simply random conversations.


    ''She always has something to say, which makes it hard to end a conversation with her!''


    No... perhaps he was just making excuses.


    Surely, if he truly didn''t want herpany, he could just tell her leave him alone and she would have the sense not to disturb him any longer.


    But why wasn''t he doing it?


    ''Is it guilt? Do I feel bad for the death of her brother? Perhaps, but also... I feel like I can somehow get through to her.''


    When he first got to know her, he felt Cyn''dy was weird. However, she was a very nice and sensitive person the more he spoke to her. She was also very empathetic, which meant there was a chance to get her to see the evils of the Dragon Empire.


    If he could convince her, then there was hope for the Dragons, after all.


    ''It''s just... she''s always with me, and it''s clear that Lucielle doesn''t like her.'' Rey sighed. ''I need to find a way to ditch her and talk to Lucielle.''


    The issue was how to do it without hurting her feelings.


    "Haaa..." As Rey sighed very quietly, he cast his gaze forward, to the front of the whole ss, where he found a figure standing right there.


    ''W-what in the-?!''


    "Greetings, students! It''s great to see all of you so early for ss!" The loud, cheerful voice of someone they all knew too well rang in their ears.


    It was O''jog!


    ''No... don''t tell me...!''


    "I will be your temporary Instructor starting today. Nice to meet you all!"


    Rey''s eyes were nearly bulging as he heard this, while looking straight at the Dragon Commander''s perfect face and gem-like eyes.


    ''But how? Why him?''


    "I can see the surprise on your faces. You''re wondering why a bigshot like me would be teaching the lowest Stage in the Beginner Academic Curriculum, right? I mean, I spent my free periods teaching part time in the Final Stages of the Academy to try something new, but I ultimately got bored. The same could be said for my two other colleagues... though they keep denying that fact."


    ''Two colleagues? The other two Dragon Generals that saved Lucielle?'' Rey remebered them clearly.


    Were they alsoing to the Basic Stages?


    ''Nah! Thats not-''


    "Which is why I brought them to the Basic Stages with me! They''ll be taking the Second and Third Stages respectively, while I take your ss."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    As O''jog uttered those words, itpletely shattered Rey''s expectations.


    ''Why are the Empire''s strongest in the Academy?'' He wanted to leak out a tear, but he controlled himself. ''All of this just puts more pressure on me.''


    Rey, just like the rest of the students, understood the whole reason behind having temporary instructors. The Academy had suffered a lot of damage, and until they recovered from all of that damage, this was somethingthey would have to endure.


    It wasn''t the most ideal situation, but the expediency could not be denied.


    ''The White Dragon Lord already made an Assembly prior to today, where she addressed most of these issues. I wish she could have informed us of the identity of our Temporary Instructor,


    though.''


    That would have given him-as well as everyone else-enough time to properly prepare.


    ''Instead, she focused on offering her condolences and a bunch of other unnecessary stuff.'' He felt like siging once again.


    The major takeaway for Rey after that assembly was how badly the reputation of the White Dragon Lord had to be at the moment.


    ''Is she still a viable person to stick to?'' He had to wonder.


    Ater had given him all of the reasons why she was still the right choice, and he had chosen to trust in his Familiar''s judgement, but there were still lingering doubts in Rey''s mind that he couldn''t just shrug off.


    ''Right now, Adrien''s options looks more attractive.''


    And, just like Adrien promised, he didn''t get into any trouble with the Storm Dragon Lord.


    ''Everything is going ording to n in his end. But... I''ll still stick to Ater''s counsel for now.'' With his mind already made up, he decided to leave the realm of his inner thoughts and focus on the ss.


    As soon as he did this, he got to hear the most unexpected news.


    "The Inter-ss Exchange is still holding."


    Everyone sent their utmost attention to Grand Admiral O''jog as he said this. Surprise, mixed with slight unease, radiated within their eyes.


    "I expect you all to prepare for it with all due diligence... and I n to help you to that effect." The unease slowly began to mellow out.


    "I am the strongest General in the Empire, and my Squad is the best. It only makes sense that my ss should follow that tradition." As soon as he said this, his smile broadened and he looked at every single student in the ssrom.


    As soon as his eyes met Rey''s, there was an electrifying sensation simr to resonance that


    went through his body.


    "You won''t let me down, will you?"


    Everyone instantly nodded, understanding it perfectly well.


    "We won''t!"


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading! And so, we move on to the next phase of this Arc. Let''s hope for a really cool tournament.

 Chapter 839: Aters Secret Mission

    Chapter 839: Ater''s Secret Mission


    ?


    "Looks like things are going smoothly now."


    Ater''s voice radiated within an immactely furnished room, as he sat veryfortably on a sofa. Compared to the tough seat of the Giants, this one was far more preferable.


    Belle and Justin-his two disciples-sat right opposite him, having a center table separating the two sides.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Indeed."


    "It''s all thanks to your insights and overall ns."


    As the two of them praised him, he smiled and shrugged as if all his aplishments were not particrly meaningful.


    -Like this was all just a prelude.


    "I will be away for a while, so the both of you are to oversee the progress with the Dwarves and Giants-particrly the machine that they''re building." As soon as he said this, surprise instantly manifested on the faces of his audience.


    Ater smiled as soon as he noticed this, though he refused to address the matter.


    Instead, he retreated to his thoughts.


    ''That machine that is currently under construction will be beneficial to Master especially, so it has to be done perfectly.'' Nodding slowly to himself as he became immersed in its prospects, Ater did not stop his train of thought.


    ''The Dwarves are more than happy to build it, since it''s new technology... especially now that they have sufficient minerals to experiment with. As for the Giants, they are simply pleased to work and serve me, since I am their Chief."


    With the system he put in ce, everyone ultimately got what they wanted.


    ''Still, even with mutual benefits, there could be some sort of discrepancy that may arise without proper supervision.'' He told himself. ''Which is why I need these two here.''


    Belle and Justin were more than powerful enough to take his ce in the Southern Continent. They had also been with him for sufficient time to understand certain things about leadership and control that caused him to have sufficient confidence in their abilities.


    ''Their abilities are sufficient for the task at hand.''


    "B-but... where are you going, Ater?"


    "Yeah! What are you up to now?" With Belle and Justin respectively asking questions to satiate their curiosity, Ater found it pertinent to finally say something regarding the matter. "Let''s just say that I''m going to a ce that you can''t go."


    As soon as they heard this, despite Belle in particr appearing a little forlorn, the two of them nodded in perfect understanding.


    "I guess that''s cool." Justin shrugged with a slight smile. "Please bring me a souvenier." "Me too!" Belle added.


    Ater chuckled and shrugged slightly. "I''ll try my best."


    He was d to see that they had matured enough not to be too reliant on his presence to get things done. They also didn''t ask so many questions anymore.


    ''That''s good... that''s good.''


    "I understand that you have to do some things alone, Ater." Belle added, causing him to slightly react in a pleasantly surprised manner.


    "I wish you the best."


    He nodded, rising from his seat with his usual grace. "Thank you, Belle."


    ''But... I never intended to go alone.''


    As he straightened out his suit and tightened his tie, his smile broadened even more as he thought of his destination.


    ''It''s not a ce that I think will be very conducive for humans, which is why I didn''t bother considering the both of you as viablepanions for the task.''


    Ater had set his ights to the Eastern Contin-to the ce he was never able to explore back when Rey told him to learn more about thend.


    ''Things are a bit different now, though.'' He smiled to himself. ''Since I have some free time on my hands, now is the perfect time to go there.''


    "Farewell, then."


    Before either Belle or Justin could give a proper response to this, darkness swallowed him whole and hepletely vanished from where he stood.


    ~VWUSH!~


    The two Otherworlders looked at themselves as soon as he teleported, and a just a second after, broad smiles began to form on their respective faces.


    "You thinking what I''m thinking?" Belle asked Justin.


    Of course, he was thinking exactly what she was thinking. This was something that had been bugging him for nearly a week now.


    He just couldn''t bring it up because of Ater. But now?


    Now, things were different.


    "Yeah! Let''s fight to see who''s better!"


    *************


    [Meanwhile...]


    ~VWUUUSH!~


    Space undted, and darkness spilled out in the form of a man-Ater.


    His slick red hair danced as hended in the simply designed room, his full ck suit making him stand out in the sheer white-colored room. The entire space was colored white, which felt a little odd, considering it was made from stone and wood-all constructed by Magic, of


    course.


    The design was primitive too-though not on the level of the Giants.


    ''The Dwarves had much better architecture than this, though since this closely resembles the design of the humans, I suppose I should give it a pass.''


    The room also had minimalistic designs and propeties within it.


    There was a veryrge and soft bed, with furniture sparsely ced in various parts of the


    room.


    Then, the hallmark of the room greeted Ater''s senses.


    -The aroma.


    It was enchanting-not too much for his senses, but enough for him to make a genuinely pleasant smile as he sat in the air and waited for the owner of the room to venture inside.


    As soon as he sat, the door opened and someone entered.


    "Ater? You startled me. What are you doing here?" The white-haired girl said the moment she spotted him a small distance from her door.


    He expected this reaction, and while this would have made him smile even more, he put on a


    rather grim expression instead.


    His mood hadpletely changed to a serious one.


    "Greetings, Esme." He began. "I apologize for the intrusion, but there is a certain ce that I


    need to get to within the Eastern Continent."


    "Okay...?"


    Esme raised her brows as her blue eyes glowed with slight curiosity.


    Ater swiftly responded, not wasting any further time.


    "I need your help."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Nice to see Esme again. You can only wonder what Ater is up to now...

 Chapter 840: Lucielles Hidden Conflict

    Chapter 840: Lucielle''s Hidden Conflict


    ?


    Lucielle felt exhausted.


    As she finished saying farwell to Mi''ja, after they had both walked to their dorms together, she could feel the weight of the whole day pressing on her.


    ''I thought I wouldn''t be able to make it...'' She thought to herself as she dragged her feet to her doorstep, sighs continously leaking from her lips.


    Mi''ja had offered to escort her to her doorstep, but she ended up refusing for the same reason why she couldn''t wait to enter her room and copse on the soft bed there... and then scream at the top of her lungs.


    ''It''s so annoying that I feel like this!''


    For one, even though she wasn''t supposed to feel that way, Lucielle found herself feeling a little bad for refusing Mi''ja''s kind offer to escort to escort her to her doorstep.


    ''It''s stupid. Why should I care about the feelings of a Dragon? Why do I have to be so considerate?'' She gritted her teeth, almost reaching her haven.


    ''Ever since I saved her life at the Southern Continent, she''s been super clingy. It''s annoying, yet I aodate her...''


    The worst part of it all?


    Lucielle was actually beginning to enjoy herpany!


    It was crazy! How could she, as a human, enjoy speaking to a Dragon and getting so attached to one? It was inconceivable.


    ''They''re the enemy, and yet... I''m having so much fun?''


    The ''fun'' they had wasn''t unfounded, either. Just like Lucielle, Mi''ja held a deep interest in Magic, and so they would constantly discuss the possible applications, theories, and a host of other topics on the matter.


    These were things that Rey refused to talk to her about, which was why she really appreciated Mi''ja and their discussions regarding her passion.


    ''Ah... Rey....'' Lucielle became reminded of another problematic topic-one that frustrated her even more than the Mi''ja situation.


    ''Why do I have these physiological reactions when I think about him or see him? It''s so strange... and annoying.''n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Despite saying this, her cheeks began to turn a little red.


    ''Damnit! Not again!''


    This was the main reason why she refused to talk to Rey-all so she wouldn''t have cause to think about him so much and have these reactions.


    ''My heart races anytime I see him or hear his voice, and I also blush utrobly. I feel irritated when I see him with other girls... like that clearly maniptive Cyn''dy, and even though I don''t want to talk to him for all these reasons... I want him to talk to me.''


    It was a strange feeling-one that Lucielle had never felt in her whole life.


    All her life, she had been recognized as a genius in Magic, and it just so happened that she was very invested in the art that she never cared for much else.


    She didn''t even know she was incredibly attractive until she was a young adult, since she kept ignoring all the boys that made advances at her and never paid attention to superficialpliments that were always thrown at her.


    She was gorgeous in the eyes of most men, and her body was very attractive-apparently. But... none of that mattered much to her.


    Lucielle simply wanted to know more about Magic and transcend the current limits of her understanding and power.


    That was all that she wanted....


    ... Untill now.


    ''Why didn''t he talk to me today? Even though I ignored him, he should have still tried harder. He just decided to keep talking to that poser, Cyn''dy. It''s strange... I don''t think she''s even as fun or as pretty as I am. I guess he really enjoys herpany more than mine...'' Lucielle found herself thinking along these lines and had to stop herself.


    ''Where are all these thoughtsing from?!''


    In a way, she recognized them to be hers. She knew that these were her feelings, which made


    it even more frustrating and annoying since she constantly had to suppress them. That was what led to her exhaustion.


    However, Lucielle also recognized that she wasn''t always like this, and that it didn''t make any sense that she would be feeling this way.


    ''So why...?''


    In all honesty, she already suspected the most probably reason for this.


    ''My Spell... turning me into someone this young has made me more septible to emotions and thoughts like this.''


    In the end, hormones and several chemistry that the body operated under caused reactions within oneself whether it was appreciated or not.


    ''Back when I was younger, I never had experiences like this, but I suppose things are different now.'' She thought to herself, trying her hardest to remain objective.


    ''Is this how others felt about me when I ignored them? What torture...''


    The desire to please others... the feelings of heavy infatuation... obsession about outward image... among other issues.


    They were all bombarding her at once.


    "I need a break." She whispered to herself, twisting the knob to her room while feeling at least some measure of tion that she could finally rest.


    By rest, she meant screaming at the top of her lungs while tossing and turning on the bed.


    "Haa... at longst."


    Shutting the door behind her, even with her eyes closed, she instantlyused Magic to get rid of everything she was wearing-save for her underwear.


    She was about to remove her underwear when she opened her eyes and found someone standing right in front of her.


    ... Someone she recognized all too well.


    ''R-R-REY?!''


    As she saw him, her face turnedpletely red, and she felt herself begin to get dizzy.


    ''What the hell is he doing here? Why is he looking at me like that? What the hell is going on here?!'' Her brain shot her a million questions that she didn''t have answers to.


    The worst part was that he looked just as confused and flustered as she was.


    "T-this isn''t what it looks like! I can... I can exin, Lucie..."


    His voice seemed to fade away as her vision turned blurry and she felt her body lose all of its


    strength.


    ''A-ahh...'' Before long, she had already realized what was happening, but by then it was


    already toote.


    ''... I''m fainting.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    This is hrious for me, to be honest. What do you all think?

 Chapter 841: Awkward Confrontation

    Chapter 841: Awkward Confrontation


    ?


    [Moments Earlier]


    ''Damnit!''


    Rey had looked for every single way to speak to Lucielle throughout their first day of sses, but he was constantly with Cyn''dy, and even when he found a way to lose her, he couldn''t find Lucielle by herself.


    The few assions when he tried to reach her, the girl just tantly ignored him.


    ''Why doesn''t she want to give me a chance to talk to her?''


    Was she that upset? He truly had no idea what could make her so annoyed at him. The Lucielle he knew was very jovial about a lot of things, and she never took anything personally.


    Besides, it wasn''t like their disagreement was very serious.


    ''Maybe she just doesn''t like Cyn''dy, but... I can''t just ditch her for that reason.'' Rey told himself.


    It was obvious to him, and everyone around him, that the Dragon Girl was in love with him. She didn''t even shy away from that fact.


    ''But... even though I don''t feel the same, I don''t know how to make it explictly clearer than I already have.''


    Rey had shown Cyn''dy all the signs that he wasn''t interested, and he even downright told her that he wasn''t ready tomit to anyone or be in a rtionship... yet she wouldn''t leave him be.


    She would bring up how sad and lonely she was, and how Rey helped her get over the death of her brother, which made him feel bad and continue being by her side.


    ~Master, maybe Lucielle is right. She might be manipting you emotionally...~


    Even Emil told Rey that Cyn''dy was most likely trying to guilt-trip him into staying, but he really didn''t think it was an intentional act on her part.


    "She''s just very hurt. It takes time for these sort of things to heal."


    That was his excuse.


    It wasn''t like he hadn''t made his feelings orck thereof-clear to Cyn''dy. Besides, he wasn''t going to stick around the Academy for very long either, so this wasn''t something he would have to put up with for too long.


    For all of these reasons, Rey had to endure.


    But... that came at the detriment of his rtionship with Lucielle, and after a week without her constantly ringing in his mind, Rey was beginning to experience withdrawal symptoms.


    He missed her like crazy.


    ''I make conversations in my head these days. It''s gotten so bad that I get annoyed for smallest reasons.''


    Things couldn''t continue this way!


    And, for this very reason, Rey decided to take the boldest step he could regarding Lucielle.


    He retreated to his dorms early to shake off Cyn''dy, and then went to Lucielle''s room in order to finally confront her in a ce where she wouldn''t be able to avoid him.


    ''Hehe! Perfect!'' He had thought to himself.


    As soon as he noticed that she was about to open the front door, he folded both hands and gave his most serious face while closing his eyes and taking in a deep breath to fully prepare for her shriek of surprise.


    However... no shriek came.


    ''E-eh...?'' Opening his eyes, he was greeted with something else entirely.


    Lucielle was semi nude, having only a tight bra holding up her goods, as well as pure white panties that blended well with her pale skin.


    The worst part? Lucielle opened her eyes right at that moment-finally noticing him the moment he became stunned by her sudden appearance.


    This was the beginning of the end for him.


    "T-this isn''t what it looks like! I can... I can exin, Lucielle! I only came here to see you, and -!"


    He quickly realized she wasn''t listening to him, and all his exnations were useless, since she had just fainted on him.


    ''Oh, fuck!''


    Before he realized it, his body moved to catch her before she fell to the ground.


    Her body was very hot, and her skin felt paler than normal-almost as if all the life had been sucked out of it.


    ''I really messed up now!''


    ***********


    [The Present]


    "U-urgh..."


    Lucielle stirred slowly as she woke up from a really bad dream.


    In that dream, Rey was somehow in her room and saw her with nothing short of her underwear. The Lucielle of the past wouldn''t have considered this such a big deal, since such matters didn''t really affect her.


    But to this current Lucielle it was a NIGHTMARE!


    "Haa... haa..." She breathed heavily.


    ''Thank goodness it wasn''t rea-''


    "You''re finally awake. That''s such a relief..." Before Lucielle could conclude her thoughts, she heard an oddly familiar masculine voice echo beside her.


    One slow turn of her neck, and she found Rey seated awkwardly beside her bed, a rubbery smile on his face as he tried to keep a straight face.


    ''A-Ahh...!'' It wasn''t a dream, after all.


    All of it was real!


    Lucielle felt her body turn hot again, and then before she could fullyprehend what happened... she cked out again.


    ***************


    [Moments Later]


    "I''m really sorry, Lucielle! I shouldn''t have appeared so suddenly."


    Rey prostrated before her the moment she woke up, not even having the confidence to look her in the eyes as soon as he heard her stir on her bed.


    ||||


    The silence was deafening.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Rey felt his chest pounding as he snuck a peek at Lucielle and found her staring at him with a


    nk, oddly calm expression.


    She was actually frozen in thought, but he didn''t realize that yet.


    Lucielle was going over how Rey had managed to dress her up, which had to have involved


    him touching her bare skin many times.


    That thought alone would have made her faint another time due to embarassment, but she managed to control herself, so she didn''t give in to it.


    Still, that meant her body had to be in stasis for a few seconds while she processed everything.


    By the time she was done, her body returned to normal, and she heaved a heavy sigh while looking at Rey''s pitiful state.


    He was a nervous wreck, same as her, and she couldn''t take all the tension anymore.


    As such, she decided to end it right there.


    "I think I''ve fallen for you, Rey. Let''s figure out how to deal with this together."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    And so it begins... the Lucielle route! But, I wonder if it will bear fruit or not.

 Chapter 842: Confronting Feelings [Pt 1]

    Chapter 842: Confronting Feelings [Pt 1]


    ?


    "Eh?"


    Rey had a lot of Skills and ss Privileges that allowed him to think rather quickly, react very fast, and generally process information faster than most people.


    Even with all that, Lucielle''s words were lost to him.


    He looked at the slightly reddening face of the girl who sat on her bed, nearly covered enitely with her cute and thick white sheets. Her crimson eyes were on him, almost as if they were expecting something that he didn''t understand.


    "Don''t ''Eh'' me. A girl just told you that she has feelings for you, and this is how you respond? What are you, some sort of idiot?"


    ''What''s with her and her sudden harshness?'' Rey wondered, even more confused as he took a step back in recoil from the venemous words that Lucielle spat out.


    In the end, though, he still had to reply.


    "I mean... this is unexpected. I didn''t expect you to... how long did it start? Was it when-?"


    "Don''t tter yourself, Rey. Perhaps I should make it clearer so you can properly understand what I''m saying here." Once again, Lucielle resorted to being mean. "I have somehow developed feelings for you due to a side effect of my Spell that turned me young."


    "...."


    Rey didn''t know how to respond to that.


    "I think it''s because we talked nearly all the time for an extended period. My immature brain must have misconstrued it as something else, releasing some hormones within me that caused some chemical imbnce in my body... which results in physiological reactions any time I encounter you."


    "Physiological reactions...?"


    "Let''s just say that I somehow always want to talk to you, but anytime I talk to you... my body seems to like it too much."


    ''A-ah...!'' Rey felt his cheeks getting hot as he heard all of these from Lucielle.


    Nothing she described was foreign to him, considering he had crushed on a few girls in his life -one of them being the one he loved, Alicia.


    He also had feelings for Esme, though thinking about it made his head hurt and his heart ache, so he constantly shoved it aside. As for Lucielle, he never really looked at her in such a way, especially when she was still in her original form.


    It was easy to fall for her in her current form, or consider the possibilities of them being together, but Rey had already ced her at such a pedestal that he wouldn''t dare to think of anything romantic with her.


    Plus, he still somewhat felt like Adonis had something for her.


    But now?


    ''When you tell me stuff like this, in such a way, it sort of makes it harder for me not to see you in such a light.'' He wanted to say, but held it in.


    Who knew what harsh words Lucielle would give him in return?


    "In any case, Rey, these feelings are a nuisance. They get in the way of our interactions, and they also taint my perceptions of and interactions with the others." She sighed as she continued.


    "We need to get rid of them."


    Rey stared nkly at her and muttered the only thing he could think of. "How?"


    "I''m not sure yet. It''s why I brought it up with you. M-maybe you also have some feelings... perhaps about me... t-that you want to get rid of. Let''s hear it."


    "I mean... there was this one time when I kissed you in ss, and then reversed time so everyone¡ªincluding you-forgot about it. The problem is that I still remember everything, and it bothers me sometimes... especially now that you''re saying all of this, and-"


    "What?"


    "H-huh? What?" Rey repeated her reaction, pretending to be innocent.


    "What did you just say, Rey?"


    "A-about what?"


    He had a feeling that he was cooked, which made him instantly regret deciding to finally


    reveal the thing that had been biting him for so long.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Perhaps it would have been better not to say anything.


    "L-look, Lucielle... it wasn''t intentional, okay? I slipped and-"


    "You''re saying kissing me bothers you? Wow... I didn''t think I was such a horrible kisser that it would trouble you so much! I''m sorry that I''ve never had any real experience with men, since I''ve been so focused on Magic and trying my best to save the world."


    "... What?" It was Rey''s turn to be confused now.


    "What?" Lucielle responded, now acting clueless about everything she had just said.


    Rey was speechless.


    He had expected her toin about him kissing her, to begin with. He even feared her overreacting, even though it was a genuine ident.


    But... from how she was sounding... it seemed the kiss didn''t bother her.


    It was the fact that he didn''t enjoy it.


    ''And what''s this about her not having experience with men? She can''t be serious, right?!''


    Lucielle was one of the most attractive women he had ever met. Of course, it would be unfair topare humans to Elves, so if he didn''t put them in the equation, then she would easily be


    the prettiest.


    As much as he didn''t want to admit it, she was far prettier than Alicia.


    ''How is it that she never had any experience with men? Don''t tell me... I stole her first kiss? Ah...'' He gulped as soon as he came to this realization and watched her frustrated, but


    embarrassed face.


    ''... She''s really cute.''


    Everything was bing a mess, and he could feel it all crumbling.


    "Maybe I should just use [Tempora] to reverse everything again. That way, you won''t have


    any memory of-"


    "Shut up, idiot. That skill doesn''t work on me."


    "... Eh?"


    "Y-yeah... it doesn''t. I already made myself exempt from Time Magic, or any application of time on my body-reversal included." She sighed. "I did it so I could maintain my disguise, since without keeping myself in a fixed state of time, my body would rapidly age the same way I elerated my de-aging."


    "W-what? But that means..." Rey''s eyes widened as he looked at Lucielle''s slightly nervous


    gaze.


    He felt an itch at the back of his throat, but he spoke anyway.


    "... You never forgot about the kiss?"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Well, haven''t things gotten even more interesting? How cute...

 Chapter 843: Confronting Feelings [Pt 2]

    Chapter 843: Confronting Feelings [Pt 2]


    ?


    ||N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Lucielle didn''t know how to respond to the question that was thrown at her.


    The simple answer was that she didn''t actually forget the kiss, though she pretended to be under the effects of [Tempora], just like everyone else.


    ''I wanted to keep my current state a secret from Rey, so I had to y along.''


    Plus... she was equally embarrassed about the kiss.


    In the end, everything worked out well. No one mentioned anything, so it all worked out-at least, that was what she expected to happen.


    However, it seemed like the kiss was where the first seeds of her interest in Rey were nted.


    From that point on, there was no turning back.


    "Y-you always knew? That''s messed up, Lucielle! Why didn''t you say anything?" Reyshed out, his cheeks turning brighter red.


    "Look who''s talking! You should have said something too."


    Lucky for Rey, his emotions were instantly stabilized, so all the influx of emotions were eroded off almost as soon as they entered his system.


    "I-I''m sorry..." He muttered the moment he regained his rationality. "I should have mentioned it, but... it was just a little awkward for me."


    Lucielle was like his co-worker... someone akin to an annoying senior that he looked up to in some way, but also couldn''t respect due to their problematic attitude.


    Something like an older sister, perhaps?


    That wasn''t to say there was no interest in her whatsoever, but all of those things were overshadowed by his feelings for other girls, as well as Lucielle''s unique way of getting on his nerves that made him unable to see her in such a way.


    As such, kissing her-and even engaging in their current conversation-felt sphemous.


    It felt wrong.


    And yet...


    "H-how was the kiss?" Rey muttered, rubbing his head slightly as he looked at Lucielle. She wasn''t looking at him initially, but her distracted gaze slowly returned to him as she hid the lower part of her face with the sheets.


    "It was... weird."


    That was all she had to say about the whole thing.


    "I see..."


    The ambiance in the room became a million times more awkward as she said this, causing the two to remain fixed in their respective positions without saying anything for nearly a minute.


    No one seemed willing to budge.


    Until-


    "So... do you like Cyn''dy?"


    "No." Rey responded almost instantly, a bit of annoyance seeping through. "Not her."


    "...."


    "But you know the one I like already."


    "Alicia, right? But you said she''s leaving for your homeworld, didn''t you?"


    Rey made a slightly sad smile as he nodded. He felt a little bad trying to justify some of the way he was feeling at the moment, but when he thought about things objectively... was all of this so wrong?


    ''Alicia is leaving, and Esme and I wouldn''t work anyway. Should I actually... no, what am I thinking?'' Rey nearly felt disgusted with himself as he engaged in such perverted thoughts about the Grand Mage.


    ''She''s feeling all of this because of her Spell, and yet I want to take advantage of her vulnerable state. What kind of creep would I be if I did that?''


    If Lucielle was telling the truth about her experience with men, then it would be downright exploitative for him to capitalize on the roaring hormones inside her to satisfy his own ego and emotions.


    "We need to find a way to fix you." Rey said, interlocking his fingers as he looked at her with a serious expression.


    "Y-yeah... yeah, you''re right."


    There seemed to be a tinge of disappointment in her tone, but Rey figured he was just imagining it based on his own slight disappointment in himself.


    Still... this was the right thing to do, wasn''t it?


    "If there was some Magic I knew that would make me stop having feelings for someone, I would have used it on myself to get rid of my feelings for Alicia." Rey admitted. "But, I don''t have anything like that at my disposal."


    If he did, he would just free Lucielle from her feelings for him and this would all be over.


    Unfortunately, things weren''t that simple.


    "It seems falling in love is more challenging to Magic than destroying hundreds of enemies or shattering mountains. It''s funny..." Lucielle responded with a slight chuckle, causing both of them tough a little.


    The mood became a little lighter, and so it was much more bearable for the two to look at each other without too much tension.


    Once theughter ended, and after a few more seconds of silence, Rey finally spoke.


    "Maybe it''s time to undo your Magic and return to being an adult? If you do that, it should solve everything, right?"


    "Yeah... I suppose you''re right."


    The solution for getting rid of the emotions that Lucielle developed due to being stuck in a younger body was to simply get rid of the younger body.


    ''What a brilliant n, if I do say so myself.'' He smirked a little, nodding slowly.


    "Don''t you think I would have thought of that, though?" Lucielle''s voice suddenly interrupted his haughty thought. "How low are your expectations of me?"


    "Ah..."


    Now that he thought about it, his idea wasn''t particrly ingenious.


    It was Lucielle who figured out the cause of her feelings, so of course she would have considered getting rid of the body as a solution.


    "So why haven''t you-?"


    "I can''t." She tly responded, causing Rey''s eyes to widen with shock. "I can''t return to


    being an adult."


    "N-no way..."


    "Yeah. The Magic process was going to be unstable and constantly absorb energy from me if I didn''t make it permanent. I had to stabilize it too, which is why I kept my body in a state


    unaffected by time."


    "W-wait... so you''re stuck as a teenager forever?"


    "Not forever. I can get rid of the Time Stasis Effect on my body, but I can''t return to being the Lucielle you used to know. Even if I use Time Magic on myself, or you use that [Tempora] of


    yours to elerate my time so I became an adult, it would only make my feelings for you worse, since it would have been elerated along with my body."


    "Ohh..."


    "What happens when someone loves another for a very long time?" Lucielle asked, and Rey


    knew the answer.


    "It bes very difficult to stop."


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    What solutions do you have to the current dilemma? Let''s hear it.

 Chapter 844: The One Known As Lucielle

    Chapter 844: The One Known As Lucielle


    ?


    "I''ve got it!"


    After a long moment of silence that felt like days, Rey finally spoke up.


    He had been in deep contemtion of Lucielle''s unwanted, but growing feelings for him- particrly how to stop them from developing even further.


    There didn''t seem to be anything he could do about it... until now.


    "I could help you get over me by doing things you dislike!" He said, having a broad smile stered on his face.


    He had to have thought his idea was grand and brilliant, for him to have disyed so much energy with his suggestion. Wasn''t it genius, though?


    ''Sometimes, people like others without fully understanding what they''re actually like. Once they do, though... such feelings fade away.''


    If Rey could make Lucielle averse to him, he could correct the emotions that currently ravaged her teenage body.


    But-


    "Maybe that could work..." As soon as Lucielle said this, Rey brightened up.


    His n was genius, after all!


    "... But I don''t particrly have any dislikes."


    "O-oh...?"


    Rey''s bright smile slowly dulled, and his glimmering eyes lost their shine. Somehow, he expected something to go wrong.


    Just not like this.


    "It''s not like I focus on superficial details, so doing anything like that would be pointless. You would have known all of that if you paid the littlest of attention to me, and not... haa...


    nevermind, Rey."


    At this point, Lucielle seemed slightly irritated by Rey and his presence in her room.


    She even began to re at him.


    "Sorry...?" He tried to apologize, but she cut him short by raising her hand and telling him to stop, before giving a sigh and shaking her head.


    "I''ll figure it out myself. It was a mistake to bring you into this, to begin with."


    After muttering this, Lucielle gave Rey a sad smile and shrugged. "You should focus on your own feelings for Alicia."


    The moment Rey heard this, there seemed to be a shattering feeling in his heart. He had thought that his only intention was to help Lucielle, but once she mentioned Alicia, he realized he was also trying to forget the girl he loved in the process.


    He must have thought that if he could help Lucielle, then maybe... just maybe he could help himself get rid of his feelings for Alicia.


    At least, before he lost her forever..


    "I finally understand what it feels like to have feelings for someone, especially when you can''t be with them." Lucielle broke his thoughts with her words, a sad smile still on her face. "In the past, I couldn''t tell what the big fuss was all about, but now I know..."


    "How does it feel?"


    "Awful." She smiled at Rey, a bead of tears dripping down her eyes.


    "It feels damn awful."


    ''Oh, wow!'' Rey''s eyes widened as he watched Lucielle cry for the first time.


    Sure, it was just a small bead of tears, but this was uncharted territory for Rey. A part of him wanted to get close to Lucielle and hug her- at least, for somefort-but what if that only made things worse for her?


    As a result, he remained still... not moving a muscle as Lucielle recovered from her slight mncholy.


    "Sorry about that, Rey." She sniffed, quickly wiping away the tears that were slowly forming in her eyes.


    "It''s no problem."


    "It''s been ages since Ist cried. I think... since I was a kid? Who would have thought tears would be trying to rush out for something as silly as this?"


    Talking about all of this to Rey had to have been breaking her heart, yet Lucielle tried to make light of how she was feeling when speaking to him. As a teenager himself, it wasn''t like Rey had the best of emotional intelligence to deal with the matter.


    Still, he wanted to try.


    He tried to be more empathetic as he looked at Lucielle. He wanted to understand her more... since that was the least he could do.


    "Can I ask you something? You don''t have to answer if you don''t want to." After seconds of silence and deliberation, Rey finally spoke up.


    "Sure..."


    Lucielle seemed a little guarded as she made this response, so Rey already had a bad feeling about what he was about to say.


    Still, he went ahead with it.


    "How was it like for you... growing up and all? I can''t help but be curious."


    The bombshellnded, and Rey braced for impact.


    He didn''t mean to be a prude, but he honestly knew nothing about the Grand Mage, and it constantly bugged him.


    For someone as friendly and attractive as her, it was strange that she had never felt this way for anyone before. If this was all due to her obsession with Magic, then how did such an obsessione about?


    All of these things were floating in his mind as questions, and he wanted to know why.


    ''Maybe I can help her more... if I knew more...''


    After receiving no response for a few seconds, he concluded that this had to be a bad idea, swiftly opting to shut it all down.


    "Sorry for asking. You don''t have to-"


    "I was miserable." She interrupted him with a simple, dark sentence. "Very miserable."


    11


    Lucielle looked up at Rey and smiled at him.


    It wasn''t a cheerful one.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Before I was recognized for my talent, I was a dirt poor pauper. My parents incurred debt and


    ran off, leaving me as the coteral to work until I paid off everyst coin they owed." The


    more she spoke, the more terrible Rey felt.


    "Back then, very was still legal, so I spent my earliest years as one. It was awful, I''ll tell you that. Hahaha... I guess you could have already figured that out."


    Despiteughing about it, Rey could see embers of suppressed pain within her.


    "There were times when I suffered so much abuse... physical... emotional... nearly sexual, but I would never let thingse to that. I was a very stubborn girl, you know? I''d constantly get punished for it, but... anytime I reached my tipping point, I''d show defiance."


    Rey could picture Lucielle doing that already.


    She was that kind of person.


    "And so, anytime I got too resistant, they would punish me with no meals, or beatings... that


    sort of thing. When they realized that they couldn''t control me with such punishments any longer, they resorted to the only thing people like me could never hope to resist." Lucielle paused for a second, staring hard at Rey.


    It was at this point that her crimson eyes brightened, and a genuine smile formed on her face. "Magic!" She beamed. "They used Magic on me... trying to tame me... to make me obey and


    fear them... to control my actions to their whims."


    Rey remained silent as he began to hear her chuckles.


    "That was my first time ever encountering such a thing. If only those fools knew the consequences of their actions, they wouldn''t have done what they did."


    Knowing the Lucielle of the present, Rey couldn''t help but agree with her words.


    "Once I got exposed to Magic, it was game over for my captors. I learned everything they showed me, and then I killed them all." Her smile felt crazed, almost like she was on the verge


    of insanity.


    "Everyst one of them!"


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    I sincerely apologize for the break I took from this story. Some IRL stuff happened, and I


    couldn''t keep up with release.


    Thanks for sticking around, and for your patience.


    What do you think about Lucielle''s story?

 Chapter 845: Choice Of The Past

    Chapter 845: Choice Of The Past


    ?


    It ended up turning into a big incident.


    Lucielle''s ughter of the ones who enved her ended up blowing up more than she-or anyone else would have thought.


    The number of people she killed was fifteen, and she was barely even ten years old.


    She also burned down the building where their business was being run, freeing all of the ves that they held captive-one among them being her sister.


    No, they weren''t rted by blood.


    However, after spending so much time together in captivity, the both of them ended up developing a strong bond. The girl would constantly protect Lucielle from the rest of the stronger ves, and sheforted her when things seemed hopeless.


    Anytime Lucielle starved, her big sis woulde and share some of her rations.


    Whenever her anger reached the precipice and she wanted tosh out, her sister was the only one who could calm her down.


    Whatever punishment she suffered... it was only lessened because of the existence of that girl who suffered with her.


    "Her name was Aisha... and she was the only one I truly cared about in the whole world." Releasing all of the ves was only a direct consequence of her sister''s emancipation. Unlike Lucielle at the time, Aisha was very empathetic, and she strongly believed in the great responsibility that apanied power.


    "If we are not to be like them... we need to be better!"


    Those were her constant words.


    In any case, Magic was what granted Lucielle her freedom-as well as what she had craved since the moment she was first whisked into very.


    ... Power!


    She finally had power!


    "After that, it wasn''t very long for the Kingdom to take notice of me. They tracked me down... caught me when I was stealing food with Magic, and... well..."


    "They arrested you?"


    "No... but they nearly did. But, all of them were stopped by the man who would end up bing my mentor in Magic-Philius."


    Philius was everything Lucielle wasn''t: he was an old man who had dedicated himself to the art of Magic, having no talent in the art whatsoever.


    After hearing the news about what a single child did with Magic, he embarked on a mission to find her... and after just a few days, he was sessful. The guards that caught Lucielle stealing were his entourage, and after they brought her to him... he was willing to forgive her transgressions under one condition.


    "Be my disciple!"


    That was his offer to her.


    "At the time, I couldn''t understand it." Lucielle interrupted the story with a slight smirk. "What I had done was deserving of death, you know?"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Back then, thew regarding very and its enforcement was very strict.


    A ve who killed their Master had to be killed as well. ves had no human rights


    whatsoever, and so crimesmitted by them were even more damning.


    Yet... everything could be washed away if she agreed to this man''s sole request.


    "I should have just epted the request and changed everything about my life forever, but... I guess I was still very stubborn then. Stubborn and proud."


    Lucielle decided to fight the old man, and the guards, so she could guarantee her freedom.


    "It was a fight I will never forget. I was able to knock back the guards, but my main target was the old man."


    She thought that if she caught the frail old man-someone who resembled some rich noble- she could take him as a hostage and bargain a much better deal.


    Unfortunately, things didn''t work as nned.


    "One flick of his finger-that was all it took for him to win."


    Lucielle''s whole body became paralyzed, and within a split-second, she was surrounded by the same guards she had pushed away.


    Her small, kneeling frame was overwhelmed by the number of adversaries towering above her. It was clearly over for her.


    She was going to die.


    But-


    "P-PLEASE FORGIVE MY SISTER!"


    -As she always did, Aisha came to save her.


    Aisha cried and begged until her voice became hoarse, all so that Lucielle''s life would be spared.


    Thankfully, the old man listened.


    Of course, the only way she could be spared was for her to ept his initial offer.


    Lucielle had to agree.


    "But only if Aishaes with me. I''m not going anywhere without her!" It felt like a foolish thing for a kid with no rights and no choice to do, but this was a stubborn brat through and


    through.


    She wasn''t going anywhere unless her big sister came with her.


    "Fair enough." Fortunately, the old man Philius agreed. "The two of you will return with me to the Royal Pce."


    It was only at this point that the two girls realized just how grand the scale of their invitation was. Before they would even be able to realize it... they were going to be thrust into a whole


    new world.


    *************


    "Aisha became a Warrior, since she had no talent in Magic."


    Lucielle''s smile and excitement had long fizzled out at this point. She had returned to her stoic, slightly tense tone.


    "She trained to be a member of the Royal Knights, working to her bones every day, just so she could justify staying in the pce and being as close to me as possible." A sad smile yed once again on her face.


    "While she did all of this, I lived the mostfortable and sheltered life while training under Philius. It wasn''t all bed and roses, of course. There was a lot of pressure and expectation ced on me... especially when the war with the Dragons began."


    She exined how, due to her innate talent, she was constantly made to study ande up with her own Spells, Magic Theories, and research-new ways tobat the growing threats of the Dragons.


    Lucielle never had a normal childhood, and she never got the chance to live normally even as


    she grew older.


    She was only a child when the Dragons attacked, and at that point her fate was sealed.


    "My life was Magic."


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I hope you enjoyed the backstory. Don''t worry... we''ll get to the main story soon enough.

 Chapter 846: Duty

    Chapter 846: Duty


    ?


    Years passed, and by the time Lucielle was a teenager, she had far surpassed all the Mages that existed in the Kingdom.


    Even Philius was now her disciple-at least, before he went out to the battlefield for the necessary Mage Support and never returned.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The same applied to most Mages at the time.


    The only Mage that wasn''t allowed to set foot on the battlefield at any point in time was Lucielle. She was too important as a resource to be risked in such a manner.


    In a way, she was humanity''s trump card.


    "You don''t know how it feels, Rey..." Lucielle whispered,ughing a little sadly. "Watching everyone you knew for a long time going to battle and nevering back."


    ||


    ||


    "I doubt anyone has ever wanted to go to war like I did back then. I felt like I could change it all if only I was allowed on the battlefield."


    With her knowledge and power, surely she could turn the tides of the war.


    "Still, the higher-ups never allowed it. I was cooped up in the tower, learning about the Dragons and about Magic...ing up with new Spells and applications of Magic. I found ways to improve warfare with Magic from thefort of my room... never seeing how they would ever be applied, or what would be of those who used them."


    "...." Rey wanted to say something, but no words came out.


    "In the end, I got ustomed to the life I had. I grew less stubborn and more content with how things were. I didn''t want to be so ungrateful for the new life my sister and I now enjoyed. As long as the both of us were safe... then there would be no problem."


    However, everything changed on one fateful day.


    "Lucielle, I will be drafted to the front lines tomorrow. They''re short on skilled fighters, and so a lot of us Royal Knights have to be dispatched to help out with the situation there."


    Her own sister was at risk.


    "What? No! There are tons of Royal Knights! Why do they have to choose you? I will have to talk to-"


    "No, there''s no need for that."


    "Bullshit! There''s no way I''d sit idly by and let them choose you like that! I''m sure I could-!" "They didn''t choose me, Lucielle... I volunteered."


    Those were the words that finally made her stop her tantrum and listen to her big sister. Lucielle''s eyes were wide with shock when she heard the big revtion-that Aisha had willingly chosen to sentence herself to death.


    But... why?


    "Why would you do that?"


    "Lucielle... if I don''t go... more people will die." That was her sister''s answer.


    "M-more people will... who cares?! Why do you care so much about other people dying than yourself? People die every day, and even if you throw your life away, they''ll still die." "You don''t know tha-"


    "Oh, I know it quite well! Those sent to the front lines are just cannon fodder, meant to stall the Dragons until the clueless higher-ups know how to handle the situation. Those fools don''t know shit! The way humans are now, we can''t beat the Dragons, and they''re well aware of that fact. All the Warriors and Mages that are sent to the front lines are merely to serve as meat shields to make sure they remain safe andfortable." Lucielle couldn''t stop the tears that flowed from her eyes as she spoke.


    ".... To make sure WE remain safe andfortable."


    In the end, Lucielle and Aisha were among the beneficiaries of the sacrifices of the many who hadid down their lives.


    Why change things now?


    "I know, Lucielle..." Aisha said with a sad smile as she hugged her dear younger sister.


    "If you know, then why are you-!"


    "Because... I have to make sure YOU remain safe andfortable."


    "W-what?"


    "Even if it is for one more day... or one more week, or one more year... I want to make sure that my little sister, and as many other young girls that are out there, remain safe and


    comfortable."


    Perhaps all she would ever be in the battlefield was a meatshield.


    But... she was still going to be a shield.


    "By doing this, I will be able to protect you."


    "I-I don''t need your protection!"


    "I know, Lucielle. You''ve grown so big and strong... and so pretty too. I know I''m not as talented as you are, but all this time... I still wanted to help you by being a Knight worthy enough to stand by your side and shield you from harm."


    "Then stand by my side!" Despite Lucielle''s protests, Aisha shook her head.


    "Duty calls, Lucielle." She whispered. "I can''t choose to remain selfish."


    How was it selfish? All that Aisha had ever done was be selfless, yet she made it seem like her actions up until this moment was selfish.


    Lucielle could notprehend it-at least, not at the time.


    "I''m sure you''ll grow up to be an amazing woman, and a powerful Mage." Aisha patted her


    head before kissing it.


    "That''s what I want to protect, more than anything else."


    "D-don''t go!" Lucielle begged and begged, but Aisha just shook her head slowly as they


    hugged and kissed with sisterly affection.


    "I have to go." She would always say.


    Even as Lucielle cried like a baby and tightly clung to her, never letting go until thest moments they spent together, Aisha kept saying one thing.


    "It is my duty."


    **************


    Right until Aisha left for war, Lucielle didn''t support or understand her decision.


    She tried her best to convince her big sister to change her mind, but it seemed like it was the


    latter''s turn to be stubborn.


    Nothing could deter Aisha from her decision.


    She left for the war, and the two couldn''t keep up contact for what seemed like an eternity.


    Then, about a few weekster, a letter came for Lucielle-from Aisha.


    It was the same day her corpse arrived.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Damn... I really wanted to end the backstory already. Apologies for dragging you all through


    this.

 Chapter 847: Selfish Dream

    Chapter 847: Selfish Dream


    ?


    "After she died, I shut myself off from everything."


    The tears that flowed from Lucielle''s face as she spoke was unbelievable.


    Rey had never seen anyone cry the way Lucielle did. Her crimson eyes glowed, and the hot tears seemed to be evaporating with heat as they kept flowing down her eyes.


    ''She''s using Magic to make sure she never cries, but it seems the tears are too much this time, so the liquid keeps leaking out. What the hell is this mechanism? How long has she been doing this to herself?'' He had to wonder.


    Still, he said nothing and just listened to her speak.


    "I hid my pain under smiles and carefreeness. No one could understand how I felt, after all... and there was still tons of work to be done." Lucielle added.


    "I didn''t even attend the funeral."


    What was the point?


    The only part of Aisha they were able to retrieve was one of her arms-the part that tightly held the letter.


    "I read what she wrote... more times than I can possibly count."


    "What did it?"


    "She was so scared, Rey... so, so scared." Lucielle''s voice was beginning to break, even as she pushed on, now trying harder to evaporate her tears.


    "She didn''t want to die. She wanted to see me so badly. She... she loved me, Rey."


    "I didn''t realize how much she loved me until she died."


    All of this information flowed from Lucielle like an unstoppable river, and Rey allowed himself to be swept with the current.


    "She did everything for me. For the longest time, I med myself for her death... telling myself that I killed her, and that she would still be alive if it wasn''t for me."


    "It wasn''t your fault." Rey said, to which she responded immediately.


    "Of course, I know that."


    Her eyes burned with hatred as she looked at him, veins popping around her eyes and forehead as the anger within her went beyond palpable.


    "It''s all the fault of those foul creatures... the Dragons."


    After Aisha''s death, once she got over the self-me part, Lucielle ended up developing something else¡ªa new emotion targeted at a new target.


    She grew to hate the Dragons.


    "After that, the United Human Alliance was formed. Even more of my allies and disciples have died as a result of the War. I''ve stopped counting already."


    The tears were all dried up, and Lucielle was now perfectly calm-as if everything up until this moment was merely an illusion.


    "I want to end this war, Rey. I really do, but... I have a much deeper desire-something more selfish."


    It seemed, unlike her sister, she couldn''t let go of her selfishness.


    She ended up inheriting the sense of duty that her sister had, doing her best to protect humanity and fight against the oppressors who took her sister from her and who desired to take even more, but... her selfish desires remained a prime motivation for her.


    "I want to transcend the limits of my current understanding and reach the ultimate heights- the peak of Magic."


    "I want it so badly, Rey! I want to be able to see the world the way you would see it... past the Grand Realm and into that of the Absolute!"


    "It''s an obsession of mine, Rey! I don''t mind setting aside my pride, my grief, my rage, and everything else as long as I can get even a step closer to that goal." She beamed now, her smile banishing the final embers of her sadness.


    It almost felt like the story Lucielle just told him right now wasn''t real.


    However, Rey knew it was more than real.


    ''She probably doesn''t want me to pity her, all things considered...'' He thought to himself, nodding as he epted her wishes.


    "Honestly, Lucielle... you''re amazing."


    Those words from him seemed to stop her in her tracks. She looked at him with genuine surprise as he smiled at her with a mix of admiration and another emotion she didn''t quite understand herself.


    Over the course of her life, Lucielle had heard how amazing she was more times than she could even stomach, but this one felt different.


    It was different!


    "It''s not just because of your talent in Magic, but... your dedication to it."


    After her sister died, Lucielle put in more effort towards her study and practice of Magic, and when her opportunity finally came... she forced the Royal Council to let her fight in the


    frontlines.


    This improved her perspective on Magic and advanced her application of the art in warfare. She kept growing despite every adversity, and after her recent encounter with the Dragon Commander-which caused the deaths of so many Mages-she was able to evolve even


    further.


    She continued her advancement... no matter what.


    "You''re far better than I am. I have no real knowledge or skill in Magic and its applications." Rey admitted. "I just have a lot of skills that help me sort out the kinks and make everything as easy as snapping my fingers or flicking my wrist."


    "Ahh... I''m so jealous!"


    "Don''t be." Rey smiled, drawing close to her so he could rub his hand against her head.


    Why he did that, he had no idea.


    "S-stop..."


    As she said this, her cheeks turned bright red and she looked to the side-clearly embarrassed


    by the whole thing.


    Rey quickly noticed this and pulled away.


    "Sorry!"


    "It''s fine..."


    "W-well... my point is..." Rey felt a lump in his throat for a split-second, but with his emotions being corrected at simr speeds, he found hisposure very quickly.


    "... I can help you with your dream."


    Lucielle''s eyes widened as soon as she heard this. Before she could say anything, Rey raised his hand to calm her down, at least until he finished speaking.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "Like I said... I have a ton of skills at my disposal. I could help you test out whatever theories that you have. You can use me as a... well, a test subject, or as a way to help you understand Magic more." He couldn''t believe what he was saying so readily, but Rey couldn''t deny how excited he was also feeling.


    "Whatever you want... I can help you with it!"


    He realized that this was not going to help Lucielle get over her feelings for him, and he also realized that he wouldn''t be doing himself any favors by cing himself at her beck and call.


    Yet... he offered anyway.


    Why?


    ''I have to admit, I''m curious.''


    Now, more than most things that he wanted in this life, he wanted to see just how far this selfish ambition of Lucielle would take her.


    "Are you sure about this, Rey?" She didn''t seem as thrilled as he expected her to be, but that was only because she was containing all the giddy feelings that were about to burst within


    her.


    "Yeah. I''m sure."


    "Really sure?"


    "Really."


    "Really really super duper sure?"


    "Yes! I''m sure, Lucielle." He was exasperated as he answered for thest time, only for him to


    nearly get startled by the squeal she followed up with.


    "Kyahhhhhhhh!!! I''m so excited, Rey!" She jumped out of her bed and rushed towards him


    with sheer anticipation and unbridled joy.


    Her eyes were wide open, and her cheeks appeared red hot with how hard she was blushing.


    "Take off everything, Rey!" She screamed with all her might. "Right here and now..." The boy was already beginning to see the severe consequences of his decision, and it was barely a minute after he made it.


    "... Let us begin, okay?"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Hahaha! Well, this was a sort of funny conclusion to this whole thing.


    What do you think about Lucielle now? Is she worthy to be a serious participant in the Waifu


    Wars? Is she fodder?


    Remember to vote for her character among the character arts if you support her.

 Chapter 848 Moments Before The Tournament

    848 Moments Before The Tournament


    [A Few Days Later]


    "Alright, everyone¡­ how are you feeling?"


    The five ss1-A students within the dedicated training hall stared at the man who asked the question¡ªtheir temporary instructor¡ªand as much as they wanted to respond immediately, they had to take a few breaths.


    O''jog had been working them to the bone ever since he became their instructor, and all of it was for the special event that wasing up soon. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡­ Very soon.


    "The preliminaries for the Academy Tournament Event is tomorrow. I have to know if you''re all ready." He pushed once again, his cheerful face seemingly oblivious of the plight of the five Newts in front of him.


    They were all within a nk white room that was just used for intensive training. This had been their schedule for days now, and they practically spent all their time practicing and learning all kinds of things from O''jog.


    He wasn''t the strongest for nothing.


    Due to his position, however, he was very harsh on them.


    "You have to win, okay? Failure isn''t an option!" He would always say anytime he pushed them,pletely numb to the pain they felt.


    Perhaps this was what they needed¡­ but it was he painful.


    "Haa¡­ haa¡­"


    "Y-yeah¡­ we''re ready."


    "Yep¡­"


    Slowly, the five students rose to their feet and arranged themselves in a straight line as they presented themselves to their Instructor.


    Mi''ja. Ad''oni, Cyn''dy, R''ai, and Luc''ia: all determined to win.


    "Good¡­ good."


    O''jog''s lip spread over his face as he proudly looked at his students. "As you know, this year''s event will be much different from the previous ones."


    This was due to the overall smaller number of students participating in it. Rather than even calling it the Inter-ss Exchange, it had been rebranded into the Academy Tournament Event.


    "I have the Roster here with me, so I guess your positions and opponents have been decided." O''jog brought out a tablet and looked at it with an amused smile.


    He could definitely sense the palpable tension that his students had, but he couldn''t help but get a little from feeling the unease and anxiety that seeped into each Newt.


    Finally, after a few seconds, he spoke up.


    "Of the 106 students that currently exist in the Academy, only 96 were eligible to participate. The students have been separated into preliminary fighting groups of three." He paused his reading and looked at the five at this point.


    "You know what that means, right?"


    They all nodded.


    There would be a total of thirty-two groups¡ªeach of which would only need one winner from the three fighting in the group.


    "Thirty-two students will be making it into the main event." He grinned.


    All of this seemed very amusing for him, but it was the students that had plenty to worry about.


    After all¡­ they were at a heavy disadvantage.


    Most of the surviving students participating in the Academy Tournament Event were seniors¡ªparticrly those in Stage 3. As a result, it was possible for the group of three to contain two seniors and just one junior.


    If that was the case, it meant an automatic loss for the least experienced.


    "There''s no need to be too worried." O''jog grinned, folding his hands in the most rxed manner possible. "I''ve trained you all, and I even encouraged you, so you should be fine."


    Everyone nodded the moment they heard this.


    ¡ªRey and Lucielle included.


    ''I''m not sure what he expects a few days of training to do, but¡­ I still don''t n on losing.'' The former thought to himself as he stole a nce at the rest of his ssmates.


    ''I can say the rest have the same resolve, but I only need Lucielle''s victory.''


    Speaking of Lucielle, he and her were scheduled for another session after the training¡­ and he was pretty excited about it.


    Ever since Rey suggested helping Lucielle with her research, the two of them had been spending a lot of time together¡ªin her room, or in his¡ªand she had been carrying out all sorts of experiments using his Skills.


    ''I initially thought they would get bothersome, but it turned out to be the opposite.''


    He was really enjoying their time together.


    ''In any case, we still have some time until the prelims. That should be spent doing the most productive thing we can.''


    He nced at Cyn''dy for a second, and he found her gaze focused on O''jog while her face depicted utter seriousness.


    ''I feel a little guilty for relegating her to the side like this, but it''s good that she isn''t taking any of this badly.''


    He had already told Cyn''dy that they needed to focus on the Prelims and so they couldn''t hang out as much anymore. Of course, he spent all of this free time with Lucielle, but it seemed she took his counsel and remained extremely focused.


    ''I''ve never seen her so serious about school stuff.''


    It wasn''t just her, either.


    Adonis and Mi''ja were also having the most honest looks of determination, and it was clear that they all wanted to win very badly.


    ''I suppose we''re all going to give it our all.''


    ****************


    The day finally arrived.


    The auditorium seats were filled up by Dragons¡ªold and young¡ªwho hade from all sorts of ces to witness this special event of the Imperial Dragon Academy.


    Since this Tournament was open to the public¡ªas a special way to entice more people to apply to the Academy, since they were very short on students¡ªthe crowd of Dragons that upied the seats felt unreal.


    Thousands upon thousands of them watched the massive stage beneath them¡ªalmost like the ce was a colosseum, or a diator ring.


    Then, once a bright light echoed from beneath the stage and all of the participating students, as well as the Tournament Officials, appeared due to Teleportation Magic, everyone in the audience went crazy.


    "WOHOOOOOOO!!!"


    A lot of them had to be friends and families of respective students, so they had to give their hardest cheer possible.


    One of the officials suddenly rose above the tform, pping his wings powerfully as he activated Sound Magic and addressed everyone presently in the massive hall.


    "Ladies and gentlemen¡­ we shall now begin the Tournament Preliminaries!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Well¡­ this should be fun. I appreciate everyone''s support!

 Chapter 849 Preliminary Round

    849 Preliminary Round


    The rules were simple.


    Three students¡ªall of them in the same group¡ªwould enter the stage and fight for a total of five minutes. If a winner emerged within that time, then they would be considered the victor of the round and advance to the Main Event.


    If no single victor had been established after the time limit was exceeded, then the one who dealt the most damage and had the least damage inflicted on them would be the winner.


    To determine this, three judges¡ªreputable, unbiased Instructors¡ªwere ced in an elevated tform to watch the entire Preliminaries.


    Hence, by the end of the whole event, only thirty-two students out of the ny-six would qualify for the main event happening the following day. Needless to say, the hall was electric with anticipation and excitement.


    So many Dragons had turned up as spectators for the Prelims, and even more were going to show up for the main event.


    This was an event of the year.


    "Round one of the preliminaries¡­ involving Sha, Fi''tzari, and Ll''oyd¡­"


    The three students stepped into the stage, their levels of confidence varying from one person to the other. Sha and Fi''tzari were both in the Second Stages, while Ll''oyd was in the third. It was clear who had the most charisma out of all of them.


    As they finally settled on stage, and the cheering crowd was finally silenced, the Announcer raised his voice and announced the start of the match.


    "... Begin!"


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    *************


    "So¡­ are you going to make a bet?" The three judges who sat at their prestigious position¡ªan elevated tform high above the other students¡ªlooked down at the match as one of them spoke up.


    It was none other than D''aru, one of the Frost Dragon Lord''s Squad members.


    He had a cheerful smile on his face as he observed the students fight amongst themselves. His colleagues¡ªL''ester and O''jog¡ªhad more bored expressions on their faces, but he seemed rather excited for a mere Preliminary Match.


    "What''s the point?" L''ester, the most logical of the three sighed. "Based on what I''ve observed, your students will be the one winning this Event."


    The reason was simple.


    Of the three Stages, the third years were by far the mostpetent¡­ and their instructor was none other than D''aru.


    The guy seemed all cheerful and carefree, but when it came to tutoring wards, there was no better candidate. He was basically set up for sess, having the strongest ss and the best skill in terms of teaching.


    After analyzing the odds, L''ester already gave up on victory and yielded it to hisrade.


    But¡ª


    "I wouldn''t be so sure about that."


    ¡ªO''jog felt a little different about the whole thing.


    "Oh? Why do you say so?" D''aru, trying to hide his surprise under amusement, asked with a raised brow.


    Silence, followed by a few chuckles, echoed within their exclusive space for a few seconds. Both D''aru and L''ester shared confused expressions as they watched O''jogugh for no apparent reason.


    After he was done being amused, he finally said something.


    "I don''t think your students will be the ones winning this time, D''aru." "Really? So you''ve got some pretty good contestants in your arsenal, then?" D''aru''s smile widened even more, though this only revealed how threatened he felt.


    "Nah! Most of them are duds, but¡­ I know a few that show promise."


    As O''jog said this, three images appeared in his mind¡ªone of them shining brighter than the others.


    ''R''ai, Luc''ia, and Ad''oni¡­ those three are definitely much stronger than everyone else in ss 1-A, and the entire Stage 1.'' He smiled as his thoughts trailed. ''Especially that R''ai¡­''


    O''jog always had an eye for things, and this one was no different.


    "I don''t want to spoil things for you, but¡­ unless he decides to screw things over for himself¡­ there''s no way anyone else will get that first prize but him."


    "Who''s him?" Both L''ester and D''aru wanted to know at this point.


    "Well, he''s¡ª"


    ~DRRRNNNG!!!~


    "First round is over! The winner of the match is Ll''oyd!" The announcer''s voice echoed into the air, even infiltrating the room of the judges, hence interrupting O''jog''s big reveal.


    As soon as this happened, thetter shrugged casually.


    "Why not just sit back and enjoy the show?" He grinned widely. "I can guarantee that it''s going to be a fun sight to behold."


    Both Squad Members, now judges, nced at each other and sighed. There wasn''t any way to argue with their Squad Leader when he became like this. He was having his fun, and so they had to be held in suspense until the time was right.


    Still, it wouldn''t be long until every single group fought in the Preliminaries.


    They would soon be able to see who his golden boy was.


    *************


    "The winner of the match is Ll''oyd!"


    As the announcement echoed within the hall, Rey and his ssmates sat together¡ªamong the other students who were waiting for their turn to fight in front of thousands of people.


    Looking at these students of ss 1-A, and even the other sses in the same Stage, it was easy to see that a lot of them were worried. Just as they suspected, the Stage 3 students had the upper hand.


    But¡ª


    ''As expected. The winner was already determined in my mind the moment I saw their Status Windows¡­''


    ¡ªNot all the students felt the pressure that others had.


    Rey, for one, didn''t feel anything.


    ~Can''t believe I have to wait so many rounds until my turn.~


    Lucielle was feeling rather impatient, since she wanted to return to her room to continue her research on a particr Magic Theory she was formting.


    ording to her, it would be the next big thing.


    "Well¡­ all in due time." Rey responded to her in a slight whisper, ncing at his fellow ssmates as he witnessed them making their best attempt at a strong facade.


    He knew how they felt deep down, though. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ''I''ve seen the Status Windows of every student here, including the seniors we are matched against. And¡­ I already know who''s going to win or lose.''


    Other than Lucielle, Adonis, and himself¡­ no other Stage 1 student was making it past the Preliminaries.


    ''No matter¡­ it is what it is.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I''m dealing with a lot of IRL problems right now. I really don''t want to let you all down, but it''s pretty serious.


    I''ll do my best to keep releasing chapters, though.


    I appreciate those who reached out, and everyone who keeps supporting me.


    Cheers!

 Chapter 850: Reys Match

    Chapter 850: Rey''s Match


    ?


    "Round thirteen of the preliminaries... involving Cer''bi, Lu''ka, and R''ai..."


    Three students came on the incredibly spacious stand-two of them being from the Third Stage, while thest one was from the first.


    Their uniforms neatly glowed in the limelight, and with all eyes on them, they proudly had confident poses as they waited for the instruction to begin the fight.


    ''Finally... it''s time.'' Rey thought to himself as he raised his head and looked upon the elevated tform which held the judges.


    Everyone already knew the identity of the judges, but they were kept in an enclosed space, so no one could really see them.


    Rey could, though.


    He could see O''jog getting excited as soon as the match was announced, and even his other tworades watching the whole match with curiosity.


    ''I don''t know what he told them, but it had to have been pretty good, considering how they all seem very interested in mere preliminaries.''


    Now that his Instructor had set up such a nice stage for him, it wouldn''t be any good for him to fall short of expectations, now would it? Rey already knew how he would fare against the two seniors before him.


    Despite that, he found the match-up a little interesting himself.


    ''Isn''t this a little unfair? Why am I up against two seniors?'' He wondered with a broad grin.


    This had to have either been a setup from the start, or a simple coincidence. Heck, it could have been arranged by O''jog himself, considering how curious the guy had been of Rey''s capabilities ever since their first training.


    ''They both seem rather serious and cautious. I expected more arrogance from them, all things considered...''


    This meant they had been trained well.


    That, or the two had somehow been briefed of just how much danger he posed to them.


    ''It doesn''t matter either way.'' He nearly chuckled as the single second before his match began nearly psed. ''I''ll still be winning this.''


    Mi''ja and Cyn''dy had already gotten their matches before him, and they lost. He had to make up for the losing streak by getting the first victory on behalf of his Stage.


    -And also for the grand prize of the Tournament.


    "... BEGIN!"


    As soon as the voice of the referee echoed loudly in the hall, the two seniors rushed towards him, their speed akin to jets.


    ~WHOOSH!~


    The winds seemed to part as they closed in on Rey, but he watched them with perfectly calm eyes. He couldn''t be bothered by opponents that moved slow enough to him that even snails felt faster inparison.


    ''Now, then... how do I handle this?'' There were tens of thousands ofbinations at his disposal.


    A myriad of ways he could use to win-even if he wanted to hide his true abilities.


    ''But, why don''t we go with the basic kind?''


    Reaching for his arsenal of Skills, Rey chose the ones he liked to resort to-even in training-


    and instantly summoned a de from out of nowhere.


    "[Perfect Divine Martial Arts]. [Absolute Energy Pulse]."


    ~VWUUUM!~


    That instant, Rey released a widespread burst of energy as soon as he swung his de a single time after taking his stance.


    The result was even fiercer than an instant whirlwind.


    "GUAHHHH!!!"


    The two students that charged at him were instantly blown away by the pulse of energy, forcing them far away.


    As soon as they helplessly crashed into the ground, though, Rey''s de was pointed right at them-the object crackling with dense electrical energy.


    At that very instant, the two seniors could clearly see that he was way out of their league.


    ''I considered fighting them properly, but that would just be too much of a waste of time.'' He smiled at them.


    Naturally, the two defeated ones had to surrender, or their humiliation would only bepounded. Rey nodded at the whole process and waited for the referee to announce him as the winner.


    He cast his gaze upward once again and deepened his smile.


    ''Let''s leave the actual theatrics till the main event.''


    ************


    Rey''s match shocked everyone in the audience.


    They already had the roster of the participating students in hand, so they knew of their sses. Even if they didn''t, after each victory, the referee announced the ss that the winner was from-so, it was impossible to miss.


    It was a shock to most upon learning that the boy was in the mere First Stage.


    How in the world did he win against two students from much stronger sses? It just didn''t


    make much sense.


    "... And he did it in a single move too."


    "He''s amazing! I wish my son was like him! Instead, he just stays home all day and ys


    games."


    "Mine too! He streams his content, though..."


    "Is this the birth of a genius?!"


    "T-that kid... he did all of that as a Martial Artist? N-no Magic?!"


    "Increcible!"


    More and more praises erupted from the crowd, and after witnessing the match, the vibe within the hallpletely changed. An electrifying atmosphere reigned, showing how much of an impact Rey made on the audience.


    They were hungry for more, and after watching a few matches of the same predictable oue... they finally got another one.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    -A student from ss 1-A.


    "Round seventeen of the preliminaries... involving Kar''leen, Ler''ba, and Luc''ia..."


    The audience was instantly smitten as theyid eyes on the new underdog that entered the stage with the two other wolves that threatened to rip her to shreds.


    Luc''ia had silvery white hair that danced as she walked, with confident crimson eyes that glowed with absolute confidence. She had a bright smile on her face, as well as a charm that


    the audience could not quite exin.


    One thing was for sure, though.


    "Go get ''em, Luc''ia!"


    "Woohooo! This should be a good match!"


    "Do your best, Luc''ia!"


    She had the support of the audience.


    "Well, well, well... It looks like the crowd wants a show." She muttered as she looked around


    her with a much brighter smile than before.


    "I can''t disappoint them, now can I?"


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading


    I''ve been away for a long time, but I''m back now... I hope. I certainly hope you all haven''t


    abandoned me and this book.


    Apologies it took so long, but I hope you enjoy this mass release.

 Chapter 851 Lucielles Match

    851 Lucielle''s Match


    Lucielle had star power.


    She always knew that about herself, and now that she was in disguise as a Dragon, that fact about her had not changed. Her spectators wanted to see her win, and the enemies she faced were incredibly wary of her. All of this made her mood soar to new heights¡ªthough, she didn''t particrly find much value in the attention of Dragons.


    In her eyes, they were all the same.


    ''Still¡­ I can at least immerse myself in the part a little.''


    With the referee about to initiate the start of the match, Lucielle found herself in the same conundrum as Rey¡ªnot knowing the right option to use in attacking.


    She had a myriad of ways to win, after all.


    ''I could use Imaginary Rain again, but wouldn''t that be too boring? If I overdo it here, though, I''ll gather more attention than necessary.''


    The fact that Rey chose a less shy method of attack meant that she had to follow suit, didn''t it? ''Then¡­'' A bright smile formed on her face as she took a steady stance and prepared for the fight to begin.


    ''... Let''s go with that move.''


    "BEGIN!"


    The opposite of what happened to Rey urred with Lucielle''s match. Her enemies created even more distance and began casting their Spells.


    They were very fast, too.


    In merely a second or two, they were done, and theyunched elemental projectiles at her. Their barragespletely obscured her vision, leaving her with a flurry of fire and ice¡ªtwo opposite attributes¡ªto deal with.


    ''I see. So they''ve taken resistance into ount, and they''re trying to see which end of the spectrum I am weakest in.''


    The way Lucielle saw it, they were also prepared for her defensive measures, since an element-dedicated shield was usually stronger against one element and weaker against the other.


    ''Plus, if I manage to block both and theybust, it''ll create enough steam to hide them for a while so they n out their next move.''


    Lucielle appreciated their attempt at strategy, but it was all so simple that she could see through all of it. The elemental projectiles all stopped the moment she did this, unable to reach their target destination or explode, as their Spell would have them do.


    ''I have studied all your Spells for so long that I know basic ones like these.''


    She knew how to disrupt them too, but that wasn''t what she was currently doing. No, she was simply halting their progress with a barrier of space.


    ''It merely seems like a barrier to most people, but this actually traps each projectile in a space-like cube that preventsbustion, hence it halts further activation¡­'' Even in her mind, Lucielle found herself exining her move to herself.


    It was a fun process, though, so she didn''t want to stop.


    ''I should end things now, though.'' Her index finger was still raised, so by expending a bit more Mana, she caused something to form atop her fingertip.


    ¡­ A ck sphere.


    It was small, but there was something ominous about the empty construct.


    The hollow thing oozed danger.


    ''This is the miniaturized version of ck Void.'' Of course, it was also slightly tweaked.


    This wasn''t going to suck in everything indiscriminately. Instead, it would only absorb select targets, which would be up to Lucielle''s discretion.


    ''I learned to perfect this thanks to Rey, so¡­ I guess I should thank him after this.'' A smile formed on her face as she guided the ck sphere towards the stationary projectiles.


    As she did all of this, her seniors weren''t merely standing still.


    They were busy generating a much more powerful Spell that caused the stage to shake a little. Lucielle ignored this and simply focused on what that she was cooking up.


    Her Mini ck Void sessfully sucked in the fire and ice, causing a purple colored sphere to form, with the swirling ckness of the void being at the core.


    ''Haha¡­ alright! This is good!'' Even now, Lucielle was running experiments with her Magic.


    Since she was already confident of victory, this was her way of making the fight have some form of meaning, rather than it being aplete waste of time.


    Her excited face made it obvious that she was having fun with it, too.


    "Now then¡­"


    ~VWUUUUUUM!~


    The Spell of the seniors was finallyplete, and what it brought forth wasn''t a mere projectile or a simple string of attack.


    ¡ªA Grand Golem.


    This was an A-Tier construct, and it was incredibly powerful by the standard of the Basic Stages.


    Not many students could cast an A-Tier Spell, and even those who could use A-Tier Skills had to have been born with some kind of talent or some type of bloodline.


    This Golem was only made because the two students of ss 3-A coborated.


    "ROOOOARRRR!!!"


    The thing was nearly ten meters tall, and it stood as the guardian of the two students who proudly stood behind their creation as though they were invincible.


    They appeared drained, which was natural, considering just how much Mana they had to have expended on their ambitious venture.


    Still, it was worth it.


    With a Grand Golem, which had several features¡ªone of the most important ones being its great durability¡ªtheir opponent stood no chance.


    As soon as the colossal construct took a step forward, the hollow mass of purple energy charged at the elemental.


    The consequence was instantaneous.


    ~BWUUUUM!~


    A massive hole was formed on its chest,pletely devouring the Golem''s core and easily causing every other part of it to crumble.


    "E-EH¡­?" The two seniors couldn''t help but give shocked faces as their wide eyes and gaping mouthsid bare for the audience to see.


    They had been given the opportunity to try their hardest, and they still lost wlessly.


    "I-I surrender¡­"


    "M-me too."


    The apuse from the crowd was deafening as Lucielle raised her fist in the air and basked in her victory. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Even though the cheers came from the enemies, it strangely felt good.


    "Don''t feel so bad, boys. You weren''t weak¡­" Lucielle turned to her distraught seniors and gave them a wink as she smiled sweetly at them.


    "... I''m just that strong!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    At the end of this Arc, I''ll be confirming who the Female Lead for this story is.


    You can cast your votes now.

 Chapter 852 Adonis Match

    852 Adonis'' Match


    The audience was ready to be blown away once again.


    After all, among the next contestants was yet another one of the ss 1-A students; thest onepeting, in fact.


    "Round twenty-five of the preliminaries¡­ involving Lan''griz, Ras''ta, and Ad''oni..."


    However, he wasn''t the only star of the show.


    "I-isn''t that Lan''griz?"


    "The genius of Stage 3?"


    "He''s the youngest of their ss, yet he is said to be the best."


    "Ohh! I heard it from my daughter. Every girl in school has some sort of crush on him!"


    "I want to root for the Stage 1 kid, but¡­ this is just unfair, isn''t it?"


    "He doesn''t stand a chance¡­"


    That was the general consensus of the sensible watchers of the match. There were a few, of course, who still held out hope for the underdog.


    But, they all knew that his victory was an unrealistic expectation.


    He was up against two Stage Threes, one of which was going to graduate very soon and have a sure internship in the Capital.


    The distance in skill and talent was clear enough.


    The contestants themselves should have known this as well, yet Ad''oni waspletely calm as he came to the stage.


    Even as he took his position among the other two seniors, he remained unfazed in the slightest. He simply stood still and waited for the match to begin.


    "Just out of courtesy, I n on ending this rather quickly. So, if you don''t resist or struggle, it''ll all be over before you can blink." Lan''griz spoke as he looked directly at Ad''oni.


    The boy said nothing.


    His golden hair simply danced softly as he stood still and waited for the referee to announce the start of the match.


    Thest senior on stage also said nothing, but his expression already made it clear that he had resigned himself to fate. He would have surrendered, but since Lan''griz wanted to look good in front of the audience, he needed two opponents to serve as his punching bag.


    He nned on making quite a show.


    "Out of courtesy? Don''t make meugh." The condescending voice of his junior shookLan''griz to his core the moment he heard it.


    ''Is he talking to me?'' He wondered.


    "You only want to end things quickly so I don''t have any chance to make any proper move against you."


    Lan''griz felt rage rise from within him the moment he heard even more of Ad''oni''s words.


    The boy wasn''t wrong.


    It was true that Lan''griz was a little on edge and wary of his junior. Who wouldn''t be after seeing what the other students of ss 1-A had done?


    He had also gotten a warning from his ss Instructor not to underestimate his opponent, and to end the match as soon as possible. All of these factors made him decide to swiftly finish things rather than y with his prey the way he liked to.


    ''He saw through me, huh? Sharp brat¡­'' Lan''griz gritted his teeth as he red at Ad''oni. ''It doesn''t matter, though. I can just¡ª''


    "Don''t worry, though¡­" Ad''oni interrupted his thoughts by speaking, once again resorting to a condescending tone to pass the message across.


    "... I''ll be ending the match even faster."


    "Why, you¡ª!" Lan''griz had reached the limit of what he could stand.


    The boy''s impudence had reached the very heights of what he was able to swallow, and he simply couldn''t wait for the match to start.


    ''I''ll tear you from limb to limb! I''ll humiliate you so much that you''ll wish you were dead!''


    Lan''griz licked his lips as he smiled evilly at the target. There was no longer any room for mercy or hesitation in his heart¡ªjust sheer bloodlust.


    ''You''re going to be forced to drop out once I''m done with you!''


    "BEGIN!"


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    A sh of golden light suddenly sparked within the podium, like a strike of lightning, and once the flickers stopped¡­ the match was over.


    Lan''griz and Ras''ta were both on the ground¡ªpassed out¡ªand Ad''oni stood at the opposite end of the position where he started.


    "Huu¡­" He leaked out a small sigh, steam proceeding from his lips.


    shes of golden electricity still crackled around him, but nothing else could be seen¡ªno weapon, no remnant of a Spell or any extra thing.


    This was simply the product of raw power.


    Nothing more¡­ nothing less.


    The audience was silent for the following few seconds after witnessing the end of the fight. They were not only shocked, but confused as well.


    Were they supposed to cheer for the winner, or pity the losers? How exactly did the boy called Ad''oni win? They couldn''t decipher it.


    And so, after a few seconds of confusion and utter stupefaction, they resorted to the only rational thing they could think of.


    "WOOOHOOOOOO!!!"


    The thunderous cry of the crowd seemingly caused the air to vibrate.


    Still, despite the loud ovation he received, Ad''oni still had no emotion on his face. He simply epted his victory and left the stage to sit among the victors. Nothing else mattered to him.


    *****************


    "Fine¡­ I''ll admit it. Your kids are good."


    D''aru sounded deted as soon as Ad''oni was dered the winner. Just like the audience, he had taken a few seconds to process what he had just witnessed.


    Unlike them, though, he clearly saw everything that happened. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ''He moved incredibly fast, grabbed both of their faces with his palms, and sent them crashing on the ground, all within a second, before walking a few steps away from them.''


    The speed and strength needed to achieve such a feat was unreal.


    "Yeah¡­ Ad''oni just doesn''t know how to hold back." O''jog grinned as he watched the match''s conclusion. "I could say the same about Luc''ia, but she seems more interested in having fun than anything else."


    The other two had to nod.


    "The only one holding back so much is R''ai. That''s what makes him so interesting¡­"


    Initially, D''aru and L''ester could not understand their leader''s fixation on mere students of Stage 1¡ªespecially a nobody that just joined the Academy.


    But they understood better after the demonstration before them.


    These ones were strong.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading.


    I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I''ll try to speed things up as quickly as I can. After all, there are some sweet things up ahead¡­

 Chapter 853 Adriens Match

    Chapter 853 Adrien''s Match


    After such a climax, no one expected any further standout events in the preliminaries.


    ¡­ But they were dead wrong.


    "Round twenty-nine of the preliminaries¡­ involving Nik''ida, S''ami, and Adrien..."


    As the two Dragons and single human entered the stage, the noise generated by the audience slowly came to a halt. Instead, low murmurs oozed out¡ªenough so it made the entire atmosphere uneasy.


    "Is that him? The human¡­"


    "Why would they allow a human into the Academy? And he''s up against his seniors too¡­" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Tch! He''s an eyesore."


    "Shh! He has the backing of a Lord, remember? You better be careful about what you say about him."


    "Yeah, yeah¡­ I got it."


    It was easy to see theck of support Adrien had just in the first few seconds of his entry on stage. He didn''t get the underdog that his ssmates and juniors received. Instead, he was ostracized by the crowd and they even wanted him to lose.


    Despite the negative reception, though, he remained perfectly calm.


    A gentle smile yed on his face as he ced both hands in his pockets and gently strode to his position. He didn''t let the piercing res and whispered jeers distract him.


    The other two students on stage weren''t particrly wary of him, though they seemed to have every intention to go hard on him for the fact that he was a human. All of these were well within calctions, so he wasn''t bothered by them.


    ''He''s most likely not going to watch the Preliminaries¡­ but I can''t be too sure.'' Adrien thought about his sponsor as he calmly assessed the situation.


    He had watched Rey and his ssmates fight, and he could clearly see some ingenuity in their attack patterns. He was impressed, and so was the audience.


    If he wanted to stand out, per his agreement with the Storm Dragon Lord, he would have to do something as drastic.


    Or¡­ perhaps something entirely different.


    A slightly twisted smile formed on his face as he heard the referee start the match.


    "... BEGIN!"


    The moment this sound echoed in the hall, another one followed¡ªone that horrified everyone who watched the impending fight keenly.


    It didn''t end up as a fight, though.


    ~SQUELCH!~


    It was a massacre.


    Spikes of darkness rose from the ground itself, piercing thepeting students in multiple locations as they were forcefully lifted from the ground by them.


    These spikes were birthed from the shadow of a single person¡ªAdrien Chase.


    His hands were still in his pockets as he lifted his gaze to witness the bleeding students who were screaming in pain.


    Every time they tried to move, they would be assailed by piercing pain from various areas of their bodies. This was the consequence of the many holes that had been dug into by his shadowy spikes.


    The blood that dripped from their flesh began to form a puddle beneath them, and their cries were slowly drowned by the gasps of the audience who watched in horror.


    This¡­ this was violence that hadn''t been shown since the start of the preliminaries.


    It was pure chaos.


    "Don''t be so dramatic¡­"


    Adrien''s voice softly echoed in the room, forcing everyone to fall silent. Even the students he was speaking broke into sobs rather than the loud cries that they previously resorted to.


    "... You''re not going to die from these mere injuries. Dragons heal fast and have incredible vitality, right?"


    As soon as he said this, Adrien retracted his shadows, forcing the two students to fall to the ground, where the puddle of their blood had formed. The dark red liquid sttered around as soon as their bodies fell upon the pool, causing the whole stage to be stained with it. Needless to say, the whole thing was repulsive to watch¡ªboth for the audience and the referee.


    Thetter looked at Adrien with a repressed livid expression, but he was only given a gentle smile as a response.


    It didn''t suit Adrien, though.


    How could the boy smile so genuinely after inflicting such damage on his adversaries? Small droplets of blood had even stained his cheeks, yet he wouldn''t stop his act.


    "T-the winner is¡­ A-Adrien Chase from Stage 2-A."


    There was a deafening silence as Adrien left the stage and walked out on the audience. They were all quietpletely bewildered by the audacity and cruelty they just witnessed from a single boy.


    ¡­ A single human.


    ******************


    "Well, that went well." O''jog was facing his students¡ªtwo of whom were not present, due to their failure in the Preliminaries. Instead, only R''ai, Luc''ia, and Ad''oni were before him in their usual meeting spot¡ªthe training hall.


    "You three did great! You''ve made it to the Main Tournament¡­ which is where things get exponentially more intense!"


    After all, in Tournaments, stuff like Enchanted Items were allowed to be used by students. While Equip Limit was still a thing for Dragons, those with better resources had more of an advantage than those with less.


    "I would offer to help you with resources, but something tells me you''ll be fine without them." O''jog grinned even wider as he patted each student on their shoulder.


    "The main event has a total of 32 participants. The First Stage will have 16 winners, and the next will have 8 winners, the quarter finals will have 4 winners, the semi-finals will have 2 winners, and the finals will have 1 winner. You know the drill¡­"


    Indeed, they did.


    All three students had confident expressions on their faces, and they seemed raring to go.


    "I already made a deal with my colleagues, so please don''t disappoint me, okay?"


    "Understood!" All three responded at once.


    Of course, they had no intentions of disappointing him. However, this wasn''t because of who O''jog was, or his expectations of them.


    They simply had their own motives for winning. ''Lucielle and I have to get that reward!'' Rey told himself as he maintained his smile, thinking about the rtive difficulty that would be awaiting them in the main events.


    ''We can''t afford to ck off now.''

 Chapter 854 Wall Of Trees

    Chapter 854 Wall Of Trees


    "So, where exactly are we going?"


    "...."


    Ater maintained his silence as he walked alongside Esme¡ªthe both of them headed towards a widespread cluster of tall trees that stood at a distance.


    The ce was akin to a wild forest, but was referred to by the Elves as the Sea of Trees. It was where their territory ended on the Eastern Continent, and they never went past it for the reason that there was nothing beyond the dense wall of trees there.


    He knew better than that, though.


    "You know there''s nothing beyond that point, right? Why aren''t you saying anything?"


    Ater remained silent stll.


    ''There''s no need for me to respond when she''ll see for herself soon enough.''


    He wasn''t going to waste his time exining anything, especially when there would be no utility in doing so. ''I''ve already achieved what I wanted. Iid the groundwork to earn her trust and cooperation long before this moment, so even if she grows impatient and upset at me, she won''t be leaving my side.''


    There was a reason he was on Esme''s side when she wanted to go to the Elf Continent with Rey; among other things as well.


    ''Even though her rtionship with Rey has soured, she still feels like she owes me.''


    She also respected him.


    ''Then there''s her curiosity as well¡­'' He smiled to himself. ''She''s probably getting bored of life with the Elves and is curious about what I want to show her.''


    All of these were enough reasons for her to keep walking beside him, so why would he need to make pointless chatter with her?


    "D-did Rey set you up to this?"


    "Hm?" Ater turned at her, his brows raised slightly as he leaked out a sound.


    The only reason he was forced to respond to her was because his Master was mentioned. As long as it had to do with him, there was a special kind of interest that he had to give to the subject matter.


    "We haven''t spoken since¡­ well¡­ I''m sure he told you. I just want to know if this whole thing has to do with him."


    "It doesn''t."


    "Oh¡­ okay." Esme sounded slightly disappointed, but also relieved.


    Ater didn''t like that.


    ''It seems like she still has feelings for Master. This isn''t good¡­'' He sighed internally, shaking his head slightly.


    ''I need to nip it in the bud as soon as possible.''


    Ater understood that his Master had no need for distractions such as her¡ªor romance in general¡ªat this point in his evolution. He was even overjoyed when Rey actively wanted the major cause of his distraction and weakness, Alicia White, to leave H''Trae.


    With her nearly out of the equation, his Master would be able to focus on more important affairs.


    In essence, the things that actually mattered.


    ''I don''t need you recing Alicia, Esme¡­ even if you are far more valuable than she is.''


    He would have even ensured such a thing would never happen by personally handling the emotions that Esme had, but since his Master had actively prohibited such actions, he couldn''t help but y a passive role.


    ''It''s annoying¡­ this whole thing is.''


    But he had to endure.


    All of this was for his Master''s sake¡ªand by extension, his own benefit.


    ''All in due time¡­''


    "STOP RIGHT THERE!" A voice suddenly erupted out of nowhere.


    "Kyah!" Startled by the sound, Esme jumped towards Ater for support, but he simply shifted out of the way, causing her to fall on the ground.


    He didn''t bother picking her up or even looking in her direction. Instead, he found it more expedient to focus his senses on whatever just made the surprising sound.


    "Y-you jerk¡­" Esme growled as she red at him, slowly picking herself up from the ground.


    Ater still couldn''t be bothered, though.


    "You aren''t a child that needs a babysitter. Right now, a more pertinent issue is at hand. I expect you to be mature about this and focus."


    As soon as he said this, Esme saw the sense in his words and swallowed her anger.


    Unlike with Rey, she couldn''t argue with Ater or snap at him. Anytime they interacted, it was obvious who held all the cards and who was the mereckey.


    "U-understood¡­" She muttered, dusting off the stains that her attire managed to sustain.


    In a second, she was good as new.


    ''See? No need to make a fuss about something so trivial¡­'' Ater wanted to say, but stopped himself and focused on the important matter.


    "Who are you? Show yourself!" Esme yelled out loud, her defenses high.


    Ater remained quiet and instead gave in to observation. After Esme fell, he had heard some light giggles from the same voice that stopped them.


    They were clearly having a lot of fun with Esme''s embarrassing moment. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ''The voice sounds feminine as well. Still, I can''t sense them at all¡­''


    That meant this person¡ªwhoever she was¡ªwas either stronger than Ater, or she was hiding within cloaking territory that was superior to his sensory prowess.


    ''The former is impossible, so I should assume thetter.'' He cast his gaze on the wall of trees before him and instantlypleted his deductions.


    "She''s hiding over there." Ater stopped Esme from making any further demands, resuming his walk the moment he spoke.


    "R-really? It sounded like the person was behind us, though."


    "Illusory Sound Magic. It''s not a particrly difficult thing to do." He responded dismissively, closing in on the location.


    "I TOLD YOU TO STOP!"


    "No." Ater replied, now a few meters away from the trees.


    However, the moment he tried to take one more step forward¡­ he found himself unable to do so.


    ''Ahh.. so this is where the barrier begins.''


    "HM? WHY AREN''T YOU UNCONSCIOUS?"


    "I see¡­" Ater smiled.


    ''So the barrier causes anyone who interacts with it to turn unconscious and be subjected to some mind maniption, which causes them to remember things differently. That''s why this ce has been secret for so long.''


    Ater had already sent a few guinea pigs to this location, with none of them remembering nothing of the incident, so he could be sure of all his deductions.


    ''Looks like I''ve hit the jackpot.''

 Chapter 855: Tricks

    Chapter 855: Tricks


    ?


    "HEY! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU''RE DOING?!"


    The strange, unknown voice grew even deeper and louder, spreading throughout the area that Ater and Esme stood in.


    The tone felt childish, but it also had some form of caution to it¡ªalmost like the person speaking was observing them keenly. To Esme, this felt creepy and unsettling, but Ater kept his cool through everything.


    He was too focused on the barrier before him to consider much else.


    ''How do I get in? With my current capabilities, it''s pretty impossible to do so.'' He thought to himself.


    This was why he brought Esme along.


    He had hoped that, just as with the Oracle, she would be able to get some special provilege that would grant him passage. He also expected the process to work itself out, but it seemed like he would have to be more express.


    "Do you know who it is you''re addressing in such a way?" Ater asked, his tone remaining calm, as he drew closer to Esme.


    "You don''t recognize this one?"


    As soon as he asked this, he could feel the intentional silence of the figure behind the barrier. She seemed to be contemting-or in some kind of deep thought.


    "Hm? She has the mark of The Oracle... how intriguing."


    Ater''s face brightened up a little upon hearing that. It seemed his efforts weren''t in vain after all!


    "Then-"


    "But so what? What do we have to do with all that Oracle stuff? All that entity cares about is the preservation of her chosen people, right? We also have our own monarch... though he can be an old fart sometimes."


    That very instant, his face returned to the pale and mildly unamused version that it once was. ''I see. Different jurisdiction, huh? Then... I suppose these are an entirely different race.'' After contemting for a long while-all encapsted within a second-Ater finally reached some measure of understanding.


    Esme was near useless in this situation, but... not if he yed his cards right.


    First, though, he needed to understand who he was dealing with. Not just the girl speaking, but the people that existed behind the wall of trees.


    "You''re a Fairy, I take it." Ater spoke, his tone oozing nothing short of confidence.


    Esme nced at him in repressed surprise, but he didn''t mind her. Instead, he focused on the barrier right in front of him.


    "Good guess! It seems you''re pretty shrewd, all things considered!"


    "Perhaps. I certainly know... things about you. The Oracle revealed a lot through this one over here." Ater nced slightly at Esme. "And I believe it would be beneficial to both parties if we were to share what we know."


    The reason he was so vague about what he knew and what he didn''t was because of the possibility of a Truth-based skill or Spell that could be active. He had to make sure he wasn''t lying, but he was also exaggerating the depths of his knowledge.


    ''I barely know anything about Fairies, but as long as I frame things this way, I''m still technically correct. Also, I didn''t lie about The Oracle providing information with Esme''s assistance. Still all of this is to seduce these people with the allure of something they don''t have so they can consider some form of trade.''


    This simple tactic usually worked for even the most difficult kinds of people.


    "I doubt you''d know something we didn''t. I mean... our King can see the future, you know?" "You mean like [irvoyance]?" Esme interrupted, her curiosity unable to be held back much longer.


    Ater nearly groaned once she said this, but he kept his cool through it all.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "No! Pfft! His [Vision] isn''t that sophisticated, but... ahh... look at me yammering on. Bottom line is, I was already informed that we would have intruders very soon, which is why I have been keeping watch all this time. Nice to see someone finally showed, or I would have died of boredom. It is so..."


    The Fairy kept bbing on and on inint, forcing Ater to reconsider his strategy for getting in.


    ''If I continue like this, things will only devolve into idle chatter. She strikes me as a loose- lipped but incredibly loyal subordinate who serves someone far greater than herself. She has a deep respect for the leader, though she tries not to show it. She''s also fairly confident... though I have no idea how far her confidence extends.''


    He could find out more, but things would get little messy.


    "Esme, move towards the trees."


    "WHAT?" Both the Elf and Fairy expressed surprise by what they just heard.


    "Trust me and move forward." He added.


    "B-but she said anyone who interacts with it goes unconscious. If I do that, won''t I-?"


    "I didn''t go unconscious, did I?"


    "But you are"


    "You have the mark of The Oracle, Esme. You''re far more special than I am." Ater responded with a sigh. Once he was sure that her confidence had been elevated to a considerable extent, he gave her the same instruction again.


    "O-okay..."


    She began to walk forward, and once she reached the invisible barrier, she kept advancing without any difficulty.


    "WAIT... WHAT?!" At this point, the amplified voice of the Fairy shot through the air, and a bright glimmer of light rose from the wall of trees.


    "WAIT A MOMENT!"


    The voice was followed by the emergence of the Fairy hidden within the barrier.


    Her hair was bright yellow-nearly golden-and it danced all over as her gem-like eyes shone brightly. Her transluscent wings gleamed like precious marbles, and her outfit was a mixture of golden armor and a radiant white dress.


    She was a couple inches tall¡ªdefinitely bigger than the average Fairy-butpared to the two who stood before her, she was pretty short.


    No... extremely short.


    ~THUD!~


    The moment she left her haven, Esme copsed on the ground and entered a deep slumber, leaving only Ater awake and staring daggers at the Fairy who had a mix of confusion and


    rising anger.


    "Y-you... you tricked me!"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Once again... Ater remains a badass. Apologies for the absence of action in this chapter.


    We might be seeing some soon...

 Chapter 856: Strongest Fairy

    Chapter 856: Strongest Fairy


    ?


    The trick was quite simple.


    Ater knew his [Illusion] Skill would be useless here, due to the area of influence not extending beyond the barrier before him. He also knew that mere conversation would be most likely to waste his time rather than make progress.


    Hence, he sought the most efficient method to achieve his goals.


    That method was to use Esme.


    By making her the scapegoat, allowing her to near the barrier, he was able to spark some measure of interest in the Fairy-especially since she already had a certain regard for Esme, being touched by The Oracle.


    Esme naturally fell unconscious once she reached a certain proximity to the barrier, but Ater controlled her using the [Marite] Skill he learned from Justin, so he made it seem like she was still walking forward.


    This, of course, made the Fairy react impulsively.


    ''From how she acted, it''s likely the case that no one has ever breached the barrier. She must have feared that Esme would be able to breach the barrier if she continued walking.''


    Hence... she came outside.


    ''I I suppose all that boring talk wasn''t useless. It was necessary to build Esme up as a more special specimen than she actually is.''


    Still, since he was able to achieve his goal thanks to her assistance, Ater couldn''tpletely call her useless. She was a vital piece in his n, and for that... he had to give her the well deserved des.


    ''Now then...'' He focused his eyes on the puny creature that now red deeply at him. ''... What should I do with you?''


    "You actually tricked me? Haaa... you''re going to regret that, kid!"


    "... Kid?"


    Ater cocked his head to the side as soon as he heard those words.


    He wasn''t particrly insulted by the term, though he found it a little derogatory. It just felt a little off-putting to be called such a thing by someone who looked and acted far younger than he did.


    Plus... he knew for a fact that he was older than this Fairy.


    "I don''t know who you are or where you came from, but this isn''t the way to treat your Elders!" The Fairy kept up her ramblings, and Ater felt himself slowly losing his patience.


    He could engage in banter all day if he wanted, but it wasn''t like he had all the time in the world.


    There were other things to attend to.


    "Take me to your ruler. I would like to have a few words with him. It is of the utmost pertinence, and I promise that you will not regret it."


    "Forget it!" The Fairy turned from Ater and tried to return into the Barrier, but quickly found that she couldn''t.


    Why?


    "Ahh... you used an illusion just now, didn''t you?"


    "Indeed." Ater nodded slowly. "Forgive me, but I can''t let you retreat just yet."


    He had used [Illusion] as soon as the Fairy emerged from the barrier-or rather, the illusion had been active since he and Esme approached the wall of trees.


    So, as soon as the Fairy came out of the barrier, she was under its influence.


    ''I''m the one closest to the Barrier, and she''s the one furthest away from me.'' Ater nced at Esme, who was fast asleep right beside him.


    He had to protect her, so he quickly cast a protection Spell around her.


    ''Need to also ensure they don''t mess with her memories. Master wouldn''t be very pleased with that.''


    "An Illusion Skill, huh? How annoying!"


    All of a sudden, a cracking sound echoed around Ater, forcing him to twitch his eyes a little. ''My illusion...!''


    Within a second, the cracks turned into loud shattering sounds-like ss being torn asunder by a powerful quake.


    In no time at all, the noise ceased... and so did the illusions that he kept in ce. "Haha! I see. So you swapped our positions, huh? Very clever! But what of it? Your illusion is undone, and I don''t think you''re going to be able to stop me from leaving this ce."


    "I understand your choice to retreat. After all, that is what one does when they are not confident in their ability to be victorious in a fight."


    "What?!"


    ''As expected... it worked.'' Ater smiled, happy his crude taunting had such an effect on the simple-minded Fairy before him.


    Using moreplex means of maniption would have been useless due to the simplistic approach that his opponent took to everything, so simple tactics like these seemed to be the best way to control them.


    ''I noticed her re deepen when I first mentioned retreating. It seems she''s the confrontational type.'' He thought as his observant eyes remained steady on her.


    "I''m the strongest among the other Fairies, you know?!"


    ''That makes sense...''


    Ater already knew she wasn''t one to be underestimated. The mere fact that she could break his S-Tier Illusion Skill meant she was far stronger than he currently was.


    That didn''t mean he would lose, though.


    "I guess the Fairies are weaklings, then. If their strongest champion is willing to just run at the sight of an intruder-especially one that tricked her."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "You..."


    "I mean... is this what the Fairies amount to? I was wrong to think of you all strong."


    "... You..."


    "Even the Elves showed more backbone when I first visited them. The Oracle might be soft, but I guess your King is even softer."


    "... That''s it." At this point, the tone of the Fairy changedpletely.


    Her eyes shed with serious determination, and a certain aura began to dance around her body. No longer did she seem to be goofy or yful, and her smile was nowhere to be seen.


    Everything about her was immersed in resolve.


    ''Good. With this, I''ve ensured she won''t flee... even if things get a little dicey.''


    Just as he suspected, she held a deep regard for her leader-though she tried her hardest to


    hide that face.


    ''Right now, there''s only one thing she can do to remedy what I''ve said.''


    "My name is Fae, Strongest Fairy of the Fairy Kingdom... and I swear on this day to kill you!"


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Fight scene iing. Also... forgive me for breaking my vow on the second day.


    Woke upte today, so no Mass Release...

 Chapter 857 Ater Vs Fae [Pt 1]

    Chapter 857 Ater Vs Fae [Pt 1]


    ''And so it begins¡­''


    Ater''s eyes gleamed with a certain kind of understanding as he looked at Fae and smiled. Despite a lot of reasons to be slightly shaken, he maintained a calm facade.


    No, he was actually calm.


    Compared to the Fairy who was now boiling with anger and didn''t hide her sheer dissatisfaction, Ater kept his cool.


    "Let''s see how long you can keep that smug expression on your face!"


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    Moving way faster than Ater could detect, the small creature glided through the air and became a blur of bright yellow. Before he could even sense anything at all, a powerful blow hit him in his jaw, sending him flying high into the air.


    "Guh!"


    That very instant, the painful sensation coursed through his body and he felt the concept of pain take effect.


    ''She''s fast¡­ and strong.'' He thought, squinting his eyes as he attempted to find her position around him.


    He couldn''t see her.


    His detection ability was no good either.


    Then, right as his face was turned to the left, she appeared at his right, thrusting her fist for another powerful blow.


    ~BOOOOM!~


    A shockwave echoed through the air¡ªone of an unbelievable scale, especially when considering the size of the Fairy.


    Ater''s body helplessly iled through the air as he felt yet another assault of pain flood his whole body. He found it difficult¡ªalbeit not impossible¡ªto think clearly given his circumstances, but he continued to remain calm.


    He had to assess his current situation with the utmost care.


    ''Two hits now¡­ with the damage in a simr range. I''ll need one more to be able to determine the Combat Abi¡ª'' Right as he was having this thought, Fae appeared right in front of his face, causing his eyes to widen slightly.


    "I''ll pummel you to death!"


    A powerful right hook impacted Ater''s flesh, forcing a squishing sound and a spray of blood bursting out before his body was forcefully sent crashing to the ground.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    The explosive collision sent echoes of destruction, as well as chunks of debris, flying all over the area. At the center of all the chaos and thick smoke was Ater¡ªpowerlessly choking on the dust and groaning as he recoiled from the damage he suffered.


    ''I estimate her Combat Ability to be in the early to mid 300,000s. Looks like I slightly underestimated her capabilities.''


    He judged her based on the average and extreme Status Windows he had observed from every single race. Even Dragon Lords didn''t have Status Windows this extreme.


    ''That means this single Fairy is stronger than the Dragon Lords. How interesting¡­'' He smiled, nearlyughing until he had to cough out blood.


    His injuries were getting severe, and if he didn''t do something quickly he would die.


    ''I can''t die¡­ not yet.''


    As he said this to himself, he felt a powerful pressure descend upon him from the sky.


    It was undoubtedly Fae.


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    Like a powerfulet¡ªno, more like a piercing spear¡ªshe fell with unstoppable might.


    Even if Ater could move, there was no hope of him dodging the impending strike. As a result, he chose to resort to defense.


    "That won''t do you any good!" She yelled, her leg thrust downward so it would crush his stomach the moment she made impact.


    Ater ignored her words and attempted defensive Magic, however it shattered¡­ just like his [Illusion]. There was practically no resistance at all as she crashed upon his belly and caused a great fountain of blood to spill out.


    ~SPLOOOSH!~


    Ater''s body was scattered into chunks as he exploded.


    Chunks of meat burst in multiple directions like shattered debris, and his blood apanied the pieces of solid flesh. However, in merely a few seconds, the pieces were all pulled together by a certain darkness.


    The tentacle-like thing gripped every single portion of flesh and drew them closer together until they reformed Ater''s badly damaged body. His outfit was long gone, leaving his pale and bare skin on the ground,pletely at the mercy of the Fairy who stood above him and scowled.


    "Nice trick."


    "Thank you." He smiled.


    "Too bad it''ll do you no good too." The Fairy raised her fist once more to hit Ater, but this time he wouldn''t just take the hit.


    That would be too dangerous.


    Despite looking calm and healed, the truth was that he had barely recovered. His body was still in a state of rapid regeneration, but he made sure to focus on external healing so it seemed like he had restored everything in no time.


    ''If she gives me a casual hit, I''ll break apart again.'' He would have broken out a bead of sweat if not for the fact that he had a n.


    And that n was simple.


    ~SHWUUUP~


    Before Faended her hit, Ater''s whole body drowned in darkness,pletely vanishing from his previous position.


    "H-huh?"


    He immediately appeared a couple hundred meters away from her, barely standing on his two feet. He was also panting, though he did his best to suppress the unsightly action.


    "You think escaping to such a small distance will save you from me."


    "Not at all." He responded with a grin.


    She could probably close such a trivial distance before a second started counting.


    In fact, if she really wanted to, she would have killed him by now. Yet, she was still showing some measure of restraint.


    Why was that?


    ''She''s curious about me. She''s also cautious, and even though it doesn''t look like it, she''s trying to glean as much information from me as possible.''


    Of course, Fae still had every attempt to end his life once she got what she wanted.


    ''Which is why I have to pace myself well¡­''


    Right now, Ater was at a great disadvantage, and he could tell that this fight wasn''t entirely under his control.


    ''Illusions don''t work on her, and she has the ability to negate my Magic. She''s also much stronger and faster than I am.''


    Though he was yet tond a proper hit on the adversary, he could also tell that she was most likely more durable than he was. How else would she be able to throw out such devastating blows that created craters and huge shockwaves?


    Ater nced at his surrounding and grimaced.


    ''We''re quite a distance from the barrier. She brought me here intentionally, separating me from Esme¡­''


    This wasn''t a brash opponent at all.


    Fae was intelligent!


    ''If I don''t take this fight seriously, I''ll lose. Even if it''s in my best interest to drag things out and pace myself ordingly, I can''t afford to do so because of Esme.''


    He was tempted to think of the Half-Elf like dead weight, but considering how useful she had been for some time now, he couldn''t objectively give her thatbel.


    ''In any case, this should be an educational experience for both of us.'' His smile widened, darkness slowly creeping around him.


    ''Let''s enjoy ourselves to the fullest.''


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Fae


    - Race: Fairy (Royal)


    - ss: War Harbinger (S-Tier)


    - Level: 500 (99.99% EXP)


    - Life Force: +++ (300,000)


    - Mana Level: 300,000 [50,000]


    - Combat Ability: 300,000 [50,000]


    - Stat Points: 0 n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Art Of War]. [Fairy Land]. [FairyTale]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Breaking Point]. [Royal Authority]


    - Alignment: Chaotic Good


    [Additional Information]


    The most powerful Fairy in the Fairy Kingdom, and the masterpiece of the Fairy King. She excels in battle and shines the best during war.


    Do not make her an enemy.


    [End Of Information]


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 858 Ater Vs Fae [Pt 2]

    858 Ater Vs Fae [Pt 2]


    ''Who is this man?''


    Fae wondered within herself as she red at him with sheer animosity.


    If it wasn''t for her duty as a warrior and her perfectly honed self-control she would have torn him limb from limb. That was the consequence of insulting her creator¡ªthe progenitor of all Fairies.


    The Fairy King!


    Anyone who did such a thing deserved nothing short of death.


    ''Still¡­ I need to act just like the old fart is always telling me. Calmly observe the enemy and extract as much information before finishing the task.''


    Fae had always been impulsive in her actions, which was why the Fairy King took extra care in drilling the essence of patience into her.


    Thanks to those centuries of constant nagging and training, she finally bent.


    ''I''ll learn all I can from you, just as I know you n to learn all you can from me, and then afterwards¡­ I''ll end your life!''


    If she managed to ''identally'' kill him before then, so be it.


    ''I hold the advantage anyway.''


    This was her turf, and she was clearly more powerful than he was. Sure, they weren''t in the Fairy Kingdom¡ªso she didn''t have the Immortality Protection of the Fairy King¡ªbut that didn''t mean she couldn''t return at any time.


    She also had his [Royal Authority], which was how she could deal with any Skill or Magic that she encountered.


    ''All of these arepounded by the fact that he''ll eventually grow impatient and make a slip-up due to his separation from his ally.''


    Unlike her, he didn''t have all the time in the world.


    That would be his downfall!


    ''The old fart told me to look out for Rey Skr, but this guy doesn''t fit the description he gave me. He also has a negative vibe about him¡­'' She narrowed her eyes as she stared at Ater. ''My instincts tell me I have to get rid of this guy as quickly as possible''


    As she thought this, she took a proper stance and prepared to charge in.


    ''For the sake of H''Trae¡­ and the Fairy King''s honor¡­ this man must surely perish!''


    ~VWUUUUUM~


    As soon as she charged forward, a wave of darkness suddenly appeared.


    The wall of utter ckness spread from the enemy, and it caused her to have a moment of slight hesitation¡ªenough that she halted in her tracks.


    "You need to have an understanding of the Skill or Spell that you''re negating before you do so, am I correct?" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    As soon as Fae heard this, she took her eyes away from the pulsating darkness and red at the smiling man before her.


    ''How did he know?'' She thought to herself.


    "My name is Ater, by the way. I find you intriguing, Fae¡­" "Shut up, you filthy thing! You''re an abomination that should be cleansed from this world." She growled, prepared to charge in despite the strange and perverse energy that kept pouring out of Ater''s body.


    "Ahh¡­ as I suspected." His smile broadened. "Your averse reaction towards me isn''t merely because of my words regarding your King."


    "...."


    "You consider me a terrible stain on this world, right? Looks like the System really hates me."


    "The System? What does that have to do with¡ª?"


    "Your instincts¡­ they''re telling you to get rid of me, right?" As he said this, Fae couldn''t help but frown even further.


    How did he know these things?


    "The System does more than just give Stats and Skills, you know? Those with high integration with it¡­ like you and The Oracle¡­ are given overt directives from it. The ''instinct'' you refer to is just the System''s reaction to my presence."


    "What?"


    "I am not meant to be here¡­ and it doesn''t like that. I thought I had more time, but¡­ I suppose my ns have taken the natural order off course." He sighed. "This is why Master shouldn''t be distracted by these mundane things around him. There''s no time for such."


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about. It just sounds like I hit you a little too hard."


    "Ah? Is that how it is? I guess there''s no use telling you these things. Perhaps your King will have more of an insight on this matter than you." He retorted, giving Fae the most condescending smile she had ever gotten.


    "In the end, no matter how esteemed you are¡­ sheep is still sheep."


    "You¡ª!"


    ~WHOOSH!~


    Fae rushed towards Ater, but almost as soon as she reached halfway through the distance, silhouettes emerged all around him.


    ''What?!'' Once again, Fae was forced to stop.


    No, not just stop.


    She retreated about a hundred meters away in the blink of an eye, a re of caution fixed on the apparitions that surrounded the grinning man.


    "I was able to stall a little thanks to our little chat. You must have considered me to be in a hurry due to my ally''s situation, but you are mistaken."


    As soon as he said this, the silhouettes around took solid form, turning into three varying entities.


    "I too have all the time in the world."


    This was, of course, a bluff from Ater, but Fae couldn''t know that.


    Instead, she suspected it to be a bluff. However, Ater was so good at faking confidence that she was beginning to buy into his bravado.


    The Undead he summoned also did well to add weight to his words.


    "Now that we''re done conversing a little¡­" As he spoke, all the darkness that spread around him returned to his possession, and then was distributed evenly among the three entities that surrounded him.


    "... Let''s have a little more fun!"


    His eyes gleamed purple, and the three creatures jerked to false life.


    One had pitch ck armor like a warrior¡ªwith a sinister purple glow warbling within the dense shell he was covered with.


    One was garbed in a shadowy cloak¡ªalmost akin to death itself. It had a twisted staff, with a gem atop it that glowed with malevolent energy.


    Finally, thest one was a Ranged Archer¡ªwith weapons such as guns, a bow and arrows, alongside other such artilleries locked in strategic parts of their bodies.


    All three of them were prepared to attack.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Ater continues to remain a mystery. I think he''s actually my favorite character in this book.

 Chapter 859 Ater Vs Fae [Pt 3]

    859 Ater Vs Fae [Pt 3]


    A Knight, A Mage, and An Archer.


    These were the three Undead that Ater summoned, and this seemed like a basic maneuver on his part¡ªone that he didn''t need prep time for.


    However, that assumption would be false.


    ''I had to merge all the Undead in my arsenal and divide them into three¡­ just so they stood a chance against her.'' Ater thought to himself, a false front of confidence still being disyed to fool the opponent.


    ''I have nothing left in stock, but if I didn''t do this, then they wouldn''t stand a chance at all.''


    Merging his Undead and then splitting them took time, which was why he engaged in that pointless discourse with Fae.


    It was pointless¡­ but not untrue.


    ''Time is slowly running out. I have tried my best not to be impatient, since all the conditions are perfect this time around. But¡­ with The Oracle''s warning to Rey, and even this Fairy''s instinctive animosity towards me, it''s only a matter of time before this World is fully aware of what I am.''


    Once that happened, a purge would take ce.


    ''I am so close, though. I can''t allow any further discrepancies to the n¡­'' With that in his mind, he ordered his Undead to take formation, and they responded immediately.


    The Archer stood right in front of Ater, and the Mage remained beside him.


    As for the Knight, it prepared to march forward.


    ''These ones should give me enough time to properly analyze her abilities and develop a proper counter.'' He told himself.


    He wasn''t confident that they could defeat Fae, but if they managed such, then it still ended in his benefit. The main goal was to make sure she didn''t retreat to the wall of trees¡ªa possibility that now existed in his mind now that he was assured of her intelligence.


    ''I can only hope that her desire to eliminate me is stronger than her inclination to retreat.''


    Ater still felt like the odds were in favor of her remaining, though.


    ''She did swear on her name, after all¡­''


    What did he know about Fairies and their culture, though? Even though she made it sound so serious, the whole thing could be a flippant deration of war that she could take back anytime she wanted.


    To properly assess an enemy and develop a working countermeasure was to not rely on assumptions.


    ''I need hard, reliable facts.''


    And the best way to get them was to control the battlefield himself and glean whatever he could from his target. That was how he liked to do proper battle.


    "Go."


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    The Knight charged at Fae with breakneck speed.


    Even Ater couldn''t see it move.


    However, almost as soon as it rushed towards Fae, a loud explosion erupted, causing a wave of heat to burst through the air.


    A massive crater suddenly existed between Ater and Fae¡ªat the calcted range that the Knight would have had to be in at the moment of the explosion. Speaking of the Knight¡­ he was nowhere to be seen.


    At least, until one looked into the crater.


    ''Ahh¡­'' Ater''s eyes widened slightly as he observed the state of his ck Knight.


    The Knight was currently in a kneeling position, with tons of weapons piercing it at practically every ce in its body. From spears to swords, to arrows, to even more des¡ªthey were all lodged within the enemy.


    The Knight tried standing, but the weapons made it impossible for it to even move a muscle.


    ''Even though it''s practically immortal, it can''t move because of the weapons.''


    The fact that the Knight couldn''t use any of its abilities also proved that the weapons had some sort of special ability that restricted its flow of energy.


    In essence¡­ it was currently useless.


    ''One of my three Undead has been neutralized, and we''ve barely even begun.'' Ater was tempted to break into a cold sweat once again, but he chose not to.


    He still had his two other Undead, after a¡ª


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    ~SWOOOSH!~


    In a sh, a barrage of weapons descended upon Ater''s surroundings¡ªeasily striking the Mage and Archer as soon as they wereunched.


    ''What?!'' Ater raised his head and his eyes were forced to widen slightly.


    Littering the sky was a host of various kinds of weapons¡ªhundreds of them¡ªand they all seemed ready to beunched.


    They all had golden luster, oozing powerful energy that made it evident that they were Enchanted Items. Before he could open his mouth to say another word, another volley was shot from the air, and nearly a hundred weapons fell.


    "Tch!"


    ~BOOOOM!~


    If the first batch were warning shots, this next round was the real deal.


    In only a few seconds, the two Undead were reduced to the same sorry state as the ck Knightpletely rendered useless by the tons of weapons they were impaled with at every angle.


    They were also stuck in a crater¡ªone that now connected with the ck Knight''s crater.


    In essence, all three of Ater''s Undead now dwelled in a joint crater; a massive site of devastation.


    As for Ater¡­


    ~VWUUM~ n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    He appeared from a pool of darkness a few meters away from the crater''s edge, a portion of his body missing.


    ''I was nearly torn to shreds just now. If I hadn''t preemptively activated the shift, I would have¡ª''


    "You continue to impress me, Ater." Fae spoke up, forcing him to look in her direction.


    She was currently hovering above the crater of her creation, just a few dozen meters from where he stood. He could tell that he waspletely at her mercy, and the brilliant glow in her eyes proved that she was well aware of that fact.


    "You made me use two Skills in session. That''s not bad. The other Fairies never let me use more than one¡­''


    Fae had used [Royal Authority] a few times, and just now she had to utilize [Art Of War].


    "But¡­" Her smile was broader than it had ever been. "... This is the end of the line."


    Ater coughed a little, spitting out blood as he made a pained smile, his crimson eyes narrowing on Fae.


    "I couldn''t agree more."


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMM!!!~


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]

 Chapter 860 Aters Game Plan

    Chapter 860 Ater''s Game n


    In chess, there are pieces that exist on the board.


    To Ater, his Undead followed a simr concept: he had a Knight, a Rook, and a Bishop.


    These were his Knight, Archer, and Mage respectively.


    He could use them in a myriad of ways¡ªthough limited, based on their specialty. He already had a game n in his head, and he also knew of the board he would be ying on.


    His only challenge¡­ was the opponent.


    When ying chess, both sides had equal and identical pieces, with the only thing separating them being skill. However, this game that Ater was involved in greatly differed from the strategic one that offered bnce above all else.


    There was no such thing as bnce here.


    Fairness was a foreign concept.


    His opponent was neither a Knight, Rook, nor Bishop.


    She was a Queen.


    No¡­ perhaps even more powerful than one.


    As a result of this, he also couldn''t be limited by the restrictions ced on his pieces. He had to consider a way to attribute additional characteristics to his three prime pieces¡ªand do so in an unexpected manner.


    And what better way to do so than to demote them to the lowest of ranks?


    ¡­ Mere pawns.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    Ater smiled as he watched everything before him go up in dark purple mes, his crimson eyes enamored by the devastation that faced him.


    His three Undead had self-destructed, releasing all the pent-up energy within them at once.


    This meant their bodies would never recover, and they were lost to him for good. But, at the same time, it meant the output they sacrificed their lives for would far outscale whatever power they could utilize in their false lifetime.


    The jointbustion of the three wasn''t Ater''s initial n¡ªat least, not so soon¡ªbut it was hisst resort.


    Even when the other strategies he adopted failed, he was d that this one at least worked.


    And the result was splendid.


    "ARRRGHHHHHHH!!!"


    Fae screamed as she experienced intense pain. Her body was severely damaged as a result of the contained, but intense explosion.


    In order to ensure it dealt as much damage as possible, Ater made sure the st didn''t escape the crater''s bounds. And since Fae was floating right above said crater, all that destruction was sent to her directly.


    "Kof¡­ Kahh¡­ Argh¡­" She struggled to breathe as she rushed out of the ck smoke that ascended to the sky, her body zig-zagging in the air like a fly that had just been hit with a heavy dose of insecticide.


    She was clearly in a very terrible spot.


    Most of her body was ckened as a result of the radiation from the purplish ck explosion, and one of her two wings had been clipped in half while the second was also lightly damaged.


    Her hair was nearly gone, and only one of her eyes was functional. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The armor she had on was also gone, leaving her bare and defenseless as she tried to maintain flight and keep breathing.


    The severe burn marks on her body kept eating at her skin, forcing her to scream even louder, even as she kept trying to gulp in fresh air.


    "Heal¡­ why can''t I heal? Why won''t I heal? A-ahh¡­ I can''t¡­ I''m not within the border." She muttered, her body shivering as she felt her organs failing.


    It was clear to her that she was dying.


    Fairies were immortal as long as they were within the barrier of the Fairy Kingdom. If they were ever to take damage outside its borders, the effects of their world wouldn''t apply to them.


    Still, Fairies hardly left their domain, so there was hardly anything to fear.


    Also, because of their dependence on the Kingdom''s rejuvenating properties, Fairies never developed any Regeneration or Healing Skills.


    The same applied to Fae.


    Despite her incredible power and durability, she had no Healing Skills, which meant she had to seek out an external source of regeneration or she would die.


    "Must¡­ return! I¡­ need to¡­ arghh¡­"


    As she floated in the direction of the Wall of Trees, she suddenly felt a certain hand grip one of her damaged legs.


    "Gaahhh!!" Her injuries stung even more thanks to the applied pressure, forcing the desperate Fae to yelp out in pain.


    She turned to re at the cause of her dy¡­ only to find Ater smiling.


    "Looks like you''re in a bit of a bind." He spoke, straightening the ck tie he now had on.


    Compared to her disheveled state, he seemed to bepletely fine. He had his signature ck suit on, with his hair perfectlybed and his face clear as ever.


    He radiated pure handsomeness, while she contrasted this with miserable ugliness.


    "Y-YOU¡­" Her voice wavered as she growled, but he pressed even harder on her leg, forcing her to stop speaking and instead wince in pain.


    "Now, now¡­ this isn''t the time for me. I also suffered quite a lot as a result of your actions, you know? Why don''t we call it even?" "...."


    "What do you say? I''ll even apologize for insulting your King." He added. "Honestly, I believe we got off on the wrong foot¡­ wouldn''t you say?"


    Fae could tell that he was being insincere, and he wasn''t even hiding that fact.


    He simply wanted to waste even more of her time.


    Why?


    "I mean, it''s just like you imagined¡­" He grinned, giving her another condescending look.


    It shook Fae to the core.


    "... We have all the time in the world."


    As soon as she heard this, her eyes bulged and she gritted her teeth. At the start of the fight, she had thought he was at a disadvantage since she wasn''t pressed for time, and now he had turned the whole thing against her.


    But¡­ there was something he hadn''t factored in.


    "You''re right." Despite how painful it was to speak, she responded to him and even gave him a spiteful smile.


    "Let''s have even more fun¡­" As she muttered those words, bright sparks of energy danced around her, and she uttered the words that wouldpletely alter the tides of the battle.


    "... [FairyLand]."

 Chapter 861 FairyLand

    Chapter 861 FairyLand


    A bright light, so sudden and pure, suddenly enveloped everything.


    Sparkles shot off, almost like snowkes made of pure energy, and glittering dust danced around the area. As all of these happened, as if they were drizzles of rain and billows of smoke permeating the area, Ater was left confused.


    Thest thing he heard was "[FairyLand]," which was without a doubt the activation of one of Fae''s Skills¡ªsomething that was akin to ast resort for her, considering her extreme injuries.


    He had expected her to grow increasingly desperate to be healed, thus reducing the possibility of her fighting back yet again.


    He was wrong.


    ''I underestimated her tenacity, and perhaps her overall abilities.'' Even with the current bizarre scenario he was confronted with, Ater never ceased his smile.


    He remained perfectly calm.


    "You fool¡­" The voice of the wounded Fairy echoed out, except this time¡­ she didn''t sound injured in the slightest.


    Her tone rang with energy, and she possessed confidence simr to what she disyed at the very start of their fight¡ªno, perhaps even more.


    Then, emerging from within the clouds of odorless smoke, she manifested.


    ''Ahh¡­'' Ater''s eyes slightly widened as he rested his gaze on her. ''She looks perfectly fine.''


    He tried to quickly understand the phenomena he was experiencing. Was this an illusion showed to him, or was this really the person who had been on the brink of death mere moments ago?


    ''No¡­ this isn''t an illusion.''


    Ater, more than anyone, would have been able to tell the difference.


    "You pushed me this far, so I hope you are ready for your punishment!" As Fae said this, the fog around Ater began to clear up, and the glittering whitish pink dust faded away from his environs, revealing somethingpletely different from the world he knew.


    ¡ªSomething¡­ magical.


    This world had an overall tint of pinkish hue, appearing colorful¡ªsaturated with light and bright colors. It seemed utterly different from reality, and yet everything in it felt perfectly real.


    Ater lifted his eyes to the clouds and saw both the sun and several moons orbiting each other. He even witnessed stats dancing in the sky.


    Yes¡­ dancing.


    ''The hell¡­?'' Ater felt out of ce in this strangely bright and optimistic world. Everything around him felt vibrant, pulsating with so much light and positivity that it was sickening to his senses.


    Then, while he was still recoiling from these attacks on his senses, he felt a dark shadow cast on him. He heard loud ps of wings in the clouds, almost like a horde of dragons were directly above him, but once he lifted his gaze even higher, there were no such things there.


    Instead, humongous butterflies were floating in the air¡ªmoving like dragons in the terribly vastndscape.


    "...."


    Now that he looked around again, he could see flowers the size of trees, and des of grass that made up a forest. These were clearly unreal proportions attributed to miniature entities.


    Or¡­ perhaps he was the one who became little.


    ''No. My constitution can''t be affected in that way. If it was, I''d be able to tell¡­''


    In essence, he wasn''t forcefully shrunken, but everything around him had grown in size. After taking the world in for a few more seconds, Ater could safely make his assessment.


    ''This is an alternate reality she made. I can see why it''s called [FairyLand]...''


    In this world, designed by none other than Fae, several aspects of reality had been distorted. Ater could not count how many differences there were between this world and H''Trae, so he simply decided to stop and focus his attention elsewhere.


    "Why did you bring me here? I don''t reckon you think I''ll be impressed by all this." Ater muttered out loud, hoping to get a response from the Fairy who held him prisoner.


    For a moment, there was no response.


    "Come on, you''re just going to ignore me? That''s a little col¡ª"


    "Your bravado isn''t fooling anyone." Her voice suddenly emerged, booming as though she was an essence of the world itself.


    It felt like a whisper of the wind, but amplified by the disgust that the Fairy felt towards him.


    "You brought this upon yourself. You''re now in my world, and you will abide by my rules. I will make sure to execute you in the worst way imaginable, and you will be powerless to stop any of it."


    "Really, now?" As Ater smirked in response, he suddenly felt a change in the ground that he stood on.


    ''Huh?''


    What used to be a sturdy surface had suddenly be quicksand¡ªand it was sucking him into its depths at a slow pace.


    ''I see. So she controls every aspect of this world, and she can use that control in ways like this.''


    Ater had to admit¡­ this would be bothersome.


    He swiftly activated the energy within him, aiming to boost himself away from the ground so he could fly. However¡ª


    ~BZZZZUU~


    Rather than energy, nothing but dust and air flowed out of his body.


    "PFFFT!" A loud cackle instantly resonated from Fae as she watched him from wherever she was. "Did you really think your powers would work here? I can control whatever manifests here too! As long as this ce is under my watch, you won''t be pulling any tricks or using any of your abilities to escape!"


    Ater felt a slight pound in his heart as he heard this.


    "My [FairyLand] makes this ce my domain, and my [FairyTale] ensures anything I will in this reality bes real. That includes Healing Magic, which I applied to myself."


    ''Ah¡­ no wonder she became perfectly fine.'' Ater told himself as he looked around for her.


    "Still trying to find me, huh? Well¡­ since you''re about to experience pure despair, I might as well reveal myself to you.


    All of a sudden, he felt himself being lifted.


    No¡­ not him, but the entire surface he stood on, and the marvelous sights around him¡ªall of them were being shifted at an absurd pace.


    Then¡ª


    "Do you understand now?"


    ¡ªAter could see Fae much clearer than before. She hadn''t been hiding herself from him, and neither was she out of his range of sight.


    All along, she had been staring at him, and he had been staring at her.


    He simply needed perspective.


    Fae''s hair was the very sky where the sun, moons, and stars danced in, and her eyes were the vast space he had been staring at in the distance. In essence, all along, this whole world¡ªwith all its absurdity¡ªwas all a part of Fae.


    Ater was currently in the palm of her hand, and as she moved him further away from her face, he could clearly see the outline of her whole body.


    He watched her glow and glimmer, and anything beyond her was just colorful smoke and bright dust. She was the world that he had been experiencing, and now that he was sinking into her body, he was quite literally going to be under her control.


    ''I severely underestimated her power.'' Ater told himself as he closed his eyes and gave up any thoughts of resisting.


    He knew it already, and there was no longer any use denying the facts.


    ''I''ve lost this match.''


    *


    * N?v(el)B\\jnn


    *

 Chapter 862 Aters Death

    Chapter 862 Ater''s Death


    ''This man¡­ he''s dangerous.''


    That was Fae''s current thought as she stared down at Ater, who was no more than a speck of dust to her. Despite how insignificant he seemed, there was still this chill radiating from him that was difficult to ignore.


    ''Even with [FairyTale], I can''t appraise him or detect anything about him in the slightest.''


    The only thing she really knew about him was that he was a dangerous stain on the world¡ªrepugnant in every way¡ªand that he had to be eliminated.


    He was something like a virus¡ªa part of the System, but also not a part of it.


    Something like him was best deleted as quickly as possible. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ''As much as I want to prolong his suffering, my instincts are telling me to finish him off as quickly as possible. He''s too dangerous and crafty for me to be messing around.'' Fae thought to herself.


    At this point, she had practically used up all her Skills except for one.


    [FairyTale] could only be used in [FairyLand], which was why she had to use both Skills in conjunction¡ªall so she could take care of her injuries and also mete out sufficient punishment on her adversary.


    Now that she had gained a clear upper hand, Fae was careful enough not to lose it.


    ''I can''t afford for this to drag on for any longer!''


    As such, she quickened the sinking process on her opponent, watching him powerlessly descend into her palm. Once he waspletely immersed, she would show him such suffocating pain that he would die in an instant, yet feel like he was being afflicted for nearly an eternity.


    This way, she could kill two birds with one stone¡ªeliminate him quickly, but gain the satisfaction of his agony.


    "Anyst words?" She asked him, watching as his head was now descending into the colorful depths of her creation.


    "I would still like to strike a deal with you¡­ if it isn''t toote for that."


    Fae chuckled as she watched him try to be calm despite the inevitability of his demise. The vermin was clearly growing desperate, yet he tried to suppress it.


    ''The haughty expression on his face has vanished, and I can see him oozing sincerity. But¡­ it''s toote for that.''


    No, it had been toote from the very beginning.


    "The King only told me about Rey Skr. You are clearly not him, so there''s no way I would ever hear you out."


    "R-Rey¡­?" She heard a muffled sound from him as his lips became submerged. His expression told her that he knew something about the person she spoke about, but Fae chose to ignore it. He was so desperate to live that he was most likely pretending to have some useful information for her.


    However, she didn''t need any of it.


    ''The old fart already said Rey Skr would show up soon, so I simply have to wait it out. There''s no need to go out of my way for it.''


    Besides, wouldn''t it be better if Rey didn''t show up? From how the Fairy King sounded, it seemed Rey could somehow bring salvation to them¡­ and that was thest thing Fae wanted at this point in time.


    All her life, she had waited for the end toe.


    She wanted to fight a glorious final battle alongside her people, and finally die after fulfilling her duty. If Rey''s appearance was going to get in the way of that, then she didn''t want him to show up at all.


    ''Still¡­ it''s not like I can disobey the orders of the King, so here we are¡­'' She sighed to herself, watching as the finalponents of Ater sank deep into her palm.


    All of this would soon be over, and she could finally return to her boring duty post¡­ waiting for the arrival of the unexpected savior of their race.


    ''Rey Skr¡­ Rey Skr¡­ what a stupid name.'' As she thought this to herself, she suddenly felt a certain pulsation within her palm. It started off slight, so she initially assumed it was a signal that the horrid man was dead.


    But then¡­ it intensified.


    She indeed felt Ater die, but just a moment after¡­ she found that he was still alive.


    ''He didn''t die?''


    At this point, she cast away all her thoughts about everything else and decided to ce all of her attention on killing him properly. This time, she would be leaving no loose ends¡ªthough her initial method should have been more than enough.


    However, right before she could kill him a second time, a miracle happened.


    No¡­ a nightmare.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    Her whole palm¡ªthe size of a very small ind¡ªwas blown away in an instant.


    ''W-what?!'' Her eyes widened as she instantly backed away, but was met with a wall of sparkling smoke and glittering dust.


    No further space existed beyond the walls of smoke, so she didn''t have much room to escape.


    ''W-what just happened?!''


    As she had this thought, all of her attention coalesced on the site of her hand''s destruction, and the swirling darkness that was responsible for it.


    This ckness was the size of a small ind¡ªthe same as her hand¡ªand almost as soon as it burst out, it began to reduce in mass and increase in intensity.


    ''T-that is¡­!'' At this point, Fae broke into a cold sweat.


    She could see what stood at the center of the condensed darkness¡ªor rather¡­ who was the darkness.


    "... YOU!" She shrieked, her face disying a mixture of shock, anger, and then fear.


    The darkness had be Ater, and while his physical form had formed, parts and pieces of the darkness danced around his ckened body like tentacles.


    "Looks like my fragmented memory wasn''t a match for you, so it had to die¡­ thus awakening me." As he sighed, heated steam left his lips.


    Then, he stared hard at Fae, causing her to experience even more of his icy chill.


    In his eyes¡ªfilled with a never-ending swirl of darkness¡ªsuch concept as malice, hatred, arrogance, feat, etcetera, did not exist.


    It was just empty.


    "I didn''t think I''d be using this so soon, but it can''t be helped." Ater whispered. "You''re just that strong¡­"


    He took a step forward, and the reality around the two of them seemed to tremble.


    No¡­ it cracked!

 Chapter 863 Alter

    Chapter 863 Alter


    ~ZZZTTZZ~


    Overwhelming power began to swell from Ater, causing the entire world of FairyLand to quake.


    Like a burst containing millions of volts of electricity, dark lightning raged around him. The ckness around him solidified, bing his flesh, and eventually turning into a dark cloak that shrouded his body.


    It made him resemble the ssical image of death.


    His crimson hair became fiery, and his eyes turned deep purple, with the whites of his eyes bing ck. Two horns grew from his forehead, gleaming ck but also warbling with purple energy.


    "A-A Dragon? No¡­ not that!" The horns she was witnessing did not at all resemble that of Dragons.


    These were too tall and majestic, and they had an intricate design about them.


    ''Who is this person?!'' Fae''s whole body¡ªthat is, FairyLand itself¡ªtrembled as she tried her best toprehend the new entity that stood before her.


    Wings appeared behind Ater, like that of a Demon, and a tail resembling that of a ck cat. As for his ebony skin, it turned pale ash; almost as if he was a corpse. Dark lines stretched from his eyes, like cracks on his face, and a particr gem seemed to glow at the center of his forehead.


    There was no race on H''Trae that had such a resemnce!


    "This seems close enough¡­" He finally spoke, observing his current appearance with a light smirk on his calm face.


    His sights soon returned to Fae, who was now considering her next move as she just witnessed the impossible with her own eyes. ''He''s supposed to be dead, so why is he still alive?!''


    Not that, but even after he re-awakened, she had tried to suppress his growing power with her authority within FairyLand and her other Skill [FairyTale], but none of those Skills worked on him.


    In fact, it seemed like none of her Skills were working on him.


    ''He didn''t mean what he said back then, did he? He has a Primeval Skill?'' Beads of sweat formed on Fae''s face as she locked eyes with him. ''T-that''s not possible!'' N?v(el)B\\jnn


    After swallowing hard and getting her wits about her, Fae shrugged aside all of her fears and stuck to her resolve. The chilly sensations and absurd power only made her more determined to eliminate him once and for all.


    Besides, she had one more Skill in her arsenal, one she had never gotten to use before.


    "Whatever you are, I will¡ª!"


    "You mentioned Rey Skr just now, Fae." Ater, or whatever it was that he had be, suddenly spoke up.


    His voice instantly silenced hers, despite her being far bigger than him in every way.


    "W-what about it?" She responded defiantly. "Interested in him too?"


    "Yes. He''s¡­ someone I know."


    "And you really think I''ll believe that? You''re trying to stall for time, aren''t you? You''re trying to bluff, so I''ll spare your life."


    "...."


    "Well, that won''t work on me!" As soon as she said this, Fae raised her second hand¡ªone that seemed like a massive meteor that suddenly manifested in the sky.


    It cast a dark shadow on the world below¡ªthe world Ater currently upied.


    ~ZZZTTTTZZZZ!!!~


    A massive bolt of energy suddenly formed in her hand, and she held onto it tight like a lightning bolt¡ªready to fire it in his direction.


    "It''s no use." Ater sighed. "Let''s continue our conversation."


    However, Fae was done trying to talk with the man before her. Every cell in her body told her that this wicked thing had to be eliminated¡­ and as quickly as possible!


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    She threw the massive bolt of lightning towards Ater, who was now floating in the void. Behind him was the wall of mist and dust, so there was nowhere for him to escape to.


    Even if she couldn''t directly manipte Ater anymore, Fae could still control everything else about this world. That meant her powerful burst of energy would turn him to dust.


    It didn''t matter what defenses he rendered.


    The bolt tore through the distance within an instant, already about to strike the target.


    "It''s over¡ª!"


    "Melt." As soon as Ater whispered this, all the clustered energy within the bolt suddenly dissolved, turning into liquid-like particles that evaporated within the blink of an eye.


    "E-eh¡­?" Fae''s eyes widened as she witnessed this.


    "Your Skills won''t work on me anymore. It doesn''t matter what you do, or what tricks you resort to¡­" He interrupted her disy of disbelief with a calm assessment. That wasn''t all he said, though.


    "I''m currently stronger than you are."


    The moment Fae heard this, she lost it. Her eyes turned bloodshot, and her entire body shook in utter rage.


    "YOU?" She growled. "Stronger than me?!"


    This was the same guy who was struggling so desperately against her some seconds ago. Even if he was trying to stall for time, proiming himself as superior was too far.


    That single deration was enough to push Fae over the edge¡ªenough to use herst Skill.


    "[Breaking Point]!"


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!~


    That very instant, Fae''s body grew to be twice its previous size, and all of her Stats got instant promotion. They nearly doubled in figures, and she became inconceivably more powerful than she had ever been before.


    "You fool!" She cackled, drunk on her own power. "You still think you''re stronger than me?"


    "Yep!"


    In an instant, Ater vanished from his position and appeared right in front of Fae''s forehead.


    "What are you doi¡ª"


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    With a single thrust of his fist, he sent deafening shockwaves throughout the domain of mist, forcing Fae''s body to tumble backwards and crash on the wall of mist.


    "Gah!" Her lips burst out as she felt the stinging pain on her head¡ªsomething that wasn''t supposed to be possible.


    Her entire body became paralyzed that instant, and she was forced to her knees as she watched Ater float right above her with a condescending gaze. His wings spread out, while his face remained stoic as the darkness around him intensified.


    "Currently, I''m stronger than you could ever hope to be." Once he stated this as fact, hended right on Fae''s face and stepped on her head with his heels.


    She could do nothing but tremble and watch.


    "Now¡­ you''re going tell me everything that I want to know."


    *

 Chapter 864 The True Ater

    Chapter 864 The True Ater


    ''How embarrassing¡­''


    Ater''s thoughts were a sharp contrast from his outward appearance. His majestic, but utterly devious appearance betrayed the lines of reasoning that flowed in his mind.


    ''To think I actually lost to this child. Whether or not it was my vestige or not, it makes no difference.'' The mere fact that he couldn''t resort to any other option but his hidden Primeval Skill was beyond shameful on his part.


    ''When did I be so ipetent?'' Now that he was back to his senses, he could see a few ways that he could have exploited the situation and won without going as far as using [Alter]. He understood that his vestige only had a portion of his memories, but he still expected some measure of proficiency.


    ''In any case, I can''t really dwell on all of that now.'' He sighed internally, his gaze resting on the trembling body of the Fairy he stepped on.


    Fae was so confused, so lost. She definitely didn''t understand what was happening, or why.


    It was a tragedy that Ater nearly chuckled at.


    ''Her current Status Window is¡­''


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: Fae


    - Race: Fairy (Royal)


    - ss: War Harbinger (S-Tier)


    - Level: 500 (99.99% EXP)


    - Life Force: +++ (230,000/500,000)


    - Mana Level: 79,000/500,000 [50,000]


    - Combat Ability: 500,000 [50,000]


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Art Of War]. [Fairy Land]. [FairyTale]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Breaking Point]. [Royal Authority]


    - Alignment: Chaotic Good


    [Additional Information]


    The most powerful Fairy in the Fairy Kingdom, and the masterpiece of the Fairy King. She excels in battle and shines the best during war.


    Do not make her an enemy.


    [End Of Information]


    ''... As expected.'' He smiled subtly.


    Herst Skill, [Breaking Point], was a Buff ability that elevated her Stats to the five hundred thousands. She couldn''t maintain it forever, but even if it was only temporary¡­ that power made her nearly invincible.


    ''Even Rey would have some trouble dealing with her.'' Ater added in his thoughts. ''I understand where her confidencees from.''


    She wasn''t even wrong about the situation.


    Normally, there would be no dispute regarding the victor of their match. She far outssed him in nearly every facet, and most of his Skills were not going to be of any good when it came to fighting her.


    ''I suppose that''s why my vestige gave up so quickly, especially when he realized the conditions were perfect for my re-awakening.'' ncing at his surroundings, he nodded slowly and clicked his tongue.


    ''This space is separate from the main world of H''Trae, which means I could use [Alter] without any repercussions.''


    If he had used the Skill outside of FairyLand, it was certain that the System would instantly pick it up and report the discrepancy to the higher-ups. Once that happened, it was all over.


    ''Worst case scenario, I would have to destroy this world and escape to another reality. Ahh¡­ but even then, I wouldn''t be guaranteed that they won''t follow me.'' He sighed slowly. ''So far, I haven''t been caught. I''ve never been caught. But¡­ they''re gaining on me.''


    He couldn''t keep doing this forever, which was why he was so determined to get things right this time. The fight with Fae nearly jeopardized that, but he managed to handle the situation right before it devolved even further.


    ''It''s all thanks to [Alter]...''


    His Primeval Skill [Alter] had the power to change the properties of anything that he chose as the target. From mundane things, such as the weight, height, materials, and structure¡­ to morepress things like itsponents and mass.


    He had used [Alter] topletely disarm the bolt of energy that Fae threw at him, just as he used it to inflict damage on her with that punch of his.


    However, more than all of that¡­ he could use this Skill on himself.


    ''... I was able to increase my Stats.''


    [STATUS WINDOW] - Name: Ater (LQ#i&3r)


    - Race: Bakeneko (Unknown)


    - ss: Absolute Summon (S-Tier)


    - Level: 101 (09.12% EXP) - Life Force: 700,000 [insert]


    - Mana Level: 900,000[insert]


    - Combat Ability: 600,000 [insert]


    - Stat Points: Nil


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Primeval Collection]. [Shapeshift]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Dark Magic]. [Magic Supremacy]. [Possession]. [Compulsion]. [Illusion]. [Undead Summon] [A$!!?£¤\>.€¡ê\K].


    - Alignment: Chaotic Evil


    [Additional Information]


    Nil.


    [End Of Information]


    At its core, [Alter] was a Skill that could change any objective property about an object by simply interfering with its Status Window.


    ''All things under the System have Status Windows¡­ some avable for appraisal, and some restricted.'' By changing the details in their Status Information, Ater couldpletely change anything he wanted.


    He could make his target weaker¡­ and he could make himself stronger. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ''It''s a convenient Skill.'' Despite thinking this, he couldn''t help but sigh. ''Though, it''s unfortunate that I can''t use this within H''Trae.''


    Altering the Status Information of anything would be a direct infringement on the System, and since Ater did not have the registered authority to use [Alter], his actions would be instantly gged.


    ''That means I''ll get caught¡­ or ejected in the worst case scenario.''


    If that happened, then all of his nning thus far would go to waste. It was a very frustrating thing, having power that couldn''t be used, but Ater already understood the situation and had adjusted his ns so there would be no problems.


    ''As such, my [Primeval Collection] is not needed.''


    "W-what¡­ what do you want?" His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by Fae, whose whole body was asrge as an entire Nation at this point.


    Despite that, she still shook in the presence of someone whose size was less than an ant whenpared to her.


    "I believe I already made myself clear." He responded, stomping on her head as soon as thest word left his lips.


    This caused a surge of pain to spread throughout her entire body. She was forced to scream, and then fall silent as Ater kept a cold gaze on her.


    "I''m the one who asks the questions here."


    Fae nodded instantly, causing the steady tform that Ater stood on to wobble and wobble. It annoyed him to no end, so with the snap of his fingers, the Fairy¡ªwhose size far exceeded his¡ªsuddenly shrank to the size of a normal human.


    "W-what just¡ª!" Her eyes widened in shock as she found everything around her magnify, losing all the power andmand she once possessed.


    "Now this is much better." As Ater said this, his heel was still nted on her face. He looked down on her with a smile, slowly removing his foot from the side of her face where a footprint stain remained.


    "Stand." Hemanded.


    She obeyed him, slowly rising to her feet and pping her wings so she remained afloat. The two of them were now in a misty, nk world due to Fae''s absence of control over the FairyLand that they were in. Without her presence as the colorfulnds that granted the world color, only bright smoke and dust were in sight for miles.


    "With the pleasantries out of the way, let''s get down to business." Ater rubbed his hands together and neared the Fairy before him.


    She timidly watched, not daring to make a move for fear of what would happen.


    "You''ll tell me all you know about Rey Skr, and afterwards¡­ take me to your king."


    *

 Chapter 865 Beyond The Barrier

    Chapter 865 Beyond The Barrier


    "U-urgh¡­"


    Esme slowly opened her eyes as she felt something pull her from the realm of unconsciousness. Before then, she had been stuck in a pleasant dream¡ªone where she never had a falling out with Rey, and things were back to normal.


    However, just as if she was suddenly doused with cold water, she was plunged back to consciousness.


    "W-what happened¡­?" She murmured, still groggy as her clouded vision tried to pick up the fine details around her.


    "d to see you rejoin us." "Eeep!"


    Ater''s voice suddenly jerked her back to full consciousness. Her dulled senses sharpened in an instant, and she was able to see everything normally once again.


    Right in front of her were Ater and a miniature entity that looked like an elf with wings. The creature had slightly pointy ears, with very beautiful wings that fluttered very fast. Her blond hair danced as she remained steady in the air¡ªher eyes all over the ce.


    "What in the¡ª?"


    "Esme, meet Fae¡­ and Fae meet Esme." Ater broke the silence with a quick introduction. "Fae here has been kind enough to grant us safe entry past the wall of trees and has even agreed to let us meet her people''s ruler."


    "Erm¡­ okay?" Esme was still confused, but she nodded slowly as she rose to her feet.


    She had no idea when she fell unconscious, but it didn''t seem like any of it turned out to be a big deal since Ater was being so calm about everything.


    "N-nice to meet you, Esme!" Fae''s voice stuttered a little as she introduced herself. "It is as Ater says."


    "I see¡­"


    Esme recognized the voice as soon as she heard it.


    ''Isn''t that the same voice that was taunting us, even moments before I lost consciousness? It seems Ater managed to convince her while I was asleep.''


    Speaking of Ater¡­


    "You told me I would be perfectly fine if I¡ª"


    "None of that matters now, Esme." He swiftly replied, deflecting all of the responsibility. "What matters now is that we''re finally able to get past the barrier."


    Esme wanted to speak up against him once again, especially since he lied to her and had been treating her very unfairly. There was a limit to what she could put up with, after all.


    "Beyond the barrier is the Fairy Kingdom. I don''t believe you''ve been there before." Ater added, right as she was about to retort harshly.


    "Fairy Kingdom? Here?"


    Her eyes slightly twitched as she heard those words.


    "Indeed." He replied, a small smile on his face. "Fae here was guarding the entrance, but after I nicely exined why we need to see her King¡­ she understood and decided they could have nice visitors such as ourselves."


    "Oh¡­"


    "Wee in peace, don''t we?" "Y-yeah." She had no choice but to say it. "Wee in peace."


    Ater smiled and nodded at her, turning his focus back to Fae, who didn''t seem as thrilled as he was making her out to be.


    The moment his eyes met hers, though, she let out a nervousugh¡­ followed by a whimper.


    "Now then, shall we?"


    ****************


    "Whoa!"


    Esme''s eyes were wide open, almost as if they would pop out of their sockets at any moment.


    She was feasting her eyes on thendscape that surrounded her¡ªfrom the tall trees, to the beautiful cluster of flowers, and the absolute allure of nature that she was surrounded by. Everything here felt surreal.


    The Elven Community also had amazing sights, but those were all fitted to surround the Elves, and the actual ce that they lived didn''t have as much allure of nature. However, this ce was different.


    Esme could see nt-life that she had never before witnessed in all her life. The forest was also rich in animal-life¡ªthough all the creatures were miniaturized.


    The wild animals were all so very small that even the birds resembled insects. All these things were understandable, considering the fact that this was the residence of the Fairies. Still, that didn''t make them any less amazing.


    "I never imagined that a whole civilization other than the Elves'' was here, on this continent." She whispered under her breath as she cast her gaze on the colorful world that surrounded her.


    It was beyond beautiful.


    "This whole ce is protected by a powerful barrier¡­ pretty strong Magic." Ater exined to her. "I doubt any of your people know of this ce."


    The only one that would be aware of it was The Oracle, and there had to be a reason she didn''t let any of her people know of it.


    "I see¡­" Esme muttered. "So how did youe upon it?" "...." Ater chose silence as his response for the first few seconds before turning to Esme and giving her a rather vague response.


    "I have my ways.".


    "Okay then." She said, almost suppressing her disappointed sigh.


    "It''s a good thing Fae allowed us passage." Ater quickly changed the topic. "The Fairies are thest piece of the puzzle, especially now that Rey has gotten the support of the Giants and Dwarves."


    "Really? When did that happen?"


    "A few days ago."


    "W-wow¡­" Esme''s cheeks brightened a little as she did her best to hide her pleasant surprise.


    She didn''t expect Rey to work so quickly when it came to his diplomatic affairs, and the fact that he was able to convince two of the most stubborn races of H''Trae to enter an alliance with him showed just how resourceful he could be.


    "... Impressive."


    "Indeed." Ater said with a shrug. "Once we get the help of the Fairies, the Dragon Empire is as good as done for." N?v(el)B\\jnn


    With the joint power of all the Races, the chances of victory against the Dragons just got astronomically higher.


    Even if the Dragons were the strongest race in H''Trae, they would be up against Fairies, Elves, Giants, Dwarves, and Humans¡ªnot to mention the Otherworlders.


    "Once it''s all done, H''Trae will be saved¡­ and this whole thing will be over."


    *


    *


    *

 Chapter 866 Human Cruelty

    Chapter 866 Human Cruelty


    "Aaaaand the winner is¡­ R''ai!"


    Once again, the crowd''s booming noise reverberated across the hall as Rey finished off his opponent with a single strike.


    His de still warbled with bright blue as energy and smooth smoke rose from it. He held the weapon like an expert, and instantly sheathed it once he was done with his opponent. The instant the de entered the sheath, both items vanished.


    "Huu¡­" Steam proceeded out of his lips as he sighed. A nonchnt gaze fell on the loser of the match¡ªa senior in the Third Stage¡ªwho was now unconscious and foaming in the mouth.


    ''That was a little difficult¡­'' Rey wasn''t referring to the match itself, but rather him holding back. A little more power and he would have caused more damage than intended.


    ''Adjusting how much output I have is such a bother. Reminds me of my time as Jet, but back then I wasn''t this strong.'' Rey shrugged all his thoughts aside and left the stage.


    Normally, he would have just left the arena and gone with Lucielle to her room for their usual Magic Practice. She was already done with her match, so they could easily leave if he wanted to.


    However, there was one match he wanted to see.


    "Next match is between Ka''ri and Adrien Chase!" The moment this was announced, the audience within the hall fell into a deathly silence.


    Rey already knew why.


    Even as he sat in his corner, part of his gaze on Lucielle, and another on the stage, he could feel the unease that everyone in the room was experiencing.


    ''For a while now, Adrien has been rather ruthless in his matches. In every match, he gets increasingly more aggressive¡­ almost as if he''s testing the waters.''


    All of his victims were severely injured after every fight, but not to the point of death. Adrien always made sure he didn''t kill them.


    They would just suffer in the most grotesque way possible¡ªat least, for students.


    ''And something tells me this round won''t be any different¡­'' Rey sighed as he kept his eyes peeled, watching the two contestants climb the stage.


    Ka''ri was a girl, and she was also in the second Stage¡ªss 2-A to be precise.


    In essence, she was Adrien''s ssmate.


    As she stepped on stage, it was clear that she looked incredibly nervous. The anxiety that clouded her face ruined the beauty that everyone knew her for. Not only was Ka''ri popr for her looks, but she was one of the rising stars of the Academy. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Yet¡­ even she couldn''t shake away the fear that came with facing Adrien.


    In contrast to her expression, Adrien had a perfectly calm demeanor. A warm smile was on his face, and his strides were gentle as he approached the stage.


    Once the two stood opposite each other, the tension in the hall intensified.


    ''Everyone is quiet¡­'' Rey noticed, sighing even further. ''Can''t say I me them.''


    At first, they constantly jeered Adrien, and then gave him constant boos. However, the insults and negative words that were hurled at him were not only ineffective, but they seemed to be meted out as punishment on the contestants.


    As a result, the crowd began to fear speaking up against Adrien when he entered the stage for the fear that he would take it out on the Dragon he would be fighting.


    ¡­ Not that it stopped the human boy from demolishing his targets.


    "Ready¡­ BEGIN!"


    In the split second following the sound of the referee, the two contestants¡ªboth of whom seemed to already be resolved in their respective decisions¡ªhad to make their moves. "I surre¡ª!"


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    Ka''ri was about to surrender, swiftly raising both hands up as her pale face showed nothing but fear. However, before she could finish her words, Adrien''s blurry body had already closed the distance between them.


    ~WHUP!~


    With a swift jab, Adriennded his fist on the girl''s throat, instantly shattering her thorax.


    "G-guh!" Her bloodshot eyes nearly popped out of her sockets as she felt the rush of pain assail her, followed by the choking noises.


    She instantly fell to her knees, mucus and saliva dripping from her face. Tears poured from her bulging eyes, and despite her mouth being open, trying to leak words out, she couldn''t say anything. When she tried, not only did her throat hurt, but only coughs and wheezes came forth.


    "I¡­ guhhh¡­!"


    Before she could utter any further words, Adrien kicked her by the side.


    Her body was instantly flung away, flying in the air andnding at the side of the stage. It almost seemed like she was a pile of garbage that was tossed to the side. "P-pleashee¡­ I-I¡­ g-guh!" Once again, he kicked her stomach and forced air and blood to flow from her lips. Her body rolled on the ground, leaving a trail of blood.


    At this point, the crowd gasped.


    Murmurs echoed in the hall, both among the students and the audience, and the tension reached an explosive height.


    Even then¡­ no one could stop the match.


    Per the rules of the contest, the only way thepetition could end was if one contestant fell unconscious or surrendered. Dragon Society was immensely meritocratic and power-oriented, so not even referees were allowed to stop a match that was going too far¡ªunless death was inevitable for any of the students.


    What was unfolding before the eyes of everyone wasn''t the dance death, but a disy of downright cruelty.


    Adrien Chase''s cruelty surpassed what even Dragons could stomach.


    And¡­ it didn''t end.


    ~SQUELCH!~


    Not after ten minutes.


    ~SPLOOSH!~


    Or even an hour.


    ~CRACK!~


    Then, finally¡­ after nearly two hours¡­ the match finally ended.


    The bloodied body of the poor Dragon girl was lying on the ground, barely moving in her puddle of blood. Everyone who witnessed this held their breaths. "Referee?" Adrien''s voice finally pierced the silence, causing everyone who listened to him shiver. "I''m done now."


    The referee''s eyes shone with disbelief, his body shaking as he approached the contestants. After a few seconds of silence, he finally opened his lips and gave the announcement.


    "T-the winner of this match¡­ is Adrien Ch-Chase!"

 Chapter 867: Final Roster

    Chapter 867: Final Roster


    ?


    After the match ended, Rey and Lucielle were both ready to leave.


    After all, Adrien''s match was thest for the day. It was also the end of the Quarter Finals, which meant they were all done for the day. However...


    "All the qualified students should pay attention to this announcement, as it is the roster for the uing semi-finals!"


    The moment Rey and Lucielle heard this, the two of them instantly remained glued on their seats. They also stared at each other in slight surprise.


    This was the first time they were announcing the roster during the event itself. It usually cameter in the day, after everyone was well-rested. Since the semi-finals and finals were


    happening on the same day-that is, the following afternoon-everyone expected the roster to be out muchter.


    Yet... here they were.


    ''What if Lucielle and I had left?'' Rey wondered to himself, looking at the referee, who still appeared quite shaken after Adrien''s match.


    He sent his gaze to Rey''s direction and had somewhat of a sigh leaking out of his lips.


    "The four who qualify to enter the semi-finals are R''ai, Ad''oni, Luc''ia, and Adrien Chase. The Semi-finals will consist of two matches, and those who win will face themselves in the finals."


    Rey always knew this moment woulde.


    This was an Academy filled with Dragon Newts, after all. There was no way any of the students stood a chance against people who had fought and defeated far worse.


    However, what he didn''t know yet... was the roster.


    "Tomorrow, the first match we will be having is Luc''ia versus Adrien Chase... and after that


    wille R''ai versus Ad''oni." As soon as this was announced, gasps of shock filled the lips of the audience.


    They were clearly worried about one of the two matchups.


    "T-that monster is fighting Luc''ia? No way..."


    "Maybe... maybe she can actually beat him. She''s pretty strong, you know?"


    "B-but still... isn''t that too much? Why can''t they just disqualify that filthy human?"


    "W-why...?"


    "I''ll be rooting for you, Luc''ia!"


    There was a lot said by the crowd, but it was obvious that they were on Lucielle''s side, and they felt incredibly livid towards the only human who managed to keep himself in a tournament for Dragons.


    Lucielle received the heartfelt praise and support of the crowd by waving at everyone. She even gave her ssic smile and wink at them, causing many to shriek and blush at her response to their outcry.


    She was just that cute, and her energy remained unmatched.


    Out of all the qualifiers, Lucielle remained the one who consistently gave a shy performance whenever she fought.


    Her mode of fighting wasn''t crude, and neither was it cruel.


    It was sophisticated-almost as if she was running an experiment or having fun-and that became her whole appeal. The whimsical nature of herbat, and how she often yed with her opponents'' abilities before finally defeating them... it was ingenious.


    Compared to R''ai and Ad''onis who ended things pretty swiftly, she actually gave the people what they wanted; a show!


    And that was why, even as she was confronted with a devilish enemy, they remained on her side.


    The audience hoped that ''Luc''ia would surpass their expectations yet again.


    ''Looks like Lucielle will be facing Adrien. This is bad...''


    He already had a feeling this would happen, which was why he stayed behind and made sure to burn Adrien''s cruelty into his mind by watching his fight.


    ''He''s the worst matchup for her.''


    Lucielle was someone who considered every fight to be a learning ce for her. She usually applied her new discoveries in fights, but with Adrien all of that evaporated in an instant.


    He was too cruel.


    ''Plus, I have to make sure Lucielle and I get the attention of the White Dragon Lord. The ideal scenario would have been for the both of us to fight in the Finals.''


    It was unfortunate that such a thing had to happen now.


    While he was deep in thought, he felt a dangerous gaze rest on him. The moment he traced its cause, he found Adonis staring at him.


    ''I suppose I should also be concerned about my own match.''


    The fact of the matter was that he was stronger than Adonis. Rey already knew that, especially since he could see The Hero''s Status Window even now.


    But...


    ''The problem is that I have decided to limit my abilities for the sake of preserving my identity. Adonis has also decided to do that, but...''


    The difference between the both of them was that, while Rey resorted to asional shy moves and he usually had variations in his attacks, Adonis was always ending his matches very quickly¡ªand with the same move.


    He would simply move faster than his opponents and knock them out before they realized it.


    This left a lot of room for more disy of abilities than Rey.


    ''In essence, he gets to reveal more cards under the guise that they were his abilities from the start, while I''m mostly limited to the powers that I''ve already disyed.''


    The whole thing hardly seemed fair, but Rey brought it on himself.


    ''No matter, I''ll have to win somehow.'' And it wasn''t just any kind of victory he was looking for, but aplete knockdown.


    ''I can''t afford to go easy on him, especially since Lucielle is fighting Adrien. Just in case she loses horribly to him, I''ll have to make sure Adonis loses even more horribly. That way, the White Dragon Lord would look upon the former a lot more favorably.


    ''No hard feelings, Adonis.'' Rey stared at the Hero, smiling a little to himself. ''You''re going to


    lose this fight.''


    "Hey." A voice suddenly interrupted Rey''s thoughts, causing him to turn his head to the person who stood right in front of him.


    It was none other than the most infamous student at the moment.


    "Adrien..." Rey responded, raising his brows as he smiled at him with slight ferocity.


    "Is that how you''re supposed to respond to your friend?"


    "What do you want?" Rey curtly asked, his voice and gaze telling Adrien to get straight to the point. He and Lucielle were just about to leave, and it was clear thetter wasn''t very


    comfortable around him.


    "Nothing much." He shrugged, but his smile told otherwise.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    He grinned widely, both hands in his pockets, as he casually made his next statement.


    "I just heard that the Western Continent will be bombarded with quite the number of forces from the Dragon Army."


    Rey''s brow was raised slightly as he heard this, remaining skeptical of what Adrien was telling him, while also regting his emotions at the same time.


    "What do you mean by that?"


    "Don''t y dumb, Rey..." As he said this, he sat on an empty seat beside Rey. To make himselffortable, he even ced his hands on the heads of the chairs beside him, hence wrapping


    one of his arms around Rey.


    "It means the Dragons are nning a full-scale assault on the United Human Alliance."


    Rey maintained his calm face.


    "Apparently, the Empire has encountered too many losses, and they consider this to be some


    sort of easy victory for them.: Adrien added.


    In essence, the grace that the humans had been experiencing wasing to an end.


    Still, Rey didn''t seem bothered at all.


    "It doesn''t matter what the Dragons do.: He replied calmly. "They''ll lose."


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Happy New Month! I hope this spells a season of epic adventures for all of us.

 Chapter 868 The Alliances Stronghold

    868 The Alliance''s Stronghold


    "Hmm¡­"


    Later that night, as Reyy on his bed in his room, he couldn''t help but think.


    The darkness surrounding him felt like it was consuming him whole¡ªnot that Rey felt that way in the slightest. Since he could see everything clearly, as if it were day, nothing about the darkness in his room bothered him one bit.


    Even as hey motionless on his bed, he could see his study chair, desk, wardrobe, and all the amenities that his room possessed. Most importantly, he could feel the silence that it provided.


    After such a noisy and eventful day, such a calm ambiance was what he needed the most¡ªand it felt amazing.


    ''I wonder how they''re all holding up¡­ and how much they''ll have to endure.'' His thoughts flowed as the image of the United Human Alliance''s forces appeared in his mind.


    His thoughts then focused on a single member of the forces¡ªAlicia White.


    ''So far, things haven''t been serious on their end. But, if what Adrien says is correct, then¡­ their fight is about to get a whole lot worse.''


    The Dragon Empire considered humans a low priority, so they never really dispatched an optimal force on them. Rey had witnessed the armies that the Dragon sent to fight the Elves, and based on Ater''s reports, he knew the incredible size of the armies that were sent to fight the Dwarves and Giants respectively.


    Compared to those, the human battlefield almost resembled a yground.


    ''With things getting a lot more dangerous, it''s possible that they won''t be able to handle it. Though¡­'' His emotions calmed down as he closed his eyes and exhaled deeply. ''... They should probably be fine.''


    Right now, the most he could do was prepare them for the conflict by sending them a warning of what was toe. After that, he had to focus on his own mission and keep his fingers crossed for the Western Battlefront.


    ''Of course, if things get out of hand, I''ll have to intervene.''


    However, he had a good reason to believe that things were most definitely going to be just fine.


    ''I will definitely take you back home, Alicia! I promise!''


    ********** N?v(el)B\\jnn


    [Meanwhile¡­]


    {Location: The Alliance Fortress, Western Continent}


    In a remote, rocky region¡ªdue North of the Western Continent¡ªwhere steep mountains reached into the clouds, stood the United Human Alliance Fortress. Built into the side of the biggest mountain, this stronghold was arge and strong structure. Its thick stone walls were lined with steel and magic, glowing faintly at night, to protect against dragon fire, while also resistant to projectile assaults.


    The fortress had several levels climbing up the mountain. The outer wall was the first line of defense, dotted with towers andrge crossbows designed to shoot down dragons. There were also several more traps at their disposal¡ªmost of which would only work on mere Newts and low-leveled soldiers, nothing more.


    Inside the fortress, life was busy. The narrow streets were lined with homes and barracks, all made of the same tough stone as the walls. The lower levels housed the forges where cksmiths worked day and night, crafting weapons and armor. Smoke filled the air, mixing with the sounds of hammers striking metal.


    In front of the fortress, the battlefield was a grim sight. Thend was burnt and scarred from past battles, with the remains of both humans and dragons scattered across the ground. The sky above was often gray, casting a somber light on the destruction below.


    Then, at the very top of the fortress was the war room.


    This was where the leaders gathered to n their next moves, and at the moment it was filled with the mostmotion in the whole fortress. The room was simple, with arge stone table in the middle covered with maps. The walls were lit by torches and decorated with the banner of the United Human Alliance, as well as various ns pasted in strategic ces.


    Around the table sat the leaders: Chief Warrior Brutus, Admiral Lucy, Otherworlders rk, Trisha, and Alicia, Strategist Lang, and finally Vice Admiral Lubick¡ªa total of seven.


    The atmosphere in the room was tense. The three Otherworlders in the room seemed a little out of ce, considering their much younger age whenpared to the others in the room. However, since they had spent weeks in this ce, they had gotten used to the dynamics.


    They weren''t the most mature or experienced, but they were the strongest.


    As such, everyone orded them with respect, and they were granted sufficient room to give their opinions. It was also only fair that they were involved in nning, considering they would be dispatched to various points in the battlefield, and they would need an in-depth understanding of the n¡ªparticrly what was expected of them.


    For all of these reasons, both Otherworlders and Natives of H''Trae worked very seamlessly towards the grand goal of winning the war.


    And, from how things had been for the past few weeks, it seemed they were actually nearing that objective.


    Until¡ª


    "What do you think about the message from Sir Rey? ording to his report, an armada of Dragons is iing." Admiral Lucy, who was practically in charge of leading the forces and making the tough calls, spoke up.


    One of her eyes was covered in her ck eyepatch, while her crimson hair danced behind her as she spoke gravely.


    Her eye was on the three Otherworlders before her.


    "I believe we ought to take it seriously, considering Rey is in their territory." The first to speak was the Grand Pdin rk.


    "I agree with rk." Trisha added with a deep frown. "It must be really serious if he chose to warn us."


    The Admiral, Vice Admiral, Strategist, and Head Warrior all nodded in agreement to this.


    However, there was one person who was yet to speak.


    "What do you think about all of this, Lady Alicia White?"


    All eyes fell on the beautiful girl in the room, Her long brown hair remained still as she held her chin and read the letter with her own two eyes.


    After a few seconds of silence, she finally spoke up.


    "Let''s try our hardest." Looking at everyone with a smile on her face, she finally spoke up. "This isn''t a fight we can afford to lose."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]

 Chapter 869 Battle Strategy

    869 Battle Strategy


    Alicia White was currently the most powerful person in the room.


    Not only had she recently be an Absolute Tamer¡ªone of the few people with an S-Tier ss, and the only one in the room¡ªbut her set of Skills and ss Privileges made her an incredible asset in battle.


    In essence, she was indispensable.


    No¡­ pretty much all the Otherworlders were indispensable. Ever since their arrival at the battlefield, things had been going so smoothly that the human side hadn''t had a single casualty for weeks. While most of this was the result of the immense power that the Otherworldders wielded, most of it could be attributed to Alicia.


    Her Healing Magic was at the Absolute Level, and her primary upation in the battlefield was to heal her allies. This made it so that none suffered fatal damage, and even if they did¡­ she could always restore them to their prime state. She could summon a host of Familiars as well, through Summoning Magic, not to mention controlling Dragons by making them her Familiars. All of this was usually done at the rear at the battlefield, which she upied. This allowed her ess to all the various divisions of the army, and also protected her from attack whenever she healed her allies.


    As for the Otherworlders, they were separated into respective divisions.


    Admiral Lucy and rk were in charge of the Main Division, with Trisha and the Vice Admiral being in the second. Brutus had the third Division alone, while the fourth and least dangerous division were led by Generals and the other high-ranking officers. Strategist Lang and Alicia stayed at the rear, the former providing direction for the army, while thetter provided support. To do this, they had to stay on high, fortified ground, which was Lang''s Specialty¡ªdue to one of his Exclusive Skills, [Fortress].


    With it, he could make a structure and assign any attribute he wanted to it. Of course, the moreplex the attributes, the more Mana it would consume. The structure that Lang made with this Skill was a floating fortress that had amplifiers to allow them tomunicate with their allies. It also had anti-projectile barriers, preventing any low-level ranged assault.


    Alicia also added to the security with her Summoned Familiars. Since this was the most vital aspect of their strategy, the defenses they employed were second to none.


    This was the formation that the United Human Alliance employed.


    *************


    "Do you think we have sufficient forces to properly prepare for arge-scale assault?" This was the most pertinent question regarding the warning that Rey gave the camp, and Lucy asked it once she got the opinions of everyone involved.


    As someone who was experienced in leading countless battles, she was the most qualified in being Admiral. Despite being surrounded by people far stronger than her¡ªincluding Chief Warrior Brutus¡ªshe had proven herself as amander and an overallpetent leader.


    Her Strategist, Lang, was also famed to be the most clever man in the Alliance.


    All in all, everyone knew it was in their best interests to follow her lead, and the fact that she had yet to fail them despite the pressures of the battlefield showed that her position was rightfully earned.


    Indeed, the Otherworlders contributedrgely to the sess they were experiencing, but without apetent leader who could channel their strengths in the right way, there was bound to be more casualties and loss overall.


    Lucy and Lang prevented that from happening.


    "We currently have a few hundred thousand members in our army after recruiting from the smaller nations that agreed to the temporary partnership with the Alliance. The problem is that most of these new recruits aren''t very experienced, so they''re practically fodder." Strategist Lang sighed.


    "Even when equipped with the Enchanted Items?"


    "Indeed. Most of them have very low Stats and their Equip Limits are at the bare minimum. We asked them to send us soldiers, but they ended up giving us liabilities."


    The Enchanted Items that were provided made these neers only barely capable of fighting. With no proper Skill or Stat to back it up, they were sitting ducks.


    "I see. Then, it''s best we assign them to the front lines."


    The moment Lucy said this, everyone turned in her direction and gasped, their eyes wide open.


    "WHAT?!"


    Those words of protest were nearly unanimous, with only Strategist Lang and Brutus remaining calm after she uttered those words.


    "What do you mean by that, Admiral?" Alicia was especially vocal, and her expression made it clear that she didn''t like the direction that their n was headed.


    "Those in the front lines usually get eliminated first, which means if the Dragons areing in strong withrge numbers, we can''t make the useful ones die early. Instead, we can cushion their assault a little by feeding them the fodder while the more capable menunch assaults. That way, our enemies get upied by a distraction while we counter."


    It seemed like a heartless measure, but Lucy was right to an extent.


    "The ones who sent them to us did so with the assumption that they would perish. At least, with this, they will do so for a good cause."


    Upon hearing this, Alicia felt a heavy feeling mixed with a stinging pain in her chest.


    Recognizing that people were going to die, especially if it was premeditated, didn''t sit right with her. It made her feel guilty¡ªas if she was the one killing them herself.


    ''Almost like¡­ back then¡­'' shes of her Absolute Summon shed in her mind, forcing her tighten her fist.


    "Admiral Lucy is correct. She and I already did the numbers before calling this meeting, and it''s the most optimal route to take." Strategist Lang added. "Petty tricks and our contemporary battle tactics won''t work on the Dragons¡ªespecially an army of that size."


    When brute force was involved, it was best to employ a simple, but effective strategy.


    "Based on our calctions, it''s clear that their efforts would be more concentrated on the Floating Fortress; that is, Alicia and I." Alicia felt stares on her, so she quickly steeled herself with utmostposure.


    A lot of people were relying on her, so she couldn''t afford to look weak.


    "Since that is the case, our strongest efforts should be focused on the rear. We''ll form a new division that will be centered around the Fortress." As he said this, everyone began to make slow nods.


    Alicia joined.


    "That''s how we''ll win."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I hope you enjoyed the chapter, even though it was practically exposition. There was supposed to be a whole War Arc, but I believe this is much better.


    We should actually conclude this Arc this month, and¡­ in usual fashion¡­ there''s quite the twist at the end of this Arc.


    Perhaps the most intense twist so far.


    Care to guess?


    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

 Chapter 870 Night Before The War

    Chapter 870 Night Before The War


    "Tomorrow''s the big day."


    rk''s deep voice resonated within the room where he and the new friends he had made in this short while upied.


    "Are you guys ready?" He smiled at them, his confident expression masking the slight nervousness that was slowly beginning to creep in on him.


    He already expected some big counterattack from the Dragons at some point, but he had hoped it would onlye once the rest of the Otherworlders had assembled.


    ''We''re still missing a lot of people. Justin and Belle would reallye in helpful right now.'' He sighed internally. ''Then there''s Rey and Lucielle¡­ our top guns.''


    By ''top gun'', he was mainly referring to Rey.


    However, other than all of these very obvious options, there was one more person that he missed very dearly¡ªsomeone he wished was on their side right now, more than anyone else he had just thought about.


    "Eric¡­" He whispered under his breath, low enough that no one around him heard the words he uttered.


    Despite getting much closer to the troops, and even getting to know his ssmates better¡ªparticrly Trisha¡ªhe couldn''t get over his deceased friend. Every now and then, he would think about him. Sometimes, Eric even appeared in his dreams, and they would have long conversations about random stuff.


    ''I miss you, man¡­'' There was someone else that rk missed, but that wasn''t due to him being dead. Rather, it was more out of curiosity and slight annoyance.


    ''Where the hell are you, Adonis?'' This world needed its Hero now, more than ever, yet the man was nowhere to be seen.


    It frustrated rk to no end¡ªespecially since he knew the kind of person Adonis was.


    ''Or was I wrong about him?''


    In the end, despite starting out with nearly thirty students who were meant to save this world, there were less than ten of them who were left.


    ''Can we still do it?'' rk wondered now, just as he thought to himself every day. However, as always, he told himself not to be overly concerned with such details.


    He just had to do what he could do.


    That was all.


    ***************


    "Are you good? You seemed a little shaken up " Trisha nudged Alicia as she approached her.


    Thetter was standing at the edge of one of the great walls of the fortress when she was joined by her well-meaning friend..


    Before the both of them was the battlefield¡ªa darkenednd that had been worn and torn due to the decade-long war that didn''t seem to be ending anytime soon.


    Thisnd spread out for miles, with no end or border in sight.


    Anyone looking at it for the first time would be forced to believe that the ce had always been like this, but those who had lived long before the war reached such a height could testify that there was a time when the ce flourished with sild greeneries and the wonderful colors of nature.


    Apparently, not too far from this ce was a river that bustled with a constant stream of fresh water.


    Now, none of those could be seen.


    The irreversible damage of war had marred everything in sight¡­ turning it into a terribly huge scar. One that Alicia now fed to her eyes.


    "I just¡­ the n involves the sacrifice of too many people." Alicia muttered. "We''re talking almost a hundred thousand."


    "Yeah. That does sound like a lot." Trisha responded.


    "I even offered to heal them, but Lucy kept emphasizing how they''re a lost cause and my efforts would best be put to providing support for the ones who really need it."


    "Mhm¡­"


    "I mean, how can you ce such a biased value on human life?" Alicia scoffed. "I¡­ I could never do that."


    "Which is why you''re not the Admiral¡­ or the Strategist." Upon hearing Trisha''s retort, Alicia gave her a slight scowl, forcing the former to quickly apologize while smiling knowingly.


    "Look, I understand what you''re saying, Alicia." "You do?"


    "Yeah. It''s messed up that we have to choose who lives and who dies¡­ but this is war." Trisha sighed. "In an ideal world, everyone would be at home doing whatever they liked. We would still be on Earth, probably studying for our Exams or something."


    "Midterms actually. Based on the Academic Calendar, we should be studying for Midterms right about now."


    "You''ve been keeping track, huh?"


    "Every single day." Alicia gave a sad smile. "I really¡­ miss home."


    "Yeah, me too." Trisha smiled back. "Back home, we wouldn''t have to make such messed up decisions. Our biggest problems back then suddenly seem so trivial here."


    "Yeah¡­"


    The two girls remained silent for a while, each not saying a word to the other as they enjoyed the solitude of the night.


    But, not long after, Trisha broke the silence.


    "Are you okay with leaving Rey behind?" "W-what?" Alicia, clearly surprised by the question, turned to Trisha while responding with a stutter.


    "I know you have feelings for him, and he also has feelings for you." Trisha chuckled. "It''s so obvious."


    Alicia looked away, slight hues of pink on her cheeks.


    "I also had feelings for Rey. A part of me still does, but I recognize that he isn''t mine, so I''ve been getting over him."


    The look of surprise on Alicia''s face as she looked at Trisha joking about her feelings only made thetterugh even harder.


    "Rx. I''m not pained or anything." She shrugged. "It hurt at first, but it''s fine now¡­ mostly."


    "Trisha¡­"


    "The point is¡­ I think you must have thought about what leaving this ce will mean; for you and him."


    They were probably never going to see each other again.


    Even if they did, they would be living such different lives that it wouldn''t be right to hold onto the feelings they had for each other.


    "If you''re returning to Earth, you must be ready to abandon those feelings for Rey." Trisha tapped Alicia on her shoulder.


    "You''ll be happier that way."


    Alicia sighed and nodded. She had been pushing aside those thoughts for a while now, and the intensity of the battlefield definitely helped her in that effort.


    But, with Trisha bringing it up again, she couldn''t help but introspect.


    ''Am I really prepared to say goodbye to Rey?''


    The answer seemed obvious and simple, but even now Alicia didn''t know the right answer.


    "Rey will be able to move on, even without m¡ª"


    "This isn''t about Rey and what he wants." Trisha stopped her before she could finish. "It''s about you."


    "...."


    "What do you want?"


    "I want to go back home¡­ but I also¡­"


    "Yes¡­?" n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "I also want to be with Rey." She sighed, her shoulders drooped.


    "You can''t have both."


    "Yeah. He probably wouldn''t agree toe back to Earth with me." She muttered. "He''s too much in love with this world."


    "More in love with it than you?" As Trisha''s question wafted in the air, she couldn''t help but ask herself the same thing.


    "I think so¡­"


    Upon making that realization, Alicia knew she couldn''t have him to herself even if she wanted to. Rey belonged here, and she didn''t.


    ''I guess¡­ I really should let him go.''


    After this, neither of the girls brought up the topic ever again. They simply stared into the darkened sky and appreciated the embrace of night.


    Turbulent times were fast approaching, andthe current topic was unsuited for it.

 Chapter 871 Armada

    Chapter 871 Armada


    The day finally arrived, and it was chaos.


    A hundred thousand Dragons stormed into the battlefield¡ªan absurd figure that the humans had never experienced in their decade long skirmish against the horrid creatures.


    Even after receiving the warnings, they estimated the number of Dragons to be at the upper limit of fifty thousand¡ªperhaps sixty.


    But, their current size was twice the expected number.


    "Ahh¡­ this is bad." Strategist Lang muttered as he stood beside Alicia in their fortress.


    They had the strongest caliber of Dragons under Alicia''s control flying around them¡ªall of them being Dragon Commanders¡ªand they remained fortified through a list of Spells ced on the floating structure itself.


    Still, neither of them felt safe in the face of the iing armada.


    From their distance, the Dragons appeared to be a swarm of bats¡­ perhaps even locusts. However, the closer they got, therger they became.


    From the very start, they were already in their Dragon Forms, showing how much they meant business.


    "We need to brace for impact." The Strategist whispered under his breath. "Chances are that we''ll suffer even more damage than projected."


    Alicia clenched her fist and bit her lip as she heard this.


    The project casualty was one-third of their whole forces. If this battle would cause more lives to be lost, how many exactly would wound up dead? She couldn''t help but tremble as she did the numbers in her head.


    ''Even with my Healing¡­'' Her thoughts trailed as she sighed.


    As long as the person was alive, Alicia could heal thempletely. However, a lot of these men would die from a single attack of the Dragons, so how was she supposed to help them? Besides, a constant barrage from so many Dragons was bound to cause even more instant casualty than her Healing could keep up with.


    ''Then there''s the fact that I don''t have unlimited Mana¡­'' With an army thisrge, and the kind of injuries they suffered, her Mana Level was going to be depleted very rapidly. Of course, there were stocks of Recovery Potions that she could use, but that didn''t mean she wouldn''t have to take breaks.


    A single second of inactivity probably meant the death of dozens¡ªif not hundreds.


    ''So many lives¡­ I''m responsible for so many lives.'' Alicia heaved slowly, trying her best to keep everything under control.


    Her breathing was quickly bing erratic the more she thought about the situation.


    "Please don''t overwhelm yourself, Lady Alicia White." Strategist Lang''s voice brought her out her silent whirlpool of thoughts.


    He was a much older man, with graying hair, and a lean physique. He had a cheerful smile on his face, for someone who often made cold and calcted decisions on the battlefield¡­ and right now, he was staring at her.


    "The deaths that will be incurred today are not in any way your fault, or your concern. You should only do what you can, and leave the rest to everyone else." Those words were meant to make her feel better, but she couldn''t help but feel worse.


    The guilt that ate at her quickened in its intensity.


    ''But¡­ if I use my Divine Beast Summon Skill¡­ I should be able to turn the tides of the battle.''


    She wasn''t foolish enough to go for a Divine Beast. What if it was just an Absolute Beast? That would be a fine contribution to the battle, wouldn''t it?


    ''No¡­'' Her body grew rigid as she hugged herself, trying not to show the result of trauma on her face.


    Using Divine Beast Summon was not something she could undertake properly in her current state. Not only had she notpletely gotten over the traumatic experience that Dagon inflicted on her, but¡­ the death of Snow still haunted her.


    If she summoned another Divine Beast, and she bonded with it, then¡­


    ''... What if they die cruelly like Snow?''


    She couldn''t imagine her Beast Summon¡ªwhich could be described as a pet to her¡ªdying gruesomely before her very eyes.


    How could she summon something like Snow and send it out to battle instantly? Particrly when it had no EXP and was most vulnerable.


    Such a creature was bound to die sooner orter.


    This was why she only resorted to summoning Monsters or Taming Dragons¡ªwho were already the enemies. Because even if they were to die, she wouldn''t feel the same guilt or pain as what would happen if it was a Beast she Summoned.


    ''I don''t think I can deal with another death on my conscience¡­'' Alicia thought to herself with a gentle sigh.


    But, if she opted for the most powerful card in her arsenal¡ªsomething like Dagon¡ªthen she would only be making things worse, and everyone in the battlefield would suffer for it.


    This dilemma made herpletely moot regarding her ability to contribute more to the fight, and she felt great guilt as a result.


    "The fight is about to start." Strategist Lang''s voice forced her to straighten up. "Get ready."


    Any moment now, the Dragons wouldunch their first volley, thereby kicking the battle into full swing. The soldiers clenched their fists as they prepared themselves; all recognizing that that very day could be their end.


    Ten seconds left, and they began to sweat and tremble, still tightly gripping their weapons.


    Five seconds left, and they took their stance.


    Three seconds left. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Two¡­


    ¡­ One.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!~


    A loud explosion erupted from just a little beyond the first row of human soldiers that were meant to be sacrifices for the Dragons.


    They had already expected to be incinerated, or bombarded with the enemy assault, due to being in the front lines, but nothing of the sort happened. Instead, they were hit with a deafening sound that resembled a shockwave.


    All of them instantly lifted their eyes to see what had just happened.


    "A-ahh¡­?"


    "T-that is¡­?!"


    "W-what is that?"


    Right ahead was a powerful barrier¡ªa wall of energy¡ªthatpletely separated the path of the Dragons from the humans.


    However, the explosion did not arise from that.


    Instead, it came from certain figures that floated high in the sky¡ªfar above the Dragons that remained suspended in the sky and now faced their new opponents.


    These figures ranged in appearance. Some of them appeared to be made of elemental attributes¡ªin essence, Elementals. Others seemed to be Monsters of different kinds, and finally¡­ there were puppets who seemed to be modeled after humans. All of these three categories of entities had shimmering armor on, and they were notcking in weapons.


    The army numbered in the hundreds of thousands, and they littered the night sky like a thick cloud blocking the dim sunlight from bathing the battlefield.


    "H-how did¡­? What are they?!" Strategist Lang eximed, stupefied by the absurd number of troops that had suddenly appeared seemingly out of nowhere.


    These troops were the ones that attacked the Dragons in a split-second, faster than most of the soldiers in the battlefield could react.


    "An army of that size¡­ made up of Elementals, Summons, and Puppets¡­" Alicia whispered, also taking all of it in with shock. "... There''s only one person on our side that should be capable of something like this."


    An image of Rey appeared in Alicia''s mind and she found herself gripping her chest while smiling.


    "We''re saved."

 Chapter 872 Reys Army

    Chapter 872 Rey''s Army


    ''A-amazing!''


    Strategist Lang''s eyes widened as he witnessed the glorious disy of Rey''s army in the sky above the Dragons.


    They were about two times¡ªno, three times¡ªgreater in number whenpared to the seemingly overwhelming number that the enemies boasted of. They were also donning Enchanted Items in the form of armor.


    ''Just when did he prepare this troop? How did he¡ª?'' As he was having these thoughts, his eyes greatly widened as he fell into realization.


    ''D-don''t tell me¡­ back then!'' A day or so before the Otherworlders arrived, Rey Skr came to the fortress and requested to be shown the battlefield. He was taken there, and he had a tour of the whole ce. Back then, he muttered stuff about "making preparations", but no one understood what he really meant.


    They thought he meant preparing for the arrival of the Otherworlders, which they were already taking care of.


    But¡­ What if he meant this?


    "Was he making preparations for when something like this would happen?!" Strategist Lang said in sheer disbelief as his eyes took in what could be described as a miracle.


    There didn''t seem to be any other rational exnation.


    An army of such magnitude didn''t just pop out of nowhere in an instant without someone incredibly powerfulying the groundwork for it. And Rey Skr was humanity''s strongest at the moment.


    ''The Dragons must have activated some sort of trap he set, triggering the appearance of his backup army, as well as the barrier that protects us from whatever is bound to happen next.'' The Strategist thought to himself. ''I have tomend his foresight in this matter.''


    It was nothing short of phenomenal.


    ''And now¡­ it seems there is nothing for our army to do but sit back and watch.''


    Even though the rational option was for everyone to remain on standby¡ªjust in case Rey''s countermeasure was ineffective¡ªStrategist Lang couldn''t help but give in to his sentimental side.


    "Haaa¡­" He sighed in relief, copsing on a seat he made from stone in the fortress. "We won''t have to sacrifice anyone, after all."


    A genuine smile spread on his face. "What a relief."


    Despite being responsible for so many coldhearted decisions for the sake of tactics, the Strategist didn''t enjoy sacrificing his troops. They were all people, with friends and families, and lives that they had to get back to after the war.


    There was never any pleasure in the decisions he made.


    However, it was just something unavoidable¡­ something that had to be done for the greater good.


    "What now, Strategist?" Alicia asked, her eyes still focused on what was going on beyond the battlefield. "You tell me." He shrugged. "I never anticipated this."


    "Still¡­"


    "What do you think, Alicia? Sir Rey Skr has prepared all of this to help us, and it seems like his forces have the advantages in initiative, position, and number, but nothing is ever assured in this life." He started, staring at her with a small smile.


    "...."


    "Do you think there''s a chance he might lose, and we''d be back to where we started?"


    Alicia brooded on the question for a while, looking at the Strategist, who was seated on his chair and enjoyed the view from afortable position.


    There was a seat right beside him for Alicia if she wanted, and it seemed to be calling for her.


    "Nah¡­" She whispered, her lips broadening to form a smile. "He''d win." n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    **************


    Just as foretold by Alicia, and foreseen by the Strategist, Rey''s army utterly decimated the Dragon Troops that attacked in full force.


    It didn''t even matter that they now had Dragon Generals in their ranks, and were led by Members of the Forest Dragon Lord Squad. In the face of an entire army filled with Absolute-Tier Elementals, numerous Grand-Tier Monsters, and Puppets with the same rank, all of them donning powerful Items and surpassing the Dragons three to one, the prideful Dragons stood no chance.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    The initial blow that Rey''s army dealt was to confuse and discoordinate the Dragons, who were already in formation. Such a surprise attack rightfully got the job done, forcing the enemies to change targets.


    Since there was also a barrier that prevented the Dragons from advancing, and they were too prideful to retreat, they were stuck in a very narrow location.


    Finally, Rey''s army had the upper ground, and they had their attacks already charged¡­ even before the Dragons had any chance to react.


    The results were pretty clear.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMM!!!~


    The second series of attacks was aimed at grounding the Dragons. It was only a matter of time before the Dragons caught wind of the whole situation and came up with an effective way to retaliate.


    In order to prevent such measures, the sentinels were instructed to specifically target the wings, limbs, and the base of their necks, forcing them to crash to the ground.


    Dragons in danger instinctively protected their heads, hearts, and upper necks¡ªall to prevent dying¡ªso this strategy was incredibly effective.


    Once the Dragons were sessfully grounded, the third andst phase of the n was birthed.


    ¡ªRaining down destruction!


    Dragons had incredible regenerative capabilities, but they weren''t immortal. The more damage they received, the quicker their Mana would run out as it tried topensate for the rapid healing they were undergoing.


    If most of their Mana was going towards Healing, and potentially Defense, they wouldn''t have enough to attack.


    To prepare for this long-drawn match of Mana, the army in the sky¡ªeven down to the domesticated Monsters¡ªall had specified Enchanted Items that gave them an incredible boost of energy.


    The items also improved the output of their attacks.


    This made it so that they wouldn''t be expending as much Mana for the kinds of attacks that they were dishing out, while also having an incredible pool to draw from.


    Based on all of these factors, Rey Skr''s army emerged victorious after only a couple of hours.


    The hundred thousand Dragons that attacked the Alliance perished right there and then¡ªall without even taking a single life.


    This was achieved single-handedly through Rey''s power and no one else''s.


    *


    *


    *


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 873: The Semi-Finals

    Chapter 873: The Semi-Finals


    ?


    "Wee, everyone! This is the moment you''ve all been waiting for!"


    It was the day of the Semi-Finals and Finals of the Academy Tournament Event, and everyone in the room was incredibly excited.


    The room was electric with tension and anticipation as the referee, as well as host, raised his voice and garnered the excited shouts and apuse of everyone spectating.


    "Today, we have the four contestants who will be participating in the semi-finals. R''ai, Ad''oni, Luc''ia, and Adrian!"


    Everyone apuded as the four students walked out into the massive stage.


    The crowd wasn''t very excited to see Adrien, but they were more than happy for the rest of the candidates. Not only were they all in the First Grade-showing incredible talent and strength to make it so far-but they were all respectable Dragons.


    Dragons supported one another-especially if they were strong.


    The only sight for sore eyes was Adrien, and despite their fear of him, the audience couldn''t help but raise their voices belittling him in the best ways they could.


    "Make sure you show him, Luc''ia!"


    "Kick his butt for us!"


    "Avenge my little sister! That monster deserves to pay!"


    More and more retorts like that echoed among the audience. Since Adrien had proven to be cruel and heartless irrespective of their jeering and unanimous disy of disgust towards him, they decided to go all out.


    Needless to say, the hall was packed to the brim with many Dragons, all for various reasons.


    But, they all had one thing inmon-seeing Adrien''s downfall.


    "And now, for the first match of the day... R''ai versus Ad''oni!"


    Many people were hoping to see Lucielle face Adrien first, and the Academy knew this already, so they decided to push it back in order to get the more uninteresting fight out of the way.


    However, ''uninteresting'' in this instance didn''t mean boring.


    R''ai and Ad''oni were both contestants who ended their opponents in single strikes. Ad''oni used the same move all the time, while R''ai had variations in his attacks.


    Still, they weren''t particrly performers.


    They simply opted for the most effective route in dispatching their opponents, and that was about the end of it. Even now, as Adrien and Lucielle exited the stage, leaving only the two contestants standing opposite each other, the audience couldn''t help but feel like this match would be over really quickly.


    Ad''oni seemed faster, but R''ai was stronger.


    However, since Ad''oni was yet to show so many cards that he had up his sleeves, it was impossible for anyone to say if he was actually weaker or not.


    That was left for the match to decide.


    "I suppose it would be a waste of time to tell you to forfeit the match?" For the first time in the history of the Tournament Event, Ad''oni was the first to speak.


    It seemed like he really didn''t want to fight his opponent.


    "I could say the same about you." R''ai responded with a daring smile. "Sorry, but I can''t afford to lose this."


    Ad''oni sighed, closing his eyes for a moment while leaking out a steamy breath.


    "Neither can I."


    "... BEGIN!"


    ***************


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    Rey felt a rush of wind as the match started, already sensing the high-speed movement of his opponent before he made it.


    ''I have [Absolute Intuition], [Absolute Comprehension], and [Deep Anticipation]... all of which are S-Tier.'' He nearly leaked out a sigh. ''I know all your moves before you make them.''


    Adonis rushed forward with his de, going as fast as his secret identity as a student would allow him to.


    Rey understood that he also had to operate within the same bounds of speed-which was, strictly speaking, inferior to what Adonis had disyed. In a battle of speed, everyone was expecting Adonis to have the upper hand, hence he would be able to end things a lot faster.


    However...N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ''... I have more than enough time to prepare for whatever he wants to do.''


    Rey already knew what Adonis was going to do, so he could simply bypass the process of guessing ande up with a counter or a way to evade, at the very least.


    ''Let''s start with evasion.''


    Adonis nearly closed the gap between them in a sh, attempting to strike Rey down by hitting his neck with the blunt edge of his de.


    This would naturally stun Rey, while he would then close the rest of the distance and smash his head to the ground.


    This would end the match in a sh-per his usual methods.


    ''It''s smart, all things considered.'' Rey smiled. ''By using the long reach of his weapon to his advantage, he''ll be striking me much faster than I would have expected, considering what he has been doing to the others before me.''


    Perhaps others didn''t notice this, but Adonis was also 1.15 times faster than his usual speed, making previous calctions regarding his speed and the time it would take for him to cover a potential distance obsolete.


    All of this seemed to be in case Rey hade up with strategies based on what he had seen in previous matches, which he never did.


    ''I don''t need to resort toplicated ns when ites to you, Adonis.''


    He could analyze everything in real time and respond to him at the go, which meant all of the boy''s precautions were in vain.


    ''Like so...'' Rey easily moved away from the de''s reach, instantly avoiding Adonis'' first


    strike.


    The Hero seemed surprised by this, but Rey already knew this too was an act.


    ~ZZZTTTZZZ!~


    A sh of golden lightning extended from the de and nearly hit Rey, but he had already generated a barrier to stop it right on time.


    Another look of surprise came from the Hero, but even this was another feint.


    Rey hurriedly shifted to the side, and the next moment... an intense thunderbolt crashed


    where he had stood previously.


    ''You coated your attack with a Cloaking Spell and tried to distract me with all of these tactics from the very start.'' Rey''s smile broadened as he stared at Adonis.


    Now, the Hero was genuinely surprised.


    ''It''s a shame, but none of those will work on me.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Rey is absolutely busted now, isn''t he? Looks like I managed to release an extra chapter today.


    Yayyy!

 Chapter 874: Flash Of Light

    Chapter 874: sh Of Light


    ?


    ''Damnit...''


    Adonis clicked his tongue as he watched Rey just barely escape the trap heid out from the very start of their match.


    ''I was sure I got him for sure...'' He thought to himself, gritting his teeth as he tightly held his de, eyes focused squarely on the target.


    As it turned out, his victory wasn''t going toe easy.


    ''He''s most definitely stronger than I am, but I thought I would have the upper hand by taking the initiative. It seems he must have predicted it.''


    Adonis didn''t know all of Rey''s Skills, but he knew all of his.


    ''Most of my Skills can''t be used here, and the ones that can have to be suppressed so I don''t reveal my full abilities. I reckon the same goes for him.'' As he thought about this, his frown deepened.


    ''As I suspected, the problem lies in Passive Skills...''


    Passive skills were easier to hide, and in situations like this, they were most definitely more useful than their Active Counterparts-particrly the ones that weren''t very shy or conspicuous.


    ''I don''t know what set of Passive Skills he has, but it''s possible he could be using them to his advantage in our fight.'' Adonis tightened his grip on his de, ring even further. ''It seems I''ll have to think of another approach.''


    If Rey was Dragon, or he was perceived as a genuine enemy by Adonis, thetter would have been able to make proper use of his Conditional Passive Skill [Absolute Good Shall Prevail]. That alone would havepletely changed the nature of this fight, and there would be no need for much of a struggle on his part.


    ''How unfortunate...''


    Still, all of these limitations and unexpected situations weren''t going to stop Adonis in the slightest.


    He had already resolved to win-and not even Rey could stop him.


    ''Let''s kick things up a notch...''


    ~VWUSH!~


    A burst of light suddenly erupted from his position, and instantly swirling around his body. His whole body now emitted a bright sh of golden light, and this pulsating energy particrly coalesced on his de.


    ''If I use theplete power of the [Divine Light Magic] Skill, things could get a little too dangerous.'' Adonis heaved a sigh, taking a fighting stance. But, by limiting it to such an extent, there shouldn''t be a problem.''


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    He became a blur of light, shooting towards Rey in a golden streak. The entire stage shook as he closed the distance, and the previous location he had stood on shattered into massive chunks.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    That didn''t stop his march, though.


    In no time, he was right next to Rey, swinging his sword in onerge sweep.


    ''By using a horizontal sh with such a powerful flow of energy, he won''t be able to avoid it using his current speed. And...'' As Adonis thought this, he noticed Rey leaping high into the air in order to avoid the horizontal sh of energy.


    This only caused the Hero to smile.


    ''... Even if you jump to avoid it, there''s no point!''


    Adonis twisted his body in an instant, switching to a vertical sh as he brought his golden de down.


    ~BOOOOOOOM!~


    The audience was in shock at the shy disy and incredible prowess that Adonis disyed at thest minute. He had perfectly calcted where the enemy was going to be, and he could quickly switch his form topensate.


    Since Adonis was also much faster than Rey-at least, this was the general consensus of the audience¡ªthere was little doubt about his move connecting.


    In essence, this was his victory.


    "Disappointing..."


    Adonis'' eyes widened as he heard Rey''s voice echo softly in the air.


    Right as this happened, a powerful force suddenly erupted, sending him flying backwards. The sharp gust of wind also pushed away the sh that should have hit the target.


    In a sh, everything was repelled away from Rey.


    "Did you really think that would be enough?" As the voice grew louder, so did its intensity. "How incredibly disappointing."


    Blusih-white energy swirled around Rey as he stared down at Adonis, who was now rising from the ground that he had slid on. The former was floating high in the air, having energy dancing around him like the wind.


    "I suppose it''s my turn."


    All of a sudden, Rey vanished from his position, appearing right beside Adonis within the blink of an eye.


    "W-wha-?!" Before Adonis could brandish his de, a strike burst from his opponent, breaking his weak defense in that split second.


    Adonis found his hand forcefully flung away, along with his de, thanks to the immense strength Rey put behind his attack.


    At that instant, the audience gasped.


    ~VWUUUM!~


    Rey instantly took his stance, crouching a little as he prepared to sh.


    ''I need to leave his range!'' Adonis swiftly thought to himself, attempting to leap away as fast


    as he could.


    However-


    ''What''s this? Why am I being sucked in?!''


    Despite trying to escape, Adonis felt like he was being pulled towards Rey... almost as if thetter had be the center of gravity in their vast battlefield.


    ''If I can''t escape and defend... I just have to attack before he does anything!'' Gritting his teeth in desperation, Adonis charged at Rey, using the excessive pull of gravity to his advantage.


    His entire body glimmered with light as he thrust out his de, feeling the rising heat as he poured more energy into that attack.


    ''With this, I''ll end everything!''


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    Then... as Adonis neared, ready to inflict the final blow that would guarantee his victory, he noticed a disturbing expression on Rey''s face.


    It was a cruel smile!


    ~CLANG!~


    Rey instantly struck, much faster than Adonis could react to at his current pace, easily forcing


    his de away from his grip.


    ''N-no!'' A bead of sweat formed on his face at that instant.


    ''At this rate... at this rate, I''m going to lose!''


    For a split second, right before Rey''s fist was supposed to hit Adonis, he had a thought.


    ''Should I... use more power?''


    That held the risk of blowing his cover, but if he didn''t do something now, he was going to


    lose!


    ''I can''t afford that right now!'' He cried within his heart. ''I can''t afford to lose!''


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Whew...

 Chapter 875: Winner and Loser

    Chapter 875: Winner and Loser


    ?


    ''I can''t afford to lose!''


    As this thought echoed in Adonis'' head, he gritted his teeth and prepared himself to release slightly more power than he nned on.


    ''Rey, you... you went above the limit you disyed throughout the fights! I underestimated how far you were willing to go in order to win!'' His thoughts trailed. ''But, if you''re increasing your power output, it''s only fair that I do the sa-!''


    "I don''t think so!" Like a shadow, Rey swiftly crept up on Adonis and grabbed him on his face.


    ''-ame''


    Adonis felt his body falling to the ground at an abnormally fast rate right as hepleted his thought, and before he could properly respond...


    -B000000000000M!!! -


    ... His back crashed against the hard surface of the stage.


    "Gah!" Adonis didn''t feel a lot of pain, but he felt incredible difort, as Rey''s palm was heavily nted on his face with no way ofing off.


    He couldn''t escape his grip, and neither could he fight against it with his current output of energy.


    "Y-YOUUUU!!!"


    Shouting at the top of his lungs, Adonis instantly used up more Mana to improve the intensity of his light.


    However, even that remained ineffective.


    "You should stay down now..." Rey raised Adonis'' head, and then sent it crashing to the ground for the second time.


    This time, the noise of the impact rang louder than before.


    The entire stage shook violently, and heavy cracks spread from the point of impact. Heavy debris flew in multiple directions, but Rey didn''t seem bothered at all.


    He still held onto Adonis'' face.


    "Give up."


    Adonis shook his head, his voicepletely muffled due to Rey tightly gripping onto his face. However, it was clear what he was trying to say.


    "NEVER! I''ll never give u-!"


    ~BO00000000OOM!!!~


    Yet another crash into the ground, this time even much louder than the previous two.


    "If you keep resisting and increasing your power, I''ll do the same." Rey whispered into his


    ears.


    This caused Adonis'' already bloodshot eyes to widen even more.


    "Give up now."


    "Mmph...!"


    -B0000000000000M!-


    "Yield."


    -B000000000000000000MM!!


    "Now!"


    -B0000000000000000000000000MMM!!!-


    The pounding continued for a few more seconds, with the audience falling silent as they watched the disy of stubbornness from Adonis and the mercilessness from Rey. Adonis kept ring at Rey, but Rey remained expressionless as he looked his friend-or rather, former friend-in the eye.


    "You would do the same if our roles were reversed." Rey whispered to him, before finally deciding to resort to something else.


    ''If I use something like [Absolute Mass Stun], or any other skill to make him lose consciousness, or paralyze him at least, his ss Privilege will simply counter it. To win... I have to actually knock him out..''


    However, Adonis was being too stubborn.


    ''No matter the kind of attack I use, unless it''s in a certain kind of destructive level, it won''t really faze him.''


    However, that didn''t mean Rey didn''t have a way out.


    ''[Tempora].''


    In that instant, everyone in the hall froze.


    They were all forcefully stopped in time, making it so that only Rey and Adonis were the only ones who could move properly.


    Releasing his grip on Adonis, Rey raised his fist with one swift motion.


    "W-what did you just-?!"


    "None of your business. But... with this... it''s over" Rey smiled, gathering a dangerous cluster of energy on his raised fist.


    There was no way Adonis could defend against this, and it was an unavoidable hit since Rey was much faster than he was. Plus, he was restricting his movements, so there was no escape. ''First, I coat my fist with [Perfect Divine Ray] for a moment... and then...''


    "S-stop!"


    "... It''s my win!"


    -B000000000000000M!-


    One quick jab did the trick, and it instantly knocked Adonis out cold.


    "Haa..." At that moment, Rey released [Tempora], allowing everyone to see the pathetic face


    of his opponent, who had just lost consciousness.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Rising from where he stood, he dropped Adonis'' body to the ground, ignoring the light thudding sound it made as his flesh hit the shattered ground.


    Instead, he raised his fist and smiled at the audience.


    "WOOOOOOHOOOO!!!" They cheered, as expected, but Rey''s focus was hardly on them.


    Instead, he looked in Lucielle''s direction and slowly nodded.


    ''I ended the match quickly, and also made sure not to give him any room tond a single hit. Still, he managed to impress the audience with his shy moves and stubbornness.'' Rey thought slowly. ''In order to do better than him, Lucielle has to at least hold her own against Adrien andnd a few hits.''


    Rey wasn''t expecting her to defeat him or anything, but she had to at least do a lot better than Adonis in order to be selected by the White Dragon Lord.


    ''Speaking of Adonis...'' Rey returned his gaze to the Hero and sighed softly.


    There was never a doubt that he would win, but he had actually gotten a little nervous at some point during the fight. It happened when Adonis kept clinging to a chance at victory when there wasn''t even one to begin with.


    ''For a moment there... I felt a spike of emotions... and all of a sudden it was gone.''


    He didn''t feel the slightest bit of emotion when he kept smashing Adonis to the ground, and then finishing him off with the final move. Rey justified this by thinking Adonis would have done the same to him, but something felt wrong about the whole thing.


    ''I guess it doesn''t matter now.'' He told himself as he walked away from the scene. ''I won. That''s all that matters.''


    ****************


    "The next and final match of the Semi-Finals, involving Luc''ia and Adrien..."


    Lucielle stood on her end of the stage, a small smile on her face, as she faced the nightmare


    that everyone thought he was-Adrien Chase.


    The two of them were smiling at each other, their white and ck hairs dancing in the air as


    they waited for their fight to begin.


    Tension filled the air, and all eyes were on them.


    "... BEGIN!"


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Who do you think will win this fight? I wonder...

 Chapter 876: Lucielle Vs Adrien [Pt 1]

    Chapter 876: Lucielle Vs Adrien [Pt 1]


    ?


    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ''Adrien Chase...''


    Lucielle didn''t know much about her opponent, but she knew enough to logicallye to the conclusion that she couldn''t win.


    Not only was he an Otherworlder, but ording to Rey, he had a wide array of Skills at his disposal. He could also create more skills if he wanted, so he was practically impossible to defeat through conventional means.


    The most dangerous aspect about him wasn''t only his cruelty, but that there really wasn''t any need for him to hide his strength.


    Unlike Rey and Lucielle, who were in disguise as Dragons, Adrien already identified as a human. He also had the backing of a Dragon Lord, which meant he was amply protected, even if he wasn''t a Dragon.


    He could disy any of his skills without any limitations, since he wasn''t undercover-a luxury they couldn''t afford.


    When analyzing all of these things, it was easy to conclude who the loser would be.


    But-


    ''I still want to do this!'' Lucielle told herself, smiling as she prepared herself for a fight that she had no chance of winning.


    Right at that moment, the voice of the referee echoed in the air and the match began.


    "Let the match... begin!"


    ~WHOOSH!~


    Adrien moved first, faster than Lucielle anticipated.


    His figure blurred, and in the blink of an eye, he was right in front of her. His hand crackled with a strange energy, a skill she couldn''t identify. She barely had time to react, instinctively raising her arm to block.


    A translucent barrier instantly shrouded her body right as his fist connected.


    ~BOOOOOM!~


    The force of Adrien''s attack sent a shockwave through her body, making her stumble back. Her arm throbbed from the impact, but she gritted her teeth, refusing to falter.


    "So slow," Adrien said, his toneced with amusement as he casually lowered his hand. "I expected more from a supposed Dragon."


    Lucielle''s mind raced that very instant. Adrien wasn''t just fast-he was toying with her. His eyes gleamed with malice, as if he relished the idea of breaking her spirit. But she wasn''t going to let him win that easily.


    ''Think, Lucielle... think!''


    Sheunched forward, her body moving with the fluid grace of a dragon, though restrained to maintain her disguise. Lucielle''s hands ignited with a blue me as she shed at Adrien, aiming for his midsection.


    He didn''t dodge.


    ~CLANG!~


    Her fiery ws met an invisible barrier just inches from Adrien''s skin. He smirked, and the barrier rippled, absorbing the force of her attack with ease.


    "Barrier magic, huh?" Lucielle whispered, pulling back. ''Just how many Skills does he have?'' She had never seen him use this one in the other fights until now, so it was certainly a new one to her. Still, she maintained herposure and decided to go along with the n she had just conceived in her mind.


    "You look surprised," Adrien said, stepping forward. "You should have expected this, since you''re buddy buddy with R''ai. Right now, I only need one to deal with you before making it to the finals..."


    Then, with widened eyes, he spoke like a maniac.


    "Do you think you''re strong enough to actually go against me?"


    His words cut deep, but Lucielle didn''t allow herself to be shaken. She just needed a decent strategy.


    ''I know I can''t fight him head-on. I can''t win that way, so let''s try something else....'' Adrien wasn''t going to wait for her to figure it out. His eyes shed, and the air around him distorted. Before she could react, dozens of spears made of shadow materialized in the air, hovering around him like deadly sentinels.


    "Shadow Spears," he said with a cruel grin. "Let''s see you dodge these."


    ~VWUUSH!~


    The spearsunched at her, one after the other, each one faster than thest.


    Lucielle moved, her body twisting and turning as she narrowly avoided the onught. Each spear that missed her exploded upon impact with the ground, sending chunks of debris flying. But Adrien wasn''t done. With a flick of his wrist, the remaining spears changed direction mid- air, homing in on her again.


    ''Tch...''


    Lucielle''s heart raced as she leaped into the air, her wings unfurling as they pped behind her,


    "Struggling already?" Adrien''s voice taunted from below, his gaze never leaving her.


    She grit her teeth, focusing on the ground below. ''I need to create distance.''


    Lucielle raised her hands, her blue mes ring brighter. She focused her energy, condensing it into a single point before releasing a massive wave of fire toward Adrien.


    -VWUUUSSHH!~


    The ground ignited in blue mes, spreading in a wide arc and forcing Adrien to step back. "Not bad," Adrien said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. He waved his hand, and the shadows around him coalesced into a dome, shielding him from the fire.


    ''Of course, he has a counter for that too,'' Lucielle thought silently. But her attack had bought her a few moments. Shended on the far end of the arena, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath.


    "I have to end this fast," Lucielle whispered to herself, clenching her fists. "I can''t let him keep the advantage."


    Adrien''s barrier faded, and he stepped forward, unscathed. "Is that all? Pathetic."


    Lucielle felt the weight of his words, but she refused to back down. She might not be able to win, but she had to at least make him work for his victory.


    With renewed determination, Lucielle gathered some more Mana. She couldn''t match Adrien''s overwhelming power or the variety of his skills, but she still had something he didn''t


    -her expertise in Magic.


    She dashed toward him, mes erupting from her feet as she closed the gap in an instant. Adrien''s eyes widened slightly, surprised by her sudden burst of speed.


    ~BOOOOOOOM!~


    Lucielle focused everything into one final strike, her ws glowing with a searing blue light.


    Adrien raised his hand to block, but Lucielle had already anticipated that. At thest second, she twisted her body, pivoting around him and striking from the side.


    "It''s usele-"


    ~ZZZTTTZZ!~


    At that moment, Adrien''s barrier buzzed, as if it had been nullified.


    Then-


    ~FSHIII!~


    Her attack connected, the blue mes searing through Adrien''s barrier and mming into his ribs. He grunted in pain, staggering backward for the first time since the match began. Luciellended, panting heavily. Her vision blurred from the strain, but she smiled. She had managed tond a blow.


    Adrien straightened, wiping a trickle of blood from his mouth. His eyes were no longer filled


    with amusement.


    Now, they were cold, furious.


    "Well done," he muttered, his voice low and dangerous. "You actually made me bleed."


    Lucielle felt a chill run down her spine as Adrien''s aura darkened, a thick wave of malevolent


    energy emanating from him. The shadows around him grew thicker, twisting into monstrous forms.


    "You should have stayed down," Adrien said, his voice devoid of any humor now. "But now, I''m going to make sure you regret that."


    She braced herself, knowing the real battle had just begun.


    ''I know he isn''t going all-out at all. I''m also not, but there''s certainly too much of a risk here


    for me if he chooses to take this a lot more seriously.'' Lucielle wasn''t battle crazy, so she was ready to forfeit the match if necessary.


    It was unfortunate that she hadn''t met the threshold that would mark her as superior to


    Ad''oni.


    At least... not yet.


    ''Let''s get a little more serious.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Apologies for myck of uploads for these past few days. Honestly... I feel sorry for letting you


    all down.

 Chapter 877: Lucielle Vs Adrien [Pt 2]

    Chapter 877: Lucielle Vs Adrien [Pt 2]


    ?


    "LUC''IA! LUC''IA! LUC''IA!"


    The crowd roared with excitement, their cheers for Lucielle rising above the jeers aimed at Adrien.


    Her heart pounded as she stood in the middle of the arena, horns glinting under the stage light.


    Across from her, Adrien Chase stood with an air of indifference, unfazed by the boos and taunts hurled at him. His reputation as a cruel and powerful human was pretty much well- known, and he seemed to revel in the disdain.


    ''I don''t know how much of this is an act. ording to what Rey said, he''s simply ying a role for his Dragon Lord sponsor, but... that doesn''t mean I''ll be exempt from harm if I''m not careful.''


    At the moment she thought of this, Adrien met her eyes with a smirk, his stance casual, as if this fight was nothing more than a formality.


    ''Looks like he''s calmed down a little now.''


    He had been pretty upset that she injured him thest time, but all of that malice seemed to vanish alongside his wound.


    ''Well... here goes.'' Lucielle took a deep breath, her eyes narrowing. She raised her hand, and the air around her began to hum with power. ''I should make the fightst as long as I can.''


    "Let''s see what you''ve got, dragon girl," Adrien called out, his voice dripping with mockery. "I hope youst longer than the others."


    Without a word, Lucielle struck. She raised both arms as the ground beneath Adrien began to tremble. A surge of energy rippled through the arena as crimson mes erupted from the ground, spiraling toward him with incredible speed.


    Adrien barely flinched. With a flick of his wrist, a shimmering barrier appeared around him, absorbing the mes effortlessly.


    The crowd gasped, but Lucielle wasn''t deterred. ''He''s blocking again, just like I expected.* She didn''t wait for his counter. Summoning her magic once more, Lucielle focused on the air around her, bending it to her will. The temperature dropped as freezing winds swept across the arena, forming jagged icicles that hovered menacingly above Adrien.


    "Impressive," Adrien said, ncing up at the icicles as they sharpened to deadly points. "But you''ll need more than fancy tricks to-"


    He didn''t get to finish.


    Lucielle unleashed the icicles, sending them crashing down toward him. Adrien''s eyes shed as the ground around him shifted, and a wall of shadows rose from the earth, swallowing the icicles whole. The dark barrier cracked but held, absorbing the full brunt of her attack.


    The crowd cheered for Lucielle''s relentless offense, her control over elemental magic drawing admiration from her peers and seniors alike. It wasn''t like she cared much for their support, but there was a slight desire to meet up with the expectations ced on her.


    Still, despite the cheers, Lucielle knew Adrien was still holding back.


    "You''re better than I thought," Adrien admitted, his smirk widening. "But not good enough."


    Before Lucielle could react, Adrien raised his hand, and the shadows around him turned into several tendrils of energy.


    ~WHOOSH!~


    Theyunched at her with terrifying speed, cutting through the air. Lucielle''s eyes widened, but she quickly raised a barrier of her own, a shimmering blue shield of magic.


    The shadow spears crashed into her barrier, each impact rattling her bones. She gritted her teeth, pouring more energy into the shield, but she could feel the pressure mounting. Adrien wasn''t ying around anymore.


    ''I need to change the tempo.''


    With a swift movement, Lucielle dispelled her barrier and leaped backward, using her wings to propel herself out of range. Her mind raced as she assessed the situation. Adrien''s energy attack was versatile, giving him both offense and defense. But she still had the advantage of range and precision.


    Lucielle''s fingers sparked with electricity as she gathered energy for her next spell. She focused on Adrien, waiting for the right moment.


    When his tendrils surged forward again, she acted.


    A blinding bolt of lightning shot from her fingertips, crackling through the air toward Adrien. He reacted quickly enough, swiftly erecting a barrier.


    ~ZZZTTZZ!~


    The lightning struck his barrier, shattering it with a deafening crack, and a thin arc of electricityshed out, grazing Adrien''s shoulder.


    "Huh...?" He stumbled back, surprise shing across his face. The crowd roared in approval, sensing the shift in momentum.


    ''I couldn''tpletely get rid of it at this range, but it was enough to interfere with the barrier and allow my attack to connect.


    Unfortunately, that did very little to damage Adrien.


    In fact, the boy seemed perfectly fine.


    Lucielle pressed her advantage. She conjured a torrent of fire, wind, and lightning, each element blending into a seamless storm of power that swept across the arena toward Adrien. He raised another powerful barrier, and this time again, it cracked under the relentless


    assault.


    Adrien''s cocky smirk faltered as Lucielle''s barrage pushed him further back.


    "I see. You''re interfering with the Mana, huh? I initially thought it was restricted to just Magic, but even Skills..." He leaked out a surprise smile. "Not bad."


    ''I''ve got him on the ropes.'' Lucielle''s heart soared with slight hope. ''Just a little more...''


    She knew the gap between her and the Otherworlders-especially someone like Adrien-was quiterge.


    However, depending on her actions, wasn''t it possible to gain a temporary upper hand?


    As the dust from her attack settled, though, Adrien straightened, his expression hardening. The tendrils around him began to disperse, sending an incredible pulse with powerful


    intensity.


    ~VUUUM!~


    The air grew heavy with dark energy as he locked eyes with Lucielle, his yful demeanor


    gone.


    ''Ah...''


    "You''ve had your fun," he said coldly. "But ytime''s over."


    ''... The Mana is too dense for me to cause Interference anymore!'' Lucielle''s thoughts echoed


    in a panic.


    Shadows erupted from beneath Adrien''s feet, expanding rapidly and swallowing the ground around him. The inky ckness surged toward Lucielle like a tidal wave, its sheer size dwarfing anything she had thrown at him before.


    Lucielle''s eyes widened. ''I can''t block that!''


    With a flick of her wings, she shot into the air, narrowly avoiding the shadows as they crashed into the arena floor, obliterating everything in their path. The crowd gasped in awe, watching as Adrien''s power tore through the battlefield like an unstoppable force.


    Lucielle hovered above the arena, her mind racing.


    Adrien''s power was overwhelming. She hadn''t underestimated just how much he was holding back, but there was still some moderation she expected from him.


    ''Still... I''m not entirely out of options.''.


    She raised her hands high above her head, summoning a massive sphere of pure darkness. It crackled with energy, sucking everything around it as it grewrger by the second.


    ''ck Void!''n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    As Lucielle poured every ounce of power she had into it, the air around her shook and everything swirled around the ck mass. At this point, the crowd fell silent, watching in awe as the orb expanded, its darkness rivaling the shadows that overwhelmed the arena. "Here goes!" With a determined shout, Lucielle hurled the sphere down toward Adrien.


    It descended like a falling star, crackling with destructive energy. Adrien''s eyes narrowed, and the shadows around him surged upward, forming a dome of imprable darkness. The sphere collided with Adrien''s shadow dome, and for a moment, the entire arena was bathed in blinding darkness. The ground shook violently, and the air crackled with raw magic


    as the two forces shed.


    However, thanks to the specific properties of ck Void, the darkness that Adrien offered


    began to get sucked into the miniaturized ck hole.


    Lucielle hovered in the air, her breathing in ragged gasps. She watched the dome below,


    hoping that her attack had broken through.


    ''So far, ck Void has been pretty unstoppable, but... there are always exceptions.''


    And right before her was one such exception.


    -VWUUUUUUM!~


    A muchrger darkness-far stronger and bigger than her ck Void-suddenly rose from


    beneath and consumed her Spell.


    Then, everything imploded in the next second.


    ''So that was a bust too, huh?'' She nearly sighed, a tired smile forming on her face.


    Adrien stepped out from behind the dome, his attire perfectly in shape. He was unscathed,


    perfectly calm too.


    He looked up at Lucielle, his expression unreadable.


    "You''re good, honestly," he called out, his voice calm despite the destruction around him.


    "But this is over."


    Even she knew that at this point.


    The crowd still cheered her on, chanting her name, urging her to continue. But Lucielle knew the truth. She couldn''t win this fight-not without revealing everything.


    Adrien lowered his hands, the shadows dissipating around him. Then, he began to release


    something around himself.


    ''That is... Miasma!''


    She could already tell where the fight was going from that sole observation. He was waiting


    for her decision.


    There was no point in continuing any further.


    "I surrender," Lucielle dered, her voice steady as she descended to the damaged stage. She


    met Adrien''s gaze, a small smile on her face. "You win."


    "Tch." Adrien clicked his tongue, retracting the corrupt energy at the next second.


    For a moment, the crowd was silent.


    What was going through their minds? Disappointment? Relief?


    Their preferred champion didn''t win, but at the very least she didn''t suffer a crushing defeat.


    That was more than enough to satisfy them. As such, they exploded in more cheers for


    Lucielle as the referee entered the stage.


    "The winner of this match... is Adrien Chase!"


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Looks like it remains the finale-Rey versus Adrien Chase.

 Chapter 878: The Finals [Pt 1]

    Chapter 878: The Finals [Pt 1]


    ?


    "You did well."


    Rey smiled at Lucielle as she stepped off the stage and approached him. She was making a relieved expression, and he knew why.


    ''She narrowly escaped a gruesome fate at Adrien''s hands... and still managed to get the support of everyone around her even when she gave up.'' He nodded to himself. ''She alreadysted much longer than Adonis and fared a lot better in terms of the actual fight.''


    There was no doubt in his mind that Lucielle would be chosen as one of the White Dragon Lord''s disciples. In fact, the mere fact that she had such a loud backing from the crowd already made her the most popr option.


    ''Well... for now.'' He rose to his feet as Lucielle neared her seat beside him.


    She raised her hand the same time he raised his, and as he stepped forward, their palms pped together.


    At that moment, Lucielle asked Rey a question he had been expecting.


    "Who would win between the both of you?"N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Rey had also asked himself this question numerous times. The truth of the matter was that there was currently no reason for him to go all-out at the moment. As long as he made it to the Finals, he would be chosen as the White Dragon Lord''s disciple.


    He had already shown that he was worthy enough of that reward.


    As such, Rey''s reason for fighting and his intent to emerge victorious was slightly different.


    "If he goes all-out, it would give me a bit of a problem."


    "Think you''ll lose?" She asked with a big smirk, raising her eyebrows as she looked into his deep blue eyes.


    For a moment, Rey said nothing.


    He simply stood there... frozen... but stoic.


    However, he soon resumed his walk, and a wide smile was stered on his face.


    "Nah... I''d win."


    ******************


    After the Semi-Finals, there was a bit of a break in order to repair the damaged stage as well as to properly build up hype for thest match of the Tournament. However, it was also to ensure that Adrien Chase-the winner of thest match-had sufficient rest before his next one.


    It wasn''t like Adrien needed it, though.


    Still, the procedure took ce, and to while away time, Rey took a brief walk. He had been looking forward to the end of the tournament when he stood up and nearly walked up to the stage to challenge Adrien right away.


    All the other fights hardly held significance for him-except maybe Adonis''¡ªbut this one was different.


    He had personal reasons for wanting to defeat Adrien.


    ''I''m stronger than him at this point, but due to my student persona... I can''t go all-out. He has the motive of getting first ce, so I would like to see the lengths that he will go to in order to win.'' Rey smiled to himself.


    After the end of the break, it was finally time for the match tomence.


    "The Final match is between... R''ai and Adrien Chase!"


    Both of them climbed the stage the moment they heard their names, a smile on both of their faces. Their gazes were also fixed on each other, which meant they both had the same agenda when it came to the fight.


    Once they were both on the tform, the referee floated away from it.


    He must have understood that the stage-despite howrge it was would be a chaotic battlefield once the match began.


    After he took off, he finally dered in his booming voice:


    "Let the Finals Begin!"


    -B00000000000000000M!!! -


    At that moment, both sides charged at each other, causing the portion of the stage that they stood on to shatter into little pieces.


    The debris was still ascending high in mid-air as their respective des shed, sending a shockwave that caused the floating chunks of reinforced stone to fly away from the massive stage.


    The debris hit the barrier that surrounded the stage, preventing it from flying off to the spectators. This was a precaution taken to ensure there was no damage to the audience of the tournament, and it worked perfectly.


    Not only could nothing on the stage break out, but the barrier also prevented outside interference.


    This prevented any form of cheating involving some external source.


    The only exception to the barrier''s obstructive ability was living things. Dragons and humans could go through the barrier, which allowed the referee and students to enter the stage and leave at their convenience.


    The effects of their powers couldn''t, though.


    If they could... everyone watching became instantly aware of what that would spell for their safety.


    "Hehe... looks like you won''t be holding back this time, huh?" Adrien chuckled as he felt the weight of Rey''s de push him back.


    "This is me holding back."


    "Oh? Is it now...?"


    "Do me a favor, Adrien..." Rey smiled as he watched his opponent remain calm despite the intensity of their sh.


    "You mean other than going extremely easy on your friend over there?"


    Rey made a quick nce at Lucielle and found his grin growing wider. He already knew that Adrien wasn''t being wholly ruthless when it came to that fight.


    ''But even if he had been, Lucielle would be able to handle herself...'' His thoughts flowed.


    There was no need to tell him that, though.


    Right now, there was only one thing on Rey''s mind that he wanted to pass across to his


    adversary.


    "... Don''t lose too quickly."


    ~CLANG!~


    Rey reinforced his strike by twisting and dealing another blow-this time reinforced by his


    sudden twirl.


    The result?


    ~WHUUUUUSSHH!!~


    Adrien was pushed back by the force, his feet sliding on the ground as he maintained perfectposure. Rey didn''t let him stop before rushing forward to attack him.


    However, at this point, Adrien was done warming up.


    There was no way he would rely on mere physical attacks when it came to Rey and his


    extremely high physical abilities.


    "[Banishment]."


    At that moment, Rey eliminated all inertia and canceled out the force behind his march. At the same moment, he darted far away from Adrien, whose skill became active the moment this


    happened.


    "Tch. Do you have precognition or something?" He clicked his tongue.


    "I wonder..." He responded wittily.


    "Don''t worry." A glint shed in Adrien''s eyes as he stared hard at Rey.


    They were now a distance away from each other, so he canceled out the effects of his


    [Banishment] and instead replied menacingly.


    "I''ll make sure to find out."


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    This time, it was Adrien''s turn to dash forward, but Rey didn''t focus on the Adrien speeding


    directly at him. Instead, his senses noticed two others that were rushing at him from both


    right and left nks.


    ''Clones, huh? He cloaked them somehow too...''


    Adrien''s attempt at a diversion would have worked if Rey didn''t have the appropriate vision


    to deal with these sorts of things.


    ''My senses are perfect-particrly my sight.''


    As long as he could see the invisible essences of Mana in the air, as well as their connections to everything¡ªincluding seeing through objects and buildings-such a cloaking ability was


    going to be useless against him.


    ''[Absolute Mass Stun]''


    Raising his hand, Rey activated this skill, forcing all his iing attacks to freeze in their


    tracks for just a moment.


    Then-


    "[ck Void]"


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I apologize for being away for so long, everyone! I''m back now... hopefully.


    I hope you enjoyed the chapter.

 Chapter 879: The Finals [Pt 2]

    Chapter 879: The Finals [Pt 2]


    ?


    "[ck Void]."


    At that instant, space warped around Rey, and a small singrity was formed from the spatial imbnce. The very essence of Lucielle''s Magic was applied to his skill, and a miniature ck hole formed at that very moment.


    Since it was timed perfectly, Adrien''s inertia made it nigh impossible for him to avoid the swirling dark abyss.


    And so... it was inevitable that they would sh.


    -VWUUUUUUM!~


    In an instant, Adrien vanished from his assaulting position, switching locations to at least a few more meters away from Rey.


    He was able to sessfully avoid being hit with [ck Void] by instantly creating distance. The same couldn''t be said for his clones, though.


    The two dissipated the moment they came in contact with the pitch-ck mass of nothingness.


    As for Rey, he was long gone from his position.


    He was now in the air, his eyes focused on the real Adrien. A sharp glint appeared in his eyes as he smiled broadly, ready to charge at his prey.


    ''I wasn''t expecting him to be seriously damaged by the attack, sure. But... for him to avoid it instead of deflecting it and marching ahead... could it be that he sensed what was waiting for him if he pressed forward?''


    Rey knew he didn''t need to answer this question that manifested in his mind.


    Adrien was a smart person-even smarter than him¡ªand he had a plethora of abilities that he could create using his Primeval Skill.


    Sure, Rey now had ess to pretty much all of those skills, but their full application was still something that only Adrien would be able to achieve.


    ''It doesn''t really matter, though...'' A bright blue spark burst all around him. ''Because everything that happens in this match can only be to my benefit.''


    Rey wasn''t just thinking this out of immense self confidence or pride.


    He was as cautious as ever, and he was prepared to remain vignt no matter how long the matchsted since he already knew better than to underestimate Adrien.


    However, his current mindset simply spoke about his intentions when it came to the fight. ''I''m not losing!''


    ~VWUUUUSH!~


    Like several charges of lightning coalescing on his palm, Rey created what resembled a bolt and sent it rushing towards Adrien as soon as it formed.


    ''How''s this!'' The lightning bolt descended at a frightening speed, traversing the space that existed between them in what appeared to be an instant.


    Adrien was just recoiling from [ck Void] when he was assaulted with the new attack. His eyes stretched wide open as he witnessed the blinding light approach him at breakneck speed.


    If he dashed away to avoid the strike, he would have to leave the stage, and stepping forward would cause him to face [ck Void] head-on. That meant his only two options were his right and left nks.


    However, Rey already had ns for those two areas, so there really was no choice when it came to a valid escape.


    "Hehe..." Adrien chuckled.


    His pitch-ck hair swayed and his azure eyes ignited as he witnessed the simple, but effective strategy that Rey applied in such a short span of time.


    To call him impressed would be an overstatement, but he was certainly intrigued.


    The main reason such a simple strategy would work was because Adrien was still limiting his abilities when fighting in the Tournament.


    But... was there really a reason to?


    The answer was YES.


    If he decided to go all-out, Rey would have two options at that moment: lose the tournament and win second ce, or stop hiding his powers and emerge victorious.


    Since Rey''s mindset was already obvious through his actions, it was already pretty obvious that he wouldn''t want to get second ce. That meant there was only one real oue when it came to the fight.


    -Rey''s victory.


    ''If he exposes too much of his power, there''s a chance that the n could bepromised, since a lot of attention and inevitable suspicion will fall on him at that moment.''.


    That wasn''t an oue he wanted.


    ''If he''s going to win anyway...'' Adrien thought to himself, considering forfeiting the match for a fraction of a moment.


    However, he swiftly decided against it.


    Despiteing this far, it would be disadvantageous for him if he lost so quickly-or if he shamefully forfeited a match that had barely begun.


    If this was just a worthless fight, he would have done so without a second thought, but this was a fight that even the Storm Dragon Lord was watching. It would go a long way in his evaluation and future ns.


    For that reason alone... he had to find some kind of middle ground.


    ''[Banishment]. [Grand Defense]. [Grand Spatial Magic]. [Copse].''


    By applying all of these skills at the same time, Adrien was able to eat away at the Spell created through Rey''s Magic Skill that was evidently past the Grand Tier and had reached the Absolute level.


    [Banishment] sealed off the chaotic energy and slowed down the momentum of the mass of energy that was still descending at a fast rate. [Grand Defense] was added as a precaution and an extrayer of defense for Adrien.


    As for [Copse], it was to get rid of the remnant Spell, while the [Grand Spatial Magic] dealt with the swirling ck hole that was still expanding despite already eliminating the two clones that were sucked in.


    In an instant, Adrien solved all of his problems at once.


    Well... all except one.


    ~VWUSH!~


    Rey appeared right in front of Adrien the moment all the iing attacks were consummate, his fist thrust straight to attack Adrien''s face in swift motion.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    However-


    ''[Full Boost].''


    ¡ªAdrien had already anticipated that something of the sort would happen, so he activated this skill to improve his physical state, allowing him to dodge the attack at point-nk


    range.


    Still...


    ~BWUSH!~


    The resulting strike sent enough shockwaves and a pulsating energy that Adrien was forced back the instant he avoided being hit.


    "Gahhh!"


    As he slid off Rey''s position, regaining his bnce, he felt thetter charge towards him with another blow ready to be struck.


    This time, Adrien decided to release a surge of energy-one that would at least throw Rey off


    for a moment or two.


    However-


    "[Consume]." With a mere whisper, the attack dissipated into nothingness as it got sucked


    into Rey''s outstretched hand.


    "Tch!"


    The stretched out hand formed a fist and neared Adrien at an even faster rate than before.


    He tried Spatial Magic at that point, but it was on lock.


    Rey smiled.


    Adrien growled.


    The blow finally exceeded the hurdle of distance and connected with the boy''s cheek,


    generating a powerful sound.


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    The entire arena shook the moment the blownded, causing everyone watching to gasp.


    Both boys were still in the same position, even as the blow whipped Adrien''s face away, twisting his neck slightly. Instead of flying off, he kept his feet rooted on the ground and


    didn''t lose his bnce.


    ||


    "1


    More gasps filled the air.


    Adrien turned to look at Rey, his wide-open eyes capturing the smile that thetter had.


    "Did you enjoy that...?" He asked with a slight smile.


    Rey didn''t even hesitate before offering a response.


    "Yes."


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    The fight ends in the next chapter, and the plot advances on. Apologies for not uploading for


    like two weeks.


    I can only try to do better from this point on...

 Chapter 880: End Of The Tournament

    Chapter 880: End Of The Tournament


    ?


    A roaring round of apuse erupted from the crowd.


    Their eyes were wide with disbelief as Reynded his first solid hit on Adrien- and at such a close range for that matter.


    "He made him bleed! Are you seeing this?!"


    "At longst! It''s happening!"


    "Could this be... will he seriously win?!"


    There were many spective statements flying around among the crowd of onlookers, just as would be expected in a match of such proportion.


    Neither Adrien or Rey were surprised by what was happening.


    The former had chosen to be the ''Heel'' in the match, which made Rey the default ''Face''. Thanks to this dynamic, the audience was going to root for Adrien''s downfall and cheer for the one who brought that to fruition.


    In essence, it wasn''t just Rey versus Adrien.


    It was the entire arena-all of the Dragons spectating-alongside Rey... versus Adrien.


    ''I''m sure even Vai''zel is also somewhat rooting for my loss... though he would prefer it if I struggle a little more.'' Adrien smiled to himself, thinking of the Storm Dragon Lord.


    By losing to Rey, he would be ''humbled'' in a sense, and that would make him easier to manipte by the Storm Dragon Lord. Since Rey was under the disguise of a Dragon, if he won, it re-established the notion of Dragon Superiority and reinforced that idea to everyone spectating.


    "Humans can''t beat Dragons."


    That mindset would once again be held concretely in their minds.


    ''As it should be... though I don''t n to make it that easy for them.'' Adrien spat out the blood that had formed in his mouth, feeling the iron-like taste in his burning tongue.


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    He sent his own fist flying forward, but it was promptly dodged.


    At the same time, Rey used his second hand to strike Adonis-this time using the very back of his fist for extra damage. Once again... even though Adrien''s face shifted as a result of the strike, he did not move from where he stood.


    Instead, he followed up with a more powerful blow than before.


    ~WHUUM!~


    It was blocked by a barrier, and Rey used that very moment-an opportunity created thanks to the recoil that Adrien experienced after hitting his hard fist on a barrier and not Rey''s flesh- to draw Adrien''s head closer to his knee.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    This time, he gave him a powerful knee strike.


    ~POW!~


    Adrien had no choice but to stagger backwards this time, causing his blood to spray all over the immediate stage.


    Rey used Spatial Magic to draw him back, however, coalescing energy on his fist to rush at him the moment he reached striking distance.


    ~WHUUUSH!~


    The moment arrived in a sh.


    Adrien''s body was pulled towards Rey, almost like thetter was a walking ck hole, and at that very moment a powerful punch was charging at him.


    In ast-ditch attempt to protect himself, Adrien coated himself in a barrier and even raised his fist to protect his face. Then, he released Miasma, coating himself and his barrier in the energy in order to ward Rey away or lessen the impact of the strike.


    Anyone who saw this would assume that Rey would retreat.


    After all, one of the primary causes of the mass deaths among the students during the Academy Excursion was their exposure to Miasma. Even if one didn''t die from it, direct exposure to its dense energy would cause severe injury and corruption.


    Any normal student would hesitate in their strike at the very least, or even create some distance between the two of them as fast as possible.


    However, that wasn''t what Rey did.


    Rather than shrink back, he increased the intensity of his blow and let his fist be a blur of light.


    Then-


    -B0000000000000000000000M!!!-


    The attack connected, shattering the barrier and even the feeble defense that Adrien rendered in the form of his raised hands. All of those were rendered invalid, as the fist went through all of them and stillnded on his bloodied face.


    The shattering sound that resulted was deafening.


    The audience felt the incredible pressure that proceeded from the attack, and the one who suffered a direct hit was sent flying off the stage as soon as that attack connected.


    In essence... he lost.


    For the first few seconds after Adrien was erupted off the stage, and Rey was left standing- his body partially bruised by the effects of Miasma-there was sheer silence in the entire


    auditorium.


    The exploding sound of Rey''sst strike still rang in everyone''s ears, and they could hardly hear or say anything in their stunned state.


    However, the silence was soon shattered by the announcement of an equally stupefied referee.


    "T-THE WINNER OF THE MATCH IS R''AI!"


    When he said this, the audience snapped back to reality, their wide eyes fixated solely on the Dragon who managed to avenge the ones who came before him and secured the victory that they so badly craved.


    In response, everyone did the only thing they could think of.


    They cheered.


    "WOOOOOOOHOOOOOO!!!"


    ***************


    Finally, it was over.


    The Tournament, which seemed tost an eternity had finally been concluded, and the four students who managed to leave the most impression were called to the stage after a short break and celebration thatmemorated the overall winner of the Tournament.


    And so...


    "R''ai, Adrien, Luc''ia, and Ad''oni... the four of you performed phenomenally well in this Tournament." The White Dragon Lord spoke softly, her presence easilymanding absolute silence in the hall.


    Behind her were the three judges-O''jog and his colleagues.


    "This has certainly been the most exciting exchange we''ve had in centuries, and it''s a bit


    regrettable to see it end already."


    Everyone in the audience nodded in agreement.


    Dragons lived very long lives, which meant most of the spectators had witnessed dozens-if


    not hundreds of Exchanges.


    This was by far their most exciting one.


    "As promised, aside from the main prizes that each of you will receive as a result of your outstanding efforts, I will also be picking three of you to be my direct disciples." Rey and Lucielle had broad smiles on their faces, and even Adrien-despite his defeat- remained perfectly calm with a dark smile spreading all over hispletely healed face.


    The only one who had a gloomy demeanor was Adonis.


    Perhaps this was because he recognized that among the four of them, he had scoredst ce and wouldn''t be chosen among the top three candidates for discipleship. "While I want to have someone as talented as you, Adrien Chase... it appears you are already affiliated with the Storm Dragon Lord and will not be considering a direct discipleship under


    me." The White Dragon Lord said. "Is that correct?"


    As soon as this question was asked, a spark appeared in Adonis'' eyes.


    "That is indeed correct... Lord White."


    His heart raced the moment he heard Adrien''s response to the White Dragon Lord. If he


    rejected the position, could it be that... he could actually qualify?


    "Very well..." As the White Dragon Lord said this, she removed her gaze from him and rested


    her eyes on the remaining three students before her.


    "R''ai... Luc''ia... and Ad''oni... do the three of you desire to serve the Dragon Empire and our


    revered Emperor by taking your ce as my direct disciples?"


    There was no need for hesitation or further contemtion among the three students.


    They already knew their answer.


    "Yes, Lord White!"


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    At longst... the tournament is over. We can finally advance with the story.


    And yes... interesting stuffs are on the horizon.

 Chapter 881: Audience With The Fairy King

    Chapter 881: Audience With The Fairy King


    ?


    [Meanwhile...]


    "What do you think is taking them so long?"


    Ater''s eyes were closed as he heard the feminine voice of Esme echo right beside him. He kept his legs crossed and didn''t even respond to her concerned words.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    This wasn''t the first time she was asking him the question, and after he answered her the first time, he had taken a vow of silence. There was no utility in furthering a meaningless conversation, after all.


    Still, her query made him think about a few things.


    ''We''ve been waiting outside the Royal Court for quite some time now...'' His thoughts trailed. ''I don''t know how Time Dtion works here, or if it is a thing at all in this realm, so it''s impossible for me to know just how much time has passed in the outside world.''


    Since they were in the Forest of the Fairies, which was practically unknown territory for him, there was a lot of information that hecked.


    ''I tried asking Fae, but it seems she has no idea of the concept of Time Dtion. What an idiot...''


    The other Fairies that they met also avoided them like the gue, but he could sense their animosity towards himself and Esme. If not for the protection that Fae provided them by being their escort, they would have most likely been attacked by the other Fairies.


    ''As expected, it was a good choice to spare her life.'' He nodded. ''I suppose being the strongest Fairy around has its perks, after all.''


    Not only did Fae secure their entry into the Fairy World, but she even took them to the Royal Pce to give them an audience with the king. That had skipped a lot of tedious processes that Ater had suspected he and Esme would have to go through.


    ''I would have utilized Esme as a useful pawn in this game, but it seems she isn''t as useful a card as I thought.'' Ater had no regrets bringing her along, though.


    There was a possibility that he would need her, and there was no way he could take such chances of failure. Plus, she did y a small part in drawing out Fae, ultimately leading to thetter''s defeat, so that had to count for something.


    ''It would be great if she could be quiet now, but that would be asking for too much, wouldn''t it?'' A sigh escaped his lips.


    Esme was on edge, and he understood that.


    After all... he felt the same.


    ''Fae mentioned Rey, which means the Fairies know about him. I do not know to what extent that knowledge goes, but I suppose that is what I need to find out.'' Narrowing his eyes, he made sure to keep a constant observation on his surroundings.


    Unlike the Elves, the Fairies were quite shy when it came to interior decorations and the use of extravagant essories. Practically all of the Fairies he saw had jewelries and shy items adorning them, and the room that he and Esme were waiting in did even more to disy their mboyant nature.


    ''The floor is practically pure gold, and the walls have a crystal-like luster to them. Then, the gems that decorate the ceiling... and the chandelier... these people definitely have a surplus of precious stones, don''t they?''


    In fact, could they really be called precious stones anymore?


    ''Value only exists in scarcity, so if everyone has ess to all of these shiny gems and minerals, I suppose they aren''t anything special in this ce...'' As Ater kept up his observation, he noticed a presence approaching their room.


    ''Is it finally time...?''


    The door opened and a male Fairy appeared before both he and the unsurprisingly relieved Esme.


    ''Hm? So it wasn''t Fae?'' Ater frowned a little, though he did well not to show it. ''It''s just as I suspected, my senses are being suppressed in this ce.''


    Ever since he arrived in the Fairy World, he felt some kind of power that pervaded the air- quite simr to the way the Elves had the presence of The Oracle surrounding their Community. However, unlike with the Oracle''s subtle influence over thend, this new power was too overt.


    Fae called it the Fairy King''s dominion over thend, which meant it was simr to how the Oracle kept her people in check and watched over them.


    While Ater understood the concept, he didn''t quite appreciate it, since it felt oppressive.


    ''It''s beginning to get on my nerves.''


    The grimace that the Fairy before him bore added to his slight annoyance, but he made sure to keep up his calm facade. He and Esme patiently waited for the little floating man to approach them, and then speak.


    "The Fairy King has agreed to meet up with the two of you. Pleasee with me, and I will guide you to his presence."


    The man donned golden armor and looked incrediblyrge for a Fairy. Compared to the Ater and Esme''s size, however, he was no bigger than a twig-or perhaps a plump fruit. "Finally! What about Fae? Is she waiting there?"


    "Indeed." The Fairy responded dryly. "The War Harbinger is also waiting for you in the Royal Court."


    Ater and Esme exchanged nces for a moment before they rose from their positions and followed the Fairy.


    He had a neutral expression on his face, which meant he was neither wary nor antagonistic towards them. To someone like him, carrying out themands of the Fairy King was all that


    mattered.


    And, just as he was instructed to do, he led them to the massive double door that served as the entrance to the Royal Court.


    It was made of gold and lined with all manner of precious stones.


    It slowly opened, creating a slitrge enough for the Fairy to first enter, while the remaining two had to wait a few more seconds before they could proceed. In that period, they heard the man announce their presence to the Royal Court.


    "Presenting to the Fairy King... the visitors of the outside world¡ªAter and Esme...!"


    At that point, both of them stepped into the Royal Court-a haven that had indescribable beauty and prestige beyond anything that had ever been seen by both of their eyes in the


    world of H''trae.


    The chandeliers that hung on the ceiling brimmed with perfection, and the floating sparkles of glowing crystals added an ethereal allure to the ce.


    The walls had murals that appeared ancient-with anguage only the Fairies could understand¡ªand the clean sparkly floors reflected their surfaces as they walked on it. Esme was blown away by all of these details and couldn''t hide her shock as she walked beside the


    composed Ater.


    There were a few eyes on them-most of which belonged to the Royal Guard that were ced in their respective positions high above.


    However, those weren''t all of the eyes.


    Fae, who was currently kneeling before a throne-room turned back in order to look at them. She was even smiling and waving at the two of them as they walked further into the hall.


    Then... there was thest and most important person who set their sights on them. The Fairy King himself.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    It feels good writing this book again. I almost forgot how I felt and some of the information


    about this book. I guess that shows how swamped I''ve been.


    If you''re reading this... thanks for sticking around.

 Chapter 882 Architect Of The Forest

    Chapter 882 Architect Of The Forest


    The Fairy King.


    He was a few inches taller than the rest of the Fairies, though still considerably smaller than a human child. Garbed in pure-white apparel, he was adorned with silver decor and had a golden crown floating over his head.


    The crown had many different crystals decorating it, giving it a grand appearance.


    It wasn''t just the crown too.


    His entire body was decorated with gems, and even his eyes were crystal-like. He had a glistening skin, and his face shone very brightly¡ªenough to illuminate the whole forest if he desired.


    However, despite all of these unique features he had, there was one major thing that anyone seeing the King would pay most attention to.


    ¡ªHis glorious wings.


    His wings were about five timesrger than his body, and they radiated a host of colors at the same time¡ªalmost like an amalgamation of all the precious stones in the world, shining as bright as possible.


    In simple words, the King was simply glorious.


    "Wee, both of you¡­" He spoke, his voice calm and deep. There was a certain kind of maturity in his tone, and it was wellplemented by the deep gaze he ced on both Ater and Esme.


    Perfect silence followed his words.


    "We greet you, Fairy King!" Ater raised his voice, cing a hand on his chest and bowing his head in order to show his sincerity. Esme said the same, cing both hands on her legs as she bowed lightly.


    "What a marvel¡­ this deviation from my vision." He muttered, almost ecstatically. "Should I be worried or joyous to see your faces? I have yet to decide."


    Ater and Esme raised their heads at this point and found the Fairy King beaming at them. Unlike the snobbish Oracle, the glorious man before them had a more humble vibe around him¡ªa contrast to the luxurious appearance he presented.


    It was quite ironic.


    "In any case, I hear you defeated Fae in battle¡­ Ater. You must be a verypetent individual, and you¡­ you have the touch of The Oracle, so you''re quite special as well." He spoke with a casual tone.


    Esme and Ater remained silent as they heard all of these.


    "Simply fascinating."


    "Right? I told you that you would be amazed when you saw him¡ªI mean, them!" Fae burst out with a blushing smile. "Not just anyone can defeat me, you know?"


    "I am well aware of that, Fae." "Hmph!"


    "In any case¡­ I certainly hope Fae was not very rude to you, my guests. She can be a little entric at times."


    "H-hey!"


    "No, Fairy King." Ater replied with a broad smile. "She was most polite." "Really? That doesn''t sound like the Fae I know¡­"


    "H-hey!"


    Ignoring the Fairy''s words, her King proceeded to focus solely on his two visitors. "And what of my subjects? I certainly hope they did not in any way treat you negatively. I mean¡­ we haven''t had any visitors since the creation of the Forest, so I wouldn''t be surprised if they acted a little ill-mannered."


    The images of the many Fairies who red or looked in fear at both of them when they were on their way to the Royal Court shed in Ater''s mind, but he shrugged them off instantly.


    "Not at all, Fairy King. They were all courteous."


    "Haha! Is that so?" He chuckled, his gaze narrowing on Ater. "What a good liar you are."


    Despite hearing such a statement, Ater''s face did not show any change. He remained calm, though his mind was a little bothered by the King''s astute observation.


    "I apologize for¡ª"


    "Don''t worry about it." He stooped Ater, who was about to bow his head. "I''m not offended in any way, so it''s fine."


    Ater stopped his bowing attempts and smiled at the ruler.


    They had just met, and they hardly knew anything about each other¡­ but Ater already liked the Fairy King. He was an easy person to talk with¡ªsomething that was a rarity when it came to those with authority in H''Trae.


    ''If it''s him, I should be able to have a reasonable conversation here¡­'' He thought to himself in relief.


    "You must have sensed it already, but my influence spreads all over this entire forest. I see everything that happens here, and so I was aware of your presence the moment you entered this ce." The King spoke again. "I certainly hope you don''t mind me spying on you before your arrival at the Court."


    "Not at all." Ater said.


    "You''re lying again."


    "Well¡­ I can''t help it, Fairy King." Ater smiled wryly. "It is in my nature."


    "Hm." The Fairy King rubbed his chin, almost as if he didn''t understand what Ater meant by those words. "I suppose that''s fine."


    His eyes turned to Esme, who had been silent the whole time.


    "You look like you have a lot on your mind. Do you have something you want to say to me?"


    "A-ah!" Esme was caught off guard by the question, causing her to shriek slightly. Not only had all eyes fallen on her at once, but the great and powerful Fairy King was addressing her personally.


    It felt incredibly overwhelming.


    Still, she was able to pull herself together and ask the first thing that came to her mind.


    "W-well¡­ I think you look stunning, Fairy King!"


    "Really? Thank you very much."


    "Y-you''re wee!"


    The Fairy King smiled at the stuttering Esme, his expression genuine and kind. It was akin to a father looking warmly at a young child. "If you don''t mind me asking, you mentioned being able to see everything in the Forest. Is it simr to The Oracle''s [irvoyance]?" Ater''s question caused the Fairy King''s gaze to finally leave the mortified Esme.


    Much to her relief, all of the stares she received finally fell on Ater. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "[irvoyance]? No¡­ not at all. I possess another Primeval Skill¡­" He replied. "I created the whole forest and everything within it with that Skill, which allows me full dominion over it."


    Since it was his creation, he could control every aspect of it.


    "Everything? Does that mean¡ª?"


    "Yes. That includes the Fairies that dwell in the Forest." The King responded, his warm smile spreading even more. "I am the progenitor of all that exists in this ce, and the creator of all Fairies you see before you."


    He was proud of every single one of his creations, and the beam on his face as he spoke about them made it clear how he felt on the matter.


    "Fae here is my masterpiece." He gestured at her, and she looked proud once her name was mentioned. "It''s unfortunate that her personality has be more perverted as the centuries pass, but that can''t be helped¡­"


    "H-hey!"


    "That''s what happens when you give your creation a consciousness."


    "So¡­ even if you made them, they have free will?" Esme asked without even thinking, her eyes beamed with even more marvel.


    "Free will?" At this point, the Fairy King chuckled to himself.


    "How can I give something that I myself do not possess. Even a Primeval Skill as potent as the [Architect] has its limits."


    Ater was silent and calm, but Esme looked even more confused by those words.


    "I-I don''t quite understand¡­"


    "Listen to my words carefully, Esme¡­" The Fairy King said, his smile nowpletely gone, reced by a stern face.


    "There exists no such thing as Free Will in this world¡ªnot for you, and not for me."

 Chapter 883 Illusion Of Choice

    Chapter 883 Illusion Of Choice


    "Free Will is an illusion created to make it easier for every subject of this world to fulfill the roles assigned to us while believing we act of our own ord."


    The words of the Fairy King came out of nowhere, and the grave tone by which he spoke them made Esme lose herposure once again.


    "H-huh?"


    "What I''m trying to say is that we have no free will. Our paths have been pre-determined already¡­ programmed to operate a certain way¡ªjust like the Skills we use, or the System that facilitates our growth."


    "S-so you''re saying¡­ we don''t make our choices? That sounds¡ª"


    "Absurd? I know it is intuitive to believe that you have a choice in your fate¡­ your life¡­ but what if I were to tell you that the path you took has already been determined? Everything that you are¡­ and even everything that I am¡­ were already established from the beginning."


    "T-that''s not¡­ why would¡­ I don''t¡­ believe that." Esme whispered, her eyes faltering as she looked away from the Fairy King.


    She didn''t want to challenge what he was saying directly, since that would be an affront to his authority. He had spoken with such confidence that she was tempted to believe him¡­ if not for the fact that he was wrong.


    He had to be wrong!


    "I have Free Will¡­ right, Ater? We both have Free Will! Why else would we be able to make all the decisions we have made till now? From the small choices, like what to eat¡­ to big choices like the fights we partake in, and what Skills to use?" She turned to the only person who would take her side¡ªAter.


    However, he was silent.


    "Things might be different here¡­ but it''s not the same in the outside world." Esme returned her gaze to the Fairy King.


    Somehow, she felt her confidence returning.


    If Rey was here, he would have supported her. Surely, he knew well enough that people were responsible for their own choices.


    He was able to convince The Oracle, so that meant¡­ he could do the same here.


    ''I''m not Rey, but¡­ I know it deep within myself.''


    She had Free Will!


    "It''s fascinating, isn''t it?" The Fairy King smiled at her. "Your instincts¡­ every fiber of your being tells you that you have Free Will. It''s almost impossible to go against the intuitive nature built in every one of us."


    "...."


    "But the facts remain the same: following the evidence, we indeed are not free."


    "You¡­ don''t know that."


    "But I do."


    "How?"


    "You wouldn''t understand¡­ but I could exin it to you in great detail." Esme wasn''t sure she wanted to hear the great detail that the Fairy King was about to present to her. She felt that her sense of identity and self was being threatened just from having this conversation.


    At a point, a single thought echoed in her head.


    ''What if he''s right?''


    She didn''t want to imagine it¡ªthat everything she had been through¡­ all that pain, suffering, and salvation¡­ was merely something nned.


    And her reaction to them was also not of her true volition, but some external will.


    "I am in control of my actions." She announced confidently. "I know that because I have the conscious decision to think and act for myself."


    "...."


    "Why do you think that is?" Suddenly, after being silent for so long, Ater finally spoke up.


    "W-what¡­?" n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    He turned to look at Esme, who was staring at him in confusion. Even though she no longer expected him to take her side, she didn''t think he would buy into the Fairy King''s absurd notion of Free Will; or rather, the absence of it.


    Despite how absurd and reality shattering those ideas were, Ater remained calm as he asked her the question.


    "Why do you think you have the conscious decision to think and act for yourself?"


    "B-because¡­"


    "I know why." Ater said with a calm gaze on her. His eyes were cold and deep¡ªlike an abyss that didn''t seem to stop.


    The Fairy King was quiet and listening keenly, almost as if he was interested in the answer that Ater would give. As for the rest of the Fairies, all of whom had been in silent agreement with their creator, they too were interested in Ater''s answer.


    "The reason is simple: it makes the story more interesting."


    "W-what?"


    Everyone¡ªThe Fairy King, his Fairies, and Esme¡ªwas stunned by the words they heard.


    "What''s the point of characters who believe their very choices have been predetermined? The illusion of Free Will and the conflict that arises from shing ideologies and consciousness makes the story more interesting."


    "Makes it more interesting¡­ for who?"


    At this point, the Fairy King''s face had grown stern¡ªalmost to the point of slight animosity. He had a small frown on his face, and his crystal-like eyes shone with not only interest¡­ but something else.


    Something deeper.


    "Who knows?"


    "You''re lying." He spat out. "You know!"


    "As do you."


    The Fairy King halted in his speech the moment he heard Ater''s words. Veins appeared all over his forehead¡ªa sign of rising rage.


    The Fairies had never seen their King this way before, so they naturally expressed surprise. Esme was still confused about the whole thing, so she just kept alternating nces between Ater and the King.


    As for Ater¡­ he maintained his calm and collected facade.


    It was as if nothing in the room fazed him.


    "I see¡­" After a few seconds of ufortable tension and deafening silence, the Fairy King finally spoke up.


    "You are certainly an interesting one¡­ to know about them."


    "...." Ater merely shrugged.


    "So, why have youe to see me? I was expecting someone else, but not the two of you."


    "You were expecting Rey Skr¡ªmy Master."


    "Your Master¡­? Rey Skr is¡­ ah, now I understand why you are so special. If the Singrity is rted so closely to you, then it makes sense that you know so much."


    "What''s this you''re saying about Rey? Singrity? Will anyone say anything?" Esme was frantic at this point.


    After hearing a bunch of stuff about Free Will, which was already making her question reality as she knew it, hearing Rey''s name was more than enough to make her snap. It felt like she was a lost child in a room of adults.


    The frustration she felt was overwhelmingly unbearable.


    Fortunately, the Fairy King noticed this and cast her an understanding gaze.


    "The illusion of Free Will is true for all of us except the Singrity. Only he, a being that should not exist, can make choices that do not follow the natural order of this world."


    "Really? Because he''s an Otherworlder?"


    "No. There have been many Otherworlders before him." The King retorted. "I don''t know what makes him so special. There must have been an error at some point which led to the Singrity, but¡­ that makes his existence unique.


    "Maybe." Ater replied, drawing the Fairy King''s attention back to him.


    "Maybe?"


    "The System has begun suppressing his will by eroding his emotions. It won''t be long before the deviation you talk about to be corrected."


    "Then we must act fast." Ater smiled the moment he heard the words of the Fairy King. All the conversations he made had led to this point, and the final piece of the puzzle had been solved.


    "I was hoping you would say that." He beamed.


    With the Fairies on their side, the destruction of the Dragon Empire was only a matter of time.


    ''And the path to my true goal will begin.''

 Chapter 884 Alliance For War

    Chapter 884 Alliance For War


    Silence.


    The court was filled with an unmistakable lull, sweeping over everyone within. The Fairies looked to their leader, while Esme stared at Ater¡ªthe only one who had remainedposed from the start of the conversation even up to this point.


    He was staring straight at the Fairy King, whose troubled expression betrayed his magnanimity.


    "I had a vision¡­"


    As he said this, all attention focused on him.


    "This world wille to an end. It will be upturned in an overwhelming tide of blood and mes." He whispered. "And¡­ my people do not survive."


    "Is that why you seek the Singrity? To change your fates?" Ater asked in response, his brows raised.


    "Perhaps."


    Silence followed those words.


    "Perhaps it is meaningless to fight against a fate that has been prophesied since the beginning¡ªwhen I was first brought into existence."


    Back when he was the only Fairy, he was blessed with his Primeval Skill as well as the curse of peering through the future through [Vision], he could not help but witness the total destruction of life.


    To prevent this, he created more like him to serve as sentinels for the promised day.


    Unfortunately, his [Vision] did not give him the full details on how the world would end and when. He could only be certain it would ur, but he did not have any meaningful information as to how this would happen.


    "Even now, it feels like I am being guided down the path that the world desires¡­ like an animal whose bait dangles before theit very eyes."


    It was shameful for sure, but the King could not help it.


    "You did well in preparing for the day. However, there''s no need to wait until it arrives before acting." Ater said with a smirk, causing the downcast King to look at him with surprise. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "We can act now. The Dragons are the obvious enemies here¡ªthe catalysts for this world''s destruction."


    Killing them would save the world from its inevitable war.


    "You want us to go to war with the Dragons¡­?"


    "Not just you. I have unified the Giants and Dwarves, and the humans already have an alliance with the Elves. Otherworlders have also been summoned¡ªone of whom is the Singrity, my Master." Ater''s smile widened. "I would say now is the perfect time to fight."


    To Ater, the missing piece was the Fairy Nation. If they agreed to fight by the side of the newfound alliance, then there would be more than enough people to fight against the Dragons and even take them down.


    "No matter how powerful they are, they can not possibly win against the joint forces of H''Trae."


    This was most likely why the denizens of this world were created with opposing qualities¡ªjust so they wouldn''t be able to work together when it came down to it.


    Elves wouldn''t work with any other race, and Giants were at war with the Dwarves. Fairies remained isted in their forests, and humans had too many internal problems to properly consider a healthy alliance.


    Plus, they were the weakest of the bunch.


    However, since Rey had been resolving these issues one after the other¡ªwith Ater''s help, of course¡ªthey could finallye together to forge a united front against theirmon enemy and the eventual destroyer of H''Trae.


    "By gathering under the banner of the Singrity, it is possible to change the fate of this world and save your people." Stretching out his hand, he smiled at the Fairy King.


    "What do you say?"


    The King smiled, a slow nod already being made by his head. He had already been convinced that the path to salvation was the Singrity, since he was trying to break away from the predetermined fate of his people. Upon hearing Ater''s words, he couldn''t help but be further reassured of the prospects of a union.


    If this was how the mere servant of the Singrity acted, he could only imagine what kind of person Rey Skr was.


    Needless to say, he was immensely relieved.


    ''With this, I can preserve the lives of my children and ensure the future of this world is bright.''


    "Yes. Ipletely agr¡ª"


    "NO!" A voice suddenly howled in the hall, causing everyone to look in the diection of the sound.


    It was none other than Fae.


    "No! No! No! No! No! Nooooooooo!!!"


    She was screaming from the depths of her lungs, ring at Ater and Esme, while nearly breaking down in tears.


    "I have been looking forward to this war for so long! For so so so sooooo long! You can''t just take that away from me!" She cried. "We the Fairies have been waiting for the time when we cany down our lives and perish in glorious battle. Right, guys?!"


    As Fae looked around, her eyes falling on the Sentinels above, she beamed at them¡­ hoping they would take her side with their simr perspectives.


    She wasn''t expecting what came next.


    "What? Who wants to die in battle?" One of them said, looking at the colleague beside him with slight confusion.


    "If there''s a way to prevent the war of the end, shouldn''t we do that instead?" Another added, leading to a series of talk among them.


    "I don''t want to perish just yet¡­ not if it can be helped."


    "As usual, Fae is spouting crazy nonsense¡­"


    "Sigh¡­ what a nutjob."


    In a single moment, the morale of the War Harbinger had declined and the energy she disyed just moments earlier deted.


    "Haa¡­ so you all just want a boring life¡­ not going out in the most glorious of battles¡­" She could not hide her disappointment at this point.


    Still, it wasn''t like she could disobey the will of the Fairy King. Whether she liked it or not¡­ she obeyed him.


    "If you want to die in battle so badly, your opportunity wille." Ater suddenly spoke, causing her re to fall on him once more.


    A amile was on his face, almost as if he didn''t recognize that he was the prime cause of her dissatisfaction. However, one more word from him was enough to perfectly upturn her frown and cause her to beam again.


    "You can lead the charge when we finally fight the Dragons as an alliance." With a wink, Ater spoke and reassured her a front-row seat in the safer but also bloood curdling battle that was toe.


    "Y-you¡­ you mean that¡­?" Ater nodded.


    At this point, Fae was already sold. Everyone could see the drool that fell from her mouth and the sparkle that emanated from her eyes.


    Not only would she be leading the world''srgest army, but she was also going to go out in the most epic way possible. This far surpassed what she had ever imagined.


    "Hehehe! Let''s do that then¡­"


    The Sentinels groaned and the Fairy King sighed while covering his face with one hand. Fae was his masterpiece, as well as the strongest Fairy, but sometimes she embarassed her kind.


    "All of that aside, since we have agreed to an alliance, I should report all of this to my Master."


    "You really should. I''m sure he must have been waiting for you for quite some time." The Fairy King said with a smile.


    "After all, time moves a lot faster in the Forest."


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 885 A Temporal Problem

    Chapter 885 A Temporal Problem


    "How fast¡­?"


    For the first time since the start of the conversation¡ªno, since his arrival in the Fairy World¡ªAter began to show cracks in his calm facade.


    Even if he tried to hide it, the worry disyed in his creased brows, narrowed eyes, and subtle frown were enough to give his unease away. All this time, he had suspected something of the sort being the case, but he never fully considered its severity due to the more pertinent things he had to consider.


    But now¡­ things were different.


    He had managed to secure the Fairy King as an ally, which meant all the pieces were finally in his hands.


    But, wouldn''t all of that be in vain if he had run out of time?


    "Hmm? I can''t really give an urate estimate, since it varies depending on season¡­ but right now it should be¡­" The Fairy King rubbed his bald chin as he stared at Ater. "... a 1:5 ratio."


    "One day equals five days in the outside world?"


    That was a lot of time, but it wasn''t damning. Ater was confident that if he orchestrated things properly and adjusted his ns within the time-frame in question, things could still work out the way he wanted.


    "If that''s the ca¡ª"


    "No, it''s not that. It''s 1 hour here equals 5 weeks in the outside world."


    The moment he heard this, Ater''sposure met the final straw that had itpletely shattered.


    ''W-what?!''


    The time that Ater and Esme spent in the Fairy World was about a few hours. Journeying from the entrance to the Fairy King''s pce didn''t take too long. However, they had to wait for a while before being granted an audience with the King.


    The meeting itself hadn''t taken too long, so by estimation it was around five hours.


    ''That''s roughly twenty-five weeks!''


    In essence¡­about six months! That was how much time had passed since he arrived in this world.


    ''Oh no¡­'' Beads of sweat formed on his face almost instantly.


    ''Master¡­ my ns¡­ DAMNIT!''


    "The reason for the Time Dtion is so that waiting for our inevitable destruction would be much more bearable. It would have felt longer¡­ postponing the inevitable¡­ you know?"


    ''I don''t care about that right now!'' Ater almost yelled out his thoughts to the Fairy King, but he held them in since it would be foolish tosh out at this moment. If he managed to undo all the progress made on the Fairy King, what would have been the point of the severe blunder that now haunted him.


    Besides, it wasn''t the fault of the Fairy King that he was in this predicament.


    It was his own.


    ''I should have considered all the possibilities. How could I have let myself be so careless? I got carried away by the other prospects that I failed to consider the negative scenarios that could emerge.''


    And now, he was suffering for his carelessness.


    "We will be taking our leave now, Fairy King." Ater slightly bowed at the entity on the throne and turned his gaze towards Esme.


    She nodded instantly, already grasping the situation.


    ''Smart girl.'' He nodded back. "It will take some time to prepare the forces for the war, but we will get it done in a series of days."


    "Understood! So please dissolve the time dtion so that we can face the Dragons as early as possible."


    "I will do so."


    "Thank you, Fairy King¡­ and you too Fae." Ater turned his attention towards the Fairy and gave her his signature roguish smile.


    The suicidal Fairy blushed at that moment, smiling broadly as she looked into his eyes.


    "I look forward to our next meeting, At¡ª"


    ~VWUSH!~


    Before she could conclude her words, a dark spatial surge appeared and disappeared, swallowing both Ater and Esme as soon as it manifested. They hadpletely left the Fairy World, and the method they used showed just how much of a hurry they were in.


    "Hmm¡­ it seems he didn''t expect to spend so long." The Fairy King muttered, turning his attention to the distracted Fae. "Didn''t you tell him about the Time Dtion?"


    "Time Dtion? What''s that?"


    "What the hell do you mean by ''what''s that?'' I remember telling about it before you set out to find Rey Skr!"


    "Really? I don''t remember any of that."


    "You little¡­ it was just discussed not too long ago as well." The Fairy King couldn''t help but grit his teeth at this point. "Or have you forgotten that too?"


    "To be honest, I zoned out at some point¡­ sorry for not paying attention." N?v(el)B\\jnn


    pping his hand on his face, the Fairy King groaned and shuddered at the same timepletely exasperated by the stupidity of his own creation.


    ''She must not have been paying attention when I told her about it back then. Should I have sent someone else to fetch the Singrity back then?'' He wondered.


    It was toote for regrets now, anyway.


    "Let''s just hope that Ater gets to his Master on time and this doesn''t badly affect their ns to defeat the Dragons. In the meantime¡­" His gaze fell on the Sentinels that encircled his Royal Court.


    "We must prepare everything on our end."


    First, he would slowly reduce the Time Dtion effect until it was practically nonexistent. While he did this, his subordinates had to get hard at work in order to begin preparation for the impending war.


    "The fate of this world¡­ of our people is at stake here." The Fairy King dered, slowly rising from his seat.


    As he did so, his wings spread and he raised his hands as if inplete devotion.


    "May we all be saved from certain damnation."


    *********


    As soon as Ater re-appeared in the world outside the sea of trees that marked the entrance of the Fairy World, he felt the sudden shift of time.


    ''It''s been four months¡­ not six.'' It seemed the Fairy King had given him an inurate calction, or their definition of an hour varied differently from his.


    That aside, the most important issue came next.


    "Master¡­!"

 Chapter 886: Prelude To The Exhibition

    Chapter 886: Prelude To The Exhibition


    ?


    "Master! Master! Master!"


    Ater could feel the weakened effect of hismunication link with his Master, which meant one of two things:


    Someone was interfering... or his Master had blocked him out.


    ''Did something happen? Of course... This is around the time that the whole n with the Dragons would reach its maturity date.''


    That meant the Dragon Lords Exhibition was already in progress-if it hadn''t concluded already and Rey''s n to send Alicia back to Earth would have already been carried out.


    ''Maybe... did he go with her?!'' Ater''s eyes bulged.


    No... his Master would never do that! It was obvious that Rey loved this world too much to abandon it. ''Plus... I can still feel a faint link, which means he''s still here.''


    Ater calmed himself and decided to reason everything as calmly as he could.


    "What should we do now, Ater? Should we check on Rey?" Esme''s voice interrupted his thought process, and he nearly shot her a deadly re.


    ''What do you think I''m trying to do here?!''


    He would have ripped her to shreds if not for the fact that his Master had specifically told him not to harm her, and in fact he was supposed to protect her. These were all in the restrictions that Ater dly epted from Rey, and breaking them would result in his certain death.


    As such, even though he didn''t want to, Ater had to remain nice to her.


    "Silence. I''m trying to focus her-"


    ~ZZZTZZ~


    As soon as he uttered those words, he felt a modicum of his connection with Rey restored, and he heard a jumbled message from his Master''s thoughts.


    Before he could process all of it, though, a stern instruction echoed into Ater''s mind.


    "Stay right where you are and don''t leave until I''m done here."


    Rey''s voice seemed angry.


    No... he was furious!


    The rage that burned in those few words was enough to send a chill through Ater''s body as he listened.


    "B-but Master-!"


    Before Ater could finish those words, theirmunicationwork was severed, and Ater was leftpletely stranded in his position.


    "What happened? What did Rey say?" Ater was once again disturbed by Esme, whose


    concerned face was annoying for him to look at.


    ''None of your business!'' He wanted to yell at her, but instead decided not to.


    She wasn''t worth the effort-not anymore.


    ''Right now, the important thing to consider is what could have happened to Master while I was away... as well as how to relieve his anger towards me.''n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Ater already knew about Rey''s growing distrust towards him-one which began after he met with The Oracle.


    ''It''s just one of the ways this world wants to purge me, but...''


    Despite the wedge that had formed between them, Ater had managed to regain Rey''s trust by restricting himself with so many bothersomemands and even giving Rey the liberty to control him as he wished.


    For example... what happened just now.


    ''I can barely move, and it seems I''ll be unable to leave this ce until Rey arrives here ormands otherwise.'' He sighed.


    This was all due to the restrictions that he had willingly collected.


    ''The trust I worked so hard to cultivate is in a damning ce right now, and I am still without the necessary information I require to take any meaningful steps.''


    He was stuck.


    ''Master... I don''t know what has happened during the time I have been away, but...'' His eyes narrowed as a few thoughts flowed in his mind.


    ''... I hope you are fine.''


    At that precise moment, Ater felt a sensation that caused him to nearly enter convulsion. His eyes lit up instantly, a bright gleam of red bursting from within.


    "Guarrrghhh!"


    He gripped his chest, feeling a hot sensation burning him from within.


    He recognized that feeling anyday.


    It was something akin to a severance between himself and his Master, one that could only happen if thetter was no longer in the world.


    Rey would never leave H''Trae, which meant his life was at risk. Even if he was going to leave H''Trae for some reason, it was Ater''s duty to prevent him from doing so.


    Either way...


    ''Master... Master is in danger!''


    ************


    [Earlier That Day]


    "The three of you have trained well under my tutge, and you''ve even exceeded my expectations in many ways."


    The White Dragon Lord, Frey''ja stood before her three disciples-students of the Dragon Academy that she took under her wing four months ago after the conclusion of the Academy''s


    tournament.


    R''ai, Luc''ia, and Ad''oni.


    These three students showed a lot of promise and had grown freakishly powerful in such a small amount of time-two of them especially.


    "As promised, the most exceptional two will join my Squad and participate in the Exhibition today. As for the one who gotst ce, you''ll stille with us and serve as a spectator."


    That''s right!


    Today was the moment that Frey''ja and the other Dragon Lords had been waiting for after such a long period: the moment that could possibly shift the bnce of power in the Empire.


    "R''ai and Luc''ia... you are wee to the White Squad."


    Both students-no, disciples-knelt respectfully before her and bowed their heads in


    submission.


    As for thest one, she looked at him with pride.


    He was still plenty strong, impressive in his own right, but he simply didn''t hold a candle to


    the other two.


    "I already reserved a seat for you among the audience."


    The Exhibition took ce in the Capital, and it was only open to an exclusive audience-the high-ranking members of Dragon Society. That meant Ad''oni was still going to experience the luxury of high society and would learn immensely from watching the strongest in the Empire as well as their subordinates duke it out.


    Ultimately, it would be a good learning experience for him.


    No, for everyone.


    "We will depart immediately." She said with a bright smile. "Are you ready?"


    The three raised their heads and looked at her with absolute certainty-resolve burning deep


    within their eyes.


    "Yes, Master!"


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    My blood is pumped, honestly. We are slowly reaching the climax of this Arc, and I can''t wait


    until we reach the breaking point of this novel.


    Be expectant.

 Chapter 887: Heading To The Capital

    Chapter 887: Heading To The Capital


    ?


    ''It''s finally time...''


    As Rey walked right behind the White Dragon Lord-heading towards the portal that would transport them to the Capital, he felt a small smile tug at his lips.


    Lucielle and Adonis were right beside him as well, and while they maintained silence, they both seemed equally pleased with themselves. Rey knew why Lucielle was d, since their n hinged on going to the Capital.


    But... he didn''t know why Adonis was so pleased.


    ''He intentionally made sure not to stand out among the three of us. Was his n to be a spectator all along?'' Rey couldn''t help but wonder.


    Why would Adonis want to be a mere spectator in the Exhibition?


    He didn''t know... and the Hero wasn''t the slightest bit interested in revealing his ns.


    ''I have tried, but... haaa...'' Rey shrugged it off and decided to focus on what was important at the moment.


    "The Exhibition, huh?''


    The Exhibition had two segments-fights between Lords, and fights between Squads. ''Lucielle and I will be joining the White Dragon Lord''s Squad and face off against the other six. After that event is concluded, the Lord vs Lord battle will begin, which is pretty much the highlight of the event.'' His thoughts flowed as he looked at the White Dragon Lord. ''Her stats appear decently high, but if she''s considered weak, I can only wonder how strong the other Lords will be...''


    It wasn''t like any of those concerned him, though.


    ''I''ll be too busy with the Chamber of Ancients while the Lords are fighting, which is where I''ll be able to send Alicia home.''


    Of course, he wasn''t going to miss out on seeing the sweet, sweet Skills of the Lords, so he would simply use some recording Magic and watch their match live, so he wouldn''t miss out on anything while sneaking out.


    ''I would have loved to calmly observe how they fight as well, but time is of the essence when ites to this n.'' He sighed. ''Adrien will rendezvous with us there, and we''ll finally reach the end of our agreement.''


    Needless to say, this was a very important day.


    ''I still haven''t told Lucielle what we''ll be doing when we get to the Chamber of Ancients-at least, not in full detail. I... still haven''t told Alicia my final goodbye, and... I still don''t know if I''m prepared to do that.''n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    However, there was one major thought that burned in Rey''s mind more than the others.


    ''I still haven''t heard from Ater!''


    It had been months since hisstmunication with Ater, and every attempt he tried to reach the Familiar had proved useless. He tried tracking him, but his location showed as nonexistent. Then, he attempted to find out what could have happened to him by returning to the Southern Continent at some point, but he only found Belle and Justin there.


    None of them knew where Ater went.


    ''I might have dismissed it as him being up to some Ater business, or maybe still held some trust for him... but...'' Rey''s face broke into a deep frown. ''... Esme is missing too.''


    He tried tracking Esme, but his senses experienced the same thing that happened when he attempted searching for Ater.


    -Nothing.


    ''Wherever Ater went... he took Esme with him.'' Rey grit his teeth, feeling rage rising from within his depths.


    However, as soon as it appeared... it vanished.


    The erosion of his emotions had been happening at a much faster rate than ever before, making it extremely intolerable. However, any fury he would direct at the System would only cause his emotions to wash away that much quicker.


    In essence, he was forced to remain calm at all times.


    ''Has he finally begun to show his true colors? Was The Oracle right about him all along?'' Rey couldn''t help but ponder. ''Maybe he had a reason for his actions... but why wouldn''t he tell me?''


    If Ater had only been missing for a day or two, Rey would have understood.


    ''But it''s been months!''


    Ater was supposed to handle a few things for Rey during that period, but all of that wasn''t possible any longer. As a result of this, he would have to manage with what he had and alter the original ns slightly.


    ''Let''s remain calm, Rey.'' He inhaled slowly, keeping his gaze focused as he watched the White Dragon Lord open the doors that led to the Teleportation Chamber. ''Nothing good wille out of dwelling on those thoughts.''


    His first priority was making sure the reverse summoning worked and Alicia returned home alongside Adrien.


    After that, he would have all the time in the world to search for Ater and Esme-probably having to destroy the former, depending on the circumstances.


    "Are you ready?" The White Dragon Lord asked, waking Rey up from his swirling thoughts.


    His eyes took in Lord Frey''ja''s calm smile and her dazzling appearance. As usual, she wore a pure white dress¡ªalmost like she was a bride in an extravagant party. Her essories onlyplemented her stunning appearance, giving her even more prestige.


    The small nk room that all four of them-Rey, Lucielle, Adonis, and Frey''ja¡ªhad entered had arge Magic Circle that practically covered the entire ground. It was no doubt the Teleportation Circle, and once the coordinates had been set, it would instantly transport the designated targets with no margin of error.


    Rey had seen this work a few times since he began training under the White Dragon Lord as a disciple. It was really fascinating technology-particrly because it didn''t require energy from the targets of teleportation.


    It used Mana Crystals as batteries, and the flow of Magic was smooth.


    As usual, Rey made sure to turn the process into a Skill.


    "Yes, Master..." All three of them spoke in unison. "We''re ready."


    Rey didn''t consider Lord Frey''ja to be his Master in any way, especially since he was stronger than she was. Adonis most likely felt the same way-all things considered.


    However, Lucielle seemed genuine about referring to Frey''ja in such a way. Out of the three of them, she was the one who learned the most from the experience... making her a disciple in the true sense of the word.


    ''Thankfully, she still holds resentment towards the Dragon, so she won''t hesitate to do the needful.'' Rey smiled to himself.


    "Alright then." She nodded slowly. "Let us depart."


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Do you think Rey will forgive Ater? I wonder how their rtionship will turn out after this...

 Chapter 888: The Exhibition Begins!

    Chapter 888: The Exhibition Begins!


    ?


    ~SHIIIIINNNGGG!!!~


    The Magic Circle began to warble with power, and within a second, it burst in glorious white light. Rey witnessed as space distorted and how swiftly their location changed in the blink of an eye.


    Everything became a messy blur, and once the area around them stabilized... they were already somewhere else.


    -The Capital.


    They were in a white hall-within a much bigger room that also had the same Magic Circle embedded on the ground. This room was lined with gold, appearing far more prestigious than the ones they wereing from.


    That wasn''t the only difference, though.


    "Lord Frey''ja... we wee you wholeheartedly." Twodies spoke at the same time, their heads bowed as they greeted the Dragon Lord.


    They must have been waiting for the arrival of the Dragon Lord and her entourage, considering how their faces had already been bowed by the time the four of them arrived.


    That wasn''t the fascinating thing about them, though.


    "Kat''erin... Shai''ya... it looks like all preparations have already been made, correct?" "Yes, Master."


    These two were the other members of the White Dragon Lord''s Squad... which meant adding Rey and Lucielle, they would be a total of four.


    ''I don''t know why she didn''t just go for five members and add Adonis, but... it is what it is.'' Rey made a wry smile. ''In any case, how long has it been since west saw each other? About three weeks, I believe.''


    Kat''erin and Shai''ya were an integral part of disciple training, which meant the three of them had interacted many times in the past. The two Dragons were a little off, and Rey had noticed it right away.


    However, he couldn''t show his real thoughts regarding them.


    "R''ai and Luc''ia, why don''t you greet your senior teammates?" The White Dragon Lord turned to look at Rey and Lucielle, who were still standing behind her.


    "A-ah! It is good to see you again, Seniors Kat''erin and Shai''ya." He bowed slightly, a wry smile forming on his face as he saw their pale faces.


    As always, they responded rather reverently towards him-bowing their heads and saying "The pleasure is ours Ma-R''ai...."


    "It''s R''ai... actually." Rey tried correcting them, but he only whispered it silently. ''They always confuse my name and call me Ma-R''ai. I still don''t know why.''


    He also didn''t know why they treated him so respectfully even though they were his seniors.


    ''Even since training, they''ve been considerate of me.''


    Sure, he currently appeared as an attractive male Dragon, but wasn''t Adonis much more attractive than he was? Besides, they were definitely too old for Academy Students, weren''t they?


    ''Unless that is what they prefer...'' As his thoughts trailed, he noticed Lucielle rushing towards the two women, a big smile on her face.


    "Seniors! Long time no see! Have you been good?!"


    "Ah... Luc''ia." Kat''erin smiled, a blushing expression forming on her face. "I''ve missed you, cheeky girl."


    She then proceeded to pinch Lucielle''s cheeks.


    "Hehe! We''ve been very good, Luc''ia! We were eagerly waiting for you to arrive, you know? Kat''erin especially. She wouldn''t shut up about you."


    "Z-zip it, Shai''ya!"


    "Haha! She was so confident you would pass and join the Squad."


    "H-hey!"


    Rey watched the threedies interact, feeling a little awkward since he had been sidelined. ''As always, Lucielle''s interaction with them is lighthearted and casual.'' He sighed. ''And these are my teammates. How am I supposed to survive?''


    He was the only guy, and also the oddball among them.


    It would have been nice if Adonis was also a member of the team-even though they didn''t really talk-since he would also join Rey in the solitude and awkwardness. Unfortunately, it seemed the White Dragon Lord had a thing for even numbers.


    ''Whatever... it''s not like it''llst long anyway.'' Rey smiled in relief, watching everyone in the


    room.


    Once the day was over, this whole farce would end.


    "Shai''ya and Kat''erin will show you three to your preparation rooms." The White Dragon Lord broke the festivities with her sweet voice. "There isn''t much time until the opening ceremony, so you should start getting ready right away."


    Lord Frey''ja walked out of the room almost as soon as she said this, definitely in a hurry.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "I have to take care of a few things and talk to some people, so make sure you''re all prepared within the hour."


    "UNDERSTOOD!"


    With that said, Lord Frey''ja vanished from the room, leaving the rest of them standing there. "Well, since the two of you qualified, you''ll being with us to the changing room. We need to change into our uniforms. Afterward, we will get briefed alongside the other Squads regarding the format of the Exhibition..."


    As Kat''erin exined all of the details, everyone began to trail out of the room.


    "As for Ad''oni, you can stay in the resting lounge until the Exhibition starts. Show them this card, and you will be directed to the seat reserved for you by Lord Frey''ja."


    "Understood."


    "In any case, I''m excited we have two more teammates. Work harder so you can eventually join us too, okay Ad''oni?"


    "Yeah..."


    "Alrighty! Now where was I...?"


    The conversation kept going until the five disappeared in the passageway.


    ***********


    "Distinguished representatives of the Empire... wee to the Grand Exhibition of the Lords!"


    The roaring voice that echoed within the central hall belonged to none other than the host and referee of the Exhibition. He had slick dark hair that curled upwards, with sunsses-even though they weren''t necessary-and an all-ck gown that glimmered with the gold designs


    stered all over it.


    "We have waited for this moment for over a year now, and it is finally upon us!"


    The few hundred members of the audience within the hall consisted of none other than the important figures in the Empire-each at the very least, of the Commander Rank.


    Generals upied a high seat, making the strict hierarchy evident right away.


    The open hall resembled a coliseum, with a center stage at the very bottom of the array of seats, which was where the host-Kre''mlon-stood as he addressed everyone before him. He seemed the most excited, since this was the first Exhibition he would be hosting.


    That said, the air was electric with sheer anticipation.


    All the Dragons shifted in their seats as they felt the incredible weight of the asion bear down on them. More than anything, they wanted to see the event begin.


    But first-


    "The Emperor is now about to grace us with his presence, so... let all arise from their seats and


    pay homage to the Supreme Ruler of the Empire!"


    Instantly, every single member of the audience rose to their feet.


    Then... a dark shadow covered the entire area.


    This was a result of a certain vessel the form of a spacecraft-settling above the hall.


    Everyone bowed their heads instantly, not daring to move a muscle in preparation for what


    woulde next.


    That very instant, the Dragon Lords appeared at the center of the stage, all of them on their knees as they kept their faces bowed... waiting for the arrival of the Emperor.


    First, the Great Old Dragon Lord emerged from the spacecraft.


    He descended slowly, both hands behind him, as he looked at the submissive form of the rest


    of the Lords with a cold gaze. His aged facemanded authority, as his simple outfit-a ck and white military uniform-clung tightly to his body.


    Once hended on the ground, he opened his lips and made the deration.


    "All tremble before your presence! Lord Emperor... please descend and grace us with your magnificent presence!"


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Will we be seeing the Dragon Emperor in the next chapter? I wonder...

 Chapter 889: The Dragon Emperor

    Chapter 889: The Dragon Emperor


    ?


    Silence.


    The deafening decorum that pervaded the whole room was not the result of Magic or Skills, but a collective effort of everyone in attendance.


    Palpable was the reverence in their eyes, and their stiff bodies remained still out of respect- and also fear. As long as the Great Old Dragon Lord was present, any disrespect or blunder on the part of any Dragon would easily be noticed by him.


    And it would ultimately lead to death.


    As such, everyone held their breaths as they awaited the descent of their invincible ruler.


    ~SHUUU~


    A small hissing sound echoed from the overhead vessel as the shaft opened and a lone figure rose from it, generating an aura that could be considered unmatched.


    He had ebony dark skin, with crimson hair that danced magnificently behind him. He was garbed in his Emperor Robe, an attire that featured a ck and gold regalia-with a floating crown made of diamonds.


    Polished obsidian shoes covered his legs and he also wore gloves of the same material, having jewels¡ªall of which were enchanted-adorning every facet of his body. His six wings pped as he descended in his humanoid form, appearing more like a perverse angel than a Dragon- save for his multiple horns that decorated his head.


    He had nine of them-twisted and curved-and they all gleamed with malevolence.


    His eyes warbled with multiple colors, and while his skin remained dark, he seemed to be glowing brightly¡ªan unreal existence that even the strongest Dragons cowered before. With a charming face, unmatched by any Dragon present, he appeared to be in the prime of his life.


    Even though he was the oldest, most powerful one around.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Haaa..." Silently exhaling, smoking steam escaped his lips and nostrils.


    He carried his eyes around, looking at his still subordinates; including the Dragon Lords, whose submissive bows signified their piety.


    All nine of them¡ªof course, including the Great Old Dragon Lord, who had taken his ce at the forefront of his colleagues were in perfect subservience to his might. Out of the nine Lords, there were certainly new faces.


    After all, three previous members of the council had been eliminated by the Great Old Dragon. "... What a wonderful day."


    Those were the first words of the Dragon Emperor as he finally descended.


    Despitending, his feet did not touch the ground. Instead, it remained inches away from the surface and stayed afloat. When he moved, neither of his feet moved. It simply appeared like he was being pulled towards his target destination.


    This was how he moved until he was right in front of the kneeling Lords.


    "Rise."


    Instantly, they rose to their feet.


    "You may lift your gaze." His glistening lipsmanded.


    They obeyed.


    At that point, they were able to feast their eyes on their one true Emperor-the god of the Dragons.


    He looked magnificent in their eyes.


    "It has been quite a while, hasn''t it? Over a year to be exact..." He muttered, moving around as The observed the demeanor of the Dragon Lords.


    Normally, the Exhibition was supposed to have taken ce much earlier, but due to the conflict that arose in the nation, it had to be postponed. This conflict mostly arose from their loss in the Southern Continent, as well as their streak of failure in the othernds.


    The fact that the Academy had also lost so many students also made it imperative that certain internal matters be resolved before going ahead with the Exhibition.


    More students were scouted for the Academy, and the Dragon Empire was now mobilizing its army... determined to make it more powerful than ever in order to deal a heavy blow on humanity.


    All of this would happen once the Exhibition was over.


    "I assume your Squad Members are ready." He asked, his lips curling up in amusement.


    Even though he asked them a question, no one dared to answer. There was a severe rule that prevented anyone from speaking to the Dragon Emperor.


    -Anyone except one.


    "Indeed they are, Emperor K''arba''diel." The Great Old Dragon Lord smiled as he referred to his only superior with his well-deserved reverence. Still,pared to the posture of everyone else, his disy of respect seemed almost casual.


    "Since there are only seven squads, myself and the Death Dragon Lord do not have possession of any Squad. However, the rest have certainly been preparing their subordinates for this day... all to bring glory to the Empire and to your Excellency."


    "I see... I see."


    "We are grateful you could join us for the event. Once again, we ask you to supervise this incredibly pertinent event and lead us into a conclusion that moves the glorious Empire forward."


    "Mhm." The Emperor nodded. "Very well."


    He began to ascend once he said this, slowly returning to the vessel that was still floating in the sky above.


    "I will watch the matches and rank each Squad based on the superior one, and the same metric will be applied to the other Lords. You''ll have to be excluded from the battle, though, Great Old Dragon Lord... for obvious reasons."


    "Understood, Lord Emperor."


    "Now then..."


    All of a sudden, the vessel that brought the Emperor and Great Old Dragon Lord to the venue


    began to change.


    -To transform.


    From a flying spacecraft of immenselyrge proportions, it began to shift and warp into a different kind of structure. Its build became more streamlined, and while it still floated in the


    air like a terrifying fortress, it became something... glorious.


    A floating throne.


    Emperor K''arba''diel rose to the gigantic throne prepared for him and took his seat at its


    epicenter.


    Once again... he appeared utterly majestic.


    "... Let the Exhibition begin!"


    ********


    The cheering noise of the audience, and themotion caused by the shifting Squad Members in the hallway was enough to tell Adonis that the Dragon Exhibition was already


    underway.


    He slowly rose from the corner that he sat in within the lounge, his VIP card still in his grasp. ''Looks like it''s in full swing now...'' A small smile formed on his face.


    Rey and Lucielle were nowhere to be seen, so he couldn''t talk to them for thest time before embarking on his most important mission.


    Adonis didn''t feel bad, though.


    ''I''ll see them soon enough.'' He thought to himself as he left the entire building and felt his


    smile growing bigger and bigger.


    With everyone distracted by thepetition, he now had the perfect window of opportunity.


    -The chance to regress once again.


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    What do you think about the Dragon Emperor''s introduction? Underwhelming? Average?


    Overwhelming?


    And now... it seems the Hero has made his move.


    Hehehe!

 Chapter 890: The Gauntlet

    Chapter 890: The Gauntlet


    ?


    ''We have finally gotten to this point...''


    Rey and Lucielle stared at each other as they waited in the hallway dedicated to their Squad. Despite having only four people present, the space felt suffocating, to say the least. However, unlike how Lucielle was breathing slightly unevenly, Rey waspletely calm.


    He had no choice but to be calm.


    ''We just have to do well and make sure to defeat the enemies, else these two won''t let it slide...'' He nced at Shai''ya and Kat''erin. ''Plus, since it''ll let me copy more skills up close, it''s just better we keep winning... so I can advance.''


    Of course, even though the strategy was pretty simple, Rey was not without his worries.


    ''The Dragon Emperor is present, isn''t he?''


    Didn''t that mean there was a chance that he would be found out? Unlike Lucielle, who permanently turned herself into a Dragon for the mission, he was using a skill to achieve the same result.


    Granted, it was Skill that had been elevated to the SS-Tier, but he wasn''t sure if that would be enough to fool the Dragon Emperor.


    ''This is why I needed Ater to be here... and yet...''


    Ater would have either stood in for him, or maybee up with a method to work around the problem. However, without such a solution, Rey had to simply cross his fingers and trust in his skills.


    He hoped he was just being paranoid.


    ''All the other Squads have their hall... and thepetition-while being a little unbnced- is pretty straightforward.''


    The current strongest Squad will have to face every other Squad one after the other to defend their title. If the challenging Squad lost, the next squad would fight the defending champion, and this would continue until all the Squads were cycled through.


    Of course, if the current champions lost to a Squad, that Squad would take the ce of defending champion, and they would have to face the remaining Squads one after the other.


    ''I can already think of a few problems with this arrangement...'' Rey sighed.


    For one, it was unfair as hell.


    The Frost Dragon Squad was currently the strongest in the Empire, and its leader was O''jog. Rey knew how strong their Squad was famed to be, and after meeting them in person during the briefing, he could say for sure that they were unmatched when it came to the rest of the Squads in the Empire.


    ''This gauntlet system makes it so that a lucky Squad might end up fighting the defending champions who could be exhausted at that point.''


    For any normal tournament, that would be inequitable.


    But-


    ''The Frost Dragon Squad is just that strong.'' Rey smiled wryly.


    He wouldn''t be surprised if the members didn''t break a sweat even after their adversaries fought tooth and nail just to make a dent. In essence, this matchup was unfair... for thosepeting against the Frost Dragon Squad.


    It was obvious that they would be the winners of this Exhibition as well. At least, that would have been the case if Rey wasn''t in the White Dragon Squad.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ''Sorry, O''jog... but I think I''ll have to disrupt that win streak of yours.'' Rey smiled to himself, ncing at the rest of his teammates.


    Lucielle still looked nervous, but Rey knew all of that would vanish once they stepped into the ring. What about the other two members?


    ''As expected... they''re calm.''


    Was it because they were experienced veterans? Or were they that confident in their abilities?


    The answer to both was no.


    There was only one reason why the two Dragons didn''t disy any fear.


    They simply didn''t feel any, to begin with.


    ''They''re Undead, after all...'' Rey''s eyes glowed as he once again observed their Status Windows. Not only were they Undead, but they seemed to be pretty high-level ones.


    ''Just like with Justin, they don''t resemble Undead at all, though...''


    Rey didn''t quite understand why they were like that, but he wasn''t in any position to pay special attention to it. Besides, it wasn''t like he could ask them, since that would expose his ability to see Status Windows.


    Of course, he could always use one of his many skills to find out the reason behind their Undead State, but he just didn''t bother doing something that would possiblypromise himself when it wasn''t particrly important.


    ''I''ll make sure to do itter once the coast is clear, though...'' With that thought echoing in his mind, he shifted his gaze towards the arena.


    The first match was about to start.


    "Frost Dragon Squad versus Storm Dragon Squad!" The host''s voice echoed loudly, even infiltrating the many hallways that housed the respective Squads.


    ''Storm Dragon Squad, huh? Isn''t that Adrien''s group?'' Rey thought that, but he knew the boy wasn''t participating in the Exhibition.


    Attending an Academy was one thing, but participating in such an elite event wasn''t something a mere human could do.


    At least, not yet.


    Instead, five Dragon Generals¡ªeach of considerably great power-stepped out of their assigned Hallway, walking directly towards the three Frost Dragon Squad members that were


    already on stage.


    Each of these Squads certainly had more members than the representatives that were on stage, but per the Exhibition rules, a maximum of five people and a minimum of two people were required to participate in a fight.


    ''Which is why I still wonder why Frey''ja didn''t just add Adonis to our team and make us aplete set of five.'' Rey nearly sighed.


    It seemed the Storm Dragon Squad had enough sense to go with the maximum standard in order to stand the greatest chance against their adversary. Since they were the strongest Squad-right next to the Frost Dragon Squad-it was clear they were more than willing to do whatever it took to win.


    ''I see a few familiar faces.'' Rey looked at three of the five Storm Squad members and instantly recognized them. ''I thought I killed them back on the Elf Continent, but I guess those were clones? Interesting... so Adrien actually turned them into Undead and donated them to the


    Storm Dragon Lord.''


    It was no wonder the Dragon Lord treated Adrien with such an exception.


    "Representatives... get ready!" The host''s voice roared out loud, and the Squad Members instantly took to their respective positions.


    Any moment now, and...


    "Begin!"


    ... The match entered full swing.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    All the pieces are gathering, and the conclusion is slowly being built up. I wonder if any of you


    can guess it...

 Chapter 891 The Dragon Admiral

    891 The Dragon Admiral


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOMMM!!!~


    Almost as soon as the fight began¡­ it ended, much to the amazement of everyone who watched.


    The Storm Dragon Squad had used the best fighters in its arsenal, and all five of the Dragon General started off with their best moves. However, all of it was rendered useless by a single Skill from one of the opposing side''s members.


    O''jog¡­ and his [Perfect Protection] Skill.


    In the end, none of their attacks reached him nor his allies¡ªD''aru and L''ester¡ªwho pretty much watched the fight and did nothing throughout.


    Upon stopping their attacks, he made a counter with another Skill.


    [Perfect Expansion]


    With this Skill, he caused spontaneousbustion on all five Storm Squad representatives, which created the massive explosion that rang throughout the stage. There was no doubt in anyone''s mind after watching all of that¡ªthe defense and offense of the one called the Strongest Dragon of his generation.


    Someone like him could not be bound by a regr ss like ''Dragon General'', but he had also not been appointed as a Lord yet.


    As such, he was known as a Dragon Admiral¡ªone who stood above others of his rank.


    ~FSHUUUUU~


    As the smoke parted and the bruised bodies of the fallen contestants came into view, the Host had no choice but to make the verdict that everyone already knew from the start.


    "The Frost Dragon Squad wins the first round!"


    *********


    "The Frost Dragon Squad wins the third round!"


    Just as with the first and second, the third round was easily won by O''jog within the first few seconds of the match. There was no contest whatsoever, which made the fight¡ªif one could even call it that¡ªend extremely quickly.


    At this point, even the audience had gone from shocked to slightly disappointed.


    It wasn''t a fun exhibition anymore, but a one-sided show that involved O''jog flexing on his opponents in the swiftest way possible.


    Not even his teammates had room to fight, since he always ended things quickly.


    "Don''t you think you went a little too far, O''jog?" D''aru chuckled, his dark hair dancing in the air as he wrapped his arm around hisrade. "I mean, if you keep defeating them like this, it isn''t much of an Exhibition, wouldn''t you say?"


    His white hair danced atop his head as his blue eyes were simply fixated on the next hallway as he waited for the next contestant.


    "Come on, man! At least leave some for your teammates." Daru was groaning at this point. "I''m bored out of my mind!"


    Still nothing.


    "Come on, back me up here L''ester! Shouldn''t he be more considerate?"


    The calmer Dragon General, and also the third member of the team, looked at his other two teammates with an expressionless facade. He had been silent for a while now, but after D''aru brought him into it, he sighed and let out his thoughts.


    "D''aru isn''t wrong. At this rate, the true purpose of the Exhibition will be defeated and nothing will change in the status quo."


    The annual Exhibition was to see if the Dragon Squads had improved in some ways, and if so¡ªto what extent. By analyzing these things in battle, an appropriate hierarchy would be drawn and that would be the status quo until the subsequent year.


    However, with O''jog''s method, there would be no way to fairly judge the performance of the participants.


    After all, they all lost in simr ways.


    "The status quo within the Squads has been unbnced for a while now due to all of the incidents that have happened this year¡­" L''ester added.


    He was, of course, referring to things like the Dark Dragon Lord''s demise, and the elimination of key members of his Squad. The lost war in the Southern Continent was also something to consider, and the much recent victory that the humans secured in the Western Continent added fuel to the mes.


    Due to all of these losses, the Dragon Empire had to withdraw all their forces from the battlefield and go through restructuring.


    "Analyzing today''s fight and creating an appropriate hierarchy as a result is an essential part of the process to¡ª"


    "I don''t care about any of that." O''jog responded honestly.


    His unflinching gaze showed that he truly meant what he said. Those words would have shocked his colleagues if not for the fact that they knew the kind of person he was.


    O''jog was a Dragon that did whatever he wanted.


    Not even the Dragon Lords could chain him down, though the Frost Dragon Lord had some hold on him for a reason no one knew about.


    Due to his undeniable strength and immense growth¡­ no oneined about his attitude.


    He was simply THAT powerful.


    "Welp¡­ I tried speaking my mind." D''aru raised his hands in surrender, plopping to the ground in order to make himselffortable. Since he wasn''t going to be fighting for the rest of the match, he thought it was only appropriate to retire early.


    "What are you doing, D''aru? The Dragon Emperor is watching." L''ester sighed, shaking his head.


    He remained standing, unlike D''aru.


    "Shut up! Think I don''t know that?" He grumbled. "I mean him no disrespect by resting up when just one of us is enough to decimate thepetition."


    And with that, hey his back on the ground and closed his eyespletely intent on beingckadaisical.


    "O''jog, you''re really going to let him do that?" L''ester asked, but was once again met with indifference from the one he spoke to.


    The white-haired Admiral didn''t seem to care what those two were up to.


    He had his own agenda in mind.


    ''I don''t care about hierarchy or order anymore¡­'' O''jog''s thoughts flowed as he raised his gaze and looked at the floating throne high above the arena. A broad smile formed on his face at that moment, revealing something pure, as well as dangerous, hidden within his crystal blue eyes.


    ''I simply want to shove it up that old man''s ass and show him what his bastard son can do.''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I''m sure there''s no surprise on your part as the reader, since his Status Window showed him as one of the Royal Species. Either way¡­ it is what it is.


    It''ll soon be Rey''s turn to face this monster.


    N?v(el)B\\jnn

 Chapter 892 Frost Squad Vs White Squad

    892 Frost Squad Vs White Squad


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    As was the case with the previous rounds, the fourth one also ended on the same note¡ªabsolute victory at the hands of the seemingly invincible O''jog.


    It was slowly getting to the fifth round¡­


    ''Looks like our time is finally here.'' Rey felt a small smile forming on his face. ''No one would fault me if our team ends up losing, will they?''


    After all, O''jog was simply a monster beyond any Dragon he had ever faced. In terms of stats, the White Dragon Lord was definitely superior, but¡­ those weren''t what made O''jog such a menace.


    It was his Skills.


    ''His Skills are quite problematic¡ªat least to other people dealing with them.''


    To Rey, this posed no issues for him whatsoever.


    ''After watching the fights so far, I''ve assimted that [Perfect Protection] Skill of his. I already had his [Perfect Expansion], so this is a nice addition.'' He smiled. ''The problem now is¡­ how to get the rest of those Skills.''


    Rey wanted everything O''jog had, since he was plenty strong.


    No Skill in his possession would be wasted if they were in Rey''s possession and he desired them greatly¡ªalmost to the point of being too greedy.


    ''The issue is that he''s obviously so strong that it would be difficult for me to make him show his full power without also disying the same level of strength.'' He nced at his teammates¡ªparticrly Kat''erin and Shai''ya and felt their calmness even in the precarious situation.


    ''These two are certainly stronger than most of the Generals I''ve seen already, but they don''t stand a chance against O''jog. If possible, they should take care of the two¡ªL''ester and D''aru¡ªwhile Lucielle and I take care of O''jog.''


    Even though it would be plenty suspicious that mere students were going against the strongest Dragon of his generation, it would look less absurd since there would be two of them, and not just Rey.


    ''Besides, we can leverage on the fact that he was our Instructor for a while, which can cause him to hold back¡­'' Rey''s thoughts flowed. ''Either way, as long as we can suspend their disbelief for long enough to achieve our objective¡­ we''ll be safe.''


    After all, this was thest day they would be spending undercover anyway.


    Rey was still concerned about the gaze of the Dragon Emperor on him, which was why he had to weigh his desire to get O''jog''s Skills and the intentions to preserve his identity.


    "The fifth round is between the Frost Dragon Squad and the White Dragon Squad!" The Host''s voice broke into the air, snapping Rey from his deep thoughts.


    He immediately felt a hand on his shoulder, ncing beside him to see who it was¡ªeven though he already knew.


    "Looks like it''s our turn now¡­" Lucielle smiled warmly at him, her brows raised in slight excitement and amusement.


    "Are you nervous?"


    As that question echoed in his mind, him processing it within the fragment of a second, he couldn''t help but shrug and smile.


    "No. Are you?"


    Lucielle returned his confidence with a wide grin, pping him on his shoulder as she jogged forward in order to catch up with the pace of her seniors.


    "Am I ever?"


    Rey couldn''t help but shake his head, his lips curling up even further as he raised his feet and marched forward to meet up with his teammates. In the end, he would make up his mind depending on how the event yed out.


    There was no need to be nervous or scared.


    ''I''ve got this!''


    Stepping out into the light, the first thing he felt was the overbearing shadow of the Emperor''s vessel over the battlefield¡ªa stark representation of the sheer amount of influence he exerted over the Dragon Empire.


    Rey did not feel intimidated, though¡ªat least, not too much.


    He kept up his pace, walking right beside Lucielle and behind Kat''erin and Shai''ya, their pure white uniform glowing beneath the pressing gloom.


    ''This aesthetic fits Lucielle and the other girls well, but I don''t think it''s such a good fit for me, honestly¡­'' While he didn''t mean to be so conscious about his appearance, it was something that he couldn''t quite control.


    Taking a quick nce around, he looked at all the members of the audience.


    ''As expected, they''re all distinguished¡­'' He smiled to himself, even taking a peek at a few Status Windows.


    Then, his eyes traveled to the High Table, which the Dragon Lords all upied. He could see all of them lined up, most of whom were in a bad mood.


    Why wouldn''t they be?


    O''jog had demolished their Squad singlehandedly¡­ without expending any effort at all.


    He was tempted to look at their Status Window, but decided not to push his luck. Instead, his eyes met the White Dragon Lord, whose exposed eye was also fixated on his. She had something of a mncholic expression¡ªas if she was worried, or perhaps waiting for something.


    He couldn''t quite understand it, but she felt somewhat sad.


    ''I also sense something quite powerful in her other eye, though it''s hard to make out. That eyepatch¡­ it''s simr to the one Ater gave me, isn''t it?'' The moment Rey thought about his Familiar, anger nearly rushed through him, but he controlled those emotions the best he could.


    Now wasn''t the time¡­


    ''In any case, looks like she''s still expecting something of a performance in this match¡­ which should honestly be impossible, considering who we are up against.''


    Back when he trained in her Estate as a disciple, he made sure to never disy his full power. The disciple that Lord Frey''ja was familiar with wouldn''t be able to hold a candle to the enemy at all.


    ''See, this is why you should have added Adonis to the team¡­ though, speaking of Adonis, I can''t seem to find him.''


    Rey had even checked the Regr Seats after going through the VIP Section, but he didn''t see him there. It was possible that he got lost or slept off, which would exin his tardiness, but Rey could think of another exnation.


    ''It seems he''s already carrying out whatever n brought him to the capital.''


    He would be a hypocrite if he condemned Adonis'' actions, especially since he too had a mission to aplish within the Capital.


    ''Once this round is over, even¡­'' He told himself.


    Adrien must have already been setting things up¡ªor at the very least, waiting for the rest of them at the rendezvous spot.


    ''Let''s get this over with, shall we?''


    He could already feel so many stares on him¡ªfrom the Dragon Lords, and perhaps even from the Emperor¡­ though he didn''t dare look to confirm.


    More than anything, he wanted the round to be over and done with.


    But¡ª


    "Begin!"


    ~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~


    As soon as the White Dragon Squad attacked, O''jog set up his [Perfect Protection] and even used his [Perfect Domain] at the same time, encasing the entire area that Rey and his team stood in a fiery explosion.


    Not fatally dangerous for a Dragon¡ªbut enough to knock them out.


    However¡­ the most absurd thing happened.


    "Looks like you really thought we''d go down like the rest." Lucielle''s voice echoed throughout the battlefield as she smiled.


    The smoke cleared, revealing a protective field around each of the White Dragon Squad members, and the surprised expressions of the Frost Dragon Squad.


    O''jog appeared to be the most shocked of all.


    "You¡­"


    "Hehe! We won''t be that easy, Instructor." Lucielle replied with a sweet smile and added a bit of her theatrical ir to the mix.


    Rey watched this and couldn''t help but sigh.


    ''You''ve gone and done it now¡­''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    N?v(el)B\\jnn

 Chapter 893: Ojogs Rude Awakening

    Chapter 893: Ojog''s Rude Awakening


    ?


    None of his opponents had ever done it before.


    They hadn''t¡ªcouldn''t, even if they wanted to-block an attack from [Perfect Expansion].


    ''So how...?'' O''jog thought to himself, his eyes open wide as he looked at the four contestants -particrly the Luc''ia, who was now grinning at him... almost like this whole thing was a joke to her. ''How did she do it?''


    He wanted to know.


    He needed to know so badly.


    ''[Perfect Expansion] allows any of my Magic or Skill attacks to have a sure-hit effect within a certain radius. It bypasses defenses, and it increases the effectiveness of my attacks by at least threefold.'' He reasoned.


    ''It also allows me to individually lock on certain targets and exclude others, as well as adjust the damage percentage and overall speed as much as I please.''N?v(el)B\\jnn


    In essence, it was like his own little bubble where he could y god.


    Even his teammates couldn''t block or dodge any attacks he threw at them when he activated this skill. The most they could do was tank any damage with hopes of reaching and eventually defeating him before they umted too much damage.


    Of course, that would also never happen because of his second skill.


    ''[Perfect Protection].''


    ~WHOOSH!~


    As he was still in contemtion, he felt a disturbance around his space and noticed silhouettes approaching him at an incredible pace.


    These shadowy figures were Kat''erin and Shai''ya, and their calm faces showed nothing short of determination as they closed the distance between him and their previous position in a sh. The moment they did so, they resorted to Magic.


    All of a sudden, Blood spurted from beneath Shai''ya''s uniform, and Kat''erin already began to create a torrent of ice and sharp cuts of wind. In essence, a powerful blizzard.


    Since [Dragon''s Voice] wouldn''t work on O''jog, their best bet was to overwhelm him with enough brute force to break his defenses and hopefully damage him. With this rationale, they made sure to elevate the potency of their attacks to their absolute limits.


    Hence, the attacks tracked the target with incredible precision and sheer destructive power. -VWUUUUUUUSSSHHH!!!~


    The air vibrated and the ground quaked.


    However, O''jog remained rooted in his position. His own teammates also did the same-with D''aru still making himselffortable on the ground, while the L''ester maintained his position right behind their leader.


    It was obvious that they would need to get past O''jog before getting to them.


    But that would never happen.


    After all...


    ~FSHUUUUUUU!~


    ... No attack was never going to connect.


    As soon as the powerful torrents and immensely potent blood projectile almost touched O''jog, his ultimate defense mechanism kicked in, protecting him from the damage he would have received otherwise.


    "Did you really think you could touch me... just because you managed to tank one of my assaults?" He smiled at the two, who had gotten even closer than before.


    Somehow, they had to be punished for their impudence.


    ''[Absolute Destruction].''


    As soon as he thought this, the ground crackled under his feet, spreading the tremors around him at a terrifying rate. In no time at all, it covered his immediate vicinity-where the two girls were positioned.


    And then, a powerful burst of devastation followed.


    ''I''ll tone it down so it doesn''t kill you, but don''t worry... it will hurt.'' His grin broadened, followed by the thunderous sound of the entire space around him being ripped apart by a force of sheer destruction.


    ~BOO0000-!-


    Suddenly, the destruction stopped halfway, followed by a certain disturbance within the vicinity that should have already been consumed by his attack. Not only was this puzzling, but it had to be impossible.


    How could anyone stop an invisible wave of destruction? Especially when he was using his [Perfect Expansion].


    His eyes instantly traveled beyond his immediate surrounding and noticed Luc''ia smiling from a distance. Her eyes were glowing brightly, and she had a daring look on her face... one that made him feel agitated.


    ''You... just because I taught you a thing or two and you won the tournament... you think you can stand up to me? Is that it?'' He grit his teeth, eyes now bloodshot. ''How dare you? How dare you ruin my sessive streak of victories? How dare you interfere with my skills-not once, but twice now?''


    And, the most important question of all-


    ''How are you doing it?!''


    Before he could get a proper answer to those questions, his gleaming blue eyes noticed something amiss.


    ''Hold on... where did thest one go? Where is... R''ai?'' As soon as he thought this, he felt a presence right behind him.


    ''W-what?!''


    With bulging eyes, he felt his body instantly shiver as he turned as quickly as he could.


    However, he was much too slow.


    It was already toote.


    From the corner of his eyes, he could see R''ai holding a weapon-its edges gleaming with distorted blue and ck energy. He held the de with two hands, and he was shing it towards him with breakneck speed.


    O''jog couldn''t help but wonder how R''ai was able to move so quickly, but he first needed an answer to how he was able to sneak behind him like that.


    O''jog''s senses were different from others.


    He had [Perfect Sight], which granted him a 360 degree vision of everything around him, and it also allowed him to process details at a much faster pace than others. As a result, he could see intricate details-including the flow of energy and space around him.


    This was how he could detect a presence behind him at all-considering how his own two teammates didn''t even notice R''ai until his de was fired up with the immense energy that


    now danced around it.


    And so, he couldn''t help but wonder how the boy was able to slip past his senses at all.


    Even if he was distracted... that wasn''t enough.


    Ultimately, though, there was no use thinking about something as useless as that when the oue of the kid''s effort was inevitable.


    Just like others... his de wouldn''t be able to touch.


    As O''jog thought this, his lips curling up into a smile, he noticed the ck and blue de


    getting closer to him.


    Dangerously so.


    ''E-eh...?'' All of a sudden, he had a dangerous feeling that rang in his head.


    ''If I don''t block that... I''ll be in trouble!''


    With that instinctive thought reverberating in his head, and the feeling of apprehension etched into his his body, O''jog didn''t even realize when he raised his two hands to meet the


    de.


    Then-


    ~CLANG!~


    The sword actually hit O''jog''s skin, sending him sliding a few meters away from his previous position-a position he hadn''t left since the start of the whole Exhibition.


    "Guh!" He growled, ring deeply at the one who caused him to move.


    Smoke rose from the hands that were used to block the de strike. Both of them were


    unscathed, though his clothing had secured some damage-not that it bothered him in the


    slightest.


    What was on O''jog''s mind was something a lot more disturbing.


    ''He... actually got past my [Perfect Defense]...?''


    A bead of sweat formed on his face as he looked at R''ai, who was now speaking to two girls that he was meant to have already defeated if it hadn''t been for some interference.


    "The both of you should take care of those two..." O''jog heard R''ai tell thedies, and they


    nodded inplete understanding.


    As they made their way towards D''aru and L''ester, R''ai''s eyes settled on him.


    "Me and Luc''ia will handle him."


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    Looks like the Dragon''s honored one is quite flustered.

 Chapter 894: Students Versus Instructor

    Chapter 894: Students Versus Instructor


    ?


    N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ''As expected...'' Rey smiled wryly as he activated his [Perfect Divine Appraisal] and stared at the only opponent before him.


    What he saw caused a bead of sweat to trickle down the side of his face.


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    - Name: O''jog


    - Race: Dragon (Royal Species)


    - ss: Grand Admiral (S-Tier)


    - Level: 500 (10.50% EXP)


    - Life Force: 50,000


    - Mana Level: 100,000


    - Combat Ability: 75,000


    - Stat Points: 0


    - Skills (Exclusive): [Perfect Expansion]. [Perfect Protection]. [Perfect Constitution]


    - Skills (Non-Exclusive): [Divine Growth]. [Absolute Magic Utility]. [Absolute Recovery].


    [Absolute Destruction]. [Dragon Breath: Choas]. [Absolute Draconic Flight]. [Absolute Magic Disruption]. [Perfect Sight].


    - Alignment: Chaotic Neutral


    [Additional Information]


    The prince of Dragons, and the one of the strongest Dragons in the world.


    His potential is seemingly endless, and he is incredibly talented as well as skilled. He possesses the perfect attribute for a being of chaos.


    [End Of Information]


    ''... He''s quite a monster.''


    Rey had already seen this Status Window before, but he had to constantly remind himself of whom he was dealing with.


    ''His Stats aren''t the problem, since he isn''t that difficult of a foe. And, with my [Doppel], his Skills also don''t present much of an issue for me.'' Rey sighed. ''The main issue is how to make the fight convincing.''


    No matter how one sliced it, O''jog had monstrous stats for a Dragon.


    Especially when he wasn''t even a Lord.


    How was an Academy student supposed to defeat someone like that?


    ''I could have just capitalized on the fact that O''jog was our Instructor, so he was just going easy on us, but I don''t think that will work considering how he''s already reacting.''


    He was clearly pissed.


    Former Instructor or not, O''jog was intent on dominating him in this fight.


    ''Well, I guess there''s no other choice.'' He stole a nce at the seats of the Lords and focused on the White Dragon Lord. ''I''ll just have to use the fact that I''m her student to exin away some of my power.''


    He would have preferred not to go down this route due to its risks, but since Lucielle started things off already, it was only proper they gave everyone a proper show.


    ''Plus, this way I can steal some sweet Skills Honestly, I feel like I''ve stagnated for some time now, so this is just perfect!.'' He licked his lips.


    "What''s with that smile on your face?"


    The sudden voice of his opponent woke Rey up from the thoughts he was engrossed in, forcing him to look at the man''s annoyed face.


    "Do you really think, just because your teammate created a window of opportunity for you to strike me... you have a chance to beat me?" O''jog asked with raised brows. "Your conceit truly knows no bounds."


    ''Hm? Does he think Lucielle was the one responsible for thatst strike of mine connecting?'' Rey couldn''t help but think to himself.


    In actuality, he had used his [Perfect Expansion] Skill and supplemented it with a suppressed application of his own [Perfect Domain Of The Divine] in order for his attacks to easily pass through the seemingly imprable defense mechanism.


    ''I guess it''s a good thing that he thinks it''s Lucielle''s fault.'' Rey reasoned. ''That way, he''ll have his focus on her, and we can distribute the roles that only I can do myself.''


    That would definitely make things less suspicious.


    ''I''ll have Lucielle stay in the distance, interfering with his abilities when she can, while I deal damage close range. Once he has revealed all of his cards, we''ll suffer defeat and leave the stage as the fifth losers of the Exhibition.''


    Rey didn''t really care what happened to the White Dragon Squad after this point because he was going to leave the Continent once he could secure Alicia''s way home, but he reckoned the Squad would rise to Rank 2 in the Empire.


    ''Whatever the case is, they''ll still lose badly if they choose to attack us, so...'' Brushing those thoughts off his mind, Rey decided to focus on the match for now.


    He could already hear and overall sense the fight that was happening right behind him-with the two girls on his team and the two men on O''jog''s team. Due to his constitution, he could also see the fight, and it seemed like both parties were holding out well.


    It was too early to judge who would win, though, so he left things at that.


    "Two versus one... how interesting."


    O''jog''s voice rang out as he looked at Rey, and then nced behind him to see Lucielle-who was still making her rueful smile.


    "You''re notining, are you? You are our Instructor, after all." Lucielle beamed with a


    toothy grin.


    Rey couldn''t help but give a slight chuckle as well.


    "Hm? Why would Iin? " O''jog said, his smile growing broader by the second. "This


    just makes it easier to eliminate the both of you at once."


    Those were rather confident words, but O''jog had substance to back it up.


    ''Not only does he have a perfect body thanks to his [Perfect Constitution] Skill, but he has


    incredible regeneration and other problematic Skills.''


    However, none of that mattered to the current Rey and Lucielle matchup.


    ''You ready?'' He sent a message to his teammate using [Link].


    ~YUP!~


    Her response caused him to smile, and before he knew it, he crouched and took a battle stance -his de pointed at the man he would soon strike yet again.


    "You want to try your petty tricks again? Be my guest!" He raised both hands and grinned.


    ''He''s pretending to be careless so we approach him with less caution, which he would then turn against us at the critical moment. I''m sure that he''s taking us a lot more seriously and will work at eliminating us-Lucielle first, and then me.''


    Unfortunately for him... his ns wouldn''t work.


    After all-


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    Rey charged towards O''jog, who was now grinning like a maniac and waiting for him to get close. As this happened, Lucielle activated ''Imaginary Rain'' and sent the swirling blizzard


    towards O''jog from the other end.


    ''What?'' His eyes seemed to say.


    ''He''s clearly surprised that she can cast a Spell while trying to interfere with his powers. By casting the Spell, she has essentially divided her attention and can''t interfere with his own abilities, he will take this as an opportunity to use THAT Skill.''


    "[Absolute Magic Disruption]."


    The swirling mass of energy began to break apart, clearly showing that the Spell failed.


    With an emphatic smile, he raised his hand in Lucielle''s direction, while still preparing for


    Rey''s iing attack.


    "Pure Burst."


    In an instant, he gathered a maelstrom of destructive energy, coalescing everything into a beam of light and fired it at Lucielle.


    Meanwhile, Rey was already right in front of him-ready to strike.


    ''He''ll most likely use his body to absorb any damage I want to render using [Perfect Constitution], while preparing a strong counter.'' Rey smiled internally. ''Too bad all of it will


    be in vain.''


    ~ZZZTZZZ!~


    In a sh-right at the decisive moment when the beam of light would have hit Lucielle, and Rey was about to touch O''jog-space distorted.


    The positions of Lucielle and O''jog got swapped for each other, leaving the girl right in Rey''s


    grasp, while O''jog right at the front of the beam.


    Needless to say... the Grand Admiral wasn''t expecting this.


    -B000000000000000000000M!!! -


    *


    [A/N] Thanks for reading!


    It''s insane how close we are to 900 chapters. Honestly... this is pretty impressive in its own


    way. I hope you enjoyed the chapter.

 Chapter 895: Finishing Touch

    Chapter 895: Finishing Touch


    ?


    "Tch!"


    As expected, the ''Pure Burst'' didn''t touch O''jog as a result of his [Perfect Protection], but the whole spatial swap thing caused his senses to get a little disoriented. As someone who had elevated senses to such a degree, a sudden swap like that proved difficult to adjust to.


    However, the moment he limated to his new position, Rey was already right next to him- swinging his de in his direction.


    "Just give it up!" O''jog gritted his teeth now, evidently mad that the students didn''t know when to stop.


    He sent a pulse towards Rey-or, R''ai... the way he saw it--but the boy easily cut through it with his de and advanced even quicker than ever, shing at him with the edge of his de.


    ~WHOOSH!~


    O''jog dodged, just in case.


    However, he swiftly reached out for Rey''s torso, his fist tightened for a ferocious blow. Without hesitating, he poured his strength into the blow and sent it flying towards him.


    But-


    ~BZZZ!~


    His position with Rey was swapped at that exact moment, which rendered his punch useless and sent his senses into another state of confusion.


    Before he could limate this time, he heard a ringing sound in his head.


    It came from Rey''s kick.


    "Gahh!" O''jog stumbled back, but before he could fully regain his focus, Rey had already closed in on him, ready for another series of sessive strikes.


    His hands quickly became a flurry, sending his de shing and carving into the air, blurring even more with every new motion that he made. It nearly overwhelmed O''jog, but that was only before his senses returned and he had tolerated enough.


    Opening his mouth angrily, he released a powerful surge of energy in the form of any Dragon''s primary and ultimate attack.


    ''[Dragon Breath: Chaos]!''


    The chaos energy flowed from his gaping mouth as it devastated everything around-from the space, to the shattering ground, and finally... to the two who were causing him so much trouble despite being mere students.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ''Unlike my other moves, Dragon Breath isn''t Magical or external... so it can''t be disrupted.'' It was a natural move that all Dragons possessed, though they had variants.


    ''Let''s see you get past-''


    ~WHOOOSH!~


    Rey jumped through the chaotic ck and purple mes, the fiery storm seemingly licking his body as he dashed forward-de in hand, and determination written all over his face.


    ''What? He survived that? No... no way!''


    Anyone hit by such a Dragon Breath was doomed to die. Of course, he didn''t actually intend for the two students to die, which is why he mostly focused the attack around them and all over the ground surrounding him.


    However, despite that, Rey had jumped through the mes and was charging towards him. The craziest part was that he didn''t appear harmed.


    ''H-how...?!'' O''jog''s blue eyes reflected the boy''s wild smile as he charged towards him. ~SWOOOSH!~


    A shing sound interrupted his thoughts, causing him to block with his raised arm. ~CLANG!~


    The impact of Rey''s de shing with O''jog sent the former bouncing away in recoil, but before thetter could get any satisfaction, he twisted in the air and pushed back the air behind him for an extra boost towards his target.


    In one swift motion, he was back with another strike.


    However, rather than use the swift movements he had previously employed, he used both hands to wield the de and made a predictable and incredibly powerful downward sh.


    O''jog-once again-raised his arm to block the strike.


    As long as he possessed [Perfect Constitution] his body would adapt to whatever attack wasing and take the appropriate form and density to counter it. In this case, the attack was Rey''s de.


    Surely... it would-


    ~SQUELCH!~


    The sound of sliced flesh echoed in O''jog''s ears, instantly causing his face to turn pale. ''W-what...?!!


    Those were his thoughts the moment he saw his raised hand lopped off and his own blood scattering all around him like light rain. Rey was also still approaching him despite the damage already caused.


    His body swirled in a powerful aerial twist, and his de was crashing down with a seemingly unstoppable force.


    ''That''s it!'' At this point, O''jog was infuriated, so he opened his mouth wide and sent a far stronger Dragon Breath directly towards Rey. He reckoned the cause of Rey surviving thest one was due to it being mellowed out and also not directly attacking Rey.


    He had fixed those two issues this time, and now the chaotic energy was rapidly charging at Rey with sheer intensity.


    "I hope you haven''t forgotten all about me!" Lucielle''s cheerful voice echoed in the air at that moment, causing O''jog to get distracted for a split second.


    However, that time was more than enough.


    ~WHUUUM!~


    He was suddenly greeted with a swift redirect of his own Dragon Breath and Rey''s de, the former clearly a result of Lucielle''s interference.


    Rey went after his unaffected limb, while the Dragon Breath hit O''jog''s face. This time, the [Perfect Protection] was disabled, so he suffered severe damage as a result. If it wasn''t for [Perfect Constitution], the injuries he suffered would have been even more severe.


    He did lose his second arm, though.


    With both hands lopped off by Rey''s glimmering sword, O''jog could feel something squirm


    inside him.


    -FEAR!


    ''Am I really... going to lose?!'' As he thought this, he had eyes on the boy, who was now gritting his teeth and leaped at him with the sword aiming for his chest.


    ''Me? Lose? No way!''


    At this point, he grit his teeth and activated the only skill he knew could save him in such an intense, unpredictable scenario.


    ''[Divine Growth].''


    ~BWUUUUUUUSSSHHH!~


    His body immediately swelled with power, and time itself seemed to pause-or at least enter


    a slowed down phase. With such an overwhelming power, it was obvious that his Stats took a


    huge jump, and so did his skills.


    However, there was no need to rely on other Skills in this case.


    All he needed...


    "Hehehe... hehehehe... heheheheee!"


    ... Were his fists!


    ~POW!~


    With one clean strike, he sent Rey flying backwards-tumbling over the stationary Lucielle. The two crashed on each other, and while they were on the verge of falling-still slowed down as a result of his elevated sense of time-he prepared another present for them. "[Perfect Expansion]." With this, he recalled the first move he would have used to eliminate them, to begin with. In the end, they gave him more trouble than expected, but that didn''t mean their oue would be any different from the others.


    "[Absolute Destruction]."


    -B000000000000000M!!!


    A powerful surge of energy radiated all over the stage at that instant, creating tremors on the ground that even affected the spectators'' seats. O''jog watched all of this calmly as both of his


    hands recovered in an instant.


    All the damage he received were already healed, and he felt as good as new.


    As for his opponents-


    "Urgh..."


    "I... don''t... ahhh..."


    -They had beenpletely knocked out from his final attack.


    "Haa..." O''jog leaked out a sigh as he approached the two, his head shaking slowly. "You guys


    really surprised me."


    However, in the end, there could only be one winning prodigy.


    And that was him.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I have a new book called Lord Of The Dead, and it''s in apetition. I would like for it to win,


    so if you are interested in it, do check it out. Even if you aren''t, please give it a chance and see


    if it''s your sort of novel.


    I''d appreciate it a lot.

 Chapter 896: The Plan Begins

    Chapter 896: The n Begins


    ?


    "And the winner is... The Frost Dragon Squad!"


    As the host made this announcement, O''jog looked at the two unconscious Dragons-both of whom had given him a rather close fight.


    Closer than he had faced in an extremely long while.


    ''Did I go too far?'' He wondered, watching as they were whisked away in spine boards by the paramedics specially prepared for the event.


    O''jog knew they would be fine. After all, unless a contestant was dead-which was against the rules-the healing technology and Magic that they had was enough to resuscitate anyone in due time.


    Still... he couldn''t help but feel a little bad for going overboard.


    ''And then there''s those two...'' He eyed the female Dragons that followed the paramedics as they exited the stage. ''They weren''t defeated by D''aru and L''ester, but instead surrendered after R''ai and Luc''ia were defeated.''


    Their decision was very logical, considering the fact that the two of them couldn''t win against the Frost Dragon Squad on their own-not when O''jog had defeated their young dark horses.


    ''Still, I expected some hesitation or animosity before and after they surrendered...''


    But neither was the case.


    They simply walked past O''jog and left the stage-almost as if they were in a hurry. "Ahh... how embarrassing! Our first fight for the day and we ended up being unable to defeat our opponents." D''aru interrupted O''jog''s thoughts with his loud voice.


    He didn''t have the usual cheerfulness that previously dripped from his lips anytime he spoke. It was obvious that he was quite frustrated and a little angry that he had fought a battle like that-one that didn''t involve him winning.


    "I didn''t expect the White Dragon Squad to have people who matched us in strength." L''ester added with a grumble.


    Even the usual emotionless L''ester was upset.


    "Was it just me, or did it honestly feel like they were leading us on... like they weren''t using their full power during the fight?" He added.


    "What?" D''aru nced at hisrade in surprise. "How is that even possible?"


    "I... don''t know."


    At this point, the calm Dragon General wasn''t soposed any longer. "Forget it. Forget I said anything."


    O''jog remained quiet as he looked at the two, and then reflected on a lot of things by himself. He didn''t think that the two students were holding back on him-not that it was possible, to begin with. However, something about their defeat felt too easy.


    ''Is it because I used the [Divine Growth]? Or maybe... they were out of energy? Yeah... that actually makes a lot of sense.''


    With a heavy sigh, he decided to take his mind off the strange fight he had with the White Dragon Squad. As soon as he heard the host announce the next team, he prepared himself to go back to his usual routine,


    And if anyone dared to break him out of the streak again... they would regret it.


    "... BEGIN!" The host''s voice rang out, and as the enemy team scrambled in their organized formation, doing their best to take out him and his teammates, O''jog scoffed slightly and shot them a cold look with his blue eyes.


    Just like the others, they were going to fall through the aid of a single move.


    ''[Perfect Expansion].''


    *********


    After applying the emergency treatment for the two patients, and supervising the visit of their teammates, the nurses and doctor finally left the Infirmary in order to watch the next match and attend to any injuries that were bound to be incurred.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    As a result, Rey and Lucielle''s room soon became empty.


    "Looks like the coast is clear!" Rey beamed, rising from his bed as he shifted his gaze to Lucielle, who was also doing the same.


    "Whew! I was wondering when they would leave." She smiled back.


    They both chuckled, albeit not too loudly.


    "I don''t know why, but Kat''erin and Shai''ya are standing outside. Are they guarding us while we rest, or waiting for us to recover so they can visit? I have no idea..." Lucielle smiled, turning towards Rey.


    "Looks like our seniors really care about us."


    He returned those words with a funny look, shaking his head as he silently made an evaluation of what was happening.


    ''I expected those two to sustain injuries and lose as well, but they just surrendered after we


    lost.''


    As a result, they were going to be supervising Rey and Lucielle, and that could be bad depending on how one looked at it. If they walked into the room at any time, it could jeopardize the n that had been in the making for months.


    ''But... what if they were in the infirmary with us and ended up recovering much faster? Wouldn''t that also give rise to the same problem? I see that now...''


    He had thought everyone would have their private rooms, but it seemed arge space was dedicated to each Squad, so the two Dragon girls would have been nuisances anyway-not that they couldn''t be dealt with one way or the other.


    It seemed Lucielle read his mind, because her next statement assuaged him of his fears.


    "The doctor ordered that they not disturb our rest, so I don''t think they''ll be barging in


    anytime soon."


    "Hm. You''re right."


    "Besides, we''ll be leaving the Dragon Continent after your super secret mission, right? By the time they even start suspecting what''s going on, we''d already be long gone."


    Once again, Lucielle wasn''t wrong.


    Rey still wasn''t sure how long it would take for them to properly set up the Magic within the Chamber of Ancients and teleport Alicia home, but he already had an estimate in mind, and they were still within schedule.


    ''After this is the battle of the Lords, and I''m sure it will take quite some time...''


    "We should start leaving now." Rey jumped to his feet, stretching a little before burning up his current attire to reveal his dark cloaked outfit-courtesy of Emil.


    Lucielle did the same, albeit with Magic.


    "How?" She asked.


    "How else?" In that moment, space around them distorted, and Lucielle felt herself being pulled towards Rey and away from the infirmary.


    "Hang tight."


    He held onto her, and the swirling blue and ck spatial vortex quietly danced around the two


    of them-concealing her blushing smile from view.


    A few secondster, they hadpletely vanished from the room.


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    The n is now officially underway! What will happen from this point on? We can only


    specte!


    Hope you enjoyed the chapter and anticipate this Arc''s conclusion.

 Chapter 897: Day At The Museum

    ~WHOOOSH!~


    Within the blink of an eye, Rey and Lucielle found themselves behind a particr building¡ªthe rendezvous spot that Adrien had set for himself and Rey before the very day.


    The building was the Draconic Museum, and it was practicallyger than any structure within the United Human Alliance; or any other ce that the both of them had seen in H¡¯Trae for that matter.


    Of course, ces like the Dragon Academy, or a Dragon Lord¡¯s Domain were an exception, but those weren¡¯tposed of a single building, unlike the Museum. Rey and Lucielle walked out of their corner, and he took a good look at the massive structure with a small smile.


    ¡¯I wonder if Alicia would have loveding here¡­ to see what they could possibly have inside.¡¯


    He knew how much she loved Museums and historicalndmarks, after all.


    ¡¯It won¡¯t be much of a date, especially since this is the enemy¡¯s territory, but I¡¯m sure she¡¯d really enjoy herself.¡¯ Looking closely at the Museum, it really did resemble Earth¡¯s building structure.


    It would have been the perfect ce to spend more time with her.


    ¡¯But¡­ time has run out.¡¯ Rey sighed, shrugging silently. ¡¯It¡¯s time for her to go¡­¡¯


    "What¡¯s on your mind?" Lucielle asked, her arm still wrapped around his despite the teleportation now beingplete.


    She was also close¡ªmuch too close forfort¡ªto him. Their bodies were literally brushing past each other with even the slightest movement. Rey couldn¡¯tin, though, since it didn¡¯t seem like Lucielle had noticed or thought it was a big deal.


    Why would he point it out and make things awkward between them?


    "I¡¯m fine. Just¡­"


    "I saw you looking at the Museum. I didn¡¯t think you liked ces like this."


    "Well¡­" He shrugged in response. "... Let¡¯s just say I¡¯ve taken a liking to them in recent times."


    "Ohhh?"


    Rey could see Lucielle¡¯s smile broadening as she gave him a sly smile. Whatever was going on in her mind was probably going to be something crazy.


    "After this is all done, why don¡¯t the both of us go inside?"


    "Are you crazy?"


    "A little¡­ yeah." Sheughed, causing Rey to nearly p himself in the face.


    "For one, we don¡¯t know when we¡¯ll be done with our task. Secondly¡­ it¡¯s even closed because of the whole event taking ce today."


    "¡­"


    "Besides, we can hardly see anyone around¡­ which means the whole Capital is experiencing some kind of curfew. Maybe it¡¯s because of the Exhibition or the fact that the Dragon Emperor showed his first. Either way¡­ I don¡¯t think we can¡ª"


    "Dude¡­ if you didn¡¯t want to go, you could have just said so." Lucielle sighed, removing her hand from his, quickly folding them as she frowned.


    "What? When did I ever say that?"


    "Ahh¡­ my apologies. If you didn¡¯t want to go WITH ME, then you could have just said so."


    "How does that make what you said any better?" Rey was exasperated at this point, so he slightly raised the volume of his tone.


    However, momentster, those feelings were suppressed.


    "Haaa¡­ nevermind." Lucielle shrugged. "Let¡¯s just go."


    Rey was tempted to simply let the matter die, but something told him that he would sorely regret it if he did that. And so, he swiftly grabbed her hand and pulled her closer the moment she quickened her pace.


    "Hold on a moment. Just exin yourself, because I have no idea what¡¯s going on right now or what I did wrong."


    All he did was state the facts.


    How did he manage to piss off someone like Lucielle, who should have understood?


    "You just keep making excuses not to go in. How does a mere Museum being closed stop the two of us from heading in? Isn¡¯t it even better that way, since we¡¯ll have the ce all to ourselves?"


    Rey was stunned by her response.


    "Do you think I didn¡¯t notice that it was closed¡­ or that the Capital is experiencing some sort of curfew right now? You must think I¡¯m dumb or something¡­ ahh¡­" Lucielle¡¯s frown slowly dissipated and she turned away from Rey.


    Once again, her cheeks were reddened.


    "... Sorry about that."


    "...."


    It was now Rey¡¯s turn to be silent as he looked at the girl that stood right beside him.


    They had spent months together¡ªgetting to know each other, learning so much about their likes, dislikes, tastes, preferences¡­ and so much more. Lucielle got to know what Earth was like before the ident, and Rey learned a lot more about H¡¯Trae.


    They had gotten much closer than ever¡­ which meant certain feelings would naturally progress as their rtionship advanced.


    ¡¯Lucielle¡¯s feelings for me are yet to recede.¡¯ Rey thought to himself as he watched her avert her gaze.


    He didn¡¯t know whether or not to feel bad about this.


    It was somewhat simr with what he experienced with Esme¡ªthe conflict of liking someone, but also loving another.


    ¡¯I still love Alicia. I have tried to move on, but¡­ it wouldn¡¯t be fair for anyone if I just made them my rebound when I haven¡¯t fully gotten over the one I really love.¡¯


    ~I don¡¯t mind being your rebound, Master!~


    At this point, Emil swiftly made her move, but was instantly turned down by Rey.


    ¡¯No!¡¯


    ~Ahh¡­ dammit. I will never give up, though!~


    Rey sighed and shook his head. ¡¯What a mess. When did I start having girl problems like this anyway?¡¯


    He took one of Lucielle¡¯s hands, breaking her pose with just a single move.


    "You want to see the Museum, right? Let¡¯s go right now."


    "W-what?!" Her face instantly turned red. "B-but don¡¯t we have to go¡­ do t-the thing with the¡ª?"


    "That can wait. I have time powers anyway¡­"


    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "B-but¡­!"


    "Now look at you making excuses." Rey grinned broadly at her. "Something tells me you don¡¯t want to do this¡­"


    "W-what? No way!"


    At this point, Lucielle pushed herself closer to Rey and locked her arm with his, sping her fingers with his as she smiled daringly. Rey felt his heart skip a beat for a moment before it finally stabilized.


    With her pale, pretty face now close to his, and her crimson eyes glowing with excitement, she nodded emphatically and pointed at therge building.


    "Let¡¯s go!"


    "That¡¯s the spirit!"


    The both of them then ran off to the building¡ªalready shrouded by a barrier that blocked any form of observation from an external audience. Even if someone passed right beside them, they wouldn¡¯t be able to sense them in the slightest.


    And so, with this power making sure they remained undetected, Rey and Lucielle used another special dose of Magic to grant themselves entry into the Museum and rush into the massive building together.


    They both had excited smiles on their faces¡­ and if anyone were to see them¡ªwhether from afar or in much closer proximity¡ªthey would think the two were a couple.


    It¡­ just seemed right to assume.


    ********


    "Look at those two dawdling¡­" Adrien mumbled to himself with a smile as he watched the Museum from afar.


    He could already see R¡¯ai and Luc¡¯ia entering the Museum¡ªor rather¡­ Rey and Lucielle.


    Indeed, he knew the identity of Rey¡¯s partner.


    ¡¯He brought her without telling me, but I guess it makes sense for him to do so.¡¯ His smile broadened as he watched them absolutely enjoy themselves.


    Unlike the two, he was all alone¡ªnot that it mattered to him.


    "This doesn¡¯t affect the n at all¡­"


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    This isn¡¯t me saying that they¡¯re the final couple or anything. I just have to point that out¡­

 Chapter 898: The Full Plan

    Chapter 898: The Full n


    ?


    "You''rete..."


    Adrien''s voice echoed as he lightly red at both Rey and Lucielle, who shamelessly stood before him a short distance from the museum, as if nothing was wrong.


    They were all standing next to a fountain, their bodiespletely cloaked due to a bunch of Skills and Spells. The look on Adrien''s face was that of mild disapproval and disappointment, but both Rey and Lucielle had cheerful expressions for some reason.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    -Even after arrivingte!


    Of course, their dy wasn''t going to affect the n in any meaningful way, but it was still tardiness.


    "Sorry. We got carried away scouting the area..." Rey spoke calmly, a smile stered on his face.


    "Yeah. Just to be sure the coast is clear." Lucielle backed him up.


    Adrien could feel a vein nearly pop on his forehead as he looked at the two of them and strained a smile. Even if he hadn''t watched the two of them go into the Museum just earlier, he still wouldn''t believe their obvious lies.


    ''They''re not even trying to hide it... shameless people.'' He shook his head. ''At the very least, it doesn''t matter. Rey already guessed I knew about Lucielle''s identity, so it wasn''t very difficult integrating her into the n. At this point, we are already plenty familiar with each other, so I''m d the whole exchange didn''t take too long.''


    Now that all three of them were present and ounted for, it was time for the next phase of the n.


    "The Chamber of Ancients... it''s time we discussed getting in."


    The moment Adrien said this, the cheerful expression on both Rey and Lucielle''s faces dissipated, reced by a serious facade. The two clearly knew how important the current mission was, so there was no room for dawdling.


    "Since there''s been something of a curfew, security is pretty light today. Regr guards are on break and are probably watching the event from their homes" He began exining. "Plus, any rtively powerful person will be in attendance at the event, since the social hierarchy of Dragons is determined by strength."


    In essence, the site that they were headed to was practically deserted.


    "Of course, there are barriers put in ce, but taking into ount ourbined strength- no, just Rey''s alone-we should be able to easily get past any defense that has been set up."


    That much was a given.


    "The Chamber of Ancients is considered a sacred monument¡ªalmost like a shrine. Every Dragon knows to revere it, so we shouldn''t be getting any kind of interruption or surveince from the outside. We''ll bepletely alone..."


    "Alone for what exactly?" Lucielle finally spoke up.


    She pretty much knew the gist of the n, but there was an essential ingredient in all of it that she still hadn''t been told and wasn''t able to wrap her head around. Since they had pretty much reached the end point-or somewhere rtively close-she felt it was the perfect time to let her in on the purpose of the n.


    "You haven''t told her yet?" Adrien raised his brow, turning to Rey while his expression disyed clear frustration.


    "Nope!" Lucielle shook her head as she also turned to him.


    In an instant, it was as if both of them turned on Rey-their intense gazes pressuring him as The leaked out a wry smile.


    "I was going to get to that..."


    "When?"


    "... Eventually."


    "Haaa... unbelievable." Adrien shook his head, clearly not willing to deal with the big reveal or the potential series of drama that would result from it.


    "Mind if I make a guess?"


    At this point, both of the boys looked at Lucielle. Her gleaming crimson eyes seemed to hide something, and it made them curious.


    "Sure. I mean-"


    "This is about finding a way back to Earth, right?" The moment Lucielle said this, both Rey and Adrien couldn''t hide their surprise.


    ''So she isn''t only good for Magic, huh...?'' Adrien smiled to himself. ''Interesting...''


    As for Rey, he opened his lips the second after Lucielle hit the nail right on its head. Even though his emotions were checked a momentter, he still felt the shock of her words for long enough to give an impulsive response.


    "How did you know?!"


    "I just made a guess... but it seems I was correct, huh?" She folded her arms and sighed. "Now I see why you''ve been so bummed out with Alicia and all..."


    Lucielle was clearly hiding herplicated thought process, the main reason she was able to deduce their ns to such an extent, but neither boy could call her out on it. The truth was that she had been researching the Dragons and their history-enough to discover that their history of the world was much different from the human records.


    She was also able to findndmarks and learn the various areas of significance of the Dragon Empire-including the Chamber of Ancients.


    Of course, not all the details were avable to a mere student like her, so her knowledge was still very limited. The most progress she made was when she became a disciple of the White Dragon Lord and learned even more things from the Lord''s library-stuff that wasn''t in the Academy''s Library.


    Ultimately, she pieced it all together and realized it probably had to do with reverse summoning.


    "The Dragons arrived at H''Trae from that particr point... which is now referred to as the Chamber of Ancients, and so you want to use it to return to your original world." She smiled. "But, to do that... you need to have extensive knowledge on Magic-including how to tweak whatever form is there so it goes wlessly and connects to Earth and not somewhere else. That is why you wanted me toe with you, since I was in charge of summoning you to this world and should know the coordinates of your world, and how to properly calibrate the Magic so it works exactly how you want it to."


    By the time Lucielle was done speaking, Rey and Adrien looked at each other, and then at her


    with a unanimous nod.


    "Did I miss anything?"


    "No..." Rey said with a small smile. "You got it just right."


    "I see..."


    For another few seconds, there was silence among the three of them.


    "So... what do you think? Will you help us?" Adrien cut through the silence, his focused gaze alreadyden with his intent to carry out the mission.


    Even if Lucielle refused, he was certain there would be some other way. The point was to get the work done within the window of opportunity that they had-no more, no less. "Sure... why not?" Lucielle shrugged, making a casual smile. "You''ve shown me so many cool things already, so how could I refuse now? I''ll consider this my fee."


    Rey couldn''t fully tell if Lucielle meant every word she said. It seemed like she did, but it also felt like she was hiding some of her feelings.


    He could see it in her eyes... that she was hurt-hurt that he didn''t tell her all this time.


    "At least tell me this..." She whispered. "How many of you are leaving?"


    Rey looked at Adrien and sighed.


    "I''m not sure. Adrien is going, and so is Alicia. I don''t know about the others... but we can''t know for sure until we ask them. Personally, I''m doing this for Alicia... and Adrien and I are coborating because he also wants to return to Earth."


    "Really? Why?" Lucielle turned to Adrien. "You don''t seem to be doing too bad for yourself


    here."


    In response to that, Adrien leaked out a light grin and spoke.


    "I just want my home."


    "I see..." Lucielle muttered, closing her eyes and inhaling very deeply as she processed all she


    had just heard. After a few seconds, her eyes popped wide open and she arrived at her decision.


    "Alright! Let''s do this!"


    Rey and Adrien instantly smiled and nodded to her in gratitude.


    There were certainly other ways they could go about the n without Lucielle''s help, but things would certainly be much easier with her cooperation. Given the restraint of time that


    they had, she was their safest bet.


    "Thank you." Rey told her. "For real."


    "I can''t exactlyin or even get mad. After all... we took you all from your home world."


    "Yeah..." Rey rubbed the base of his neck as he remembered the whole experience. He also remembered that they would have died in the ident if not for the summoning anyway.


    So, in a sense, Lucielle actually saved their lives.


    "Besides... I don''t feel too bad knowing you''re still going to be here with us."


    Rey''s eyes glimmered as soon as he heard that.


    "Yeah! I''m not leaving."


    "Good."


    || ||


    After a few seconds of staring at each other, feeling the tense silence waft between the two of


    them, they were interrupted by light groaning from Adrien.


    "Alright, alright... let''s do this already."


    ~VWUUUSH!~


    With a snap of his fingers, space distorted around them and they arrived right in front of the


    massive dome that was known by one name alone.


    -The Chamber of Ancients.


    "At longst..." The moment Rey took one step forward, however, he instantly noticed


    something-no, someone already inside the building.


    Worst of all... he recognized who it was.


    ''Why? Why are you here?!''


    *


    *


    *


    [A/N]


    Thanks for reading!


    I believe you all know where this is all heading...

 Chapter 899: The Heros Crusade

    Chapter 899: The Hero''s Crusade


    ?


    [Moments Earlier]


    "At longst..."


    Adonis stood before the massive Magic Circle that stood at the inner sanctum of the Chamber


    of Ancients, his gazepletely fixed on the runic letters and ancient alphabets used in constructing the intricate form.


    He remembered just how difficult it was for both he and Lucielle to figure out how to configure it to their specifications.


    However, this time was going to be different.


    ''I remember everything! I remember exactly what I have to do in order to get the same results asst time!'' Adonis grinned to himself. ''I just need time...''


    And, time was all he had at the moment.


    ''Everyone is too busy focusing on the Exhibition. There''s no one to stop me here.''


    With that train of thought, Adonis set aside all his baggage and worries, choosing instead to focus entirely on the work at hand.


    He did away with his pathetic disguise as a Dragon, allowing his pure golden hair to flow beautifully without the restraint of a horn getting in the way. The disgusting tail that stuck to him vanished, and so did his wings.


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 Chapter 900: Cruel Truth

    Chapter 900: Cruel Truth


    ?


    "W-what... did you just say?"


    Adonis had been so wrapped up in all his thoughts regarding his ns for the future- especially how they would change now that Rey and Lucielle could potentially be joining him.


    This was, by no means, a bad thing.


    However, adding two others would undoubtedly make things moreplicated. Still, if they were up for the task, Adonis was more than happy to have them on this journey as allies to aid him on the quest to save the world.


    All that mattered was that theypleted the mission-no matter what!


    "There is no such thing as regression, Adonis!" Rey hammered his words into his head once again. "You''re not a regressor, at least... not in the real sense of the word. And... that Magic Circle isn''t for regression."


    "What are you sayi-?"


    "I can see everything with my [Perfect Divine Appraisal], Adonis... and I see it perfectly now." He pointed at the Magic Circle.


    "That thing is meant to travel worlds, not send you to the past."


    "W-wha-?!"


    "You wouldn''t be regressing." Rey sighed. "You''d just be jumping ship to a new world."


    11


    Those words were mind shattering, especiallying from Rey.


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 Chapter 901: Absolute Defeat

    Chapter 901: Absolute Defeat


    ?


    Adonis staggered to his feet, his breaths ragged and uneven.


    The golden glow of his energy slowly began to rise and crackle. It illuminated the tension in the air, casting shadows across the ancient chamber. Rey stood unmoving, his calm demeanor a stark contrast to Adonis'' frenzied state.


    "[Perfect Divine Sword Summon]!" Adonis growled.


    The radiant de materialized in his grip, its brilliance pulsating with divine energy. Despite the exhaustion creeping into his limbs, his resolve hadn''t wavered.


    Rey stood a short distance away, his posture rxed, yet his sheer presence felt


    overwhelming. His face was stoic, his eyes cold and unyielding. He hadn''t used a single skill, relying solely on raw strength and speed to dominate Adonis so far.


    "Stay down, Adonis."


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 Chapter 902: Is This Farewell?

    Chapter 902: Is This Farewell?


    ?


    "Haa... haa..."


    The chamber fell into an uneasy silence after Adonisy motionless, his ragged breaths the only sound echoing in the vast, ancient room. Rey stood over him, his expression unreadable.


    The overwhelming power he had disyed moments ago was now cloaked in a calm, yet authoritative demeanor.


    Adonis tried to rise, but his body refused to obey. His defeat was absolute, and he knew it.


    "Stay where you are," Rey said coldly, his voice cutting through the stillness.


    A flick of his hand conjured a shimmering barrier around Adonis, trapping him within its confines. "This is for your own good. Rest and reflect on what''s happened here."


    Adonis didn''t respond.


    The fight had drained not just his body, but his spirit as well. His gaze was distant, a mix of anger and despair swirling in his eyes. He slumped back against the wall, his will to resistpletely shattered.


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